Knit Purl Gurl

Episode 24 - Snuggles and Cozies

2012-01-25T16:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Holiday Parallel Twist Socks - 1 Sock completed; Hibernating (To frog or not to frog)
Different Lines - FO
Wingspan by Maylin Tri-Coterie Designs - CO

What's on (or off) the Hook

Snuggle - Round Snuggle

Snuggles Project

Other Stuff

Walnut Grove Joint KAL with SockBunny Knit & Fit. Jan 1 - Feb. 14

Prizes!

New Podcasts I'm enjoying

Wexford Knits (Video)
Wool Junkies (Audio)

Stash Enhancement

Hiwassee Creek Dyeworks

Lodge Sock in Sweethearts colorway
Squish Sock in KnitPurlGurl colorway
Sassafras Sock in Sock Monkey colorway

SpinningFates Toula Sock in Sugar and Spice colorway
Vesper sock yarn

100% Superwash Merino in Serendipitous colorway
100% Superwash Merino in Stormy colorway

Reviews

Disclosure: Buffy Ann Designs sent KnitPurlGurl Yarn Cozies and a Stitch Light FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the proceeding review. All opinions expressed in the following review are those of KnitPurlGurl (AKA Karrie) and do not necessarily reflect those of Buffy Ann Desgins.

Buffy Ann Designs

Yarn Cozy
Stitch Light

Compare with popular model from another companyT

Announcements

No More Tears by Erin Walsh of MommyNeedsYarn Podcast

$5 - all proceeds (less fees) will be donated to Autism Speaks

Share the Love Giveaway in Feb.

Upcoming Events In or Around the Pittsburgh Area

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival

Feb. 10, 11, 12, 2012 at the Four Points Sheraton in Mars, PA
Friday, February 10, 2012 - Market & Classes 1:30 - 6:30
Ravelry Meetup

Fashion Show with Emcee StevenBe: 7:30 - Wine and Cheese

Saturday, February 11, 2012 - Market & Classes 9-5
Pajama Party: 7:30 - Desserts, Prizes and Cash Bar

Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 9-4

Discover Podcasts!

2012-01-20T17:36:00.002-05:00

Recently I've had several knit peeps ask if I'd share my list of subscribed podcasts. A few even asked if I'd keep a link list on the side bar of my blog. While I am happy to share my list with all of you, I won't put it my side bar only because I'm constantly finding new podcasts, old podcasts are podfading, or some podcasts I only check in on occassionally depending on what's in the episode. So really, the list is ever-evolving.

For those of you who don't listen to podcasts, you must, must give some a try! Here's what I will tell you about my list: this is a list of podcasts I supremely enjoy. This does not mean that there aren't others I don't enjoy. This also does not mean that podcasts not on my list aren't terrific. I only have so many hours in the day and so many days in the week to listen to podcasts - so I listen to or watch podcasts that fit my personality. Like yarn and knitting notions, there is no good or bad, there is only what you prefer. :)

I find I listen to knitting podcasts that are primarily amateur podcasters rather than companies, although I do listen to a couple that are sponsored by companies. I like listening to them for different reasons. Some of the podcasts are audio and I listen to them in the car, as I'm walking around the house performing chores, or taking a stroll. Some are video, which are terrific to have going on my laptop while I'm cooking, folding laundry, or hauled up in my knitting chair. I find I prefer podcasts because they go where I do, are entertaining, and allow me to do chores while enjoying them! Give them a try! If you don't have an iPod/iPhone/iPad, no worries. You can listen to them via iTunes on your computer or from the podcaster's website on your computer!

Audio Podcasts I Listen To Most Often:

Video Podcasts I Watch Most Often:

Again, these are just the podcasts I frequent - there are many, many, many more! Check out Knitting Podcast for complete lists of current audio and video podcasts! I'm always on the lookout for more podcasts! If you have a podcast you like to watch or listen to, and it's not on these lists, feel free to give them a shout out in the comments so we can check them out!

Episode 23: Milestones

2012-01-17T22:37:00.001-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Holiday Parallel Twist Socks - 1 Sock completed
Tardis Socks - FO
Different Lines - CO

What's on (or off) the Hook

Critron - FO

Other Stuff

Walnut Grove Joint KAL with SockBunny Knit & Fit. Jan 1 - Feb. 14

Prizes!

Stash Enhancement

Wollmeise

100% Merino Superwash

Birkenrinde
Chim Chim Chimney
Dornroschen
Petersilie
Petit Poison Nr. 5 Medium

80/20 Twin

Sonne
Stromboli

Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in Full of Grace Colorway (Pick of the Knitters Club Selection)
Into the Whirled Manchester in Snow Angels with an Ood Colorway
Dyeabolical Bling Sparkly Sock in Queen's Tea Colorway
Cloudlover Sock Yarn in Gingerbread Colorway
Malabrigo Rasta in Pearl Ten Colorway
Slipped Stitch Studios Drawstring Bag
Piddleloop Piddly Bag
Knitting's My Bag Drawstring Bag (Sm)

Reviews

Announcements

Bloggerversary!
Hiwassee Creek Dyeworks is creating a KnitPurlGurl Colorway!
Over 500 members in the Ravelry Group!

Upcoming Events In or Around the Pittsburgh Area

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival

Feb. 10, 11, 12, 2012 at the Four Points Sheraton in Mars, PA
Friday, February 10, 2012 - Market & Classes 1:30 - 6:30
Ravelry Meetup

Fashion Show with Emcee StevenBe: 7:30 - Wine and Cheese

Saturday, February 11, 2012 - Market & Classes 9-5
Pajama Party: 7:30 - Desserts, Prizes and Cash Bar

Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 9-4

First CO Object of the New Year!

2012-01-14T18:14:00.001-05:00

I CO a NEW project! Infact, it's the FIRST new project I've CO in 2012! I'd seen many knitters/podcasters knitting the Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Valimaki and I was getting the itch to CO as well. Then I noticed that Veera had another pattern, a sister pattern, called Different Lines. Different Lines is a different take on the Stripe Study Shawl. So I decided to CO Different Lines instead. I'm knitting this shawl in Wollmeise 100% Superwash Merino in the Feldmaus colorway (that's the brown) & Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in the Interlaken colorway (the blue/green color) on US Size 6 (4.00mm) needles. It's a simple garter st shawl that utilizes color changes and short rows to give it an interesting shape. When finished, it should have 14 of the contrasting color stripes (the blue/green). I'm 6 stripes in and it's working up fast. The pattern is super easy to memorize and it's GREAT TV knitting!
Knit On!

FO: Tardis Socks

2012-01-13T17:07:00.000-05:00

Alrightly all you Whovians, I finally finished my Tardis Socks! I used Wendy D. Johnson's Gusset Heel Basic Sock pattern along with a skein of Fibernymph Dyeworks Bounce Sock Yarn in Tardis colorway on a US Size 1 (2.25mm) pair of circs (knit in magic loop). These fit like a glove and are warm and toasty with the perfect touch of geekery. :)

I absolutely love the funky way the self-striping sock yarn works up with this pattern. Just like with my Peppermint Twist Socks, the gusset and heel cup have a really cool, thick stripe. And because of the stripes and the short rows, the gussets look like there is blanket stitching on them. LOVE IT!

You'll have to knit a pair of your own to see if they're bigger on the inside. ;p

Book Review & Giveaway: Deep South Knitting by Beth Moriarty

2012-01-11T09:52:00.002-05:00

Book Title: Deep South Knitting
Author: Beth Moriarty
ISBN: 978-0-615-52854-0
Publisher: Planet Purl Press
Approx. Retail Price: $26.95 USD
Category: Crafts/Hobbies - Knitting/Crochet
Patterns: 25
Availability: Paperback
Release Date: January 15, 2012 (Available for Pre-Order)

Beth Moriarty, AKA the "PurlQueen", has released this charming collection of patterns, commentary, and recipes of the Deep South. 16 of the 25 patterns are written by Beth herself, with an additional 9 patterns contributed by Deep South Designers! Beth, a yankee by birth, has lived in Mississippi, Georgia & Florida and feels the South will forever be a part of her. In this enchanting collection, Beth shares the essence of the south through a knitter's perspective. Grab yourself an iced tea and tour the south with Beth!

Included in this book:

West Virginia:

1865 Jacket - a semi-fitted cardigan, knit in denim for the appearance of a fabulously drapey denim jacket. The button band and bottom of the cardigan are edged in a subtle and sturdy eyelet lace, while the collar and sleeve cuffs are crocheted with a beautiful, frilly lace. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters and is sized to fit XXS - 2X.
Crazy Good Cornbread Recipe

Kentucky:

Derby Day Clutch - a chic little beaded clutch knit in wool and alpaca lace and then felted. This bag has instructions for creating a rose wrist strap as well as finishing with a fabric lining and zipper. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Summer Breeze Socks - a breezy feather & fan, cuff down sock design. These socks are constructed with a heel flap and sit on the lower calf. A chart for the "Summer Breeze" pattern is included. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Mint Julep Recipe

Virginia:

Honeysuckle Bridal Set - This dainty set of a drawstring bag, garter, and fingerless gloves are knit in a beautiful lattice lace. Feminine and reminiscent of outdoor weddings in the old south, they offer the perfect amount of lace for an elegant occasion. The bag is beaded and lined. The gloves also had delicate beading detail on the cuff. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Blue Ridge Lap Throw - a circular throw, knit in stockinette st wedges with purl st designs in each wedge and edged in a contrasting color. This throw can be knit as one piece or divided into wedges and seamed at the knitter's discretion. Knit in wool and alpaca, it's sure to be a cozy family favorite. This project is rated Easy-Intermediate.
Chocolate Toffee Pecan Pie Recipe

Tennessee:

Dogwood Cardigan - a lightweight, open, stockinette st and lace cardigan worked in pieces and seamed. (Sleeves are set in.) Stitches are picked up along the edges of this cardigan and a delicate contrasting color edge is worked as well as a collar. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters and is sized for S-M-L.
Bears & Blooms Hat - a stranded colorwork hat with black bear and flower motif. This hat has a rolled brim and an interesting i-cord top trim. Some techniques utilized in this hat are stranded colorwork, duplicate stitch, i-cord, beading, sewing buttons on, and embroidery. This hat is rated for the Advanced knitter and is a One-Size-Fits-Most hat.
Pecan Divinity Recipe

Arkansas:

Ozark Mountain Vest - a simple stockinette st and ribbed v-neck, men's vest knit in stripes. Knit with plenty of room for a nice ease and in worsted weight yarn, this is the perfect fall vest for the man in your life. This project is rated Easy and is sized for XS - 4X.
Farmer's Market Skirt - an easy-going, reverse stockinette stitch skirt with crocheted bottom edging This is a very breezy and comfortable style with elastic waistband. This skirt sits approx. 2 inches above the knee. This project is rated Easy-Intermediate and is sized XS-XL.
Whipped Maple Candy Recipe

Louisiana:

Sunshine Sweater - the perfect little summer sweater! Knit in the round until the underarms, there is little finishing work required. This sweater includes textural bands of seed stitch as well as eyelet lace. This sweater is knit out of cotton, is short-sleeved, and sits at the hip line. The moderate easy of this sweater is perfect for those hot summer days. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters and is sized to fit S-XL.
Morning After Scarflet - a delicate, short, lace scarf, this scarf is sure to hide those little love bites from the night before. Afterall, Beth reminds us, a Southern woman is discreet about her love life. Worked in 4-ply mercerized cotton, this is a perfect spring/summer scarf. Dainty and feminine, it can dress up a t-shirt or be worn to the office. The "Love Bites" lace is both charted and written out. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Magnolia Wristlets - Lightweight and feminine, this wristlets are the perfect project for the Southern Belle whose hands chill in cold, air-conditioned offices. These wristlets are knit in stockinette stitch with an optional beaded top edging and a frilly bottom edging. No need to worry about thumb gussets, these wristlets are knit with thumb openings. This project is rated Easy.
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding Recipe

Mississippi:

Darlin' Tea Cozy - a stockinette stitch cozy that is felted. Adorned with felted flowers and leaves, beading, and a little embroidery, this is sure to be a must-have cozy for afternoon tea with the ladies. There are instructions for knitting the flowers. The leaves are actually cut from felted sheets of knitting (very cool idea). This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Bayou Boa - a very light and airy, full length boa knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze and edged with a Spanish Lace Edging for the perfect feminine accessory. This boa is approx. 96" long and is rated Easy.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Alabama:

Camellia Baby Set - a sweet baby bunting and bonnet set perfect for the baby belle! The bunting is knit in garter stitch with an i-cord cinching drawstring at the bottom. The top of the bodice is edged in petals as are the cuffs of the sleeves. The bunting has sweet little buttons down the center, but concealed inside is snap tape for easy opening and closing. The bonnet is knit in matching garter stitch with petal detail as well. This project is rated for Easy - Intermediate.
Mardi Gras Party Bangles - Colorful, felted, and beaded bangles create a new way to wear Mardi Gras beads! Using a hard, plastic bracelet on the inside of this bangle is the key to keeping it's shape! This project is rated Easy.
Sweet Tea Recipe

North Carolina:

Gilded Age Placemats - Stranded intarsia placemats knit in metallic yarn to add a touch of elegance to any table. These placemats are lined on the back with felt to keep their shape. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Cherokee Vest - a Native American-inspired, stockinette stitch vest that incorporates intarsia and a modern color palette. This vest is meant to be worn open and not meant to meet in the center, but for the front panel edging to align with the mid-breast. The sleeves are joined with a 3-needle BO. This project is rated for Easy-Intermediate and is sized S-L.
Creamy Sweet Potato Pie

South Carolina:

Gracious Lace Tea Towel - a lovely, lace-trimmed tea towl, knit in Seeded Background Stitch. This pattern includes a monogram band section and a duplicate stitch chart for completing the monogram. This project is rated Easy - Intermediate.
Wrought Iron Gate Pillows - pillows knit in stranded colorwork to represent the old wrought iron gates found all over South Carolina. These pillows can be edged with a lace trim, braided i-cord trim, or i-cord trim and instructions for all three are given. The pillows are knit in 2 pieces and then seamed with the addition of a pillow form. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters.
Bourban & Brown Sugar Pralines Recipe

Florida:

Treasure Coast Tennis Vest - a highly textured and feminine vest perfect for playing tennis in Palm Beach or dressing up a pair of jeans. This vest is semi-fitted and knit in cotton. It includes an Oblique Rib and Bobbles. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters and is sized for S-L.
Beachcomber Lariat Set - a lariat and bracelet set knit in cotton. It utilizes dropped stitches at different length to represent the ripples left in the sand as the tide retreats. Embellished with any beach treasure (shells, pottery shards, sea glass, driftwood beads), it's easy to feel as though you've just stepped onto the beach. This project is rated Easy.
Sunset Moebius - a lightweight and generously sized cowl with drop stitch inset and picot BO. This cowl can be worn long or wrapped around the neck. Sequinned and beaded yarn with the addition of more glass beads gives this cowl a subtle, but gorgeous shimmer. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters
Fried Sweet Plantains Recipe

Georgia:

Lighthouse Tunic - a lightweight and relaxed tunic perfect for layering over a tee or bathing suit. This tunic is stylish with a pop of color in the form of a color block around the bust area. This tunic has a nice swing style to it and can be worn by many different body shapes. Pair it with your favorite shorts or capris and you're ready for a day in the sun. This tunic is knit in stockinette st and the back & front are worked in the round until the armholes. The pattern comes completed with instructions for a jogless stripe. This project is rated Easy and will fit but sizes 34 - 42 1/2".
"Frankly My Dear" Fichu - a simple feather & fan designed fichu inspired by Scarlet O'Hara's famous drapery dress. Light and airy when knit in a cotton/linen blend, this fichu is the perfect cover for bare shoulders. This little number ties with an adorable i-cord and tassels tie. This project is rated for Intermediate knitters and is sized for S - XL.
Peach Cobbler Recipe

For a preview of the patterns and recipes described here, please visit the DSK photo gallery. Planet Purl Press has given KnitPurlGurl an additional copy of Deep South Knitting to give away to one lucky blog reader! To enter, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter Widget below!

