Press Archives - Tara Swiger

My first published article!

Just got my copy of Inside Crochet in the mail.

And flipped to page 66.

And there. Is. My byline.

Even better: there's a whole 4 page spread of my article.

And my pictures.

The article is, as the title says, all about finding local fiber farms (or, if you're British, Fibre Farms). I wrote about my experiences and gave some suggestions for finding farms local to you.

Inside Crochet is a British magazine (and it's been available there for a few weeks, I think), but you can find it in the States at your local yarn store or at Barnes + Noble (my spies tell me that it should be in by May 10th).

Let me know if you read it!

Contest: Have you seen Inside Crochet?

Ok, so in the next issue, the April issue, of Inside Crochet, is an article written by me.

This is my first published article and I'm ridiculously excited to see it!
But, even though the issue was published in the UK this week, it hasn't made it's way to the US yet.

I'm so anxious to see it that I've decided to hold a contest!

How to Enter:

Find a copy of Inside Crochet (all over the UK and in Barnes + Nobles and some yarn shops in the USA)
Snap a picture of my byline
Post it online (flickr, your blog, wherever)
Leave the link in the comments of this post, along with info on where you found it (town, shop, etc)

The winner will be chosen randomly on 5/10 and will win a FREE skein of hemp laceweight (or, if you don't want hemp laceweight, you can take $12 off your next BCB order!).

In the local paper!

I can't believe it's taken me 4 days to share this (blame on being snowed in!) but last Sunday, my yarn shop (A Novel Yarn) was featured in the biggest local paper – The Johnson City Press!

That's me on the left (with the pink hair) and my business partner (and mom) on the left. We're hugging a shelf full of Jen Hintz's yarn (the photographer made us do it).

As you can see, the article took up the whole front page of the Temp (ie. Lifestyle) section, with my picture of Shera, along with more of Jen's yarn and my mom's hands knitting.

The article was all about our “philosophy” of handmade yarn and living curiously (about where stuff comes from, if we can make it, how it's made, etc).

The article also briefly mentioned my first business (and true love), Blonde Chicken Boutique, so if you're here from the paper – hi!

So many of you have asked, but it doesn't appear to be online.

Knit Green – Book Review

I received my copy of Knit Green 2 weeks ago. Since then, I have been pouring through it.

Now, I should warn you – I am NOT unbiased about this book – I sold my photographs to the editor and they appear in the book. This is the first time I've seen my name in print, in a bound BOOK. So yeah, I was more than a little excited when my copy came in the mail!

That said, I was prepared to just scan the book and put it on my shelf (or let's be honest, on my coffee table where I can casually flip to my pictures whenever anyone wanders into the room). I've been reading and researching eco-friendly fibers since I first thought about starting a yarn business, over 4 years ago. I didn't think this book had a lot to teach me.

Whoa.

I was wrong. So very wrong.

This book is FULL of things I didn't know or couldn't find the answers to.

Part of the book's brilliance is in it's layout. Each chapter tackles a different angle of “green” knitting: Biodiversity, sustainable farming, vegan fibers, maintaining folk traditions, fair trade, organic, recycling, buying local & changing habits.

Each chapter has a well-researched article on the topic, followed by 2 – 3 patterns using yarns that embody the characteristic.

While most of the patterns aren't for me (I hardly ever knit from patterns, so *most* patterns aren't for me), the fact that the author gives you real applications for what the book is teaching is refreshing.

The real gem in this book is the articles. The articles are worth the price, even if you never knit any of the patterns, if you are concerned with making concientious decisions in your knitting.

And don't let the whole “green” thing scare you away. The author never becomes preachy or pedantic. She seems to share my belief that knitting “green” needn't be a major life-changing commitment; it can be a slow path to making decisions you are comfortable with.

Shop Indie Bookstores

Book: Knit Green, written by Joanne Seiff
(since we're all about the shopping-local, why don't you try to find a local indie bookstore through IndieBound?)

The Meaning of Green

I might be a bit obsessive.
I wish I wasn't.
I wish I was smooth and casual and je ne sais quoi.
But I'm not. I'm excitable. And squeal-y. And a bit obsessive.
When I learned the new Yarn Forward was available in the States (it's UK-based), one that I had been interviewed for, I began stalking Barnes & Noble.
I've been 4 times in the last month, scouring the magazine racks, looking behind every title.

Yesterday, my mom and I had a bit of free time and we decided to pop into the bookstore for a cup of coffee and magazine perusal. I did my normal magazine-rack-hunting. The girl next to me set down one she had been flipping through and

Wow!
There it was, the April issue.

I called my mom over as I flipped through, and was shaking before I even landed on this page:

That's me, in the upper left corner!

The article is a discussion with several “ecological experts” (squee!) about what “green” means to them, in terms of yarn and fiber choices. It's a fabulous article with input from Lorna's Laces, a Rowan rep and other experts on the subject!

You can find buy Yarn Forward online, at your yarn store or at a bookstore!

Oh, and the geeking out doesn't end there. My mom and I both squealed, jumped around, hugged and celebrated! This little excitement-party happened again when I told my husband (who, for the record, does not squeal)

Gimme some love!

I really love reading what my customers think of my yarn. Whether it's Etsy feedback, in the Ravelry group or in blog posts – it's really nice to know how people are using the yarn. I've longed used GoogleAlerts to alert me of anything written about me or my yarn, but it must not be working right, because anytime I google “blonde chicken yarn”, I come up with a new batch of links to the shop. The most exciting are write-ups by shopping blogs or “knitting stars” – and lately I've been blessed with a few mentions:

Indie Fixx's column Indie is the new Green featured my yarn (and used photos of both my Banana and handspun yarn!) in an article on ‘green' yarn.
Vickie Howell (host of the TV show Knitty Gritty!) used my handdyed recylced silk in a featured crochet pattern (it's on the front page of her website and I am definitely making these!)
Just this morning, Indie Quater featured my yarn!

Have you read anything about BCB? If you find a link or write a review relating to any of products (past or present) please post it in the comments below!
(If it's new to me, I'll contact you to send you a thank you gift, so be sure you leave a way to find you!)

I’m on the front page!

Edited to add: and again this morning (7.17.08), I'm on the front page!
It's this Treasury, featuring the Independence yarn.

So, the front page of Etsy is kind of a big deal. The admin at Etsy select Treasuries to feature on the front page and Treasuries are made by Etsy users. Only the prettiest pictures get in Treasuries (in theory) and only the prettiest Treasuries make the front page.
And my Sunshine yarn did it!
Yay!