Summer Neckwear KAL & Winner

We've seen some beautiful projects come out of the Summer Neckwear KAL with Laura Chau, you can see all the photos in the Knitter's Pride Ravelry group and on Instagram by searching #KPchauKAL.

Laura has also been posting a series of educational tutorials related to knitting her new pattern, Just Enough Ruffles Light. If you've missed any of these great blog posts, here's a recap:

Infinite Long Tail Cast-On Tutorial

KFBF Double Increase Tutorial

Here are some finished projects from the KAL:
Just Enough Ruffles knit by Ravelry user Balinan.

Turbulence Cowl knit by Ravelry user Shirlyn.

Leonarda Shawl knit by Ravelry user Stefaniegrrr.

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Stephanie, who said "These are all drool worthy, but if I had to choose, I'd pick the Karbonz Single Pointed Needles. These are all beautiful sets, I'm probably adding them all to my wish list!".You've won a Nova Platina Cubics Deluxe Interchangeable Needle Set. 

We'll be in touch to arrange delivery of your prize. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Coming Soon: New Product Sneak Peeks

We have a ton of great new product coming out this fall, and here are some sneak peeks to new Knitter's Pride tools and accessories that will be arriving at your local yarn shop!

New Marblz Sets
Due to customer demand we're excited to announce we'll be releasing our popular Marblz needles as new Interchangeable Circular Needle sets, Special 16" Circular Needle Sets, and Double Pointed Needle Set. Our Marblz needles habveb been developed by a artisans so that each needle is unique. Gradually tapered sharp points are ideal for all knitting projects. These needles are lightweight, smooth, and have the perfect amount of flexibility and durability!

Marblz Interchangeable Circular Needles

Marblz Double Pointed Needle Set

New Cords & Connectors
This fall we're introducing Colored Cords for interchangeable needles! You can now easily find the perfect length cord for your project without needing to measure: 8" yellow, 11" blue, 14" green, 22" orange, and 30" red.

Knitter's Pride Colored Cords 

New Zooni Stitch Markers
We've added new styles to our popular and stylish Zooni Stitch Markers! Each set of 7 markers contains one unique marker perfect for marking the beginning of your round.

Zooni Stitch Markers

Karbonz Single Pointed Needle Sets
Our popular carbon fiber Karbonz needles have shiny, smooth brass tips and a lightweight warm to the touch carbon fiber body. Our new single pointed needle set includes US 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Karbonz Single Pointed Needle Set

Trendz Tunisian Crochet Hooks
Our new Trendz Tunisian Crochet hooks are designed by crocheters and crafted by skilled artisans. Trendz acrylic crochet hooks allow for easy handling got slippery yarns and picking up stitches in a fast and easy manner.

Trendz Tunisian Crochet Hooks

Giveaway

Tell us which of these products you're looking forward to most for a chance to win a Nova Platina Cubics Deluxe Interchangeable Needle Set! Don't forget to leave your Ravelry ID so we can contact you if you're the lucky winner! We'll announce the winner on the blog on August 28th!

Summer Neckwear KAL With Laura Chau

Today is the first official day of the Summer Neckwear KAL with Laura Chau! Learn more about how to participate in our last blog post.

If you still haven't purchased your pattern it's not too late to save 25%! Choose any of Laura's neckwear patterns for the KAL and get 25% off the pattern with the coupon code: neckwearKAL15 through July 31, 2015. View all of Laura's neckwear patterns here.

Join the KAL in the Knitter's Pride Ravelry Group.

KAL Prizes
Throughout the KAL we'll be giving away lots of great Knitter's Pride Prizes. Here's a list of how and where, to win!

#1 Buy a pattern
Nova Platina Deluxe Needle Set: Purchase any neckwear pattern using the coupon code neckwearKAL15 by July 31 and you'll be entered to win this needle set! We'll announce the winner on Monday, August 3rd.

#2 Post to Instagram
Post a photo on Instagram of your KAL progress using #KPchauKAL and you'll be entered to win a Marblz Fixed Circular knitting needle. We'll choose a winner on Friday, July 31.

#3 Start a project page on Ravelry
Start a project page and use the tag KPchauKAL and you'll be entered to win a Marblz Fixed Circular needle. We'll choose a winner on Friday, August 14th.