Disclosure: Planet Purl Press has sent KnitPurlGurl a copy of Deep South Knitting FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the preceding review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Planet Purl Press or Beth Moriarty.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press Release: Stitch Mountain

2012-01-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

Defying Gravity: Jimmy Beans Wool Joins Elite Companies In Helping Winter Athletes Reach Their Dreams

Reno, Nev. (December 7, 2011) – Jimmy Beans Wool, a leading yarn and fabric retailer, has signed a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the national governing body of Olympic skiing, snowboarding and freeskiing, to become the first ever-official yarn, knitting and crochet supplier to U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing.
The agreement comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced back in April 2011 that halfpipe and slopestyle skiing and slopestyle snowboarding will be added to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

A driving force behind the partnership is to build awareness of the yarn industry and to expose people to different crafts, fibers and companies. To that end, Jimmy Beans Wool has partnered with Red Heart® yarns to create “Stitch Mountain,” a marketing and promotional campaign that encourages people to be creative on and off the slopes. Yarn for the campaign and the athletes will be supplied exclusively by Red Heart®, one of the most prominent brands in North America.

“We are thrilled to have created a relationship that will not only publicize the needlearts industry, but also combine two of our passions, yarn and skiing,” said co-owner of Jimmy Beans Wool, Laura Zander. “My husband and I moved to the Reno-Tahoe area from San Francisco 11 years ago because we wanted to spend more time skiing. When we opened our yarn shop back in 2002, we consistently had skiers and snowboarders, male and female alike, come into our shop asking for yarn to make beanies. Being able to support the sport that we love so much is a dream come true. It is a great way for us to give back to all of those skiers and snowboarders that helped us grow our business!”

In addition to sponsoring U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing, Jimmy Beans Wool and Red Heart® are sponsoring Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis. Jacobellis, a seven-time X Games Champion in snowboardcross, is an avid knitter and knitwear designer. She designs and knits hats for her charity, “Hats 4 Hounds,” and will be designing hat patterns exclusively for Jimmy Beans Wool (using Red Heart® yarns).

As part of its agreement with the USSA, Jimmy Beans Wool and Red Heart® together will have a sampling tent at the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix events at Canyons Resort in Park City, UT and Mammoth Mountain, CA. With typically fewer than ten tents – and more than 8,000 people – at each event, Jimmy Beans Wool, Red Heart® and their Stitch Mountain campaign will surely draw attention - and might just get some people knitting!

About Jimmy Beans Wool
Founded in 2002 by Laura Zander, aka "Jimmy," and Doug Zander, Jimmy Beans Wool is a brick and mortar and Internet yarn and fabric superstore. It offers knitters, crocheters and sewers worldwide a comprehensive selection of the finest yarns and fabrics along with the latest fashion trends. Headquartered in Reno, NV, the store has been awarded an excellent rating from StellaService for their excellent customer service reputation and has been named three times to the Inc. 5000, Inc. Magazine's List of Fastest Growing Private Companies in the U.S. It has also been featured on CNN, NPR, Forbes and in the New York Times.

About Red Heart® Red Heart® is one of the most trusted brands in yarn. For over 75 years, more people have chosen to make heirlooms using Red Heart yarn than any other yarn. Red Heart yarns stand for quality, largest color selection, fashion and above all else, crafted with love. Whatever your creativity calls for, you’ll find it in the Red Heart family. Explore our vast selection of yarns, booklets and free patterns for all skill levels. A little bit of love woven into every strand.

It's Bigger on the Inside

2012-01-09T17:05:00.000-05:00

I've finished sock #1 of my Tardis Socks!! (Tardis, as in Doctor Who) I'm using Wendy D. Johnson's Gusset Heel Basic Socks pattern and Fibernymph Dyeworks Bounce Sock Yarn in Tardis Colorway (self-striping). I'd like to get the second sock knit up this week which may or may not happen. ;) This fits like a glove and feels divine!

FO: Critron

2012-01-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Here is my completed Critron! It's been blocked and the ends woven in! Woot!! This Critron (the crocheted version of the popular Citron) was designed by Martha Simonsen. I crocheted it in Noro Sekku, Color #4 (Lot A), 920 yds. on a US "G" Hook (4.0mm). I crocheted the 6-section version to make the larger shawl. This shawl is all single crochet - so for the proficient crocheter, it will make a terrific mindless project. For the newbie crocheter, it will make a terrific first shawl project!

On Ravelry I've seen Citron predominately knit in either gradient or solid yarns. However, with the Critron, I've seen LOTS of long, self-striping shawls. Either would look terrific! So nab yourself some lace (about 1000 yds) and have some fun!

Crochet on!

Blog Tour: Sweet Shawlettes by Jean Moss (AND GIVEAWAY)

2012-01-08T11:15:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was asked by Jean Moss Handknits to participate in their Blog Tour of Jean's upcoming book, Sweet Shawlettes. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to review this book. I mean, it's JEAN MOSS! For those of you unfamiliar with Jean Moss, she's a talented British designer who's designed for Rowan Yarns, Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Benetton and more! Her designs span 25 years!

Sweet Shawlettes: 25 Irresistble Patterns for Knitting Cowls, Capelets, and More is a collection of new and unique designs fit for the new knitter as well as the experienced knitter. Drawing from inspiration in various time periods, Jean manages to update the shawl, making it a go-to piece in the modern woman's wardrobe. Jean was inspired to create small luxury pieces that the knitter could work up in that fabulously expensive bit of yarn they'd been saving or with the leftover bits of scrap they couldn't bear to part with. Grouping the patterns by style, there's bound to be something for everyone in this book of little luxuries.

Country:

Madame Alfred Shawlette - A modified, rectangular shawl meant to stir the senses. Jean wanted to create a visual feast using color and pattern to convey the sweet fragrance of summer in her garden. This piece includes intarsia, lace, and a frilly edging and is for the experienced knitter.
Kardamili Shawlette - A lacy, rectangular shawl adorned with flower detail reminiscent of the May Day festival of flowers in Greece. Jean urges the knitter to personalize this shawl by creating the flowers of their choosing. This is a terrific shawl for a new lace knitter or an intermediate knitter.
Garland Necklet - A Venetian inspired necklace that can literally be knit in any combination of yarns pleasing to the knitter. Jean herself, used scrap from her stash to knit hers, but says the knitter can find their own special mix of texture, luster, and glitz to create a special piece. This piece is terrific for the advanced beginner knitter.
Green at Heart Collar - A stylish buttoned cowl with cables and lace, easily personalized by the yarn and buttons the knitter chooses. Jean choose a wonderful recycled wool, making it as eco-friendly as it is stylish.
Evergreen Scarf - A skinny scar complete with dangling leaf detail. This scarf is a cute, mindless knit. worked predominately in garter stitch. The scarf is reversible. The knitter can easily customize this pattern by playing with the leaf designs Jean includes. This is a great project for an advanced beginner knitter.
Frost Choker - A close-fitting, Nordic-inspired cowl, Frost Choker is a terrific example of a bit of luxury colorwork. The knitter can either opt for knitting the pattern in the traditional black and white or mix it up a bit. Pewter buttons set this piece apart, but Jean says metal frog fasteners would work equally as well. This is a design for intermediate knitters.

Couture:

Drift Cowl - A quick and classic, cabled, cowl, Drift Cowl can be knit in a weekend! A simple rectangle, this cowl is perfect for those learning to cable. Pair this pattern with a colorful and soft super bulky yarn, like Rowan Big Wool, and this cowl is sure to keep the cold and winter doldrums away. This cowl is terrific for the advanced beginner knitter.
Penumbra Cowl - A fun exercise in shadow knitting, this cowl is the perfect bit of pop to add to any wardrobe. Add a fun brooch as Jean has, and it's an instant wardrobe maker! This cowl is perfect for the intermediate knitter.
Enigma Shawl - The perfect layering shawl or maybe more aptly, poncho (dare I say it). Constructed of a square and a rectangle, this 2-piece shawl offers elegant versatility. Knit in
Rowan Kidsilk Haze, it offers the perfect opportunity to wear a light, flowing piece. Either of the 2 pieces can be worn alone or layered. This garment is terrific for the advanced beginner knitter.
Harlequin Cape - An immensely customizable, entrelac cape. Work with a yarn that has long color repeats and let the yarn do all of the work for you, or purposefully choose colors to enhance your wardrobe. This is the perfect little cape for those wanting to hone their entrelac skills or for intermediate knitters.
Twine Cowl - A chunky cowl inspired by the old craft of rope making, Jean has translated an old art into a fashionable modern piece. Worked in 3 rectangles, there is a Cable Pattern, Moss Stitch Pattern, and a Rib Pattern to really play up the texture in this cowl. A quick knit perfect for the advanced beginner knitter.
Empty Circle Joined Hat and Scarf - A hat and scarf combo inspired by the empty circle, an ancient and universal symbol of unity and infinity, this combo is a chunky quick knit that is sure to keep you warm and toasty.

Folk:

Miss Garricks Cowl - An intricate fair isle cowl inspired by a pair of sisters from Shetland, Scotland who knit wonderful fair isle pieces. Knit tradionally, in-the-round, this cowl will prove to be as warm as it is beautiful. Jean adds some vintage crystal beads on the ends of the tie for a teeny bit of sparkle. This cowl is for experienced knitters only.
Arabesque Scarf - A reversible garter stitch, lace Mobius scarf, Arabessque is an easily memorizable pattern with versatile style. Inspired by Jeans' childhood in Lancashire, this scarf will add a touch of classic styling to any wardrobe. A very long, mobius it can be worn as knit, wrapped several times around the neck, or even pinned with a vintage brooch. This is the perfect knit for the intermediate knitter.
Bess Ruffle - Taking a cue from the Tudor fashions, the Bess Ruffle is the perfect candidate for that small bit of luxury yarn every knitter has stashed away. This unique close-fitting, ruffled cowl combines the texture of rib with the flare of colorwork. Add some vintage buttons to complete the look and you've got a fashionable and functional wardrobe staple. Perfect for the intermediate knitter, the Bess Ruffle is a good primer for those looking to start fair isle projects.
Ceilidh Shawlette - A classy shawlette inspired by kilts and tartans, Ceilidh is an exquisite piece. As Jean explains, she wore a kilt during the winter growing up in a Lancashire mill town. This, and her love of dancing, inspired her design. Ceilidh, the Gaelic word for party, is used to name the pattern because of the wonderful sashay this shawlette provides. This shawlette has infinite possibilities for color combinations and is sure to be a delightful and well-used wardrobe piece. This shawl is best knit by experienced knitters.
Purple Patch Shrug - A patchwork shrug perfect for all of those fingering weight bits & bobs laying around. The squares are worked in garter stitch and joined together. This shrug is suitable for the advanced knitter.
Polperro Cape - A stunning and functional cape inspired by the Cornish village of Polperro and it's long knitting tradition of gansey patterns. Full of texture, this cape utilizes lace & cables and even a well placed buckle to create a visually interesting piece that is sure to be as interesting to knit. Jean pairs this design with a hardy Rowan Denim yarn to provide perfect stitch definition, but suggests cashmerino DK would also do the trick quite nicely. This piece should be knit by the intermediate knitter.

Vintage:

Kitty Capelet - Reminiscent of 1950's style couture, the intasria leopard-print capelet is perfect for the "glamour puss" in all of us. A gorgeous example of vintage sex-appeal, this little number will put the spring in any knitter's step. Soft and feminine, Jean knits this capelet in Rowan Felted Tweed. Add some vintage buttons and this piece will prove to be a timeless classic in any wardrobe. This is best knit by the experienced knitter.
Grace Cowl - A delicate drop-stitch, rib cowl that brings to mind the effortless elegance of Grace Kelly. Worn just atop the shoulders or pushed up on the neck like a Tudor-style ruffle collar, this cowl is beautiful and functional. This piece is best knit by the experienced knitter.
Bronte Fichu - Both a romantic and functional triangular shawl, Jean conjures up visions of Bronte's Catherine (of Wuthering Heights) and her often-mentioned shawl. She combines a delicate fishtail lace with recycled silk and cotton to bring to life this fabled shawl. Knit solid or in stripes, as Jean as done, this shawl is sure to provide warmth while making the wearer nostalgic for the Emily Bronte masterpiece. This shawl is a perfect knit for an experienced knitter.
Mantilla Shawlette - Inspired by the paintings of Goya and Velazquez and the fashions of the 17th & 18th centuries, this circular, lace shawlette is sure to become an heirloom piece. And with the Mantilla's resurgence, in large part thanks to Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, this shawlette is as fashionable now as it was in the 17th century. Knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, the Mantilla Shawlette has a wonderful airy quality. This shawlette is perfect for the experienced knitter.
Vamp Boa - What girl hasn't wanted to wear a boa and feel as glamourous as Marilyn Monroe at some point in her life? In Jean's revisioned version of the boa, any knitter can experience a little glam in her life. Ruched layers of Rowan Kidsilk Night and Rowan Kidsilk Aura create an airy and beautiful representation of vintage glam. This knit is terrific for the advanced beginner knitter.
Treasure Jabot - A play on the traditional jabot worn by Scottish Judges and even pirates, this jabot uses entrelac and ruffles to create a fun, frilly, and feminine little number that's sure to get a lot of use. Knit in Rowan Pure Silk DK, it's a fast and fun little knit. This project is perfect for the intermediate knitter.
Fizz Capelet - An elegant, bead-embellished capelet, knit in all stockinette stitch. This simple and understated capelet is sure to add an element of classic feminine beauty to anyone's wardrobe. Perfect to cover bare shoulders on a summer's evening to to dress up a casual outfit, this capelet is as versatile as it is beautiful. This capelet is best knit by the intermediate knitter.

To see a photo gallery of all of the shawlettes described, visit the Sweet Shawlettes Project Gallery!

For more information on Jean Moss, Jean Moss Handknits, or Jean's touring schedule, be sure to visit her website and her blog! To order a copy of Sweet Shawlettes, visit Amazon.com!

The amazing people of Jean Moss Handknits and Taunton Press are going to give away one of these fab little books to ONE lucky KPG Blog Reader. Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter!

Disclosure: Taunton Press and Jean Moss Handknits sent KnitPurlGurl a copy of Sweet Shawlettes FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceeding review. All opinions or descriptions expressed in the preceeding review are those of KnitPurlGurl and do not necessarily reflect those of Taunton Press or Jean Moss Handknits.

a Rafflecopter giveawayOther Stops on the Sweet Shawlettes Blog Tour!

