Whether you need a refresher on how to pick up stitches, a cheat sheet to how to figure out what kind of yarn you scored at a garage sale, or a list of our favorite crafting reference books, you can find it all here! (Please note that most of these links will take you to external websites; if you find that one of our links no longer works, or if you have an idea for something we should include, let us know!)
Technical resources
Burn Test (Fabric Mart) - how to use a burn test to figure out what kind of fiber your mystery yarn/spinning fiber is made of. Please follow all suggested safety precautions!
Perfectly Picked Up Stitches (Kelbourne Woolens) - a quick tutorial on how to pick up and knit stitches, plus the math of how to pick up a buttonband/collar
Russian Join (Twist Yarn Shop blog) - how to join two balls of yarn (or one ball of yarn that had a knot...) just about seamlessly!
Favorite books/authors/magazines
Abby Franquemont. Respect the Spindle is one of our favorite hard-copy spinning resources; if you are a fan of online learning, we encourage you to explore Abby's online learning center, Franquemont University.
Franklin Habit. His blogs (listed on his website) are hilarious, honest, and informative.
Amy Herzog. Her sweater books are phenomenal for anyone looking to improve their sweater knitting - and sweater fitting!
Toni Lipsey. From helpful blogs to lovely patterns to the best guide yet on Tunisian crochet, Toni has so many great things to offer to crocheters and knitters.
Ravelry. An incredible resource for fiber artists of all stripes: keep a project notebook with photos and notes, get information on yarns, find and buy patterns, and join the discussions in the forums. Free for basic use, requires a username and password. PLEASE NOTE: Some users have experienced visual and headache-based disruptions after Ravelry's tech team updated its design and layout a few years ago. If you are prone to these issues when viewing websites, you may wish to avoid visiting this one.
Knitty. Free digital knitting/crochet/spinning magazine, published several times each year. Free patterns, columns, and reviews of new products.
Puget Sound Local Yarn Shop Tour: a local yarn shop tour that takes you all around Puget Sound so you can get to know the yarn shops in your neighborhood
PNW Slow Crawl: a larger, regional yarn shop tour that lasts from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day - tour in-person or virtually
Fiber Fusion Northwest: held at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington - currently being held the first weekend in June
Flock Fiber Festival: one of the newest regional fiber festivals, planned for August 2024 at the Seattle Convention Center