Susan B. Anderson's New Book Spud + Chloe At The Farm + a Giveaway

A few years ago I stumbled upon a beautifully designed book called "Itty Bitty Hats." The concept and design of the spiral bound book was sweet, colorful and very well done. My interest was peaked because I hadn't ever heard of the author - Susan B. Anderson. I had been in the yarn biz for years. How could there be someone out there who was so super talented and who I didn't know? And then the next year, there was another Itty Bitty Book - this one on toys. I was dying to meet the author and as fate would have it, one evening at a TNNA show, Susan and I were seated next to each other at a publisher sponsored dinner with some book wholesalers. We hit it off and have become friends since that dinner, running into each other at different functions and keeping in touch by phone and email.

Photo Jim Mueller

Susan writes an incredibly cheerful and popular blog full of wonderful knitting, spinning, crafting and family. She also curates the Spud and Chloe Blog for Blue Sky Alpacas. She is Mom to four beautiful kids and lives with her husband and family in Madison, Wisconsin (knitting country for sure!). In person, Susan is exactly as you would hope - kind, smart, funny, pretty and a fabulous knitter/designer. I feel honored to count her as my friend. When Susan asked me if I would like to be part of her blog book tour for her next book, I was so happy to help her spread the word. Today I present to all of you Susan B. Anderson's uber-cute Spud and Chloe at the Farm.

Linda Perman's Little Crochet and a Fab Book and Julia Yarn Giveaway!

I met Linda Perman when she was editor of Adorn, the now defunct cool sewing and craft magazine that was out a few years ago. I did a project for them and have kept in touch with Linda as she has moved around the USA - first to Montana and then to Texas, two places that sound great to live! During it all, she got a two book deal with Potter Craft and we have kept in touch. Linda writes the great blog "Lindamade."

I must admit, I don't crochet too much. I know the basics and I love a good granny. I've never had the desire to become a crochet designer but I'm glad Linda Perman did. Her books are colorful, clever, really fun, and very, very stylish. Her new book is Little Crochet and it is full of amazingly sweet crochet projects for babies and toddlers. The photography is drop dead gorgeous and the instrux look clear and well written, just as her first book Crochet Adorned was.

There are 24 fabulous projects for babies and toddlers up to 4 years old. I am really in love with the cover booties. Are they just too much? Little stars inset into the top of the bootie. Linda says you can whip up a pair in an evening.

Pre-Tax Season Sock Yarn and Storey Knitting Book Giveaway!

It's been a really busy week here - lots of time doing things that really are not blog-worthy. Going to Boston for an eye doctor appointment with Julia (she is fine), getting my hair fixed so I don't look like a grandma, and the dreaded organization of all the pre-tax filing information. That is what I hate the most and I can say that I don't know how accountants do it all the time. I'm almost done....  so I will celebrate with my next blogiversary giveaway for you all!

I've done two books with the fine folks at Storey Publishing and I count my editor Gwen as a good friend. She's an amazingly kind woman with a vast array of talents. She and her husband keep sheep, she is an amazing gardener, knitter, weaver, and craftsperson. I'm sure she cooks (although I don't know this for sure). She has three grown children (her daughter is named Kristin too) and a granddaughter who is the apple of her eye. As an editor, she is so calm and kind... never nagging.... If she needs a change or has another idea, it is suggested in the kindest, least threatening way. This is a very good way to work with an author and I feel blessed to have had that experience. I took this photo of her several years ago when we were shooting Kristin Knits. She really does pretty much always look this calm. Man, oh man, I wish I could be!

Mothering Up + Storey Homesteading Book Giveaway

Do you know the term "mothering up?" I didn't until I heard it on Sweetgrass that amazing SHEEP Movie I told you about about a month ago. I knew it happens every evening when dusk arrives and the lamb races are over but I just didn't know the word for it. The lambs look for their mamas, have a drink of milk and then lie down next to them. It's almost like bedtime story hour for lambs. 

I've been feeding the bottle lambs every evening around 7 p.m. I'm all alone with ALL the sheep. It's rather peaceful in a mildly chaotic way - sheep and lambs all around and the only ones that are worried about the food are my noisy crew of eight who don't have mamas. I'm down to twice a day and truth be told, 4 of them should be off of the milk. But I'm babying them, what can I say?