Tues 3 Jan Wendy Knits- Wendy Johnson
Wed 4 Jan Knitgrrl- Shannon Okey
Thurs 5 Jan Yarnagogo- Rachael Herron
Fri 6 Jan The Knitter- Rosee Woodland
Sat 7 Jan Rhythm of the Needles- Joanne Conklin
Sun 8 Jan Knit Purl Gurl- Karrie Steinmetz
Mon 9 Jan CraftSanity- Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood
Tues 10 Jan Planet Purl- Beth Moriarty
Wed 11 Jan Sunset Cat- Stephannie Tallent
Thurs 12 Jan A Really Good Yarn- Julie Schilthuis
Fri 13 Jan knit 1 chicago- Lynn Coe
Sat 14 Jan Go Knit In Your Hat- Carol Sulcoski
Sun 15 Jan Redshirt Knitting- Erika Barcott
Mon 16 Jan In The Loop- Cheryl & Ellen
Tues 17 Jan WEBS- Kathy Elkins
Wed 18 Jan Zeneedle- Margene Smith
Thurs 19 Jan Knitspot- Anne Hanson
Fri 20 Jan Urban Yarns- Alexa Ludeman
Sat 21 Jan A Friend to knit with- Leslie Friend
Mon 23 Jan Tentenknits- Margaux Hufnagel
Tues 24 Jan Fancy Tiger Crafts- Amber Corcoran
Wed 25 Jan Chic Knits- Bonne Marie Burns
Thurs 26 Jan The Panopticon- Franklin Habit

On The Blocking Mats: Critron

2012-01-07T18:52:00.000-05:00

This is my finished and steam blocked Critron (crocheted version of Citron). It was crocheted with 920 yds of Noro Sekku (lace wt) and all in single crochets! I was a little disappointed with the way it turned out after steam blocking. Of course, this was my first attempt at steam blocking.. So I decided to wet block and pin:

You can see after pinning, it opened up quite a bit. However, my ruched rows are barely visible after pinning. I hope that they scrunch back after taking the pins out. I've seen many knitters write that they blocked their Citrons within an inch of it's life, so I sincerely hope that's the case. If not, I'll re-wet and block much less aggressively.
This is my first completed project of 2012! Now to finish the other 20 things I've got on the needles/hook. ;p

Schedule Change

2012-01-04T14:30:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Like many of you, I enjoyed a nice, long holiday break with my family. My hubby works really hard. And the kiddos have school, after school activities, and friends. So when we had 2 weeks of uninterrupted time together, we all jumped on it! It was so nice and so relaxing to spend our days together. We all got some much needed down time and rejuvenated. Needless to say, I didn't knit, crochet, or spin during this time. So rather than record my podcast this week with nothing much to share, I've decided to wait until next week when I have something to show y'all. After all, it'd be a pretty boring podcast, if I had nothing to show and tell. :)

I hope you all got to spend time with your friends, families, and loved ones this holiday season! Check back next week for Ep. 23!!

Knit on!

Episode 22 - Last Podcast of the Year!

2011-12-22T10:04:00.000-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: Hibernating
Black Hills Gold Cowl: Hibernating
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Hibernating
Walnut Grove Shawl: Ready for KAL
Peppermint Twist Socks - FO
Holiday Parallel Twist Socks - 1 Sock completed
Tardis Socks - CO
Christmas Bauble - FO / Charminglochie & Student Knits KAL

What's on (or off) the Hook

Critron by Martha Simonsen - First 5 Sections completed
Angel Ornament - FO
Crochet Christmas Ball - FO
Little Christmas Sock - FO

Other Stuff

Book Club!

1/3 way through "The Magician King" (The Magicians, Book #2) by Lev Grossman

KPG Cafe Press Shop!
Thanks

Charminglochie and AppleBlossomSF for the gifted patterns!!!

Walnut Grove Joint KAL with SockBunny Knit & Fit. Jan 1 - Feb. 14

Prizes!

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Idea

Stash Enhancement

SpinningFates

Aurora in Jack Frost Colorway
Toula Sock in Ember Colorway[
Aurora in Roller Derby Queen Colorway

Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in Interlaken Colorway (Pick of the Knitters Club Selection)
Fibernymph Dyeworks Bounce in Here We Go Colorway
Another Crafty Girl Strong Sock in Beaker Colorway
Into the Whirled Gloucester in It's Bigger On The Inside Colorway
Malabrigo Twist in Terron Colorway
Regia World Ball in Rio Colorway
Regia World Ball in Buenos Aires Colorway
Knitter's Pride Nova Fixed Circs

Reviews

Moonfire Handknits- Periwinkle Star Stitch Markers
KNITFreedom Brioche Knitting eBook

DISCLOSURE: Moonfire Handknits & KNITFreedom sent KnitPurlGurl the preceeding review items FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceeding reviews. All opinions in the preceeding reviews were those of KnitPurlGurl and do not necessarily reflect those of Moonfire Handknits or Liat Gat of KNITFreedom.

Upcoming Events In or Around the Pittsburgh Area

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival

Feb. 10, 11, 12, 2012 at the Four Points Sheraton in Mars, PA
Friday, February 10, 2012 - Market & Classes 1:30 - 6:30
Fashion Show with Emcee StevenBe: 7:30 - Wine and Cheese

Saturday, February 11, 2012 - Market & Classes 9-5
Pajama Party: 7:30 - Desserts, Prizes and Cash Bar

Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 9-4

Question of the Week

What are your knitting or crochet goals in 2012?

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer!

2011-12-21T16:43:00.002-05:00

I happened to pick up this little cutie while at CVS yesterday. It was in their "Last Minute Gifts" isle where the wrapping paper was. Immediately when I saw it, a light bulb went off! This is perfect for steam blocking! And at $9.99, I thought it was just the right price. I have a steam iron that I've used to steam wrinkled shawls, but it's heavy and awkward. Obviously, this isn't a full sized steamer like the ones I've admired other knitters using, but for <$10, I figured why not?!

As you can see, it's very compact and is extremely lightweight and comfortable to hold. The handle folds back into the body of the steamer to make it even more portable. Why I didn't think to buy a travel steamer before, I have no idea! Wanna make it into a gift for a knitster friend? Pop it into a basket with a skein of natural fiber yarn and voila!

Interweave Knitting Lab Announces 2 Locations in 2012!

2011-12-21T16:09:00.000-05:00

Interweave Knitting Lab Announces Two Locations in 2012

Save the dates: event returns to San Mateo, California November 1-4, 2012 after a successful first appearance in 2011; New England Knitting Lab debuts in New Hampshire October 4-7, 2012

Loveland, Colo., December 21, 2011: Interweave Knitting Lab, a national knitting event from the publishers ofInterweave Knits magazine, has announced its return to San Mateo, Calif. next November 1-4, 2012 after a successful debut in 2011. This premiere event was such a success—with sold-out workshops and lectures and incredible attendance at the Knitters’ Market—that Interweave has decided to add a second location on the East Coast in Manchester, N.H., October 4-7, 2012.

Interweave Knitting Lab offers knitters opportunities to learn from knitting legends and experts in small, intimate class settings—alongside new friends who share their passion for knitting. This premiere event was created especially for passionate knitters who want to take their knitting skills to new heights. It offers innovative, immersive workshops and project-based classes, lectures, enticing panel discussions and other special evening sessions, plus three days of shopping opportunities at the Knitters’ Market.

The 2012 Interweave Knitting Lab event locations and dates are:

Interweave Knitting Lab New England, October 4-7, 2012: The Radisson Hotel Manchester, in scenic New Hampshire, located just one hour north of Boston, Massachusetts in a fun downtown area. Offering an inviting atmosphere and signature hospitality, the Radisson presents a wealth of world-class hotel services and amenities including: room service, business services, a Fitness Center, an indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna and free Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) airport shuttle service.

Registration for Interweave Knitting Lab in New Hampshire opens in mid-April.

Interweave Knitting Lab San Mateo, November 1-4, 2012: Interweave Knitting Lab returns to Marriott San Mateo, a beautiful hotel located on 11 acres and just minutes from downtown San Francisco. With Italian marble floors and chandeliers in the lobby, this hotel has the look and feel of a first-class luxury hotel. With any spare time you may have while attending Interweave Knitting Lab, you can visit one of the many San Francisco attractions: Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Pier 39, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf and Half Moon Bay are all within 30 minutes.

Registration for Interweave Knitting Lab in California opens in early May.

Classes at Interweave Knitting Lab range from rarely-offered classes on unique regional, ethnic, and historical techniques, to studio classes that apply new design and technique skills to original creations. There are classes in sock knitting, lace knitting, cables, sweater construction, knitwear design, color theory, mosaic knitting, intarsia, Fair Isle, and much more.

Interweave Knitting Lab New England will focus on modern inspiration for thinking knitters: A program of in-depth classes on authentic and personal knitting design, working with color and line, and manipulating fabrics and fibers. The curriculum will explore the intersection of handknitting technique and inspiration, with forays into the larger textile industry and the art world.

In its second year, Interweave Knitting Lab San Mateo will continue to focus on handknitting techniques and traditions, with classes on subjects ranging from ethnic knitting history to complex cutting-edge techniques.

Interweave Knitting Lab is put on by arts and craft media company Interweave, publisher of Interweave Knits and Knitscene magazines, as well as the online knitting community, KnittingDaily.com.

For more information and the latest updates, interested participants should sign up for the event e-newsletter online at http://www.interweaveknittinglab.com.

Website: interweaveknittinglab

Facebook: Facebook.com/interweaveknittinglab

Twitter: Twitter.com/knittinglab

Next Podcast Episode

2011-12-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

Hey there podcast viewers! I know I didn't record my podcast last week or this and that's because life has been crazy! Last week, I was sick with the flu. And this week, DD has been sick with an upper respiratory infection. Needless to say, it's thrown a wrench in my reviewing and recording schedules. I WILL be recording podcasts on a modified schedule over the holidays. You can expect episodes:

Ep. 22 - Thurs., December 22, 2011
Ep. 23 - Wed., January 4, 2012

After those dates, my podcast recording schedule will return to a once weekly format with shows uploaded on Tuesdays.

Thanks for your patience! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Karrie

Christmas Angel

2011-12-14T12:46:00.003-05:00

Crocheting ornies seems to be where it's at for me this year! I've crocheted more ornies than I've knit! One of the reasons is that crochet is SO fast! Here's another example of a quick crocheted ornament. I made this cute angel in no time flat this morning out of some scrap Vanna's Choice yarn I had in beige and a US F hook. I used the Angel Ornament pattern by Beth Parsons.

Hook on!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

I crocheted up a teeny Christmas Ball today using more of the Peppermint Twist sock yarn scraps I had. This pattern is Christmas Ball Ornament by Kendra Kadas and is crocheted on a US F hook. I made a few mods: 1.) I didn't use the string indicated in the pattern. I only crocheted it with the sock yarn. 2.) I filled it with fiberfill instead of a styrofoam ball. and 3.) Instead of cinching the top stitches by running a tapestry needle through, I ch 20 and sl stitched the top of the ch with the sc across from the 1st st in the ch and then sl stitched through the 1st st of the ch.

My goal is to knit or crochet an ornie a day to fill up my teeny tree in the living room, Our large tree in the family room is chalk full of ornies and we have another tree that is even smaller than this tree and is decorated in very teeny, tiny ceramic ornaments. I thought filling one tree with nothing but handmade ornies would be fun!

Jingle All the Way

2011-12-11T19:50:00.000-05:00

I whipped up this little Christmas Ball in about 45 minutes from start to finish. I decided to knit up a Christmas ball so I could participate in the KAL that is being held by The Charminglochie and StudentKnits podcasts. This pattern is Christmas Baubles by Mona Schmidt. I modified a few things: 1.) I used Turkish CO so there wouldn't be a hole on the bottom. 2.) I reworked the pattern to knit it in magic loop instead of DPNs. and 3.)Instead of weaving in the ends as I went, I waited until the project was completed and then fished the ends into the filled ball just like I do when I pop in ends after I've knit a hexipuff.

I used a US size 5, 40" circ and some scrap Vanna's Choice I had laying around. I think I could've filled it a little more because some parts of the ball seem to have divots. (You can see in the photo above there is a divot on the white band which makes the band look like there is a red st where a white st would be.)

These have a lot of possibilities. I could see duplicate stitching a black belt buckle in the white band to make it look like a Santa ball. Self-striping worsted yarn would be fun. Duplicate stitching snowflakes, the year, a name, et cetera would be cute as well. One could also add a jingle bell inside or scent the fiberfill with holiday essential oils such as: cinnamon, clove bud, ginger, sweet orange, Fir needle, Scotch Pine, peppermint, spearmint, Frankincense, Myrrh, nutmeg, or cedarwood.

If you need a quickie Christmas gift, this is simple, fast, and fun!

Knit on!

Happy Holidays Giveaway!

2011-12-09T12:50:00.001-05:00

I just released my brand new pattern, Walnut Grove! It's currently for sale on Ravelry. In the spirit of the holidays, I'm going to give away 5 PDF copies of my pattern to 5 random participants!Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below:

Walnut Grove Is Listed!

2011-12-09T11:39:00.001-05:00

My latest pattern, Walnut Grove, is now available for purchase on Ravelry. Walnut Grove is a simple stockinette and lace crescent shawl, worked from the bottom up. Utilizing fingering weight yarn, this shawl is light and airy. It's listed for just $2 and is available as a download (PDF) on Ravelry!

My heartfelt THANKS goes out to all of my amazing test knitters who provided invaluable and terrific feedback! I hope you all will check out their beautiful finished shawls! :)

OTN: Holiday Parallel Twist Socks

2011-12-07T14:21:00.001-05:00

I was going to wait until after I completed my Critron to cast on a pair of socks, but seeing as how I have just over 2 wks to complete and wear socks knit out of this uber festive SpinningFates Toula sock yarn in Holiday Whoobie Whatie colorway, I thought I'd better get crackin'! I'm using the Parallel Twist sock pattern by Jeannie Cartmel. This is the completed toe and 1 repeat of the chart for the small size. I'd like to get this pair completed by the end of this weekend! :)
Knit on!

Book Review: Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts

2011-12-05T15:32:00.001-05:00

Book Title: Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts: 255 Inspired Projects for Year-Round Celebrations
Author: The Editors of Martha Stewart Living
ISBN: 978-0-307-58690
Publisher: Potter Craft (Random House)/ Crown Publishing
Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 (USD) / $27.99 (Canada)
Category: Crafts & Hobbies - Seasonal
Crafts: 255

Availability: Hardcover

Martha Stewart is undeniably the queen of all things crafty. In her latest book, Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts, she demonstrates why she wears the crown. Complete with 255 projects for year-round celebrations, Martha Stewart has once again, created a good thing. From paper crafting to knitting to general crafts to flower arranging, to jewelry making, and even soap making, Martha Stewart brings us simple, elegant, DIY crafts to add a little touch of handmade to every holiday. Chalk full of beautiful photography and step-by-step instructions, this book will give you the confidence to create stunning handcrafted items, the year through. Each project gives a detailed supply list as well as instructions. In the back of the book, Martha provides step-by-step instruction on basic techniques used in the book, such as making pom-poms, tying bows, quilling, and embroidery. Want your project to be Martha-perfect? She includes a vendor list of all of the supplies used in the book. This book has really taken the guesswork out of handcrafted holidays.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The crafts are stunning but simple; handmade but elegant. These are truly crafts that will be treasured and made year after year. My copy of this book is already dog-earred and littered with sticky notes. My kids love the crafts as well and I'm sure some of these crafts will become holiday traditions in this house.

If you know a crafty person and still haven't found the perfect holiday gift - pick up a copy of this book. It is well written, beautifully photographed, and contains a plethora of gorgeous holiday crafts that the recipient can make all year round. What a great way to start the New Year - with this book in hand, ready to craft for all of the upcoming holidays!

Disclosure: Crown Publishing sent KnitPurlGurl a FREE copy of Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceeding review. All opinions expressed in the review reflect those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Martha Stewart or Crown Publishing.

FO: Little Christmas Sock

2011-12-05T14:38:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon this pattern, Little Christmas Socks by Sucrette, and decided I needed to crochet one up immediately! For hers, it looks like she used worsted or Aran wt yarn. I decided to use some of the leftover fingering wt yarn I'd used for my Peppermint Twist Socks. I grabbed a US "F" hook and my sock yarn and went to town. This was a super simple and very quick little crochet! Infact, I have enough leftover sock yarn that I am considering crocheting a bunch as gift embellishments that can be used as ornaments.
So if you are a newbie crocheter and are running out of time to make something handmade for the holidays, consider this quickie pattern! You can use up scraps in any weight and even make them in non-traditional colors like Sucrette did for a super-cute ornie!
Hook on!

Knit Said, Crochet Said

2011-12-05T12:15:00.001-05:00

Alrighty, fiber friends. I'm putting together a list of patterns that are essentially the same project for both knit and crochet. They don't have to be written by the same designer. For example, I'm crocheting Critron, which is a crocheted version of Citron. If you know of any knit patterns with a crochet version available or crochet patterns with a knit version available, please leave me the names of the patterns below! :)

FO: Peppermint Twist Socks

2011-12-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

I've been sick with the stomach flu the past couple of days, so I laid in bed and worked on my second sock. I usually love fraternal twin socks, but this time, I tried really hard to begin and end the socks at the same points in the colorway.

