WEBS Giveaway - Bamboo Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set!

Kathy Elkins of WEBS has graciously decided to do a giveaway on KnitPurlGurl! WEBS will be giving away this amazing Bamboo Interchangeable Knitting Set! (A $110 value!!) Here's what's included:

• TIPS Nine sets of tips in sizes US 4 - US 11 (US 3 available for purchase separately). Tips have an effective point that won't split or splinter. Smaller needles have a gold tone base while larger needles have a black base, indicating which diameter of cable should be used. Each tip is 4 1/8" long.
• CABLES Soft and flexible, the cables come in three lengths (16", 24", and 32") and Two diameters (thick and thin). Each set contains two cables per diameter per length for a total of TWELVE cables. Joins are smooth and don't require any tools!
• ADAPTERS Two colored coded adapters are included to combine cables for lengths ups to 64"!
• KNOBS Four color coded knobs are included that allow you to set your current project aside without losing the stitches.
• NEEDLE GAUGE WITH CUTTER The Knitter's Gauge is made of durable plastic and will help you keep track of gauge and determine needle sizes and even has a handy cutting edge!

Giveaway Details:

• The giveaway will run from Tuesday, September 29th - Tuesday, October 13th at 11:59 pm EST
• One winner will be chosen via random number generator and announced on Wednesday, October 14th.
• All entries must include either an email address or a link to your profile which contains an email address. If I cannot email the winner, another winner will be chosen. (Your email will not be used for solicitation.)

Required Entries: (Both of these are required to be entered into the giveaway. Additional entries will be ignored if the required entries are not satisfied.)

• Visit WEBS and come back and comment on which item in their shop most interests you.
• Visit the WEBS Blog and leave a comment - be sure to mention that KnitPurlGurl sent you in your comment! Come back and comment here- leaving a link to the post on WEBS you commented under.

Optional Additional Entries: (Be sure to comment separately for EACH entry.)

• Follow my KnitPurlGurl blog and comment letting me know you do for an additional entry.
• Follow the WEBS Blog RSS feed and let me know you do for an additional entry.
• Tweet about it! You may tweet about the giveaway as many times as you'd like. Each time you tweet, come back and comment with a link to the tweet for additional entries.
• Blog about it. Blog about the giveaway with a link to this post in your blog post. Come back and comment leaving the link to your blog post in the comment for FIVE additional entries. Be sure to comment 5 separate times - one of each of the 5 entries.
• Follow KnitPurlGurl on Twitter. Let me know for an additional entry.
• Follow WEBS on Twitter. Comment for an additional entry.
• Grab my KnitPurlGurl Blog Button and put it on your blog - come back and let me know with a link to your blog for an additional entry.

Good luck, knitters! This is a FANTASTIC giveaway! I only wish I could enter it. :) Spread the word!

WEBS Giveaway - Bamboo Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set!

DVD Review: Knitting Daily Workshop - Introduction to Fair Isle: The Ivy League Vest with Eunny Jang

DVD Title: Knitting Daily Workshop Introduction to FAIR ISLE: The Ivy League Vest with Eunny Jang

Available From: Interweave

ISBN: 978-1-59668-228-3

Craft: Knitting

Approx. Price: $19.95

Length: 54:15 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

In this DVD, the talented Eunny Jang demonstrates the ins and outs of traditional fair isle knitting. Using a pattern she designed herself, The Ivy League Vest, Jang takes the viewer through the entire process step by step. Along the way, she explains some shortcuts, tips, and advice for this traditional knitting to help the newbie to fair isle muster the confidence needed to complete a project.

What I Liked About This DVD:

• Eunny goes through the process STEP BY STEP - leaving no portion of the technique unaddressed
• Eunny shows an interesting way to cast on both colors for your corrugated ribbing. And as she demos the ribbing, gives some great tips on keep the colors from getting muddy during color changes - thus giving your garment an absolutely clean looking color change.
• Eunny not only demonstrates her tips, but explains how they follow traditional fair isle knitting - so that the knitter is indeed connecting in the traditional way.
• Whether you are a picker, thrower, or a combination knitter, Eunny demonstrates the easiest ways to hold both colors of yarn while working.
• Understanding there may be boo-boos along the way, Eunny shows a quick and simple fix for a colorwork mishap.
• Eunny takes the knitter through setting and cutting steeks step by step. As steeks are scary for most knitters, she explains in great detail how to properly apply this technique for a traditional fair isle sweater
• Last but not least, Eunny demonstrates the final stages of the project - picking up stitches and completing a ribbing around the arm holes and neckline

Like most newer knitters, Fair Isle has always intimidated me. Steeking quite frankly scares me. In this DVD, Eunny has made it easy to understand how and why to perform these techniques, thus de-mystifying fair isle and giving the newbie to fair isle a fighting chance for creating a great garment. I highly recommend this DVD to both beginners to Fair Isle and those more experienced.. Eunny Jang makes it seem effortless and gives you the know how to produce gorgeous garments.

