Marly Bird's Blog, page 188

Sally Holt of Knit Companion

Sally Holt of knitCompanion and the create2thrive website was our guest today, to share how cool the knitCompanion app is with us at the Yarn Thing with Marly Bird podcast. We recently learned of many things that begin with the podcast, and certainly a friendship with Marly and Sally would be a very good thing!

Sally doesn’t live very far from Marly, but they both met at an event like TNNA in Ohio! Sally’s love of fiber activity probably came from her mom, who sewed, quilting and taking her things to craft shows (Sally says her mother’s best friend was a knitter). She says that her mom made clothes to fit Cabbage Patch shows, and Marly’s mom would go to craft shows and found the doll things for her! Sally says one of her sisters is very talented at creating clothes including making her wedding dress so it in the blood there. Sally says she’s also been a complete and total geek, tinkering with appliances and helping dad with the car… Once she got her hands on a home computer she did a lot with them, in fact, worked in software industry. She says while in college her crafting took a hiatus, but later on, became obsessed with it, seeking patterns that were several pages long.

For work, she found herself on the long 23 hour flights to Singapore. At about this time she purchased the first iPad and thought having the pattern she was working on would be so nice. One problem with that was the key to the stitches couldn’t be near where you were. Among other issues, and the increasing computing power with tablets, Sally began to conceive of the beginnings of knitCompanion. Sally often refers to it as KC (letting you know, because I thought she was saying Casey).

The knitCompanion app includes Row Counters, Stitch Markers (called magic markers which will find all the similar stitches and marks them with a certain color), Smart Counters (which resolves the ‘at-the-same-time’ events that happen in your knitting) among so many other features. One thing that can help some knitters that Sally mentions is to add the row between the action rows. For instance in working Lace, there is an in-between rows that just works back without any changes that is usually not included in the written or charted patterns but some knitters must have them.

A lot of the features have been suggested by the users. Sally could do the coding for the program, but the heavy lifting is done by a programmer (he’s often referred to as the Elf-on-the-Shelf even though he’s a very tall Canadian) and in a thread in the Ravelry Group, suggestions have come from group participants that have improved the app.

Many of the patterns that are available in knitCompanion format have a little added feature. For instance in Hunter Hammersen’s Curls, the pattern can be set up in the app so that the grided chart and the Stitch-Map can be seen at the same time. (We’ve recently featured JC Briar and shared Stitch-Maps.)

This knitCompanion format is called kCDesign and there are hundreds available from create2thrive.com.  This is coordinated with the designers and integrated with Ravelry.  With kCDesigns all the knitCompanion setup is done, and things like sizes and design modifications are built in.

In 2011, Sally had the opportunity to meet Lucy Neatby. Lucy contacted Sally when she got home, and her suggestions which became a Designer Series App, included a little video clip of Lucy (in her series, there are other series with other designers) showing how certain techniques are completed.

Another fantastic bit in knitCompanion (that came from Lucy) is that you can record yourself reading the tricky bits of the pattern, and then play that back when you get to it! A great way to get started with the app is to watch the knitCompanion Tour (knitcompanion.com/support).  If you have a device that supports picture-in-picture you can watch the tour and follow along all on the same device.

Until now, knitCompanion has only been available for iPad devices. They began with the operating system version 4 (or iOS4) and have upgraded with each version of the new operating software ON TOP OF EACH new feature as it was created. Beginning in EARLY 2016 (not an exact date named yet) the knitCompanion will be available for Android Devices through the Google Play store. The first version will contain the knitCompanion essential tools and it will grow with each update to include all the existing kC features and more. The Android version is being created from scratch because it has to be written differently than the iOS version. Sally is excited to take advantage of this opportunity to re-do the app from the ground up so she take advantage of new interface options and apply all she has learned about how people use the app.  Over the next year, the two platforms will grow together to offer the same features on both platforms and allow interchange of projects and kCDesigns between all devices.

The good news for folks getting started with the new platform is learning as you go, where those using it on the iPad have to begin at the beginning and spend time at the KCUniversity and Support forums to get up to speed. (Sally says they realize that people are seeing KnitCompanion at knit night, because of the questions and support requested later that night!) Sally explains it this way, ‘that people ingest the essential capabilities and will be easily able to adjust as it grows from the essentials’.

