We live in an ever changing world. The Greek philosopher Ηράκλειτος (Herakleitos; Heraclitus) of Ephesus (c.535 BC - 475 BC) said it best, "The only thing constant in life is change". Fiber and the making of yarn into cloth is up there with the oldest professions. For the longest time there has been little change. Fast forward to this century and the computer has twisted fiber into new gyrations.
#1 Apps have made a place for themselves in the fiber world. Apps are an abbreviation for application. It is software that can be used on your iPhone, iPad and iPod. New apps to help you with knitting, weaving, spinning...are appearing everyday. "Yarnmarket's Yarn Genie" is an app that will manage your yarn stash. Who doesn't have a stash that could use managing. It also includes a yarn estimator, hook and needle size converter and more.
Lion Brand has a free app "Lion Brand Yarn" for you. It is for both, the iPhone and iPad. This app offers free patterns to knit and crochet. There is an app for weaving from Intuit. This app is for those people running a fiber business. "Weave" helps you manage a new small businesses.
For more information or to download these apps, check out the iTunes store. This is only a sample of the free apps out there.
#2 With QR codes becoming commonplace, we are seeing them showing up in designs for this winter's must have, fashion accessory as scarves and Sanquehar gloves. A QR code is a marketing, quick response, geometric code in black and white. It has the ability to store a large capacity of information in a 2-D format. Start here to make your own code. Transfer it to graph paper. Then follow the chart to complete your original design.
#3 Pinterest, it is a new online pinboard or a social bookmarking tool. Think bulletin board/scrapbook. A place to organize your hobby and share what you enjoy and find interesting. You can comment on others interests, repin what you like onto your own board, or "like" what you like. You can use it as a creative tool.
#4 Twitter party, Twitter parties are an online social media marketing/advertising tool. In today's world you should be planning one or attending one. It is becoming the latest platform to announce the launching of your product and or service to customers. Also it is a way to simply get people talking, maybe about your yarn shop, designs or a book launch on fiber arts.
#5 eMag is an electronic magazine. It contains articles, videos, slideshows, hyperlinks and informative websites that are downloaded onto your computer. Once downloaded you can read online or offline. Videos are what make the experience greater than a physical magazine or an eBook. With videos you are there. Meet the author being interviewed and learn a step by step technique as if you were sitting beside the teacher.
Have you seen the knew look of Marji's Yarncraft's website? Socks are a popular knitted and crocheted item, unfortuneately they can get a hole in them on occasion. Darn those socks, is a class where you will learn to do just that. It is being held Saturday, February 18 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. for a fee of $12. For the time and cost to make those valuablr handmade socks, this is a class worth taking. The shop is located at 381 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, CT 06035, (860)-653-9700.
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