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Lion Brand Blog, November 10, 2016 One of the many great things about knitting and crochet is that, with the right project, both can be extremely portable. Because of this, you’ll see people crafting in some of the weirdest locations — not just airplanes or subway trains, but also bars, concerts, poolsides, and anywhere else you could possibly imagine.  The picture above is of me working on my Curvy Girl Cabled Cardigan while waiting for a bus. It’s not the most bizarre place where I’ve knit, though. Actually, transportation is where I get a lot of my crafting done. Any time I can find a seat on a bus or the subway, I’ve got my needles out.
My Weirdest Place(s) Maybe my strangest knitting locale is the time I was at a concert at a large NYC venue and, between acts, sat down on the floor and started working on my latest project. Or perhaps it’s the time I went to a taping of Good Morning America with a journalism class I was taking, and sat knitting a hat in the green room. It depends, really. How do you define weird? Maybe weirdness is based on how out of place it is for the occasion. In that case, it’s probably the concert. Most people stand around talking with friends between bands. While I’m sure I’m not the only one to ever do it, knitting is hardly common. However, a green room is designed for people to wait, so it wouldn’t be surprising if people used that time for crafts. But weird could also describe something that few people experience. Most people will go to a concert at some point or another, so that’s not all that odd. Not as many will go to Good Morning America, and fewer still will sit in the green room. That’s certainly more unique. I think for me, I’m going with GMA as the most bizarre. And You? So, readers, tell me: what’s the weirdest place you have knit or crochet? An unusual situation? A once-in-a-lifetime trip? A celebrity encounter? Leave a comment and let us know! Lion Brand Blog, October 20, 2016 Are you a Tumblr user who also loves Lion Brand Yarn? Well, that’s perfect, because now, so are we! Come check us out.  Come join us! Bookmark, follow, like, reblog, whatever your heart desires. We’ve got plenty of memes, gifs, and other content you can only find there, so make sure and stop by. It’s a fun place to be, with a great knit and crochet community. There’s always good conversation, great humor, and plenty of pretty pictures of projects.
Lion Brand Blog, September 15, 2016 Famous fashionistas have been spotted all over the place rocking oversized neckwear, a.k.a. super scarves. Actresses, models, and musicians alike are sporting these trendy accessories, and with our Super Scarf Kits, now 20% off, you can too. Whether you knit or crochet, want something neutral or truly funky, we’ve got a super scarf that will help you step out looking like your favorite celebrity. Emma Roberts  Gwen Stefani  Lea Michelle  Jessica Alba  Emma Stone   Blake Lively  Rihanna  Selena Gomez  Taylor Swift  Kendall Jenner  Gigi Hadid  Victoria Beckham  Lucy Hale  Lion Brand Blog, August 30, 2016 Illusion knitting is a deceptively simple, really cool looking way to add unique visual interest to your creations. The basic premise is that you alternate rows of garter and stockinette stitch in order to create images that can only be seen at a certain angle. When you look at the piece straight on, it looks like stripes, but when you tilt it, the picture appears.  As you can see in the Croak Skull Illusion Scarf above, from this view you can only vaguely make out that there is a pattern in the piece, but when you look at it from a different angle, the skull becomes much clearer:  To do this, you need two contrasting colors of yarn in the same weight. This pattern, for example, uses Vanna’s Choice® in red and black. You will also want to use a needle that gets you a tight gauge, possibly a size or two smaller than the yarn calls for. This will make sure the image pops.
The way it works is that you always work the background color in garter stitch, but you alternate between stockinette and garter with the main color to create the pattern. The places where the main color is stockinette will fade into the background and the places where it is garter will pop out and create the image. As you can see in the pictures above, the black is the background color and the red is the main color. What you see pop out as the skull is where the red was worked in garter stitch. The parts with red stockinette make for colorful stripes from straight on, but virtually disappear when angled to see the design. Often, illusion patterns are a single, simple image, like the skull in the example. But people also make gorgeous, intricate works of art using this technique, recreating famous works or designing their own. There are also many different patterns on Ravelry to look at for ideas, as well as resources for designing your own charts. Illusion knits make great gifts for older kids and teens, who might want something unique but still subtle. And adults will love them too! They’re an excellent way to celebrate a favorite team, fandom, or saying in your knitting while still being versatile and stylish. |