Tuesday 1 October 2013

We love Ravelry.  It gives us such a great opportunity to see what you are all knitting.  Thank you for putting up your pictures of projects on your KnitPros and please keep posting to our group here
This is a lovely example.

#24

Malhadeira is knitting Sherilyn which is by Ysolda Teague from Whimsical Little Knits 3.  It is a fantastic shawl and so wearable.  Malhadeira has chosen Malabrigo lace yarn which is one of our most favourite lace yarns.
KnitPro needles are particularly good for lace knitting because of their sharp points which make knitting each tiny stitch so much easier.  We hope you will try Karbonz circulars.  They make lace knitting a dream.


And what do we have on our needles?  As you can see they are Symfonie interchangeables and the pattern is called Sunstruck by Laura Aylor in a wonderful yarn from Yorkshire called  Titus from BaaRam Ewe. 
Don't forget to leave us a comment.  We will be selecting a lucky winner at random to receive a pair of Nova Cubix  needles in the size of their choice.

Friday 23 August 2013

Winner + Making Waves with KnitPro


Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Vicki Browning! Their comment was randomly selected to win this month's giveaway for our new Comby II Sampler Set which contains interchangeable needle pairs from our KarbonzBamboo and Nova Cubics lines! We've contacted Vicki to arrange for the delivery of their prize. Thanks to everyone who entered this month's giveaway!


Introducing Waves Crochet Hooks

Make waves with our brand-new line of glamourous crochet hooks this fall!

Our new Waves crochet hooks feature our signature smooth finish aluminum hooks and colourful soft-feel handles. Waves come in 13 vibrant and trendy colour options, each of which are unique to its size.

KnitPro Waves crochet hooks are also available in sets! Packaged in a handy faux leather zippered case, each set contains 9 hook sizes ranging from 2.00mm-6.00mm. Choose from fluorescent green or fluorescent pink to build your crochet hook library!



Friday 9 August 2013

KnitPro on Pinterest + Giveaway!

KnitPro Comby II Sampler Set contains
Karbonz, Japanese Bamboo & Nova Cubics Needle Tips. 

Exciting news: KnitPro is now on Pinterest! Many of our fans are already sharing their crafty inspiration via pinboards. We've decided to join in the fun and share our favourite products, crafting tips, tutorials and pattern inspiration for our knitting and crocheting fans!

We hope you'll stop by to see what we've been pinning and follow our boards. To sweeten the deal, we'll be randomly selecting one of our Pinterest followers to win a KnitPro Comby II Sampler Set on our next blog post. Leave a comment here to say hello and share a link to your own Pinterest board so that fellow KnitPro fans can follow you! Also, be sure to leave a way for us to contact you if you win (Ravelry ID or email address).




Friday 26 July 2013

Winner + Sneak Peek: New KnitPro Products!

We've got three lucky winners for our KnitPro Shawl Pin giveaway this month: Anna, Isa and Riyuuhi  we will be contacting you to arrange for the delivery of your prize. Congratulations!

Our newest needles and accessories will soon be arriving at a shop near you - below is a sneak peek of just a few of the exciting new products to join the KnitPro family:

Nova Cubics
Our crowd-pleasing cuboid shaped needles are now available in shiny brass! These new needles will be available in Single Point, Double Point, Fixed Circular and Interchangeable and will also include sets for these options!

Karbonz 
Enjoy expanded size options for Interchangeable, Double Point and Single Point Karbonz needles! Our high-tech carbon fiber needles with brass tips are a real crowd-pleaser, and now you can choose from several Karbonz DPN and Interchangeable sets to add to your needle collection.



Bamboo 
Our newest range of knitting needles and crochet hooks is made with the finest Japanese bamboo! Our Bamboo circular needles all feature 24k gold plated connectors, giving us a "gold edge" over other bamboo needles on the market! Choose from Single Point, Double Point, Fixed Circular and Interchangeable knitting needles and Single Ended and Tunisian crochet hooks. We also have knitting and crochet sets in this exciting new line!

