Time to switch ‘em up (by Debbie Purcell)

It’s that time of year again.  It is for those of us in the northern hemisphere.  It is not yet November and I’m sorry to say I had to turn the heat on in my house.

I’m somewhat frugal and try not to turn the heat on until at least November.  Yesterday I broke down and turned on the furnace because it was cold in the house.  In Boston we had our first brush with snow this past Thursday, burr!

I’m almost finished with my second market bag from the Naughty Knitterz fall knit-a-long event created by Gypsy for our Facebook group.  It was a wicked fun project for me.

The market bag pattern created by Gypsy is super easy to follow.   I made my two market bags using this red cotton yarn I found.  What a deal it was.  I paid $4 for a giant spool of yarn at my local Walmart.

It’s perfect for the bags I’ve made so far.  What else does a person do with that much red cotton yarn?  Look for a picture of my bag posted to the Facebook knit-a-long event.  I use my bag to carry the other canvas grocery bags I use.  It is perfect to then use to carry home the bread I buy.

My market bag has drawn some attention where I shop for my groceries.  One woman asked where I got the idea.

Now is the time of year I want some warm wool around my fingers so I’m knitting these Cabled Fingerless Mitts.  I found this cool pattern which I downloaded from the Pattern Share page.  I will be knitting up these gloves using the American Gothic yarn you can find on the Misfit Knitterz page.

I was apprehensive about using a yarn blend using pistachio, purple, mauve, and olive brown colors.   From the description I thought the yarn would be pretty but wasn’t sure.  I love it.

I don’t know what I was so concerned about.  All I can say is that the American Gothic yarn is absolutely beautiful.  How does Michele come up with these color blends?

I should know by now to trust any yarn she creates for Misfit Knitterz will be pretty.  This is a lady who taught us to dye yarn using Kool-Aid.

Look for an email coming soon announcing an end of the year deal on the new Misfit Yarnz page.  You should visit the page to see this funky picture slide Mike added which shows all the yarn available in an automated way.

Fiber Arts and Social Media (by Jenifer Rank)

As a knitter or crocheter, when your hands are supposed to be occupied with needles, hooks, and yarn, what on earth can social media portals like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and others do for you?

I joined Twitter last year after swearing I would never, ever participate in something as silly as that service.  Bear in mind, I also said the same thing about Facebook.  There are several reasons that these types of services can be of great help to artisans.

First, say you are working on a pattern and you get stuck, don’t know what an abbreviation is, or are having a problem selecting a pattern.  Head over to your “Tweeps” and ask!  This is a great resource for finding new patterns, getting opinions on patterns or yarn that you are considering, etc.  I found Cookie A’s Monkey socks pattern in exactly this way. 

Second, as a stay at home mom, it is really nice to be able to “chat” with others when I’m sitting at home watching endless hours of kid’s movies and cartoons as I’m working on my various projects.  It’s even nicer when these relationships that are developed online transition into the real world.  I’ve met several of my knitty tweeps in real life for knit time at local yarn shops, and they are just as delightful in person!

Third, if you are a seller on Etsy, Artfire, or simply in craft shows, social media is a great way to promote your items and what you are doing!  Pattern notifications, both for sale and that are listed for free… those postings run rampant on Twitter.  Special sales, discounts, and promotions are consistently listed on social media.  I’ve found out about huge sales from Lantern Moon and Blue Moon Fiber Arts through these channels and have saved a ton because of it!

Finally, it can result in great opportunities both for individuals and businesses.  I have made enough connections that I will be working with a dyer and spinner in the future with her new business that she is starting up!  I’ve always been computer savvy, but was late to the social media game.  I am so excited to say that I have embraced it whole-heartedly, and I wish more crafty types would do the same!  It really is a great networking tool, and can be used as much or as little as you like. 

www.twitter.com/naughtyknitterz

 

Find Your Knitting Mojo (by Whitnee Regan)

We have all had those times where we want to knit or crochet, but we just don’t know which project to work on. So many lovely patterns out there but sometimes it is hard to find one to start working on. I can’t tell you how many times I have sat down wanting to knit only to get frustrated because I just couldn’t find my knitting mojo.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. It wasn’t because I didn’t have patterns or yarn. It was just because I couldn’t find the inspiration that I needed. Where can someone who has lost their mojo turn to? There are many different places and resources available.

