Dear Ann,
Ten years ago, almost to the day, you and I were headed to San Diego for our very first TNNA (The National NeedleArts Association’s Winter Trade Show), to show everybody our first knitting book.
Today, we’re headed there again.
We’ll have different badges this time.
If you had told our 2006 selves that we’d be back again in 2016, and that the book we’d be showing everybody would be a coloring book, I don’t know that we’d have believed it.
Actually, we probably would have believed it.
What are you packing to knit? (You’re not going to embroider the whole time, are you?)
I’ve got My Last Honey Cowl (For Now), but for more gripping entertainment on the long flight, I’m also casting on Ranger, a sexy granddad cardi by Jared Flood. It’s a dear (albeit nonknitting) friend’s Christmas present to her husband. (Hence the tiny sweater back in December, so there’d be something under the tree for him.) I lost my gauge swatch before I had a chance to count it, so I’m packing three different needle sizes. Wish me luck! It’s always a bit nerve wracking, knitting to specifications.
Hey readers–if you have any burning questions for representatives of the Yarn Industry, shout them out in the comments and we’ll try to get them answered.
Bon voyage, hon, and see you in California!
Love,
Kay
Olive badges! Love them! (Though what happened to the poor Olive on the bottom right?)
That’s what I thought!
She saw all the people and flipped out!
Safe travels! Can’t wait to hear about your time there!
You’re knitting a sweater for someone’s husband? That seems very kind of you, and quite crazy.
Enjoy your TNNA. Will you carry pencil crayons with you wherever you go, and offer colouring pages to passersby?
Over the years I’ve had trouble finding yellows and greens that please me. I knit stranded hats and gloves a lot (grandchildren who keep losing them) so I can be more adventurous about the color choices than for clothing.
No trouble at all finding a variety of luscious and pleasing hues and shades and blends in reds, orange, blue, purple, but when the color wheels spins toward yellow all bets are off. I find mustard and pale baby blankie yellow when what I need is mellow, neon when I hope for golden or sunny. Plenty of olive and screeching lime green, but I feel lucky if I can score a true dark forest (not emerald, not kelly) green or a teal that’s not bright turquoise. Of course this is not universally true – the more $ I’m willing to spend, the better the choices usually.
I have wondered whether this is a marketing decision, because obviously only someone with terrible taste would care to knit an entire plain green sweater, or because it’s hard for the dyers (colorists?) to get pure tones at the yellow-green ends of the spectrum? Or something else?
I find this thread of conversation interesting, as whenever I inventory my stash, I find I have somehow acquired even more green yarn. My weakness tends to be for the fern/apple part of the spectrum (with a recent fondness for teal also developing), and I apparently cannot stop buying it, usually in quantities for a sweater or skirt.
Speaking of baby blanket yellow (and I hear you on the lack of rich, interesting yellow yarns) how about some easy-care yarns (for must-be-machine-washable projects like baby blankets) in saturated colors? Not all of us like pastels.
Funny. I love every shade of green in the world except yellow-green! Or any other color with yellow in it. Yellow is fine, but no mixes for me!
Green is my favorite color, but I agree that it’s almost impossible to find green yarn that isn’t too harsh to be wearable. I don’t particularly like yellow, but just melt when I see it produced by natural dyes. You might find some on Etsy or try dyeing it yourself to get what you want.
Good question Nancy. I’ve always assumed it was because there are only three people in the world who love green: you, me, and Anne Hanson.
And the Yarn Harlot – don’t forget Steph
Count me in on missing the straw, harvest, and melon yellows, plus greens that are complex and sophisticated and better next to the face. Does anyone look good in Kelly Green? I haven’t seen them if they do. Are there just more Winter and Summers out there than Falls and Springs? (yes my color references are still in the 1980’s with “Color me Beautiful”
Redheads look particularly good in kelly green. Actually, many people do. Personally, the colors most people look bad in are red and yellow.
I’m looking for gold color yarn, I can never find a nice straw color. I love all kinds of green.
I would also like to know what trends you are seeing, fiber mixes.
And being a person who can’t do over $15 a skein, and even that has to be on sale why do prices seem to be rising dramatically.
Patty
Hi Patty,
Kate Davies Designs has just added a gorgeous furze (golden gorse) shade to the Buachaille range: http://katedaviesdesigns.com/2016/01/07/a-first-look/
Yes, I want to know this as well.