We've got another bit of mothering going on here...... The day after our wonderful mama cat Lily Pons passed from the world, her 3 year old daughter Annika had her first litter of kittens. I didn't think she could have babies since she was yet to have a litter. Quite a miracle of nature... one cat passes and the next day, 4 beautiful little kittens arrive. She is doing an awesome job. 

There are 3 beautiful fluffy medium haired black and white patchy kittens and one classic striped short haired tiger kitten with a white chest like her mom. They are at the incredibly cute stage right now! We are having lots of cuddling fun with all of them. Lots of kitten photos to come. If you are interested in a kitten, please email me. They will be ready to go to their new homes just around Easter.

 I call this one "the intrepid explorer." Have you heard that quote from Jules Champfleury?  "There is no more intrepid explorer than a kitten." It is rather perfect.

 

Today's blogiversary giveaway comes to you via the fine folks at Storey Publishing. Storey is what I would consider the top "homesteading" publisher in the USA. They do many, many different kinds of books - cooking, baking, animal husbandry, crafts, knitting, healthy living, and more. Their books are clearly written, full of vital how-to information, and great photos. I have been lucky to have them publish two books of mine - Colorful Stitchery and Kristin Knits. This giveaway is awesome:

Bread Making - I've spent lots of time making bread this winter. This book looks fab.

Chick Days - you all need chicks this year, don't you?

Maple Sugar - that sweet stuff that is running at full tilt here in western Massachusetts

Put Em Up - making that garden produce of this summer last until next winter

The Backyard Homestead - everything you need to know for homesteading in the country, the suburbs or the city

 

Here's how to enter:  Answer the following question in the comments by Saturday evening at midnight..... I'll announce the winner on Monday morning. Contest is Closed. 

Question: What is the one new thing you want to learn or do this upcoming summer? It doesn't need to be a homesteading thing - it can be anything. 

Please don't forget to leave an easy way to get a hold of you! Good luck everyone!

Added Monday April 4, 2011....The winner is Jessica who said:  I need to start learning how to knit lace! (what can I say, I'm scared!) Thank you for the wonderful giveaway! And for all the baby animals! Pretty much made my day :)

Thanks so much for entering everyone!

Candy Box for All + A Melanie Falick STC Giveaway

Easter is coming soon and when I think back to the holidays of my youth, it seems there was always a box of Russell Stover's candy passed around the Sunday dinner table. My sisters and I would look longingly at the lovely chocolate covered confections in dark and milk chocolate, trying hard to decide which ONE we would eat. It was a dicey decision because we were only allowed one. If we picked the wrong one, one that had one of those icky fillings, you were stuck. Eat it or leave it. I usually ate it. As the box sat aging on the bureau in the dining room, the candies would slowly disappear. All except the odd flavors that none of us liked. Those candies would be left in the box, one small bite out of each, to age until my mother got sick of looking at the box and it would be thrown out.

Many of the lambs that were born this winter have been eating hay for awhile. They still look to their mothers for milk, but their diet is becoming what an adult sheep eats - hay and baleage. Baleage is "pickled grass". The Farmer harvested it last year and it has been wrapped in white agricultural plastic fermenting and waiting to be fed to the sheep now when the grass isn't growing.

The Farmer uses his tractor to bring a new bale of either dry hay or baleage to the feed bunk. It helps if I am around because these things are really heavy (500 to 800 lbs). The little lambs are always just waiting to dive into the hay and my job is to make sure the bale doesn't land on any of them. It's rather dicey and scary because it doesn't take much to squish a lamb. After plopping the bale down, it is time to unwrap the bale and see what the feed looks like. For the sheep and lambs, I liken this moment to unwrapping that box of Russell Stovers candy from the holidays.

They start picking at it, looking for the bits they like. Sheep are all about the feed. I can tell that some bales taste better than others. They just smell better - sweeter and pungent. Some of the bales seem to disappear quickly and then others hang around for a couple of days. Hay is made up of several different kinds of forage including timothy, blue grass, fescue, alfalfa, and red and white clover.

It's good exercise peeling the hay away, unwrapping the preserved grass that is wrapped circularly like a giant scroll of paper and feeding it out down the line. The mature mama sheep are on one side of the feed bunk, ravenously waiting, never mind that they always have feed in the field - they want to try the new bale! The lambs are on the other side, picking at the hay before we can unwrap it. 

