Rebecca Danger

So, Where Have You Been?

First of all, to all of those visitors from whipup.net: Welcome! Thanks for stopping in, the Monster Chunks pattern is up there to your right.

Alright, so I know I disappeared there for a couple weeks but I assure you it was for legitimate reasons. I packed up and shipped my first order from my distributor, Deep South Fibers. It was a great order but this was the first time I had done a "production run" of putting my patterns onto CD's for Local Yarn Shops to stock and I ran into quite a few snags along the way. Let's just say you probably wouldn't have wanted to read anything I put on le blog for a few days there. But in the end I made it through, and they came out great!

Shipping the CD's was the real question since I figured they could break pretty easily. I thought I would just drop those stacks (those are stacks of 100 if you were wondering) into those flat rate boxes, but once I got it all packed up I didn't think there was enough padding and freaked out, called Mr Danger at work in a panic, and we re-packed everything in much safer shipping arrangements. The order wasn't just for patterns either, we had a whole big pile o' bags to ship too:

And not only that but I brought out 2 new colors of knitting bags last month and had a big serge of orders, so there was a lot of knitting bag sewing as well.

And then I was also working on Monster Chunks, plus the new pattern (due out tomorrow, I'm super excited!), and well there you go. I was in my house working like a wackado, that's where I have been. And again, trust me, you didn't want to hear anything I had to say on most of these days!

But, I got through everything and I am sure I am a better person because of it (or something like that). Now I know the next time a CD order comes in I am going to hire someone else to do it so that I can keep my sanity (which I do believe I have been losing at a rate of about 2.5% a day for the last month). 

Alrighty, off to put the finishing touches on tomorrow's pattern! And then maybe take a nap, just re-reading this made me tired.

My Dog Ate My Homework

So I (and everyone else in the entire world) has heard the "my dog ate my homework" excuse and I am sure if you are like me you believe that this is totally ridiculous and would never happen, right? Well, I got home from knit night last week to find my sweet, lovely, darling, wonderful, favorite, puppy, baby had been on a kick while I was gone and had gone through everything in site. She dug through my purse, ate an addi turbo package (not the needles), pulled an empty travel-sized tylenol bottle out of my bag and chewed on it (no tylenol in it, don't worry), and among other things chewed on a Monster Chunk and ate my just corrected Monster Chunks draft. Yes, ate it:

Do you see that?! I have NO idea where the other 3/4's of the pattern went, there was nigh a scrap in the house anywhere. I guess she actually ate 75% of a piece of paper. Can you believe that?! 

So you say, "Rebecca, why was your pattern out on the floor where the pugs could get it?" and I would answer that it was up on my coffee table and the pugs shouldn't have been able to get it. Or even have been interested in a piece of paper for that matter. Tell me, why do I have pugs again? They make my life easier, right? C'est le vie, no?

But anywhoo, the pattern got corrected anyway and thanks everyone for the lovely comments here on le blog and on ravelry, and all the twitter and blog shout outs. I am so glad y'all love the Chunks as much as me!

Alrighty, Happy Bastille Day (notice my random bits of french today)! I am off to knit through and correct the next pattern while watching an episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Although the sun has come out now, maybe I will tempt my allergies and go sit on the porch. Bonne Chance!

Oh, and yes, that is a mention of the next pattern, coming out this Thursday in my etsy shop. And I must say, this one has come out tres cute.

Monster Chunks Have Landed

Ok I know I have been terribly, terribly lacking on the blog front but I promise it is for totally legit reasons which I will tell you about later. How about I make up for it by putting out a FREE PATTERN?!!

If you look to your right there, just above the Nuggets pattern I have just put up my second free pattern, Monster Nuggets:

Taa Daaa!!!! Can I tell you how in love with these guys I am? They are literally popping up all over the house and have been for the last several weeks as I have worked on them. Notice the 7 in this picture here? Yes, there are 2 more that were made after the picture was taken. At least a couple of them are going to be making their way to work with Mr Danger to sit on his desk just to make some more room at home.

These are too, too fun and I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do! To download the pattern just click on the button right up there on the right hand side of the blog here. Or, I am off to ravelry now to put them up for free there too.

