The Yarn Whisperer Is Coming to a Town Near You!

Author and yarn expert Clara Parkes will be traveling from coast to coast to read from her new memoir, The Yarn Whisperer, beginning next week! In this captivating, poignant, laugh-out-loud funny collection of stories, Clara explores the role knitting has played throughout her life. At each stop she'll read a selection from the book and sign copies, conduct a light-hearted quiz show with her famous 'Claramels' as prizes, take questions from the audience, and stay until the last skein has been squeezed!

 

Hear what the critics are saying: 

"I see a lot of yarn books in this gig, and "Whisperer" is not only the best I've seen this year, it's one of my all-time faves. Seriously, it's that good." - The Oregonian

"I don't want to stop reading. Each chapter is a little jewel." - Knit Circus

Can't wait? Then listen to an excerpt from The Yarn Whisperer, read by Clara herself!

Don't miss Clara in your city! Tour dates & venues include*:

October 10 at 7pm - Seattle area, WA @ Third Place Books

October 11 at 6pm - San Francisco, CA @ Book Passage

October 12 at 4pm - Portland, OR @ Powell's Books

October 13 at 2pm - Pasadena, CA @ Vroman's Bookstore, featuring a special appearance of the Yarnover Truck!

October 14 at 7:30pm - Denver, CO @ Tattered Cover

October 15 at 7pm - Minneapolis area, MN @ The Bookcase

October 16 at 6pm - Chicago, IL @ Sulzer Library (with books provided by The Book Cellar)

October 17 at 6:30pm - Nashville, TN @ Parnassus Books (with support from beloved Nashville yarn shop Bliss Yarns)

October 19 & 20 at 11:30 am & 3pm - Rhinebeck, NY @ New York Sheep & Wool Festival (with books provided by Merritt Books)

October 24 at 7pm - Portland, ME @ Longfellow Books

 

*Copies will be available for purchase at all signings. Please be sure to support your local independent bookseller!

Knitted Slipper Book Sneak Peek Book Trailer

These last few crisp, fall evenings have really put us in the mood for warm beverages and cuddly knitwear. I know we're not the only ones ready to hole up with a few bundles of wool, which is why we're so thrilled to present this "knitted" trailer for The Knitted Slipper Book by Katie Startzman. We are sure that this short story of slipper-making and love will enchant you. (You've got to check out the sets, which Katie and her sister designed and built out of wool and cardboard--and then there's the amazing sound, including the click clack of needles, the chirp of a cuckoo clock, and the crackling of a fire).

This everything-you-need-to-know guide, which releases on October 8, is chock full of adorable slippers and house shoes for everyone you love. And stay tuned, because starting in October, author Katie Startzman will be releasing step-by-step videos to walk you through some of the techniques in the book! Take a peek at some of the sweet and cozy projects here, and make sure to pre-order your copy today!

The Yarn Whisperer

As anyone with a love of wool can attest, renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes is an unstoppable force in the fiber arts community, and her site Knitter's Review is an important resource for knitters everywhere. In her brand new book, The Yarn Whisperer, Clara shares personal, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny stories from her travels, framed by her lifelong love of knitting. To celebrate the release of this un-put-downable essay collection, we're offering a special treat: you can listen to Clara read one of her essays here! The Yarn Whisperer is available in stores now—make sure to grab a copy today.

Get Ready for New Fall Releases!

With summer drawing to a close, we're thrilled to share our new fall releases with all of you! This fall, get ready to:

Knit sweet, cozy footwear with Katie Startzman:

Learn a new medium with Lena Corwin:

Knit a fashionable winter wardrobe from the top down with Kristina McGowan:

Inspire the tween in your life to get creative with her buddies, with doodle queen Dawn DeVries Sokol:

And read stories about a life in knitting from renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes:

Click on the book covers above to see additional inspiring photos from our new books, and make sure to keep an eye out for these titles, coming soon to bookstores near you!

 

Stock Up With A Summer E-Book Sale

From Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson

Whether your warm-weather plans consist of lounging in the sun or cozying up to your air conditioner, summer is a perfect time to load up your e-reader or smartphone with new reads for the season. And with the launch of Open Road Integrated Media's 150 Summer Steals promotion, it's easier than ever to while away your extra few hours of sunlight with your favorite patterns from STC Craft!

Don't miss up to 75% off on an assortment of e-book editions of STC Craft favorites, including: AlterKnits Felt, Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt, Knit 2 Together, Knits Men Want, Knitspeak, Knitted Socks East and West, Knitting 24/7, Knitting for Baby, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves,  Viva Poncho, and Weekend Knitting. This sale will be running from July 9 to July 22, so download now and get to crafting!

