Happy Easter, Peeps!
Yesterday was our 2nd annual Easterpalooza at our house AKA, the “Howell/Campbell Home for Wayward Easterers”. Austin is a city of transplants so there are a lot of us here who don’t have family close by. Easterpalooza is open to anyone who wants to come. The adults sip on mimosas and eat snacks while the kids hunt for easter eggs and jump in the huge, Spider-Man bouncy pit. It’s good times. This year, it was pretty cold outside but a lot of people still showed up, including sisters in craft maifia-ness and their SFOs: Jennifer, Tina, Karly (who’s newly engaged–YAY Matt & Karly!), Hope, Jenny (who I suckered into modeling the Sense & Sensibile-knitty Scarf & Wrap, the patterns of which are available for free with VHC yarn purchase at your LYS), and Susann who brought her sister and 4 kids who are visiting for
Susann’s post-elopement party. In case you’re keeping track, that’s 2 ACMer’s engaged, and 2 who’ve eloped over the past 4 months. Don’t drink the water. 😉
Patterns: Melinda Morrow, Yarn: Vickie Howell Collection’s Love
My mom’s also in town, which is awesome. We got crafty and made a ridiculous Peeps Wreath for the door. After all, nothing says “Welcome to Our Home” better than hot glue and sugar-saturated marshmallow!
Me and Libbs (aka my mom). Photo by Tanner Howell 🙂
“Welcome, my peeps!”
On the Knitty Gritty front, I finally watched the new episodes that have aired so far. The music action is going to take a little getting used to but, I actually like pace of the new, HDTV format. Seems less tedious to me. I don’t know, I need to see more before I have a strong opinion. Just out of curiosity though, do any of you watch Uncommon Threads or Craft Lab? They’re produced by the same company and edited almost exactly the same way. For those of you who are anti-new format, does that feeling go for all three shows? Inquiring minds wanna know!
I do however agree, the Knittycam is a bit obscured by the large graphics that are on screen at the same time (although I like that they’re labeling what’s being done–and yes, I did catch the graphics mistake made on the cropped sweater episode). All that to say, I think the guests have totally kicked ass so far and that the topics have been pretty interesting to watch. I’m really glad that we were able to do some more advanced stuff this go around. Congratulation to Jamie (aka Scout) for her great job showing us how to hand-dye yarn on today’s episode! She was all worried, but did a fantastic job! Seriously, that was the last show of the season we shot and everybody was really tired. She was a great sport. Thanks, lady!
Ok, I’ve got a sick kiddo to check on and a quickie, Free Pattern of the Month (are you reading, Dave Lowe?! ;-)) to finish. Hope you all had a happy Easter!
xo,
Vickie
I have a regarding today’s (4/9) show with Scout. When dyeing yarn with koolaid is the process the same–warm water, vinegar, foam brush? Will one type of yarn work better with koolaid? Thanks!
That peep wreath is so colorful. Clever way to get out of a sugar high too.
I would LOVE the sense and sensibility scarf pattern if you would please send it to me. After you were in town here, I purchased some Buttercup and Wesley from Showers of Flowers in Denver and gave a scarf away as a door prize on my blog. That’s the pattern I would love to use. How can I get it?
I love the wreath! I love Peeps, I like making wreaths. I think I’ll have to try that sometime. That’s of course if I can stand NOT eating the Peeps.
I love your Knitty Gritty show and just watched the episode about dyeing sock yarn with Scout too. I thought you said on the show there were instructions for making the warping board at DIY, but I can’t seem to find where! Is it with this show link, or somewhere else perhaps?
Joanna
“http://watchthoseneedles.blogspot.com>
This is a great tutorial for Kool-Aid dyeing.
http://www.knitty.com/issuefall02/FEATdyedwool.html
And thank YOU. I had a great time. I’m now going to bed since I barely slept last night.
OMG. I love the wreath!
OH MY GOD! First and foremost, CONGRATS!!!! That’s amazing!!!!!!!!! (And he ain’t too bad to look at, either!) Any time you wanna help me snag one, just go right ahead! I’m very proud of Scout, too. Amazing, her stuff.
Love the Peeps Wreath – I see where you get your “craftiness” from!
I like the new show format – I think it looks more professionally produced. I agree the music takes getting used to. I Tivo your show every day and love it. Scout did a fabulous job as did Stefanie Japel the other day!
I’ll have to go check my TIVO since it’s not recording the new season – yikes!
I did see another show on knitting by a woman who owns a yarn store in Los Angeles or Beverly Hills but I didn’t like it nearly as much as Knitty Gritty. KG has better camera angles and you are always so clear with your instructions. I love it! Keep On Knitting!
I only discovered Knitty Gritty in the last month or so, but so far I am really enjoying it. I think the pacing is good and accessible to knitters old and new.
