Book Review: The Yarn Stash Workbook by Laura Militzer Bryant

The Yarn Stash Workbook: Great Ideas and Dozen of Projects by Laura Militzer Bryant

I got this informative and fun book to help me use up the individual skeins of yarn I have in my stash. I was having a hard time figuring out what to do with the mismatch of yarns I had. There are so many colors and textures in my stash that looking at all of them, I just couldn't think of how I could use them or how they might be used together. But after getting Laura's book, I have a much better idea.

The first part of the book has a great section called "In the Beginning: Sorting Your Stash". In this section, Laura explains about the various aspects of yarn including yarn-weight like fine, medium and bulky and construction like piled, boucle', chained, brushed, chenille, woven, nubs/slubs, and component yarns.

But, more importantly and what I found to be the most beneficial, she also talks about another type of yarn weight which has to do with color rather then by the size or construction of yarn. Instead of arranging the yarn by color like blues or reds, she suggests arranging the yarn from light in color to dark in color taking into account the saturation and intensity of the each.

I found this method of categorizing yarn to be very helpful and applied it to my own stash. And in fact it allowed me, for the first time, to get a real sense of what I have in my stash and how I can use the various yarns together. I arranged my stash using this method and was astounded by what I really had and the possibilities of using the yarns together in ways I hadn't imagined before.

The book goes on to using the idea of color weight in projects ranging from scarves and wraps to ponchos and capelets, to hats and purses, to afghans and pillows to shells, sweaters, cardigans, and jackets. Although I didn't like all the combination of colors or projects in the book, I found several I did like including the open work scarf (page 30), the multiyarn wrap (page 34), the almost-enough striped tee (page 94) and the scrap-yarn teddy bear (page 80).

The Yarn Stash Workbook: Great Ideas and Dozen of Projects by Laura Militzer Bryant is a great book to get started on using up your yarn stash. The color weight theory as well as the break down of the yarns by construction gave me a better sense of what yarns could be used in my knitting projects. Also, the projects show the application of these concepts to help inspire anyone with a yarn stash needing to be knit up.

August 14 - Knitty Gritty - Disco Glam

New Knitty Gritty Episode - Disco Glam - guest host: Brett Bara, editor of Woman's Day Specials: Easy Knit and Crochet Ideas. Projects: knit halter top, knit shrug, knit bag. Airs: August 14, 2006 at 11:30 AM Eastern and August 19, 2006 at 4:30 PM Eastern

Knitting and Crochet Designers Needed

Bella Web Design, Inc. and Accord Publishing are looking for new and creative designers to contribute to the 2008 Knitting Pattern-a-Day and Crochet Calendar-a-Day publications. The company needs 320 knitting pattern or corchet pattern submissions by January 1, 2007.

Interested designers should go to www.knittingpatternaday.com and submit their design and at least one image (If you can't take a picture of it, you can send your knitted or crocheted item to Accord Publishing and they will take one for you). Each submission will receive a free copy of the calendar the design is submitted to. Multiple designs may be submitted.

Knitting Pattern-a-Day and Crochet Calendar-a-Day publications are read and used by knitters and crocheters worldwide. Publication of a knitting or crochet pattern can mean recognition for design talents.

Any questions can be emailed to submissions@knittingpatternaday.com or submissions@crochetpatternaday.com or call Desiree Scales at 888-716-9524 for more information.

AntiCraft Lughnaladh Issue Available

The Lughnaladh issue of the online knitting and craft magazine, AntiCraft, has been released.

The issue includes:
- Toxic Tea Set by Jane Roth, tea cosy and matching mat crochet with cotton yarn
- Stop Sign Pole Wrap by LoopDogg & AKrylik
- Nuclear Family by Renée Rigdon and Zabet Stewart, sewn tea apron
- Asphyxiation by Severina, crocheted cotton choker
- This Cosy is Da Bomb by Robyn Wade

See all the patterns and projects in the Lughnaladh Issue of AntiCraft.

August Issue of MagKnits Released

The August issue of the online knitting magazine, MagKnits, has been released.

The issue includes:
- Chunky, Funky bag - by Laura Hopwood, a chunky cable purse made from super bulky yarn that knits up fast
- Cherie, by Jorun Boklov, a knit hot water bottle with a cotton bag filled with cherry stones inside that are heated in a microwave for heat
- Flower Corsage, by Kerrie Allman, quick and easy knitting project using left over yarn
- Snowbaby Hat, by Janine le Cras, baby hat with a simple, modified feather and fan stitch pattern
- Special Socks, by Erssie Major, knit baby booties in a Fair Isle design
- Chance, by Ann McMeekin, fun and simple pair of wristwarmers

See all the knitting patterns in the August Issue of MagKnits.

August 7 - Knitty Gritty - Moebius Knitting

New Knitty Gritty Episode - Moebius Knitting - guest host: Cat Bordhi, author of The Second Treasury of Magical Knitting. projects: knit moebius scarf. Airs: August 07, 2006 at 11:30 AM Eastern and August 12, 2006 at 4:30 PM Eastern

Vickie Howell's Free August Knitting Pattern

Vickie Howell of the popular DIY network's Knitty Gritty has posted her free pattern for the month of August.

The pattern is Victorian Punk Sleeves. The pattern calls for two colors of DK weight yarn in purple and black.

Check out the free knitting pattern at Vickie's Web Site.