Today's prize is another very generous one! A copy of
Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting 
and Blue Moon Fiber Arts has given enough of their
Socks That Rock Heavyweight to make the child's sweater found on page 176; a simple drop-shoulder pullover perfect for raking leaves, or playing in them.
This book encompasses so many different types of projects. From hats to steeks, we have it all. Each pattern really builds on the previous one in terms of skill level. You could begin at the beginning and knit to the end, and find yourself in possession of just about all the skills you'd ever need as a knitter. You would also have a pretty good sized pile of finished projects! When I design things like this I think about kids I know, what they wear, and what they will wear. A simple sweater with maybe a single stripe knit in favorite colors is often a great bet for a kid. Classic, wearable, comfortable; like a cozy sweatshirt with mom or grandma or auntie's good karma knit in. Perfect!
To win today's prize answer this question in the comment section below - What is your best yarn memory? Now think about that for a minute, and let me hear your memories below!
77 comments:
My best yarn memory-wow, that's a tough one as there are so many. One that stands out though is going to Rhinebeck for the first time. My eyes didn't know where to look first and I forget how many trips I made to the car to unload and go back for more. Melissa, I hope you are enjoying these giveaway days as much as I am-these are some really fun questions and I'm enjoying all the posts. Thanks so much for doing this:)
My fave yarn memory is when I learned to make my own yarn. I bought a "learn to spin" kit for myself one Christmas and over the break practiced with a drop spindle. I made a very cute ball of yarn.
I think it would have to be nearly 5 years ago when I went to a LYS to look for yarn to make a baby's gift. I'd had a break from knitting for several years and when a friend was expecting her third baby I decided to make a toy lamb (figuring she had all the bits and pieces of baby items from #1 and #1). On that trip I first encountered self-patterning sock yarn. It was simply gorgeous and I couldn't resist purchasing it. The store gave me a free pattern for a baby hat, which I made from the sock yarn. Loved the yarn so much I went back to the store and asked what else I could make with the yarn. They showed me some socks, and thus, a love affair with sock knitting (and knitting in the round) was born! (Yes I did make the lamb, and the baby - now at school - still has it and loves that I made it)
my favorite yarn memory? dreaming of a skein of wool the color of saturated seaweed, and having an enabler...er...friend provide a source for the yarn of my dreams the very next day.
My best yarn memory might be my first one. My mom used to knit, though I never remember seeing her do so except when she taught me to when I was 9, and she had a tall wicker basket with a lid full of big skeins of yarn. Most of it was ivory; I think she was working on an afghan at some point. I used to dig my hands in that yarn, and when I learned to knit it was on long, blue metal needles and I made little outfits (tubes, really) for my Barbie.
I fell in love with a picture of a chameleon on a tree limb. I decided that I wanted to make a pair of socks with the same colors as in the picture. The colors were so vibrant and I searched for about a year before finding the right yarn. Words can't describe the excitement I felt when I finally made the socks and they were just as vibrant as the picture.
My favorite yarn memory is knitting my first project with my handspun yarn. It was such a different experience and so rewarding to have seen the yarn start as fluff and turn into a finished garment. (I made a hat).
Upon reflection I would say my best yarn memory was when I went to Meta Knits' Grand Opening. I found the most beautiful Helen's Laces Multi in a colorway called "flames". It sits in a covered glass dish here in the den and pretends it's my little fireplace. Someday I'll make the shawl on the ball band but meanwhile just looking at it makes me warm.
My best Yarn memory was the first time I dyed roving and I spun it into this gorgeous hank of yarn! I loved that skein.
My favorite yarn memory was discovering Morehouse Merino years ago. It was my first experience with yarns direct from the farm. Pure magic!
Best yarn memory - finding the off-the-beaten-path yarn shop in Paris, la Drogherie, with my 21 year old daughter and my partner Christopher in tow. It was exciting to get away from all the touristy places. The shop was packed and no one spoke English, we spoke a little French, but everyone spoke yarn! (I only bought eight or ten skeins)
My favorite yarn memory is of winding balls of yarn at the nursing home with Grandma. She had Alzheimer's and no longer knit, after doing it her whole life. When I brought in a skein of yarn and she held it on her hands while I wound a ball, she lit up just a little. I knew she still remembered that feeling of yarn running through her fingers and she liked it.
