A Eucalan Wash and Giveaway

A couple weekends ago, when the weather was pretty warm, I decided it was a good day to wash the woolens. One of the wonderful things about being a knitter is the amount of sweaters and other wooly goodies. The worst part is wash day. But these days I have a little helper (messer-uper as well?). 

We filled up my brand new soak basin (which was gifted to me by the wonderful Meg) and added some Eucalan. I've been using Eucalan since I first learned to knit. As a new knitter I had tried a few different brands of wool wash at the beginning by Eucalan is now my go-to.

One special wooly that needed a (desperate) wash was the Rainbow Blankie that I made for D. This sock yarn blanket stays in my car most of the time in case we need something cozy or to keep little legs warm. That being said, it had cheerios and other crunchy things stuck to it so a good wash was definitely in order. 

I decided this was a good time to test out a few samples that the lovely people over at Eucalan had sent for me to try. I had already used the lavender scented one a while back. That's generally the kind I buy so I grabbed it to give a sweater a quick wash. This time I tried the grapefruit. I was surprised at how light this scent actually is and how much I really liked it (enough that when I bought a new bottle last week that's what I got!).

If you've never tried Eucalan washes, now is your chance! They are offering to send one lucky blog reader a Eucalan Gift Pack! This is a great prize and a good way to try out some scents you may not have used before. To enter for your chance to win, leave a comment below by November 1st and I'll choose a winner using the Random Number Generator. This is open to US and Canadian residents only, but don't worry my international friends, there will be more giveaways!  Please be sure to leave your Ravelry name (or email if you don't have Ravlery) so I can get in touch with the winner!  Do you have a go-to wash?  Tell me your favorite! 

The giveaway is now closed. Melosa is the winner!!

Thank you for entering!

Holla Knits Fall/Winter 2014 Blog Tour

I'm back today with a giveaway of the Beech Street Vest pattern from the Fall 2014 issue of Holla Knits!

This is the original sample that I knit for Holla Knits. For this amazing piece I had the ultimate pleasure of using Azula's For Better or Worsted. I am not kidding when I say this is my all time favorite worsted weight yarn. All. Time. It's an 80/10/10 (Merino/cashmere/nylon) blend that is lustrous, smooth, and feels amazing to work with. 

I'll admit, there is a lot of yarn involved in this project. For the smallest size (32" bust) I used about 1500 yards of yarn (between two colors). The brioche takes a minute to get going, but it's amazing in the end. 

This is the second sample knit by Allyson using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes. I love the green with the gray!

I am giving away a copy of the pattern to one lucky commenter! Just leave a comment here and I will randomly choose a winner on September 22nd. I'd love it even more if you help spread the word about this pattern. So if you share on Instagram, Facebook, or tweet about this pattern giveaway, come back and leave a comment telling me and you'll earn extra entries into the giveaway. 

Follow the rest of the blog tour:

Sept 8: Launch
Sept 9: The Sweatshop of Love – pattern giveaway, SEG: 6 skeins KP WotA Tweed in Brass Heather
Sept 10: Klever Knits – pattern and skein of Rowan Kid Classic giveaway, SEG: 6 skeins KP City Tweed Aran in Jacquard
Sept 11: Berroco – review and pattern giveaway
Sept 12: Canary Knits – pattern giveaway, SEG: 1 500 yard skein of Mountain Colors 4/8’s Wool in Harmony Ice

Sept 15: Mountain Colors Facebook Page – SEG: Mountain Colors Perspectives Twizzle in Blue/Turq
Sept 16: Life on Laffer – review and pattern giveaway
Sept 17: Knits in Class – SEG: 1 skein of Knit in Class
Sept 18: Makewise Designs – review and pattern giveaway
Sept 19: Anzula – SEG all the Anzula yarn needed for the Beech Street Vest

Sept 22: Ruby Submarine – SEG: 3 skeins KP WofA Tweed in Thirst Heather
Sept 23: BoKnits – SEG: 8 skeins KP Swish DK in Indigo Heather
Sept 24: Under the Red Umbrella – review and pattern giveaway
Sept 25: DoogKnits – review and pattern giveaway
Sept 26: Cosmos and Cashmere – review and pattern giveaway

Almost Time for School

Thank you so much to everyone who left a comment on their likes/dislikes when knitting for the guys in your life. I used the random number generator and chose three winners to receive their choice of a free pattern from my collection of self-published patterns on Ravelry.  The winners are 

Allison

grandmastatus

lbhill

Congrats! I'll be contacting you all soon but if you see this before I do, send me a message on Ravelry letting me know which pattern you'd like.  And if you still want to leave more comments people, I'm all ears!

