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Knitting Daily TV: Transitional Knits

This week-ish (airing times vary from market to market–check your local listings) on. Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell  we talk Transitional Knits which means, knits for every season. Here’s what to expect:

Studio Guests: Designer, Andi Smith, and Sunset Cat Design‘s Stephannie Tallent

Virtual Guest: Miniatures Designer (she designed Coraline’s sweater!), BugKnit’s Althea Chrome

Projects/Techniques: Learn to make a bi-colored, cable cowl and some Aran lace boot warmers!

Stitch Sampler: Co-host, Tanis Gray shows a filigree cables & lace pattern.

Loose Ends: I show a simple, crochet mesh stitch that’s great for a Market bag.

Mesh Bag, Crocheted in Cotton-ish by Vickie Howell

My favorite moment or thing I learned from the episode: We had a scheduled guest cancel due to being down with the flu. One call to publisher, Shannon Okey, saved our behinds. One of her authors the wonderful, Andi Smith put together a gorgeous project in only 2 days and showed up to set fully prepared to teach. Love them!

Me & Andi after the shoot.

 

Check your local listing for airing times, or get the whole season on DVD or digital download here!

 

Tune in; knit on!

xx,

Vickie

@vickiehowell

New Pattern: Double Seed Stitch Hat (Marsala, anyone?)

 

Oh, lovies. Have you been languishing over whether or not you’d commit to a major wardrobe piece in the latest, Pantone Color of the Year? Does earthy red make your skin glow; your eyes shine; your heart smile? No, you can’t commit? Or is it that you haven’t given the shade, Marsala even a moment’s worth of thought? Well regardless, a beanie in a nice, textured stitch is an asset to anyone’s winter clothing arsenal (and a slouchy version may even bring a little more “cool” to that February cold.) Knit this beanie for yourself or your sweetheart; it is, after all both the right color and time of year to make this as a Valentine’s Day gift. Enjoy!

Double Seed Stitch Beanie

Materials

1 Ball Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell (70% Acrylic/30% Wool; 162 yds/156 m) in color: Dark Red(ish)

Size 8 (5mm), 16”/40.5 cm circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge

Stitch marker

Tapestry needle

Sizes

S/M (L/XL)

Measurements

Stretches to fit up to 22”/56 cm(24”/61 cm) head

Gauge

18 sts x 20 rows = 4”/10 cm in Double Seed Stitch

Note: This beanie is meant to fit slouchy.

Directions

CO 88 (96). Join, taking care not to twist, and placing marker for beg of rnd.

Band

Rnds 1-6: *K2, p2; rep from * around.

Body

Rnds 7-8: *K1, p1; rep from * around.

Rnds 9-10: *P1, k1; rep from * around.

Rep Rnds 7-10 until piece measures 11(11 1/2”)/28(29) cm from cast on edge.

BO leaving long tail for seaming.

Finishing

To close Hat (see example here): Thread tail through tapestry needle, insert into top, center and sew a couple of sts. Pinch side edges to the same center point and stitch the edges together. The top of the hat will now be in a star formation. Continue to pinch opposite edges and stitch them together until top of hat is completely closed. Fasten off.

Weave in ends.

 

Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell in color: Dark Red(ish)

 

xx,

Vickie

#YearoftheSheepish

Valentine’s Wreath (and what I learned about myself)

One of my best friends is fellow, professional craft spokesperson, Jennifer Perkins. Over the years we’ve made countless (at least in the high, triple digits) projects together either for work or as part of the craft dates we have semi-regularly with friends. Often we’re also fortunate enough to get to play with products that companies send us. This was the case for our latest, crafty foray: Valentine’s Wreaths.

