WWW for October 7, 2009

by Melissa Gow

There is a tree near my house with some leaves starting to change and we all know what that means...SWEATER WEATHER is finally here!



The Bride wore Lincoln. That's a new one, but a beautiful one!



Wind-powered knitting art...



Knitpicks Options are now available in clear acrylic!



Do you still have some of your lego collection laying about? If not, I'm sure there is a small child with some of their own who will be more than willing to help you build your very own motorized ball winder!



Lexie Barnes showed off her new bag designs and fabrics and taught willing visitors how to knit at her salon at New York Fashion Week (September 10-17, 2009). Reports say it was a huge success, with lots of visitors of all walks of life -- including models -- getting a taste of why we love the craft so much. Thank you, Lexie!



Here's a great article for yoga for knitters and with holiday knitting getting closer, we're gonna need it!



A neat social knitting art project.



Although the Knitter's Retreat is now full, you can still get on the waiting list!



Go Knit! 2009 has been launched!

Help Seasalt Clothing Company raise funds for The Bumblebee Conservation Trust by knitting scarves that they display in their store window, then later auction off with the proceeds going to the chosen charity. Last year they donated over £3000 for The Cinnamon Trust, a UK charity that assists the elderly and their pets.



That telltale nip is in the air that remindes me of Rhinebeck! Oh, sweet Rhinebeck. I'm having to miss it this year but one day...Oh, yes, I will go back!

WWW for August 19, 2009

by Melissa Gow, Editorial Assistant for Knitty.com

Summer is 3/4 over...how are those summer knits coming along?



The internet is buzzing with wrap-up posts and pictures from Sock Summit. Here are a few for those who want to relive it, or those who missed it and want to see what it was like:

• Knitty editor Amy's photo album
• The Ravelry crew's wrap-up post, with pictures
• The very knit-friendly Oregonian newspaper's blog wrapup
• Lots and lots of people Tweeted all throughout Sock Summit...scroll to the bottom and start reading, and it'll almost be like being there (?)
  
• Tons and tons of pictures on Flickr
  
• A little something from Tina at Blue Moon Fiber Arts and something else from Stephanie, the Yarn Harlot

Amy was there and reports that, though there were no specifics given of any sort, Tina announced that she'd registered a new company with a less Sock-Summit-focused name and gave vague hints that this Sock Summit was their inaugural event. Having been part of it from the teacher's perspective, and being friends with vendors and students and hearing their reports -- and being so impressed at the Sock Summit team's first-class treatment of every participant in every way -- Amy's excited to see what they will do next, whatever it is.


Avon Canada has a great little contest to raise awareness for breast cancer. Create something in pink, post the photo to the contest website and for every vote Avon will donate 2$ to breast cancer organizations across Canada!



Hat Wars2 is gearing up! Deadline to register is Aug 24, 2009.



Do you spin? There's still time to enter the Spin Control contest we're throwing at Knittyspin! Details here.



Local Toronto textile artist Breeyn McCarney sent out a call for submissions of hand knitted items for her next project:



Rowan is changing how they do things on their website. As of July 31st, 2009, the general public will no longer be able to purchase books, shadecards and magazines online or by phone. However purchases/renewals of Rowan International memberships and for workshops will still be available.



Kathrene Petersen of kitknit.ca is holding an online auction of knitted items to raise funds for the Durham Humane Society Phoenix Rising project to rebuild the Oshawa, Ontario, shelter that burned down last December.



Everyone's favourite Knit Grrrl, Shannon Okey, has started up Knitgrrl Studio, a fiber workshop, retail space and online store located in the Lake Erie Building at Templar Industrial Park in Lakewood, Ohio.



I am drawing a blank on a witty parting line...must be all the rain we are getting here!

Till two weeks from now!

WWW for Wednesday, July 22, 2009

by Melissa Gow, Editorial Assistant for Knitty.com

Is it too hot to knit where you are yet?

Berroco is looking for the next SOCK STAR! Is it you?

Speaking of contests, if you've EVER knit anything from a Knitty pattern and love taking pictures, you've got to enter the Knitty 2010 Calendar Contest! The grand prize is crazy big!

We've got two other contests going on at Knitty, too -- read more about them here! We want you to win stuff!

