on my way to TNNA / May 28, 2015 by jen geigley

I'm headed to Columbus, OH this weekend for the 2015 Summer National Needle Arts Association show. I'm excited to be attending with Rowan and rooming with one of my very favorite Rowan ambassador friends, Kristen from Knitionary. I know we will have a fantastic time together and I'm looking forward to meeting up with lots of other knitting pals over the course of the weekend. This will be my first time attending TNNA but from what I've heard, I can look forward to a weekend of exploring downtown Columbus, checking out the new yarns/products/books, attending Marly Bird's Designer Dinner, meeting up with long-distance friends, good food, tasty drinks and the legendary Jeni's Ice Cream that I have heard so much about. I cannot wait.

I am the world's worst over-packer. But the hardest thing is deciding which knitting projects to bring. So much knitting time on the plane! And all of my projects are super bulky. Hmm. Shoes or yarn? Yarn or shoes. That is the question.

Will I see you there? Have you attended in the past? Do you have any last-minute packing advice for me? I'm all ears. ;)

CALLING ALL NEEDLES: A Community Fiber Project / May 8, 2015 by jen geigley

"From the Lake No. 1" by Georgia O’Keeffe

If you're a knitter/crocheter/fiber artist in the Des Moines area, I'm sure you've heard about The Des Moines Art Center's re-imagining of the iconic painting "From the Lake No. 1" by Georgia O’Keeffe! I'm pretty excited about this and will definitely be participating. I lovingly remember studying Georgia's paintings in Art History class and I love this opportunity to help recreate her art in 3D! Piece by piece, the Art Center will be constructing a large-scale community-made tapestry to be displayed on the Richard Meier building of the Art Center. They hope to capture the tone, color, and character of this artwork by assembling hundreds of individual fiber submissions.

The Art Center is providing yarn for you to use if you wish, or you can work with your own synthetic yarn in the same color scheme/palette of the painting. How does this work? Using any technique you like, create a submission no larger than 12 x 12 inches. Submissions should be solid in color, but if you'd like to contribute color work, you may. Submissions are due on June 21st at the Art Center, and there will be a grand unveiling and contributor appreciation event on July 10th from 5–7:30 p.m. You can also join in the public knitting circles in the Art Center lobby! You can find more info here and join the Facebook event here. (Join in – this will be so much fun!)

Organize your knitting supplies with Creative Options / May 6, 2015 by jen geigley

Every crafter and knitter I know is on a common mission: conquering the organization of the tools and notions that are essential to their craft. Knitters and crocheters are always on the go – knitting on the commute, in the car, on a plane, in waiting rooms and baseball games. If a knitter can take their knitting project with them, they’re going to do it. Just try and stop them!

One of the most annoying things that can happen mid-project is when you have to stop working because you forgot your stitch markers at home or you don’t have your scissors. Such a bummer. Luckily, Creative Options has released a new line of cool-looking, functional knitting needle cases, zipper bags and totes with really fun prints – the perfect way to knit on-the-go while keeping all of your important tools organized. If you desperately need to organize your knitting supplies, this is the way to go. No more hunting down your size 3 needles or your tape measure. These bags and organizers will give all of your supplies a home, at home or on the go.

I am a sucker for a cute knitting needle case, and this Creative Options needle case is perfection. It has 8 elastic bands to hold your needles, plus enough space in the pocket to hold even more needles, if you wish. I was able to fit my whole bamboo set in this pocket – sizes US 1 through US 13. The flap in front folds down and tucks into a nice little strap on the front to keep anything from falling out. The awesome knit stitch patterned fabric is not only super cute, but very durable.

This knitting needle case with zipper is a must-have, and you can use it for so much more than just needles! This has become my new road-trip companion – it’s compact but holds all of the small tools I need for my project. It’s exactly the right size to hold a few pairs of straight or circular needles plus a notebook, pen, scissors, measuring tape and all of my notions. And it slides right into my bag or purse.

