Showing posts with label first jimmy beans wool blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first jimmy beans wool blog. Show all posts

Happy 4th and the Custom Knits 2 Winner!

by : MarinadeDesigns
Happy 4th of July everyone! I hope you all are having a lovely day and are enjoying some of your favorite holiday traditions!

We are enjoying a relaxed day around here too so we are taking a little break from our usual blogging today but we'll be back on Friday with our regularly scheduled bloggy goodness. :)

In the meantime, I wanted to announce the winner of Wendy Bernard's "Custom Knits 2." Thanks to random.org, our winner is commenter #28, Dana who said:

"I have always enjoyed Wendy's blog and designs. Something Red is a perfect office sweater for days when the A/C is on high. I just recently saw Jordan and am scouring my stash for something to make it with, but I may just have to break down and buy some linen blend I've been wanting to try! Thanks Wendy!"


Congrats Dana! Please e-mail casey@jimmybeanswool.com with your mailing address and she'll get it shipped out for you this week!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the giveaway! It was so great to see how much love there is out there for Wendy's designs!

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day!
Kristen
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Introducing "Knit Red"...and a Giveaway!

by : MarinadeDesigns
Whew! It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for us here at Jimmy Beans, primarily due to one very exciting new development- the release of our book Knit Red! For those of you who are not yet familiar with the book, I hope you’ll read on to learn more about it!

Knit Red has been a long time in the making. Back in 2007, I was meeting with my friend Marta McGinnis who also happened to be one of our yarn reps. She had recently suffered a heart attack and had been diagnosed with heart disease. It was a total shock to me that someone so young (she was just barely in her fifties) and so seemingly healthy could already have heart disease! Also earlier that year, my husband Doug, who is extremely active and healthy and also young (in his mid-thirties) had been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Marta and I were so amazed to learn that heart disease can affect a wide range of people, not just older men. At that moment, we began to brainstorm ideas to create an awareness campaign in hopes of educating more people about this deadly disease. Sadly, Marta passed away just six months later and for a variety of reasons, our ideas were put on hold for a few years.
Kieran Foley
Ysolda Teague

In 2010, the timing for something like this just seemed right so I began working again on what has now become the “Stitch Red” campaign. At TNNA in January of 2011, we pitched the idea to our friends in the industry many of whom are vendors and designers. Almost everyone we talked to jumped at the chance to participate whether it be through creating a Stitch Red product to sell or designing something for the Knit Red book. We heard so many personal stories and ties to heart disease from these friends and vendors that we knew that Stitch Red could really work. SoHo publishing (they publish Vogue Knitting) immediately agreed to help us publish Knit Red. We were so thrilled to see so much support for something that is so near and dear to our hearts- literally!
Diane Soucy

Next we set out to find a partner in all of this. We loved the Heart Truth campaign (known for their little red dress logo seen on Diet Coke cans) and what they stood for and knew that they would make a natural fit for a partnership in the campaign. The Heart Truth itself is a national awareness campaign that focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle and gives tips to help prevent heart disease. Most importantly, they focus heavily on women and the importance of knowing the individual symptoms which are often very different than in men.

Jeanne Giles
All of the vendors that are participating in Stitch Red are donating at least 5% of the gross profits from that product to the Heart Truth. Jimmy Beans Wool is donating 5% of the gross profits from the Knit Red book as well. Ultimately, we want the entire needle arts industry to get involved including local yarn shops, crocheters, sewers and quilters, and many more. We are already working on a 2nd book that will come out early next year called “Sew Red” which will focus on designs for sewers and quilters.

Norah Gaughan
Knit Red itself features 30 designs knit in red yarns from industry knitwear designers (including two of them who work here at Jimmy Beans- Jeanne and Kristen) and includes items that range from sweaters to accessories to home items. I just love all of the designs in this book. To me it represents the amazing power that we have as knitters to create something meaningful and share that with the world. You can view all of the designs on Ravelry to see what I mean. They are just stunning. I can’t say enough about them. Many of the designs use yarns that are Stitch Red products so when you knit the garment, you can support Stitch Red even more!

