A Special opportunity for YOU!

I just finished one of my most favorite hats/tams. It is way cute, and it is just finishing being blocked before I attach it to my head! While I don't have any pictures (quite yet), I have the pattern written up and am looking for a couple of 'test knitters'! THIS COULD BE YOU!

Details:
Intermediate to Advanced (if you can do lace and bobbles and can follow a pattern well, you are good to go!)
knitted on US 4 needles with dk weight yarn (I used Elsebeth Lavold's Silky-Wool)
It requires between 225-250 yards (used just barely 200... too close for comfort)

The only requirement is that you look for my mistakes, and tell me how I can make it more understandable. If you want to help me out with this pattern before it is unleashed on the public, you can contact me here in the comments, on facebook, or Ravelry (BrookeBowen).

How I learned to knit

Surprisingly (to me) I get asked one question more than any other when I am knitting, "How did you learn to do... that?". It must be an age factor, most people thinking you should only learn how to knit when you are of a certain age. My journey of learning how to knit is different than anyone else's, so I thought I would share. (Disclaimer: If you are already bored I suggest you don't read on and get back to your crafting!)

Do you remember when those fun fur scarves where "like totally" in? I was somewhere between the ages of 12-15 when my sister and I wanted one! When we learned that we could make one ourselves we were immediately on board. My Mom went to JoAnns and bought some (now hideous) fun fur yarn, and two pairs of aluminum size 10 needles. I knew how to crochet at the time and thought knitting would be just as easy. After getting through a foot of the scarf, with half as many stitches I started with, it became a small monster that hid in the corner of my closet.
*(While it is widely believed that monsters live in the closet or underneath the bed, the origin is now thought to be from a mixture of abandoned crafts and dust)

Fast forward to a year ago... I am now working at "This is The Place, Heritage Park" enjoying my incredible job. As the summer dies down and there is more down time, we are asked to continue doing 'pioneer crafts', keeping the park authentic. Long days in a pioneer dress is perfect to try and pick up knitting again (the truth is that I wanted to learn to spin, but needed to find a craft that I can use all the yarn for...). After a few days I had it down, I am not dropping stitches, but I am also going at a turtle's pace. Some guests comes into the park, an older woman and her husband, and they come to see what I am doing. I learn very quickly that they are visiting from Germany and don't speak a word of English. She proceeded to motion to my needles, and I hand them to her. For the next five minutes she teaches me without words, how to knit with the yarn in my left hand, how to hold my needles better, and how to quicken my pace. What an incredible experience! I learned from someone I will never meet again in this life and got to feel the history in her knitting, that she probably learned from her Mother or Grandmother! It led to greater self-confidence and soon to an addiction I might never satisfy.

P.S. I couldn't find a picture of me knitting, but here is picture of me at work!

My hat featured on Studio 5 in Good Morning Utah!

Kelly Brown, one of my customers, wore her beautiful Rachel Cloche on Good Morning Utah this morning! Doesn't it look beautiful! And Kelly looks beautiful too.

Piper & Chloe: Success!

Here are some photos of my stand at Piper and Chloe!

If you weren't able to make it up to Piper and Chloe this past weekend, you really missed out! There were a ton of fun and unique vendors selling all sorts of goodies (and great Christmas presents!). I was able to sell quite a few items and have started listing the remaining ones on etsy (be sure to check them out at http://BelugaFiber.etsy.com ). I have also started a fan-page on Facebook. If you haven't already become a fan, be sure to do so! I have been adding small updates regularly on that page, so if you are a fan you won't miss a thing! Beluga Fiber .


p.s. I have finished one and a half pairs of my new "Twilight" mitten design. They are incredible and super warm. They will be posted on etsy next Wednesday (the day before the big "New Moon" opening!) Be sure to check it out!

First Snow

Today was the first snow of the season, and boy did it deliver! It was snowing when I woke up this morning and continued until about 11, then kept coming back throughout the afternoon. I hope this is a sign of a good snowy winter with Brad new snowplowing business starting up.