Jen’s the Cheif Jazz Hander (likely not her actual title, but it should be) for Treetopia who just so happens to make the most beautiful, pink wreaths a girl ever did see. She used her pull, and the company sent wreaths ripe for the decorating. This of course, seems like a wonderful opportunity to a.) get crafty with friends, b.) make a holiday project — one of my favorite things to do, and c.) embrace our inner kitsch. For the most part, all of those things rang true. We gathered; we had wine; there were boxes and boxes worth of varied supplies for the sharing. Overall, good times were had. It was during the creation of this project (Why this one, out of the aforementioned hundreds –made in a similar setting– before it?) however, that I discovered something about myself that didn’t make me craft-happy. Surrounded by piles of pretty paper, endless ephemera, vintage Valentine’s-a-plenty, tons of tinsel, and seemingly billions of baubles I felt utterly uninspired. Worse, I knew it wasn’t because I didn’t love everything I saw. Nor was it because I didn’t want to dive right in to make one of the completely eclectic, totally covered wreaths I’ve drooled over for years at art festivals. I did. I realized that for this type of project, though — different than the aforementioned hundreds we’ve crafted together before — required utter abandonment of expectation. It required the ability to let go and just see where the supplies took us. It required a lack of need for control. These, dear readers, are apparently not my best traits. After all, as of late my career (and therefore creative endeavors) has been almost solely focused on knit and crochet both of which are usually created with a definitive multiple of stitches, often with schematics, and almost always with a distinct beginning and end.

Crochetd Heart: Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell

It was at that moment that the presence of my Virgo rising sign shown it’s true strength. I sat there amidst the mess — the glorious chaos that my dear friend relishes in– and felt crippled. Thankfully, she (along with other trusted advisers, Andee aka Betty Crafter, and Malbec aka nectar of the Gods) were there to walk me through the process. They gave me small bits of encouragement along with the permission to fail. After all, hot glue isn’t the end-all-be-all of adhesives, and a Valentine’s wreath wasn’t (for the love of Pete!) going to take me down!

Heart Pompom: Made with Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell

 

So I grabbed, and I glued, and I went for it. The result: is some beautiful crazy. I love that kind of crazy.

Truth be told, though my comfort with this piece is really thanks to a few, sporadically placed security blankets. Look closely and you’ll see the tie that binds me to creativity is still present: yarn. Lean in and you (fellow fiber lovers) will spy heart-shaped pompoms, crocheted Valentines, and small, felted balls.

Crocheted Valentines: Bernat Cotton-ish by Vickie Howell

 

After all, stepping out of my comfort zone is one thing. Completely abandoning that of which is my heart, is a whole different story!

Felted Yarn Ball: Patons Classic Wool Roving

Now that you’ve listened to my rant, are you ready to make your own Valentine’s Day wreath? Excellent. Here’s what to do. First, check out the wreaths by other artists on the V-Day Wreath Blog Hop.

Jennifer Perkins
Kathy Cano Murillo
Amy Anderson
Jenny Heid & Aaron Nieradka

Next, head on over to Treetopia and enter to win your very own, blank wreath to get you started.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enjoy, and may the wreath-peace be with you!

xx,

Vickie

@VickieHowell

 

 

Knitting Daily TV: Mega Big Yarn!

As I mentioned in my last post, the newest season of Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell  is now airing on PBS (check your local listings for when it airs in you ‘hood!) In the second episode we really get into the Thick of It; that is we focus on the trend, application and art of using REALLY big yarns to knit with. Here’s the gist of what you can expect:

Studio Guests: Yarnspirations Designer, Nicole Weiner & BagSmith‘s, Becca Smith.

Virtual Guest: Fiber Artist, Kait Brink.

Projects/Techniques: Learn to make a cool, Mega Bulky hat in just 30 minutes, plus chat the magic and scale of using REALLY big needles to create your next project!

Bernat Mega Bulky, Acorn Hat

 

Stitch Sampler: Co-host, Tanis Gray shows a Loop Stitch using chunky yarn.

My favorite moment or thing I learned from the episode:  For years I’d seen the BagSmith booth at trade shows and wanted to learn how use the ginormous needles that Becca’s mom is always demonstrating. I finally got to sit down for a lesson, then (post TV shoot) get started on the smocked blanket Becca shares the pattern for!

 

Check your local listing for airing times, or get the whole season on DVD or digital download here!

 

Tune in; knit on!

xx,

Vickie

@vickiehowell

Knitting Daily TV: Great Beginnings!

Here in Austin, TX the new season of Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell begins tomorrow on PBS (check your local listings for when it airs in you ‘hood!) The first episode, appropriately enough, focuses on Great Beginnings — interesting ways to begin your next knitting project. Here’s the gist of what you can expect:

Studio Guests:

Designer/Teacher, Patty Lyons  (read about the segment in her own words here.), & Designer, Stephannie Tallent.

Virtual Guest: Author of Homebodies & Nomads, Cirilia Rose

Projects/Techniques: Choosing the right yarn for your project, using the right technique to create the fabric you want, and a Provisional cast-on.

Stitch Sampler: Co-host, Tanis Gray shows the Vertical Slit Cable.