I feel like my best yarn memory is always my last one. It's exciting to always find new, interesting things and allow you knitting to grow.
I would say it was my first trip to Webs about 1 1/2 years ago. I went with 3 friends from the Boston area. We were giddy all the way there. Upon arrival, we scattered, all seeking different yarns. Whenever we'd bump into each other, we'd each have more yarn in our baskets than could be knit not only in our lifetimes, but in all of our grandchildren's' lives. It was great. I bought most of what we found, although I put the cones of lace weight back after coming to my senses. What was I thinking falling for 4 cones of lace weight? I bought all sorts of wonderful yarn, and have made great gifts out of much of it. We felt like bank robbers who got away with all the way home. I can't wait to go back, but will be more focused on what I really "need" when I do.
When I learned about Kool-Aid dyeing. With limited income, it was a blessing! I loved, as my grandkids said, "Playing with colors."
My best yarn memory is watching my mom knit and thinking who would ever want to do that! Turns out I do...but it's been about 20 years in the making.
hmmm...I think the best is the time I purchased some local alpaca yarn and I 'met' the donor. So cool to think that yarn so soft and squishy came from that large animal running around the field.
Still makes me smile...
Karen
My earliest yarn memory has to do with my mother crocheting numerous chevron afghans in those awful 1970's golds and browns and rusts. In acrylic. My best yarn memory is the warmth in those afghans - they were ugly, but cozy.
I think that my favorite yarn memory has to be when I picked up Malabrigo for the first time, getting ready to take my first knitting class! I cannot get enough of that yarn.
My best yarn memory was the first time I knit with cashmere. It was so soft. As a beginner, I had used a lot of cheap, stiff yarn. That soft, flowing cashmere was delightful!
My best yarn memory comes from my first visit to my favorite LYS. It isn't the closest one to my house, but it's the best. I'm there weekly, to buy, to knit, to get help. I'm so glad I stopped in that day.
My best yarn memory... That would have to be finishing my first afghan (granny squares) when I was about 12 yrs old. :)
My favorite yarn memory would be attending Camp KIP. Wednesday through Saturday filled with yarn, knitting and friendly fiber folk = Heaven on earth.
My best yarn memory would be my first time at Rhinebeck, two years ago, which was shortly after I picked up knitting again after an 18 year break. I was overwhelmed with the amazing yarns that are available now. The Briar Rose booth epitomized to me the beauty of hand-dyed yarn. I fell in love with yarn at that festival and have never looked back.
One event sticks further than the others. It was my first Stitches East.
All that yarn in one location, all various shades, fibers...I was overwhelmed with yarn goodness!
The bonus was finding and speaking to people as passionate about knitting as I am.
Five years ago we moved to our farm. We purchased four sheep. That spring we had the sheep sheared and I carded and spun some of their wool. I did get a special feeling when I touched that yarn. My first yarn from my own sheep. However; I do love the beautifully colored and soft yarns available today.
After being away from yarny activities for a number of years,
a friend introduced me to 2-a-a-t socks.
A visit to a lys was an eye-opening experience.
Oh, have yarns have changed! ! !
It was love at first sight when I saw the self-striping yarn.
In the four years since that first sighting, other sock yarns have become faves.
I've knit more than 40 pair of sox since the spring of 2008.
hugs
Gerry
When I first started knitting, I had no idea what I was doing. Just having a knitting magazine written in French, I don't speak French, I looked at the pictures, going on my merry way. I produced a beautiful simple cable sweater, I have to this day.
Thus started my adventures in the world of Fiber.
Another tough question! One of my best, which has probably had the most influence on my knitting, was my first experience in a LYS. Yarn that was light years ahead in quality from that found at most of the craft stores. It makes a huge difference to me in the knitting experience as well as in the finished product.
My doctor told me to do something for myself that relaxed me and was totally about me. I went to the LYS and "pet the pretty yarns that were so scumptious and beautiful that I could not afford, but admired". Sad as it sounds it did the trick for me.
Cashmere truly is one of God's wonders!
Dawn Allen
I live in a college town so most of the people I meet move away within 4 years, so I was a lonely knitter. I decided to start a Stitch n' Bitch group, signing up on the SnB website as well as creating a facebook page. That is how I met Angela, which brings me to my yarn memory. I and gotten some beautiful vintage brocco and was planning on making a cabled bag out of it. When I pulled the yarn out of the bag, Angela said "oooh, can I touch your yarn." That turned into a "dirty" joke and we laugh about it almost every time our group meets up. Because of her, my Stitch n' Bitch group as over 25 members that meet on a weekly basis.
Thanks for the fun question!
-Sarah
caloct17@yahoo.com or Caloct on Ravelry.
My favorite yarn memory is of when I was younger, watching my mom crochet. In later years she didn't crochet much, but when she did it was fun to watch because she hardly looked at what she was doing and was so fast at it...
ogregre@gmail.com
My best yarn memory has got to be the first time I wound a hank of yarn using a swift and winder. My cat had always left my yarn alone, but when she saw me winding the yarn, she went CRAZY for it!
hmmm...this is tough, because most of my yarn memories are really more knitting or designing memories.... I did have a similar 'meet the alpaca' experience with Orsino, whose lovely rose grey coat ended up in my version of the gathered pullover.
Some great comments! I definitely second the first-Rhinebeck-visit and major-Webs-trip ideas, but I think the best yarn memory came last year, when after fumbling my way through socks for a couple of years, I made a pair with STR and they flew off my needles. I loved making them, loved wearing them, and fell much more deeply in love with sock knitting.
My favorite yarn memory is when I found Madelinetosh Pashmina...ohh the silk, cashmere, and merino combine for PURE BLISS! I also have fond memories of when I discovered that alpaca didn't have to be so furry/fuzzy. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I really expected you to ask our favorite book because of something else you posted, so I was all prepared to say the Earth Children books by Jean M Auel. Love Love Love. Read them all, have them all, heard them all (numerous times). So my favorite yarn memory....having just learned to knit and hearing these books again, how they came up with the 'yarn/fiber' they used for some of their garments, especially Ayla's matrimonal outfit. But Marthona did some weaving of sorts and how she did that. Somehow it fit into MY world just when I was learning to knit.
Next answer.....If I could make the world of herbs and medicines in that world meet my world, but I don't quite grasp all of it, but I learn something new every time I listen to even one chapter of any of those books.
So back to my original answer to your unasked question? The Earth Children Series by Jean M Auel.
I want you to ask next - our favorite chicken/rooster story. I have one of those too.
The first time I walked into a LYS that had all the latest yummy yarns was an eye-opener. There was another store within walking distance of where I live, but I was never inspired when I entered. This other one just blew me away with all the lovely yarns - I wanted to touch everything! I then went home, started poking around on the internet and the rest is history. :)
My best yarn memory is spinning some of my very first Shetland's wool that I washed, hand-carded and dyed with Kool-Aid. Between WHAT the wool was, its bright colors and its fruity smell, how could I not love the resulting yarn?
I htink I jsut started one last night, but as far as before... Probably this past December. The fancy yearn store 30 minutes away was having their year-end blowout. 40% off everything the first hour. I wasn't sure I would get there in time to be one of the first 10 people in line so I would have enough time to get to work. So, I had my sister stand outside at 5am and I got there at 6:45! In less than 15 minutes I spent almost $200 on a giant back of wonderful yarn. The memory I started last night is going to use a lot of it :)
Hmmm, well it's not the yarn but all the love behind it. When I was little my grandma made me a cabbage patch doll, I named her Henrietta. She also made me matching red sweatshirts that she knit for me and the doll. I thought it was so awesome to have a red hooded sweatshirt that matched my new baby! She knitted clothes for my Mandy doll too and a huge afghan for me when I turned 16. Now the yarns weren't great but what she did with the yarn was amazing!
