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by Kelley on September 8, 2011
I invested in a pair of Frye Boots that I have been able to wear quite a lot this "summer" thanks to our unusually chilly weather. I love these boots! I want to wear them every day! I was even inspired to finally shorten a blue jean skirt I have had for years but kept wearing too long. When I wore my boots with my shortened skirt a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I needed boot toppers. |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Knit Picks Staff on August 31, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I posted that I had finally learned how to do 2-strand color work and continental knitting... well I have my first project done! Since I couldn't find a pattern that I was ready to tackle, I decided to create my own! |
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by Kelley on August 30, 2011
During Sock Summit I had a friend come with me to pick out yarn for a pair of socks. She was drawn to the colors in the Three Irish Girls booth. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on August 26, 2011
When we were developing Chroma, we discussed its merits in the realm of faux fair isle. (That is, stranded knitting where the yarn does the color changing for you.) For some reason, I've always associated the words 'faux' and 'bas-relief' - perhaps it's the silent letters, perhaps it's just the mashed-up remnants of art school. But whatever the reasons, that planted the seeds of a Greco-Roman inspired faux isle pattern. Given that the medium of architecture (espectially in antiquity) was stone, Chroma was sure to inject new life into an old theme! And what resulted are the two Architecture Hat and Mitts sets. Each of these two kits is a separate pattern. The first one, Columns, was inspired by columns of the Ionic Order... |
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by Kelley on August 4, 2011
I had an epiphany last night. I spent Saturday cleaning my closet and pulling out my stash. Last fall I had organized my stash. I was inspired by my Sock Summit's purchases. As I laid everything out on the living room floor, I pulled up Ravelry. I have been very slow catching on to the tools available to me in Ravelry. I just learned how to search for projects based on the yarn weight. I decided to see what I could find to use up my collection of lace yarns. After clicking on the Patterns button on the main Ravelry page, I put "lace weight yarn" in the Search block. That's when I realized that organizing my stash isn't really the challenge - it's the assigning of projects that takes time and a lot of consideration. Without a plan, my stash would go back into my closet looking much more appealing but likely to sit there forgotten. A terrible fate for yarns I love. I still need to make notes in my Springpad system, but look what I found for my lace yarn collection. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on July 29, 2011
If you couldn't make it here to Portland to attend Sock Summit, or are wondering what to do with all of the fabulous yarn you scored if you did attend, we've just realeased a new eBook: Socksplosion! This eBook features the patterns from four of our bestselling sock kits. The 25 patterns from Show Off Socks, Speedy Sport Socks, Spring in your Step and Flashdance have a little something for everyone. |
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by Jenny K on July 11, 2011
This contest is now closed. Thank you very much to everyone who participated! To find out who won, click here: WINNER New techniques, especially different stitches, can be so fun to learn! However, if you are new to stitch dictionaries - sifting through all of those instructions can seem a bit daunting, especially when the stitch uses an unfamiliar abbriviation or references an obscure technique. Additionally, everyone learns at a different pace and in different ways. This is why having technique and reference videos is so important, it really makes learning accessible to a wider range of crafters. This is why I am so happy to say we are giving away one copy of the DVD, "Stitch Heaven Salutes Barbara Walker!" The best part? It is signed by Barbara Walker! |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on July 7, 2011
With the weather finally warming up here in the Pacific Northwest, knitting lace have been on everyone’s mind here at the office. On a recent trip, Kelley was fortunate enough to be sitting next to a fellow knitter on the plane back to Portland. She got the opportunity to share her love of knitting with her new knitting pal and Kelley recaps her reasons to knit lace as well as why new knitters shouldn’t be afraid to tackle lace projects. Next up, Kelley presents three different books on lace – the first being The Very Easy Guide to Lace Knitting by Lynne Watterson, a perfect guide for knitters new to lace. For intermediate knitters looking to take their lace knitting in a new direction, Kelley talks about The Art of Knitted Lace, which features a stunning collection of garments that show off lace patterns by a number of designers. As for experienced and adventurous lace knitters, Kelley recommends Wrapped in ... |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on July 7, 2011
Kelley interviews Michelle Edwards, author of the book A Knitter’s Home Companion. With a background in printmaking, illustration and children’s books, Michelle has always had knitting be a constant part of her life. In A Knitter’s Home Companion, Michelle shares stories and essays that explore the lives of other knitters, the lessons that are learned, and the way people are brought together through the craft. Hear all about Michelle’s journey from starting the book and meeting late night deadlines to finding time to knit 100 pairs of mittens for charity! 3 easy ways to listen… |
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by Alison on July 5, 2011
I've been mostly knitting and crocheting as of late, so the start of Le Tour de Fleece was a great opportunity to pull out my wheel and get back into my peaceful Zen square of handspinning. Spinning yarn seems to occupy a different part of my brain than other fiber crafts; I find it especially calming when I have a really hectic week. First, I spun some BFL (Bluefaced Leicester) that I got at Andersen Fiber Works a couple of weeks ago. The indie dyer is Dicentra Designs, and I just love their bright, clear colors. I predrafted this fiber without splitting it up in order to preserve the super-long color repeats, and then I chain plied it to make a bouncy 3-ply yarn. When I knit this one up, I should see stripes that transition gently from shade to shade. |