In the meantime (before the big project for dudes begins) I'm wrapping up a couple summer designs over here. Hopefully I'll have all the grading for this one done and can ship it off to my tech editor today. I posted a picture of the finished sweater over on my Ravelry projects so you can check it out there.

I go back to school on Friday (do you hear all the teachers groaning) and even though that is still a week away I have a ton of work to do in my classroom. I was moved to a different room this year. One that has no windows. I know! I start to feel claustrophobic just thinking about it. It's also smaller than my classroom last year. It's a weird shape and I'm having a hard time thinking about how I will arrange everything. But enough complaining (I've done plenty already in the last three days). 

The beginning of school just means I will have less time to work on my knitwear design. I'm trying to wrap up the knitting of one more design before the end of next week. It shouldn't be too hard, assuming no critical errors. Unfortunately it also won't see the light of day until around January! 

Thanks to everyone who has joined me recently on Instagram and Twitter! 

Thoughts on Knitting for Boys

Since I began designing last year, I've worked a lot with my own son in mind. There are a lot of patterns available for women and girls. While there are patterns for boys and men available, these are far fewer and often they aren't as modern or wearable as women's patterns are.

So it probably is no surprise that I am working on a collection of sweaters for men and boys. I know what I like, and what my husband prefers (D has no opinion, yet). But I'd love to hear what all you other knitters out there prefer. Whether you knit for men, or boys, or are a male knitter yourself please share with me what kinds of patterns you look for, what kind of yarn weights, details, etc.

In thanks for sharing your opinion I will give away three individual patterns from my collection of  self-published designs (check them out on Ravelry) to three commenters next week (probably Friday the 8th). Be sure to leave your Ravelry name with your comment so I can gift the patterns to you later! Thanks for sharing your thoughts what you love! 

Bijou Basin Ranch Giveaway

I recently received two skeins of amazing yarn from Bijou Basin Ranch. I mean like, squealing and jumping when I pulled the yarn out of the package. So amazing!

In case you don't know about Bijou Basin Ranch, they are a family owned yak ranch located in Colorado. They sell high quality yak and yak blend yarns dyed by the people at Lorna's Laces. 

So after receiving these yarns I did what any knitter would do: I immediately started planning what I would knit with one of these lovely skeins, then I took them to my knitting group for everyone to drool over.

Today I cast on with Bijou Basin Ranch Himalayan Trail in the color Dinna Fash. This yarn is a 75/25 blend of yak and merino and is working up like a dream. The color is bright and intense, it reminds me of a peacock! I decided to make a hat for a friend, since we live in what can quickly become a very cold climate I'm hoping the yak fiber will provide some extra warmth and the merino will help the hat retain its shape.

The second skein I received is Lhasa Wilderness, a 75/25 yak and bamboo blend. I am seriously stunned at how silky this yarn is! The yarn is feather soft and the bamboo adds a really gentle sheen that makes this yarn so luxurious. I almost started knitting with this skein but thought you guys might appreciate it more. This gorgeous green color is called Lallybroch.

If you're an Outlander fan, you might be noticing a trend with the color names. Bijou Basin Ranch is doing a Countdown to Outlander celebration where for the next few weeks a select color family from their Outlandish colored yarns will be on sale for 15% off. This is a great time to pick up a few skeins of pure luxury. This week the purples are on sale. The Outlandish colors come in both the Himalayan Trail and Lhasa Wilderness. You can keep up to date with their sales by signing up for their newsletter on their website, or by following them on Twitter or Instagram.

In case I haven't used the word amazing enough in this post, the amazing people at Bijou Basin Ranch sent me two skeins so I could share with you! All you have to do to win this lovely skein of Lhasa Wilderness is leave a comment below telling me what you might make with this beautiful skein of yarn. Please be sure to leave your Rav name or email so I can contact you if you win! 