Walking into the shopping area of the 09 sock summit. Talk about sensory overload!!
Earlier this year I won a wonderful skein of yarn from another generous blogger. It was such a fun moment to open my email to find out I won, but even a greater moment to find that yarn in my mailbox. Beautiful, soft yarn.
My best yarn memory is the time, about 10 years ago, when I picked out a skein to learn to knit with. The scarf I made did not turn out well, but I've been hooked ever since.
My best yarn memory is going to the LYS with my mother and sister. My mother would often spend long periods of time there, doing what I'm not sure. To relieve the boredom my sister and I would organize and neaten the yarn.
My favorite yarn memeory was my first trip to my LYS and found the perfect yarn for a pair of socks I was wanting to make.
My best yarn memory was when I was learning to knit. My God-mother taught me years ago. I had such fun.
My best yarn memory has to be every time I find that 'perfect' yarn which you imagine for your next project. Especially when you hunt through more than one store knowing when you see it, angels will sing. Okay maybe not but it feels like it!
It's a toss up between the first (and, thus far, only) time I've handpainted yarn and the time when I got to buy grab bags at a lys for $5 each. A lot of thought had gone into putting them together, and it was a lot of fun to open one and see what was inside.
My favorite memory is actually a feeling. I love the feel, smell, potential of each and every skein, each and every time I pick up yarn.
I also really like the times yarn teaches me something and allows me to share the learning experience with my daughter. She is 27 now, a knitter, and at the age where she thinks she knows it all. Examples definitely speak better than mom! Last night, together, we wound yarn bought at a great discount since it was tangled terribly. To share the experience of persevering through, with patience, and ending with a beautiful, useable yarn taught us both about having patience, valuing even what another didn't, and the beauty of God's timing. We also had a nice visit and now have 1500 yards of beautiful yarn for a project!
My favorite yarn memory is going on vacation with my husband, and him waiting ever so patiently while I browsed and caressed every yarn in the store until I finally settled on 1 skein to take home with me.
A few years back I dyed my very first yarn with Kool-Aid. I felt so very smart! It was self striping too! I still have a small bit of it that makes me smile everytime I see it. :)
My best yarn memory is from when I was making my Lizard Ridge blanket. My mom would surprise me with colorways of Kureyon that she'd picked out--she would keep a list of the ones I'd already bought. It was so sweet and I'm glad that I have a blanket with so much of my mom's love in it.
Love this give away!! My favorite yarn memory would be when I finally got to buy my spinning wheel. I had waited so long to get one and it paid off! I am still learning the ropes of spinning, but I have a large bag full of soft lovely fiber to spin!
my favorite yarn memory is that my six-year-old son wanted to get me a birthday present, and he thought of yarn all by himself. And picked it out. It's my favorite. I still haven't used it.
I saw a Debbie Bliss long cabled cardigan in a magazine that I absolutely loved from the first moment I saw it and I knew, even though it would be an ambitious pattern, I had to make it. So the hunt for yarn was on--limited by my pocket book. I ended up with a very dark green in Cascade 220 superwash which I loved and I made the cardigan! I have had a lot of compliments on the sweater.
Best yarn memory or nightmare - a tangled hank!
esea on Ravelry
My favorite yarn memory has to be winning a blue ribbon for my tiny, yellow grannie square coin purse at my county's 4-H fair. I think I was 9. I still have it, and since it's 100% acrylic, it will outlive me by decades!
My favorite yarn memory is 6 years ago when I was first learning how to knit and I discovered hanks of Malabrigo hanging in a corner of the yarn shop. So pretty! So soft! I bought two skeins and I was off and running. I haven't stopped knitting since. :)
There have been so many great ones but the first one I thought of was my first fiber festival, Maryland Sheep and Wool. No, I didn't start small did I? 13 hours or so driving from Atlanta. My first stop.....The Fold to see Socks that Rock for the first time. Oh....and seeing my friend's face as I piled on more and more..... ;-) just amazing!! (and do you believe it.....my word verification ends in STR...... haha
I don't think I have one specific yarn memory, for me it's the smell that really does it! Yes, I love the look of the yarn, the texture, but the smell of wool can't be beaten!