Our favorite long-distance blogging pair -- the Mason-Dixon girls, Kay and Ann, have just released Knitting Outside the Lines on audiobook!

UPDATE: Yarn Forward's plans to offer a digital version of the magazine has been temporarily put on hold while they search for a new service provider. Watch their website for updates.



Amy Butler has a line of hand bags designed with crafters in mind: Sweet Life Bags.



Lorna's Laces and WendyKnits have teamed up to create WendyKnits Sunrise colourway based on the sunrise photos Wendy often takes from her office window. Wendy has even come up with a sock pattern [pdf download] to showcase the colour changes.

Knitter Nigel Pottle walked and knit the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route in Spain, back in May to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer Society of BC . His pilgrimage blog can be found here.

Namaste has expanded their Cali bag line with the new, classy Hermosa -- their largest bag yet, and it stands up on its own.

If you are living in or visiting Brooklyn, New York, you really should swing by SpaceCraft. It's a fabulous communal environment where you can learn all sorts of crafts in a community atmosphere.



Now that the sun is down and that nice lake breeze is making things cooler, I'm off to work on my current sweater!

by Melissa Gow, Editorial Assistant for Knitty.com

Here's your next infusion of the bi-weekly fluffy stuff!



Are you in San Diego and want to help raise breast cancer awareness? From June 15 to November 15, the San Diego Affiliate offices are accepting donations of knitted items that will be sold at various Breast Cancer Awareness events. If you need more information check out the Events Page or email Barbara LaMark, Knit for the Cure Chairperson barbara.susangkomen AT gmail.com.



Thread Banger has complied a great Weekly DIY Roundup of spinning resources.



All I can really say about this hairy tale is WOW!



Along with the new look over at KnittingDaily.com there is a new editor (or is it editrix?), Sandi Wiseheart has stepped aside (but will still be a regular blogger at Knitting Daily) and Kathleen Cubley is stepping up to be the new editor. Welcome, Kathleen!



The Tour De Fleece is off and running again!

I know it's a few days late (started on the 4th of July) but you can still join in the fun! There are two different Tours being run: The original and the Ravelry Group.



Still haven't planned a summer vacation? What about a weekend getaway to a working Massachusetts sheep farm owned by knitting author and designer Kristin Nicholas for an intensive weekend knitting course?

Be sure to also check out Kristin's new sock yarn! The yarns are dyed in the wonderful palette of colors that we expect from Kristin and may remind you of ikat dyed fabric! Expect it to show up in yarn store some point in August, just in time to start some holiday socks!



It's that time again: Interweave's Hurt Book and Overstock Sale! 50–75 percent off -- and Jaime from Interweave suggests this: sort from low price to high price in the pull-down menu on the main page to see the best deals.



See you in two weeks and remember your Sunscreen! It's very hard to knit with sunburned hands...

WWW for June 24, 2009

by Melissa Gow, Editorial Assistant for Knitty.com

Amy's asked me to fully take over the WWW updates so that they're published on schedule. [sez Amy: "Thank you, Mel!"] I'll be bringing you an update every other Wednesday on the Knitty blog. Let's get started!



First off, some big news about Knitty! Amy hinted at it in her latest letter from the editor, and now we can tell you all about it!

Starting with the next issue, Fall 2009, we're going to celebrate our 7th Anniversary with a gentle redesign! The original site was designed in 2002 and everyone thought it was time for a little freshening.

Here's how we look now:



Kind of squished into the left side of your browser window and narrower than it has to be. That was for a reason in 2002, but now that we're making pages printer-friendly, it no longer applies! So starting in Fall, Knitty's front page will look a little more like this:



As you can see, the page content is now wider, the main content window is a smidge bigger, and we've even been able to enlarge our ad spaces. After all, it's the support of our advertisers that allows Knitty to come to you for free, and we think they deserve a little extra screen real estate. We're also tweaking navigation to make it even more streamlined.