 

It takes about a day or two to go through a bale. As the lambs continue to grow, we will go through more feed. We always hope we have enough to make it through until the grass starts growing. Then the sheep and lambs will transition to fresh green grass.

All this talk about candy boxes of all kinds.....  Have I got a grown-up candy box for all of you creative types! My friend Melanie Falick, Editor of STC Craft Books has donated four of her newest book titles in honor of my 5th blog anniversary! All of Melanie's books are creative maker's eye candy. But although drop dead gorgeous - they are not just fluff. They are full of great how-to instruction, well-thought out book construction, and stylish book design. STC published Knitting For Baby, the book Melanie and I did together just after we both had our children back in the early part of this century (wow, does that sound weird - the century thing, that is).

Here's what I've today for you as a giveaway. Thanks to Melanie and the other fine folks at her publishing house STC for donating the following books. I wish I could enter! They are all incredibly wonderful titles!
Crafting a Meaningful Home by Meg Mateo Ilasco

Oliver and S Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson - a beautiful collection of sewing patterns to sew for children

Stitch Magic - A Compendium of Techniques for Stitching Fabric into Exciting New Forms and Fashions by Alison Reid - a very creative sewing book from a designer in the UK

And lastly........

A Knitters Home Companion by Michelle Edwards. Here's a nice video interview with Michelle. Do you know her writing and illustrations? Check out her blog - it is truly beautiful. I really wish I could keep this one!

Here's how you enter: Answer the following question in the comments section: 
If you had to pick one book that changed your life, that helped you to change course, or that you can't imagine not having on your bookshelf forever, which one is it? The book doesn't need to be a knitting or craft book - just any book that you adore.....

Please, don't forget to leave me an easy way to get a hold of you! Contest ends at midnight on Thursday. I'll let you know who wins on Friday.

Contest is over. Thanks to all who entered! If you get a chance, read through all the comments. There are some really great book ideas! The winner is Ellen. She said:
Robinson Crusoe - when I was in second grade we moved outside of easy walking distance to the library, so I had to dig into the set of classics we had at home. Been digging ever since!

Interview with Gudrun Johnston + A Shetland Trader Giveaway!

Meet Gudrun Johnston.....

 Gudrun is the author of "The Shetland Trader," a self-published book of ten knitting designs, many featuring lace. I met Gudrun through the world wide web. I got an e-mail from her a couple of years ago when I was sharing photos of a litter of Lily Pons' kittens. She and her family were moving back to western Massachusetts, not far from where I live. They wanted to adopt one of the kittens on the occasion of her daughter's 9th birthday. I love being able to place our kittens with knitters. On the appointed day, Gudrun, her two beautiful children Maya and Sage, and her novelist husband David Anthony Durham, arrived to pick up Persy. Julia wasn't home but she knew one of the kitties was leaving that day to go to live with a family whose Mom was a knitwear designer. She was okay with this. I watched Persy grow into a full-grown beautiful cat on Gudrun's blog. How nice to see one of our kittens all grown up as an adult. 

I check in on Gudrun's blog every once in a while. I marvel that she is able to homeschool her children and be a prolific knitwear designer, much less self-publish her first book. Gudrun and her family are packing up to move to Scotland where she grew up. And Persy is going with them. Who would have thought that one of Lily Pons' kittens would be moving to Scotland. Lucky Cat! Lily Pons would be proud of him.

I thought it would be fun to interview this up and coming talented knitwear designer here on my blog before she moves across the pond to her home country. By the way, all of the photos were shot on Shetland by Jared Flood. They are extremely gorgeous - lovely light and colors. Gudrun and I are also hosting a Giveaway of "The Shetland Trader." At the end of the interview, I'll tell you how to enter. Enjoy!

KN: I love the introduction you wrote.            

From the Foreword ... The Shetland Trader, Book One

            “I was born in a wee cottage beside the beach in Levenwick, Shetland in 1974. As was the case with generations of Shetland infants before me, I was wrapped in a traditional hap shawl moments after inhaling my first breath. Wool and lace, family and home, peat fires and a silly red setter....”

