ETA: Stop the presses! Jaala Spiro of Knit Circus has just posted a Topsy-Turvy Inside Out blog tour post!! It's incredibly sweet and well-written. Don't miss it. Click here to read and enter to win a copy of the book! Thanks, Jaala!
Hi, Knitters,
I've had a few new things added to my schedule a little at the last minute!
One new thing is that tomorrow, September 6th, I am leaving for Cleveland, Ohio. I will be filming a segment for Knitting Daily, which is an Interweave PBS show. The show is now hosted by Vicki Howell. In my segment I am demonstrating some toy-knitting techniques using the Egg to Turtle pattern. I'll be sharing two different techniques for picking up stitches directly onto the body for seamless construction, a bit of kitchener stitch and face embroidery. The Egg to Turtle pattern will be available on the Knitting Daily website when the show airs. I am not sure of the date when the show will air. I'll keep you posted on that when I find out.
On Saturday, September 7th, I'll be popping over to Loganberry Books to host a Knit-In/Meet and Greet/Book Signing from 12-2pm! This event is being co-hosted by Fine Points, Inc. I will have the pattern cards for the Egg to Turtle pattern for everyone who stops by. Also, I'll have the trunk show for Topsy-Turvy Inside Out Knit Toys with me. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hi! I would love to see you there. One more thing, if you don't have time to sit and knit, please still stop by and say hello. I totally understand if you are unable to stay the entire time.
Here is the information for where I'll be:
Event: Egg to Turtle Knit-In with Book Signing/Meet and Greet
When: Setpember 7th, 2013
Time: 12-2pm
Where: Loganberry Books (Click here for the website!)
13015 Larchmere Blvd. * Shaker Hts., Ohio 44120 * 216.795.9800
(my son ~ the model:)
Moving on.... I designed a fun, fast, simple hat for the My Mountain hat design contest. I was contacted by Shelley Brander of Loops in Tulsa. She asked if I would want to design a hat for the contest. Shelley sent me the yarn called Lova. It is a super-bulky yarn in a natural oatmeal color or beige color with slashes of neon orange. My sons both loved the yarn.
The contest entries have ended now. Schachenmayr sent out tons of yarn and I guess Vogue Knitting made some announcement about the My Mountain hat contest somewhere, too. The response was enormous. They have received 215 entries!
Sometime over the weekend the My Mountain group will have selected 15 designs to make the finals and then it will be open voting to select a winner. I have no idea if my hat will be selected for the finals or not. I'll let you know if my hat makes it.
You can vote for your favorite hat by liking the Facebook page for My Mountain first and then liking the hat design of your choice.
The hat I designed is a chunky unisex hat that covers the ears nicely and that has an easily memorized and fun stitch pattern. The My Mountain group is aimed at the skiing crowd (who like to knit and crochet their own unique hats) but it could be for anyone really.
I used every last inch of the two skeins of Lova I received which is about 110 yards. The pom-pom is of course optional.
Anyway, the hat is fun and cute. I loved knitting it. The hat knit up so quickly on US size 11s and 13s. After the first couple of rounds you have the simple stitch pattern memorized.
Maybe you'll vote for me if I make the finals and you like my hat? I'll keep you posted. (I'm not even sure what the prizes are if you win - I'll have to see if I can find that information.)
Last, but not least, my beloved editor from Artisan Books (my publisher), Trent Duffy, drove through Madison on a cross-country road trip last weekend. I was thrilled that he was in town. He lives and works in New York and the odds of him ever getting to Madison were slim.
He came over to my house and I made him breakfast on Monday morning. Above in the photo we are on my deck after breakfast. He threw in a couple loads of laundry while visiting - he had already been driving for a week by the time he got to my house. He was helping a friend of his move back to NYC from Boise so they were driving his car back across the country. I have never seen a car packed more efficiently. Every inch was being used.
I know this nighttime photo is dark. We went out for dinner and stopped by the capitol building on the square for photos. It was really nice having Trent in town and I loved the time we had together. We have been working closely together on my books for the past 7 years now.
Trent is safe and sound back in New York. He traveled for 10 days, through 14 states, and clocked in 3,580 miles! Impressive.
I'll be back after my adventures in Cleveland. I'll try to get some good photos of the action for you!
best, susie
p.s. I have a big announcement coming next week. It was supposed to be today but it got slightly postponed.... I'm really excited about it!