There are other ways to support knitCompanion, through the shop. One product mentioned, is the Keep-it-Clean, a cleaning cloth (which can be cleaned also) that features the soft side for cleaning your screen and a sticky side that will attach the cloth to your device so you’ll have it when you need it.

Marly hopes knitCompanion can be applied to crochet, perhaps as these two friends make time to spend putting their heads together to deal with how a crocheted piece curves…. You can follow Sally Holt at her Create2Thrive website, the KnitCompanion website, the Ravelry group for KC. Also available Pattern Genius is helpful when writing patterns.

Marly also is offering her pattern The Bronte Shawl, so you can try out the charts in knitCompanion, for a 75% discount with the code knitcompanion.

If you missed hearing this live it is still available as an archived episode at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/12/08/sally-holt-of-knit-companion or in iTunes.

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Author and Hostess of Craftlit Heather Ordover

Author and Hostess of Craftlit, Heather Ordover was our guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird today. This was an awesome way to cap out a busy week and we are grateful that Heather’s schedule was flexible enough to join us and our listeners, too, as FRIDAYS are not our usual day!

We began by discussing Heather’s podcast, Craftlit, which is popular among crafters as an annotated podcast of classic fiction. Heather began this 10 years ago as of this coming spring. The archives contain 23 books that have been read to us a chapter or two at a time explained with the expertise of the caring english teacher that Heather has to be, with the love and admiration of the author, the story, the history…. It began when Brenda Dayne, at the time hosting Cast-On podcast, put out a call for submissions of essays on the Greek muses. Heather, based on her experiences during 9/11 with high school students very close to ‘Ground Zero’ chose the muse Tragedy, how knitting helped the students heal. Brenda’s positive response (‘Who are you and What podcast do you host?’) may have been the prod that Heather needed to get started on the idea she’d been considering, to provide excellent entertainment for our ears and brains while our hands are busy.

The faithfulness of the fans have kept it moving forward and meeting them in person has led to other opportunities, the Craftlit tour, which recently visited the Lake District of Yorkshire, England. There is another tour planned for next October to Paris!

The Madame DeFarge books came from the podcast, there was an episode during Dicken’s ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ which discussed the Madame’s crafting in the book. It was about the time that ‘WWJD?’ was popular, and Heather titled one episode ‘What Would Madame DeFarge Knit?‘ That tickled so many, that Heather was able to create a collection on patterns from various folks like Brenda Dayne, Hunter Hammersen (our guest yesterday!), Andi Smith and Erica Hernandez (who will be editing the next volume). That has since been followed by “What ELSE Would Madame DeFarge Knit?‘ and last spring the newest, ‘DeFarge Does Shakespeare‘. These were all published by Cooperative press, you can find them at this link.

Heather’s love of a good tale doesn’t stop with just admiration. From fifth grade, when she created a play, through imagining she was no Anne Frank, and into theater school and playwriting class, she realized she loved the process of creating a story. Inspired by the book, The Artist’s Way, she used the exercise of ‘morning pages’, which was three pages of non-stop writing, in the morning. She says as you work at this, it begins as a chore and becomes a ‘brain dump’ of whatever is churning on the inside. One thought that she carried was to create a young adult novel, because she liked teen-agers and read the Twilight Series and there were things about depicting young people she thought she could do better.

NaNoWriMo came along and she took that as a challenge to try, she shared her first draft with others around her who were encouraging. ‘Grounded: The Seven‘ was that book, was inspired by kids she knew while she taught high school engish. She says that when she began seeing the characters THAT was when she knew this was the story for her to write. Her story is about Rosie, who realizes she has something happening to her, and is sent by her parents to her aunt’s house in Brooklyn to learn more about it. Heather says she likes that her characters learn that they are more powerful together, she is currently working to finish the second in the series and has the plot laid out for the third in the trilogy.

Earlier visits by Heather Ordover to Yarn Thing podcast include last year’s during Podcaster November, and in 2012 when she was sharing the first What Would Madame DeFarge Knit?

You can follow Heather’s Craftlit website at www.craftlit.com, her designer page in Ravelry, that has a lot of her links too, plus she has group there, too. The Craftlit has a page to follow in Facebook.

