Stitch up Something for Hanukkah

While some other winter holidays get more attention, the Festival of Lights (aka Hanukkah) is coming even sooner, and it’s a perfect holiday for crafting as well.

Last year I knit a dreidel, which admittedly doesn’t spin very well, but it’s still pretty and fun to knit. (Amanda Kaffka has a felted dreidel pattern you can buy on Ravelry for $4.95 Canadian.)

So I thought I’d see what else was out there for faithful knitters, and I didn’t find a whole lot. If you know of other Hanukkah-related knitting patterns, I’d love to hear about them.

There’s a free Star of David washcloth at Aunt Kathy’s Place.

Knit Picks has a knit menorah table runner that makes a pretty, modern statement and a special place for votive candles to sit during the festival.

Sandra Wollin has knit a lovely illusion knit Chanukah blanket/wall hanging decorated with a menorah and the sides of the dreidel. It costs $9.

Alan Dart’s delightful Hanukkah Hiram is a knit lion with a driedel and a Star of David accessory. It’s available from Ravelry for $8 or direct from Alan Dart’s website for £4.

O Hanukkah! by Samantha Dart is a whimsical dog sweater decorated with all sorts of symbols including stars, menorahs and dreidels. There’s a lot of colorwork going on here, making it a fun challenge. The pattern is $6.

Finally a couple of patterns from books are also listed on Ravelry, including the Menorah Pillow from Handmade Holidays by Suzanne Atkinson and the Hanukkah Hat from 50 Knitted Gifts for Year-Round Knitting.

Looking for more Hanukkah patterns to knit? Check these out on Etsy

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Craft retailer Michaels has acquired the intellectual property and private label brands of now-defunct retailer Joann, according to a media release, and the Joann website now forwards to Michaels.

The releases states that Michaels will be developing the “beloved Big Twist® brands as part of the Michaels portfolio.” It also notes plans to expand its offerings in the fabric, sewing and yarn categories, with more than 600 new products being added.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to welcome JOANN customers into our creative community and are committed to delivering the selection, value, and inspiration they are looking for at Michaels,” David Boone, CEO of Michaels, said in the release.

Specific to yarn, the company notes it has plans to expand its yarn selection by 25 percent this year, including releasing more than 60 new private-label Loops & Threads products beginning this month, expanding offerings of Lion Brand and the Yarnspirations family of brands, and welcoming Big Twist yarns.

The release specifically mentions Big Twist Value Plus, Big Twist Twinkle, Big Twist Posh and Big Twist Baby Bear, and notes that the offerings are “now being developed as part of Michaels portfolio of brands and will be available in-stores and online later this year.”

No word on what this means for Herrschners, which previously announced it would carry Big Twist. Its page announcing the news still says “at this time we are not able to release details on specific Big Twist varieties or colors, or the exact date the yarn will be available to order” and encourages signing up for email updates.

This news comes just days after the final closing of the last Joann locations and the appearance of a message on their website talking about “stitching up something new.” The Joann website now forwards to a landing page for craft retailer Michaels.

“Welcome Joann customers,” it says at the top. “We’ve got your go-to essentials and so much more.” The page also notes “everyone is welcome at our craft table” and says the website is a source for “fabrics, yarn, notions & more.”

Further down the page it says “With JOANN stores closing, Michaels is excited to welcome new makers, crafters, and sewing enthusiasts into our community” and has a string of links to product categories these shoppers might be looking for. It says Michaels carries “many of the favorites that Joann customers love” including patterned fabric, yarn, ribbons and notions.

The release calls this a “dedicated landing page” with a “curated assortment of products” they think are relevant to the Joann shopper.

If you go directly to Micheaels.com, you see their regular website but there is a link at the top of the page for Joann customers that leads to the same page linked above.

The release doesn’t mention opening any new stores in towns left without a craft store thanks to the Joann closure. It does note they have 1,300 stores in 49 states and in Canada, and they have both US and Canada-facing websites.

What do you think of this news? It’s not the exciting future I’d hoped for with Joanns cryptic announcement, but I know legions of knitters and crocheters will be happy to know Big Twist will live on, and other crafters will probably be happy about expanded selection at Michaels.

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