Just a reminder, Piper and Chloe is coming up! If you need a flyer, the address, or anything you can contact me, or go to their blog at http://piperandchloe.blogspot.com. It is going to be a wonderful show and will have give you an opportunity to do some early christmas shopping! I have been locking myself in my room so I can get everything done in time for this boutique next weekend November 6 & 7th. I hope to see everyone there! Come over on friday so you can buy one of my new designs, the flowered headband, before they sell out!

P.S.
The picture isn't from today, no siree! But hopefully it will be beautiful and white like that soon enough!

New Designs for Piper and Chloe

I have created some new [quick] designs for Piper and Chloe. It is in only a few weeks and I haven't quite gotten to a point that I feel comfortable with the number of items. I would really love to get 2 larger projects done (like the Cassatt scarf) and 5 smaller things done like cowls and gloves. I have a picture of one of the cowls I have finished without it's buttons. This green cowl now is sporting brown wooden buttons. I am very excited to share my other cowls with you, but until I get the camera out, they will have to wait!

Cute Blog- Must follow!

I found this blog from a lady here in Utah! Hooray! I have just spent twenty minutes pouring over it and I have to share with you:
http://www.thecoterieblog.com/

What a creative soul and she shares wonderful ideas. She even has great giveaways like the Shabby Apple Giveaway of a dress from the Salt Lake Company Shabby Apple.

Not to revolve myself around others ideas... but I sure will be taking her advice!

Fiber Fun!

This past weekend was the Great Basin Fiber Festival. Unfortunately I was out of town and couldn't make it, but because I have the most wonderful Mother in the world she went for me and spent even more money then I could have! She is planning on giving me some for birthday and Christmas and gave me a "small" amount of fiber to keep me busy until then. It ended up being a pound of very soft white alpaca! Very beautiful fiber and it allows me the opportunity to continue my dying experiments. I recently came into more fiber when my toy poodle became a crazy poodle mess of hair and I trimmed her myself. And no, I am not anything close to a groomer! Here are some pictures. A picture of Cleo all shaggy after playing in the sprinklers, a pile of fiber halfway through her haircut, and Cleo halfway through her haircut. Oh and another picture of my Dad's dog in a sweater I made for her!

The Cassatt Scarf

The new Cassatt Scarf, named after Mary Cassatt. The beautiful pink that is portrayed in many of her paintings are now within each stitch of this scarf. A scarf that is an exhibition of womanhood and the beauty of women everywhere. This version is made with 50% Angora, 25% Merino, and 25% Polyamide. It is incredibly soft and I want to keep it for myself, but to prevent spoiling myself I will share it with you.

Cloche Patterns written up, Piper and Chloe, and new Etsy Site!

I got a request the other day for my Cloche patterns (all three!). I had written one but this got me to write up the other two. And all at once Ravelry let me upload my patterns. So now my patterns are up for sale on Ravelry (finally...). You can check them out by searching for: BrookeBowen, and then going under my original designs.

Piper and Chloe is coming up again this year. For fall/winter it is going to be the first weekend of November at the same fine venue it was for spring! They will begin featuring vendors on their blog in a couple weeks: http://piperandchloe.blogspot.com

I have been working on changing my etsy shop to http://BelugaFiber.etsy.com . I have decided to begin switching over all my items in September, in time for fall. I will also be posting some of my new fall items that will also be for sale at the fall/winter Piper and Chloe showcase! New Changes A'Comin!

Ravelry Swap!

I decided to step out a little more at Ravelry (a knitting and crocheting online community) and I joined a fiber swap! I am very excited to show you what I got! Nancy sent me this package and made the bag, roving and stitch markers herself! How lucky am I?

Blossom Headband

I just posted this item on Etsy ( http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26965716 ), I have been meaning to put it up for weeks and haven't! When I post things on Etsy I pull out the item from my stock and handle it, to remember how enjoyable it was to make each beautiful item. I posted this Blossom Headband this morning and pulled it out of it's box, I had completely forgotten how beautiful the yarn I used and how gorgeous it looks put together. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

New Ideas for knitted items!

As I have been finishing knitting orders I have been dreaming up some new designs for fall/winter. I am planning on participating again in the Piper and Chloe showcase in the fall and I want to build more product for that (so again I will be knitting nonstop!). So here are some of my new ideas, that I will post on etsy and prep for Piper and Chloe when I get the designs down.