I love the navy, blue and chartreuse arrow pattern, and the bright solid-colored inner lining ensures that you’re not going to misplace a thing. You’ll be able to spot even the tiniest stray stitch marker.

And obviously, every knitter needs a good knitting bag. The Creative Options 5 pocket knitting tote is just the right size to hold everything you need, and it looks great too. It has a large open interior space to hold your yarn, needles and books. And it has 5 exterior pockets to hold anything else you can imagine – notebooks, pens, more knitting needles, scissors, a water bottle … or more yarn. Throw your needle case and zipper bag inside and you have everything you need, without question.

Are you excited about organizing your knitting life? It’s such a good feeling to have everything in it’s place. Get inspired to get organized by watching Amy Tan's awesome video showing each of these Creative Options storage solutions up close and personal.

To find out more about Creative Options® Storage Solutions go to www.CreativeOptionsCrafts.com and for crafting tips, giveaways, and product news, 'like' Creative Options® on Facebook.

knitXmidwest 2015 / April 22, 2015 by jen geigley

Hey knitters! My friends Erica and Jess from Hill Vintage & Knits and I are excited to announce that registration is now open for the 3rd annual knitXmidwest retreat in Des Moines, IA. knitXmidwest 2015 will be held on Saturday, November 7th and Sunday, November 8th. Space is limited and spots are already filling up!

Want to see what knitXmidwest is all about? Check out these posts with lots of pics from our events in 2013 and 2014. Such fun times. For more details and registration, visit our website.

Echoes / April 13, 2015 by jen geigley

You must see Kim Hargreave's new beachy collection, Echoes! This collection of 21 designs uses some of my favorite Rowan yarns including Original Denim, Creative Linen, Cotton Lustre, Handknit Cotton, Summerlite 4ply, All Seasons Cotton, Panama, Mohair Haze and of course, Kidsilk Haze. The light and breezy cardigan above might be my favorite so far; it's called Spray and is worked in Cotton Lustre. But check out the rest of these beauties. Wow.

This eyelet skirt with fringe is a must-knit. So cool. This is Reed and it's made with Cotton Lustre.

This is Aqua, an amazing openwork sweater. Also worked in Cotton Lustre.

And Wave, a longline cardigan using Kidsilk Haze.

Cape is a preppy, short-sleeved sweater made with cotton Summerlite 4ply.

Coral is cropped cardigan with broad shadow stripes. It's made with Panama (linen, cotton and viscose.)

Drift is made with gorgeous Mohair Haze.

Harbour is a long sleeved cardigan with a soft ruffled hemline, made with Panama.

Lagoon is a cool garter stitch tank made with Cotton Lustre.

This classic sweater, Ocean, is worked in Creative Linen.

Reef is a long line hooded cardigan, worked in a textured stitch with a garter stitch edging in lovely All Seasons Cotton.

Splash, a simple raglan sweater has a gorgeous neckline and is made with Creative Linen. I would wear this a ton, I have a feeling!

Tide, a generous cabled and textured pullover is made with Handknit Cotton.

And Ebb is a close fitting raglan made with Kidsilk Haze.

I'm guessing you're in the mood for spring and summer beachy knitting now, right? Echoes is available at Kim's website and at Rowan stockists everywhere. You can check out the details for each pattern right here.

Laird's hat from GIRLS / March 27, 2015 by jen geigley

I was just reading the story behind Laird's hand-knit hat from your favorite t.v. show and mine, Girls. And then I thought – wow – I'm pretty sure I knitted a super similar hat once! I found a photo of it and yes. There it is. LAIRD. I made this hat in 2009 and it was the first time I knitted a hat with stripes and it was the first time I made up my own pattern. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Anyway, you have to read this cute story about Laird's hat on Girls. It's the actor's personal hat! Here you go.

You could argue that the most iconic accessory on Girls is Laird’s colorful beanie—and it’s a very special item that’s apparently very near and dear to actor Jon Glaser’s heart. 'That is actually Jon’s personal beanie,” reveals costume designer Jenn Rogien. “It was handed down to him from his dad, and it’s the most precious thing we have on the show because it is literally one of a kind.'

