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by Alison on February 2, 2012
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the Knit Picks team felt that it was a good time to spread the love. For the month of February, we are offering a special promotion where you can get express 2-day Fed Ex shipping to addresses in the contiguous US for a flat rate of just $10! If you weren’t keeping track, that is at least a $7 savings from our normal expedited rates. Whether you are rushing to finish up that last-minute Valentine’s Day project or you’re just itching to get started on a new project, we are pleased to have the opportunity to offer you this special rate. As with all shipping offers, some restrictions apply. To get more details on this promotion, please click here. |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Kelley on January 26, 2012
The little girls' scarves are finished! I'm quite pleased with them - I like the length of both. I used Jared Flood's Noro Striped Scarf pattern both the short way and the lengthwise way. The yarns are Palette and Stroll Handpaint. The scarves worked out perfectly as projects over the holidays with so many visitors. Easy to knit so I could enjoy conversations and football games. |
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by Hannah on January 20, 2012
Back in August I bought a cross stitch cell phone case (you can purchase them at Connect Design). I stitched my first pattern using embroidery thread and was thrilled at how easy it was to work with. Fast forward a few months and it's time for a new design! This time I found myself reaching for a lace weight hank of Shadow Tonal in Springtime and it worked like a charm! |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on January 19, 2012
Kelley talks about one of her favorite things – sock knitting! Listen along as Kelley shares all of the reasons why socks make the perfect travel companion. Kelley also offers words of advice and encouragement for those new to sock knitting. Next, Kelley follows up her chat on socks with three wonderful book reviews – The Knitter’s Book of Socks by Clara Parkes, Sock Knitting Master Class by Ann Budd, and Socks a la Carte Colorwork by Jonelle Raffino and Katherine Cade. Finally, Kelley catches you up on how her works in progress are coming along. Books Reviewed: The Knitter’s Book of Socks by Clara ParkesSock Knitting Master Class by Ann BuddSocks a la Carte Colorwork by Jonelle Raffino & Katherine Cade 3 easy ways to listen… |
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by Knit Picks Staff on January 18, 2012
Wow, the response to the Viola Afghan was much bigger than I expected! Some of you have been asking about washable yarn substitutions for it, and I've been working on that for a few days to get the colors right. One benefit to our good ol' workhorse Wool of the Andes is that, since it's really a 'staple' yarn, we can have an enormous breadth of color. That makes it so versatile for designing - but not machine washable! Finding a suitable substitute for Viola has proved to be quite a challenge. The palette of Swish has waxed and waned to a balanced, tight family, and Brava is too new to have the expanded color range that it likely will see in the future. The best option came in the wide range of purples in Shine. So, along with washability, Viola has had a drastic hue shift in this version! Since the yardage on Shine is a little less than that of Wool of the Andes, you'll need a little more of each color, and each substituted color is used in place of the original in every instance. So, here is a Shine-y, purple Viola! |
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by Kelley on January 18, 2012
If you are familiar with Elizabeth Zimmermann (EZ), and you definitely should know about her, you know that besides being an absolute genius knitter, she was a talented story teller. |
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by Jenny K on January 18, 2012
Anytime you are involved in a creative or visual craft, having a good understanding of color relationships is a foundation that you will appreciate over and over again. Color is all around us. It has the ability to affect our mood, it can make us feel energized, it can make us sleepy, it can make us hungry, and yes, it can even effect our knitting and crocheting. The study of color is complex and can sometimes feel overwhelming, but getting comfortable with the basics will empower you to create stunning sweaters, hats, mittens, and so much more. As we embark on another year filled with fiber fun, we will be crafting through the seasons! During the next few months of cooler climates and dreary weather, we will be warming up our winter blues with projects, ideas, and inspiration that focus on shades of blue. Here is a basic color wheel that includes the primary colors – yellow, blue, and red – along with secondary and tertiary colors. Although only twelve colors are show, it can go a long way in translating color relationships. More advanced color wheels also include a large range of these basic colors in different hues and shades. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on January 18, 2012
When I first told my friend I wanted to knit Kitten Mittens, she assumed I meant mittens for kittens, not mittens that look like kittens! I've done my fair share of charity knitting, and I do like volunteering at the humane society, but even I draw the line at knitting teeny tiny mittens for little kitten paws. Can you imagine? The poor little cats would slip and slide all over the place! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on January 13, 2012
Earlier in the year, I wrote a post outlining my crazy goals for 2011. Well, 2011 is over - how did I do? First of all - the total! I wanted to hit 100 knitted projects, plus 11 sewn projects to make a total of 111 in 2011. Did I make it? Boy howdy, I sure did! 100 knitted projects, from cast on to bind off, finished in 2011. To me, that's really the biggest achievement, considering how much else I've been working on. But, what were they? Well, here you go! (see them all after the jump!) |
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by Jenny K on January 10, 2012
Working alongside so many clever crafters, it is easy to branch out of my comfort zone and try my hand at new projects and crafts. In addition to those who knit and crochet, there are also spinners, weavers, and dyers here at the KP office – a wealth of knowledge and inspiration! Over the past year, I have crocheted a few amigurumi toys and learned how to weave on a rigid heddle loom. Not only is it so much fun to explore new ways to indulge my fiber love, but it is also welcomed reality check. It was strange and exciting to be back into that unknown territory where I couldn’t read my stitches and I wasn’t sure if my hands were moving correctly to warp the loom. It was fun to have a project where I could embrace the experience and learning process rather than focus on the finished object.In the spirit of a new year and new projects, I am beginning to plan my list of new things to try out in 2012. First things first – I am starting to realize I have a growing collection of fiber. I have a drop spindle that I play around with from time to time, but I think learning to spin would be a much more effective use of my time and fiber! Wool of the Andes and Hanks in the Hood roving |