Waves 
Our new colour-coded aluminum crochet hooks with soft grip handles are vibrant and trendy. They're available in thirteen individual sizes or as a set featuring 9 hooks in an attractive pink or green case.

Comby Set II
Get to know KnitPro with our new sampler set which includes interchangeable tips from our Karbonz, Bamboo and Nova Cubics needle lines!


Blocking Mats
We are introducing a range of lace blocking accessories this fall, from wires and T-pins to interlocking mats. Now it will be easier than ever to achieve a beautiful project from start to finish with KnitPro products - be sure to ask about our other new accessories at your LYS, too!

Friday 12 July 2013

Summer Shawls + Giveaway!

In the Northern hemisphere, summer is heating up. What's a knitter or crocheter to do?! There are lots of small projects that are ideal for the dog days of summer, but lately we are inspired by all of the creative shawl designs that we've been seeing. They're great for keeping warm on cool summer nights (or in air conditioning, as the case may be!), and they're also a wonderful way to accessorize!

Veera Valimaki's Color Affection is still the #1 shawl we see when out and about, but she has many other creative patterns that will delight knitters of all persuasions!

Veera Valimaki's Color Affection
Another popular shawl pattern is Martina Behm's Hitchiker, which is part of an ebook contain four unique shawl patterns, all of which are great destash projects!
Martina Behm's Hitchhiker
We also spotted plenty of Stephen West shawls at TNNA: from Daybreak to Rockefeller, Stephen has a shawl design that is sure to suit your taste and skill level!

Stephen West's Rockefeller
When it comes to crochet shawls, Aoibhe Ni continues to stun with her crocheted creations using the Tunisian crochet technique! Many of her patterns are available for free on Ravelry, too!

Aoibhe Ni's Pax
July Giveaway

We've got three chances for you to win a KnitPro Shawl Pin this month! Simply leave a comment on this post telling us which shawl you are currently working on (or what's at the top of your shawl-knitting queue) for your chance to win! Don't forget to tell us your Ravelry ID or email address in case you win, too. We'll randomly select 3 lucky winners to announce on our next blog post!

Friday 28 June 2013

Cat Bordhi, Cubics & June Giveaway Winners

Earlier this month, we blogged about the many ways there are to knit and crochet socks (click here to read our last post if you missed it). In today's post, we'd like to spotlight one of our best-loved products by sock knitters: KnitPro Cubics DPNs. Even Cat Bordhi, who is known for disliking double-pointed needles, has praised our Cubics DPNs and given us the ultimate compliment: they are the only DPN she will use!

Cat is a prolific designer (click here to view her designer page on Ravelry), and her sock designs are as revolutionary as they are unique. Her books and e-books (such as New Pathways for Sock Knitters, pictured at right) feature a wide variety of techniques and patterns that will challenge knitters of all persuasions on their sock knitting journey.

Of course, it's always good to start any journey out with the right tools, and Cubics DPNs are a great choice for many reasons: first, their ergonomic shape provides a more comfortable knitting experience; second, there is no roll-away to worry about should you drop one of your DPNs while knitting; finally, the cuboid shape yields uniform stitch definition!

To get a closer look at these needles (which includes a guest appearance from Cat Bordhi herself), you can watch our short YouTube video below!


June Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to this month's blog winners!

Calypso has won their choice of Symfonie DPNs or Fixed Circular needles!
Michelle K has won their choice of Cubics DPNs or Fixed Circular needles!

Both of our winners have been contacted to arrange for delivery of their prizes. Join us next month for more great giveaways here on the KnitPro Blog!


Friday 14 June 2013

Giveaway + Socks Any Way You Like Them!

Socks are a great summer project because they are small and portable, and they can be simple or complex depending on the type of sock project you use. However you like to make socks, we have the right tools for you - below are some tips, techniques and tools to help you explore new ways of sock-making this summer!

