The Knit Picks Staff Knitting Blog

by Hannah on August 28, 2013

Some of my favorite days at work are photo shoot days. Every catalog cycle we log anywhere between 1-4 location shoots and 2-5 in-house studio days where we shoot tools, garments, yarn, books and all sorts of other things that crop up along the way. Each kind of shoot has this moment when everything just clicks and Amy and I can get that “perfect shot” that was exactly what we had in mind. Every once in a while we have a shot that totally exceeds our expectations and makes me actually clap my hands and gasp when I see the image on the screen.

I wanted to take a minute and shine the spotlight on some of my favorite photos that we’ve taken recently that maybe didn’t make it into the catalog or are Independent Designer’s patterns that I’m especially proud of. Enjoy!

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Tags: crochet, favorite patterns, Independent Designer Partnership, Inspiration

Choosing Color Palettes

by Heidi on August 26, 2013

My very favorite aspect of crocheting & knitting is choosing a color palette (followed closely by the keen anticipation of waiting for yarn to arrive at my doorstep). A tasteful color scheme is crucial, as it will make or break a project. There is an endless sea of brilliant color combinations to choose from … you just have to know where to look!

First, I set up a Pinterest board to store my color palette images. Next, I start compiling images with lovely color schemes. There are quite a few sites that make this a breeze. My favorite is Design Seeds, which is updated daily with gorgeous color palettes pulled from photos.

Here’s an example of a yarn color scheme in our wool line Palette that I extracted from a Design Seeds image:

12 Comments

Tags: color, crochet

It’s back to school time – don’t forget your Geometry!

by Knit Picks Staff on August 23, 2013

Well, the days of summer are drawing to a close – it’s time to go back to school. My favorite subjects in school were science, art and math – all of which are reflected in my latest collection, Geometric!

This is a 6-pattern collection that draws upon ideals from geometry, modern art and architecture. Each pattern features a graphic detail that stands out against otherwise simple knitting.

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Tags: Books, colorwork, eBooks, New Products

Tatting learning curve

by Kelley on August 22, 2013

Wow! I had an interesting weekend with my balls of Curio and tatting instruction books. My hands might remember the motions for tatting but my mind has certainly filed away the technical understanding way back in a mental file drawer. I’m not looking for excuses for my high learning curve but I have to say the tatting world is a bit complicit.

3 Comments

Tags: Inspiration, New Products, tatting

Tatting! The adventure begins!

by Knit Picks Staff on August 21, 2013

A very long time ago I made an attempt to learn to tat. I’m typically a self-taught crafter, and the internet wasn’t around at that time. Needless to say, I gave up almost as quickly as I started! Moving forward to 2 weeks ago, (yes, only two weeks!!!) I gave needle tatting a try. Now there are great books and you-tube videos to help you learn. So along with those sources and a tatting needle, I found it so quick to pick up! I know there are shuttle tatting people and there are needle tatting people. I now fall in the latter group.

12 Comments

Tags: Office Gossip, tatting, Works in Progress

Reclaimed winners!

by Stacey on August 19, 2013

So excited to see all the entries – I wish I had more copies to give away! This was our first giveaway on the lovely new blog so I’m excited to announce our three winners!
First up is Amanda, who chose 3 favorite patterns! She wrote:
Can I pick three? Is that cheating? 😉
I love the Addison dress but I’m not sure I’d have the patience to knit that much stockinette. Swarm of Bees is beautiful and from my experience so far, I get a lot of use out of short-sleeve sweaters. I’m also totally crushing on that particular shade of gold. I also love the Belt Cardi – totally fits my style and it would be oh-so-useful day to day.
Next is Kristine, who wrote
I have to agree that usually knitted dresses just aren’t my thing but the Addison Dress caught my eye too. I’m seriously thinking of bumping something in my …

0 Comments

Tags: Contest, Exclusive KP Collections, Works in Progress

Rediscovering the joys of shuttle tatting

by Kelley on August 19, 2013

There’s a lot to be said for a craft that can fit in a pocket. That was certainly the appeal twenty-five years ago when I was doing a lot of hiking and camping.

When I returned to our Vancouver office for the summer, I fell in love with our new crochet thread line – Curio. The colors are absolutely stunning. While I was admiring Curio, Kim mentioned that we had also picked up a tatting shuttle and a couple of instruction books. That certainly got my attention! I couldn’t believe tatting had found its way back into my life.

16 Comments

Tags: Inspiration, New Products, tatting

Go to your Happy Place

by Knit Picks Staff on August 16, 2013

We all have a place that we hold dear in our hearts – our own ‘Happy Place’. Now you can have two more to wrap yourself in – the Happy Place Afghans!

These afghans make beautiful bedspreads and feature whimsical scenes from some popular happy destinations. The Forest afghan takes you to a dense, geometric pine forest with an owl for company, while the Ocean afghan invites you to share the rolling waves with an inquisitive whale.

2 Comments

Tags: colorwork, Kits, New Products

Podcast Episode 221: New Pattern Collections & Yarn for September!

by Knit Picks Podcast on August 15, 2013

This week, Jenny and Kerin are so happy to finally introduce the new collections and yarns that are out for Fall! With four pattern collections and two new yarn lines, there is certainly a lot to be excited about. First up is Reclaimed, our new Fall pattern collection that features 15 designs along with three other 6-pattern collections – Geometric, Classic Color, and the Wool of the Andes collection.

2 Comments

Tags: behind the scenes, Books, eBooks, New Products, Podcast

9 Ways to Wear the Reclaimed Collection

by Knit Picks Staff on August 14, 2013

The first thing that struck me and my coworkers about the Reclaimed collection was how easily it could fit into our respective, varied wardrobes—which for us, means everything from yoga pants to mega-high heels. And isn’t that the true test of a successful handmade garment? Does it pass the “Will I Wear It” bar?

With that in mind, allow me to present nine interpretations of three gorgeous Reclaimed garments, as seen through the eyes—and real wardrobes!—of staffers Heidi (Art Director), Jenny K. (Multimedia Manager) and yours truly (Marketing Manager):

The Calistoga Tunic by Jill Wright
A wide welt sleeve pattern + zippered asymmetrical collar = a classic pullover with an urban bend.

BLANK CANVAS: Heidi says, “When the artistic bug bites, I like to don an outfit that awakens the imagination. Spunky red pants, the asymmetrical Calistoga tunic and a palette of freshly-squeezed paints are just the ticket for afternoons of delightfully messy creations.”

12 Comments

Tags: Books, eBooks, Inspiration, Patterns

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