How do you yarnbomb a gorgeous event without detracting from either the existing interior design or exhibited art… in one week? When Gensler Architecture and Design asked us to yarnbomb their San Francisco headquarters to accentuate a quarterly workplace art show, in this case a fiber art exhibition, this was our dilemma.
Last month I told you about the new crochet pattern for our fun Snake Yarnbomb design. As fast as our little fingers could go, we’ve knitted and purled and sewn and photographed and typed to get you the knitting pattern version of the same popular design. With no further ado, I’d like to introduce you to the Knit Snake Yarnbomb! (more…)
Our first yarn bombs were imaginative mailbox feet that transformed the big blue boxes into elves, ducks, frogs, and monsters. They soon became our most popular work, with everyone requesting slipper versions of their own to wear at home. Indeed, why should mailboxes have all the fun? Now you can yarn bomb your feet with this new Monster Slippers crochet pattern, available for instant download where ever you like to buy patterns: Ravelry, Etsy, or Craftsy. (more…)
I’m excited to announce my new blog post series, “Meet the Pattern.” This series reveals the stories behind knitting and crochet patterns. “Meet the Pattern” fills the gap in the blogosphere between bland knitting and crochet “pattern round-ups” and “finished object on my oak dinner table” buzz-kills. Each story will differ a little, but the goal is to:
Now, with much fanfare, let’s Meet the Pattern! (more…)
Just a quick note about two new great opportunities for you to learn fresh, modern craft skills. They both start August 6, one in person and one online, so you can take both! (more…)
Somewhere around 1987 I knotted Corey Haim a black and purple friendship bracelet, then checked Bop magazine monthly to see if it pictured him wearing it. Imagine my sorrow twenty years later watching The Two Coreys on A&E! Friendship bracelets definitely outlived poor Corey: today Instagram has about 50,000 pics tagged #friendshipbracelet. But the good news is you don’t have to be ten years old to wear them anymore. And you certainly don’t have to hover over a safety pin stuck through your favorite leggings to stitch one up for everyone in your best friend tier. (more…)
This week I modeled The Dapper Toad’s handiwork, based on Howie Woo’s Anti-Facial Recognition system. What fun we had lolling around Downtown! Jill at The Dapper Toad made them for the kids at summer camp, where she teaches knitting and crochet. I think it it would be a blast to make a stop-motion video with it. What story line would you like to see in crochet?
Do check out Jill’s silly photoessay. And if you’re not a fan of Howie Woo, snap too it–he’s the bomb-diggity!
Back in the fall I declared this winter the season for wearing cuter headbands. Banish the big flowers made by grandma! Be gone, sorority-esque cliches! Now, with much trumpeting and fanfare, I pull back the red curtain and unveil to you two new lines of cute chunky knit headbands. Plus, get your scroll on: 20% off all new headbands and enter to win one for Christmas!
Winter cannot force us to ditch the summer braid! Braids are toute la rage all year round, now that you can wear them on a squishy, chunky ear warmer. Plus, they’re made with a blend of warm wool and easy-care acrylic so you can even throw them in your laundry! $35 at knitsforlife.etsy.com
Step off the curb like a silver screen starlet with an über-chic turban look. Already flying off the shelves, I’m gifting this perfectly cozy, stretchy accessory all Christmas and Hanukkah long. $35 at knitsforlife.etsy.com
Some one-of-a-kind pieces came out of the design process too. Here are a few of my favorites. Find more in the shop under the Eco Accessories tab.
OK, smarty pants, so you know how to knit, huh? Great, you can make these for all your friends!
The knitting pattern for the braided cable knit ear warmer is free at transientexpression.com. Note that if you use super bulky yarn like I did, you only need 8 repeats of the pattern.
The knitting pattern for the convertible turban headband and cowl is $3 on Ravelry or at knitsforlife.etsy.com.
From now until Christmas, save 20% on my new ear warmer headbands in the Etsy shop with code XMAS2012. I ship items the same or next day in cute, hand-stamped gift wrap with no price on it so you can gift it directly in the mailing package. I also include a free vetiver-scented buckwheat sachet your recipient can pop in the microwave and use as a pocket hand warmer. They’ll be warm cuddly from head to toe!
