$90,000??!!

Bloomberg Businessweek, August 15-28, 2011


HANDICRAFT WEBSITE ETSY
Etsy.com, the online market for all things handmade, has 10 million items for sale.  Among them: a hand-knit coffee mug cozy ($13); a vintage Underwood typewriter modified to work as a computer keyboard ($799); a set of pickle forks ($60).  The oddball mix spawned Regretsy, a blog that commnets on eccentric Etsy finds.  The tagline: "Where DIY meets WTF," Regretsy may be an indicator of Etsy's success.  Since its founding in 2005, the site has helped turn the artisanal, locally source, bespoke-authentic movement into a viable business, at least for itself and a handful of its 800,000 vendors.  Sales hit $314 million in 2010, the first year Etsy was profitable.  Etsy freely acknowledges most of its vendors won't make a living on the site.  Yokoo Gibraan, who knits scarves for Etsy ($50-$150) in her Atlanta living room, is one who does.  "I work around the clock" to make about $90,000 in annual sales, she says, "but knitting isn't stressful - it's the best job I ever had." 
-Susan Berfield, Bloomberg Businessweek


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On My Needles while on vacation...

Aaaaahhh...a week on Fire Island with my family.  I was even able to sneak in some knitting on the beach and knitted this cowl - start to finish.  I'm not lying when I say it's a quick knit!

I could have worked on one of my other projects, but this one's perfect for the beach.  I have the pattern memorized, and it's easy to put down and pick up when I need to refill a sand pail with water or rescue a sand crab.  :)

Class resumes next week.  Hope to see you ladies!


Tuesday, August 16th, 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Wednesday, August 17th, 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Please RSVP a day or two prior if you would like to join me.  Thanks!

On My Needles: Rosette Lace Scarf

I'm calling this one the "Ultimate Lace Challenge" for my knitters.  

So, which of you ladies will be first?!

Welcome *new* knitters!

A warm welcome to my *new* knitters from Spring and Summer 2011:

Jane
Joanne

Katherine

Lynn

Margaret

Maureen B.

Maureen Q.

Mary
Meghan

A couple of them came to me already knowing the basic stitches.  A few had never held a set of needles.  Nonetheless, they are all doing fabulous with their projects.

At Tuesday evening's class, three were working hats in-the-round and on double pointed needles for the first time, one was working the Lattice Stitch Cowl, one was working the One-piece Baby Cardigan for her first grandchild-to-be, and one was learning the purl stitch.   I am so proud of these women and their dedication to their craft!

Thank you, and welcome to the club!  -k.

On My Needles: Cabled Baby Booties

Straight needles and mock cables make these little guys so much easier than they may appear!

On My Needles: Organic Cotton Market Tote

In a few weeks, I hope to fill this one with some goodies from Rockville Centre's farmers market.

PS - I love to knit lace!

On My Needles: Cabled Drop-stitch Mobius Scarf

After spending four sessions in July teaching my knitters to fix their knitting mistakes, they may think I'm completely nuts when they work this project.  Just before binding-off, we'll drop a few stitches all the way down to the cast-on edge.  Yikes!

When it's finished, it can be worn as a mobius scarf (think: long, twisted loop),  as a cowl when looped twice around the neck, as a scarf, or around the shoulders as a shawl.  Talk about a multi-purpose accessory!  

Welcome Baby Isabelle!

Meet sweet baby Isabelle who was welcomed by my friend (and knitter) in June!

Here she is modeling a beanie with earflaps and I-cords knitted in seed stitch.
I worked this one in Cascade Yarns' Cash Vero DK - extra fine merino and cashmere, as soft as a newborn baby's skin.

Thanks to Isabelle's mommy for sharing her photo.  :) 

Update: Lattice Stitch Cowl

You're sure to be a master of cables and knitting in-the-round after completing this beautiful pattern.

1 1/2 skeins of Cascade Yarns' Eco Duo, a baby alpaca and merino wool blend
Size US 10 or 10.5  circular needle, 16" length. Any longer will not work!
1 or 2 classes, dependent upon experience = $25 or $50 (+supplies)

Blocking Basics

The bottom band of this sweater has been bothering me; it was always creeping up.  (See above) So I finally blocked it.

There are several methods for blocking.  Since this yarn is 100% baby merino wool, I went for my favorite - the wet blocking method.

Soak the item in a bowl of room-temperature water for  a few seconds while squeezing the sweater.  Do not wring or twist.  Do not use hot water.  A few seconds is enough - just enough time to snap this photo.  Squeeze excess water from the work, RESHAPE and lay flat to dry.  A few rust-proof pins may be necessary, but my sweater behaved just fine without being stuck.

For more blocking basics, visit Interweave's tutorial here.

Learn-to-Fix your knitting mistakes

Empower yourself and join me for a special session!  
All my knitters are encouraged to attend.

Tuesday, July 5 at 7:30pm 

or

Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30pm 

or

Saturday, July 9 at 10:00am 

or

Wednesday, July 20 at 7:30pm 

$25 + your supplies

Some techniques you will learn-to-fix are dropped stitches, running stitches, to turn a knit stitch into a purl stitch and vice versa, to un-knit, and when all else fails, how to frog! 

You will need to knit a small swatch* before class that will be used in the lesson. 

