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by Kelley on May 25, 2010
What better way to get the Portland, Oregon Knitters for Knockers – Knit Picks team started than with a knitting project!! I designed this Free Pattern as something that can be “mass produced” and yet be personalized in each wearer’s unique way. You can make several versions for yourself, make “blinged” out versions for friends and family, or host a Bling Party with felted ribbons waiting to be decorated. I started walking in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure (Portland, OR) when a breast cancer survivor in our office invited me to join her in 1995. Back then only women walked which had a powerful effect on me. I was awed by the symbolism of the two strong sides of “support” people forming the banks of a river of women walking and gathering power from each other. It made the distinction between ... |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Kelley on May 25, 2010
I was sure that I had finished the first sleeve of my Classic Lines Cardigan during our staff meeting. But, when I headed outside for the “photo shoot” it became clear that I still had a couple more inches. No worries! Tonight is craft night! I can’t credit the staff meeting with all of the progress I’ve made since last week. We had a very quiet weekend and I spent many hours reading and knitting. I’ve discovered a mystery series that I’m enjoying like rich bon-bons. It’s called the Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson. The first book is Murder on Astor Place. < |
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by Brett on May 25, 2010
I thought it was wise to start my Learn To Knit A Scarf & Hat project a little early, so I’d have a head start as a very, very green knitter. Its been a bumpy head start. Kate made me start over (frog?) my hat after my first few rows, then I failed to reverse stockinette my CC color (I knit 8 rows instead of reverse stockinetting 6). After that mistake, Angela convinced me to hide it from Kate and keep going. She’s good at PR, so she told me to sell it as “artistic license”. Yeah…. I meant to do that. I think I’m starting to get the hang of this though. The more rows I do, the less I have to think about what I’m doing and the less I panic and run to Kate’s desk with knitting emergencies. (Apparently, I am a knitting hypochondriac, because most of my ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
You may have noticed that Mr. Foster finally met that special someone… Carmen Banana! He was just gushing about her when he came back from his last trip. He was just minding his own business, taking some time off, when she strolled around the corner and into his life. He wouldn’t tell me if it was her classy dress or his lack of eyelids, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her! Now that he’s back in the office, he just won’t stop talking about her. Carmen this! Carmen that! He’s so excited that she’s finally off of her whirlwind tour (she’s a jazz singer, didn’t you know?) and ready to come home to him. So, won’t you do him a favor? Bring Carmen home! He really really really wants to go dancing with her again. Really. Woooooon’t stop talking. And to ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
For some reason, I’m rebelling against my summer knitting. Last weekend, I didn’t want to work on my socks, or my lace, or my cotton tshirt projects. They all require concentration that I didn’t have, and trying to work on them just felt tedious and frustrating. So I cast on for a Daybreak shawl, with one of our rejected Stroll samples and a color-changing sock yarn I went out and bought instead of going to the Sock Summit (I know, bad designer!) I love the graphic elements of this pattern, and with the simple stripes and slipped stitches on a background of plain stockinette, it is turning out to be the perfect antidote to the knitterly temper tantrum I was having! So I brought my progress into work today, and learned that Kate is not only knitting the same pattern (in ultra-gorgeous sock yarn that she ... |
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by Alison on May 25, 2010
We have a new tutorial video up! It’s on the Magic Loop technique, and you’ll learn how to knit in the round with a single circular needle. Knit Picks circular needles have really flexible cables, and they’re perfect for Magic Looping. < |
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by Kelley on May 25, 2010
What an interesting experience to spend four days with hundreds of people who thought nothing of walking and knitting socks, walking and drop spindling, or stopping each other to ask to closely examine each other’s socks. Long line outside the Marketplace before it opens? No, worries! We will just sit down and knit or spin. Then we will wander up and down rows and rows of sock yarn, fiber and gadgets!!! < |
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by Kelley on May 25, 2010
Well, this is going to be embarrassing! 🙂 You can listen to the details on my podcast – Episode 108. Let’s start with the Daisy Muir bags. Avi Wasserman spindle, Viking Santa spindle laying against Fiber Optics Pencil Roving. Then there are the yarns. With so many independent dyers, it was a joy to find colors that spoke to my heart. Influenced by the Hizsocks class I took from Stephen Houghton (Hizknits in Ravelry) I was on the lookout for yarns to use for socks for Bob. Alchemy Yarn from the Simply Socks booth. If all goes well, Bob will receive a second pair knit in the Windser Denim and Chocolate colorway from The Royale Hare. I am planning to knit a pair of socks for myself in the Anderson Marsh colorway from ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
The fall online catalog is about to be released, and we have created three new knit alongs (abbreviated as KALs) to support our new kits and yarns. The Learn to Knit KAL is for new knitters, people working on our Learn to Knit a Sweater kit or Learn to Knit a Hat and Scarf kit, or knitters attempting new techniques. We have posted video tutorials, a glossary of knitting terms, and there is a discussion board to ask about patterns or techniques. Also, there are experienced knitters who moderate that group and will help to answer your questions. I know it’s early to start thinking about the holidays, but we’ve also created a Holiday Gift KAL. This will be a great place to figure out potential gift ideas and share your finished projects (as long as the recipient isn’t also in this KAL)! Also, if you start holiday knitting now, you ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
It’s been a busy few weeks for me, let me tell you, and I’m not even talking about the Sock Summit craziness. The September catalog is still in the printing & mailing process, while at the same time we’re shooting the photos for the October catalog and planning projects for the Winter catalog. Whew! I wanted to take some brief time to show you a glimpse of one of our October photoshoots, and to introduce you to your new KP catalog manager/designer, Christina. I got this candid photo of Christina during our location shoot at Hopworks Urban Brewery in SE Portland. Hopworks is Portland’s first Eco-Brewpub, offering organic beer in an awesome sustainable building that is a darn cool setting for photos. (Not only that, but they have amazing homemade rootbeer, which I sampled with lunch after the shoot.) The ... |