My best yarn memory is quite fresh.
It's Mother's Day, and I'm relaxing in the whirlpool bath before heading out for a second day of fun with my children at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I hear the door thump, but no footsteps, so I assume a pet bumped it from the outside.
After my bath, I discover a paper bag full of goodies- chosen and purchased by my 12 year old daughter the day before- which included a skein of gorgeous merino/silk from a local indie dyer in the best-ever shocking pink color.
I'll knit with it someday, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying looking at it with a Stupid Mommie smile on my face.
Going to the craft store with my grandmother to pick out my first skein of yarn- a blend of soft green, yellow, and pink- she said she liked it because you never know when the colors were going to change.
After my mom passed away we found a pair of in progress booties that I finished and my sister's youngest wore them for his baptism. A little something from a grandma he never knew.
My best memory has to be knitting a baby sweater for my dear friend. This is the friend I learned to knit with. My oldest was 2 1/2 and we were with family in SD for my grandpa's memorial service. One night in the B&B, my son was on my lap and did is firt knitting with me. It's on video and photos even.
He's now 6 and has been knitting on his own for two years!
Oh i'm such a beginner.
I need to make those memories first.
But my first time feeling some real sockyarn (after practicing with cheap nylon yarn) was nice. So soft and so nice to knit with.
My favorite yarn memory was attending MSWF this year. It was like yarn overload.
One of my best yarn memories is when DS (5 yo at the time) asked to spin his own yarn and had even chosen which fiber he wanted to use. He made a little skein of yarn and was so proud of himself! I loved how happy he was that he did it by himself. Now he's asking me to teach him to knit.
Also up there in the "best yarn memory" category is about 2 weeks ago, DD (4 yo) asked me to teach her to knit. She sat with her yarn and needles and was so proud that she was knitting! She was just wrapping the yarn around and around the needles, but she was thrilled that she could "knit!"
My best yarn memory is the first sweater I made for my daughter. She looked so cute and warm! That sweater floated around town for yeas, being passed to siblings and friends, and it was always a treat when I spotted!
My best yarn memory was the day I realized that the person who just demonstrated how to spin lived a couple of blocks from me and she was willing to teach me.
The second best memory was the day my daughter became a better spinner than I am.
So hard to pin down to just one "best" yarn memory. It might be the first fair isle sweater I made for my husband. I loved it, he loved it, and years later, my son wore it for a school picture.
Like many others here, though I've savored the softness and beauty of commerical yarns (especially Malabrigo), my favorite yarn memory is the first time I carded and then spun my own yarn - it was a beautiful forest green/brownish Merino blend. It wasn't enough to do much with, but became a pair of fingerless gloves that I still wear when I need comfort.
Walking into a real yarn store and seeing all of the yarns and possible projects.
My best yarn memory is of when I was given a skein of really nice handspun yarn that a friend of my mom had made.
My best yarn memory happened last month. I am a new knitter so I don't have much to compare to. I splurged and ordered $150 of sock yarn from Knit Picks. Then the next day, I realized that all sock books were 40% too so I bought 3 books and also got 7 hanks of sock yarn. I was in sock yarn overload when both orders arrived on the same day. I had them delivered to work so hubby would not see. You should have seen me sneaking all that into the house. Good thing he had to pick up his snowmobile from the shop that night! LMAO!
Working a booth selling yarns at a Crochet Guild of America show in Manchester, New Hampshire a few summers ago. I met so many wonderful people and was inspired to take up crochet again after almost 30 years.
It's a tie between meeting Gail Callahan and her talking me into dyeing my own sock yarn and the time I was trying to wind a skein of sock yarn in the dark in the back of the van on a drive up to NH! Laughing at myself and my yarn addiction!
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