Vacation Preview: Yarn Store Visits

With packing nearly complete, my anticipation is growing for my early morning departure on Wednesday morning for New York City. I am to spend 3 days in Manhattan, and then board the Caribbean Princess in Brooklyn and take in the sights of Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax and St. John. We have theater tickets, museum visits planned, and our favorite stops in neighborhoods such as SoHo and Greenwich Village all lined up. As I review the details of our sojourn, I am excited about many things - but high on that list of anticipated diversions are the local yarn store visits on my list!

In Manhattan, I will visit Purl SoHo, at 137 Sullivan Street. My first visit to Purl was this past May, where I purchased two skeins of beautiful hand-spun, kettle-dyed Manos del Uruguay which I knit into a beautiful scarf in double moss stitch. I'm looking forward to my upcoming visit in search of the perfect yarn to make hand-knit holiday gifts.

Next on my list is also in Manhattan - The Lion Brand Yarn Studio, at 34 W. 15th Street. I was just perusing its website and seeing all of the fun, interactive elements of this unique retail establishment. I have enjoyed knitting a few other projects with Lion Brand and look forward to seeing what they offer at their Manhattan studio.

And, based on the brevity of our walking tour of Halifax, Nova Scotia, I'm also looking forward to having time to visit to LK Yarns at the historic Hydrostone Market. Their website is intriguing, and I'm hoping to find something unique to bring back to the US.

I am quickly realizing that some of the joy I get from knitting certain projects has to do with the story about where I purchased the yarn. What city did I visit? What unique shop did I stumble upon? What kind yarn store owner took the time to show me a brand new shipment of cashmere?

I'm looking forward to new experiences, new memories on which to reflect, and, most certainly, more yarn for my stash!

Happy Knitting!

INTERVIEW: Anne Jones, Shop Owner & Yarn Enthusiast

We always remember firsts. Our first finished object. Our first touch of camel. And, the first yarn store we ever visited. My first yarn store was The Black Sheep located on Mills Avenue in Orlando, and recently I had the

opportunity to talk with the shop's owner, Anne Jones, about her shop and my favorite topic - yarn!

"The Black Sheep has been in business for 35 years, and I am the 3rd owner," said Anne. "It started out as a needlepoint and cross-stitch store - which is how I first became a customer. Three years ago, I became the owner."

This charming shop that feels more like a home than a retail establishment features an open front room with a welcoming work table and walls banked with sprays of color in thread and hand-painted needlepoint canvases. The secret oasis for which I visit most is toward the back of the shop, a room with black shelving and nooks holding a variety of yarns from near and far.

I asked Anne how she goes about selecting the yarns she offers to her customers. "First, I listen to customer comments. It's important for me to know what they are looking for and what interests them. I also have to consider the amount of investment required by the manufacturer. I have to make sure I have the display space for the yarn I buy. And then, of course, it also comes down to what I like!"

Anne shared that just after taking ownership of the shop, her first foray into buying yarn was a learning experience. Because Bouton D'Or spent a great deal of time sharing information and expertise about yarn, Anne offers a notable sampling of Bouton D'Or at The Black Sheep. "I also like Fiesta Cottonista, Cashmere - the soft stuff. Being a new great grandmother to twins, I'm into baby yarns so you'll see a good selection of those in the shop these days."

Anne explained that many yarn manufacturers are changing their policies around minimum orders so that local yarn storeowners are able to feature unique designer yarns without having to make sizable, and sometimes risky, investments.

I wondered how the current economy has impacted the fiber arts. "The economy has actually helped this industry, I think," Anne reflected. "You can put in a small amount of work and yield a great end product, it's something you can do to keep sane, and since people aren't traveling as much - they have something productive to do with their time."

Anne pointed out the challenge the Internet has posed for small retailers, immense selections of yarn can be found there and sometimes prices are cheaper because of the volumes they can afford. The Black Sheep continues to do well because Anne and her staff provide great service and take the time to build relationships with their customers. I was encouraged as I browsed the store waiting for my conversation with Anne to begin, noting a constant stream of folks in search of fiber coming into the shop.

With her many responsibilities as shop owner, I wondered what creative outlet Anne is enjoying these days. "My crafting history is heavy on needlepoint and stained glass - but I am working on my knitting. I recently knit hats for my great grandchildren out of Tilli Tomas Beaded Merino and I also made some other hat-shaped items that I'm going to felt and turn into coasters or containers. I also want to make baby sweaters - for obvious reasons!"

Anne admitted that even though she may not have as much time to devote to her crafty pursuits as she would like, she gets a great deal of energy and inspiration when her creative customers find products in her store that get them sparked and excited about their next needlepoint, crochet or knitting project.

