photo: Lisanne & Bryce Thomas

That's a lesson my hub is always trying to teach me: go with the flow. When something good happens, just let it.

Great example: our calendar contest. I started it a few years ago, hoping it would be an interesting and amusing project that many of us could get involved with. I had no idea that it would take off as it has. Every year, the submissions get better, more creative, and outrageous. We're very happy to go with this flow!

And so once again, I'm thrilled to say we're back for our third year, inviting you to show us what you've knit from the pages of Knitty in the most creative way possible. Everything you need to know about the contest, what you can photograph and how to submit your entries can be found here. Hurry! Contest ends August 17, 2007!

If you've read Knitty for a while, you know that I don't flog charitable causes casually. Knitty supports just one charity - the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, through their annual Run for the Cure. I chose this charity because, in 1999, I lost two women very dear to me to unspecified cancers: my beloved Grandma, to whom Knitty is dedicated, and my hub's sweet Aunt Marlene. Team Knitty has been doing the walk and fundraising since 2004, and last year, we raised $13,000 to help fight cancer. The Foundation spends our donations on research, community awareness, education and outreach. If you can, please click on this link and donate a dollar or two. If everyone who reads Knitty would do just that, we'd make a really big contribution to a very important cause.

Thank you for your support!

Need something new to wear now that it's hot out? Lots of fun gear to choose from right here!

By the way -- should you want to know if I'll be in your neighborhood, check out my online schedule. My knitting travels are taking me to a lot of great stops in the US this summer, plus Norway and the UK this October!

And if you like a big big cruise boat like I do, join me, Mama E [the charming goddess of hand dyed yarn], Chrissy Gardiner [fab knitwear designer] and Brenda Dayne [host of Cast on and the patron saint of knitting] next May as we cruise and knit and have a great time on the way to Alaska! Look forward to classes with all of us, knitting onboard and off, knit-focused excursions and a killer goodie bag. Full details are here. I am pushing for at least one pajama knitting party on deck. We'll have to see how cold it gets! I think there's no better way to go with the flow than on a beautiful ship that takes you from port to port. Unpack once and watch as your home moves through blue waters populated by icebergs. I can't wait. Join me!

I love meeting Knitty people, so don't be shy! Come up and say hi! And remember -- to always know the latest Knittynews, sign up for the free Knitty reader list! The list is never shared with anyone and we only send out a few messages a year.

Amy R Singer
[editor, Knitty]

photo: Amy R Singer Jillian is spinning on a Bosworth Journey Wheel

Summer yarns
It's summer & my wheel lives on my front porch or my back deck. I’m watching the kids play, yes, but spinning outside is also my way of capturing summer. I capture it in the yarns I make.

I spin for a while. I go & weed the garden. I come back to spin and little bits of plant and flower get in my yarn. I run through the sprinkler and little bits of my yarn gets felty from the wet. My summer yarns smell like tiki torches and firepits. They probably taste like dripped popsicles.

I never know what I did all summer until fall or winter, when I pull out my summer yarns and revisit the bits and smells of memory.

We'll be reviewing stuff!
Coming soon, Knittyspin will start publishing reviews of spin happy stuff, like we do here. If you have fiber, spindles, books, or other spinny products that you'd like us to review, write Jillian for submission information.

Jillian Moreno
[editor, Knittyspin]