Both of these ladies are so busy accomplishing something everyday, it’s really hard to encompass all that Marly and Heather are doing currently! The one thing that Marly wanted to hear more about from Heather is her Cognitive Anchoring project, which she promises to come back to share.

If you missed getting to hear this live it is now available as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/12/04/author-and-hostess-of-craftlit-heather-ordover also in iTunes.

 

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Hunter Hammersen and her new book

Hunter Hammerson and her new book, Fine Things for Plain Occasions, was our topic on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

Hunter began her patterns individually in 2009 and wondered if creating collections into books wouldn’t be just as fun. As a self-published, self proclaimed ‘control freak’ she ventured into that scary-ness (because she has to make ALL the decisions) and has found the adventure a lot of fun.

Her newest book is a sweet journey into old beloved book styles. Fine Things for Plain Occasions: Patterns Inspired by Vintage Etiquette Guides shares fifteen patterns includes shawls, a cowl, mitts, hats and SOCKS!

Each pattern begins with a suggestion from an etiquette guide, Hunter’s take on that idea and then her choice of yarn before proceeding into the instructions. For an example, Heather read the quote that precedes the pattern Women are Usually Obstinate, pictured (links to pattern from Ravelry) the quote from 1873 reads: How common is the complaint among young women, especially those of sedentary habits, of chilliness, cold feet, and other symptoms of deficient circulation! And yet, how impossible would it often be — for women are usually obstinate on the head– to induce them to exchange the thin silk stocking for a warm merino one. (The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness: A Complete Hand Book for the use of the Lady in Polite Society, by Florence Hartley) Heather’s response to this quote is ‘I have, on occasion, been known to be a bit obstinate. But I will gladly reach for warm merino sock when I’m feeling chilly. I suspect you will too especially if they are as pretty as these.’

Heather says that pieces that can’t be matched with anything in a department store are her go-to project for her.  She love socks (apparent in this book as the majority of patterns are socks) and in a yarn you love is a wonderful choice. Her love of yarns really comes through. She spoke of yarn that has more plies than less, creates a more interesting texture, intenser stitch definition. With these sock mentioned above, she used Mrs. Crosby Train case and describes it as ‘fingering-weight 55% merino 30% viscose, 15% nylon with three plies’. Even with the yardage, she explains that her project used 300 yards so you can probably make any size with the 425 yards the skeins come in.

Doesn’t all of this also feel like she’s written a letter of helpful information with every pattern? That totally goes with the book, going back to an era of sharing information in writing in a personal way.  This book is created with such a love and admiration of those books that are so hard to find, the text is printed in a older-style font that makes it fun to read, includes an attached ribbon to mark your spot in the book, even a sweet end-paper.

Hunter Hammersen can be found online at her website www.violentlydomestic.com, her Ravelry designer page, also a Ravelry GROUP, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Hunter Hammersen has appeared on three previous occasions, earlier this summer with book Curls, in 2013, and in 2012 to share Knitter’s Curiousity Cabinet. Sharing just in case you can’t get enough her, like us!

If you missed getting to hear this live, it is still available as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/12/03/hunter-hammersen-and-her-new-book available also in iTunes.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals 2015

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals are here!

Message from Marly: It is my pleasure to once again offer a HUGE list of companies in the yarn world that are having BIG Black Friday Cyber Monday Deals! You will find something for the crocheter, knitter, weaver, spinner and or wanna be crafter in your life. Heck, I bet you find somethings for you as well!

Remember, supporting the industry you love only helps is grow and thrive. So go, take a look at all the fun stuff and have fun.

*disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links as well as some MUST HAVE deals

Black Friday Cyber Monday Advertising Yarn Industry

It’s that time of year again. I am gearing up for my Annual Yarn Industry Black Friday Cyber Monday Advertising Deals! Every year I put together a list of the biggest and best deals in the industry.

Support your favorite designers, yarn companies, suppliers, bag makers, etc with your holiday spending dollars.

Want to be a part of the it:

If you are part of the yarn industry and would like to have your Black Friday Cyber Monday Advertising Deal included in my annual list all you need to do is fill out this useful form

Where can I find the list for 2016:

Once the list is released I will be sure to link it here.