Kristen Ashbaugh-
Helmreich
 I’d really like to thank all of the vendors and designers who have helped make Stitch Red and Knit Red happen. It really couldn’t have without the enormous amount of support we received from this industry. Also, this entire campaign could not have happened without Marta. Her support of this campaign meant a lot to me, and I miss her everyday. Lastly, I’d like to thank all of you, all of our wonderful customers, for supporting the Stitch Red campaign. It means a lot to us that you continue to encourage and support what we do!

Daniela Johannsenova
With that I’d like to give away a signed copy of Knit Red. Please leave us a comment on this blog post telling us your reason for supporting Stitch Red or what your favorite design from the book is. Even if you’ve already bought a copy, feel free to enter and win one to give to a friend or family member. We’ll randomly select a winner and announce it in the blog post on Friday, June 8th. Please leave your comment by Thursday, 6/7 at 11pm PST.

Thanks so much to all of you again for your support and of course, happy knitting!

Laura (aka. Jimmy)  


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Spring has Sprung!

by : MarinadeDesigns
The front view of our
new-old little house!
It’s true! Spring is here in the High Desert, and we are racing to wrap up winter knitting and crocheting projects in order to begin planning out our warm weather activities-- which in my case means gardening! I may have mentioned this back in the fall, but my husband and I bought a house last September and went to work preparing for the impending cold months.  We didn’t have a chance to put a winter garden in our hoop house before the holidays, so we just decided to wait until spring. 


You can see the plastic hoop house
in the background and the messy
overgrown garden in the foreground.
Oh garden-I have big plans for you!
Now that spring is here, I am busy crafting a massive plan! Pinterest, my go-to place for inspiration, has been a big help in the planning process.  Even though we Nevadans experienced an exceptionally mild winter, local Native American legend doesn’t recommend planting here until after the last bit of snow is off of Peavine mountain (a local peak). So with that in mind, I am going to wait to plant at the end of May which gives me plenty of time to turn our already designated garden plot into several big raised beds!  


In the meantime, I’ll be planting greens and root veggies in our hoop house.  (We were so lucky to already have this hoop house on the property when we moved in.  Although not very pretty, it allows us to grow our own food year-round, kind of like a greenhouse but much more cost-effective.)  For more info on building hoop houses, check out "The Door Garden" Blog. 

I am aiming for our new raised beds to look something like this (thank you Pinterest!):

How to build these raised garden beds at:
http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-build-raised-garden-beds/ 

Enid!
Chicken House!


Last on the big garden plan for the year is to acquire some more chickens.  We have this beautiful little coop and run that can house up to six feathered ladies but we only have one currently residing inside (a Plymouth Rock named Enid, shown in my arms, at right).  She keeps us in eggs, about 6 per week, but we’d like to have enough to share with friends and family so 6 chickens it is!  Luckily, another family friend is going to get a whole bunch of chicks this spring, and she offered to raise them until they are large enough to integrate with our older bird.  Apparently the older ones sometimes beat up on the little guys so we have to make sure they are able to hold their own before we introduce them. 



Wallace likes Chicken eggs too!
With a little bit of hard work and strategic planning, we should have our best garden year yet!  I am so excited!  I love eating the food that I have grown and harvested myself.  It feels so good to be just a little bit self-sustaining and be able to grow all of the vegetables we need on our tiny little plot of land.




Hopefully at the end of it all, I’ll get to preserve a bunch of it for next winter!  Remember when some of us ‘lil beans made pickles last year?  The hubby and I have been enjoying those all winter—so good!



Well, happy spring everyone! Feel free to leave a comment and tell us all about your garden plans or your favorite spring activity!



And of course, happy knitting and crocheting!!!
Kristen


PS.  If you haven't heard of Pinterest yet--it's awesome!  Basically, it's an online Pinboard where you can save images and links in one place for all kinds of inspiration!  Check out the Jimmy Beans Wool Pinterest Boards and let me know if you'd like to be a contributor to our JBW Knits or LLE Knits boards!  Happy pinning!


