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Updated prize list: Win MORE amazing stuff!

I am very pleased to present an updated version of the Summer Search raffle prize list, reflecting one or two recently-added items. As it stands now, EVERYONE WHO ENTERS will win at least one prize. That’s how generous my friends and colleagues in this industry are. So enter now (instructions below) to get in on the fun and help the…

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No-Bull Book Review: The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet, Vol. 3 & Giveaway!

Yep, she’s done it again; designer Hunter Hammersen has produced a third volume of her gorgeous Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet series. I’ve written about the first two volumes; they feature beautiful designs, a carefully curated selection of (mostly) handdyed yarns, and fascinating ties to vintage nature prints. Let’s take a closer look at the newest volume (and then let’s give one…

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Summer Search Raffle! Prizes, prizes, prizes…..

Today, my third annual raffle to benefit Summer Search: Philadelphia opens. My friends and readers have come forward with an impressive selection of prizes. FYI: in past years, prize donors have been so generous, that nearly everybody who enters wins a prize! First of all, let me tell those of you who aren’t yet familiar with Summer Search about this…

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Month three: Chianti

Time keeps zipping along and we are already at the third month of the Pairings Yarn Club. It’s been such a wonderful project and this month, I was particularly excited to see the interplay between yarn, dyeing and pattern. We started with a lovely laceweight blend of merino, angora, tencel and cashmere. Brooke suggested we riff off the theme Chianti,…

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I’m krazy for Kirkwood

You probably heard me talking about my teaching trip to Kirkwood Knittery, outside of St. Louis, MO. Kirkwood Knittery is owned by my friends Brooke Nico and Robyn Schrager, and is an absolutely delightful place to spend a weekend. Although I grumbled a bit about having to be at the airport early enough to make a 7:00 a.m. flight on…

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Summer Search raffle is coming!

A quick heads-up: my annual Summer Search raffle, to benefit the wonderful nonprofit organization that helps mentor at-risk urban kids so that they finish high school successfully and go on to college, will be going live in a week or so. Right now, I’m humbly asking anyone who’d like to donate a prize to contact me by leaving a comment…

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Heads up: Bartram in the hizzy!*

I just this moment returned from dropping off a freshly-dyed batch of yarns at Loop. There are some skeins of handdyed Francesca and Hannah and close to twenty skeins of Bartram, the beautiful, softly-spun merino single that I am dyeing exclusively for Loop! Look at some of the lovely colors I created. In fact, you might want to pop on…

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Spinners: You need this book

Several years ago, at one yarn show or another, I met a gorgeous redhead named Beth Smith. I didn’t realize it at the time, because she was so funny and humble and warm, but Beth is a goddess of spinning. She’s had her hand on more sheep than James Herriott — taking tangled, grassy, greasy fresh-shorn fleeces and seemingly effortlessly…

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