Fame AND Fortune!

I’m kind of excited - for a couple of reasons. First of all, I have an announcement to make - well, actually, maybe a couple... KNIT’nStyle magazine has my name in it!! Honest, it’s there, under the masthead credits, in the February 2011 issue,
Machine Knitting Technical Editor
Mary Anne Oger

Spelled right and everything! I’ve even received my first pay check from them and have signed contracts!! In case you don’t know, KNIT’nStyle is an American hand knitting magazine that is distributed worldwide and can be found at almost any newsstand, magazine rack, virtually anywhere - the grocery store, Wal-Mart, all over - I haven’t seen it in airports but I’m working on that! It is available on subscription too.
They have asked me to do a new column on machine knitting for the coming year in their magazine. This past year, they have been featuring Kathy Perry and the Bond knitter. Now, I’m taking over - well, actually starting with the next issue, No. 172, April 2011, which will be on sale January 25, 2011 - I will have a column called ‘Mid Gauge Machine Magic’ and a garment to go along with the article. So, starting with basics, it is an introduction to the LK150 which is the best little hobby machine and a perfect segue from hand knitting to machine knitting. Also, they have decided to add some machine knitting to the magazine by translating some of the hand knit patterns to machine knitting - so that’s why my name is in this issue already, because I was responsible for giving machine knitting instructions for three of the hand knit patterns. Bear in mind, I’m working with what they give me and space limitations - I hope you can give me some support in this and let the editors (and me, of course) know what you think and what you’d like to see more of.
Secondly, I am currently tossing around a few ideas, like a ‘pattern-of-the-month’ club kind of thing - still in the development stages but I just wanted to put it out there that I am percolating a few things and hope have them available for January 2011 - I am open to suggestions.
For starters, there will be 2 different series, one for mid gauge/LK150 and one for standard gauge knitters. As a trial, I will be offering a 3 month or 6 month sign-up, prepaid - price TBA - the patterns will be in pdf format, emailed to you, keeping it simple, but you can expect the same quality and detail of pattern that you know from me - well, maybe a little more detail - I’m not restricted to page limitations anymore, so the sky’s the limit! Watch our regular website at www.knitwords.com for more details, coming soon!

Oh, and one more thing - with the holiday season coming up, remember others less fortunate, please! Last year, instead of stressing out and spending big bucks on stuff for my grown children who are well-able to buy whatever they want/need for themselves, I spent that money on providing a local CAS family with their Christmas hamper, anonymously, of course - when I told my kids what I was doing, they all jumped in and added to it - it was a great feeling and resulted in further family bonding and certainly boosted my holiday spirts. We are doing it again and getting a lot of joy from it. Please share in what ever way you can.