Unless you were already a loom knitter, you wouldn’t know who Isela Phelps is. In the loom knitting world, she is considered to be one of the Masters! Her partner started the loom company Decor Accents (which has recently been sold) manufacturing beautiful wooden looms for knitting without needles. She has also published lots of beautiful patterns in books such as:

Loom Knitting Primer,

Learn to Knit Cables on Looms

Loom Knitting Pattern Book,

…and Loom Knitting Socks.

Gregory from Creative Helps has a wonderfully insightful interview with Isela on his blog. Maybe it will inspire you to take up this wonderful craft which is perfect for those who don’t like using knitting needles or perhaps have a disability which prevents you from knitting in the conventional manner. Loom knitting is also a great craft for kids who don’t necessarily have the co-ordination for regular knitting needles.

I am very pleased to announce that crochet designer Jenny King is coming to American Yarns next Wednesday – 27th October at 10am to sign copies of her new book:  Learn to do Bavarian Crochet.

There will be yummy scones, and tea and coffee on offer and Jenny may demonstrate the technique.  There are also the crocheted samples from the book on display in-store.

Hope to see you there!

American Yarns is proud to announce that we are the first yarn store in Australia to carry Little Lotus yarns!  Thamara is the talented indie dyer behind her range of beautiful yarns.  From traditional sock yarn with nylon, to superwsh merino, worsted merino and pure silk lace, Thamara has a range of gorgeous colourways with a whimsical touch.  Here’s a pic of one of her colours:  limoncello

It’s a gorgeous semi-solid lemon yellow.

Thamara also does fibre.  Here’s another of her colourways:  coconut ice

You can buy Little Lotus online at her store, or in-store at American Yarns – Shop 3/265 Blaker Road, Grovely.

Stumbled across this lady – Rachel John – from the UK who knits and crochets with super-large needles and hooks and multi-strands of yarn – very cool!  Check out the videos on her site.  You can even buy her hand-made extreme tools – I’ve just bought a 24mm diameter, 700mm long crochet hook!

I’m so excited!  My book “Encyclopedia of Tunisian Crochet” by Angela Grabowski arrived today:

“Arnie” Grabowski is a genius!  After struggling for so long to find a good book on this wonderfully versatile crochet method, I was thrilled to have found this one.  It covers EVERYTHING you need to know about Tunisian crochet and Arnie’s writing style means the instructions are clear and easy-to-follow.  The only comment I would make about this book (currently in its second printing) is that the next edition would be better in colour.  If you love Tunisian Crochet and would love to expand your skills and knowledge in this area, then this book is the perfect place to start!

My daughter is 3 and a half and has been toilet-trained for a year now, so you may be wondering WHY I would want to knit longies (woollen nappy covers) for her?  Well, I know they’re functional, but I really like woollen pants – there’s something very cute and old-fashioned and personal about knitting something for your child  – something not mass-produced.  AND they’re really warm!

So!  Now I have TWO challenges -

1.  Finding the time to make them

2.  Converting the fabulous pattern I have just bought into longie knitting in the round, wait for it…on a loom!  LOL!  A loom you say???  What the???  Can it be done, you ask???  Well, I’m about to find out, aren’t I??

I’ve settled on a loom – The baby afghan regular gauge from Decor Accents (coming soon to my store) – this is an oval-shaped loom with 112 pegs.  Now, my daughter was measured using the formula in my pattern book and I am required to cast on 108 pegs.  So, I’ll use the full 112 so if they’re a little big, that’s okay, they’ll still fit next year.  I also imagine that you can knit larger sizes on the loom by using the next loom up – the Decor Accents Extra Small Gauge with 151 pegs.  There’s also the fine gauge loom which has 196 pegs!! The only problem is, as you go down in gauge, you also have to go down in yarn weight, but as long as you use 100% wool or merino (NOT superwash), they should turn out fine.

I’ll let you know how I go – watch this space!

Oh, and if you’re a needle knitter and want to knit longies for a baby you know (or have!) you MUST get this book – fabulously written, very clear, lots of instructions and diagrams and pics – you can’t go wrong!

It’s written by a lady called Maggie Broderick and she’s in the US.  This fantastic book can be found here.

Be there or be square!  Qld Spinners’ Open Day is on again this year – 31st May at their head office in Auchenflower, 2 minutes from the CBD, heading west.  There’ll be lots of stalls, displays and demos happening and many Brisbane businesses will be there – including me!

Now I know there’s another fibre event on the same weekend, but do make the effort to come along.  You’re sure to meet a lot of fun, friendly people with a real passion for fibre arts – AND it certainly won’t be so hard on your hip pocket!!  LOL!

I am practicing my loom knitting skills and had some Bernat Felting yarn left over from a customer order, so decided to try my hand at loom knitting and felting something.  I used the pattern for the box/business card holder from loom-knitting queen – Isela Phelps.

While I was at it, I also used some of what was left of a skein of Lamb’s Pride Bulky, in chocolate and crocheted a cylindrical box and then felted it.

Next on the agenda will be to use up the rest of the Lamb’s Pride and spool knit a felted dog leash.  I saw something similar on EBay and need to make some quick projects for my stall at Queensland Spinner’s, Weaver’s and Dyer’s Guild on the 31st of May.

I confess – I’m a child of the 80s.  I grew up with such fashion notables as -fluoro, Choose Life t-shirts, leg-warmers and intarsia knits.

So any chance I get to go tripping down memory lane, I grab!  Here’s a video that may help you do that too.  LOL!

Craft Talk by net celeb – Leslie Hall – all about 80s Gem sweaters!

What’s ‘Handmade Nation’ you may ask?  It’s a documentary about the rise of the DIY and arts and craft movement in the USA.  It’s all about the emergence of funky indie designers and craftsters who are rejecting commercialism and expressing their creativity and individuality through their art.  And yes, it can be called art!  Knitters, crocheters, graphic artists, painters, designers.  Over 80 hours of film was gathered as the director – Faythe Levine, visited 15 cities and interviewed 50 artists to gather materials for her film.

Handmade Nation will be launching in Australia at the Stitches and Craft Show in Melbourne in March this year.

To take a sneak peek at the film, click here to view on Youtube.