Wow, This Place Got Dusty.

After a long absence, it's time to write again. I took a bit of an unexpected, unannounced hiatus from the world of mailling and small business, and I apologize profusely to those I've inadvertently ignored. It was nothing personal, nor was it in any way professional. I have a back log of orders now that I will address this weekend and get everything straight.

So what happened? A helluva lot! After PAX I was a little burned out on maille. I picked up knitting as a hobby again (a hobby to escape a hobby?) as well as a second part time job, a weekly sport, and most importantly and wonderfully - I got married. Life has been blissfully crazy and busy and amazing since October. Now with the new year and practically a whole new life, it's time to get back at it!

Coming up first: PAX East. I will unfortunately not be attending this year. 2010 was a whirlwind and I'm sad I can't make it back, but I am still making lanyards. I won't be taking any more orders for this show, but I plan to get through the orders I have stacked up now. Again, I apologize for keeping anyone waiting!

This new hobby, knitting, is just that: pure hobby. I have no intent whatsoever to sell any knitted goods as they are all made either out of love, or out of experimentation. I do, however, plan to incorporate this hobby into Knitted Steel with a side project called Steely Knits. I will be opening a second Etsy shop to sell knit and crochet patterns, as well as maille knitting supplies including fancy stitch markers. The shop (not yet open) will be at steelyknits.etsy.com. Yay! Patterns will include hats, gloves, scarves, cowls, and maybe even handbags and range in difficulty from super easy to intermediate. I'm still working on pricing and such, but they will be sold either in PDF or printed formats.

My next huge goal is to become a vendor at Geek Girl Con, whenever that happens this year. I have high hopes for this show, and after meeting some of the organizers at their last fund raising concert, I'm even more excited. If I get the space, I will be stocking my table with loads of jewelry, lanyards, hopefully some knitting patterns, and maybe some bigger projects like the fishnet shirts and bikini top I still have. Time to really get serious about this stuff.

Before/After GGC, I will most definitely be attending PAX Prime again. I'm still far, far away from ever becoming a vendor there, and honestly I prefer the Enforcer shift anyway. I will be taking orders for Prime lanyards and goods after East is over, and I will make an official announcement for that. Sometime between now and then, KnittedSteel will also be getting its own Facebook page. The account is already active but it is completely bare. Another announcement will be made once that's up and running more than just bare bones.

GGC UPDATE: UGH. Looks like GeekGirlCon just announced the dates and other than PAX Prime weekend, this is the only other weekend this YEAR that I can't do. The only way I can attend now is if other plans (which take extreme priority over a convention) end up moving. I'll know for sure in a week or two. Boourns!

In the meantime, I need to work and work more and hobby more and exercise and love my hubby and ohmagawdsomuchtodooooo! Here are some links entirely unrelated to maille, but I think you may still enjoy.

www.lionbrand.com - has some great free knitting patterns that have taught me new methods and inspired some of my own patterns
www.curlingseattle.org - For the Puget Sounders, Curling is a hilariously fun sport and this club is having open houses in February and March! Go try it out for $15.
www.ravelry.com - for you serious knitters, this is the best community I've found online for all things yarn-related. Patterns, forums, friends, and oodles of knit/crochet photos.
Jonny Nero Action Hero - An amazing chiptunes artist who performed at the GGC fund raiser. Everyone NEEDS to check out his first album, EXPERIMUTATIONS.

There's a new convention in town

As if Seattle wasn't jam-packed with enough stuff for gamers to do, an up and coming convention is about to bring some more feminine wiles to the community. Check out GeekGirl Con if you haven't heard of it yet.

Set to premiere next year, it's going to focus on the softer awesomer side of gaming and I hope to snag a vendor spot in the expo hall. But before that can happen, the convention needs funding to run.

To help the show organizers along, I've donated one of my lovely lanyards to auction! It's going on right now, and ends Friday night at 5pm. The lanyard is pictured below - pink, silver and black. It normally retails for $45, and I'd be sad if anyone bid lower than that. Very sad indeed. Step it up! Send bids to sponsor@geekgirlcon.com ASAP if you want it.

PAX Prime 2010 - Lanyard Pickup

We're just days away from the excitement! All current maille commissions are complete, swag bags have been expertly stuffed by the Enforcers, and I have my work schedule for the PA Merch Booth. For you this means I've figured out when I can get these awesome lanyards and dice bags to everyone. So here's the plan:

Location: 3rd Floor Atrium, by the South Escalators

Time: 9am-10:30am (10 on Sunday)

If you haven't yet paid for your stuff, you can do so in cash when you come to pick it up. If these times don't work for you, email me at jules @ knittedsteel . net and we will make other arrangements. I WILL NOT have the lanyards with me while I am on shift at the PA Merch Booth, so please do not come to Merch specifically for Knitted Steel goods.

