Knitter's Pride

Winner + Tunisian Crochet Spotlight

Giveaway Winners

So many shawl knitters have entered our contest! We received such great comments that we've decided to not only give away a pattern holder to one of our blog readers, but also a shawl pin to a second lucky reader!

Random.org has selected comment #43 by Lindr as the winner of the pattern holder and comment #1 by Sarah to win the shawl pin! Our prize coordinator will contact you shortly to arrange delivery of your prizes. Congratulations and thanks for reading!

What's Hot: Tunisian Crochet

Knitters and crocheters alike are sure to be intrigued by Tunisian crochet, a technique that creates a woven effect in the finished fabric. Tunisian crochet uses a long hook similar to a knitting needle (shown below), allowing the crafter to work each row in two "passes": the forward pass, which works the loops onto the hook, followed by the reverse pass, which works the loops back off of the hook.

Aluminum Single-Ended Gray Tunisian Crochet Hook from Knitter's Pride

Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet Set

We've created our line of Tunisian crochet hooks for maximum glide and ease of use. Our Dreamz interchangeable hooks feature resilient, flexible cords that won't kink or twist. Each cord is easy to connect with a smooth join to ensure stitch flow, and the Dreamz Tunisian crochet set includes eight of the most useful hook sizes, all easily identified by the color-coded polished wood sourced from Vermont.

We had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Hansen of Stitch Diva Studios at TNNA this past June. Jennifer has pioneered Tunisian Crochet, offering a series of free tutorials here on the Stich Diva website. Recently, Jennifer filmed a video course for Craftsy.com, Tunisian Crochet: Revolutions on Color and Style, demonstrating each aspect of the technique, step-by-step as you watch from the comfort of your own home.

Once you have the right tools and learn the basics, there's no end to the possibilities of what you can make with this exciting technique! From Jennifer's colorful multi-garment featured in her Craftsy class (shown below) to any number of interesting and unique patterns you'll find on both Ravelry and Craftsy, create your own revolution in color and style with Knitter's Pride Tunisian crochet hooks!

Tunisian Crochet Multi-Garment by Jennifer Hansen

Obsessed with Shawls?

Just a few of our
shawl pin options

We're continually amazed at the wealth of creative, beautiful and downright interesting patterns being published on a daily basis, and the popularity of shawls and wraps in particular has caused us to take note. Just look at how many favorites the Color Affection shawl has accrued on Ravelry, or see how many eager knitters have cast on for this year's WestKnits Mystery Shawl KAL! We saw countless beautiful shawls at TNNA last month, from simple stockinette to beautiful beads, crocheted, lace, stripes and colorwork, all in a variety of shapes and sizes. No matter what your specialty is, there's nothing like the perfect shawl pin to complement your handiwork.

It's always a good idea to have several different types of stitch markers at the ready - at TNNA Columbus, we debuted mio rings, split rings, and locking stitch markers, all of which will come in handy when you need to mark pattern repeats, increases and decreases, or even mistakes to fix later. Split ring and locking stitch markers can also come in handy when you're assembling a finished project (designer Stacey Trock likes to use locking stitch markers when attaching amigurumi features, for example!). When you're using several stitch markers in a project, it's sometimes nice to have a unique marker to designate the beginning of the round or center of a row; our brand-new Zooni stitch markers do the job nicely! They are made from colorful beads and slip easily onto your needles as you knit.

Many types of stitch markers to choose from

Pattern holders are another indispensable accessory, especially when following a complicated charted design. Our Magma Pattern Holder stands upright when folded open; extremely strong magnets ensure you won't lose your place in the pattern. We've also included pockets to hold other pattern notes, pens and stitch markers - just fold it up and go, taking all of your essentials with you!

We'd like to give one lucky reader a chance to win a pattern holder; simply leave a comment on this blog post sharing your favorite project to make and why our pattern holder would help you do it! Be sure to also leave some way for us to contact you if you're the winner (e-mail address or Ravelry ID are ideal).

One comment will be randomly selected on Friday, July 27th as the prize winner. Good luck!

