100% Rye by Shannon Stronger - a Review

100% Rye by Shannon Stronger

Sourdoug is a passion of mine and rye is a grain, I eat almost daily, so when I found out that a woman I admire was coming out with a new cookbook called 100% Rye, I had to get a copy and tell you all about it. Shannon Stonger and her husband Steward graciously provided a free copy for me to review, but although I will send them a grateful though every time I bake from this book, it did not influence my review.

About the author

Shannon is a mama to four small children, homesteader, freelance writer, cookbook author, and fermented-food enthusiast. She is the author of three books: Simple Food for Winter, Simple Food for Spring, and 100% Rye. She also chronicles her family's off-grid journey at nourishingdays.com.  

About the book

First off, let me tell you about my overall impression of this book. It rocks. There, that's it. You want more..?

What do you think about when you hear about 100% rye baked goods? If you have no familiarity with rye you may just think " how exciting", but if you've ever had a rye bread go Wrong (yes, with a capital letter), then you may be slightly on edge, at the same time chances are that you've also had rye breads done right and know what glorious baked goods they are.

Shannon uses traditional ingredients in her baking, much in tune with Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, which happens to be one of my favourite cookbooks, so I'm slightly bias from the get-go.
For me, sourdough is something I preach. If you ever get me talking about baking, it will not be long before I offer you some sourdough. If you have no idea what a sourdough is, here is (some of) Shannon's explanation:

"At its most basic, a sourdough starter is simply a slurry of water and flour that contains a living colony of bacteria, yeast, acids, and other microorganisms we probably don’t even know about." p 16 

Shannon also shares a good deal of her personal story with her reader which leaves me with a feeling that anyone can make these recipes work for them. Just listen to one of her musings on rye:

"I found that rye flour has a window of hydration in which it works best. Too dry and it becomes a lead brick. Too moist and overworked and it becomes gummy and shapeless. Working with this fact, and not against it, was a sort of breakthrough I had when I began developing recipes for my family." p 8

This book gently takes you by the hand and guides you through the motions, even if you have never used rye or sourdough before. Shannon deals with the many questions that surround rye and sourdough, problems that may occur and ways to adapt the recipes to your comfort level. All this is spruced up with rustic, handdrawn illustrations that makes the book both authentic and charming as well as mouthwatering colour photos of the baked goods.

Finally, any cookbook that lists carrots this way is bound to win my heart:

"2 cups (tightly packed) freshly grated carrots (none of that pre-shredded, dried out nonsense) " p 78

Sadly, I've yet to try any of the recipes due to time constrains, but I'm positive they are delicious and will recommend this book to anyone and everyone interested in baking with rye and sourdough.
First on my list of recipes I want to try ASAP is this delicious goodness that I'll leave you with as a teaser:

Let's review: Bake, Knit, Sew by Evin Bail O'Keeffe and a Giveaway

Review

Baking and knitting are two of my passions, you know that right?! I've dabbled in sewing, but frankly it isn't my forte, but I'd love to get better at it, so what could be better than a book incorporating all those things.

That is exactly what Evin's book Bake Knit Sew: A Recipe and Craft Project Annual does in 12 chapters, one for each month of the year she brings you a total of 13 recipes, 7 knitting patterns, 5 sewing projects. 

What I love the most about the book is the stories. The little insights into her family are lovely and warming. All the baked goods make my mouth water from the pictures, but I have to admit I haven't made any of them, so I can't vouch for the taste, although I'm sure they are wonderful. 

What didn't really speak to me as much is the patterns. I'm not aware of the targeted group for this book, but some of the patterns seemed a little too simple to me. Pattern in case: the Smudge's handspan headband. I completely agree with Evin's philosophy behind the design, but the design itself just doesn't speak to me. 

In terms of the sewing projects, they were all simple enough that I'm confident I could make them without any troubles. One project in particular stood out to me: the Upcycled Felt Mittens. Those are so beautiful, I almost wish I had a washing accident. 

Giveaway

All in all, this would be the perfect book for someone just beginning their journey into domesticity and since I probably won't be using it I figure I would pass the copy that Evin generously provided for the review along to someone who might be gushing over it. 

If that person is you, with or without the actual gushing, just leave a comment below telling me which of the three activities is your favourite and why. 

