Simply Summer Knitting and more...

Knit Simple

Inspiration!

Brighten Your Home Decor with

Bernat Beach Ball Dishcloths

Little House in the Suburbs

A delightful mix of knit patterns (free), recipes, crafts, a book and much more.

Enjoy the lazy hazy days of summer, weekend projects, and the upcoming holiday weekend coming our way soon.

Happy 4th of July,

Margaret

Childhood Knitting Tales

Freddie's Blanket by Joanna Johnson with illustrations by Eric Johnson.

I miss childhood sometimes when I see treasures like Freddie's Blanket by Joanna Johnson.  Joanna weaves a wonderful tale about an adorable Platypus, named Freddie, and manages to incorporate knitted items throughout the book, with patterns included, of course.  The illustrations really grab my "art heart" and are created by Joanna's husband, Eric.  Joanna and Eric, inspired by their own children, share with us an opportunity to create our own traditions of sharing our love of knitting with our little ones. 

You might also enjoy another book by this duo...

Phoebe's Sweaterby Joanna Johnson with illustrations by Eric Johnson.

Definitely add these books to your gift and wish lists.
It's our turn to pass on happy childhood memories wherever we roam.  Tag, your it!

Margaret (This post is dedicated to my sister, Lea, who spent endless hours reading the poetry and stories of Christopher Robin to me and A. A. Milne for creating them.)

The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh

Come on over to CreatingTheHive, it's beeliscious!

Follow me along on Twitter for updates @ knit1fortheroad.

knit, read, & craft your way through wed

Enjoy this bonus "Holiday" issue of Vogue Knitting International.  Check out the preview .  Dive into beautiful patterns, yarns, and new ways to look at knitwear, fashion and fiber.  It's a great time to be knitting and this mag is so inspiring you're going to want to add issues to your knitting library.

 The latest issue of MixTape is here!  Knitters, you're going to want to read the delightful article, Rock Meets Craft...an interview with Kelley Deal.  You may have seen Kelley's appearance on KnittyGritty with host Vickie Howell (Rock Star BagEpisode DKNG-401)
or seen her book:
 Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal
There's so much crafting sensation in this full color issue, your going to be soaking in full blown creativity for days.


Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) 

Lois Wilson has a new book coming out soon and is available for preorder.  I love it when knitting or crafting is combined with a good story. So cool to be crafting.

I've been in charity knit and crochet mode this week and will post a few projects soon.  In the meantime, let me know some of your fav charity knit and crochet patterns.  You will inspire others to join in by a simple act of sharing. Pretty big stuff don't you think?

Marg(watching the stash disappear)
You might also enjoy reading:

Crafty Inspiration!

©Margaret Nock, 2010. All rights reserved.

 Knit Knitavian Style. See the preview here.

Give a knitter what they want:

Over 20 knit patterns for everyday use and for every season

Insightful interviews

Amusing stories and observations

Resources for knitting and charity

Full color, easy to read, clear skill ratings, optional finishing suggestions and inspiration to keep you knitting all year round.

Also available online in the following places:

Author House Bookstore

Amazon

Barnes & Nobles

Gift a signed copy HERE from my Etsy shop, margknittinaround

Tuesday take a look day...

"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either."
— Elizabeth Zimmermann

It's Tuesday take a look day! Get anotional with some knitting notions to make your mouth water, your knitty heart race, and your fingers tingle at Lantern Moon.  They've added to their posse' of adorable stitchmarkers and tape measures.

You might also consider this Sweater in Progress Knitting Key Ring by Cedar Creek Quilt Designs which is now available at KnitPicks.  You might also enjoy their Butter Hand Cream to keep your hands in tip top condition - yum!

Fall is a great time to try something new.  Why not try an Indigo Dye Kit and dye your own fabric or yarn.  What I like best about this kit is that it is reasonably priced and the dye works on both plant and animal fibers.  The kit comes with indigo dye, reducing agent, 1 pair of gloves and an instruction booklet.  Choose from an array of yarn here.  There is also a New to Dyeing Set if you prefer, which includes the yarn and three Jacquard dyes in primary colors.

Maybe you might enjoy NeedleFelting and other felting projects?  It's hard to pick a felting book as a favorite, there are so many to choose from, but I do have four that I've enjoyed and they are:


Quick And Clever Felting by Ellen Kharade
I Heart Felt: 33 Eye-Popping Projects for the Inspired Knitter

AlterKnits Felt: Imaginative Projects for Knitting & Felting

Fabulous Felted Scarves: 20 Wearable Works of Art

Marg (waiting for rain to fall, coffee to brew, and another knitting adventure)

Knit Knitavian Style: Allow your knitting adventures to begin.

Knit 1 for the Road

Signed copies are available on MargKnittinARound on Etsy.com

Spring Scene, Summer Stash!

Rosario Vest, free pattern from Caron, designed by Randy Cavaliere

New for spring at Berrocco with new booklets, friday free pattern and yummy yarn. Check out their New this Season tutorial.

Free spring/summers patterns at Caron will get you reved up and ready to knit through the summer.  I especially like the Rosario Vest.

Free Crochet Beach Wrap pattern from Coats & Clark made with AUNT LYDIA’S® “Classic Crochet” thread

Book Doin's in this weekend...

2010 Virginia Festival of The Book
Saturday, March 20, 2010
9:00am - 4:00pm
Omni Hotel
235 W Main St
Charlottesville, VA

Love books?  This weekend is a great opportunity to line up your summer reading stash and discover new authors. The Internet Book Database folks have a table at the Virginia Festival of The Book Fair on Saturday, March 20, 2010. They will have a vast array of books, cd's and a giveaway event during the day.  Please stop by and support their efforts to organize and support authors and their books.  There's  a chace to pick up a free copy of my knitting pattern book, Knit 1 for the Road.  Visit their site, Internet Book Database to  find out some of the books that will be there Internet Book  Database   

The Festival is attended by more than 20000 book lovers and  will be going on from March 17-21. Visit http://www.vabook.org/ for more information about the festival.

Celebrate, knit, and support your local artists.

Marg (wrapping myself up in sunshine today)

Knit 1 for the Road

Sock City -icey with a chance of cocoa...

KAL with RavelryGroup KnittyDirtyGirl on Ravelry  OrganicBobYarnPile project bag from the RavelryMini-Mart.  The yarn is from KnittyDirtyGirl on Etsy.  Rachel-Marie is on vacation so do check the box yes, if you would like to be notified when she returns.

Are you an East Coaster? If so, you probably experienced a lot of snow and chilly weather this weekend and today is the first official day of winter.  When you're done shoveling, playing with the kids, and drying off with a cup of cocoa, it's time to get down to some serious needlework of choice.

This weekend, I finally got a chance to start my socks for the KAL (Knit-Along) with Rachel-Marie (knittydirtygirl) Ravelry group. I went old school starting at the top and not the toe with this one and improvised so there is no real printed pattern.

There's nothing like making items for other people, but sometimes you long to join in community and KAL's are a great way to do that.  Push yourself to try new patterns and explore new shapes to make.  You will be surprised how quickly you will improve your skills.  Ask questions, post comments, and see what every one else is doing as you knit along.  You may even discover a new yarn choice.  Check Ravelry groups, forums, and online at your favorite yarn stores.  If your lucky enough to have a group near you, and/or a local yarn store - join in!  I've also seen groups form at some of the major craft stores, so don't rule them out. 

Break out of your snow coma - it's sunny in SockCity, KnitCity, and KALTown.

Marg (I confess to eating a cookie and now I have a serious sugar rush)

 

You might enjoy these sock knitting books and kits: