Chicago Knits Magazine

The first issue of Chicago’s „irreverent quarterly yarn craft magazine … devoted to the irreverent Chicago yarn arts“ was released in early April. I had read about it beforehand and got my very own copy when visiting Chicago.

Don’t you just love the cover? (Highlighted by a tablecloth on my garden table …).

IMG_1658It’s a first issue, a baby quarterly, and you can tell this baby is loved. Kim Richardson – the editor-in-chief, photographer, graphic as well as contributing designer, and ‚the baby’s mother‘ – put together 56 pages, packed with information, interviews, reviews (books, yarns, gadgets), patterns, and more with regard to knitting, crochet, and spinning.

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The magazine is her attempt to bring Chicago’s knitting and crochet community „together in one place, to share patterns and stories about knitting in the city, to talk about upcoming events, to learn new things, to meet new people, and to make … knitting circles larger.“

I learned the word „swatch“ which I had not heard before, together with a fabulous new stitch in crochet (the window stitch), I read about the „German twisted cast-on“ to realize that (even though I am German) I have never used it (but will now – Kim says it looks bad-ass 🙂 ), the knitting memory game made me laugh, and I could not agree more with the presentation of the featured store, Sifu Design Studio and Fine Yarns. And I love the chart with all symbols and abbreviations one could possibly think of. It is neatly arranged and very convenient.IMG_1665

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What is left to say? I wish for Kim and her magazine that a lot of people in the Chicago area like the magazine as much as I do, so that hopefully the second issue’s volume will be twice as big!

IMG_1667Good luck to everyone involved and please keep me updated!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spending Money

Did you ever wonder what a German yarn addict (like me) might buy in the land of unlimited opportunities?

Well, so far I got: little rings to use as stitch markers, DPNs in different colors, and a size 50 hook to crochet chair pads (for the kitchen chairs at home).

IMG_0942However, still looking out for Self Striping Sock Yarn. Any suggestions anyone?

Pompom Advent Calendar

It’s not too late for an Advent Calendar (yet). Here’s what Pip came up with:

I’m making one pompom every day of December! I’m hanging them from a stick. I found this stick in the park. As I crossed the road to get the stick, a taxi driver yelled at me… If he’d known I was going to get a stick he wouldn’t have been so fresh, right? Sheesh.

Anyhoo. Maybe this is something you might want to do at your place too? A pompom every day? With a stick? Without a taxi driver?

So easy and cute, right?

Festiveasaurus Rex!

x Pip

Don’t you just love that?!

Crochet Gifts

crochet angel bookmark pattern 20 Free Patterns for One Skein Projects You Can Complete Before Christmas

CrochetConcupiscence  posted „20 free patterns for one skein projects you can complete before Christmas“ the other day and I instantly fell for the crochet Bookmark (above), the Crochet Market Bag, the Mindless One Skein Scarf, the Reversible Unisex Crochet Hat, and the Crochet Bracelet. It looks like a lot of people will get handmade presents this year!