I got the stripes pretty darned close. I love how this pattern, Gusset Heel Basic Socks by Wendy D. Johnson, makes these cool hand stitching effects on the gusset with a self-striping yarn. They look so homey - I LOVE IT!

I used the SpinningFates Toula Sock Yarn in Peppermint Twist colorway. This is the first time I'd knit with this yarn and loved it. This is a self-striping yarn with terrific color saturation and even color changes. The base has a very mild halo and very nice, tight plying, allowing for very nice stitch definition. These socks were a pleasure to knit up!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-11-30T19:23:00.001-05:00

Two wonderous things happened here in the Steel City today: 1.) It snowed and 2.) Sock #1 of my Peppermint Twist Socks is off the needles! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la

Episode 21: Spin City

2011-11-29T08:03:00.001-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
Walnut Grove Shawl: No Progress
It's Fall, Y'all - Frogged
Cabletini Socks: FO
Peppermint Twist Socks - CO

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs - No Progress
Critron by Martha Simonsen - First 5 Sections completed

Bag by Wren & Rita

Spinning

Kraemer Mauch Chunky Roving in Almond Colorway - not done w/ 4oz roving yet

Sewing

No Progress

Other Stuff

Book Club!

1/3 way through "The Magician King" (The Magicians, Book #2) by Lev Grossman

Wovember- Celebrate 100% Wool in the month of November!
Box Bag Sew Along

Led by Tini of the Twinneedle Podcast
CraftBlog's How To: Box Bag Tutorial

KPG Cafe Press Shop!
Thanks for all of the support!

Twitter Followers - 6014
Google+ Friends - 806
Facebook Fans - 591
Ravelry Group Members - 460
Plurk Friends - 93

Tech Tips

Interweave announces 2 NEW iOS Apps based on Ann Budd's popular guides, "The Knitter's Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements" and "The Crocheters Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements"! In collaboration with Ann Budd, they've released:

Knit Handy
Crochet Handy
Review to come next week!

KNITFreedom releases her Video e-Book: Brioche Knitting!

Review to come next week!

Ravulous Android App (Ravelry Projects)

$1.60

Stash Enhancement

SpinningFates Toula Sock in Holiday Whoobie Whatie colorway

2-ply, Fingering wt, 400 yds/100g
80% Superwash Merino, 20% Nylon

numma numma doppio in red barlett pear colorway

400 yds/ 4 ounces
70% SW Merino, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon

Into the Whirled Pakokku November Fiber Club in Walla Walla colorway

4-ply, Fingering Wt, 460 yds/100g
74% SW Merino, 25% Nylon

Fibernymph Dye Works

From Etsy Update

Bounce in Tree Frog Green (semi solid) colorway

80% SW Merino, 20% Nylon
Fingering Wt, 400 yds

Bounce in Buttercup Yellow colorway

From Indie Knit & Spin in Pittsburgh

Bounce in Peanut Butter & Jelly colorway
Bounce in Tardis colorway
Bedazzled in Wayfarer colorway

75% SW Merino, 20% Nylon, 5% Stellina

Space Cadet Creations Lucina in Frost colorway

430 yds/100g, Fingering wt
75% SW Merino, 20% Nylon, 5% Stellina

Kraemer Mauch Chunky Roving

60% New Zealand Wool, 40% Domestic Wool
4 oz each of Almond and Portobello colorways

WEBS Grab Bag

Noro Furisode, Color #2

45% silk, 40% Cotton, 15% Wool
Bulky wt, 165 yds

Cascade Yarns 128 Tweed

90% Peruvian Highland Wool, 10% Donegal Tweed
128 yds, Bulky Wt

Shibui Merino Alpaca in Blossom colorway

131 yds/100g, Aran wt
50% baby alpaca, 50% merino

Mirasol Sulka in Mocha colorway

55 yds/50g, Bulky
60% Merino, 20% Alpaca, 20% Silk

Great American Yarns Bamboo Blend in Orange colorway

118 yds, 50g, Worsted wt
50% Merino Wool, 20% Bamboo, 15% Alpaca, 15% Mohair

Plymouth Yarn Galway Paint #805

210 yds/100g, Worsted Wt
100% Pure Wool

Elsebeth Lavold Silky Flamme in Saffron colorway

82 yds/50g, Aran wt
50% Peruvian Wool, 30% Alpaca, 20% Silk

Cascade Yarns diVe Autunno in #14627

98 yds/50g, Bulky Wt
100% Fine Merino Wool

Cascade Yarns Dolce in #957

109 yds/50g, Worsted Wt
55% Superfine Alpaca, 23% Wool, 22% Silk

Gedifra Amara in #03712

109 yds/50 g, Worsted wt
80% Cotton, 20% Nylon

Tahki Yarns Dream #003

262 yds/50g, Fingering Wt
80% Wool, 20% Nylon

Reviews:

Stashbuster Knits by Melissa Leapman

Part One

Sort & Organize
Combining scraps to achieve particular wts
Cataloging stash
How to Store
Protecting from Moths
Stash Bash
Planning Color Combos
Magic Ball Technique
Math & Science

Part Two

Patterns by wt!

21 Patterns
Crown Publishing /PotterCraft
$19.99 US / $22.99 CAN

DISCLOSURE: Crown Publishing sent KnitPurlGurl a FREE copy of Stashbuster Knits FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceeding review. All opinions in the preceeding review were those of KnitPurlGurl and do not necessarily reflect those of Crown Publishing or Melissa Leapman.

Thanks!

Sockbunny Knit & Fit, The Charminglochie, The Twinneedle Podcast & Fibernymph for mentions on their podcasts!
The Knit Girllls & Cloud Lover for the fantastic yarn club subscription prize!

Upcoming Events In or Around the Pittsburgh Area

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival

Feb. 10, 11, 12, 2012 at the Four Points Sheraton in Mars, PA
Friday, February 10, 2012 - Market & Classes 1:30 - 6:30
Fashion Show with Emcee StevenBe: 7:30 - Wine and Cheese

Saturday, February 11, 2012 - Market & Classes 9-5
Pajama Party: 7:30 - Desserts, Prizes and Cash Bar

Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 9-4

Question of the Week

What's on your fiber wish list this holiday season?

Relaxation Fun!

2011-11-27T12:05:00.001-05:00

So I took the past week off of blogging and podcasting to focus on relaxation and family time. It was WONDERFUL! Here's what I've been up to in the fiber world:

I finished my Cabletini Socks (pattern by Wendy D. Johnson). I knit these in Lion Brand Yarn Sock Ease, Red Hots Colorway. They fit so well and look adorable! They are funky fall colors and of course, I wore them on Thanksgiving! ;p
I completed 5 sections of my Critron (pattern by Martha Simonsen) before I ran out of yarn. I'm crocheting this up in Noro Sekku, Color #4, Lot A. I was able to purchase another skein of the colorway in the same dye lot from a fellow Raveler (THANK GOD). So I'll be working on this baby some more this week!
I CO some vanilla socks, which I am calling my Peppermint Twist Socks. I'm using the Gusset Heel Basic Socks pattern by Wendy D. Johnson (available in her Socks from the Toe-Up book). I'm knitting these in Toula Sock Yarn by SpinningFates in Peppermint Twist (self-striping) colorway.
Finally, I visited Natural Stitches and took an Intro to Spindle Spinning class. Having that short time with an instructor was wonderful! Within 1 hr, I had that "Ah-Ha!" moment and started to feel much more comfortable with spinning. Although it's going to take me oodles of practice to get my "yarn" to look consistent and to spin up a deliberate weight, I'm really enjoying it. And as my spinning instructor suggested, I joined the Ravelry Group, 10 Minutes A Day, and plan to practice 10 minutes a day! The fiber I am spinning is Kraemer Yarns Mauch Chunky in Almond colorway. I picked up 4 ounces of that and also Kraemer Yarns Mauch Chunky in Portobello colorway. I'm spinning it on my Golding Fiber Tools Solid Walnut 3", Top-Whorl Ring Spindle, 1.9 oz.
It's been a super fun week! I got to spend a lot of time with the kidlets and the hubster. We got to see my entire family for Thanksgiving! And to top it off, we all got in some down time. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday week! :)

On Holiday

2011-11-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

Here in the U.S., it is a holiday week. Fortunately, my family is able to all be together this week, so we are going to make the most of it. The kids have a very abbreviated week and the hubster is off most of the week. I plan on running all of my errands in these next two days before the fam is home for the week. Then we will be traveling and spending time just enjoying our family. Therefore, I won't be posting this week or recording a podcast. Family time is so important and I want to make that my number 1 priority this week.

I hope you all have a fantastic week filled with good food and even better company! I know we're so blessed and truly thankful for the love we share with one another and our family. It will truly be a family-filled, wonderful week for us. I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with all of my nephews and niece, my brother, sister, & their spouses, my parents, and my wonderful kiddos and amazing husband! I wish you all the same!

XOXO,

Indie Knit & Spin

2011-11-19T20:26:00.001-05:00

So today, DD & I hoofed it down to Pittsburgh for the Indie Knit & Spin: A Pittsburgh Yarn and Fiber Artists' Marketplace. It was a very small venue, but wonderful! I hope it becomes an annual event and continues to grow with local artisans! It's so nice to support handmade for the holidays. And of course, as a fiber enthusiast, I was tickled!

I got to meet Fibernymph (Lisa) in real life and of course, bought some of her yarn:

Fibernymph Dye Works Bounce in Tardis ColorwayFingering Wt. (4 ply)Self-Striping80% Merino/20% Nylon400 yds/100g

Fibernymph Dye Works Bounce in Peanut Butter & Jelly ColorwayFingering Wt. (4 ply)Self-Striping80% Merino/20% Nylon400 yds/100g

Fibernymph Dye Works Bedazzled in Wayfarer ColorwayFingering Wt. (4 ply)Variegated75% Merino / 20% Merino/ 5% Other438 yds/100g

AND I got to see the fantastic Stephanie of SpaceCadet Creations again!!! (She's such a delightful woman!) And of course, I just HAD to buy some of her fantabulous yarn:
SpaceCadet Creations Lucina in Frost ColorwayFingering Wt. (3 ply)Variegated75% Merino / 20% Nylon / 5% Other430 yds / 100g
Lastly, I got the little sheep bag pictured underneath all of the yarn - suitable for small-medium projects! It's a drawstring, lined bag and is SUPER ADORABLE! I picked it up from Wren & Rita!
It was a great yarn day!!! My DD & I had a lot of fun and I was thrilled to get some amazing yarn AND purchase from local artisans!

1000 Blog Follower Giveaway!

2011-11-18T17:50:00.001-05:00

As of today, I have 1,000 Google Friend Connect followers on my blog!!! ( There are many more followers via feed subscription too, but they are harder to track.)

As a thank you for all of my loyal followers, I'm going to give away a skein of (self-striping) sock yarn that I had custom dyed for me in Candy Cane Stripes by Serenity Stitches! The yarn is her Quarks base. It's a fingering weight (3-ply) yarn, 425 yards & 100g, 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon. It's a $23 value.

Please follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter!

KnitCircus Winter 2011-2012 Issue 16 is Out!

2011-11-17T09:58:00.001-05:00

Check out the 23 FAB knitting & crochet patterns available in Issue 16! Purchase information can be found HERE. :)

MY fave patterns in this issue:

Duplicity by Talitha Kuomi

Double Knit Cowl/Neck Wrap
Fully Reversible
Sm-Md-Lg

French Roast Cardi by Rachel Dickman (Pictured above)

Knit Seamlessly from the neck down; raglan
Textured
Fits bust sizes 28" - 41"

Icy Rivulet by Kristina Vilimaite

Shallow, knit crescent shawl with ruffles & lace detail
Written & charted instruction

Ripen by Meghan Jackson

Knit shawl
Knit side to side
All around lace leaf edging, with ss center
1 skein project

Sandrilene by Jessamyn Leib

Simple, knit ss open cardi with cable and twist detail on cuffs and collar
Should Shaping method using modified EZ's Fantastic Seamless Hybrid Method - No sewing, picking up stitches, or breaking yarn
Worked in Worsted Wt
Fits chest 31.5" - 55.5"
Cable charts and written instructions

Speleology by Maria Naslund

Cuff-Down, knit socks
Cable detail
Cable charts and written instructions
Avail. in Women's Sm-Md-Lg

Sprite Collar by Lynn DT Hershberger

Zig-Zag, knit cowl that can be worked in 1 or 2 colors
Top of cowl is smaller than bottom, which increases to sit comfortably on the top of the shoulders
Avail. in Women's S/M, L
Written and charted instructions

Syrinx Hat & Infinity Cowl by Susanna IC

Spiral, lace, knit slouchy hat and long infinity cowl
Optional beading instructions available
Hat circumference - 24", Cowl length - 50", Width - 9"

Verona Lace Cardi by Julie Fisk & Amy Detjen

Lace, knit cardigan with raglan sleeves
Open cardi, with top button closure detail
3/4 sleeve
Bust - 38' - 58"
Written and charted instructions

Wild Cherry Cardi by Michele Moskaluk

Double knit, colorwork, cropped cardigan with top i-cord closure
Reversible
1/2 - 3/4 sleeves
Chest - 35" - 51"
Written and charted instructions

PGH Knit & Crochet Festival 2012

2011-11-17T08:47:00.001-05:00

Registration has OPENED for the 2012 PGH Knit & Crochet Festival in Mars, PA (just north of Pittsburgh). There are classes Fri, Feb. 10th - Sun., Feb. 12, 2012! There's a terrific marketplace and also some fun activities including a fashion show with wine & cheese on Friday night and a PJ Party on Saturday night. It's being held at the Four Points Sheraton North - so if you're not a townie, you can stay in the hotel that the festival is held in.

This will be my 4th year in attendance (since the festival is literally in my backyard)! I've enjoyed every year! You can mail in your registration or register online! You can also register at the door, but pre-registration is a good idea!

'Hope to see y'all there!

Episode 20: Hardly Working

2011-11-15T09:03:00.001-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Cabletini Socks: No Progess
Walnut Grove Shawl: No Progress
Quilted Lattice Mitts: Queued for CO
It's Fall, Y'all - First 1/3 completed

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs
Critron by Martha Simonsen - First 3 Sections completed

Spinning

Cooing Coopworth - 34 yds 100% Coopworth, bulky wt single
Thankful - 31 yds. 100% Merino, bulky single

Sewing

No Progress on the Sew Along :( Boo!

Patterns

Melpomene by Rosemary Hill (Seven Small Shawls to Knit, Year Two: The Muses)

Crescent shawl, knit side to side
Reversible
Eyelets, Short Rows, Twisted Stitches
Fingering Wt Yarn - 400 - 800 yds
3 Sizes Available: Sm, Md, Lg
Single pattern avail. Nov. 25, 2011

Kornblomst Shawl by Martha Simsonsen

Crescent Shaped Shawl
Approx. $6.55 USD
Worked from lace edging up
Written and charted instructions (in US terms)
Lace Wt, 900-1000 yds
bpdc, fpdc, crossed st, puff st, cluster st, short rows

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - November Book: Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
Wovember- Celebrate 100% Wool in the month of November!
Spur of the Moment KAL!

Quilted Lattice Mitts by Jennifer Elaine
Prize sponsored by Storied Yarns

Box Bag Sew Along

Led by Tini of the Twinneedle Podcast
CraftBlog's How To: Box Bag Tutorial
Just started yesterday - Join in!

KPG Cafe Press Shop!
Thanks for all of the support!

