Geek-A-Long, Knit Life
Happy Pride 2023!
Jun
Happy Pride to all the Girls, Gays, and Theys in the Fiber Community! In this first fabulous rainbowed week of June I want to spend some time celebrating some of the LGBTQIA+ voices in the knitting world, and we’ll swing back around to the usual Sunday Geek-A-Long posts next week:
- May 22, 2023: Theme is announced
- May 28, 2023: Project Sheet Releases
- June 4, 2023: Pride Month: A celebration of LGBTQ+ knitters and designers
- June 11, 2023: Sock 1 Releases
- June 18, 2023: Sock 2 Releases
- June 25, 2023: Community Spotlight
This is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list, just a few of the designers and dyers that I admire and hope you’ll check them out!
Leading Men Fiber Arts
I’m starting out the list with Leading Men Fiber Arts! I used their Show Stopper Yarn in 2022 for a project I can’t tell you about quite yet, but what’s not a secret is that Jac and I both contributed patterns to Tanis Gray’s upcoming Officially Licensed Nightmare Before Christmas Knitting Pattern book coming late 2023, so I’ll let you draw your own inferences into what I used the LFMA yarn for ;)
In addition to their gorgeous yarn and kits, Steve and Andy of LMFA also offer some really cool needlepoint kits, as well as needle felting kits in their online and physical store front!
In their own words: With their hand-dyed colorways inspired by the theatre, pop culture, and nature, partners Steve and Andy truly are the Leading Men in the world of COLOR. Established in August 2013, their dye studio and store front is located in Clinton, Illinois, from which they travel the country attending shows and festivals. Their products can also be found in stores across the world. They specialize in semi-solid, variegated, speckled, and gradient yarn dyeing techniques. When auditioning projects for a starring role, make sure to cast the Leading Men!!!
Transmutation Knits
@Transmutationknits is a creator I’ve been following on instagram for a while, and I love seeing his gorgeous designs! I think my favorite is the Vulnerability Shawl.
In his own words: I am Liam, a trans masc knitwear designer that feels strongly about story telling through design. Each of my designs is a large part of who I am and I hope that by making them yourself, you are able to tell your own stories with fiber.
Xandy Peters
Xandy is a seasoned designer. I can still clearly remember being absolutely floored by how gorgeous their Fox Paws pattern is when it first hit the scene way back in 2014. I one day aspire to have half as much talent and creative use of stitches, and love his motto and philosophy: Knit Boldy. Xandy has an extensive body of work in his portfolio, and I am constantly struck by the beauty and artistry of Xandy’s project photos:
In his own words: I want to encourage knitters of all levels to use their craft as a form of self expression, to try new techniques, and to share their projects and experiences. There’s so much more to this craft than fancy yarn and trendy patterns. I place more value on personal growth, applaud artistic expression and celebrate those who make the most of their materials.
Gamer Crafting Yarn
@GamerCrafting is another creator that I first found on instagram, and have since been enjoying Angie and Sarah’s youtube channel. These UK based dyers have a brand new Pride Yarn Collection for 2023 that is definitely worth checking out!
In their own words: Jack of all trades, Master of Netflix and video games. A musician by trade, a gamer by choice, and a crafter by chance:I hand dye yarns inspired by all things geeky and nerdy. Catch me on Instagram @GamerCrafting! For more check out the About Us pinned video on GamerCrafting’s Insta page!
~Megan-Anne
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