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by Jenny K on June 4, 2012
update 6/04 - Contest is over! We'll announce winners later today! I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting knitting projects, so it was no surprise that when Noni Flowers came across my desk, I couldn't stop flipping through the pages! Filled with page after page of stunning photography of life-like knitted flowers, I was instantly mesmerized by the attention to detail that every flower was given. Designer Norah Bellows brings an amazing collection of knitted flowers to life, all while giving you guidance through techniques specific to creating these little beauties. Norah starts off by breaking down the anatomy of a knitted flower and then guides you through special techniques - such as how to create the stamen and how to add wire to your flowers. |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Jenny K on May 24, 2012
There are certain people that you meet in your fiber travels that simply beam with a passion for what they do, and no one embodies this like Jen Anderson, the face behind Hanks in the Hood. It is a quality that is infectious in person and hard to express in words. And since Jen is a local to us here in Portland (she is based out of Gresham, Oregon), I was so excited when I was able to spend a day at her shop (Andersen Fiber Works) and her fiber processing studio for a little video interview! All of us here at the office love Jen and of course, her rovings and batts from Hanks in the Hood. And personally, I am thrilled to be able to share Jen's story in addition to her enthusiasm, drive, and passion for what she does everyday. I hope this little video lets you get to know Jen a little bit better, I am sure you'll love her as much as we all do! |
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by Alison on May 17, 2012
Speaking of Hanks in the Hood, I just finished spinning my Seattle Batt! |
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by Hannah on May 15, 2012
I'm sure some of you out there love a good puzzle and we've definitely been seeing some wonderful guesswork about the swatches on our latest catalog cover! I'm here to solve some of them for you by listing what yarns, colorways and stitches we used in this lovely photo. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 11, 2012
I really think I'm on a sweater kick this year, and it's got me thinking an awful lot about favorites. You see, now that I'm knitting a little cardigan for myself, and I'll be starting one soon in Tropical colors (thanks for your votes, everybody!), what I find most interesting is that in both cases I pretty much want to make the same sweater. A V-neck, lightly shaped cardigan. That's pretty much The Cardigan I Want all the time. I must admit that being a designer has its advantages. I can knit the same sweater several times but it doesn't really look the same. Different weights, different colors, different sizes, and maybe a different finishing touch, but I can essentially just plug those things into a formula and get my same, favorite, familiar sweater. My 'go-to' cardigan is based on a simple, light grey alpaca cardigan that I picked up at a thrift store for $5. But I love it so much that I want to re-create it over and over again. So, I just plug a new gauge into the same shape, and out pops a 'new' sweater. |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on May 10, 2012
Listen in on this week's podcast to hear Kelley catch up with designer Kathleen Taylor to talk about all things fair isle! As author of the book Fearless Fair Isle Knitting, Kathleen Taylor chats with Kelley in depth about the different techniques for successful fair isle knitting in addition to common mistakes and issues that newcomers to fair isle might encounter. Kathleen truly has a fearless approach to fair isle knitting and has honed in her techniques specifically for knitters new to fair isle through years of teaching. Also, hear Kelley share memories of her first fair isle project in addition to chatting about favorite techniques for fair isle. Kathleen's love and enthusiasm for colorwork is infectious and Fearless Fair Isle Knitting is sure to have you craving colorful knits for your next project. One of the projects from Fearless Fair Isle Knitting that Kelley & Kathleen chatted about was the Dragon Ride Shawl. Kathleen was kind enough to share pictures of herself wearing this amazing shawl. 3 easy ways to listen... |
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by Stacey on May 7, 2012
It's great to see so many entires! We all love Holla Knits & hope you will too! Our winners: Winner #1 Teressa! who wrote: What a fun collection! I love it! and Winner #2 Carmen! who wrote: I loved following along on the blog hop to see the comments everyone makes on the patterns. Thanks for the chance to win! Congratulations to you both - and good luck to Allyson & the rest of the Holla Knits crew! |
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by Kelley on April 30, 2012
The very first photo in Knitting With the Color Guys takes me back to when I was learning to spin and knit. In the late 1980s, Glorious Knitting revolutionized the way knitters approached design and color. In the new photo, Kaffe has a project in progress draped over his knees with a basket on the floor overflowing with a variety of yarns. It makes me smile! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on April 27, 2012
Why, three bags full in fact! Actually, I have so much more than that! But I did get those at the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival last weekend! I can't really pass up a deal like that - it's scraps and seconds, but $6 for 8 oz of fiber is just too good. Unfortunately I must come across deals like that too often, because I have so, so, so much spinning fiber that I'm quickly running out of places to put it. So, obviously knitting is not my only pastime. Spinning is certainly one of them, and although I wouldn't consider myself to be a great spinner, I love the process of watching a big ball of fluff turn into something wonderful and useable. |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on April 26, 2012
As the days get both longer and warmer, cotton yarns come to mind as we get ready for breezy summer projects. This week, Kelley catches up with Alison to review the variety of cotton yarns that are available through Knit Picks! Get inspired for your next summer project as Kelley and Alison discuss the different properties, characteristics and uses for the different Knit Picks cotton and cotton blend yarns. Kelley also shares behind-the-scenes details on what inspired her to expand the cotton selection to include customer favorites like Shine and CotLin. Not only will this mini crash-course in cotton yarns help you pick out the right yarn for your next project, you just might be tempted by Kelley and Alison’s project ideas that make the most of the unique properties of the variety of cotton and cotton blends that are available. 3 easy ways to listen… |