Share this on twitter and tag me @andrea_knits then come back here and leave a second comment letting me know you've done so for another entry. 

I will draw a name next week on Monday the 21st so hurry up! 

Mountain Meadow Wool

Recently I had a great opportunity to try out some yarn by Mountain Meadow Wool. The yarn I was working with is their Laramie yarn in the colorway Fern. This yarn is a 2ply worsted weight yarn. When I first wound it up I was struck by how rustic the yarn looked yet it was still so soft! I swatched it up on size 7 needles to see what it wanted to become. Given the great stitch definition this yarn produces I decided on the Pembroke Hat by Kristen Kapur.

With one skein of this yarn I was able to make the smallest size (with mods) and still have some leftover! Laramie comes in 100 gram skeins with 196 yards. Even though I had swatched I wasn't getting row gauge and therefore had to modify the crown of the smallest size. I knit the chart as written until I reached the crown shaping. At this point I did 3 decrease rows then used Kitchener stitch to seam the top of the hat shut.

Either way, I'm glad I used this yarn for this hat pattern. This yarn is rustic and natural looking while maintaining a beautiful softness that you don't often find in rustic yarns (I'm attributing this to the fact that it is semi-worsted spun). This yarn really showed off the cables in the Pembroke. You can check out my project page here.

I have one extra skein of this yarn to share with a lucky reader! Leave a comment below you have the opportunity to win one skein of Mountain Meadow Wool's Laramie in the colorway Brick. I'll choose a winner using the Random Number Generator on Saturday, April 12th. Good luck and thank you to Mountain Meadow Wool for sharing!

Wintry Mix Hat and a Giveaway

I know it's starting to warm up in other parts of the country but 'round these parts, we are still in desperate need of hats and other winter accessories (today's high: 27 degrees F). Just in time is my Wintry Mix Hat.

This hat is a part of the new Basic Knitting and Projects from Stackpole Books (you can also get the book from Amazon here) Right now it's only available online or from retailers in print. The first part of this book is full of techniques all illustrated with color photos. The last part of the book has a variety of patterns that use the techniques listed in the book. The patterns range from felted purses, pullovers with lace detail, cowls, hats and more. 

My Wintry Mix Hat comes in two sizes. The yarn and needles you use will depend on what size you are making. The adult sized hat is knit in worsted weight yarn (The Fibre Company's Organik) on size 8 needles (5mm) while the smaller child sized hat is knit in fingering weight yarn (The Fibre Company's Canopy Fingering) on size 4 (3.5mm) needles. The pattern uses colorwork charts and a nice stretchy cast on. I'm so excited to have these sample back because I think they turned out great!

And guess what? I have a copy of this book to give away to a reader! Leave a comment below to be entered to win. I'll choose a winner using the Random Number Generator sometime next Sunday, March 30th. Good luck!

The giveaway is now closed! Debbie (comment #16) is the winner and has been contacted. Thanks for entering!

Saltwater Knits Giveaway

Ok, I think it's time for a little celebration! Now that my new ebook, Saltwater Knits is available I thought, why not give one of you lucky readers a chance to win a copy and the yarn to make your own Sardines?!

You have a few ways you can win:

1. Leave a comment here telling me which pattern you'd like to knit first. 

2. Follow me on Twitter @andrea_knits and then come back and tell me who you are. 

3. Tweet/blog about the giveaway and then come back and let me know. 

Three chances to win and all oh so easy!  I will randomly draw a winner next Friday, October 4th. Good luck!

Oh, and if you're interested in some advice on weaving in ends check out today's post on the Craftsy blog!

Winner!

The winner of my Blogiversary giveaway is commenter #8

Kepanie

Please send me a quick email with your mailing address so I can get your yarn out to you!

Blogiversary!

Yesterday was my offical 3 year blogiversary but I didn't remember until I had already posted. I always like to use this post to look back at last year's knitting and make goals for the new year. 

Last year my first goal was to come to terms with some completed projects that didn't really work: Rosamund Cardigan, Montana Tunic, Adam's Baseball Jersey. Generally speaking, I accomplished that. The Montana Tunic was frogged, washed, and reknit into a new Montana Tunic. 

