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Red Heart Soft Essentials

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Red Heart Soft Essentials eBookOver the weekend I was at my local Michael’s store to help introduce the brand new exclusive Red Heart yarn at their store. This new yarn is Red Heart Soft Essentials. Red Heart Soft Essentials has everything that you already love about Red Heart soft but is now a bulky (5) weight. I can’t wait for you to see the new patterns that have been designed with this yarn. *This post may contain affiliate links*

For those of you who couldn’t make it to the live event or missed the Facebook Live event, you can check out the video below. Be sure to like my Facebook page and turn on live notifications so you don’t miss another one.Red Heart Happy Hoodie - little girl wearing crochet light grey hood with ears - Marly Bird [Read more…]

James Cox JUNIOR

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James Cox JUNIOR

James Cox JUNIOR design line as promised when it was released brings James Cox back to the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

James is very excited about his new line of kid-sized clothing. After seeing the interest among women to knit for their sons, nephews and neighbors I was inspired to create a line of sweaters in Junior sizes that match the sweaters I have designed for men. Additionally, I started a line of accessories that are fun: a baseball hat, double knit belts (with happy skulls or a nautical theme) and a coonskin cap design that turns eyelash yarn into fur.

Additionally, in my first year I have discovered that a majority of the kits I have sold went to women who were knitting for themselves. So, if you visit my site today you’ll see that even though my designs were created with men in mind, all my sweater are shown for both men and women. The website to view the Junior Collection is HERE.

Most of what James has achieved in his business has happened in just a very short period of time, but his lifetime of experience has clearly led him to this wonderful adventure. James Cox can be followed through his website: www.JamesCoxKnits.com, with his blog, his Facebook page and Ravelry Designer page, also a Pinterest page!

James’ first visit to the Yarn Thing podcast is available here: https://tobtr.com/9195143

If you missed getting to hear this live, it’s available as an archived episode where it aired originally. https://tobtr.com/9760099 There is also behind-the-scenes video at Marly’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MarlyBird/

How to Create Crochet Planned Pooling Charts

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If you have been following my blog or YouTube channel you will know that I have been loving the crochet planned pooling argyle. I have put together a few videos and post about the topic and recently I release this new video. In this video I will show you how to create crochet planned pooling charts. These charts should make it easier to understand what your yarn needs to do and then make it easier to see what is going on in your project. If you understand how the colors work in your select yarn, you should have more success. *This post may contain affiliate links*

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Cat Babbie of Red Heart Yarns talks about Soft Essentials

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Cat Babbie of Red Heart Yarns talks about Red Heart Soft Essentials

*this post contains affiliate links*

Cat Babbie of Red Heart Yarns talks about Soft Essentials on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. 

Cat Babbie is the Inspiration Design Specialist and blogs about crafting on the Red Heart Yarns team. She works with designers to help create patterns that inspire stitchers to pick up their yarn. She’s an avid yarn lover; knitting, weaving, and spinning in her spare time.

Cat wishes to share the wonderful list of ideas, patterns that Red Heart Yarns offers, to create with this new yarn line. There is also a new e-book, Soft Essentials Style.

Cat Babbie can be followed by visiting her website, www.CatBabbie.com, and in Facebook. Also, she posts in Instagram, Pinterest and Tumbler.

If you missed hearing this live the audio podcast is still available where it aired originally: https://tobtr.com/9758295 or the behind-the-scenes video Marly shared on her Facebook page. (We will update the link to the actual video as soon as we have it.)

 

 

The Return of Deborah Newton

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The Return of Deborah Newton on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

This episode took place because Deborah’s newest book came out right after she visited with us last time and she ASKED if she could come back to share it and another fun thing she’s planning. We LOVE that!

Deborah Newton has been designing professionally for knitting magazines, yarn companies and for Seventh Avenue for over 30 years.  Her first book, the classic DESIGNING KNITWEAR, has been in print since 1990.  Her book FINISHING SCHOOL: A MASTER CLASS FOR KNITTERS was in Amazon’s Top Ten Craft Books for 2011.  Deborah hopes that her most recent book GOOD MEASURE: KNIT A PERFECT FIT EVERY TIME will change the way knitters think about choosing sizes in a pattern, and how to alter patterns successfully!  Deborah also writes a regular column for Vogue Knitting magazine, sharing her professional expertise on a wide range of knitting topics.
Deborah teaches often and excitedly about her favorite knitting topics: design, pattern writing, finishing and fit.  And she loves to share her enthusiasm in classes about illustration, cable knitting and Scandinavian motifs.  This year she is pleased to be finally sharing a goal she has had in mind for over 20 years — she will be leading a 4-Day workshop in all aspects of Knitwear Design.  The event will take place in September of  this year 2017, hosted by North Light Fibers on Block Island. For more info, here is a link. goo.gl/WKQpJk
Deborah Newton’s design work can be followed in her Ravelry Designer page. Here is the link to listen to Deborah’s earlier visit to Yarn Thing in 2015. Good Fit Good Measure can be purchased through Amazon with Marly’s affiliate code.
If you missed getting to hear this live, it is still available as an episode where it was archived:
You may also view Marly’s behind-the-scenes video that she shared LIVE in Facebook at her page: https://www.facebook.com/MarlyBird/

Let’s meet Salena Baca

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Let’s meet Salena Baca on the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird.

Salena Baca learned to crochet before grade school and has been wildly obsessed ever since! After crocheting “in the closet” most of her life, Salena burst out after finding Ravelry in 2009. Learning that an entire world of crocheters were available to connect with was life-changing. It determined her next career move; crochet design and networking. She began designing patterns that appealed to her style, and has formed platforms such as Salena Baca Crochet, the Design Wars Challenge, Happily Hooked Magazine, The Pattern Pack, and the American Crochet Association. She’s published over 200 patterns, has very strong ties in the crochet and fiber arts community, and is the author of Crochet for Christmas. Salena currently lives with her family in Oregon. 

If you missed the show live you can always watch the behind-the-scenes video Marly created in the Birds of a Feather Studio and aired live on her Facebook page or Salena’s Facebook video.