|
by Jenny K on February 28, 2012
One of my favorite parts about working with other knitters and crocheters is how much there is to learn! It seems that everyone has their own repetoire of tips and tricks that they have gathered from years of experience. That being said, this is exactly how this week's technique of the week came together! Kerin is always working on something, whether it be charity hats, pullovers, or complex colorwork sweaters. While knitting on a hat she had been making up, the converstion turned to the techniques of stranded colorwork, which led (obviously) to how one handles stranding three colors across the row at once! As usual, Kerin was nice enough to indulge my excitement and we created a video tutorial to share this technique with other colorwork obsessed knitters! |
Category Archives: Tutorials
|
by Jenny K on February 22, 2012
Whenever I head out the door during the cold winter months, mittens are an essential part to my outfit. My hands always get so cold, especially during those early morning car rides into work - I really don't know how I would manage without one of my many pairs of mittens! In fact, I have just started to wear holes through the top parts of where the pads of my fingers are on my very favorite pair of mittens. Instead of sulking in the tradegy of my fast fading pair of mitts, I saw this as a great opportunity to make myself another pair. So in honor of my love of mittens, we will kick of Technique Tuesday with Kelley's Mitten class! And just what is Technique Tuesday, you ask? Every week, we will feature a different technique, lesson, or video class to help build your crafting skills! Mittens are such a wonderful project for beginning knitters who are familiar with knitting in the round, but want to throw in a few extra skills. In addition to ribbing for the cuff, you will learn how to create a gusset for your thumb through a series of increases, which leads into the hand of the mitten that will later be tapered down through decreasing. |
|
by Jenny K on February 22, 2012
This week's technique of the week is all about silk hankies! Also known as mawata, each silk hankie is made of silk from cocoons that are stretched and dried over a square loom that can then be pulled apart, drafted and worked into yarn. Best part of all is that you don't need any special tools and you don't even need to know how to spin in order to enjoy these lovely silk hankies. Simply peel off a light-as-air layer of silk and slowly pull it apart by beginning in the center, and you'll be ready to knit or crochet with it. These stunning Silk Hankies from Hanks in the Hood are available in so many beautiful colors, choosing your favorite just might be the hardest part! Another advantage for those unfamiliar to spinning techniques is that silk has very long fibers, which makes it easy to draft without accidentally pulling it completely apart. Although the process of turning your silk hankies into yarn is rather simple, it can be a bit intimidating at first and feel somewhat like you are venturing into unknown waters. And if you are anything like me, a little visual reference can go a long way when I am learning new techniques. Which is why we put together a video tutorial all about how to work with silk hankies. You'll learn all about seperating and drafting each layer by layer, how to start working with your drafted fiber, along with other tips and trick for working with these beauties! |
 |
by Hannah on February 22, 2012
I've been knitting for quite some time now (going on seven years! Phew!) and I've only successfully knit two sweaters, both of which were separated by years of socks, mittens and other smaller projects. It was always so hard to take the plunge and invest in enough yarn for a full, cozy sweater. This past summer I found the Larch Cardigan by Amy Christoffers and fell head over heels for it. The color and high collar really caught my eye! I fussed over which yellow and which yarn I would knit my new dream cardigan in and eventually settled on Stroll Sport in Mustard to give it a nice, soft drape and so that I'd be able to machine wash it. I set to work and finished all the pieces within two weeks! But... then came the sleeves. |
 |
by Jenny K on February 8, 2012
No matter how much I love working with wool for my projects, I know that it is not always the most appropriate choice. Whether I am working my way through yarn options for baby items, afghans and throws, or simply a project request from a wool-sensitive friend, I look towards easy care yarns and other non-wool fibers. Now, when you see easy care – it can be tempting to simply toss your finished objects in the washer with the rest of your clothes. Instead, I like to think of these fibers as easier care yarns. Along with a few tips and tricks, you can ensure a long and happy life for your hand knit and crocheted projects made from easy care yarns such as superwash fibers, cotton and cotton blends as well as acrylic yarns. Swish Tonal Worsted |
|
by Jenny K on January 31, 2012
Bags, purses and satchels are such fun accessories to make, in addition to being a quick and chic way to add a pop of color to any outfit. But sometimes, depending on the size and shape of your bag - it can lack the structure of a bag or purse you might find at the store. Lining and reinforcing your bag with a stiff interfacing is great way of adding structure and support to any bag, but it can seem like quite an intimidating process at first. This is exactly why I teamed up with Kerin to create a step-by-step video tutorial on how to make the most of your bag with a little fabric, stiff interfacing, and a few other supplies. |
 |
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. |
 |
by Knit Picks Staff on December 16, 2011
So, In my post Fana, Faroe or Fair Isle? I asked for your opinions on what my next project should be. After reading through the comments, I realized that I was really captivated by the Icelandic yoked pullovers that were suggested. Not only were the geometric yoke patterns really interesting, but I realized as well that it would be a perfect excuse to do a stranding project with more than two colors in a round! As soon as I got home on that Thursday, I wound up my yarn and cast on. |
|
by Jenny K on December 14, 2011
You might have seen my post last week where I admitted that I have a horrible time starting the final finishing touches on almost any project I do. Yes, I know it isn't hard and it really doesn't take too long. I can't explain it but once I bind off, my mind just classifies the project as done. Which is why I was thrilled when Kerin showed me a clever way of finishing yarn ends for fair isle projects! This method is so simple, it makes me wonder why I hadn't stumbled upon it before. Instead of painstakingly weaving in each yarn end from all of the color changes, simply make sure to leave a good length yarn for your ends and you will be able to braid them together! After you get to the end of your yarn strands, all you have to do is finish it off by tying all the strands together in a knot and trim the ends. Brilliant! Kerin also mentioned that by braiding all of the longer yarn ends together, you can use those ends to easily mend any small holes or loose stitches that might occur throughout the life of your sweater. So, for any knitters out there working on any fair isle gift knitting - check out our video on how to braid yarn ends to save yourself a bit of time (and sanity, in my case!). |
|
by Jenny K on December 7, 2011
It's officially one week into December, and like many people, I have a few projects that are just about ready for finishing - things like seaming, weaving in ends, blocking, etc. This year, I will be trying to work on the finishing touches as I go along, which means I will hopefully be able to avoid the mad dash of sewing and seaming. For one reason or another, as soon as I bind off my last stitch my mind instantly categorizes my project as done. But! There is still so much to do after binding off, I know this yet, I try to avoid it. Once I get into a good workflow, I can spend the weekend finishing up projects and blocking out shawls with no problem. Like everything, starting is the hardest part - even if it is the finishing that you are starting on. |
