To Gift or Not To Gift

Week 31 = The Worth of Your Knitting
Day 2 = July 31, 2014
    

My sister asked for a shawl.

Should I gift her one?

~

My best friend wants a pair of socks.

Should I charge her for the yarn?

~

Aunt Grace asked for a scarf for her neighbor's daughter.

Should I charge her?

     When you get a knitting request, the first thing to think about is WHO will be receiving the item. The person requesting is not always the person receiving.

     My first ever project request was from my Aunt. She asked me to make a baby blanket for her secretary. I gave her a price for the blanket and when I bought the yarn I added that to the total. I am close with my Aunt, so if she had asked for something for herself, I would have probably just said pay me for the yarn. But because it wasn't for her, I gave a price for the baby blanket.

     Generally, when someone specifically asks for a knit item, I will figure a price. If my parents, husband or aunt asked for something for themselves, I would just ask that they cover the cost of the yarn.

     Gifting a knit item that has been requested is completely up to you, the knitter. Just be sure to be consistent. If you decide to charge one Aunt, then it would be wise to charge them all. If you gift items intended for close relatives, then do not charge your wild and out of control niece just to teach her a lesson.

     But my number ONE rule is:
     ALWAYS MAKE THE PERSON REQUESTING THE KNIT ITEM PAY FOR ALL THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting or Gifting,
 

Victoria

What is your knitting worth?

Week 31 = The Worth of Your Knitting
Day 1 = July 30, 2014

 

www.dreamstime.com

     As knitter's we often get the question, "Can you make me ...?" It is part of being a knitter that we love and dread. We love it because someone has acknowledged our talent and ability. We dread it because most people do not understand how much TIME goes into knitting.

 

     We often accommodate the occasional request. When accepting these requests it throws us into a huge field of:

• Should I charge for the item or gift the item?
• What is my knitting worth?
• What is my time worth?
• Am I doing this for the money?
• Am I  doing this for the person requesting it?
• Am I doing it for the joy of knitting?
• Should I charge for supplies?

 