Just email me with questions, and I would love it if you email me pictures of finished Chunks too!

Alright, I promise better blogging ahead. Things have calmed down quite a bit and I think I have everything back under "control" now. Now go, get knitting! And if you don't know how to knit, go learn how!

And The Winner Is......

Thanks everyone for leaving your comments for Tofu. Sorry it took so long for the results but I used the random number generator from random.org and the winner is:

Wohoo! The 4th commentor, Sarah from knittingbee.wordpress.com. Check your inbox since I will be in contact with you!

I Couldn't Resist

Ok, I saw this clip on the internet a long time ago and to celebrate the new Dachshund pattern I couldn't resist putting it up......

 

It's great to see all the comments adding up, too! I want to comment back to you guys because there are so many funny things in there but it will mess up the number of comments, and I don't want MYSELF winning the pattern since I already have it. And four knitted dachshunds.

BUT, I have to respond a little! I know you are all wondering: Yes, though I am somewhat of an insomniac and stay up pretty late most nights, I DO sleep (and a lot recently with the allergies!). I just let other things go, like housework, and grocery shopping, oh and cooking. Lisa, we can work on a room full of toys to jump in. Sara R, so glad school's out, now to some serious knitting? Candace, I believe shopping for yarn should be a family adventure in every house! Everyone else, thanks! Oh, and as a clarification...how do I get all the patterns done? I love to knit and I can't sit still, so I do the patterns! I tried to make myself relax after getting Tofu up yesterday and managed about 20 minutes before grabbing the next pattern and continuing to work on it. Sigh. It's a curse and a blessing all in one.

Meet Tofu!

Yeah! It's pattern release day! I feel weird saying it but I swear every pattern that comes out is my new favorite. I LOVE this guy, he is so funny. Meet Tofu the Gentle Dachshund:

Yes I have Pugs now but I grew up with Dachshunds, so they hold a special place in my heart. And I thought a knitted Dachshund would be a hoot. And it is.

So, he's up for sale in the etsy shop now and I am on my way to put him up on Ravelry now.

And like I said earlier I am doing a giveaway for this pattern so leave a comment below if you would like to win a copy. I will close the comments Saturday night at Midnight (PST) and announce the winner on Sunday. I will pick the winner using a random number generator so it is fair. (Oh, and if you can't wait to get started on it right away, you can always buy it from the shop now and I will give you a one pattern credit if you win to use towards any pattern in my shop or the next pattern coming up. I'm flexible, we'll make it work). I've never done a giveaway before so if I have messed up in some way bear with me!

Happy Dachshund Knitting!

It's Been a Good Month.

So as I mentioned yesterday there has been some very exciting stuff going on round the Danger Studio. 

First of all, you might notice the new link on the right here below the etsy stuff-----> I was approached by Deep South Fibers a distribution company about repping my patterns for wholesale distribution a few weeks ago. Of course this means I have been busy, busy sewing knitting bag samples and getting the knitting patterns onto CD's to be sold in Local Yarn Shops around the country. I got a big box of samples to them just in time for TNNA, the big national knitting wholesale show. It was over this last weekend and my samples were there in the Deep South Fibers booth. I am very excited to hear how it went in the next few days! This also means if you are a Yarn Shop interested in stocking my lines you now can. Yeah!

Second, I was also approached by someone interested in a monster pattern specially designed to be included in their upcoming book (this came just after the distributor, it was a good few days!). So I chatted with them, got something going, got the pattern started, and I am just waiting for the yarn to arrive. I'll let you know more about the book when the author announces it! I love talking to folks across the country and making internet friends! I'll let you know more about the book when the author announces it. How cool is that, Danger Crafts in print? I'm excited.

Thirdly, I have a super secret project in the works that isn't finalized so I am not going to tell you what it is yet. Let's just say I am really excited about it and having a hard time keeping my mouth shut.