Toe-up
Getting started is often the trickiest part to making toe-up socks, but once you master the technique, there's no end to the creative socks you can make! Many knitters prefer this method because they can just keep knitting until they run out of yarn. If you are having trouble getting started, click here to view a video tutorial demonstrating Judy's Magic Cast-On from the talented designer Cat Bordhi's YouTube Channel.

Top Down
A stretchy cast-on is necessary to start your top-down socks off right. There are many, many types of cast-ons that would work well, so you'll want to experiment to find which one works best for your style of knitting. Click here to see a video demonstration of the Channel Island Cast-On from Sockupied on the Knitting Daily blog if you need help getting started!
Cubics Double-Pointed Needles
Socks on DPNs
Many knitters prefer to knit in the round with DPNs; we have several needle styles to suit every DPN enthusiast! For the serious sock knitter, we recommend our Nova Sock Set (for those who prefer metal needles) or our color-coded Dreamz Sock Set (for those who prefer wooden needles). You'll also want to keep your stitches on the needles with our handy DPN tubes, which are especially great for on-the-go sock knitters!

Karbonz Fixed Circular Needles 
Magic Loop Socks
If you've ever been knitting while you're out an about and dropped one of your DPNs, only to have it roll away and never be found again, you may want to give magic loop knitting a try! You'll need a circular needle with a nice, long cord (80cm or 100cm is ideal); Stitch Diva Studios has a great tutorial video here on their website to get you started!

Two-at-a-Time Socks
Once you master the Magic Loop technique, you can use it to knit both pair of socks at the same time! It's a little tricky to get started, but here is an excellent tutorial with step-by-step instructions over on the Knit and Tonic blog.

Crochet
Two-At-A-Time Socks
Socks aren't just for knitters - there are plenty of great crochet patterns out there, too! Our steel crochet hooks come in smaller sizes which are just right for fingering-weight sock yarns. If you're new to crocheting socks, here are eight expert tips from the editor of Crochet Me to make your feet happy!

Steel Crochet Hook With Soft Feel Handle

This Month's Giveaway

How do YOU like to make socks? This month, one lucky blog reader will get choose their prize from one of four needle options:
To be eligible, simply leave a comment on this blog post telling us your favourite way to make socks and which of the four prizes listed above you'd like to win. You'll also want to give us your email address or Ravelry ID so that we can contact you if you win! 

We'll randomly select our winner to announce on our next blog post later this month! 



Friday 24 May 2013

Winner + Caring for Wooden Needles

Congratulations to our winners for this month's blog giveaway:

Kaisla has been randomly selected to win a pair of Cubics Fixed Circular needles with this winning comment: "I hava a plan for summer to do lots of easy knits, scarves and shawls etc. Things you can do while sitting on a beach... I would like to try the cubics!."

Hannonle has been randomly selected to win a pair of Symfonie Fixed Circular needles with this winning comment: "During the summer I will be making a few little baby cardigans and vests for my sister's bump - a girl after two boys!"

Both of our lucky winners have been contacted to arrange for the delivery of their prize. Join us next month for another great giveaway right here on our blog!

Caring for Wooden Needles

Wooden and bamboo needles get naturally moisturised by the oils in the wool yarn (lanolin) and your hands, thus becoming smoother with every use. However, it is a good idea to clean and moisturise your Symfonie, Dreamz, Cubics and Basix Birch needles a couple of times in a year. Here are our top recommendations:

Clean your needles with a clean, dry muslin or paper towel, then apply a very thin layer of natural beeswax. Allow it to dry and then buff it with soft muslin or chamois cloth. This can also be done using a small amount of cold cream as most cold creams contain beeswax. Alternatively, rubbing your needles with wax paper is also a good option.


Whatever method you are using for moisturising the needles, make sure you wait at least 24 hrs before using them again for knitting!

Friday 10 May 2013

Giveaway + Don't Take a Holiday from Crafting this Summer!

Make sure that your knitting or crocheting isn't the only thing going on holiday this summer! Whether or not you're planning to travel, there are plenty of great projects to keep your needles and hooks happy during the warmer months ahead.  

