Blog
Server Maintenance
If you visted in the last couple of days, you may have noticed our server was down for some unscheduled repairs and maintenance. Thank you for the emails to let me know there was a problem. Everything is up and running again, but if you have any problems please let me know.
For those of you who emailed about new account problems, I will be responding to your emails today.
Login Problems?
We had a server glitch last week that may have caused some problems with the New User Signup process. If you signed up for an account, but did not receive your confirmation email, or are getting an error message that your username is already taken, please send me an email (stacyATknitmapDOTcom) with your username and email address. I can activate your account.
Things That Rock
Thank you to everyone who commented with your suggestions for improvements to the site. They are all good ideas, and we're going to be very busy this year implementing as many as we can. Keep checking back for updates as we get them up and running.
I was starting to worry about what prizes to give away, but my LYS came through for me again! I had just asked Matt what he thought I should give away when I opened up my email to find their newsletter announcing the new arrival of the anxiously awaited, much coveted, Socks That Rock by Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Perfect! What better prize to give away to some wonderful users who rock!
After much deliberation, I picked up two skeins of the lightweight 100% superwash merino in colorways Algae and Puck’s Mischief. It was only because I had just last weekend cataloged my entire stash on Ravelry, and was a little overwhelmed by its considerable volume, that I was able to convince myself not to buy any for me too.
These lovely skeins will be going to...
KnitMap in the New Year!
I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season.
With a brand new year to look forward to, naturally thoughts turn to resolutions and plans for the future. Matt and I are working to plan the future of KnitMap. We have started a list of updates that we’d like to make to the site, features we would like to implement, and bugs to fix.
I’d like to ask all of you to add to our list. What would you like to see at KnitMap? What changes would you like? Features? Please leave a comment or send me an email with your 2008 wishes for KnitMap.
To sweeten the deal, I’ll throw everyone who comments into a drawing for some prizes!
KnitMap on Your iPhone!
Thanks to Matt, web developer extraordinaire, you can now easily access KnitMap on the go from your iPhone.
Want to find a store near you? Need directions to that out-of-the-way shop? Want to look up a store's hours? Its all right there! Just enter www.knitmap.com/iphone into the web browser, and you have a streamlined site perfect for the iPhone.
Enquiring Minds, Take 2
Thank you everyone for taking time to share your thoughts. I found your comments really interesting. The theme of friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff came up the most often for what makes a yarn store great. I would tend to agree since the ladies who run my LYS definitely keep me coming back!
This has been fun. I think I may do this often; ask a question and poll the users. It makes me want to chuck the day job and start my own yarn store consulting service. You can be my focus group; I could get paid in yarn, and you know I would share the wealth.
Speaking of…I have randomly (and by randomly I mean I asked Matt to pick a number between 1 and 16) selected a lucky commenter number 11! Counting from the earliest comment to the most recent comment, one entry per person, skipping me (and don’t think I wouldn’t want to snag this skein for myself!) number 11 is mi_kitter!
Enquiring Minds…
I have naturally been thinking a lot about yarn stores lately. I’ve been reading comments that have been left for stores in cities I’ve never visited (yet!), and I’ve been thinking about what makes a yarn store special. I am fortunate to have several wonderful shops in my city (go Portland!), and all of these stores are different. They each have their own flavor and feel, and everyone has their own favorite for varying reasons.
So, what I want to know is, what makes your favorite yarn store special? Is it the staff? The selection? The classes? Maybe it has a cozy chair and good lattes, or it’s the convenience of being right on the bus line home?
I’m curious and I’d like to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell me what makes your LYS great. To sweeten the deal, I’ll be selecting a comment at random to receive a skein of Classy (worsted weight, 100% superwash merino) in colorway Deep Seaflower, by Dream In Color yarns.
September Contest Winners!
I would just like to thank everyone who has tried KnitMap. Your comments, suggestions, and enthusiasm has been fantastic! If I could send you all a prize, you know I would!
With your help, KnitMap now has almost 1,900 stores, almost 500 users, over 500 comments, and its growing everyday! That’s amazing to me considering that our only advertisement has been a few posts to forums and word of mouth.
To celebrate the winners of our first contest, I have put together a great prize package. In addition to my heartfelt thanks, each winner will receive:
- A small project bag handmade by YarnTraveler, in the very popular sock monkey patterns.
