I really, really love what I do for a living, but because I knit for work, I don’t often get to play with yarn in any ol’ way I’d like. I’m usually knitting up a new design, or “piece outs” to use in videos, or samples for in-person classes.

But earlier this month I taught a class (at the request of my close knitting friends) in crocheted granny squares. AND NOW I CAN’T STOP GRANNY SQUARING. I have a new cardigan design that really just needs blocking and a zipper, and I didn’t touch it all weekend. Instead, I did this.

I’m using leftover Knit Picks Palette yarn, which is leftover from two projects from two knitters. My leftovers are from this sweater I knit for my mom a few years ago…

…and the other leftovers are from my friend Steven’s Vaila vest. I picked up his leftovers in a yarn swap earlier this year.

This photo is Steven and his Basenji girl, Kate. Steven and Jeff adopted Kate when they adopted Pona. I highly encourage you to check out Steven’s blog post on his Vaila vest. Awesomest photos ever.

When I met with my knitting friends on Saturday, Steven was pointing out the colors that he recognized in my granny square that were his vest leftovers. I love that.

Okay, back to work for me. If all goes well, we’ll soon have a video tutorial on a ladies’ cardigan sweater/jacket, with a zipper.

Here’s Abe, because he’s cute.

OMG you guys, I’m running.

C25K is short for “Couch to 5K“, a beginner’s running program. It is designed to ease you into running, and after 9 weeks, you’re running 3 miles in 30 minutes.

I started the program after seeing that a few of my Facebook friends were doing it, and doing it successfully. On Day 1, I had less of a “LET’S DO THIS” attitude, and more of a “okay, let’s see how long I’ll last” frame of mind. Seriously – I haven’t run since high school gym class, and I hated it back then. Since high school I have been a walker, walking with and without dogs every day for the last 20+ years. Sometimes I sprint for a block or so with the dogs, but never any sustained running.

I really had no idea if I could do it or not.

So on the first day I was running around the track when the lady’s voice from my iPhone app said “Halfway”. I thought – hey! I’m doing it! I finished up the rest of the run, got home, and then they hit me.

Endorphins.

Runners High, “high on life”, whatever you want to call them. I HAD NO IDEA HOW AWESOME THEY ARE. They make the world seem like a sparkly, happy, perfect place. And they make me feel like I could leap tall buildings in a single bound. Crazy.

Today I just finished Week 2, Day 2 of the program. Here’s a photo of me right after my run, totally whacked-out on endorphins.

I refuse to face the camera without at least mascara and eyebrow pencil.

People I tell about my new routine always ask the same questions – any joint pain? Sore muscles? I’m happy to say that I don’t have any joint pain, and I only had sore muscles after the first couple of days. Instead, my old enemy plantar fasciitis has reared it’s ugly head. I’m stretching and icing my foot after each run, because I do not want this to keep me from my precious endorphins.

On another note, if you’ve been reading verypink for a while, you’ll remember Chris (my ex, now my friend). He’s now a “former corporate guy, who left ‘Big Oil’, sold his home, and is beginning a life-changing journey to Central America.” He’s in Guatemala now, and he’s documenting his trip on his new blog, The Experiential Traveller. I’m curious to see how much of a hippie he’s going to turn into over the next few months.

From now until midnight Sunday, buy any one of my tutorials and get a second one free. That’s one each for you AND your mom!

Just make your purchase, send me an email at staci@verypink.com, and I’ll email you your second pattern (of an equal or lesser value, naturally) for free. The fine print – midnight is Central US time zone. I think that’s all the fine print I need.

If Ike understood it at all, I’m sure he’d be saying, “Happy Mother’s Day!”.

If you’re in Austin, Texas and you’re looking to learn some crazy mad knitting skillz, here is what I have coming up in May and June.

All classes are at the super fabulous Gauge Knits.

