Jean Moss Interview, Great Little Gifts to Knit Giveaway

I was recently asked to join the blog tour for Great Little Gifts to Knit, by Jean Moss. It's a wonderful collection of knitted items that are designed to be knit up quickly, and with the holiday season only 4 months away, it doesn't hurt to start thinking about our gift knitting! Here are my top faves from the 29-pattern collection: 

This Shower Set is an absolutely perfect trio of super fast knits: 

And these classic yet cool cushion covers are awesome, they would be awesome on my couch (and probably yours, too!):

I love these zebra mittens, they are so cool and (I think) pretty unisex in their appeal: 

And this Toran is gorgeous, what a fun way to celebrate good news, parties, holidays! 

Check out the full project gallery here,  to see all the amazing patterns included in this lovely book. (warning: the page background colour is a little hard on the eyes!) 

Jean was kind enough to take some time for a mini interview, which was lots of fun: 

According to your bio, you are a self-taught knitter. How did you come to be interested in knitting, and how did you learn? As you have been a prolific designer since before the age of the internet, I'm interested to know how you sorted out the challenges of learning new techniques or problem solving when there were no YouTube videos or Ravelry forums to offer help. 

JM: In my family all the women were knitters, so I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t knit.  When I was about five my lovely grandmother taught me how to knit drop stitch scarves from recycled yarn. I had no concept of where yarn might come from other than from other people’s old sweaters! You can imagine my delight when years later I discovered yarn stores. My design skills were learnt on the job. In the eighties when I was working with Ralph Lauren and other international US designers, there was a lot of pressure to produce accurate patterns fast. It was certainly an amazing learning curve for me.

I have to confess I’ve rarely learnt a technique from a YouTube video. I’m quite impatient and much prefer doing to watching - I seem to have tunnel vision when I need to learn something, channeling all my energies into it for a short period. Before the internet I would just experiment until I got it right, or consult Montse Stanley’s Knitter’s Handbook to help me along. She was an amazing knitter -  it’s very sad that she died so prematurely. 

Your newest book, Great Little Gifts to Knit, has wonderful projects for babies, women, men, and the home. Looking back over your amazing patterns in the Ravelry pattern database, you've designed plenty of beautiful knits in very diverse yarns, and in very diverse styles. Do you have a particular favourite item that you most enjoy designing (i.e., shawls or hats)? What is your favourite pattern out of this new collection?

JM: My favourite pattern is always the one I’m working on. I love designing for me, and couldn’t imagine publishing anything I don’t actually like (I’m not saying here that I like every design I do, but those I don’t like go straight in the rubbish bin). Similarly I can’t say I’d wear everything I design, as some designs have a strict brief which may or may not be my style, but I like to think that my handwriting shines through in every piece. To answer your question I wear a lot of sweater dresses, shawls and scarves (a passion that inspired my last book, Sweet Shawlettes) and adore knitted hats, so if pressed I’d say these are my fav items.

The design I had most fun working on in Great Little Gifts is the Welcome Toran. In my opinion every home needs one, both to welcome guests and celebrate the meaningful moments of our lives, such as births and weddings etc. I love the idea that knitters can adapt the concept to fit their own skills, lives and interiors.  It’s based on a traditional Hindu/Buddhist door-hanging, said to bless all who walk beneath it.

I think all knitters and crocheters have made something to give as a gift, but either the recipient wasn't a good match for the item, or it didn't fit, or they just didn't appreciate it. Tell me about a time when you knitted a gift that just didn't work out, and how you avoid those sorts of knitted gift missteps now.  

JM: My friends and family generally seem delighted to receive my knitted gifts. I hope and trust they’re not just being polite.  Personally I’d be delighted if someone made a gift especially for me and would cherish it. However, a couple of Christmasses ago I knit lots of necklaces  and bracelets, each with its own unique colour and style to compliment the recipient . I wondered why my fairly new daughter-in-law didn’t seem overly pleased with hers and I never saw her wear it. I only found out a month or two ago that she has a thing about jewelry and wouldn’t even wear a watch. I like gifts to be exciting to open and hope there’ll be a nice surprise in each parcel. I just cross my fingers and hope that on the whole those surprises don’t turn out to be shocks!

I'm curious to know what's on your knitting needles. What are you working on now? 

JM: I’m afraid knitting was put on hold for me nearly seven weeks ago when I broke my wrist teaching the grandchildren how to ride a unicycle! I know – you couldn’t make it up! The cast came off last week and I’ve picked up my needles once or twice since, but I still can’t do very much as my hand is still painfully weak and swells up like a sausage when I try to use it. I’m finding playing guitar is the easiest therapy at the moment. All very frustrating, but it gives me lots of time to dream up new designs to try out once I get going again. 