PPS.  Stitch Red is close to our hearts...and yours too!  Find out more about our campaign to bring heart disease awareness--the #1 killer of women in the US--to the whole needle arts industry by going to www.StitchRed.com  

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Interview with Kristin Omdahl of "Seamless Crochet"!

by : MarinadeDesigns
Kristin Omdahl
We recently had the opportunity to interview Kristin Omdahl as part of her blog tour for her newest book, Seamless Crochet, so we jumped at the chance!  Kristen is one of the crochet (and knitting) communities' most influential designers and she creates some truly stunning pieces.  Here is what she had to say about Seamless Crochet:

JBW- Can you give us a super quick description of Seamless Crochet and your inspiration behind the book?
KO- Seamless Crochet is a technique of crocheting motifs, joining them as you go, and NOT cutting yarn between motifs. The motif fabric is created in one continuous piece of yarn with no ends to weave in!

JBW- Do you have a favorite design (or designs) from the book?   If so, what are they, and why?
Buttercup Blanket
KO-That is a tough question, but one of my favorites is the baby blanket called "Buttercup Blanket" because the motif has a 3-dimensional flower that looks like it is appliqué-sewn onto the motifs, BUT IT IS NOT. It is also crocheted in one continuous piece of yarn along with the motifs. I think this motif would make BEAUTIFUL pillows in a beautiful deep red mohair blend yarn.
JBW- How did you get started at a designer?
KO- I was a single mom desperate to find a way to make a living with a 20 month old baby. I asked a magazine and a yarn company if they were interested in my designs and they took them immediately. My freelance career started right away. My contact at the yarn company suggested I attend a trade show (TNNA) and there I met many yarn companies and publishers (many of whom I still work with today).
JBW- Now that "Seamless Crochet is completed, what is up next for you?
KO- I have written 2 books (one knit and one crochet) since writing Seamless Crochet. When I complete a manuscript, it is usually 12 - 18 months until it is released in stores. I am currently working on the content for the next season of Knitting Daily TV and a new series of books that are a little different from the knit and crochet books I have written so far.
JBW- Do you have any advice for new designers who are just getting started out there?
Jaime Hat
KO- Network, promote, be on time, be professional, and LOVE what you do because this is a very labor intensive career.
JBW- Is there anything else you want to tell us about Seamless Crochet or any other current projects?
KO- Seamless Crochet offers a wide range of patterns for all levels of crocheters. The Radiance Sparkly Scarf is a perfect beginner project. The book includes a 1-hour DVD with me teaching a workshop on the techniques in the book, including a complete crochet-along for the Jaime Hat.
  
And now for the fun part!  We always like to ask a few more personal questions so that our readers can learn a little more about you!
JBW- Where did you grow up?
KO- I was born in Montreal, Quebec and grew up in Detroit, Michigan suburbs.
Blue Skies Chunky Cowl
JBW- What time do you start work?
KO- Around 7:30 in the morning I start work, after I drop my son off at school. I work until the afternoon when I pick him up. Spend the afternoon & evening with him, and start back up with work from 8:30 (his bedtime) until around midnight (my bedtime).
JBW- Do you prefer coffee or tea?
KO- BOTH! I love a local coffee (Manatee made on Sanibel Island, Florida) first thing in the morning because it is a mild coffee. But I am truly a tea junkie. I love chai oolong, jasmine green, and many many more.
JBW- Tell us about your previous life—you know, before yarn…
KO- I was a model growing up. I modeled from age 12 to 17, in Detroit, Chicago and New York. It was a wonderful experience.
JBW- What is your favorite hobby?
KO- That is a tough question. A hobby is something you do to escape from your work and regular life. Piano, guitar and barefoot running on the beach are my favorite forms of escape/zone out.
Star Mobuis
JBW- What is your favorite book?
KO- I don't have just one, but I LOVE a few: The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo, The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, The Outlander (whole series) by Diana Gabaldon and The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.
JBW- What was the last crafty project (knitting or other) that you created?
KO- I made a few bracelets and necklaces last week before I left for a trade show. Before that I made many knit and crochet garments for my current book and magazine projects.
Flower Trivets
JBW- If you could be any animal (besides human), what would you be and why?
KO- I love lions a lot. But as long as we are going to pretend to be something we can't be, I'd rather be a mermaid.
JBW- What was the last movie you saw in the theater?
KO- "We Bought A Zoo" and I was sad that the mom was dead in the movie. That's a tough subject for me, as a mom. Had I known, we wouldn't have seen it in the theater.
JBW- What inspires you?
KO- Geometry and Nature inspire me.  I especially love the geometry of nature.  I LOVE creating textiles from things I see in other mediums.  For example: beautiful tile work, seashell shaping, water movement, or even the texture of a snake's skin or alligator's scales.