The lucky winner will be drawn next Tuesday (24/02-15)

Designing for Larger Women

This is a guest post by Natàlia Prats on designing for larger women. It's a topic I know very little about and I'm thankful for her willingness to share her experience, insights and sense of humour with us.

I learned to sew my own garments because I found it very difficult to find beautiful, classy ones in my size. When later I learned to knit, my motivations took me along the same path.  The available choice for larger sizes was -and is- ludicrously small. Making the garments myself helped me have some more choice.
Well, almost.

I soon found out that, as with sewing patterns, knitting patterns came mostly in a very limited range of sizes. When I found patterns offered in larger sizes, many of them were off-puttingly ridiculous. Or they used certain features that, whereas they allow for more room, they are not necessarily going to look good (i.e. Empire waists: some people love them, yes, but a majority of us have to avoid them or be complimented over our imaginary future baby). Apparently, ladies with curves are not allowed tasty clothes. You get a square bag with holes for head and limbs and there it is. Garish colours. Flashy designs impossible to wear in a sober environment. And above all, apparently larger ladies have all a rack that’s at least DD. Guess what, I don’t.

Pedrera (back)

Other features made many patterns a no-no for me: ridiculously tight short sleeves; ridiculously wide long sleeves; ridiculously long sleeves (think young Enrique Iglesias). A constant in winter sweaters was the lack of shaping finished off by a disproportionately tight rib just below the waist and a too tight round neck at the opposite end. Low quality materials and a lot of glitter.

Nowadays we have some more choice, thanks to having easy access to a lot more design work, and a number of designers decided to tackle the problem and create beautiful patterns that actually fit in more sizes. It isn’t still enough, though. I decided to contribute.

I found my experience in garment sewing and pattern drafting very valuable. That and an understanding of the different types of body shapes are essential in order to create a well-fitting top that makes you look good and not like a rumpled sack of potatoes. When I develop a new design, I want it to help me look neat and feel comfortable. So I try to avoid all the mistakes I’ve seen in other designs along the years:

-Some designers, for some strange reason, thought that it was enough to just scale up everything. I still came across such an instance recently: a top with a fully turned boat neck. It worked well with smaller sizes, but it became evident they had never tested the larger ones when I tried to make one for me; the garment was tube-like and the measurement of the neck had to be the same as the body with arms and all, so at my size there was no hold for so much fabric unless you had JJJ boobs (at the very least). I had to frog the entire thing. 

Bodies don’t just grow in all dimensions -otherwise we’d have lots more giants around. The reality is that most larger people are exactly the same height as the rest. Which means their extra humanity spreads widthwise. There is no point in increasing the measurements related to length except to account for the increase in volume. It’s the horizontal measurements the ones that do the hard work. This is why, if you compare the numbers in a sizing table, they sort of correlate in groups, but not all along the table. As the body shape changes when a girl grows into an adult, the measurements reflect this. As the body becomes bigger than average, another, different adjustment takes place. You cannot just say ‘I’ll make everything larger and that’s it.’ That’s when you get a tent-like shapeless garment.


-The best tip I’ve ever learned is to show you have a waist. Everybody has a waist. Granted, sometimes it hides. But in most cases, if you do something to highlight its existence, it will pay off. That’s why I prefer creating sweaters with a waist. Even if the shaping is soft, it will improve the general look. This works for bigger and smaller people alike.


-Body types. Whether you’re a pear or an apple or whatever, the combinations are infinite and you may very well never be identified with one of those models. In a very interesting conversation on this subject recently in the Designers group of Ravelry, somebody was seriously trying to determine plus size body shapes, because obviously what fits certain types won’t fit so well other types in the same size. It is a very complicated problem to which we still have no solution. The variables are too many. My take is that we’d better offer what we can, and hopefully the increasing assortment on offer will finally be able to cater for everybody. This is also another reason why different designers have different styles. Everyone tends to work with designs that fit the body types they know best.

Tarnhelm

Sometimes, when I release a pattern designed especially for plus sizes, I get asked to release it for smaller sizes too. The thing is, in the same way that not all designs are suitable for fuller figures, not all designs are suitable for smaller ones. Not only that: in the best of cases, it means having to do all the work all over again, so it’s actually like creating two versions of the pattern. Therefore, if I can’t cover all sizes I’ll work for the plus group. Smaller people already have thousands more designs to choose from anyway. 