Shawls are a great project choice; they can be used on cooler summer nights and will also be handy when the temperatures cool down in the fall. Choose lightweight yarns with cooler fibres such as bamboo, cotton or silk for your next project; here are a few popular patterns from Ravelry.com which you might enjoy!
From L-R: Hitchhiker by Martina Behm, Venus by Aoibhe Ni, and Happy Street by Veera Välimäki.

Small projects such as socks, hats and handwear are also great to work on during warmer months - you'll be glad you did when winter's chill arrives! They also are easy to take with you on-the-go, and using circular needles for magic loop means you don't have to worry about losing one of your double-pointed needles while you're out and about! Below are a few popular hat patterns from Ravelry to get you inspired! 
From L-R: Catkin Hat by Kate Davies, Bonnie Beret by Rachael Oglesby, and Bräcken Convertible Cloche by Kalurah.

Finally, small toys are fun to make and are also great gift ideas! Here are a few knit and crochet toy pattern ideas to make your summer extra-fun!
From L-R: Amigurumi Dragon by Stacey Trock, Knit Hedgehogs by Purl Soho, and Huggy Monkey by Sayjai Thawornsupacharoen. 

Enter our May Giveaway

This month, we'll be giving away two prizes to our lucky readers: a pair of Cubics Fixed Circular needles and a pair of Symfonie Fixed Circular needles. Simply leave a comment on this post telling us your summer crafting plans and which prize you'd like to win! Don't forget to also leave a way for us to contact you if you are the winner (Ravelry ID or email address works just fine). 

We'll randomly select two winners (one for each prize) on Friday, May 24th! Good luck!

Friday 26 April 2013

Winner + Felted Project Inspiration

Nova Chunky Interchangeable Set

Thanks to everyone who entered our blog giveaway this month! Our lucky winner is Katrina who said, "I would love to try fixed circular ones". We've contacted Katrina to arrange the shipment of her prize, a pair of Basix Birch Fixed Circular needles.

We received a tremendous response to our last post about quick, chunky knits using larger needles, so today we'll be sharing more pattern inspiration with you. Wool yarns and large needles are the perfect combination for your next felting project; we have several chunky interchangeable needle sets which contain needle pairs in 9.00mm, 10.00mm and 12.00mm sizes - all you have to do is choose which type of needle tip you prefer! As we saw in our previous post, our Basix Birch line is another great option for projects requiring larger-sized knitting needles. 

Clockwise from top left: Star Garland by Katie Startzman, Felted iPad Case by Marlene Sigel, Woodins by Anna Hrachovec, Celtica Cushion by Debbie Tomkies, Felted Oven Mitts by Purlbee, and French Press Felted Slippers by Melynda Bernardi.

If you have never intentionally felted a knitted or crocheted piece, here are a few helpful resources to get you started: 

Feel free to share your favorite felting tips, resources or patterns by commenting on this blog post, too!

Friday 12 April 2013

Think Big: Knitting Inspiration + Giveaway!

This month, we're thinking BIG! Our Basix Birch needles come in large sizes and are just right for quick, chunky knits and fast felted projects! In today's blog post, we'll share some of our favourite patterns for big needles and give you a closer look at Basix Birch. You'll also have a chance to win your choice of Basix Birch needles this month!


Quick Knits with Chunky Yarns


Here are just a few project ideas for fast knits on big needles, many of which are available for free on Ravelry! Clockwise from top left: The Eleventh Hour Blanket from Purl Soho, Marian by Jane Richmond, The Road to Gimmerton, Pembroke Tank by Tara-Lynn Morrison, 40 Winks Basket by Hana Jason, and Pixie Necklace by Kate Oates.

Basix Birch Giveaway

Our Basix Birch needles are lightweight and available in double-point, single-point and fixed circular needle styles in a range of larger sizes. These perfectly-pointed, durable needles are ideal for chunky yarns. 

Get to know Basix Birch below, then leave a comment on this post telling us which type you'd most like to try out. We'll randomly select one winner to announce on Friday, April 26. Good luck!