The Magma Pattern Holder comes in two size options!

Winner + Share Your Pride

We've just returned from our first-ever TNNA Trade Show in Columbus, OH. It was a phenomenal success! Reading all of the great comments on our last blog post has been enjoyable these past few weeks. It's always fantastic to hear such enthusiasm for our products. Our lucky winners are Happycrafter207 and Monkalicious. Congratulations! We have messaged you via Ravelry PM to make arrangements for claiming your prizes.

Looking for a new and exciting way to win more great products from Knitter's Pride? On July 1, we're launching the Share Your Pride video contest, your chance to win incredible prizes while spreading the word about your favorite Knitter's Pride products. It's easy to enter - just follow these six simple steps:

Record a short video (1-3 minutes) telling us about your favorite Knitter's Pride product.
Upload your video to YouTube.
Be sure your video's title includes the words "Knitter's Pride" and the name of the product you're showcasing (i.e. Nova Knitting Needles).
Like the Knitter's Pride Facebook Fan Page.
Upload your video to our Facebook Fan Page.
Send the video link to video@knitterspride.com.

Here are the themes we'll be looking for each month:

July: Anything goes...just tell us why you love Knitter's Pride!
August: Most interesting filming location
September: Best animal guest appearance
October: Best use of costume or props

Ready to get started? Click here for full contest details, rules and eligibility requirements, then get ready to Share Your Pride!

Crochet Hook Spotlight + Giveaway

We're happy to say that the Knitter's Pride family has plenty of crocheters in the fold. In the short video below, you'll meet a few who have gotten "hooked" on our line of crochet products:

Dreamz Crochet Set

Whether you prefer wooden or metallic hooks, Knitter's Pride has you covered! If you're new to crochet, our line of natural birch hooks are perfect for getting started. Basix single-ended hooks come in eight sizes and work well with any type of material, especially thicker yarns.

The Dreamz line of crochet hooks are color-coded for easy identification and available in traditional as well as Tunisian-style. Each hook is lightweight with a polished wood surface for effortless glide; choose from 13 sizes of single-ended hooks to add to your collection, or get our crochet set which includes eight of the most frequently-used hook sizes. Our Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian line has the same great features as our single-ended hooks plus easy-to-connect cords with smooth joins. Purchase individual sizes of hooks or invest in a set!

Aluminum Hooks

For those who prefer metallic needles, our lightweight Aluminum and Steel crochet hooks feature ergonomically-designed soft feel handles for hours of comfortable crafting. Single-ended steel hooks are available in six sizes; for a wider range of sizes, our single-ended aluminum hooks (available in gold or silver anodized finishes) fit the bill. We also have single-ended Tunisian hooks in our aluminum line!

Dreamz Tunisian Crochet Set
Image via Webs Yarn Store Blog

Knitter's Pride is proud to provide jobs for folks in rural India who do not have have viable sources of income; we also support charities in our local community. However, we also like to support our American friends and fans! Recently, we sponsored Beans for Brains (click here to see who this year's scholarship winners are!). We also source the wood used to manufacture our Basix and Symfonie line of hooks (and needles!) from the USA. Additionally, all of the cords used in our interchangeable sets are purchased from a supplier in Ohio state.

Dreamz Crochet Hook Close-Up

Ready to give us a try? We're giving away two crochet hooks, one Aluminum and one Dreamz. Leave a comment on this entry sharing something new that you learned from this post and whether you would like to try a wooden or aluminum hook (be sure to give us a way to contact you, too, such as a Ravelry ID). We'll randomly choose two winning comments on June 29th. Good luck!

Winner + Where Your Needles Come From!

Congratulations to our winner, StaceyD! Her comment was randomly selected to receive a pair of US #7 Nova fixed circular needles: "I'd love to try the Nova needles. I've been frustrated with blunt points and am in search for a good sharp needle.Thanks!" Please e-mail support@knitterspride.com with your shipping address so we may get your prize sent out ASAP!

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway this month. You'll have more chances to win great products from Knitter's Pride beginning next week. All of our fans and followers will be automatically eligible for our weekly drawings each Friday. Be sure to join the Knitter's Pride family for your chance to win! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and of course - tell your friends so that they can win great prizes, too!

