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Editor of Crochet! Ellen Gormley

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The New Editor of Crochet! Ellen Gormley joined Marly on the podcast today to talk about becoming the Editor of Crochet! Magazine.

Ellen began designing crochet when she became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her first child.  She had been crocheting most of her life and needed a way to turn her passion into a business.  Since then she has become a contributor on the Knit and Crochet Now! TV show and is now the new editor of Crochet! Magazine.  Keeping much of the same feel and tone for the patterns in the magaizine, one of the new things Ellen is going to start introducing is stitch diagrams to go with the patterns!  Keep a look out for them starting with the August issue.  Listen in below for more of her ideas for Crochet! and her encouragement for new designers (she knows where you are coming from, she was there too!).

Press Release from Annies:

Ellen Gormley, crochet designer, popular blogger and teacher will now oversee the planning and editing of Crochet! She will work closely with Carol Alexander, executive editor of Crochet! and Crochet World. With Carol’s creative vision and leadership, Crochet! continues its legacy as one of the most popular crochet magazines in the industry. “It has been my joy and privilege to work as editor of Crochet! magazine for the past decade. It has evolved into a highly regarded publication, and I’m proud of the respect and recognition it has gained in the needlecraft industry. I know that in Ellen’s hands it will continue to soar and be the best it can be,” says Carol.

Ellen brings a wealth of crochet knowledge and expertise to the magazine. She has been designing and teaching for eight years and is currently one of the crochet experts on the Annie’s television show, Knit and Crochet Now!, which is broadcast on PBS. “I have along history working with Annie’s, and it is a real honor and personal achievement to be coming on board as the editor of Crochet!,” says Ellen. Her debut issue of Crochet! will be the autumn 2014 edition.

Ellen’s designs have been published in Crochet!, Crochet World, Interweave Crochet, Crochet Today and Inside Crochet. Her creative passion for crocheting afghans inspired two best-selling design books: Go Crochet! Afghan Design Workshop and Learn Bruges Lace. Her next book, Crocheting Clothes Kids Love, co-authored with Shelby Allaho, will be released in February 2014. She is also a teacher of two Annie’s online classes: Learn to Crochet and Crocheting With Beads. Ellen Gormley earned a B.A. in art and socio-psychology from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, before earning her masters in community counseling from the University of Cincinnati. Ellen began her crochet career as a stay-at-home mom. She has built an active blog and online presence, while teaching at her local yarn store and traveling to speak at the Crochet Guild of America’s Professional Development Day. She served as the mentor coordinator for the CGOA for a few years before continuing to guide and mentor other aspiring crochet designers in the program. Ellen and her husband, Tom, live near Cincinnati with their two children. In her spare time, Ellen volunteers in the school library and enjoys staying fit by running each day.

You can find Ellen: on her blog GoCrochet, Ravelry, and her on-line classes with Annie’s Crafts (the direct links are on her blog).  And if you haven’t listened to it already, you can also hear Ellen when she joined the cast and crew of Knit and Crochet Now! with Marly on the podcast in November 2013.

And we can’t forget the Giveaway! Leave a comment below with Ellen’s keyword for your chance to win your own 1-year subscription to Crochet! Magazine!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new editor of Crochet! Magazine?

So here’s the thing… the new editor of Crochet! Magazine is Ellen Gormley! She’s been crocheting her whole life and even started designing when she became a stay-at-home mom. She’s super passionate about crochet and has lots of exciting ideas for the magazine.

What’s new with Crochet! Magazine under Ellen Gormley?

Honestly… one of the biggest new things Ellen is bringing to the magazine is stitch diagrams! They’ll start appearing with the August issue. She wants to keep the same great feel of the magazine while adding helpful visuals for patterns.

When did Ellen Gormley start her crochet designing career?

Yes! Ellen Gormley started designing crochet patterns when she became a stay-at-home mom after her first child was born. She’d been crocheting for a long time and wanted to turn her passion into a business.

What are some of Ellen Gormley’s published works?

Oh, she’s been published in quite a few places… including Crochet!, Crochet World, Interweave Crochet, Crochet Today, and Inside Crochet. She also has a couple of best-selling afghan design books and has co-authored another book on crocheting kids’ clothes!

Where can I find Ellen Gormley online?

You can totally find Ellen online! She has a blog called GoCrochet, and you can also find her on Ravelry. Plus, she teaches online classes with Annie’s Crafts, and you can find the links to those on her blog.

Imperial Stock Ranch: From Oregon to Sochi 2014

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This Tuesday on the last Yarnthing Podcast of 2013: Jeanne Carver of Imperial Stock Ranch: from Oregon to Sochi 2014!

sheep and ownersxThe Imperial Stock Ranch is a family owned and operated ranch located in the high desert area of Oregon.  Dan and Jeanne Carver are the fourth owners of Imperial Stock Ranch.  It was started in 1870’s by Richard Hinton.  He started raising sheep in the 1880’s and helped develop the Columbia breed of sheep which is ideally suited to the high desert terrain and produces high grade wool. James Hinton took over from his father in 1915 and kept expanding the empire.  Through various family dramas and such, he ended up selling the ranch in half-stakes to George Ward who took over the ranch fully in 1967.  George Ward then sold the ranch to the Carvers in 1988 and they have been running it since.  You can read all about their sustainability practices, their designation as a National Historical District, and their educational program on the Imperial Stock Ranch website.

logo tagThe Ranch didn’t always produce yarn.  Originally the ranch sold their wool, but in 1999, the buyer that had been buying their wool for 100 years told them they were moving overseas and wouldn’t be buying their wool anymore.  At the same time, the US domestic production of lamb (the other big product of the ranch at the time) was being decimated by imported frozen lamb from Australia and New Zealand.  They started making yarn on-site and Jeanne became involved in the local knitting guild.  Their business grew and in 2009, they started collaborating with designers including Oregon knitwear designer Leigh Radford and internationally known fashion designer Anna Cohen.  You can find all the yarns and patterns from Imperial Ranch Yarns on their website ImperialYarn.com.  It isn’t out right now, but Anna Cohen’s Imperial Collection will be available in Fall 2014.

Now this isn’t the end for Imperial Yarn.  Last year, out of the blue, Anna got a call from product development for Polo Ralph Lauren.  They were starting to source American yarn for the 2014 Sochi Olympics but weren’t letting that info out yet.  Anna sent off a few samples of their yarn and had a few more conversations with her guy in New York.  A few months later, the design team from Ralph Lauren came out to see the ranch.  Still not knowing what the yarn was for, they made an order in December of 2012.  Now, over 40 US producers and manufacturers are part of the Made in the USA effort for the apparel for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  Ralph Lauren has produced a video all about the journey of the opening ceremony sweater which you can see below; listen and watch for Jeanne!  Listen in below to the podcast to hear the whole story!

You don’t just have to watch their Olympic yarn, you can get it yourself!  Erin, a worsted weight 3-ply wool is available in a variety of colors on their website.  You also might be able to find the official Olympic colors at your local yarn shop. Imperial Ranch Yarns produces 10 yarns and rovings that include not just wool, but also alpaca and cotton in amazing colors.  Check out all their yarn and kits here.

As always the GIVEAWAY!  Leave a comment below for your chance to win the Rhombus Feather Shawl Kit in the color Rain.  Marly will announce the winner on the first podcast of 2014 on January 7th.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Imperial Stock Ranch get its wool?

So here’s the thing… Imperial Stock Ranch is located in the high desert area of Oregon. They’ve been raising sheep there since the 1880s and developed the Columbia breed, which is perfect for that terrain and produces wonderful wool!

How did Imperial Stock Ranch end up making yarn?

Honestly… they used to just sell their wool, but back in 1999, their main wool buyer moved overseas. Around the same time, imported lamb was really hurting their other business. So, they decided to start making yarn right there on the ranch!

Did Imperial Stock Ranch yarn really get used for the Olympics?

Yes! It’s pretty amazing… Ralph Lauren called them out of the blue, looking for American-made yarn for the 2014 Sochi Olympics apparel. They sent samples, had some meetings, and their yarn ended up being part of the official Team USA clothing!

What kind of yarns does Imperial Stock Ranch offer?

Oh, they have quite a bit! They produce about 10 different yarns and rovings. You can find wool, of course, but also alpaca and cotton, all in gorgeous colors. They even have a yarn called Erin, which is a worsted weight 3-ply wool available in lots of shades.

Where can I learn more about the Imperial Stock Ranch?

You can definitely read all about their sustainability practices, their historical designation, and their educational programs on their own website… it’s linked within the podcast post too! And of course, you can find all their yarns and patterns at ImperialYarn.com.

Halos of Hope Round 2

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Thursday on the YarnThing Podcast with Marly Bird: Halos of Hope president Pam Haschke!