Everyone who is a twilight fan loves the gloves that Bella wears in the movie, including me. There are quite a few people who are selling their version of Bella's gloves, but I don't think that they are quite what I am looking for. There are some small details that have gone amiss. I plan on adding small cables up the sides of the fingers and a few other details. I am very excited for this, and all wonderful fiber too. This will be a more expensive item.

Okay another movie idea, I was going to make a version of Scotty's hat in Star Trek. Enough said.

If you have any other ideas that you would like to see, comment below!!

Photo Shoot

I have the best sister in the world! I called her up to see if I could use her as a model for my items and she let me use 4 hours of her Saturday to take pictures! Some of them are items that I haven't posted yet on etsy, and many others are better pictures of ones I already have up on etsy. I have already replaced most of the pictures on my etsy site ( http://brookebowen.etsy.com ) and am working on listing new items. Here is a sneak preview! Check out the updated pictures on my esty site too!

Updated on Etsy

I have posted all my items from the Piper and Chloe Showcase onto Etsy! http://brookebowen.etsy.com

Piper and Chloe this Weekend!

http://piperandchloe.blogspot.com

Featured

You can now see my new stuff at http://www.piperandchloe.blogspot.com/ . I hope to see you at the showcase May 8 & 9!

Beluga Fiber

Here is my label for my NEW BRAND NAME! I hope everyone loves it! And it is not Native American, it is Egyptian. (check out the makeup, what she is holding, the head band, the outfit, and the reeds in the background... not Native American)

Piper & Chloe Showcase

I am going to be featured (soon) on the Piper and Chloe blog because I am going to be a vendor- YAY! Here are some pictures of my products! You can check out Piper & Chloe at http://www.piperandchloe.blogspot.com

Super Busy Girl

Sorry I haven't been keeping up on my blog (again!). I was asked to participate in the Piper and Chloe showcase this spring just a few weeks ago, so I have been a knitting maniac! Everything is coming out wonderfully and I have also been working on my 'label'. When I get the chance I will show you patient followers of my blog!

Brooke

Cleo in Saint George

Cleo couldn't come with us to Zions, but she enjoyed Saint George nonetheless!

My Color

I saw that Crafty Moose Crafts had taken a quiz to find out what color she is ( you can check out her blog at http://craftymoosecrafts.blogspot.com ). I thought it would be fun and I found out that my color is GREEN! Haha! Who would've thought? I have always been a 'green' person, green books, green paintings, green is my favorite! It is a known fact that I subconsciously pick green books off of a shelf more often than any other color. It is official, green is my color.

Fiber=Yarn!

I just received some Merino yarn in the mail yesterday with my dyes! I spun one skein this morning and dyed it with my Cochineal, IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! It is a bright pink and amazingly soft. When it dries I will take pictures to share, but it is beautiful!!!

Color vote!

Hey I need your help! We are NOT voting for favorite logo... that will come later, but please help me by voting for favorite color scheme for each design. If you can please put them in order of your favorite to your least favorite for each design. Thank you thank you thank you so much for doing this! When I make final copies I will have you vote for your favorite logo! Exciting, I know!

Laying in bed..

Last night I couldn't fall asleep. I was just laying in bed while my mind was going 100 mph. I had so many ideas and thoughts that my brain would not shut down for some well needed rest. I also had a strange dream... anyway, here are some of the thoughts that went through my head last night-
1- I should make a label name for my etsy products
2- I like Coldplay... alot
3- I wish I could knit a sweater in an hour (impossible you say? yes.)
4- I should do the laundry before leaving town
5- I need to re-take my product pictures
6- I should re-take my product pictures when I am in Saint George
7- How am I going to pack my paintings good enough to send back to Sacramento
8- Why does it take so stinkin' long for my light yellow paint to dry.
9- I need to buy a headband, just a plain black one.
10- I can't wait to get my fiber to spin! Gah! Exciting!!!

So there is a sneak peak of what goes inside that funny mind of mine, hope you enjoyed it! Oh, and if you have any ideas for any of my thoughts please post a comment! Thanks!

Wool rolling in!

