There’s this awesome thing going on right now – the Indie Designer Gift-a-long on Ravelry. It’s a pattern-amassing-and-project-creating-paloooza, with discounts and prizes and fun-times galore! There are about 300 participating designers (spoiler alert – I’m one of them). Each of these amazingly talented individuals is offering 25% off of certain of their patterns through November 21st. The coupon code for all …
Socks, socks and more socks
I’ve been revisiting socks of old on Instagram lately by posting a handknit sock a day, and it’s gotten me thinking. I seem to have a very strong nostalgia gene. It may be hereditary – my mother has been known to tear up at the slightest provocation, nostalgia-wise. As I’ve been photographing and thinking about all of these handknit socks …
Knit them: Off-Kilter Collection
I’m so excited to announce the publication of the Off-Kilter Collection! The Off-Kilter Shawlette is final name of the Mystery-knitalong pattern from earlier this Fall, the soft and fantastic collaboration with Blue Moon Fiber Arts showcasing the truly amazing Yaksi Fingering. I was so inspired by the three (!) Off-Kilter Shawlettes I made that I would fall asleep dreaming of …
How to work the Kitchener Stitch
The Kitchener Stitch, although a fabulous and beautiful skill that all knitters should possess, is polarizing, and very difficult for some folks, so I’ve made a tutorial that will hopefully help some folks. I’ll admit, I was one of those people who had a severe mental block regarding the Kitchener Stitch for a long, long time. It takes concentration, and …
Knit it: the Sand and the Sea Cowl
the Sand and the Sea Cowl was inspired by the beauty of the Oregon Coast, along which the Yarn Crawl 101 journeyed. The slipped stitches recall a sandy beach, whereas the mesh sections are inspired by all of the lovely texture the Pacific Ocean shares with us. It’s a fabulous excuse to mix two complementary colors, inspired by the ocean …
Swatching 101
A question about swatching came up in the Mystery KAL discussion, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to talk about for a long time, so here we go. As you knit more and more, you come to realize that, even though it can sometimes feel like a slog and a big ole pain in the patookis, swatching is very important. …
Cast on day
Today is the first day of the Mystery KAL I’m hosting. The finished object is super exciting, and the yarn we’re using is amazing. Tina knows her sh*t, that’s for sure. My third go-round is in Chana Masala + Vancouver Violet. Not in my usual color wheelhouse, but, hot damn, I fell in love with it when we were putting …
Skein to shawlette in 3 days: what obsession looks like
You may recall my stick-carrot post the other day, where I spent time bribing myself with a gorgeous skein of Socks that Rock Mediumweight in the most stunning Rare Gem. It had been living an unfulfilled life in my stash, so I decided to release it and let it become something different. Once I achieved my goals, I wound up …
Knit it: Stanton Stairway Shawlette
I’m re-releasing a Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock Club pattern today – the Stanton Stairway Shawlette! A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to go to Sock Camp, this magical weekend in Port Ludlow, Washington. Many wonderful things happened that weekend, but my very favorite was getting to dye yarn with Tina. I dyed my two skeins and fell …
Knit it: Tea & Picots
Tea & Picots is my newest pattern – an asymmetric shawlette in BIG yarn. It’s fluffy, warm, soft and snuggly. Just what we need as we look forward to Fall and Winter. Great for holiday gifts, the pattern is quick and fairly easy to make, with lots of bang for your buck. Knitted Wit‘s Cotton Candy is just as tasty …
Of sticks and carrots
I don’t know about you, but I tend to try to trick myself into completing tasks by engaging in a bit of bribery. Particularly in my creative pursuits, and especially when I’m feeling grumpy about doing something. Like what I’m working on now. It’s not that I don’t like the project, it’s just that I’ve already done it. Like, the …
Knit it: Mellow Grellow Cowl
Introducing Mellow Grellow! This is the perfect project to have in your purse or pack – skinny yarn, fairly mindless knitting, and a fantastic finished object make this a worthwhile investment. I, for one, am almost wishing for cooler days so I can start wearing mine all of the time. Once I got Donovan’s Mellow Yellow in my head, I …