The coupon goes “poof!” on Christmas eve and on Christmas morning I’ll announce the winner of a free ear warmer! You get one headband from the cable knit line or the turban line in your favorite color shipped to your door for free. To enter:
1. Tweet “Save 20% on these über-chic hand knit ear warmers from now until Xmas: http://wp.me/p1sxl3-gN”
2. Share Knits for Life’s Facebook announcement on your feed. You must go to Knits for Life’s page and click “share” on the story already posted there. Sharing a link to this blog post on your page doesn’t count. My page: https://www.facebook.com/knitsforlife
3. Leave a comment below letting me know you’re in!
Don’t forget to order by December 17 in time to ship for Christmas.
Happy happy winter!
xxxo,
Lorna
There’s no better way to seduce a sexy farm-hand than by wearing a romantic sweater designed by Rowan and knit with their wool. (As you wiiiiiiish!!)
If you love yarn, you know Rowan Yarns stand for luxurious fibers and modern designs. Now you can stand for sexy yarn too! Rowan Yarns is soliciting applications for their Rowan Ambassador program, where you can be a Rowanette (Rowanet for the boys). How about getting advance yarns and an invitation to the mill?
Dear readers, do you want me to post about Rowan Yarns? If you think I should be a Rowanette, leave a comment describing what you would want me to knit with their yarns. You know I’m passionate about crochet, but I love knitting too!
Here’s the solicitation. (http://www.knitrowan.com/industry-news/article/become-a-rowanette-rowanet-for-the-boys/801437975)
Rowan are looking for 20 Rowan ambassadors around the world to champion the Luxury knitting brand. Are you passionate about Rowan? Do you want to be part of the team? Do you want to be one of the first to see and feel Rowan’s new yarns?
What is a Rowanette (Rowanet)?
• Someone who is truly passionate about knitting with Rowan
• Someone who is articulate and is social media savvy
• Someone who is very creative
• Someone who is loyal
• Someone who has some spare time to dedicate to Rowan
If you can prove you are one of Rowan’s biggest fans, and would like to become a Rowanette (Rowanet); then let us know! We’re looking for someone who can help support the Rowan brand and review yarns, publications and participate on our Facebook page. In return for your time and creativity, you would have enhanced privileges above any consumer.
What Rowan can offer you:
• A yarn pack and colour card sent to you for each season’s launch
• Access to The Brand Manager to give your direct feedback – via specific email address
• Invitations to online meetings and discussions
• An invitation to visit the Rowan Mill
• Yarn to knit your own garment
• Early preview of collections
Still interested?
Send in an image of you wearing your latest Rowan knit and 100 words on why you would be a perfect Rowanette/Rowanet to our mail@knitrowan.com
Deadline for all entries to be in is 28th September 2012.
We’ll be selecting a shortlist of candidates, and successful people will be contacted during September and sent through a more detailed brief. Keep an eye on http://www.knitrowan.com and our Facebook page for further information.
We hope to hear from you soon!
The Rowan Team
Here’s a tip for you: don’t mix variegated yarns and textured patterns. Like Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, neither shines when the other’s around.
Crochet stitches are even more textured than knit stitches, which means you should save your variegated colors for knitting projects with simple textures (i.e., stockinette). Textured crochet projects in particular don’t do well with textured yarns, because the clash is even more exaggerated. Got it? Ok, I want to see beautiful Ravelry project pages from now on!
Now, enough of the technical talk! In the course of learning this lesson, there’s one gorj yarn in particular I hooked up and unraveled several times, always choosing it for the wrong project. (Yes, I’m a perfectionist!). Vanquished, I used it in a simple (stockinette!) hat & glove set and it began to belt out riffs of I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
(Somebody! Ooo! Somebody! Ooo! Somebody who loves me!)
(Somebody! Ooo! Somebody! Ooo! To hold me in his arms, Oh!)
KNITS FOR LIFE 
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