Thank you Jean, for taking the time to thoughtfully answer all my questions! 

Interested in winning a copy of this lovely book? Then it's your lucky day! Please leave me a comment (include your email or ravelry ID) telling me which person in your life really needs for you to knit them a gift.  The winner will be announced Thursday, September 12th! And should you not win, take heart- the book is available for sale on Amazon.com here, Amazon.co.uk here, and there is even a blog tour for this amazing book, be sure to check out the other blogs for more chances to win! 

The Rest of the Great Little Gifts to Knit Blog Tour 

Wed 11 Sep    Black Bunny Fibers Carol Sulcoski

Thur 12 Sep    Rhythm of the Needles Joanne Conklin

Fri 13 Sep       Tiny Owls Knits Stephanie Dosen

Mon 16 Sep    Just Call Me Ruby Susan Crawford

Tues 17 Sep   Zeneedle Margene Smith

Wed 18 Sep    Redshirt Knitting Erika Barcott

Thur 19 Sep    A Friend to Knit With Leslie Friend

Fri 20 Sep        Craft Sanity Jennifer Ackerman Haywood

Mon 23 Sep     Connieleneknits Connie Lene

Tues 24 Sep    Knitsofacto Annie Cholewa

Wed 25 Sep     Ulla Bella Anita Tormoen

Thur 26 Sep     A Really Good Yarn Julie Schilthuis

Fri 27 Sep        Urban Yarns Alexa Ludeman

Sat 28 Sep       Linda Marveng  Linda Marveng

Mon 30 Sep     Yarnings Jen

Tues 1 Oct       Tentenknits  Margaux Hufnagel              

Knit Notes Giveaway!

 (Side note: I've been trying to find a fun backdrop for my photos for ages, and then remembered I have these very fun blueberry and blackberry sheets that I bought in Venice, Italy a very long time ago. It's a bit dark, but I kind of like it!)

I have been loving Knit Notes, recently. The notebook is structured in such a way that it feels like a private space to flesh out some knitting ideas, or modifications. And for a knitter like me who often has a lot of different project son the go, it really helps me keep track of them.

Knit Notes isn't just for those who want to design their own knits. This is the perfect book for keeping track of your projects, such as any adjustments you might make to adjust for the right sleeve length for you, or if you added waist shaping, of it you want to make a more dramatic modification. Each project has four pages assigned for it, with sections to include as much or as little detail as you'd like- sort of like a more tactile version of Ravelry, but in a beautiful book format.

There are incredibly handy guides in the back of the notebook: an explantion of common knitting abbreviations, an overview on different types of sleeves, a guide on taking measurements, and charts for standard measurements for men's, women's, kids and babies sizes- sweaters and socks. There's even a section where you cna document the measurements of those you knit for most- friends and family (or pets!). There is even a bonus pattern for a beautiful, classic funnel neck sweater.

So would you like to win a copy of this amazing notebook? Of course you would! here's how to enter:

Leave a comment saying what you think you would find most useful about Knit Notes, AND your contact info (email or Ravelry ID, please). Comments will close on Sunday evening, and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Botanical Knits Review and Giveaway

I'm a long time fan of Alana's (aka Never Not Knitting) design aesthetic- remember this, this and this? oh, and how about her amazing collection with Hannah Fettig, Coastal Knits? If you have knit an Alana pattern before, then you know that they are thoughtful, well-written and yield stunning results. 

So if you haven't yet seen Alana's beautiful new collection, Botanical Knits, then holy moly, are you ever in for a treat. I recently made Forest Floor in a weekend, and I am still loving it. And I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the collection. It's really hard to pick a favourite out of the 13 patterns, but these 6 are on my personal knit list (since I've already knit Forest Floor): 

 Top, from left to right: Spring Foliage, Pressed Leaves, Twigs and Willows.

Bottom, left to right: Twin Leaf Loop, Autumn's End,  Entangled Vines.

The collection is heavily inspired by nature, with different types of leaves featuring strongly in the designs. All the designs seem timeless, and the silhouettes are very flattering. There is something for everyone in this collection, but if you enjoy knitting hats and sweaters, I think you'll be particularly smitten.You can check out the whole collection on Ravelry, or on botanicalknits.com .

Want a copy of this collection? Of course you do. You can order the print copy for $22 + shipping. As a special thank you for preordering, you get the e-book for free immediately. Or you can order the e-book by itself for $18.

