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On the Move…

These past few weeks have been spent helping my mother-in-law, Florence Grossman, relocate from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. She is now living at an independent living facility, Lighthouse Pointe Village at Chapel Harbor, close to our home. I bet she will have a knitting group started in no time at all! Florence is responsible for making just about every knitted and beaded garment and accessory I own.

I’d love to know what everyone bought at the Festival this year. I hope that you can finish at least one item and plan to show it off at next year’s PJ party with StevenBe. My purchases included two pairs of earrings from Sassafras Creations (which I wear all of the time), Sheepish Creations’ Heather Moors Lace Shawl kit (shown at left, although mine is in gray), and a few other patterns. I promise to wear my finished lace shawl at Bedford in November and at the Festival next year.

Stay tuned next month, we’re adding a product line!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Knittreat Update

We are happy to announce that all of our teachers have been selected for the 2013 Bedford Springs Knittreat: Eleanor Swogger, the design director for Kraemer Yarns, and our very own Kathy Zimmerman will offer classes along with Marge Connelly, Cheryl Geschke, Elaine Smith and Ann Szilagyi.

We’re working on getting all of the info posted onto Knittreat.com, and we’ll have Early Bird registration open by June 1. 

Our Sweepstakes is back … for knitters AND crocheters!

This month, Barb has reviewed two books, and decided they were just too good to keep to herself! So she made them both sweepstakes prizes. Read on for her take on all this fibery goodness, and then see how you can get in on a chance to win a copy of one (or both!) of them:

Nature’s Wrapture: Contemporary Knitted Shawls

By Sheryl Thies

This book is like a breath of fresh air: Sheryl offers a collection of wraps for every season. It was inspired by her daily walks with her neighbor friend. Over several years, they took various bike paths, nature trails, and walked in parks and local neighborhoods. They watched the leaves change with the seasons, observing butterflies, birds, bumblebees and dragonflies dancing across their paths. Shawls with titles such as “Heavy Rain,” “Sandy Beach,” “Orchid,” “Roses” and “Flame,” the garments truly capture the changing seasons.

Twenty shawls are featured in the book, with styles ranging from ponchos to shrugs and wraps. They are shown in a variety of ways to wear them. Rectangular, triangular and asymmetrical, elegant to casual, lacy, beaded and functional, Sheryl has a garment for everyone.

One particularly standout feature in this book is “Sheryl’s Notes.” At the end of each pattern, Sheryl shares a tip for each garment… what needles work best with the yarn suggested, how to wear the shawl or different closure options, for example.

There are patterns for every level, from the beginner to advanced. The patterns seem to be well written with an accompanying chart. I was going to mention my favorite in the book, but couldn’t decide which one I like best. There are 12 that would be my favorite picks!

Crochet
One-Skein Wonders: 101 Projects from Crocheters around the World

Edited by Judith Durant and Edie Eckman

Although I do not crochet, this book is sure to be a big hit among crocheters! Judith Durant has previously published the One-Skein Wonders books for knitters, showing many ways to use your stash. Finally, here’s a book solely dedicated to crochet, with 101 projects to try out.

The projects are lovely, colorful and adorable as well as useful. They’re arranged by yarn weight, with an assortment of items: from scarves to shawls, hats, gloves, socks, yoga bags, purses, jewelry, flowers, baby clothing, doll clothing, home decor and amigurumi. Diagrams of several stitch patterns are included, as is a full glossary of techniques that will help every level of crocheter succeed, from the beginner to advanced.

Hip, boho patterns and even a few timeless vintage designs make me want to get out the hook and give it another try.

HOW TO ENTER THE SWEEPSTAKES: Simply send an email (one entry per person per prize, please) to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com by APRIL 30, 2013, with the subject line of either “Nature’s Wrapture” or “Crochet One-Skein Wonders.” Please include your name and a phone number where you can be reached. The winner of each book will be drawn randomly from the entries and announced in the May issue of Festival Update.

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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THANK YOU!

The Festival was a huge success and we owe it all to you, thank you.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers, teachers, vendors and staff who worked so hard to make this show happen. A full thank-you list can be seen on the website.

