An update in three parts.

Part the First

You've perhaps noticed some inconsistency in our server upage in the last few months. I've discussed it here before. The good news is that we've put our finger on the problem; the optimistic news is that we're confident we'll be able to fix it... soon. So we've set up a Twitter account, and urge you to follow us there so we can let you know about things should the server go down. (Since Twitter is its own program, it's unaffected by our server, see, so we can still communicate with you easily. Sweet.) [Thx to Whipup for the inspiration.]

Part the Second

This is the coolest recent use of the Amigurumi Dude pattern I've seen. Rock.

Have you caught wind of the Day in the Life series Robyn has sparked over on her blog? I wrote up a weekend and weekday of my own, and loads of other crocheters have joined in. Julie just posted about more days-in-the-life to come in June, too. Makes for a really cool look into the daily life of crochet people, if you're into that sort of thing.

Part the Third

I'm going on a proper holiday tomorrow. I'm not bringing my computer or my cell phone. Also, my cell phone would be useless, as I'll be in London, England. Yes. Yes. Yes. I'll be doing things like riding a ridiculously enormous Ferris wheel in an urban setting, attending some musical theatre, drinking tea and beer, visiting good friends, buying Doc Martens for it's time they make a comeback, and relaxing in the countryside. Emma Jane will be keeping her keen eye on the site while I'm away, so do send her some hugs and yummy yarn wishes, eh?

At long last, dear readers, I'm ready to blog all about my recent travels. I was delayed a bit by my aforementioned food poisoning and going to press on the spring issue of the magazine (the former did not make the latter very easy for my colleagues, I tell you. When the editor comes to town to make going to press more efficient, it defeats the purpose when said editor is unable to eat solid food for three days. I love the people I work with. They are infinitely patient.) Ok. Onward!

At the Mall of America for the Knit Out & Crochet Too, I bumped into the lovely ladies of the Lion Brand Yarn Craft podcast in their booth (Cecily was there!), and chatted with them for a few minutes. They put a handy minute-by-minute guide to the episode at the end of their post, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to the whole thing. Vickie Howell caught me on video in the Interweave booth. I wore my Icelandic Turtleneck, baby. Vickie and Annie Modesitt together are entertaining. Evidence:

Ok. The MOA, people! It is huge. It is absurdly MALL. The Interweave booth was sandwiched between Baby Gap and the Apple Store (I met a MacBook Air. It's sloped like a Mint Milano cookie. Yum). Gotta say, I've never had more fun in a mall. Not even as a suburban teenager. There were crocheters and knitters everywhere. So many that it seemed totally normal to walk around chatting non-stop with perfect strangers at loud volume about yarn. It's like the civilians didn't exist. (Hm. Maybe it was more like being a suburban teenager than I'd thought.) It was awesome.

I met Dawn for the first time in person, which was as much fun as I'd ever hoped. That we spent a couple of lovely and truly hilarious meals with skydramini and none other than Bubbo and her pants was icing on the cake. Here they are (Bubbo won a knitting machine, thus ensuring she'll never have to pick up needles, ever):

I had a busy day in the mall. I gave a demo on how to make the double crochet granny squares that make up the Babette Blanket (more on that another time), I emceed the children's fashion show (so cute! I talked about it on the Yarn Craft podcast), I sat on an author's panel and then signed copies of Crochet Me. It was really exciting to meet so many people who love the book and the site. I also met a couple of designers I've worked with on the magazine, which was a delightful surprise.

There was a gorgeous Infinity Wrap at the TNNA booth. It was made with Noro yarn (I think it was Silk Garden) and was simply beautiful.

Ok. This is a long post! I'll sum up: The KO&CT event rocked, even though I got terribly sick on the airplane on my way to Colorado. Look for the spring issue of the magazine at the beginning of April!

I'll leave you with a photo from this past weekend, when I had to be in Colorado but didn't have to do much work. Eunny was there, too, and we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. We saw many elk.

Technorati Tags: knit out and crochet too, mall of america, interweave crochet

I've never been to Minnesota, so it's pretty surreal that the twenty-four hours I'll spend there this weekend will mostly be spent in a hotel and a huge mall. Tens of thousands of folks are expected to come to the huge event, and if you're among them I hope to meet you!

