knotions magazine

Important Announcement

host — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:00:00 GMT

After much internal debate, I’ve decided that the Fall 2009 issue of knotions will be the final issue.

This was not a decision I came to lightly, and one that I’ve wrestled with for quite some time now. The knitting community welcomed knotions and I loved meeting so many new people throughout the past 18 months.

However, after publishing five issues I do not foresee the magazine being able to sustain a high quality of patterns on an advertising-based revenue model. Right now, a large portion of the fees are personally funded by me.

I considered several alternatives:

Offering a mix of both free and for-purchase patterns
Creating a subscription-based model – for example, $20/year for all patterns
Opening ads to be issue-wide to be able to offer ads at lower rates and be more accessible to smaller companies, indie dyers, etc

After some analysis, none of these options seemed viable.

I've really enjoyed working with you all - knitters and designers - and I've gained some great learning and insight, and have made many new friends in the process. I'll never regret having started knotions but I do feel it's time to say goodbye.

The web site will remain live indefinitely. If I ever get to a point where hosting the site isn't viable I will give plenty of warning so designers and knitters can work around it.

Thank you all for your support!

Jody

bramblewood KAL

host — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:53:00 GMT

Bramblewood has become an instant favorite from the fall 2009 issue. With its top down construction, simple lines, feminine shaping, and cable details it's a wearable piece that can go from office to weekend.

If you're planning to knit Bramblewood stop by the knotions ravelry group and join the KAL. Ask questions, help fellow knitters, and be inspired by the WIP and FO pics.

I'll be there as both a participant - my Bramblewood yarn arrived yesterday - and a moderator.

Fall Preview is Up

host — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:29:00 GMT

Come take a look, queue what you like in ravelry and come back for launch on Tuesday :)

Sock Mini Issue - Installment #3 is Up!

host — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:02:00 GMT

Today's free pattern is Lazy Daisy, an anklet out of Crystal Palace Panda Cotton - a bamboo, cotton and elastic blend. It's a great sock yarn alternative for those of you with a wool allergy or if you're just looking for a sock good for warmer weather.

And of course, we have today's knitmore girls update from Sock Summit in Portland. Get a peek into some of the wares at vendor hall and hear about the ravelry party.

Sock Mini Issue - Installment #2 is Up!

host — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:09:00 GMT

Today's pattern is up - bella socks, and the latest field update from the knitmore girls is too.

For today's sock I wanted to design something simpler that could be worked with a variety of handdyed and striped yarns. Only one color is used per round. I included a gusseted, short row heel. Tomorrow we'll have a tutorial on adding a gusset to other patterns' short row heels.

Sock Mini Issue - Installment 1 is up!

host — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:17:00 GMT

We have a new free sock pattern, the knitmore girls' daily field update, an article on comparing sock techniques, and a tutorial on adding elastic thread to your knee highs.

Enjoy and we'll be back tomorrow with another installment.

Sock Summit Field Update - Day 1

host — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:59:00 GMT

Knitmore Girls Jasmin and Gigi arrived safely in Portland yesterday. Get the scoop on their day, the knitters they ran into, and a sneak peak at some of the yarn they scoped out in the vendor hall. {read the full article}

They'll be back tomorrow morning to tell us all about Opening Day, and we'll have the first of our free patterns and tutorials up for you as well.

We're 1!

host — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:34:00 GMT

A year ago today we launched our first issue!

I remember how crazy the weeks leading up to that day were. Experimenting with layouts for the patterns, working with the designers to get instructions right, working every night until 10 or 11 o'clock. And then when I was ready to launch, biting my nails and hoping that everything worked, that the server wouldn't crash and that you all liked what we had to offer.

The server didn't crash that day, but it sure did the day before the launch of issue 2 (winter). It took a full two weeks and countless hours on the phone with tech support to fix things, and in the end I had to switch hosting providers to resolve the problem. That was a very stressful time and your supportive comments really kept me going.

The launch of issue 3 (spring) had to be delayed due to my mom's illness. It was a scary few months but I'm happy to report that mom is doing really well (yay mom!), and the spring issue launched without much trouble as well.

By the time we got to issue 4 (summer), things were going pretty smoothly. I was worried about the timing because I had unintentionally scheduled it to launch the Tuesday after Maryland Sheep & Wool. But it all worked out and the issue launched on time. Phew!