Now that I'm no longer pregnant, I really need to try it on and see how it looks. I still haven't dyed the yarn either, but at least it's complete.

Adam's Baseball Jersey was never altered because I was SO over fixing and re-fixing that darn sweater. It has, however, recently found a new home with my brother (who really appreciates my hand knits, I might add).

Last is the Rosamund Cardigan which has not been frogged or fixed. I'm going to have to bite the bullet now and just frog it. Sigh.

My second goal was to knit four pairs of socks for myself. Done, done, done, done, and done (and that makes five!)

My third goal was to knit five sweaters for myself. I managed to knit four, so while not achieved, that's pretty darn close.

Big Montana Tunic

Featherweight

Bailey Cardigan

Audrey in Unst Cardigan

(I just realized I never photographed or posted about the last two sweaters! Whoops!)

My final goal was to work on publishing two designs that I had in mind. That has not happened yet...

HOWEVER,

1. My first goal for this year is to focus more on my designs. I have several in progress but they tend to fall to the side while I work on other things (last year being proof). So hopefully this year I will be able to dedicate more time to designing. 

2. My second goal this year is to be more present each day and to take time to enjoy the moment. Now that I have little D, I've started to really feel just how fast days fly by. How did he get to be 4 months already?! There is a blogger I follow that seems to share each day of her life in snippets (which I love), and while there's no way I'll be able to blog everyday, I would like to try to share more. This is Life on Laffer after all. 

Ok, so you've made it through this long post. You deserve a little treat. Thank you to all my followers who have been around the past three years. 

Up for grabs is a fun skein of Dream in Color Smooshy in the color Butterpeeps!

 

Leave a comment before January 13th and I will draw a winner sometime next week.

Happy Blogiversary and a Giveaway!

You heard me right! It's that time of year again.  Since I started this blog close after the new year in 2010 (can you believe it?) I like to save my year end wrap up/goals for the new year post until then. This also buys me a little bit of time to think about last year's goals and reassess for the new year. I set three goals for myself last year: knit myself two sweaters, four pairs of socks, and fix the knitted garments that are not wearable so that they become so (or frog them). How did I fare? Well, there were definitely two sweaters knit (Essential Cardigan and Rocky Coast Cardigan. The Dorflinger Tee too but I'm a bit more busty than I was this time last year so it doesn't fit as well any more). I managed to knit myself not only four, but five pairs of socks this year. My feet appreciate the fibery goodness.  Finally, the fix-its. Hmmm, that did not come to fruition as I had planned. I still have the same two projects that need to be fixed (the Montana Tunic and Rosamund's Cardigan, and probably Adam's Baseball Jersey too) but I did decide instead of just frogging the original Aran Necklacce Camisole, to reknit it in a more weight appropriate yarn.  I'm pleased with meeting the sweater and socks goals but really want to get those finished items that are just not quite right taken care of. So with that said, here are this year's knitting goals:

1. Stop buying yarn and knit solely from stash. Just kidding!
2. Either finish or frog the Montana Tunic, Rosamund's Cardigan and Adam' Baseball Jersey. If this is not done by this time 2013, then all projects will be frogged, washed, and reskeined (except Adam's sweater. I'll just give that bad boy to the Salvation Army).
3. Knit four pairs of socks for myself.  I have enough sock yarn to do a pair a month but I want to be reasonable. And now my feet know the joys of wearing handknit socks so it's going to be hard to change this goal every year.
4. Knit five sweaters for myself. I have the yarn bought and selected for these specific projects already so it's just a matter of getting it done. I know I only knit three for myself last year but after reviewing my year's progress. I actually did 10 adult sweaters in 2011 (6 were samples!).
5. Finally, work on publishing two designs. I say two because I've had these two kicking around in my head for a while so what's keeping me from getting them on paper and knitted up? 

I'm all about attainable goals but I also like the idea of a challenge. I think the five sweaters and the designs will be challenge enough for 2012. 

And as always, to reward you, my wonderful and loyal readers, for sticking it out to the end of this long post and for checking in with me week after week, a small token of my thanks. And what better way to say thank you than with Malabrigo?

Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Sealing Wax

To be entered to win, leave a comment under this post by January 14th. I'll draw a winner sometime next week.  This giveaway is open to all of my readers, worldwide (how many of there are you?). Thank you again for your readership and for the support in my new endeavor! If you haven't checked out the new podcast,  go listen!

