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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
Here’s a sneak peak behind the scenes at Crafts Americana… Each division (Knit Picks, Connecting Threads, and Artists Club) does a review presentation to Customer Service. We review the new projects, techniques, yarns (fabrics, surfaces) and tools that will be appearing in the next catalog. I took some pictures from yesterdays meeting to share with you (sorry about the location, conference room was in use, so the presentation was done out in the warehouse!) These first pictures are of me sharing a couple of new Knit Picks projects… Lacy Cardigan from Knitting Goes Large, knit in Risata Seedling: Thistle Design Balmoral from Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting, knit in Gloss Lace Cypress. Here’s The Connecting Threads team sharing the wonderful quilts and new fabric lines coming out (I want 2 of everything!!!!): |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
My new addiction – fingerless mitts, especially fingerless mitts in City Tweed. Again, they were a one-skein project; that’s hard to beat! These are from the Always & Forever Fingerless Mitts free pattern on Ravelry, using City Tweed HW in Blue Blood. I made these mitts much longer on both the arm and finger ends than the pattern calls for, and still only used 82 grams out of the 100 grams in the ball. I like the open lacyness of this stitch pattern because the Merino/alpaca blend is really warm – it’s nice to have “breathing holes”. I think I used US size 4 needles, but again, that’s me – the super loose knitter. One of the great things about these mitts is that gauge is not super critical, and the stitch pattern is pretty stretchy. ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
You might remember a while ago when we ran a contest to rename our Essential sock yarn – well the winner was “Stroll”! Not too long ago, we got our first shipment of some colors with the new name on the label, so depending on what color you order, you might get to see the new labels. I just wanted to remind everyone that Stroll is exactly the same fiber content (75% superwash Merino, 25% nylon) and gauge (7 – 8 sts = 1″ on US 1 – 3 needles) and is 4-ply just like Essential – same colors, too. Over the next couple months, more and more colors will come in with the Stroll name on the label. In August, we will switch the name in our catalog and here on our web site. You’ll still be able to find projects on Ravelry for Essential, but you’ll also start to ... |
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by Alison on May 25, 2010
I just finished my Soap Bubble Wrap (Ravelry link) in the Marshmallow color of Simply Cotton Worsted. It’s a pattern from the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits. I liked that it was assymetrical with lace detail at one hip and also spreading out over the opposite shoulder. The pattern construction was really interesting – you make the kimono-style sleeves by casting on stitches at the armscye until you have enough for the length of the sleeve, and then you keep knitting straight up. This, along with a few short rows, allows you to keep the lace pattern intact at the shoulder. When you finish knitting the fronts and back, you join the top sleeve seam using a three-needle bind off. I really liked knitting with Simply Cotton – it’s a lot softer than a lot of cotton yarns I’ve worked with, and ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
It’s finally been heating up a bit here in the Pacific Northwest, and at least in our office as the temperature rises everyone’s thoughts seem to turn to lace and socks. I guess knitting sweaters and lugging around half-knit wool afghans just doesn’t seem very appealing when the thermometer hits 80 degrees. To celebrate the long, lazy days of summer, we’re releasing a free sock pattern once a week from now through August. You can find the first one here- https://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Butterfly_Garden_Sock_Pattern__D5…. You can check the free patterns page for the newest addition every week OR you can become a fan of our Facebook page and we’ll send you an update with the latest pattern once a week. If you haven’t knit socks before (like me!), think about joining a knitalong or checking out our tutorials. < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
Well, it’s not our new free pattern, but I’m going to try to pass these off as a summer of socks project: I picked my 2 favorite colors of Felici (Tyrian Purple and Aquarium) and knit them up as high socks in 3 by 3 stripes. I worked the ribbing and toe of the first sock in Purple, and the same parts of the second sock in Aquarium, because apparently tall stripy purple-blue-yellow-green socks aren’t already quirky enough for me! My favorite part of this project, though, was definitely the afterthought heel: which I knit in the same color, on each sock, as the cuffs and toes. Afterthought heels are so easy! Here’s how you do them: (For a top-down sock) Knit to the point in the leg where you want the heel to go. With waste yarn, knit the heel stitches (typically ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
Well, it was inevitable – all the Mr. Foster kits have left the warehouse and are headed to their new homes. Now he’s available as a downloadable pattern online! All of his outfits from both kits and the pattern to knit the doll are included. To knit all his outfits, you’d need two skeins of Essential/Stroll in Burgundy, and one each in Navy, Ash, and Bare. Or, go wild and choose your own colors – no color is too much for this Monkey! Check out the pattern here! < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
I’m finally making visible progress on my pullover in Simply Cotton Sport: And I am LOVING this yarn! It’s so soft and halo-y and just a pleasure to work with. In the Malted Milk colorway, I get incredible stitch definition that really shows off the twisted rib of this charming design (Bottoms Up by Alice Bell, click here for the info on Ravelry), and did you notice?! I am finished with the first ribbing section! At 55 rows with over 200 stitches per row, you can probably imagine how crazy all that twisted rib made this thrower. The next section is not much better but is already going faster, and now that I can see the pattern emerging, I have new motivation to finish soon. It is getting to be t-shirt weather here in the Northwest, and I want to wear this! And then, I ... |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 25, 2010
Yahoo! Finally finished with my modified version of the Lady’s Circular Cape from Victorian Lace Today, knit in Shadow lace yarn in the Spring Green Heather color. It was a little boring to knit, which is why it took me so long – I was always finding more interesting things to knit, but now that it’s done I love it! Shadow is really warm, with a nice weight and drape without being too heavy. I really like the shape too (the photo makes it look like a semi-circle, but it’s really more like 2/3 of a circle) – the ends are just long enough to wrap around me and to stay on my shoulders without constant adjustment. To get this shape, I knit 9 of the 12 repeats that the pattern called for. I also made the shawl a bit deeper (higher – more rows) than the ... |
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by Kelley on May 25, 2010
Woke up this morning in one of my hibernating moods. I just want to stay home and knit all day long! I’ve turned the heel on my second Lindsay sock and am moving along nicely down the foot. I need to put my Classic Lines Cardigan back on the needles. On Friday I had put it on a scrap piece of yarn to check the fit. Back on the needles and I will have a few inches of simple stockinette knitting.That’s it! Nothing too exciting but I love both of those projects! I did have time for knitting this weekend. I worked on my sock while wandering around the Vancouver Farmer’s Market with Xena’s breeder. And, while I was knitting at home I listened to a collection of African music on my iTouch. Then I had a scathingly brilliant idea! (From one of my favorite movies – The Trouble With Angels) Whenever ... |
