We have a lot of things in the works backstage here at Yarn in the City, and we're now ready to start sharing some of those goodies with you. We are pleased to announce that the next big project on the table is a book that is a direct outgrowth of the Great London Yarn Crawl.
This book will include profiles of a large selection of London's yarn, fabric and haberdashery shops, as well as mentions of other shops a bit off the beaten path, interviews with some of the fantastic independent makers in the area AND a selection of knitting/crochet and sewing patterns.
We are currently accepting proposal submissions for knitting or crochet projects OR small hand sewing projects. You can find the complete Call for Submissions on Ravelry, or email us at yarninthecity AT gmail DOT com for a pdf copy. The theme is Souvenir Stash - that irresistible, never-before-seen-in-the-wild skein of yarn or fat quarter that you see while on holiday and just can't leave behind. What kind of project would you want to start right away with your new materials? How can you celebrate your holiday to a special place in craft form? We've also got a Pinterest mood board if you need some ideas to get you going.
Submissions are due 31 October, with final projects and patterns due 15 December 2014. We will tech edit, chart, make schematics and photograph your finished project, which will be returned to you once the book is published. Proposed publication date is mid-February 2015.
Any other questions, please get in touch, and we look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Thursday, 2 October 2014
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Thank you for making #GLYC2014 awesome!
We've been digging ourselves out from under the inevitable wrap up and follow up tasks that come with another year of the Great London Yarn Crawl done. In doing so, we've had a good amount of time to reflect on this year's event and how it really could not have happened without each and every one of you, our wonderful participants, volunteers and supporters of the Yarn Crawl.
It started with the feedback you gave us last year on how to make the Yarn Crawl a better experience - more fun, more shops, and of course, doing more for Refuge.
It expanded (quite literally!) with the addition of four more wonderful London shops and more zones to travel through. Naturally this also translated into more knitting time!
With more shops it meant that we could have more routes, and that more of you could join us this year. Which also meant the addition of more volunteers - new friends we are happy to welcome to the GLYC team.
More sponsors came on board to help us show our appreciation to you - filling up the goody bags and contributing wonderful door prizes, and to the grand prize as well - and helping us to to promote the event and hosting our fantastic after-party!
So we're incredibly chuffed to tell you that in our goal to do more with the GLYC this year, it's been a smashing success. We've got some numbers to share with you:
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| John Arbon Paint by Numbers yarn on display at Stitch Up |
It started with the feedback you gave us last year on how to make the Yarn Crawl a better experience - more fun, more shops, and of course, doing more for Refuge.
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| Two of the new shops that joined us this year: Fringe and Stitch Up |
It expanded (quite literally!) with the addition of four more wonderful London shops and more zones to travel through. Naturally this also translated into more knitting time!
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| Caught on Instagram: Team Shetland and fearless volunteer Jill about the catch the bus to shop #4 |
With more shops it meant that we could have more routes, and that more of you could join us this year. Which also meant the addition of more volunteers - new friends we are happy to welcome to the GLYC team.
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| The Pom Pom Quarterly girls Lydia and Meghan announce the results of the pub quiz |
More sponsors came on board to help us show our appreciation to you - filling up the goody bags and contributing wonderful door prizes, and to the grand prize as well - and helping us to to promote the event and hosting our fantastic after-party!
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| Look at all those tickets! Grand Prize raffle winner Kathryn knit an awful lot for Refuge - well done! |
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| Lots of happy knitters and fibre enthusiasts knitting and chatting at the after-party |
So we're incredibly chuffed to tell you that in our goal to do more with the GLYC this year, it's been a smashing success. We've got some numbers to share with you:
- 9 different sheep-named routes
- 12 shops across 4 travel zones
- 17 volunteers
- 90 participants (thank you for our first sell-out year!)
- 149 items knitted for Refuge
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| The incredible number of hand knits you helped us collect for Refuge - and this isn't even all of them! |
and the best number?
- £812 raised for Refuge!
We are incredibly thankful to all of you for your support with the event, and for embracing our little idea for kicking off cold weather knitting, while also celebrating the London yarn shops and knitting community, and raising funds for a worthy cause to give back to the larger community too. Thank you!
Finally, we've got some more exciting things planned for Yarn in the City - including next year's Yarn Crawl - so please watch this space! Keep sharing your FOs from your GLYC stash (we love seeing them!), send us links to your blogposts or podcasts if you've captured your thoughts about the event (email us at greatlondonyarncrawl AT gmail DOT com - you can also send us feedback there too!), and save the date for next year - Saturday, 5 September, 2015.