We've also decided to shake up our publication schedule a little. We'll still be producing four yummy issues every year, but starting next March, they'll come out on a slightly different schedule. Here's what you have to look forward to:

Issue	Theme	Issue live
Winter 2009	Knitted gifts, garments + accessories	Dec 2009
Spring+Summer 2010	Warm-to-hot-weather garments + accessories	Mar 2010
First Fall + Holiday Headstart 2010	Transitional cool-weather layers + projects to knit early for holiday gifting	mid-July 2010
Deep Fall 2010	Cool-weather garments + accessories, quick last-minute gift knits	Oct 2010
Winter 2011	Cold-weather garments + accessories	Jan 2011
Spring+Summer 2011	Warm-to-hot-weather garments + accessories	Apr 2011

Yup, it's a lot of changes, and we're really excited about all of them. We'll talk more about what and why when the fall issue comes out, but we wanted you to know the great news we shared with everyone at TNNA earlier this month.





Lexie Barnes returns to the tote with her new series of bags, the shimmery metallic Classic Lexie Collection. Expect to see more designs and patterns for the fall!



Yarn Forward is working towards offering a digital edition of the magazine! Keep your eyes on the blog for when they go live.



The Boys of Summer are back for another season along with them is the Stitch 'n' Pitch.

For those of us in Toronto the date for the Jays game is the 25th of August. For everyone else, check the main Stitch 'n' Pitch page for the date of the game nearest you.



Remember when we told you about a social network site for weavers? Weavolution went live on June 8!



Knitting Daily has a new look and with the comes new features like being able to search through current and back issues for information on patterns and in many cases purchase that pattern you missed out on! The are other changes afoot to the message boards, too.



For those knitting font junkies, (we know who you are!) here's a knitting font plus a few more for other stitchy endeavors.



Looking to do some redorating of your abode? Why not incorporate your favorite craft in to the design by recovering a ratty old chair and a few pouffs stacked in a corner??



See you in two weeks with more knitting news from all over the web!
Mel

WWW for May 13, 2009

No song and dance this time, just knitting news from around the world!



Starting close to home, if you're in Toronto today [May 13th], come out and meet the author of the new book, Vintage Baby Knits @ Lettuce Knit tonight from 6-9pm. This book is absolutely stunning and you won't want to miss the chance to meet Kristen Rengren, the author, while she's in town, and see the samples from the book!



Need a little lift? You need a Wonder Woman beanie! A subtle-but-powerful message that shows you are the one in charge.

Or perhaps it's time for a Spiderman blankie?



Taking home your purchases in a plastic bag is becoming, finally, socially tabu. So kudos to Bags for the People who are helping to stamp out plastic bags, one at a time. From their website, "We are a non-profit organization(pending) that provides a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. We use all repurposed materials and give our bags out for FREE. We also perform community building workshops and events to not only get people to make the switch from plastic to re-usable, but to inspire people to take an active and creative role in life."

While you're thinking reusable bags, peek at the World Wildlife Fund project about making the switch to reusable bags. They're featuring pictures of people with their favorite reusable bag and even giving out prizes of groceries!



Our favorite reusable bag patterns:

Everlasting Bagstopper [Amy sez you might want to make it a few inches shorter...as designed, the thing stretches to accommodate elephants, but can you lift an elephant?]

BYOB - a more substantial bag that's also very pretty

The first shopping bag Knitty ever published, the French Market Bag. Do stop by this blog for tips on improving the pattern.

Handknit Market Bag from Classic Elite

Crocheted hobo-style shopping bag



Mysterious scarf mystery [redundancy intentional]. Do you know where this scarf pattern originated?



Another goodie for Ontarians: can't make it to Maryland Sheep & Wool or Rhinebeck? Can you get to Grimsby? Yay! Get the car pool organized!



Are you in New York? There's still time to catch the Yarn Theory exhibit, which ends May 17th. The exhibit takes a look at the intersections between knitting, crochet, math and science.



Annie Modesitt fans, take note: her only stop in Canada on her next class tour will be at The Naked Sheep in Toronto. Full class details here. Don't miss out!



Visit Vickie Howell's latest project: Craft Corps, tied in with the upcoming book of the same name. Weekly profiles of crafters of all sorts. This week, it's Michael Auger, quirky painter whose work I like a lot!



Custom-fit your own sweater with this tutorial! A very practical approach which includes a little sewing -- totally worth it.



Mark your calendars: it's almost time for WWWKIP day!



And that's it for this time. Now go and knit something!

