Wearin' of the green...

Do you need some green in your life?  Well, St Patrick's Day is on Saturday, March 17th and there are so many free projects to do just that.

Try the knit patterns on About.com Knitting.  Most are small and quick to make accessories that you can also wear or use any time of the year.

Crochet Pattern Central really delivers a fine array of quick and fun patterns for you.

Enjoy this adorable embroidery pattern from Sublime Stitching.

I did spy a knit shamrock sock pattern download for $1.99 at KnitPicks created by designer,Christina Rowell .  They're sure to bring you luck all year round.

Stay grand, wear green and enjoy an adventure every day.

My first daffodil siting for 2012 taken at Pickering Creek Audubon Center last weekend.

Margaret (really into that Spring fever feeling today)

©MargaretNock, 2008-12. All rights reserved.

Click with color!

Knitter's Pride Dreamz Cable Needles at Yarn.com (WEBS)


The Knitter's Pride Dreamz Line offers us a treat for our spring/summer knitting projects...densified laminated birch wood needles in fun colors - hooray!  Densified laminated birch wood is also more affordable, which is always a plus in my knitting world.  They're strong and moisture resistant with no warping worries. The needles are smooth and the points are sharp. 
 
Spring is a great time to restock, expand your horizons and give these new needles a try (if you haven't already).  Visit yarn.com (WEBS) to see the video and check out all the gorgeous colors in the DreamzLine.  I have always enjoyed knitting with Knitter's Pride knitting needles and crochet hooks and I hope you will love them too.
 
Keep your needles and hooks busy. It's dark and boring when you're stuck in the project bag all the time.
 
Margaret (dreaming,knitting and surrounding my life with color)
 
"Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again."
Dorothy Day (knitter and activist)

Find more quotes at BrainyQuote.com

Weekend knitting: free patterns & eBook!

Here are three cute baby blankets that caught my eye.  These make  fun weekend knitting projects for your new baby chick-a-dees!

Plymouth Sweet Caroline Knit Baby Blanket  Both yarn and free pattern are available at NobleKnits.com

Dreamland & Dreamland Fancy are also free knit baby blanket patterns available at Plymouth Yarn Company.

RedHeart has a new free eBook just waiting for you with 26 knit and crochet accessory patterns! Grab your ebook description and free download of From Head to Toe, Young to Old and keep your needles and hooks smokin' hot.

Enjoy!
Margaret

Autumn arrives in early morning, but Spring at the close of a winter day. Elizabeth Bowen

Find more quotes at brainyquote.com

Spring-a-ling Extravaganza!

I've been missing in blogging action with work and computer issues lately. Everything is back on track and it's all about Spring and the marvelous celebration that come with the season. 

It's definitely time to rock the boardwalk with Namaste’s latest bag to have, the Boardwalk Bag.  It comes in yummy colors to choose from and made with PVC free faux leather.  This bag is comfortable, roomy and perfect for all of your on the go goodies and projects. There are actually several new offerings from this company of varying price ranges.  Keep them on your wishlist this year. Namaste also contributes 10% of their sale of light pink Namaste products to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Do find a little time to check these bags out and more at Namaste Inc.

Gather round vintage lovers and admirers of all things cleverly recycled for SewNewThings on Etsy.com.  I've loved this wonderful shop filled with color and whimsy for quite some time and was thrilled to see the write up for it in the VogueKnitting Spring 2012 issue.  Lynda Slade adds her talent for finding vintage craft supplies, recycling and her love of color to everything she touches.  My favs for Spring 2012 are the bake-lite knitting needle bracelets (of course!) the vintage knitting needles, and pouch bags.  There is much more to delight in.  Visit soon!

Okay Midwesterners,  mark your calendars early this year for the Midwest Fibers and Folk Art Fair which is happening June 22-24, 2012 at the Expo Center at the County Fairgrounds in Grayslake, Illinois.  Visit FiberAndFolk.com for the scoop.

Your next stop to Spring is Pantone, my seriously all time favorite place to keep up with the colors of each season and you can too!  Visit Pantone for the full array of 2012 Spring color and fun.

Spring never felt so good…

Margaret (working on a new spring video for you, with a little help from my computer)

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.  ~Charles Dickens

for more quotes, visit quotegarden.com.

Giveaway and a Spring Knitting Tip...

Today, I have a quick post for you and a Spring knitting tip-a-roo.  My Creating the Hive and Etsy friend Quentin Eckman is having a super awesomely amazing giveaway of ginormous proportion.  Please go to his blogpost Jewelry of your choice Giveaway! to get the full scoop. Stop by his website LunarSkies.com and Etsy Shop, Lunar Skies Jewelry.  You won't want to miss this one!