Loose Ends: Quick tip for working this Glam Stripes triangle scarf from tip-to-tip.

My favorite moment or thing I learned from the episode: Patty Lyon’s tutorial of the Portuguese Purl, kind of blew my mind with its effectiveness. Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot of her teaching KDTV executive, Karin Strom the method (check out how the yarn’s wrapped behind her neck!)

Patty Lyons showing Karin Strom the Portuguese Purl on the set of Knitting Daily TV.

 

 

Check your local listing for airing times, or get the whole season on DVD or digital download here!

 

Tune in; knit on!

xx,

Vickie

@vickiehowell

 

Knitting v. Crochet: It’s all in the numbers.

Generated via Google Trends

I wouldn’t call myself a numbers gal. I’m less motivated by tests and data than I am by personal communication, and the “experience” that a project, event, or product provides. I’m comfortable with making go-with-your-gut decisions, and see the immense value that reading the room (literally or virtually) can offer for both personal and professional ventures. That said, while the designer/craft evangelist in me will always keep one foot pointing and flexing in the creative world, the businesswoman in me must keep that other foot firmly planted in the land of charts and statistics. Le sigh. It’s in the spirit of that 2nd foot (and as suggested by a couple of marketing books I’m currently reading) that I decided to look into some analytics related to knitting and crochet, and I’ll be damned if some of the graphs and charts I came across aren’t actually interesting! Here’s some of what I learned.

Let’s start with the graph above. As you can see, over the past decade the popularity of knitting hit a peak in 2005. Incidentally, this was back when TV networks like DIY and HGTV (although not accessible by all) were a great source for programming (i.e. Knitty Gritty & Uncommon Threads) in that genre. I find it interesting that now, though with video programming (offering the ability to learn from and be inspired by both professionals and hobbyists alike) literally at the fingertips of anyone who can get their hands on a computer or mobile device that interest in knitting has slowly, ebbed and flowed downward. Also intriguing is that crochet has experienced the exact opposite with its popularity being at it’s peak now, in 2015! This posits the question: are you, dear reader a knitter, crocheter, both, or neither?

Next, let’s chat craft popularity by region.

KNITTING BY REGION



In talking with friends and colleagues across the pond, in the U.S. there are more knitting groups; more events; more genre “celebs” than in  the U.K.  The perception is that the States reign supreme for knitting popularity and passion. The numbers however, say otherwise. In fact according to Google, we Americans (with a concentration of fans in Spokane, Reno [Really?], and Boise) are in 4th place when it comes to knitting population! (Although arguably, we are the loudest — it’s plausible that we post/share/photograph our projects more.)

CROCHET BY REGION

Don’t knit for me, Argentina the truth is you always crochet (I apologize for that. My son’s working tech crew on his school’s production of, Evita so I couldn’t resist.) Seriously, though — Argentinians hold the hook prize in crochet at an unbelievable (seriously, can we believe this stat?), 100%!  At 53 %, the United States (not shown on the above image) are a lowly, 8th on the crochet pop-scale (with the largest group of *ahem* hookers in Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.) Our Canadian neighbors (who took 2nd place for knitting interest), and our friends in England aren’t even on the chart!

Lastly, lets examine web searches. What are we looking for when we type that stitching inquiry into our favorite search engine? I’ll skip sharing the images of the top topic search charts for both “knitting” and “crochet”  as the results were the same: Patterns (Duh — we’ve got this beautiful yarn, and amazing needles, so now we need inspiration and instruction!) I will however, share a more surprising (well, at least to me) list of knit-related queries on the rise over the past ten years Side note: Crochet stays consistent with a rise in pattern searches leading the way.

KNITTING QUERIES RISING

Look at the loom knitting stat — up by 450%! This is astonishing since looms seem fringe within the industry. If you go to live shows (consumer or trade), look at boutique and craft store class schedules, or check out some of the largest yarn companies’ websites — loom knitting is rarely given more than a polite nod. If we believe ‘ol Google, though we in the industry are clearly missing out on an obvious demand. Show of hands: who reading this has ever knit with a loom?

As someone who considers herself the personified equivalent of “jazz hands” for the yarn (and general) craft industry, the second rising number looks pretty great to me. The amount of new people becoming interested in knitting is up 190%, which means folks are feeling inspired to get creative — this bodes well for us craft enablers! (One would assume however, that since overall interest in the craft has decreased that seasoned knitters have taken a long break from their needles. Did you used to be a knitter, but stopped? If so, why?)

