April Authors Who Knit: Missy Tippens

This month on Authors Who Knit, I get to welcome one of my Love Inspired colleagues, Missy Tippens.  You'll be especially pleased to know her book features every knitter's dream: inheriting a yarn shop!

Missy, what’s on your needles right now?

First, let me say I’m basically a beginner. So I’m still working on a simple scarf I started when I joined a new Yarners group at my church over a year ago. I’ve sat next to Allie at book signings and watched her knit, so I’m in awe of those of you with so much talent!

What feels like your favorite/greatest knitting accomplishment?

So far, my biggest accomplishment has been watching my first simple scarf take shape. It’s actually looking like something now!

What feels like the worst knitting mistake/foible/wrong choice you’ve ever made?

Over 25 years ago, when I first learned to knit, I made the mistake of taking on a sweater as my first project. I only finished one sleeve and quickly got discouraged. I didn’t knit again until I picked it back up a year ago.

Straight or circular needles?

Straight.

Metal or wood needles?

Bamboo. 

White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate?

Milk. But it must come with caramel and nuts (aka Snickers).

Coffee or tea?

Coffee—strong enough to walk, with lots of flavored creamer and Truvia.

Have you written a knitting character? 

My most recent release, Georgia Sweethearts, features a heroine with absolutely no crafting ability whatsoever who inherits a yarn shop. She re-learns to knit during the story, and barely finishes a scarf. (Sound familiar?) I had a lot of fun re-learning along with her!

What’s the last thing anyone would suspect about your most recent book?

I had to cut a couple of scenes and merge chunks of other scenes at the beginning of the story to make suggested edits that would stay within the expected word count. That was quite a job! But the book is much better than the first version. I appreciate my editor!

Give a shout out to your favorite local yarn store:

So far, I’ve only visited Hobby Lobby and Michael’s once each for yarn and needles. But my sister, a lover of yarn and fabric shops, introduced me to the wonderful shop that became the inspiration for the setting for Georgia Sweethearts. I can’t wait to visit again for my next knitting project! (Yes, that is spoken with the hope that I will one day finish my scarf.)

Main Street Yarns and Fibers

100 S. Barnett Shoals Rd. 

Watkinsville, GA 30677

706-769-5531

mainstreetyarns.com

If you'd like to learn more about Missy and her other books, visit her website at www.missytippens.com.

Next up, DestiKNITions makes a return visit to Wisconsin!

February Authors Who Knit: Lisa Jordan

It's the third Wednesday of the month, so that means it's time to meet another knitting author.  Today we meet award-winning fellow Love-Inspired author Lisa Jordan.

What’s on your needles right now?

Currently I’m knitting ruffle scarves using Sashay or Starbella yarn. On another set of needles, I started a baby afghan for our local pregnancy support center.

What feels like your favorite/greatest knitting accomplishment?

Teaching myself to knit via videos at www.knittinghelp.com. Then I started a knitting ministry at my church. We call ourselves Sisters in Stitches because laughter and stitching—crocheting, knitting, embroidery, sewing—all take place while we’re together. We craft items for our local pregnancy support center, lapghans for local vets, laprobes for local nursing home patients, etc. 

Straight or circular needles?

Circular needles. My husband bought me a set of Denise Interchangeable needles for my birthday after I learned to knit. LOVE them. 

Metal or wood needles?

My Denise needles are plastic, but my double-pointed needles are bamboo. I find wood easier to work with. 

White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate?

All three? I love dark chocolate with almonds, milk chocolate with caramel, and over Christmas, I became addicted to Hershey’s candy cane Kisses.

Coffee or tea?

Tea, all the way. I love the scent of brewing coffee, but I hate the taste. 

Have you written a knitting character? 

I haven’t written a main character yet, but one is residing in my muse. I’ve written a secondary knitting character. 

What’s the last thing anyone would suspect about your most recent book?

My most recent book, Lakeside Family published in August 2012, dealt with a young girl dying from leukemia. Both of my boys are healthy young men, so I haven’t had to face a terminally ill child who faced death. So I had to do some research, then pull from a place of pain so I could kind of feel what Josie, my main character, was feeling regarding her daughter’s illness. While revising Lakeside Family, my mother had open-heart surgery. The weekend following her surgery, we almost lost her. Channeling those emotions enabled me to write Josie’s emotions in a realistic manner. My first reader letter was from a woman who lost her child, and she said what Josie felt equaled how she felt. 

Give a shout out to your favorite local yarn store:

My favorite yarn store closed last year. It was housed in a home in our historical district that used to be owned by a local poet. Adorable shop with quality yarn, classes, locally-made candy and handcrafted items sold on consignment.

If you’d like to be friends on Ravelry with Lisa, her Ravelry name is: ojidli

Catch up with Lisa on her website here.

Next up, we continue our adventures into the Smocked Slouch.