It goes on beautifully from there - lovely descriptions of your family’s story. I know your husband is the novelist David Anthony Durham. It seems his love of words has rubbed off on you. Do you find that there is any connection between writing and knitting?

GJ: David and I often find ourselves comparing our respective crafts. Both knitting and writing require a creative mind, one that is inspired by the daily goings on in life and one that needs to be flexible to the changes that will take place during the design process. He admits to stealing from the things he sees on a daily basis and using them in his writing. He has his ear out for inspiration; I have my eye out.

    I also think there are similarities when it comes to the nuts and bolts. We both have to deal with getting on with our work when resistance strikes, and we both have to keep an open mind about the success/failure of any of our pieces. 

KN: This book is a lovely collection of lace designs - from small (some fabulous hats and leg warmers) to a gorgeous skirt and some sweaters. Do you work exclusively in lace?

GJ: I don’t work exclusively in lace. I would say that the majority of my designs so far have made use of it. I have particularly enjoyed exploring the lace designs that come from Shetland and seeing how they can work in a more contemporary context.

KN: What do you find so appealing about knitting lace?

GJ: Sometimes it’s just the challenge of working the lace itself, keeping track of all those symbols in a chart and making sure they all line up as they are supposed to. Seeing the shapes appearing, especially after blocking, is also very satisfying. I’m not all that attracted to knitting very complex lace designs on a large scale but I’m certainly very impressed with those who do. I’m definitely more intrigued by seeing how lace can be used in non-traditional ways.

KN: Did you knit as a child? Tell me about the first thing you knit?

GJ: I didn’t knit as a very young child. I think I first learned around the age of 10 or so. The memory I have of my first piece of knitting is a rather nasty pale green vest, which thankfully I didn’t keep! I do however own some beautiful Fair Isle sweaters that my mother designed and which my siblings and I wore over 30 years ago. Those sweaters were passed on to me by my mother and worn by my own children. I’m very glad to have those and not the vest!

KN: I have met your beautiful family. I’m wondering if either your son or daughter are interested in taking up knitting?

GJ: Maya and Sage both know how to knit. I taught Maya a few years ago and she takes sporadic (but intense) interest. Sage learned when we spent some time in Shetland a few years ago. The kids went to school there for about 12 weeks and had their very own knitting teacher. I believe Sage completed a little knitted worm during that time which he still treasures!

KN: The colors in the photos are so blooming gorgeous. Do you think growing up on the island of Shetland has influenced the colors that you use in your work?

GJ: I do think the colors in a Scottish landscape have influenced my personal palette. I find I’m usually drawn to more natural or muted shades. Getting the right colour for a design is almost as important to me as the design itself. Often I’ll see a particular shade of yarn and know it needs to come home with me and make it’s way into my designing!

KN: The index of the book has a beautiful photo of sheep amongst the fields of the island. Are the sheep an important part of the commerce of Shetland? Do farmers (I think you may call them crofters) still earn part of their income from sheep farming or is a world that has disappeared?

GJ: Although there are still many more sheep than people in Shetland they don’t really provide much of an income for crofters anymore. Crofter’s are heavily subsidized by the government and owning a croft is really more about keeping a way of life going.

KN: There are many photos of heather blooming in the book. Do the sheep eat the heather? Are there any traditional uses for the heather?

GJ: Yes, the sheep do eat the heather! As they are out on the hillsides all winter long it’s their main winter fodder.  I’m not aware of any other uses for heather in Shetland though. I’m told by my father, who is a naturalist, that heather in Shetland is living at it’s climatic extreme!!

KN: I know that you and your family are moving back to Scotland. Do you foresee that the culture and knitting landscape will change your work?

GJ: I actually don’t think it will change my work. I’m already so heavily influenced by it that being back in Scotland is… well, it’s going home.

KN: You write that your mother had a knitwear business called The Shetland Trader back when you were a child. Now that you have revived that business, do you have any future plans that you would like to let us in on? More books? More patterns?

GJ: Hopefully, I’ll always be adding more patterns to my design portfolio. They won’t always exclusively have a Scottish/Shetland connection, but that will continue to play a big part I’m sure. I’m giving serious thought to another collection, but I’m not certain yet what form it will take. I know I want to add more books to the Shetland Trader series but I’m also interested in doing something on a larger scale.