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Pam is the Executive Director and Founder of Halos of Hope.  She was diagnosed with  Inflammatory Breast Cancer in June of 2004.  Her treatment included chemotherapy, the most apparent side effect of which is hair-loss.  Throughout her treatment, her favorite scarves and hats that provided her comfort from pain on her scalp were handmade.  She decided that this was a great way to help other people dealing with the same feelings she had while undergoing chemotherapy.  And that is how Halos of Hope started.

So if you haven’t heard of Halos of Hope before, they are a non profit corporation that gathers handmade hats that they distribute to cancer treatment centers across the United States.  Halos of Hope uses 100% of individual monetary donations for the shipping and handling expenses for distributing the hats.  The hats they distribute are made by handcrafters across the US and can be made anyway you know how: knit, crochet, or sewn.  The only caveat is that they must be soft, so they don’t irritate already sensitive scalps.

This year has been pretty big for Halos of Hope.  They ran a voting donation campaign called the Great BuZZ this year that culminated in shaving Drew Emborsky, the Crochet Dude; Mark Moraca, owner of Kollage Yarns!  This campaign raised a total of $20,000!!! You can watch the video of the shaving on their website here.  They also partnered with Purlescence Yarns and who hosted a 24-hour craft-a-thon which produced over 215 hats that were donated to Camp Happy Times.  Listen in below to hear all about the other things Halos of Hope has been up to in the last year, including the Podcast Throwdown and Drew Emborski’s 2013 Chemo Cap Challenge!

Be sure to check out their Stories of Hope, to read about all the great stories connected to hats and Halos of Hope.  You will be inspired by these amazing stories.  And also participate in Stripe it Up January, use up those little bits of leftover yarn in your stash to make a hat and send it in.

You can find Halos of Hope on: their website, Facebook, and Twitter and the Podcast Throwdown on Ravelry.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Halos of Hope all about?

So here’s the thing… Halos of Hope is a wonderful non-profit that collects handmade hats for folks going through cancer treatment. They distribute these cozy hats all over the US to help keep people comfortable during chemo. The hats can be knit, crocheted, or sewn, but they just need to be super soft!

How did Halos of Hope get started?

Honestly… the founder, Pam Haschke, was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer and experienced hair loss from her chemotherapy. She found comfort in handmade scarves and hats, and that inspired her to help others feel the same way. It’s such a heartwarming origin story, right?

What kind of donations does Halos of Hope use for expenses?

Yes! Halos of Hope uses 100% of individual monetary donations specifically for shipping and handling costs. This means your yarn stash donations go directly to making hats for those in need.

I saw something about a “Great BuZZ” campaign? What was that?

Oh, that was such a fun one! The Great BuZZ was a voting donation campaign they ran. It even culminated in some brave folks, like the Crochet Dude Drew Emborsky and Kollage Yarns owner Mark Moraca, shaving their heads! It was a big success and raised a lot of money.

What can I do to get involved with Halos of Hope?

You can totally help out! They have a “Stripe it Up January” event where you can use up leftover yarn scraps to make hats. You can also check out their website and social media to learn more and see other ways to participate, like reading their inspiring Stories of Hope!

Buffalo Wool Company

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Today on the Yarnthing Podcast with Marly Bird: Ron Miskin of the Buffalo Wool Company!

The Buffalo Wool Company (formerly Buffalo Gold) is run by Theresa and Ron Miskin.  They, like many of our fellow fiber folks, fell into working in the yarn industry, in this case, with the help of the family bison ranch.  Ron’s father has raised buffalo for many years.  While Ron was at loose ends after leaving the restaurant business, he had a chance encounter with bison hides his father asked him to lay out and became interested in what one does with the down/fluff that the bison shed.  His father had been selling the hair (it’s not actually wool) on-line and soon after they started producing bison roving which lead to spinning yarn and making accessories.  Check out all their cool stuff on their website.  Listen below to hear all about this great company, Buffalo Wool!

earth yarnSo why should you try bison yarn?  For one, because this fiber is made from hair, bison yarn does not felt.  The hair doesn’t have the barbs that make sheep wool felt.  This means that it is a naturally machine washable fiber!  It is also durable, making it a great long wearing and hearty fiber.  Bison fiber is also very soft, just as soft as cashmere, lightweight, and very warm.  And if that wasn’t enough, it is hypoallergenic so even people with wool allergies can use it!

In addition to their pure bison yarn, Earth, Buffalo Wool does blends bison with other fibers such as wool and silk.  These yarns come in a great array of colors so check them out to see them all!  Wool and silk weren’t the only things they blended their bison with, earlier this year they produced a limited run of Buffalo Gold yarn.  This luxury yarn blended bison fiber with actual gold filament.  Special this week, use the coupon code Marly for 20% off any yarn from Buffalo Wool!!

LarissaCheck out the patterns that Marly has done with Buffalo Wool yarn on Ravelry.  These are great patterns (like Larissa at the left)!

Be on the lookout for their upcoming self-published book, Cowgirl Up!  This e-book features 7 knitting patterns and 1 crochet pattern inspired by the women who tamed the wild west.  As an added bonus, you also get a short story by Jeannie Eilerts and their Bison Chili recipe.

You can find Buffalo Wool Company: on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Ravelry.

And the GIVEAWAY for this podcast, leave a comment below with Ron’s keyword for your chance to win a copy of the Cowgirl Up! e-book!

Don’t forget the discount code, get 15% off All Needles and Yarn Bowls with the coupon code MBirdYarnT, for Indian Lake Artisans!

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Jen Lucas

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Today, Jen Lucas joined Marly to talk about how she started knitting, designing, and her new book Sock-Yarn Shawls.  Don’t miss their discussion about being a new designer and all that goes along with it.

LUCAS-LOGO-272Jen Lucas is a relatively new designer in the knitting scene.  She learned to knit just a few years ago after she graduated from college.  A friend gave her booklet and yarn and she basically taught herself from there.  Her first projects were, like a lot of new knitters, scarves.  She progressed from those first scarves to socks and then shawls.  After her first few patterns on Ravelry, she decided to propose a book to Martingale which eventually became Sock-Yarn Shawls.

sockyarnshawlscover

The book has 15 shawl patterns all made with sock yarn.  The first section has simple triangular shawls that start with garter or stockinette stitch and end with lace borders.  The second section expands on the first with more complicated all-over lace. The last section goes beyond the triangular shape and explores other shapes.  You can get the book on Ravelry, Martingale, and Amazon.

You can find Jen on her website, Knitting Like Crazy, Facebook and Ravelry.  She has also done a few videos with DailyCraftTV, the first of which is up now.  Check out her How to Knit (a shawl from the book) video and keep a look out for more in the future.

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And last but not least, the GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below with today’s keyword for your chance to win you own copy of Sock-Yarn Shawls!

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Mens Cable Knit Sweater Pattern

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Things are really getting crazy around my house now that the Holiday Season is in full swing and I am sure the same is the case at your house. Make sure you set some time aside to knit whether it is something for you or for your loved ones 😉 Maybe a mens cable knit sweater pattern is in your near future…do I have your interest piqued? If you don’t have a particular pattern in mind I have one for you, the Cobalt Cables Mens Sweater by Marly Bird.

Cobalt_Cables_cover_120113

I simply love this piece. It is such a comfortable sweater that my model wanted to take it home with him. He said it fit his broad shoulders better than many store bought sweaters that he has in his closet.

Well, we all know that is because of the saddle shoulder construction; it allows for more room in the upper chest which is great for men. Also, the cables get to be highlighted at the shoulder with this type of construction.

Get this pattern now!

Cozy knitted blanket in shades of blue and gray featuring a textured stitch pattern, draped over a couch.   $4.99, PDF Download Only

Here are some more pictures of the piece to entice you more!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What pattern are you talking about in this post?

So here’s the thing… I’m super excited about the Cobalt Cables Mens Sweater pattern! It’s by me, Marly Bird, and I just love how it turned out. It’s perfect for the holidays if you’re looking for a gift for the guys in your life.

How much does the pattern cost?

Honestly… the pattern is a PDF download only and it’s just $4.99. A small price to pay for a sweater that fits so well!

Why does this sweater fit men so well?

Yes! The reason it fits so well is because of the saddle shoulder construction. It gives extra room in the upper chest area, which is fantastic for broader shoulders. Plus, it really highlights those gorgeous cables!

Can I get this pattern as an ad-free PDF?

You know… new patterns are now available in ad-free PDFs in The Pattern Shop! It’s a great way to get all my patterns without any interruptions.

What kind of yarn do you suggest for this sweater?

Oh gosh… the page doesn’t actually mention specific yarn suggestions for this sweater. You’ll have to check out the pattern details on Ravelry for that info!