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Giveaway! New England Knits

by

What do you think of when someone says “New England”? Myself I think of storm swept beaches and rocks jutting out into the ocean, snowy landscapes, rolling hills in every color imaginable, big red barns, and of course cozy fisherman sweaters.

This book has all of that and more.  And not just sweaters but  vests, hats, bags and mittens too.

Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa La Barre have teamed up to bring us 25 patterns with classic wearability and contemporary style for knitters of all skill levels.

This book is available over at Interweave Press on July 1, so you’ll be one of the first to get this. To enter, tell me what you think of when someone mentions a “New England Knit“. What’s the first thing that pops into your mind?

Leave me a comment! This giveaway is good until next Friday, July 2, 2010 (yes, I know, July already… deal with it!), when I will, with the help of my 65 lb lap-puppy pick a winner.

Ready, set, go……

Next Pattern:

Comments

  1. i can’t wait until this book comes out, i’ve been stalking the photos on ravelry and everything in it looks so gorgeous!

  2. Your description of “New England” is exactly what I picture in my mind’s eye. I think the sweaters would also look delightful with my high mountain desert as a backdrop!

  3. Well, the FIRST thing that pops into my mind is heavy and scratchy, but the second thing is classic styling.

  4. Having lived in New England my whole life, a New England knit is cozy and warm for wearing to November football games or light and airy for wearing for an evening walk on the beach.

  5. I think of sailboats, fishing boats, rugged waters and windswept cheeks. And the wool sweaters to keep everyone warm and dry. Thanks for the great giveaway!

  6. First thing that popped into my head was a big, cuddly fisherman’s sweater, with a turtleneck! Yum.

  7. I think of woolly natural yarns and fisherman sweaters, the book looks amazing btw…

  8. I think of fall back in New Hampshire curling up with blankets made by my Great Grandmother and my Grandmother. I also think of my daughter’s first fall in Maine, snuggled up with those same blankets!! I moved away from New England 2 1/2 years ago, and seeing the patterns in this book reminded me of some of the things I miss most about home! Thank you for such a great giveaway!!!

    Cheers!
    Sharon

  12. “New England Knits”? I think of bulky cable sweaters in cream colored wool, photographed near the shore.

    The projects in this book look wonderful. I’d love to win a copy.

  15. I think of chill winds outside while I am warm with hot chocolate and cozy sweater inside. I would knit everything in this book.

  27. Definitely some cozy sweaters, knit in fall colours with lots of detail. This book looks fantastic!

  32. When I think New England Knits, I think classical and warm outfits. I think of a cup of tea/coffee and knitting my the fire on a brisk fall evening. I think wool and alpaca cuddled softly against my hands as I knit something for my mother, boyfriend, or (selfishly) for me!

  35. I have been drooling over this book ever since the previews were released!

    The title makes me think of stormy ocean waves crashing on beaches. Same as you, I guess!

  38. new england knits brings soft, cozy sweaters and hot tea in the snow to mind 🙂

  44. To be honest, I think of thick, warm, gansey sweaters. Or maybe a novelty sweater with an intarsia lobster.

    …I hope this book really sincerely changes my mind, since I think a New England knit could be quite chic!

  46. Big thick wonderful sweaters for walking by the ocean – that’s what New England sweaters says to me! The patterns are so individual with great lines and design.

  47. Big thick wonderful sweaters for walking by the ocean – that’s what New England sweaters says to me! The patterns are so individual with great lines and design.

  48. When I think of a New England Knit I think of the ocean waves and pretty shades of blues and greens:)

  49. I am really excited about the New England Knits book! There are some awesome sweaters in there!

Have you read?

What’s Next for Joann?

Now that all the Joann stores have closed, a mysterious message has appeared on the company’s website:

For generations, Joann has been honored to be part of your creativity: your quilts, costumes, school projects, and handmade moments of love. It has been our joy to serve markers and dreamers across the country.

We’re stitching up something new behind the scenes and we can’t wait to share what’s next.

Stay tuned for exciting news about the future of Joann.

To quickly recap, Joann filed for bankruptcy in January for the second time in less than a year. In February, in the hope of making the company more attractive to potential buyers, it petitioned the court for permission to close about 500 of its 800 stores. The company was put up for auction, with Gordon Brothers set to buy the company, sell its assets and close all the stores if no other buyer materialized.

In the end the winning bidder was GA Group, but the result was the same: all stores were to be closed by the end of May if not sooner.

Once store closure sales started the company quickly stopped selling on its website, and now all that remains is this jpeg image hinting at new ventures.

I’m sure there will be a tone of speculation in the coming days and weeks (or as long as it takes for them to announce the meaning of the message) as to what sorts of plans Joann could be cooking up.

My theory based on nothing but my gut is that they will transition to an online only storefront, probably with much reduced inventory, sort of like Herrschners (which had previously announced that it will be carrying Big Twist yarn, the beloved private label yarn brand sold at Joann). I also think they will use whatever retail sales they do to support CreativeBug, the digital learning platform that Joann purchased in 2017. That could mean producing kits for projects that already have classes, or developing classes based on products they want to sell, or both.

As of this writing the CreativeBug website seems to still be functional and there’s a full slate of new classes planned for June. I’ve got my eye on both the Joann website and the Joann restructuring website and will let you know as soon as I see changes.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your speculation as to what the next chapter might be for Joann.