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H aving trouble with the Black Friday Cyber Monday Advertising form?

Here is the link to the form in google: http://goo.gl/forms/ysr460EdVL

Early Bird Deal:

With the promo code: MARLYBIRD used at Creativebug you can get 1 MONTH FREE!

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Heather Zoppetti and her new book Unexpected Cables

Heather Zoppetti and her new book, Unexpected Cables, was the topic of today’s episode of Yarn Thing. She spoke with us about Stitch Sprouts before…. but before we get into that:

Heather began knitting in college with her room mate, from books without a Yarn Store’s support, but it became an obsession. Naturally. She continued while pursuing her profession, changing the patterns while completing her projects, she realized she could create a whole sweater design of her own, and REALIZED she was thinking about knitting at work, spending so much time knitting outside of work that really she didn’t want to be anywhere else. She and her husband discussed it and she quit to begin designing full-time.

Heather began Stitch Sprouts as a way to help herself and others get designs into shops. She’s added yarn also, and finds that although she’s spending a lot of time on it, it’s not really work anymore.

Yellowstone was her first yarn line, which is a 80% wool, 20% silk blend sport weight available in 9 colors. Heather says she wanted a autumn color palette that really looked good together. Crater Lake was the second yarn line added, is 100% Superwash merino wool in a bulky weight, the colors are a more winter theme.

As if she wasn’t busy enough, Heather Zoppetti has written a book, Unexpected Cables, which is published through Interweave. Although she admits lace is is preferred knitting technique, she finds cables are MAGIC! She enjoys that simply rearranging stitches makes a wonderful new texture. With planning and forethought, she begins her designs with an initial shape, then considers how the cable panel fits and flows in the piece.

We spent time with a lot of the patterns, today, the Leola Scarf (links to view in Ravelry) a sideways-knit shawlette (created in her Stitch Sprouts Yellowstone, show in Reese Creek colorway, which is a pretty light blue) has a wonderful but subtle texture with short rows ruffles. Warwick Tam, is tiny cables over reverse stockinette which is so delicate and would be a graceful crown to any proud wearer. Rheems Pullover Heather admits is her favorite in the book, with open neckline that should be worn over a cami with delicate texturing again that’s not obviously cable. Lorna’s Laces really makes it a comfortable sweater with the fiber content of Sportmate. Penryn Pullover (in Ravelry, this is the MOST favorited, btw) is completely seamless, Heather wanted to create an exploding cable for the focus. That would be so fun! Holtwood Vest should satisfy lovers of the asymmetrical designs. Talmage Pullover, with the pretty cabled lace all over pattern, the turned stockinette stitch goes from daytime to evening easily. Stevens Vest is reminiscent of Heather’s earlier popular design Dahlia Cardigan with the added reversible cables to make it wearable! Rapho Socks, knee sock with twisted stitches, cables and lace, with calf gusset are delicious works of art. Conoy Tunic is made with two rectangles, minus shaping so that it can be worn dressed up with a skirt or down with jeans, or as a beach cover-up! Names she picked from her local area around Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

There is also a DVD or Video Download to go with this from Interweave titled Knit Unexpected Cables. In it Heather helps with all kinds of cables and techniques that should help with all the loveliness we’ve discussed today.

Heather Zoppetti can be followed in various places, of course her websites: Stitch Sprouts mentioned before, and Heather Zoppetti Designs. In Ravelry, she has a designer page, and HZ group, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

If you wish to hear the previous visit Heather Zoppetti made to Yarn Thing, follow this link. This was March of last year, so about a year and a half ago or so, probably about the time she did Everyday Lace. If you missed getting to hear today’s episode live, it can be found at this link as an archived episode:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/11/17/heather-zoppetti-and-her-new-book-unexpected-cables or in iTunes.

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Social Medusa interviews Marly Bird

Social Medusa interviews Marly Bird today, which makes for a very unique episode, and because of that, the show notes may be a little bit unique also! This is Tammy, I want to say first of all Thank You for stopping by to get caught up!

The most recent photo of Marly Bird and Tammy Burke (aka Social Medusa) taken by Marly at Stitches West 2015.