For those of you who were unable to attend or came late on Sunday when we ran out of programs, we have added the program as a PDF on the website that you can download here.

Many photos have been posted on our Facebook page. If you took any photos, we’d love to see them, too.

The winners of the One-Year Subscription to Knitter’s Magazine daily drawings were: 

• Friday: Jodi Neff
• Saturday: Tishie Woodwell
• Sunday: Lori Chandler 

We are always grateful for any suggestions or recommendations that might help us to improve each Festival. Each year, there are little items that arise, which we try to address. This year, we had some questions about parking. The hotel has been gracious and provided a free shuttle all three days to transport those who parked in an adjacent lot or were parked farther away.

The hotel DOES PERMIT parking along the yellow lines of its parking lot during the weekend of the show! We encouraged folks to drive together and carpool to help resolve this issue, but other than that, we are at the mercy of the venue. Other than going to another location, this is the best that we can do. Other locations would present other issues, though: parking would not be free; admission, classes and vendor spaces would become more expensive, etc.

We work very hard to keep costs low to accommodate everyone, including the small local farmers and store owners, as well as the folks who travel from far away. Let’s keep our Festival in an intimate hotel atmosphere, a more friendly environment than a convention center, which allows us to make closer connections and let our hair down.

I’m putting my daughter Sarah on a plane to Spain this week, then traveling to Florida with my sister Ann. I’ll send news again next month, including details about our fall Knittreat. I hope you spend the coming weeks playing with all your new Festival finds!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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See you at the Festival this weekend

I am all packed up and am on my way to the hotel to set up along with all of the vendors today. I will not be available to answer the phone, but if you need any urgent questions answered, you can send a note to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com.

Advanced registration is officially closed. You can now pay at the door when you arrive. There are some spaces remaining in some of the classes. We’ll have a complete list available for you at the registration tables.

Festival hours, schedule, vendors, teachers, classes and all activities are all posted online. Please refer to PghKnitAndCrochet.com if you have any general questions. Thank you. We officially open the doors at 1 p.m. on Friday, and the market opens at 1:30 p.m. See you there!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Vendors hit the highlights in Ravelry thread

Thanks to Kathy Zimmerman, Kathy’s Kreations, there’s a thread going on our Ravelry group page where vendors are discussing what they are going to be bringing to the Festival. If you’re a Ravelry member, we invite you to check out (and even join) the discussion here.  

Thank you, Karabella Yarns

Karabella Yarns has just joined in on the Festival fun, sending yarns for the event. Their latest garments will also be on display at our Revolving Trunk Show, and you can find their yarns at several of the vendor booths.

Festival totes and tees for sale

The $5 tote bags are green for St. Patty’s Day. We also have T-shirts available with such slogans as “It’s too hot to wear my sweater,” “I heart to knit” and “I heart to crochet.” Check out all the merchandise at the registration tables.

Who’s best in the ‘Burgh? We are!

We’ve been named a Best Bet by Pittsburgh magazine! 

Happy National Crochet Month

How nice of the Crochet Guild of America to coincide National Crochet Month with our Festival (OK, OK, so they’ve been doing it in March for a little longer than we have been).

We’ll be celebrating in part with the wonderful Stacey Trock’s adorable duck class on Sunday afternoon. Wouldn’t this crocheted cutie be the perfect addition to your Easter basket? There are still some spots available — along with just a few other classes that may still have space when you arrive for the Festival. Just make an inquiry at the registration tables! 

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Registration deadline is TOMORROW

Just a reminder that advanced Festival registration must be postmarked by TOMORROW, March 8. If you register online, the deadline is March 12 by noon, please. If you do not make these deadlines, you can pay at the door.

You can download a PDF of the classroom assignment list here. If you’re registered for classes, please check online to see whether you are supposed to do any homework before the class and/or bring any materials. All of your classes will be detailed in the packet that you pick up at the Registration Table.

You may also want to download the Revolving Trunk Show schedule PDF file we have just posted here. If you don’t want to download a copy of each in advance, we will have printed copies available for you along with your program when you arrive.