      There are so many questions and a lot of it boils down to what you personally are comfortable with. I hope that you will check in throughout the week as I discuss different points and concerns.

~~~

The winner of the July Giveaway is Darla Tennis. Congratulations!

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

 

Knitting With Worth,

 

Victoria

Giveaways on Facebook

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 7 = July 29, 2014

     I love Facebook. There is so much information that you can get or ignore. You can keep up with friends that live overseas, family members that are thousands of miles away, businesses in your area and your favorite TV shows all in one place.

     If you happen to like Knitionary's Facebook page you would have seen their post yesterday about a giveaway they are having.

     KnitCrate is a great website. On their Facebook page they have a giveaway that was listed just today. KnitCrate is a subscription box service (they currently offer 6 different types of crates for knitters) and online store for knitters.

     Now if you know Facebook, you know that to get these notifications you must 'like' the Facebook page. I love getting all the knitting and yarn information because there is bound to be something that I find useful or beautiful every day. Just thinking about it makes me smile.

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway(which ends tomorrow
at noon) by answering the Knitting Question of the Day on our
Savery Knitting Facebook page. The link is below and answers
must be posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting With Facebook,

Victoria

My Monday - Blooming in Reverse - Part 2

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 6 = July 28, 2014

     I have made a lot of progress this week on the Blooming in Reverse shawl despite myself. I spent last Monday through Thursday knitting and frogging up to 20 rows at least 10 times. I finally got through the math and achieved the feel I was looking for.

     Using all the green yarn, I was able to complete 58 rows in stockinette with columns of eyelets as seen above. Measuring the center of the back, the green yarn is 12 1/2" and the width of the green yarn at the top of the shawl in roughly 30" wide.

     In this close-up picture you can see that I started the Victoria yarn. There will be about 10 rows in the same pattern, then it will change to hopefully allow me to design the pattern that I see in my head.

     I am having so much fun with this project. I have never written a pattern as I am knitting it, I am always too impatient and want to see the final outcome. Some changes and notes have already come up. For example:

• I really need about 200 yard worsted weight green yarn instead of 127 yards that was available in this Classic Elite skein.
• I need to re-figure my numbers so that I can evenly divide my sections at each increase section.
• I really like the color variations of the Victoria yarn and am considering an extra skein to bring me to 279 yards instead of 186.
  

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway by answering

the Knitting Question of the Day  on our Savery Knitting

Facebook page. The link is below and answers must be

posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

 

Knitting With a Vision,

Victoria

Magazine Associated Giveaways

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 5 = July 27, 2014

     During my search for giveaways this week I found that there are even giveaways from knitting magazines. This even includes international knitting magazines like the one below from a UK knitting magazine:

Giveaway link here - expiration varies

  

     Here are several that I found for US knitting magazines:

Giveaway link here - expired 7/18/2014

Some magazines even archive their old giveaways so that you can still get the information:

Giveaway archive here - expired

Even online magazines offer giveaways:

Giveaway link here - expired 7/8/2014

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway by answering

the Knitting Question of the Day  on our Savery Knitting

Facebook page. The link is below and answers must be

posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting Internationally,

Victoria

Ravelry and Giveaways

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 4 = July 26, 2014


     I have talked about Ravelry quite a bit. It is a wonderful resource... and a great place to learn about giveaways. I went to the Groups tab and entered "giveaway" into the search field and came up with 41 results. They range from groups where you can talk and show your giveaways to a Freecycle type group that gives away items. Here are a few that I liked:



Cup of Stitches

A group run by Lena Fedotova and Yuliya Tkacheva,

where you can keep up-to-date with their new designs,

test opportunities, special offers and pattern giveaways.

610 members, since Mar 14 2012

Harebrained Knits

Knits designed by Ashley Farmer - a harebrained knitter

with two rabbits that keep her on her toes. Join in for

KALs, test knits, pattern announcements & giveaways!

18 members, since Apr 20 2013

Must Stash Podcast

Friends of the Must Stash Video Podcast and Blog.

We talk about knitting, spinning, do some reviews,

and love to do giveaways. Come join the fun!

2247 members, since Feb 12 2013

Contestants - Enter Here!

A place to share contests, competitions and prizes available

for fiber artists. Feel free to also share other non-fiber-related

contests and freebies. You are welcome to cross-post in this forum.

1186 members, since Jan 24 2008

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway by answering

the Knitting Question of the Day  on our Savery Knitting

Facebook page. The link is below and answers must be

posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting through Giveaway Listings,

 
Victoria

Fabulous Friday

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 3 = July 25, 2014

© Wild Prairie Knits

Intersection by Cindy Garland

     I have had my eye on this piece for some time. The colors go great together and the idea is fabulous. Take a simple striped shawl, add a 3rd color and put an angle in the middle. Viola, from plain to outstanding.

     This pattern can easily be modified with your color choices. Here are some other examples:

© MillieMilliani

© Wild Prairie Knits

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway by answering

the Knitting Question of the Day  on our Savery Knitting

Facebook page. The link is below and answers must be

posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Tri-Color Knitting,

Victoria

Expression Fiber Arts

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 2 = July 24, 2014

     For my giveaway week I would like to talk about other knitting related giveaways. Expression Fiber Arts has a Giveaway going this month that, in my opinion, is unreal.

     The host of the giveaway is Chandi (picture below) who is getting ready to move from Alaska to North Carolina. She sells hand dyed yarns of many varieties and colors. Feel free to check out her stock.

~~~

Don't forget to enter our July Giveaway by answering the Knitting Question of the Day  on our Savery Knitting Facebook page. The link is below and answers must be posted on Facebook to qualify as an entry.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

 

Expression Knitting,
 

Victoria

Giveaway Week

Week 30 = Giveaway Week
Day 1 = July 23, 2014

Welcome to JULY GIVEAWAY week!

This week you will have a chance to get up to 7 entries into the JULY GIVEAWAY! Without further ado, here is the giveaway!