KN: I have been on many photo shoots over the years and I know they are grueling but fun and creative. Can you let us in on a funny story of the behind the scenes on your trip to Shetland?

GJ: I have to say that nothing about that day was grueling for me! I had so much help and things went very smoothly. Jared did get us up very early so he could shoot in the morning light; we had plenty of sheep poo to avoid; there was a little weather to contend with later in the day; we nearly lost a light deflector over a cliff; and models were at chilly at times! However the day ended with a delicious meal of Cullen Skink made by my dad and David, whiskeys all around and a slide show of some of the images captured. It’s a day I will always have very fond memories of. I hope all my photo shoots go that well!

KN: Well, that does sound like a fabulous end to a busy day. I think my favorite project in the book is the scarf design called “Shoormal.” I like the chunkiness of the yarn mixed with the lace stitch. Do you have a favorite design from the book?

GJ: I was very pleased with the results of all of the designs but I’m definitely partial to the cover design, Laar. It was one of those designs that really held true to the initial sketch I had for it. I love the lace-weight yarn worked on larger needles. It produces such a beautiful fabric that almost feels like a second skin. I like too how the delicate details of this design, the lace, picots and scoop neck, are subtle in their beauty. It’s a garment that looks equally good with jeans as it would over a summer dress. As someone who doesn’t dress up much this versatility appeals to me! However, the sample doesn’t fit me so I need to re-knit it sometime.

Thanks so much to Gudrun for taking the time out of her extremely busy life to answer my questions. You can buy The Shetland Trader directly from Gudrun via her website where you can see all of the beautiful designs. Gudrun also has many single patterns which are available for PDF download.

To enter to win Gudrun's printed book, answer the following question in the Comments section. And please, as always, leave an easy way to get a hold of you.

Q? What is your favorite knitting technique? Lace? Cables? Colorwork? Stockinette? And why do you enjoy knitting it?

Contest closes Friday at midnight. I will post the winner's name and contact them by Monday morning.
Contest is closed! The winner is Connie who wrote: I usually love whatever I'm knitting at the time. Most of the time a new project involves something I haven't done before, but lace has been a favorite from the beginning! Congratulations Connie. 

An Interview with the Talented Children's Book Author/Knitter Joanna Johnson + a Giveaway!

When I was in NYC at VKLive, I ran into Joanna Johnson standing behind a pile of her delightful children's/knitter's books - Phoebe's Sweater and Freddie's Blanket. I had heard about Joanna from our mutual friend Karin Strom so it was a really nice end to my day to meet her in person. Joanna lives in Loveland, CO with her husband and three kids. I took a good look at her books because I hadn't yet seen them in person and was mightily impressed. The books are self-published by Joanna's family press but they look and feel like they were done by a real publishing house. A couple of weeks later, I received both books in the mail to my surprise. 

Both of Joanna's books carry the theme of family, knitting creation, and love through them. Joanna's husband Eric illustrated the books. What a talented family they are! I love the fact that not only are the stories about family and knitting, but at the end of both of the books there are patterns given for a knitted toy (Phoebe the mouse and Freddie the Platypus), knitted toy clothes, knitted children's clothes and in the case of Freddie, a baby blanket and baby envelope. Both the books would make a lovely baby shower gift for a knitter (or wannabe). 

I asked Joanna if she would do a interview for my blog and she said "yes." AND for all of you, Joanna and I are hosting a giveaway of BOTH of Joanna's books. Read through the interview below and at the end, I'll tell you how to enter the GIVEAWAY.

Phoebe, the Mouse, has her own blog here. You'll find Phoebe and Freddie on Ravelry here on the Slate Falls Press Ravelry Group. You can order signed copies of Phoebe's Sweater and Freddie's Blanket directly from Joanna and Eric at their Etsy Shop here.

Thanks to Joanna for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions. Read on! This interview may just bring tears to your eyes. It did mine!

KN: Joanna, you are the author of two fabulous children's books that are based on knitting. Tell me how you got involved in writing children's books…..

