Erin.Lane Bags with Lindsey Martin is always a welcome topic on Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. As a sponsor, as a personal friend… being together is always precious. Supporting each other is what yarn and handcraft is often what it’s all about. 

If you’ve heard Lindsey’s earlier visits, you may know, it was Lindsey’s need to keep her needles safely without getting lost that she and her mom began creating bags and needle keepers, forming a business using their two middle names to brand it with. Today Lindsey shared that her dad had gotten sick during that time and her parents lost their jobs so Mom felt extra committed to make this business work for all of them. Lindsey’s Mom passed away in 2012 and Lindsey felt compelled to keep the business going. In 2014, things came to a head with her teaching job and trying to run a business on her own. Erin.Lane Bags won out in that decision and Marly recounted that Lindsey’s dad was supportive, too, attending trade shows with Lindsey and trying to sell Marly EVEN MORE product. His health has deteriorated, though, and he passed away this last week.

It may seem incredible that Lindsey would choose to carry-out her commitment to guest today on the Yarn Thing podcast, but Lindsey says her folks would be most disappointed with her in not doing this visit today. If you heard the show today, you probably understood that better than we can explain, so we will continue with what’s new with Erin.Lane Bags. Some of us also have a need to stay busy, so… [Read more…]

Modern Baby Crochet by Sharon Zientara was what today’s subject on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

It may seem like just yesterday, but it was actually last August that Sharon was our guest sharing her earlier book, Quick Crocheted Accessories. (Here is the link to the patterns in Ravelry.)

Sharon may be feeling very inspired lately, as she shared that she went on a trip to Shetland Islands, England, Scotland (in fact, she was editing the patterns for this new book while she was there) traveling with June Hemmons Hiatt. She met the World’s Fastest Knitter Hazel Tindall (who says she’s NOT the fastest), visited the Jamison Woolen Mills being now run by their son, Gary.  [Read more…]

Lena Skvagerson, Lead Designer of Annie’s Signature Designs, was our guest today on the Yarn Thing podcast. It was a wonderful visit to close out May with!

Lena grew up in Sweden, she was not taught to knit or crochet by her mom, but in school, everyone is taught sewing, knitting, crocheting as well as woodworking. At a point, when she was a teenager, there was mohair sweater trend and Lena says her mother wouldn’t knit the sweater, so she went with friends, got the yarn and made it herself.  After that she was ‘just knitting’, without thought that this would be a career. She was working in a construction company’s office, taking pattern writing classes at night. A job was posted at DROPS that everyone told her she should apply for, and she was part of their team for 25 years! [Read more…]