- A skein Smooshy sock yarn by Dream In Color. This is handpainted, 100% merino, superwash sock yarn in colorways “Strange Harvest,” “Lipstick Lava,” and “Blue Lagoon.”
- A set of six needle-hugger stitch markers, handmade by Hide and Sheep.
- A yummy lip balm from Wild Carrot Herbals, in Douglas Fir or Marionberry flavor.
- A sample of Soak wool and fiber wash, in Citrus, Flora, or Aquae scents.
- A small bamboo crochet hook. This baby is less than three inches long, perfect for fine gauge yarns, and is my favorite tool. I keep it in my traveling sock bag for dropped stitches and it’s been a lifesaver!
The lucky contest winners are:
New Feature
My apologies for being late with the contest prizes. I haven't forgotten, but real-life has a way of messing up best-laid plans. Prize photos and winners will appear here on Saturday, I promise!
When I was working with Matt on the development of this site, one of the issues that I struggled with was whether or not to include chain stores (i.e. Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or department stores that just happen to carry some yarn too). I went back and forth, and ultimately decided to leave it up to you the users.
So, we launched and asked for your comments, questions, and participation. Your response has been fabulous! We've had such positive feedback, and really good suggestions to improve the site. I also received some comments and questions on both sides of the chain-store debate. After some more work with Matt, here is the solution we're proposing. I'd love to hear what you think.
KnitMap Raffle #3
Here are the results for our third, and last raffle of September. Don't forget, winners of the contest will be announced on October 1st.
This week's lucky winners will receive a skein of handpainted 100% superwash merino fingering weight yarn from another Portland local, Knitted Wit, in colorways Desert Treasure, Sunny Day, and Twisted (dyed especially for my LYS, Twisted). Unfortunately, my photo just doesn't do these yarns justice. It was hard to find a patch of sunny light this morning, but trust me when I say they are lovely!
And, the winners of today's raffle are...
KnitMap Raffle #2
I have just been blown away by the response to KnitMap. I knew it was a good idea, I just hoped y'all would think it was a good idea too. By the numbers of new accounts, and new and updated stores, I think you do!
With our heartfelt thanks, this week's KnitMap raffle prize package includes:
- a small notions-sized bag from YarnTraveler (that's me!);
- the beautifully colored Harmony wood DPN's from KnitPicks*;
- a sample of Soak wool and fiber wash (in flora, citrus and aquae scents); and
- a tube of wonderful Wild Carrot Herbals lipbalm (in lavender, vanilla, and marionberry flavors).
So, without further ado, this week's winners are:
KnitMap Raffle #1
I fully intended to post the winners of this week's raffles earlier today, but the day job unhinged its mighty jaws and swallowed me whole this week. You know how it goes! However, I have good stuff, and it's worth the wait!
This week's lucky winners will receive one skein of beautiful, handpainted 100% superwash merino sock yarn from Portland local Painted Skeins, in colorways "Afterglow," "Nest," and "Zutano". All prizes were purchased from my very own local yarn store, Twisted. Big thanks to Shannon and Emily for helping me to pick everything out!
So without further ado, let's get to the winners of the inaugural KnitMap Raffle-O-Goodness...
Updates, Raffles and More Contest Details
I am overwhelmed by the fantastic response we received so far. Check out these stats! In less than a week we’ve had:
* 199 new stores added,
* 110 store updates, and
* 125 new user accounts.
That is so exciting, and I know it’s just the beginning! Definitely worthy of some fun prizes, and speaking of, we have some details...
Welcome to KnitMap!
We're so glad you found us! Check out the site and tell us what you think.
As you can see, we're just getting started and need your help! We need you to enter stores and details. Check out the listings for your local yarn store and add hours, notes, comments, photos, and ratings. Don't see your local yarn store listed? Add a new store listing!
As a thank you for all of your help, we're going to be having contests and raffles for prizes. Please note that you must sign up for an account to be elligible for the contests or raffles.
Contests include:
* Most information added (including comments, hours, and notes);
* Most photos uploaded; and
* Most new stores added.
Prizes include fun goody packages with YarnTraveler bags, needles, knitting accessories, and yarn!
We will also have periodic raffles. You're elligible just by entering one piece of new information anywhere on the site. Check back often for updates!