Say Hello to the Knit, Nicole, Knit! Sponsors!

I recently decided to bring back sponsorship on my blog. To promote this, I gave away a whole bunch of ad space. If you are interested in getting a free space, I do offer swaps. Just shoot me an email, and I'll give you the information. If you'd like a larger space, you can check out my sponsorship page Here.

The first advertiser is Anja's Arts. She's been a long time sponsor. If you are interested in her gorgeous rings or other jewelry, you can use the code "15KnitNicole" to save 15%! I have two of her rings, and I absolutely love them.

The second sponsor for the month is Evermore Studios. You know all about her from the giveaway, but in case you don't I'll tell you what she's about. Her shop is filled with gorgeous hand dyed wool based sock yarns. She does full skeins, as well as mini skeins. I got a mini skein pack back in November, and fell in love. I've been making hexipuffs out of them, and you can see those here. Overall, I highly recommend this shop if you are looking for beautiful hand dyed sock yarn. You really can't go wrong!

Now, onto the swappers! Left to right, top to bottom:

YarnYarnYarnYarn: This is my other blog/tumblr. A lot of people interested in this blog have found that one interesting, so I wanted to make sure there was a link for it here.
Glued To My Crafts: Stacey is a wife, mom, and jack of all trades. Check out her Banana Bread Cookie recipe.
Jo, My Gosh!: Jo is a soon to be wife of a sailor deployed to Afghanistan. She sends him care packages, some with home made nut mixes.
Petite Tuques: Lisa is an awesome yarn crafter. She is knitting a gorgeous shawl that I am in love with.
Artwork by Jessica Beaudoin: Jessica is an artist who lives not far from where I am. She makes some beautiful paintings and jewelry.
Koi Story: Meanz is hosting a giveaway for free ad space. You can win two spaces from me, as well as one each from three other blogs!
Sami Spoon: Sami is from the UK. She just got some freaking awesome shoes that I am coveting.
LeeLee Hats: This is the group I knit baby hats with. We're over 12 000 hats donated to date, with more coming in all the time!
Trinkets & Treasures: This local store is amazing. They sell handmade goods from dozens of local crafters and artisans, including myself.
CsqDesigns: Casey Makes some gorgeous knit and crochet goodies, as well as cards and jewelry, and other fun stuff.

Go check out my wonderful sponsors, and you just might find something you like!

Another Guatemala Hope Fundraiser!

It seems like I'm posting almost everyday lately! But there is lots to update about!
I'm taking part in a collaborative RTS over on the Petite Tuques Facebook page. I have quite a few of my items up for sale there, with the proceeds going towards funding my trip to Guatemala.

If you go and "Like" the Petite Tuques page, you can check out all the items for sale, and purchase one if you are so inclined!
Thank you so much for your support!

Design Journal for Knitting Rockstars: A Product Review

Recently, I received an email from Lisa Savage of Petite Tuques. She asked me if I would like to review a brand new product of hers, called The Design Journal For Knitting Rockstars. I said yes right away, as I am planning on eventually writing my own patterns. Then I forgot about it completely. I started a new job a little while back, and that knocked me on my ass. You may have noticed my lack of posting lately, that's because of the job, and how tired I am when I come home. I came across the email in my inbox again a couple days ago, and said HOLY CRAP I NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS! I opened it up, and took a peek around, and I can't wait to use it. First of all, it just looks pretty. The colours are lovely, it's laid out in a way that makes sense, and everything is there for designing your own knitting pattern. This is definitely a little kick in the pants to get cracking on creating my own pattern.

I’ve been asked to continue the blog series about Designing, so here is today’s post: 5 Tips on Hiring a Test Knitter

Once you have finished writing up your pattern, it would be a good idea to get it test knitted. This process helps with finding mistakes in your written pattern and any inconsistencies or errors.
1. Word of Mouth is a great start to finding people who will test knit. This includes social media sites. Ask around on facebook, twitter, and ravelry.
2. Leave an Ad at your local knitting shop with your name and number. Local knitters love to be involved with a local designer.
3. Interview your potential candidates. Make certain you and the candidate understands what is to be done and in what time frame. Ask for previous work experience. If applicable, ask for a sample of a finished piece.
4. There is no set fee structure for the industry, but most test knitters will accept to be paid in yarn or patterns. It really depends on the pattern difficulty and whether the knitter will have to buy all the necessary yarn and needles to complete the project.
5. Once you've selected your test knitter and you've both agreed on the service to be provided, be sure to make a clear and detailed contract that outlines the payment agreement and is clear with the expectations of both parties . Most designers will skip this step, but once you start using more than one test knitter, it becomes easier to keep track of what everyone is doing.

Part 4 of the series is on Falling Stitches blog!