Cambrian Cowl Giveaway Winner

It's been a long week in these parts, what with another round of parent/teacher conferences, my annual observation and evaluation all bundled up into a week where we had an assembly, end of quarter assessments and a holiday party. Ugh. It's 9 o'clock on a Friday night and I'm ready to go to sleep. But not before I announce the winner of the Cambrian Cowl giveaway!

#2 lori

I've been a long time reader of Lori's blog. Congratulations Lori! I hope you get good use out of this!  I will email you in the morning but in the event that you read this before then, please email me with your address.

Coastal Knits Blog Tour

Those of you who have been following my blog for any period of time are probably aware that I'm a sample knitter. I LOVE sample knitting. What better way to spend my time than by knitting some awesome designs by knitwear designers I admire?  I've been knitting for Alana of Never Not Knitting since July of 2010 but had already been an admirer of her patterns. A few months later I was contacted by Hannah of Knitbot asking me to sample knit for her as well. Knitting for these ladies has been such a pleasure. They both have very distinct styles, but there is always something so wearable and current with their designs. So imagine my delight when Hannah mentioned in an email way back in January that she and Alana were planning a book (could you imagine knowing since January and having to wait all year? Painful, I tell you). 

When I received my copy in the mail I was in awe of just how professional and lovely it was.  Since so many other people have raved about it already, I'll just say that you definitely should own a copy of this book. You'll want to knit everything! 

Since I've already knit quite a few projects from this, I thought I would review them a bit and share with you my experiences. 

My first sample from this book was Alana's Wildflower Cardigan. My version was knit for the second trunk show (these ladies are popular!) out of Madelinetosh Pashmina in a color called Isadora. The knitting of this pattern went smoothly as Alana's patterns are very clear and descriptive. Getting started was only a slight challenge. The pattern calls for a gauge of 28 stitches to 4" on a size 5 needle. Apparently I'm a terribly tight knitter and ended up having to go down to a size 2 needle! Getting started knitting a sweater on a size 2 needle can be very scary but I was actually able to zoom along with this project and finish in about three weeks. Who doesn't love a sweet little cardigan with pockets? And these pockets have flowers on them! My favorite part of this design is the lovely scalloped edges. It's such a delicate and feminine detail that, for me, makes the cardigan. I could rave about this cardigan for days and am already planning the yarn to make my own.

My second knit was the Panoramic Stole by Hannah.  If you are looking for a simple and versatile wrap, this is it. My version was knit out of The Fibre Company's Canopy Fingering. This yarn is warm and lush something you'll want to knit a fall/winter item out of. This is such a simple and pretty wrap that is easy enough for new knitters and would also make a great take along project since the pattern is easy to memorize. 

My final sample piece was the Branching Out Mitts, also by Hannah. These may have been my favorite sample knit from the book. I've never done Intarsia until these mitts but these were a wonderful project. When knitting for these designers (whether samples or for personal use) I tend to really trust their yarn choices and this is no different. The mitts are done in Blue Sky Alpaca's Melange, a sport weight yarn. The fuzz and heathered color of the Melange is very forgiving to Intarsia. It also blocks out very nicely, allowing you to get more even stitches and a smoother fabric. The pattern used less than a ball of each so I'm thinking this should be on many a knitter's holiday gift list. 

In addition to these three samples, I helped with Hannah's Bayside Pullover surgery (mentioned in Episode 60 of Never Not Knitting), and have even knit two of the patterns for myself (see my Rocky Coast Cardigan). If you'd like to see any of these knits in person check out the Coastal Knits trunk show as they might be coming to a city near you. And if you can't wait, then go order the book already! You definitely won't regret it. 

Now, if you've seen my Cambrian Cowl recently and thought 'my, that looks cozy', well it is, and here's your chance to win it. That's right! Just leave a comment below and I'll choose a winner on Friday, October 28th. In case you're concerned about allergies, the cowl is 100% alpaca and comes from a smoke-free, dog-friendly home. 

Thank you to both Alana and Hannah for including me on this wonderful project! I look forward to many more inspiring designs coming from these two. And don't forget to check out the rest of their Coastal Knits blog tour!

