Category Archives: Inspiration

My adventures with a speed knitter…

So as I mentioned in my last post, Miriam and her son Thuur are visiting our offices this week from Holland. We kept Miriam pretty busy yesterday filming video tutorials and posing for a catalog photo, so we decided to do something a little more low key today and film Miriam and Thuur out and about in Portland. First we headed to Multnomah Falls. Thuur got some amazing shots of a hummingbird. I’ll have to see if I can borrow a couple and post them for you. Then we snagged lunch in downtown Portland at Veganopolis. Thuur’s vegetarian and I’m vegan, so Veganopolis was a perfect choice. It was delicious! We’d planned on doing more sightseeing downtown, but today was unseasonably rainy so we decided to wait until later in the week. Those of you ...

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Ravelry friend visits Portland

I met Judy, TassieKnitter, when I joined Ravelry. We spent many months happily chatting about our knitting and spinning projects before she mentioned that she would be visiting America in the summer. And, in my area, no less!!! Between Judy’s touring touring around with her friends and my schedule, it took us awhile to get together. But, yesterday afternoon we met at Nordstrom’s downtown. Xena was very pleased to meet a new friend! Judy had already hit a few places I would have recommended – Powell’s books, Dublin Irish shop and Knit Purl. Since Judy had already been running around all morning, I decided a quick trip to the little Elephants Deli next door to Nordstrom was in order. She grabbed her first Brownie in America and I had an oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie. Some Dry Lavender soda finished off our ...

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Lace and Socks

I’ve been away so long! I think I may finally be caught up after my vacation, so can post a few pictures of what I’ve been working on. The Myrtle Leaf Shawl went with me to Italy and really helped the airplane and layover hours pass pleasantly. It’s getting a little big to carry around now, so I found an old plate box to keep it in. I love cool containers! I’m about a third of the way through the second hank of Shadow lace yarn. I’m just going to make the Shawl two hanks long and then use a third hank for the border. Pattern: Myrtle Leaf Shawl from Victorian Lace Today Yarn: Shadow in Campfire, a discontinued color from my stash Needles: US 3 Harmony Wood 24″ fixed circular And, here are my meeting socks. It looks like I’ve been ...

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You’re invited!

We’re hosting an event in Portland, OR, next Wednesday July 30th from 5:30-7:30pm with Miriam Tegels at the North Portland Library. Miriam is in the Guiness Book of World Records as the World’s Fastest Knitter! Miriam is coming from the Netherlands to visit us (Knit Picks is her newest sponsor!) and film a few tutorials on how to knit faster. While she’s in the United States, she’d love to meet American knitters like you. So bring your knitting and come say hi to me, Marci, and Miriam at: North Portland Library meeting room (upstairs!) 512 N. Killingsworth St. Portland, OR 97217 5:30-7:30pm Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 We will be providing light refreshments. Please comment if you’re planning on coming so we can buy enough snacks. We may be filming at the event, so just a heads up that if you come, you may end up in a Knit Picks video. By attending the event you are giving us your ...

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Christmas in July

Wow, it’s been exactly a month since my last staff blog post–oops! Time flies when you’re knitting snowmen. Yep, that’s what I’ve been up to this July. We decided that we wanted a “mascot” of sorts to show up in our holiday catalogs and emails, and the next thing I knew I was knitting wee snowmen with accessories. There are three different snowmen: Lumpy, Rosy & Slim. They each have their own unique shape and outfits and you’ll be seeing them cropping up in September. Of course, we’ll be offering my patterns too so you can make your own as ornaments or toys. I decided to give you a sneak peak of Slim (he’s Frosty’s cousin and the most traditional of the three). I was really pleased at how his felted top hat came out, since I just improvised the pattern on ...

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I know I’m in trouble when…

….my Affirmation Marker is larger than the beginning of my Jolly Green Socks for Socks for Soldiers. This time I am going to use Tina’s pattern for Two At A Time Toe Up Socks. I love her garter stitch heel that extends under the heel. I’m going to add a special touch – double strand the garter stitch section for extra padding! I can tell you that it is much easier to knit with Sarge than black yarn! <

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Lace shawl decision is made

When all else fails, I fall back on Elizabeth Zimmermann. Particularly the Knitting Workshop. This is the book I would have with me on a desert island. The Stonington Shawl has a garter stitch body with a lace border. Just what I want for a travel project. Simple at the beginning with more challenge for the trip home. I seem to look at the time every five minutes when we are traveling back home. Keeping track of a lace border will be very helpful. The simple design will show off the hand-dyed colors of Shimmer Bayou. I am going to find a fancy border for it. I can’t wait to see this all finished! <

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It’s nearly finished!

Oh, I am so close to finishing my Aran Sweater from The Knitter’s Almanac. I made a lot of progress this week thanks to Craft Night and a staff meeting. After the weekend I needed to change to just one sleeve at a time. You can see that one sleeve is longer than the other! One more repeat of the cable pattern and then I will move to the second sleeve. You can see that I am so close to being finished! Steek for the sleeve openings and the front. Add a buttonband and all finished! Well I stlll have to buy buttons. I may buy buttons in Ireland as special souvenirs. <

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Greetings from Slovakia!

Hi all… I’ve been gone from work a week and it feels like months… I’m in the town of Martin, Slovakia teaching English to a group of students (ages 9 to 42)…… It’s been quite an experience but so much fun at the same time… I brought some yarn along to knit in my spare time but have found there isn’t much extra time to be found! If we’re not teaching in class, we’re wandering in the town square or on a field trip or sometimes crashing with a nap… The land looks so much like Washington state with the mountains and green (and yes, a little rain too) – except in Washington we don’t have castles… Speaking of castles (great segway, huh?) today I took a trip to the Castle Strecno about 15 kilometers from Martin. Here I am in ...

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I do love my drop spindle!

Now that I’ve become comfortable with drop spindling, it seems like I am spinning all the time! I completely understand those spinners who prefer drop spindles to spinning wheels. Or, at least have a couple of drop spindles besides their spinning wheels. It is so easy to drop spindle during small bits of time much like I’m used to getting in a few stitches on a pair of socks. I may even take one of my tiny drop spindles out to dinner tonight. I used my Flip Mino to capture a bit of my enthusiasm. The spindle in the video is a Golding Aromatherapy with a 2 3/4″ cherry whorl. <

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