My Summer Reading List 2013

I thought it would be fun for us to share what is on our bookshelves for this summer's reading!  This blog has been ALL about knitting lately, and it turns out I do other things too... I swear!

I've been on a reading/listening kick lately.... my brain just needs time to "come" down from the days excitement before I pass out.

On my Shelf:

• Ten Thousand Saints: A Novel by Eleanor Henderson
    (a local author's memoir, I LOVE memoir's!)
• Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad by Waris Darie
    (for book group, I'm already behind, but I have good intentions!)
• Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan
    (might decide to listen to this on the drive to TNNA!)
• Season Of The Harvest by Michael R. Hicks
   (indie author and husband of one my Ravelry group members...
      check it out, the first book in the series is free!!)
• Cast On, Bind Off: 211 ways to begin and end your knitting by Cap Sease
    (211 ways?  WOOT!)
• Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline
    (listen to her interview with Terry Gross last month, very interesting!)

Just Finished:

• Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
    (oh my, there aren't really words... this book moved me)
• Everyone Leaves by Wendy Guerra
    (poetic, and sad, even tragic... but I just kept reading!)
• Beautiful Creatures by Garcia and Stohl 
    (don't judge me, the teen and I were doing a comparative literature study between this and Twilight..... or that's my justification anways)

Listening: 

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
    (my girl and I both listened to it before seeing the movie!)
• Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
     (cause he cracks me up!)
• The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
     (for the knitting... a girl can get lost in a story like this!)
• The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
     (based on a twitter recommendation, sounds like an entertaining series!)
  

So, what are reading/listening to this summer??????  I'd love to add some more books to my list!

A New Knitting Kit: The Pioneer Cuff!

Pioneer Cuff was originally released as a learning tool in my Craftsy class Knitting with Beads, and copyright reverted back to me this spring.  I always knew I'd release Pioneer Cuff as a kit as it is the perfect pattern for learning basic lace skills, working with pre-strung beads that are slipped in between stitches, AND placing beads on stitches with super floss (or a crochet hook.) The lace pattern is both charted and written out and the pattern includes links to video tutorials for working with the beads! 

I chose Anzula Cloud, one of my favorite light fingering yarns, for the kit.
Cloud is a cashmere, merino blend that is strong and scrumptious! 
The kit is available in 5 colors to start!

The kit includes:
15 yards Anzula Cloud (80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon)
60 Size 8 glass seed beads, 4 Czech Crystal Beads, 2 Snap Clasps,
Super Floss for placing beads, Dental Floss Threader for stringing on beads
Pioneer Cuff pattern which is necessary for working with this kit.

Have you ever placed a bead with Super Floss?  It is Addictive! Want to see?


I'm off to TNNA next week... for those of you who don't know TNNA is the yarn industry's trade show, and a blast to attend!  At TNNA I'll be showing my knit jewelry kit and pattern line to stores from around the world, fondling new yarns, and seeing old and new friends.

But, not every yarn store attends TNNA and I'd LOVE to have my kits in more stores as that's the best way to introduce knitters to working with beads!  CAN YOU HELP ME?  Do you have an LYS (local yarn store) you visit?  Can you tell them about my kits and suggest they try some out, maybe even for a class?

So, let's have a giveaway.... I'm giving away a COMPLETE SET of Pioneer Cuff Kits... that means one of each color (5 total)!  All you have to do is leave a comment letting me know that you've shared the news of my kits with your local yarn store!  (If you are a yarn store owner, you can leave a comment for a chance to win as well!)

You can tell LYS's about my kits a variety of ways:

• Share on their Facebook page!
• Tweet them a link to this post! 
• E-mail them!
• Give them a call!
• Or even better stop in and tell them in person (gasp!)!!!!! 

Every time you share with a store post here, that will get you another chance to win! Comments will be open until Tuesday June 18th at midnight EST!  I'll announce the winners on the 19th! 

Juego Mystery Revealed!

Well, the last clue for the Juego MKAL went out May 24th... and that means it's time to share my photos of Juego with you!  Mystery Knit A Long's are always a blast to work on as they engender a fabulous sense of community and help expand those knitting skills.  I think many of the people who have already finished their Juego's might not have even attempted it had they seen the finished photo first.  This puppy was packed with technique!

I knit my Juego in SpaceCadetCreations Celeste Five Rings and Feather, it was my first time working with this yarn, and it won't be my last.... it handled the beads and bloomed beautifully when blocked!

Juego is a center out, top down, bi-color shawl worked seamlessly in sections with a reversible cable edging.   The pattern contains links to 7 unique videos that help immensely with the techniques used in the pattern!

Here's a list of skills used in Juego:
Circular Cast On
Knitting in the Round
Knitting Flat
Mosaic Colorwork
Carrying Colors
Basic Lace Stitches
Knitting with Beads
Knitted-On Edging
Reversible Cables
Attached ICord

A final version of Juego (sans clues) has been uploaded to Ravelry.  I've left the version with clues as well for those of you might still want to work it that way!

There are SO many knitters to thank for helping to make this KAL a success: my Ravelry moderators were amazing, Stefanie from Space Cadet got a TON of yarn dyed in a short period of time, my testers and tech editor allowed me to mess with their brains (and needles) on more than one occasion while we simplified the pattern as much as possible AND my Ravelry group... the most amazing collection of humans you will ever find.  Your perseverance, empathy, patience and AWESOME sense of humor made this the most amazing KAL yet!  Seriously, LOVE you guys! 

The best part?  I FINALLY get to wear my Juego!  I finished it in January and it's been packed away for months!  I might have worn it on a date with my honey to our favorite restaurant on Seneca Lake (it was a Wednesday, there were no knitter's there....) It's first "real" outing is TNNA in 2 weeks....

Obsessio Cowl: A Cabling and S2kpo Tutorial!

Thankyou SO MUCH for the Obsessio LOVE!  I am thrilled with the reception my new pattern has received!  I noticed in the Craftsy forum and in my Ravelry group that some of you have never worked a cable at the edge of your work and it's throwing you for a loop (as they say)!

Since a picture is always worth a thousand words I decided to shoot a little video to show you how to do it.  I also threw in how to work the s2kpo for those of you who that is new for too!



A disclaimer: This was shot at my kitchen table with my standard poodle pacing around behind me, and my nails a little worse for wear after a weekend of gardening! I know many of you are used to the high quality of my Craftsy videos.... apologies!