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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
(lovely photos courtesy of Alison – thank you!) Yarn: Bare Essential (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon) Dye: Jacquard Acid Dyes Burnt Orange, Burgundy, Chestnut Needles: 40″ nickel plated fixed circular, size 0 Pattern: my own – toe-up, standard heel flap, slip stitch heel and back ankle, knit until the yarn is gone. I’m working on writing the pattern up for our sock catalog in June/July. Anyone want to test knit for me? Whew, they’re done! It was so nice to be able to show the finished product to my class. I started the class teaching both the two-socks-on-two-circs method and the magic loop method so the students could choose which way they wanted to knit. They are all very new knitters; most have only done a scarf or two. After a couple weeks of frustration, all the two-circ ladies switched to magic ... |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
Lately we’ve all been waiting anxiously for our sample balls of the new spring yarns to come in, as we have to knit swatches and photograph the yarn for the catalog. Yesterday we did get one box of yarn in that contained some new colors of Shadow, Gloss, and a few of the colors of the new line, Gloss Lace. I’m knitting two different lace swatches to help out, and I couldn’t resist taking some photos of the yarn to share with you as I was winding my yarn in preparation for knitting. This color is called “Mermaid” and is my personal favorite in the Gloss Lace line. It is a stunning turquoise blue color, and the silk in the yarn just sparkles in an almost metallic way. This color is called “Port” and is very hard to describe, as ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
As you know if you’ve read my staff picks in the past, I love cotton yarn. I wear it year round (wool is just too warm for me). Cotlin yarn is at the top of my list! (except for the new yarn, Comfy, that will debut this spring) Cotlin is DK weight and washable. I used it the the Fraulein Zippered Vest. It’s great to knit with and has wonderful colors to choose from. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I love to create… it doesn’t matter what the medium is, I’ll give it a try… Well with that wall of yarn behind me, I have no choice but to create something out of yarn. Hence the process began in designing a sweater. Last fall we had received an email from a group of ladies asking that Knit Picks would have more patterns in larger sizes using DK weight, well I couldn’t resist the challenge! Fraulein Zippered Vest is the result. It was a little harder than I thought it would be. Well maybe not harder but more steps than I realized and a little hand holding was needed. The design was done with the larger woman in mind: vertical stripes, longer length in DK cotton yarn. The Fraulein got her name from the German Ribbing that was used to create the “stripes”. I ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I knit this sheep hat for Katie’s baby (due February 22!). I was inspired by Jennifer Little’s adorable Sheep Yoke Cardigan that I saw on Ravelry, but I figured a newborn would be more likely to wear a hat, and by the time the baby would be big enough for a cardigan it would be summer. I used Jennifer’s sheet chart and applied it to a basic newborn hat size (the free pattern is in the sidebar of my Indigomouse blog). As for the yarn, I decided that rather than buy multiple balls of Swish DK and only use a small amount, I would use some Bare Superwash DK I had on hand and dye my colors. (I did use Swish DK in white for the sheep–don’t ask me why I thought bleached white wool was more “sheepy” than the actual sheep color of the ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I am never happy with a plain jane anything. I always have to tweak things to make them my own. Complete Crochet border Designs is the perfect book to help me with this… Great designs to add to the edges of your project. I can’t wait to add it to the cuff edge of the cardigan I’m planning to knit. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I am never happy with a plain jane anything. I always have to tweak things to make them my own. Complete Crochet border Designs is the perfect book to help me with this… Great designs to add to the edges of your project. I can’t wait to add it to the cuff edge of the cardigan I’m planning to knit. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
I have been toting a project, either lace or socks, constantly – daily – in a GoKnit Pouch since September. I kept having trouble with my small sock needles poking through my other little knitting bags, but not with the GoKnit Pouch. This thing is sturdy! And it keeps my knitting clean and protected, and is just the right size for stuffing into my purse if I need to. The Pouch sits neatly and unobtrusively on the floor beside me too; I pull the drawstring tight so the balls of yarn stay trapped inside the Pouch instead of rolling around while I’m knitting. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 26, 2010
Tea Cozies by The Guild Of Master Craftsman Since my teapot plays an important role in keeping me snug and warm during these rainy winter months, I think it deserves to be cozy too. And since cozies are pretty small, look easy to make, and have irresistible pattern names like Wooly Mammoth and Green Goddess, maybe I’ll even make two or three- one for everyday chai tea-pouring, one for English Breakfast themed tea parties, and maybe one in case the Queen ever stops by for spot of Lady Grey. It comes out this Friday. I can’t wait. I snuck a peek downstairs in the KP department, and it looks amazing. It’s only $10.17. Check it out here. I can’t decide which one to make first. < |
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by Alison on May 25, 2010
I've used Jacquard acid dyes for a number of yarn and roving projects, but for this month's dyealong I wanted to try something new. I haven't done much natural dyeing, and I wanted to try using everyday household items that didn't need special equipment or complicated recipes. I thought I'd try using coffee to dye my blanks - we always have it in the cupboard, and I was playing around with the idea of using two different ombre dye patterns in a woven scarf. |
