As most of you have probably noticed, the world of patterns has completely changed in the past few years. I still hold my tangible, collectible books and magazines dear, but the trend towards online publishing is exciting for many reasons. With a bit of computer savvy and great organizational moxie, a knitter can put herself at the helm of a mini-indie-media empire (say that three times fast). That is just what Allyson Dyhuizen has done, and Holla Knits is her latest project. 

Allyson has been teaching, blogging and designing for quite a while now, and I have long admired her fun and innovative approach. Even the simplest patterns contain cheeky details, like the Two Boyfriends Cardigan, where she updates the ever popular boyfriend cardigan silhouette with intentionally mismatched fronts. Does the world need another online knitting magazine? When the editor is as fun and motivated as Allyson, YES! 

So what is Holla Knits all about? It is more than a static collection of patterns. Allyson runs a fantastic blog that offers a peek into the design process, from picking yarns to sewing on that last button. By the time I met the sweaters in the first issue, I felt like I really understood the work and thought that had gone into each one. The layout is clean and easy to follow, and she has sprinkled tons of totally fun images throughout. 

The coolest feature is that each garment is knit in two yarns: one low-priced and easily obtainable option and one slightly more luxurious option. Sizes and design features are also swapped out in some cases. It takes one of the best features of Ravelry--seeing variations on different bodies--and plugs it right into the magazine! Genius! 

I was thrilled to work with Allyson providing the yarn support for Lilith Ubbelohde's adorable Romp Around the Clock design. I honestly had no doubts that a risky garment like a one-piece adult romper would not go awry under the editorial direction of Allyson. Would you believe this is Lilith's FIRST design?! She hit it out of the park. 

HiKoo Simplicity works beautifully here. It is next to skin soft, machine washable and bouncy enough to hold up summer after summer. The DK weight merino blend comes in a HUGE array of colors, and I love the romper in Seattle Skies, a charcoal gray that will go with everything. The stitch definition is perfect for showcasing the textured details Lilith worked into this adorable piece. 

We are especially excited to be able to offer a PRIZE kit for this pattern! The winner will receive a pattern, the yarn and the addi Needles to knit this romper! Start now and wear it to a Fourth of July BBQ! Comment here to enter--let me know how you would style this versatile piece. If you're already a Holla Knits subscriber, head to their blog to enter their subscriber exclusive giveaway. I will pick a winner on May 5th. Good luck either way! 

The typical life cycle of a yarn starts at a mill, or even further back, at a farm. Getting a yarn to market means hours of discussion, research, and engineering. It’s a fantastically interesting process that I’ve been lucky to be a part of, but it is just the beginning. When a yarn arrives, promotion begins. Shade cards are assembled and sales representatives hit the road to visit yarn shops across the country. Yarns and shade cards are sent to designers and many months later, a design might emerge. The design process is labor intensive and publication schedules are protracted, especially true for books.

As a designer, I know that yarns have lots of adventures prior to publication. Even the yarns that don’t end up in a finished design can be instructive or interesting in some way. Yarns will travel with us, or keep us company at home. Suddenly I had to know what these yarns were doing out in the world, free from grading restrictions, column limitations, strict washing instructions. What if the yarn could send me a postcard? I’ve asked some of my favorite designers to do just that, sending them a hand-picked assortment of yarns and asking them to document what happens, however large or small.

My very first postcards are from Alex Tinsley, an independent designer who is best known for her wearable hats that are fresh without veering too far into tragically hip territory. Her designs are functional and straightforward, but there is always a smidgen of cleverness to keep knitters entertained.

It is clear that Alex is a fiber lover. Never one to over-complicate, her designs keep the focus on yarn, and her color sense is simultaneously soothing and intriguing. I sent her yarns that I thought she would like, but I was especially curious to see what she'd think of the addi Lace Click set. Since the tips are shorter, you can make small circumference circulars using this set, ideal for hat knitters who like to have a lot of size options. 

Alex is currently working on a mind-blowingly cool project with Cooperative Press (read more about it on Ravelry here). I had tons of fun perusing her post-apocalyptic mood boards and sending her yarns that would fit that creepy-cool theme. 

 Head over to Alex's site Dull Roar to enter her contest for a set of addi Lace Clicks! Since they're so very portable, she's asking where you'd like to take your Clicks on the road. I'm taking mine to Georgia for Stitches South, then to San Franscisco for vacation! More about those trips soon...

CR

*all photos used with permission from alex tinsley*