Category Archives: Fun

Podcast 256: Something for Everybody!

Podcast 256 has something for everybody! We hear from Knit Picks' own Alison Backus about our new collection, "Knits for Everybody", with basic patterns you'll go back to again and again. The sweater pattern from this book is designed by Katy Banks, who talks on this podcast about her design process, and left handed knitting a whole different way. We'll also talk to Vera Brosgol, author and illustrator of the new children's picture book, "Leave Me Alone", (pictured above) about drawing, knitting, and being left alone to do it all. 3 easy ways to listen...

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9 Things We’re Loving for June

It's time to show off just a few of the things we're loving here at Knit Picks HQ lately! And for this month, we couldn't help but indulge our love of purple for the June guide. We've collected our favorite things in a range of regal dark purples to romantic light lavenders. We hope you enjoy some of our favorite picks as much as we do, and happy crafting! 1. Chroma Yarn in Avalon>> 2. Majestic Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set>> 3. Casa Loma Shawlette Pattern>> 4. Lavishea Lotion Bars>> 5. Phil Basin in Purple>> 6. Wool of the Andes Worsted in Amethyst Heather>> 7. Everyday Tote Bag in Purple>> 8. Dishie in Lilac Mist>> 9. Simple Shells Cowl - free pattern download>> Save Save Save

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Speaking of Podcasts

I live and breath podcasts these days. At any given moment you can find me listening to one while I work (as I type this!), in the car, as I cook, clean, sew, weave, knit, crochet... basically my entire day is filled with surprising episodes from amazing podcasters. 'Tis the season for some heavy-duty crafting so I thought I would put together a short list of my favorite podcasts to listen to! So sit back, grab your WIP and a mug of favorite tea, and explore these absolutely delightful shows.

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Staff Projects: Winging It, For Our Kids

So much of parenting is just figuring it out as you go along, right? In keeping with that idea, Alison and I have recently been crafting without patterns - just "winging it", as we do in some form with our young kids each and every day. I hesitated about posting these projects, only because we get a lot of questions about our staff projects: what patterns we used, if/where we altered the pattern, how much yarn we used, and if that yarn still available. These three projects are an amalgamation of elements that came together without a specific plan, but I wanted to show you them anyway. Sometimes it's the spontaneous things we create that turn out to be the most unique, don't you think? First up, is this watermelon slice that Alison made from our newest yarn, Tuff Puff. She used under 5 skeins of Pucker, 2 skein of Macaw, and 1 skein each of White and Black. Alison would like to report that she has aspirations for writing up this pattern, but would like to change how she did the decreases. In the meantime, she says her 1 year-old daughter will enjoy belly flopping on it, immensely. Job done!

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Crafting Confessions

If you've gotten a Knit Picks order in the last couple of months, you might have noticed a card hiding out with your yarn - tempting you to reveal your deepest, darkest crafty secrets with the world! We've loved reading through your submissions on Instagram (#CraftingConfessions) and there have been many LOL-worthy moments...mainly because we can relate! And now, we decided it was time to turn the tables and reveal our own confessions with you! Here are some of our favorite crafting confessions from the staff at Knit Picks, ENJOY!  

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Cutest Sheep EVER!

A little debate popped up at the office today while I was paging through our coveted copy of the Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook over exactly which breed of sheep is the absolute cutest! There are handsome sheep, noble breeds and strange shapes but the hardest to choose is which breed makes us utter a collective "Aaaaawwwwww!" Cast your vote below for either the Kerry Hill sheep or the Valais Blackface if you can handle looking at this much cuteness in one place!

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6 Ways to Wear the Spring Accessories Collection

The countdown to Spring is on and we've put together 6 layer-worthy looks featuring our new 2015 Spring Accessories collection. We asked Holly, the Multimedia Manager for Knit Picks, and Dawn, the Project Coordinator for our sister company Connecting Threads, to put together outfits featuring three projects from the Spring Accessories collection by showing off their own personal style. I love how different and unique each of these looks turned out - and we hope you get inspired to start your own Spring Accessories style. And in the meantime, let's get things started with the Dahlia Shawl!   DAHLIA SHAWL by Allison Griffith PRINTS CHARMING: Spring is just around the corner, which means color will soon be popping up everywhere! Take this cue from nature and add bright colors into your wardrobe mix - try a fun printed dress and dress it up with coordinating accessories for a "spring has sprung" ensemble.

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Chill Zone: Totally 80’s to the Max

  Belmont by Gundren Johnson via KnittyBaker on Ravelry Totally tubular news of the day: Stroll Brights are back AND we've added Swish Worsted Brights to the neon party! Kicking off our neon-love inspiration is the KnittyBaker's Belmont cardigan - we think this is a perfect match for Stroll Bright in Pucker...or how about Highlighter Yellow? We've put together a weekend's worth of 80's inspired goodness for you enjoy: free knit and crochet patterns, must-watch movies along with the perfect snacks and drinks as well as a curated Spotify playlist to listen to while you craft.

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Happy Lunar New Year!

Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Sheep and as crafters with a passion for all things fiber, we couldn't be happier to celebrate! From yarns to colors, patterns and more, the world of knitting and crochet is filled with creativity inspired by our favorite fiber animals. And to kick off the year of the sheep, we're sharing our some of our favorite sheep-inspired patterns and products. First up, the Sheep Scrubby Dishcloth!

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Knit Picks E-Valentines

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and it's the perfect excuse to send cheesy messages and punny cards to your loved ones and favorite crafty friends. Luckily, we have 6 adorable eValentines to choose from - all of which show off your fiber flair!

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