DVD Review: Knitting Daily Workshop - Introduction to Fair Isle: The Ivy League Vest with Eunny Jang

Stitch & Dish Knitting Basics Series: Learn to Purl!

In the beginning of the video, I MEAN to say - the TAIL yarn should always be on the LEFT - NOT the WORKING yarn. The WORKING yarn, or the yarn attached to the skein or ball, should always be on the RIGHT.

Stitch & Dish Knitting Basics Series: Learn to Purl!

Giveaways on My Momma'Tudes Blog!

Over at my Mommy Blog, Momma'Tudes, I've got 2 giveaways going on - both ending Tues., Sept, 29th. Pop on over and enter to win:

• Soda Stream Fountain Jet Soda Lover's Starter Kit - One lucky winner will receive a Soda Stream Soda Maker, 3 full sized syrups of the winner's choice, and a CO2 cartridge

• Nurture Shock (Book) by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman - Giving away FIVE copies!

Giveaways on My Momma'Tudes Blog!

Book Review: The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff

Book Title: The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff
Publisher: Interweave Press
Release Date: October 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59668-111-8
Craft: Knitting
Approx. Price: $24.95
Length: 143 Pages
Number of Patterns: 17
Pattern Presentation: Written and Charts
Difficulty of Patterns: Advanced Beginner - Intermediate

In this collection of folk art (as the author puts it), Mary Scott Huff relays the tips and techniques that she's stumbled upon via trial and error. As she recounts, not having a Scandinavian auntie to teach her these things, Huff embarks on a journey to discover better and easier ways to read patterns and construct colorwork pieces. Along the way, others took notice, et voila! - a book is born!

Huff creates modern favorites in the old Norwegian style. Each pattern is a lesson and a colorwork adventure!

What I liked about this book:

• Huff uses simple silhouettes and classic lines to highlight the complexity of the colorwork - giving each piece a timeless feel.
• The charts are color coded and easy to read
• The book allows for the newbie to colorwork as well as the more experienced.. ranging from small, uncomplicated patterns, to intricate work.
• There is nearly a pattern for every member of the family.
• Huff is not afraid to suggest using unusual closures and trims as a way to embellish one's work. She encourages the reader to "splurge on yarn, closures, and trims" to create a truly handmade, not homemade looking garment.
• Her instructions are clear and concise, giving the reader the confidence to finish a colorwork project
• Huff includes several bits of trivia about Norwegian colorwork, which I found both useful and interesting.
• At the very back of the book, Huff includes "Stranded Colorwork Techniques" including "Sticks and Strings," where she describes the basics of colorwork knitting and the supplies necessary, "Construction: Of Carpentry and Plumbing," "Charted Territory," where she describes intarsia, fair isle, Norwegian knitting, reading charts, centering motifs, and adding a 3rd color, "Knots and Tails," where she discusses when and where to use knots and which knots to use, "Carry On," which includes color knitting myths, alternating colors, tension, floats, and possible complications, "Hems," "Sleeves," "Steeks," including beginning and ending a steek, marking, machine stitching, and cutting, and "Finishing."
  
• She includes a glossary of usable techniques and terms applicable to color knitting.

I have been so terrified to try advanced color work and I must admit the very thought of steeking scares the crumbs out of me. But after reading Huff's masterful book, I feel more encouraged to give colorwork a go. Her patterns are well written and easy to understand. Her patterns have a timeless appeal. And the well thought out techniques section in the back of the book makes these patterns more accessible to the colorwork newbie.

This book should be a staple in every knitter's library. It is full of valuable information that the knitter will want to refer back to often.

My favorite patterns from this book: Leafy Toque, Go for Baroque, The Bees' Knees, and Wedding Belle

Book Review: The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff

Am I What? NO - Amigurumi!

The talented amigurumi designer, Amy Gaines, joins me to dish her terrific designs!

Am I What? NO - Amigurumi!

Shawl Ambition

Be sure to pop over to my Momma'Tudes Blog to enter the Soda Stream Giveaway!

I have to say that shawls are my new obsession. Socks were once an obsession (until I realized that knitting one sock of every pair does me absolutely no good whatsoever).