We are constantly manipulated by the whims of the media and mass production industries. Independent designers are trying to change this, but it takes a lot of time and effort. I am glad to be helping with that change. I’ll keep working in this area, trying to create a variety of designs flattering for people who, like me, are tired of what they are not being offered.

Sylvan Tiger Yarn - Interview and Discount Code

Today, I have a treat for you: a great interview with Katie of Sylvan Tiger Yarn, an independent hand dyer based in Yorkshire, England, creating luxury yarn and fibre using natural dyes.  

Katie was first taught to knit by her Mum as a child.  More recently the wonderful world of Ravelry has expanded her fibrey horizons in the direction of spinning and dyeing.  She enjoys messing about with natural dyes, adding a little of this, a little of that to create and modify new colours.  When not up to her ears in dye pots she enjoys reading, playing flute or cello in her local orchestra and walking in the hills and dales.

Katie, you dye such beautiful skeins of wool, you must have some knitting on your sticks, right?! What are you working on at the moment?

Well, in the run up to Christmas, there are a couple of presents on the needles. Earlier in the year I designed a scarf pattern, Sylvan Scarf, to show off my Tethera yarnbase – a 100% British Bluefaced Leicester 4 ply. I'm knitting a version of that for my Gran in a lovely Raspberry shade. 

There's also a pair of socks for my husband, striped in three colours of Regia 4ply, a great yarn for man socks!

There should also be a scarf for my Mother-in-Law, but I'm running out of time. She'll get the yarn wrapped up then an I.O.U for the finished item! She chose a skein of my 100% Wensleydale lace weight in the Greengage Glut colourway when she came to visit my stall at Yarndale last September.

There's also a pair of colourwork mittens that have been on the needles longer than I care to remember, more urgent items keep getting in the way. And that's before we start thinking about the things I want to knit!

Funfair - Jacob

When and why did you start selling your yarn?

I opened my Etsy shop in December 2013 having started playing around with dyes around 18 months before that. I'd found groups on Ravelry devoted to dyeing with Koolaid and was amazed you could dye yarn with a drink! And, from there I did a lot of reading about dyeing with natural or vegetable dyes and became fascinated with the different colours you could get from humble plants. I love the fact that you can get multiple different colours from the same dye source, just by changing the PH level of the dye bath or the mineral content. After testing out lots of dyes and yarns I decided that if I wanted to continue dyeing and experimenting with colour I'd better start selling some yarn, otherwise the house would be overrun!

Summer Berries - Bluefaced Leicester

Where do you get inspiration from?

Partly from the dyes themselves, the way they can be modified to change colour. And, from the landscapes around me; mosses on tree trunks, the different colours in the sea, or even paint splodges on windowsills!

What is you favourite yarn or colour way to dye and why?

Well, purple is my favourite colour so I love producing different purples from different dyes and combinations of dyes. A lot of my yarn bases are based on British Bluefaced Leicester. It's a lovely alternative to Merino in that it's British, and I try to support the British fibre industry where ever I can. It's also one of the lustre wools, it has a longish staple length so it has a lovely shine to it, it takes the dye well and it's soft enough to wear next to the skin. I also like dyeing Wensleydale yarn and fibre as they both take the dye so beautifully and have a shinyness similar to silk.

Amethyst - Wensleydale

How much time do you devote to your business each week?

I work full time as a Classical Music Programmer for my local City Council so I work the dyeing in around that. In the run up to Yarndale in September 2014, my first big fibre festival, I was fitting in bits of the dye process in all available spare time! I'd be rinsing off yarn before work, mordanting yarn after making the evening meal (I dye in our kitchen) and then dyeing over the weekend. There was yarn soaking in buckets or hung to dry all over the house! Since then, I have a good stock level built up so I've just been keeping the social media and marketing ticking over and enjoying a bit of a break!

Sitka - Blueface Leicester

And finally, what are your goals and dreams for your business?

