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Erin Lane Bags and Black Friday Deals

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Needle OrganizerOn today’s podcast: Lindsey Martin of Erin Lane Bags!

Join Marly as she talks with Lindsey Martin, the co-founder of Erin Lane Bags, about how she learned to knit and how that lead to her wildly successful company.

Soon after learning to knit from her Aunt, Lindsey got tired of loosing needles (as we all do) and couldn’t find any organizers she liked.  She asked her Mom (also a crafter) if she would make her one and the KnitPack was born.  The same thing happened with project bags leading Lindsey and her Mom to realize they could make a business.  Listen to the show to hear the rest of this iSock Bagnspirational story!

New for next year you can join the Erin Lane Bag Club! Lindsey has reopened sign-up through December 7th! Get in now while you can!  When you join the club you will get FOUR exclusive Erin Lane Bags: One Large Project Bag (15″ x 15″), One Small Project Bag (12″ x 12″), One Sock Project Bag (10″ tall with a 5″ square base), and one of the new Two-Fer Project Bags (A project bag with a divider in the middle for specialized projects.) over the course of 2014!

You can find Erin Lane Bags at their Etsy shop ErinLaneBagsandMore and at trade shows like STITCHES Expos and fiber arts festivals like the Arkansas Fiber Arts Extravaganza.  Lindsey is also on Ravelry,  Twitter, and Facebook.

As always the GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below for your chance to win an Erin Lane Sock Project Bag!

Last but not least today, the beginnings of the Fiber Black Friday Deals!!  Erin Lane Bags is have their sale Friday to Friday (Nov. 29th to Dec. 6th). Get 15% off the entire shop with the code bf2013 and if you have $70 or more in your cart, use the code freeship for free shipping!

Marly’s Ravelry Shop: Nov. 28 through Dec. 3rd use coupon code bf2013 for 30% off!

Drew Emborsky: Black Friday through Cyber Monday, 50% off all wool yarns.

Bijou Basin Ranch: Nov. 29th and 30th 20% off Lhasa Wilderness, Shangri-la and Seraphim. Dec. 1st and 2nd 20% off everything in the store plus an additional 10% on the new Yak Wrap. Dec. 3rd through 24th 15% off everything in the store plus free shipping! Don’t forget to check back with them for great deals on kits of a few of Marly’s new patterns in their Rocky Mountain Collection!

Indian Lake Artisans: 20% off needles on Cyber Monday with the code MBirdYarnT!

Fiesta Yarns: sign up for their awesome newsletter to get their deals (and you all kinds of other cool stuff too!).

Craftsy: Always check out Craftsy.com because when have they ever missed a big holiday sale! Don’t be surprised if there are some really great deals this week and on Cyber Monday!

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Craftsy.com/yarnthing

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Fiesta Yarns
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Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch

Knit and Crochet Now

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KCN_Season4_PromoGraphic Today on the YarnThing Podcast with Marly Bird: the crew of the Knit and Crochet Now! TV show!  Producer, Candi Jensen; knitting expert, Kristin Nicholas; and crochet expert Ellen Gormley joined Marly to talk about the behind the scene goings on of the production of this public TV show all about knitting and crochet!

Candi Jensen is a designer in both the knit and crochet worlds who started as a content design advisor for this public television show and was thrust in the role of the producer right before production.  What began as Knit and Crochet Today is still going strong as Knit and Crochet Now! 7 years later and is still shot at the Detroit Public Television studios.  The show is now sponsored by Annie’s Crafts, where you can take classes, get supplies and check out the magazines they produce (such as Creative Knitting, one of my favorites) as well as get patterns and supplies for the projects you see on the TV show.  You can find Candi: on Ravelry, Pintrest, and all her books on Amazon.

Also with the show from the very beginning is Kristin Nicholas, the knitting expert on Knit and Crochet Now!.  Marly likes to call Kristin the Queen of Color.  Kristin is the author of eight books including: Color by Kristin, Kristin Knits, Colorful Stitchery, and more.  You can find Kristin: on her blog Getting Stitched on the Farm, her website KristinNickolas.com, and Ravelry.  She has a few new patterns that are great for Christmas: Kristin’s Colorful Christmas Stockings and the holiday card Santa Lamb, too cute!  Don’t forget to check out her other patterns and notecards while you are on her website.