Cheers, and thanks again,
Allison and Rachel xx
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| With thanks to Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade for capturing this great photo of us on Instagram! |
Friday, 19 September 2014
New GLYC Sponsor: ChiaoGoo
It seems we started something last year with leaving a sponsor until the very end to showcase *just* before the start of the Yarn Crawl because we've done it again this year - just to whet your appetite for tomorrow and get you even more excited about the after-party sponsored by Pom Pom Quarterly.
We're excited to welcome ChiaoGoo as a sponsor of this year's yarn crawl. We've been a fan of their high quality tools for some time which range from bamboo crochet hooks and knitting needles to their incredibly popular stainless steel Red Lace circular knitting needles with cables that don't twist or kink when you're using them. They even have a range of accessories too, our favourite of which is the Yarn Butler.
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| The ChiaoGoo Red Lace Twist complete set |
Even better, their interchangeable Twist and Spin sets allow knitters to swap between stainless steel or bamboo, and cable components as well. The Spin nylon cables are fantastic for magic loop! Both are packaged attractively in their own carry cases with stitch markers, end stoppers, extra cables and a needle gauge - everything you need really! And with the option to buy only small or large sizes in one kit, or a complete set, it's no wonder knitters really appreciate their flexibility.
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| The brand new ChiaoGoo DPN sets |
Earlier this year ChiaoGoo launched in the UK the newest addition to their range of sets: DPN sets for sock knitters in both stainless steel and bamboo - and we're thrilled to have been given one of each by ChiaoGoo's UK distributor. We'll be giving away the stainless steel one as a door prize, and the bamboo one has been tucked into the Grand Prize raffle basket. And if you don't knit socks, this is a great time to start! Or, perhaps you'll discover as Allison has that they're incredibly useful for other things like small hats or other projects knit in the round.
ChiaoGoo means "highly skillful and crafty lady" in Chinese and we think they're the perfect pairing for helping us all to be a little craftier!
We hope everyone has a wonderful Yarn Crawl tomorrow and we'll see you at the after-party! xx
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Shop Offers and Tips for Getting the Most out of the Yarn Crawl
Hello Happy Yarn Crawlers!
We are at T-minus two sleeps until the big day and so we thought it would be a good idea to capture in a single blog post some tips for your day, as well as listing all the goodies that the various shops will have on offer for you.
Obviously the tips below are only recommendations but we hope that you'll follow them as you'll have a much more enjoyable day if you do!
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| Images from #GLYC2013 |
Tips & Recos For A Happy Yarn Crawl
- Wear comfy shoes! This is a no brainer as there's some walking between tube and bus stops and the shops.
- Stay hydrated. Pack a small bottle of water that you can sip on throughout the day.
- Munchies. It's a good idea to have a small snack or two on you in case you get a bit peckish throughout the day. Some shops will have refreshments on offer but not all. There may also not be many cafe options or opportunities to stop beyond the lunch stop. It's also a good idea if you have any dietary restrictions that may make it difficult to find something on your route. Likewise, if you're bringing a packed lunch, don't forget that either!
- Travel card - check. Don't forget to pack your train ticket/travelcard/Oyster card that you will need on the day. We are traveling through zones 1-4 if you need to buy a travelcard. Buses no longer accept cash but you can use a contactless payment card (like your debit or credit card).
- Asthmatic, allergic, diabetic, or other health concerns? Please make sure you have your inhaler, epi pen, a sugary snack, or whatever specialty item you may need on the day. No need to share your details with your group, but we'd encourage you to let your Yarn Guides know about any special conditions, just so they're aware if anything happens.
- Stay connected. Make sure to pack your mobile or smartphone and carry a printed copy of the route details that you should have from your Yarn Guides. They should also have shared their contact details with you so you can text on the day if you're running late. Please let them have your contact details too. Also, please mind your Yarn Guides as they're keeping you to a tight schedule on the day!
- Shopping list(s). Of course everyone has different budgets and there's no obligation to buy anything on the day, but if you're looking for something for a particular project - be it yarn, buttons, trims or fabrics - it's helpful to have a list of the items or the pattern with you.
- Bag it. Bring a foldable shopping bag (or two!) if you're planning on making a few new stash acquisitions.
- Wallet, piggy bank, secret roll of bills... Again, there's no pressure to buy anything on the day but however you've been saving for the Yarn Crawl, don't forget to bring your pennies! And don't forget to save some for drinks and/or a snack at the after-party at The Parcel Yard, and of course tickets for our lovely raffle!
- Keep your hands clean. If you've got a bottle of hand sanitizer you might want to pop it in your bag. You know, after being on public transport all day.
- Wear something handmade! Another no brainer - we're all crafters after all and "what pattern is that" is a lovely opening when meeting new knitters. And once you have your goody bags, make sure you wear your Great London Yarn Crawl 2014 badge prominently to get any offers in the shops.