I'm enjoying having the opportunity for a personal creative outlet alongside my fulltime job. I'd like to explore more breed specific yarn and work with farmers and breeders to help increase the value of fleece. There are more breeds out there than Merino and Bluefaced Leicester, some of which are endangered or very rare. All fleece can be valueable to the knitter or spinner, it's just a case of finding the right yarn and project for a particular breed. You wouldn't want to knit a next to the skin vest out of Swaledale or Herdwick, for example, but they are great for felted slippers or an outer garment.

Aqua - Shetland

Katie has generously offered 10% off her beautiful yarn and fibre 

Just use ULDENT2015 valid now until 28 February 2015.

The Knit and Crochet Notebook by Mama's Notebooks - Review

Lets be honest, my design notes are a mess, scribbles on a post it here, notes on a scrap piece of paper there, separate notes on pattern repeats on squared paper... It can be difficult to keep track of it all and while I haven't misplaced anything yet, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

When I discovered the Knit and Crochet Notebook by Mama's Notebooks, I knew I had found a potential solution. I'm so proud to present Mama Heather as a sponsor of Noget Uldent.

Mama Heather is the author of a wide selection of notebooks, from baby to budgets, homeschooling and knitting - Heather offers a notebook to help you keep track of everything.

Now onto the review!

Full disclaimer: the nice Heather sent me my copy for free and I decided to pass it on to my mum, as it was just what she needed! This review is based on both my mum's and my impression of the notebook.

The Knit and Crochet Notebook is not aimed at designers per se, but at every knitter and crocheter and it contains the following segments:
- Project table of contents
- Project pages (enough for 30 projects!)
- Needle and hook tracker
- Gauge tracker
- Project wish list
- How to measure
- Measurement chart
- Standard yarn weight reference
- Notes

Project pages

The amount of project pages is quit generous - 30 projects will last most knitters a year or two, right?!
At the top there are spaces to fill in all the important information and I really liked the 'check when finished' feature at the right hand side of the squared section. It suits my control gene perfectly.
The fact that each project has a full spread, allows for a good amount of space for notes and diagrams, especially if you're not designing from scratch, but making a good deal of moderations, like my mum tend to do.

Needle and hook tracker

We both agree that this feature is great and an important part of a knitting notebook, but frankly neither of us will use it. There's a big disclaimer attached to this statement, we both have highly organised knitting needle bags and don't feel the need to keep further track of our needles, but if they were say in a box or drawer all mixed and jumbled, then this tracker would be a lifesaver!

Gauge tracker

There's only one word that can truly describe this part of the notebook: ingenious! 

We both knit in the same yarns time and again and while we remember our gauges roughly, writing it down is just one of those duh!-moments. 

There's room for 50 items so just get cranking on those gauge swatches and with the dates noted as well, you'll be able to see if you need to do a check-up, since your gauge does change over time.  

Project wishlist

My mum is lucky to be married to Mr. Please-Knit-Me-A-...., needles to say that the wish list will come in handy. If I had kept the notebook I would use this part to record design ideas and inspirations. 

Most of us have Ravelry queues, but there is just something special about a paper list, isn't there?!

How to measure and the measurements chart 

Sometimes, exactly where and how to take a measurement can get confusing, especially if you are trying to explain it to your helpful, but clueless significant other, the chart makes it easy to explain and the measurement charts means you don't have to take a persons measurements every single time you knit them something. This is particularly handy if your recipients live far away. 

Conclusion 

We quite like the notebook, it has a lot of great features and seems very reasonably priced at $20.99 taking into consideration that it will probably last you at least a year if not a couple of years. We couldn't really think of anything we felt were missing and that is always a plus. So if your notes are as disorganised as ours, then getting the Knit and Crochet Notebook will most likely be a good investment. 

 

Tyrel Leather interview, giveaway & coupon code.

When I heard that my Ravelry friend Callista's husband had a small leather business, I had to get him on here to answer my prying questions and thankfully he was more than willing to do so! He may not be a fibre person, but his creations in leather are truly beautiful and who knows maybe he could be convinced to do leather needle cases?

Before we go to the interview I want to share his logo with you, because I adore it.

JT, I usually ask people what’s on their needles first, but I don’t know if you knit or have other hobbies? 

Yeah I don’t have any knitting needles. That is definitely Callista’s hobby. Right now I have several belts that I am making. My other hobby/recreation is snowboarding. I am definitely ready for it to start snowing here so that I can go.