Also of note: casting on, double knitting, and working with circular needles are queries of growing interest amongst our community.

Although overall most of these numbers won’t change how I approach my job (or love of craft) — I will continue to spread the yarn-y gospel regardless of the ups and downs — they do offer some insight on the topics I may want to touch on while preaching the stitching love.

Alright, now back to the touch-feely stuff. Go make something pretty!

xx,

Vickie

@vickiehowell

 

Blogger Event + Finger Knit Bangle = Mega Fun

This year at CHA (Crafts & Hobbies Association’s convention) we were all about the bulk, ’bout the bulk, ’bout the Bernat-Mega-Bulk-y. Ouch, that one even hurt me as I typed it. I apologize.

Big knits are on-trend right now with a huge presence on the runway, Pinterest, and fashion blogs alike. Bernat‘s super-sized yarn, Mega Bulky is like a ball of BOLD — for you, dear knitter, crocheter and crafter — to create something that’s both en vogue, and uniquely you. This was the gospel that Yarnspirations.com (via Web Marketing dude, Rob Aoki and yours truly) brought to share with the room full of designers who attended Prime Publishing’s (parent company of FaveCrafts.com, AllFreeKnitting.com, and AllFreeCroche.com to name a few) annual Blogger Networking Event. We came armed to the teeth with a bevvy of finger-knit, Mega Bulky bangles to hand out. Our message was simple: creative types think big! Wear it with pride.

Here are some of the many faces of designers we chatted with about what they might do with Mega Bulky yarn — knit, crochet, macrame, yarn-wrap, latch hook? I can’t wait to see what these crafty minds come up with!

A few of my buddies stopped by (clockwise): Crafty Chica, Kathy Cano-Murillo; Yarnthing’s Marly Bird; The Impatient Crafter, Margot Potter; The Crochet Dude, Drew Emborsky; Modern Surrealist’s Marisa Pawelko; Prime Publishing gals; Craft Gossip & Craftside’s Stefanie Girard; Rad Megan, Megan Andersen-Read; Terri O.

 

See the rest of this post (Did you go to the event? See if your pictured!) and get the free instructions for the finger knit, Mega Bangle by going to the Yarnspiration blog!

 

xx,

Vickie

@vickiehowell

2015 Year of the Sheep…ish!

2015 is the the year of the sheep…so I’m hoping my little yarn that could, Sheep(ish) can revel in the celebration with its less “ish”, fiber friends. Join me all year long in knitting, crocheting, and crafting with an affordable, washable, super-soft yarn in rich, saturated colors. Happy New Year! xx, Vickie

(Psst…don’t forget, Sheep(ish) Stripes, too!)

Get Sheep(ish) patterns here.

 

Pre-Order the Next Season of KDTV!

Join Vickie Howell for a holistic approach to knitting in this NEW season!







Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell, Series 1400, Episodes 1-13

is available as a 4-DVD set





Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell Series 1400

airs on PBS on January 15th!

This season Vickie Howell and her guests take a holistic approach to yarn crafting! From spinning to knitting and crochet, Knitting Daily TV covers the whole spectrum.

Join designers Patty Lyons, Andi Smith, Barry Klein, Marcy Smith, Leslye Solomon, Laura Nelkin, and more on this exciting new season of Knitting Daily TV. Learn new stitches each episode from instructor Tanis Gray. Get into the thick and thin of yarn as expert guests explore scale by spinning super fine fibers and working with on-trend mega-bulky yarns.

In addition, we head overseas to get inspiration from traditional Norwegian knitting. Closer to home, it’s all the best—Made in North America. Enjoy sweater weather by learning what style is best for your shape, and discover clever cast-ons and special sleeve treatments. Then whip up some fun accessories, knit with beads, and make projects for your kids’ playtime.

You’ll see why, no matter how busy you are each day, it’s essential to knit daily!

 

Pre-Order Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell, Series 1400 today!

Download individual episodes of Knitting Daily TV with Vickie Howell from Series 1400:


















Knitting Daily TV

Episode 1408 – Playful Knits



Knitting Daily TV

Episode 1402 – Thick of It



Knitting Daily TV

Episode 1404 – Norwegian Knits




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HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From me and mine to you and yours: wishing you a cozy, comfy holiday season filled with love!

xx, Vickie