Anne offered some valuable tips for those new to the fiber arts scene. "Pick small projects to start with. Your investment in yarn is not great, small projects are often fairly easy to do, and you can finish quickly. Finishing your first few projects in a reasonable time period gives you confidence to keep going. It's energizing and inspiring and leads you on to more challenging projects."

My last question to Anne is something we should all be thinking about: "Why is it important to buy quality yarn?"

"You can actually end up spending more on cheaper yarn," Anne said. "Many bargain yarns do not wear well - and they actually get stiff and unwearable with age. For example, if the acrylic you are using has a noise to it, a sort of squeak, it probably is not going to be as enjoyable to knit with and its wearability may be questionable. But there are quality acrylics you can buy that are more user friendly and don't feel anything like what you would expect. Berroco acrylic has no squeak and is quite soft."

"Quality yarn gives you so many unique options, is more fun to knit with, is easier to knit with, and you are able to create items that wear well and last for years to come."

In addition to The Black Sheep being the first local yarn store I visited, my conversation with Anne is also the first interview I've conducted for my blog, Brian Knits! - One man's love affair with yarn. I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with Anne Jones and look forward to capturing the stories of other yarn lovers in the future.

A Further Look at Tweed

As I've been knitting with Irish Tweed wool these past few weeks, and am knitting a scarf using a Harris Tweed stitch, I thought I would do a little research to learn more about Tweed and its esteemed origins. Here are a few things I have discovered:

• Tweed is a rough, coarse, unfinished woolen fabric of a soft, open, flexible texture resembling cheviot or homespun but more closely woven.

• It is made in either plain or twill weave and may also feature a check or herringbone pattern.

• In Ireland, Tweed manufacturing is most associated with world-famous Magee of Donegal, based in County Donegal in the Province of Ulster

• In his memoir, "Windsor Revisited," HRH The Duke of Windsor recounted a story alluding to the origin of how Tweed got its name. About 1830, a London merchant received a letter about some tweels. Said London merchant misread the handwriting, thinking the name was taken from River Tweed that flows through the Scottish Border textile areas. These goods were marketed as Tweed and remain so to this day.

There are three basic types of Tweed:

Harris Tweed (whence my current stitch got its name): Harris tweed is a luxury fabric handwoven by select islanders residing in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It may also be hand woven and hand dyed using local natural dyes.

Donegal Tweed: This is a handwoven tweed manufacted in County Donegal, Ireland. For centuries, this tweed has been produced using local materials. The dyes used originate with local materials such as blackberries, fuchsia and moss.

Silk Tweed: Fabric made of raw silk with flecks of color, giving it a tweed-like texture.

So, there you have it - some interesting insight into the world of Tweed. I can say the Donegal Tweed yarn I'm using now is wonderful and knitting up beautifully - and I recently discovered a two-color tweed pattern that you might be seeing infused into one of my upcoming projects!

Happy Knitting!

Boss tweed, man!

I have made some wonderful discoveries about the tweed wool I'm using in a Harris Tweed stitch patterned scarf.

This chunkier stitch, coupled with a larger needle size (I'm using size 9 birchwood needles by Brittany), has created a piece that appears to be knitting up rather quickly.

I started this last Thursday evening and am about 2/3 through my first of two skeins of this Donegal Tweed Homespun, made in the republic of Ireland for Tahki Stacy Charles, Inc.

While traveling on business this past June, I happened upon this beautiful tweed in a fiber oasis nestled in the charming Castro neighborhood of San Francisco. ImagiKnit was almost overwhelming because of its size (rather large compared to what I was accustomed to) and also the massive range of offerings.

Back to the scarf...what I'm also enjoying about the scarf is the texture this stitch pattern and needle collaboration has yielded.

I have also discovered, as the scarf progresses, that it is a reversible pattern - so either side looks as equally as full and luxurious.

I hope to have this completed by week's end. I purchased some beautiful cotton at Sip & Knit in Maitland, Florida yesterday, so am taking that on my New England & Canada cruise week after next. I'm already having visions of me sitting on my private stateroom verandah, looking out at the open sea, wooden needles and cotton fiber forming a beautiful hand-knit creation (with my own craftsmanship added into the mix, of course) as the world floats by! I can't wait!

Although I won't be blogging from the ship, I will be Tweeting while in ports such as Newport, Boston and Bar Harbour. I'm also spending 3 days in New York City before the cruise and look forward to visiting at least one, if not more, yarn stores there.

More on tweed later this week - and please comment on this and other posts! I really want to see what my readers think and what you might find interesting.

Happy Knitting!

Experimenting with Tweed

Last night was a night of experimentation. At least, that's how I rationalize that I spent 3 hours of quality knitting time and only ended up with about 16 rows completed (noting my 3 do-overs).

