Blogs to Explore - Three-fer

Continuing my efforts to reduce my "Blogs to Explore" stash by actually exploring some blogs I bookmarked to review later...
(this might be the only successful stash-busting I can hope for.)

Exploring Brooklyn Tweed:

My first impression of Brooklyn Tweed was: "Where is the stuff?"
You know, the stuff that surrounds the blog..."About Me", "Blogs I follow", history of the blog...?
It's blank...maybe he/she is a minimalist? Hmmmm.
(Blogspot issues? Nah - my "stuff" is intact.)
Ah-HA! Found 'em! Waaaaaay at the bottom, past the photo galleries and Flicker links.
I'd say he's a minimalist. Likes things clean and uncluttered.
(My craft room might give him hives on sight...)

My 2nd impression of Brooklyn Tweed - VERY talented crafter. Knits, spins (gorgeous stuff)...Oh - designs too (I believe published in Vogue knitting - and WEBS)...
And he (I think it's a he..."Jared") appears to be a professional photographer - which explains the seriously lovely photography decorating the blog.
And he appears to be quite fond of "natural" colors - gray, tan, browns, more gray...bronzy golds.
Ah - and he teaches. Yep, he's probably HUGE in the knitting industry and I just don't know it.

And my Knit-ignorance is showing some more. There seems to be some abbreviations I'm clueless about - kind of like I walked in on a conversation and I'm lagging behind. I expect I'll figure it out if I keep reading - who "CE" is...and what an "MFA" is...
(Eureka! "CE" = Classic Elite Yarns!)

Woof, this guy can KNIT / DESIGN. He also offers some good advice and educational links.
And here's a neck warmer in "Brioche" stitch. This might be the one I saw folks knitting at Purls. That was also the day I learned my favorite (ancient) LL Bean sweater was not in some kind of rib-stitching...it's in Brioche stitch. Good to know since I want to recreate my fav gray sweater before it fuzzes apart (sooner over later - it's over 20 years old. (damn, I'm old)).

I think I'd like to continue reading. This is not a blog that makes me giggle out loud, but it is Very inspiring, and as previously noted, loaded with educational opportunities.
(And some pattern-design shopping opportunities...I think I'd like to try the Brioche stitch on a small scale in the form of that neck-warmer.)

Exploring Earth Sky Knitter:

I believe I tagged this one off Knitty.Com - the Mindful Knitter.
It appears this nifty soul also writes books? (Yep, my ignorance is showing yet again...)
Wow - she is eclectic! Knits, plays electric guitar, is quite spiritual, is a Shambhala Arts Instructor, a Mom, studies Japanese Brush Painting, and I expect the list will go on quite a while.
Love the Yarn Whisperer pics!!
I'm intrigued by the Mindful Knitting Retreats and Events...
Rats - the link doesn't work. I'll try another tack later...
She seems like a really nifty and profoundly interesting person.
And I'll continue to read her Mindful Knitter articles every quarter.

Exploring Unique Designs by Kathy:

Closer to home. This is someone I already like and admire, although I don't know her very well. Kathy Withers. She spins the most lovely, interesting yarn. Of which I have procured a respectable (read mildly frightening) amount - and I shall probably collect more.
I barely abstained from adding to my stash when I glimpsed her booth at the 4th Ave. Street fair and made myself not even stop to look. Tragic and certainly not fun but I had a rare moment of willpower (that I'm rather regretting (sigh)).

She has a ranch in NW Tucson and I've been lucky enough to enjoy a tour during the 2007 Wool Festival. She raises sheep, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and I believe there's a goat, alpaca, and a llama or two.
She collects the wool/fibre and creates lovely stuff. She also knits and has an amazing loom and I believe her daughter is a Master Harpist(?). Kathy does amazing felted landscapes, and teaches classes...
Huh? Oh, yeah - the blog. Sorry.

We get to start with the first baby of the season from just a few days ago!
Dangerous stuff - she has pictures of the yarn in her shop. (I want...)
Cool - I didn't realize she has an Etsy shop - more power to her! (Well, yeah, I can shop locally...hmmm but I could see something on Etsy and ask her to hold it for me...(jeez - I'm yarn addict!!)).

Oh - it sounds like she's has a rough year already with her flock. Latte and Garnet and lambs gone? No - that is too sad.

Ups and downs - she has baby bunny pictures! I don't know if these are of the type (?Angora?) from which she spins the most lovely, tactile yarn. There was not a lot of the Angora Yarn the last time I visited 1-year plus ago (bunny-sized), but yummy soft all the same.

She's more of an real artist with her crafts. Free form. I tend to be more structured (read semi-boring), I think, but I admire her avant guard perspective and product - like this lovely shawl. And I'm already way back into her October blogs so I think I'll just keep reading. Yep, she's a keeper.