Knit to Flatter: Evolution of a Cover

All of the covers we design at STC Craft have their own particular challenges. Which image is the best representation of the book? Will one beautiful image suffice, or do we need more? Should we include a burst calling out a special feature, or find a way to incorporate it into the subtitle? The answers to these questions can sometimes take months to answer, and the cover for Knit to Flatter was no exception.

Before we arrived at the cheerful pink polka-dot cover shown above, designer Meg Mateo Ilasco patiently tried many options, including single images, creative detail shots, and small groupings, but nothing was quite right. Then, one night when I was at the office far too late, inspiration hit: we need to show all of the models on the cover! That is, after all, the spirit of the book: to show nine women with totally unique styles and shapes wearing hand-knit sweaters that make them look good and feel great. To put them all together on the cover was proof that there were no smoke and mirrors at play—this system of choosing sweater patterns and knitting to fit your shape works!

Unfortunately (or fortunately), editors at STC Craft headquarters don't have access to design software, so to express my vision to Meg, I dragged photos into Microsoft Word (I know, it doesn't get more low-tech than that) and created a grid. Melanie provided the inspiration for the polka dots—don't polka dots make everything fun? And that's really what we were going for. The book is a celebration of not just our bodies, but of our sweaters and our pride in what we make.

What Meg sent back was definitely getting there! But the raspberry palette just wasn't feeling right. So Meg refined her idea and presented us with four options, all of which we loved: a black option, a black-and-pink option, a white option, and the white-and-pink option we ultimately chose (see top of post). I absolutely love our finished cover, though I must admit there are a few options here that I am still fond of. What do you think, readers? Would you have picked a different cover?

 

 

Weekend Inspiration

One of the best things about working at STC Craft is that there's always an abundance of creative inspiration at our fingertips, whether with luscious photos, beautiful project ideas, or sage words from some of the greatest crafters out there. Once a week, we'll be sharing some of our favorites to get your creative juices flowing for a weekend of creating. Today's offering comes from Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook by Simon Leach with Bruce Dehnert.

 

Have a happy, crafty weekend!

Celebrating the Arrival of Briar Rose, Author Heather Ross's New Fabric Line!

Renowned illustrator, crafter, and blogger Heather Ross is beloved for her whimsical illustrations and quick and easy sewing patterns. With two STC Craft books under her belt: Weekend Sewing (now also in paperback!) and Heather Ross Prints, and a third on the way, it's obvious that we just can't get enough of her sweet and covetable designs either.

So we were delighted to hear that her new seasonal fabric collection, Briar Rose, is being celebrated this week at Purl Soho! A collaboration with Windham Fabrics, the lightweight quilting cottons were inspired by Heather's love of summer, the buzzing of bees and chirping of crickets, muddy puddles, and snuggly handmade quilts on chilly June nights.

Featuring fabric packs of different sizes and signed limited editions of her wild strawberry prints, the event will be chock-full of inspiration for your summertime projects. So if you're in the area, we hope you'll stop by on Thursday, June 20th at 6:30pm for a fun evening at Purl Soho with Windham Fabrics and Heather Ross!

 

Two Days at Simon Leach's House

Almost exactly one year ago, I got into a car wtih Jared Flood and Karen Schaupeter, both of whom I had brought on board to photograph and style Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook. We were headed to Simon Leach's house in rural Pennsylvania, and I must admit, we didn't have much of a plan. Many people know Jared Flood as the creator of the yarn line Brooklyn Tweed, but what many don't know is that he is also an amazing painter and a fantastic photographer--a true lover of art and master of light. And for the styling, Karen Schaupeter is our go-to girl, always adaptable, versatile, and loads of fun to have on set. Basically, I had my pottery photoshoot dream team, and we were headed to the countryside to shoot on the fly. We had a one-page shoot list that broke down the book by chapter, and we had a pretty good idea of what we hoped to photograph when we arrived, though we had no idea what would actually be waiting for us when we got there.

When we pulled up to Simon's house and saw the amazing stonework of the building, the lush green of the hillsides, the decked out studio in his garage, the throwing-wheel set-up on his front porch, and the rows upon rows of ceramics in various stages of completion, we knew it was going to be a fun time.

One of the first things to catch my eye when I entered Simon's studio was this set of teaching tools meant to illustrate the eight steps of creating a cylinder. He had them casually set up on a shelf near the wheels, and in just a matter of minutes, Karen had scooped them up and artfully arranged them on a ware board on the floor of the garage to create this stunning chapter opener.

Throughout the day, as Karen consulted with the authors, Simon Leach and Bruce Dehnert, about the objects for the still lifes, Jared roamed around shooting the myriad beautiful items in their organic settings, like this table full of bisque-fired pottery that was sitting by the kiln.

In this photo, Karen works with Simon to set up a still life of tools used to decorate and glaze pots.

And once they were happy with the arrangement, they called Jared over to weigh in on the framing and snap the shot.