 The Clara Parkes Event Giveaway Package

This package contains the following:

• a box of 10 blank notecards and envelopes
• a 4-1/4" by 3" notebook, signed by Clara Parkes
• a copy of the Summer 2014 issue of Knit Scene magazine

The rules are simple:

1. Answer the Knitting Question of the Day. You can do this by posting your answer on the Savery Knitting Facebook page.
2. Feel free to post as many answers as you like. Please NOTE that only your first answer for each question will be counted as an entry.
3. The giveaway week runs from Wednesday, July 23 to Noon on Wednesday, July 30.
4. You can post your answer at any time from beginning to end of the giveaway week.
5. Only entries in the United States will qualify.

~~~
 For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Giveaway Knitting,

Victoria

Knitting in the Car

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 7 = July 22, 2014

www.knittingcontessa.com

     Every year Knitters travel all over the country, often driving in their cars. Long road trips are great for knitting...as long as you aren't trying to knit and drive at the same time. When you are packing your car, don't forget to put your knitting project on your seat because, "I will make you pull over and unpack the whole car just to find my knitting bag".

craftysew-and-sew.blogspot.com

     When knitting in a car you usually do not have to worry about arm room like you do on a plane. So feel free to take as large a project as you can to cover your lap and the floor of your car. Knitting as the day turns to night can be tough. Just be sure to bring along one of those reading lights. Be sure that it is moveable so that the head of the light can be angled away from the driver. Since cars tend to be smooth rides, a tricky pattern is doable, unlike when you are on a bumpy boat.
    

www.lionbrand.com

     If you tend to get motion sickness or headaches from reading in the car, you should think about bringing a simple repeatable or memorable pattern. The car is one place where small children have no affect on what you can or can't knit. This is because...the kids are strapped down. Yes! They can't run away, fall over board, embarrass you in front of strangers or do anything but sit there.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting in Motion,

Victoria

My Monday - Blooming in Reverse - Part 1

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 6 = July 21, 2014

     For my second in-depth project, I am going to do a shawl of my own design. I have this gorgeous green skein of yarn that reminds me of grass. It is really old and I have no idea how it came to live in my stash.

     It is from Classic Elite Yarns and is apparently a former yarn line called Artisan. Below are 3 close up pictures of the label that was with the yarn. It is 90% Wool and 10% Alpaca, with approximately 127 yards. The color number is 072 and the dye lot is 994. I look forward to seeing and feeling how it knits up.

     So you have seen the grass part of the shawl, now for the Blooming part. I picked up the following yarn at Yarn & Y'all when I was in Greenville, SC, last week. It is Nordic Spirit - Victoria. As you can tell, I got the yarn purely because it's name was Victoria. The yarn is a beautiful bulky weight that is 100% superwash wool with 93 yards. It is colorway 134 and lot 011406.

     I am going to start with the green yarn (grass) at the neck and have the multi-color yarn (bloom) at the bottom, hence the Blooming in Reverse name. I just loved that the one color missing from the multi-color yarn was a solid green. Low and behold, I happened to have this perfect green yarn that would fit perfectly with the multi-color yarn.

     I have knit about 13 rows with a 2 stitch border, then a yo. I am planning on incorporating alternating  rows of the stockinette and reverse stockinette stitch. Check back next week to see my progress and find out if I stick with my original design.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting Blooms,

Victoria

Knitting by Air

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 5 = July 20, 2014

knitting.about.com

     When choosing your knitting for a plane trip, the "sky's" the limit. Tee-hee-hee, pun intended. I have been waiting all week to type that line.

sybilqknits.wordpress.com

     Knitting on plane trips is great. You have large amounts of uninterrupted time where you are sitting down. Perfect! You do have to consider the size of your project. While you are waiting to board your flight, there might be plenty of arm room, but don't count on it during your flight. So a medium to small sized project is ideal.

wishingiwasknitting.blogspot.com

     If you are planning on zoning out everyone around you, the difficulty level of the pattern does not matter. But if you plan on chatting with your neighbor or allowing them to interrupt you, a non-complicated pattern would do better.

liverchickknits.wordpress.com

    Small children again can be an issue depending on how much trust you have in your child not to start running full speed away from you. Long repeating patterns can be ok, but be aware of your time constraints. Also, pay attention to when your flight is landing. My final tip - while in a plane,