I'm working with a beautiful grey speckled with white Donegal Tweed Homespun.

Experiment #1: Cabling

I had very grandiose visions of constructing a beautiful, complicated Celtic cable design in the heart of the scarf I wanted to make. I found one I liked in a stitch dictionary, wrote a pattern in which it was flanked by a border of seed stitch and I was ready to go.

It was TEDIOUS. I was on row 10 and already thinking to myself, "This isn't fun."

All I needed was a slipped stitch and a ladder "situation" down three rows to convince me to frog the whole thing and start anew.

Experiment #2: Woven Rib

I liked another stitch in the dictionary, Woven Rib, but when I did about 16-20 rows in my Tweed wool, it wasn't showing up well (because of the dark grey) and it wasn't bulky/plushy as, I think, a scarf should be.

Frog, once again.

Experiment #3: Harris Tweed Stitch

The one I landed on is actually pretty simple and also has a great texture to it that I think will work nicely for a scarf. It's a Harris Tweed Stitch. It fills in nicely and makes a great, hearty fabric. Not only did I change stitch patterns at this point, I also increased my needle size from 8 to 9.

What I learned today:

If you're designing your own patterns, mixing stitches and such, you have to be ready to experiment. The equation is a balance of project + yarn type + needle size and variations in each of those elements makes a uniquely different finished piece.

Of course if you are using a pattern, you won't necessarily have these unexpected surprises. But, if you venture off into designing something of your own, mixing and matching these elements can be a fun and educational experience - which ultimately leads you to a great finished object you can be pleased with and proud of!

Yarn. It's all about yarn!

Yesterday, I saw the movie "Julie and Julia," and it made me think about how to connect my love of writing with something else that I have become very passionate about - yarn! In the film, a modern day woman decides to blog for a year about making the 500+ recipes from Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." That movie was very inspiring to me.

I've also been listening to "The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success As You Start or Manage a Business," by Martha Stewart - someone else who is an absolute inspiration to me. Those who know me well know that Martha and her team always provide me with inspiration - particularly when it comes to communication, marketing, promotions, etc.

This morning, the epiphany arrived. I took pen to notebook and scribbled pages of notes - a wide variety of ideas to bring this blog to life - an editorial focus with unlimited possibility - a focus on yarn.

I'll focus on three specific content areas:

Learn: Fundamentals of yarn, yarn making, finding the right yarn for your project, etc.

Be inspired: Interviews with other yarn lovers (spinners, dyers, LYS owners and other folks who are crazy about yarn like me), yarn reviews and analyses, creative ideas and inspiration.

Experience: Stepping out into the yarn/fiber arts community (reflections, updates and reviews on shows, festivals, knit-ups, workshops, gatherings, etc.).

I'm also working on an integrated communication strategy that editorially links the exciting and interesting content you'll discover at Brian Knits! - The Blog with my Twitter page, Ravelry profile and other social media outlets.

This is just the beginning, friends! I've also added podcasts and books to the longer-term plan - but having an editorial focus for my blog is very exciting to me - and I hope to you as well!

Brian Knits! - The Blog will serve as a definitive reference point for anyone interested in learning more about yarn in its myriad forms - what it is and how it is made - and find inspiration to take yarn and create something beautiful for themselves or others.

I want this blog and my other media platforms to be a creative oasis where visitors can find useful information and creative inspiration. I also want my projects to reflect an inclusive philosophy of fiber arts - offering insight and ideas for an audience of men and women of all ages, backgrounds and experiences, knowing that playing with yarn can be fun for ANYONE.

A Meditation on My Mission

Sitting in the cafe at a local Borders with two friends, knitting away on a dishcloth, while one friend knitted a baby blanket and her daughter embroidered cherry blossoms onto a gown, I looked around and in my periphery, I could see people take notice.

Not in that kind of welcoming, accepting way as if to say, "That's cool that those people are spending time working on their art, developing their craft." It was staring, more as if to say, "What's with the dude knitting?" Is it really that shocking?

The reality stared at me brazenly: people still find it odd to see a man knitting.

While I knit these days (finishing up a double seed stitch reversible scarf in Manos del Uruguay), I've been thinking more about my purpose, my mission. I have to believe there is a reason I have discovered knitting, and there have been statements or conversations over the last few months that have made me think there's a bigger reason why I have learned to knit.

How do I take my love of writing, my passion for knitting, my admiration for yarn, and my commitment to giving EVERYONE the opportunity to learn to knit and make beautiful things and put them together into a meaningful package?

This has been my meditation of late - considering the possibilities, pondering my pet peeves already experienced since my first foray into the knitting community, and figuring out how to be revolutionary.

