Blog Tour: Circular Knitting and a Give Away!

Welcome to the next stop on the Circular Knitting by Melissa Morgan-Oakes Blog Tour!!!!  I got to know Melissa when I was working at Schaefer and she and I definitely HIT it off!  I love her quirky humour, twitter feed, love of bling, and respect her books and knitting knowledge to no end.  This is Melissa's third book in five years, she is quite prolific! 

I would describe Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting as an EXCELLENT skill building resource.  Melissa starts off with the basics, so even if you are a complete newbie if you work your way through the book and it's projects you will be working in the round with ease in no time.  The Teach Yourself Visually format gave Melissa a great template to hone her extensive knowledge and share it in a clear and concise way!  I am particularly smitten with the steeking chapter.  Who doesn't want their hand held when it's time to cut your knitting?  There are also pages of techniques that are SO HELPFUL to be able to quickly access like: Russian Joins, Jogless Stripes, Creating False Seams, and Avoiding Gaps and Ladders.

Melissa was working on this book while I was still at Schaefer and I sent her a skein of Schaefer Chris for the perfect beginner hat (page 131)....  we decided it would be fun if I did a giveaway for a copy of the book, along with a skein of Chris in Greenjeans for you to try it on your own!  Score! I am banned from doing anymore designs in the this color, (I have too many already) but it doesn't keep me from grabbing a skein for you!

So, who wants to win a copy of Circular Knitting by Melissa Morgan-Oakes AND a skein of Schaefer Chris?  Leave a comment between now and July 2nd and you'll be entered to win.  Don't forget to include a way to get in touch with you.....

Blog tour Details:
June 15 - OMG! Heart with Alice, who survived 2-at-a-Time class with me - and STILL wanted to be part of this tour.
June 16 - Jessalu Knits with the talented Jessalu - I love those bags!
June 17 - Rock and Purl with the energetic and ebullient Ruth Garcia-Alcantud.
June 20 - Webs Yarn Store with... you know, I am not sure who is going to be doing this entry. I hope it's someone who loves me. ;)
June 21 - Yarncraft Podcast with the delightful Zontee of Lion Brand Yarn Studio.
June 22 - Knit-a-While with the charming Ida
June 23 - Lorna's Laces with the talented Beth Casey who controls all of Gene's favorite sock yarn (Shepherd Socks, color: camouflage).
June 24 - i made it so with cross crafting wiz Ana
June 27 - The Woolie Ewe with Jenn, my buddy from Texas who knows just where to find the gluten free food.
June 28 - ShibaGuyz with the lovable Shannon and Jason
June 29 - Nelkin Design with Laura Nelkin who designs the most delightful, lovely knitted things from shawls to jewelry.
June 30 - Getting Stitched on the Farm with the brilliant and undeniably gifted Kristin Nicholas
July 1 - Go Knit in Your Hat with Carol "My Favorite Stalker".
July 2 - Sunset Cat with Stefanni, who is not only a talented technical editor, but also has the loveliest Tonkinese cats!

Sneak Peeks?

Seems to me I've been a bit quiet around here... but IRL I haven't been at all!  I've been CRAZY BUSY getting ready to shoot an on-line Lace Knitting workshop for Craftsy. I have two new lace shawl designs that are almost ready for it. Want a tease?

This version even looks beautiful on my steering wheel!

My mornings have looked like this... rather peaceful, don't you think?

Now that school is out, and I want to be "fun" mom, I took my deadline to the pool...

I've been having so much fun working on this project and cannot wait to get into the studio and capture it all for you.  For now I am off on a end of the year 4-H camping trip and then onto Denver.... Craftsy, here I come!

**I'll be "back" next Wednesday with a blog tour post and book/yarn giveaway for Circular Knitting, Melissa Morgan-Oakes AWESOME new book... swing back by then!

**July's Adorn pattern is scheduled to be released on July 5th... you ready?

Video Tutorial: Sewn Bind Off

Many of my patterns use a Sewn Bind Off, such as 3fer, Listado Cowl, Cascabel, Jamie Lee, and Janet Leigh. Sometimes this is to allow for a flexible edge when blocking, or for a stretchy top of a sock or neckline. Knitter's have been asking me how to work a Sewn Bind Off, and since I am convinced that a picture is worth a thousand words... here you go!

Namaste Winner!

Did you read any of the comments on last week's TNNA Giveaway? Once again, you people BLOW ME AWAY with your thoughtfulness, what a wonderful reflection for us to share together!  Ready for the winner? 

Congratulations go to:  Alex 

Alex has a fun blog, and just happens to be a designer too, check it out!

Please get in touch with me so I can send you your AWESOME new summer bag!

Thanks again to Namaste, Marly Bird, and all the other phenomenal sponsors of the Designer Dinner: Della, JHB, Soak, Bijou Basin, Kraemer, Simplicity Creative, Knitter’s Magazine, Julie |& Co, Skacel, Coats & Clark, The Crochet Dude, The Knit Kit, The Buffalo Wool Company, Quince & Co, Random House Audio, The Fibersphere, Dublin Gift Company, Vickie Howell, Universal yarn, Malabrigo, Polar Knit, Lorna’s Laces, Eucalan, and Craftsy.

P.S.  I am waiting, not so patiently for Namaste to release their new bag in July, The Mini Messenger, it has my name written ALL over it!   I just have to decide on color... what do you think I should get?

A TNNA Recap and Namaste Giveaway!

Well all, I am back from the most wonderful 6 days of yarn, knitting, friends, and more yarn!  Trust me when I say that you don't want me to go through a blow by blow of everything I did at the show... I was a bit of an energizer bunny and I think you might need a nap after reading a detailed account!  

The biggest difference between this TNNA and others was that besides my trunk show at Ravelry I was not married to being in any one booth so I could wander the show floor.  This allowed me to make GREAT connections with vendors and gather ideas for future projects.  I have some potentially AMAZING things lined up for the coming year and look forward to firming up those details so I can share them with you.  The biggest hole in my knitting knowledge base is around yarn lines so I spent a fair amount of time finding "new to me" companies and learning about their yarns and their stories.  

I particularly fell in love with: Frog Tree Yarns (a non-profit that is inspiring), Alisha Goes Around (for Alisha and her polar Bear!), Shelridge Farms (US sourced and milled),  Art Yarns (can you say cashmere?), Anzula (they have an orange I want to marry....), Fleece Artist (might just be knitting on a skein I got at the show!), Juniper Moon Farm (because anything that Susie does ROCKS!), and Koigu (Rhichard might have given me some skeinlettes for Adorn!).  I look forward to sharing more about these yarns and stories behind them as I start to knit with them.  SQUEE!

Photo courtesy RoseKimKnits

Evenings were spent eating, hanging, knitting, and LAUGHING, oh my.  The knit nights held in the Hyatt lobby are legendary, this year I even got to knit and sing-along with Amy while she played her uke.  I met up with old friends, and made lots of new ones.  My roomie was a great support, and excellent at telling me to shut up and go to bed!

Ready for your GIVEAWAY?  Friday night Marly Bird hosted a Designer Dinner which was a lovely way to meet lots of my people all at once before they show floor opened.  Marly put tons of energy and thought into the event and it was AWESOME, so great in fact that we all left with GINORMOUS goodie bags that included.... are you ready?  A NAMASTE Bitty Bag in Lime!!!!  WOOT!  I have a Zuma that I use everyday, Namaste Bags are truly fantastic.

I've been feeling so incredibly lucky and thankful for the opportunities that have been flowing my way lately and it is time to GIVE BACK to you all for the incredible support.  So, who wants to win the bag?  

To be entered to win this Namaste Bitty Bag do these two things:

1.  Leave a comment telling me what you are thankful for right now (it can be this giveaway)with your contact info

2.  Join my mailing list

Comments will be open until Monday June 20th at 12:00 EST... Good Luck!

Off for TNNA!

I've been knitting/printing/packing/organizing and generally being my spazzy self x 1000 getting ready to leave for TNNA (our yarn industry's trade show). I am teaching on Thursday, and then running from events to meetings to social gatherings until Monday evening.  SO EXCITED!

One thing I am extra super duper excited about?  Ravelry asked me to do a trunk show of my new designs on Saturday in their booth (#454, if you are there) from 12 - 1.  They are having a booth to help spread the word and start sign ups for a new program they are launching:  Ravelry In Store Pattern Sales.  This new module will allow stores to sell their customers my patterns (and those from MANY other awesome designers) at wholesale prices without me having to print and ship. It makes it so you have the option to store the pattern in your Ravelry library AND support your local yarn store!  I am thrilled about this new development!  Next time you stop into your LYS ask them if they have heard about the program... it has phenomenal potential for us all!!!!!  Here's a little peek of the board I am building to promote Adorn:

Okay... enough exclamation points, you can tell I'm excited... see y'all next week with some giveaways of yarny goodness I collect on my trip!

Upcoming Workshops!

Ever want to take a class with me?  I've been busy setting up classes for the Summer and Fall... I can't wait to hit the road and meet some more knitting friends!

 Entomology at Fibre Space Alexandria, VA

July 16, 1 - 6 pm  (hurry... only 6 spots left!)

Winterlude and Eventide at Knitter's Day Out! Harrisburg, PA
September, 9-10

There are more than that on my workshops page... Gourmet Yarn Company, in Oklahoma City, OK, Yarn Spot, in Wheaton, MD, and WEBS, in Northhampton, MA.  Details for these classes haven't been finalized yet.  I'll let you know as soon as they are!  Do you wish I was teaching near you?  Tell your local yarn store or guild to get in touch...

Butin Collar: Adorn's June Pattern

I know you have all been waiting for it... and here it is:  

June's Adorn pattern:  Butin Collar!

Butin was originally released in Creative Knitting March 2011, and I've been waiting patiently for copyright to revert back to me so I could share it with you!  Butin Collar is knitted jewelry at it's easiest!  Only 8 rows of garter stitch with beads slipped up at the perfect intervals to create a "swag" of texture at the center of your neck.  I used a slide clasp at the back that is virtually undetectable.  One of my favorite things about this design is how incredibly light it is. You hardly feel it on your neck... perfecto!

I designed Butin Collar with 20 yards of Schaefer Yarn Audrey... though any fingering weight yarn will do!  It has both size 6 and 8 glass beads that are strategically placed to take advantage of their size differences.

An exciting thing I have done for this design?  There are KITS are available in my new Etsy shop... they contain 20 yards of Schaefer Audrey, 3 grams size 6 glass Miyuki beads, 2 grams size 8 glass Miyuki beads, a dental floss threader, and a slide clasp. Check them out!!!!