Star Trek designs

It's official - I have the "green light" to create graphics and designs for the Star Trek franchise. I used to watch the original series with my older brother (well, I would sneak in the room and watch for as long as he would let me until I had asked one too many questions and he would kick me out.) Then, when I got older, I watched TNG with my younger brother. The movies and Deep Space Nine I watched with my husband. Maybe I'll watch Voyager with our kids when they get older!

At any rate, I've had a blast putting some of my favorite lines, moments and jokes on t-shirts, bags, water bottles and hats. You can see a few of my designs here (click on them to enlarge) or go to the store to see them all: http://www.cafepress.com/hitsandhobbies

The first one took the most work but is filled with Star Trek moments: Red shirt. Fascinating. Beam me up!, Data. Kirk. Spock. Picard. Star date. Jefferies tubes. Resistance is futile. Warp drive. Klingon. Picard. Federation. Lobes. Janeway. Pike. Enterprise. Spock. Red shirt. DS9. Phaser. Vulcan nerve pinch. To boldly go. Red alert. Dabo. Dukat. Wessels. Yar. Sarek. Risa. Prime directive. Archer. Wormhole. Kobayashi. Q. I'm a doctor. Ten forward. Replicator. The needs of the many. I'm a doctor. Holodeck. Subspace. Emmisary. Warp core. DS9. TNG. KHAAAAN! Scotty. Trekkie. All these and MORE...

I love when an order comes in!

I love getting an order in from Cafepress. I do a lot of designing of items that I don't ever order myself, even though I like them, so it's always fun to get something for myself and see how great it does look! Plus, I become sort of a walking ad for the store. Most of my sales come from total strangers who happen to like some of my designs, but extra word-of-mouth never hurts!

Anyway, here's a pic of me with all the stuff and then the images below...

The Winners Are...

So, I thought I would give the gold, silver and bronze out to the top three selling designs this month. They are:


33 sales - gold

23 sales - silver

19 sales - bronze

Marathon Mom

My sister is a runner. She's not just a "jog to keep the pounds off" kind of runner, but a hard core--can't miss a day--national champion kind of runner. She inspired a few designs for my Cafepress store which I'll post below.

I'm incredibly proud of all that she has accomplished. In 2010 she achieved the title "Canadian Woman's National Marathon Champion" by winning the Ottawa Marathon. You can read all about these feats at her blog: http://kristaduchenerunning.blogspot.com/

She's not just a runner, but a wife, mom, registered dietician, friend and active member of her community. She makes the world a better place by what she does and by how she inspires others.

Recently, she posted some exciting news on her running blog using this shirt I had created. Congrats, sis! Enjoy the journey!

(This last one is why I run, not why she runs!)

You Might Be a Knitter If ...

I made these last night for my store, but since they are hard to see at the store (small images) I decided to post here for friends who were curious and asking. Any other suggestions to add? You can leave ideas in my comment box!

Rock, Paper, Scissor, Lizard, Spock

This is how the gang from "Big Bang Theory" solve disagreements:
1. Scissors cut Paper 2. Paper covers Rock 3. Rock crushes Lizard 4. Lizard poisons Spock 5. Spock smashes Scissors 6. Scissors decapitates Lizard 7. Lizard eats Paper 8. Paper disproves Spock 9. Spock vaporizes Rock 10. Rock crushes Scissors
I loved this so much, I immediately made the following design that's available on shirts, mugs and more at www.cafepress.com/hitsandhobbies

Buffalo Bills Knit Toque

I loved this bomber hat, but wanted to make it personal for a Buffalo Bills fan, so I added this motif (the pattern is on Ravelry) as the back flap.

My local knitting store had colours that matched the Bills colours fairly well, but they were a much smaller yarn width. So I adjusted the original pattern using ratios (also making it bigger to fit Uncle Lloyd's big head - his words, not mine!).

Here's the pattern:

kfb means knit 1 front and back (it’s an increase)

ssk means slip, slip knit stitches together (a decrease)

this hat is huge (fits my 25" head very comfortably).

Tools: US 7 DPN and 16” Circular or size to obtain gauge; stitch marker; tapestry needle

Gauge: 11 stitches and 14 rows = 2” square

Pattern:

Earflaps:

With two DPNs, CO 18st

row 1: k1, purl to last st, k1

row 2: k1, kfb, knit to last two sts, kfb, k1

repeat rows 1 and 2 until there are 30sts on the needle

next row: k1, purl to last st, k1

next row: knit across

Continue in this manner until piece measures 3.7in from cast-on edge

Leaving earflap on needle, cut a 12” tail of yarn.

Repeat for second earflap.

Hat:

With circular, CO 19sts, then, using the active yarn from your CO sts, knit the 30sts of the first earflap onto the circular. CO 39sts and then knit the 30sts of the second earflap onto the circular. CO 20sts – 138 sts total.

Being careful not to twist, place marker and join.

row 1: k9, p1, k9, p2tog, k26, p2tog, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p2tog, k26, p2tog, k9, p1, k9, p1 (134 sts)

row 2: k9, p1, k9, p1, k26, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k26, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1

Repeat row 2 until piece measures 7.5’ (?) from cast-on edge (11” (?) from earflap base) or desired length.

Begin decreases, switching to DPNs as needed:

(this is where the pattern gets confusing – there’s a lot of counting. but you’re just following the same purl pattern only you’re decreasing in a series of four rows: outer earflap/center segments, inner earflap, outer earflap/outer segments, inner earflap)

dec row 1: k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k9, p1, k2tog, k22, ssk, p1, k9, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k9, p1, k2tog, k22, ssk, p1, k9, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1 (122 sts)

dec row 2: k7, p1, k9, p1, k8, k2tog, k4, ssk, k8, p1, k9, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k9, p1, k8, k2tog, k4, ssk, k8, p1, k9, p1, k7, p1 (118 sts)

dec row 3: k7, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k2tog, k18, ssk, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k2tog, k18, ssk, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k7, p1 (106 sts)

dec row 4: k7, p1, k7, p1, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1 (102 sts)

dec row 5: k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k14, ssk, p1, k7, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k14, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k7, p1 (90)

dec row 6: k5, p1, k7, p1, k4, k2tog, k4, ssk, k4, p1, k7, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k7, p1, k4, k2tog, k4, ssk, k4, p1, k5, p1, k7, p1 (86 sts)

dec row 7: k5, p1, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k2tog, k10, ssk, 1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k2, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k2tog, , k10, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (74 stitches)

dec row 8: k5, p1, k5, p1, k3, k2tog, k4, ssk, k2, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k2, k2tog, k4, ssk, k2, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1 (70 sts)

dec row 9: k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k6, ssk, p1, k5, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k6, ssk, p1, ssk, k1 ,k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (58 sts)

dec row 10: k3, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k4, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k4, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k5, p1 (54 sts)

dec row 11: k3, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, ssk, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (42 sts)

dec row 12: k3, p1, k3, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1 (38 sts)

cut yarn and pull through rem stitches. Draw up tightly to fasten. Weave in ends.

Make flaps:

Pick up 39 sts along bottom edge between earflaps. Knitting first stitch of every row, knit in stockinette until flap measures desired length. BO knitwise on the WS. Weave in ends. Repeate for second flap. (The back flap has the buffalo motif knit into it.)

I-Cords: Pick up middle three stitches on one earflap. Knit a 10” I-cord. BO loosely and weave in ends. Repeat for second earflap.

The hat ended up being too big so I felted it:

Then I added a liner following this tutorial.