Thank you so much Kristin for the inside scoop on the new book and your other projects!

Hope you all have a great weekend and happy crocheting!

Kristen 
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Happy Sweet 16 Sandy!!

by : Freaky Knitter
Happy Birthday! Note the tiara...what a diva!
Happy birthday to our wonderful Sandy!!! If you have received our most recent catalog, you might have read some of Sandy's great knitting tips and learned what a treasure she is to us here at JBW! June 16th was her birthday so we had a great party on Friday to celebrate! The reason I say "Sweet 16" is somehow the numbers on everyone's ages around here got turned around and, well, you can figure that one out! Ha-ha! I am now 35 and Sandy has to listen to me...I am the oldest :)

Note the shy boy behind the flame hat...save me Grammy!

 Sandy had on the most lovely party dress and all of the other little beans got 'doodled' up in their finest for the event. Sandy's wonderful daughter, Melissa, and her lovely children, Mateo and Maya, were there too, along with Doris (Sandy's mom) and her husband Bill!

Bill Doris and Melissa along with Amber and her poodleskirt! 
Note Sandy's pink socks to match her outfit!



Sandy and I had gone out and
gotten our party shoes quite
sometime ago...
what do you think?
Sparkle
Converse
shoes -
so much fun!!

Happy, happy birthday Sandy from all of the Beans.We love you!!!

As always, happy knitting and crocheting!

Jeanne

P.S. If you haven't received our catalog you can download it here, or give us a call and we will pop one in the mail to you. You can also stay up to date on the latest happenings here at JBW by signing up for our newsletter!
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My First Blogging Experience

by : Unknown

My First Blog. I've written down 3 words and already have writers block... give me a few minutes and i'm sure i'll think of something to say (apparently, i always do!).

New to this blogging think (i always have been a little behind the curve), I finally decided that i'd go for it - and not get stuck on the fact that i can't imagine why anyone would care what i have to say... If nothing else, I can use it as more of a diary (without the sordid secret details, of course)!

That said, I know i'm supposed to write about the epiphanys that i had today - and the groundbreaking knitting ideas i had. But, to be honest, I'm a little embarrased to know that people will be reading the way my goofy brain works... maybe i should put up a picture of my neighbor instead of me - and then people will think it's her goofy brain!

Sidetrack - our dogs (see photo above) are constantly wrestling. Is this normal? Right now, as i type, Wiley (the shepherd) is wagging his tail and trying to get Buddy to wrestle with him. He takes a few steps forward and pounces a bit - then gives a goodnatured growl. Buddy must be tired today, cause he's not falling for it. Dogs... Am i the only one in the world that just can't get enough of them? Of looking at their photos - and giving them pets? If they were small enough, i'd put them in my pockets and take them everywhere with me. I guess that's the theme of this first blog - that i love my dogs and that they are a HUGE part of my life.

I gotta say - this blogspot application is amazing! I had no idea you could add video (there's one of the dogs below) - and lots of pictures - and change the colors and fonts of every little piece. I've only been "blogging" for 10 minutes and already love it! And i'm excited to share parts of my life with you over the next few years - I can't wait to tell you all about our house (how we got snow last night - March 30th), our dogs (wiley loves stuffed animals and Buddy loves the tennis ball), our recent life-changing trip to Alaska, my wonderful grandfather (my best friend for most of my life, he lives in Virginia and i get to visit him 2 weeks every year - i'm so lucky), and ... last, but not least, the craft and business that has changed my entire existence: JimmyBeansWool.Com.
Stay tuned - there's more to come!


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