Available in 20cm length in sizes ranging from 5.50mm to 25.00mm.
Perfectly tapered points for easy stitch glide.



Available in 60cm, 80cm, 100cm, 120cm, and 150cm lengths in sizes ranging from 5.50mm to 25.00mm.
Smooth joins for snag-free knitting.
Resilient, flexible cords lay flat with no kink or twist.



Available in 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, and 40cm lengths in sizes ranging from 5.50mm to 12.00mm.
Generous size end caps keep stitches firmly on needles.


Be sure to check back on Friday, April 26 to see who won this month's blog giveaway!

Friday 22 March 2013

Winner + KnitPro in Action!

We received a tremendous response to this month's blog giveaway! Thank you to everyone who left their comments on our last blog post; we thoroughly enjoyed reading each one.We have used Random.org to select the following winners, whom we will contact to arrange for the delivery of their prizes: 


Congratulations to Pokdej, who will receive a pair of Karbonz Single Point needles! Pokdej said, "I'd like to try the Karbonz because I have developed an allergy to nickel, so I'm looking for a non-wood alternative."
Congratulations to Puella63, who will receive a package of Karbonz Double Point needles! Puella63 said, "I never tried this type of needles and would really like to try the circular ones. I don't knit with the other two types."
Congratulations to Riikkis, who will receive a Karbonz Fixed Circular needle! Riikkis said, "I'd love to test these <3"
We'd also like to share the latest KnitPro in Action photos that have been submitted by our wonderful and creative fans. Click here to view & submit photos in our dedicated Ravelry thread; you can also submit via Twitter and Facebook!
L-R: Dreamz Fixed Circular needles (submitted by Knitwytch), Symfonie Interchangeable needles (submitted by Amparo), and Karbonz DPNs (submitted by ColorBloX).

Friday 8 March 2013

As Seen on Knitter's Review: Karbonz!


There's been a lot of buzz about our Karbonz needles; most recently, Clara Parkes shared her thoughts on these high-tech needles on the Knitter's Review website (note: Karbonz are distributed in North America under the Knitter's Pride brand). We're quite flattered with her analysis! If you've been curious about carbon fiber needles, click here to get the scoop from one of our industry's finest experts! You can also read more about our Karbonz needles on the Meadow Yarns blog!
Now for the best part: we'd like to give you a chance to try Karbonz out for yourself! Leave a comment on this post sharing why you'd like to knit with these needles for your chance to win one of three prizes: a pair of Karbonz Single-Point Needles, Double-Point Needles or Fixed Circulars. We'll randomly select three lucky readers as our winners on Friday, March 22. Be sure to leave your Ravelry ID or e-mail address so that we can contact you if you win! 

Friday 22 February 2013

Winner + 2013 Preview

Giveaway Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered this month's blog giveaway! Our lucky winner is Beverly Anger, who said "I just subscribed! These knitting needles will change my knitting world!" Our prize coordinator has contacted you to arrange for the delivery of your prize, a Deluxe Symfonie Rose set in your choice of Interchangeable Circular Needles or Crochet Hooks. Congratulations!

Sneak Peek!

We're very pleased to share a small preview of our Spring Collection with you today right here on our blog. Since introducing our line of carbon fiber needles last year, we have had many requests from fans and shop owners for an interchangeable line of Karbonz needles. This year, we'll not only introduce Karbonz Interchangeable Circular needles to the line, but we'll also offer expanded size options for single point, double point and fixed circular Karbonz needles as well as DPN and interchangeable needle sets.

In fact, we'll be introducing many new & exciting additions to the KnitPro family of products at the Handarbeit + Hobby trade fair in Cologne, Germany next month which will be appearing at a yarn shop near you this Summer - stay tuned for more details!


