Marly Bird's Blog, page 196

Carol Sulcoski, Teacher, Designer, Author, Owner of Black Bunny Fibers

Carol Sulcoski and Marly, at STITCHES West 2015

Carol Sulcoski, Teacher, Designer, Author, Owner of Black Bunny Fibers joined us on the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird, and when that happens it always a good time. They first were introduced by Benjamin Levisay, CEO of XRX book, Knitters Magazine and host of STITCHES when they were at a TNNA, who said, ‘How do you NOT know Carol?’

Carol began with fiber like many of us did, knitting with acrylic and taught by mom. Later as an adult, working as a lawyer, she picked it up and found it relieved stress for her. She says she became obsessed as the internet blew up, she was blogging about it also. Later when her son needed distraction, they dyed some yarn and made a hat she hoped he would keep on his head, she shared that on her blog and her followers asked for more.

Black Bunny Fibers was named after a rabbit they owned, although she doesn’t have a lot of angora in her yarns as one might expect. She features yarns and spinning fiber, beautifully colored and well worth the visit to the website.

Carol’s background as an attorney gives her verbal skills that enable her to clarify for those interested in a deeper understanding of their yarn. She likes including the technical information at the front of the book to

help people who are interested in perfecting their craft. Her NEW book is Lace Yarn Studio, follows Sock Yarn Studio, both through Lark Craft publishing. Contributions to Lace Yarn Studio came from all directions, including Franklin Habit, Andi Smith, Brooke Nico, Fiona Ellis, our own Marly Bird, so many great designers. Divided by number of skeins, like one skein, two skeins… Yarns contributed came from Buffalo Wool Co, Bijou Basin Ranch, Lorna’s Laces, Rowan, even a project Schoppel-Wolle’s Zauerball is in there. There are a wonderful collection of patterns of 26 patterns that cover a wide variety of projects! CLICK HERE to peek at them in Ravelry.

Boris supervises production quality.

Carol continues to work on the next book in this series, she and Brooke Nico are working on a series of yarns called Sip, Sip, Knit and available in mini skeins which are very popular right now. You can follow her at the website, she has a blog there. You can also follow Black Bunny Fibers on Facebook. I love following her personal account there on Facebook, she has a beautiful kitty named Boris, who ALMOST needs a separate page of his own. I wonder if he needs to hire a social media assistant…

If you missed getting to hear this LIVE, it is still available as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/30/carol-sulcoski-teacher-designer-author-owner-of-black-bunny-fibers or in iTunes.

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The Incomparable Nicky Epstein

The Incomparable Nicky Epstein was the guest today on the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird. We are all so thrilled, even Marly’s MOM was thrilled, she calls her books ‘My Nickys’, even though she’s not a yarnie. Isn’t that cute?

Nicky has been in the knitwear industry for a good long time. She learned to knit and crochet from her mother and grandmother, and a neighbor that needed to learn the language also helped her knitting skills in trade.

Her design career began with a contest with McCalls Needlecraft contest in 1982. At the time, she was doing wardrobe styling in the desert, she made them stop at a yarn store so she could get the materials. She was determined to win THIRD place, because she wanted to win the set of needles, that were hard for her to find. Margaret Gilman had to CONVINCE her to be the first place winner and BUY the needles with her winnings. They later asked her for a design for which she had to whip something up (literally, because it took her a week) and she always gave her work away.

Her work attracted the notice of other knitwear design publications, they loved her colorwork and that was all they wanted her to do, even though she loved cables and lace… Even designing was a learning experience as she was a fine arts graduate, and all they needed was a stick figure and the pattern written out. It also has to fit the magazine’s format and they would size it. It was incomprehensible for her that SHE was working out a sweater in just days but she always came through.

Nicky feels that she has had to reinvent herself, working up new edgings and other unique pieces. She wrote a book of hats, (now out of print) that sold 10,000 copies in the first six months. She is currently working to update her embellishment book, that she now has the rights back to and hopes to offer it again. The next book is her 29th! Coming out in the fall, Enchanted Knits (no links to that yet…) Knitting Reimagined is along those lines of making old things new again.