Ellen Gormley joined the show in Season 3 as the crochet expert.  She started as a guest interview and came back as a permanent member of the cast soon after.  Ellen is also the new editor of Crochet! magazine (check out her first issue in Autumn 2014) and author of several books herself: Go Crochet! Afghan Design Workshop, Learn Bruges Lace, and Crocheting Clothes Kids Love.  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).

Popular Knitting Internet Radio with MarlyBird on BlogTalkRadio

You can find out anything you want to know about the TV show at Knit and Crochet Now! TV, Annie’s Crafts, and on Facebook.

Just in case you want to check out any of the other people Marly mentioned that are on the show: Robin Chachula, Brett Bara, and Amy Herzog.

And last but not least, the GIVEAWAY!!  Leave a suggestion about what you want to see on the next season of Knit and Crochet Now! below for your own chance to win the DVD set of the entire 4th Season of Knit and Crochet Now! and a set of Kristin’s Santa Lamb cards!

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Let’s give some love to our sponsors! 
XRX Books, Knitter’s Magazine, STITCHES Expos

Craftsy.com/yarnthing

Indian  Lake Artisans
Fiesta Yarns
Drew Emborsky
Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Knit and Crochet Now!?

So here’s the thing… Knit and Crochet Now! is a public TV show all about knitting and crochet. It’s been around for 7 years and is still filmed at the Detroit Public Television studios. It’s sponsored by Annie’s Crafts, where you can find tons of goodies!

Who are the experts on the show?

Honestly… the knitting expert is Kristin Nicholas, who Marly calls the Queen of Color, and she’s written a bunch of books. The crochet expert is Ellen Gormley, who joined in Season 3 and is also the editor of Crochet! magazine and has written several books too!

How can I watch Knit and Crochet Now! if I don’t get it in my area?

Yes! Lots of folks can’t get the show locally, but you can find out everything about it on their website, Knit and Crochet Now! TV, or check out Annie’s Crafts online. Plus, many people are asking their local libraries to get the DVDs!

What kind of new techniques or projects would you like to see on the show?

Oh, crafty friends have so many great ideas! Some people would love to see more Amigurumi, simple pattern drafting, how to pick and care for yarns, or even machine knitting. Others want more Tunisian crochet, Bavarian crochet, overlay crochet, or specific knitting techniques like steeking or entrelac.

Can you tell me more about Candi Jensen?

She’s a designer in both knit and crochet worlds! Candi started as a content design advisor for Knit and Crochet Now! and then became the producer. She’s got tons of books out and you can find her on Ravelry and Pinterest too!

Bonita Patterns with Lianka Azulay

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Boots TrioTuesday on the YarnThing Podcast with Marly Bird: Lianka Azulay, owner of Bonita Patterns!

Bonita Patterns owner Lianka Azulay, born in Brazil, picked up her first crochet hook at age 7, and hasn’t put it down since. She is specializes in the research and use of unique stitch patterns in her designs to bring fashionable and contemporary style to crocheted pieces.

Her first collection of patterns, Crocodile Stitch Fashions, was published by Annie’s Attic and quickly became the #1 best-seller in the publisher’s catalog. The huge success of her pattern collection touched off a trend, and the Crocodile Stitch became “one of the hottest crochet techniques in crochet today” (Crochet Magazine).

Lianka believes that “having your own signature as a designer is important”.

You can find out more about Lianka and purchase some of her wonderful patterns here:  Online store: www.bonitapatterns.com

Follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bonitapatterns

Subscribe to her newsletter: Bonita Patterns

And we can’t forget the GIVEAWAY! As always, leave a comment below for your chance to win

both Lianka’s book and 5 (FIVE) patterns from Bonita Patterns.

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Let’s give some love to our sponsors! 
XRX Books, Knitter’s Magazine, STITCHES Expos

Craftsy.com/yarnthing

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Fiesta Yarns
Drew Emborsky
Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Lianka Azulay and what makes her designs special?