Last week, I announced that Hog Heaven Rescue Farm would provide light fare for us both Friday and Saturday evenings. However, they are shorthanded and unable to take on any additional tasks besides the coat check and skein winding. The Four Points has agreed to offer light meals for us in addition to their two restaurants. Similar to the grab-and-go meals they provide during the lunchtime hours, this might be a perfect alternative to a heavy meal in the evening. We’ll also have popcorn, pretzels and free coffee on Friday evening and a cash bar both nights. Please be sure to join me for a cocktail on Friday and Saturday night. It will be a great way to celebrate our ninth year, and a great way to unwind.

Don’t forget your donations for the Salvation Army’s Fabric Fair.

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget about bringing a small, handmade gift for the Friday night get-together. See you soon! 

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

A word about our sponsors

Our sponsors are great! We are so lucky to have the support from our many friends and companies who help to make the Festival a success. The following companies have sent gifts of patterns, books, magazines, yarns and games for giveaways at the Festival: 

• Aslan Trends
• Be Sweet
• Berroco
• Feza
• Interweave
• Kollage Yarns
• Kraemer Yarns
• Last Knitter Standing
• Lion Brand
• Made in America Yarns
• Martingale
• Mihaela Exclusive Knits
• Pat Catan’s
• TKGA
• TSC
• XRX, Inc./Knitter’s magazine

If you follow us on Twitter, you’ll soon be seeing photos posted of the various goodies that have come in! 

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Parking, shuttle, food and more

Parking is oftentimes overflowing for the Festival, so please consider carpooling with some friends. To make life a bit easier, though, the Four Points Sheraton will once again be providing a free shuttle to transport you to and from your car all three days. It will operate the following hours: 

• Friday, March 15: 1 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 16: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  
• Sunday, March 17: 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The hotel will also provide a luncheon kiosk for those who prefer a quick and easy meal during show hours. On Friday evening and Saturday evening, our friends from Hog Heaven Rescue Farm will provide light bites and snacks if you should choose to stay in for dinner. We’ll have their menu in next week’s newsletter. The hotel restaurant will be open as well, and they will have a cash bar open for us both Friday and Saturday evening during our reception and PJ party in the Connections area. There will be free coffee for those who want to stay up late or all night at the “Knit-a-thon” that the Knit the Bridge members are hosting!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Sweepstakes winners announced

In last week’s enewsletter, we offered the chance to be randomly selected for a spot in Amy Maceyko’s Friday evening Crochet Motif Scarf class. We also offered the chance to win the book Barb reviewed in that issue, Sock-Yarn Shawls, 15 Lacy Knitted Shawl Patterns by Jen Lucas.

We’re pleased to report that Judy Conkle, Wheeling, W.Va., is the winner of the spot in Amy’s class, and that Mary Louise Chulak from Beaver Falls, Pa., won the book.

Congratulations, ladies!

Festival Giveaways: TWO Candace Eisner Strick books

Martingale & Co. graciously provided us with two books by our Festival Headliner, Candace Eisner Strick: knit one, STRIPE TOO, making the most of self striping yarns and Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects using Natural Fibers. These books are out of print and only available as e-books. We plan to give one away on Friday evening and one on Saturday evening, and will pass out tickets at the Friday night and Saturday night events to everyone who wants a chance to enter the contest.

With the great amount of work still necessary for the Festival, Barb has not had adequate time to formally review these books, but here’s her quick takes on each:

Although Beyond Wool is nearly 10 years old, it’s timeless, with patterns to show how to knit with 10 natural fibers. It is also a resource book, showing the origins of each fiber, from silk, hemp and cashmere to qiviut. My favorite part of this book is the intro from Candace, about being in a bar with a group of knitters and the $1 million dollar bet with a rude guy. Maybe we can get her to share the story at the Festival and sign the winner’s book!

knit one, STRIPE TOO is also a little ahead of its time, with self-striping yarns exploding and being the rage! Aren’t we lucky to have Candace with us this year? It seems as if she is just ahead of the knitting curve. This year, we offer five classes with Candace, but only two have open spots remaining: Strickly Socks, on Saturday afternoon, and Customize your Cables, on Sunday morning. Knowing Candace, she is sure to show you a few things you didn’t know about socks and cables in these classes.

