Archive for January, 2009
YarnCraft podcast interview airs today!
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Just before I left for CHA, I chatted with Zontee of the YarnCraft podcast. We talked about my take on what the knitting trends will be for 2009.
I am really impressed by the new LB line of Lion Brand Yarns! Have you seen them? They sent me a few samples…I’ll post about them as soon as I can swatch them!
Posted in press | No Comments »
New Bamboo! The color of Hope.
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Scarf Kits will be available as soon as I can get them listed.
Here’s a preview:
And there are more drying! There are about 40 in all. Most are DK weight bamboo, same as last time, but the rest are a really pretty worsted chain-type bamboo and a tape yarn made of corn.
My theme this time is “The color of hope.” I was dyeing these while Nathan and I were watching the inauguration. He asked me, “What color do you think represents hope?” We decided at the time that it was a golden yellow, like the color of Michelle’s dress. The more I thought about it, the more colors started to come to mind. The rusty auburn of my daughter’s hair, the flush of healthy pink cheeks, the blue of a clear sky, a rich royal purple, and, of course, green for money, spring grasses, my grandmother’s eyes.
So, this batch of yarn incorporates a little bit of each of these colors. Some came out mostly blue with a little green, while others are vibrant purple and chartreuse with a little peach. I’ll post them individually so that you can see how they differ.
Dyeing yarn is always an interesting experiment. I love to layer the colors, which is why they are each so unique.
As usual, the kits come with stitch markers, 3 scarf patterns, and 50g hand dyed bamboo or corn yarn. (Plus whatever Glampyre swag I can find to stick in with them!)
Posted in yarn reviews, Patterns, etsy | 2 Comments »
Knitting on the road…Lorna’s Laces Pearl
Saturday, January 24th, 2009
Today I left home for the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) Trade Show in Anaheim, CA. I woke up at 6, didn’t shower, didn’t do anything really but get in car. I have to drive over an hour to the airport from my house, so I tend to get up ultra early and feel really paranoid about getting there late all the way up until I’m through security.
THIS trip, I even drove past a raging hay fire. Yeah. A hay fire. Hay on fire. There’s a big feed lot on the way to the airport and two big barns of hay were smouldering and pumping black smoke into the air. I even think I saw a smoke rainbow, if that’s possible.
It was cloudy at home and it’s cloudy here. I had planned to get in, shower, and go walk around. Instead, I’m ordering food, taking a hot hot shower, getting into sweats and knitting.
Not just knitting, but knitting the brand new Lorna’s Laces Pearl, in Annie’s colorway “Roadside Gerry.” Lorna’s Laces has been doing a neat thing and asking several knitter-bloggers to design colorways, and this is the one Annie designed. If you’ve read her blog or her newest book, you get the reference…and I’m not going to spoil it by trying to tell you about it…so read her book! Read her blog!
I should have known it was hers when I chose this one (perfect “redhead colors!”) but I didn’t realize it until I got home and read the label. Annie is part of the Stitch Co-op, and I’ve been getting to spend a little bit of time with her at each TNNA. I always enjoy Annie.
I’m certainly enjoying her colorway!
Pearl is a silk bamboo blend, with 220 yards per hank! 220 yards! I’m making another triangle scarf / mini shawl thing…you’ll see. Sometimes I’m allergic to silk yarns, something about those teeny fibers flying around. I’m not allergic to this one! Yay!
I started knitting this little triangle on the plane. I’ve never talked so much about knitting while on a plane ride! And to two non-knitting rancher types. It was very surreal. I taught a stewardess how to make yo k2tog lace! I’m excited to show you what I’m making, so I’ll eat my lunch now and get back to work!
ETA:
PS: I finished it!!
I really love this scarf! For now, I’m going to leave it unblocked (I’m on the road, and I want to WEAR it) but it’ll be pretty good-sized when it’s blocked. 220 yards is a LOT of yarn! YAY! Thank you Lorna’s Laces!
Posted in yarn reviews, events | 2 Comments »
Hello HGTV Knitty Gritty viewers! You’re just in time for some product reviews!
Friday, January 23rd, 2009
I can tell that my episode just aired, because I have all sorts of nice emails and a bunch of new newsletter subscribers. (Yes, I have a newsletter!)
Please be sure to check the errata for Fitted Knits if you’re new…it’s that link in the upper left sidebar. Also, I’m “Stefanie” on Ravelry, and “Glampyre” on Twitter. Whew!
You are joining us just in time for my first Product Review from spring ‘09 TNNA!
I have two things to talk about today (and many, many more to come!)
The first thing I want to talk about is my new Zuma Bag from the Cali Collection of Namaste knitting bags. I love the whole Cali collection, but this one is my favorite of all. It actually looks like a purse. And not just a purse, but a purse that I would CARRY.
When I was talking to “Namaste Kelly” at the booth, we were discussing how I think that these bags are the “status” bags of the knitting world. It’s really true! I find that when I teach away from home, the ’serious’ knitters usually have some form of Namaste bag on one arm (and a Lexie tote on the other!)
I love the Zuma style in particular, because it’s something I can carry every day. I don’t have to move my knitting stuff in and out of my purse OR try to remember where the heck my wallet and keys have gone to…because I have no need to switch bags!
There is room in here for a sweater or a sweater’s worth of yarn…and you HAVE to see this genius front pocket:
FOR YOUR CIRCULAR NEEDLES! Genius engineering!
This bag gets my highest review points…functional…looks great…love it!!