Friday 8 February 2013

KnitPro on YouTube + Giveaway

Did you know that KnitPro has a YouTube channel?  When you watch our videos, you'll get to see KnitPro needles & hooks up close while hearing what real knitters and crocheters have to say about our products. You can subscribe to our channel to be notified when we add new videos, too! To sweeten the deal, we'll be randomly selecting one of our fans on YouTube to win a Symfonie Rose Deluxe Set in the winner's choice of Interchangeable Circular Needles or Crochet Hooks

Leave a comment on this post to let us know that you subscribed to our channel and tell us which video was your favorite! Be sure to leave a way for us to contact you if you win (Ravelry ID or email address). We'll randomly select one winner on our next blog post on Friday, February 22. Good luck! 


Click here to view the KnitPro channel on YouTube or watch our video playlist below!





Thursday 31 January 2013

Giveaway Winner: KnitPro Fabric Bag


Congratulations to MaRiAn! You've won a KnitPro Fabric Needle Case. Please contact us at support@knitpro.eu or via Ravelry PM (knitpro) with your shipping information & color preference so that we can send out your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered our contest - best of luck with your crafting resolutions in 2013!

Wednesday 30 January 2013

New Year, New Accessories!

In the new year, everyone is trying to get organized and making resolutions. This is a great time to get your knitting bag in order, too! We know many knitters already have a KnitPro Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set, so in this post we'll be sharing some products and tips to maximize what you have using the right accessories to get you organized!


We wrote about KnitPro Needle Size ID Tags last time as a way to remember which size of needles you are using on a project that is hibernating in your knitting bag. If you're still using the plastic case that the KnitPro Symfonie Interchangeables and KnitPro Nova Interchangeables came in, you can also use these needle size tags in the plastic pockets to help you remember what size needles are in each one.

KnitPro DPN Tubes are essential for knitters who like to knit socks and other small accessories on double pointed needles. The DPN Tubes will ensure that your project stays on the needles. The tube has a slit so that your work in progress can hang out of the tube without getting tangled with your needles. The DPN Tubes can also be used to store you double pointed needles when they are not it use!



The Knit Pro Craft Kit can be a great gift for a beginner to start their own knitting bag! The kit includes a pair of Spectra Single Pointed Knitting Needles, an aluminum crochet hook, a knitting dolly, measuring tape, a pair of scissors, and two plastic tapestry needles. 







Giveaway

This month we'll be giving away a KnitPro Fabric Bag here on our blog! To enter, just leave a comment on this post during the month of January. We'll be selecting a random winner on January 31, 2013. You can learn about all of our giveaways this month by visiting the My KnitPro Ravelry Group.

Thursday 17 January 2013

New Year's Resolutions & Finishing Projects!

Most knitters like to work on more than one project at a time, and sometimes when a project gets put to the side it may be forgotten completely! This year KnitPro is here to help you get organized; below we've listed a few of our favorite products that can be used with any of the KnitPro interchangeable needle sets to maximize your needles and keep track of all your works in progress!

Extra cables are essential for knitters who love to multi-task! With extra cables you can use the same size tips on multiple projects, just use the end caps to keep your stitches safely on the cables while they are resting. 



While your projects are waiting on your spare cables, place a KnitPro Needle Size ID Tag on the cable so that you won't forget which size needles you were using on your project!



If you knit mostly at home, the KnitPro Needle Stand is a great way to display and organize your needle tips! This handy stand can be used with any KnitPro interchangeable needle set. 


If you are a knitter on the go, our fabric needle cases are the perfect place to store your needle tips and cables. Keep everything organized for fast and easy access! 




Whether you knit at home or on the go, the KnitPro Chart Keeper is a great way to stay organized! It will hold up a pattern or chart, and you can use the magnets to keep your place. You'll never have to wonder where your pattern is in your knitting bag or basket - our Chart Keeper will keep your patterns in one convenient place that is always easy to find.



Giveaway

This month we'll be giving away a KnitPro Fabric Bag here on our blog! To enter, just leave a comment on this post during the month of January. We'll be selecting a random winner on January 31, 2013. You can learn about all of our giveaways this month by visiting the My KnitPro Ravelry Group.