#4 Finish Your Project
Post a photo of your finished project by August 21, 2015 in the Ravelry KAL thread and you'll be entered to win a Eucalan Gift Pack.



Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Curlysheep, you're the lucky winner of a Knitter's Pride Nova Platina Cubics Deluxe Interchangeable Needle Set! Thanks to everyone who participated, and we hope you'll join us in the Ravelry group for the KAL!

Knitter's Pride KAL With Designer Laura Chau

We're excited to announce our first ever KAL, with designer Laura Chau!

Laura has released a new pattern today, an update to one of her best selling patterns, Just Enough Ruffles, the new pattern Just Enough Ruffles Light can be knit up with just one 400 yard skein of fingering weight yarn--perfect for those beautiful skeins of special sock yarn! 

Laura Chau Neckwear Knit-A-Long

What: A knit-a-long for any and all of Laura's neckwear patterns! See them all here on Ravelry. And now through the end of July we have a special discount code to save 25%: Use code neckwearKAL15 at checkout! 

When: We'll kickoff the KAL here on the Knitter's Pride blog and in the Knitter's Pride Ravelry group on Friday, July 24, 2015. 

Where: Join the fun by sharing your photos in the Knitter's Pride Ravelry Group and on Instagram using the hashtag: #kpchauKAL

Prizes: 
Nova Platina Deluxe Needle Set: Purchase any neckwear pattern using the coupon code neckwearKAL15 by July 31 and you'll be entered to win this needle set! 

We'll be giving away lots of great prizes throughout the KAL, and we'll be announcing more about those great prizes on July 24th when we kickoff the KAL!

We also have a short interview with Laura to learn more about her new design! 

Can you tell us more about your new pattern? What inspired it? What do you love about it?

The original worsted weight Just Enough Ruffles pattern was released in 2008, and it’s by far my most popular pattern! I was really proud to use a shape I hadn’t seen before, a lengthwise crescent shaped with short rows, with patterning along the curved edge. Of course it took a lot of trial and error to come up with the final numbers, but it’s simple to knit, fast, and fun! I’ve taken this opportunity to update the original pattern as well, adding new photos and tips!

I had a lot of people asking over the years how to adjust the original Just Enough Ruffles pattern for different yarn weights and sizes, so I decided it was finally time to release a fingering weight version, which I’m calling Just Enough Ruffles Light.

The construction is similar, but there are a few tweaks to make it work with a 100g skein of fingering weight yarn - perfect for all those stray special skeins that most people have in their stash! 

Like the original, this iteration took a few tries. I ripped and re-knit a lot before I settled on the final version. JER Light is also very easy to knit, and the thinner fabric is perfect for spring, summer, and fall. It’s a little more flexible than the worsted weight version, so there are lots of ways to wear it. I’ve also included lots of notes on how to adjust the pattern for even more yarn weights and sizes. 

What are you most excited about with hosting this KAL? 

I’ve never hosted a KAL before and I’m pretty excited about it! I would really love to see projects in progress, whether it’s JER Light or any other of my patterns. I find it so interesting to see what yarns and adjustments people use, and I would really love to help people out if they have any questions.

I tend to be quite shy and introverted, and I think there are lots of knitters like me - I really hope this KAL encourages some quieter knitters to come out and chat!

Giveaway

This month we're giving away a Knitter's Pride Nova Platina Cubics Deluxe Needle Set to one lucky person! To enter to win tell us which of Laura's patterns you plan on knitting for the KAL, we'll choose one lucky winner on Friday, July 24th! 

Winner + Charity Spotlight: Geek-a-long

The Geek-a-long is a yearly mystery blanket KAL hosted on the Lattes and Llamas blog and Ravelry group. Each Sunday, a free pattern for a geek-themed double-knit or crochet square is released; Megan-Anne and Jac ask only that participants consider a donation to the Child's Play Charity. Once again, Knitter's Pride is proud to be a benefactor, and we want to share a little bit more about the Geek-a-long with our fans this month.

Jac & Megan-Anne of the Lattes & Llamas blog.