Fun! I’ve never been to the winter show. But I did buy the coloring book from Amazon then found a whole stack of them at the Yarnery, my LYS. They are selling well, I hear.
Nice sweater. I can’t wait to hear how it goes. And what a great excuse to use Brooklyn Tweed.
Kay, I had planned to make Ranger for my husband for Christmas. Got the pattern, thought through my mods (pullover with placket) and then got deterred when BT did not have his color of choice (cast iron) in stock. Still plan to make it, so I will be watching yours with great interest.
Safe travels and a wonderful trip!
I’ve often wondered why so many yarns are put up only in small balls. Yes, I do realize that I can buy as many balls as I need – but all that joining! Recently I passed on my first yarn choice for a hat, because it would have required three balls of yarn that was sold in small amounts. That’s at least two joins for a hat (maybe more if the ball contains a knot “surprise”).
For me, a join represents a “weak spot” in the knitting. And depending on the pattern, they’re usually difficult to hide. I would so welcome the opportunity to purchase yarns in larger skeins / balls than the 50g that is the norm for many commercial yarns. When I’m preparing to knit a larger item I avoid those yarns that are only available in 50G balls. They’re just of no use to me.
I’m not suggesting the mfg. do away with the smaller 50g skeins. I just would love to have the option of perhaps ordering the yarn in larger skeins to suit my needs.
Hear, hear. Just thinking about weaving in more ends makes me squirmy.
You can spit join animal fiber yarns. It takes only a couple of seconds.
Yes! Like Cascade Eco yarn over 400 yds per skein and one can make a sweater for $45.
Where do I buy an Olive badge? I NEED one!
I need one too!
My question concerns those surprise knots you sometimes run into while knitting. Seems to me when you buy the yardage, it should be in one piece and not a new join you didn’t know you would have.
Francis,
I agree with the surprise knots. They are one of my pet peeves with yarn. It would be good to know if there’s a reason for it and if there is anything the manufacturers can do about it. A warning on the label would be good so that I wouldn’t be surprised.
Yarn manufacturers are allowed to have 1 or 2 knots per skein or ball of yarn. It might depend on the yardage but I’m not sure. sadly, it’s an industry standard.
Have fun. I still have not made it to any of these shows–one day maybe, and I find the retreats are way too pricey for a solo vacation. That said, I’d gladly spring for an Olive MDK button, when will they’ve on sale????
My question would be why can’t there be a definitive system/name or something, especially for light worsted/worsted/aran yarn. I know about the Craft Yarn Council’s chart but I’ve been told on numerous occasions–by knitting teachers, knit store owners and amazing knitters–that although XYZ yarn is called worsted it’s actually heavier and closer to an aran weight or vice versa and that is why it won’t work with that pattern. (Yes, I know I can swatch but it would be helpful to know this before I buy the yarn for a specific project.)
Enjoy the show!
Darn it, you two are headed for California just the day before I leave for New Mexico. But we’ll all have fun, right?
It is ironic that you plan to start a “Ranger” cardigan. My list of knit recipients now includes several young men (ages from high school on up), a few infants, and some four-legged, furry people. My question would be why so many yarns — even synthetics — have to be laid flat to dry. That ain’t gonna happen if the recipient is a.) male, b.) not potty-trained yet, and/or c.) have a tail. (One final comment: OLIVE!)
I would like to request a dark gray version of “The Ranger” sweater. I am available for measurements at your convenience. Have fun in Cali!
My fine fellow, Toby the Wonder Dog, is feeling a bit envious that Olive has her own badges. He wouldn’t mention it outright of course, but I could tell.
I’m wondering what needs to happen before we have washable (primarily) wool sock yarns that can be washed on cold and dried on low by machine.
Can you find this out?
Thank you!
Nice badge, Olive!
Have a total blast, you two. I’ll be looking forward to reports. And snaps. Oh, and if you happen to have any conversations that involve North American cashmere from small producers, I’d be very interested in anything The Industry has to say. 😉
How about this, Kay: find me a husband and I’ll knit YOU a sweater! And a Honey Cowl. And a Backus Scarf. And a –oh well, never mind.
Safe travels to you and Ann. Have a blast!
LoveDiane