ADVERTISEMENT

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FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Happy Valentine’s Day from California!

Credit: iStockphoto

This message is reaching you while I am recharging in sunny California. For the last 9 years, I have spent my Valentine’s Day with many of you. This year, I get to spend it with the love of my life, my husband, Randy. (It also happens to be our anniversary on Feb. 15!) I’ll be rested, renewed and ready for the final weeks before the Festival when I return. 

Don’t worry, my team is still in place accepting your registrations and answering any questions you may have about the Festival, which will be here before you know it!

I’ve brought a few knitting books along with me to review, along with a knitting project that’s kind of experimental for me: I’m trying out the Kollage Yarn Square Knitting Needles. I’ll have a full report next week. In fact, our newsletter will be hitting your inbox weekly from now through March 15.

In the meantime, here are just some items to please take note of as we get closer to the Festival:

• If you’re registering for a class, please check online to ensure the class you want is not already marked as full. We try to put it up on the website as soon as it’s full, so we don’t have any confusion with new registrants.

• Also (and this is VERY important!), please make sure you include payment with registration. We do not hold space in classes for registered students unless we have received their payment.

• Anytime during the Festival weekend, we invite you to make a Fiber Flag to hang in the chain of Tibetan Style Prayer Flags that will be displayed outside of Fiberart International 2013 this spring! Tara Zalewsky-Nease has offered to share this project with us: She will provide the materials for you to make a simple drawing with a black permanent marker on 8.5″ x 6.5″ white fabric. Tara will dye the fabric afterward, and they will be hung at two locations this spring: the Society for Contemporary Craft in the Strip and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in Squirrel Hill. To be a part of this big project, all you need to do is bring your imagination. The flags will be on the tables with the Woven Prayer Flags and at the Friday Night Knit the Bridge Lounge Reception. Don’t forget to sign your name and city somewhere on the flag.

• Also at our Friday Night Knit the Bridge Lounge Reception, we invite everyone to bring a small, handmade gift, wrapped, to share in a “gift swap.” It can be a crocheted flower, a handmade card, an origami piece, or anything that you have made that is small. It does not have to be knitted or crocheted… it can be a collage, paper craft, wood, needle felted, recycled. It should just be a little token to share (no store-bought items).

• During the Saturday Pajama Party with StevenBe, we will have both an Open Mic night and Show & Tell. For Open Mic, we invite anyone who has a knitting or crochet story to share to come on up and tell it as we eat, drink and socialize. For Show & Tell, please bring along any garment or accessory you’ve made recently … or even a vintage piece that you want to show off.

• Last, but not least, we thank Last Knitter Standing for donating several games both as prizes during the weekend events (Friday reception and Saturday pajama party), and to open up and play, too!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Friday Night Festival Fun

In addition to the wonderful Knit the Bridge Lounge reception we have planned for Festival attendees on Friday, March 15, featuring the Mochimochi display, we will also have a presentation from Bruce Mazzoni. Bruce will tell us all about the plans for a yarn bombing for the Cranberry Township, PA, Community Days Celebration in July. They have a park full of trees, and eight have been adopted so far for yarn bombing (including one by the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival!). Bruce and his team are looking for other groups to get involved, as well. If you live in the township, or would simply like to be included in the activity, please let Bruce know at brucemazzoni@zoominternet.net.

It looks as if the knitting and crochet bug is catching and spreading like crazy… so much better than the flu bug!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Festival registration updates

At press time, the following classes have been filled:

Friday afternoon:

• Short Rows Make BIG Statements (Spectra Scarf) with Judi Kirby
• Introduction to Fair Isle Knitting with Jane Bigelow
  

Friday evening: Drop Spindle Spinning with Cosette Cornelius-Bates

Saturday morning:

• Tunisian Crochet Entrelac Scarf/Neck Warmer with Misty Ledbetter
• Intro to Entrelac with Bev Bortner
• Crocheting with Beads with Vicki Fergus

Saturday afternoon:

• Painted Skeins and Roving with Laun Dunn
• Double Knitting with Bev Bortner
• Short Rows Make BIG Statements (Spectra Scarf) with Judi Kirby
• Finishing Class with Bonnie Meanor

Sunday morning: Don’t Rip It, Fix It with Kate Lemmers

Sunday afternoon: Crocheted Prayer Shawl with Marge Connelly

In addition, Heidi Kozar is unable to teach this year because of a family emergency. We are fortunate to have found outstanding substitute teachers for her classes: Lisa Carnahan, Bonnie Meanor and Nancy Premoshis will teach Heidi’s classes. Heidi has been in touch with the teachers, and shared with me that she is great friends with them and is pleased that they could help out. We wish Heidi the best, our thoughts and prayers will be with her and her family.