In the past year I've made a lot of new friends - our designers, who create the beautiful work that grace our pages; our advertisers, who make it possible to produce the magazine; and most of all, you - our readers. I couldn't ask for a better set of people to share all this with - your support, your kind words, your encouragement are all appreciated more than I can say.

And for that I have a little surprise for you! As you may have heard (wink wink) there's this little thing called Sock Summit this weekend in Portland, Oregon. If you're able to attend, that's great! But if you're like me, other commitments (*cough* fall issue *cough*) are keeping you from attending. So, in celebration of our first anniversary, and as a small token of our thanks and appreciation to all our readers we're doing Knotions Commotions - a mini issue dedicated to sock knitting.

Starting Friday and continuing throughout the weekend we'll release new sock patterns, tutorials and articles. And as a special surprise I'm super excited to announce that we've teamed up with the Knitmore Girls (I love their podcast) for daily Sock Summit reports from the field. Even if you can't attend the summit you can still enjoy a little socky goodness.

So get your needles ready, pick out some of your favorite sock yarn, and join us on Friday to kick it off!

Follow us on Twitter

host — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:08:00 GMT

We're now on twitter - @knotions. Follow us for quick knotions updates as well as links to all things knitting that we like - FOs, yarns, books, sales - anything we find interesting.

Sign Up for Knotions Announcements

host — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:53:00 GMT

Many of you have asked that we send email announcements when new things happen on the site - when an issue launches, when we start a new contest, or when new free patterns or articles are posted. So, we've created a google group to send monthly announcements to you all.

We selected google because you don't need a gmail account - you can use any email address you choose.

To sign up, visit the group home page.

And we promise not to inundate you with email - we'll send approximately one email per month.

New Book Review - One Ball Knits Purses

host — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:54:00 GMT

Our latest review gives you the scoop on the newest book in the One Ball Knits series. One Ball Knits Purses is full of fashionable bags with stylish details.

{read the review}

summer issue is live!

host — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:42:00 GMT

come on over and check it out!

Summer Preview

host — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:24:00 GMT

The preview of our summer issue is out. Check it out.

Thrift Shop Savvy: In search of knits

host — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:12:00 GMT

Betz White, author of Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials shares some of her great advice on finding knits that can be reused and turned into something new.

Read her tips and register to win a free copy of Sewing Green.

review: Sewing Green

host — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:43:00 GMT

Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials by Betz White.

The timing for the release of this book couldn't be better -- we're feeling more environmentally conscious than ever, and economically we're aiming to use and reuse what we have.

The book is split into three chapters. Chapter One - Thinking Green - guides us through the basics of repurposing and reuse. Betz believes that every bit helps, and tells us "this book is not about guilt or sacrifice", but rather she outliness simple changes to how we approach new projects by suggesting "[r]ather than making a beeline for the fabric store...check out resale shops first". She gives good tips on how to prepare our new-to-us reuse items and points out some surprising uses for thrifty purchases, like using canvas belts as handles for a tote. Betz also reviews new eco-friendly materials such as organic cottons and wools, and lesser known fabrics such as cork leather, corn fabric (PLA) and recycled polyester (PET).

Chapter Two - Projects - range from clothing and accessories to home decor, bags and reusable items to replace everyday disposable ones. The projects break down like this:

11 home decor - blankets, pillow cases, aprons, napkin rings, a draft buster
5 clothing and accessories - skirts, lounge pants, slippers a scarf and a hat
7 bags and accessories - totes, toys, bags and a waller
3 reusable items - a sandwich wrap, a produce bag and a water sling

The projects range from simple to intermediate and are accompanied by finished measurements, a materials list and step-by-step instructions. The projects all have multiple pics to show the whole item as well as some close-up shots. For patterns that have smaller pieces, the cutting lines are in the book itself and require a copier to use them (some need to be enlarged). For larger pieces (such as the lounge pants) there is a tissue paper insert at the back of the book. It's printed on both sides so you'll need to trace them out before using.

The book is sprinkled with "Eco-Logic" sidebars such as Furoshiki (eco-friendly gift wrapping), Green Sewing Spaces and Reducing Textile Waste, and "Eco-Innovators" introduce us to a few businesses and non-profits that work in the green/reuse space, such as Crispina ffrench and Alabama Chanin.