Nicky, while telling this story of knitting as a kid, shared that she knit for her dolls. At some point in her designer brain, she communicated with Matel that knitting for Barbie is a skill that will fade away if something is not done and they allowed her to create the Knits for Barbie books, (there’s a crochet version too!) and since then has moved into the 18″ dolls.

Marly asked how she does it, how does she stay relevant? Nicky continues to put together unique publications on Edges, Circles, Blocks… some have been obviously inspired of all the travel she does, like Knitting on Top of the World (she says is her favorite) and Knitting in Tuscany. She hates ripping out things that are mistakes, and she says her design for Vest Bets contributions she calls a Mistake, it’s a beautiful vest featuring large cables; Dance Smartly was orignally of failed sleeves!

She will be teaching the blocks at Stitches South, which she said she uses paper towels to help her. Speaking of Stitches South, Nicky Epstein be the Opening Day speaker and sharing her Reimagined Knitting work.

Nicky travels to teach as often someone includes the words SPA or CRUISE, she admits. You can follow her schedule at her website but if you can’t follow her to the ends of the earth in person, she does share her adventures in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She will be at TNNA in the Vogue Knitting booth so if your local yarn store owner is going, you may want to send them to see her!

In fact, Marly’s Mom will probably get to see the SOURCE of her Nickys there! I wonder if she will be as squealy as me…

If you missed hearing this LIVE it is still available at this link as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/14/the-incomparable-nicky-epstein or in iTunes.

 

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How To Read: Sidewalk Shawl Crochet Chart

Wow, you all really enjoyed the How to Crochet: the Sidewalk Shawl video. Thank you for all the kind words regarding that video and the chart! I just knew many of you (including the designer herself, Kimberley McAlindin) would appreciate a chart for this fantastic pattern. It makes it so much easier to follow along, right?

Well, incase you are not exactly sure how to read the Sidewalk Shawl crochet chart for this pattern I’ve done another video tutorial to walk you though some simple steps on how to read the chart and use the written instructions to ensure success.

The best way to view this video: 

1. Download the pattern from Red Heart;

2. Download the chart;

3. Watch the video and let me talk to you about reading the chart.

Now you are ready to gather your materials, watch the video for the Sidewalk Shawl and get started!

If you have questions please don’t hesitate to ask me and I will help you as much as I can. I can’t wait to see all your projects!

*note: Thanks to my tech editor, Kristen TenDyke, for making this wonderful Sidewalk Shawl crochet chart for me.*

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Shibaguyz, Shannon and Jason Mullett-Bowlsby

Shibaguyz, Shannon and Jason Mullett-Bowlsby,  were the guests on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird today. ‘Shiba’ as in they have THREE Shiba Inu, so with Marly’s dogs we could have come canine contributions here too!

The name ‘Shibaguyz Designz’ actually came from their dogs, when they visit neighborhood markets with their dogs, three Shiba Inus, that attract a lot of attention and became known locally as the ‘guys with the Shiba Inus’. Their background includes ballroom dance (and some tap) on Shannon’s part, for 20 years danced professionally, competition and also taught. About five years ago, he walked away from that to get started designing, meeting with Drew Emborsky and Leisure Arts at their first TNNA. He’d studied palentology in college, but they had both learned to sew as kids, taught by mom’s. Jason’s dad dabbled in photography, and he liked photographing their designs and swatches and grew in his skills with the camera and graphic design from there. They found there was not a lot of formal training for what they wanted to do. Shannon says that he and Jason found most of their success was in beating the pavement and making contacts. He says if it wasn’t for professionals being open with what they had done, they wouldn’t have known what to do. Jason’s walking away from corporate JOB to be full-time Shibaguyz Designs was a little more traumatic, like ripping a bandage but sounds like he was ready.