JJ:  Reading was my favorite hobby as a child, so a degree in Literature was the logical path for me when I went to college.  I studied Children's Literature along with the classics: Eliot, Austen, Milton, and so forth, but it was having children that really made my favorite genre of literature come alive for me.  My husband Eric and I have three children, and have enjoyed finding wonderful children's books and reading them as a family.  Eric has always loved to draw as much as I love to read, and we just always figured that this was something we would do together someday, although it took us a while to figure out how that would happen.  Our first book, Phoebe's Sweater, spent a lot of time in draft form in a drawer before we knew what to do with it!

KN: Your husband Eric illustrated the books. How do you find working together? Are there any tricks to keeping your relationship happy when you are also trying to make the business work?

 JJ:   It is really unusual for a children's book author and illustrator to work as closely together as Eric and I do.  I am really spoiled in that I am able to have a lot of input into the tiny details of the artwork, and, in a similar way, Eric has a lot of influence on the way the stories develop, too.  We both have really different strengths, and always approach our work with a common vision.  The fact that we each have our own studio helps, too!  We both understand the creative process, and how to step back when the other one is really in their stride and needs room to work, and we also know what it means to have good words of encouragement for each other when we get stuck creatively.  

KN: And your books are published by your family's press Slate Falls Press in Loveland, CO. I think that is really great that you and your family have started your own press. Do you have any words of wisdom for those that are thinking about self-publishing?

JJ:  The doors are certainly wide open these days for self-publishing.  That being said, it is not a "magic feather" by any stretch of the imaginaton.  To do it well requires a lot of time, work, and endurance.  I encourage people to read, research, and read some more in their intended genre, educate themselves about what work is already out there in that subject area, and practice and hone their craft, whatever it might be.  We have found it to be an incredible process, and very rewarding creatively and personally.  It is losing the stigma of "vanity publishing" as more and more high quality self-published books are being released as the months pass.

KN: I have always worked with traditional publishers, taking the easy way so that I don't have to warehouse my books, ship them, distribute them, and front the printing, editing, and desktop publishing end of the process. Is there one thing that really is key to making your press work?

JJ:  Eric and I do this as a team, and I just can't imagine going it alone.  That is probably the best thing we have, is each other.

KN: It seems that your business is a family affair. Do any of your three children help you with the story line?

JJ:  We spend a lot of time conversing about our story ideas, characters, and settings.  Our children love stories, art, animals, and our daughter is a talented "crafter" in her own right, so we do talk with the children about our ideas, they are a great resource!  We read to them, show them the knitting projects, and especially see what they think about Eric's sketches.  It is hard for us, as adults, to remember what things are actually important to children sometimes, and observing and listening to them is a great inspiration to us.

KN: Do you have any one awesome experience with a knitter who has read or gifted your book that you would like to share with my readers?

JJ:  I have so many amazing stories about the way these books have touched people.  A recent one that especially stands out to me is the story of a friend of my mother's who overcame cancer a few years ago.  My mom and dad recently went up to visit her, knowing that her cancer has returned and she will not recover this time around.  Our new book was recently out, and my mom brought a copy of each of our books to her friend.  "How did you know this is what I am doing?" she said to my mom.  She had decided that she would spend the last months of her life learning to knit and making things for her first grandchild, who will be born this summer.  Just last week she just sent my mom a "thank you" card and said she is knitting the Baby Envelope from our new book as a gift for this grandchild she may not be here to meet.  I feel very humbled to be a part of this brave woman's life, and to have made something that brings people together in such a personal way.

KN: In your most recent book Freddie's Blanket, you chose a Platypus as your main character. All the support characters are animals from Australia. How did you choose to feature Australian creatures?

JJ:  We talked about a few different animals for the Freddie character, but once we started talking about the platypus we knew he was the one!  They are just such interesting creatures, and once Eric researched their habitat and the other fascinating animals, plants, birds, and bugs of Australia we were hooked.  Even our kids want to go to Australia now!  I have a fellow knitwear designer friend who lives here in Colorado who is Australian, and she and a friend lent us wonderful advice and reources as we did our research, which was a great help to us.  I love it when I meet readers from Australia at book signings and they give us their approval on the details, because then I know we got it right.

KN: I love Eric's illustrations. They have such a lovely soft quality, similar to Beatrix Potter's lovely drawings. Did he train as an artist and has he done any other illustrating of children's books? What medium does he use for the illustrations?

