http://www.knittersreview.com Knitter's Review is a weekly online knitting newsletter that gives intelligent reviews of the tools, yarns, books, and materials knitters use every day. en-us Copyright 2012 Knitter's Review http://www.knittersreview.com/rss Wed, 09 May 2012 19:00:00 EST Knitting http://www.knittersreview.com/images/logo_15.jpg http://www.knittersreview.com The 39th annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival took place last weekend. It's sensory overload, with dozens of sheep breeds and thousands of yarns, fibers, tools, and toys as far as the eye can see. For those who couldn't make it, I've put together a seven-minute slide show for you. You'll find lots of sheep, pretty skeins of yarn, plates of fried food, and a special 'knitty pot.' Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120510_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 May 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120510_a.htm Step into a Briar Rose Fibers booth at a fiber festival and you'll likely encounter a crush of people with blissed-out expressions, all holding enormous hanks of yarn in their arms. Inevitably they start hugging the yarn and talking to it, which is not hard to do when each skein is the size of a baby. That's how I met this week's yarn, fittingly called Robusta. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120503_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 02 May 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120503_a.htm Did you know that in the week of April 15th, half the books on the Wall Street Journal's best-selling fiction list were children's books? Also increasingly popular is yarnstorming, or yarn bombing, where knitting becomes a sort of public graffiti-albeit a soft and colorful kind. This week we celebrate the convergence of these two trends in a lovely children's book called Extra Yarn. You'll want to give a copy to everyone you know, knitters and non-knitters alike. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120426_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120426_a.htm Been to Tajikistan lately? Neither have I. But thanks to the wonders of yarn, I've just spent the day with a group of angora goats raised in the Asht region of northern Tajikistan. The fibers are being harvested, cleaned, prepared, and handspun into yarn as part of an international development project. Its name, Mohair Magic. Shall we do some armchair swatching? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120419_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120419_a.htm Yarn shops are on the front line of knitting. Work in one and you'll quickly get a good idea what people want, where they get stuck, and where they don't want to go. Former store owner Heather Walpole listened to her customers. They asked again and again for a great machine-washable worsted-weight wool, something soft enough for babies and the tender-skinned. She started a company to create that very yarn. Meet Wooly Worsted from Ewe Ewe Yarns. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120412_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120412_a.htm No matter how much we love knitting, and we can all agree we love it a lot, sometimes our needles fall silent. Maybe a project has bogged us down, or maybe life got in the way. We miss our knitting mojo and wonder if we'll ever get it back. I say yes, absolutely. To help kick-start your creativity and keep it healthy, I've put together 10 tips for overcoming knitter's block and staying inspired. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120405_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 4 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120405_a.htm The food world has its notion of 'terroir.' Close your eyes and you can pick up hints of a distinct geography, soil, water, air, you name it, in every sip of wine, every nibble of cheese. I like to think that yarn, too, has terroir. Tahki's Donegal Tweed is still spun in the county for which it was named in Ireland, and this week I show what you'll find when you cast on and start knitting with it. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120329_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120329_a.htm Someone recently asked me if lace shawls ever needed to be re-blocked. The answer? A most emphatic yes. Re-blocking shawls is a pleasant spring-cleaning ritual right up there with vacuuming the blinds and airing your comforter. Some shawls keep their shape much better than others, but all deserve to have their fibers cleaned and tidied up at least once a year. This week I revisit blocking with a tutorial and a look at lace blocking wires, including some new, super-fine ultra-flexible ones. My only worry: Are they too flexible for the job? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120322_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120322_a.htm If we are truly on the cusp of a colorwork renaissance, then it's time for a little primer. Some of the most beautiful, intricate designs are created by the artful placement of just two colors along each row. It's called 'stranded knitting,' and who better to teach us than Meg Swansen and Amy Detjen in their new book, Knitting With Two Colors. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120315_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120315_a.htm With Alice Starmore's books back in print and Jared Flood's Brooklyn Tweed yarns providing a mouth-watering palette, everything's in place for a color renaissance. Some would argue colorwork never went away in the first place. When you use multiple colors within a project, you have two choices. Either you use the colors the designer chose for you, or you strike out on your own. We weren't all born with an equal gift for putting colors together. Books and wheels teach us color theory, but sometimes we just want a simple gadget to get us on the right path. I've found one. Gail Callahan's Color Grid is no bigger than a take-out menu and costs less than a sandwich. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120308_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120308_a.htm In 2003 I fell in love with a plush, spongy wool yarn from Oregon. I didn't know anything about the farm or even the sheep breed, I simply ordered a yarn, sight unseen, and the package captivated me. Nine years, three books, and hundreds of yarns later, the stakes are certainly higher. Generations of sheep have come and gone, but the Oregon farm remains. I thought it fitting to return to this mythical yarn and see if it's still as good as I originally thought. Let's return to Imperial Stock Ranch for a re-swatch, shall we? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120301_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120301_a.htm My favorite knitting tool sits in the kitchen right on top of my microwave. I use it when baking bread and making caramels, and I always pull it out when I'm working with leftover skeins of yarn. Can you guess what it is? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120223_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120223_a.htm Washing your swatches is the knitter's equivalent of finishing a book to know how the story ends. Sure, you can guess, or a friend can spoil it for you. But with some yarns, you have to see it for yourself to believe it. While I was in Wisconsin last weekend I came across one such yarn. It's an interesting felted concoction from Germany that blends Merino, cashmere, and silk into something called Cashmere Queen. The difference from skein to washed fabric is striking and, for some people, unbelievable. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120216_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120216_a.htm We have few landmarks in the knitting world. When one closes, we feel its loss. Earlier this week, La Lana Wools announced that February 29th would be its last day. Owner Luisa Gelenter said simply, "I'm ready for my next chapter." For nearly 40 years, Gelenter and her Taos, New Mexico, shop have been mainstays of the textiles world. Her naturally dyed handspun yarns have captivated countless knitters, inspiring the Maine Morning Mitts and prompting Julia Roberts to stalk her in a Taos grocery store. To pay tribute to Gelenter's work, and to help you understand what we're losing, I've been given special permission to share Melanie Falick's profile of Luisa Gelenter and La Lana Wools from America Knits (originally titled Knitting in America). When you're done reading, please join me in thanking the remarkable Luisa for adding so much color and texture to our textile world. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120209_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120209_a.htm One-skein wonders make yarn companies cringe. They'd rather you stock up on a few dozen skeins for a sweater or a blanket. But some yarns are so decadent (and often so pricey) that they beg for smaller, special one- or two-skein projects. Artyarns falls into this category. As if reading our minds, owner Iris Schreier has just published a collection of patterns that take the one-skein notion literally one skein further. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120202_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120202_a.htm Last weekend it was "wagons ho!" to Phoenix, Arizona, for the semiannual TNNA trade show. I went, I talked to a lot of people, and I fondled a ton of new yarn. Here's what stood out. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120126_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120126_a.htm The latest knitting news usually comes from TNNA, the semiannual trade show taking place in Phoenix this weekend. But last weekend at Vogue Knitting Live in New York we heard big news from Alice Starmore, and we got previews from Ysolda Teague, Addi, and the Buffalo Wool Co. I have the full scoop, with pictures. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120119_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120119_a.htm Last week's hat pattern left me with bulky yarns on the brain, both literally and metaphorically. I've since discovered a plush, spongy knitted-tube yarn from Rowan. Alpaca Chunky is billed as the chunky sibling to Lima. But on closer inspection, I found several reasons why the yarn merits a little respect on its own. Shall we swatch? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120112_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120112_a.htm You know what they say about the shoemaker's children never having proper shoes? That was me this week, walking down Portland's Congress Street with nine-degree winds howling around my hatless head. I was away from home, and I had no hat. Clearly, this had to be rectified. As I scrolled through my mental list of suitably warm, bulky wools, my yarndar went off. I was standing just a skein's throw from Pam Allen's office - the one from which she runs her Quince & Co. empire. A quick call and elevator ride later, I was walking away with a skein of Puffin and a plan. I offer the results as my New Year's gift to you: an extremely simple, fast-knitting hat that will ensure the shoemaker never goes shoeless again. It is fittingly called the Shoemaker's Hat. It's yours to download for free until January 15th, and I hope you enjoy it. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120105_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/120105_a.htm This is our last Knitter's Review together in 2011. I'll be taking next week off to tidy my swatches, file away the skeins, and ready the deck for a rich and full New Year. But before we break, let's pause for a moment and look at the year we've just shared. What happened? Where are we now? What's next? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111222_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111222_a.htm In 17 days, a new year begins. I'd like to hit the 'pause' button on all the frantic year-end scurrying, the last-minute gifts and holiday sales. Instead? Let's escape into the world of three lovely finewool yarns I discovered during my travels this year. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111215_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111215_a.htm What a year for craft books. You couldn't turn around without tripping on a new title. Want to make puppets out of your cat's hair? Prefer making origami out of duct tape? Not to worry, they've got you covered. Knitting was no different. Some titles stood out amidst the inspiration overwhelm. Here's my list of 11 notable books of 2011. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111208_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111208_a.htm Since we last spoke, something pretty wonderful happened. I took a road trip to the Finger Lakes region of New York to join 115 of my favorite knitters for the 10th-annual Knitter's Review Retreat. We had yarn galore, inspiration as far as the eye could see, chocolate at (almost) every meal. Underlying it all was a sense of connectedness and community I rarely get from the world at large. I'd love to share it all with you. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111201_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111201_a.htm Ahhhhhh, Rowan Kidsilk Haze. Who can resist its frothy super kid mohair and lustrous silky halo? Sometimes we don't have the time for the type of lace-weight creation Kidsilk Haze invites. Just in time for the holiday season, Rowan has created a limited-edition version of Kidsilk Haze that whips itself up into a curly scarf in no time flat. Meet Kidsilk Creation. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111117_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111117_a.htm What a weekend. The San Francisco Bay was as blue as ever, the knitters inspiring and the yarn plentiful. I've brought back stories and pictures from Interweave Knitting Lab, including links to three succulent yarns you'll want to try. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111110_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111110_a.htm I've fallen in love and its name is Loft. Made from the lively fleeces of sheep that graze on the western U.S. rangelands, and dyed and spun at a historic mill in New Hampshire, this fine, springy yarn embodies all that is good about wool. Please help me welcome the newest addition to Jared Flood's Brooklyn Tweed yarn family. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111103_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111103_a.htm One of my favorite online traditions is "Friday link love," when you hand over the stage to other online places that inspire you. While it's not Friday, I have five things competing for my attention this week, and I'd like to share them all with you: a charming book, ebook, and accessory; a hotel room we all must visit; and a school in Silicon Valley that's doing things right. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111027_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111027_a.htm How do you convey the heart and soul of the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, one of the country's largest and most venerable fiber gatherings? Let me walk you through the show from A to Z, from apples and artichokes to yarn and the zoo. Can you guess what Q is? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111020_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111020_a.htm I have a new book out this week called The Knitter's Book of Socks. It's about how to create the highest-performance knitwear possible on your own needles. The book features companion projects from Cookie A, Cat Bordhi, Ann Budd, Norah Gaughan, Anne Hanson, Sivia Harding, Lucy Neatby, and many more talented designers, not to mention a surprise pair of colorful padded house socks from Jared Flood. I'm immensely proud of it. In celebration of the book's release, I'd like to give you a little tour and share a free pattern and a few astounding facts about the human foot. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111013_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111013_a.htm We should all have a favorite go-to yarn, one we can always trust to give us that little knitterly pick-me-up. It may not be flashy or frivolous or decadent, but that may be part of why we love it so, and why it loves us right back. I've found a new yarn that has become my next go-to candidate. Called Heaven's Hand, it's a hearty and sincere four-ply spun and hand-dyed in Peru and marketed to us by the designer Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton. Few stores carry it, and I honestly can't figure out why. Want to see what it can do? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111006_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/111006_a.htm Picture this. A glitzy hotel in west Los Angeles, Ferraris lining the curb outside. An ornate lobby of marble and glass, lounge chairs under potted palms. Men in Armani suits mingle with women in shoes taller than most buildings in my town. And yet, what's this I see? Knitters. An army of yarn-toting women and men claiming their place in the sun, needles fast at work, chatting away with new-found friends. This was the setting for Vogue Knitting Live Los Angeles, which took place last weekend. Care to join me? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110929_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110929_a.htm Are you a list maker? I love them. They order my life and give me a great sense of accomplishment every time I get to cross something off. Lists aren't just about groceries or household chores. They're also a helpful way to set your compass and mark your progress toward bigger goals and dreams. Which brings us to The Knitter's Life List, a new book by lifelong knitter and Storey Publishing editor Gwen Steege. She's taken a big net and skimmed the surface of our knitting pond to collect 320 pages of people, tips, techniques, and ideas about how to broaden your knitting experience. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110922_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110922_a.htm Imagine marrying someone and getting a yarn company in the bargain. Not a bad deal, eh? That's exactly what happened when Leonhardt Schachenmayr married the oldest daughter of Johann Gottfried Kolb in 1817. He eventually took over what became Schachenmayr, Mann and Company, which, in 2009, got shortened to SMC. The SMC Select line is all about high fashion and elegant exclusivity, and yet the yarn I review this week seems none of those things. It's just a really nice, interesting knitted tube called Silk Wool. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110915_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110915_a.htm Everyone's agog over interchangeables. Having so many needle choices is simply irresistible. This week I introduce a new player to the North American knitting needle market. Called Knitter's Pride, this Indian company offers all kinds of needles, including a charmingly colorful wooden set called Symfonie Dreamz. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110908_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 7 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110908_a.htm Many of us were knitting in the dark this weekend as Irene churned her way up the East Coast. As you may have discovered - and I dearly hope you didn't have to - knitting by candlelight gets old pretty quickly. Allow me to introduce the Stitch Light from Buffy Ann Designs. Meant to dangle from your neck, this tiny device produces a light bright enough for turning cables, performing open-heart surgery, or even landing a jetliner. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110901_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110901_a.htm Ever have so much fun swatching that you just can't stop? This week I was playing with Techno, a fascinating new concoction from Blue Sky Alpacas. It contains delicate baby alpaca that is literally blown into a silk mesh, then stretched and rubbed to appear very much like a singles. Even after I finished my review of Techno, I couldn't put down the yarn. Stitches inspired other stitches, which soon became tiny cables and simple ribbing, and before I knew it, my Nestle Cowl was born. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110818_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110818_a.htm Last weekend I climbed the Sock Summit with 6,000 other intrepid knitters. Together we taught and learned, coveted and acquired, spun, knit, and broke into spontaneous dance in front of the Oregon Convention Center. Join me for pictures and stories from the 2011 Sock Summit. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110804_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110804_a.htm Fresh on the heels of Knit Nation in London, I have loads of pictures and stories for you this week, including more than 10 great yarn links to explore. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110721_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110721_a.htm It's too hot to swatch. I'm thinking instead of a cooler pursuit that still brings tactile pleasure and a speedy sense of gratification: blocking. Blocking is what makes knitted stitches into fabric, giving garments their ultimate shape, cohesion, and beauty. This week we consider some blocking essentials, revisiting a few old favorites and putting The BagSmith's new Block n Roll to the test. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110707_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110707_a.htm I'm fresh from TNNA, the knitting industry's semiannual trade show where companies preview their latest toys for fall. I saw a lot of things that I'll tell you more about in the coming weeks. But first, a trio of new goodies that couldn't wait. Yarns and tools that blend classic tradition with space-age technology and interchangeable utility. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110623_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110623_a.htm How do we know a sweater will fit and look good without trying it on first? That's the biggest challenge in knitting. We can't try anything on until we've made it. This week I look at two new books that approach the concept of sweaters that fit and flatter from two completely different angles. One does so through patient teaching about yarns, swatching, measuring, and modifying. The other relies on one singularly extraordinary pattern to do all the fitting. Meet Little Red in the City and Knit Swirl. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110609_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110609_a.htm Curious thing, cashmere. Some of the finest forms of this luxury fiber come from the poorest, most extreme places in the world. But not always. A farm in Oregon is working to produce and promote quality American-grown cashmere. Meet Ravenwood Cashmere. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110526_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 May 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110526_a.htm Elizabeth Zimmermann has a new book of knitting designs, gorgeous watercolors, and excerpts from her journals. How is this possible if she passed away in 1999? Simple: She left behind a lifetime of notes and ideas that live on in the capable hands of her family. Meet Elizabeth's long-awaited garter-stitch opus, Knit One Knit All. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110519_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 May 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110519_a.htm Pictures speak louder than words. That's what you told me in last week's poll, when I asked which inspired you more. With that in mind, this week I bring not only pictures but moving ones as I condense both days of the 38th annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival into just over seven minutes. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110512_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 May 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110512_a.htm What inspires you? I have my own favorite bookmarks that always pull me out of a creative rut and plant the seeds of new ideas. They're also great places to get lost on a rainy day. Since it's raining today, I thought you might enjoy a little inspiration. Presenting nine of my favorite creative and inspiring fiber escapes. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110505_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 04 May 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110505_a.htm Solitude Wool is one of my favorite sources for breed-specific yarns. Based in Virginia, Solitude creates artisan yarns from its own sheep as well as the flocks of other small farms in the Chesapeake Bay region. The yarns are naturally dyed or au naturel. To buy Solitude yarns, you either had to visit their booth at a show or market, or pick up an ancient communications device called a 'telephone' and speak with Gretchen or Sue directly. Now, an online shopping cart changes all this. If you haven't heard about Solitude yet, let me introduce you. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110428_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110428_a.htm Knitting is a flexible and forgiving medium. In general, we use it to make functional, wearable objects like socks and hats and sweaters. But knitting is also quite willing to accompany us on more unusual adventures, whether it's to make a bright red Ferrari, translucent human lung, or a patchwork cozy for a city bus. As you'll see in Lela Nargi's new book, Astounding Knits, quite a few people around the world are having a blast pushing knitting to its limits. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110421_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110421_a.htm We're playing with Tunis wool this month as part of the Knitter's Book of Wool Woolalong. It's one of the oldest sheep breeds in the U.S., with roots going back to a flock of very confused sheep sent here in 1799 by the Bey of Tunis. While sourcing yarns for us to swatch this month, I discovered a happy flock of Tunis sheep in upstate New York. Their fleece is sent to the Green Mountain Spinnery for minimal processing and spinning, then offered to the public as Looney Tunis. With a name like that, how could I resist? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110414_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110414_a.htm Beth Brown-Reinsel is one of the busiest teachers in knitting. It's a rare month when she doesn't have at least two workshops planned, usually more - and often on opposite ends of the country. Her specialty is the gansey, a traditional type of sweater from the British Isles. And now, thanks to her DVD called Knitting Ganseys, you can take her workshop in the comfort of your own home. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110407_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 6 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110407_a.htm Change is good. It can pull us out of routines, reminding us how much of the world awaits our discovery. Change can also pull us out of knitting ruts. If you find yourself picking the same yarns, the same colors, and the same kinds of patterns over and over again, consider treating yourself to a yarn club. The terms and timeframes vary, but these clubs will send you yarn and (almost always) a pattern you may never have chosen for yourself, in a color that may surprise you. This week we look at seven popular yarn clubs. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110331_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110331_a.htm Does all yarn have to be spun? Not necessarily. As anyone who has unintentionally felted a sweater will attest, many natural fibers adhere to one another quite nicely, and irreversibly, if you felt them. That's exactly what a German yarn manufacturer did with this week's featured yarn, Baby Alpaka Naturbelassen from Schoppel Wolle. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110324_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110324_a.htm Close your eyes and come with me to Belfast, Maine, a coastal hamlet four hours north of Boston. The road to Belfast leads you through rolling fields and farmland, past sprawling old mansions, and finally into a brick-lined downtown overlooking a harbor punctuated by a bright red tugboat. Among the many fine businesses that call Belfast home is Good Karma Farm and Spinning Company, which raises alpacas and makes beautiful yarn. Care to swatch with me? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110317_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110317_a.htm I love how adaptable knitting is. We can knit with a pair of sharpened pencils if need be, or we can use needles made from ebony, aluminum, casein, or even the carbon fiber composite used in race cars and fighter jets. Each material makes for a slightly different experience. This week we look at some circular knitting needles that help you unleash your inner Cinderella. They're made in Oregon by Sheila and Michael Ernst using borosilicate glass, the original material in Pyrex. And yes, you really can knit with them. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110310_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 9 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110310_a.htm You already know how to knit, right? Others don't, though, and they need us to help them learn. But what happens at 2am when they encounter a snag and you aren't around to help? Meet Lucy Neatby's new DVD, The Brand New Knitter. It's a perfect gift to tuck in your new knitter's bag before sending her or him out into the world. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110303_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110303_a.htm How often do you use the yarn that's specified in a pattern? I'm guessing not always. I certainly don't. But how confident are you about the yarn you've chosen to use instead? To help ease any worries you may have about substituting one yarn for another, this week we reprise my multi-part tutorial on how to make headache-free yarn substitutions. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110224_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110224_a.htm Every gauge has its purpose. Fine yarns let us work in exquisite detail, while bulky yarns let us whip up something swift and satisfying. This week I present the bouffant hairdo of yarns, a plump and fast-knitting S-on-S cabled Merino that's been hand-dyed in colorful, flickering hues. Meet Merino 12 from Prism. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110217_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110217_a.htm Few things divide the knitting community as deeply as charts. Some of us love to see our stitches in graphical form. But others need to read their stitches in words. To resist charts in knitting is like resisting the purl stitch. Once you make friends with charts, a whole new world of creative possibility opens up for you. If you're ready, or if you already love charts but want to learn how to use them even more to your advantage, let JC Briar's new book Charts Made Simple be your guide. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110210_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 9 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110210_a.htm Howling winds and heavy snow mean cowl weather, and we've had quite a lot of it lately. The ideal cowl is soft, warm, and dense enough to let you bury your nose in it as you slip and slide your way down the middle of what should be a two-lane street, the sidewalks still impassible beneath a foot of fresh snow. The ideal cowl yarn is equally soft, warm, and dense. I've found just the ticket, a plush cable-spun blend of alpaca and Merino that knits up at a speedy 4 stitches per inch. Let's see what Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes does on the needles. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110203_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 2 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110203_a.htm If you were in midtown Manhattan last weekend, did you notice a lot of people sporting handknits? They weren't just trying to keep warm. They were taking part in Vogue Knitting Live, the magazine's foray into the knitting conference world. The event took place at the Hilton New York and drew an estimated crowd of more than 3,000 people. I was there to teach, talk, sign books, and take notes for you. Here's my report. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110127_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110127_a.htm Few pleasures match that of rediscovering a favorite yarn. The passage of time can make it even more worthy of your adoration. Our January Knitter's Book of Wool Ravelry woolalong breed is Finn, which prompted me to order a new batch of Riihivilla, the naturally dyed Finn yarn from Finland. Maybe my hands have just grown more appreciative, or the yarn has gotten even better. Either way, it's too lovely not to share with you again. Care to re-swatch Riihivilla with me? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110120_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110120_a.htm This week we make a sharp U-turn away from rustic, crunchy wool yarns. Our destination? A soft and luxurious Merino that's been grown, scoured, combed, and spun in Australia - which is actually more rare than you'd think. Meet Pear Tree Yarns Supersoft 8-Ply. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110113_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110113_a.htm Have your fingers grown listless from all the softness and conformity in your yarns? Be careful. The less we expose ourselves to nuance, the less nuance our fingers will ever be able to feel - or appreciate. To kick-start the senses, I present a yarn so rare, so esoteric that only 4,000 sheep exist that can produce it. It's a yarn with spunk and character, one that stands up straight and tells a great story - with a German accent no less. Meet Foxen Sheep yarn from Nature's Luxury. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110106_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 5 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/110106_a.htm 2010, what a year for knitters. We've had an embarrassment of riches, with designers and publishers, yarn companies, tool makers, and all sorts of other fiber businesspeople bending over backwards to get our attention and keep us happy. With just two more days left in the year, let's look back at the people, places, and things that helped shape 2010 - and at the trends that will move us forward in 2011. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101230_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101230_a.htm Knitters have a conflicted relationship with swatching. Some love it dearly, while others view it as one step short of a root canal. Me? I'm a serial swatcher. It's a daily meditation that keeps my world intact. And this week I promulgate the Swatcher's Manifesto and tell you about my new pattern for Swatch Mitts. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101216_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101216_a.htm One-skein projects are all the rage. Your time is limited and your budget tight. You're looking for projects you can achieve with just one skein. But for all the focus on one-skein projects, there's appallingly little focus on one-skein yarns - that is, those yarns that are so extraordinary, special, and delightful that just one skein is all you need for a completely fulfilling knitting experience. And what are those yarns? I've got a list. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101209_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 8 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101209_a.htm For those of you who exchange gifts with your knitting friends at this time of year, December's here and the clock is ticking. Fortunately, you can give a knitter many things besides a finished project or even yarn. Let me offer some suggestions. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101202_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 1 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101202_a.htm When knitters gather, anything can happen. Certainly there's laughter, but also a lot of learning too, all tied up in a big bow of friendship. The annual Knitter's Review Retreat took place in Williamstown, Massachusetts, last weekend. The event sold out within minutes and many people weren't able to attend, so let me bring the retreat to you this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101118_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101118_a.htm My, what a clean bunch you are. According to last week's poll, nearly half of you wash your handknitted socks after just one wearing, and another 37 percent of you wash those socks after no more than three wearings. Which means there's a lot of washing going on. This week we revisit four perennial woolwash favorites: Eucalan, Kookaburra, Soak, and Unicorn Fibre Wash. What are you using? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101111_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101111_a.htm Cookie A caused a sock revolution with her Pomatomus socks, published in Knitty in 2005. She followed up the next year with her Monkey socks, and the sock knitting world hasn't been the same since. Now she has a new book on the way, one that she published herself. It's called knit. sock. love. and I give you a preview this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101104_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101104_a.htm I've led you down some crazy paths (remember Quackmere?) so you have every reason to be suspicious when I tell you about this week's find - and yet it's absolutely true. It's called "caged cashmere." And before you call PETA and file a complaint, hear me out. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101028_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101028_a.htm What do actress Uma Thurman and I have in common? Why, we were both at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck last weekend, of course. I know that many of you couldn't attend, so I decided to bring the festival to you. Join me for a three-minute video romp through Rhinebeck. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101021_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101021_a.htm Katharine Cobey's long-awaited Diagonal Knitting has just been published by Schoolhouse Press. It's a refreshingly intelligent take on a simple knitting concept, and it underlines just how freeing knitting is when you are master of your own stitches. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101014_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101014_a.htm For months, Jared Flood has been sitting on a big secret. Flood, the talented designer and photographer behind Brooklyn Tweed, has been creating his very own yarn, an ideal skein sourced and spun in the United States. The yarn is called Shelter, and it made its official debut last week. Shall we take a swatch? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101007_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/101007_a.htm Is beauty only skein deep? My mention of those precious, highly coveted skeins in our stashes last week got me thinking. Looking for new yarns that could join the collection, I came upon a beaded mohair and silk concoction infused with glittering metallic gold - a stunning yarn that belongs on a bridal veil or draped around the necks of royalty. But what's it like on the needles? Join me for a look at Tilli Tomas Symphony Lace. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100930_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100930_a.htm Every knitter has a small stash of those highly coveted, one-of-a-kind yarns we bought, were gifted, or even spun ourselves over the years. Whether they are made from luxury fibers or special sheep, dip-dyed or hand-painted by a color genius, we covet them. And although we rarely have a whole sweater's worth, we know we have enough for something special. Knitwear designer Miriam Felton is an expert at designing that "something special." Her Icarus shawl catapulted her into the knitting limelight when it appeared in the Summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits, and she's been designing ever since. Her new self-published book is called Twist and Knit, and it contains a dozen projects designed expressly for those one-of-a-kind yarns, written in a way that almost guarantees you'll never run out of yarn again. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100923_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100923_a.htm The pattern says to bind off one stitch every other end six times, then every fourth row two times, then every...did I lose you already? This week I look at different tools to help you keep track of all those rows. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100916_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100916_a.htm Pairings produce remarkable surprises, like a dash of cayenne in chocolate or a sprinkling of fleur de sel over a pan of freshly poured caramels. They can delight us in yarn, too. This week I stranded Filatura di Crosa's lace-weight Nirvana and Superior together for a blissful, dare I say sublime swatching experience. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100909_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 8 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100909_a.htm Today marks the 10th birthday of Knitter's Review, and I'm a bit sentimental. Where did the time go? I spent the day in the archives to find out. I found some long-lost friends, gained a little perspective on how we got here, and got a better idea of where we may be headed next. Cue the music for a retrospective on a decade of knitting. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100902_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 1 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100902_a.htm We knitters have our own shorthand, a secret code of dots and squiggles whose mystery only reveals itself when properly deciphered in our stitches. Professional designers typically have a library of knitting symbols for their charts, or they use special charting software. This week I show you StitchinKnit, a knitting-themed symbol font that lets you create your own elegant charts using nothing more than your keyboard. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100819_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100819_a.htm Greetings from London. I've spent the last week here teaching, meeting knitters from around the world, and drinking far too much tea. It was all part of the U.K.'s first-ever Knit Nation, and I've got loads of pictures, stories, and links for you. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100805_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100805_a.htm In the mood for a little armchair travel? Good, because this week Kylie Gusset takes us Down Under for a peek inside the 133rd annual Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo, Victoria. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100722_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100722_a.htm Pam Allen has worn many hats - designer, author, editor, and creative director. This week she makes her debut as yarn company owner. Meet Quince & Co. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100708_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 7 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100708_a.htm Is novelty yarn making a comeback? Most people hope not. But according to several yarn companies exhibiting at The National NeedleArts Association trade show earlier this month, novelty yarn is coming back. It's now called 'fashion yarn,' and in moderation, it may do well. Here's what else I found at TNNA. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100624_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100624_a.htm There are as many ways to knit socks as there are people to wear them. Still, a few common construction techniques prevail. We can knit socks from the top down, and we can knit them from the toe up. Each technique has its advocates. Wendy Johnson, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, and Chrissy Gardiner are all leaders in the toe-up sock world. This week I look at the most recent books from all three. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100610_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100610_a.htm What difference does two ten-thousandths of an inch make? If you're talking circular needles, apparently it's the difference between a moderately annoying join and a perfect one. After a false start in December, the new circular needles from Signature Needle Arts are pure perfection. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100527_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 26 May 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100527_a.htm Just as surfers seek the perfect wave, wool people are always on the hunt for the perfect fiber source. Last fall, I finally found mine. I'd been signing books at Rhinebeck for several hours when a tall, distinguished-looking man in a weathered barn jacket appeared at my table. 'My name is Eugene Wyatt,' he said, holding out his hand, 'and I raise one of the largest flocks of Saxon Merino sheep in the United States.' His farm is just 60 miles north of New York City, and every Sunday he trucks his wares/0x2014;from fresh sausages to billowing hanks of extraordinarily soft yarn/0x2014;to the Greenmarket in Union Square. It's my turn to introduce Eugene and his Catskill Merino to you. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100520_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 May 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100520_a.htm Can you knit and read at the same time? Some people can, others (myself included) can't. I have to stop knitting if I want to read a good book. And summer is book season. Here's a solution: Three great summer books, all of which have knitting as their central theme. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100513_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 May 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100513_a.htm What kind of person endures a two-hour traffic jam to reach a fairgrounds that's crammed with thousands of people on a day when the temperatures are in the 90s, the humidity is staggering, and the pollen is leaving a faint yellow dust on all surfaces - to fondle wool, no less? Dedicated fiber festival folks, that's who. I was among the woolheads at the 37th annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival last weekend and have plenty of pictures for you. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100506_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 5 May 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100506_a.htm This week we leave the LYS and head over to the cooking store to look at a kitchen scale. What on earth could a scale have to do with knitting? Well, if you're trying to figure out yardage, everything. Meet the EatSmart Kitchen Scale and learn how it can make quick sense of your stash. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100429_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100429_a.htm Cascade 220 is arguably one of the most popular yarns on the market. This simple, worsted-weight Peruvian wool comes in a bajillion colors, felts beautifully, and costs a mere 7 dollars per 220-yard skein. No wonder the editors of Sixth and Spring Books created an entire book around Cascade 220. Called 60 Quick Knits, it features (you guessed it) 60 quick-knitting projects in this perennially popular (and easy to substitute) yarn. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100422_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100422_a.htm When knitters begged Addi for pointy-tipped circular needles to do lace knitting, they got them. When they begged Addi for interchangeable Turbos, they got them too. Addi is just about ready to answer our pleas yet again. This week I show you the new Addi Click Lace interchangeables. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100414_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100415_a.htm On the western range, a uniquely new American sheep breed, called Targhee, was developed in the 1920s. Its fleece when spun is squeezable and makes for a fantastic sweater yarn. The popular breed has only one person offering a commercial spun wool yarn on a large scale. And, that's Patti of Sweet Grass Wool. This week I take you behind the scenes for a close look at this Montana gem. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100408_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100408_a.htm First came soy and bamboo, then yarn infused with crushed crab shells and jade. Now, an ex-reindeer herder from Inner Mongolia has teamed up with an Italian cashmere merchant to bring us the finest, most unusual animal fiber on earth. Introducing Quackmere. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100401_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100401_a.htm Is it true that we only want to use warm yarns during the cold winter months? Do we switch to cottons the minute spring arrives? Not necessarily. Some yarns, like Karabella Cashmere Elite, defy the seasons. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100325_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100325_a.htm Have you ever tried dyeing your own yarn? Would you like to? Then I've got a book for you. Fresh from the printer, Gail Callahan's Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece packs a ton of information and inspiration into one accessible, affordable little book. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100318_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100318_a.htm Alchemy Yarns Kozmos was the most exciting new yarn on the TNNA floor in January. It was striking, tactile, and different. Kozmos is finally in yarn stores, and this week we give it a proper swatching. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100311_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100311_a.htm Until last year, few knitters could locate Haapsalu on a map much less pronounce the word nupp correctly. Nancy Bush changed all that with her book, Knitted Lace of Estonia. Once the knitters of Haapsalu realized that the world was listening, they came together and created their own book about their knitting tradition. The English translation of that book, The Haapsalu Shawl, is now available in North America. It weighs three pounds, is the size of a MacBook, and costs the equivalent of 20 lattes. What's up? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100304_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100304_a.htm Malabrigo has been busy putting yet another new twist, both literally and figuratively, on its super-soft kettle-dyed Merino yarn line. Called Twist, this new yarn is made from not two, not four, but eight tiny plies all twisted tightly together. Do we finally have a Malabrigo that won't pill? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100225_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100225_a.htm Novelty yarns are the mortgage-backed securities of the yarn world. When the yarn market began to contract a few years ago, many companies were left with warehouses of flashy, shiny, furry, 100 percent synthetic and entirely unsellable stuff. They took huge losses and vowed never to repeat the same mistake again. This may help explain why many people in the knitting industry are extremely weary of anything that could be remotely construed as novelty. But this week I show you an exception, a lovely and somewhat unconventional ribbon-style yarn that's made from 80 percent wool and hand-dyed by Mountain Colors in Montana. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100218_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100218_a.htm You've mastered the knit and the purl stitch. You've played with yarn-overs, you've even turned a few cables. What next? How about a little brioche? And I'm not talking about the baked variety. Brioche stitch is known by many names, including Shaker rib, English rib, Fisherman's rib, and Prime rib. It involves working slipped stitches and yarn-overs to create a double thickness of fabric with raised lines of ribbing. Nancy Marchant explores the many creative possibilities for this stitch in her new book, Knitting Brioche. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100211_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100211_a.htm Do you like contrasts? Are you one of those people who prefers pineapple on your pizza, or chili in your chocolate? If so, I have a fun yarn for you to try this week. Cashmere Canapa features two completely disparate fibers, hemp and cashmere, blended in a base of cotton. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100204_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100204_a.htm This week we look at a new book that lives up to every single word of its title. It's called The Very Easy Guide to Cable Knitting, and that's exactly what you'll find inside. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100128_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100128_a.htm Last week I teased you with TNNA tales of gorgeous new products that you won't see at your LYS for many more weeks to come. This week instead we look at an intriguing yarn that was released at the last TNNA and is now widely available at yarn stores. It's a plush, somewhat unusual yarn from Italy that blends extra fine Merino with the warm, delicate fibers of an unlikely animal: baby camel. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100121_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100121_a.htm I'm back from TNNA, the semiannual gathering of yarn store owners, designers, yarn companies, tool makers, publishers, distributors, and pretty much everyone else who helps make our knitting world go round. I met some fantastic people, reconnected with old friends, and fondled a dizzying amount of yarn. This week I offer my yarn, tool, trend, and book highlights from the show. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100114_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100114_a.htm Debbie Stoller has truly brought knitting to the masses, having sold more than one million knitting-related books in the past decade. And now, thanks to a partnership with Red Heart, she's bringing yarn to the masses. This week we look at the new yarn line, Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100107_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/100107_a.htm Every New Year's Eve, I refill my favorite fountain pen, grab my journal, and find a quiet corner to reflect on what's happened in the past year, and set my compass for the year ahead. This was a big year for knitting. As the clock nears midnight and the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, let's take one final glance back at the people, places, and things that shaped 2009 before we close the door and step into the New Year. And last but not least, please know how grateful I am for your readership. You are my favorite companion on this yarn journey, and I look forward to sharing many more discoveries with you in the coming year. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091231_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091231_a.htm What inspires you? For me, it's what I see, smell, taste, touch, and hear all around me. I also love knowing what inspires other people. There's nothing like seeing the world through someone else's eyes to give you new inspiration and perspective for the coming year. Jane Brocket is one of my favorite sources of inspiration. Her playground is the British blog Yarnstorm, in which she reflects on everything from literature to gumdrops, daffodils, Paris, and, as the blog's name suggests, yarn. She celebrated these same themes in her book The Gentle Art of Domesticity, and I escape into it this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091217_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091217_a.htm It's already December 10th. The month has passed so quickly. Am I the only one who feels woefully behind? All my plans for elaborate handknitted gifts are going out the window. Fortunately, I've compiled a backup list of seven lovely knitted gift patterns that use a minimal amount of yarn and time. With Pam Allen, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Jared Flood, Ysolda Teague, and yours truly in your pocket, how can you go wrong? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091210_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 9 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091210_a.htm Over the weekend before Thanksgiving, 110 intrepid knitters gathered in western Massachusetts for the 8th annual Knitter's Review Retreat. We laughed, we knit, we ate, we learned, we connected, we shopped, we read poetry, and we even recited our wedding vows. See pictures, read the poem, and recite the vows for yourself. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091203_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 2 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091203_a.htm By the time you read this, I'll be in Williamstown, Massachusetts, getting ready to welcome the first arrivals to this year's Knitter's Review Retreat. One of my favorite retreat traditions is the stash lounge. Picture a whole room dedicated to yarns we no longer want - but that someone else does. Skeined yarns tend to go quickly. But the yarns that have already been knit, frogged, and rewound? Not so much. Which is sad, since a few simple steps can transform those yarns into gorgeous skeins worthy of any LYS. This week I show how you can breathe new life into those abandoned skeins. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091119_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091119_a.htm If you see a knitter struggling with a skein of yarn, walk up and hold out your hands with your palms facing one another. No matter what language you speak, the message will get across. Soon that skein will be on your hands, which you'll teeter back and forth as your new friend finishes winding that skein into a tidy ball. It's how my mother kept my grandma company as a child, and it's how I have struck up many a friendship over the years. But if you're really and truly alone? Or, say, you're grappling with a 3,000-yard skein of slippery silk? That's when umbrella swifts come in mighty handy...literally. Do you have one? Do you need one? How do they work? Here are some answers. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091112_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091112_a.htm Perched in the Atlantic ocean six miles off the coast of Maine's Mt. Desert Island, Swan's Island has a year-round population of 350 people, no Starbuck's, no stores, and no real source of entertainment except its stunningly beautiful natural surroundings. In the early 1990s, two burnt-out Boston lawyers named John and Carolyn Grace moved to the island in pursuit of a quieter, more genuine life. They set up a small weaving studio using local wool, perfected their trade, and by 1996 their Swans Island Blankets won a Smithsonian Blue Ribbon for Craft. Ten years later, the company took on new partners and relocated its operations to a 1780 farmhouse in the coastal town of Northport. Change has not dimmed the museum-quality of each blanket produced, but it has brought new possibilities for those of us who like to make our own blankets. This week we swatch Swans Island Certified Organic Merino yarn. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091105_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091105_a.htm Have my last few sheep-centric newsletters been a little too farmy for you? Do you crave a softer, smoother yarn with fewer traces of the barnyard? For the next two weeks, we'll be looking at two plush, supersoft organic Merino yarns, one spun in Italy, the other right here in Maine. We begin our Merino adventures this week with Tahki Lana, a spongy quick-knitting three-ply bulky yarn that's offered to us in five natural shades. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091029_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091029_a.htm At the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival last weekend, every inch of the Dutchess County Fairgrounds was jammed with sheep and wool paraphernalia from yarn and fiber vendors to sheep farmers, potters, cheese-makers, hat makers, and, lest we forget, purveyors of delicious fried artichokes. This year I was on the other side of the booth as I signed copies of my new book and sent them out into the world. I had just a few brief hours to explore the festival and can show you five special finds that came home with me. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091022_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091022_a.htm Ever wonder what those beautiful names on yarn labels mean, words like Coopworth, Bluefaced Leicester, Perendale, and Rambouillet? I wrote The Knitter's Book of Wool to tell their story, and it's on the shelves this week. I'd like to share a simple pattern from it with you. The Hill Country Hat uses a mere 120 yards of any bulky-weight yarn. It's a quick knit, a fun pattern repeat, and a great little unisex hat for fall. I'd love for you to try it with different kinds of wool, but you can use any fiber you'd like. And, here's another pattern exclusive: Jennifer Hagan's Cuff-to-Cuff Pullover shows how you can keep kids warm with wool. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091015_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091015_a.htm For nearly two years I've been working on a 207-page love letter to wool. Next Wednesday, The Knitter's Book of Wool makes its official debut. On the eve of this auspicious occasion, I thought I'd invite you in for a cup of tea and a mosey through my stash. In particular, I want to show you nine remarkable wool yarns that contributed to the spirit - and in five cases the patterns - of the book. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091008_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091008_a.htm Cat Bordhi sprang into the knitting world in 2001 when she self-published a simple little book about how to knit socks on two circular needles. She has since become a sock-knitting luminary reknowned for her ability to see things in unexpected ways. Today marks the official release of her newest book, a much-anticipated guide to yet another new way of knitting socks. This one promises to be the simplest yet, which might be why she used the word "insouciant" in the title. Can Cat really "do" simple? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091001_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/091001_a.htm While August's Sock Summit was all about socks, that's also where I discovered a lovely new lace yarn base that's finding its way into the hand-dyed yarn world. It's a blend of baby alpaca, silk, and cashmere that takes dye beautifully and drapes like a sleeping baby. This week we see how Land O Lace transformed this base yarn into Lou Lou. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090924_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090924_a.htm This week we hear from three companies that have each come out with fun new stuff for the fall. First, we peek at Montana Maple's needle-of-the-month club, then we prevent rough skin with the new Knitters Hands lotion bar, and finally we see just how tiny the holes are in the new lace needlesizer from Debra's Garden. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090917_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090917_a.htm Only a special yarn can carry an entire book of patterns. The yarn has to have widespread distribution, lots of fans, ample creative possibility, and a pretty stable history. For Alison Crowther-Smith, that yarn is Rowan Kidsilk Haze. She pays tribute to it in her new book, Silky Little Knits. Fans of the brushed mohair mystique will want this one. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090910_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090910_a.htm Nine years ago this week, I sent out the very first edition of Knitter's Review. I had a day job and no big plans beyond writing about what I loved (yarn) and, I hoped, connecting with other knitters who loved yarn too. Today, one day job, two books, eight retreats, 468 weeks, hundreds of swatches, thousands of cups of tea, and more than 30,000 subscribers later, I face the baffling notion of pulling Knitter's Review into its 10th year. For me, the journey is about putting one needle in front of the other, always seeking out the new and unusual, the notable and worthy. I'll begin with a lovely new yarn from Rowan. Its construction says novelty, while its natural fibers and rustic feel say classic. Meet Lima. And, as always, thank you for joining me on this journey. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090903_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090903_a.htm How many major events began as a quiet conversation among friends with the words, 'Wouldn't it be fun if...?' Those same words led to the Sock Summit, a history-making sock-knitting extravaganza that took place in Portland, Oregon, earlier this month. I was there as a teacher, and this week I offer a pictoral look back at some of the event's most memorable moments. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090820_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090820_a.htm Finding a good pattern for a knitted gift can be as tricky as finding a ready-made gift at a store, if not trickier. You want something interesting, attractive, and original. But you also want something you can actually complete within a realistic period of time. Ann Budd has just released a new collection of knitted gift patterns called, fittingly, Knitted Gifts. The book contains more than 30 diverse, fresh, and inspiring projects ranging from quick to heirloom. It's the first knitted gift book to catch my eye in a long time, and I review it this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090806_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090806_a.htm What do you knit for someone truly special? If you can, you save your pennies and splurge on a glorious yarn, taking your time to knit a truly special gift from it. But what kind of glorious yarn might that be? This week I show you one contender called Lux 12, which comes to us from Buffalo Gold and the Lorna's Laces dyepots. Its fiber contents read like a Julia Child recipe, blending just the right proportions of American bison, cashmere, silk, and Tencel. Join me for a swatch. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090723_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090723_a.htm Long ago an unintentionally felted afghan taught me that, when in doubt, it's wisest to stick with an easy-care, machine-washable blend for gifts, and to reserve the really precious, pure, pricey yarns for folks I know better. Not all machine-washable, easy-care acrylic blends are the same. In fact, some have given the whole category a pretty bad reputation. But at TNNA last month I spotted a new machine-washable entry from Berroco that raises the quality bar. It's called Vintage Wool and I review it this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090709_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 8 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090709_a.htm I'm fresh home from the summer TNNA trade show, which just took place in Columbus, Ohio. As usual, all the major yarn companies, designers, accessory manufacturers, and publishers competed for the attention of LYS owners from around the world. The belle of the ball was an adorable new yarn line from Blue Sky Alpacas. Allow me to introduce Spud and Chloë. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090625_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090625_a.htm If you'd told me that such a thing as mink yarn existed, I would've said ewwwww and kindly turned it down, the assumption being that the animal lost its life for its fiber. But this week's yarn disproves all assumptions about mink and animal cruelty. And it also reveals surprising facts about mink fiber itself. Meet Great Northern Yarns mink cashmere. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090611_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090611_a.htm Starting next week and through August, Knitter's Review will be published every other week. Having spent the last three summers holed up on the porch writing The Knitter's Book of Yarn and my forthcoming book, The Knitter's Book of Wool, I promised myself that I'd take a breather this summer. To kick off the vacation schedule, here's a fantastic fingerless mitts adaptation of Jane's Hedgerows Socks pattern, fittingly called Hedgerow Mitts. Designed by longtime KR member Amy Ripton, it uses the hand-dyed yarns from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. Quick and satisfying, the pattern is perfect for warm-weather knitting. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090528_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 May 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090528_a.htm Ever notice how most superwash Merino sock yarns look alike? They're all either a bouncy two-ply or a smooth three- or four-ply, with very little variation. But this week I show you something different, a multi-strand superwash Merino sock yarn from Alchemy. It flew in under the radar and definitely deserves a second look. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090521_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 May 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090521_a.htm Polls can be curious things. I recently asked whether you preferred to knit your socks from the top down or from the toe up, and only 12 percent of you voted for the toe-up option. Yet, since its release, Wendy Johnson's book Socks from the Toe Up has knocked Cookie A's top-down sock book off its Amazon pedestal. We check out Wendy's book to see what sparked the battle for sock supremacy. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090514_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 May 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090514_a.htm Always the first weekend in may, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is arguably the largest and most important fiber festival in the United States. Should that weekend be declared High Holy Days for knitters? Fresh from this year's festival, Wild Fibers Magazine editor and publisher Linda Cortright explores that question in a special editorial. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090507_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 May 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090507_a.htm When I say Malabrigo, you probably think of the single-ply, worsted-weight Merino yarn for which the company is famous. But Malabrigo produces several yarns, all of which share the same vivid, mouth-watering colors. This week I take a closer look at the quick-knitting three-ply Malabrigo Chunky to see if its instant gratification on the needles can be matched by longer wear in the garment. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090430_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090430_a.htm Fiber festivals can be overwhelming. With so much yarn available, how do you know what's good and what's to be avoided? I can't guide you through each festival, but I can point you toward one special yarn that you'll likely see on the New England festival circuit this summer. It comes from an equally special vendor who raises sheep in western Massachusetts. The yarn is called Upland Wool and Alpaca from Foxfire Fiber. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090423_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090423_a.htm In just a few short weeks, the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Festival will kick off the summer 2009 fiber festival season. If you've never been to a fiber festival, Joanne Seiff's new book Fiber Gathering is a perfect introduction. She takes you on an armchair journey to 10 major festivals across the United States, also showing a sheep being shorn, teaching how to hand-dye a multicolored yarn, and giving the recipe for a perfect apple crisp. The book is almost as good as the real thing, but with no parking hassles and far fewer calories. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090416_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090416_a.htm For those of you who don't yet know that last week's newsletter was an April Fool's spoof, let me reassure you that there is no yarn made from recycled kitty litter. Not yet, anyway. But we do have some pretty strange substances in our yarns-which is why some readers initially believed the review. The grandmother of all strange materials would have to be seaweed, so that's where we turn this week, with a real review of a real yarn with seaweed in it. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090409_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 8 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090409_a.htm Our appetite for exotic fibers knows no bounds. It brought corn, soy, bamboo, and it introduced qiviut, yak, and American bison to our knitting baskets. And it gave us yarns made from jade, laced with copper, and fortified with seaweed extracts. So it should come as no surprise this week when I tell you about a new company that is taking fiber innovation to a whole new level by producing a spinnable form of recycled kitty litter. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090402_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 1 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090402_a.htm Are knitting needles merely a means to an end, pointy sticks that help us turn yarn into fabric? To some, maybe. But needles are integral to our craft. This week I show you some masterpieces of high-performance, high-precision knitting needle engineering. They're the DPNs from Signature Needle Arts. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090326_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090326_a.htm Did you know that the most crucial step in lace knitting has nothing to do with knitting at all? In fact, it doesn't happen until you've cast off your last stitch. I'm talking about blocking, and this week we look at how it's done and how HandWorks Dressing Wires can make it a lot easier. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090319_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090319_a.htm I've reviewed a lot of things over the past nine years: notable yarns, tools, books, and such. Some things have come and gone from my life, like ships passing in the night. But a few have stuck around and become integral parts of my own private knitting world. This week we revisit the most portable, functional product for yarn management that I have yet to find. It's called the GoKnit pouch. Two years after my review, this bag still goes with me everywhere. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090312_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090312_a.htm I have been waiting for Cookie A's sock book for a long, long time. In fact, ever since I first spotted her phenomenally popular Pomatomus and Monkey patterns in Knitty. Her designs combine ingenuity and grace in a way that makes me want to drop everything and cast on immediately. Which might explain why, when I finally received an advanced copy of Cookie's book, I dropped everything and began this week's review. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090305_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 4 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090305_a.htm You can't mistake the distinct variegation and colorways of Noro Kureyon and Silk Garden. Or can you? This week we test a convincingly good Noro knockoff called Boku, which comes from Plymouth Yarns at half the price of Silk Garden. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090226_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090226_a.htm Lofty marketing claims bring out the cynic in me. When a product asserts that it is the best, the ultimate, the only anything, I immediately set about to prove it true or false. Which is why the cover of Margaret Radcliffe's The Knitting Answer Book set me in motion. It claims to offer solutions to every problem I'll ever face, answers to every question I'll ever ask. True? Let's find out. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090219_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090219_a.htm Last week's review proved that animal, vegetable, and mineral fibers alike can happily coexist in the same yarn. Guess what? There's more. This week I show you Mermaid, an intriguing worsted-weight alternative that's spun in Turkey. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090212_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090212_a.htm Some yarns are simple. The label says Wool or Cotton and that's pretty much it. But this week I present a yarn whose fibers defy easy categorization, each having been carefully manipulated to create a unique result. And one of those fibers comes from just one farm in North America, making this yarn a collector's item before it ever hits your LYS shelves. Join me for a closer look at the exquisite new lace-weight Paco Vicunas yarn from Louet. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090205_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090205_a.htm Earlier this week it was -15 degrees. Today we're being pelted with ice and snow. Winter is not being easy this year. My plan of attack? Wear the warmest fibers I can find. That would be cashmere, qiviut, and, conscience permitting, the extremely insulating fibers of a marsupial pest from New Zealand. I'm talking Possum, and that's where we go this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090129_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090129_a.htm San Diego hosted the National Needlearts Association's semiannual trade show last weekend. I went not knowing what I'd find, given the tough economic conditions. Know what? I'm glad to report that we're actually doing OK. This week I give my top five personal takeaways from the show. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090122_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090122_a.htm We're always on the lookout for the new and unusual when we travel. So was Nancy Bush when she first ventured to Estonia in 1995, picking up several handknitted lace shawls as gifts for her mother. The more she studied those shawls, the more intrigued she became. After a decade of research, Nancy Bush has assembled a comprehensive tribute to these shawls in her book, Knitted Lace of Estonia, which I review this week. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090115_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090115_a.htm A core principle behind Slow Stashing is to rid your stash of unhappy yarns and only surround yourself with those yarns that make you happy. For the rest of this year I will show you yarns that make me happy, worthwhile yarns from hard-working people in interesting places around the world, yarns that I hope might make you happy too. I begin this week with Riihivilla, an exciting yarn discovery from Finland. Spun from the lustrous and resilient Finnsheep wool, it's offered au naturel or in earthy hand-dyed colors obtained from plants and mushrooms. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090108_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 7 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090108_a.htm Happy New Year! By the time you read this, I should be swimming in a sea of yarn while my cat sits nearby with a bemused expression on his face. The sea of yarn in question is my entire stash, much of which hasn't seen sunlight in at least a decade. It's shameful, it's gluttonous, and I'm taking advantage of this first day of 2009 to bring this stash back to sanity. If your stash feels out of control, join me in taking your first steps toward slow stashing. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090101_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/090101_a.htm This is it! We've reached the very last Knitter's Review of 2008. Before we leap into the New Year, let's take a look back at the knitterly notables that marked the past year, from funny cartoons and propaganda yarns to British breeds and socially conscious stashing. And in the Forums, we''re discussing those people who like to repeat projects, and those who like to say "good riddance" and never look back. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081218_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081218_a.htm Buying an interchangeable knitting needle set is like investing in a good set of pots and pans. It takes a sizable up-front investment and usually includes a few needle sizes you don't think you'll ever use. But once you have it, you're set for life. Addi Turbo has long been the All-Clad of the circular knitting needle world, and the company is now making its foray into the interchangeable needle market. This week I give you a sneak peek at the much-anticipated Addi Click interchangables. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081211_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081211_a.htm "I would've brought you back some yarn," the story usually goes, "but I figured you already had some." If I had a dime for every time someone returned from a yarn-friendly locale and gave me that sad news, I'd have enough money to travel to that locale and buy myself a skein of yarn. I don't know why it's so hard for non-knitters to pick gifts for knitters, but it is. Which is why I've put together an extra long list of ideal gifts for knitters. Print it out, pass it around, or, better yet, bypass the middle man and just buy yourself a nice gift right now. You deserve it. And in other news, didn't I have a big knitting retreat last week? Yes! And I have a full report! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081204_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 3 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081204_a.htm Dream in Color is on a roll. Yarn stores can't keep their yarns in stock -- which is especially interesting when you consider that they only have four yarns. This week I swatch their Smooshy Sock Yarn to figure out what the appeal is. Meanwhile in the Forums we're talking blocking. And on Twitter I'll be posting regular updates all weekend from the Knitter's Review Retreat in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081120_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081120_a.htm You know you've got a yarn problem when someone asks what your favorite yarn is and you happen to have two skeins of it with you. Of course I was teaching a class about yarn at WEBS at the time, but still. In honor of that question, and my reply, I return this week to to one of my all-time special yarns. It comes to us from Colorado by way of a very smart woman named Elsa. And in the Forums, we're sharing all our dirty knitting secrets. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081113_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081113_a.htm My mother taught me never to talk about religion or politics in mixed company, and I'm certainly not about to start now. But talk of politics did creep into our knitting community this election season, and it sometimes threatened to divide us. I say it's time to come together again and celebrate all those common (and sometimes completely peculiar) traits that we do share as knitters -- which is exactly what we do this week. And in the Forum, can you help MaryBeth mix two shades of Koigu in the same shawl? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081106_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 5 Nov 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081106_a.htm Can a knitting needle be both square and circular at the same time? If it's the new needles from Kollage, which I review this week, then the answer is yes. But are they anything other than a crafty marketing ploy? That part, my friends, will be decided by your hands. In the Forums, do we really need ball winders and umbrella swifts? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081030_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081030_a.htm Nothing breaks a knitter's heart quite like hearing that their favorite yarn has been discontinued. I feared that Garnstudio Angora-Tweed was gone forever, but it has recently been given a new lease on life -- and at a surprisingly lower retail price than before. This week I check out a new skein to see if they've changed the yarn at all. And in the Forums, Ceil wants to know how many unstarted projects you have. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081023_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081023_a.htm It's been 10 months since I first set eyes on Isager Yarn at the winter TNNA trade show. It's been a long wait, but this week I have skeins of all three yarns in the Isager line - named after its creator, the brilliant Danish designer Marianne Isager. If you like finer gauges, you might want to sit down and take a few deep breaths before reading the review. And in the Forums, we're talking about diving into the stash for this year's holiday gifts. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081009_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:26:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081009_a.htm The 10 percent angora in Classic Elite's new Fresco is just enough to remind you what you're missing by not having more. But after the baby alpaca kicks in and the wool picks up any remaining slack, you quickly realize that Fresco is still one good yarn. Or at least I did when I reviewed it this week. And in the Forums, what's the most elastic bind-off? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081002_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:26:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/081002_a.htm Margaret Fisher has seen a lot of sweaters in her time as co-chair of TKGA's Master Hand Knitting Committee. And over the years, she has determined that seven very specific, very tangible things often cause problems with sweaters. She hits them all in her brand new self-published book, Seven Things that can 'Make or Break' a Sweater. We see what those seven things are. And in the Forums, a fellow knitter needs help frogging a much-labored project. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080925_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:26:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080925_a.htm What's got Stephanie Pearl-McPhee using words like 'flaccid' and 'pudgy'? Stephanie graciously steps in as guest reviewer this week to tell us all about the qualities that make Patons Classic Merino such a favorite yarn, especially among Canadians. And in the Forums, we're questioning if and when it's appropriate to give up on a project. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080918_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:26:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080918_a.htm Seven years ago today a lot of us turned to knitting for solace. The world hasn't slowed down much since then. The faster it spins, the more I seek yarns that bring me closer to people and places, yarns that make me feel part of something greater than myself. I know I'm not alone. Even large yarn companies are catching on. This week we look at the earthy and robust yarns from Rowan's new Purelife British Sheep Breeds collection, which tell the story of British hill farmers and Yorkshire mills, of a centuries-old textile tradition that is threatened by an increasingly global economy. And in the Forums, Ceil wants to know which stitch dictionary she should buy. Any advice? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080911_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080911_a.htm Carol Sunday represents a new breed of entrepreneurs who are redefining what a yarn company is. She's an artist and knitwear designer with no sales reps, no distributors. She took her creative ideals to the mills in Italy and developed her own yarns, which she sells only through her Web site. It may take the "L" out of "LYS," but if you're at all fond of finer gauges, you'll definitely want to take a look. In the Forums, did you know that some people enjoy knitting the second sock more than the first? Are you one of them? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080904_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080904_a.htm Since this is the last (gasp!) newsletter of August, I thought it appropriate to start thinking about fall. It's almost time to wake our woolens from their summer hibernation and give them a good washing to get rid of any stray moth larvae. To help with the task, I put a biodegradable, earth-friendly woolwash and rinse to the test. In the Forums, you know when you spend hours knitting and end up with less than when you started? That's what Sara Sue is experiencing lately, and she needs a morale boost. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080828_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080828_a.htm This week's yarn was love at first sight. It comes from a farm called Wellspring Woolens, where Icelandic sheep graze not too far from the banks of the Minnesota River. The fibers are sent to a small mill in New Mexico for processing and spinning, and then they return to Minnesota for the final hand-dyeing by the same woman who tends the flock. Join me for a test-knit of this special yarn. And in the Forums, what are your favorite mitten patterns? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080821_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080821_a.htm According to last week's poll, more than 75 percent of you consider any bag to be a knitting bag. What the poll didn't say, though, was just how many bags the average knitter has. Why do we need them so, why do we love them so, and why do we have so many? I explore the answers in my Knitting Bag Primer. And in the Forum, one lucky member is headed out for a two-week cruise and needs suggestions for a pretty scarf to knit. What are your favorites? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080814_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080814_a.htm Ever wish you could quietly identify other knitters in a crowd without our all having to wear giant banners and yell "I'm a knitter!" to the world? Della Q sent me her latest creation, a snazzy messenger bag with her telltale silk striped fabric on the flap, and I got an idea. This bag, which I review this week, is a perfect example of a product that acts as a sort of secret knitter's handshake when we carry it out into the world. And it's cute too. In other big news, Knitter's Review Retreat registration opens up this Friday at 12 noon EST! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080807_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080807_a.htm When Stephanie Pearl-McPhee blogged about the Rivendell socks this spring, it was the perfect kick in the pants for Janel Laidman to finish her book of sock patterns (of which Rivendell was one) and get it to press. She did, and she proudly handed out the finished results - called The Eclectic Sole - at TNNA in June. And by the end of that show it was already obvious that Janel would be headed back to the printer's for a second printing. This week we look at what makes this self-published sock book special. And in the Forums, we're seeking an inspiration boost by peeking at the accomplishments of others in the Hooray It's Finished section. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080724_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080724_a.htm Before L.L. Bean, before Ugg boots, and before Gore-Tex waterproofing, humans needed some way to keep their feet warm and dry in the winter. In Iceland, they used to knit colorful little shoe inserts. Helene Magnusson wrote a book about these little inserts, adding contemporary garments based on the traditional motifs that were used. Until recently, this book was only available in Icelandic. On the occasion of its release in English, Lela Nargi gives us a full review of the book. And in the Forums, it's confession time. Do you swatch? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080717_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080717_a.htm Lucy Neatby is not afraid of color. She surrounds herself with it, and she creates it on her knitting needles. One of her favorite techniques is intarsia, something she knows makes many of us quake with fear. So she created two in-depth DVDs to help us over the bridge. We review both. Plus, retreat news and something fun happening in the forums through August. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080710_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080710_a.htm Tina Newton may have made a name for herself with Socks That Rock, but that's just one of the yarns she dyes under her Blue Moon Fiber Arts label. This week I show you what could be considered the polar opposite of Socks That Rock -- a luscious single-ply silk and Merino that could give Manos or Malabrigo a run for their money. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080626_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080626_a.htm What happens when you take a super-smooth dyed bamboo fiber and mix it with the short, delicate, undyed downy undercoats of bison and cashmere goats? You end up with Mooi, the new yarn from Louet that was the buzz of the summer TNNA show two weeks ago. Two very special skeins accompanied me home in my carry-on bag, and they've been begging to get on the needles ever since. Care to join me for a swatch? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080619_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080619_a.htm Sweltering temperatures and humidity aren't exactly conducive to knitting, but thousands of us managed to make do quite nicely this week as we took over the Columbus Convention Center for the summer TNNA trade show. I went, I saw, and I took loads of notes (and legal pictures outside the show floor) just for you. And in the forums, we're discussing those few projects that ended up being a complete waste of time. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080612_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080612_a.htm No matter how hard I try to maintain order over my needles, they always end up in a big jumble. Pulling two matching needles from the pile can take a while, especially since most needles tend to lose their size markings over time. And if you're using DPNs and have to find four or even five matching needles, well, you might as well make yourself a cup of tea and get comfortable. To determine the size of a needle, we use needlesizers. This week I've discovered an adorable little metal sizer that doubles as jewelry or even a keychain. In the forums, we're sharing stories about who taught us to knit and how knitting has changed since we first started. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080605_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080605_a.htm I've decided that all knitters should carry around little emergency packs with snippets of yarn, like smelling salts, to revive us when our spirits lag. My emergency pack would definitely contain at least one skein of this week's yarn. Haiku is an ethereal lace-weight brushed mohair/silk blend from our friends at Alchemy Yarns. The yarn itself is wonderful, but it's the color that really makes my heart go pitter pat. And in the Forums, we're discussing whether or not we take into account the seasons when we choose our projects. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080522_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 21 May 2008 10:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080522_a.htm Last week's talk of theft sparked a larger discussion about our knitting culture and code of ethics. A relatively new book from husband-wife duo Larissa and Martin John Brown explores the cultural side of things further, focusing on our age-old quest for connectedness through our stitches. The book is called Knitalong, and I review it this week. And in the Forums, is $20 outrageous for a pair of knitted socks? Do you have any less expensive yarn suggestions? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080515_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 May 2008 10:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080515_a.htm There were sheep, yarns, tools, and people everywhere during the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival last weekend. Unfortunately, there were also some sticky fingers - and not the kind you get from fried dough or fresh lemonade. We take a closer look at the 2008 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and the police records it left behind. And in the Forums, how can you revive lagging knitting mojo? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080508_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 May 2008 10:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080508_a.htm Sometimes a yarn's carbon footprint isn't the only thing to consider. Take this week's yarn from Tilli Tomas as an example. Yes, this succulent blend of Merino, cashmere and silk was spun and dyed in India before being shipped to the U.S.A. But Tilli Tomas has also used some of its proceeds to establish several safe houses in India to help impoverished women learn skills and achieve financial independence. That's what I'd call a karmic footprint, and it's pretty good. In the forum we're forcing ourselves to examine our knitting strengths. What a concept! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080501_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:22:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080501_a.htm If I had to come up with one thing I didn't particularly like about the Denise Intechangeable Needles, it'd be their plastic case. Yes, I know the needles are also plastic. And I know that the Denise case is organizationally perfect. It's just not very cuddly. All that has changed with The Denise Organizer. Sold separately, it's a cloth case made entirely in the U.S.A. I review the highly portable, flexible, and huggable case this week. And in the Forums, we're talking about (gasp) how many knitting bags we have. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080424_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:22:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080424_a.htm When you dye yarns naturally, introducing new fibers to the mix isn't always easy. But Darlene Hayes has done just that with the addition of her new Nature's Palette Silk and Wool Lace-Weight. But this isn't just your ordinary hand-dyed two-ply lace-weight yarn -- it has a different twist composition that makes a world of difference. And in the Forums, we're talking about yarn diets and spring-induced startitis. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080417_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:22:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080417_a.htm Master storyteller Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is back with yet another collection of witty essays drawing observations from the life lessons knitting has taught her. And in true Stephanie style, the conversation goes all over the place -- from cognitive psychology to miniature cows and a woman who actually gave up birth control for a month so she could afford yarn. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080410_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:25:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080410_a.htm If the KR polls are any indication, not a ton of knitters use single-pointed straight needles. So why do people continue to make them? Because some knitters really, really love using these needles, that's why. And this week I introduce a sleek new customizable aluminum needle that may draw some circular converts too. In the forums, we're discussing our dream yarn storage setup. And in the KR Boutique, all the T-shirts are on closeout and priced to go, go, go! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080403_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:05:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080403_a.htm Two years ago I told you about a guy in Montana who made wooden knitting needles for his wife's yarn store. Not only is Sam Bolton still turning his wooden needles, but he's improved upon the needle tip and added a whole series of exotic woods to his repertoire. This week I take a closer look at Sam's latest batch of needles. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080327_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:05:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080327_a.htm I'm not all that fond of knitting with linen because the fiber can be a bit firm and unyielding. Mind you, I love the finished results -- just not the knitting process. For that reason, I didn't expect to like the yarn I reviewed this week. Almost equal parts linen, alpaca, and wool, the yarn is called Soft Linen and it's designed to get you through those transitional months when Mother Nature can't make up her mind. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080320_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:05:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080320_a.htm I have a certain weakness for angora -- almost as much as I do for cashmere and qiviut. Last weekend I taught a class about yarn at Halcyon Yarn in Bath, Maine, and that's where I fell prey to a particularly alluring angora/merino blend they had on display. Its name? Sublime. And this week I sacrifice a skein to the swatch gods and goddesses to see if it really lives up to that name. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080313_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:05:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080313_a.htm If you told me you wanted to knit socks out of a fine single-ply yarn, I'd check your temperature and ask if you were feeling ok. Socks are like yarn-torture machines, and most traditional single-ply yarns just won't hack it. But the folks at Noro did a few things to fortify their new fingering-weight version of Kureyon. And to erase any doubts about the yarn's purpose, they named it Kureyon Sock. We give it a swatch to see how it fares. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080306_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:11:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080306_a.htm When knitters talk to one another, non-knitters in the vicinity may think we're talking gibberish. What's this about frogging and tinking and the LYS? But of course we know what we're talking about, at least most of the time. This week I look at two books that explore the language of knitting and knitters. And in the Forums, is it ok to tie the occasional knot? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080228_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:30:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080228_a.htm Sock knitters, I have another yarn for you! It's a superwash three-ply worsted wool from Uruguay that comes in giant skeins, tons of colors, and costs less than $20. And in the forums, does it really matter how fast you knit? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080221_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080221_a.htm You're halfway through a 28-row lace pattern when the phone rings. You put down your knitting and go to the phone for a nice long chat with a friend. Only after you hang up the phone do you realize that you forgot to mark where you were in the chart. Was it row 14? Or row 16? You slowly study the stitches you just worked to try and reconstruct where you were before the phone rang--and you curse yourself for not having a better system in place. Well, this week I show you a very simple tool that almost guarantees you'll never lose your place in a chart or pattern again, no matter how many times the phone rings. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080214_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080214_a.htm Following right on the heels (or hooves?) of last week's Buffalo Gold yarn review, in which we met the buffalo guys Ron and Cecil Miskin, I present a splendid new bison/Merino blend from a buffalo gal and legendary fiber artist Judith MacKenzie McCuin. Its name? Why, Buffalo Gals Yarn of course! And in the Forums, did you even know you could turn a cable without a needle? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080207_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080207_a.htm What's a reviewer to do when she likes the people who make a product, but she really isn't all that crazy about the product? She holds her tongue, bides her time, and hopes that the product will get better. Which wasn't very hard to do, because the Buffalo Gold guys are constantly working to improve their yarn. Finally, with the release of the unimaginatively named "#11" we have ourselves an exceptionally review-worthy yarn, which I review this week. And in the Forums, Lauren needs some recommendations for a durable superwash wool for kids. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080131_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080131_a.htm When Beth Casey bought Lorna's Laces some five years ago, I was skeptical. Who was this newcomer, and how could she possibly maintain what Lorna Miser had created? Today I stand corrected. Not only has Beth nurtured and expanded the business, but she has added her own unique mark -- most recently with the release of her Green Line yarns. They're so new that you won't find them at your LYS yet, so I take you on a virtual test-knit instead. And in the Forums, we're talking about those yarns that get better and better with wear. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080124_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080124_a.htm I just returned from the winter TNNA trade show in Long Beach, California, where I was surrounded by yarn for three solid days. Join me for a look behind the closed doors at what was bought, sold, signed, and talked about--and what may be headed to your LYS in the near future. And in the Forums we're discussing the number of works-in-progress in our stashes and the chances of our ever finishign them. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080117_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080117_a.htm I've never reviewed a yarn from Switzerland before. But then again, this week's featured yarn was only SPUN in Switzerland. The other half of its life comes from the dyepots of Hand Maiden in Nova Scotia. And quite frankly, the resulting yarn -- which I review this week -- has given me a severe case of the vapors. In the Forum we're discussing the accuracy of weighing finished garments to finish out how much yarn you used for them. Does a kitchen scale really work? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080110_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080110_a.htm Happy New Year! It's good to be back. I spent my time off nursing a cold and, what else? Playing with yarn. I couldn't help it, though. This yarn was a gorgeous new sock yarn from Green Mountain Spinnery -- and it's the focus of this week's review. In the Forums, we share tips and advice for making the most of our magazine archives. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080103_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/080103_a.htm It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well maybe not exactly, but 2007 was quite a year wasn't it? Because this is our last newsletter of the year (I'll be off next week visiting family and playing with yarn), join me aboard the U.S.S. Nostalgia for a look back at the year we've just shared. And in the Forums, Pat is knitting her very first sock and wants to know how long it takes, on average, to make a normal pair of socks. Shall we warn her about Second Sock Syndrome or just let her figure it out for herself? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071220_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071220_a.htm Is your bed tired of being used as a makeshift blocking board? Does your carpet tremble every time you approach it with a new finished product and your sharpest blocking pins? Then read on. This week I introduce not just a new blocking product but a whole concept for blocking that takes you away from the rectangle and allows you to create the shape of whatever you're blocking. Within reason, of course. And in the Forums, we have a cold-weather knitter suddenly faced with the prospect of moving to a warm climate and terrified that she'll never want to knit again. Warm-weather knitters, she needs your reassurance! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071213_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071213_a.htm Every year I try to fool myself into believing I'll knit everyone their gifts for the holidays. And every year, I reach this week and realize that it isn't going to happen. For the knitters on my list -- and on yours -- I offer this year's selection of 10 great knitterly gifts. And in the Forums, tell us who's on your do-not-knit list! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071206_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071206_a.htm Welcome back! I have a special treat for you this week. Cat Bordhi has just designed her grandson;apos;s very first Christmas stocking, and she shares the pattern with us. Even if stockings don't float your boat, check out the "disproportionate waste yarn technique" she uses in the pattern -- and which she illustrates with two special videos on Youtube. In the Forums, we're talking about our very favorite super-soft and colorful scarf yarns. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071129_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071129_a.htm Last weekend I was joined by 90 knitters from Maine to Florida, Oregon and California. We came together for the sixth-annual Knitter's Review Retreat. It's our time to get away from it all and play with yarn -- with people who love yarn as much as we do -- for three solid days. For those who could only be with us in spirit, I've brought back many pictures and stories from the weekend. And in the Forums this week we're talking about what it's like to knit among non-knitters. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071115_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071115_a.htm I love knitted bags, but I don't always love the handles out there. I mean really, how many different ways can you use fake bamboo handles on a purse, anyway? But this week I present an elegant leather alternative from a two-person company called Homestead Heirlooms. Speaking of home, this week in the Forum we're talking about having a space of our own for our knitting stuff. Do you have one? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071108_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071108_a.htm I'm a serial scarf knitter. Scarves happen when I fall in love with a yarn and can't stop swatching. Hats don't come as easily, though. Many knitting books offer instructions for gorgeous and elaborate hat concoctions, but sometimes I just want simple, basic, flexible hat instructions to follow as I embark upon my own creative journey. This week I sit down with Sarah Bradberry's >The Any Yarn, Any Size Knit Hat Book to find out if she fills the void. And in the Forum, let's get Antonia out of her knitting funk! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071101_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071101_a.htm Last Saturday, some 12,000 people packed the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York. The next day, many more followed suit. What drew these people? Promises of fame and fortune? Were the Rolling Stones giving a free concert? Nope. It was the 35th annual New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. I was there and took pictures for you. And in the Forum, one distraught member wonders if she's the only knitter on the planet who frequently has to frog her work. Let's reassure her, shall we? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071025_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071025_a.htm Interweave's annual Spin-Off Autumn Retreat turned 25 this year. That's a mighty big number, and SOAR is a mighty special event. I liken it to the MIT of fiber gatherings. It's seriously geeky but in an energizing and totally inspiring sort of way. I traveled to Michigan last weekend for the first half of the event and share photos and stories with you this week. And in the Forums, we're talking about the knitting catalogs we love and hate to receive in the mail. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071018_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071018_a.htm It's so close I can almost touch it! And on October 16th, you too will be able to touch my new book, The Knitter's Book of Yarn. This week I celebrate this milestone by sharing the delightfully simple and suitably named Maine Morning Mitts pattern from the book. They beg to be knit in La Lana, Noro, or any other stunning multicolor single--although they also look great in other yarns too. For those who enjoy peeking behind the scenes, I also offer a more personal under-the-covers look at why and how this book came to be. And in the Forums, believe it or not we're already discussing holiday projects! Any recommendations for sure-fire winners? Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071011_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071011_a.htm Remember those TV ads where Mr. Whipple was endlessly trying to stop people from squeezing the Charmin? Well, this week I have the yarn version of Mr. Whipple's ward. It's called Cormo Alpaca Classic, and it comes to us from a 220-acre sheep farm in western Massachusetts. And yes, you'll want to squeeze it. In the Forums, join in our discussion of where to get the best buttons. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071004_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/071004_a.htm Poor llamas. While their glitzy cousins the alpaca, vicuna, and guanaco elicit endless oohs and aahs, the llama usually ends up serving security duty out in the field. But did you know that llamas can grow fibers as soft as alpaca, and in some cases even softer? This week I prove the point when I take a closer look at Royal Llama Silk, a brand new release from Plymouth Yarn. In the Forums, we're discussing post-project depression and ways to overcome it. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070927_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070927_a.htm Kathy Goldner works at warp speed. In April, she was inspired to start a knitting audiobook company. And just three days ago, she handed me two complete audiobooks--Melanie Falick's America Knits and Lela Nargi's Knitting Memories. I introduce Kathy, her business, and those books this week. And in the Forums, we're pondering the forces behind projects we finish and those we don't. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070920_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070920_a.htm Last week's newsletter marked the seventh anniversary of Knitter's Review--and I didn't even think of it until after I pushed the "send" button. This milestone is even more meaningful for me this year because, in just one month, my very own book about yarn will hit the shelves. It has been quite an adventure, and I look forward to sharing seven more years of it with you. Speaking of adventures, this week's review has a little something in common with a chance encounter I had two years ago with a flock of sheep in the mountains west of Taos. Finally, am I the only one who gets a serious case of startitis in the fall? We're discussing this phenomenon in the Forums. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070913_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070913_a.htm Evelyn Clark is the mistress of triangular lace shawl designs. Her Flower Basket, Shoalwater, and Leaf Lace shawls (all distributed by Fiber Trends) are among the most popular patterns ever designed, and certainly among my favorites. Recently she published a little booklet called Knitting Lace Triangles. Being a huge fan of Evelyn's work, I eagerly snatched up a copy to see if she finally reveals her triangle trade secrets -- and offer this review. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070906_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070906_a.htm Instead of waiting and waiting for your favorite hand-dyer to release her latest batch of semisolid yarns, only to have them all sold out from under you within a matter of minutes, why not dye the yarn yourself? I tried it this week using Louet's Hand-Dyed Sock Kit and file a full report with tips, warnings, and loads of pictures. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070830_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:28:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070830_a.htm Several of the smaller, boutique hand-dyers are turning their attention to semisolid colors--those beautiful shades built upon layers of shadow, nuance, and subtle saturation differences. Many of these boutique hand-dyers are also, alas, too small to feature in a standalone yarn review. So this week we do something a little special: Jane Cochran has designed a sock pattern that you can use with almost any semisolid sock yarn you find. I give you some of my favorite sources, too. Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070823_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:39:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070823_a.htm We show you a brand new yarn named Sterling. Guess what precious metal it contains? In the Forums, we're sharing our favorite tips for easier knitting. And last but not least, we've got details about the 2007 Knitter's Review Retreat! Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070816_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:20:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070816_a.htm Cat Bordhi's long-awaited new sock book, our favorite lace shawl yarns and patterns, and Stitches Midwest Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070809_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:58:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070809_a.htm Four sock books that float, preparing grab-and-go project bags, and the Maine Fiberarts Open Studio and Farm Weekend Newsletter http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070802_a.htm editor@knittersreview.com (Clara Parkes) Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:58:00 EST http://www.knittersreview.com/newsletter/070802_a.htm