Their new book Designer Crochet: 32 patterns to Elevate your Style, Sizes Small to 5X. This is their seventh book (and another is on the way), you really need to take a look at their design listings in Ravelry.

They’ve also started a Technique Tuesday, to help us perfect our stitches AND our photography! That can be found in posts on their Facebook page and their website. The Shibaguyz really believe in the community that’s formed around their work and are still getting a thrill from seeing their book on a shelf in a store. For them it’s been a great adventure.

Their website:  http://shibaguyzdesignz.com/ includes three primary factors of their lives, their designs, their photography and their favorite cooking ideas.

I found the previous archived episode:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2011/09/20/shannon-mullett-bowlsby-shibaguyzdesignz-1

If you missed today’s episode when it was LIVE you can still hear it as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/28/shibaguyz-shannon-and-jason-mullett-bowlsby

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Author Kari Chapin

Author Kari Chapin was the guest on this Happy Tuesday episode of Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. Marly had seen her book ‘Handmade Marketplace in the bookstore and feel in love with it, wrote her herself to be on the program.

Kari Chapin told us in her background story that she lived in Denver, Marly’s neck of the woods, and remembers a bookstore she loved and being especially excited to go back and see her book in it’s shelves. Growing up, Kari actually split her time between two sets of parents, her one set who were very entrepreneurial and bohemian and the other traditional. She realizes she identifies with the one side more. She learned a few stitches of crochet in grade school to make Easter Baskets and that began her knowing that creating things by hand became her passion. She still crochets, embroidery, pottery, needle felting and of course writing.  When she fell in love with needle felting, she was inspired to write Feltlicious with Kerri Wessel, published in 2013. She has also worked with creating collages and work with her art background. She admits she wanted to be involved in the arts by way of promoting them, but not by being in the limelite. She says it was more important to her that artists be properly supported (or paid) and in promoting them.

Kari met a woman who recycled wool sweaters and create stuffed animals beginning in the late 1970’s, Crispina, author of the Sweater Chop Shop, and learned about her creatures called ragamuffins. Kari actually was asked to write an ariticle about her. Kari spent at a lot of time with the local retail store manager and at one point that person offered Kari her own job which also required that she be the buyer for the store, which Kari did, leaving her career as publicist and marketing.  Etsy became popular at about that time and she looked there for products for the store, also traveling to New York and other places to search for items at craft fairs. This was difficult work because the she and the goods producers didn’t seem to be communicating the same language, so Kari began coaching them with printed materials that educated the producers about how to sell their items by wholesale, and she began to be approached by those needing advice about how to work with other markets.

The owner of the store (who wasn’t Crispina) decided she was done with homegoods, so Kari was about to be out of a job. During the closing out of the store, she met an editor from Story Publishing and she approached with an idea. That began her writing career with ‘Handmade Marketplace‘ using those materials she’d been sending to those she’d been doing business with.

The book is divided into three sections (Getting to Know Yourself and Your Business, Spreading the Word — and Images (Marketing), Getting Down to Selling) and includes the experiences and advice from those that have forged their way, in her Creative Collective.  Not just in fiber crafts, either, which is important to remember.  Sara Delaney is her cousin and is featured in Kari’s Creative Collective. among many others of many different crafts.

Kari also hosts a podcast! AIM, which stands for Action, Inspiration and Mindset, is Kari’s way of gathering information from successful handcraft businesses for herself and sharing that with the rest of us. This is a new project, just begun in November, so it will be easy for us to catch up.

Follow Kari’s website, you’ll find her books in your local bookstores like Marly did or at your library like Tammy did.

If you missed getting to hear this episode LIVE, it is still available at the original air location as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/21/author-kari-chapin or in iTunes.

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How to Crochet: Sidewalk Shawl

Get the Free Sidewalk Shawl Pattern Here, and get tips and tricks for how to crochet the Sidewalk Shawl with the video from Marly Bird Here.