- Keep your hands busy. Don't forget your in-transit project for the day! Something small, portable, and uncomplicated is probably best (socks, scarves, hats, etc) although we've see people spindle spinning on the tube, so really, it's up to you!
- Charity knitting for Refuge. Did you knit something for us to pass on to Refuge? Please remember to bring it with you and find us at the after-party to exchange those knits for your tickets for the grand prize!
- Share the #GLYC2014 love. Let knitters at home yarn crawl vicariously through you! Please add us in your tweets or instagram snaps as @yarninthecity and use the hashtag #GLYC2014. Thank you!
2014 Shop Offers for GLYC Yarn Crawlers
A quick reminder that these offers are ONLY available to participants of The Great London Yarn Crawl 2014 and they must be wearing their participant badge! If you haven't got your ticket yet and would like to join us on the day there are still a few tickets left or check the ticket swaps thread on our Ravelry board.
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| Yarn Crawlers can see Cathy Needham's exhibit at Fringe. |
Fringe Studio 108 - Will have complimentary tea, coffee and pastries throughout the day as well as little exclusive surprise items on sale especially for the day. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet and view the work of Cathy Needham as her exhibit of textile art opens at Fringe on 20th September.
Handweavers Studio & Gallery - Will have complimentary cold drinks to Yarn Crawlers and are giving away a black cotton bag with every purchase.
I Knit London - Will be offering 10% off of everything. In the afternoon they are also hosting a book launch for Betsan Corkhill and her book Knit for Health & Wellness.
Knit With Attitude - Will be offering 10% off of everything to participants.
Mrs. Moon - Will be offering 10% off of everything to participants. (Note: this does not extend to Denham & Finney, where the shop is now located in their lovely back room).
Wild & Woolly - Will be opening early and hosting breakfast for the first team through their doors - Team Shetland - and will have cake and other treats for the rest of the teams. The True Brit Knits team will be on hand throughout the day to meet the teams and chat. The shop's Stash Depot promises some great deals and they're also happy to sign up more dealers. Finally, in addition to offering 10% off of everything to participants, they're also doing a 'sweater special' where you can get 8 skeins or balls of the same yarn for the price of 7.
Phew! We hope everyone has a wonderful day this Saturday, and we will see you at The Parcel Yarn for the after-party hosted by the lovely Pom Pom Quarterly gals! Happy Yarn Crawling!
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
The Grand Prize
(in which we reveal the contents of the Raffle Grand Prize, and entice you to knit more for Refuge and/or purchase raffle tickets at the after party)
Well, after the goody bag stuffing extravaganza of last week, we have finalised the contents of the Grand Prize for the raffle - are you ready to see it? Feast your eyes on this:
The Grand Prize includes:
1. A bag of Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK (66% super wash merino/34% tussah silk) in "Sky", for a total of 10 skeins, or 1350 m/500 gr of yarn. Hello new sweater!
2. A skein of sweetgeorgia Superwash Worsted (100% superwash merino, 182 m/115 gr) in "Hush". Hello new hat!
3. A skein of The Uncommon Thread Everyday Worsted (100% superwash merino, 183 m/100 gr) in "Tourmaline". Perhaps a cowl to go with your new sweater?
4. A skein of Twisted MN from Whimzy ((80% super wash merino/20% nylon, 365 m/100 gr) in "Lavender Fields". Hello cushy new socks!
5. A Noordzee kit, including a skein of (the sadly no longer available) Nimu Helvellyn (65% silk/35% cashmere, 400 m/100 gr) in "Crushed", plus a copy of Rachel's Noordzee Shawl pattern and a pot of beads to knit your own, all in an extra GLYC goody/project bag.
That about covers the yarny goodness, but there is more:
6. A set of ChiaoGoo Bamboo DPN sock needles, 15 cm long, ranging in size from 2.25 to 3.25 mm (US 1-3), to start on your Whimzy yarn straight away.
7. Another set of beads from Inspiration Knits (in case you don't like the ones included in your Noordzee kit), and
8. A copy of the lovely Knit Night scarf from Inspiration Knits.
9. A copy of Norwegian Knitting Designs by Annichen Sibbern Bohn, which includes loads of colorwork charts for designing your own pieces.
9. A 90 ml bottle of Soak in "Aquae" for washing up all your finished objects.
Now that we've whetted your appetites with all these lovelies, let's go over how you can get an entry into the Raffle:
1) You can buy a raffle ticket at the after party, where they will be available for £1 per ticket, or 6 tickets for £5 (all of these proceeds will go directly to the charity).