And of course, a trip to a pottery studio wouldn't be complete without a little fire and smoke (or a lot, in this case). At the end of the second day, as Simon removed the scorching hot pots from the raku kiln and dropped them into hay-filled buckets to cool, Jared donned a respirator so he could get in for the tight shots without bursting into a coughing fit.

And I would say the resulting dramatic photos were worth it!

One year later, with the book completed, printed, and on sale, it's funny to look back on our process. At the time, it felt like a dizzying amount of planning and organizing, mixed with a big dose of improvisation. But now, when I look at the finished book, it all seems so neat and orderly, so pretty and calm. It reminds me of something Simon said to me when he first saw the designed pages of his book after working on the manuscript for such a long time:

"It reminds me of the analogy of a Persian carpet in the process of being woven. On the top side you see a harmony of patterns being woven, very orderly, very neat, beautifully crafted...on the underside you see a whole load of tangled, knotted loose ends!!  In fact what appears to be total chaos. Clearly you guys have been busy weaving!"

To see more of Jared's fabulous photography from Simon's book, be sure to check out the gallery here.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Tea Towel Apron from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson

As the days grow warmer and the trees and bushes begin to fill out, it's hard to think of a more promising season than Spring. Admittedly, I've always had a bit of a black thumb when it comes to nurturing my plants, but the excitement of watching tiny green knobs emerge from my own pots this year has inspired me to turn over a new leaf (pun intended). Whether you have a great expanse in which to plant or are working from a few little pots on a windowsill like I am, here are some of our favorite gardening essentials sure to get you in the mood to grow:

Decorated Markers from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson

 Gardening Gloves from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross (Get the free tutorial here!)

 Cafe Apron from  Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin

An assortment of terrariums from Tiny World Terrariums by Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow of Twig Terrariums

And if you're really serious about DIY for your garden, our upcoming book, Handmade for the Garden by Susan Guagliumi has the perfect collection of projects to add one-of-a-kind tools, pots, structures, and decorations to your gardening process. Although it's set to come out next Spring, we're thrilled to offer you a little sneak peek!:

 

Stenciled Pots

Diagonally Woven Willow Fencing

What are some of your favorite DIYs for the garden?

The Shape of Knitting Cover: Behind the Scenes

Choosing a cover from all of the lovely photographs taken for each book is often one of the hardest parts of the bookmaking process, and creating something to define Lynne Barr's third groundbreaking book, The Shape of Knitting, was no exception. With Thayer Allyson Gowdy's beautiful photography as a starting point, designer Mary Jane Callister got to work.

Featuring the My Tie Cardigan, the first cover she created was certainly pretty. But, although we were excited by the bright, eye-catching pop of pink, we didn't like that we couldn't see the front of the sweater.

The Big Button Cowl project is a definite crowd-pleaser, but we weren't as immediately drawn to the colors and overall look of this cover as much as the others.

Grid covers are a great option for when we can't pin down a single image that works. But grids are almost always less visually striking, so we prefer to go with a single image when we can (even when they're this pretty).

This cover was finally getting there. From the start, Melanie liked this image the most because it was so dramatic and the delicate shaping on the Tilda Hat is very prominent (this is The Shape of Knitting, after all!). But we wanted to make sure the text was clear, and the grey box around the title felt distracting.

And voila! Although it took a long time to put the pieces of this puzzle in place, we felt the final cover ultimately conveyed the the spirit of the book at a glance: creating knitwear that is glamourous, timeless, iconic, and memorable.

Which cover would you have chosen? Check out these and other photos from the book here.

Home Made

Story Time Clock designed by Jim Rosenau for The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti

Although spring's arrival in New York has been hesitant at best, there's just something about this time of year that incites a need for a refresh, especially at home. There's no quicker or more personal way to liven things up than with handmade decor, and STC Craft books are chock-full of luscious inspiration for making some changes around your place. Here are some of my favorite ways to perk things up for the new season:

Getting organized is an essential part of the process, but it doesn't have to be boring. These monogrammed plates and colorful hook organizer from Past & Present by Amy Azzarito are a great way to put some order to all of the little bits that clutter up an entryway:

 

From L to R: Empire-Inspired Plates designed by Julia Rothman; Hollywood Hang-It-All designed by Ashley Meaders

Sometimes, all you need to transform an uninspiring piece of furniture is a quick coat of fresh paint! Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin has so many inspiring projects to choose from:

 

From L to R: Linen Lampshade and Dressed-Up Dresser

New textiles instantly update a room, and even just one bright, graphic pillow or throw makes a big impact. I love these options from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy and More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

 

From L to R: Zigzag Cushions from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes ; Bright Stripes Blanket from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

Everything feels so much more homey with greenery around, and a small terrarium, like this one from Twig Terrarium's Tiny World Terrariums , and a handmade vase filled with fresh flowers, like this one from Crafting a Meaningful Home by Meg Mateo Ilasco, are a great way to bring the outside in:

 

From L to R: Adventurers Terrarium designed from Tiny World Terrariums; Rockite Bottle Vases designed by Anna Corpron & Sean Auyeung from Crafting a Meaningful Home

Make sure to follow us on Pinterest for more inspiration! What are your favorite ways to spruce up your home come spring? We'd love to hear in the comments!

