If you are here because you read Karen Iwamoto's article in the Dec. 05 2008 Island Life section of the Honolulu Advertiser, um, hi! Karen did a great job interviewing me (she's very easy to spill your guts to - good thing I'm not in politics), and Rebecca Breyer, the photographer, did a great job too (and we even small-worlded it and figured out that she used to live in the same town in Wisconsin that one of my friends grew up in, and where I saw snow up close for the first time).
Links!
O'ahu has several yarn shops, and I know that there are shops on the island of Hawai'i (the "Big Island") and Maui. I've been maintaining a list of yarn shops and a list of craft stores that carry yarn; if I'm missing any, please let me know. The list of yarn shops in Hawai'i is also available as a free PDF download.
I like to hang out with the Aloha Knitters (and crocheters and spinners) on Thursday nights at Mocha Java (Ward Shopping Center, 7 - 9pm) Please join the Aloha Knitters Yahoo! Group for the most up-to-date information including when/where for Windward and Leeward meetings. It's free, open to all ages and skill levels, and it's fun!
Etsy is a fantastic online marketplace for handcrafts and handcrafters. I have a storefront there where I sell patterns in PDF format (you can also buy them as instant downloads if you use the links on the left sidebar of this page). Occasionally I sell finished items as well; if you really really really want a hat or scarf from one of my patterns but do not knit or crochet, you can check my Etsy Favorites for Etsy sellers who have finished items from my patterns, or use the Alchemy feature to find a crafter for hire. Etsy also has a Shop Local feature (Honolulu!) so you can find items from local crafters, like The Opalescence (handspun yarn and stitch markers) and Acornbud (project bags, stitch markers, and adorable stuffies like Snowball the Cat With a Christmas Hat).
Knitty is a free online magazine, edited by Amy Singer, with patterns, articles, and a forum. The Womb pattern was published in the Winter 2004 issue because Amy has got a sense of humor like mine; if you have any questions please check out the Womb FAQ first.
The Alt Fiber show (curated by the super-talented and always on-the-go Shannon Okey) took place at the Assemble gallery in Cleveland, Ohio, in January 2006.
The hats shown in the article were all knit using the Top-Down Ribbed Beanie Recipe, which you can download for free. It's easy to customize, and a great way to show off unusual yarns like the handspuns used for two of the hats in the photos.
Mobile Monster Piggy is in the Stitch 'N Bitch Nation book, edited by Debbie Stoller. You can find it in the craft section of most major bookstores, along with the original Stitch 'N Bitch, Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker, and Son of Stitch 'N Bitch (featuring knit and crochet patterns for men).
The crochet Sushi Pillow pattern is in the book Get Hooked!, edited by Kim Werker. It is also available through many major bookstores.
The Rosetta flower hairclip is a crochet pattern in progress, as are the scarves seen in the photos (yep, there's a lot of crochet going on in the photos - it's okay, the yarn muggles generally can't tell the difference between knit and crochet and ultimately I don't think it matters. I love both.). Feel free to nudge me into getting those patterns formatted, photographed, and published...but know that I am really, really good at procrastinating.
Interested in learning to knit, crochet, and/or spin? Check out this post for Honolulu.
...and if you still need a reason, please read Page 197, or 10 Reasons To Knit a Sweater in Hawai'i.
Links!
O'ahu has several yarn shops, and I know that there are shops on the island of Hawai'i (the "Big Island") and Maui. I've been maintaining a list of yarn shops and a list of craft stores that carry yarn; if I'm missing any, please let me know. The list of yarn shops in Hawai'i is also available as a free PDF download.
I like to hang out with the Aloha Knitters (and crocheters and spinners) on Thursday nights at Mocha Java (Ward Shopping Center, 7 - 9pm) Please join the Aloha Knitters Yahoo! Group for the most up-to-date information including when/where for Windward and Leeward meetings. It's free, open to all ages and skill levels, and it's fun!
Etsy is a fantastic online marketplace for handcrafts and handcrafters. I have a storefront there where I sell patterns in PDF format (you can also buy them as instant downloads if you use the links on the left sidebar of this page). Occasionally I sell finished items as well; if you really really really want a hat or scarf from one of my patterns but do not knit or crochet, you can check my Etsy Favorites for Etsy sellers who have finished items from my patterns, or use the Alchemy feature to find a crafter for hire. Etsy also has a Shop Local feature (Honolulu!) so you can find items from local crafters, like The Opalescence (handspun yarn and stitch markers) and Acornbud (project bags, stitch markers, and adorable stuffies like Snowball the Cat With a Christmas Hat).
Knitty is a free online magazine, edited by Amy Singer, with patterns, articles, and a forum. The Womb pattern was published in the Winter 2004 issue because Amy has got a sense of humor like mine; if you have any questions please check out the Womb FAQ first.
The Alt Fiber show (curated by the super-talented and always on-the-go Shannon Okey) took place at the Assemble gallery in Cleveland, Ohio, in January 2006.
The hats shown in the article were all knit using the Top-Down Ribbed Beanie Recipe, which you can download for free. It's easy to customize, and a great way to show off unusual yarns like the handspuns used for two of the hats in the photos.
Mobile Monster Piggy is in the Stitch 'N Bitch Nation book, edited by Debbie Stoller. You can find it in the craft section of most major bookstores, along with the original Stitch 'N Bitch, Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker, and Son of Stitch 'N Bitch (featuring knit and crochet patterns for men).
The crochet Sushi Pillow pattern is in the book Get Hooked!, edited by Kim Werker. It is also available through many major bookstores.
The Rosetta flower hairclip is a crochet pattern in progress, as are the scarves seen in the photos (yep, there's a lot of crochet going on in the photos - it's okay, the yarn muggles generally can't tell the difference between knit and crochet and ultimately I don't think it matters. I love both.). Feel free to nudge me into getting those patterns formatted, photographed, and published...but know that I am really, really good at procrastinating.
Interested in learning to knit, crochet, and/or spin? Check out this post for Honolulu.
...and if you still need a reason, please read Page 197, or 10 Reasons To Knit a Sweater in Hawai'i.