Now for the Spring Knitting Tip of the day: 
Spring is a great time to experiment with new breathable fibers, colors and thick and thin textures for your scarves, tops, and home decor that you've never considered before.  Line your choices up to see how interchangeable they are in color and texture and play around with different combinations. Discover what your creative muse inspires you to do. 

Enjoy your creative process and all of your new Spring 2012 projects!



Margaret (working, playing and looking forward to the new season)

The poof is in the pouch...

This crocheted pouch is made with Simply Soft Shadows, Mardi Gray from Caron and created for Annie's Gifts For Chemo. 

Sometimes we hit a bump in the road, suffer a loss, or experience an event in life we have no explanation for.  That is exactly the time we need to open our hearts the most, share with others and contine to create a better world for ourselves and others who are just waiting for our help.  I hope you will continue to open your heart beyond your wildest dreams this year.

Margaret (a heart in progress)

 

What's cool, colorful and soft?

Simply Cotton Sport Yarn available at KnitPicks.com

Well, you have to think cotton of course!  This time of year, many of us start thinking more about cotton fibers for our new projects.  The new colors for Spring will propel us into the season of warm breezes, sunny days, and gentle raindrops.

Here are some of my standby cottons and cotton blends for Spring and Summer 2012...

Shine Sport and Shine Worsted are so colorful and fun to work with.  You have to love that 60% Pima cotton blended with Modal.

Simply Cotton Organic Sport or Simply Cotton Organic Worsted are also wonderful because they ae 100% cotton and still easy to knit or crochet with.  You might also enjoy the colorful Simply Cotton Sport selection.  

Lion Brand's Cotton Ease is a sure pick for softness and durablity. It's wearable, yet great for home decor projects.   It also comes in beautiful colors that will mix and match well.  It's definitely a "go to" yarn.

I hope this lineup of cotton yarn gives you a few ideas for upcoming projects and many hours of knitting and crochet happiness.

Margaret (also liking cotton candy, but that's another story...)

Begin your Spring  Knitting with a signed copy of Knit Knitavian Style.  Visit MargKnittinAround on Etsy.  Year round knitting fun, inspiration and interviews ahead! 
Also available on Amazon and AuthorHouse Bookstore.


 ©Margaret Nock, Knit Knitavian Style: Allow your knitting adventures to begin.
Author House Publishing, 2012. Intellectual property of Margaret Nock, knit1fortheroad.com™
Unauthorized reproduction in whole or in part, or distribution is not allowed. All rights reserved.

 

How's your knitting game?

What happens when you get 2-6 knitters together for a game of Last Knitter Standing?  Check out the game details, yarn games and more section and join the avid fans on Facebook and Ravelry for all the buzz.  Liven up your next knitting group gathering by playing and creating a fun game environment.  Challenge your knowledge of knitting and encourage everyone to join in the fun.  The game also makes an awesome fundraiser event (love that) and a great knitting gift.  Give it a try!

Over the weekend, I watched the Harry Potter marathon for a couple of hours and heard this quote by Albus Dumbledore.  Do you remember it?  I perked up in my theater seat when I first heard it. 

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns." For more quotes from The Harry Potter movies, visit MuggleNet.com


Happy Fat Tuesday!
Margaret (playing games to keep the brain healthy and the laughs coming)

Great advice for sock knitters....

There are so many wonderful tips out there to help knitters these days.  It's getting easier for us all to improve our skills, learn design tricks of the trade and help us create beautifully finished projects.  Here's a sock knitting tutorial that I found today that I think is great advice and help for sock knitters.  Give it a try...

Sock Knitting: Sewn Bind-Off Tutorial by Kathleen Cubley

Knit as if no one is watching this weekend, even if you're in public.  Wheeee!

Margaret

Add a little crochet to your day...

Are you dreaming of warm sunny days with gentle breezes and cleansing rain showers?  Me too!  When my copy of CrochetToday arrived, I was overjoyed by the March/April 2012 issue.  I really love the line up of patterns which include a gorgeous Celtic Knot Scarf by Jennifer Ryan, Adorable Kokeshi Amigurumi doll by Brenda K.B. Anderson, a beautiful Dahlia Throw by Mary Miller, Wild Garden Pillow by Linda Cyr and several cute patterns for the little ones in your life. This issue will keep you crocheting into Spring and beyond with a variety of projects.  Visit the website to see more of this issue. Need it quick, no worries, you can purchase a digital copy online.  Copies should now be available at your local yarn or craft store.

I'll be back soon with Spring knitting inspiration.

Skip through Monday madness with a smile and a new crochet project.

Margaret