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by Kelley on May 31, 2011
What could be better than having an inspirational book arrive in the office at the same time as a sampling of new yarn? A Knitter's Home Companion by Michelle Edwards is an absorbing combination of stories, patterns and recipes. Her trio of washcloths just begged to be knit with our new Dishie cotton yarn. |
Category Archives: Inspiration
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by Knit Picks Podcast on May 12, 2011
Kelley interviews Lisa Shroyer, editor of Knitscene magazine and author of the new book Knitting Plus – an amazing reference guide that walks you through several sweater styles and how to modify each to make it flatter your figure, along with 15 beautiful patterns. 3 easy ways to listen… |
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by Jenny K on May 10, 2011
As new yarns have been coming out, we have been working hard to make sure that we have our brand new yarn review videos to go along with the latest Knit Picks additions! By now you have probably seen Dishie - a new worsted weight cotton yarn that as the name suggests, is the ideal choice for dishcloths, home accessories, market bags and more! Alison gives her review of Dishie in this video and has some wonderful ideas for this soft, yet sturdy yarn as well as tips for using Dishie for garments. Another thing everyone here at Knit Picks is super excited about is the release of all the new and amazing Tonal yarns! In addition to Shadow and Stroll, we now have a beautiful selection of subtle, tonal colors in both Wool of the Andes and Swish Worsted! Both of these new additions come in 100 gram skeins and the colors are just so inpiring - my mind goes right to sweater knitting, even though summer is (hopefully) right around the corner! I just love the depth and texture that the tonals add to any project. You can also hear more about the new tonals as well as tips for working with these hand dyed beauties in Alison's yarn review video. |
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by Jenny K on May 6, 2011
Gauge is one of those things than can be a bit tricky to get a hold of when you first start out knitting. Gauge is also one of those things that will most likely remain finicky even when you have more experience with it. It is no wonder so many people dislike gauge and swatches as some people naturally knit loose and others knit tight. I am sure you have heard plenty about how every person knits slightly different, but that got me thinking…how much variance is in one’s own knitting? As an experiment in gauge, I decided make a swatch where I knit using the continental method (how I normally knit) for the lower half and the English method for the top half. When knitters talk about gauge, all they are referring to is how many stitches take up one inch. If you are a loose knitter, you will end up with larger stitches which results in fewer stitches in each inch. And conversely, a tight knitter will end up with smaller stitches, resulting in more stitches in each inch. Depending on what the yarn or pattern that you are using calls for, a loose knitter may go down in needle size to make up for the bigger stitches and a tight knitter may up go in needle size to counteract the smaller stitches. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 6, 2011
Intarsia is one of those techniques that seems to strike fear into the heart of many a knitter. But it's actually not scary at all - the trick is simply to understand what it is that you're actually doing. Intarsia is a method by which separate areas of different colors are knit into the same flat piece of work. This can be exceedingly simple, like vertical stripes, or intricate like the Road Trip Totes. What makes it work is the way each working strand of yarn is wrapped around the next at color changes. If you've been curious about Intarsia but weren't quite sure how to get started, I put together a little video explaining some of the techniques. Take a look! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on May 6, 2011
So, as in most operations where secrecy is paramount, we use 'code names' for our yarns and patterns before they're released. That way, we can say things in 'code' to each other and avoid tipping off the... oh, wait. Actually we just use working titles, because that's easier than thinking of 'formal' names right off the bat. Usually, these working titles are scrapped and something more descriptive takes their place. (For instance, I'm sure a lot more people would want to make the 'Shift Tote' than the 'Intarsia bag'.) Sometimes, though, the working title sticks and you get things like Dishie! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on April 25, 2011
Besides being a fun pastime, knitting is a pretty effective way to help the earth by using less energy. I'm sure you've all heard the adage, "If you're cold, put on a sweater." But it goes so much farther than that! The difference of just a few degrees on your thermostat can make a big impact on your energy usage. According to the US Department of Energy, for every degree lower you set your thermostat in the colder months, you can save up to 1% on your energy bill. Lowering it from 72 to 68 degrees can save a lot more. Instead of turning the heat back up if you feel a chill, a wool sweater or blanket can be just the thing to keep you warm without having to warm the whole house. Not to mention that some blankets, like the Impressionist Afghan, can warm you while you work on it - because it's made in one piece! |
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by Knit Picks Staff on April 11, 2011
We received 21,599 entries for our Wish List Contest! The randomly selected winner was Laura Patterson! We have contacted Laura to let her know that she has won our contest. Here is what was on Laura’s wish list: 2 skeins of Black Cherry Heather Wool of the Andes 3 skeins of Onyx Heather Wool of the Andes 1 Green East Meets West Bag Kit 1 Options Interchangeable Nickel Plated Needle Set 1 Sock Knitting Needle Holder 1 View Sizer 1 Knitting Beyond the Edge by Nicky Epstein Congratulations Laura! We hope that you have lots of fun knitting! You had a lot of good stuff in your wish list, we’d love to know what you plan to make with your prizes. < |
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by Alison on April 11, 2011
Woohoo, we hit 100 episodes today! We’re all really excited about hitting the big 1-0-0, and reaching this milestone has really gotten us buzzing with ideas for future podcasts. Starting with Episode 101, we have a couple of new treats planned. We’ll still have all of Kelley’s lessons, interviews, book reviews, and personal knitting adventures, though, so don’t worry about your favorite bits going away! If you’d like to help us celebrate, you can enter our contest right here. It’s an easy one! All you have to do is post a comment in the show notes for Episode 100 telling us your favorite podcast moment, and then we’ll pick a winner at random. Thanks for listening! < |
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by Knit Picks Staff on April 8, 2011
Don’t Kelley’s mitten videos make you feel a little like you’re in a choose your own adventure novel? They’re so much fun! Some of you have already seen this video on YouTube, but for everyone else… A few weeks back, Kelley was developing her outlines for the video series, and since I was knitting a pair of fingerless mittens for my sister, I asked her for a private lesson on Afterthought Thumbs. Her way of using the waste yarn to knit ahead and then purl back was quite a breakthrough for me (if you don’t know what I mean, stay tuned for her complete video on Afterthought Thumbs next week!) I’d been doing it another way, and I always get gaping holes around my thumbs. So I happily knitted ahead, purled back, and finished up the top of my fingerless mitten. And then I realized… I wasn’t sure what to do ... |
