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by Kelley on March 15, 2011
Yarn – Aloft PLUS Design – Belinda Shawl in Mason Dixon Knitting: Outside the Lines EQUALS (had to refer to a thesaurus because I knew just one word wouldn’t be enough) Diaphanus, gossamer, luminous, radiant, resplendent, shimmering, exquisite, elegant, ethereal – you get the idea. This layer is done in Tarragon. I can’t wait to see what happens when I start the Eggplant layer. P.S. Kay and Ann recommend using straight needles but I am using Zephyr circulars and I’m a happy camper. But, don’t forget that we do have straight Harmony needles. |
Category Archives: Fun
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by Kelley on March 14, 2011
I seem to have returned to knitting socks with DPNs. I still use the Magic Loop Method for certain sock designs. What I do still appreciate with the Magic Loop Method is being able to knit two socks at the same time so there is no Second Sock Syndrome... |
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by Kelley on March 9, 2011
Warm and happy. Nice new slippers to celebrate all of the snow we had at our home the last couple of weeks. And, in my enthusiasm for Chroma in fingering weight, I had completely forgot that we also had it available in worsted weight. Alison pointed this out to me as I blocked my Gentle Reversible Shawl and was trying to figure out my next Chroma project. This is my free Seed Stitch Hot Water Bottle Cover pattern. I used the twisted stitch version to give the fabric even more texture. It only took a few hours to knit the cover so I was able to use it to keep warm during the worst part of our winter storm. I used one ball of Chroma Worsted in the Mesa colorway plus a little bit more. The good news is there was plenty of yarn left in the second ball to make a hat. |
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by Kelley on March 9, 2011
Love this pattern - Gentle. If you follow Diana's excellent instructions on how to divide your yarn like I did when I got started, you won't run out of yarn. This quick, colorful project was exactly what I needed as winter continues with snowy, cold days. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on March 4, 2011
Progress is delicious! OK, admit it. It's the beginning of March - you've probably forgotten what your knitting resolutions even were for this year. I mean, isn't that the point of resolutions? You're supposed to forget aaaaaallll about them till about December 15. Well, unless you're me and you're completely out of your mind. Why do I say that? Because not only do I have lofty goals for this year, but I have all of them. Pretty much. Ok, let me explain. |
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by Stacey on March 1, 2011
Being the coordinator for the IDP program has really introduced me to some great designers that I may not have been familiar with before. I mean, I'm a knitter (and, as of late, a crocheter) and over the past couple of years, I've been getting many of my project patterns via the web so it was a natural fit for me. So you can imagine how hard it is for me now to decide what to make next! One designer I was not familiar with when I first started on IDP back in November 2009 was Erica Jackofsky - but now she's become one of my very favorite designers and I get excited every time she submits a new design. Her patterns are fantastic - not only are they super cute, but they are honestly really fun to knit (and now crochet, as she recently had a series of crochet patterns released). I've made several of her patterns and they will certainly not be the last. And I finally got pictures in between storms here in the Northwest! First, I had some Capra in Honey in my stash without project so I had to make Scalliwag because I wear a lot of hats & especially love slouchy ones. |
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by Kelley on February 24, 2011
Well, my poor Gull Wings Pi Shawl has been languishing in a project drawer. A victim of the hectic holidays and my slow recovery from said holiday season. It's not as if it is a particularly complicated pi shawl. Look at those lovely, regular repeats. The instructions are easy to carry around. There are no excuses. You know what I need? A good audio book and a weekend dedicated to recommiting to my shawl. |
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by Jenny K on February 23, 2011
This contest is now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! To find out who won, click here. That's right, folks...we have another book contest! And if you have never done entrelac knitting, you should really give it a try! It can look intimidating at first, but you will be a pro in no time with Rosemary Drysdale’s book, Entrelac: The Essential Guide to Interlace Knittng. It can be a fun and rewarding technique that not only looks complicated and fancy, but is so versatile at the same time. The book begins with Rosemary leading you through every step of the way in understanding the concepts and techniques used for entrelac knitting. Using modular triangles and squares, you can create really stunning and interesting pieces using cables, lace or colorwork. One of my favorite things about this book is the entrelac stitch dictionary that highlights over 60 different stitch patterns! Once you understand the concepts behind entrelac knitting, this stitch dictionary makes a wonderful resource that allows you to create your very own designs with confidence. |
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by Kelley on February 23, 2011
I love the Belinda Shawl from Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne's second book, Mason-Dixon Knitting Ourtside the Lines. It is incredibly simple in design but the result will be so elegant. When we received our samples of Aloft, we all started thinking about what we would like to knit with the gossamer soft strands of super kid mohair and silk. Watching the two open-work layers of the Belinda shawl move past each other would be mesmorizing but add in the glint of silk and the warm softness of the mohair and I think this will be a delight to knit and wear. Look at the colors I've chosen. Tarragon was a no brainer since it is the sort of warm green I enjoy wearing. I put several second color options next to it but it wasn't until I held up the Eggplant that I knew I had found my combination. All I need to do is grab a pair of Harmony needle tips and a 32" cable. The sharp point will make it easy to work with the fine yarn. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on February 21, 2011
This contest is now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! To find out who won, click here. Socks are wonderful for so many reasons. They are small and portable, they are an excuse to try out new techniques and you get to use crazy colors that you wouldn’t normally pick out for your knitting! If you are a sock knitter, I am sure you are well aware of sock designer extraordinaire Cookie A. In honor of our love for socks and Valentine’s Day, we are giving away 3 copies of Knit. Sock. Love. Cookie A. has once again filled another sock book to the brim with interesting textures, shapes and designs – all of which are set against gorgeous photography that is bright, playful and just plain fun. Right away, my eye was drawn to the section of the book devoted to the diagonals. I just love how these lines seemingly go against and cut right through the vertical sensibility of socks. At first glance, the diagonal bands that meander over and across the socks may leave you with a feeling of “how’d they do that?” but these are the kinds of questions and design elements that are explored in Knit. Sock. Love. |
