Thursday, September 15, 2011

Martha Stewart Crafts Knit & Weave Loom Kit, By Lion Brand

For all you loomers out there, this is the latest and greatest tool that will make your looming more versitle, fun and drive you absolutely wild with the endless possibilities!



Lion Brand is partnering with Martha Stewart Crafts and created the Knit & Weave Loom Kit.  It is an erector set of connecting looming bars and joints where you will be able to make small rosette flowers all the way to ponchos and everything inbetween.  You will be able to work flat projects such as scarves and toys, or items in the round such has hats of varying sizes.  In addition to the loom knitting, you can also use this as a weaving tool; very similar to the pot-holder looms by making placemats or joining pieces together to make large afghans in record time.

Lion Brand created a couple of You-Tube introductory videos about this kit to explain how this works and the possibilites with this tool:

Introduction to Kit
Project Inspiration

At this time it does not seem to be sold in stores but it can be purchased online from $35-$45.  Although the price may seem a bit high, when you think of the variety of sizes one can get from the assortment (including pegs!) it would cost just as much if not more to buy pieces individually as well as make storage for the larger looms.  With these attachments, they can be disconnected and stored in a compact manner when not in use.

Note: This is not a paid advertisement, just a great new tool that was found and wanted to share with other interested parties.

2012 Winter Fiber Fun Retreat

Just when you’re about to say to yourself “I wish I had more time to work on some of my projects and learn a new technique” the clouds part and rays of light beam down from the sky.  Behold, the 4th Annual Winter Fiber Fun Retreat!

Mary Berry, the owner and proprietor of Fancy Fibers Farm located in Farmersville, created this retreat to get us like-minded yarn-a-holics together for a long weekend of stitching, spinning, weaving, felting and whatever else our fun-loving, creative minds can think of when it comes to yarn and notions! 

The exciting part about this retreat is that you can do whatever you want!  You can pick and choose what classes to attend.  If you only want to come to stitch, you can do that as well.  You can work your projects outside or indoors and away from the busyness of your house.  Heck, you might be able to finally finish that blanket that has lain dormant for so long!  In addition to the myriad of classes to choose from you can build a great network of local friends with common interests!

Here are some basic details and more detailed information can be found on Fancy Fiber’s website.  I’m posting this information early so you can get to registering for the classes you wish to attend.  Space fills up fast!

When:    February 16th-19th, 2012
Where:   Tally Retreat Center @ Camp Copass in Denton, TX
What:     23 Instruction-based courses to choose from (prices vary from free to $60 per
              course but mostly lie in the $15-$25 range)
Lodging: $80/night per room (max occupancy per room is 4)
Meals:     Buffet-style in the dining hall. Breakfast $7, Lunch $8, Dinner $8
Retreat Fee: $30

And if all of the above wasn’t enough to get you motivated to register, I created a Top 10 list.  If you agree to at least one of these, then you need to go! 

Top 10 reasons why you should go on a stitching retreat:

10. The cushion on the couch needs to be rotated because of the divot from sitting and
      stitching
  9. When the household pets use your project as their personal blanket and shed more fur
      than what you use yarn-wise
  8. You only know 21 ways to cast on and you know that someone else knows a 22nd option
      but they’re holding out on you
  7. You can make a t-shirt that says: I stitched for 96 hours and all I got was this lousy
      t-shirt (and a couple of finished projects)
  6. Ravely has become your official home page
  5. The husband and kids are waiting for you to finish “one more row”
  4. You wear a button that says “I Knit So I Don’t Kill People” on a daily basis
  3. The only exercises you’re required to do are finger exercises
  2. *P1, K1, YO, SSK; repeat from* becomes your bedtime lullaby
  1. This will be the only place where you can bring your stitching to the dinner table and
      no one will object