In May, I’m teaching three classes…

A Clapotis knit-along.
Get started on the popular scarf/shawl pattern from knitty.com. The Clapotis is a dropped-stitch pattern, knit on the bias. The pattern can be intimidating to some knitters…but if you can knit and purl, you can learn to make the Clapotis.
Saturday, May 14, 1 to 3pm, $42 + materials

Learn to Knit Socks
In this class, we use worsted weight yarn and size 5 needles to easily learn all of the elements of sock knitting, giving you the skills to knit any cuff-down sock pattern. No prior knowledge of double-pointed needles required! This class will set you up to knit socks like a pro.
Sunday May 15 and Sunday May 29, 2 to 3:30pm, $42 + materials

Beyond the Basics
Are you intimidated by patterns that call for skills you don’t have yet? In this class, we’re going beyond the basics of knitting and purling, and getting comfortable with more complicated stitches and techniques. We’ll cover: increases, decreases, seaming, weaving in ends (the right way!), working cables, reading charts, correcting mistakes, dropped stitches, blocking, and more.
Saturday, May 28, 1 to 3pm, $42

In June, I’m teaching these classes –

Learn to Knit Mittens
Basic mittens are quick and fun to make, and are full of skill-building techniques you’ll use in tons of other patterns you knit.
Sunday, June 5 and Sunday June 12, 2 to 3:30pm, $42 + materials

Beyond the Basics
Same class as the one I’m teaching in May.
Saturday, June 25, 1 to 3pm, $42
Update – this class has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 18, 1 to 3pm

Learn Tunisian Crochet (And make a Texas Flag Blanket)
If you’ve never tried Tunisian Crochet, you’re missing out! It is sometimes described as a cross between knitting and crocheting. It works up quickly and in a plain fabric that can be compared to stockinette in knitting. In addition to Tunisian Crochet techniques, we’ll also learn how to work cross-stitch on the Tunisian Crochet fabric, which is how the star is done on this blanket. The finished dimensions of the blanket are 60” by 40”.
Sunday, June 26, 2 to 4pm, $42 + materials

For more info or to hold your spot in any of these classes, call Gauge at 512.371.9300.

Lots of people do it. Good people, even. Because they don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s hard for me to even call it what it really is.

Stealing.

I’ve been mulling something over and over in my head the last couple of days. I was pinged on Ravelry when “verypink” was mentioned in a group. Usually I visit these groups and I’m pleased with what I see. People I don’t even know saying nice things about my patterns and videos! This, of course, always brings a smile to my face.

But this time was different. I went to the group and read a post from a woman who purchased one of my patterns + video tutorials, found it helpful, and offered to share the file (for free, presumably) with anyone reading the post. All of my patterns are copyrighted and this isn’t okay – and it’s even worse in a public forum.

I didn’t know how to proceed for a few reasons. First, this woman isn’t really a thief at heart. She offered the pattern up to be NICE to the other folks in the group, not really thinking that it would impact the person selling the pattern. Second, I have to assume this sort of thing happens all the time, so I can’t really control it. Third, to say something in the forum against this could make me look like a raging bitchhog, and that’s not an image I want to be associated with me and my business.

Then I got pretty annoyed with myself. Why would I worry about looking bitchy when I’m only asking people to please not steal patterns? These same people would never consider stealing yarn or needles or row counters or stitch markers for a project. But emailing a copyrighted pattern to their friends feels different than a real five-finger discount.

So I ask on behalf of all of the designers that sketch an idea, buy yarn for it, swatch, cast-on, knit, rip out, re-knit, take notes, measure, calculate, bind off, block, size up, size down, type out, photograph, publish, and post. If you enjoy knitting our patterns, tell the world about it! But please don’t share copyrighted patterns with your friends. Even though it seems like no big deal.

I imagine most designers (myself included) would not be able to afford to do what we do if everyone continues to think it’s okay to share. This issue is huge for me as a designer, considering the weeks of additional work it takes to shoot just one video tutorial.

A follow up to the story – I asked my friend Kelly for her opinion on the matter of the woman on Ravelry offering to share her pattern. Kelly is a friend, a regular student, and a moderator on the Verypink Designs group on Ravelry. Kelly jumped into action right away, and posted a nice reply in the forum, reminding everyone that copyrighted patterns are for personal use only. I checked Kelly’s post a few hours later to see if there were any replies, and two people had hit the “disagree” button.

Makes me sad.

Okay, off my soapbox. Here is a handsome photo of Ike to lighten the mood. 🙂