I wanted Marly to receive the full Royal Treatment she gives to her guests, so I began by sharing the first time I ‘met’ her, was listening to Benjamin Levisay interview her on the Fiber Hooligan Podcast. Discovering someone who is upbeat and wanting to share all things cool and wonderful about yarn is what attracted me to listen to the Yarn Thing podcast and I have not missed an episode since.

As Marly always does, I asked ‘my guest’ how did she get into yarn? Marly’s grandma crocheted and Marly always wanted to learn. In first or second grade, Marly is remembered as a finger knitter. Marly always was crafting with her mom, and they sold stuff at craft fairs. In college, Marly’s grandma came to visit and Marly asked her to teach her to crochet. Marly was able to further her education by internet and she was HOOKED! Later she learned to knit from the pastor’s wife (she’s told us before she wanted to learn knitting to make socks).

Her husband has been a great supporter of her pursuing this as a career, and she says she knows in her bones she was meant to be in the fiber industry. She began podcasting in 2007 and says this project has come so far since those days (the early episodes are missing because it began at a different website which no longer exists) and it was the first crochet podcast listed in iTunes. It’s always been about the yarn, not solely knitting or crochet, so it’s the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird and probably never be anything else. She wants it to be a positive review of the crafts we love.

Marly’s FIRST BOOK (keep in mind that she has contributed to others, including Knitting for Dummies) has been appearing in our mailboxes for the last couple of weeks, COLD WEATHER CROCHET. (We hope you’ll use this link, it’s Marly’s affiliate link at Interweave, the publisher’s website). Marly has shared with us the funny story of the names of the projects, how she submitted them thinking the names would be changed by the publishers as happens with magazines and was surprised to see the names she gave to identify the projects actually stuck!

Big Pink Hat (These are the links to view the pattern info in Ravelry) is the first to share that simplicity, created for a bulky weight and a larger hook, works up super fast!
Cabled Shawl created in Drew Emborsky’s Gemstones (YAY for awesome Yarn Thing sponsors) in a larger shape in the lighter weight merino makes super comfy that is a multi-seasonal hug!
Thrummed Slippers incorporates two strands of an easy to find yarn (Cascade 220) and roving to make super-cushy footwear!
Lace Motif Wrap to us it’s apparent it’s totally inspired by Kristin Omdahl. So special, though, is that Carol Sulcoski, of Black Bunny Fiber, did a special colorway called Blue Bird, get it?
New Favorite Socks, another great original name, beautiful colorwork on the ankles which are not hidden in shoes!
African Flower Afghan Marly says is inspired by Heidi Bears, who has been on the program calling in from South Africa. She wanted the colors to not be so matchy-matchy with a little texture.
Newsboy Cap uses wonderful aran-weight Blue Sky Alpaca yarn and the brim is wired to stay in place. Don’t forget to make the decorative flower!
Pretty in Pink Infinity Cowl is a similar coloration to Neopolitan Ice Cream with a wonderful backward single crochet trim.
Pewter Slouchy Hat is created with Lion Brand Angora Merino for luscious softness.
Denim Infinity Scarf is lacy to be comfortable in any climate with a bit of Crocodile stitch for texture, with a slow change colorway of Freia Hand-Paints, which is also used in Ombre Cowl and Fingerless Mitts
Chevron Coordinates Hat & Cowl are not at all matchy-matchy but can be worn together for comfort and fashion.
Tilt-a-Whirl afghan is a wonderful carry-along project that uses motifs can be join as you go, or as Marly prefers when they are all done and assembled at once.

This was a long episode, full of love and laughter, where we hope to convey our love of the listeners and supporters of the podcast. We also appreciate you using the affiliate codes for the book to help defray costs of mailing all the prizes each episode! Well, to be truthful, to help with any of the costs of operating the podcast.

If you missed getting to hear this live, we hope you’ll go back to where it aired originally to hear it as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/11/12/social-medusa-interviews-marly-bird or in iTunes!

