If you want your next knitting project to be something really special, try using Claudia’s Hand Painted Yarns. With seemingly endless color options, they will turn even the most basic project into something truly unique. But wouldn’t be even cooler if you could meet Claudia? She will be at Gotta Knit this Thursday November 11 from 5-7. Not only will her georgeous yarns be available, but there will also be lots of inspiration pieces and free patterns available with purchase. And of course there will be some tasty wine and cheese. For those who can’t make the party, beginning tomorrow Wednesday, November 10th, Gotta Knit will be showcasing a very large amount of the yarns for two weeks, so you can still join in the fun.

To meet Claudia and attend the FREE event on Thursday November 11, please RSVP at 212.989.3030 by tomorrow Wednesday November 10.

a sampling of yarn from Purl Soho

What better way to jump start your next knitting project than by attending the 2nd Annual NYC Yarn Crawl this weekend, October 9, 10 and 11 .  There are about 15 participating stores throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. At each store you visit, you will receive one free raffle ticket and be entered to win a basket of great knitting supplies from each venue. To celebrate the crawl, each store will offer their favorite 1 or 2 skein patterns online for free on the NYC Raffle website. There will also be a raffle basket at City Bakery! Sounds like a great way to refuel along the way. Be sure to sample their hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows.

Don’t miss the hand dyed cashmere at School Products. Thanks  to Yarn Co for letting me know about this great event.

How many stores can you fit into this weekend? This is also a great way to meet fellow knitters. There is no cost to attend the crawl, though I can not guarantee that you will not be tempted to make some purchases along the way!

Now that the weather is getting a little cooler (well it is supposed to be cooler in the Fall, right?), it is time to pick up those knitting needles again. What better to way to kick off knitting season than by helping a good cause. Come to the taping of the CBS Early Show on Tomorrow, September 29, from 7-9. Meet at the plaza of  the General Motors Building at 59th Street & 5th Avenue to knit or crochet on camera. Why? To help kick off the Land’s End FeelGood campaign. Land’s End will be donating thousands of pounds of FeelGood yarn to Warm Up America, a charity that provides hand knit/crocheted items to people in need. The yarn will be distributed to knitters and crocheters who will turn it into simple 7×9″ squares which will be assembled into blankets and donated.

I have posted about Make before, but thought you might be interested in their newly released summer schedule. New classes include embroidery, letterpress printing and soap-making.  If your in the creative mood, check out the full class list here.

What are you interested in learning this summer?

I love finding products that combine a few of my favorite things. Knit Kit Jewelery includes everything you need to make these beautiful jewelery pieces by knitting wire. The combination of tiny beads and clasps turn these into stunning pieces of wearable art. If you are looking for a summer knitting project or a gift for your favorite knitter, this is perfect!

Looking to learn a new craft like sewing, knitting, or jewelery design? Even if you just want to brush up on one of these skills and many more, Make Workshop can probably help you out. They offer instruction in both private and class settings. You can even set up a private class for birthday parties, baby showers or any other gathering.

So let those creative juices flow!

Though I am often seen with my knitting needles, I usually keep my knitting projects to baby gifts and scarves for myself. However, someone in the town of West Cape May, New Jersey decided that the trees needed to be kept warm also. The unidentified artist or artists have been knitting cozies on trees and lampposts for the last few months. While locals are facinted by these colorful additions, it is against the law since the trees and lampposts are public property. Until the town catches the knitters, it will remain a mystery as to which tree will be adorned next!

As an avid knitter, I am always on the lookout for a great knitting stores. Every time I find one I like, they seem to close. However, one I have yet to check out, but just learned about is the Lion Brand Yarn Studio. While not really retail a store, it is a great resource for all of your project questions and needs.  It is set up mostly as a showroom for the Lion Brand Company, but they have wonderful programs open to the public. The Knitting Dr. is on Tuesdays and the Crochet Dr. is in answering both who will help you with your current project. The last Thursday of the month is Flicks with Sticks Night, where a different movie that features a scene with knitting or crochet is shown. I think this will have to be my next stop!