Com’on in and stay a while

Let me share with you my life at the HeartStrings FiberArts Studio … and beyond!

Jackie E-SEven after taking early retirement from a day job in corporate America, I still keep busier than ever. I loved what I did as a systems analyst, but I didn’t love being on someone else’s schedule. I would often become frustrated with corporate politics, and I hated driving to and from work in the dreadful traffic. So now my work is all play … well almost … But we can talk about that another time…. The line between my so-called work and personal time is often blurred, and often leads me to getting over-involved in a single aspect of life while forgetting to take time to do some other fun things for variety. This blog is dedicated to my search, and maybe yours too, in finding balance in life and rediscovering the simple things in life. 

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31 thoughts on “Com’on in and stay a while”

  2. Hello, I subscribed to your newsletter on my laptop and received your miniature sweater pattern, which I am looking forward to knitting. However, I am unable to print from my laptop and am also unable to view the pattern on my desktop computer without subscribing again. Is there a solution to this? I would prefer to have a hard copy. Thank you.

  4. whew! Can barely do that math! But this I do know, REDISCOVERY lets us know we have more than one life to live- full of balance, joy, and appreciation of simple things in LIFE!

  5. Hello Jackie. I just finished the Hug-Me-Tight Fan Lace Jacket Wrap. It is just beautiful and easy to understand the pattern.

    Just wanted to say that the seam is kind of tight on mine. If I make another one I think I will go up a size on the needle to keep it from be so tight. What do you think?

    Thanks for offering this wonderful pattern.

    1. Congratulations on completing your Hug-Me-Tight Fan Lace Jacket Wrap.

      Yes, Using a larger needle to bind off will help a bind off to not be as tight. It’s a good thing to do if you find yourself binding off more tightly than the target gauge.

  6. Hi Jackie,
    I am working on Flames of Fall. It is very frustrating when I get to row 5 on chart B main pattern , it doesn’t come out right. I need to know if it is me or the pattern?

    1. If you have the A146-2101 edition and are working from the written stitch instructions on page 4, there were errata. The chart is correct. Here is the webpage with errata —

      http://www.heartstringsfiberarts.com/errata.shtm

      Please email me separately as I’d like to know where you purchased your pattern. Perhaps they are not receiving to errata to pass onto their customers?

      Does this answer your question? Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

      Best regards,

      Jackie E-S / HeartStrings FiberArts
      jackie@heartstringsfiberarts.com

  7. The reason I have 2 addresses is because SNET knocked us all out of its programming and we had to scramble to find what we could-I want to thank you for helping me.
    thanks a lot. Now I can look at the lace projects I haven’t been able to do so. thanks again.
    Martha C

  9. Hi Jackie,
    I love your work and for this reason I made your Hug-me-tight Fan Lace Wrap but I don’t know  what I do wrong because I am to the stage of “Join back seam with 3-needle bind off” and I don’t know why the pattern don’t match! Please can you tell me when I will begin to bind of for armhole? or what to do to mahe the pattern match when join for back? I am very confused!
    Heeeelp!
    Best regards,
    Georgeta

    1. You will have already bound off for the first armhole before you even get to the stage of “Join back seam with 3-needle bind off”. It sounds like you might have skipped over some instructions in the pattern. 

      The first armhole is bound off beginning where you left off knitting (i.e. at the end of round). Follow the instructions for stringing the beads and counting carefully while you bind off that armhole. It is only after doing that, that you will then be  ready to start joining for the back seam. 

      1. Hi Jackie,
        Thank you for your time and help!
        I like you to know I already bind off for the first armhole like you instructed me (I bind of 55 times or 110 stitches) and after that when I start to join for the back seam the stitches don’t match! I worked very carefully all the stitches, but I dont’t got it!

        1. It sounds like you missed part of the instructions. There is another ”

          sl bead, p2tog” after the 55 times. 

          Of course, you do need to have had the correct stitch count before starting.

          If you are still having problems, it would be best if we discuss this over the phone and we step through things to find where you went off. (hopefully not too far back!)    

  12. Hi Jackie,
    I made a comment to another fan of yours, Margie, earlier about a lace book.  I’m afraid, after I found my copy, that this wasn’t the book we were talking about.  I would like to let her know that the book is a wonderful shawl book and not the one I was thinking of.
    I really feel bad about referencing this wrong.  I can’t find her comment again, but hope she sees this.
    Thank you for all you do!!

  13. Hi Jackie
    I love your hearts scarf and your beaded scarf, I also like
    The Skinny on Lace  I am just beginning to knit, so i think they may be to advanced for me, but i would love to try a beaded scarf,
    Can you recommend a tutorial pattern for me please

    Thanks so much
    Junie

    1. I recommend the Beaded Lace Scarf II as the easiest of the beaded knitting scarf patterns. The neat thing about this pattern design is that it looks more complicated than it really is. A great way to build your confidence and impress your friends.

    2.  I recommend the Beaded Lace Scarf II as the easiest of the beaded knitting scarf patterns. The neat thing about this pattern design is that it looks more complicated than it really is. A great way to build your confidence and impress your friends. 🙂

      1. Thanks so much Jackie
        I will go find it, hope i can do it, as i am a complete beginner knitter.
        Junie

  15. Hi Jackie, I found your site when I was looking for a lace scarf pattern in a dk weight.  I downloaded “The Skinny on Lace” and am going to start the long scarf today.  Rather than follow the charts, I am using the written directions.  I’m a bit confused on the Chart E directions.  It begins with row 25, but when I finish Chart A to my desired length, the overall directions say I will should end on row 4.  The written directions then say to repeat Chart E, rows 1-4, but Chart E begins with row 25.  Thank you for your help.
    Catherine

    1. I don’t blame you for being confused. Sorry about that. Page 2 Chart E written instructions (top right column) row numbers are mis-labeled: Row 25 should be Row 1; Row 27 should be Row 3. There are no Rows 29 – 48 in Chart E, so strike through this line. The chart is correct.

      You should be good to go now. Enjoy making your scarf!

  16. Hi Jackie, I stumble across your blog accidentally and I have to say that I love your blog. I always likes knitting. Just that I never have the patience to continue after half way.

    Thanks for sharing and enjoy your life at the same time 🙂

  17. Hi Jackie, I have question for you after drooling over all of your beautiful lace patterns. Which pattern would you recommend to a first-time lace knitter?

    1. I’d recommend either the
      A Beaded Bias Towards Lace Scarf
      or the
      Beaded Lace Scarf II

      The beads are optional in either of these, so don’t let that put you off.

      They are both part of the Easy Knitting Collection. There are some other easy lace projects in there like Qiviut Neck Muff (obviously doesn’t have to be done in qiviut), ZigZag Mobius, and Lacy Riverine Ensemble. But the 2 I mentioned above are my favorites to recommend to first-time lace knitters.

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Behind the scenes with Jackie E-S and life at the HeartStrings FiberArts studio.