WWW for April 29, 2009

What's the news across the nation?
We have got the information...in a way we hope will amuse you!
We just love to give you our views. :)

Ladies and gents, Knitty gives you the news!

[see what happens when I write these posts late at night? I get punchy.]



Baltimoreans! Come out and see me
tonight!



The 2009 KNIFTA awards are out. How many have you seen?



Another knitted bag made from bags!



When you buy Alpaca fiber from The Alpaca Spinner, you get a little card with the face of your alpaca on it!



The fascinating periodic table of knitting. An interesting work in progress!



Knitters and spinners, may we present The LambCam!



Help cover The Skye Bridge in knitting!



Up for a challenge? Try a recreated pattern for Sanquhar gloves, created by the fabulous team at Tata-Tatao!



Brenda Dayne wants to know what you want to know about knitting!



And finally, you can buy your very own village...handknitted, of course!

WWW for April 1.5, 2009

April 1.5 because none of this is April Fool's madness. It's all true. As far as we know.



Are you one of those lucky knitting geeks with an iPhone or iPod Touch? Check out these knitting apps [some free, some not]:

Stitch Counter can manage up to 6 projects at a time, counting whatever unit you want [decreases? increases? rows? up to you!]

Stitch Minder, the original free app for knitting -- simple and elegant. Big fan base.

Measure gauge without a ruler. Brought to you by the lovely folks at Ashland Sky.

Knitting Yarn Calculator helps you figure out how much yarn you'll need if you want to knit a drop-sleeve sweater.



Looking for a not-inexpensive vacation idea? [Lucky you!] How about a cruise? Find knitting cruises, handspinning cruises and there's even a crochet cruise that leaves this Sunday!



This YouTube video of LED-covered sheep has made the rounds on the internet. Me, I don't believe it's live-action footage. There's some serious computer work involved to get those sheep moving in unison. But still, it's neat to watch.



A neat-looking folding travel wheel...the Bee. Has anyone spun on one of these yet? What do you think of it?



Adorable finger puppets to knit.



A new blog from the Knitting Out Loud audiobook people!



The author of this great article in the latest issue of Knitty is having a fundraiser. She's running a raffle on her blog to support the Canadian Cancer society -- and her husband's ride in the Ride to Survive, from Kelowna to Vancouver in one day. Prizes include Seasilk, Wollmeise [!] and more.



Have a great week and I hope the weather is fabulous where you are! My scooter is out of winter storage and I'll be on 2 energy-efficient wheels from now until the snow falls again next fall. Let's hear it for 70 mpg!

WWW for March 18, 2009

Happy March! Let's get to it!



This is the Year of Natural Fibers. Get more information on special events.

Start your own Longest Scarf with a team of five or more knitters. Imagine the possiblities! Read more about why you'd want to do such a thing at the link above.

All of this is their way to help raise $250,000 to create the largest flock of fiber animals in the world along with Heifer International.



Practice your crochet and recycle worn-out fabric...make a bowl!

Not into crochet? Here's something you and the kids can do together: a different kind of yarn bowl!



Super cool do-it-yourself buttons...for your next cardi, maybe?



Save time! Learn the super-efficient Norwegian Purl. No more moving the yarn in front of the needle!



Start early for next year and knit yourself a shamrock hat!



Want to work attached iCord? It looks really great as a finished edge. Here you go!



For our lucky readers in the UK, mark your calendars for Woolfest 2009! This year's event will be held on Friday 26th + Saturday 27th June 2009 at Mitchells Lakeland Livestock Centre, Cockermouth, Cumbria.



For those of us near the east coast of the US, we have Maryland Sheep & Wool to look forward to! May 2-3, 2009, at the Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, MD.

Knitty's editor, Amy, will be there this year for the first time!



See you next time!

WWW for March 4, 2009

Happy March! Let's get to it!



Admit it: we have all had yarn we wish we could do this to.

Take that, pilly, splitty, full-of-knots yarn!



Knitted Domestic Trophies. Cannot describe. Must see.



Have you seen it? Knitters now have their own Comic book, full of knitting heroes. It even includes a pattern at the end of each issue.



The crazy, tiny gloves designed and knit by Althea Crome for Coraline, the movie? Now you can knit a human-sized pair for your own hands!