When and why did you start selling your creations?

I started selling my leather goods at the beginning of this year. Eventually, my goal is to have a saddle making business. Right now I just wanted to start selling my stuff to support my hobby and maybe some day make it a full time career.

Colorado Flag Wallet

Do you sell your beautiful wares in different places or stick to your Etsy store?

For now I only sell in my Etsy store, but I am looking at other possibilities too.

Where do you get inspiration from?

A lot of it comes from looking at other people’s products and then redesigning it to fit what I want it to look like.

Leather Bracelet

What is you favourite item to make and why?

My favorite item to make is my photo albums. It gives special meaning to those who have one. I made my first album for my wife for our first wedding anniversary. It allows people to have something special so that they can look back at their special occasions in life.

Phote Album

How much time do you devote to your business each week?

It definitely varies as to how many orders I have, but on average it’s around 5-10 hours per week right now. I definitely hope to spend more time on it as it grows.

And finally, what are your goals and dreams for your business?

Ideally, I would love to live in a small mountain town with a shop downtown and make saddles all day long. I would also like to make saddle bags, purses, and some of the bigger leather goods that I have not attempted yet.

Tri Fold Wallet

Giveaway

JT is offering a bracelet to one lucky winner like the one below and here's the thing, you get to have any word you would like on it consisting of up to six letter. The bracelet is 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) wide and is adjustable from 7.5 inches (19.05 centimeters) to 8.5 inches (21.59 centimetres) and The bracelet can be dyed to your liking.

Costum Bracelet

To enter the giveaway just leave a comment telling us what your favourite product is from JT's shop.

The winner will be announced Monday the 17th November 2014

And the winner is.... A Little Knit! Congratulations.  

Coupon code

Just to prove that JT is seriously awesome he has thrown in a coupon code for 10% off everything in his shop till the end of November. 

The code is: NOVEMBER2014

I bet there is someone in your life, who would really appreciate a hand made leather item for Christmas!

Frogged Designs - Knitting bag review

Besides being a wonderful knitter, Marie over at Frogged Designs is a great seamstress. Her motto is stilvoll stricken or for those of you who don't read German, knit in style. Marie has a shop with project bags, needles cases and more, that certainly allows you to do just that. Recently, she sent me a bag in a lovely black and white print. To me this fabric is a picture of a birch tree forrest in a pitch black night, lit up by stars. I knew from the fabric alone that I would love the bag.

There is, however, so much more to the bag than just the nice fabric. It's lined and has a layer of vliseline (matting) between the two layers of fabric, making it very sturdy, but also soft. I have no worries of needles pocking holes in the fabric (yes, that may have happened to me with other project bags).

The bag has a flat bottom, sit up on its own and closes with drawstrings. No seams are exposed and everything looks as though it has been neatly pressed before being sewed. The bag has a handy loop with the Frogged Designs label and a keychain ring. This makes it easy to attach it to another bag, should you want to.

I believe my bag is the medium size, and while not large enough to haul an entire sweater around, it worked just fine for a large shawl, that I dragged back and forth on my commute for a while.

Marie sent along a few goodies as well, and my man really appreciated the chocolate, while I've been enjoying the tea and stitch markers.

There are still some things left in Marie's shop after her most recent update (October 6th). Go check them out and let her know I sent you. 

Abso-Knitting-Lutely Interview and Discount Code

Nadia, we need an icebreaker so tell us, what is on your sticks?

That’s a loaded question! I have a few WIPs going at the moment including the beautifully lacy Koi Rama shawl I started last Christmas. It is basically finished, but I haven’t woven in the ends yet because I want to undo a whole pattern repeat to add alterations. I am a perfectionist! Other than that I have some socks on the go for Christmas presents. My family have suddenly developed a taste for my socks and some of them ask for a new pair every year.

Which knitwear (or crochet) designer do you have a crush on at the moment?

I no longer do, I have to admit! The first designer whose work I really loved was Cookie A. who designs fantastic socks. I still love those, but I tend to no longer love designers, only some individual pieces they design. No matter who it is, there is usually a design I will love, but also lots from that person that don’t interest me at all, so I focus on the item instead of the designer nowadays.

Stitch Markers

See that broke the ice, didn’t it? I feel like I already know you better, so let’s talk business, Nadia. How did you come up with the name for your business?