Yesterday I bought a pound of merino wool online. I am so excited to recieve it! I also bought some natural dyes (dyestuffs made from natural plant and animal matter, NO ACIDS). The moment I get them I will post again! I can't wait to get more hand-spun yarn on etsy! I am also working on writing a pattern for my Cloche, would it be interesting to you if I sold the pattern on etsy?

Pictures of Cloche!

Here are some pictures of the Cloche I knitted. It is so wonderfully comfortable! It is like a beanie, but stylish! I posted it on my etsy store, but it is so fun to try on I am tempted to keep it for myself! I think I might do another and change the design a tad. I have had this hat sitting around for a week now and it has taken me this long to finally get some pictures of it!

Gah! No pictures!

I have some very cute items but I don't want to get dressed to take pictures of them. So it will be posted...even later. Shame.

Neglected

I have been neglecting my blog. I have an excuse though! I am in an art show and I have to paint 50 paintings in 50 days! So I have been busy with my other blog- brookesart.blogspot.com . I have been getting some knitting in- I just finished a very very very cute cloche that I am going to post on etsy when I have the time to take pictures. And yes, I will post it here too! It is made with merino yarn, and it is yellow. It is very comfortable, like a beanie, but much more flattering. I think I will get my sister to wear it for the pictures since I have short hair, and I think it would look cute with her longer hair. The truth is that sometimes when I wear hats I look like a boy... because my hair hides under the hat. Well check out my other blog and don't think that I have neglected y'all.

Hats to come!

I am working on cute hats for my etsy shop! Unfortunately I am running out of yarn... so buy something so I can buy more and put more things in my shop!

What do you want to see this summer? Leave your comments and ideas so I know what YOU want!

First sweater!

I just finished my first knitted sweater and it turned out beautiful. Just a small cropped cardigan type sweater. I am going to dye it and put on a button then take pictures!

Alpaca

I just wanted to share with you the Alpaca yarn I am selling on Etsy. This is so squishy and wonderful! Fingering weight and 180 yards. Amazing! I bought it at a local fiber fair- the daughter of the lady selling it showed me the incredible animal it came from. What a pleasant animal it was! So calm and loved attention!

Now carrying Hand-Spun Yarn!

Okay, so this is really quite exciting! I am now selling my hand-spun yarn! Right now I only have 2 postings for yarn, but I am sure to get more up soon! One of my postings has two skeins for sale that are naturally dyed! No acid dyes! How exciting! Something so natural! Because naturally dying yarn creates different colors for each batch this will be the only color like this. They are very beautiful! Oh I am so excited!

Elephant Gloves

These are some really cool gloves! Completely designed by me! I am excited to have a product showing one of my favorite animals on it! If you are curious here is a list of some of my favorite animals:

Elephants- I think mostly because there were elephants on my baby blanket, early recognition=good memories
Rabbits- My Grandpa brought a wild rabbit from Washington for me after it's mother had died. I named it Gray-white... It was gray... and white. Yup my creativity started very young!
Poodles- Since I got a toy poodle for Christmas last year I have come to love this intelligent breed of dog.
Mice- I love the illustrations of mice that Beatrix Potter painted for her books

There are more... but those can wait for another time!

Pictures of the birdhouse!

Here are pictures of the birdhouse! It can be bought at brookebowen.etsy.com

First Birdhouse finished

I finished the first birdhouse and it is pretty nifty! I am hanging it outside today to see if the birds take an interest. After that I will post on Etsy and see if anyone else thinks it is as cool as I do! I will post a picture soon.

Birdhouse

I am working on some felted birdhouses right now and I am very excited. I can hear the birds beginning to come back and waiting for some place warm to begin a new home.

Theme for winter

I have decided that I am going to knit themed items for my etsy shop. For this winter- Jan to March- the theme is "Woodland". I have some amazing ideas that will knock your socks off! I will give you a clue for my first item:
The design is based off of something that floats in water,
It is the same color as dirt
and it is cut in half.

Post your guesses!

Welcome!

A short introduction!

My name is Brooke Bowen, and yes I am a crafter! I am started this blog in conjunction with my etsy store ( check it out at brookebowen.etsy.com). Career-wise I am an artist, I paint landscapes "en plein air". On my extra time I can't help but spin and knit! Since my home is filled with my items, I thought it best to share them with the outside world. Hope you love what you see!

Brooke Bowen