Archive for the 'events' Category
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Pattern Workshop at Unravel
Monday, March 16th, 2009
Class Announcement!
I’ll be teaching at Unravel here in Las Cruces on March 28
(Check with the shop for time and fee.)
We’re going to work through the Textured Circle Shrug from Glam Knits: 25 Designs For Luxe Yarns
You can choose any worsted weight yarn (including any of the new cottons, linens, hemp, or blends at the shop) to make this a great accessory for those of us who live in the desert!
Posted in Book Talk, events | No Comments »
BOOK SIGNING AT UNRAVEL TONIGHT!!
Saturday, March 7th, 2009
I’ll be signing copies of Glam Knits at Unravel tonight, starting at 5:30.
Posted in Uncategorized, events | 1 Comment »
Please think a healing thought for Marvin Today.
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
My father in law, Marvin, had open-heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic today! It was a very long procedure, but he is resting now in ICU and seems to be doing well.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.
Mazie and I are planning to head out to IA to help out as soon as they are back home.
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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 events, yarn reviews | 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 »
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 events, just chit chat | 1 Comment »
Make One Yarn Studio Retreat!
Thursday, November 20th, 2008
OK, here is the long overdue post about the Canada Trip!
Well, I was invited to teach sort of at the last minute…not really the LAST minute, but after they had already decided who to invite to teach, and the workshop had filled up, they added me later. I have known Amy Sewnson (co-owner of Make One) for YEARS. We were both very early Knitty contributors, and also very early knit bloggers. Amy and I have been reading each others’ blogs for like 10 years. SO…I knew that this would be a great trip.
The weekend started out at the Make One shop…which is GORGEOUS. It’s a huge space, I would guess that they have about 1500 – 1750 square feet in there. The walls are lined with those cool cubby-type shelves and everything is lit using artist lighting like they have in museums. The colors are just glowing at you when you walk in. They have lots of favorite, well-known yarns, PLUS many yarns that are hand dyed by local fiber artists (likek Sandra and Annie). So it’s a great mix of local and what-everyone’s-talking-about-online. I think that some of the most successful shops are those run by people who spend a lot of time on the internet. Researching brands and knowing what everyone’s buzzing about.
From there, we went on up to the Delta Lodge at Kanakansis. This is a BEAUTIFUL spot. It’s kind of isolated up in the mountains, with lots of pine trees and beautiful valleys all around. I was just in awe of this place. SO many deer along the road, too! Just a really neat place to get to spend some time.
The lodge itself was really interesting, too. There was a big huge fireplace in the lobby with tons of comfy chairs and couches. They had lots of little bars and restaraunts to try out. The vibe of the whole place was COZY. Cozy and Mountain. Like, antlers, stuffed game, that kind of thing.
The food was just outrageously good. Everything was very well-prepared and definitely upscale.
I also thought that the workshop itself was incredibly well-run. There was coffee and snacks at the halfway point of each class, with time to actually mingle. Classes ran on time, and everyone was where they were supposed to be. The classrooms were stocked with the right AV equipment…it was just really really well done.
I was really impressed / flattered/ blown away by the fact that all of my classes were full. I had no less than 21 students the entire weekend! Woah!
It was so worth it to make the trip. I loved being there and meeting the Make One staff and students.
Thank you Make One! I obviously didn’t take enough pictures, so would love to have links to your flickr sets!!
Posted in Trips, events, press | No Comments »
This is going to be a fast turnaround!
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
So, I’m back from VA, and have three short days to get myself ready to go to Canada!
I’m packing and organizing myself to go to the Make One Yarn Studio Fall Fiber Arts Retreat.
Here’s the blurb:
world-class teachers.
gourmet food.
spectacular surroundings.
3 unforgettable days.
Our third annual Fiber Arts Retreat will be held at the Delta Lodge in Kananaskis, November 6 – 9. Plans are in place to make this our biggest – and best – retreat ever. From Estonian Lace with Nancy Bush, to sock design with Cookie A. From “No Sheep” fibers with Amy R. Singer to entertaining classes with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka “The Yarn Harlot”, and just announced, Stefanie Japel, author of “Fitted Knits”. Every knitter will find something new to learn.
I’ll be teaching three classes there:
(these blurbs are from the website…I don’t refer to myself in the 3rd person!)
Anatomy of the Top Down Sweater
Join Stefanie and learn her tips and tricks for creating a successful sweater knit from the top down to the hem. We will discuss such topics as choosing paired sleeve increases, incorporating stitch patterns, shaping, and working elastic bind-offs.
Fitting Your Knits
This class will demonstrate how to customize patterns by incorporating simple shaping techniques, such as bust and hipline shaping using creative placement of increases and decreases, or even shaping through simply changing stitch pattern and needle size.
Converting Flat Patterns to Circular
Many of the flat patterns published in knitting books and magazines can be easily reinterpreted to be knit in the round. Knitting sweaters in the round can be preferable for many reasons such as increasing knitting speed and evening out tension problems. In this class, you will learn to turn your favorite flat patterns into circular knits.
I’m really excited. My classes are all full, so it’s going to be a lot of fun!!
This is a picture that I borrowed from the website of the lodge that we’re going to be in…What a perfect Fall getaway spot!! The setting couldn’t be more different from the workshop last weekend, but it’ll definitely be posh in its own way. (There are rumors of yoga in between classes!) And did you see the teacher list!? How lucky am *I* to spend the weekend with these ladies!!??
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Back from the workshop!
Monday, November 3rd, 2008
This is my first day back from the Knit-a-Go-Go and Knit Happens Glam Knits retreat.
Here’s the group photo of our class (minus two women who had to leave early,) don’t they look like a bright bunch of people?? There were lawyers, military specialists, consultants for non-profits, museum collections experts, people who are fluent in many languages, scientists, and the book buyer for the DC library system! I felt so fortunate to mingle with such talent!! I really enjoyed our discussion, and the students themselves were so full of information that it really was a learning experience for all of us.
Here’s Kell, the resident Knit Happens window dresser and the amazing window that she created for the weekend:
It was such an amazing weekend. Not only did I get to back to my old stomping grounds (DC) but got to meet some very inspired knitters!! The class focused on the basics of designing a sweater from the top down. We talked about things like finding inspiration, taking proper measurements, then how to go through the steps of actually writing a custom fit sweater pattern. By the time we split up on Sunday, all 20+ students had written her own sweater pattern and most people had even cast on for their sweaters.
Danielle from Knit-a-GoGo really did a superb job of organizing everything from the venue to the gift bags and decor. It was such a fancy, special retreat for everyone. I can see why her clientele is so loyal. And Knit Happens is a really unique shop in that they have such expert teachers (Danielle, Olga, Kell, Holly, to name a few.) The yarn selection is beautiful and well-curated, and I bought enough yarn myself for two new sweaters!!
Thank you everyone that I met: the shop staff, the students, and to the city of Arlington for being as charming as I remember!
Danielle and Olga at PX:
Posted in Uncategorized, events | 1 Comment »
Glam Knits is shipping at Amazon!
Monday, October 13th, 2008