How to Look and Feel Great in Your Clothes: A Guest Post by Knit to Flatter Author Amy Herzog

I’m so excited by the response Knit to Flatter has gotten, it’s hard to put into words. So many who have reviewed the book truly understood its core message: That your body is perfect just the way it is and nothing about you needs to be “fixed”, and that your clothing can make you feel phenomenal. This message is bigger than just knitting. Hand-knit garments are treasures, to be sure…

…but we can and should love all of our clothes, regardless of whether or not we made them.  To explore this implementation of my “Fit to Flatter” ideas in a broader context, I started a series on my own blog called “Fashion Fridays”. I thought you might like to share in an excerpt!

In this post, I wear the same clothes in two different ways, and briefly step through why they look so different. (For more, please see the original post.)

 Let’s start with the basics. The clothing, lighting, makeup, and conditions are the same. I’m smiling in both pictures. My underlying body shape is a proportional one, with a very straight waist and a long torso/short legs for my height.

I’m totally uncomfortable on the right, though, and it shows. Fashion point #1:

If you’re not comfortable in it, you won’t look good in it.

Your happy spot, clothing wise, is a very personal one. I’m not out to give you some crazy, restrictive rules you need follow slavishly. I’m here to help you figure out how clothing can make you happy. If something doesn’t feel good? Don’t wear it!

Clothing changes the way your inherent body shape looks in four main ways:

  • Horizontal lines or visual impressions broaden a region of the body
  • Vertical lines or visual impressions narrow a region of the body
  • A single piece of fabric/color/texture lengthens a region of the body
  • Many different pieces of fabric/color/texture shorten a region of the body

So what’s going on with these outfits?

On the right, there aren’t really any strong horizontal or vertical lines present in the way I’m wearing my outfit. So the eye travels elsewhere: You can see lots of details of my figure under this very plain clothing, and the eye is drawn to my hands and thighs, visually widening them. My torso looks quite long due to the solid block of gray, and my legs look very short thanks to the many different vertical sections

Contrast that with the visual impressions I’m giving in the left-hand picture: My contrast-colored tank, now visible in curvy strips and at my hips, shortens my torso and paints a curvier waist. My legs are lengthened by my long, plain pants. My deep V-neckline brings my bust visually up close to my head.

There are lots of reasons I’m more comfortable in the clothing on the left, and other people perceive me differently as a result. Again–I’m not saying one way is “right” and the other “wrong” for everyone–far from it!

But for me personally, one outfit makes me feel beautiful, and the other dumpy. And that shows!  

Amy Herzog is the author of Knit to Flatter: The only instructions you’ll ever need to knit sweaters that make you look good and feel great!. She teach classes around the US and online about creating sweaters that are tailored, clean, and fit perfectly into every wardrobe. You can find a full list of her designs on her designs page and in her Ravelry designer profile. For more information, visit her blog.

My Dysfunctional Relationship with Creativity: A Guest Post by Dawn DeVries Sokol

"Just Let Go" by Dawn DeVries Sokol

Creativity isn’t 24/7.

It doesn’t occur 9 to 5. It doesn’t have a schedule.

Creativity rarely sticks around when I need it the most.

Creativity loves to play games with my head. It keeps me awake at night when I would love to be sleeping. It lies dormant for days on end when I’m trying desperately to work on a project.

Creativity likes to elude me. It hides and laughs at me from dark corners, it taunts me when I’m missing it so, it tells me I don’t deserve it in my life.

But Creativity is also the best friend I have. Creativity whispers great ideas in my ear and gives me a tingly feeling when it wants to tell me I’m going in the right direction. Creativity can make me feel on top of the world at times.

But then it will suddenly disappear and make me feel like a slug.

What do I do when Creativity vanishes from my life?

I leave my studio. I watch a movie. I read a book. I go for a walk. I meet someone for lunch. I chat with a friend over coffee. I look at magazines. I take a workshop.

When I’m ready to coax Creativity to come out of its cave, I doodle. I turn on some music and open my art journal to any page and just start doodling. I begin with my favorite shapes and build on those. Line after line, circle after circle, heart after heart, Creativity envelops me once again and whispers in my ear: ideas, dreams, thoughts, and sparks of light.

And I am whole again.

Dawn DeVries Sokol is the author of Art Doodle Love: A Journal of Self-Discovery and several other books on art journaling and doodling. She teaches online doodling and art journaling workshops at www.dawndsokol.com.