Twitter Followers - 5917
Google+ Friends - 749
Facebook Fans - 538
Ravelry Group Members - 435
Plurk Friends - 64

Stash Enhancement

Toula Sock in Peppermint Twist colorway by Spinning Fates

2-ply, Fingering wt, 400 yds/100g
80% Superwash Merino, 20% Nylon

Corriedale Roving, 4.1 oz. in Christopher Robin Colorway by Sheepish Creations

100% Corriedale

November Semi Solid Mini Skein Club by The Knitting Goddess

4 ply sock yarn
75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon
70g / 280m total (7 skeins)

3 pr of owl earrings, 1 owl necklace, 1 pair of wire ball earrings from Polished Two

Reviews:

Twist Collective - Winter 2011

Jaina by Thayer Preece - $7

This open cardigan is worked in one piece from the bottom up, with set-in pockets worked as you go. The sleeves are worked down from stitches picked up at the armholes, with sleeve caps shaped by short rows. The double collar is worked from stitches picked up along the front and neck edges.

Oscillate by Amy Herzog - $7

This fitted cardigan is worked in pieces and sewn together. The mirrored cable pattern is presented in chart form only. Edges are finished with twisted ribbing.

Gaeda by Susanna IC - $6

This crescent-shaped shawl begins with a wide lace border, which is given in chart form only. The cabled upper section of the shawl is worked in short rows, and is presented in row-by-row instructions. The shawl finished with an i-cord bind off.

Finial by Alison Green Will - $7

This pullover is worked in the round from the bottom up, divided at the armholes for front and back. The sleeves are worked from the bottom up, finish with a shoulder saddle and sewn into the armholes. The cowl collar is worked from stitched picked up at the neckline. The cable and lace pattern is presented in chart form only.

Eira by Ann-Marie Jackson - $7

This fitted pullover is worked in the round from the bottom up, then divided for front and back at the armholes. The sleeves are worked separately and sewn in place. The sleeve cuffs and front neck feature an unusual eyelet and pleat detail. The neckline is shaped with short rows, and there are functional buttons at the left shoulder.

Zosia by Marnie MacLean - $7

This cardigan is worked from the bottom up in pieces and joined at the shoulders with a 3-needle bind-off. Sleeves are picked up at the armholes and worked down, with short rows shaping the sleeve caps. Cable pattern is given in charts only.

Bellevue by Robin Melanson - $7

This fitted, textured pullover is worked in pieces and sewn together. The stitch patterns are given in row-by-row instructions only. The wide neckband is worked from stitches picked up along the deep neckline, and overlaps at the front.

Space Cadet Creations Mini Skeins Club!

Avail in Gentle Mix or Wild Mix
(5) 20g Skeins per month for $28/month
End subscription whenever

Upcoming Events in or Around the Pittsburgh Area:

Indie Knit & Spin

Fibernymph & Space Cadet Creations will be there!!
Sat, Nov 19 from 11a - 5p at Wilkins School Community Center in Regent Sq (Pittsburgh)
FREE Entry
Yarn & Fiber dyers, spinners, designers, creators, and sewers

Question of the Week:

Do you have yarn or fiber in your stash that you bought on a whim and have no idea what to do with it? What is it? Confess! :)

Practice Makes.. More Yarn

2011-11-10T11:26:00.001-05:00

Undoubtedly you've heard the phrase, "Practice makes perfect." Well in my case, after only spinning 3 teeny skeins of yarn, it's more like Practice Make More Yarn. Here's my latest handspun: 31 yds of a bulky wt, 100% merino single in a pumpkin spice colorway (the lighting in my craft room wasn't the greatest). It was spun from 2 oz. of Merino that Katie of DomestiKated Darling gifted me. My spinning isn't seeing vast improvements yet, but I'm getting used to pre-drafting, the park and draft method, and winding it off.

Here is a pic of all 3 of my handspun singles. Although the colors are hard to see in this pic, they are perfect candy corn colors! I've only soaked the gold yarn. So today, the pumpkin and natural colors will each get a bath. When they dry, I'll have about 90 yds of handspun to work with. I think perhaps I'll knit up a rustic candy corn cowl for the fall season. Then I'll have a project that is functional and represents my amateur attempts at handspun (drop spindle) yarns. I'm not going to bother to ply these. They are so bulky - super bulky, that I'll just knit them as singles.
Spin on!

Cooing Coopworth

2011-11-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

As you know, I've caught the spinning bug! And as I explained on yesterday's podcast, I'd received my "Learn to Spin" kit from Golding Fiber Tools. So today after I finished my household chores, I pulled out my brand new Golding 1.9 oz, top-whorl, ring spindle and the 2 oz. of Coopworth wool I had and popped in my Respect the Spindle: The Video. In almost no time I'd spun all of the fiber!!

So here's my final product: a bulky wt single (thick & thin yarn), approx. 34 yds. I may get super crazy and dye it!
Okay - I just HAVE to tell you that my Golding spindle spins like a dream! It's so balanced and wonderful! I think I'll be collecting Goldings in several weights!
Even though this is only my 2nd skein of handspun, drop spinning is starting to feel less foreign and more comfortable. It's still art yarn. There are definite thick & thin areas, but I'm hooked! Spinning is relaxing and fun! I can't wait to become a more proficient spinner. I guess that means I'll need to buy more fiber and practice some more! Oh, darn. ;)

Episode 19 : Conversion

2011-11-08T18:58:00.000-05:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk, Pinterest
Show episodes available on Blip.TV and on iTunes (FREE) (Old Episodes Avail. on Podbean)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Cabletini Socks: 1 sock completed
Walnut Grove Shawl: 1 lace repeat completed
Quilted Lattice Mitts: Queued for CO

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Spinning

Fiber Gold: spun approx. 21 yds of 100% Merino, bulky wt single

Sewing

Laundered fabric
Purchased all supplies

Patterns

Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho

100 yds
Bulky wt
US Size 10 1/2 or 6.5mm
FREE Pattern
Sheila from Knit1HeartToo

Simply Spiraled Crochet by Carlinda Lewis

Blanket/Throw
Worsted
Bernat Mosaic
Hook Size: US K or 6.5mm

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - November Book: Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
Wovember- Celebrate 100% Wool in the month of November!
Spur of the Moment KAL!

Quilted Lattice Mitts by Jennifer Elaine
Prize sponsored by Storied Yarns

Box Bag Sew Along

Led by Tini of the Twinneedle Podcast
CraftBlog's How To: Box Bag Tutorial
Just started yesterday - Join in!

KPG Cafe Press Shop!
Signed up for Intro to Drop Spinning Class at Natural Stitches

Stash Enhancement

At Knits End Yarns 100% BFL, 438 yds in Ewe Can Suck It Colorway (Review as well)

Sock Yarn
Using it for my Walnut Grove shawl

ONline Supersocke 100, 75% Wool, 25% Nylon (Superwash), 459 yds in Sierra Colorway

Sock Yarn
Self-Patterning (Fair Isle)

Plymouth Yarn Co. Happy Feet, 90% Superwash Merino Wool, 10% Nylon, 192 yds/hank x 2 hanks in Color 9
LaTeaDa Designs 50 yds/6.20 Oz. Lincoln Sheep Wool Pencil Roving, Pull Bump in Charcoal Gray
Golding Fiber Tools - Learn to Spin Kit

2 oz. of Coopworth Roving from Hidden Valley Farm and Woolen Mill
Golding 1.9 oz. Ring Spindle, 3" Top Whorl, Solid Walnut, Shaft: 3/8" x 9 3/4"
Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn by Maggie Casey

Reviews:

Start Spinning: The Video Maggie Casey with Eunny Jang (Purchased at Yarns By Design)

By Interweave
Spinning Wheel How-To Video
Approx. $35

Respect the Spindle: The Video by Abby Franquemont

By Interweave
Drop Spindle How-To Video
Approx. $20

AUSTENtatious Crochet by Melissa Horozewski

36 Patterns
Running Press Book Publishers
Approx. $16/USD or $18.50 CAN or 10.99 pounds UK

Upcoming Events in or Around the Pittsburgh Area:

YBD Annual Fall Fashion Show & Designer's Workshops

Fall Fashion Show: Friday, November 11, 6-9p at the Oakmont Country Club
Designer's Workshops: Sat & Sun, November 12-13th, at the YBD Boutique
Please RSVP

Question of the Week:

What is the best spinning tip you ever got?

Box Bag Sew Along Begins Today!

2011-11-07T09:35:00.004-05:00

The uber talented Tini of the Twinneedle Podcast is leading a Box Bag Sew Along with my Rav Group, Friends of KnitPurlGurl! Since I'm a newbie seamstress, I LOVE that I'm a part of a sew along - Tini is breaking it down into steps and we're all there to lend support and answer any questions others may have. Please join in!

Today is day 1: Iron and cut out the fabrics.

If you can't join until later this week, it's okay. You can easily catch up! Making your own project bags is a great way to learn some sewing basics while saving money and customizing your own bags! I can't wait to get started!

We'll be using CraftBlog's How To: Box Bag Tutorial as our inspiration to creating the box bags! So grab your supplies, dust off your sewing machine, and head on over to the Sew Along thread to join in!! :)

Shaken, Not Stirred

2011-11-06T19:31:00.000-05:00

After almost 2 weeks of not knitting, I finally picked the needles back up this afternoon and finished sock #1 of my Cabletini Socks. I'm counting this toward my Wovember celebrations! (Same with spinning my Fiber Gold merino yarn!) I hope to CO the 2nd sock this week sometime. I also need to CO my Quilted Lattice Mitts for the Spur of the Moment KAL. -AND I need to give some TLC to my Walnut Grove shawl (my own pattern).
Cabletini is a FREE toe-up sock pattern by Wendy D. Johnson. I'm knitting these in Lion Brand Yarn Sock Ease in Red Hots colorway, which reminds me visiting a pumpkin patch, on US Size 2 (magic loop) -Perfect for fall socks!

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

2011-11-05T19:20:00.001-04:00

Here is the product of my first EVER handspun yarn! This is approx. 21 yds of bulky wt Merino in a single. The gray bits are pieces of scrap I used to tie the hank. It's not perfect. It's not a lot. But it's all mine! It's absolutely amazing to me that I took processed sheep wool and made it into yarn all by myself! NOW I understand why spinners love to spin. It was creative and meditative and offers an amazing sense of accomplishment. I don't know that I'll knit this little bit into anything. I may just keep it so that I can remember my first attempts at spinning!

Giving It Another WHORL..

2011-11-04T20:26:00.000-04:00

So I tossed the last attempt of mangled roving and tried again this evening. Although it is still pretty uneven and my joins aren't terrific, my 2nd attempt at spinning Merino into a single went much better. I can see why Abby Franquemont suggests practicing 30 minutes a day.
I'm spinning this Merino on a top-whorl spindle that Katie of Domestikated Darling made and sent me. I ordered a Golding 1.9 oz. Ring Spindle (Top Whorl), which is what Golding suggests for beginning spinners. I also signed up for a 2 hr "Intro to Spindle Spinning" class at Natural Stitches at the end of the month. I figured a seasoned spinner will be able to help me with my technique and my drafting.
Spin on!

You Spin Me Right Round, Baby, Right Round

2011-11-03T19:42:00.001-04:00

Alrighty. So today I decided to pull out the drop spindle Katie sent me. I also watched, Respect the Spindle: The Video. I pre-drafted some merino (my pre-drafting needs quite a bit of work too) and set out to make beautiful yarn. What I actually made can only be described as wayward skinny roving. It's HIDEOUS! AND.. I am having such a hard time joining new roving in. The roving in the background is just there so you can see what it looks like. I've since split it in half lengthwise and pre-drafted. I just don't know. I'm going to keep practicing, but something tells me that my finished fiber will not resemble yarn for quite some time yet. ;p

Meanwhile, at the advice of another spindle spinner, I ordered a Golding Spindle (Their beginner kit). I think I'll sign up for a drop spindle class so that if I'm doing something horribly wrong, my spinning teacher can detect it and try to correct it. If you drop spindle, I'd love to hear any advice on tools, fiber, and/or books and videos! :)

Spin on!

Episode 18: Video Podcasting Trial

2011-11-01T22:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk
Show episodes available on Blip, Podbean and on iTunes (FREE)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Cabletini Socks by Wendy D. Johnson: CO and knit 75% of first sock

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - October Book: While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
- On Audiobook: Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson , The Magician King by Lev Grossman
SEWING!

Box Bag Sew Along led by Tini of Twinneedle Podcast!

Spur of the Moment KAL!

Quilted Lattice Mitts by Jennifer Elaine
Prize sponsored by Storied Yarns

Want to start spinning.

Start Spinning: The Video by Maggie Casey with Eunny Jang

Stash Enhancement

The Knitting Goddess October Semi Solid Mini Skein Club
Evermore Studios

Dreamland Sock Yarn
Lisa Marie Sock Yarn

Shibui Sock
Fabric from Fabric.com

Dimension Punch Needle Kit: Owl Always Be Your Friend

Question of the Week:

Spinners: Do you have any advice on learning to spin, spindles, and/or spinning wheels?

Getting Caught Up

2011-11-01T09:17:00.003-04:00

Dear readers, podcast listeners, and PR companies,

I've been ill with a flu virus. Needless to say, I haven't updated my blog, recorded a podcast, or published any product reviews in the past week+. I'm feeling better this week, though still exhausted. You can expect to see me attempt to catch up this week. :) Thanks to everyone for their patience and well wishes.

Knit on!

Karrie

Learn to Knit

2011-10-26T15:11:00.000-04:00

Some of my non-knitting friends want me to show them how to knit. And since I don't live close by, I created a few videos. These videos are suitable for complete newbies. If you've already learned to CO, knit, purl, and BO, these are not for you.

Sneak Peek: Walnut Grove Shawl

2011-10-24T21:17:00.001-04:00

MeerMeer from Ravelry is one of the amazing test knitters who are knitting up my Walnut Grove shawl pattern. She completed hers!! She did a fabulous job!!

These are the pics she took of it after blocking! There are about 10 test knitters working hard on this shawl, a few are doing some mods that I will include in the pattern. I'm also working on a sample myself. To see MeerMeer's completed Walnut Grove was thrilling! The knitters who volunteered to test knit for me are just wonderful! They have been very constructive and have provided terrific feedback for me. I'm so lucky to have 10 additional pair of eyes give me their perspectives on my pattern. It's just so incredibly helpful, I can't even tell you!!!

In other news..

I went to my doc's office today and was relieved to discover that the 4 inch diameter inflammation around the flu shot injection site is just a bad allergic reaction to the flu shot. I have to continue Benadryl, Ibuprofen, and ice for the next couple of days. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with flu and allergy symptoms. Hubster and DD are sick with the actual flu as well. :( Needless to say, I haven't felt good enough to pick up any knitting or reading in the last couple of days. So those of you looking for reviews, please be patient. I'm going to rest and take care of the fam for the next day or two and then life will go back to normal. :)

Interesting Weekend

2011-10-23T20:15:00.001-04:00

So this weekend was an interesting weekend. Friday, I went to my doc's for my annual check-up. I braced myself to be scolded about my weight gain. I knew I'd have to have my usual panel of blood work: CBC w/ DIFF, Liver & Lipid panel, CMP, and Thyroid. My doc increased my inhaled steroids and insisted that I get a flu shot - which I NEVER get. Feeling guilty about my weight gain and not in the mood to argue, I said I would have the flu shot. The medical assistant came in and administered the injection. By Sat., the area was reddened and painful, so I popped some ibuprofen and headed out the door to travel to OH. By the time we got home Saturday night, the area was raised, red, hot to the touch, and swollen. UGH! I popped some ibuprofen and Benadryl (and snapped a pic).

Saturday, we journeyed to OH to see the entire clan in celebration of my birthday!! It was so much fun! My parents hosted a HUGE BBQ and my entire family was there! We ate and ate and ate and then had some nummy cake!!! I absolutely had a terrific time. The kids were thrilled to play with their cousins and I was excited to see my brother & sister and their families.