OR... maybe you'll be the lucky winner of a copy of the e-book right here! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment (don't forget your Rav ID or email!) telling me which pattern you would most love to knit right away. Bonus entries for posting on Twitter or Facebook. Deadline to enter is Monday, March 4th, 6:00 p.m. (EST). The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Good luck!

Review and Giveaway: ISLAND

 ISLAND collection: Arbutus (far left), Strathcona (center), Renfrew (top right), Rathtrevor (middle right), Grace (bottom right).

I've been a fan of Jane Richmond's designs for a while- her knits have a clean, minimal aesthetic that is very modern and very timeless at the same time, traits that I really admire. When Jane first starting talking about doing a collection on her blog, I was excited to see it- I knew ISLAND would be gorgeous.

The photographs from the book are all beautifully done, and the layout is really inviting. The book feels very thorough and is consistent in the experience of the book, which truly evokes a west coast vibe, true to Jane's Vancouver Island roots. I have a really tough time picking a favourite:

  Arbutus is fascinating in it's construction and looks very wearable, and Grace looks like a perfect raglan cardigan that would go with absolutely everything. I was especially interested to see a table of information for all the sizing measurements and stitch counts for Grace, the sweater. I've never seen a more thorough outline of the specifications for a sweater, which makes is perfect for altering to customize a perfect fit, and if you are beginning to think about sweater design, shows just how much work goes into crafting a well fitting garment.

You should check out all the amazing FOs from these patterns on Ravelry. When you see all the beautiful FOs from this collection it is clear that the knits speak for themselves.

Would you like a chance to win a copy of this beautiful book? I bet you would! Leave a comment (including your Ravelry ID or email, so I can get in touch with you if you win!), comment on Facebook, or tweet about it! You can get extra entries to win if you comment AND facebook/tweet. The winner will be posted Sunday, Feb 3rd.

Giveaway: Deluxe Edition of Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf

Alana Dakos (of Never Not Knitting fame) has written the most charming book about a little girl learning to knit I can possibly imagine. And it's not just the book that is wonderful- the puzzle, paper doll set, the stickers; there's even a little note from Annie that makes you feel like this gift set is truly just for you:

And the paper dolls (which I totally forgot to get a photo of, but see here for fabulous detailed photos) are all Alana's patterns! Get the book or the deluxe set  right here.

This deluxe edition is the perfect gift for a little girl, no question. The story is adorable- Annie's mom is a knitter, and one day Annie decides she wants to learn too, but finds it hard at first- her scarf gets holes that look like swiss cheese. I can totally relate, that's what learning to knit was like for me, too. I learned when I was 7.

How awesome are the illustrations?!

My baby is a little young for the set, but I did read her the story. She likes books, even at 8 months:

I don't think she can follow the plot, but she enjoys hearing it read and looking at the pictures.And yes, I'm wearing the fox sweater from this post again! It's from Old Navy. So is Lila's sweater.

Alana has very generously offered up a deluxe gift set for me to giveaway, how awesome is that?! To enter:

Please leave a comment here or on Facebook and let me know what your favourite detail is- the stickers? the paper dolls? the illustrations? Do you know a little one that would just love the story? Tell me about it, and don't forget to include your contact info. Contest closes Thursday at midnight, and I'll announce the winner on Friday.

Pattern Giveaway: Accessories: Autumne 2012

Denise Voie de Vie has designed a beautiful new winter accessories collection, featuring five great accessory patterns, 4 crochet and 1 knitting (I know, right? When have I ever featured crochet patterns before?!). I have extemely remedial crochet skills myself, but am in awe of these beauties:

Clockwise from top left: Piaf Scarf, Le Bouquet Stole, Rustically Elegant Shoulder Warmer, Slouching Toward Tassels Cap.

I love the French elegance of this collection. The Piaf Scarf is the knitting pattern, with great lacy texture and is right at home with the crocheted beauties. The  rich texture of Le Bouquet is stunning, and the Rustically Elegant Shoulder warmer looks perfect for cozying up by a fire or in a cafe with a steaming cup of cafe au lait. The Slouching Toward Tassels cap is super cute and the tassels are in perfect proportion to the cap. My favourite is the Enveloped Cowl, it is so beautiful and looks classic and timeless.

So, how about a chance to win this beautiful collection? There's still time to make a little something in time for the holidays, as a gift or maybe for yourself. Please leave a comment with your contact info and tell me whch is your favourite. You can get extra chances to win by tweeting (be sure to tag me so I know!) or mentioning it on Facebook! Comments close Thursday, and the winner will be announced Friday.