My next review is of the new Malabrigo Silky Merino yarn. I was lucky enough to come home with a skein of this in a fabulous hot pink / gray / purple color called Vigo.
Can you see how this yarn just sparkles?? It’s so soft and easy on the hands. I’m making a little triangle scarf. I just have the one skein, but want something useful from this yarn NOW.
Tune in next time for a review of the new PolarKnit yarn. I have a special project in mind for this.
I leave tomorrow for CHA…so I might just have time to work out my idea before I get home to post again on Tuesday!
Posted in yarn reviews, press | 2 Comments »
A few TNNA pictures
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
What’s a blog without a little photoessay now and then?
Here are a few TNNA photos…mostly me with people I work with or whose yarns / products I like.
I’ll start doing some reviews after CHA. (Oh yeah, I leave on Saturday for another trade show.) Mazie will probably have many new and amazing skills when I get home. I missed her getting 2 new teeth while I was at TNNA, AND being able to point to her nose, ears, where hats go, belly, etc.. Feeling a little absentee.
ANYWAY…
Here’s me with Antonio and Tobias. I used their yarn in FOUR of the patterns in Glam Knits. They are so nice and (as you know) their yarns are to die for. I brought home a skein of Silky Merino. Yes. It is as good as you’ve heard it is!
I wore one of the projects on Saturday, and they said that people were asking them about the yarn…YAY!
Here is me with Paul Nichols of Mission Falls Yarn (with 2 of my projects.)
Here I am holding my habanero Knit.1 sweater at the SoHo booth:
…and here I am at the FW booth. They made a huge sign with my name on it…quite surreal.
I know it’s kind of dorky to post all these photos of myself … but … I’m doing it anyway. So there.
Posted in Trips, events, press | 4 Comments »
aw! A review of my “Space Shuttle Scarf” kit!
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Remember those kits I had on Etsy with the dyed bamboo and 3-pattern booklet??
Well. We have the first online review!
To Quote Lenora:
“As promised by the designer, Ms. Japel herself, it truly looks wonderful no matter which side of the pattern one declares to be the “right” side. No wrong side. Gotta respect that.
I brought the scarf to share with the Guild today. Now you must understand that the Guild members are quite accomplished knitters. We have teachers, experts and international brilliance. So, for a pattern to impress this bunch it must be remarkable indeed.
We contemplated the visual effect of both sides - both close up and from afar. Final result? Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.”
AaaaaaAAAaaaAAaaaaaawwwwww! Thank you!
I needed that today! 
Posted in Patterns, press, etsy | No Comments »
Hannah finished her Texturized Tweed Coat!!
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
Ok, you know my friend Hannah Fettig? (Knitbot) She reviewed Glam Knits: 25 Designs For Luxe Yarns
She made the Texturized Tweed Coat, and didn’t it come out beautifully?? Hannah did a beautiful job!!
Check out her blog (links above) for deets!
I’m so excited to start seeing FO photos of these sweaters!! If you’ve finished a Glam Knit…let me know! (I’m “Stefanie” on Ravelry.com!)
I’m back from TNNA, doing some quick work, making notes about all the business cards I was given, and uploading my photos! I’ll post some product reviews and pictures of famous people soon!
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
uh oh! lens trouble!
Friday, January 16th, 2009
OK, The glasses in my previous post have a problem. The lenses look clear at first, but after wearing them in natural light, I noticed a strange glare right in the center of each lens. It turns out that they have what look like stress lines radiating out from the center point. (At first glance, it looks like a thumbprint.)
I’ve called customer service (I was on hold for about 5 minutes before I hung up.) I tried the web help, and nobody recognized me in the chat room, and I also sent an email…haven’t heard back.
Uh oh. I hope this works out…
In better news, the purple ones from LBWeyewear.com came in and they’re GREAT! I’ll post pics soon.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Here they are, my Internet Glasses!
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009
That was really fast shipping! They just went out on Monday from 39dollarglasses.com and are already here!
Ok, so here’s the Ta Da picture:
(my hair is kind of messy today…but don’t let that detract from the glasses…)
Thoughts:
They’re a little bit more peach than I expected, and about as wide as I should go, with my face shape. My current lenses are 49 mm wide, and these are 51mm. The thing that I try to avoid is having any space between the edge of the lens and the side of my head…or I get that “small eyes” thing.
That’s when you look at someone head on, and you can tell how strong their glasses are because their whole face looks normal size, but if you look at their eyes, that strip of face looks reeeeeally narrow inside the lense of the glasses. To avoid that, I try to find lenses/frames that are only as wide as that strip of face.
So, I’m happy with the frame width. You can see a little “air” on the side in the face, but the quality of the lenses is high enough that the refraction (small head look) isn’t too bad.
The lenses are definitely thin and light (I sprung for the 1.67 carbon high-end lenses) they have an anti-reflective coating, and the prescription seems accurate. I’m writing this post with them on, and so far, so good! I seem to have measured my pupillary distance correctly.
The only thing that I miss about not getting them in the shop is the way that they use that hot air machine to soften the plastic, and then shape them to the face a little bit. I’d like it if the temples were back a little more towards my face. (I’m going to try to use my hair dryer to do it!)
All in all, I’m happy with them. Let’s see how they do over a few hours’ wear, though!
Posted in just chit chat, events | 1 Comment »
Online glasses update!
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
BOTH pairs have shipped! It would be great if they get here by Thursday so I can check them out before I leave!!