I don't want to be known for anything mediocre - and were I to find a unique way to bring these talents and interests together, I would ensure it is with the highest of quality, greatest of commitment, and, in many cases, fearless action to make a contribution to the fiber arts in a manner that will be remembered for generations.

These are lofty thoughts, but visionary. They are a target to move toward...and so the meditation continues, knowing the answer will come to me soon.

What defines a personal passion?

I have historically been one to go through "phases" of interest. I get intrigued by a topic or activity or concept and I will buy books, watch videos, do other research to take a quick dive into details on the topic. And then, after a few weeks (to up to two months) the topic changes, the interests evolve and I'm typically off to the next "phase."

That was, until I discovered knitting.

I first started knitting in October of 2008, and seriously since January 2009. That was 8 months ago - and I'm still here. I'm still buying yarn. I'm still making projects. I'm still learning something new every time I pick up needles. And, in the past 8 months, I've determined that there are a few things that can illuminate what one's true passions are, what differentiates a "phase" from a committed pursuit to a particular craft.

Losing track of time

I know knitting is a passion of mine because I lose all track of time when I'm doing it. Yesterday alone I spent over 8 hours knitting. I was at one of my local yarn stores (with fabulous people like Barbara and Karen and Karen's daughter, Kristen, who does amazing embroidery work) from 11.30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. I had lost all concept of time - and in fact, didn't care what time it was. I was doing something I enjoy. I was learning. I was spending time with fun people. Which leads me to the next identifier of a person's passion - community.

Not simply an act, but also a community

I've never been involved in something before for which such an incredible community exists to support the pursuit. From the great sense of community I've discovered online at Ravelry.com to the knit nights and budding friendships I have come to look forward to every week, having a community of fellow knitters and fiber artists has helped me learn and has continued to make knitting interesting for me each and every day.

Our human need to create and to give

I think one other thing that really gives me a lot of energy with knitting is that, in a fairly reasonable amount of time (depending on the project), I am able to take yarn and sticks and make something beautiful. From something simple like a waffle-patterned dishcloth to something more complex like a sock or even a Christmas stocking, I get a kick out of seeing what I end up. I find entertainment in seeing how unique yarns end up looking when they are knit into a fabric. I love the act of being able to create something with my own hands.

That joy doesn't stop with the act of creating those items but also when I make those items and give them to others. Some have yet to receive knitted items because they are going to be holiday gifts. Others have enjoyed little "just because" gifts along my knitting learning journey.

It not only gives me enjoyment to make something, I also enjoy seeing the joy those items can bring to other people.

Whatever you may find yourself doing, you might also discover that these criteria match your definition of what makes something a personal passion...and I hope that everyone has the opportunity to discover what that is for themselves at some point in their lives.

The Power of Our Knitting Stories

I am always fascinated by the stories knitters I meet in person or online have to tell about why they knit, how they came to knit, and the people for whom they knit.

Sitting at a knitting circle, I hear that a shawl-in-progress is for someone's Mom (in a color that makes it nearly impossible for the knitter to see the stitches, but that's what Mom wanted), a baby blanket for a family member's newborn, or simply the desire to finished an unfinished object that's been taking up space (to make room for new cast-on projects).

How did I come to the craft of knitting?

I was seeking a way to release stress, and have always generally been on the crafty side. I grew up visiting my Grandma who was a master crocheter so there's a nostalgia that I connect with when I knit as well. As I've knit more and tried some different projects, I have also found great satisfaction in the challenge of knitting - of taking on knitting my first hat on DPNs or completing my first pair of hand knit socks. The reasons evolve - but my love of the act of knitting stays constant and passionate.

Who taught me how to knit?

I taught myself for the most part. Using a variety of books and videos online, I was able to figure out most of the basic stitches, reading patterns, cabling, and the like. When I decided I wanted to knit socks, I sought professional help (and some would argue I sought the wrong kind of professional help and that a psychologist was more in order) and found a wonderful teacher, Julie, who taught me the art of sock knitting. I've taken other classes with another great teacher, Barbara, and from other knitters I have learned tips along the way, too. But, for the most part, I would consider myself self-taught.

For whom do I knit?

I knit for my partner. I knit for my family (holiday gifts are already in progress). I knit for friends. I knit for myself. I'm excited about the holiday season coming up and being able to use that as an opportunity to share a number of my knitted items with those who are special to me.

So, each of us has knitting stories - and when we join in community with each other, we share those stories, we find strength when we might be down a bit, we find hope that what we're working on really can be completed because someone else did it, too - and, we realize that just as knitting is a technical art, it is an emotional, sentimental art.

There's truly a special connection knitters have to their craft.