Pure luck and TV, I have to say! I have always been very good with words most of the time so coming up with a good name wasn’t too hard. At the time, I was setting up my blog and needed a name. I came up with Abso-knitting-lutely because I had just seen a trailer for Sex and the City. I never watched the series, but that trailer ended with Carrie saying, “Abso-fucking-lutely.” That sparked the idea for Abso-knitting-lutely and I love how positive the message is: it’s knitting, absolutely, and I love it.

I know you from your adorable stitch markers, but you make and sell other things as well, don’t you?

Yes, I do. My stitch markers are my main product, but I also design knitting patterns sometimes. I should really do that more often to be able to offer more variety. In spring I took a class to learn how to design shawls, which was really helpful, so I hope to make one soon. Apart from my stitch markers, row counter bracelets and knitting needles, I sometimes make beaded jewellery too, but only for my Dawanda shop.

Row Counter Bracelet

When and why did you start selling your creations

The timing was just right. I resisted for a long time because I never wanted to be self-employed. It’s too unreliable and unpredictable and I would rather have the (relative) security of knowing I’m regularly going to get paid a certain amount at a certain time. However, we hit a recession just as I came to the UK and, despite good qualifications, I had to move from one bad short-term job to the next with low pay and terrible hours until I was made redundant. By 2012 I was so frustrated and stressed from always looking for the next job that I decided to take a break and just set up my business instead. Not only does it keep me occupied, but I get to do what I enjoy. I bet this is a familiar story to many who suffered through the recession.

Delta Socks

Do you sell your beautiful wares in different places or stick to your Etsy store?

I have three online shops at the moment. The main one is on Etsy and you can get to it directly via www.absoknittinglutely.com. This shop focuses on supplies for knitting and crochet. I also have a knitting pattern shop on Ravelry and fairly recently added a shop on Dawanda in order to access the German market. Since I am German myself, I feel I should connect with my customers there as well.

Earrings 

Where do you get inspiration from?

Usually, I’ll see something that will spark an idea for a new design. I like googling for pictures when I want to make something new, until I come across something that I know can be easily rendered in polymer clay. Food and animals always make great stitch markers. My customers also make suggestions from time to time or ask for custom orders, which then makes me try out some new things I hadn’t considered yet. There are lots of things I would like to make which I decided against at some point simply because the stitch marker would have been too fragile or too difficult to make. Sometimes I’ll have to make alterations and simplify a design just so it will be practical for use and still look cute. As long as it is colourful and cheerful, I’m happy!

Hand Dyed Lace Yarn

What is your favourite item to make and why?

Hm, that’s a tough one. I don’t think there is any particular item I like to make more than others. My favourite is always the latest design I have in mind because it’s new and I need to figure out a way to make it that will work. What I like best about that process is changing the design a little here and there until it is just right. I get bored very quickly if I only make something I have already made before. It’s the same when I knit: I never really knit the same thing twice.

How much time do you devote to your business each week?

I work on it throughout the day, including evenings. On some days I work fulltime and then there are days on which I do very little because I have enough stock and only need to get orders ready when they come in. Most of my day every day is taken up with promoting my work on social media, my blog, and other platforms. Twitter has proven to be extremely useful and you can find me on a few Twitter hours throughout the week such as #HandmadeHour.

Stitch Markers

And finally, what are your goals and dreams for your business?

A while ago I took a class on how to teach craft workshops. That is something I would love to do. Originally, before I set up my business, I worked at university and also taught a few classes there. I realised I’m actually pretty good at teaching although I never ever wanted to be a teacher. I would love to teach knitting and spinning at some point and really have to start working on lesson plans and samples if I want to get started. A really big dream of mine is to have another book published. My first one has nothing to do with crafts at all and is all about my academic work. Now I would love to compile a book of knitting patterns, either by myself or in collaboration with someone else.

Stitch Markers

I would like to say a  BIG thank you to Nadia for sharing a little about herself and her business here with us. 

Nadia is offering all of you a coupon code for 20% off everything in her Etsy shop and get this, it is good for the next 2 months. Plenty of time to get some stocking stuffers or nice little gifts for the fibre  loving people in your life, or treat yourself to some new needle bling.

