Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Early each year, Lion Brand hosts our annual fashion show, showcasing the amazing things that can be done with yarn. For me, it was a special fashion show, not only because I got to co-host the show with our spokesperson, Vanna White, but also because of the unique designs we featured.
This year, we worked with design students and emerging designers from all over the world (from Paris, Tokyo, Helsinki, New York, San Francisco, and more) who created spectacular, one-of-a-kind pieces out of your favorite Lion Brand yarns. They explored the theme, “Yarn Is Art.”
These designers and design students truly showed just how incredible yarn creations can be, and we hope you’re as inspired by their creativity and energy as we are.
Click here to learn more about the designers and their creations.
Related links:
Posted in Community, Fashion & Style, Fiber Arts, On The Road, Yarniverse | 15 Comments » Comments
This is a guest blog post from Michelle, manager of the Lion Brand Yarn Studio, our flagship store in NYC. Michelle, Brandyce, and Zontee hosted the Lion Brand booth at Stitches West at the end of February.
This was my first-ever trip to a Stitches show, and it was a fabulous experience! Being the Studio Manager means that I spend a lot of my workday at a computer screen, and I don’t usually get out onto the sales floor as often as I’d like to. So Stitches was a welcome change. I got to talk to so many lovely people and see all kinds of beautiful garments and other handmade items. It was like being in a living, moving art gallery! And with the Stitches Fashion Show and so many interesting knit & crochet pieces roaming around, my to-do list grew about a foot!
I really enjoyed being able to chat with customers and hear your feedback. Lots of folks had had the chance to visit the Lion Brand Yarn Studio, and all of your kind comments were and are greatly appreciated! We do our best to make sure you have a great time when you visit us, so to hear so many nice things on the opposite coast is a real boost. And of course we love to hear your feedback and suggestions. It’s great to hear what you’re excited about…even if we had to tear you away from Amazing Man first! (Sorry ladies, he’s spoken for!)
The best part about going to the show is seeing old friends and making new ones! Can’t wait to see you all next time!!
If you’re attending Stitches Midwest or Stitches East later this year, look for the Lion Brand booths there!
Related links:
Posted in Community, Events, Lion Staff, On The Road | 1 Comment » Comments
Last week, David asked me what I was doing on Monday. I was sort of puzzled at the question, since as usual, I would be here in the office, working on things like the YarnCraft podcast, the Weekly Stitch newsletter, and other projects. It turns out that he wanted to know if I would be interested in being on the Martha Stewart Show with Martha herself.
Well, being the daughter of a crafter who calls Martha her guru, I knew that I could not turn down the opportunity! It would be so much fun to follow in the footsteps of my YarnCraft co-host Liz, who was a guest on Martha two years ago, and I could not wait.
When I got to the set, I was whisked away to my own dressing room, which made me feel pretty cool. (I even got a little goodie bag!) I got hair and make-up, rehearsed with the crew, and then it was showtime! It was a really exciting experience to be on live television (thank goodness I didn’t flub anything!), and Martha even admired my necklace! (Click here for the necklace pattern.)
Click here to watch the fashion show (and find links to the other show segments at the end of the video).
It was a fun experience, and let’s just say, Martha, all you have to do is call me, and I’d be happy to be on the show again!
Posted in Lion Staff, On The Road, Yarniverse | 2 Comments » Comments
| Last week I headed out to Los Angeles with Zontee, my coworker in Marketing, and Pete, a videographer we have worked with on many of our recent videos. We were going to visit Vanna White at her home and talk to her about her life, her love of crochet and the yarns that bear her name. I first met Vanna about 12 years ago when I attended the big craft trade show where Vanna emcees the Lion Brand fashion show every year. I remember being impressed with her warmth and her kindness to everyone she met. I knew it would be fun to spend time with Vanna at her home.