Knitters always knew that our hobby kept us sane and mentally sharp...and now the Mayo proves it!



Schacht Spindle Company, maker of such gorgeousness as the Ladybug [my personal wheel], the Matchless and many other spinning and weaving products, is having a contest! Full details here. The prizes are insanely cool.



And finally, take a peek at Lorna's Laces new Ahah yarn. It's designed by Cat Bordhi to be the ultimate colorway to help you see what you're doing as you knit, stitch by stitch. More details on how the stuff works at the link above.



Don't forget...this Sunday, clocks go forward 1 hour. Read more about Daylight Saving Time [no "s" -- who knew?].



Late breaking news!

Do you love Sally Melville like I do? Are you near Tulsa, OK? Good news! Loops in Tulsa is hosting a book signing and workshop, March 19th-20, one of only two signings Sally and her daughter Caddy are planning! To reserve a place in line, attendees should e-mail shelley@loopsknitting.com, or call toll free 1-877-LOOPSOK. Everyone who registers for the signing by March 12 will be eligible to "win" a spot in the workshop/trunk show the following day, 12noon-2pm at Polo Grill (adjacent to Loops). Full details by contacting Loops.

WWW for February 4, 2009

Hey, y'all! Well, it's come to my attention that I'm posting these WWW updates every two weeks instead of weekly, so perhaps that should be the plan.

Okay! Yes! Starting this week, WWW News will be released every two weeks. That's what I meant.



You might remember the prosthetic breast pattern we featured in Knitty, Tit bit, which has helped many women who've undergone mastectomies feel like themselves again without having sweaty synthetic materials against their skin.

Now knitted boobs are helping in another way. Community midwives in Liverpool, UK, have started using a different sort of knitted boob to help teach new moms how to breastfeed. Read more here.



What happens when a newborn lamb is abandoned by its mama in the dead of winter? At this farm, they knit him a sweater.



On Kristin Nicholas' farm, baby lambs are plentiful and now we get to see one being born! What happens when a lamb is abandoned in winter on Kristin's farm? She brings the babies inside until they're strong enough to take the weather on their own.



In a recent WWW update, I mentioned the Bohus exhibit in Minneapolis. Now we can see pictures of the exhibit taken by Jennie the Potter. Gorgeousness!



Formerly called "Amy-Friendly Yarn", Lorna's Laces has rolled out the silk/bamboo blend in all their 134 colorways! It's now called Pearl, a very appropriate name! Yum.



The super-popular TTC [Toronto Transit Commission] Knitalong has been resurrected! The blog is still showing old news, but put it on your RSS reader so you'll get the news when it's updated. Stalk the TTC Knitalong group on Rav for more details.

They need volunteers so speak up if you're interested!



The new spring Noro yarns have been announced and, once again, non-woolly knitters like me are out of luck.

Chirimen is 60% Cotton, 24% Silk, 16% Wool.
Furisode is 45% Silk, 40% Cotton, 15% Wool.

Both new yarns exhibit typical Noro gorgeousness. Sigh. Does anyone know Mr. Noro? Could you tell him that any wool -- even 1% -- is too much for non-woolly people?



Araucania has the right idea...their new Ruca is 100% sugar viscose [that's a new one to me] and the colors are gorgeous, soft and -- dare I say it -- the yarn's color changes are a little Noro-esque.



See you with more knitting news in 2 weeks!

WWW for January 21, 2009

Okay, so a little backdating of the blog entry once in a while is allowed, especially if your Wednesday was mostly taken up by being poked with needles and dental drills like mine was. I'd much rather be blogging, trust me.



Like typography? We know of course that you love the knitting. Perhaps you need to combine your two loves and get this hand knitted font. Clever.



All sorts of new print magazines! First, edited by the fabulous Amy O'Neill Houck and Julie Holetz is Inside Crochet.

Are you in the UK? Then you could pick up a copy of The Knitter on a newsstand near you.



New yarns from Lion Brand, including a wool/stainless blend. They've also got organic wool, pure cashmere and a cotton/bamboo blend, all under the new LB Collection brand.



In frosty Minneapolis? Visit the new exhibition: Radiant Knits: The Bohus Tradition. Then drop by the legendary Ingebretsen's to round out the day nicely [and Nordically!]



