Once you're a knitter you also start collecting yarn, supplies and, inevitably, knitting books. Many are simply collections of patterns for specific items, often assembled by a designer or a knitting magazine. If you're looking for an authentic pattern for Turkish socks, well, there's a book for that. These books fill a definite niche, of … Continue reading Essential Knitting Books
I tell ya, I love a good stitch pattern. They stick with me and I mull them over. One that called out to me a while back is good ol' Tilting Blocks. I love this sort of pattern: strategically placed increases and decreases create a natural zig-zag torque to the knitted fabric once a few … Continue reading Design Inspiration: Patterns, cont.
My favorite heel type is the heel flap; classic and versatile. You can do a lot with the good ole' heel flap (different lengths, different patterns, different yarn) but many folks are stymied by the fact that you have to pick up new live stitches on either edge: what do I pick up? Do I … Continue reading Pick-ups don’t have to be scary
Last time I wrote about getting inspiration from a particular knitting pattern that existed in some form already. This week I'm blogging about designing a sock pattern based on my excitement about a particular yarn and its stunning color. Indie yarn dyers are awesome and I follow many on social media. One of my longtime … Continue reading Design Inspiration: Dye Job
I often get asked how I come up with my ideas so I thought I'd start a series of posts about my design process. I get inspiration all over the place and the process can be a quick one, taking a week or two, or it can span many years before it finally comes to … Continue reading Design Inspiration: Patterns
Joining new yarn is a must-have skill for every knitter. Even if you are just working with one color, eventually your skein of yarn is finished and you must start or join a new one to keep going. How to do that? Don't just tie a knot. Knots are a definite no-no! They leave a … Continue reading Let’s all join!
We all know that knitting is relaxing but I hope that at the same time that you're knitting and enjoying yourself, you're also just a little bit tense as well. In your fingers, that is, in particular with how you advance your yarn into your stitches. Having a nice even tension while you knit helps … Continue reading Tension: it’s a good thing
