photo: Lisanne & Bryce Thomas

Once again, winter brings a bigger issue than usual, because who could say no to all this great stuff? Certainly not me.

We've got lots of quick-knit delights, and more that you can start when you've finally given up on malls and just need something for you.

[It IS okay to knit for yourself. You know that, right?]

Lots of great things are happening in the online and offline knitting worlds. In fact, the fact that the online knitting world [the place where you're reading this magazine!] exists is such a huge leap for the simple art of knitting that it could be easy to take it for granted.

But anyone who knit in the early 1990s or before that knows how extra-special it is to have an online community available 24 hours a day, to answer questions or provide inspiration. Shopping for your next knitting project no longer requires that you wear shoes or even underwear [just don't tell us about it, okay?]. Knitting today is about freedom and empowerment, and I'm so glad I got to be alive to see all of this happen.

The more we participate in this reinvention of our craft, the better it gets for all of us. Man, I get the warm fuzzies when I think about it, and since this is warm fuzzy season, I'll leave you with that thought. Knit and share what you're knitting with the whole world, online or in person. Start a blog, join a message board! Lurking is fun, but until you jump into the conversation, you have no idea how much more fun it is to interact with knitters all over the world.

I wish you the happiest of holidays and peace for all of us in the new year.

The 2007 Knitty calendar is the coolest ever!
Get yours [and peek inside] right here!

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.

By the way -- should you want to know if I'll be in your neighborhood, check out my online schedule. I love meeting Knitty people!

Amy R Singer
[editor, Knitty]

photo: Amy R Singer

Why does time seem to slip away at this time of the year? Beyond racing from holiday to holiday, there is something about winter that seems to suck time away. For me at least, I seem to have less time to spin during what’s supposed to be the cozy indoor craft season.
But I refuse to be daunted. Here’s how I’m approaching it this year.

I’m trying to get better, smoother at Navajo plying. Instead waiting for that elusive (& frankly mythical) ‘perfect time’, along the lines of "The house is clean, the work is done, there is world peace", before I can properly practice plying, I sneak it in. In between the kids, the lists, the work, the everyday-ness of every day, I pull out one of those almost empty bobbins leftover from a long finished plied yarn (why do they never equal out?) and do some quick Navajo ply practice. Never more than ten minutes. Just a little bit easy to start, easy to walk away from.

And it’s working, my hands are learning the rhythm, my joins are smoother, and I feel satisfied that I’ve found my time to spin.

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]