If you've ever wondered where your needles come from, here are some shots of our brand-new factory. We broke ground in January of last year, and seven months later, our first shipment went out the door! At the new factory we make close to 1 million needles every month. A major part of the production is the Symfonie wood needles, Cubics and Dreamz. We have close to 300 people working in the factory - nearly 100 of our employees are female. This is notable because most women living in rural India tend to stay at home while the men are the breadwinners. However, we encourage female workers to join the Knitter's Pride family, training them extensively since it is quite often the first job they've ever had. The joy when they receive their first paycheck must be seen to be believed!

To see more photos of our factory, click here!

Super Nova!

Nova Sock Needle Set

Metal needles don't always get their due, but when it comes to durability, ease of knitting, and affordability, you can't find a better needle than Knitter's Pride Nova. Choose from Single Point, Double Point, Fixed Circular, and Interchangeable Sets - we've got you covered in a wide range of sizes to suit any project you'd like to make.

We also have several sets for the serious knitter. Enhance your needle library with our Starter, Deluxe or Chunky Interchangeable Needle Sets, or perhaps you'd prefer our Special IC Set, which is specially engineered for small-circumference projects. Sock knitters love our Double Point Needle Sets, which come in your choice of 5" and 6" needle lengths. Finally, our Single Point Needle Sets feature 9 popular needle sizes in your choice of 10" and 14" needle lengths - it's great for beginner and experienced knitters alike!

You don't have to take our word for it! Our latest YouTube video features knitters like you - watch below to find out what they have to say about Knitter's Pride Nova Needles!

We know that once you give these needles a try, you'll fall in love - so we're giving you a chance to win a pair of US #7 Circular Nova Needles right here on this blog! To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us why you'd like to test-drive Nova needles. You can gain a bonus entry if you subscribe to our YouTube channel, then leave another comment here telling us you did so with your YouTube username. We'll randomly select one lucky winner on Thursday, May 31st. Good luck!

Cubics Winner + Customer Comments

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway this month! We are pleased to read so many fantastic responses. Congratulations to RoamingKnitter, our winner for the US#10 Straight Cubics giveaway. Please e-mail support@knitterspride.com with your shipping address so we may get your prize sent out ASAP!

Here are a few of our favorite comments and self-care tips from our last blog post:

"Those Cubics look nice, would love to give them a try... I always stop and stretch my hands after knitting or crocheting: I shake out my wrists, then putting my hand up in a "stop" position, i use my other hand to gently bend back my fingers towards me to give an easy stretch..hold it and release, and shake it out." -Michelle

"I sent some Cubics DPNs to my grandmother, and she loves them. I usually don't think to stretch until I feel an ache; even then, I usually take a quick stretch (stretch each finger individually and all fingers down toward the inner arm) and keep on knitting." -Rebecca

"I have arthritis in my hands and elbows, and have found it helpful to always knit with my elbows supported. The padded arms of my chair are too far apart to rest my elbows on while knitting, so I use small pillows. It felt odd at first, but makes a big difference!" -Quinn

Cubics DPN's - image courtesy of LaurenS

"I take breaks every 20 minutes or so. I make sure I unkink my shoulders and neck as well as my hands. As a beginner, my hands tire and stiffen up easily. Giving my hands a massage with nice smelling lotion is also a little treat I give to my hands. I really like the Dreamz circular pair I have. I would love to try out the Cubics as well!" -hipstamom on Ravelry

...As well as some great comments from our Ravelry group:

"During the holidays last year, I was crocheting lots of dishcloths for my MIL. I found that my hands started cramping after two hours until I switched to the Knitter's Pride aluminum crochet hooks. Now I can work for hours and never feek any cramping or tiredness in my hands. I would highly recommend them!" -djuseless on Ravelry

"I have the 0 and 4 Cubics DPN's and love them. Had a sock class with Cookie A this past weekend and these were the needles of choice. I will be buying more of these." - LaurenS on Ravelry

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