The scoop from the editors

One year on

It's been a year since I pressed the button to launch our Patreon campaign. In those 365+ days, things have changed in the most beautiful way.

As the trend was showing, advertising continued to plummet. We love our advertisers and are thrilled to feature those who are still with us! In fact, we're welcoming some new advertisers this issue! Hi, guys!

By the end of September, though, Knitty readers had stepped up and pledged enough support to keep us going another issue. And by the time the Winter issue went live, we were Patron-funded to a level that compensated for our lost advertising and got us back to a level where we could actually start planning for the future.

A fact: without Knitty's Patrons, we would have had to close the magazine for good in spring this year. Instead, thanks to Patron support, we were able to:
• pay our staff and contributors a much better wage
• rework the design of the magazine to be mobile-device friendly, starting with the First Fall 2016 issue
• begin the planning to get the back issues converted to a more mobile-friendly design
• continue the tradition of attending the annual fiber industry trade show (TNNA) to learn about what’s new in our world, make connections with yarn companies and designers, and arrange patterns for the 2016-17 publishing year

2015 Patron rewards are with the fulfillment house now. A sheltered workshop for intellectually disabled adults is assembling the envelopes with the correct rewards, labelling and getting them ready for me to take to the post office.

I'll soon be announcing the new rewards for the 2016-17 Patron program. Some will stay the same, like the really cool stickers we do. Some will change. We're constantly trying to make this program better and smarter. Stay tuned! And if you're not already a Patron, please consider joining us. We won't survive without ongoing support, and lots of little donations make such a huge difference to us!

---

After the record-breaking heat of the summer of 2016, we are thrilled to feel a tiny chill in the air. To celebrate, we've got a great selection of sweaters and lush knitwear for you to cast on. Which will you want to start first?

There's a huge soft spot in our hearts for the pattern our Kate Atherley has designed for charity. It went from crazy idea to finished photoshoot in just over two weeks, and we love the result. Read the whole story here.

Check out the columns this issue: Lorilee helps us get the hang of long floats in stranded colorwork, and Liz Gipson has designed a really cool woven pockety cowl.

As Jillian mentions below, she and I both will be at Rhinebeck this fall! I haven't been in, what...six years? More? Wow. Say hi if you see us! We love to meet our readers, and we just might have Knitty buttons with us to give out.

To stay in touch with everything Knitty, find us here:

Twitter | Ravelry | Patreon 2-way news feed (for Patrons only)

Amy Singer
[editor, Knitty]

Woolen glory

Just before I sat down to write this I ushered my kids out the door for their first day of school. It is well and truly fall, no matter what the calendar or thermostat says. For me that means it’s time to get really wooly really quickly.

With the first hints of fall comes the desire to spin, knit and weave everything simultaneously. It also fans the desire to buy enough fiber and yarn to survive an ice age. I spend the beginning of fall spinning and knitting quick projects. I want things on and off my wheel and needles fast. I want to see a little pile of woolen glory. I make hats and scarves mostly and miles of yarn. As the fall progresses I stop my manic making and work my way into a slower rhythm. My yarn gets finer, I may cast on for a sweater.

This fall brings a trip to Rhinebeck with a group of friends. I’m not teaching this year, but I will be signing my new book, Yarnitecture: A Knitter’s Guide to Spinning. I’ll post on the KnittyBlog the days and times when I know them. Amy will be there with me, you may run across us in a barn or at a bar, or we may have an impromptu Knitty Meetup. There may even be Knitty buttons to give out.

Are you looking for something quickish to spin and knit as the fall bug bites you? Maybe something gorgeously gradient? Have a look at the Threefer lace shawl by Jennifer Adair in this issue. Have colorwork on your mind? How about some handspun faux fair isle? It’s my favorite lazy spinner style of colorwork. In Knittyspin Spin It , Knit It this issue I talk about and show what happens with a singles, 2-ply and 3-ply in Faux Fair Isle.

If you have an idea for a project or article for knittyspin write me. Knittyspin submission guidelines are here.

If you have fiber, spindles, books, or other spinny products or tools that you'd like us to review, you'll find information how how to get your products in to the hands of our reviewers here. I love to talk about it all.

Jillian Moreno
[editor, Knittyspin]