Each year, Megan-Anne and Jac design 48 different squares which are centered around a fandom theme (this year, it's Mad Scientists); from these 48 squares, participants can choose 24 squares to create a 48"x72" blanket, which means that it's not too late to join in to this year's event! After 48 weeks of releasing square patterns, information about how to assemble the blanket and add an edging is shared on the Lattes & Llamas blog. All past square designs can be found here on the Lattes & Llamas website.

2014 Geek-a-long Blanket

Last year, the Geek-a-long event raised $3,440 for the Child's Play Charity, which is a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in their network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. They hope to surpass this goal in 2015, and we look forward to watching their progress over on the Lattes & Llamas blog. Megan-Anne shares a bit more about this KAL in the mini-interview below. Enjoy!

What inspired you to start the annual Geek-A-Long event?
 I always wish that I had a really pretty story where Jac and I brainstormed for days over the perfect way to support our favorite charity. It’s the kind of story with a sepia filter and a montage in the middle with “Eye of the Tiger” playing. But the truth is, Jac had the idea for the GAL in the beginning of December, 2013 and it would be fair to say that my original involvement in it stemmed from a lost bet. I am ashamed to say I thought she was completely nuts. We were at Starbucks (so, basically a day ending in “y” around here), and she pitches me the idea to do a year-long KAL, AND to do it in double knitting (really cool, but takes twice as long), AND to release a color work chart for it each week, AND to cover as many nerdy fandoms as possible in the blanket, AND to have the first square come out on the first Sunday of 2014, and every Sunday there-after. I pointed out that was less than a month away, and told her just how insane I thought she was. She pumped me full of espresso shots until I thought it was a great idea, and we went home that night and sketched out about half a year’s worth of squares. I charted out 10 or so the next day and cast on. We had a huge stash of Cascade 220 sitting around, so we chose that for the blanket, and by a few months in Cascade generously stepped in as a sponsor and provided the yarn for the rest of the 2014 blanket as well as the 2015 blanket. The first year was rough because I had to do so many squares at once at the beginning of the year. We were slightly more prepared for year 2. And I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for year 3, it’s going to be amazeballs and it’s my favorite theme so far.

Tell us more about the charity the Geek-A-Long supports. 
From the moment Jac pitched me the idea, the concept was to use the project to raise money for Child’s Play. They provide video games and consoles for children’s hospitals and domestic violence shelters. I could go on about them all day, but I couldn’t do this amazing organization justice. Luckily, they describe themselves really well:

Here’s The Deal: Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. Over the years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars. Child’s Play works in two ways. With the help of hospital staff, we set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, books, and other fun stuff for kids. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift. Child’s Play also receives cash donations throughout the year. With those cash donations, we purchase new consoles, peripherals, games, and more for hospitals and therapy facilities. These donations allow for children to enjoy age-appropriate entertainment, interact with their peers, friends, and family, and can provide vital distraction from an otherwise generally unpleasant experience.

WINNER

Congratulations to PaulaK, you have won a Rhine Needles & Crochet Hook Case! We will contact you to arrange for the delivery of your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered this month's giveaway!

Designer Spotlight: Jana Huck + Giveaway

Jana Huck is a knitwear designer based in Luebeck, Germany; she is mostly known for her patchwork interpretations of the symmetry drawings by Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher. Jana also designs garments and accessories and blogs in English and German at www.janukke.com.

She has a group on Ravelry, janukke Strickdesign, where you can join KALs and other knitting related activities. Hop over and have a look, Jana loves to hear back from knitters!

How long have you been knitting, and how did you get started designing?
I have been knitting for almost seven years now. Once I had figured out how to follow directions and how the knitting process works, I wanted to realize my own ideas. And it didn´t take long until I wrote them down so that I could share them with other knitters, which is ridiculously easy ever since the invention of the internet and Ravelry. I cannot say enough how wonderful it is to get in touch with other knitters and share ideas, inspirations, techniques and so much more!