JJ:  Eric has a degree in graphic art, but took as many fine art classes as he could fit in while he was in college.  He grew up helping his father run his graphics studio, and has always enjoyed drawing and illustration.  These are his frst books, and I do hope they are the first of many, because this is something he truly loves to do.  His illustrations are done in pencil, ink, and watercolor.

KN: Any new plans you want to let us in on?

JJ:  Well... we are busy at work on our third book, which we hope to publish in 2012.  It will include some new crafting patterns alongside the knitting patterns, and we are really excited about who we are working with on that.  I hope to start sharing peeks of it at TNNA in June...

    (Are you listening all you retailers out there? Another great new kids knitting book for your store!) 

PHOEBE'S SWEATER AND FREDDIE'S BLANKET GIVEAWAY

Here's what you do to enter. Answer the following question:  

What is your "go-to" knit or crochet baby gift that you make for a friend who is expecting or has just given birth?

Added 3/24/11: THE CONTEST IS OVER. THE WINNER IS SARAH K. Joanna will be sending her the books!

Meg Swansen's Thoughts about Eeyore + a New Book from Elizabeth Zimmerman

Got a funny note from Meg Swansen the other day via my Facebook page after I wrote about Eeyore, our donkey:

From Meg: "E.O.R: I distinctly remember seeing it in a knitting magazine and not knowing what the heck it stood for - and as I was searching about in my brain, EEYORE came out as an obvious, but misguided, solution."

 

That Meg - she has all the wit of her mom Elizabeth, doesn't she? E.O.R. - that never would have occurred to me. I'm just not that clever I suppose. 

The other day, I was talking to my super talented friend Susan Anderson and I heard her story of her meeting Meg at the Madison WI Knitting Guild. She told me that Schoolhouse Press is publishing a new book of garter stitch designs by Elizabeth. How great. I myself had just run into Meg at VKLive in NYC which was a thrill for me. We hadn't seen each other in over 25 years! 

I asked Meg about the new garter stitch book and here's what she had to say:

"Schoolhouse's new project is Knit One Knit All. It is the Garter stitch book my ma always wanted to write (but was rejected by several publishers; "only ONE stitch"!) We hope it will be available in May; over 40 designs, many of which have never been published - and no overlaps with her existing 5 books. Onward. Meg"

Doesn't that sound great? I love garter stitch and the spins Elizabeth put on it were so great. How many of you have knit a baby surprise sweater? I can only imagine. (I must admit, I haven't but it is always because I am working up my own ideas.) To think that Meg was able to unearth over 40 of her mom's designs that are new to the knitting world is earth-shattering, don't you think? And to think that all those publishers turned it down. Wow  - what a lost opportunity for them but now we will all be luckier for it. And Schoolhouse Press too! Getting to publish a goldmine like that! Wow-wee! Or as Eeyore would say "Hee-Haw! Hee-Haw!"

It doesn't look like it is available on the Schoolhouse Press website yet but I'll try to keep you all apprised of its release when it is. Sounds like one of those books every knitter is going to want to own!

And by the way, Susan Anderson has a new book that is hot off the presses. It's called Spud and Chloe at the Farm and it looks darn adorable. I think it is shipping now!

Crewel Embroidery Returns

My crewel pillows from Colorful Stitchery

I have been waiting and waiting for stitchers and knitters to catch up with me. Today in my in-box, I was incredibly excited to see crewel embroidery being featured prominently on Purl Soho's website. Wow - maybe someone else will help the trend along! Check out all their new kits here. They are a little tame colorwise for me but what the heck - at least crewel is out there.

What is crewel embroidery, you ask? It is embroidery stitched with wool thread traditionally worked on linen or cotton fabric. It is easy to do. The use of the wool yarn is so forgiving that even a beginner can look like an expert. I favor Paternayan Persian Wool for my crewel work which comes in over 400 colors!

I learned to embroider when I was about 10 years old. It kept me busy for many hours. In fact, I embroidered incessantly before I began to knit when I was 19. Those were the days of Sunset Design kits and the height of the fabulous Erica Wilson's career. (Did you know Erica is married to the uber-chic furniture designer Vladimir Kagan? Fabulous article about them here from the NYT.) Embroidery covered my blue jeans and my blouses as it did so many others. 

