Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Inca Knits

by

 The Incas, a culture and a people, have roots in small provincial towns, each with a unique language and history that is fascinating to outsiders. They were a democratic people who never allowed their Indian culture to be destroyed by conquerors. Their social and work cultures are as strong today as when they built astounding stone structures that cannot be replicated with today’s advanced technology. Llamas, cats, birds and many other animals as well as labyrinth motifs are often found in Latin American textiles and pottery.

This is the basis of Inca Knits. All of these geometrics and colors are combined to give this style a very unique signature.

But this isn’t just a project book. Techniques include stranded two-color knitting, double knitting, intarsia knitting and short row shaping. You will also learn new and innnovative uses of color and patterns, interesting construction and texture techniques and discover how to find inspiration in various landscapes, wildlife, textiles and even the pottery of the high Andes. Evey project in Inca Knits has a striking feature, be it an interesting combination of yarn and pattern, a clever use of stitch pattern, or an unusual form of construction. All patterns are knitter-friendly and contain detailed instructions.

This book is available from Interweave, here.

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Golden Peak Media Acquires CreativeBug

Throughout the saga of the closing of Joann, I’ve been wondering what would happen to CreativeBug, the subscription-based online craft learning platform that Joann acquired in 2017. 

Golden Peak Media has announced its acquisition of the company in a media release. 

Golden Peak is “one of the largest media and education companies serving art and craft enthusiasts in the United States,” according the release, and includes in its portfolio brands like Interweave, Sew Daily, and nine print magazines including Love of Quilting and Interweave Knits. They have daily newsletters, magazines, digital patterns, on-demand classes and host live events.

David Saabye, CEO of Golden Peak, calls the purchase a “very natural fit” supporting crafters in their lifelong learning journeys. 

CreativeBug general manager Liana Allday will stay on and the company will retain its headquarters in Berkeley, Calif. 

Abby Glassenberg of the Craft Industry Alliance collected reactions from some CreativeBug instructors and others with a history at the company, and heard lots of optimism about the news. Ursula Morgan, who was CEO of CreativeBug when the company was acquired by Joann, said Golden Peak is a “perfect home” for CreativeBug as they’re getting an owner that “deeply understands the craft consumer.” 

I, too, am relieved to see that this platform will be able to continue. I’ve been a subscriber for years and I love that it has solid instruction in a wide range of crafts (including knitting, of course!) and is always adding new content to keep the platform interesting. It’s also a great service that CreativeBug is available to many for free through their local libraries, so be sure to check on that where you live if you don’t already subscribe. 

This feels like the last piece of the puzzle in the story of Joann that’s going on all year, along with the announcement that Michaels had purchased Joann’s intellectual property so its private label brands can live on, but of course I’ll keep watching to see if there’s more to come.