Knitty�: little purls of wisdom
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Blank Title Editor
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Yarn Tangle
spacer photo: Lise Beauchesne
Masthead
Up!

Things are taking a turn for the up in many parts of the world, in many aspects of life. And this upness comes at a lovely time.

It's a cool summer in Toronto so far. Is it wrong of me to like cool sunny days? I don't think so...it means more time to wear the knitwear! Not melting in my tiny house [just one window a/c unit for the whole 730 sq ft] puts me in a good mood. I feel up.

Other things, too. And the thing is that I can't really tell you exactly what's up. I can tell you that I've been thinking about these things a lot the last few months, and especially as I put this issue together. Jillian and I have been talking a lot about these things, too. And we'll be talking to yarn companies and knitting product manufacturers and yarn shop owners and publishers about these things at our big tradeshow in Columbus, Ohio, just after this issue goes live.

These things are all good. They're all up stuff. And we'll tell you all about it in fall, promise.

Pink Needle

What's with all these snowflakes all over the issue? Is this not summer? Yes, it certainly is. But it's also our first Holiday Headstart issue.

Holiday Headstart projects are little things that you can start knitting now for gifting later in the year. No big afghans that you can't even imagine having on your lap as you work in the heat of summer. No sweaty mohair sweaters. Just little tidbits of awesomeness that you can knit when the thought of working on a larger project holds no appeal to you. At the same time, you'll be getting a jump on your gift knitting.

Holiday Headstart patterns are marked with a snowflake on the main patterns page. Happy holidays!

Pink Needle

So many of you have been thrilled with our new printer-friendly pages and we're so glad to hear that! A few of you, however, have had technical problems. So our technical guru went back to the drawing board to find a better way to give printer friendliness to the largest possible number [dare we hope for ALL] of our readers. We'd like to thank our reader-testers who helped us with this project.

The buttons look the same, but what happens when you click them? You'll see it's a little different. The end result is that you should have no trouble printing the pages with or without images, whatever you select.

On my side, I also have made an executive decision to put large charts on their own page as I code the site. This means you'll click a link in the Pattern Notes [it's clearly labelled, of course!] for each chart and then print the resulting page. Each should fit tidily on its own letter-sized page.

Pink Needle

What else is up? Well, it's time once again for the Knitty Calendar Contest -- this time for 2010.
2010.
Doesn't that look strange? Anyway, all the information is here.

Don't be shy. Read the rules and all the how-to-win hints. And then enter! It costs nothing and you could win some seriously awesome stuff!

Pink Needle

Keep in touch!

Want to know when the new issue goes live, or if there's a new surprise? Sign up for the free Knitty reader list! The list is never shared with anyone and we only send out a few messages a year. We know our internet manners.

To find out what's up with Knitty on an average day, or on a big news day even, click here to add the Knitty blog to your RSS reader. If you use Twitter, you'll find Knitty's Twitter page here.

Amy Sig
Amy R Singer
[editor, Knitty]

Contests!

Win the yarn for one of the projects in this issue of Knitty!

For summer 2009, Lorna's Laces has generously offered to give one lucky knitter the yarn to complete the beautiful Cold Mountain stole. To be eligible, simply join the Knitty reader mailing list using the form below! If you're already on the mailing list, you're automatically entered! Knitty list members can be assured their e-mail addresses are never shared, given or sold to anyone, period.

Join the knittyreader list!


One lucky list member, chosen by a random number generator, will win! Winner must answer a skill-testing question in order to receive prize. Approximate value of prize: $56.00. Winner will be announced in the summer surprise.

Knittyspin/ Spunky Eclectic/Spin Control Contest

spin controlWe're having a contest to celebrate spinning to knit andthe multifaceted fiber goddess Amy King, and her new book, Spin Control.

How To Enter
Spin and knit an original project using Spunky Eclectic fiber. Photograph and send  your entry to Knittyspin@gmail.com by August 15, 2009.

What You Could Win
1st prize - your entry will be published in the Winter 2009 issue of Knittyspin – to fame & glory, and with our usual honorarium to the winning designer. Also you get a 4 oz braid of Spunky Eclectic fiber and an autographed copy of Spin Control. [approx. prize value $110.00]
2nd place: will get a 4oz braid of  Spunky Eclectic fiber and an autographed copy of Spin Control [approx. prize value $45.00]
3rd place: will get an autographed copy of Spin Control [approx. prize value: $22.95]

The Rule Part
- All patterns submitted must be your own original work.
- All entries must be made from Spunky Eclectic fiber (come on, she’ll know!)
- All entries must adhere to the Knittyspin pattern guidelines.
- Winner will be chosen and notified by e-mail at the time of the fall surprise.
- Winner is chosen by a panel of judges appointed by Knittyspin and their decision is final.


Pink Needle

Jilly Billy
Spacer photo: Amy R Singer

 

Didja see?

We're having our first Knittyspin contest [look up...it's just above this editorial]!

Spin and design a knitted project using Spunky Eclectic fiber. Entries in by August 15 [full contest details in the yellow box above]; Amy King, Amy Singer & I will be judging and the winning pattern will be published in Knittyspin’s winter issue. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

I’ve always been a fan of Amy King, her fiber, her sense of humor, her ability to get things done without killing her children. Her new book Spin Control: Techniques for Spinning the Yarns You Want (Interweave Press, 2009)
[Excerpted here, reviewed here] really spoke to me and inspired me to do something entirely radical. 

I’m going to start keeping track of my spinning. This summer, well, really, right now, I’m going to start a spinning log book with samples: fiber, finished and unfinished yarn; labels from fiber and project ideas. Amy, in her book, convinced me that keeping track doesn’t have to be an anal-retentive thing of torture, just a spot to keep everything together. And keeping track saves you respinning time, trial and error time.

Spinning has always been a relaxing and organic process for me. Whatever yarn comes, comes. I do not like the 'you must' school of spinning.  But the more I spin the more I can hear that mad scientist laugh in the back of my brain and the thoughts go running off like this: "what would it look like if I cable plied this?" or  "I want to make more yarn exactly like this" or "How would this look spun with a worsted prep?: etc.

I am going to take a relaxed , organic, summertime-and-the-living-is-easy approach to keeping track -- a few samples, a few measurements, a few words. I’ll see if I like it and  I’ll let you know how it goes. If it works, maybe Amy has an idea of how to organize my fiber stash.

Pink Needle

If you have an idea for a project or article for Knittyspin write me . If you have fiber, spindles, books, or other spinny products or tools that you'd like us to review, write me for submission information. I love to talk about it all.

Have you seen the Knittyspin shwag? Check out the Knittyspin gear. Show your spinning pride and your love for Knittyspin!

Jillian Sig

Jillian Moreno
[editor, Knittyspin]

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