Welcome to Yarnival!, Eve's brainchild. This is Issue 3 and we've got a little bit of everything for everyone! I hope you enjoy the issue. Thanks everyone for your submissions. It was difficult to choose for sure. If you like it, love it, can't live without it, please consider sumbitting to the next issue, which will be edited by Julie. This is a GREAT resource in finding new patterns, new techniques and new ideas and most definitely, new knitting blogs. Even if you don't get into one issue of Yarnival!, try, try again! Everyone is welcome and every issue is different - you might be the perfect fit for the next one! Okey dokey - now on with the SHOW!

Kindness is an intrusion people want – no NEED – in their lives, whether they know it or not. Liz tells her story of an act of kindness in “The Shedir and the Spider” and it’s not just a story about strangers helping strangers, but friends helping friends. If you’ve ever considered knitting something for someone, but were a bit afraid about how they’d react, read this. You’ll never doubt an act of kindness again.

Apparently THE CURSE is alive and well in blogland. Don’t know which curse I’m talking about? Do you knit under a rock? It’s The Boyfriend Curse and even though we’d like to think it does, marriage doesn’t make you immune. Just ask Kim. She and the JackAss sweater are living proof. Kirstin’s come up with one theory as to why the curse exists: knit your boy a sweater and all he sees is Aunt Myrtle and the horrible contraption she knit for him when he was five. And last but not least, Meg thinks that it just might be the pressure we put on our men when knitting for them – she’s got a whole list of pressures – that makes them panic and run. But so far things are working out for her. She knit the sweater and still has her man. Meg, just remember, it’s a helluva lot harder to get out of a mortgage than it is to get out of a marriage. Bottom line: LOVE SUCKS. But knitting rocks.

Blog book tours are all the rage these days! A writer/blogger/knitter writes a book and is then interviewed by various bloggers about said book. It’s a great way to reach your core audience without ever having to get dressed or leave your house. (HUGE plusses in my opinion.) This blog book tour stop is just a little bit more than run of the mill. Deborah Robson presents an interview with Donna Druchanas about her new book, Arctic Lace. What makes this tour stop so special? For one thing, Deborah is Donna’s editor and publisher. And Deborah doesn’t actually interview Donna, Donna interviews Deborah. It’s an insider’s look at knit book publishing. Not to be missed.

Who can forget their first time? The feel of the needles beneath their fingers. The yarn slipping through, gently, gently. The incense, yarn and candles. The Doors singing C’mon Baby Light My Fire in the background. Basement paneling. OOPS! You know what I mean. Who can forget the first time they picked up the sticks? The first project they REALLY made that was REAL, not some day-glo orange Red Heart swatch on bright pink clinky aluminum Susan Bates needles. Oh, that was only me? On the occasion of his one year knitty anniversary, Adam recounts his first time in “A History of Sorts.” You should read this because, honestly, who doesn’t like first time stories, and because Adam’s a guy in a craft that is dominated by women. (If you’d like to debate this, see below.) Go give Adam the pat on the back he deserves: You’ve come a long way BABY!

Knitting has been around forever. Women have been around forever. I’d like to imagine it wasn’t fig leaves they wore in the Garden of Eden, but rather loin cloths Eve knit from palm fronds she spun into silky softness. Why is it then that men, and many women, think that if you knit – and let’s not limit it to knitting – crafting, domesticity in general - you’ve lost the power and strength that “feminism” has been fighting for forever? Hannah has opened up a discussion, Knitting and Feminism. I’m sure we all have thoughts on this subject. I, for one, have never felt as powerful as I have since the day I learned to knit. And I’ve always been a power hungry kind of girl. Go. Fast. Give your opinion!

Claire and Shirani, the girls over at Cultured Purl, have just started their blog and as a way of introducing themselves to you and you to them, they ask this question: What's the wackiest place you've tried to knit?? Go on over and say hello and tell them about your weirdest, wildest, wackiest knitty adventure!

How to double-row mittens by Rhonda. (It's a SLIDESHOW!)

How to braid roving by Loribird.

How to weave in ends while knitting by Aija.

How to knit 2 socks on 2 circulars by Sara.

How to knit a sweater that doesn’t fit then learn from your mistakes so you can help others by Laura.

How to re-cable after a mistake by Jenn.

Ruth presents Gauge is a Cruel Mistress. Not only is she cruel, but she may be working for the younger and smaller and more likely to fit into stuff that doesn’t fit us that live with us. Bitch.

Julie’s finishing stuff all over the place. In one entry, she gives us a crazy day in the life, all the while modeling her fantastic Forecast FO. Funny, fun, fabulous: it’s FORECAST. And in “For Linda and Louise,” Julie also shows off the finished Shedir she knit for her friend Louise, struggling with cancer. She incorporates this into a moving portrait of her mother-in-law, who died of breast cancer before Julie ever got a chance to meet her, or her son. Keep the Kleenex close for this one – you’re gonna need it.

Kelly turns a bathmat into a vest. Seriously. With a little bit of help from a very eager daughter.

Knit Quilts are the new rage. Don’t believe me? Well take a look at the GORGEOUS blanket Lucy put together. Cotton, squares, bright colors. A cat. What’s not to love? RUN! RIGHT NOW!

It’s TWINS over at LizKnits!

Nothing says glamour like a felted cloche, and this one is stunning. Just lovely, Jennifer. Now if only I looked good in hats.

Katy wrote a Rhinebeck post. Like a year ago. But it’s still funny and great and without further ado I present: With Apologies To Billy Joel.

We’ve all been there, but as Ariel finds out, Breaking up is hard to do.

Who knew discloths could say so much? Kelli Ann obviously as she gives us The Dishcloth of Our Discontent.

Kelp! You need help! That’s a hell of lot to go through for a blog header. But it does look great!

Forget Excel and spreadsheets and software and PDAs. Kathryn keeps beautiful, lovely, handwritten lists of her stash. And she’s got bees and flowers on her note pads. We should all do this.

There’s nothing else to say except that Jenn is kooky and crazy and that S is for SOCKS! If you click on only one link today – make THIS the link. You will not be sorry.

Anyone who’s ever knit while riding the subway knows that the most interesting things can happen. One lucky day, Sharon found out that she could’ve been a brain surgeon.

Knitting can be very, very dangerous. Just ask Kristi. And when it was all over, well, sometimes you have to laugh at yourself ....

Eve started Yarnival! and the whole hunk of the issue thing. I’m raising the bar by nominating Hannah’s husband for hunk of the month. Who wouldn’t want a husband like this? Hannah sings hubby’s praises in, Love, Knitting, and One Skein of Blue Sky Cotton.

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed this issue of Yarnival! And remember, when you visit, it's nice to leave a comment letting folks know you've been there. Some of the blogs listed today have had barely a comment. Let them know how it good it feels! One more thing - don't forget to SUBMIT to next months Yarnival! And if you're interested in editing a future edition of Yarnival!, head over to Eve's and let her know. THANK YOU and HAVE A GREAT DAY!