Chapter Three - Tools, Techniques & Resources - gives us the basics of sewing (e.g. machine and handstitching, clipping corners, how to miter and attaching buttons), as well as a resource list on where to find the more unusual materials featured in the book.

Even if you don't make a single project from the book, it's a great source for inspiration and training your eye on imagining how to take an old object and make it into something new again.

If you liked the review, come back tomorrow when we'll have Betz White guest blogging about "Thrift Shop Savvy Knits" and signup for your chance to win a free copy of Sewing Green.

guest blogger: heather ross

host — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:44:00 GMT

Heather Ross, author of Weekend Sewing, teaches us the differences between fabrics with drape and fabrics with body.

Read the article and register to win a free copy of Heather's book!

book review: weekend sewing

host — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:39:00 GMT

Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching by Heather Ross

I'm so excited to make this book our first sewing book review on Knotions. It's a lovely book with beautiful photography and great illustrations.

First, the basics. The book's projects are divided into 3 stories:

Home and Away - 12 projects including 3 bags, napkins, a tablecloth and a dishtowel, a pillowcase and slippers, an apron and a checkbook cover.
Dressing Up and Down - 10 projects including 4 dresses, pajama bottoms, a blouse, a wrap skirt, a head scarf and a bag.
Sewing for Kids - 7 projects including a baby blanket, 2 dresses, 2 tops, and a pair of pants.

The women's clothing sizes are graded in a typical Small / Medium / Large:

Bust - 32 - 42"
Waist - 26 - 38"
Hip - 35 - 46"

If you fall outside of the size ranges, the projects are simple enough that up- or down-sizing shouldn't be too difficult. Since all the sizes are included in the pattern sheets you'll be able to use them as a guide for your own grading. An important note - similar to many sewing books, the book comes with 2 sheets of paper with all the patterns outlined on it. You'll have to either trace out your pattern or photocopy it in order to keep the original patterns in tact.

By my estimate, the difficulty levels range from easy to mid-level. A beginner could start with something like the napkins or pillowcases to practice cutting and piecing of straight edges, grow into the bags for non-fussy shaping and curved seams, and graduate to one of the garments for hems, facings, darts, and setting in sleeves.

The designs in the book evoke a weekend sensibility - easy living pieces for lounging (hello pajama bottoms excuse me while I plot excuses to wear you to the office), non-workday chores (tote bags and garden gloves), and days out strolling about town (the summer blouse and trapeze sundress).

The projects are quite versatile too. Take the trapeze dress and cut it shirt length and you have a cute top, shorten the pajama bottoms and you have a great pair of loungey shorts for warm weather. The book hasn't been out very long but there are already some great variations popping up online. Here are a few:

There's a flickr group for the book {visit the Weekend Sewing flickr group} and Heather keeps her own Tips, Tricks and Errata on her blog as well {visit Heather's Weekend Sewing Errata & FAQ}.

While the projects are fun it's the details that make this book shine. Heather's own illustrations give you step-by-step details on how to execute the written instructions. No need to worry if you're laying out the pattern properly, where to snip those corners for the facing, or how to set-in your first sleeve.

You'll also find great tips on the main project page. Heather gives you guidance on the types of fabrics to use for each project, as well as suggestions for the appropriate machine needle, thread, and how to best cut out the pieces.

In the final chapter, Sewing Basics, we learn how to choose the right sewing machine, matching a fabric to a project, preparing fabric for sewing, tracing the patterns and cutting out the individual pieces. This chapter also includes a glossary of popular tools sprinkled with tidbits of info based on Heather's own experiences.

The book offers a lot for both new sewers and experienced sewers alike with solid, basic projects that allow you to follow its directions closely or use them as the starting point for something uniquely yours.

If you're interested in the book, we're going to have Heather as a guest blogger later this week when she'll cover the basics of fabric body versus drape (a great topic for those of you who are more familiar with knitted fabrics) and you'll have a chance to enter a drawing for your own copy of Weekend Sewing.

reader FOs: magic mirror mittens

host — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:41:00 GMT

Magic Mirrors were one of your favorite projects from the winter issue -- FOs of just about every color have been popping up. Click through to see the details...