Today I woke up with my arm even worse. :'( I've been icing the arm and keeping on track with Ibuprofen and Benadryl, but the edema and erythema aren't subsiding. Looks like I may need to see my doc tomorrow to make sure cellulitis hasn't set in. Yep, I'll never get another flu shot after this debacle. Needless to say, I ran a fever all day and felt like complete crud. So I curled up in bed, in my jammies, and slept a good portion of the day. When I wasn't sleeping, I was listening to podcasts. I also got started on a new pair of socks, Cabletini Toe-Up Socks by Wendy D. Johnson. I'm knitting them in Lion Brand Yarn Sock Ease #203 - Red Hots. The pattern has a simple 4 row cable repeat that is super easy to memorize. So I can tell that these socks will work up uber fast - probably just as fast as vanilla socks!

I also tweeked my project bag a tad. I added a 2nd drawstring - so there is a drawstring on either side, making it easier to open and close. I hope to sew a few more bags this week!
Well, it's been an interesting weekend. Hopefully this week will go pretty smoothly. Keep fingers crossed that my arm looks better by tomorrow so that I don't have to hoof it to the doc's office. :)

Sewing is My Bag, Baby

2011-10-20T13:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's not really my bag.. but I hope someday it will be. I spent this morning learning how to wind my bobbin and thread my machine. Then for the first time since I got the machine over 6 months ago, I used it!

I sewed this really simple lined bag out of the $0.99 Fat Quarters I got yesterday from Jo-Anns. I used a terrific, newbie-friendly pattern from BunnyBum.

This bag turned out to be wider than it is tall - which is great for my shawl project. Of course, that was unintended as I'd never done this before. ;p I finished it off with some cute polka dot ribbon.

It is by NO means a professional job. I couldn't find my pins. I sewed the lines as straight as I could, but I definitely need more practice in that area. I got to use my pinking shears to trim the excess fabric, though! That was fun! I also used my brand new cordless sewing iron for the first time. I need more patience when ironing! ;p I think it looks even better reversed with the sewn down edge on the outside! I'm making notes so that I remember that next time I sew a bag!

So although it's just a very simple drawstring bag, it's a huge achievement for me. Having no one to teach me how to sew, I was terrified to try. And even though my seams may not be exactly perfect and my ironing needs a little work, I made something useful that I am proud of!
What have you given yourself permission to try today?

Winner - Birthday Giveaway!!

2011-10-20T08:42:00.000-04:00

Congrats to cguard for winning the Yarn Grab Bag! Thanks to everyone who participated! :)

Birthday Haul!

2011-10-19T17:28:00.001-04:00

Hubby asked me a few days ago what I wanted for my birthday. I replied that I only wanted to spend time with him. When I woke up this morning, he greeted me with a mug of coffee and a birthday surprise: he took the day off work to spend with me! Best. Present. Ever.

But then he also surprised me with lunch at one of my fave Mexican restaurants, a trip to Yarns Unlimited, where he bought me (2) skeins of Shibui Sock yarn in Midnight colorway, Starbucks, where he treated me to a Pumpkin Spice Latte with some down time, chatting with one another, and finally to the book store. Then he sent me off to buy fabric at JoAnn's while he took our DS to get his hair cut.

JoAnn's was having a Moonlight Madness Sale and I got 6 fat quarters for $0.99/each! I also picked up some Lion Brand Yarn Sock Ease on sale, Buy 1, get 1 50% off, in Red Hots & Toffee colorways. And I nabbed some pinking shears! I have a JoAnn app on my Android phone, which I'd loaded with a 10% off coupon, good for 10% my total craft purchase, regular and sale items! Needless to say, I got a lot for very little!

It was such a fun birthday! The best part was spending the entire day with my hubby, just me & him!

You Say It's Your Birthday..

2011-10-19T10:23:00.006-04:00

It's my birthday too, ya!

To thank all of my loyal readers, I'm going to give YOU a present for my birthday! I was going to give out a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Sock Yarn, but decided that I will give out an entire yarn grab bag! It will be a bag of different yarns! That's right - a whole bag of yarn!

To enter, please follow the Rafflecopter Widget instructions!

Episode 17: Stitch Heaven

2011-10-18T11:39:00.001-04:00

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk
Show episodes available on Podbean and on iTunes (FREE)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Very Scary Socks: FO!
Walnut Grove Shawl: CO

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Patterns

Cloud Illusions by Boo Knits

Crescent Shawl
Fingering Wt Yarn - 420 yds
Garter stitch body with lace and picot border

Being Test Knit - Available in Oct.

Sheep Newborn Gift Set Crochet Blanket and hat Crochet Patterns by Viktoria Gogolak

Dc & sc blanket & hat with puff stitch sheep embellishments
$4.99

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - October Book: While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
- On Audiobook: Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson , The Magician King by Lev Grossman
Socktoberfest!- Still under way! Still time to squeak in a pair of socks!
SEWING!

Inquired about sewing lessons from Pittsburgh Sewing Center

Spur of the Moment KAL!

Quilted Lattice Mitts by Jennifer Elaine
Prize sponsored by Storied Yarns

KPG Cafe Press Shop!
Upcoming birthday giveaway!

Reviews:

Stitch Heaven Salutes Barbara G. Walker DVD

Giveaway!

The Knitter's Book of Socks by Clara Parkes

Question of the Week:

This is for the sock knitters - what sock knitting techniques do you prefer?

Signed Stitch Heaven DVD Review & Giveaway!

2011-10-18T09:24:00.001-04:00

Title: Stitch Heaven Salutes Barbara G. Walker
Format: DVD
Approximate Retail Price: $24.95
Running Time: 3.5 hrs+
Stitch Patterns: Aran Braid, Boxed Bobble, Cellular Stitch, Close-Woven Basket Lattice, Classic Argyle, Faggoting and Fancy Rib, Fan Cables, Feather Faggot, Florentine Frieze, Knit-Twist Lattice, Milanese Lace, Quilted Lattice, Sailor's Rib, Shadow Mosaic, Swag Stitch or Scallop Stitch, Tiny Bowknot, Wave and Box Stitch, Yarn-Over Check

Barbara G. Walker is the queen of stitch patterns. There is nary a knitter who does not know of, love, or own copies of her A Treasury of Knitting Patterns books. In addition to collecting and documenting thousands of patterns handed down, Barbara has an impressive body of stitch pattern work herself. Saluting this stitch maven, the creators of The Art of Knitting DVDs, have created this in-depth collection of video stitch alongs. Preceeded by a quick interview with the stitch master herself, the DVD contains step by step video, charted, and written instructions. Each line of the stitch pattern is presented by a master knitter. The charted pattern line is at the bottom of the screen as you watch the knitter demonstrate how to complete each line in the pattern. Amazingly thorough, this DVD would make a WONDERFUL gift for the new knitter or the knitter looking to try new techniques. With over 3 1/2 hrs of instruction, any knitter is sure to master these stitches very quickly. This is the perfect companion to the Barbara G. Walker A Treasury of Knitting Patterns books.

TriCoast Studios has graciously donated a signed copy (signed by Barbara G. Walker herself!) of Stitch Heaven Salutes Barbara G. Walker! To enter, please follow the proceeding instructions from the Rafflecopter Widget!

Disclosure: TriCoast Studios sent KnitPurlGurl (1) copy of Stitch Heaven Salutes Barbara G. Walker DVD FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceeding post. All opinions expressed in this review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of TriCoast Studios or Barbara G. Walker. Individual results may vary.

FO: Very Scary Socks

2011-10-17T19:40:00.000-04:00

YAY! I finished my Very Scary Socks for Socktoberfest! Love the way this colorway turned out! I'm glad I only committed to knitting 1 pair though! I've got a bazillion things I've gotta work on. At least these cuties are done!

Spur of the Moment KAL!

2011-10-14T14:22:00.001-04:00

I'm hosting a Spur of the Moment KAL on the Friends of KnitPurlGurl Ravelry Group! The KAL will be the Quilted Lattice Mitts by Jennifer Elaine. These mitts create a quilted look by slipping stitches. She provides instructions for those who would like to use variegated yarn (easiest option) or those who'd like to use 2 solid colored yarns. The pattern is FREE and uses 200 yds or less of fingering weight yarn.

I've never knit these mitts myself, so I'll be knitting right along with y'all! And there will be at least ONE prize (drawn at random)!!

Storied Yarns is donating a skein of sock yarn - winner's choice!!!!

Being a Spur of the Moment KAL means that you can CO and start anytime you'd like. To be eligible for the prize(s), you must post a FO pic on the Spur of the Moment FOs thread no later than Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011 (Thanksgiving Day), 11:59p EST.

If you are a company or shop that would like to donate a prize to the KAL, please contact me via email or my Ravelry profile (KnitPurlGurl).

This should be fun!

(Check back here or on the Rav group for updated prize information.)

Knitter's Pride Crochet Hook Giveaway WINNER!

2011-10-14T10:13:00.003-04:00

The winner of the Knitter's Pride Crochet Hook Giveaway sponsored by WEBS is.. #21: Lynda! Congrats to Lynda! Thank you so much to everyone who participated! And a HUGE thanks to WEBS for sponsoring this amazing giveaway!!!

I Love Yarn Day!

2011-10-14T09:24:00.003-04:00

Hey there, fiberistas! It's I love YARN DAY! To celebrate, I thought I'd ask my readers to share their favorite yarns to work with! Maybe it will inspire other knitters or crocheters to try new yarns!

Here are some of my faves: (The listed yarns aren't necessarily my favorite in that category - just one of my faves that comes to mind. I guess it really depends on the project.)

Thread - DMC Cebelia Crochet Cotton
Cobweb - (Never used a cobweb yarn)
Lace 2-ply - Wollmeise Lace Garn
Light Fingering 3-ply - Mallabrigo Sock
Fingering 4-ply - Wollmeise Sockenwolle 80/20 Twin
Sport 5-ply - Mad Tosh Pashmina
DK 8-ply - Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK
Worsted 10-ply - Cascade 220 (solids, heathers, or paints)
Aran 10-ply - Noro Silk Garden
Bulky 12-ply - (Lion Brand Yarn) Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend
Super Bulky - Farmhouse Yarns I Am Allergic to Wool

My favorite wt to work with is either light fingering or fingering wt.

So leave me a message! Tell me which weight you like to work with. -What yarns are your faves and why. I'm excited to hear about a lot of yarns I've yet to try!!

Knitter's Pride Knitting Needle Winner!

2011-10-13T17:04:00.000-04:00

The winner of the Knitter's Pride Knitting Needle Set Giveaway is... #173: Debbie Nelson! Congrats to Debbie!! Thank you to everyone who participated and a HUGE thank you to WEBS for sponsoring this most amazing giveaway!!!!

Why Knitting Still Amazes Me

2011-10-13T12:06:00.001-04:00

Ever find yourself talking about your knitting in a group of people who don't knit? The placated smiles, glassy eyed stares, and rhythmic head bobs looking back at you as you describe how you transformed some amazing handspun/handdyed yarn into a gorgeous shawlette that you think worked up well? Then it hits you - no one friggin' cares about this but me. ;p

I found knitting muggles to use such harsh words as "obsessive, boring, stereotypical, and desperate" when describing knitters. And to that I say: Ya, cuz listening to you drone on and on about the tailgating party you threw, the 30 miles you ran before breakfast, the business contacts you made at work, how your little Johnny is poised to win the next Nobel Prize in Physics, or how your kids' lives are scheduled down to the nano second with activities that are sure to win them scholarships, just has me on the edge of my chair. ;p I have nothing against the activities of other moms. I think whatever you do to make yourself and those around you happy is a worthwhile pursuit. But why is it when I talk about my knitting, I get the feeling that it's the most boring topic in the world? Ah.. cuz it is to non-knitters. But to me, knitting still amazes me every single day.

First off, there is the sheer intellectual joy that comes from knitting. Yes, knitting is a creative hobby. But it's also quite educational. For instance: want to have random stripes in your garment that look neat and pleasing to the eye? Work out a color scheme using Fibonacci Sequence. Trying to design a garment that can withstand the strain of vigorous use? Apply Young's Modulus. Knitting up a scrappy blanket with different weights of yarn? Grab a pencil, paper, and work out the ratio and proportion for the stitches per inch in relation to the desired dimensions of the blanket. Need to knit a sweater that fits? Better use Elizabeth Zimmermann's EPS (Elizabeth's Percentage System) to make sure the sweater is in good proportion. Want evenly spaced increases in your garment? Euclidean Geometry is for you! I could go on and on. Knitting, like nature, has a lot of interesting mathematical properties.

Next of course is the pleasure derived from the creation of a knitted project Once upon a time, those fingerless mitts were no more than a ball of plied threads and a pair of knitting needles. With a little time, patience, and creativity, a knitter is able to create a useful and beautiful garment. Your hands ACTUALLY formed string into a sweater! Or a hat! Or that beautiful landscape of lace worn as a shawl. That's right. You took string and made a fabric. You took the fabric and made a sweater! How mind-blowing is that?!

Of course there's much to be said about the therapy involved in knitting. The movements are rhythmic and meditative. Once an accomplished knitter, muscle memory takes over and your brain unwinds as your hands create. There's a peaceful, utter calm that comes from knitting. It actually slows the heart rate, lowers the blood pressure and quiets the chaos in your head. And once that occurs, knitters become "obsessive" in the same way exercise junkies, sports lovers, women who love to entertain guests, and car enthusiasts do. It physically and psychologically feels good, so naturally we crave it.

Let's not forget about community. Knitters (crochets, spinners..) are the most social, warm, and genuine people I've ever met. Typically, if you like to play with fiber, you're in! Knitter's come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and from all different socio-economic backgrounds. And oddly enough, it only takes a ball of thread to connect us. That really says something about society. We really aren't THAT different from one another. Knitters are passionate, creative types who bind together in a time of need. They knit for charity. They knit for one another. They knit for families. They knit to raise awareness. They knit to bring art to other parts of their lives. Knitters will spot someone 5 miles away with yarn in their hands and make their way over to ask what project is in the works. They will take you under their wing and support you, no questions or favors asked. Community is an important aspect of knitting. Whether it's online, at the LYS, or the local coffee shop, knitting community is to be found nearly everywhere.

Last but certainly not least is the sensory portion of knitting. Creative types love to look at beautiful things. There's a marriage that happens between the fiber and the color of a yarn. First, you spot the yarn. You admire the beautiful colorway. Perhaps you love the sheen. You like the smooth appearance or the halo the yarn provides. Then immediately, you've swooped it into your hands to touch it. I've known several knitting muggles who've watched in disbelief as I've picked up yarns and physically felt the fibers, pulled to test elasticity, squished to see the bounce, and rubbed it against my wrist to feel the quality. Non-knitters, if you've ever tapped on a melon or smelled a tomato, it's much the same. Some knitters even love the smell of the fibers. Sometimes it's the wool wash that smells good. Sometimes it's the fiber itself that sparks a sensory response in the brain, a connection to nature. And sometimes you can tell which fiber wasn't properly cared for, like silk, by smelling it. By fondling the fibers, you know if the yarn will be soft, scratchy, structural, drapey, sticky (as in having grab), slick, breathable, warm, or cool.

There is so much more I could've included in this blog post about knitting, fibers, and the benefits. I just skimmed the surface. But I want knitters to think about all of the amazing ways knitting affects us. And I want non-knitters to understand our deep connection with knitting. HINT - we aren't knitting because Julia Roberts does it.

Knitting is the whole package - the real deal. And I'm not ashamed to say it still amazes me.

Episode 16: Locked and Loaded

2011-10-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk
Show episodes available on Podbean and on iTunes (FREE)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18 (No Progress)
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Very Scary Socks: Completed Sock #1 for Socktoberfest ; Knitting the gusset for sock #2
Lavande (Neckwarmer): FO
Walnut Grove Shawl: Queued for CO with At Knit's End Sock Yarn in Ewe Can Suck It colorway. (Hand Dyed BFL)

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Patterns

Ashby by Leila Raabe

Pub in Brooklyn Tweed, Fall '11
Worsted Wt
$6 (USD)

Plumeria Frill by Michelle B.

Pub in My Daily Fiber
Fingering Wt
$1.99 (USD)

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - October Book: While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
- On Audiobook: Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson , The Magician King by Lev Grossman
Socktoberfest!- Using my Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Very Scary Colorway.
SEWING!