2) You can knit an item for Refuge and bring it to the after party to exchange for 3 raffle tickets (so if you bring in three things, you'll get nine tickets). Refuge are looking for warm accessories in a range of sizes (baby to adult), but have a particular need for mittens and hats for babies and toddlers, hats and scarves for older children, and scarf and hat sets for women.
If you need some pattern inspiration, check out our blog post about knitting for Refuge.
Many thanks to all of our sponsors for their generosity!
The countdown is seriously on now folks, and we hope you're getting excited! Be sure to head over to the Ravelry group, as there's a lot of pre-crawl planning and chatter going on. See you on Saturday!
Well, after the goody bag stuffing extravaganza of last week, we have finalised the contents of the Grand Prize for the raffle - are you ready to see it? Feast your eyes on this:
Not sure how all of this is getting to King's Cross intact yet...
The Grand Prize includes:
1. A bag of Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK (66% super wash merino/34% tussah silk) in "Sky", for a total of 10 skeins, or 1350 m/500 gr of yarn. Hello new sweater!
2. A skein of sweetgeorgia Superwash Worsted (100% superwash merino, 182 m/115 gr) in "Hush". Hello new hat!
3. A skein of The Uncommon Thread Everyday Worsted (100% superwash merino, 183 m/100 gr) in "Tourmaline". Perhaps a cowl to go with your new sweater?
4. A skein of Twisted MN from Whimzy ((80% super wash merino/20% nylon, 365 m/100 gr) in "Lavender Fields". Hello cushy new socks!
5. A Noordzee kit, including a skein of (the sadly no longer available) Nimu Helvellyn (65% silk/35% cashmere, 400 m/100 gr) in "Crushed", plus a copy of Rachel's Noordzee Shawl pattern and a pot of beads to knit your own, all in an extra GLYC goody/project bag.
That about covers the yarny goodness, but there is more:
6. A set of ChiaoGoo Bamboo DPN sock needles, 15 cm long, ranging in size from 2.25 to 3.25 mm (US 1-3), to start on your Whimzy yarn straight away.
7. Another set of beads from Inspiration Knits (in case you don't like the ones included in your Noordzee kit), and
8. A copy of the lovely Knit Night scarf from Inspiration Knits.
9. A copy of Norwegian Knitting Designs by Annichen Sibbern Bohn, which includes loads of colorwork charts for designing your own pieces.
9. A 90 ml bottle of Soak in "Aquae" for washing up all your finished objects.
Now that we've whetted your appetites with all these lovelies, let's go over how you can get an entry into the Raffle:
1) You can buy a raffle ticket at the after party, where they will be available for £1 per ticket, or 6 tickets for £5 (all of these proceeds will go directly to the charity).
2) You can knit an item for Refuge and bring it to the after party to exchange for 3 raffle tickets (so if you bring in three things, you'll get nine tickets). Refuge are looking for warm accessories in a range of sizes (baby to adult), but have a particular need for mittens and hats for babies and toddlers, hats and scarves for older children, and scarf and hat sets for women.
If you need some pattern inspiration, check out our blog post about knitting for Refuge.
Many thanks to all of our sponsors for their generosity!
The countdown is seriously on now folks, and we hope you're getting excited! Be sure to head over to the Ravelry group, as there's a lot of pre-crawl planning and chatter going on. See you on Saturday!
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
GLYC Sponsor: The Uncommon Thread
You may be noticing that we are publishing sponsor posts fast and furiously this week, so we can cover everyone who has been so incredibly generous with their products! Next up is another fantastic returning semi-local yarnie - The Uncommon Thread from Brighton!
TUT produces gorgeous handdyed yarns, many of which are sourced from British breeds. Their yarns run the gamut from lace weight to bulky, in an array of gorgeously saturated and luminous colours.
In addition to their online shop, you can find The Uncommon Thread in brick and mortar shops, including Yarn Crawl Shop Loop, who carry BFL light DK and Tough Sock, and YAK (opening soon), which carries BFL Fingering and Sumptuous DK. You can also find The Uncommon Thread on Ravelry, Twitter, and Facebook.
For Yarn Crawlers this year, Ce has very generously donated three skeins of her gorgeous yarns for door prizes, shown above (from bottom to top): Opulent (345 m/115 gr, 75% superwash merino/15% cashmere/10% silk) in "Salty Air", Sunday Best (345 m/115 gr, 70% superwash merino/20% cashmere/10% nylon) in "Witching Hour" and Everyday Worsted (183 m/100 gr, 100% superwash merino) in "Tourmaline".
The Everyday Worsted skein is part of the grand prize Raffle basket, but the sport weights will be up for grabs at the after party! Will we see you there?