So I am taking a Raglan Shawl Class from Stefanie Japel and LOVE it! Having a hard time with lace chart reading, so I thought this class would be helpful in getting me comfortable in knitting shawls. We're knitting her Mirth: A Fitted Raglan Shawl. I'm knitting it up in Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn in Orange, Red, Pink, Green. As soon as I have something that looks like something, I'll post pics.

I am also knitting up the Forest Canopy Shawl. This is an easy project for a beginner lace knitter like myself. It gets you used to lace and paying attention to what you're doing. (Trust me... Not paying attention + NO lifeline = FROGGING) I'm knitting it using Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver Yarn in Majestic colorway. Love the way this is working up. I've just finished my 10th pattern repeat. I think I'll need about 16 pattern repeats total before I can start the bottom edge.

I have just purchased the Theory Shawlette , Milkweed, and Wildflower Lace Scarf patterns.

Why do I have more ambition than time to knit?! It seems so unfair!

Shawl Ambition

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• The blog author will not accept cash compensation or direction on how to write the review. All reviews provided will be honest reviews based on the blog author's experience with the product(s).
• If for any reason the blog author cannot complete the product review, the author will contact the company via email and return the product.

PR Policy

Disclosure Policy

The blog, Knit Purl Gurl, is written, edited, and published by the listed blog author. It is not a collaborative blog. Guest posts are unusual and shall be indicated as such.

The author of Knit Purl Gurl receives products FREE of charge from companies to review. In exchange for the review, the blog author does keep the product(s) to be reviewed. In no way is the blog author influenced to write a specific review. The blog author writes a product review based solely on the blog author's experience with said product. The blog author is not a cash compensated advertiser of reviewed products unless otherwise stated in the blog post. The author of Knit Purl Gurl may also receive travel and/or conference sponsorship. Unless otherwise noted in the blog post, the author keeps all products, travel, and attends conferences FREE of charge from said company, manufacturer, or PR firm. These items do not influence the blog author's review in any way.

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Any comments, questions, or complaints about products are the sole responsibility of the manufacturer. All communications regarding those products should be directed to the manufacturer(s) of the product(s). The blog, Knit Purl Gurl, is not liable for others' experiences with the products reviewed on this blog. The product review is a personal experience and therefore unpaid opinion.

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I'm Featured on Tip Junkie Today!

I'm a featured tip today on Tip Junkie for my yarn dyeing (tip no. 8)! Be sure to pop over there and leave some comment love for my tip on Tip Junkie!

I'm Featured on Tip Junkie Today!

Knitting Abbreviations Word Wall

I've recently started a Word Wall meme on my other blog, Momma'Tudes. So, of course I had to play around with Wordle and create one for knitting abbreviations - just cuz. LOL ;P

Be sure to check out Momma'Tudes each Saturday for Word Wall. Create one of your own, grab my Word Wall button, and link up so every one can see yours!

Knitting Abbreviations Word Wall

Stitch & Dish Knitting Basics Series: Learn the Knit Stitch

Here is video replay of my Stitch & Dish Show on MomTV. I host a Knitting Basics Show the last Friday of each month. My show airs every Friday, 8p EST on MomTV. Viewers can participate via chatroom LIVE during the show or via webcam LIVE during the show. A schedule of shows can be seen here and updates about the show can be seen here.

Tonight's Webisode:

• Single Cast On - An easy beginner cast on. Not the greatest edge. Harder to knit from.
• Long Tail Cast On - A nice edge. A little harder to learn at first. Easier to knit from. Garden variety cast-on used in 75% of projects.
• The Knit Stitch - 1 of 2 basic stitches used in knitting.
• The Garter Stitch - When you use the knit stitch for every stitch in the row and every row in your project.

CORRECTION to video: When casting on, you want the tail yarn to be on the LEFT and the working yarn on the RIGHT.

Stitch & Dish Knitting Basics Series: Learn the Knit Stitch

Introducing KPG Yarns & Sundries

My Etsy shop, KPG Yarns & Sundries is officially open. - Even though I only have one listed item right now. ;P I will be filling my shop with hand dyed yarns and handmade lotions and soaps. So be sure to check it out and to make it a favorite by clicking on the heart on my page!

Introducing KPG Yarns & Sundries

Stitch & Dish Promo: Knitting Basics

Stitch & Dish Knitting Basics Series in September:

Sept. 4th - We'll learn the Knit Stitch & Garter Stitch

Sept. 25th - We'll learn the Purl Stitch & Stockinette Stitch

Stitch & Dish Promo: Knitting Basics