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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
We’re hosting an event in Portland, OR, next Wednesday July 30th from 5:30-7:30pm with Miriam Tegels at the North Portland Library. Miriam is in the Guiness Book of World Records as the World’s Fastest Knitter! Miriam is coming from the Netherlands to visit us (Knit Picks is her newest sponsor!) and film a few tutorials on how to knit faster. While she’s in the United States, she’d love to meet American knitters like you. So bring your knitting and come say hi to me, Marci, and Miriam at: North Portland Library meeting room (upstairs!) 512 N. Killingsworth St. Portland, OR 97217 5:30-7:30pm Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 We will be providing light refreshments. Please comment if you’re planning on coming so we can buy enough snacks. We may be filming at the event, so just a heads up that if you come, you may end up in a Knit Picks video. By attending the event you are giving us your ... |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
Wow, it’s been exactly a month since my last staff blog post–oops! Time flies when you’re knitting snowmen. Yep, that’s what I’ve been up to this July. We decided that we wanted a “mascot” of sorts to show up in our holiday catalogs and emails, and the next thing I knew I was knitting wee snowmen with accessories. There are three different snowmen: Lumpy, Rosy & Slim. They each have their own unique shape and outfits and you’ll be seeing them cropping up in September. Of course, we’ll be offering my patterns too so you can make your own as ornaments or toys. I decided to give you a sneak peak of Slim (he’s Frosty’s cousin and the most traditional of the three). I was really pleased at how his felted top hat came out, since I just improvised the pattern ... |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
….my Affirmation Marker is larger than the beginning of my Jolly Green Socks for Socks for Soldiers. This time I am going to use Tina’s pattern for Two At A Time Toe Up Socks. I love her garter stitch heel that extends under the heel. I’m going to add a special touch – double strand the garter stitch section for extra padding! I can tell you that it is much easier to knit with Sarge than black yarn! < |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
When all else fails, I fall back on Elizabeth Zimmermann. Particularly the Knitting Workshop. This is the book I would have with me on a desert island. The Stonington Shawl has a garter stitch body with a lace border. Just what I want for a travel project. Simple at the beginning with more challenge for the trip home. I seem to look at the time every five minutes when we are traveling back home. Keeping track of a lace border will be very helpful. The simple design will show off the hand-dyed colors of Shimmer Bayou. I am going to find a fancy border for it. I can’t wait to see this all finished! < |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
Oh, I am so close to finishing my Aran Sweater from The Knitter’s Almanac. I made a lot of progress this week thanks to Craft Night and a staff meeting. After the weekend I needed to change to just one sleeve at a time. You can see that one sleeve is longer than the other! One more repeat of the cable pattern and then I will move to the second sleeve. You can see that I am so close to being finished! Steek for the sleeve openings and the front. Add a buttonband and all finished! Well I stlll have to buy buttons. I may buy buttons in Ireland as special souvenirs. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
Hi all… I’ve been gone from work a week and it feels like months… I’m in the town of Martin, Slovakia teaching English to a group of students (ages 9 to 42)…… It’s been quite an experience but so much fun at the same time… I brought some yarn along to knit in my spare time but have found there isn’t much extra time to be found! If we’re not teaching in class, we’re wandering in the town square or on a field trip or sometimes crashing with a nap… The land looks so much like Washington state with the mountains and green (and yes, a little rain too) – except in Washington we don’t have castles… Speaking of castles (great segway, huh?) today I took a trip to the Castle Strecno about 15 kilometers from Martin. Here I am in ... |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
Now that I’ve become comfortable with drop spindling, it seems like I am spinning all the time! I completely understand those spinners who prefer drop spindles to spinning wheels. Or, at least have a couple of drop spindles besides their spinning wheels. It is so easy to drop spindle during small bits of time much like I’m used to getting in a few stitches on a pair of socks. I may even take one of my tiny drop spindles out to dinner tonight. I used my Flip Mino to capture a bit of my enthusiasm. The spindle in the video is a Golding Aromatherapy with a 2 3/4″ cherry whorl. < |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
Parker’s Baby Blanket is finished! And, I used my Flip Mino to record a little lesson on applied I-cord borders. Here is the blanket without the border. And, here are my little videos! The first one covers getting the applied I-Cord started. Now I show you how to turn a corner! Now join the ends with Kitchener Stitch! Here is the Moderne Baby Blanket with the border! Notice how I have enough yarn left over to make a Baby Surprise Jacket? I always get 9 balls of each color so be sure I don’t run out. I figure that I can always use up the extra Swish Worsted yarn in a sweater, or something! < |
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by Kelley on May 26, 2010
Bob will still be traveling over the 3-day weekend so I am going to indulge in a creative retreat. And, I’m going to use my Flip Mino to document a few things. I have a tripod and I’m going to try to capture spinning with my fragrant drop spindle. I am so in love with this spindle. I can’t tell how much of it is because of the aromatherapy or because it seems so easy for me to use. You can see the little “cage” that holds a bit of cotton ball. Then you drip a few drops of aromatherapy oil on it. The fans of the spindle blow the fragrance around you. By Friday morning I will be ready to add the i-cord border to Parker’s baby blanket. I think the attached cord would make an excellent little tutorial video. The rest of the weekend will ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I just finished another ribbed hat. This one a 4 x 4 rib in Comfy Blackberry. I showed the two pictures to show how small it is, then stretches into a great hat. Comfy is SO soft and with the touch of acrylic it is a little stretchy, so works well as a hat. We decided in the office that a hat out of Comfy is really very practical. It’s not so much to keep your head warm as to cover up bad hair after two days of camping, bad hair when you ride your bike to the coffee shop and take your helmet off, bad hair when you stop for lunch after a morning hike–are you seeing the pattern here? The super soft cotton makes it the perfect summer accessory. I wanted a really wide “brim” to my hat, so ... |