Enforcers: I will be at setup on Thursday 10am-1pm, likely helping the Merch Booth. Come find me!

As an added bonus to everyone sporting one of my lanyards, I ordered zipper pulls instead of buttons this year. They clip onto any ring with ease! Get one whenever you see me.


The following people have awesome things to pick up:
Amadine
Caesar Maximus
Chaosisorder
Contre 
Djiem
Freebsdgirl
Joe L 
JonXP
Locke
NABS
Netcrusher
Pinder 
PsychoPez
Rabies
Tek 
Warthen
Whatzedeuce




Map image courtesy Penny Arcade, slightly edited.

WINNERS OF THE PAX PRIME 2010 CONTEST

My esteemed judges and I have come to a decision on this year's contest. Thank you to all who entered!

After a few drinks and some deliberation over which flavor potato chips to eat first, we chose Pepper Jack Cheese. And the contest winners! Some were more creative than others, and some more heartfelt. It all boils down to Shenanigans and bananas.

The Grand Prize Winner is...
BRETT FROM CANADA!
Congrats Brett! You will receive the 3-day pass and Knitted Steel PAX package.

The Glorious Runner Up is...
Mr. Bruining from Holland!
Sadly it's a little late to get that trip in order. Hopefully we will get to see you at PAX this year. For now, you shall get A BANANA.

I will be emailing these winners shortly to get contact/shipping details. To those lucky enough to find a PAX pass, see you there. Everyone else, I hope to see you next year. :)

Cheers!

Please Stand By

Greetings everyone! For the next week I am taking a hard-earned vacation from all types of work. This includes maille.

I will still have intermittent internet access but I'm putting my pliers away and focusing on all things adventurous. Please continue to send in your contest entries - they will still be received and saved for judging!

Here's a little sneak peak at what's coming to my Etsy store post-PAX. Cheers!

CONTEST: Win a PAX Prime 2010 3-Day Prize Package (and banana*)

Knitted Steel is hosting its first ever contest with fabulous prizes!

Did you miss out on getting your 3-Day pass for PAX Prime? Here's your second chance. And with it comes other cool stuff!

One Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- One 3-Day PAX Prime 2010 pass for September 3-5 in Seattle, WA
- One Knitted Steel badge lanyard in PAX Prime colors
- One Knitted Steel hackey sack (you'll need something to do while standing in line), also in PAX Prime colors

One Glorious Runner Up will receive:
- One banana*

So how do you win? That's where it gets a little tricky. This isn't a contest for scalpers; there must be some reason you deserve to get this prize. I want you to tell me why, in your most creative way. It can be through video, poetry, short form fiction, interpretive dance, paintings, sculptures, photography, ANYTHING you can imagine with some restrictions:
- All written entries must be 1000 words or less
- Must be SFW. No naughty bits, excessive bad language, etc.
- All entries must convey, in some manner, why you deserve this pass more than anyone else
- Don't injure anyone or anything. I will not be responsible for your hospital bills.
- You must be at least 13 years old to enter. If you're under 13 and reading this, where are your parents?!
- You must follow Wheaton's Law 

DEADLINE: All entries must be received no later than midnight Pacific Time on Friday, August 20th. An esteemed panel of judges will decide the Grand Prize Winner and Glorious Runner Up soon after, and announcements will be made no later than August 27th. Entries will be judged according to creativity, originality and the weather**.

E-mail your entries (or links to them) to jules @ knittedsteel . net by the deadline to be eligible. 

By entering, you give me permission to post your entries online for the whole world to see. Your private info will not be sold to third parties. Any entries not following the restrictions listed above will be automatically disqualified and probably made fun of.

* Banana will vary from the one pictured above because I just ate it. One Glorious Runner Up's banana may be real, paper, or even maille. It's a surprise!
** Entries cannot be held responsible for Seattle's unpredictable weather patterns and will thus be awarded equal points.

Update: PAX Saturday Badges are SOLD OUT!

Child's Play 2010 - I Need Your input!

Every year, Child's Play Charity puts on a glamorous dinner and auction to raise money for their cause. It is a wonderful program run by wonderful people, and supported worldwide. I like to go to the dinner every year and bid on the silent auction items, and in 2008 I donated two maille shirts to be auctioned. The shirts were a group effort by the Penny Arcade community - built and funded by great people. I'd like to take on a similar but much smaller project this year.

My inspiration comes from this - The Megaman II Project.

I want to do something like it, but on a much smaller scale. A series of wall hangings roughly the size of MegaMan in the lower left corner. Each one would have a video game sprite, logo, object, or otherwise memorable and game/pop culture-related icon.

So you all, as gamers and nerd culture enthusiasts, I ask you this: If I were to make a series of these, roughly 6"x6", what would you like to see? What would you hang in your home/office? Triforce? 1-up Mushroom? Pac Man? Let me know by commenting on this post. I'll take the top ideas and make them a reality this fall.

Cheers!