On the Shore Blanket

Where do you get inspiration?
I draw my inspirations from everywhere. From life really, as cheesy as this is. Everything around me is intense and often pretty. I especially like to be inspired by nature, but I have also often been intrigued by architecture, graphic patterns, the art of M. C. Escher, and the work of other knitters, among other things.
Often the yarn itself is what makes me think of something. It can be anything, for example the way leaves are dancing in the wind on a tree in spring, something completely random like that. With that picture in mind I start knitting.
My goal for every design is that it is new and has never been seen before like this. All inspirations are merely jumping off points and become a thing of their own.

How did Janukke Strickdesign come about?
When I started designing I used the alias “janukke” on Ravelry. Later it became the label “Janukke Strickdesign”.

Swirlybird Shawl

How do you balance your own design and blogging career with curating Janukke Strick Design?
Ah, you are asking the hard questions! … That´s something I come back to every so often to reevaluate. Naturally, I am drawn to designing. That´s what I started out doing and what I enjoy. But caring for the public and social media part of designing is how knitters get to know my designs, so it is very necessary. And I enjoy talking to knitters tremendously – it´s how many new friendships developed over the years. So it´s a balance. Sometimes I feel I am focusing too much on knitting, then again I have the notion that I am not knitting anymore at all. So I guess the average is ok.

Do you have any knitting horror stories/mishaps?
Of course! Who hasn´t. But none of them are too entertaining. There´s the sweater that for some reason fell into my laundry unnoticed and got unintentionally felted, there are the beginner mishaps of choosing the wrong yarn (who knew merino would grow All That Much?) or the wrong pattern (eek, I look like I never heard of such thing as fashion).

What are you most looking forward to in 2015?
This year I have so many great plans that it´s hard to pick only one or two. I´ll be working together with yarn companies, meeting other knitters that I know through the internet, teaching workshops, … and I haven't even mentioned the many designs I cannot wait to get done and put out there. I already had my first small success this February with my new Sea Buckthorn shawl collection, which is a good start into 2015, I think.

Five Rings Cuffs

Giveaway
This month we're giving away a Rhine Needles & Crochet Hook Case to one lucky blog reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite design from Jana Huck's Ravelry Page. Don't forget to leave us your Ravelry ID so we can contact you if you're our lucky winner!

Summer Fun with Pom Poms

Today, we're featuring three fun craft ideas for the Knitter's Pride Rejoice and Nirvana Pom Pom Makers. These are great crafts for using up those odd bits of leftover yarns and fun to do with kids, too! 

For our projects, we made larger pom poms using the 2.5"/8.5cm Nirvana pom pom maker and smaller pom poms using the 3/8"/3.5cm Rejoice pom pom maker. For instructions on how to make pom poms, take a look at this tutorial from our blog archive.  

Pom Pom Hair Tie

Our first project is a fun summer accessory for keeping the hair off your neck! All you'll need is a pom pom in the size of your choice (we used a small one) and a hair tie. 

Using the tails from your pom pom, secure the pom pom to your hair tie. Be sure to wrap a few times and tie some nice strong knots so that it won't come apart. 

Voila, you have an adorable pom pom hair tie! 

Pom Pom Flowers

Our second project is a great way to decorate your home throughout the year - and you won't have to worry about watering or wilting! We went outdoors to source a small branch to use with both large and small pom poms (in the example below, we use one of each size, but feel free to get creative!).

All you have to do is tie your pom poms to the branch using the tails; you can use a little craft glue to secure the ends in if you like. Using hot glue or other craft glue to secure each pom pom might be helpful with more slippery yarns like cotton. You can make several and put them in a vase for a lovely decoration! 

Pom Pom Garland

With our third project, you can add a little color to any part of your home! You can make your garland as long as you'd like, depending on where you plan to hang it. 

For our garland, we used 8 of the smaller pom poms and crocheted a chain approximately 4.5 feet long. 

To make sure your garland comes out fairly even, fold your crochet chain in half, and arrange the pom poms in the order you'd like them to appear. Remember that the ones at the center (on the left in the photo below) should be closer together since the crochet chain is folded.

Tie your pom poms to your crochet chain and trim the ends. Now you're ready to hang your garland! 

We used ours to brighten up a shelf in the kitchen! Where would you hang a pom pom garland?

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Shelley, you're the lucky winner of a Nova Platina Deluxe Interchangeable Needle Set! We'll be in touch to arrange delivery of your prize. Thanks to everyone who participated!