One of the most fun parts of doing the videos for Red Heart is being able to look at their MANY FREE PATTERNS and choosing which ones I like and think you would like to know how to make. The hard part is only choosing a few instead of the whole library But hey, that’s job security, right?

The Sidewalk Shawl by Kimberley McAlindin is one of those pieces that will stop you in your tracks and make you say , “WHOA! I gotta make that!” It’s no wonder that it is one of the top patterns at RedHeart.com. Because of that, I figured I would show all of you how to begin this pattern which is made up of increasing pineapple stitches.

The pineapple stitch is a quintessential crochet stitch, just as the granny square is. But, the pineapple shawl can look a little intimidating if you have never done it before. Not to worry, in this video I show you exactly how to get started with this pattern all the way through row 10. I tell you how to use stitch markers to your advantage to know where the last stitch of your row is, and I tell you what stitches you are using and why you are using them to better help you understand the overall construction of the piece.

Better yet, I’ve had a chart made for this pattern that I am offering to you for FREE. Simply click here to download the chart. If you are not sure how to read a chart but it is something that interest you be sure to check back here as I do a video for reading this particular chart and it will be published VERY soon!

Okay, here is a heads up, this video is one of the longest videos I’ve done but I felt it was worth the time to walk you through step-by-step how to do this fantastic pattern. You do not have to watch the whole thing now. I’ve broken the video up into sections so you can certainly work on each section as you have time or you can grab your yarn and hook, download the free pattern here and get started now!

*Disclaimer: this post includes affiliate links**

SIDEWALK SHAWL

This triangle shaped shawl is a stunning addition to your wardrobe of crocheted accessories. The soft yarn will feel delightful against your body and keep you warm in the winter or in the summer when the air conditioning is on full bl (without you having to do a thing).

Pattern:

Here is the link for the FREE SIDEWALK SHAWL 

Supplies:

RED HEART® Soft®: 6 balls 9440 Lt Grey Heather

: 5mm [US H-8],

Susan Bates® Split Lock Stitch Markers

Susan Bates® Steel Yarn Needle

 

Stitches Used:

Chain Stitch

Single Crochet (sc)

Double Crochet (dc)

YouTube Video by Marly Bird:

YouTube Video Notes:

Use markers to make the edges perfect.

If using a chart is easier, I’ve had a stitch chart made up for the first several rows of this pattern to make it easier for you. Click Here to get the chart. 

 

Looking for more? I love making quick projects and even wrote a leaflet with Leisure Arts on how to do some fun things! If you too are looking for fun and quick projects go and check out the One Skein or Less book by Marly Bird.

Look at more patterns by Kimberly McAlindin

 
Check out Marly Bird Designs

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Craft Yarn Council’s Mary Colucci

Craft Yarn Council’s Mary Colucci joined us for a special MONDAY edition of the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird, because sometimes we need to Make Someone’s Monday! Did this make yours?

Mary Colucci is Executive Director of the Craft Yarn Council which is in organization trade organization that represents the larger publishers and consultants in the yarn industry. She came to this from her career in publishing and through TNNA. Primarily CYC’s goal is to keep the craft alive and to teach future generations.

One of the first program was to certify teachers of knitting and crocheters. Currently they work with Michael’s stores to have certified teachers leading classes at a local level.

I Love Yarn Day is a special event organized by the Craft Yarn Council, happening in the fall when all the new yarns are often introduced and includes knitters, crocheters, weavers, spinners… everyone who loves fiber. It’s hoped that participants gather with others to celebrate their love of yarn! Since the beginnings four years ago they heard so many about the health benefits that they have begun…

#StitchAwayStress campaign, collecting stories and sharing the evidence that proves we are Healthier and Happier because we knit or crochet. We know that we feel creative when we are working with yarn, but we also find our confidence boosted, stress is relieved and we find we can concentrate better. Those with chronic illness/pain find those symptoms are eased and slows loss of memory. During the month of April, you can enter to win prizes and Twinkie Chan has created a cute little Lemon Stress Ball — there is patterns for that in knit and crochet with a video about it! Other programs include a Teens Learn to Knit or Crochet and Warm-Up America.