Call for Submissions: Fall '09

host — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:02:00 GMT

Hello Designers!

Submissions for the Fall 2009 issue are officially open. The Fall issue will be our fifth issue and will be our biggest issue yet. It launches on August 3, 2009 to give knitters time to finish their projects before the season hits.

Here are the details...

Tricornu: Sewing Tutorial

host — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:37:00 GMT

Several of you have emailed or commented that you'd like to make a Tricornu but are having trouble with the sewing. Here's a step by step tutorial to help you get through the hard part.

Step 1: Cut 2 squares the same size. Make 1/4" snips at the midpoint of each of the edges.

Step 2: With Right Sides together, align the top square so its top meets the midway point snip of the bottom fabric. Now, move the top fabric up 1/4". Pin in place.

Step 3: Sew a 1/4" seam about halfway down from where the 2 fabrics meet. Turn item 90 degrees.

Step 4: Rotate the top fabric 90° so the raw edges of both layers meet again. Use a pencil or other small instrument to work the fabric under the presser foot.

Step 5: Fold the fabric as pictured to prepare to sew the next seam.

Step 6: Sew a 1/4" seam taking care not to sew through the fold (the fold is only there to help keep the fabric under control while you're sewing). Stop the seam 1/4" before the edge of the top fabric.

Continue in same manner, sewing along all edges leaving a gap to turn the piece inside out.

The final sewn item will look awkward, but once it's turned right side out and stuffed it will take on its final shape.

Summer Submission Deadline

host — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:59:00 GMT

Hello Designers!

Are you stll working on the final touches of your summer submission? Or maybe you're hurrily knitting on it hoping to sneak in at the last minute?

If you're still working on a submission feel free to check in and let me know. I usually make final decisions about a month before the next issue goes live so you still have some time (especially if I know it's coming). I heard from a few of you in the past couple days but just in case you're too shy to ask I thought a blog post would be helpful too.

And if you're really running behind, the fall issue is only 5 months away at this point (can you believe we're already talking fall?). We have an extra big issue in store for fall and it's never too early to start thinking about it.

If you have any questions, please email me at editor AT knotions DOT com.

Spring 09 is Live!

host — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:07:00 GMT

We're live!

A few of the highlights:

15 new free patterns
A new series Fabric Row combining knitting and sewing into the same design
A Knitter's Guide to Seattle
Review of Nashua's new magazine Nashua Handknitting Magazine

Enjoy!

Spring Issue Preview Is Up!

host — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:38:00 GMT

We're just under a week away from launch. Come on over and check out the preview!

quick bit: spring previews

host — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:32:00 GMT

Even though winter solstice just passed us, previews of spring lines are starting to come out. Here are a few projects to dream about while you're finishing up that colorwork mitten or tweed cardi you have on your needles.

Rowan 45

Three stories make up the newest volume of Rowan:

Bloom - Ruffles, eyelets, and other feminine touches in a muted palette.

Driftwood - Looser silhouettes with refined elements in a natural palette of taupes and blues.

Evergreen - A spirited palette of greens, deeper pinks, mustard and burnt orange showcases colorwork, stripes and a bit of lacey texture.

{view the preview}

Norah Gaughan Vol 4

The latest installment in the always-anticipated Norah Gaughan series from Berroco has two stories:

Flower Child - Peasant-style flowing garments and subtlely shaped tops give a reminiscent nod to the 70s.

Excess - Explore pleats, tucks and other clever ways of sculpting with extra knitted fabric.

{view the preview at kaleidoscope yarns}

quick bit: fiber baristas

host — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:16:00 GMT

It won't come as a shock to any of you when I say that indie yarn dyeing has exploded in the past few years. It's a lot of fun to see the artistry of each dyer -- kettle dyeing and hand painting, muted tones and brights, traditional merino and specialty fibers (bluefaced leicester, cormo to name a few).

In a market with so many beautiful choices it can sometimes be hard to choose what's next to try. The ladies from nine indie dyers came together to create Fiber Baristas - a nine month club giving you a chance to sample all nine dyers' work. If you've considered joining a club but weren't sure you wanted to commit to a single dyer this club may be for you.

The first years' club is called Postcards From Home. Each month the featured dyer will work up something special to reflect her region of the world. Registrations are open until January 31st and the club runs from March through November.