Spread the word for Knit the Bridge

Knit the Bridge aims to have proportional representation of Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania communities based on age, gender identity, ability, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Therefore, we need your help to reach these communities by getting the word out to organizations, individuals, and networks that serve many diverse communities. If anyone is interested in sharing more information about this project with their knitting and crocheting friends and colleagues, including the fact that our Festival is going to feature a Knit the Bridge Lounge all weekend long, please check out the info on the project’s web page, Facebook page and Ravelry group.

January Sweepstakes winner announced

The random Sweepstakes winner of a FREE Robyn Chachula class is Mary Ann Heinauer of Pittsburgh. Congratulations, Mary Ann!

Book review AND Sweepstakes prize

Quick Knit Flower Frenzy: 17 Mix & Match Knitted Flowers from Annie’s Knitting offers easy, step-by-step tutorials for 17 stash-busting flowers. The instructions are well written and there are inspiring ideas for how to wear the flowers: in your hair, on your favorite shoes, and as embellishments.

What sets this book apart is the creative way in which the flowers are embellished and finished, with tassels, beads, floss and buttons. The flowers include Dahlias, Beaded Pansy, Black-Eyed Susan, Larkspur and 13 others that leave us longing for those warmer and longer days, with our own bouquets from the garden.

To enter the sweepstakes, please send an email (one entry per person, please) to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com by Feb. 15, 2013, with the subject line of “Flower Frenzy.” Please include your name and a phone number where you can be reached. The winner may pick up the book at the Festival registration desk next month!

Free pattern AND Sweepstakes prize, courtesy of Soft N Sassy

Cheryl Geschke, owner of Soft N Sassy in Broadview Heights, OH, and a longtime Festival fixture, is sharing her supercute Valentine’s Day Pom-Pom Wreath pattern with Festival Update readers! Click here for directions… and if you want the chance to WIN THE KIT, simply send an email (one entry per person, please) to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com by Feb. 15, 2013, with the subject line of “Pom-Pom Wreath.” Please include your name and a phone number where you can be reached. Don’t forget to visit the Soft N’ Sassy booth, No. 6, at the Festival… which is also where you can pick up the kit if you win!

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Calling all swatches, bits and pieces

The Knit the Bridge group is looking for and collecting all swatches, bit and pieces. Some of the crocheters are using these within the panels. There are many meetups listed on the website: www.knitthebridge.com.

We’ll have our very own Knit the Bridge Lounge Kick-off reception at the Festival on Friday evening (March 15), with a presentation scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the official kick-off for the “Knit and Crochet all Night” to begin at 9:15 p.m. Games, prizes, coffee and lots of fun are planned. We’ll provide the yarn, all you need to do is bring your needles and hooks.

If you have fabric or notions, bring them, too, for the Festival is once again an official Salvation Army Fabric Sale drop-off location.

On Saturday evening (March 16), we will have a Ravelry meetup at the PJ party with StevenBe. We will also be presenting Kathy Zimmerman with a Lifetime Achievement award. Kathy will be featured in our event program… please be sure to stop at her Kathy’s Kreations booth (Nos. 2 and 3) so she can autograph your copy. At the party, we’ll have prizes and giveaways, so wear your best jammies, socks and slippers! We’ll also continue to knit and crochet panels for Knit the Bridge during that event.

There is no charge for either evening’s activities; it is included in your day admission. Please be sure to RSVP for them, though, so that the hotel has an idea of how many to plan for. Can’t wait to see you there!