Marly asked how does Mary stitch away stress? She revealed that end the day she finds working a few rows of her projects helps her de-stress, but taking it to work and while waiting for appointments also helps.

If you weren’t able to join us LIVE, you can still listen to the archived recording at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/13/craft-yarn-councils-mary-colucci or in iTunes.

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How to Crochet: The Yo Yo Scarf

Get the Free Yo Yo Scarf Pattern Here, and get tips and tricks for how to crochet the Yo Yo Scarf with the video from Marly Bird Here.

One of the most fun parts of doing the videos for Red Heart is being able to look at their MANY FREE PATTERNS and choosing which ones I like and think you would like to know how to make. The hard part is only choosing a few instead of the whole library But hey, that’s job security, right?

Well, I don’t know about all of you but I am always looking for a fun little shawlette/scarf to wear during the year. No matter what time of year it is, I need a little something around my neck to beat the chill. Couple that need with the desire to make more things with Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Yarn and I think I found the perfect pattern!

It’s called the Yo-Yo Scarf by Alessandra Hayden

Now, you too can make this fun and fast scarf. With the free crochet pattern and the free video tutorial taught by me, Marly Bird you will have nothing but success.

*Disclaimer: this post includes affiliate links**

CROCHET YO-YO_SCARF

This triangle shaped scarf is a stunning addition to your wardrobe of crocheted accessories. The shaded yarn will amaze you as it changes colors (without you having to do a thing).

Pattern:

Here is the link for the FREE YO-YO SCARF PATTERN 

Supplies:

RED HEART® Boutique Unforgettable™: 1 ball 3977 Sunrise

: 4mm [US G-6],

Susan Bates® Split Lock Stitch Markers

Susan Bates® Steel Yarn Needle

 

Stitches Used:

Adjustable Ring

Chain Stitch

Single Crochet (sc)

Double Crochet (dc)

YouTube Video by Marly Bird:

YouTube Video Notes:

Use markers to make the joining of the yo-yo’s easier.

Also, if you want to make the scarf larger, maybe into more of a shawl, simple join more than the pattern tells you to do and make the size you want. NOTE: if you make it larger you will need more yarn

Looking for more? I love making quick projects and even wrote a leaflet with Leisure Arts on how to do some fun things! If you too are looking for fun and quick projects go and check out the One Skein or Less book by Marly Bird.

Look at more patterns by Alessandra Hayden

Check out Marly Bird Designs

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Cirilia Rose, Designer and Author

Cirilia Rose, Designer and Author was the guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

(We kind of had a false start, you heard Tammy first, so if you listened live, we appreciate you hanging out until Marly was on the line! We are so glad Cirilia was able to reschedule after we missed our pre-arranged meet-up last week!)

Cirilia said she thinks she learned like the rest of us, at about age 7, from her grandmother. Her knitting was very tight, and squeaked on the needles. Picked up knitting again out of boredom in college, picked up the ‘Stitch n Bitch’ book by Debbie Stoller. She was looking for a specific yarn for a poncho and had been shopping at Joann’s and Michael’s but not finding it. She lived about 20 minutes from WEBS, so she says she got on a bus, and A WHOLE WORLD OPENED UP FOR HER!

She shared what she was studying advertising in school, and other ‘classes that might worry a parent’. Finding WEBS changed her whole direction, she began to work for them, Kathy Elkins put her to work eventually to work on the catalog to offer their Valley Yarns line. At first, she resisted designing because the constant need create something new can be intimidating. Cirilia says they are like the fairy god-parents that we need.

With the connections that can be made in the yarn industry, Cirilia met Norah Gaughan, while she was at Berroco. Cirilia’s involvement with Berroco she equates as graduate school for yarn and appreciates the change in her path. Her face became known at that time because she was helpful at the photo shoots and putting booklets together.

