Before I start a new contest, I wanted to announce the winners from the April Blog Contest (where I asked you about the weirdest thing you have ever cooked with or eaten.) Some of you have eaten some rather disgusting interesting things. YUCK. Wow! I used the random generator to pick 3 winners, and will be sending skeins of Femme Fatale (the color that Claudia dyed up for the Spring Fling) to Betty in Calgary, Marji in NY, and Catrina in NC. Congratulations to all three of you! I have a few extra skeins of this colorway, so you’ll have another chance to win it in our May blog contest as well. 🙂
Speaking of the Fling, when people first arrive and check in, we give them each a Goodie Bag, filled with fun things. Since I’m such a bag and mug kind of person, I have fun picking these out especially for the Fling each year. And then filling them! Here is a photo of this year’s bag and contents. (I was a little into Apple Green this spring – can you tell? It’s such a happy color. I got our new travel mugs in that color as well.) I liked this bag so much that I may order them to sell here (only it won’t say Spring Fling). I liked the mugs a lot, too, but since we have a hard time shipping mugs because of breakage, I probably won’t have those for sale online. But I do have some filled Goodie Bags to give away, and I thought a blog contest would be the way to go. Included: the cute bag (it has an over-the-shoulder strap, pockets under the flap, and water bottle holder), 1 skein of Wollmeise’s Femme Fatale, the Loopy mug, two patterns, a Little Loopy, a post-it holder, a Spring Fling stitchmarker, and a mini skein of Baby Boom. Retail value is $65. We’ll use the random generator to pick the winners from the comments section and I’ll pick a winner for every 200 or so entries. My question for you to answer in the comments is: Who is your favorite knitwear designer? (It’s ok to say “I don’t have one”. I want everyone to be eligible to get in on this contest. But if you do have one, tell us!)
Have you joined our groups on Facebook and Twitter? We just finished up one of our 24 Quick Quizzes over there. I think I need to start doing those on our Ravelry group every once in awhile, too. We love connecting with you in other places, if you have time for those things in your life. (They can take time away from knitting, though. Ask me how I know….)
I‘m heading off to MDSW this weekend and hope to see some of you there! I never did come up with a good meeting place or time for Loopy Groupies. Instead, I’m just going to carry this big red bag, because it’s the ideal lightweight shopping bag, and I do intend to fill it up with purchases. If you see me walking by, grab me and say hi! I’ll be back to blogging on Monday with pictures of SHEEP. I love all of those sheep.
Sheri whowouldbringafewlambshomeiftherewasanywaytodoit
I don’t really have a favorite designer. I usually just look at various patterns, take a little from the ones I like, and come up with my own design. I have too much trouble getting my gauge to match anyone else’s to use a conventional pattern.
I have grown fond of Norah Gaughan’s patterns for Berrocco….
Veronik Avery. Her garments are timelessly stylish and suit lots of body types, plus they’re so weel written!
I don’t have a favorite designer but your bag is too cute. Hope you all had a nice spring fling! 🙂
What a cute bag! Hmmm, favorite designer? That’s a tough one. I do love Veronik Avery’s designs, and Kathy Zimmerman’s cables. And Chrissy Gardiner’s socks. And Hansi Singh’s creatures. And, and, and….. 🙂
My favorite designer (at the moment) is Jenny Watson.
I love Laura Nelkin’s beaded scarf patterns.
Anne Hanson! I love her designs and I love that she designs more than just one item. She’s creative and sweet and I always look forward to see what she comes up with next!
Many: Anne Hanson, Evelyn Clark, Bonnie Marie Burns, Cookie A, EZ.
I’ve never followed a knitting pattern, but do get lots of inspiration from them. Since I’m most interested in mens clothing the choices are more limited. I love looking at Kaffe Fasset’s wonderful colorwork.
I’ve admired Kaffe Fasset since childhood.
I don’t have anyone specific among modern designers though I do love the patterns from Knitty and the Twist Collective.
Yikes! This is a tough one as there are so many awesome designers out there right now! I would have to say the Wendy Johnson for socks and Wendy Bernard for sweaters. Thanks for having this contest!
I like Ann Budd but I am so new to knitting that I really don’t have a favorite designer. So for right now I like all designers that have patterns that I can knit.
Have a Happy Wednesday!!
I really don’t have a favorite. I’m fairly new to knitting so I have not been able to zone in on a favorite.
I love Ysolda and Jared Flood and Elizabeth Zimmermann!
Ysolda is great, but my favorite has to be Wendy Johnson!
I’m all about Wendy Johnson/Wendy Knits right now. I have two pairs of her socks and a shawlette on the needles right now, and only the self-discipline I’m attempting to cultivate is keeping me from casting on a few more socks and shawls.
Favorite designer is usually whomever I am knitting at the time – BUT – I do love Stephanie Japel & Charlene Schurch
Up until fairly recently I would have said I didn’t really have a favorite designer. But now…I think I can name four designers that I always seem to like:
Anne Hanson
Veronik Avery
Connie Chang Chinchio
and
Carol Sulcowkski (Not sure about the spelling…sorry, Carol!)
All these women just seem to fit my taste.
My favorite designers are Penny Straker and Wendy Johnson. I love Penny’s Arans and Wendy’s socks.
My favorite designer is Hannah Fettig.
I still haven’t picked a favorite designer yet. Checking out alot now that everyone has named theirs.
I really like the simplicity and lines of the Adrienne Vittadini books as well as Jared Flood and Julie Weisenberger. I am also a Cookie A. fan! Oh and Connie Chang Chinchio too!
I’ve got several favorite designers…….Elizabeth Zimmerman, Jared Flood, Kirsten Kapur, Melissa Morgan-Oakes and too many more to list…..
Gudrun Johnston for contemporary and Elizabeth Zimmerman for timless.
no real favorites come to mind. there’s so many beautiful patterns, and many are by little known designers. i love ravelry for helping me find patterns from a wide range of designers. my favorite abstract group of designers however, is those who can succinctly and clearly write patterns. that just gives the pattern a whole other depth of beautiful.
I am sure I am too late for the contest- I just returned from a two week holiday in Korea. I wanted to say that Jared Flood is my favorite designer as well as my favorite photographer.
I love Hannah Fettig and her simple designs like Whisper Cardigan!
Oh, my, I can’t choose between Elizabeth Zimmerman and Ysolda, for roughly the same reason: They are essentially timeless, with lovely shpaes, so they can be youthful or adapted for us Old Farts.
This is an incredibly hard question, but I love Wendy and Cookie A’s sock patterns. I also adore Ysolda’s patterns. I don’t think I could pick just one.
When I was learning to bake bread many years ago, I contacted an author of a cooking book that had me “stumped,” and she gave me this advice: “Stay with the same chef rather than jump to different cookbooks. You will learn the basics and then be able to understand other techniques in other books.” And so, I have knitted many of Debbie Bliss paterns because I am beginning to understand a lot more of knitting with the same “constant” teacher. Hope this helps someone, Bunny