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Join us for UPMC Senior Communities Sunday

March 17 is UPMC Senior Communities Sunday at the Festival! That means that all seniors, 65 and older, pay only $5 (admission at the door only) ALL DAY Sunday. This discount was graciously made possible by UPMC Senior Communities.

Plus, did you know that the Mega Bus stops in Pittsburgh? Plan to come with a group on the Mega Bus and save money to buy even more yarn!

Festival classes are filling up

Right now, the following classes have been filled:

• Friday PM Intro to Fair Isle Knitting
• Saturday AM Crochet with Bead Class
• Saturday AM Tunisian Crochet Entrelac Scarf

Please be certain to check the website when filling out your form for full classes, they will be updated there, as well as on our Facebook and Twitter pages, as they fill. You will receive a confirmation if you sign up for classes.

Dyeing demos added to Festival lineup

We will have demos on Saturday and Sunday showing various dyeing techniques. Wendy Colbert and Amy Reed have been providing dyeing demos in the Fiber Tent at the Martha’s Vineyard Ag Fair for the last 5 years, but we welcome them to their Pittsburgh Festival debut.

Wendy and Amy will be showing how to dye with a Crock pot, and how to “paint” on fiber and yarn. They will also have on display items that have been dyed in the past, so you can see the wide variety of options that can be used on fiber.

Two winners from Jan. 9 Sweepstakes announced

We had two copies of Knitted Farm Animals, 15 Irresistible Easy-to-Knit Friends, by Sarah Keen, to give away in our last issue. The random Sweepstakes winners are Gina Eckert, Eighty Four, PA, and Jane DiMenno, Pittsburgh, PA. Congratulations to you both!

Free pattern AND Sweepstakes prize, courtesy of Robyn Chuchula

The wonderful Robyn Chachula, Crochet by Faye, is sharing her Trefoil Scarf pattern with Festival Update readers! But before you break out the crochet hooks, check this out:

We are offering a FREE ADMISSION for one person to one of Robyn’s classes: Beyond the Basics on Friday PM OR Crochet Sweater Repair Kit, Saturday PM.

The drawing for the winner of the class will be selected in one week: Jan 30, with the winner notified and posted on Facebook. Simply send an email (one entry per person, please) to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com by Jan. 29, 2013, with the subject line of “Crochet by Faye.” Please include your name and a phone number where you can be reached.

Robyn will also be available at the Crochet by Faye booth (No. 56) to sign any autographs and books when she is not teaching.

OK, now about that scarf pattern: Visit CrochetByFaye.com/TrefoilScarf.pdf to download the PDF!

Welcome, TKGA!

We are pleased to welcome a new exhibitor this year: The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) will join us and will be our official “ER” for anyone who has any mistakes that need to be addressed.

We also welcome our 2013 Festival sponsors:

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

Become our fan on these social media sites:

We are a proud member of

Festival Update is published by

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

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© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

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Reflecting, and looking ahead

Looking back at the year, I must say that the patterns of 2012 were very creative. Many of the projects were small and easy to accomplish, assuming you know the techniques used. Among my favorites were Leftie, Wingspan and the Spectra Scarf, all of which I have and promise to wear at the Festival. They each feature a variation of the short row technique.

This year, we are offering three Festival classes with teaching short rows, two of which are the Spectra Scarf and one with Heidi Kozar: Shapely Short Rows. Much of the appeal of these patterns is the yarn. Yarns have evolved so much over the last decade, even within the last five years. With the long changing colorways of Kauni Effekt, to the beautiful beaded yarns (ArtYarns), embellished yarns (Pagewood, BeSweet, TSC and our good friend StevenBe), to the recent explosion of alpaca, all of which can be found at the various booths at the Festival. The textures and colors are fantastic, and it might even be fun to pull out some of your favorite old patterns and try the new yarns with them.

I applaud all of the indie dyers, designers and yarn companies who work hard and have fun producing these beautiful works of art. I love them all; perhaps I should look into reviewing yarns as well as books! I look forward to what 2013 will bring.