So here’s the thing… Lianka Azulay is the owner of Bonita Patterns and she was born in Brazil! She started crocheting when she was just 7 years old and hasn’t stopped since. What’s really neat is that she loves using unique stitch patterns to make her designs super fashionable and contemporary.

What was Lianka’s first big success in the pattern world?

Honestly… her first collection of patterns was called _Crocodile Stitch Fashions_, and it was published by Annie’s Attic. It became the #1 best-seller for them… can you believe it?! That really kicked off a trend for the Crocodile Stitch, making it one of the hottest techniques out there!

Where can I find more of Lianka’s patterns and connect with her?

Yes! You can totally check out her wonderful patterns on her online store at www.bonitapatterns.com. And if you want to keep up with her and her designs, you can follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bonitapatterns, or even subscribe to her newsletter!

What is the Crocodile Stitch, and why are people talking about it?

Well, the Crocodile Stitch is a really unique and beautiful stitch that Lianka specializes in using in her designs. It became super popular after her pattern collection featuring it became a bestseller, and now it’s considered one of the hottest crochet techniques!

Did people hear a keyword in the podcast episode?

It seems like a lot of listeners didn’t quite catch a keyword during the podcast… they were having so much fun with the giveaways! Some people chose their own fitting keywords, like “Crocodile Stitch” or “American Dream,” which sounds like a fun way to participate!

Mystery Crochet Along

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This is the first ever Mystery Crochet Along…

that Craftsy has done and I am super excited to have been asked to host it! I must say, the project is one that is a staple in pattern repertoire. The big reveal is set for Nov. 1st  (so check back for pictures) but until then it is not too late to sign up.

But what are you signing up for you ask?

Join the Craftsy Mystery Crochet-Along and gain access to instructor Marly Bird’s exclusive hat project! Ideal for fun, homemade holiday gifts, the basic hat design can be worked up quickly and embellished with chic crocheted flowers for a stylish addition. Each workshop includes 3 skeins (66 yards each) of Schachenmayr Boston Style yarn in your color choice to complete one hat project. Bright and warm, this yarn handles easily as you work up Marly Bird’s exclusive pattern during Craftsy’s November Crochet-Along!

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The workshop includes the pattern, along with in-depth instructions and high quality close-up photos of each step. Yarn will be delivered to you by November 1st, when your workshop access is activated on Craftsy and the surprise is revealed. Plus, Marly will be responding to questions and providing help along the way. With her guidance, beginner and above knitters will be able to participate in and enjoy the workshop. Won’t you join the fun? Learn some new crocheting techniques with this warm winter project from Marly Bird!

*SPOILER* I want to know more…The BIG Reveal

In my family hats are an essential winter-wear accessory. The more hats the merrier and the funkier the hat the happier my kids are (they are 7, 9 and 11). Not to mention all of my friends ask for their own hat to match their coat or gloves or boots or whatever they think might make me see their need to have one of these fantastic and fashionable accessories. Well, since crocheting hats that all look the same is a little boring for both me and my family (we all don’t want to look matchy-matchy) I have found that using a basic hat pattern for the hat itself and then making/adding different embellishments or finishes really allows me to create a variety of truly unique hats! It is a win-win!

Now it is your turn, I am going to share with you my basic hat pattern (shhhh don’t tell anybody). Not only will I share it with you but I will take you along step by step throughout the whole process from beginning with the magic loop to adding ear flaps without seams! Pictures are added to show you precisely what your hat should look like and how to do specific techniques. Not only that, I give you a couple of my tips and tricks to help you in all of your future crocheting adventures.

After you make the hat you have a choice to make: You can just keep the hat as is or add a little something! I show you how to add a mohawk-type fringe that I call the “mane” event, how to add tassels to the ear flaps, how to crochet a flower and how to add corkscrews to the top of the hat. These different embellishments are perfect for the boy, girl, man or woman in your life.

That doesn’t sound too hard does it? Plus, you get me along the way answering your questions. It cannot get much easier than that. Let’s do this!