Diana's Blossom Scarf Kit Winner

I started working on this post this morning but then we went to breakfast. When we got home, I wanted to finish a couple lesson plans before we went on our weekly hike. The hike was awesome, albeit longer than most and I did fall once. By the time we got home (again) I realized that I needed to go to the grocery store, a trip I'd been putting off all week. Now I'm home, showered and in my jammies. Time to announce the winner of my Diana's Scarf kit giveaway!

The random number generator has spoken and the winner is comment #37

Zina
Congrats on being published! I love pink and would very much like to crochet your lovely scarf.


Thank you Zina for your comment and your readership! I'll be sending you an email shortly!

Now that Blogtoberfest is over, I'm a bit relieved. I did enjoy finding new blogs but my crazy schedule makes it difficult to blog daily meaning I had to write many of my posts early in the day or over the weekend. So it'll be a relief to blog on my own schedule again.  I have several works-in-progress at the moment so I should have some stuff to show you coming soon.

And of course I can't leave a post photo-less so here's Timber in his pirate hat wishing you a fun Halloween!

Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!

Diana's Blossom Scarf Kit Giveaway!

Obviously I was thoroughly excited to see my first pattern ever published in the new issue of Interweave Crochet Accessories. And I thought, what better way to celebrate than to have a blog giveaway?  So that's just what I'm going to do.  I am giving away a kit to make Diana's Blossom Scarf!  That's right! The winner of this giveaway will receive two skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Redwood Bark, a skein of Malabrigo Lace in Pink Frost, and a copy of Interweave Crochet Accessories! If you're afraid of crocheting, don't be. This is a really simple scarf to make.

To enter, simply leave a comment under this post. Please leave only one comment and be sure to leave me a way to contact you (email or Ravelry name).  This giveaway will run through October 30th. Good luck!

Craft Work Knit Winner

The winner of the Craft Work Knit eBook giveaway is comment #43, Allison from Perknitious.  

Allison said...
What a fun giveaway - I loved reading the interview :) My favorite pattern is definitely Le Mans. It's really sophisticated for a little kid, and I can imagine so many great color combinations.

 

Congratulations Allison! Please contact me when you have a moment so I can forward your email address on to Ann.  

Please note, if I do not hear from you within the week, I will have to choose another winner.

Interview and Giveaway with Ann Weaver

Here it is, as promised.  I am so thoroughly excited to be sharing with you a wonderful interview with Ann Weaver, the author of the self-published pattern book, Craft Work Knit.

How did you get started creating your own designs?

When I learned to knit (I think I was about 7), I didn't learn to read a pattern, so I made everything up. It was all just simple scarves, mittens, and the occasional large and asymmetrical granny square. I learned to read a pattern when I made my first sweater. Very soon I was improvising sweaters based on the measurements in the schematics in pattern books.

The first sweater I made that really got me thinking about my design potential was an Yves St. Laurent-inspired jacket I knit in 2006. I loved the colors of the original, but didn't care for the construction, so I made this one. It has a shoulder-strap construction, which I think is hilarious! I had no idea what I was doing, but man, it fits really, really well.

Yves St. Laurent Jacket

In 2007 I decided to try to share a design I knit, so I wrote up the pattern for Neiman, and it was accepted to Knitty! And that was that.

Where do you find design inspiration and are there any specific design themes in this book?
For Craft Work Knit, I was inspired by Dutch national athletic uniforms (you'd better believe there are more Dutch-based patterns coming, after their STUNNING World Cup performance this summer), paintings by Josef Albers, action movies, my own doodles, and photos of 1970s punks in knitwear.

I'm constantly being drawn to stripes and stripe patterns as well as unusual color combinations. More than anything, I design things that I would like to wear. I never know what will inspire me next.

Albers Shawl

Is there a technique that you love (or hate) to use in your designs?
I LOVE knitting a ton of garter stitch, but you know this. I also like stranded knitting as long as the patterns are relatively easy to memorize, yarn-over patterns, and interesting ribbing. I'm not a big fan of lace, but I think that's because it isn't my style. However, I'm branching out: I'm currently working on two lace-ish designs (I won't come right out and call them lace, because they're pretty simple, really) an intarsia project, and even a crochet design. I keep an open mind!

