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
My favorite is probably Ysolda Teague. I love her sense of whimsy and her pattern writing is excellent – clear, concise and very easy to follow.
Based on the number of patterns that I have actually worked up, I’d have to say that Ysolda teague is probably my favorite knitwear designer. I like that her sweaters are sized for a wide range of body sizes, and her patterns are written very clearly.
There are so many great designers to pick from! In abosultely no particular order:
Socks- Janel Laidman, Cookie A, Nancy Bush.
(I would love to try Miriam Fenton’s Bodicia socks, if only someone would restock the pattern) (I know, shameless).
These days, there are so many great designers to pick from that I’m stopping at socks, but I could go on…and on.
Anne Hanson. Love her!
Don’t have one, but I would like to make a Knitspot shawl, they are all so beautiful.
LOVE the Bag!!! :o) Yarns, Mug and Lil Loopy too! hehe
My favorite designer has to be Erica Downs. I am in love with her Pampa Jacket Cardigan!! I do adore Ysolda, Cookie A., Anne Hanson and of course EZ as well!
I would def bring a lamb home and hide her in my yard full of tall flowers hehe.
Thanks for the opportunity to win Sheri!!!
I would have to say Elizabeth Zimmermann. I have been so inspired by her and because of her I can make patterns my own and fit them better. Heck, I even have the nerve to make sweaters WITHOUT patterns. I never thought I would be able to do that.
my favorite designer is Anne Hanson!!! Sheer genius!
Evelyn Clark. I love the precise was her patterns are constructed. Every detail is carefully thought out. Yes, Evelyn Clark is my favorite designer.
I’m a sweater knitter, so I say Wendy Bernard. Her patterns are well written, contemporary without being strange, and easy to modify to fit.
There are almost too many to name. Veronica Avery, Norah Gaughan, Connie Chang Chinchio, Wendy Bernard, Cookie A, Wendy Johnson, Cat Bordhi… The list could go on and on. There are so many great designers out there right now. We are so lucky to get to play with their designs!
My favorite is Yarnissima.
I don’t know if I have a favorite, I enjoy Cookie A, Ysolda Teague, Kirsten Kapur, Veronik Avery, just to name a few.
I like Connie Chang Chinchio, Shelia January, and Ysolda Teague. Oh, there’s more but I will stop here.
I would have a hard time picking a favorite, but I really like Cookie A and Kirsten Kapur
Bonne Marie, Chic Knits….hands down. She has not released a pattern I haven’t coveted!!
Right now it would have to be Cookie A. or Elli Metz. Both have created mind-bogglingly awesome sock patterns that I absolutely love. I would love to design myself someday and both these ladies are a huge inspiration.
I love Wendy’s patterns. They are delightful and very easy to read and understand. Hope I win!!!
Next to free on ravelry I love Anne’s Knitspot patterns
I love Nancy Bush. Classic socks with very easy to read patterns.
I have a major love affair with Yarnissima’s patterns!! I have a stash of all of her kits that I can get my hands on!
A favorite is hard to pick, but I have to admit to a soft spot for Kaffe Fasset because his work inspired me to be more adventurous in my knitting. Based on the pattern in “Glorious Knits”, I did a Tumbling Blocks sweater that was built completely out of odd skeins I found in the sale bins of my LYS. Loved that sweater to death, wore it on my first trip to the UK (where it was warm and quite fashionable) and basically wore it to bits. I really should knit another of those.
Elizabeth Zimmerman is my favorite designer. She is a great story teller too.
I do have a lot of favorites! Anne Hanson may just be my current top of the list. Also Susan Pandorf for her gorgeous and intricate lace. Oh, and Wendy and Cookie, of course. So many patterns, so little time…… * sigh *
Hum. . . I don’t really have a favorite…
Hmmm. This is a hard one. I think I would have to say Jared Flood because a) he somehow gets me to try amazingly tough patterns and b) he use of wool makes me not mind the cold of winter. Gold star to him. 🙂
My favorite right now is a fiendish designer who does a lot of work for Vogue – Marie Wallin. I’m knitting her Chorley Wrap – big, fat cables on size 19 needles with two strands of Rowan Big Wool right now – it’s quite a challenge. I also want to knit her Melford Dress – Sheri you may remember me asking if you were going to get anymore Rowan Kidsilk Haze in for that one. It requires SIXTEEN SKEINS. Yup. Mohair laceweight, tiny needles, and a full-size dress. I am insane. But I love her designs.
I also love Jared Flood. I’m still working on those two Girasoles from last year….
I’m pretty equal-opportunity–but I’d have to say either Elizabeth Zimmermann or the designer of most of the stitches in my favorite Japanese stitch dictionary–I have the name written down at home but forget at the moment…. 🙂
Sally Melville, Knitspot, and Heartstrings!
I have to say Cookie A for the socks. And Elizabeth Zimmerman for baby items – such an amazingly creative approach!
ann at Knitspot. i adore her sock patterns.
also Wendy Johnson – the reason i attempt to knit toe up.
No real favorite – I like clever and different ways of making things so designers like Nora Gaughan are always interesting.
There are too many to have a favorite! I love Cookie A.’s sock patterns, Anne Hanson’s lace, Veronik Avery, Wendy Bernard…..I could go on and on….
Right now I’m really loving Ysolda!!!
Wow, trying to narrow down my favorite designers….I think I can get it down to three: Anne Hanson, Cookie A. and Veronik Avery. Thank you for asking!
There are so many wonderful designers out there but if I had to pick one or two, they would be Kathy Zimmerman and Anne Hanson. And Anne’s patterns are so well written that they are a joy to knit.
I really like Nancy Bush, my favorite of her books is “Knitting on the Road” and I
am sure I could find a pattern in there that would work well with the Wollmeise’s Femme Fatale! 🙂 Thanks for the fun contest!!
Joan McGowan-Michael
Cookie A Or Wendy Johnson. I’m a relatively new knitter, so ask again next year & I’ll have more I’m sure!
Why EZ of course!
I love Yarnissima, Cookie A., Ysolda Teague, Anne Hanson, and Herbert Niebling. The more complex the pattern is, the better!!
I don’t know that I have one favorite but I seem to go to several all the time for certain items. Nancy Bush seems to be the sock guru for me right now along with Debbie O’Neill. I know that Nancy also has lots of lace shawls out there but I seem to go with Evelyn Clark for that right now.
Adrienne Fong! I love love love her socks and she’s now branching into shawls and scarves. Her patterns are well written and just seem to go together so well.
Have a great time in Maryland!
Right now my favorite designer is Bonne Marie of Chicknits fame. She designs such classic, wearable garments
I don’t know her name but the lady to designed the February Lady is great!!!! I loved knitting that sweater and of course I love french press knits. What a fantastic pattern!!!!!
love anne hanson and wendy j. but I really love the designers in Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn
Lucy Neatby…
My favorite designer is Debbie Bliss.
My favorite designer would be Alice Starmore. I get blown away with her sense of color and I love the traditional designs.
My favorite right now is Chic Knits (Bonnie Marie Burns), but of course there are so many talented designers it is hard to pick!