 

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Knitting Little’s Andrea Sanchez

Knittin’ Little’s Andrea Sanchez was today’s guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

Andrea says she learned to crochet about 15 years ago, she asked her mom to help her make an afghan. (Her mom gave her a look that said ‘Really?’ Such an involved project to begin with. She tried to learn to knit but failed the first attempt. Later she moved to the Midwest, her boss introduced her to Ravelry. In Ravelry she joined a swap and in the first package she received two skeins of Plymoth Baby Alpaca Grande and a scarf pattern. She forced herself that night to sit down and learn to knit. It was a big cable with seed stitch border… incredible for the first project!

Funny story: when she knitted her first socks she only knit the one and uses it for dusting. She did knit a pair for herself, but the dog found it. The dog has since gotten over adding her alterations to Andrea’s projects.

Andrea says that after a year of knitting, she began doing sample knitting for others. After her son was born, she began searching Ravelry for the perfect Christmas sweater, without success. She realized she knew how sweaters were made so she began to create the Little Fisher Sweater. She says that has been one of her most popular patterns, even though she was not hopeful it would be considered a success. Great lesson for a budding designer! Every year she has created a new garment for him.

Her first adult design was created for Dream in Color (possibly the Mariposa Tee) which she enjoyed and thought she could continue, so submitted a design to Interweave (Cynthia’s Cardigan). Since then she has published several patterns in magazines like I Like Knitting and Knit Now, while continuing to build her Ravelry Store. (In this, Andrea let it leak that she just finished a book, so please stay tuned to her links to hear more about this. Hopefully, she will have time a year from now to share that with us.)

Knittin’ Little (like Chicken Little) came after Petite Purls ended. Andrea says that there really isn’t a lot for kids being published, so she was sad to see it go. Andrea teaches kindergarden (and has been for 15 years) and taught preschool, with a Master’s Degree in Child Development. Knittin’ Little includes activities, books, knitting for kids. She also shares what she and her son do together, such as attending Maryland Sheep and Wool, she and her son put together a book about their experience using the pictures they took.

Andrea has compiled a Fall Collection 2015 that includes patterns from Elizabeth Green Musselman, Alana Dakos, Meg Roke, and Annie Rowden. Her blog includes a book club, because she says that her book purchases are second only to yarn purchases. So she always looks for books to share and welcomes ideas. Submissions are welcome for the collection, she looks for garments. ‘Modern’ and ‘timeless’ are what she hopes to add to her spring collection.

She is expecting her second baby, another boy. Listening to her though it sounds like Andrea is very organized about her projects and getting things done and put away. To try to keep up with Andrea Sanchez, she has two websites: the Knittin Little website, her blog at Life on Laffer, she has a designer page in Ravelry and a Group. She’s also in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you missed getting to hear this live, it is still available as an archive where it aired originally: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/11/10/knittin-littles-andrea-sanchez or in iTunes.

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Creativebug Triangle Shawl

*this post contains affiliate links

The Creativebug Triangle Shawl is released today!!! WAHOO! (Learn more about Creativebug here)

Can you tell that I am excited? Wait, didn’t you know I filmed a workshop with Creativebug on Crochet Shawls that is AWESOME! Seriously, I am so proud of this workshop. The classes include three shawl constructions.

Side to Side

Crescent (short-row)

Triangle Shawls

I do love all these shawls, but if I am being honest there is only one that I have to make RIGHT NOW! The Creativebug Triangle Shawl is my favorite and I think you will love it too. Are you ready to start this shawl but just waiting on the workshop to be live? Well, it just so happens to be the last of the three shawls released—Today! That is right, this class is ready for your crochet workshop enjoyment!

I think Creativebug liked my shawl too because they are using my sample I made in the workshop as part of their holiday advertising!

Marly’s Shawl

I like the creativebug triangle shawl so much that I am going to make another one over the course of the next couple weeks. Follow along as I post about it here on the blog and post picture progress to my instagram account. #CreativebugShawl, incase you want to search for that

As you can see, I’ve already gotten started. The body of my shawl is complete (you can see it in the background of the yarn images) and I am ready to start my trim. Oh the fun! There are so many color options. The yarn I used is Red Heart, Soft yarn and it is just that…S O F T! There are many colors to choose from, here, take a look!

How about you choose some colors for your own shawl and let’s make one together? Sort of an unofficial crochet-along.

Don’t have time for a full shawl? Make a smaller version!