What made you decide to self-publish a collection of patterns?
I had so many designs in mind, most of which didn't fit any current calls for submissions to magazines or books. I also had a vision of what I wanted the book to be, from the yarns and the colors to the models and the layout. I knew there was no way any publisher would let me have this kind of freedom, so I decided to go for it.

First I thought I would publish an eBook, since that wouldn't require as much financial investment as a print book. Then it hit me that what I value most of all in my knitting, the craftsmanship, the feeling of the work itself, the beauty of the object, ran absolutely counter to the notion of a book that would not be available in high-quality paper form. So there went the notion of quick profitability! Ha!

The book IS available digitally, however, because I understand that this is more convenient for many people. There is also a great deal for purchasing both the paper and digital copies.

Do you have a favorite pattern in this new collection?
I do. Grundy, both Man's and Woman's versions. This was the most difficult pattern to write, because it's a new construction style for me (my tech editor can attest to how terrible the editing process was) and because I had a very specific fit in mind, but the results are EXACTLY what I imagined. It's like magic when that happens.

Grundy

What was the most difficult pattern for you to create?
The Grundy, again. It was painful. Ask the tech editor. Ask the sample knitter who made the man's version. I thought I was going to have an aneurysm.

Do you have any specific design goals for yourself?
Interesting. I don't do well thinking about the distant future, so I'll give you my goals for this coming year. I want to put out another collection of patterns in Fall 2011, sort of a knitting/art/literature mashup. I've already begun a few of the designs. That's all I'll say for now.

In other goals, I'd like to work with a few new magazines, online and print, to reach different audiences. I may have a design in an upcoming Yarn Forward, which is in discussion now. I like the idea of a British audience that may not be heavily involved with Ravelry or knitting blogs seeing my work. I'm also always up for inclusion in interesting books and pattern collections, so I'll see what comes my way this coming year.

Do you have a favorite yarn?
In terms of major yarn companies, I really like Berroco Ultra Alpaca worsted, Rowan Wool Cotton, Madelinetosh Sock and Vintage, and Malabrigo (any). However, my special love is reserved for smaller companies, like Fleece Artist (I used their BFL 2/8 for the Tempest cardigan in Knitty, and have used their BFL Aran for Grundy Man's in this book. I cannot say enough good things about their yarns), Briar Rose Fibers Abundance (which I used for Vert & Horiz), Alchemy Haiku and Kozmos, and The Fibre Company Terra. 

I am currently making designs from Fly Designs Cashmara (WHOA) and Lorna's Laces Honor (a yarn to kill for), so man, the list could go on and on.

Silhouette 

What type of knitting needles to you prefer to use?
Addi Turbos all the way.

Do you store yarn in any strange places?
Is everywhere strange? Really. I store it everywhere. While working on the patterns in this book (along with a few other designs for other publications), I had a drift of plastic bags filled with yarn and projects leaning against the living room wall, about 10 feet long. Chris, my husband, started threatening to call the A&E program Hoarders to get an intervention.

How many works-in-progress do you tend to have at any given time?
Several, but it's not out of control. I'm usually working on 3-4 things, with others that nearly done but awaiting design decisions.

Le Mans

With all your designing, are you able to find time to knit for yourself?
I have a lot less time than I would like (seeing that I work full time too, BOO!). However, I've managed to knit a pair of Nancy Bush socks this month, and am working on some other gift knits as well. I've promised myself that I'm going to make a Nimbus and a Shroom for myself this fall; I even have the yarn.

If you would like to see the piece I knitted for Ann, the Albers Shawl, you can check it out here.

Thank you Ann for a wonderful interview! It's been an awesome experience knitting for you and getting to know you through this interview. I'm thinking Button Coil or Grundy may be my first projects from this book!

If you have any questions you can contact Ann at ann@annweaverknits.com. As she stated in her interview, her patterns from Craft Work Knit are available in both book format as well as digital copies. To purchase either a paper or digital copy (or get both for a special discount) you can go to Ann's new and super snazzy website annweaverknits.com. Additionally, single patterns are available for download on Ann's website and on Ravelry.

And now for even more exciting stuff. One lucky reader can win their very own eBook version of Craft Work Knit!