Zontee, Pete and I arrived at the gate of her community in the morning. She lives in an area with Mediterranean style homes set close together on quiet tree-lined streets. Her house is lovely and spacious without being showy. Vanna greeted us at the door, hair up in a ponytail, looking delicate (she is surprisingly petite) and beautiful without a drop of make-up. She offered us coffee, Entenmann’s chocolate donuts, and raisin toast. We had just come from breakfast so we thanked her, but boy, those donuts were calling to me anyway! Then Vanna told us to make ourselves at home–to walk around anywhere in the house we wanted to scout out places to film and she went upstairs to get ready. |
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| Vanna White and her cat, Stella |
We did look around, saw a lovely outdoor deck where we would want to shoot but settled on the living room to start with. What I noticed walking around Vanna’s house was that on almost every horizontal surface were photos of her family and friends. Many of the photos were of her children, now teens, as they grew up.
Before Vanna came downstairs after getting her hair and makeup done, she invited us to come up and look in her closet for clothes we thought she should wear. Did I mention how accommodating and open she is? It’s amazing how many times she asked us what we would like. Her closet was probably the most organized closet I’ve ever seen. As we were looking for a pair of white slacks and sweater, I noticed that although there may have been more of them than we have in our closets, the brands were as down-to-earth as anything we’d wear from the local mall store. The pants we settled on were from White House | Black Market and the top from Banana Republic. Of course there is a section of the closet devoted to gowns like you might see her wearing on Wheel of Fortune, but that was the exception in a wide range of jeans and crew neck tops, which seem to be her favorites.
The interview and the filming were easy. Vanna is so comfortable and natural with people. I think you’re going to love seeing the videos we made. You’ll get to see Vanna talking about things you’ve never heard her say before, and since so many of you have asked if she really crochets, you’ll see her crocheting as well. I don’t want to give too much away but you’ll see for yourself in about 3 weeks.
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| Planning the camera angle | A little touch-up |
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| The outside space at Vanna’s house |
When we left, Vanna walked us to the door! |
We spent several hours with Vanna and got to know her–you’ll be getting to know her soon too! We look forward to sharing our visit.
Posted in On The Road | 29 Comments » Comments
Regular readers of the blog know that I am a big sports fan, and I love when I get to combine my love of sports with my love of yarn. It’s the end of Stitch N Pitch season, and as usual, it’s been a season full of great baseball and lots of yarncrafting. Here in New York, I was proud to once again serve on the organizing committee and to be able to attend a game at Citi Field with my fellow yarn lovers. Citi Field is a truly special place, and this year, the committee and I, along with hundreds of knitters and crocheters yarnstormed (or “yarn bombed”) the stadium in Mets colors. Then we sat down for the game and enjoyed our crafting while watching the game. As a special bonus, the committee and I got to go out on the ball field, and I even got to meet Mr. Met.
Check out some of the photos from the event below!
If you’re reading this blog post in your email, please click on the title of the blog post to view the full blog post and slideshow online.
Posted in Community, Events, Lion Staff, On The Road, Yarniverse | 3 Comments » Comments
Play Ball! August is wrapping up, which means we’re heading into the home stretch of this year’s Stitch N Pitch season. If you’re not already familiar with it, Stitch N Pitch is an event organized by the National NeedleArts Association that brings yarn crafters to major league ball games. As someone passionate about both yarn and sports, there is nothing I love more than to see people yarn crafting supporting local sports.
Upcoming games in September:
Sept 10 – Chicago White Sox
Sept 13 – New York Mets
Sept 15 – Cincinnati Reds
Sept 25 – Detroit Tigers
As we get to the end of Stitch N Pitch season, I hope that those of you who have already attended your local Stitch N Pitch games had a great time, and I hope you’ll leave a comment sharing your experiences.
Stitch N Pitch in New York
My fellow New York Stitch N Pitch committee members and I have been working hard to top last year’s event, during which we set the World Record for most people crocheting in one place. This year, we’re planning–with the help of yarn crafters like you–to yarn storm (or “yarn bomb”) Citi Field. If you’re in the NYC-area, click here to learn more about how you can drop off swatches at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in Manhattan and come to our seaming party to help seam up the swatches into pieces that will decorate Citi Field! I am extremely excited for everyone to see the yarn storming that will place at Citi Field. It will truly be something to see.
So come one, come all as we cheer on the New York Mets as they battle the Washington Nationals. Again, the game is September 13 and it starts at 7:10 pm. To purchase tickets for the game, visit the Lion Brand Yarn Studio.