Let's see, what else is up? To sell my patterns in LYS (local yarn stores) I decided to do something a little different and put the files I email out from the etsy shop onto CD's instead of printing out paper copies. I think I will list the CD patterns in the etsy shop as well in the next few days so if you want to give my patterns as a gift or something like that you have an actual physical item and don't have to just email it or print it. The files are great, but there is nothing better than having something tangible to give. 

What else....hmmmm. Oh, how about next pattern comes out this Thursday? That's exciting! And, I think I will do a giveaway for it since I haven't done that yet and I keep meaning to.

Alright Danger Readers, I think we're caught up now. I'm off to an afternoon of serious knitting!

Well It's About Time!

Hello all, sorry for the short silence. My seasonal allergies have been flaring up something fierce (to the point where my throat started closing up last night) the last couple weeks and I have not been making it to the computer very much. I just feel like I am sick with a really bad head cold/flu. I am feeling better today so I thought I would just put up a quick post and say: 

*Yes I am alive 

*I am knitting like a maniac (trying to get ahead of myself)

*I have had lots of very exciting things going on in the Danger studio in the last couple weeks. More details to come soon.

Alright, off to shop for a personal bubble. You know, like the boy in the bubble. I'll be the knitter in the bubble, but at least my nose will stop running and I will stop trying to remove my eyes.

A Little More Robot Love...

Ok, normally I don't watch videos on the internet, I feel it is a waste of precious knitting time. Let's just say it takes a lot to get me to take 4-5 minutes of my time to watch a You Tube video, but this one did it. In honor of the Robot release, enjoy:

Seriously it is worth the click through and the couple minutes. Robots are the best and songs about robots are even better.

Oh, and just so I can say I warned you it does have a tiny bit of offensive language.

And..... these guys are a hoot, you should search The Flight of the Conchords on You Tube. Business Time and Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros are worth a watch. Seriously, take it from a non-online video person.

Oh and Mr Tootsie, this one's for you....

Ok, I'm done talking now. I mean it. (Anybody got a peanut?!!)

Block it, block it good.

Alrighty, as I mentioned yesterday, today's post will be a blocking tutorial. My new pattern Robbie the Robot finishes better if you block him before you make him up (but he will finish fine if you don't block him too). Since I have been afraid of blocking for the last 12-13 years that I have been knitting and I have recently discovered how delightful blocking really can be I have decided to share with you a quick, easy, blocking run down.

Disclaimer: Blocking is not something to be feared, it can actually be quite fun with the right tools. Take this from someone who until last week had never successfully blocked anything but instead always wound up with a big, soggy, curling mess.

You will need:
*Your item to be blocked
*Something to pin your item to (Knitter's Blocks, blocking board, kids floor mat, towel, spare mattress, etc)
*Pins (I use simple straight pins since that's what I have from sewing but I would recommend "T" pins)
*A source of water (steamer (this is mine), iron with steam, a sink)
 
This is Robbie's pre-blocked head. Notice all the rolling going on? Yeah, we don't want that.

If you are using the sink to get it wet, go do that now (if you are blocking wool make sure not to rub it around once it is wet or it will felt).

1) Take your item and pin it down. I started on the left side Robbie's body and worked my way around the rest of him from there. Pin to the dimensions you want your finished item to be, in this case I pin the 6 squares to be as square as possible and all about the same finished size.

I started pinning on the left side here

And here he is completely pinned down

2) Grab your steamer (or iron with steamer) and wave it all over your item. I get pretty close but I don't actually touch the item, I just hit it with a lot of steam. Which I really enjoy. You just want to make sure that your items are pretty damp to the touch. (Obviously people using the sink to wet your item skip this step)

 

Steaming the face

Steaming the body

I don't think I'm actually doing anything here, just steaming for the sheer joy of steaming

3)Let your item dry. Be really, really sure it is dry. If you are thinking, "I don't know, maybe it isn't that dry," don't touch it. Leave it until it is fully, completely, for-surely dry and then remove the pins. Voila: nice flat finished knitting.

Ta-dah!

How easy is that?! Literally three steps to knitting flatness. Amazing! And even more amazing that I refused to do something so easy and so cool for so long.

So, go now and find a project you can practice your new-found skill on. I recommend Robbie the Radiant Robot by Rebecca Danger.....