We asked for YOUR questions and you sent them in. In this episode, Liz and Zontee along with two other Lion Brand staffers Kristy and Jackie, answer your questions and giving you suggestions on all sorts of projects and techniques. We may not be able to tell you the meaning of life, but we DO explain techniques like SW (slip-and-wrap) and more.
Find out about using the Lion Brand support line (800-705-8636; Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST) and e-mail (support [at] lionbrand [dot] com). Learn about using our FAQ section and our new blog, the Lion Brand Notebook. Join the knit-along as Corinna works on the Tree of Life afghan.
Discover techniques for working with specific yarns; get advice about blocking; hear what Liz has to say about socks; and learn more about the Lion Brand offices.
Jackie joins us to talk about finding the right gauge and the 5 issues you can solve by correcting your gauge. Learn to get gauge whether you knit or crochet.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life – Liz and Zontee share ideas perfect for prom, weddings, and other formal events:
Zontee and Liz also suggest making boutonnières (for a man’s lapel) or corsages with basic flowers like our felted flowers or our daffodil pencil pattern.
To share your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! Tell us what you’re working on!
Take your yarncrafting skills and bring them together! In this episode, Liz and Zontee share some patterns that use both knit and crochet in one garment, as well as the reasons that knitters can benefit from learning some crochet and vice versa. Discover how just a few skills in a different yarncraft can expand your abilities!
Patterns that pair both skills include a winter white Beret and a Retro Swing jacket.
For more wonderful, spring projects (or fall projects for our friends in the southern hemisphere), visit our Pattern Finder.
To share your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We’ll be answering YOUR questions in the next episode, so ask us anything that you’ve been wanting to know about! You may be included in our next episode!
Share your knitting and crocheting skills with the next generation of yarncrafters! In this episode, Liz and Zontee are joined by technical editor, Jackie Smyth to discuss lessons learned while teaching kids to knit & crochet.
We also talk to Michelle Edwards, children’s book author and illustrator, whose essays are featured monthly in the Lion Brand e-newsletter, about her experiences as a mother of three and an avid knitter.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life – Liz and Zontee share their top 5 patterns for children:
For more great kids’ patterns and projects, sign up for our monthly newsletter, BK4K (By Kids for Kids) by clicking here.
To share your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! Tell us–do you knit, crochet, loom knit, weave? How do you yarncraft and why? You may be featured on our next episode!
The Lion Brand team takes a trip to Etsy Labs in Brooklyn to get the scoop of the people behind Etsy.com, a marketplace for all things handmade. Liz and Zontee talk to Etsy’s Matthew Stinchcomb, Charles Smith, and Mary Andrews (knitter, seller, and Lion Brand fan) about the story behind this cool website, as well as tips on how you too can be a seller.
Check out a special interview with Vanna White, Lion Brand’s spokesperson for over 13 years, on the Storque, Etsy’s newsletter.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life – Liz and Zontee talk about how to customize projects with colors, the meanings of colors, and color-focused patterns. Patterns discussed are:
To share your thoughts, post a comment on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode! Answer this week’s question: what are some ways you’ve customized projects? For our next episode, share with us stories about teaching your children to knit or crochet!
What happens when art meets craft? In this episode, we ask Natalie Zee Drieu, senior editor of Craft Magazine, and Sabrina Gschwandtner, editor and founder of the Knit Knit art journal to share their takes on the relationship between yarncrafting and art–from the resurgence of knitting and crochet to yarn “graffiti” and “subversive knitting.” Also, find out about easy ways to embellish your projects in our regular segment, Stash This.
See more of the cool things going on in the craft world at the Craft Magazine blog.
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode!
In this episode, we bring you to the Knit-Out & Crochet event that took place at the Mall of America over President’s Day weekend to get firsthand accounts from the fashion shows, the demonstrations, and all of the excitement. Click here to visit our Flickr pool for photos from our booth.
Interviews include Lion Brand president David Blumenthal; Lion Brand staffers Kristy, Nadira, and Geni; crochet designers/authors Cecily Keim and Kim Werker (CrochetMe.com); volunteer “yarn doctor” (and YarnCraft fan) Debra Lea; Jane Niemi of the Machine Knitting Guild of Minnesota; and executive director of the Craft Yarn Council, Mary Colucci.
Patterns discussed in the episode include William the Hedgehog and products discussed include our new Woolspun and LB1878 cone yarns. To find out about your local Knit-Out & Crochet event, click here.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life – Liz and Zontee share tips about how a basic rectangle can be the basis of all kinds of garments, from hats to sweaters. Some examples include:
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode!
As many yarncrafters already know, knitting and crocheting can be a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. In this episode, we speak with Sue Grafton, international bestselling author of the ABC mystery series, who knits to relax after spending her days coming up with the next thrilling mystery about female private-eye Kinsey Millhone (who is also a knitter and crocheter). Sue shares her insights into why knitting is the perfect way to unwind both for her and for Kinsey. Editor’s note: Because the interview was by phone, there is some slight distortion during this segment. We’ve chosen to share the interview with you because of the interesting content, but if you prefer to skip it, please fast forward from 8:10 to 18:27.
Find out about current projects that Liz and Zontee are working on, including a Fishermen’s Wool scarf that Zontee’s making and the Knitty.com fetching pattern that Liz is making in Vanna’s Choice. Liz and Zontee also give a preview of the Knit-Out & Crochet event at the Mall of America, where you can meet the two of them, as well as other members of the Lion Brand family. We also share with you a customer story about the calming effects of yarncrafting. To read more customer stories, visit our readers’ stories page.