SIGN UP TODAY for a little holiday fun!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is this Mystery Crochet Along all about?

So here’s the thing… it’s Craftsy’s first ever Mystery Crochet Along, and I’m hosting it! You get access to my exclusive hat project, which is perfect for making homemade holiday gifts. It’s a basic hat design that works up quickly and you can even add cute embellishments like crocheted flowers!

What yarn do I need for this project?

Honestly… the workshop includes 3 skeins of Schachenmayr Boston Style yarn, and each skein is 66 yards. You get to pick your color, too! It’s a bright and warm yarn that’s super easy to work with as you create Marly Bird’s exclusive pattern.

When will I get the pattern and the yarn?

Yes! The yarn will be delivered to you by November 1st. That’s also when your workshop access will be activated on Craftsy, and the big surprise pattern will be revealed! Plus, I’ll be right there to help answer any questions you have along the way.

Can beginners join in on the fun?

Absolutely! I’ve designed this workshop so that beginner and above crocheters can totally participate and enjoy it. I’ll be providing in-depth instructions with high-quality photos for each step, and I’ll be responding to questions to help you out. You’ll learn some new techniques too!

What kind of embellishments can I add to the hat?

Oh, you have options! You can just keep the hat as is, or you can add some flair. I show you how to make a cool “mane” event fringe, add tassels to the ear flaps, crochet a flower, and even add corkscrews to the top. They’re perfect for anyone you want to make a hat for!

Friendly Chat and 30 Day Sweater Challenge

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Thursday’s podcast: A Friendly Chat and 30 Day Sweater Challenge

A rather impromptu conversation between Marly and Me (Julie) and Johnny Vasquez co-creator of the 30 Day Sweater Challenge!

Marly and Julie discuss a variety of random topics including knitting, crocheting, contract work, books, audio books, and education.

Johnny Vasquez, founder of the New Stitch a Day website, talks about how he got into knitting, making a website, and the 30 Day Sweater Challenge.  New Stitch a Day provides step-by-step tutorial videos on knitting and crochet techniques as well as classes on various knitting and crochet topics.  A new stitch/technique video is added every weekday, Monday through Friday.  Check out all of their videos on their website and become a subscriber for VIP status and access to specials!

As a spin-off of New Stitch a Day, Johnny came up with the 3o Day Sweater Challenge.  The Challenge is based on a project that aimed to break down the process of knitting a sweater into simple and easy to follow steps and to get people through knitting an entire garment.  Johnny and Co. took their knitting know-how from New Stitch a Day and developed a course for making a custom top-down seamless raglan sweater.  The course includes a 30 schedule, video tutorials, a sweater calculator, downloadable worksheets, and more!  Check it out here.  If you like written instructions, you can buy the companion book 30 Day Sweater eWorkbook! There is still time so join the Challenge today!  If you are using the 30 Day Sweater Framework (the custom top-down raglan), you can be a part of the 30 Day Sweater Competition with your custom sweater design and maybe win their awesome prize package and be part of the 3o Day Sweater Book!

The prize package includes:

  • 5 sets of Signature Needle Arts Convertibles needles
  • A sweaters worth of yarn from Malibrigo
  • $200 gift card to Stitch Sprouts design services
  • A Stitches “The Works” package to any 1 Stitches event in 2014
  • Have their pattern featured in the 2014 Stitches West fashion show
  • and $1000 in cash!

Also, let Marly know what you are doing for the challenge by leaving a comment below and also give us your opinion on making crafting literature a regular part of the podcast!

Next week on the Yarn Thing Podcast, Kristen TenDyke and Finish Free Knits!!

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Craftsy.com/yarnthing

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Fiesta Yarns
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Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the 30 Day Sweater Challenge all about?

So here’s the thing… the 30 Day Sweater Challenge is all about breaking down the process of knitting a sweater into simple steps. It’s designed to help you get through knitting a whole garment!

What do I get if I win the 30 Day Sweater Challenge competition?