There are many alpaca farms cropping up in back yards everywhere. In fact, I have had many recent requests for booths at the Festival from local alpaca farms, and I’m pleased to announce that we have three vendors this year featuring alpaca: Stramba Farm, Annadele Alpacas and Highland Alpaca. It is the perfect yarn for those who have a wool allergy and need some additional warmth. Baby alpaca is one of the softest yarns, it’s the only socks we wear in the house during the cooler months. 

One last note: When sending in your registration form, whether by mail or electronically, please be certain to make a copy for yourself. I have had numerous requests from pre-registered folks who forgot to write down what they were taking, and would like a copy sent to them. All registrations sent in with class requests will receive a confirmation via email; however, you will not be sent any tickets in advance or a list of the classes for which you’re registered. You will be notified if the class/es you selected are full. All classes will be marked FULL on the class pages on the website as they fill, by the way. 

You may pick up your registration envelope at the door when you arrive. Our doors will open at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 15, a half-hour prior to the market opening and class start times. On Saturday and Sunday, the doors will open at 8:30 a.m. See you soon, and stay tuned for newsletters every other week from now until the Festival with updates. 

With Warm Regards,

Barbara Grossman

Call for Festival volunteers

In previous years, many of you have asked to volunteer the weekend of the Festival. We have volunteer opportunities for those who would be interested in:

• Setting up on Thursday, March 14, from 1 to 9 p.m.
• Teaching others to knit and/or crochet on Saturday and Sunday noon to 1 p.m.
  
• Assisting with the woven prayer flags, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
  
• Trunk show assistance, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
  
• Yarn angels (watching a booth while a vendor takes a break, fetching meals for a vendor, etc.), Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Please let us know if you are available to assist in any way. Volunteers are given free admission all three days, plus a gift or a discount toward a class of their choice. When responding, please include your phone number and email address, what day and what time of day would best suit your schedule.

Other than the Teach Me 2 Knit or Crochet classes, all other volunteer shifts are for two hours.

Lion Brand Yarn joins as a Festival sponsor

Lion Brand Yarn is a new sponsor this year. They will have some fun gifts for us, and we look forward to a sneak preview of their garments at the Revolving Trunk Show. They will also be supplying us with yarn for the Knit the Bridge project.

Follow the Festival Pinterest page

We want to be where our attendees are, and it seems these days more and more of them are on Pinterest.com. So follow us on our Pinterest profile, where you can find boards devoted to our sponsors, teachers, events and more. We’ll keep it updated in the coming months so you can find even more to love, comment on and repin!

Dec. 19 Sweepstakes winner

We had an overwhelming response to Randy’s review of Boyfriend Sweaters by Bruce Weinstein. But there was only one copy to give away, and that we did to Beth Pomerantz, Pittsburgh, PA. Congratulations, Beth… and Randy, who received many, many compliments on his insights and critique!

Book review… and TWO chances to win

Knitted Farm Animals, 15 Irresistible Easy-to-Knit Friends, by Sarah Keen, is a sweet look at all of the animals in the barnyard. Knitters of all skill levels will fall in love with this roundup of furry and feathered critters, including a pig, sheep (of course!), cat, llama and mama duck, with ducklings. Each animal is beautifully photographed in the book’s colorful gallery section.

The knitted patterns, sprinkled with fun farm facts and jokes, are easy to follow, with photos showing each toy from a variety of angles. This is a perfect book for small, easy projects. I have several little critters, knitted and felted, that make it into the Easter basket every year.

I have TWO copies of this darling book to give away. To enter the sweepstakes, please send an email (one entry per person, please) to pghknitandcrochet@gmail.com by Jan. 21, 2013, with the subject line of “Knitted Farm Animals.” Please include your name and a phone number where you can be reached.

Thank you, Pat Catan’s

Pat Catan’s Craft Centers has graciously sent FOUR huge boxes of yarn for the Festival, to be used for all of our charity projects onsite all weekend, including Knit the Bridge!

FYI: Festival & Yarn Information

Info about submitting books or products for review is here.

Info about Festival teaching, sponsorship or exhibiting is here.

Info about Festival attendance is here.

Info about our Knittreat is here.

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Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet

P.O. Box 7706, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 / (412) 963-7030

We do not share our mailing list with any third party.

© 2013 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

eNews designed by Gooch & Gooch, LLC