If you don’t want to make a full shawl, you can always just do one the same size as I did in the workshop sample and wear it around your neck like a little shawlette. This was not a planned out mini size to wear, but when I was having head shots taken for Creativebug, my producer told me to tie it around my neck…I did and I think it looks SUPER CUTE!

How can you get the pattern?

Wether you are making the full size or the small size shawl you will need to sign up for a subscription to Creativebug. No worries, it is only $4.99 a month! Cheaper than a McDonalds Happy Meal.

And you don’t only get my workshop for that price…you get access to all 300+ arts and crafts classes available at Creativebug! Very affordable, right? If you want to know more about Creativebug, go and check out the wonderful interview (if I say so myself) I did with their CEO, Ursula Morgan.

Let’s Get Started!

I have my Red Heart, Soft Yarn in my Erin Lane Bag and I am ready to get started. Will you join me?

 

 

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Beth Whiteside, Teaching, Editing and Designing in the Fiber Arts

Beth Whiteside, teaching, editing and designing in the fiber arts world, shared her story for the first time on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

Beth says her parents immigrated to the US in the early 50’s and her parents were very self-sustained, she and her mom did a lot of crafts together, one of those crafts being knitting. A friend, Katie, encouraged her to knit, taking her to a knit shop and getting her hooked up with a Lopi Sweater. Knitting became a hobby.

When Beth worked in Boston, working as a quality assurance engineer testing software she and her with her co-workers discovered that a bunch of them were knitters, it sounds like lunchtimes became knit groups, and sometimes included and adventures to yarn shops. She enjoyed color and bounced around with all that could be done with knitting. Her mother referred to her as a ‘Jack of all Trades’ with her craft, not as a bad thing, but as there was so much to experience.

At some point the software career faded, and yarn became her career. The Jack of all Trades realized combining the skills she’d accumulated, the technical detail, the knowledge of graphic design, her love of writing could be used in the yarn industry. She found Atelier Yarns which is where Beth began teaching. Beth created a syllabus  of classes she could teach. Over the years, she has found she has become not just a Jack of all Trades, but a Master of Plenty.

Beth attended a Stitches West when it was held in Oakland, about ten years ago, vowing never to miss another one and she hasn’t. Beth is now teaching at the various XRX Books/Stitches Events and co-hosting with Rick Mondragon the student fashion show held on Saturday evenings. She has been working with and learning from others that she’s met through the experience, like Sarah Peasley that we heard a couple of weeks ago, Laura Nelkin and Stacy Trock among others. Beth’s career of teaching at Stitches, began when she mentioned to the event coordinator that she would like to help with the learn-to-knit classes they were just beginning. (There’s others too, learn-to-crochet….) She was asked if she could travel, even with a small son she felt she could handle the other three locations. The thought by Beth that she could encourage new knitters was a very wonderful opportunity for her. She loves seeing the light bulb moment with students as they get it.

With Craftsy, Beth gets to share her love of Steeking, which is a technique many knitters haven’t the heart to attempt. Cutting your Knitting Strand & Steek with Confidence, accomplishes both the helpful tips to accomplish double strand knitting colorwork and then the courage we need to CUT our work. Beth admits she was nervous about this technique herself for many years. She actually took a class at Stitches where they practiced on a baby sweater, so it’s not a lot of time or money investments involved. The benefits of taking the class with Craftsy include the fact that your not walking away from class missing the nuggets you needed to accomplish something a little technical, you can go back and review, you can ask questions, you can read the questions of other students.

Creative Knitting (remember we just heard from Kara Gott Warner, the editor, when she shared the Annies Craft Festival) is hosting a KAL (Knit-A-Long) with Beth, HERE is the link to the Group Ravelry to experiences Mosiac knitting. Beth will also be taking over the newsletter from Tabitha Hedrick.

You can follow Beth Whiteside at her website www.bethwhitesidedesign.com, She has a designer page in Ravelry, a professional page in Facebook (which could use some likes, so go follow her there!)  take a class with her at Stitches West or Stitches South (sharing the links to what’s currently open for registration for 2016).

If you missed getting to hear this live it is still available as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/11/05/beth-whiteside-teaching-editing-and-designing-in-the-fiber-arts or in iTunes.

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