The End of A Hellish Year {and a sad announcement}

2014 has been a rough, trying year.  So much has changed around me, and so much has changed me as a person.  My life has taken some dramatic turns this year, and not all of them have been awful.  I’m not the same person that rang in 2014 with a glass of wine and a hopeful heart, but I’m working on finding my way back to her.  I think this is a good time to review, don’t you?  Let’s see… in 2014:

I designed 13 NEW patterns!!!  East Juniper Mitts, East Juniper Cowl, Polar Vortex, Samarah, Willowmere, We Are But Stardust, Eris, Ceres, Perseid, Lyra, Haddington, Bornholm, and Laurel were all released in 2014!

Spring Wrap became available for individual purchase!

I adopted a sweet little Yorkie from the local shelter!  He is such an incredible blessing to our family.

I survived what turned out to be quite possibly the worst Summer of my entire life.  And this picture made me smile.

I went back to work.  And it’s a sad reality that this sign is necessary.

I finally published my very first sweater pattern!

2015 will be better.  I see brighter things on the horizon, which is promising to me.  As of right now I’m planning more sweaters, a few new shawls, at least 4 hats, and some other fun new designs.  Which brings me to the sad announcement…

A few months ago, Ysolda started blogging and tweeting about something called VAT.  When Ysolda speaks, or writes, I listen.  She is a wealth of information, and one of my biggest creative influences.  So I looked into VAT/VATMOSS.  Essentially, VAT is a tax on digital items in the European Union (EU), but affects pattern sales to EU customers originating from US based retailers, such as myself.  As a US retailer, this affects me and will cause me to have to pay tax (VAT) to every EU country that I sell a pattern to, based on pattern sales.  That’s just not feasible to me.  I don’t want to have to increase my prices to pay VAT to a country in which I don’t even live or work.  And so I won’t.  Ravelry has accounted for this new VAT nonsense by teaming up with LoveKnitting to help designers sell to EU customers by collecting VAT and paying it on our behalf.  This is an amazing resource and I really look forward to utilizing LoveKnitting to facilitate sales to my incredible EU customers.  Craftsy, however, has decided to sit on their hands through this VAT mess, essentially leaving it up to individual designers to collect and pay their own VAT.  I don’t foresee this changing anytime soon, and again, it’s just not feasible for me.  So effective 10pm EST tonight, my Craftsy store will have all paid patterns removed.  ALL of my designs will still be available on Ravelry.  I am deeply sorry if this causes a problem for anyone, and will be happy to talk to you if it does.  Please remember that Ravelry is free to register, and is an incredible resource for knitters and crocheters.

I wish you all an incredible 2015, full of love and happiness!

Win A Sweaters Worth of Yarn!

The incredibly generous folks over at Shalimar Yarns are running a contest with the prize being an entire sweaters worth of the incredible Shalimar Yarns Equus and a copy of my latest pattern, Laurel!!!

To enter, check out their Facebook page here and leave a comment on the appropriate post indicating which color of Equus you would choose to knit your sweater in.  (Be sure that you comment in the correct post!)

The contest ends this Friday, 12/12/14 at 5pm EST, so be sure to enter quickly!

GOOD LUCK!!!

New Pattern: Laurel

Oh my darlings, this cardigan has been a long time coming.  For the past few years I’ve dreamed of designing a cardigan.  I imagined the stitches that I would use, I waffled between cables large and small, and I had midnight arguments with myself over button bands.  Which yarn could best showcase my work?  What about drape and ease?  What about no button band at all?  Well my darlings, let me tell you: this has been a labor of love, and I could not be any prouder to finally be able to share it with the world.  Introducing Laurel:

Laurel is the quintessential cardigan.  Knit seamlessly from the bottom up, with raglan sleeves that are knit flat and seamed to the body, Laurel is perfect for snuggling into.  This cardigan has no waist shaping, instead it allows a bold back cable and seed stitch to give the fabric just the right amount of pull.  The sleeves are knit extra long to allow you to roll them at the cuff.  The garter stitch collar is picked up along the edges of the front and neck.

This gorgeous sample was knit using Shalimar Yarns Equus in the colorway Sonoma.  Oh dudes, this yarn is a dream.  An absolute dream.  It is 100% Merino wool, and the drape at gauge for this pattern is incredible.  The color is so vibrant and saturated.  I could live in this sweater.  I have for the past several days.  Shhhh… let’s keep that between us, yes?

Laurel is available now on Ravelry here for $6.  Use code merryandbright at checkout to get 20% off through the month of December!