My book Colorful Stitchery

I have never fallen out of love with embroidery. Knitting just took over my life and career. For years I have been trying to get knitters to combine embroidery with their knitting and I will admit, it has been a hard thing to sell. I'm not sure what it is. It baffles me. And then I go and teach embroidery on knits and I realize that most knitters are afraid of failure and fearful of trying something new.

I have written two books on embroidery - one for children - called Kids' Embroidery (sadly out of print but I still have it for sale on my Shop Page) and one for adults called Colorful Stitchery. Here are some photos of crewel embroidery that are featured in my book Colorful Stitchery (available on my website Shop Page Here). All these photos are by Kevin Kennefick courtesy Storey Publishing.

An crewel embroidered wedding blanket with a heart shaped pillow

A close-up of the heart pillow - a perfect project for next week's Valentine's Day

Bug pillows stitched on velvet worked in crewel wool

Polka Dot embroidered pillows

And check out this lovely little sheep embroidery kit on Lorna Bateman's Etsy page. So darn cute! I've been meaning to stitch up a banner for my header similar to this. French knots really simulate wooly sheep beautifully.

Later today, I'll be posting another video of Lazy Daisy Embroidery on handknit fabric. Come back and check it out! Maybe you will be willing to give it a go?

Snow Scenes at Leyden Glen Farm

Although I offer up a whole bunch of sheep photos here on the blog, we also have many other animal inhabitants here at our farm.


Our dogs are key to our sheep operation. Without our dogs, we would be nowhere.


And then there are the many different breeds of chickens and guinea hens that I keep for eggs and meat. Chickens are very difficult to photograph, at least for me! They move so fast.



Most of the time the chickens are picking around in the dirt and the photos don't turn out very well. But silhouetted against the snow, it is a different story.


Right now, we have one too many rooster but they are fun to look at.



And although our garden is deep under the snow and ice now, the fluffy snowball hydrangeas are still poking their lovely profiles out in the world.


And then there is the backbone of the farm - our farmhouse, built in 1751. I sometimes think about all it has witnessed in the three centuries it has stood on this hill.


There is a fabulous children's book called "The House" written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Roberto Innocenti. Have you seen it? It's one of those children's books that is really for adults. It would make a wonderful housewarming gift.

I'm off to NYC today to teach at VKLive. Say hi if you see me in passing and I look forward to those I will meet in my classes.

Kristin's November Giveaway - Beat the Grey Skies!

Tuesday's post has probably left you all thoroughly depressed. All those images of greys, tans, and browns certainly didn't brighten your day. They were beautiful in an odd way - moody and almost eery. Seeing them on the computer screen surely did make me feel chilly - just like it was when I was out hiking around for the photos.

But today, I've got some cheer for you - a lovely basket of brightly colored Julia Yarn sitting in the sun in the studio to brighten up your computer screen.


But wait, there's more. I'm going to take away all that grey November gloom. It's time for the biggest giveaway yet this fall. Here's what I've got for you all. I'm so excited - I wish I could enter!


1. From my friend Gail Callahan (aka The Kangaroo Dyer) an assortment of different colors of her very own hand-dyed yarn.

2. Again, from Gail, an autographed copy of her fabulous book Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece.

3. From me, a copy of Mary Jane Butters' MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook - For the Farmgirl in All of Us
I love this book and I want to share it with one of you. You'll have a great time reading about Mary Jane's farm and how she lives her life in Idaho. It is jam-packed with so many great ideas.

4. From me, an autographed copy of my latest book Color by Kristin.
I love all my books but this one is probably my favorite so far. I was able to fit in pretty much everything I wanted to share with knitters. And the projects are so much fun.

5. From the fine folks at Nashua Handknits, 15 skeins of my soft and colorful JULIA Yarn. This will keep you busy all winter combined with my book Color by Kristin!

Here's what you have to do to enter.....

Answer the following question in the comments section of the blog. Are you ready? I've been working on it for 2 weeks.....

Question: If you could do anything in the next year, absolutely anything, what would you dream about doing? Forget about your job, your familial obligations, your house, your friends, and just do it for yourself? What is that dream?

Contest ends next next Thursday, November 18th at midnight. I can't wait to see what you come up with! Remember to leave an easy way to get a hold of you. Thanks everyone!