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by Knit Picks Staff on December 5, 2011
I am what some people call a "fashion enthusiast". More accurately, I am a fashion fiend. In my past life (before marriage, college and job), I used to model for some really cool local designers, and even a couple of high-fashion brands. I stopped modeling professionally when I was about 18 but those years in the industry have definitely left their mark. Every season since then, I have made a ritual of stocking up on fashion mags and gummy bears and devoting a full day to sifting through the pages of beautiful (and quite often crazy) fashion trends that will soon be gracing the shelves of local stores. Over the weekend, my husband and I were invited to attend a private shopping party at Nordstrom where, while being fed an unreasonable amount of champagne and hors d'oevures, we were allowed to browse some of the upcoming season's hottest fashion trends. While I am the world's biggest sucker for a new pair of jeans, this season's shopping party was all about accessories for me. As I was calmly (ha!) sorting through the shelves of beautiful items, I started to notice a trend. Knits! Most of the items that I fell in love with were things that most knitters/crocheters could make fairly easily! I thought that since so many of you are much more talented than I, I would share some of the things that I saw flying out the door last night in the arms of proud shoppers, like myself, in hopes that you can gain inspiration for any last minute gifts. |
Category Archives: crochet
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 23, 2011
I wear a lot stuff around my neck, a fact that I only fully grasped during a recent clothing cull. I mercifully stopped counting after the twentieth scarf but, even so, it all seems excessive until you consider my persistence in wearing them. The very unstudied guess here is that I wear scarves, say, 90% of the time. Now while I could claim that it's an aesthetic sensibility or just plain cozy, most likely it's because I find my neck rather long and goofy looking. I mean, is that too strange? Is that totally unheard of? At least I'm not complaining about my nail beds. Whatever the reason behind it all, now's my time! I'm the annoying person who likes annoying weather and it's bulky scarf season. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 1, 2011
With my clothing, I rarely venture outside dark colors and neutrals. The most thrilling sweater I own is in a shade of cranberry. However, that doesn’t prevent me from using color in the projects I crochet; lots of color and all of it at once. The lion's share of my handiwork is cheerfully ugly, the natural conclusion of higher gauges, a bird-like level concentration and all that aforementioned use of color. If a project goes as planned, it's so delightfully unattractive that I'm pleased and repulsed in equal measure! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on October 19, 2011
O hey, everyone! My name is Jenny and I’m a brand new, pleased-as-punch addition to the Knit Picks staff. As time goes on, I hope to share all my beautiful, botched or just plain shrug-inducing projects with you! It’ll be fun, I promise. First and foremost, I don’t knit. And frankly, how are you all doing it? Was I merely born with the dexterity of child wearing thick mittens? The needles! The way you must hold TWO of them! On the other hand: Crocheting. |
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by Stacey on October 17, 2011
Conest is over - thanks everyone! We'll announce the winners soon! One of the best things about this job is the fact that I finally was introduced to crochet, much to my mom's delight. She had tried to teach me so many times but it never stuck until about a year ago - and now I have so many great crochet patterns to choose from! Two of my all time favorite crochet designers are Ann Marie Ivins and Linda Permann - both of of whom I've discussed here on the blog. Because I think they are both so wonderful, I figured I'd hold a blog contest to celebrate them! |
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by Jenny K on June 21, 2011
One of the best parts of TNNA was being around so many crafty people and sharing in this amazing community of smart, talented knitters and crochets. While we were there, we were able enough to meet so many of the designers involved with the Independant Design Program. And lucky for us, we got the opportunity to meet Doris Chan, author of Crochet Lace Innovations! Not only is Doris a talented crochet designer, but she is also one of the contributors to the pattern, Pam's Comfort Cables, which is available through the IDP program. |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on April 14, 2011
Alison chats with crochet designer Linda Permann, author of Crochet Adorned and Little Crochet - which just was released last week! Hear all about Linda's design process from beginning to end in creating this beautiful book as well as tips and tricks that crocheters of all level will find helpful. Look below for the super cute book promo that Linda made herself as well as adorable pictures of some of the projects referenced in the podcast! 3 easy ways to listen... |
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by Guest on April 11, 2011
Hello all So excited to be working on the lovely colorful Babette. I have seen so many of them on Revelry and can't wait to have one of my own. I've been knitting for about 20 years and thought crochet would come easily to me. Well, it hasn't. Holding the yarn in my left isn't so bad and actually helped me see how I could do continental if I so chose (but I enjoy being a thrower) but I'm getting confused on some things that I think are probably easy but I'm just making it difficult. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on April 6, 2011
I got my yarn (Stroll Tonal Gypsy) and wound it... enlarged the chart for my selected pattern (Diamonds Shawl from Crochet so Fine)... got my crochet hook... and ready to go... At first I started reading the pattern since crochet charts were not familiar to me... but I ripped out several times and thought UGH!!! so I tried the chart... what a difference! just like knitting charts make life easier, so do crochet charts, so don't let them scare you away! and a little hint: get a highlighting pen and mark the rows as you complete them... makes it much easier to find your spot... I also do counting a head of time on some of the larger repeats, so I don't have to stop at each row... |
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by Stacey on April 6, 2011
Not long after I started knitting, my mom decided to show me how to crochet as well. My grandmother is an amazing crocheter - she has made her grandchildren & great-grandchildren so many crochet afghans and I'm lucky to have several in my possession to keep me warm. And my mom did crochet more than knitting for a long period of time, so she thought she should teach me that too! Unfortunately, while I picked up knitting fairly easily, it wasn't the same story with crochet. I just couldn't get it & got so frustrated. So I abandoned the hooks & turned deaf ears to everyone who told me "It's fun and so much easier than knitting!". But I've been becoming more interested in crochet in the past few months, especially with the addition of crochet patterns to the IDP program. There are so many that I love, but most of all is Lauren Osborne's Adva Scarf |
