Knitting at the Super Bowl

Last week, during the Super Bowl festivities, people talked about a variety of things from who their favorite players were to the team they hoped would win the big game. And while those are pretty standard conversations for Super Bowl season, there was something else that attendees couldn’t stop talking about: Knitting! Volunteers from 46 states around America knitted blue and white scarves for this special event. Every Super Bowl volunteer and many VIP’s received one of the scarves as a thank you and a little something extra to stay warm!

Read Full Post »

Land’s End: Feel Good

Have you heard of the Land’s End Feel Good campaign? Land’s End has partnered with Warm Up America! to donate yarn to the Crochet Guild of America, the Knitting Guild Association & The Helping Hands Foundation, Inc. each time a Land’s End sweater is purchased.

Check out their “Share the Warmth” page, which also offers crochet and knitting tutorials, savings opportunities and ways to get involved with Warm Up America!

Read Full Post »

Wallpaper

Wow! Check out this awesome “knit” wallpaper from Couture Déco via Cafe Cartolina:

Read Full Post »

Urban Knitting is the World’s Most Inoffensive Graffiti

 

Images Courtesy of Flickr

There is a new form of graffiti hitting the streets, but it is extremely pleasant.  Urban knitting, also called “guerrilla knitting,” is being spotted more and more in the streets and in public places all over the world. 

A group of inspired knitters, who call themselves the “Knittas,” started the urban knitting trend in August 2005.  The group began when the soon-to-be-Knittas were discussing their deep frustration over unfinished knitting projects: balls of yarn gathering dust and half knitted sweaters.  Once the group knit its first door handle the rest was history – Knitta was born!   

The Knittas knit everything from trees to public monuments and utility poles.  Visit the Knitta photo gallery to get inspired!

Read Full Post »

Stitches in Time

Legend has it that sailors wore sweaters with their family pattern knit into them so that their bodies could be identified if they died at sea.  Morbid as it may be, it is a notable application of the craft.

The actual origins of knitting are unknown.  Historic evidence of knitted pieces has been found in countries such as Egypt, England, Holland, Scotland, Spain, Germany.  The earliest evidence of knitted clothing found were fragments of socks that were made in Egypt sometime between 1000 and 1300 A.D.  However, even this is disputed since some scholars say that these socks were not knitted, but were the result of nalebinding, an ancient Scandinavian craft similar to knitting.

In the Middle Ages, knitting prospered and became a prominent industry. The manufacture of stockings was particularly important in Britain, and a number of knitting schools were established.  However, despite popular belief, it was men (and not women) who were the first to make a career in knitting!

The first trade union devoted to knitting professionals was founded in 1527 in Paris, which was run solely by men.  Soon knitted stockings became extremely popular and knitting became a household activity.  This is when women took over the craft.

The decline of knitting began in the 1980’s when machine knitted items cost less than the price of knitting the same item yourself.  However, an increased interest in traditional values has contributed to a sudden resurgence in knitting.  Knitting has become cool again.

Read Full Post »

Free gift with purchase!

Laurel Hill is now providing a complementary cedar sachet with every purchase!    The Aromatic Red Cedar sachets naturally helps to protect wool and fine fabrics from moths and other insects. Gently squeeze the sachet to refresh the wonderful cedar scent.  The unique sachets are made by Disabled American Veterans. 

(Gift is similar to photo, but does not include metal piece -  Assorted colors available).

Read Full Post »

A Visit to Silk Creek Alpacas

September 27 & 28th are National Alpaca Farm Days. Luckily, my friend Bil and his wife, Julia, just opened their Alpaca farm in Cottage Grove, Oregon – Silk Creek Alpacas. They hosted an open house today. They had kettle corn (yum!), trivia for the kids, coloring pages, bushels of fiber (very soft!) and, of course, two very friendly Alpaca farmers to answer questions.

I met my best friend and her husband and with our combined three adorable kids in tow, we made the drive to Cottage Grove to check out the farm.We had a great time. The kids loved the “llamas” (yes, I know they aren’t the same thing, but you try to get a 2 year old to say Alpaca!). Bil and Julia have a beautiful home and great property. I’m thrilled for them.

Another friend, Kim, was there, too, giving a spinning demonstration. Kim is a master knitter. I bow to her knitting greatness.

Read Full Post »

Use Your Stash for Good: DIY Dryer Balls

DIY Dryer Balls From CasaSugar

Via CasaSugar, an easy how to on making your own dryer balls. They are chemical free and can even whittle down your stash a bit. Now that’s using your stash for good!

Read Full Post »

Unraveling the Brain’s Secrets

Associate Professor Ruth Grahn has made a connection between “neuons and knitting.” Professor Grahn is an avid knitter and spinner and teaches all her behavioral neuroscience students to knit.

[from the Connecticut College magazine]

Why do you have the students in your Behavioral Neuroscience course learn to knit?

Students don´t expect to encounter knitting on the first day of a college class, so I like to surprise them with a lesson. It gets discussion started on all kinds of neuroscience topics. One that always comes up is memory.

The lesson takes the students through the course as they talk about types of memory and motor systems. Knitting requires the fingers to process a lot of information.

See? Knitting makes you smarter.

Knitted brain photo from The Museum of Scientifically Accurate Fabric Brain Art and Karen Norberg

Read Full Post »

Why Forest Palm?

Palmwood is considered an exotic hardwood. And while it may not be as common as bamboo or metal for knitting needles, all Laurel Hill needles are made of of this flexible, sturdy – and sustainable – wood.

A hardwood timber from coconut and date palms, palmwood is taken from plantation- grown palms ready to be cut down at the end of their 80-year production span. Palmwood is an alternative to rainforest timber and is a hard, dark wood with a unique texture. Tones range from golden to near ebony with dark brown flecks. Since coconut trees have no annual growth rings or branches, palmwood is free from knots and other imperfections.

Palmwood has a very long grain, making it very flexible, which a lot of knitters like (especially in the smaller gauges). We have found it doesn’t splinter like some other materials.

The feel and sound of wood knitting needles is warm and yes, some would say soothing. Knitting, after all is an experience of the senses.

If you have any questions about our Forest Palm needles, please leave a comment or send us an email.

Read Full Post »