Love Rowan? Become an Ambassador

I was just at a blogging conference over the weekend and we were talking about that the next big thing in company to consumer interactions is going to be blog ambassadors. What that means is that people who write blogs will connect with companies they love in long-term relationships that will involve the blogger getting free products and the opportunity to try out new products while sharing that information and enthusiasm for a brand with their readers.

And what should land in my mailbox a couple days later but an invitation from Rowan Yarns looking for its own brand ambassadors? Rowan is seeking knitters and bloggers from around the world to take part in its ambassador program, which will allow participants to receive yarn packs and color cards each season, early previews of collections, yarn to knit your own garment, access to online meetings and an invitation to visit the Rowan mill.

People interested in participating in the program need to send a picture of themselves in their latest Rowan knit along with 100 words about why they would be a great choice for the program. Applications are due Sept. 28, and the short-list of participants will be contacted in October.

This sounds like so much fun for all you Rowan lovers out there! I haven’t used Rowan much, but one of my most popular knitting patterns of all time — the bulky Fingerless Gloves — were made with their Big Wool. Maybe I should apply?

[Photo by Rowan.]

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects.

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor.

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf.

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn.

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn.

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too.

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.

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