I'll only be there Sunday (the 17th), and this is where you'll be able to find me:

11:00: I'll be doing a demo on how to make Babette-Blanket-like granny squares at Table A.

12:30: I'll be signing books in the Rotunda.

Come say hello! I'll also spend some time at the Interweave booth and I'm looking forward to walking around and checking out what's going on.

At the end of the day Sunday I'll be catching a flight to Colorado to put the spring issue of the magazine to bed, so I might be incommunicado for the next couple of weeks. Wish us luck!

I'm heading down to the TNNA trade show this morning, for three days of non-stop yarn action, chatting with fab crochet professionals, a class I'm teaching on crochet in the LYS*, and new boots that make my heart sing (and don't make my feet ache).

*Let me know by comment or email what you, specifically as a crocheter, want from your LYS (local yarn store). I'll be speaking with store owners, kids!

And now, about that TV thing. Below is the first official press release about the new, in-production public television show Knitting Daily TV, of which I'll be co-host along with the most amazingly talented and fun yarn and thread women I know: Eunny Jang, Liz Gipson, and Shay Pendray. Good thing our Vancouver basic cable carries the Seattle PBS station! The show won't begin airing till July, but I'll be sure to post pics from our April taping, along with any neato information I come across. I admit: that it will soon feel normal to have a mic pack stuck in my skirt is not something I ever anticipated.

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Loveland, Colo., January 9, 2008: Aspire Media today announced the launch of “Knitting Daily TV” on many public television stations around the country beginning in July 2008. Bringing a fun, contemporary new approach to needle arts how-to programming, this PBS magazine-format TV series is a makeover of Needle Arts Studio with Shay Pendray, the first and longest-running program on public television to focus on the needle arts, which Aspire Media acquired from host and executive producer Shay Pendray last year.

“Knitting Daily TV” will be hosted by a cast of popular magazine editors: “Interweave Knits” Editor Eunny Jang, “Interweave Crochet” Editor Kim Werker, “Handwoven” Managing Editor and former Managing Editor of “Spin-Off,” Liz Gipson, along with Shay Pendray. The 30-minute themed episodes will cover a variety of needle crafts—from knitting and crochet to stitching, felting, and spinning—and guide viewers in learning to make fun yet smart one-of-a-kind designs using the latest products in yarn and fiber.

Industry experts and renowned designers will appear as guests and join the “Knitting Daily TV” team to bring fiber fans great projects for the beginner to advanced, updates on tools and materials, in-depth technique tutorials, and creative ideas that are sure to inspire.

The makeover of Needle Arts Studio starts with a new name, set, music, and graphics, but the changes are more than cosmetic. “The growing community of DIY-ers doesn’t just want to watch, they want to be a part of it. “Knitting Daily TV” will merge how-to television programming with the online community of knitters in an exciting new way,” said Executive Producer Kathie Stull.

KnittingDailyTV.com is the online companion to the TV show. The site will feature video clips, episode recaps, patterns, interactive discussion, local TV schedules, and more. In addition, “Knitting Daily TV” will have a presence on MySpace and Facebook and episode previews will be available on YouTube.

The show will regularly invite the Knitting Daily online community to be a part of the program by incorporating segments such as “You Asked It,” where hosts answer everyday needle-arts questions of people in the online community or “You Made It,” featuring their handmade creations—bringing a fun twist to the traditional knitting circle and the viral concept of the online knit-along.

“Knitting Daily TV” is produced by KS Inc. Productions and will be offered in the same public television time slot as Needle Arts Studio.

Nearly a week has passed, and I'm still giddy from the Crochet Me book launch. Giddy, exhausted, and in a frenzy to catch up on work.

There's been lots going on chez Werker these days. Mostly, it's because I've begun my two-month-long merry-go-round of in-and-out-of-townness.

And the tour is off!

Greetings, friends, from Vancouver International Airport. It's far too early for me to try to be coherent. My coffee is only half drunk. But I just had to start sharing.