YarnCraft

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Get ready for wedding season with pattern recommendations from YarnCraft! Zontee and Michelle highlight projects for the bridal party from boutonnieres to shawls, decor ideas, gift patterns, and more.

Patterns discussed include:

• Crochet Bridal Shrug
• Crochet Bridal Shawl
• Crochet Bridal Clutch
• Knit Shimmer-By-Night Bag
• Knit Safran Shrug
• Crochet Opera Sleeves
• Crochet Champagne Glass Covers
• Crafted Champagne Glass Tassels
• Knit & crochet sachets
• Crochet Afghan Squared
• Knit Erin Afghan

Some ideas for knit & crochet flowers include:

• Crochet Orchid
• Knit Rose
• Crochet Rolled Rose and Rosebud
• Knit Petunia
• Crochet Lily of the Valley
• Knit Clove Carnation

We also hear from three brides-to-be at Lion Brand as well as listeners, who share their own ideas for incorporating yarncrafts into their weddings.

Then on Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life, we talk about spring garments for women and men. Hear about the silhouettes, pattern designers, and yarns that we love for this season.

Designers mentioned include Ann Budd, Dora Ohrenstein, Melissa Leapman, Josh Bennett, Robyn Chachula, Bruce Weinstein, Drew Emborsky (the Crochet Dude), Lily Chin, Doris Chan, and Amy Herzog!

Yarns discussed include LB Collection® Cotton Bamboo, Cotton-Ease®, Recycled Cotton, Martha Stewart Crafts™ Cotton Hemp (currently on sale!), Kitchen Cotton, Vanna’s Glamour®, and Vanna’s Sequins.

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One of the questions that we often hear from yarncrafters is: I make wonderful things and get compliments on them; how do I go about selling them? 

Here are three episodes of YarnCraft that you might want to listen to for tips on getting started:

• 123 :: 10 Tips on Buying & Selling Handmade Creations – We interview author Kelly Rand of trade organization Hello Craft, who shares expert advice on how to grow your handmade business.
• 53 :: Discover Handmade Artisans & Find Out How You Can Get Started Selling for Free – Discover some of the handmakers out there, and hear from Tony Ford (EVP/COO of Artfire.com, an online marketplace for handmade artisans) about how to sell online.
• 44 :: Easy Ways to Sell Your Knit & Crochet Goods Locally – Start small with simple, local ways to sell your goods and learn more about how the Crochet Guild of America can be a good resource for crafters considering a career in the yarn industry.

Click on the titles to see the episode guides for each and then click on the built-in player to listen to the MP3.

 Have more tips? Or questions? Share them in the comments!

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We’re only a few weeks from Mother’s Day, so join us as we explore great gift ideas from the ambitious to the quick–as well as some that require no yarncrafting!

Zontee and Michelle also answer a listener question about bring-along projects. Find out what fellow listeners recommend as great, portable patterns.

Patterns discussed include:

• Knit Car Coat
• Crochet Jaunty Jacket
• Knit Weekend Retreat Cardi
• Perfect Crochet Cardigan
• Knit Saturday Morning Hoodie
• Crochet Intarsia Brocade Afghan
• Knit Flower Power Afghan
• Cozy Crochet Socks
• Knit Stirrup Socks

Resources discussed include Nicky Epstein’s Knitting Block by Block and Knitting in Circles, and Heather Lodinsky’s 150 Knit & Crochet Motifs.

On Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life, we talk about baby shower projects from gifts like layette sets to decor concepts. Visit LionBrand.com to search for patterns for sachets, baby blankets, and more!

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In our next episode, we’ll be talking about gift ideas for Mother’s Day, but if you want to get a head start, here are a few episodes from our archives that might get the wheels turning:

• 114 :: Tips on Picking Warm Weather Yarns, PLUS 5 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – This episode features great quick-finish and last-minute gift ideas.
• 90 :: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Yarn Development PLUS 10 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – We take a look at project ideas and crafty activities that Mom might enjoy!
• 64 :: Show Mom Some Love with Gifts to Suit Her Hobbies – We talk about projects made especially with Mom’s favorite activities in mind.

Click on the highlighted episode titles above to go to the individual pages and listen. For more archived episodes, click here.

Join us next Tuesday for a new episode of YarnCraft!

In the meantime, don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us about your favorite handmade gifts to Mom/for Mother’s Day!

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Looking to create a project in COLOR? Get tips and tricks from Zontee and Michelle on picking the right palette for your decor, your gift recipient, or your own skin tone and hair color!

Tools and resources discussed include:

• Design-Seeds.com
• Color Schemer
• How to Determine Your “Season” Color Palette
• The Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Patterns by Lynne Watterson
• Color Knitting the Easy Way and Mastering Color Knitting by Melissa Leapman
• Wild Color by Jenny Dean
• The Alchemy of Knitting by Gina Wilde

We also talk about some of our listeners’ favorite books from the previous episode. Click here to see the show notes and comments from that episode!

Congratulations to the winners of our book giveaway–Angie, SBFH, and Charlene are each getting one of the books from our friends at SMPCraft! Check your email for more information about how to get your prizes. Tune in next episode for another chance to win!

Then on Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life, we talk about loom knitting resources. Click here for a blog post from the Lion Brand Notebook with many of the resources we discuss. Check your local library and/or bookstore for books by Denise Layman, Isela Phelps, Kathy Norris, Anne Bipes, and Pat and Kim Novak.

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