For the sock fanatic, grab this free e-book while you can! 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns from Knitting Daily.



Have you heard about Slow Stashing? I've been doing this for a while, combined with a concerted effort to get the yarn on the needles and into FOs. Lots of gifted cowls this past holiday season were knit from goodies formerly hibernating in my stash.



Most mere knitter-mortals aren't allowed inside the doors, but we can read what Knitter's Review editor Clara Parkes writes about her visit to TNNA - the big yarn tradeshow. There's some good news and exciting new stuff to look forward to!

WWW for January 7, 2009

Happy new year, fiber fans!



Spotted on Jacquie Blackman's blog, a crazy post at Apartment Therapy about Extreme Knitting! No kidding. These needles make US#19s look like toothpicks.



Making the rounds in the blogosphere is mention of this: Kniittiing, a Wii-based knitting game. The technology behind the idea is really neat, but when I knit, I want to actually create something more than a high score. :)



For the geek knitter [I raise my hand here], a pattern for you...it's Wash's sweater, based on one seen in two Firefly episodes! Happy shiny knitting!



Spinners! It seems that Ashford has taken a page from Louet and Majacraft and now offers a sliding hook flyer!



More spinny news! Grafton Fibers has started offering exclusive monthly shipments of fiber that is different than the usual [gorgeous] Grafton batts. Sounds yummy!



Our friends at Artfibers are -- sadly -- closing their San Francisco destination retail shop on January 24th, but there is still lots of good Artfibers news.

First, their website will remain open for business in 2009 and beyond.

And there will be a new East Bay location for sales, learning, and special events that will open in April '09. So we won't have to go without Artfibers goodness after all! Yay!



In case you missed it, Knitty started Tweeting -- publishing tiny updates on Twitter. Find the Knitty update page here and start following along.



Happy new year to you all! May this year bring you all you wish for, and bring us all happiness, peace and comfort.

WWW for December 17, 2008

Last Wednesday, we were making news of our own with the launch of our winter issue! Now WWW is back with all new news -- the best kind, don't you think?



We were sad to hear that Kim Werker was leaving the position of Editor of Interweave Crochet magazine -- a peek at the current issue's cover shows just how good an editor she is!

But there is exciting news about the woman set to fill Kim's shoes: Marcy Smith has been named Editor of Interweave Crochet magazine.

Smith joins Interweave Crochet from The News & Observer daily newspaper in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she worked for 10 years in several positions, including four years as the Crafts Columnist and most recently as the Literary Editor. Prior to The News & Observer, Smith was a copy editor at The Winston-Salem Journal.

Smith has been a crocheter since age 8 and is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crochet Projects, Illustrated (Alpha Books, 2007). Plus she's a knitter, spinner, and weaver.

"Five years ago if you had asked me to imagine myself in my dream job, this would be it. I'm thrilled to be joining Interweave Crochet and look forward to building on the magazine's success and continuing to push the boundaries of crochet in new directions."

We're looking forward to getting to know you, Marcy! Welcome!



More crochet? Okay!

Have you ever seen a 16-foot-tall crocheted pencil? Well, thanks to 32-miles of amount of Lion Brand yarn and the crochet skills of Robyn Love and her team, now you can.



Okay, this next one could go either way, knit or crochet!

You've seen Franklin's Panopticon and Amy's Vintage Office.

Well, the newest Color Commentary by Beth, and her fabulous team at Lorna's Laces has just been announced: Roadside Gerry, designed by the effervescent Annie Modesitt to honor her husband.

Visit Annie's blog to read more about the colorway, Gerry himself and Annie's thoughts about color in general.



Gift ideas? We've got you covered:
- Knitty's list of cool stuff for winter -- or visit the Cool Stuff Archives to see all the stuff we've ever written about! [and we only write about the stuff we like, you know]

- The Purl Bee has some great knitter gift suggestions

- The editors at Lime & Violet's Daily Chum have outdone themselves - read their Advent Calendar posts for great gift and pattern ideas!



Feeling a burning need to chart your shnoodle's face or your blog logo? Thanks to Microrevolt, it's as easy as clicking here.



Excited about the upcoming stop-motion animated feature, Coraline, based on the Neil Gaiman book of the same name? If you read this blog regularly, you know I am.

