Scarves in the Round: a giveaway! /  by jen geigley

Adorned by Heather Walpole

My amazingly cool and talented friend Heather Walpole is a designer and the founder of Ewe Ewe Yarns, and she has just written her first book! I'm super stoked to be part of her blog tour for Scarves in the Round: 25 Knitted Infinity Scarves, Neck Warmers, Cowls, and Double-Warm Tube Scarves.


Heather and I have been friends for a couple of years after collaborating on a 30 Day Sweater project. And I got to meet up with her, see her Ewe Ewe Yarns booth and her new book at TNNA a couple of weekends ago. She's fantastic. Her patterns are featured on eweewe.com and have appeared in the One + One series, as well as in Knit Simple, Love of Knitting, and Creative Knitting magazines. She's also a fellow graphic designer ... and she's done design work for IKEA. So, she's pretty awesome.

In this book, Heather uses circular needles to create fresh, modern takes on the old standby scarf. Finished items range from cowls to long tube scarves and neck warmers for knitters of all skill levels. Get ready to feast your eyes on gorgeous colorwork designs, entrelac, bold striping, geometric patterns and Fair Isle. Check out some of my favorite projects from Scarves in the Round below ... and keep reading to find out how you can win your own copy.





Changing Tides Cowl


Pretty awesome stuff, right? You definitely have to see the rest of her designs because you'll want to make them all. So ... would you like to win your own copy?

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME! 

THE PRIZE




HOW TO ENTER




THE RULES

  • Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only
  • Giveaway is open until Sunday, June 14, 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.

A huge thank you to Heather for this wonderful giveaway, and congrats on the amazing book!

TNNA recap: the Rowan adventures /  by jen geigley


I have a few more TNNA photos to share, and this time it's all about Rowan. I was invited to attend the trade show with Rowan via Westminster Fibers, which was a super cool experience. The highlight of the weekend was getting the opportunity meeting some of the Rowan team from the U.K. One of my favorite knitwear designers of all time is Martin Storey, and it was a real treat to be able to chat with him over the weekend. Pictured above is my wonderfully talented TNNA roommate, Kristen from Knitionary, Martin and I. He is one of the head designers at Rowan and learning about what goes on behind the scenes (the photo shoots, design stories, pattern design, putting together collections) was absolutely fascinating. He's such a nice guy!


There was a knitwear fashion show on first evening of TNNA which featured 75 designs by various yarn companies. Rowan showed four designs – a vest, a fair isle sweater, a wrap and a wedding dress. This gorgeous Kidsilk Haze bridal gown was saved for the finale and was a showstopper! 



The next day, we got to check out the Rowan booth which was bursting with brand new designs and new yarns.


One of my new favorite yarns for fall is Hemp Tweed, which feels a bit squishy and seems to have great memory/stretch to it. I loved all the designs that were showcased using this yarn and can't wait to knit with it this fall. (I believe it's available beginning July 2015.)



And Kristen and I had fun checking out the new Swarovski + Rowan collaboration, which includes yarn pre-strung with Swarovski crystals and packages of crystals/baubles/beads that are available for purchase on their own.



Martin Storey and the lovely Kate Buller brought out champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for everyone during their knitting with Swarovski demonstration, which was really neat. Martin showed us all how to knit with pre-strung crystals.


And they had a sweet little baby garment display showcasing Rowan's Super Fine Merino 4ply, which is another favorite of mine. It feels so nice and will be amazing to knit with. It's washable, too.


And that's it! I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet these sweet and talented people and spend the weekend with other knitting enthusiasts, doing what we do best. A huge thanks to Rowan for everything – I had such a great time!

TNNA recap: the experience /  by jen geigley


Last weekend, I attended my first TNNA (The National NeedleArts Association) trade show in Columbus, Ohio and wow – what a time! I was invited to attend with Rowan via Westminster Fibers, which was an honor. This recap is basically photos from the overall experience and soon I'll share a collection of photos of my friends from Rowan and their new yarns and garments. (There is so much to share!)



First of all, Columbus is a delightful city. I'd never been, and I really enjoyed all of the restaurants and coffee shops and stores that were within walking distance of our hotel. The view from our window was pretty great, too. (Unbeknownst to us, the Rolling Stones played in Columbus on Saturday night and ended up staying at the hotel across the street from us!)



Perhaps the best part of the weekend was finally meeting this wonderfully talented and crazy sweet knitting friend, Kristen from Knitionary. We are both Rowan Ambassadors and have been friends for a few years online but it was so fantastic to meet her in person and hang out with her all weekend. We were roommates and naturally stayed up talking until 1:00 a.m. every night.



Friday night, I attended Marly Bird's Designer Dinner, which was a treat. I sat at a table with several talented ladies and ended up sitting next to Stefanie Japel, knitwear designer extraordinaire and teacher at Craftsy. We enjoyed food and drinks and giveaways and swag bags ... it was pretty sweet.



The actual trade show opened on Saturday morning, with fiber displays as far as the eye could see. Before I knew it, I was bumping into knitting friends, shop owners and designers I had long admired.Like Olga Buraya-Kefelian (OlgaJazzy) and Meri Tanaka, the founder of Amarisu.



And the one and only Nicky Epstein.



And the entire Ravelry team, minus Jess who was outside with her sweet baby. How do they do it? Such a sweet and kind crew.



We talked about women in baseball and adventures in advanced body/armhole shaping with Ysolda Teague. She is completely brilliant and delightful.




And I had to say hi to your knitting hero and mine, the fantastic Mr. StevenBe. I hope to head up to his shop in Minneapolis soon for a visit (and yarn shopping.)




Do you love Arne & Carlos? I do. They were there in spirit. I had to check out what they were knitting.



What else? Well, to summarize ... it was a weekend of yarn. And beautiful knitwear. Too many things to list ... but one of the highlights was obviously Rowan. Their display space was huge and completely gorgeous. (More on that soon.) Other favorites were Madelinetosh, Spud & Chloe, Blue Sky Alpacas, Knitter's Pride, Shibui Knits, EweEwe, Classic Elite, Jade Sapphire, Wool and the Gang, Knit Collage, Lavishea, Loopy Mango, Malabrigo and Zealana. There was so much to see.


And of course, before I left Columbus I had to hit up Jeni's. I had heard about Jeni's for years from other people who had made it a TNNA tradition. And now I know why there's always a huge line when you walk by.



This ice cream is spectacular. So yeah, I get it now. I get it! I got the Trio (3 half scoops) of Pistachio and Honey, Brown Butter Almond Brittle and Salty Caramel. Holy. Cow. So delicious.



And then as I was stuck in the airport waiting for my delayed flight, I discovered a Jeni's vending machine ... at the airport. At my gate! It made my long wait much more tolerable.



And that's my recap! On my journey home, I jumped on delayed flights from Columbus to Chicago in the very middle of the night, and then back to Des Moines to rest my head and snuggle up with my family. The weekend went so fast and was jam-packed with knitting and new yarn and the most lovely people ever. Would I go again? Yup. I definitely would.

on my way to TNNA /  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 /  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 /  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 /  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 /  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 /  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 /  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. :)