Check out Lion Brand's blog articles related to humor. Be sure to check out our main website for thousands of free knit and crochet patterns.

Anyone can learn the fairly straightforward nettle fiber processing of extracting fiber from the humble stinging nettle.

There are so many wonderful dye plants to forage in fall. Check out this list to keep your dye pot supplied well after the end of summer.

How to Use a Niddy Noddy: Most of you are probably wondering “What the heck is a Niddy Noddy?!” At least that is what I was like until I learned how to use one for the first time. To satisfy your curiosity, a Niddy Noddy is tool used to wind yarn into a skein and can also be…

Try these delicious smoothies when you're feeling constipated. These six recipes include foods rich in fiber and digestive enzymes that may help you poop.

We believe knitting is an art form, not a science and, as such, we love mix and matching yarn and patterns.

The ins and outs of a low residue diet for colonoscopy prep! Includes a one day meal plan, recommended foods, and not recommended foods.

Discover alpaca facts: from their diet to unique fiber. These surprising facts about alpacas go beyond their adorable fluff.

By Patricia Belyea WHIDBEY ISLAND WA When I pulled into Marcia Derse’s driveway, I thought of all the quilters who would have loved to have been in my shoes. Here I was being welcomed into the home and studio of a remarkable fabric designer. Marcia was full of smiles. And her lower-level studio was full of fabric! Marcia and I immediately headed upstairs and settled down with big glasses of water in her kitchen. Sitting beside windows overlooking a wooded area and Admiralty Inlet, we chatted about Marcia’s pre-Northwest life in Ohio. I learned that for 24 years Marcia owned The Reading Railroad: A Children’s Bookshop in Sylvania, Ohio. That explained her expansive library in the living room filled with colorful children’s books—many signed by the authors. In 2014, Marcia and her husband Peter moved west to shorten their commute time to see a grandbaby in Seattle. Now Marcia’s two daughters own properties just down the road from her on Whidbey Island, and her only son lives in Portland. The family has grown to six grandchildren but dolefully three years ago Peter passed away. Toys tucked away everywhere and cardboard stair-guards attest to Marcia’s complete involvement in her wee ones. Talking about child’s play was the perfect seque for Marcia and I to descend to her studio. Marcia attributes many of her fabric designs to the influences of her grandchildren—their fearlessness and unending creative projects. And she encourages them, giving them access to all her good art supplies. Early in her textile explorations, Marcia attended workshops at the Crow Barn with Nancy Crow. She also hand-dyed and hand-painted fabrics that she sold in a 6' x 10' booth at regional art fairs. Her original fabrics have inspired many of her designs produced by Windham Fabrics today. Palette, a collection of 100 tonal solids, are reproductions of her hand-dyed cottons. “I don’t know what’s popular, I just like to play,” Marcia commented. Marcia oft times sends Windham pages from her hand-made books filled with spirited marks and patterns that ultimately become part of a fabric collection. Recently Marcia created cotton batiks, made in Bali, under the Anthology brand. For one of the designs in the Here:There collection, Marcia utilized a petite rubber stamp that she’d carved in her university days. Using black ink, Marcia stamped the pattern 100 times on a piece of paper. Then Anthology enlarged the art to make a batik design. Random Thoughts, a Windham fabric collection, had a stunning beginning. Marcia relates that a neighbor, whose family has also been bookstore owners, was heading to the dump with boxes full of unwanted papers. This trash includes things like a letter from EB White, the author of Charlotte’s Web! Marcia rescued the papers and proceeded to make postcards filled with the outside of envelopes, handwritten letters, patterned artwork, and machine stitching. The two hero patterns in the Random Thoughts collection are the fronts and backs of her hand-made postcards. Not only is Marcia an ingenious inventor of fabric designs, she’s a thoughtful archivist. One closet in her studio is filled with samples of her work—three yards each of her patterned fabrics and 2

Ripping back your knitting can sometimes be a stressful activity. When you’ve spent time working on your piece only to find that something isn’t quite

A step by step tutorial on the twist and weave yarn joining method. A super neat way to change colors in knitting without a knot.

I’m on a granny blanket binge at the moment and as they don’t take too much thinking about, other than colour placement, I am pleased to go along with the flow. This one was going to be for one o...

Have you visited our page that links to 52 Free Quilt Block Tutorials (easy to advanced) by fantastic quilting bloggers from around the globe?

If you're looking to slim down, fiber is a key nutrient to add to your diet. Fiber helps you feel fuller for longer periods of time. These high-fiber recipes have at least 6 grams of fiber per serving and are full of nutritious vegetables and protein. Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, recipes like Cauliflower Chicken Nachos and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chili are healthy and filling.

For an unforgettable experience at a fiber arts festival, follow these 5 simple tips to maximize visit and have an awesome time!

How to dye with goldenrod

Make a big batch of this vegetarian and vegan stock on the stove and then freeze in 1-2 cup amounts, or in ice cube trays to start making the best soups and stews of your life!

This crochet tutorial shows how to make the ocean waves stitch step-by-step. The tutorial includes detailed photo instructions.

A step-by-step tutorial on how to cuont rows in knitting for beginners - no matter if its garter stitch, cables or stockinette stitch.

I get this question from readers fairly often…how can I become a faster crocheter? This is a great question! Although I am more of a

Wash Wool or Other Fibers for Spinning.: Washing wool and other animal fibers can be tricky. If you do it wrong you get a glopping wet mass of felt. No fun at all and potentially costly if not a waste of time and effort. Some fibers are easier than others to wash and are more toleran…

Soft and Chewy High Fiber Protein Bars packed with flavor and nutrition. Healthy homemade protein fiber bars use oats, chia seeds, flax seeds and a high-fiber cereal!

Sour Apple And Spinach Smoothie is healthy, refreshing and so pretty. It also provides you with boost of vitamins and nutrients to improve your immunity.

Knit and Purl Stitch Patterns with Free Patterns and Video Tutorials by Studio Knit.

Natural Dyeing with Madder Root Earthy gorgeous reds epitomize the Natural Dye revolution. And Madder Root, with its ancient history -- its color, always in concert with other natural hues, and its process, brewing a cauldron of long-lasting color, one pot at a time -- is no newcomer...

Invisible finish or in other words Invisible fasten off is a crochet technique to join stitches together and fasten off the yarn usually when crocheting in round. Traditional method to end the round is to join last stitch of the round with top of first stitch using slip stitch. Then to fasten off you cut the yarn,...

6-ingredient Low FODMAP Maple Walnut Granola is a fiber-packed breakfast or snack. Enjoy this sweet & crunchy granola plain or with low FODMAP milk.

In this article The Sewing Loft shares tips on how to clean your sewing machine to keep in running smoothly. -Sewtorial

The best healthy antioxidant berry smoothie made with yogurt, frozen berries, flaxseed meal, almond butter, and a handful of spinach. This delicious triple berry smoothie is packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, ands plenty of antioxidants for a healthy and filling breakfast you'll love!

Originally Lovely is a place to build your own slow fashion, Me-Made Wardrobe! Check out the free Perfect T-Shirt Crochet Pattern!

The Chainless Crochet Foundation Stitch library can increase your speed and simultaneously make a chain plus the stitch in one fell swoop!

Explore Your Crochet's free patterns blog and discover inspiring ideas to ignite your creativity. Read our post, 'Hexagon Blanket Ideas and Free Patterns'.