 be very wary of combining small children, knitting and drinks... it can be disastrous, believe me.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting in the Sky,

Victoria

Traveling by Sea

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 4 = July 19, 2014

knittyblog.com

     If you are on a fun boat ride, then hold on because most of those will be super windy and bumpy. An easy project that is repetitive is best. That way you can use your surroundings to your favor by working on a pattern that has it's own rhythm and the rhythm helps create muscle memory.  Having muscle memory when working in a bumpy location can be a life saver because even if you are on a bump your fingers will transmit to your brain that that last stitch didn't feel right.

     Transport boat rides are usually on large ferry boats that do not rock but are windy. So, any type of project will do. However, be careful of long repeating patterns because your ride is a set amount of time with a definite end.

     Scenic boat rides are wonderful for inspiration. Whether the inspiration lies in the scenery, wildlife or the water. Put down your knitting and pick up a camera. Who knows maybe the colors of the sunset will inspire a dazzling shawl or maybe the ripples in the water will inspire a flowing scarf.

knittyblog.com

     Knitting for cruises is a FREE FOR ALL. Did you get that? You are on a steady boat, for several days, with large amounts of time... KNIT YOUR HEART OUT! The only possible drawback is if you are responsible for small children. Then just find the kid areas on the ship, take your kids there, bring your knitting, pull up a chair and knit. Ta-da!

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting in the Open Waters,

Victoria

Fabulous Friday

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 3 = July 18, 2014

Celestarium

by Audry Nicklin

© Jane Heller

© Jane Heller

     The first time I saw this shawl was probably February of 2013. My best friend, Eileen, (back then she was just a knitting friend) showed it for Show & Tell at one of the Flowertown Knitting Guild meetings. It was gorgeous and a jaw dropper. The chart for this pattern is over 25 pages long. But look at it, it is so worth it.

     Here is what the designer Audry Nicklin has to say about the shawl. 

"Celestarium is an accurate view of the night sky from the North Pole in the form of a pi shawl. It is the sister shawl to Southern Skies and cousin to Equatorial Nights, an infinity scarf featuring all the stars around the celestial equator. Eyelets and beads are used to represent the stars. The center bead represents Polaris."

      Of all the things there are to knit out there, Audry chose to design a beautiful shawl and translate the stars into a knitting pattern. She is a brave, talented and patient person.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting to the Stars,

Victoria

Special Review

Week 29 = Travel Knitting
Day 2 = July 17, 2014



     Today I had the pleasure of visiting a great little yarn shop Yarn & Y'all in Greenville, SC. I was meeting my sister-in-law in Greenville to return my niece who had been visiting us in Summerville, SC, for almost 2 weeks. When my sister-in-law suggested meeting each other half way between Knoxville, TN, and Charleston, SC, the first thing that I did was look on Ravelry for yarn shops in the area of Greenville, SC.


     Yarn & Y'all is a cute little shop where they know enough to give you your space, but also know what to show you when you have questions. They have a well lit knitting space and we were offered a drink from their fridge when one of the owners, Jan Hedden introduced herself to us. There was a beautiful collection of locally made project bags that were to die for. They were very kind and understanding of my niece who was blowing off steam (from a 3-hour car ride all through their shop).


     You can tell from seeing her shop and talking to Jan that she loves yarn AND knitting. Now, I know knitters who knit for the yarn. The "soft can't help but pet" it yarn. Then I also know knitters who knit for the knitting. They could care less about the yarn. Jan loves both and as a shop owner, you can tell this by the way she and her partner set up their store. The yarn is in one section with plenty of room for several people to be looking at the wonderful yarn. Then there is a large knitting space with 2 large tables and a couch that was calling my name. So after you buy your yarn, it is like you are being called to sit with them and start knitting immediately.


     I know I was meant to stop in that shop because, as we got talking to Jan, I found out that she used to live in Summerville, SC (where I live now). I also learned that she knows of my local yarn shop, The Village Knittery here in Summerville. So if you are ever in Greenville, SC, be sure to stop by Yarn & Y'all at 600 Laurens Road, Suite C, Greenville, SC, 29607.

~~~

For today's Knitting Question of the Day,

go to Savery Knitting on Facebook.

Knitting Yarn & Y'all,

Victoria