Box Bags

Reviews:

Locking Loops -Unique Locker Hooking Handcrafts to Give and Wear by Theresa Pulido

Question of the Week:

Do you have a crafting routine?

Quick Shout Out:

Twinneedle Podcast

It's Monday? Already?

2011-10-10T12:48:00.000-04:00

The weekend just flew past! I must admit, I didn't do much of anything this weekend. Hubster & I relaxed and just enjoyed time together. I did write up a review for a yarn and a book. But other than that, I really didn't do much work.

This week will be busy. Since the kidlets are off of school today, there is no getting any work done. So I'm going to try to engage them in household chores with mom. Okay, stop laughing!

This week I need to record my podcast, finish my Socktoberfest Very Scary Socks, read a couple more chapters on the Goodreads Ravelry Knitters Group October selection book. CO my Walnut Grove Shawl & write my review of At Knit's End yarn, sew a box bag (or at least try to sew one- my sewing skills are.. um... well, they aren't good.), write another book review, and try out a yarn.

So what are all of you working on this week?

Book Review: Huggable Crochet by Christine Lucas

2011-10-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

Book Title: Huggable Crochet - Cute and Cuddly Animals From Around the World
Author: Christine Lucas
ISBN: 978-1-4402-1423-3
Publisher: Krause Publications/ F+W Media
Approx. Retail Price: $22.99 USD / $25.99 CAN
Craft: Crochet (Toys)
Patterns: 19 Patterns plus 1 bonus pattern online
Availability: Paperback

Huggable Crochet is a fantastic new crocheted toys book by Christine Lucas. Christine presents a book of charming, adorable and quite substantial cute creatures. Stuffed and measuring from 12 - 18 inches (30-46cm), these cuddly cuties make perfect gifts for children. Christine has made sure to keep these toys free of wires, buttons, or other choking hazards so that children of all sizes can enjoy them. A believer in fun and relaxing projects, Christine has used simple stitches, which are explained step-by-step. To add interest, each animal appears in two different color palettes: one more realistic and one more whimsical.

This book is appropriate for any level crocheter. However, as a newbie crocheter, I was thrilled to see that each pattern leaves nothing to chance. She has the Yarn, Hooks and Notions, Gauge, and Finished Size well spelled out in a box at the beginning of each pattern. The patterns are written out completely with drawings of embellished areas shown in front and side views. Also, some patterns include a small stitch diagram. The photographs are shot in close range and are very clear. There is no question about what each creature should look like. Christine also includes terrific drawings of how to construct the creatures who are not crocheted in one piece. Even a newb like myself will be able to clearly decipher the patterns.

Patterns:

Chapter 1 - The Pranksters: Forest Critters

Sly the Snake
Stash the Squirrel
Bandit the Raccoon
Tiger Lily the Snail

Chapter 2 - The Covert Operatives: Farm Friends

Dottie the Cow
Trixie the Sheep
Otis the Pig
Nelly the Horse

Chapter 3 - The Entertainers: Ocean Dwellers

Waddlesworth the Penguin
Inky the Octopus
Skipper the Dolphin

Chapter 4 - The Protectors: Safari Animals

Byron the Lion
Seymour the Giraffe
Hannah the Hippo
Ellie the Elephant

Chapter 5 - The Scientists: Exotic Creatures

Flora the Macaw
Kaya the Kangaroo
Spyro the Panda
Jaxson the Koala

Bonus Online Pattern: Shelldon the Sea Turtle

If you enjoy crocheting amigurumi or crocheting stuffed animals for the children in your life, this book is a must-have. It's well-written, clearly photographed, and leaves no part of the creation of these cuties to chance.

Disclosure: F+W Media sent KnitPurlGurl (1) copy of Huggable Crochet by Christine Lucas FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding post. All opinions in the above review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of F+W Media or Christine Lucas. Individual results may vary.

Yarn Review: Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend Yarn

2011-10-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

Yarn: Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend Yarn
Fiber Content: 40% Wool, 40% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca
Weight: (5) Bulky, Chunky, Craft, Rug Yarn
Gauge: Knit- 13 st x 18 rows on US Size 10 (6mm) Needles = 4 inches
Crochet- 11sc x 14 rows on Hook Size N-13 (9mm) = 4 inches
Skein: 3.50 oz (100g) / 115 yds (105m)
Colorways: Foxglove, Parakeet, Pea Coat Blue, Winterberry, Sesame, Pussy Willow, Darjeeling, Meadow Green, Coral Pink, Grape Hyacinth, Morning Dove, Magpie, Green Eucalyptus, and Buttermilk
Approx. Retail Price: $9.99 (USD)/skein
Care: Machine wash and dry

Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend Yarn is a bulky weight, moderately soft yarn with a moderately tight ply. I had no issues with the yarn splitting or the ply unraveling. It has very little stretch but has a lofty, light weight, bouncy quality, unusual for a bulky yarn. Due to the wool and alpaca content, this yarn has a moderate halo and can have a tendency to shed fiber strands. The hand of the yarn is pleasurable, attributable to it's natural fiber content. The yarn has a matte finish and is available in 14 colorways.

I had a hard time deciding what to knit with this yarn. Robin Ulrich offered me her Lavande pattern and I knew the Alpaca Blend Yarn would be a cozy yarn to knit into a neckwarmer, so I decided to knit it. The pattern knit up quickly and the yarn was a pleasure to knit with. It provided terrific stitch definition for the lace panel, button holes, and seed st rib.

Having never knit a garment that needed to be blocked and was knit out of an acrylic blend, I was unsure how to block it. I did a little research and discovered that one should block such a garment according to the most fragile fiber in the blend. So I decided that I should wet block it. Wet blocking did the trick and the wool and alpaca allowed for the shape to be well defined. The yarn actually softened up even more after blocking and provided incredible drape, which I was not expecting. I wondered if I had made the wrong yarn/pattern pair as Robin's piece is more structured. But I soon realized that I just made a simple gauge error, which was fine by me, because this neckwarmer has a cozy, soft, organic feel around my neck.

One Note: If I had read the pattern correctly, I would've noticed that Robin used a Super Bulky Yarn for hers. Since I used the same needle size, I didn't get the structured appearance Robin did. To achieve that look, I could've just adjusted my needle size.

This yarn is perfectly suited for cold weather knit or crocheted accessory pieces. The acrylic in the yarn allows for easy care options, making it perfect for mittens and hats! Although it is also described as a good yarn for sweaters (which I do not disagree with), the sheer amount of the yarn needed would make it cost prohibitive for larger garments.

I really enjoyed working with this yarn and know I'll get a lot of use out of this neckwarmer! Pop on over to your local Jo-Ann's and fondle a skein for yourself! :)

Disclosure: Lion Brand Yarn sent KnitPurlGurl (1) skein of Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend Yarn FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding review. All opinions in the above review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Lion Brand Yarn. Individual results may vary.

Feeling Fiber Accomplished Today

2011-10-06T14:26:00.002-04:00

Good gravy, I have been a busy bee. I've been checking off my list of fibery to-dos. First, I soaked my Crochet Baktus, Lavande, Very Scary Sock #1, and re-soaked my Saroyan, which fell in my closet and got all crumpled. (I used Soak wash in Celebration Scent - LOVE IT!) Then, I pinned and blocked them all (sock went on a sock blocker). I CO sock #2 of my Very Scary Socks and finished the toe increases so that I could mindlessly knit on the foot of the sock tomorrow at knitting group. I also put away about 15 skeins of yarn which had to be cataloged and then put in the correct cupboard by size. And while I was doing all of that, I caught up on all of my knitting podcasts! (Ooo - I listened to a NEW podcast which I adore: Twinneedle. She's a German podcaster who podcasts in English. I listened to both of her episodes and am hooked!)

Alrighty. Now that I'm done playing with fiber, I must return to my housework. Hopefully tonight I will get to start reading While my Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo (A Black Sheep Knitting Mystery) for the Goodreads Ravelry Knitters October selection! Tomorrow, I'll go to knitting group in the morning and work on my sock and then pop over to a craft store and look for some buttons for my Lavande neck warmer!

Knit on!

OT: The End of an Era

2011-10-06T09:35:00.000-04:00

I was very saddened to hear that Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after years of battling health problems. As a woman in her mid-late 30's, I grew up during the computer revolution. When our principal announced to our parents at open house that we would have a computer lab and that each classroom would get a brand new Apple II, my parents were stunned and amazed at how technologically advanced our school was. From 3rd grade on, the way we learned changed. The schools I went to predominately carried Apple computers. We started by playing simple math games in 3rd and 4th grades on the computers, to learning word processing in junior high school. By the time I was in high school, every student wanted a home computer and about half of the people I knew had one. When I went to college, the internet blew up and the Mac craze really exploded. By the time I hit 30, i-Pod was all the rage followed by i-Phone, and i-Pad in my mid-30's.

You see, my generation, Gen-X, cycled through the era of personal technologies. Computers went from being business machines to becoming educational tools, to becoming just as prevalent in every home as a toaster. For those of you a generation or so behind, you've grown up with these tools, so perhaps you don't understand our attachment to the early 80's and the Jobs Era.

Steve Jobs, a brilliant visionary who defined an entire generation of Mac-heads and Mac-addicts, continued to move forward, to push the boundaries of creativity and technology. We are greatly indebted to this man who had the courage and conviction to change the world as we know it.

You will be sorely missed, Mr. Jobs. But your spirit of creativity and passion for technology will forever live on in the generations you've touched. Even though most of us did not know you personally, you are a part of our daily lives and embedded in our daily routines.

Rest in peace and God Bless.

Goodies!

2011-10-04T16:42:00.002-04:00

My hexipuff swap package arrived today!!! Look what Knitsomnia sent me: (All the way from Scotland)

She sent me this darling hexipuff in tonal yellows and even sent a teeny ball of yarn to go with it in case the puff was the wrong size :) It’s absolutely perfect though! The puff is so soft and I love it!

She also sent 3 mini-skeins that signify the coming 3 months of fall: Oct, Nov, & Dec. The Oct yarn is the yellow/red/green yarn called “Green Woodpecker” by The Knitting Goddess. The Russet/green/purple yarn is for Nov. And the Dec yarn is red/green/white and is BFL from Angels and Elephants.

Finally, she sent some treats: Walker’s Shortbread cookies from Scotland and Crunchie, a candy bar that has golden honeycomb in the center, as a nod to the Beekeeper’s Quilt. :)

I LOVE IT ALL!!! Gosh, I hope she gets her pkg soon. It’s been 3 wks. Thanks so much, Knitsomnia!!!

Also, I completely forgot that I joined The Knitting Goddess' Mini Skeins Club and the October selection came today! I subscribed to the semi-solids club and the yarns are beautiful. My camera is not picking up the colors at all - but they are all tonal greens. SO amazing! My hexipuffs will be beautious!

Episode 15: Socktoberfest

2011-10-04T12:06:00.000-04:00

Your browser does not support the audio element.
Podcast Powered By Podbean

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk
Show episodes available on Podbean and on iTunes (FREE)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 18
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Very Scary Socks: Completed Sock #1 for Socktoberfest
Fishtail Mitts: FO
Lavande cowl by Robin Ulrich: Queued for CO with Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend Yarn (Bulky)
Walnut Grove Shawl: Queued for CO with At Knit's End Sock Yarn in Ewe Can Suck It colorway. (Hand Dyed BFL)

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Patterns

Big Snowy Owl by Purl Bee

Free Pattern
Super Bulky Wt Yarn, Abt 100yds

Sweet Eleanor Scarf by Quince Tart

Lace wt, 450m (492 yds)

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - October Book: While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
- On Audiobook: Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson , The Magician King by Lev Grossman, and American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson
Socktoberfest!- Using my Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Very Scary Colorway.
Patterns: Free or For Sale

Stefanie Japel's Craftsy Blog Post

Reviews:

Huggable Crochet by Christine Lucas - Full review to come
WEBS Knitter's Pride Dreamz and Aluminum Crochet Hooks
- Giveaway!!

News & Upcoming Events

STITCHES East - Announcement
- Oct 20-23, 2011 in Hartford, CT

Question of the Week

Why do you knit, crochet, or craft?

Yarn Review: Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn

2011-10-03T16:54:00.000-04:00

Yarn: Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn

Fiber Content: 100% Merino Wool

Weight: 4 (Medium) - Worsted Weight, Afghan, Aran Weight

Gauge: Knit - 18 st x 25 rows on US Size 7 (4.5mm) Needles = 4 inches

Crochet - 4 sc x 18 rows on J-10 (6mm) Hook = 4 inches

Skein: 1.75 oz. (50 g), 120 yds (110m)

Colorways: Milk Glass Pink, Igloo, Poppy, Pewter, Artemisia, Peacock, Buttermilk

Approx. Retail Price: $7.49/skein

Care: Hand wash and dry flat

Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn is a 100% Merino, worsted wt yarn. Matte in finish, this yarn has a soft to moderate halo and is plied on the looser side of moderate, giving it a little stretch. A moderately soft yarn with very good stitch definition, this yarn is ideal for quick and warm accessories such as mittens, gloves, hats, cowls, and scarves.

I decided to test knit this yarn by knitting up a pair of fingerless mitts. I used the Fishtail Wrist Warmers pattern by Lisabee Designs. A quick and simple project, these mitts knit up in a jiff. The yarn provided really nice lace and rib detail on the mitts. The mitts are warm, soft, and have sufficient stretch to be comfortable. Like a lot of the new natural fiber yarns in the Martha Stewart Crafts line, I wish this yarn came packaged in larger skeins. But at 120 yds, I was able to knit up these mitts and have about 20% of the yarn left over. - So I imagine one could knit a pair of small adult mittens out of a skein.

I think this yarn is a good addition to the Martha Stewart Crafts line. I enjoyed working with it and felt that it performed as well as several worsted weight merinos available in yarn shops. Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn is already in stores. Pop on over to Jo-Ann's and take a peek for yourself. You've still got time to knit up those mitts, hats, or slippers for the upcoming holiday season!!

Disclosure: Lion Brand Yarn provided KnitPurlGurl with (1) skein of Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding post. All opinions in the above post are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Lion Brand Yarn. Individual results may vary.

OTN: Very Scary Socks

2011-10-03T15:24:00.000-04:00

Right now, I am knitting up my Very Scary Socks for Socktoberfest! These are just vanilla socks, knit toe-up, with Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Very Scary colorway, using magic loop. I knit the first one in 2 days. I need to CO the 2nd one tonight sometime. It'll probably take me the rest of the week to finish because I knit the first one over the wkend with nothing else to do really. Knitting during the week is a bit tougher and requires sleeping kidlets and finished chores before it can commence.

I'm using Wendy D. Johnson's Toe-Up Socks with a Difference pattern and a US Size 2, 40" circular needle. I've noticed that the sock fits well, but like the last pair I made, is a teeny bit loose. Last time I used a US Size 3. Next time, I'll go down to a US Size 1. But despite being a tad loose (which means I won't wear them under shoes to prevent undo wear - they'll be gorgeous, warm, house socks!), I am loving the way the colorway is working up. The name of the colorway is very appropriate and the socks make me think of all things fall and Halloween! My kidlets asked why I didn't knit a white sock since this sock has very interesting colors. My response: if I wanted plain white socks, I'd just buy them. Viva la sock yarns!
My goal for Socktoberfest 2011 is to knit (and finish) 1 pair of vanilla socks in the month of October. I think I will definitely make it! YAY! I hate to commit to any more than that since I still have a shawl to knit and several WIPs that are waiting patiently to be worked on.

Ich Bin Stricken Socken!

2011-10-01T16:32:00.001-04:00

It's October 1st! You know what that means!!! It's time for Socktoberfest! Whereas Oktoberfest is an excuse to eat fat-laden sausages & pastries and drink beer, Socktoberfest is an excuse to knit some socks in the month of October! There are no rules. There are no deadlines. There are no expectations. So pop on over to the Ravelry group and join up! Celebrate sock knitting all month long and check out some of the fun socks everyone is knitting!!