Related links:
Posted in Community, Crocheting, Events, Knitting, On The Road, Yarniverse | 2 Comments » Comments
August has always been one of my favorite months for one reason: summer vacations. The last month of summer vacation for many school children, August is a month to get out and enjoy free time with family and see new and exciting things together. If you’re like me, this also means planning what projects to take along, and what projects you’ll work on while you’re there. These 4 projects are great to make while you are traveling, and will be excellent items to have on hand as you pack for your next adventure.
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The Summer Vacation Photo Album Cover is perfect for holding all the photos from a summer of excitement, and is also a great pattern for a scrapbook or journal cover. Since the pieces are small and worked separately, the project is a great one to work on while you travel. Assemble it once you return home and fill it with all the images and momentos of your vacation. |
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You can rest easy with the Sweet Dreams Travel Pillow to keep you comfortable napping or relaxing on a plane or long ride. Make it in Superwash Merino Cashmere or Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton or for added luxury on your journey. |
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The Blue Skies Accessories Bag is an excellent project to crochet while traveling, and a perfect accessory caddy to carry with you once you’re finished. Decorate it with the trees and bird if you like, or ou can get creative and decorate it with a scene from your favorite vacation. |
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Keeping shoes secure and scuff-free is easier with Travelin’ Man Shoe Covers. A pair of shoe covers makes an excellent travel-sized project, and the finished project is great to have on hand when you’re ready to head out on your next venture. They make a perfect gift for any friend or family member who loves to travel. |
Have you been vacationing this summer? What are your favorite projects to take along? Leave us a comment to share your favorites.
Posted in Crafting, Crocheting, Knitting, On The Road, Pattern Recommendations | 14 Comments » Comments
We’ve been a sponsor of the Crochet Guild of America and the Knitting Guild Association‘s 
joint yarn-event, the Knit & Crochet Show, for several years. It’s an event that we love to attend, because we love seeing all of our friends who are members of local knit and crochet guilds. We also love seeing our designer and teacher friends. This summer’s Knit & Crochet Show will be taking place in Minneapolis, MN on July 29 – 31, and it will have classes, a marketplace, contests, and more. Click here to visit the Knit & Crochet Show website for more information.
Prior to the Knit & Crochet Show, the Crochet Guild of America also holds their Professional Development Day (July 27, 2011) sponsored by Lion Brand. It’s a day of workshops and panels for aspiring designers/teachers/yarn-store owners to learn from experts in the industry, network with others in the community, and to share ideas and get feedback. Want to know more about this special day? Click here to read about Laura’s experiences at the event last year.
If you’re able to make it, I hope you’ll stop and say hello to myself or Jack, as we would love to meet you in person! Or perhaps we’ll see you in Greensboro, NC, in the fall!
Posted in Community, On The Road | 3 Comments » Comments
Earlier this year, we featured a photo of our Amazing man, a sculpture made with various colors of our Amazing yarn that was featured at the CHA trade show. If you want to see him in person, you can visit the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles in San Jose, CA starting this week. Both he and his couch will be part of the exhibit, Primary Structures from May 17 to August 7.
Related links:
Posted in Events, Fiber Arts, On The Road, Yarniverse | 1 Comment » Comments
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Long Island Knitting Guild. I always love speaking to ladies who are as passionate about yarn as I am; it creates such a wonderful rapport and allows for great questions. As I was leaving the meeting, one of the ladies presented me with three comic strips from her local paper, each of which were about knitting. [Click the photo above to enlarge.]
Not only was I excited because I collect knitting and crochet-related memorabilia, but I was also excited to see this because it reminded me of our very own Lola comic. Lola has been the most popular aspect of our Weekly Stitch newsletter for years and she’s is an important lady here in Lion Country. To check out what funny thing she is going to do next, subscribe and stay tuned for our next newsletter or you can check our new Lola comic book.
Have you spotted other knit/crochet-related comics? Tell us about them by leaving a comment!
Want me to visit your group? Groups of 50 or more in the tri-state area can contact me at jack@lionbrand.com regarding speaking at an event.
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Posted in Community, Lion Staff, On The Road | Leave a comment » Comments
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