Honestly… the prize package is pretty amazing! It includes things like knitting needles, yarn from Malibrigo, a gift card to Stitch Sprouts, and even $1000 in cash! Plus, your custom sweater design could be featured in a fashion show!

Is there a prize for just finishing the sweater challenge?

Yes! Well, sort of… While there isn’t a specific prize for completing the challenge, your reward is knowing you accomplished such an amazing feat and getting a sweater you’ll love!

Who is Johnny Vasquez?

Oh, he’s the co-creator of the 30 Day Sweater Challenge and the founder of the New Stitch a Day website. He has tons of step-by-step tutorial videos for knitting and crochet techniques.

What kind of topics did Marly and Julie chat about?

They covered a bunch of random things… like knitting, crocheting, contract work, books, audiobooks, and education. It was a really friendly chat!

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Green Mountain Spinnery

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Tuesday on the Yarn Thing podcast: the Green Mountain Spinnery!

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Today’s guest was Eric from the Green Mountain Spinnery, located in Putney, Vermont.  Green Mountain Spinnery was founded in 1981 and several years ago became a worker-owned cooperative when several employees became part owners.  The Spinnery was founded as an environmentally friendly mill that supports sustainable, regional sheep farming and produces high quality yarns, all of which they still do today.  Visitors to the New England area can take a tour of the mill on the first and third Tuesday of every month (or you just might convince someone to take you around if they aren’t too busy on any other day!).  There, you can learn all about the process of making our favorite material yarn!

All of their lovely yarns are spun from fibers gown in the USA and include:

Mountain Mohair;Mountain Mohair detail

Sylvan Spirit;Sylvan Spirit

Green Mountain Green;Green Mountain Green

These are just three of their many yarns, several of which are completely organic! (An important note Green Mountain is a certified organic mill!)  Check out their complete selection here!

In addition to their yarns, Green Mountain has a large pattern selection, many of which are designed by their own employees (Eric included!).  They also have several books, the first of which was The Green Moutain Spinnery Knitting Book which was followed by 99 Yarns and Counting.  Their newest is an e-book called Green Mountain Weekend with designs from their weekend retreat instructors including Barbara Walker, Nancy Bush, Fiona Ellis, Gudrun Johnston, Alison Green, and Kate Gilbert.

Green Mountain regularly hosts weekend retreats that connect instructors with fiber enthusiasts in an enjoyable weekend in New England.  For up-to-date information on their retreats and other events at the Spinnery sign up for their newsletter on the right hand side of their main page and check out their events list and blog.

Last but not least, the weekly giveaway! Leave a comment in the podcast notes using Eric’s keyword to be entered to win your own copy of the Green Mountain Weekend e-book!

You can find Green Mountain Spinnery on: their website, Facebook, and Ravelry and at the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival!


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Let’s give some love to our sponsors! 
XRX Books, Knitter’s Magazine, STITCHES Expos
Craftsy.com/yarnthing

Indian Lake Artisans

Fiesta Yarns
Drew Emborsky
Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit the Green Mountain Spinnery?

Yes, you can! If you’re ever in the New England area, you can take a tour of the mill. They offer tours on the first and third Tuesdays of every month… and if you ask nicely, they might even give you a tour on another day if they aren’t too swamped!

What kind of yarns does Green Mountain Spinnery offer?

Honestly… they have some beautiful yarns! They spin all of their yarns from fibers grown right here in the USA. Some of their popular ones are Mountain Mohair, Sylvan Spirit, and Green Mountain Green. Plus, a few of their yarns are totally organic!

Does Green Mountain Spinnery have any books or patterns?

Oh, absolutely! They have a great selection of patterns, and many of them are designed by their own employees… how cool is that?! They also have published books, and their newest is an e-book called Green Mountain Weekend.

How can I find out about Green Mountain Spinnery’s events?

So here’s the thing… the best way to stay up-to-date on their retreats and other events is to sign up for their newsletter on their main website. You can also check out their events list and blog for all the latest info!

Where can I find Green Mountain Spinnery online or at events?

You can definitely find them on their website, and also on Facebook and Ravelry. And if you love fiber festivals, keep an eye out for them at the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival!

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