Starflower Beret is Up

I love working with Knit Picks. They are responsive and honest.  When I send in a design I always get a yes or no in 3 weeks or less, as compared to 3-6 months for other pattern submission places.  Once they send me the yarn I am on my own time table to complete the sample.  The sooner I want it posted on their site the faster I get it done. However I always am editing and vetting the pattern during that sample making time so it goes slower than you might think. If I was blindly following the pattern (That possibility doesn't seem to be in my genes anyway.) the sample would get knit quite quickly but I look for places to clarify and for errors in the pattern which slows me down but makes for a better product.

Once the sample is done its snail mailed to Knit Picks and also the pattern is uploaded via computer.  I often take my own pictures but theirs are way better as they use a professional photog and models.  This again slows down the publishing time but makes for a better presentation.

The Starflower Beret was originally made in Sea Glass yarn which is a bit busy for the pattern.  You can't really see the beads all that well.  This is one of my photos (thanks to Chris for modeling) which was submitted for the pattern.

And here is one of KnitPicks' photos of the finished sample.

And a close up of the top

While I was working on this I had a brainstorm for doing it in 3 colors.  I tried, really I tried, to put the idea away but it wouldn't leave so I had me some photoshop fun making a virtual sample. 

Submitted and accepted within 2 weeks.  KP then sent me 3 wonderful purples to play with and here is the 3-color beret in process.

Neat fun and rather challenging to write but compelling at the same time.