In addition to their online shop, you can find The Uncommon Thread in brick and mortar shops, including Yarn Crawl Shop Loop, who carry BFL light DK and Tough Sock, and YAK (opening soon), which carries BFL Fingering and Sumptuous DK. You can also find The Uncommon Thread on Ravelry, Twitter, and Facebook.
For Yarn Crawlers this year, Ce has very generously donated three skeins of her gorgeous yarns for door prizes, shown above (from bottom to top): Opulent (345 m/115 gr, 75% superwash merino/15% cashmere/10% silk) in "Salty Air", Sunday Best (345 m/115 gr, 70% superwash merino/20% cashmere/10% nylon) in "Witching Hour" and Everyday Worsted (183 m/100 gr, 100% superwash merino) in "Tourmaline".
The Everyday Worsted skein is part of the grand prize Raffle basket, but the sport weights will be up for grabs at the after party! Will we see you there?
GLYC Sponsor: Kettle Yarn Co
Last year, we were very excited to have the brand new Kettle Yarn Co. as a GLYC sponsor. Linda is back this year, both as a sponsor and a volunteer (on Team Suffolk), and she's got all sorts of new and exciting things going on. She's just introduced a truly luscious new base this summer - BEYUL yak/silk/merino (from left to right yurt, electric amaranth, sacred saffron).
The contest will run from Sept 1st to Oct 15th and any newsletter subscribers that purchase yarn in that time period will be entered into a random draw for 5 skeins of Wimbledon in Melon Balls:
Lucky GLYC participants heading to Wild and Woolly will be able to ogle Linda's yarns in person, as W&W carrys a large range of Kettle Yarn Co. Anna currently has Islington fingering and Wimbledon sport in stock and will have some of the new yak/silk Beyul blend as a special GLYC promotion. You can also fondle EastLondonKnit's beautiful Naloa shawl in person on the day!
Those of you on the Loop routes can also find a few skeins of Islington in shop near the till.
You'll be able to find a little treat from Linda at the after-party - she's contributing project bag tags for every Yarn Crawler, and they'll be available at the Parcel Yard at the end of the day. Thank you Linda for your generosity and support, and we hope you have a great Yarn Crawl!
ETA: you can find Kettle Yarn Co on Etsy, Ravelry, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. So go get some gorgeous yarn!
ETA: you can find Kettle Yarn Co on Etsy, Ravelry, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. So go get some gorgeous yarn!
Monday, 15 September 2014
GLYC Sponsor: Ysolda
Another returning sponsor to this year's GLYC is Ysolda - welcome back!
Ysolda has been enchanting knitters with her whimsical designs for years. Charming knits all, Ysolda's accessories are quick and easy, Ishbel (both the shawl and the beret) is practically a Ravelry icon, and her sweaters both fit and flatter, thanks to many tips shared in her book Little Red in the City.
Ysolda's most recent publication - The Rhinebeck Sweater - is one of our favourites. The book brings together 11 of Ysolda's designer friends including Gudrun Johnston, Amy Herzog, and Mary Jane Mucklestone (to name but a few!) to share the sweaters they would wear to Rhinebeck, and is shot on location at the famous New York Sheep and Wool Festival held in Rhinebeck, New York.
But the book also has fantastic stories on what it is like to visit Rhinebeck and the festival itself. Clara Parkes waxes poetic on the merits of buying local, Thea Coleman (of Baby Cocktails) shares her recipe for a Beekman Cocktail and there are profiles of Rhinebeck yarn staples such as Bijou Basin Ranch, Jill Draper Makes Stuff, and The Verdant Gryphon - and more besides. If you've never had the pleasure of attending Rhinebeck, this book is lovingly curated to be the next best thing and we've got a copy for one lucky winner at this year's after-party!
Ysolda is also providing us with an electronic copy of her latest collection, Knitworthy. Appropriately named, the collection features eight patterns intended to make good gifts for everyone on your knitworthy list (because life's too short to knit for anyone who doesn't love what you make). The first pattern, Bronntanas is already available with the others being released every two weeks.
Thank you to Ysolda for such delicious inspiration for our Yarn Crawlers!
Ysolda's most recent publication - The Rhinebeck Sweater - is one of our favourites. The book brings together 11 of Ysolda's designer friends including Gudrun Johnston, Amy Herzog, and Mary Jane Mucklestone (to name but a few!) to share the sweaters they would wear to Rhinebeck, and is shot on location at the famous New York Sheep and Wool Festival held in Rhinebeck, New York.