To enter just leave a comment under this post sharing your favorite pattern from Ann's new collection and whoosh! You're entered. Make sure to leave your contact information in the comment as well! This giveaway will run until October 10th when I will use the Random Number Generator to draw the winner. Good luck! 

Signed Cosette Wrap Pattern Winner

Drumroll please. I've run the Random Number Generator and the winner of an autographed copy of the Cosette Wrap by Alana Dakos is... 

#26 Mary !

mary said...

what a great interview! my favorite pattern of alana's is the cosette wrap...would love to win a signed copy!!

Mary, I'll be contacting you today to get your address to send you your pattern. Please note that if I am unable to reach you within a week, I will redraw a winner. Congratulations! 

Giveaway Winners!

That's right folks: winners. I gained enough new followers to add the yarn to the giveaway pot! Now let me tell you, I flew all night leaving California at 11:30pm and arriving in Cleveland at 7am and have no idea what time it is or what's going on. But because of you, dear readers, I am making sure to post the winners. So without further adieu... I've tallied all the entries (which involved a spreadsheet much too early in the day), checked all blog posts and entered the entries into the Random Number Generator...

The winner of the two braids of Merino Silver hand dyed wool roving is:

Kitten With a Whiplash!

The winner of the two skeins of Happy Feet yarn in the springy purple color is:

Mrs. G!

Congratulations on your winnings! I will be contacting you soon for shipping information. Please note that if I do not receive a response from you within two weeks I will choose another winner. 

I really appreciate all the support for the giveaway that I received from everyone over the past week and have even more exciting news. Yes, more! There will be another giveaway. The date is not certain, but I can pretty much assure you it will be within the next week or two. I have asked Alana of Never Not Knitting to allow me to interview her for the blog and she has kindly accepted. Additionally, she has provided a signed copy of her new Cosette Wrap pattern for one lucky winner! I'm very excited about the interview and being able to share it with you. So definitely stay tuned and spread the word of the upcoming giveaway.

So thanks again, stay tuned, and good luck!

A Real Blogger (and a Giveaway!)

I have become a real blogger. Yesterday, I had my first guest blogging debut on two sites. The first is Blogivation. Blogivation is a blog (duh) that looks at the stories behind the bloggers. Bloggers explain what motivated them to blog, what inspires them, and what keeps them going. The site has only been up for a few days but has already had a good number of hits. So if you're interested in blog reading (which I'm assuming you are since you're reading this) then check it out. Maybe you could be on Blogivation too!















The second blog is Akron Dog Stuff. Do you have a dog? Do you know people who do? This local site is chock full of dog related info. And not just the depressing "obese pets die" stuff. There is a lot of fun content on this blog. Teddy's Mom has reviewed many local dog parks, toys (even ones made locally!), and events. Perhaps you've heard of my friend Margaret of JaNicki Photography? I was lucky enough to get a shoot scheduled with her so I could get some new pictures of my pups. All that is reviewed here.

In knitting related news, I have recorded a yarn story for Alana of Never Not Knitting. My story will be aired on her podcast this season so be sure to check it out when it becomes available. Update: Podcast #32 is now available to listen to! I also have some guest blogging on another site coming up around the beginning of April.

I guess this is my fifteen minutes of fame. Or, as my brother said, at least five minutes worth. So in honor of that and to thank all my readers for sticking it out with my new blog this year, I'm offering a giveaway!

The winner of this giveaway will receive:
100 grams (two braids) of Merino Silver, hand-dyed 100% wool roving.

Here's how to enter:
You can receive 1 entry by (1)commenting on this post, or (2)posting about this giveaway on your blog. Make sure you leave a second comment linking to your blog.


You can receive 3 entries by becoming a follower of this blog. Make sure you post just one comment saying that you have become a follower (or already are) and I will count it as three.

In any comment you leave, make sure there is contact information such as email or Ravelry id.

In the event that I gain 20 new followers, there will be a second prize awarded. What? A second prize? Yes, a second prize!

2 skeins of Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet. Thats a total of 384 yards of fingering weight in a fun purple color.

This giveaway will last through Friday, March 19th. On Saturday, I will use the Random Number Generator to choose the winner(s). Good luck and keep on blogging!