Writer, illustrator, and photographer Franklin Habit’s first piece of knitting—a vaguely rectangular six-foot scarf—was produced during his student days at Harvard University in the 1990s. Until the widespread revival of the craft, he stitched in solitude, turning out a small but steady stream of mittens, scarves, and hats for startled friends and relations. In February 2005, inspired by the emergence of the online knitting community, he created The Panopticon (the-panopticon.blogspot.com). What began as a project diary is now one of the most popular knitting blogs on the Internet, with mentions in publications as diverse as Knit 1 and The Advocate. On an average day, upwards of 2,000 readers worldwide tune in for a mix of essays, cartoons, and the continuing adventures of Dolores the Sheep. In response to reader demand, The Panopticon spawned its own online shop in October 2005.

Franklin’s publishing experience includes writing lifestyles features for the Boston Phoenix, reading his own essays for the knitting podcast Cast On, and writing for Interweave Knits, PieceWork, Yarn Market News, and Knitty.com. He contributed to the premier issue of MenKnit, an online magazine for male knitters (menknit.net) and designed (and earned) the Gold Medal for the 2006 Knitting Olympics organized by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the Yarn Harlot. He has recently embarked on a photography project entitled “1,000 Knitters,” a long-term project to (surprise!) photograph a thousand knitters.

These days, Franklin knits and spins in Chicago, Illinois, sharing a small apartment with an Ashford spinning wheel and colony of sock yarn that multiplies alarmingly whenever his back is turned.

Interested in hosting a visit from Franklin at your shop or guild meeting? To receive information on travel requirements and open dates, with the subject line "Tour Stop."

Where is Franklin?
Find him on book tour this fall. More locations and dates TBA!

YARNCON CHICAGO
Saturday, October 4, 2008
10 am to 4 pm. Admission TBA
Pulaski Park Fieldhouse
1419 W. Blackhawk St.
www.yarncon.com
–Book not yet available, but Franklin will have some swag and will sign book plates.

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA
The final stop of the 1000 Knitters Project
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Yarn Expressions
8415 Whitesburg Drive
www.yarnexpressions.com
(800) 283-8409
–Book not yet available, but Franklin will have some swag and will sign book plates.

NEW YORK STATE SHEEP AND WOOL FESTIVAL
The “official” launch event!
Saturday, October 18, 2008 (Time TBA)
Carolina Homespun Booth
Rhinebeck, NY
www.sheepandwool.com

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Arcadia Knitting
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Noon-2:30 pm
(Readings from 1-1:30)
1613 W. Lawrence Ave.
(773) 293-1211
www.arcadiaknitting.com

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Loopy Yarns
Friday, November 7th, 2008
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Book and Print Signing
47 W. Polk Street
Chicago, IL 60605
www.loopyyarns.com

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
My Sister’s Knits
Saturday, November 8th, 2008
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Book Signing
9907 S. Walden Parkway
Chicago Il 60643
(773) 238-4555
www.mysistersknits.com

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Thursday, November 13, 2008
6:30 pm
I Knit London
106 Lower Marsh, Waterloo
www.iknit.org.uk

GRAYSLAKE, ILLINOIS
Prairie Arts and Fibers
Saturday, December 13, 2008
10:30 am-12:30 pm
Book signing
960 Harris Road
Grayslake, IL
www.prairieartsandfibers.com

LANSING, MICHIGAN
Threadbear Fiber Arts Studio
Saturday, January 24.
Class: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Tomten Jacket
(see shop's Web site for registration and fees)
Sunday, January 25: Book Signing, 1-4 pm (free)
319 S Waverly Road
Lansing, MI