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| L-R: Pumpkin Ale (by Ysolda Teague), Aunt Fred (by Pamela Wynne), and Artichoke French (by Laura Nelkin) |
But the book also has fantastic stories on what it is like to visit Rhinebeck and the festival itself. Clara Parkes waxes poetic on the merits of buying local, Thea Coleman (of Baby Cocktails) shares her recipe for a Beekman Cocktail and there are profiles of Rhinebeck yarn staples such as Bijou Basin Ranch, Jill Draper Makes Stuff, and The Verdant Gryphon - and more besides. If you've never had the pleasure of attending Rhinebeck, this book is lovingly curated to be the next best thing and we've got a copy for one lucky winner at this year's after-party!
Ysolda is also providing us with an electronic copy of her latest collection, Knitworthy. Appropriately named, the collection features eight patterns intended to make good gifts for everyone on your knitworthy list (because life's too short to knit for anyone who doesn't love what you make). The first pattern, Bronntanas is already available with the others being released every two weeks.
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| Bronntanas is Ysolda's newest pattern |
Thank you to Ysolda for such delicious inspiration for our Yarn Crawlers!
GLYC Sponsor: Kate Atherley
We're a big fan of Kate Atherley of Wise Hilda Knits fame. She's also Knitty's Lead Technical Editor, a prolific designer, and a regular teaching fixture of the Toronto and southern Ontario knitting scene.
Kate also has a number of books that help both new and intermediate knitters move beyond their comfort zone and take their knitting to the next level. Beyond Knit and Purl breaks down the roadblocks that knitters often encounter and builds up a knitter's confidence about patterns. Her second book, Knit Accessories: Essentials and Variations is a go-to resource for knitters looking for quick and easy knits for hats scarves, cowls, socks and mittens. For more experienced knitters it's a great set of master templates that are reliable for using over and over again with alterations and customisations.
Kate's latest book, due out in January 2015, is Pattern Writing for Knit Designers. The book is for both newer knitters who are just dipping their toe into design, and for established designers looking to improve their pattern writing. The book is full of examples and clear guidelines on how to write easy-to-use patterns for all types of knitters. the book covers topics like clearly communicating sizing and measurements informations, the whys and wherefores of creating charts for special pattern instructions, tackles the issues of abbreviations and the use of standard language. Along the way there are lots of helpful dos and don'ts, tips from knitters on what they like to see in patterns, and detailed examples of how to express even the most complex pattern instructions. This book will be a terrific reference for designers of all levels.
For this year's GLYC Kate has very generously donated a whopping FIVE prizes for our after-party: a digital bundle of her existing books, a copy of her upcoming book, and three copies of her e-book, The Rock & Roll Collection which has four fun and funky patterns for every knitter's inner-punk.
Thank you Kate!
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| One of Kate's latest designs: the stunning Rosetta Tharpe shawl |
Kate also has a number of books that help both new and intermediate knitters move beyond their comfort zone and take their knitting to the next level. Beyond Knit and Purl breaks down the roadblocks that knitters often encounter and builds up a knitter's confidence about patterns. Her second book, Knit Accessories: Essentials and Variations is a go-to resource for knitters looking for quick and easy knits for hats scarves, cowls, socks and mittens. For more experienced knitters it's a great set of master templates that are reliable for using over and over again with alterations and customisations.
Kate's latest book, due out in January 2015, is Pattern Writing for Knit Designers. The book is for both newer knitters who are just dipping their toe into design, and for established designers looking to improve their pattern writing. The book is full of examples and clear guidelines on how to write easy-to-use patterns for all types of knitters. the book covers topics like clearly communicating sizing and measurements informations, the whys and wherefores of creating charts for special pattern instructions, tackles the issues of abbreviations and the use of standard language. Along the way there are lots of helpful dos and don'ts, tips from knitters on what they like to see in patterns, and detailed examples of how to express even the most complex pattern instructions. This book will be a terrific reference for designers of all levels.
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| The super cute Hofner Socks from The Rock & Roll Collection |
For this year's GLYC Kate has very generously donated a whopping FIVE prizes for our after-party: a digital bundle of her existing books, a copy of her upcoming book, and three copies of her e-book, The Rock & Roll Collection which has four fun and funky patterns for every knitter's inner-punk.
Thank you Kate!
Sunday, 14 September 2014
More door prizes!
We've been incredibly busy here at GLYC HQ this past week - stuffing goody bags and meeting our fabulous volunteers that we rather got a little behind on the blogging! So sorry!
Happily for all our yarn crawlers, the door prizes have kept coming in and we have two more to tell you about from two of the lovely shops hosting participants on this year's Yarn Crawl.
First up - Wild & Woolly, the new kid on the block in Hackney has teamed up the knitting and designing collective of True Brit Knits to present a rather amazing door prize!
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| Some lucky knitter is going to win all this from Wild & Woolly and True Brit Knits! |
The contents include: 100g of Town End Alpaca's Pure Alpaca DK, True Brit Knits' Canterberet pattern, a True Brit Knits' Knitters Notebook (which includes knitting symbols and rectangular charting paper) and a True Brit Knits' Knitter brooch.