The people behind the Coraline movie have released a whole new playable website, and my favorite page is here. Click on it, upload your own photo, and carefully select a pair of button eyes. Poof: your eyes are buttoned, just like the Other Mother and Other Father.

Like mine? I chose the nerdy bookworm eyes, suitable for those who read Neil Gaiman novels. Yup, that's me.

Oh, that creepy old sewing kit on the page...does it look familiar to you at all?



WWW will be taking a wee holiday and we'll return the first Wednesday in January. See you January 7th!

WWW for December 3, 2008

Lots and lots of jellytots for you today! Let's go!



For those that fondly remember Cider Moon hand-dyed yarn and fiber, unavailable since the two partners went their separate ways, each can now be found at their own shops.

Jacki's been open at Yarnzombie for a while now.

Gail and new partner Laura have just opened their new place at Tuscan Grove.



From Interweave Press: Studios magazine will begin publishing quarterly in 2009. "Studios features creative spaces that are big, small, and in-between," says Editor Cate Coulacos Prato. "Some of the artists that we feature in the magazine have the perfect studio. Others talk about how to make do with what you have... No matter what your interest and regardless of your physical circumstances, you can create a studio, maybe even the studio of your dreams."



More from Interweave Press! Knitty's friend, Kim Werker, has stepped down as editor of Interweave Crochet. Her last task will be to select designs for the spring 2009 issue.

Unrelated news, but under the same category, Kim's pet site, Crochet Me, has just been acquired by Interweave Press. Read more about all the big changes on Kim's blog. Go wish her good things in her new adventures!



A contest from the fine folks at STC! They’ve heard that this is going to be an extra-crafty holiday season and so they've posted a little holiday questionnaire on their blog. On December 12, they’ll randomly choose five responses and send the writer of each one the STC Craft book of his or her choice.



Another annoyingly patronizing article about knitting from the mainstream media. Interestingly, they use a skein of Lorna's new Pearl yarn in Amy's Vintage Office to liven up the page.

[Question: what kind of fleece costs $800? Was that spinner fleeced? My understanding is that they're closer to $100ish, depending on weight and the quality of the wool. Spinners, please feel free to educate me in the comments!]



For those who read last week's WWW, the first item spoke about Coraline the movie, and the amazing, minute sweaters knit for the characters. Little did I know that the producers of the movie would be sending me one of the 50 Coraline mystery boxes they've built, each containing selected artifacts from the movie! Mine just arrived last night, and I'll be revealing the contents on this blog tomorrow. [Toronto knitters, I'll be bringing the box to Lettuce Knit tonight so you can have a peek in person. Sorry, guys -- can't make it after all. But I've got great pictures for you for tomorrow. :-) ]

I have never been so excited to open a package for as long as I can remember.



And that's all for this week! Winter knitty will be out quite soon, so stand by for that. In the meantime, get knitting!

WWW for November 26, 2008

A little bit of everything this week, starting with the very little!



Neil Gaiman fans, you may know about the upcoming Coraline movie, but did you know about the knitwear therein? Click on the link to go to the movie's website and then enter the key SWEATERXXS to see Althea Crone's indescribably tiny sweaters knit for the characters in the upcoming stop-action movie to wear.

What, you want to see the rest of the site? Here are the rest of the keys, via Mr G himself -- glad to oblige.

stopmotion : the Biggest Smallest movie ever made.
buttoneyes : Meet the cast...
moustachio : Bo Henry, art director of Coraline, shows off his remarkable moustache tricks.
armpithair : Every hair in the film was placed there by hand...
puppetlove : Director Henry Selick explains what it must be like for the puppets in the film.



It's that time again. Rowan's announced the yarns they're discontinuing. Say goodbye to...
Rowan - 4-ply Cotton, Damask and Bamboo Tape.
RYC - Cashcotton 4-ply, Cashcotton DK, Luxury Cotton DK and Silk Cotton.

