Book of the Week: New American Knits


New American Knits takes the slim, functional silhouettes from American sportswear genre and spices them up with lovely details inspired by famous American artists. I’m utterly smitten with each of the projects in this collection, starting with the absolutely gorgeous Nevelson Lace Pullover featured above. The color palette, photography and unexpectedly modern details has me reaching for my needles and contemplating another attempt at set in sleeves just so that I can have a few of these pieces in my growing knitwear collection.

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6 Ways to Wear the CotLin Collection

Cotton and linen are quintessential fibers that represent summertime knitting – which makes CotLin the ultimate yarn for warm weather wear. Filled with breezy tops and tunics (and a shawl!), the CotLin collection highlights this versatile fiber blend while capturing the essence of summer. And to help inspire your own summer wardrobe, we’ve assembled six looks using three different pieces from this summer knitting pattern collection.

Band Camp Pullover by Laura Birek

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JUST BEACHY: Summer days at the beach sometimes end up slightly cooler than expected. And when that happens, a perfect layering tee saves the day! Pair it with your favorite dress, sandals and a giant sun hat (obviously) for an effortless summer ensemble.

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Look Ma, I’m Crocheting (and Bread Baking)!

My mom taught me to crochet at least twenty times growing up. Unlike knitting, however, it just never “stuck”. Since I’ve worked at KnitPicks, I’ve decided to learn to crochet again. How could I not be inspired by projects like Heidi’s crochet blankets? Plus, it’s not often you’ll have so many accessible teachers. The designer of my first crochet project, Kim Cameron, sits right next to me!

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I started this bread warmer…

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Podcast 241: Summer Crafting Makes Me Feel Fine – Listen NOW!

Is crafting in the Summer a bit different for you? Maybe you work with lighter yarns, make more portable projects, or try a craft you’ve never done before. On this podcast, we explore Summer Crafting and some different ways of seeing things. We explore weaving with Monica, a teacher at Ruthie’s Weaving Studio in Portland. She gives us a different view on working with fiber, and speaks about how collaboration lead to creativity, even when there’s big equipment involved.

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We interview…

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Zickzack Dishcloth

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I love using textured stitches for dishcloths – it makes it so much easier to scrub those dishes.  So when coming up with my newest pattern, I decided to with a fun zigzag look –  a really easy & fun pattern!  I used my usual garter for the border (it keeps it from curling!) and I just love how it turned out.

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Basic Doesn’t Mean Boring

Light BasicsYou know what’s really exciting to me, in knitwear? Not so much texture, or lace, or fancy techniques. No, what really makes me want to cast on is a good, solid basic with lots of stockinette. Maybe it’s the minimalist in me that just wants a lovely blank canvas in whatever color I desire, or maybe I’m too fond of mindless knitting while watching TV or hanging out with friends, but give me a classic silhouette and next to no frills and I’m happier than a pig in mud (if pigs knit).

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July Desktop Calendar

July is finally here and that means long summer days filled with berry picking, beach trips, outdoor activities and of course – lots of crafting! And speaking of summer adventures, don’t you just wish you could fly away with the little sheep in this month’s downloadable calender (which of course features a Palette hot air balloon)!

To get the free calendar background of your choosing (for smart phones, tablets and desktop computers), simply click the applicable device icon below. Enjoy!

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mobile tablet desktop

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