The woolly family heirloom is treated with reverence. 'Jon brings it to us on his first day of work, in a Ziploc bag wrapped in tissue, and we hold on to it and give it back to him on his last day,' says Rogien. 'It’s become such a signature part of his character that if I lose that beanie, I’m dead!'

I love random blogging. Sorry I've been MIA recently ... I've been working hard on exciting new things and trying to get my groove back in all areas. All angles. Happy Friday.

Shaun the Sheep + Rowan / February 24, 2015 by jen geigley

I just received this lovely superwash Pure Wool DK in black and cream and it's for a pretty fun project. With the release of the new Shaun the Sheep movie, Rowan Yarns is celebrating the adorable woolly character's first adventure on the big screen with this original free pattern so you can knit your very own Shaun!

The pattern calls for 25g of black Pure Wool DK and 25g of cream/white Pure Wool DK. Isn't he fun? I haven't started knitting him yet but I know my kids will steal him away in a heartbeat. :)

Rowan swatch party (and a giveaway!) / February 4, 2015 by jen geigley

Hey hey! I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but around here we've been seeing a lot of snow. (Like almost 12" in 24 hours.) Which means lots of shoveling, lots of layers, lots of blankets and, of course, it's the perfect time for knitting. I haven't had a chance yet to show off some of my favorite new Rowan yarns from the Autumn/Winter release so I decided to knit up some swatches and let the yarn do the talking. From left to right, we have Brushed Fleece, Rowan Fine Tweed, Rowan Finest, Fazed Tweed and Chenille.

The dark blue swatch on the left is one of my new favorite yarns (of all time.) This is Brushed Fleece – lightweight but extremely warm and not itchy whatsoever. I'm knitting a cardigan (called Stour) with Brushed Fleece right now. The green swatch was made with Rowan Finest, which is luxurious and oh-so-soft. This yarn is a blend of extra fine merino, cashmere and royal alpaca wool. The marled blue and white swatch is a new yarn called Fazed Tweed, and is (in my opinion) the most innovative of the bunch! Fazed Tweed is a mix of wool and fine alpaca with a filled tube-like construction held together with a fine net-like fiber. Finally, on the far right is Chenille, which is absolutely gorgeous in person. Chenille is 100% cotton, very soft and has a great texture that makes it super fun to knit with.

And I didn't get around to making swatches for these guys, but another favorite yarn that I'm loving this season is definitely Rowan Fine Tweed. It comes in a zillion fantastic shades that all work amazingly well together. This is a beautifully soft, 100% wool, traditionally spun tweed yarn made in one of the few surviving mills in Yorkshire. But again, the colors are what draws me to this yarn ... it's perfect for colorwork and Rowan offers tons of gorgeous patterns that encourage you to let your imagination run wild with color combinations.

GIVEAWAY!

THE PRIZE

One lucky reader will win will get a ball of Chenille, Fazed Tweed and Brushed Fleece. (I might have a few more secret surprises from Rowan to throw in your package as well!)

HOW TO ENTER

Comment below telling me what you are knitting right now.
Like Rowan Yarns on Facebook.

THE RULES

U.S. residents only. (Sorry!)
Giveaway is open until February 16th, 2015 at 11:30 PM CST.
Comments must include a valid email address or Ravelry ID so I can contact you if you are the winner. :)
Winner will be chosen via random number generator and will be contacted within 48 hours after giveaway ends.

Best of luck and thanks so much for reading!

Knit and Crochet Now! (and a giveaway) / January 18, 2015 by jen geigley

When I'm out and about, I love to knit with friends. And when I'm at home, I knit and watch TV. (Don't we all?) A few years ago, I stumbled upon a show called 'Knit and Crochet Now' on PBS, and quickly realized it was a pretty fantastic knitting companion. Knitting friends on my TV/laptop! Because the only thing better than knitting is knitting while you watch a TV show about knitting.

