Note: All photos in this post are from Anne Hanson's Bare Naked Knitspot 2012
Hi, Knitters,
Last week I received an email asking me to review a yarn club. At first I was hesitant because honestly I am not a yarn club joiner. I have never been involved in a single yarn or pattern club of any sort but as I read on through the information I realized that this was something completely unique.
The first thing that caught my eye was the designer, Anne Hanson. I have never met Anne nor have I knit one of her designs but, and it is a big but, I am a huge admirer of her work, a fan from afar. She has an easy elegance in her thoughtful and purposeful designs that is truly a rarity. I am very familiar with her work and I have been for a long time now. I believe that you simply can't go wrong when knitting one of her many projects. Anne is very respected in the industry.
After reviewing the many links and reading the information about this club, Bare Naked Knitspot, I came to a conclusion. If I were to invest in a single yarn or pattern club of any sort, Bare Naked Knitspot 2013 would be the one for me. I would drink in the natural yarn, soak up the chapters packed with lovely photography and information about the yarn, and then I would sit and knit the beyond beautiful designs that have been carefully constructed and written by the extreme talent of Anne Hanson. It all really sounds like heaven. Simply thinking about the experience of it all makes me feel quietly excited. I feel like the intent of the club is to change the way you think as a knitter of natural yarns.
With that being said, I would like to share with you the nuts and bolts of Bare Naked Knitspot 2013. See what you think and if you end up joining, you may have just received the knitter's gift of a lifetime.
One note, the photos are from last year's Bare Naked Knitspot 2012 because the monthly club is a surprise. I am sharing so you can get a feel for the club experience from last year.
The photo above is a project and yarn from last year's club called Sky Ladder. Read all about this project and the club experience by clicking right here. Warning.... this post is beautiful and you may want to join the club immediately after reading it!
To understand what the club entails here is what you need to know directly from Anne:
signups are open until the club sells out and it starts shipping in february 2013.the club is a six month membership of fibers in their natural, undyed state where members learn about and appreciate the unique characteristics of each. yarns will be a surprise each month but will include a range of animal and/or vegetable fibers (sheep, goat, camelids, yak, silk, and cotton are some possibilities) in shades from cream to khaki to gray to chocolate—”sheepy” yarns if you will. some will be soft, some will be lustrous, some will have stout, sturdy character that softens over time with long use (like vintage blue jeans). yarn weights will vary; projects will focus on accessories, scarves, and shawls (possibly including a sock or baby item) that feature lace and openwork stitch patterns. plus, a few goodies find their way into some of the monthly packages. knitting patterns, designer notes, and beautiful photography will continue to be delivered monthly in chapter format, each one spotlighting the producer of the month with a lesson about the type of yarn and fiber included, along with the project pattern. the full set plus cover file may be compiled into a full book at the end.Bare Naked Knitspot was a huge success in 2012, its premier year. it was evident from the membership emails and the feedback we received in our swingin' ravelry clubhouse that the club needed to be continued. though many members rejoin the clubs, so many knitters are not aware of knitspot's unique offering.
Click here for Anne's blog. I love and read her blog all of the time, it is a good one to follow.
Click here for Anne's designer page on Ravelry.
Click here to see all of the BNK 2012 projects. I would love to knit them all.
Click here for the Bare Naked Knitspot forum group on Ravelry.
The main thing about BNK 2013 is that it is a completely unique club, rich with information. It is a full-on learning experience. This seems so different than other clubs. I honestly haven't seen anything like it offered anywhere else.
I think this shawl is incredible. Click here to see more about it.
All of the information to sign up and prices and options are found by clicking right here. There are many options to choose from that could fit your budget. Joining the BNK 2013 really would be a wonderful gift for any knitter in your life, including yourself.
The patterns in the club focus on accessories which is always a good thing. The patterns seem doable, clean-lined and practical but yet interesting and truly lovely. The designs are made to show off the natural beauty of the natural yarns in the club. These are the exact things I want to knit day in and day out!
The yarn selection is again, thoughtful and purposeful. With Anne you know you are getting a well-thought out collection that you can depend on. Each original design is made specifically for the selected yarn. This entire club is a huge undertaking for Anne. It must be an extraordinary amount of work. I admire that so much.
Click here for a blog post from Mr. Knitspot talking about the club from his perspective.
Anyway, since many of you may not have known about this unique and fascinating club I thought it would be valuable to share today. If you end up joining in, please let me know. I would love to hear about it.
I hope you are all doing well. We finally got some snow around here. That feels good and right for December.
I'll be back very soon with lots more! Have a wonderful start to the week.
best, susie