Allbeehive–I’ll work on that for you. Let me see if I can get it from SWTC. Since it was a guest designer, my friend Melinda, who wrote that pattern, I don’t have it on hand. Please get me your e-mail address to pass on to them. Thanks!
Joanna–That link should be up today. There was a miscommunication and the network didn’t have it available before this morning. 🙁
Hartgirl– Thanks, I really appreciate hearing that. 🙂
Robin–Thanks, glad you like it! Oh and as I’ve said before, Stefanie’s one of my favorite designers so I LOVED having her on the show. I’m really excited that she’s agreed to design a pattern or two for my yarn collection! 🙂
xo,
Vickie
That is a super cool looking wreath. I love the idea! I must save this idea for next year.
i noticed on glampyres show there was no mention of which yarn was used..you used to list the necessary supplies. is that part of the new format? not to mention what yarn is being used? i kind of liked that.
I think their research showed that people weren’t copying down the supply lists while watching the show anyway, they were going to the website later to get the info. So, it should always be available there.
Here’s the link to Stefanie’s project. The yarn is Cascade Magnum.
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_5422444,00.html
I do watch Craft Lab (when I’m able to ,so I can’t make much comparison with this show). Uncommon Threads,and of course Knitty Gritty I watch back to back everyday( its my me time). Though there are similar formats, there are two totally different feel for each show.With Uncommmon Thread I know there are different types of needle crafts shown and seems more instructional,whereas Knitty Gritty you feel like your sitting in on your favorite knitting circle( where you can knit and watch and get new inspiration and ideas, not to mention great tips) which has been nice since I just moved and haven’t found a knitting group yet. I’ve watch every episode and have learned so much. I’ve been knitting more projects now than I did in the past because now I don’t feel so intimidated or that its to hard(though some projects need more practice than others). The music is different, but has kept my three year old boy’s attention(he’ll now come into the room and watch) When he hears the opening theme song he’ll scream “Mom, your Knitty Gritty is on” even its Uncommon Threads. I do like the new pace when the music comes on and your watching the knitting cam, its slow enough to get the stitch that is being shown , but not so slow it drags. I do like when you show the yarn used, because even if I didn’t write it down right there and then, there was still a visual of the yarn that would stick in my head and if I went to the yarn store I more times than not would stop at that yarn and pick it up( might not always remember how much I needed but would remember seeing it on your show then I would just check the web site or buy more than needed :))
I’m a loyal viewer, and love the projects you offer on Knitty Gritty. I have been seeing the new format on HGTV, and have to admit that I don’t care for the new production values. I find the “sped up” action on the knitty cam to be MUCH less helpful than the previous camera work. One of the things I love the BEST about the old episodes is that the techniques are shown with great care so that those of us who might want to “knit along” can easily follow. The new format looks choppy and “cheap” to me.
That having been said, I congratulate you on keeping knitting in the younger, more vital public’s eye! Keep that up!
LCinSunnySoCal.wordpress.com
I love your easter wreath idea . I will be stealing your idea for next year. I tivo your show so I never miss one. Plus I get my friends togther and watch it. We all love scout as well. Check out http://www.etsy.yummeeyarn.com it’s a fav place of mine
that wreath is hilarious!
-drew
http://www.drew-o-rama.com
I liked how they used to show the supplies beforehand. I TIVO all the episodes, and I liked being able to run up and grab the needles and yarn (I usually had something that worked in my stash) to try out the project while watching the episode. Now I have to go online first and find it, which is not that difficult but not as easy as it used to be.
I’m a huge fan of the show though, and can’t wait to try the ascot from the celeb scarves episode. The instructions aren’t posted on the site yet, but I still have the episode on my TIVO so hopefully I can copy from that 🙂
Love the Peeps wreath! Now I’ll actually have a use for them next year.
Thanks!
Thanks for the input, everyone. I’ll definitely take your production suggestions to the table, once we’re in pre-production again. Hopefully though, you’re as pleased with the guests and projects as I am. 🙂
Jennifer was the ascot from the celeb scarves episode Vickie’s Lana and Clark ascot pattern? I don’t have TIVO so going solely on memory.If it was the pattern is on her “Make This” section of this web site.
I love Knitty Gritty – I do like the new format, but I don’t care for the music much…one other thing – sometimes the techniques are not shown on the knitty cam so you’re not getting a knitter’s view of the technique, but rather from “across the table” so it isn’t as clear. Otherwise, I think the new season is fabulous! I loved Stephanie Japel and I went out and bought her book! I tivo the show and look forward to watching it when I get home each evening! Thanks a bunch!!!
Kristina
I watch both Craft Lab and Uncommon Threads (I pretty much have DIY Network on permanent DVR) but I’ll be honest, I’ve been saving the new episodes of Knitty Gritty for a little marathon when hubby takes the kids out to the park tomorrow. I’m going to sit down with my yarn and needles, hit ‘play’, and watch all the new episodes. I’m sure they look fab,!