The code for 20% off from October 8th to December 8th is ULDENT20.

Let's Review: iMake Magazine issue 4 by iMake aka Martine Ellis

For 4GBP, the equivalent of a fancy coffee here, you get 21 pages of iMake goodness.

When I sat down with the magazine, I had no idea what to expect. I've read Martine's blog and listened to her podcast every now and then (I'm sooo far behind on podcasts, but that's another story). But what in the world would her magazine be like? Well, if you take your favourite magazine and cut out all the annoying ads and full pages of (half naked) pictures, you're essentially left with the iMake magazine.

There is the thoughtful essay, that really got me thinking, a recipe of course, a project for you to do, an explanation of a fairly new technique in knitting, clear photographs.. It's all there!
"What about the 'gift' that comes with your favourite magazine?" You might ask... Well, it's there too. You get a cool 'keep calm and...' print, related to one of the articles.

The article on ebook publishing by Laura Gresin would be worth the price alone, if you are looking into ways to publish an ebook, (like me). Additionally Martine had written a great article on Getting Stuff Done, including which tools, she has found worked best for her. This piece reminded me of the joys of inbox zero, why did I let that slip away? Thanks to Martine, I'm now back on the wagon.

Towards the back of the magazine, there is a page called social butterfly with recommendations on whom to follow where. This is a fun way to share some of your favourite bloggers, instagrammers(?), etc.

All in all, I think this magazine is worth the price! It took me the same amount of time to look through and read as my favourite print magazines do. On top of that, I just love, that this is completely independently 'published', which means almost every penny you spend on it goes to the lovely people, who made it (which would be chiefly Martine).

What are you waiting for? Go and get your copy right here.

Disclosure: 
This magazine was supplied to me free of charge for this review. I always give you my honest opinion. Your milage may vary.

Let's review: Simple Knits for Easy Living by Erika Knight

First impressions

This book really appeals to my aesthetic. It's calm, light and minimalistic. Very Scandinavian actually. It is also clearly aimed at beginners and with the different themes at the beginning, I believe any fashion conscious woman in her 20s or 30s would find it appealing. 

p.12

The patterns

The patterns are grouped after rooms. The projects in this book are very basic, but keeping in mind that the book is aimed at beginners, I figure that's a good thing. The patterns are kept short and don't seem overwhelming. There are several pages with inspiration, how to add embroidery, beads etc. 

To an experienced knitter (that would be me) some of the patterns seem redundant. How many variations of squares sewn together alternating the right side and the wrong side can you include in a book? Apparently at least 3.

I do love the versatility of yarn choice and especially the bathroom section provides a plethora of different projects. To a brand new knitter, I imagine seeing, that you can knit with regular yarn as well as fabric leftovers and sisal, make baskets, bags, bathrobes and scrubbing gloves must open up there eyes to the almost unlimited possibilities in knitting.

Aditional info

There is a large learn to knit section at the beginning of the book. the pictures are hit and miss in my opinion. Some are clear, some are not at all. They are all however of a decent size, which is a plus.

The care info at the back is okay, except for the notorious picture of a clothes line. Why are those so often included when knitting really should dry flat? (The book even says so!)

What I would knit

This is a tricky one. The answer is nothing. I've had this book for many years and I haven't knit anything out of it yet and I don't plan to either.  

p.85

Final judgement

I like this book. I wish I had a friend who didn't knit yet, whom I could run it by to see what the inexperienced eye would think. Most of the photography in this book is very stylish and timeless. To me, it's almost a coffee table book. I enjoy looking through it time and again. Another compliment for this book is, that it's now 14 years old and you wouldn't need to make any significant changes to publish it today. 

If you aren't completely new to knitting, I would recommend checking the book out from the library. If you have a friend who is just starting out and likes this kind of look, then tell your friend to go ahead and get the book right away.

Looking for more reviews?

Adorable Knits for Little People by Nuriya Khegay
Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush

Disclaimer:

I am in no way paid to do this review and always give my honest opinion. Your milage may vary. 

Rock Solid Designs - Interview and Giveaway

Knitting is always a great icebreaker so tell us, what is on your sticks?