The most readily available resources most of us have are knitting books and magazines. There are so many to choose from. Most libraries have at least a few knitting books. Sometimes beautiful patterns can be found in the most unlikely books or magazines. As far as magazines are concerned though, don’t just flip through looking at the pictures. There are so many wonderfully written articles about all different aspects of crafts that it can really get those creative juices flowing.

As for those of us that are a little more comfortable with the wealth of information that is available online, there are many resources there as well. There is everything from craft related blogs, to different types of online communities. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the internet. If you have particular yarn you want to use, no doubt there is a website for that yarn that you could gain inspiration from. There are even podcasts to listen to.

You don’t have to have an iPod to listen, just download it to your computer! They are like little radio programs about all sorts of different topics. I put knit in the search bar and there were so many to choose from! I was hooked instantly. I now have more than I could possibly ever listen to in a normal amount of time, because I like to go back and listen to all of my favorite podcasters episodes.

Imagine, getting to listen to someone talk about their achievements, difficulties, and general yarn journeys!   Plus I can listen to them when I can’t have yarn in my hands.

Besides books, and the internet, the biggest thing that I do to keep track of my inspiration is to keep a journal.  I write down everything. I make lists and notes constantly.  I write down websites that I enjoy, blogs that I read, patterns that I love, and sometimes even notes on patterns that I am working on. It is meant to be something that I can look at to spark creativity when I am not feeling so creative. Having a knitting journal can also be really helpful in keeping my thoughts somewhat organized, even though there when there is no rhyme or reason to the order in the notebook itself.

And I can take it with me anywhere I go so if inspiration hits me when I am out, I can write it down and save it for later! Everyone has things that inspire them more than others and surrounding yourself with those things can really help find your knitting mojo.

Also, check out the other Gypsy Knitterz column posts for more tips and tricks on keeping you fiber projects organized and finding your knitting mojo.

Got Tri-loom? (by Pamela Kelly)

Start by getting a loom and some of your extra yarn because next month we will start weaving!  If you don’t have a loom and decide to purchase one you can do so by going to www.sunflowerfibers.com along with sending me an email ( sunflowerfibers@gmail.com )  and I’ll make sure you get a 10% discount on the purchase of your very own tri-loom.

So now you’re asking what can I do with a bunch of woven triangles?  You can do a lot of things with a two foot triangle.  For example, putting 8 together you can make the “8 Piece Woven Wrap”  which is pictured on the right .  You can also purchase the pattern for this wrap at www.sunflowerfibers.com. 

To get started designing with triangles, make yourself some paper triangles and laminate them.  Than just put those triangles together and see what you come up with.  Use your imagination.  You’ll have a blast!  It is also great fun to mix woven triangles with woven squares. 

I would like you to start thinking about what you can make with a bunch of woven triangles.  Next month I will be teaching you how to weave on a triangle loom.  Also in the coming weeks I will post complete triangle weaving instructions on my website - www.sunflowerfibers.com.  I’m also working on instructions for weaving on the  square loom. 

If you have any ideas, any questions or just need a little help contact me.  Thanks for reading.  Now, Got Tri-loom?

Cotton Craze…Great Handmade Gifts (by Natalie Badolato)

I’ve recently moved which forced me to pack my ever growing supply of craft materials. It wasn’t until I unpacked my supplies that I realized I have an incredible stash of yarn. So in an effort to depart from my norm of crocheting gifts for family and friends, I’ve decided to dive into my pile of 100% cotton and crochet things to sell at a community craft fair.

I jumped online to get inspiration and found that cotton kitchen and bath items are a hot ticket item. Now I’m happy to report that I’m not just drowning in balls of cotton but I’m also drowning in spiral scrubbies, wash cloths, bath puffs, cotton pads and apple cozies.

With the holidays quickly approaching and the economy as it is, I wanted to make something affordable that people could buy more than one of.

These cute and affordable pieces are perfect gifts for those hard-to-buy-for people on your list like co-workers and teachers. If you are looking for some really quick gift items, I recommend crocheting some spiral scrubbies. They take a small amount of cotton and you can bang a bunch of these out in an evening.

Knit Like a Man – The Long-Tail Cast On (video)