Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
This summer, artist Ellen Schinderman curated an exhibit in Los Angeles called “Home Is Where the Needle Marks”, showcasing fiber art and exploring the home sphere. Working with Lion Brand yarns, Ellen and her cohorts yarn-bombed several areas of LA as part of the Downtown LA Artwalk to draw attention to the fiber arts. Recently, she shared these photos with us:
Click on any image to view full-screen. Click the left and right arrows to navigate; click the X in the top-left corner to exit. Please note: If you’re viewing this blog post in your email or RSS reader, you may need to click the title to view it online.
Plus, the group of knitters and crocheters who helped Ellen create all of the colorful, textural pieces will be taking all of their leftover yarn and making hats and scarves for homeless in their community.
Have you yarn-bombed something in your community? Tell us about it in the comments!
Related links:
Posted in Community, Fiber Arts/Artists | 6 Comments » Comments
If you follow Lion Brand on Twitter or Facebook, you’ll sometimes find behind scenes images from photoshoots, upcoming yarn releases – or even pictures of some of the staff crafting, or at events. Today, I’d like to share with you a few “behind the scenes” images from our offices in the New York City location. We recently invited a few of our favorite craft bloggers to spend a day with us at our Lion Brand offices, and I’d like to share a few of their images that capture some of the creativity and inspiration at Lion Brand.
 Kristy from Glass Posse captured this image of Karen Tanaka, the Creative Director of our Design Department. Karen was sharing some of the Design Department’s mood boards and inspirations. |
 Haley from The Zen of Making captured an image of these cute stuffed animals, which were featured in past window displays. The Lion can be seen here from the Studio’s 1st window display in 2008. |
Posted in Community, Lion Brand Yarn Studio | 2 Comments » Comments
Getting craft supplies organized tends to fall to the bottom of my to do list, “After all,” I think, “it’ll just get messy again as soon as I make something, why bother?” But sooner or later the time comes to clear up all the yarn, organize the hooks and needles, and stow all fabric, glitter and crafting supplies away. Good organization can help us make beautiful, useful projects; after all, crafting is much easier when you know where to look for supplies, and can tell right away if you’re running out of something or need to go out and get a new tool.
Give everything a home: Things can’t be put away without a home, but more importantly, homeless tools and supplies are almost always difficult to find when you need them. Tired of retracing your crafting steps to try to remember where your shears or glue gun has gone? Then giving these tools a home could be the solution.
Consider labeling: Lots of folks love handwritten labels or using a label maker, but what if you don’t like traditional labels? How about using a small picture of what you’re putting inside? Tassels of yarn on decorative bins, or paper samples on the edge of scrap booking boxes tell you exactly what’s inside with a visual examples.
(more…)
Posted in Tips & How To | 17 Comments » Comments
If you’ve recently learned to knit or crochet or are looking for gift inspirations, I’ve got a selection of a few of our favorite knit and crochet scarf patterns that are great for beginner and experienced yarncrafters alike. The scarf selections below utilize basic stitch patterns, which are perfect for getting more practice and improving your skills; if you’re a more advanced knitter or crocheter, these patterns will be helpful suggestions for knocking out quick gifts for women, children and men.
Knit
 Basic Scarf is perfect for practicing the stockinette and garter stitch simultaneously. This pattern also makes for a great unisex scarf. |
 Rustic Ribbed (Hat) and Scarf is another great unisex pattern that allows you to practice knit and purl combinations, which gives the scarf a ribbed look. |
 Fall River Scarf is a classic scarf that’s perfect for practicing your stockinette stitch. Knit in Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, this scarf will work up quickly. |
 The Garter Scarf is great for working on your gauge and tension. A self-striping yarn is perfect for garter stitch because you’ll have fun waiting to see what color appears next. |
Crochet
 Practice double crochet stitches with the Cosmic Color scarf in Amazing. The double crochet stitches add a great texture to the scarf. |
 Crocheting through the back loop gives the Slate Grey Scarf a defined ribbed look. |
 Glitzy Accent Scarf allows you to try a new yarn weight by crocheting with a sportweight yarn. Crochet in Vanna’s Glamour to make a lightweight scarf that sparkles. |
 The Flights of Fancy Scarf is great for trying a lace-like pattern. Crocheted in the worsted weight Nature’s Choice Organic, you’ll love the drape and feel of this super soft scarf. |
What type of stitch do you find yourself using for fast and simple projects? Share with us in the comments.
Related links:
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | 3 Comments » Comments
It’s back to school season! Start the school year off right with a yarncrafted classroom. These projects are perfect for any educator, so get your yarn ready. Click each image to view the pattern.
 This laptop sleeve helps keep computers and tablets safe. You can also use it to store textbooks! |
 Keep track of your office supplies with yarn wrapped organizers. |
 Nesting bowls help keep your desk neat and tidy. Use them to store paperclips, office supplies, or sweet treats. |
 Store your pencils or chalk in this sturdy felted case. |
 Always keep track of your lunch with this reusable lunch bag. |
 Keep all of your school supplies in one handy place with this handy bag. |
 Every teacher deserves an apple, and this crocheted one will last for years! |
 This owl will watch over the wisdom of your classroom. |
 A bookworm’s place is in the classroom! |
How are you using yarncrafting this school year? Be sure to share in the comments!