Ghost Pattern Review and Giveaway Contest

Teresa of Canary Knits has put together a stunning (and timely!) collection of patterns inspired by ghosts stories from a variety of cultures and times. The collection is not just a gathering of patterns, but a beautifully researched collection of the history of ghost stories and perception of ghosts through different eras and cultures. I'm not even a huge fan of ghost stories, but the essays that intersperse the patterns make for some fascinating reading and I found myself totally engossed. The patterns are all inspired by the tales included, and all eleven patterns are innovative and beautiful.

My personal favourites from the collection:

Calavera Catrina, a bonnet with floral details that I'm obsessed with.

 Utukku, a lovely lacy shrug that can be worn with or without ribbons. 

 Uncanny, stunning socks featuring twisted stitches woven into a gothic design. 

The above are just three of the eleven patterns in the collection, and they are all fascinating knits. I had already decided I'd only show photos from three, and it was tough deciding! All the items are perfect for fall, and exploring the subject of ghosts at a time when we're gearing up for Halloween feels very appropriate.

Would you like to win a copy of this amazing collection? Then leave a comment telling me what you would most like to knit from the collection, and include your contact info (email or ravelry ID). You can enter until midnight on Friday night, and the winner will be announced on Saturday. Good luck!

New Patterns! A Giveaway! The Stella Collection!

 I'm so excited that this is now live!! Tanis and I have been busy working on a summery little lace collection:

Clockwise from top left: Nashira, Adhara, Solaria, and Suncrest.

The collection features 4 lace shawls interpreted in different ways: Nashira is a rectangular stole, Adhara is a two-colour triangular shawl, Solaria is a cowl (can also be worn as a caplet), and Suncrest is a half-oval.The whole collection is available for $15 (bargain!), or individually for $6 each.

 I designed Solaria during the final stages of my pregnancy, but Nashira was designed entirely after Lila was born. I can't get as much knitting done as I'd like, but having a newborn just makes me choosier about my projects, and designs.

Tanis of course designed the lovely Adhara and Suncrest:

All of the designs feature a different Tanis Fiber Arts yarn base and colourway. And of course, there are tonnes of colours to choose from!

Let's get to the giveaway! We're giving away to one lucky knitter a copy of the ebook, which includes all 4 patterns. To enter, leave a comment below telling me which pattern you are most excited to knit. Don't forget to leave your email or Ravelry ID, so I can get in touch with you if you win!  You can enter until 7:00 a.m. on Friday, June 22nd. I'll announce a winner that Friday afternoon. Good luck!

Product Review and Giveaway: Jordana Paige Tool Butler

I'm sure many of you are familiar with Jordana Paige's knitwear designs and bags, possibly even seeing them at your LYS or online. But have you seen their new Tool Butler?!

I chose Bronze (it comes in 4 colours), and I love it.

See, I'm not the most organized with my knitting tools. I have a vase for my straights, a pouch for my circulars; and my crochet hooks, dpns, and stitch markers run amok in the coffee table drawer:

(that coffee table drawer is my secret shame. Now the secret is out!)

So... I was in need of some organizing. Enter the handy Tool Butler.  First off, I can tell you that the ways to use the Tool Butler are probably limitless- I bet you could round up one hundred Tool Butler owners and every single one would be organized differently. Even when organizing my own, I found myself wondering if perhaps the dpns should go in the zippered pouches, or the best way to use the cards for labeling, etc. There is no right or wrong way to organize the Tool Butler, which I really appreciate.



The mesh pouches are really handy- you can see through them, so you don't need to unzip every single one when you are looking for something.

I also love how it is exactly the right size to hold a pattern printed on normal A4 paper, folded in half. If you had a lot of projects on the go, you could have notes, patterns, needles and notions for each project in it's own distinct pouch. But here, I have my circular needles corralled in the pouches, according to size.



I'm really impressed with it's overall good looks, too- it resembles a stylish clutch evening bag more than a tool caddy of any kind, and it is that exact stylish-ness that makes me feel so much more professional about my knitting. Of course, when your previous system is a coffee table drawer, this is really a huge step up.

Now, let's have a giveaway for one of these amazing Tool Butlers! To enter, leave me a comment letting me know 3 things:
- your contact info
- which colour you like best (check out the product page for the full details)
- what you most want to use the Tool Butler for (e.g. organizing crochet hooks? WIP tools and info?)

Deadline to enter is 12:00 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, May 17th. I'll announce the winner then!

Giveaway: Stockholm Scarf Celebration!

 Yesterday my first ever knitting pattern- the Stockholm Scarf- hit one thousand projects on Ravelry!