As for her designing, during the period Cirilia designed Aidez which is a lovely cabled Aran styled. She finds a lot of people convert it from bottom up, individual pieces to top-down seemless and she says, ‘that’s cool, so did I!’ Really take a peek at this because she’s humble enough to show you her mistakes in this.

Cirilia is young enough that the next move was about a boy! She pursued a relationship that lead her to move to Seattle so she approached Skacel, who were looking for help with their HiKoo yarns. Cirilia was again more helpful to them than originally thought, Cirilia got to help with Fiber Factor! You may remember seeing her there.

Then she made a friend in Stephen West, and went to Amsterdam. They collaborated on a collection of designs. This picture is for her design Harpa but it’s clear they are designers who are close enough to support each other ans work well together.

Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads: A Modern Knitter’s Guide to Exploring and Discovering Style truly showcases the moods and loves of a knitter, or in this case, Cirilia as a designer. It took her three years to complete because, sometimes life gets in the way, and she says while that was going on her style changed. It includes 26 patterns that are unique to each other and really demonstrates her versatility and love of style. Marly and Cirilia discussed the patterns Loro Vest, which she hopes will become the new cowl in fashion in that it’s a little more yarn, work and is just as flexible in fashion. Jordaan Cape she says was inspired by Stephen West and his love of shopping and finding inspiration. Frambois Cardigan uses buttons to attach scarves and instantly changes a look. The photography is by Jared Flood another Yarn Industry Name, of Brooklyn Tweed, who’s just announced he’s moving back to Portland, OR, which Cirilia is just tickled about.

Cirilia is now designing with Zealana in promoting their possum yarn, from New Zealand, to promote their brand in the US. This is not what we in the US might imagine, the yarn is super-soft luxury fiber, very warm. Not only is she designing with this yarn, she’s also putting together a magazine!

Her website is www.ciriliarose.com, can be found in Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and a newsletter. One thing that is really interesting is that she is putting together videos similar to the ‘Julie/Julia’ blog, in the Ria + June about ‘Principles of Knitting’.

If you missed getting to hear this live you can still hear it archived: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/09/cirilia-rose-designer-and-author or in iTunes

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Vicki Twigg, Author of the Twigg Stitch

Vicki Twigg, author of the Twigg Stitch book, was our guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird, and kindly brought her English accent with her.

If you couldn’t tell from listening to her, Vicki Twigg is English, growing up North of London. She remembers learning to knit, crochet and sew from the tender age of 5 years old. Her first project was red and garter stitch and finding thing about it, like holes that didn’t unravel. She also says that her father was an engineer, so she tends toward the mechanics of knitting, seeing the patterns and mathematics.

Some of those early projects included intarsia and adding pictures in her knitting sounds like a comfortable medium of artwork for her, because she says she doesn’t really need to keep track of her stitch count but rather the color placement. Both she and Marly agree to the ease of charts in their work, reading along with them as you read along with your work.

Much of discovering the technique, Vicki says, came from looking at rib stitches, especially two-color ribs, and then lots of trial and experimentation with it. Increase, decreasing, decorative cast-ons and bind-offs… She said it took about three months for her to get smooth fabric, but clearly she was being inspired because the possibilities would wake her at night. The book has 9 patterns in it, so knowing that the book is 168 pages, you can safely bet that there is LOTS of technical advice for Twigg Stitch knitting!

The discussion included Lake Shore Wrap from the book which creates a beautiful woven looking fabric, and the beautiful Fan Shawl which clearly has a interesting shape to it! The first project Vicki recommended might be the Collegiate Scarf, which gives ample practice for the technique with some striping thrown in for visual fun! The book was edited by Ann Budd, who is known for her excellent editing of knitting publications

If you missed getting to hear this LIVE it is still available as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/07/vicki-twigg-author-of-the-twigg-stitch or in iTunes

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