Please reserve your seat asap!  (Class size: limit 5)

*Swatch instructions:  

CO 12 sts.   Work in 2x2 rib (*k2, p2; rep from *) for 8 rows.  Switch to St st (Stockinette stitch) and work for 8 rows.   Please bring a crochet hook if you have one.  The bigger the better.   If you purchase one, metal is preferred.  To make the lesson easiest on yourself, I suggest knitting the swatch with chunky yarn and large needles (size 11, 13 or 15).  If you need some chunky yarn to work this swatch, please let me know.  I have some extra. 

    

Another Bella Shrug

Since the Baby Janes don't require a ton of yarn, I knitted this shrug with the remainder of the Manos de Uruguay silk blend yarn.  My brother and sister-in-law picked it out for me while they were in Marfa, a wonderfully quirky town in Texas.  If you love the silk/merino blend as much as I do, I bet you can find some at a LYS (local yarn shop) or order some here from PURL in NYC.

The pattern is sized for 3 months all the way up to child size 12(!) and is one of the most well-written patterns I have worked.  I get a ton of compliments on this shrug.  I bet you will too.  The pattern is available here on Ravelry and is WELL WORTH the $5 bucks for the download.

Let me know how it goes!  (Not a knitter, coax that aunt who knits to work one up for you!)

And here is baby Bella herself modeling the original Bella Shrug.  She's just the cutest thing!!  Thanks to her mommy for sharing this photo.


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On My Needles: Lattice Stitch Cowl

This one is knitted with a 16" circular needle and a cable needle.  It's my first time knitting with Cascade Yarns' Eco Duo, a baby alpaca and merino wool blend - SUPER soft.  Both fibers are undyed, so the colors come straight from the animals!

I have about 6 of the suggested 27 inches complete.  I'll be sure to show you when it's finished.

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Color Block Blanket

Knitted with love for my cousin Erin who is expecting her first baby in August.
Before shopping for the yarn, I took a peak at her gift registry to coordinate the colors with her Pottery Barn Kids' Madras Bedding.

This is a great project for beginners to really perfect their knit and purl stitches.  There are a few tricks along the way, including the Provisional Cast-on, to keep things interesting.

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Meet the Mariner

The Mariner Pullover from Interweave Knits magazine, Weekend 2010 issue.
Sizes 6-12 months...all the way up to women's extra-large!

I knitted this one in Kraemer's Perfection Worsted yarn in color Fauna, a pale grayish-pink.  It's adorned it with mother-of-pearl buttons.  Perfection is a superwash merino and acrylic blend.  Machine wash, tumble dry.  That's perfection in my book!

The stitch pattern running down the front is Half Linen Stitch and requires a technique called "short rows" - something that is common is when knitting socks.  The sleeves are worked as cast-on extensions of the body, so when you bind-off, there's very little sewing to be done.  For those of you who have knitted the One-piece Baby Cardigan, this will sound very familiar.

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Welcome Samantha!

After waiting for her for six years, Samantha Nicole joined my dear friends Jodi and Josh on March 25th.  

I was thrilled when her beautiful birth announcement arrived yesterday and delighted to see her pictured with her blanket I knitted.  It's based on Lion Brand's Garter Stitch Baby Throw pattern - a great one for beginners.  

Welcome Samantha!


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Tree Warmer

Each winter, one of Baltimore's LYS (little yarn shop) owners invites her students to knit a warmer for the tree outside the shop. Look at all the beautiful yarns and stitch patterns. The tree hugger is my adorable niece Olive. And thanks to my sister-in-law Sarah for sharing this one.













Reminds me of the Wall Street bull-cozy crocheted by Olek, a New York-based artist in December 2010.  

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More Baby Janes

I can't resist.  I love these Baby Janes for their instant, adorable satisfaction.
This pair, my favorite to-date, are knitted in Manos del Uruguay's silk and merino wool blend, kettle dyed in color #3113.

At about three hours, they are my go-to knitted gift for a friend's baby shower or that special new baby down the block.

The pattern can be found in one of my favorite knitting books - Vintage Knits for Modern Babies by Hadley Fierlinger.  There are some intermediate techniques necessary to knit these booties, so it keeps things interesting.  Ms. Fierlinger has a similar pattern available for FREE download on her blog.  You can grab it here.

Also adorable in Rowan's Pure Wool DK.  These were knitted with love for baby Emma B.

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Bella Baby Shrug

Knitted in Anzula Luxury Fiber's For Better or Worsted. 
Hand-dyed in color Mulberry.
Made with love for baby girl Kaplan, due in April 2011.

Want to learn-to-knit this shrug?  Baby and child sizes
2 or 3 classes, dependent upon experience = $50 or $75 + supplies

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Combat Knitters: Weapons of Self-preservation

Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Almy, a Navy physician who started a group called Combat Knitters, knits during a flight from Kuwait to Kandahar, Afghanistan. ( )

A story by Dan Zak from The Washington Post - March 9 2011
Kandahar's Combat Knitters use yarn and needles as weapons of self-preservation
(Click here for the full story)

My favorite part:
"Troops joke that life on the base is like the movie "Groundhog Day." Enduring 18-hour workdays, grappling with an endless parade of patients, traveling the half-mile of unchanging terrain on the base's main thoroughfare - every day is like yesterday, which is like tomorrow.
Which makes knitting crucial. Knitting shows progress. It proves that time moves forward, loop by loop. It demonstrates that a mission, however miniature, can be completed."

(Thank you Howard for sharing this very moving story with me.)