I started watching a new episode each evening while working on whatever I was knitting at the time, and became totally hooked. I felt like such a multitasker. I learned so many new skills – both knitting and crochet – and looked forward to seeing what projects and guests would be featured each week. New episodes (Season 6!) of Knit and Crochet Now have begun airing on PBS this month.

You know how it's easier to learn a new skill (like, say ... duplicate stitch or entrelac) when someone is sitting there with you, showing you the way? That's exactly what happens when you watch 'Knit and Crochet Now' – you get step-by-step knitting and crochet instruction plus really helpful tips from the pros. I've watched episodes featuring all sorts of techniques: Tunisian crochet, amigarumi, wall art, incorporating fabric, colorwork, seaming, weaving, crochet short rows, knitted short rows, brioche rib, entrelac, felting, loom knitting, life lines, side-to-side dropped stitches, cast-ons, linings, crocheted cables and more. So many things! Here a few of the experts you will see on the show this season.

Brett Bara is the host with the most. She's warm and down-to-earth and I secretly wish she was my real-life crafty friend. When Brett is not in front of the camera on Knit and Crochet Now, she is a designer, author, blogger, and consultant in the craft and DIY community. She is the founder of Brooklyn Craft Company & Brooklyn Craft Camp and is the former Editor in Chief of Crochet Today magazine.

Special guest Drew Emborsky (aka The Crochet Dude) is a designer, teacher, author and most recently launched his own line of hand-dyed yarns. Drew will be hosting special segments featuring party accessories, kiddie toys, fingerless gloves, headbands and shawls. He is awesome.

Robyn Chachula, the author of six books, including Blueprint Crochet, Baby Blueprint Crochet, Blueprint Crochet Sweaters, and Simply Crochet, creates architecturally inspired pieces and has her own crochet design company, Crochet by Faye. Her patterns have been featured in numerous magazines, including Crochet! and Inside Crochet.

Crochet expert Ellen Gormley is the Editor of Crochet! Magazine and is the instructor for two Annie’s online classes, Learn to Crochet and Crocheting with Beads. Ellen is the author of Go Crochet! Afghan Design Workbook, is particularly well-known for her stylish bead crochet and join-as-you-go crochet and motif designs.

Special guest Jenny King is the talented Australian crochet designer behind Jenny King Designs and has written several books that include Annie’s Bavarian Crochet On-the-Go.

Color expert Kristin Nicholas is the author of eight books, including Color by Kristin, Kristin Knits, Colorful Stitchery, Kids Embroidery, Knitting for Baby and more.

Lena Skvagerson is the designer of many of the gorgeous projects for Knit and Crochet Now! She is the in-house exclusive designer for the Annie’s Signature Collection, as well as Creative Knitting Magazine, Crochet! Magazine and Crochet World. Until recently, Lena was a Designer for Drops/Garnstudio. She has been designing knit and crochet patterns for the past 25 years.

Projects featured on 'Knit and Crochet Now' include garments, accessories, toys and jewelry, but the main focus is on education and learning new techniques. I cast on this chunky lace scarf and worked right along with the show, finishing one repeat of the lace pattern as I watched! How fun is that?

Each episode features knit and crochet projects, exciting new yarns, interesting stitch patterns and a popular segment called 'Knit and Crochet Now Scarf of the Week.' Full instructions for each of the featured projects are available on KnitAndCrochetNow.com.

Have you watched this gem of a show? You can check here to see if it is airing on your local PBS channel. Or, if you can't catch the show on live TV, you can sign up for a Knit and Crochet Now! All Access Membership to get on-demand videos and free patterns. Sounds pretty awesome, huh? For $24.95 a year, members will have access to all of the episodes from Season 1-6 (65 episodes) and 225 patterns – every episode and every pattern is at your fingertips on your computer, tablet or smartphone. Your All Access Membership also gets you 10% off everything at AnniesCraftStore.com. Yarn, needles, hooks, and even more patterns and videos!