After Sue’s interview, stay tuned for Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life. Liz and Zontee share stress-reducing tips for your joints while yarncrafting, such as using stress relief gloves. They also recommend simple patterns as projects that can be incredibly soothing. Recommended patterns include prayer shawl patterns because of their simple, repetitve stitch patterns.
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode!
In this episode, we speak with Kate Jacobs, author of the New York Times bestselling novel, The Friday Night Knitting Club, which will be made into a movie produced by and starring Julia Roberts.
But first, Liz and Zontee tell us about their latest projects including an adorable Pirate Pal, some fun amigurumi animals, and a couple of cowls.
Kate talks about the themes of the book, including how knitting metaphor is a metaphor for life and the meaning and importance of true friendship. She also shares her own favorite knitting projects and discusses what knitting has meant to her personally through the years. Learn more about Kate’s work on KateJacobsBooks.com.
If you like YarnCraft, share it with your friends. Whether you link to us on your blog, “Digg us” or share us on Facebook using the links at the bottom of this post, or even burn a CD of episodes for a friend or loved one, we appreciate you sharing YarnCraft with others. (A special thank you to Lime & Violet for mentioning us on their blog.)
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life–With the central element of Kate Jacobs’ novel being a knitting club, Liz and Zontee discuss how to find a yarncrafting group in your area including the Lion Brand Club Finder, as well as the knit and crochet online community including Ravelry, CrochetMe, Crochetville, and Knitter’s Review.
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode!
In a special episode, we go behind the scenes with Vanna White, co-host of America’s longest running game show, Wheel of Fortune.
Jessica talks to Vanna from her dressing room at Wheel of Fortune and discovers how much time Vanna really spends making crocheted gifts, who she makes them for, and how she connected with the charity that benefits from the sale of her new yarn, Vanna’s Choice. Jessica also speaks to David Blumenthal, president of Lion Brand, as he shares his personal stories of working with Vanna White for the last 13 years.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life–Inspired by Vanna’s charity work, Liz and Zontee talk about different ways to connect to charities including the Lion Brand Charity Connection and subscribing to our Newsletter. Find out the top three things you should keep in mind when yarncrafting for charity.
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may feature you in an upcoming episode! Tune in next time, when we speak to author of The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs, which is being made into a movie starring Julia Roberts.
It’s our first episode of 2008. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! In this episode, we focus on resolutions and new beginnings. So get ready to start your yarncrafting year off right!
First, Liz and Zontee talk about their crafting resolutions–find out how Liz is going to avoid a repeat of last year’s three unfinished sweaters. They also share what’s happening in 2008 at Lion Brand, including items in the newest Lion Design catalog, which should be arriving in your mailbox within the next few weeks.
Next Liz interviews Eric Wilhelm and Christy Canida of Instructables, a website with instructions from users like you ranging from crafts to cooking to life-lessons. Find out more out about this new way to learn about techniques and to share your own yarncrafting skills with others.
Enter the Lion Brand Slideshow Challenge at Instructables.com and you could win one of 10 $25 Lion Brand gift certificates. To enter, submit photos of a finished project and tell us how and why you made it. Then, help us judge the contest by voting for your favorite projects. To find out details and official rules, visit the contest page.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life–Liz and Zontee share ways to stay organized and on task in the new year (one of their resolutions). Keep on top of your projects (and other to-dos) with online programs like Remember the Milk and Ta-da Lists.
To leave your comments and thoughts, post a message on the blog, email to yarncraft [at] lionbrand [dot] com, or call 206-350-3957 and leave us a message! We may even feature you in an upcoming episode! Tune in next time, when Vanna White, co-host of Wheel of Fortune and inveterate crocheter, joins us!
We asked for YOUR questions and you sent them in. In this episode, Liz and Zontee along with two other Lion Brand staffers Kristy and Jackie, answer your questions and giving you suggestions on all sorts of projects and techniques. We may not be able to tell you the meaning of life, but we DO explain techniques like SW (slip-and-wrap) and more.
Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life – Liz and Zontee share ideas perfect for prom, weddings, and other formal events:
Share your knitting and crocheting skills with the next generation of yarncrafters! In this episode, Liz and Zontee are joined by technical editor, Jackie Smyth to discuss lessons learned while teaching kids to knit & crochet.
Check out a special interview with Vanna White, Lion Brand’s spokesperson for over 13 years, on 
What happens when art meets craft? In this episode, we ask Natalie Zee Drieu, senior editor of 
As many yarncrafters already know, knitting and crocheting can be a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. In this episode, we speak with Sue Grafton, international bestselling author of the ABC mystery series, who knits to relax after spending her days coming up with the next thrilling mystery about female private-eye Kinsey Millhone (who is also a knitter and crocheter). Sue shares her insights into why knitting is the perfect way to unwind both for her and for Kinsey. Editor’s note: Because the interview was by phone, there is some slight distortion during this segment. We’ve chosen to share the interview with you because of the interesting content, but if you prefer to skip it, please fast forward from 8:10 to 18:27. 
In a special episode, we go behind the scenes with Vanna White, co-host of America’s longest running game show, Wheel of Fortune.
Next Liz interviews Eric Wilhelm and Christy Canida of