Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Giveaway: NeedleTravel Fiber & Fabric Mania Guidebook

by

needletravel guide book

Jennifer is our winner!

The weekend before last I spent in Columbus, Ohio, at the summer show for the National Needlearts Association, the major trade group for needle crafters. I had a great time and met a lot of people in the industry, which was fun.

I also picked up some goodies to share, including this book. The NeedleTravel Fiber & Fabric Mania book is a companion to a website and app that list yarn, fabric and other fiber-related shops around the country. If you do a lot of traveling and like to check in on the LYS while you’re there, this is a great guide. It’s hard to believe that not everyone has smart phones and always on Internet access, but if you’re more of an analog person the paper guide is a great choice.

This book only covers the United States, so please only enter if you live here. Thank you!

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, June 14. Why don’t you tell me about your local yarn store, if you have one. Mine is Hand Held, a sweet little shop in an old house, with a great selection and a lovely shop cat, Sasha.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Comments

  1. I dont have a local LYS… I would have to travel 25 miles to the closest one. What a great idea book idea though!

  2. Other than Joann’s I go to a store that is call Three Bags Full. The staff is friendly and always willing to help. The store is one I could get lost in their yarns. It is just a great place to go .

  5. There are a couple, but I know that our local Vidlers store carries a lot of yarn. Our elderly friend from Canada likes to shop there when she visits us. Thanks and God bless!

  8. I always look up yarn stores before I go on a road trip or other travel. I also try to buy something local at the stores I visit. A book and companion site/app is a great way to help plan alongside a vacation or business trip.

  9. I’d love to win this guide. My favorite was Yellow Dog Knitting in Eau Claire, WI, but they moved from Barstow Street and I really miss them. So I’ve moved on to quilting – and have too many favorites to list! Sew Little Time in Baldwin, Wisconsin is the closest!

  12. as an avid knitter, cross stitcher and quilter, I would LOVE this book! I always try to find at least one of those types of stores when I am on vacation. My favourite yarn store is Northwest Handspun Yarns, in Bellingham WA….about an hour away from me 🙂

  13. Wow, this a great book since I travel alot! We don’t have a local yarn shop, unfortunately. I have to order all my stuff online because the nearest yarn shop is over 2 hours away.

  15. My lys is an hour away. But they carry a nice selection of yarn and books. I just wish they would carry more crochet material—they cater mostly to knitting.

  17. Mine is The Yarn Shop at Nob Hill, a friendly place with beautiful selection and a welcoming attitude to crocheters. I took an inspiring freeform-crochet class there.

  19. Oh my what a wonderful book idea. We travel a lot and I love finding local yarn and fabric stores.

  20. When I go somewhere I always look up a craft store I can only buy what will fit in my overnight bag that way I can’t go crazy. The book sounds very helpful. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway and have a great day.

  21. I generally go to Joann’s for my yarn . I love the idea of your booklet and I have traveling plans for the summer so I could really use it !

  22. My local yarn store is a tiny shop I visit as often as my budget allows. I’d love a directory to all the closest shops I could visit!

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.