Then, those lovely folks over at Loop have offered up a skein of a brand new yarn they're bringing in called Kismet Fiber Works. The base is called Refuge - incredibly appropriate for the GLYC! Refuge is a fingering weight yarn that is 50% camel and 50% silk - resulting in the softest of soft projects, with glorious sheen and drape. To quote the description on their Etsy shop, "It's like knitting with air." We believe it!
We don't know yet what the colour will be but it's bound to fabulous! Some of their more charming names include Grown Ass Woman, and our favourite, Skein Cocaine. Sounds like this yarn is too much of a good thing!
Many thanks to Wild & Woolly, True Brit Knits and Loop for putting up such wonderful door prizes for our yarn crawlers. Less than a week to go now. Has everyone started their shopping lists yet?
Quick Update (18 September 2014) - We've had a note from Susan at Loop that unfortunately the Kismet Fiber Works yarn hasn't arrived yet. Instead, Loop will be donating a skein of Squoosh Merino Cashmere Lace in Winterfell, along with their latest Loop pattern, the Josephine Shawl. A perfect combination!
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| Squoosh Merino Cashmere Lace - perfect for a new shawl! |
Quick Update (18 September 2014) - We've had a note from Susan at Loop that unfortunately the Kismet Fiber Works yarn hasn't arrived yet. Instead, Loop will be donating a skein of Squoosh Merino Cashmere Lace in Winterfell, along with their latest Loop pattern, the Josephine Shawl. A perfect combination!
Friday, 12 September 2014
New GLYC Sponsor: Inspiration Knits
One of the things that we think is really awesome about our sponsors for the Great London Yarn Crawl is how they seem to be the right mix of yarnies, tools and designers. Everything you need really, to keep you inspired as we kick off the cold weather knitting season!
And speaking of inspiration... we're pleased to welcome Inspiration Knits as a sponsor to this year's GLYC.
Louise Zass-Bangham is the busy designer behind Inspiration Knits which are a range of lovely accessories, scarves, shawls, fingerless gloves and hats. Just the kind of quick project you want to be working on this time of year! Many of her patterns also call for a only a single skein of sock yarn, perfect for if you've got something in your stash - or if you pick up something special on the Yarn Crawl!
Louise's designs are modern classics - simple, timeless, elegant and always well-written. They're fun to knit and look great too. And because Louise loves yarn and knitting as much as the people who knit her patterns do, she always has many suggestions for different yarn options, or even embellishing with beads. The inspiration is up to every knitter how they make the patterns truly their own!
Thanks to Louise we've popped a little Inspiration Knits something into every goody bag: two small bags of beads, along with Louise's beading tutorial, an Inspiration Knits badge and a discount voucher for one of her patterns. There's enough beads for use on a one of Louise's designs, and if you haven't added beads to your knitting before, this is a great excuse to try something new!
Louise will also be joining us on this year's Yarn Crawl as one of our helpful Yarn Guides is happy to weigh in on yarn and colour selections! Thanks so much Louise!
And speaking of inspiration... we're pleased to welcome Inspiration Knits as a sponsor to this year's GLYC.
Louise Zass-Bangham is the busy designer behind Inspiration Knits which are a range of lovely accessories, scarves, shawls, fingerless gloves and hats. Just the kind of quick project you want to be working on this time of year! Many of her patterns also call for a only a single skein of sock yarn, perfect for if you've got something in your stash - or if you pick up something special on the Yarn Crawl!
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| One of Louise's most popular patterns: Knit Night |
Louise's designs are modern classics - simple, timeless, elegant and always well-written. They're fun to knit and look great too. And because Louise loves yarn and knitting as much as the people who knit her patterns do, she always has many suggestions for different yarn options, or even embellishing with beads. The inspiration is up to every knitter how they make the patterns truly their own!
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| The texture in Louise's Painted scarf is wonderful for showing off the colours in a variegated sock yarn |
Thanks to Louise we've popped a little Inspiration Knits something into every goody bag: two small bags of beads, along with Louise's beading tutorial, an Inspiration Knits badge and a discount voucher for one of her patterns. There's enough beads for use on a one of Louise's designs, and if you haven't added beads to your knitting before, this is a great excuse to try something new!
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| One of Louise's newest designs, the Slipstream Cowl |
Louise will also be joining us on this year's Yarn Crawl as one of our helpful Yarn Guides is happy to weigh in on yarn and colour selections! Thanks so much Louise!
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
New GLYC sponsor: Rowan and Coats
We are sure that all of you are familiar with the lovely yarns of Rowan, right? Well, this year we are thrilled to have the lovely people at Coats Crafts UK sponsoring the GLYC to the tune of a ball of Rowan yarn for every yarn crawler!