Related links:
Posted in Crafting, Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | Leave a comment » Comments
As yarncrafters, I’m sure you already know that when someone announces their pregnancy, the hooks and needles soon come out and the hands are busy making all sorts of wonderful gifts for the expectant mother. While your mind instantly thinks “baby hat and booties set” or “baby blanket”, don’t forget about the toys! They can be as simple as baby blocks (simply make 6 squares and seam them into a cube around a foam block!) or as complex as a cable-stitch lamb. Take a look at the patterns below for some baby toy inspiration.
Blocks and balls are classic toys that will never go out of style for babies. Also something to keep in mind when choosing your colors: babies can see contrasting colors the best; don’t be afraid of more saturated or darker hues.
 Crochet Soft and Sweet Baby Blocks |
 Loom Knit Playtime balls |
 Knit Babycakes Blocks |
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | Leave a comment » Comments
In my day-to-day work, I get to spend time working with amazing knit- and crochet-wear designers around the country. Often, as we talk, I ask them what trends they’re seeing–and lately, the trend I’ve been hearing about the most in yarn is rich, saturated colors. Jewel tones and rich colors are flattering on many skin-tones; it’s all a matter of finding the ones that work on you.
These shades are great for hats, scarves, cowls, and other accessories that add a dash of color, but saturated colors can also make for great sweaters and cardigans that are perfect for layering. By throwing these brighter colors over a neutral or monotone outfit, you can add a splash of color without a lot of commitment (you can always take your sweater off!).
Check out the options below or pair your favorite saturated color with one of our 600+ jacket and sweater patterns on LionBrand.com.
 |
 |
 |
| Knit & Crochet Retro Swing | Knit Raglan Sleeve Cardi | Knit Lace Inset Cardi |
Posted in Crocheting, Fashion & Style, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | 5 Comments » Comments
I just came back from Stitches Midwest, a knit/crochet convention put together by XRX Inc. (home of Knitter’s Magazine) – and had a great time talking with different people who love to yarncraft. While talking to folks in our Lion Brand booth, I realized that Wool-Ease, our traditional worsted weight wool blend yarn is very popular amongst both knitters and crocheters, and for good reason!
Wool-Ease is a great garment yarn which can be machine washed and dried; making it the perfect match for children’s clothes. I personally love the stitch definition and functionality of Wool-Ease. Cables work up beautifully, and a scarf or hat knit/crochet in this yarn will definitely keep you warm. Below, I’ve shared some of our popular Wool-Ease patterns in sweaters, afghans and accessories.
Pullovers and Cardigans are perfect projects for Wool-Ease. Below our Lion Brand pattern image, you’ll also find images of a submitted project from Lion Brand users who used the patterns for their garments.
 Knit Alpine Zip-Neck Pullover |
 Crochet Ladylike Pullover |
 Knit Cabled Women’s Cardigan |
 Thanks to Susan Theiss for the submission. |
 Thanks to Carrington Cynthea for her submission. |
 Thanks to Linda Keigwin for her submission. |
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 8 Comments » Comments
Fall is almost here, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already searching for the perfect fall pattern to sink your hooks and needles into. Finding that one must-make pattern can be a challenge, particularly when there are so many beautiful patterns to choose from.
Capes are swinging back into style this fall, according to several sources including this article on Fashionising.com:
“Capes & cloaks … for fall 2012 they’re making their move again, pushing the boundaries of fantasy to capture the imagination with new life. From the tailored to the traditional, the Gothic to the bright, capes and cloaks are the thing to throw over your shoulders when the chill hits.”
Looking for the perfect cape for you? Here are 12 of our favorites and why we love them. Follow the pattern links to download the pattern of your choice for free!
Color and beautiful stitch patterns bring these capes to life, and we love the collars incorporated into each design.
 |
 |
| Crochet Round Yoke Poncho | Knit Galway Poncho |
Posted in Fashion & Style, Pattern Recommendations | 4 Comments » Comments
Every season, Pantone, the world’s leading color authority, releases its list of trending fashion colors. To help you incorporate these beautiful shades into your yarncrafting, we’ve selected yarn shades that best match Pantone’s 10 shades for autumn. Check out the trends below!
|
 Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend in Mink |
 Vanna’s Choice in Espresso |
 Fishermen’s Wool in Nature’s Brown |
|
 Hometown USA in Las Vegas Gold |
 Wool-Ease in Gold |
 Vanna’s Choice in Honey |
|
 Hometown USA in Tennessee Tango |
 Vanna’s Choice in Radiant Orange |
 Silky Twist in Tangerine |
|
 Vanna’s Choice in Rose |
 LB Collection Cotton Bamboo in Hibicus |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend in Flamingo |
|
 Baby’s First in Twinkle Toes |
 Wool-Ease in Blush Heather |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Merino in Milk Glass Pink |
|
 Hometown USA in Seattle Sea Mist |
 Vanna’s Glamour in Purple Topaz |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Roving Wool in Lavender Soap |
|
 Superwash Merino Cashmere in Slate |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp in Slate |
 Vanna’s Choice in Silver Grey |
|
 Cotton-Ease in Turquoise |
 Homespun in Montana Sky |
 LB Collection Organic Wool in Dark Teal |
|
 Hometown USA in Grand Rapids Green |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Mambo in Sea Turtle |
 Jiffy in Country Green |
|
 Jiffy in Apple Green |
 Hometown USA in Key Lime |
 Kitchen Cotton in Kiwi |
What do you think of autumn’s hottest shades? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted in Fashion & Style, Products, Yarns | 25 Comments » Comments