I'm knitting Wendy D. Johnson's Toe-Up Socks with a Difference, which is a vanilla sock pattern. My socks are being knit in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino "Very Scary" colorway on US Size 2, 40" circs (magic loop). This yarn feels great to knit with and despite my crummy photography, has a subtle sheen. Since the yarn is so dark and so variegated, a vanilla sock pattern is a perfect pairing!

I can't wait to see what y'all are knitting up!

Knitter's Pride Crochet Hook Review & Giveaway!

2011-09-29T15:31:00.000-04:00

Knitter's Pride is a new line of crochet hooks available from WEBS! Available in either color-coded, polished wood hooks or comfort-grip aluminum hooks, Knitter's Pride hooks are beautiful and a pleasure to work with.

The Knitter's Pride Dreamz crochet hooks are all wood hooks with a polished surface and 2 grooves: 1 next to the hook to prevent stitch slippage and the other in the center for easy thumb position. The hooks have a bit more drag than an aluminum hook but perform as well as other wood hooks I've tried. (Found them to be similar to the KnitPro Symphonie hooks) The hook head is moderately pointed, making crocheting in tight stitches easy. The hooks are a nice length and are warm and comfortable in the hand. The hook size is printed in US and Metric sizes in white type on the hook. Color coded, these hooks come in an individual color for each size, making it super easy to grab the hook size you need.

The Knitter's Pride Aluminum Hooks are comfort grip hooks with a short aluminum shaft and hook head. The grip is cushiony and flat on top and bottom to provide an ergonomic and comfortable experience. Having almost no drag, the aluminum hooks glide easily through your work. The hook head has a moderately pointed tip to easily get in and out of stitches. The hook size is printed in US and Metric sizes in white type on the handle. I found these hook to be very comfortable. With a wider handle than ordinary hooks, these hooks are suitable for those who experience hand fatigue with small shaft hooks.

I really enjoyed both hooks a lot. Though, like with my knitting, I am a tight crocheter, so I preferred the aluminum hooks. But having ordered Knit Pro Symphonie hooks from overseas because of the beautiful colored wood, I found the Dreamz hooks to be just as effective and quite a bit easier to order! I was also pleased with the price point at which WEBS is offering these hooks - making them affordable for nearly every crocheter!

Retail Prices:

Knitter's Pride Dreamz Crochet Hooks: (Available in US Sizes E - N/P; Metric Sizes 3.5mm - 12.0mm) $5.99 - $9.99/ea
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Crochet Hook Set: (Sizes E, G, 7, H, I, J, K, and L) $47.99/set
Knitter's Pride Aluminum Crochet Hooks: Available in US Size E - J; Metric Sizes 2.0mm - 6.0mm) $2.99/ea

WEBS is going to giveaway a set of crochet hooks from the Knitter's Pride line to ONE lucky KPG reader!

Giveaway Details:

Participants must be 18 yrs old or older to enter.
Participants must live in the US or Canada to enter.
(1) Winner will be selected by random number generator and will receive (1) set of Knitter's Pride Crochet hooks. Winner will get to choose between the Dreamz (single hook) Crochet Set or a set of the Aluminum Hooks.
Giveaway runs from 9/29/11 - 10/13/11, 11:59p EST
Participants must provide an email address to be contacted if he/she wins. Email addresses will not be used for solicitation purposes.

REQUIRED Entry:

Visit WEBS Knitter's Pride Crochet Hooks page. Have a peek around. Come back and leave a comment to let me know what item you're most interested in!

PLEASE leave each individual entry in a SEPARATE comment so that they all get counted by the random number generator. Your comments may not show up immediately as all comments are moderated.

OPTIONAL, Additional Entries: ( You may fulfill any, all, or none of these options.)

Visit the WEBS Blog! Leave a comment to let WEBS know that KPG sent you! Come back and leave a comment to let me know which entry you posted under for an additional entry.
"Like" WEBS Facebook Fan Page. Come back and let me know that you have for an additional entry.
Follow WEBS on Twitter. Come back and let me know for an additional entry.
Join the WEBS Ravelry Group! Come back and let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Follow my blog! Leave a comment to let me know that you're a blog follower for an additional entry!
Follow me on Twitter! Leave a comment to let me know that you follow me on Twitter for an additional entry!
"Like" my Facebook Fan Page. Come back and leave me a comment to let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Join my Ravelry group! Leave me a comment to let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Tweet about it!

"I just entered to win a set of Knitter's Pride Crochet Hooks from @websyarnstore & @knitpurlgurl http://tiny.cc/2mbl5"
You may tweet about it as many times as you like and each tweet may be counted as a separate entry as long as you come back and leave the link to your tweet every time you tweet for additional entries

Blog about it! Write a blog post with a link to this giveaway in your blog post. Come back and leave 5 separate comments with your blog link in the first comment (ie Comment #1, Comment #2..) for FIVE additional entries!

Disclosure: WEBS provided KnitPurlGurl with (1) each of the Knitter's Pride Dreamz and Aluminum Crochet Hooks FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding post. All opinions expressed in the above review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of WEBS. Individual results may vary.

Knitter's Pride Knitting Needles Review & Giveaway!

2011-09-28T18:56:00.000-04:00

Knitter's Pride is a NEW line of knitting needles available from WEBS! Available in fixed circular or interchangeable circular needles and in wood or nickel plated brass, Knitter's Pride needles are sure to provide an option for most knitters at an affordable price.

Kathy over at WEBS provided me with (1) each of the Knitter's Pride Dreamz and the Knitter's Pride Nova fixed circular needles to take for a test drive.

The Knitter's Pride Dreamz collection is WEBS premiere Birch wood knitting needle collection. I found the needles to have more drag than a nickel plated needle, but to be just as smooth as any wood needles I've knit with. As I knit with the Dreamz needles, I found the needles to be warm to the touch and have increased glide with use. The fixed needles (and it looks as though the interchangeable as well) have two join points: 1 between the needle shaft and the metal and another between the metal and the cord. I did have a slight drag issue over the join where the needle meets the metal, but only occasionally, and I suspect, because I am a very tight knitter. I had no snag issues with the needle shaft itself. The needles have a medium point tip that I had no issues knitting fingering weight yarn with. I found the cord to have a sturdy, fixed join and to perform well while knitting in the round with magic loop. The cord is pliable and flexible, but not floppy. The Dreamz needles have the size (in US & Metric) printed in white on the wood needle itself and also in black on the metal between the needle and the cord. I really like that the sizes are printed ON the needles! I also like that the wood needles come in a different color for each size. -Both are extremely helpful in nabbing the correct needle size quickly.

The Knitter's Pride Nova collection is WEBS premiere nickel-plated brass tipped knitting needle collection. The needles are slick and smooth, providing almost no drag and amazing glide. I found the needles to perform as well as Knit Picks Options and Addi Needles. The fixed (and interchangeable) needles have 1 join point - between the end of the needle and the cord. The needles have a medium point tip and the cord is the same as the Dreamz needles. I used the Nova circs to knit a worsted weight mitt in the round, via magic loop and have no issues whatsoever. The needles were a pleasure to work with. The needle sizes are printed in black on the needle shaft, making locating the correct needle size fast and easy.

Overall I really liked these needles. They are enjoyable to knit with and are exceptionally affordable.

Retail Prices:

Knitter's Pride Dreamz Fixed Circular Needles (Avail. in US Sizes 0 - 11, 16", 24", 32", 40" & 47"): $7.99 - $12.99/each
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Needles Tips (Avail. in US Sizes 4 -10 and 13, 15, and 17): $6.99 - $8.99/ea., Chunky Set (US Sizes 13, 15, 17): $34.99
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Needle Set: $82.99
Knitter's Pride Nova Fixed Circular Needles: $6.49 - 12.99/each
Knitter's Pride Nova Interchangeable Needle Tips: $6.49 - $10.99/each
Knitter's Pride Nova Interchangeable Needle Set: $69.99

WEBS is going to GIVEAWAY (1) Deluxe Set of the Knitter's Pride Interchangeable Knitting Needles to (1) LUCKY KPG reader!!!! The winner will get to choose if they prefer the Dreamz or the Nova set!

Psst - Check back tomorrow for a WEBS crochet hook review and giveaway!

Giveaway Details:

Participants must be 18 yrs old or older to enter.
Participants must live in the US or Canada to enter.
(1) Winner will be selected by random number generator and will receive (1) set of Knitter's Pride Deluxe Interchangeable Knitting Needles (Choice of Dreamz or Nova)
Giveaway runs from 9/28/11 - 10/12/11, 11:59p EST
Participants must provide an email address to be contacted if he/she wins. Email addresses will not be used for solicitation purposes.

REQUIRED Entry:

Visit WEBS Knitter's Pride Needles page. Have a peek around. Come back and leave a comment to let me know what item you're most interested in!

PLEASE leave each individual entry in a SEPARATE comment so that they all get counted by the random number generator. Your comments will not show up immediately as all comments are moderated.

OPTIONAL, Additional Entries: ( You may fulfill any, all, or none of these options.)

Visit the WEBS Blog! Leave a comment to let WEBS know that KPG sent you! Come back and leave a comment to let me know which entry you posted under for an additional entry.
"Like" WEBS Facebook Fan Page. Come back and let me know that you have for an additional entry.
Follow WEBS on Twitter. Come back and let me know for an additional entry.
Join the WEBS Ravelry Group! Come back and let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Follow my blog! Leave a comment to let me know that you're a blog follower for an additional entry!
Follow me on Twitter! Leave a comment to let me know that you follow me on Twitter for an additional entry!
"Like" my Facebook Fan Page. Come back and leave me a comment to let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Join my Ravelry group! Leave me a comment to let me know that you have for an additional entry!
Tweet about it!

"I just entered to win a set of Knitter's Pride Interchangeable Knitting Needles from @websyarnstore & @knitpurlgurl http://tinyurl.com/5t3du9e"
You may tweet about it as many times as you like and each tweet may be counted as a separate entry as long as you come back and leave the link to your tweet every time you tweet for additional entries

Blog about it! Write a blog post with a link to this giveaway in your blog post. Come back and leave 5 separate comments with your blog link in the first comment (ie Comment #1, Comment #2..) for FIVE additional entries!

Disclosure: WEBS provided KnitPurlGurl with (1) Pair of Knitter's Pride Nova Fixed Circular Knitting Needles and (1) Pair of Knitter's Pride Dreamz Fixed Circular Knitting Needles FREE for review. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding post. All opinions expressed in the above review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of WEBS. Individual results may vary.

Episode 14: It's the End of the World As We Know It

2011-09-28T15:30:00.000-04:00

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Welcome

Social Media Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Ravelry, Android Market, Google+, Plurk
Show episodes available on Podbean and on iTunes (FREE)

What's on (or off) the Needles

Featherweight Cardigan: No Progress
Black Hills Gold Cowl: No Progress
The Beekeeper's Quilt: Puff Count: 16
- Used a Crochet Pattern: The Apiary Puff
- Hexipuff Swap on Tiny Owl Knits Group
Cruiser Mittens: FO
i-Cord Necklace: FO
Cotton Candy Socks: FO
Fishtail Mitts by Lisabee Designs: Almost finished with 1 mitt. May need to tink back.

What's on (or off) the Hook

Hexipuffs

Patterns

Skywalker by Laura Nelkin Designs - Semi-Circular Shawl (lace), worked from the top-down; $6 USD
Owls Two Ways by Ana Clerc

Other Stuff

Book Club!
- Ravelry Knitters on Goodreads
  - October Book: While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
- On Audiobook: Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson and The Magician King by Lev Grossman
Goodies from DomestiKated Darling
Blog Tour for Granny Square Love by Sarah London
Socktoberfest!- Using my Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Ltd Edition Oct, 2008 Very Scary Colorway.

Stash Enhancement

Lion Brand Yarn Sock Ease in Cotton Candy Colorway
Red Heart Yarn Stardust, 1 each of Green, Orange, & Brown colorways

Reviews:

Martha Stewart Crafts Merino Yarn
WEBS Knitter's Pride Dreamz and Nova Knitting Needles
- Giveaway!! - Look for blog post later tonight!

News & Upcoming Events

Went to Fiber Demo - MUST WEAVE!
STITCHES East
- Oct 20-23, 2011 in Hartford, CT

Question of the Week

What craft are you interested in trying or improving your skills at?

Laura Nelkin Interview

Craftsy Class - Knit This! Mastering Lace Shawls ($29.99 SPECIAL for my listeners/readers right now!)
Laura Nelkin's Blog
Nelkins Design Website
Adorn eBook by Laura Nelkin - $18
Laura's Kits on Etsy
Gee's Cabin (Scarf) by Laura Nelkin
Laura on Twitter
Nelkin Designs on Ravelry
Nelkin Designs on Facebook

Blog Tour: Granny Square Love by Sarah London

2011-09-28T08:54:00.000-04:00

Book Title: Granny Square Love

Author: Sarah London

Craft: Crochet (Granny Squares)

Patterns: 25 (With a bonus pattern available online)

ISBN: 978-1-4403-1294-6

Approx. Retail Price: $22.99 (USD) /$23.99 Canada

Granny squares are making a comeback! You can find them in traditional, modern, classic, cottage, country, and eclectic decors now. These aren't the hideous grannies of the '70s, although I do find a certain retro charm in their kitschiness. These grannies are fresh, vibrant, wonderful accent pieces that are a welcome addition to any home!

In Granny Square Love, Sarah London masterfully demonstrates the functionality and beauty of these crocheted accents, breathing new life into a fun item of yesteryear. Her use of color and updated styling further displays the versatility of the modern granny square, providing the crocheter with inspiration and a renewed love for these cute crochets.

Yarn requirements, hook size, notions, and size measurements can all be found easily on the first page of the pattern. Each pattern in clearly written out. The patterns also include crochet charts for those who prefer them to written instructions or for those who like to supplement their written instructions with a stitch diagram. Clearly and beautifully photographed projects highlight each pattern. At the conclusion of each pattern, the reader will come across Sarah London's "Color Commentary" which describes the colors used for the project and the reason(s) behind it.

Included in this book are the following patterns (by chapter):

The Living Room

Square Cushion
Giant Floor Cushion
Lampshade Cover
Ottoman Slip Cover
Sofa Blanket
Christmas Stocking

The Kitchen

Stool Cover
Apron Pocket
Dishcloth
Pot Holder
Grocer's Tote

The Dining Room

Tablecloth Trim
Placemat
Napkin Holder
Tea Cozy
Garland

The Bedroom

Headboard
Bedsheet Trim
Bedroom Blanket
Hot Water Bottle Cover
Bold Bedroom Cushion

The Bathroom and Laundry

Coat Hangers
Curtain
Bath Mat
Towel Trim

For a limited time only, my readers can take advantage of a $10 OFF PROMO! Just visit the Martha Pullen Online Store and use Promo Code: GRANNYTOUR to get $10 OFF the original retail price! You'll get the book for just $12.99! This offer is good through Oct. 8, 2011, 11:59p EST, in US Dollars for items that are in stock only.

Be sure to pop on over to Twitter and give Sarah London a follow! And pop on over to the other blogs in the Granny Square Love Blog Tour to see what they have to say about the book!

Granny SquareLove by Sarah London blog tourschedule

September26 SarahLondon’s Blog

September27 CrochetConcupiscence

September 28 Knit Purl Gurl

September 29 UndergroundCrafter

September 30 Interlocking Crochet

October 1 Crochet Mama’s Blog

October 3 Crafty Pod

October 4 Lindamade

October 5 Cute Crochet Chat

October 6 CrochetLiberation Front

October 7 Create Loves

October 8 Whip Up

F & W Media sent KnitPurlGurl a FREE review copy of Granny Square Love. KnitPurlGurl was not compensated for the preceding post. All opinions expressed in the review are those of the blog author's and do not necessarily reflect those of F & W Media or Sarah London. Individual results may vary.