To celebrate, Tanis Fiber Arts has generously agreed to send one lucky reader two skeins of Yellow Label (DK weight) in the colourway of their choice.

To enter: leave a comment telling me what your absolute #1 choice of colourway would be to knit up the Stockholm Scarf. And please leave me some contact info- an email address, a Ravelry ID name, something that allows me to get in touch with you! Deadline to enter is midnight on Friday (EST), the winner will be announced on Saturday!

Hold Your Needles 1& 2: Review and Giveaway!!

 I recently heard about Hold Your Needles 1 and Hold Your Needles 2, two remarkable pattern collections
from Finnish designers Mari Muinonen and Suvi Simola. The first collection has 12 patterns and the second collection has 10 patterns, all for very reasonable download prices. Both collections feature lots of texture and many have gorgeous (I mean, really) cable details.

Hold Your Needles 1 has a great mix of patterns, including two for men, two hat/mitts combo patterns, and  some for kids/babies. Most of the patterns call for heavier weights of yarn, which helps them knit up really fast, as well as keeping you and your loved ones nice and toasty warm.


My personal favourites from Hold Your Needles 1:

 Clockwise from top left: Lumme, Muikkuset, Reha, Muffeli

Hold Your Needles 2  maintains a similar design aesthetic, focusing on the heavier weights of yarn that knit up quickly, as well as lots of rich texture and beautiful cables.You really need to click on over to Mai to check out the amazing details (and it's grown up version, Juuli)- those pockets are amazing!

My personal favourites from Hold Your Needles 2:
Clockwise from top left: Paju, Friika, Kiedo, Mai

Both of these collections are filled with thoughtful details and clever designs, and when you look at the FOs from other knitters, you can see they have consistently strong results- which is extremely important! It's easy to have great pattern photos, but the proof of a great pattern is in it's ability to deliver consistent results. 

Suvi and Mari have very generously offered to do a giveaway- 3 lucky winners will receive the e-pattern books for both Hold Your Needles 1 and 2! Just leave a comment on this post telling me which is your favourite pattern from 1 AND 2 (so- you're telling me the names of 2 patterns, one from each collection). The deadline for entering is Thursday, January 19th at midnight (12:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time). I'll announce the three lucky winners on Friday- good luck everyone!

Book Review & Giveaway: Coastal Knits

 This is easily one of the most beautiful pattern collections I can ever remember seeing. Every aspect- the patterns, the photographs, the sketches, the information on the design process, the layout- everything contributes to the overall look and feel of this book. Some of my favourite patterns are:

Water's Edge Cardigan 

 Rustling Leaves Beret:

Rocky Coast Cardigan:

 Gnarled Oak Cardigan:

What strikes me the most about this pattern collection is that every single knit looks easy to wear. Not over styled, but realistically pretty- like any of us could knit this, put it on, and get the exact same look.

Alana and Hannah seem very well paired in this East Coast/West Coast collaboration- the knits work together as a collection really well, and it seems only fitting that they share the glory of the two most popular patterns- Alana designed the Rustling Leaves beret and Hannah designed the Rocky Coast cardigan, both are the strong runners for most popular pattern in the collection.


Looking at the patterns on Ravelry does not do this book justice- it really is a gem.  I really liked the patterns when I saw them on Ravelry, but it wasn't until a had a copy of the book in my hands that I was utterly blown away by the whole collection. You need to get this! And when you do, head on over to the Ravelry Coastal Knits Group for a community of others who are also knitting the patterns. You know what else would be fun? How about we give away a copy of Coastal Knits? Leave me a comment below telling me your favourite pattern from the collection by November 20th, 12:00 p.m. (that's noon!) EST.

Pearl and The Beard Giveaway!

Lately I've been really digging Pearl and the Beard, a Brooklyn NY based trio that specializes in a soulful american sort of sounds that just seems perfect for summer. Plus Jocelyn is an expert knitter that designed the sweater that they are wearing in the promo shot above. She even did a video about making it:

 

Here is a link to their myspace page, where you can listen to their songs (I'm particularly fond of Lost in Singapore, Sweetness, and Reverend), and although I'm sort of lamenting that they don't have more videos, here's one that they did in the park:

To enter to win a CD, please leave me a comment and your email address. The contest will be open all weekend, and a winner will be chosen on Monday, July 4th at random. Good luck!!

** UPDATE:: Apparently the media company contacted a bunch of knitting blogs (including mine) but didn't make an effort to schedule them, so I apologize if this looks shady in any way because a bunch of others are having the same giveaway. I do genuinely like the music, and am not getting paid to promote them- just a copy of the CD as well.