New Teaching Blogs for the Crafty Dog Knits Books

It has been a while since I've posted with demands of getting out new books and creating a support system for all the books. I get many questions from knitters when they approach the intarsia patterns for the first time. They feel somewhat intimidated with all the colors. So what I've done is set up an instructional blog for each book. This way, knitters working on patterns from the book can go to the "comments" section on the page and pose a question which I'll try to answer. This way we can work through the designs together.

These blogs are also a place to come to brag about your work. You can send me jpegs and I'll happily post them. The creativity of knitters is boundless when given a blank canvas of a sweater design and a dog to inspire them. How they work these designs and create one-of-a-kind garments is wonderful.

Check out the blog for the book you own:
http://newfoundlandscraftydogsknit.wordpress.com/
http://samoyedscraftydogsknit.wordpress.com/
http://labradorretrieverscraftydogsknit.wordpress.com/
http://goldenretrievercraftydogsknit.wordpress.com/
http://bernesemtdogcraftydogsknit.wordpress.com/

Though each of these has basically the same information to start, once you get involved, each will develop its own uniqueness.

At present I am working on books for Corgis, Boxers, Bichon, German Shepherds and at the request of a friend, Australian Shepherds. If you own one of these breeds and wish to be part of the project, just email me at gaffney@kanineknits.com.

The beginning of May was busy because I was speaking at CAPA-U the annual writers conference put on by The Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. My workshop was based on what I do creating The Crafty Dog Knits series. It was a wonderful experience where I met many authors, publishers and agents and hopefully inspired writers to produce their own books.

The end of May was busy when I traveled to Los Angeles for PMA-U, a publishing conference and Book Expo America. It was four exhausting days, but I felt at the end that I had earned an MBA in publishing. I made many new friends, reconnected with old friends, especially Debbie Macomber who is so wonderful and whose books keep me grounded; and managed to feel humbled and empowered at the same time. It was an experience and was my first trip to LA in 33 years. There were palm trees, mission bells and much less smog.

So enjoy knitting and let me know what breeds you'd like to see as books.

Peggy