There's a huge selection of yarns that will be packed up for you, including Drift, Rowan Tweed Aran, some Cashsoft 4-ply, Kid Silk Haze, baby Merino Silk DK and many more!
Once you've gotten your yarn, be sure to head over to the Coats website, and check out their range of free patterns and tutorials. The Rowan website also has a number of patterns exclusively available online, many from the archives that are also free to download if you register on their website. They even have a mystery knit-a-long designed by Kaffe Fassett starting on October 1st with four different colour options!
There's a huge selection of yarns that will be packed up for you, including Drift, Rowan Tweed Aran, some Cashsoft 4-ply, Kid Silk Haze, baby Merino Silk DK and many more!
Once you've gotten your yarn, be sure to head over to the Coats website, and check out their range of free patterns and tutorials. The Rowan website also has a number of patterns exclusively available online, many from the archives that are also free to download if you register on their website. They even have a mystery knit-a-long designed by Kaffe Fassett starting on October 1st with four different colour options!
Many thanks to Coats and Rowan for their wonderful generosity to this year's Yarn Crawlers! And if you're in the London area, Rowan are having a coffee morning at Peter Jones on thisThursday, 11 September, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm in the Top Floor restaurant on the sixth floor. There will be an opportunity to see a large number of garments from Rowan's new Autumn Winter collection. Tickets are available for £5 and include refreshments. And, all attendees will receive a 10% voucher to use on Rowan products all day.
Maybe we'll see you there! :)
Monday, 8 September 2014
GLYC Sponsor: Kathleen Lawton-Trask and Silver Screen Knits
Last year on the GLYC we were lucky to have designer and blogger Kathleen Lawton-Trask of Knit Like You Mean It join us for the day.
Kathleen won't be able to make it this year, but you can join us in adding our congratulations to her on the arrival of her sweet baby boy, who being only a few weeks old, means it's a little hard for her to travel at the moment!
Before Kathleen's little one arrived, earlier this year she had a delivery of a different kind - Silver Screen Knits Volume 2. SSK 2 is the companion to her book released last year, Silver Screen Knits Volume 1. Contributing designers include Susanna IC, Ann Weaver, Danielle Romanetti, Tanis Gray, Becky Wolf, and Kathleen herself.
Like it's predecessor, SSK 2 is filled with chic, wearable designs inspired by classic films from Hollywood's Golden Age of cinema such as Rear Window, The Great Gatsby, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Singin' In The Rain. Each pattern introduces the star that inspired it, and also includes must-see moments from the films, along with quotations from memorable characters.
And in the highest compliment one can get from another designer, Franklin Habit had this to say about SSK 2, "Watching a history of cinema and browsing 'Silver Screen Knits' by Kathleen Lawton-Trask. Making me wish I had more time to knit. These are collections with a lot of solid, classic work. Stuff to wear again and again because it's fun and versatile.".
We think these books take knitting and movie-watching to a whole new level!
Kathleen has very generously donated a set of BOTH books for one lucky door prize winner at this year's after-party. Thank you Kathleen!
And in case you missed last week's blog post - we recently released a small block of tickets to this year's Yarn Crawl. If you don't have yours yet, act fast!
Kathleen won't be able to make it this year, but you can join us in adding our congratulations to her on the arrival of her sweet baby boy, who being only a few weeks old, means it's a little hard for her to travel at the moment!
Before Kathleen's little one arrived, earlier this year she had a delivery of a different kind - Silver Screen Knits Volume 2. SSK 2 is the companion to her book released last year, Silver Screen Knits Volume 1. Contributing designers include Susanna IC, Ann Weaver, Danielle Romanetti, Tanis Gray, Becky Wolf, and Kathleen herself.
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| The gorgeous Grace Kelly Luxurious Beaded Shawl |
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| Grace Kelly also provided inspiration for this Grace Kelly Lace Sleeve Pullover |
And in the highest compliment one can get from another designer, Franklin Habit had this to say about SSK 2, "Watching a history of cinema and browsing 'Silver Screen Knits' by Kathleen Lawton-Trask. Making me wish I had more time to knit. These are collections with a lot of solid, classic work. Stuff to wear again and again because it's fun and versatile.".
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| So elegant: the Hedy Lamarr Fingerless Gloves |
We think these books take knitting and movie-watching to a whole new level!
Kathleen has very generously donated a set of BOTH books for one lucky door prize winner at this year's after-party. Thank you Kathleen!
And in case you missed last week's blog post - we recently released a small block of tickets to this year's Yarn Crawl. If you don't have yours yet, act fast!
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