Colors to be discontinued are listed below:

ROWAN
Calmer - Onyx, Khaki, Tinkerbell, Powder Puff, Carnation, Mandarine
Summer Tweed - Cape, Exotic, Dew, Angel, Sprig, Orient, Blossom, Bronze
Cotton Glace - Hyacinth, Butter, Tickle, Peony, Buttercup
Handknit DK Cotton - Diana, Decadent, Slippery, Nectar, Soap
Kidsilk Haze - Elegance, Nightly, Fondant, Jacob, Violetta, Ice Cream
All Seasons Cotton - Jazz, Soul, Giddy, Citron, Framboise, Cinnamon
Naturally Dyed Organic Cotton - Lipstick Tree, Querbracho bark

RYC
Bamboo Soft - Almond



Thinking about planning a special knitting excursion for 2009? Here are some upcoming options:

- Terri Shea, author of Selbuvotter, leads the Purlaway luxury knitting retreat in Oregon next October.

- our own Tara Jon Manning, author of the Mindful Knitting series of books and much more is looking forward to the next Mindful Knitting Retreat in Vermont next March.



Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers, and happy Thursday eve to the rest of us!

WWW for November 19, 2008

This week, we're WWWW -- What's What WORLDWIDE Wednesday! Take a look...



Have you seen the new Debbie Bliss magazine? Perhaps not...at my LYS, the copies were gone in a matter of days! The Autumn/Winter issue is full of Debbie's signature cables and simple, elegant British style.



Elsebeth Lavold has some new yarns coming out. Bambool is 80% Bamboo Viscose and 20% Merino Wool. Calm Wool 40% Wool, 30% Camel, 30% Alpaca. To go with, two new pattern books: The Out of the Blue Collection and The Touch of Romance Collection.



More Lavold! knitting exhibit "Knitting Along the Viking Trail" will make an appearance at Seattle's Nordic Heritage Museum, just in time for the second Nordic Knitting Conference, March 13-15, 2009.



New yarns from O-Wool! Legacy DK and Legacy Bulky are made from 100% certified organic merino wool. It is processed in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard. No chemical softeners are used during processing, so a rinse soak is recommended as the best way to highlight the natural softness of the merino fiber.



Congratulations to Seasalt, a retailer in the UK, on their successful Go Knit campaign!

Go Knit! is their charity knitting window project. Volunteers hand knit scarves to go into Seasalt shop windows in October. The scarves were sold from the windows to raise money for the Cinnamon Trust, a charity that helps old people and their pets. This year, over 400 homemade scarves were donated by Go Knitters, and in one shop, 52 scarves were sold on the first day!



Brand new from our friends at Interweave -- Stitch Magazine! The premiere issue features 25 clever projects by independent designers — including a patchwork pillow pattern from Lisa Congdon and an assymetrical folds wrap skirt by Martha McQuade of UNIFORM studio, plus articles profiling Natalie Chanin from Alabama Chanin and Katherine Hable Sweeney and Susan Hable Smith, the sister duo from Hable Construction. Projects range from stylish and sophisticated to charming and modern, and always design-conscious. Each project offers clear step-by-step sewing instructions, and included in the magazine are several full size clothing patterns on a pull-out insert. For a preview of Stitch, visit the website, which offers readers two free full-size skirt pattern PDFs from projects featured in the magazine, plus a bonus pattern for a table runner and a tutorial on sewing basics.



We'll have more fiber news next Wednesday!

What's What Wednesday, premier edition

A new feature begins today @ the knittyBlog: What's What Wednesday! Our intrepid roving reporter, Melissa Gow, is collecting all the stuff a web-loving fiber fanatic could want to know, and you'll find it here on Wednesday's knittyBlog. Let's go!



The UN has declared 2009 to be "The International Year of Natural Fibers".



Weaveolution plans to be a Ravelry-type social networking site for weavers. They hope to go live by spring 2009.



A fraction of an ancient spindle whorl was found in Reykjavík, inscribed with runes. The whorl dates from roughly the 11th century and the runes have been translated roughly as "Thórunn owns me". How flipping cool is that?



Welcome back Spindlicity!



Knitting fiction author Debbie Macomber has recently opened a yarn shop.



The Royal Winter Fair is shaking up their spinning competitions this year. They have dropped the traditional sheep-to-shawl challenge and are holding two new spinning competitions instead. One is for drop spindling and the other is a three-person team with a spinning wheel.



We'll be back with more news next Wednesday! [In the meantime, the usual blogness will continue :-)]