Oh man. I am horrible at project monogamy, so there are a few things going so far. Right now I’m working on an infant sized Antler Cardigan by TinCanKnits for our son due in October. I’ve also got a blanket in the works for him, plus a plain ribbed sweater in the works for my husband. Hmm...I just realized I have nothing in the works for me. That might need to change!

I get knit crushes on designers all the time, who is your favourite knitwear designer at the moment? 
Right now it might be TinCanKnits. I love all of their designs. They are so classic, but interesting to make. Plus I love the huge range of sizes available for each of their projects. I don’t have to worry about upsizing/downsizing a pattern I love.

Box bag

Now Stephanie, how did you come up with the name for your business? 
This is probably the most boring business name story ever. Back when I first joined Ravelry, I needed a user name. I was in school for Geology, so after casually mentioning it to my dad, he suggested “rocksolidstitches” to incorporate both things I was interested in at the time. Of course when I went to start a business, the most logical thing to do was to relate my business name as close to my internet name as possible, while still distinguishing it as a separate entity. Hence, Rock Solid Designs.

When and why did you start selling bags and knitting patterns? 
I started selling knitting patterns two or three years ago- more because I had written up a design I thought of, and figured why not. I don’t design regularly, but when the mood hits me I have to get something written down. I prefer to work with knitting patterns that way. I’m very mathematical, but not very creative, so coming up with designs is a bit more challenging for me.

As for project bags, that started in early 2013. I wanted something a little larger than I was finding online, plus I wanted to be in control of the design. Of course, there are only so many bags you can make before you have way more than you need, and friends were commenting on how much they wanted one. So, I figured why not? It’s been a ton of fun coming up with styles, sizes, etc. In fact, lately I’ve been working on a box bag style that snaps instead of zips close. It’s crazy how popular it is, and I’ve never seen anyone selling them before!

I know you have been selling your products at shows, what is your favourite part of going to those?
I love meeting other vendors, and being inspired by them. Whether it’s their booth layout, or logo design, there’s always inspiration somewhere. Plus sometimes you can see a configuration that you would have never thought of, and incorporating it into my space makes it even better! Being able to speak with customers and hear what they want is awesome, too. Like the above snap bags, for instance. Who would have thought of that? It was actually a custom request that I decided was worth pursuing further. I would have never had the suggestion if I didn’t attend that show!

Notion Pouches

Where do you get inspiration from?
Fabrics that catch my eye, customer’s ideas, anything around me. With my knitting patterns the inspiration comes from geometrics I see around me in life.

What is you favourite Rock Solid Designs item to make and why? 
My favorite item to make right now is actually my Aeryn leg warmers. It’s such a fun pattern, and easy to follow once you get used to the rhythm. Plus fall always sneaks up on me, so it’s nice to have something simple to work on to keep my legs warm once it gets here!

Aeryn leg warmers

How much time do you devote to Rock Solid Designs each week? 
Right now it’s only about 10 hours a week. Life is crazy this summer, so most of it has been with online promotion/prepping raw goods. In a few weeks I’ll start some serious prep for the fall craft circuit, and those are easily 30 hours weeks just on this business.

And finally, what are your goals and dreams for Rock Solid Designs?
I hope in another year or so to reach a point where I can count on this as a steady side income. Right now it’s pretty spotty, based on craft shows and how much time I have to devote to it. I want to reach the point where I have an actual pattern “line” to promote. I also hope to offer a small club program in 2015, which would contain a project bag, a pattern by myself or another indie designer, and a skein of yarn from an indie dyer. I’m still in the process of getting the details of that worked out, but cross your fingers we are able to make it a go!

Bucket bag

Thank you Stephanie, for answering all my questions. But wait there is more... Stephanie is generously giving away one of her bags: 

This bag is made from 100% cotton fabric and closes with a smooth nylon coil zipper. The bag is double-interfaced to help keep its shape and prevent anything from poking through. It’s fully lined and constructed with no exposed seams. The zipper opens at the top when the bag is hanging by the handle, so the contents will not spill out. Each bag is sewn with care, from only top-quality fabrics!

Dimensions: Approximately 8 inches x 3 inches x 3.5 inches.The perfect size for a sock knitting project or a cosmetic case.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment sharing your favourite item from Stephanie's store. 
The giveaway ends Thursday the 14th at midnight GMT and the winner will be announced Friday the 15th.