Follow along and discover your next inspiration as we cast on for projects we love, explore new techniques, and dish about the latest and greatest from Knit Picks.
Meet the team »
These mesmorizingly gorgeous silk hankies from Hanks in the Hood are irrisistable. You don’t have to be a hand-spinner to enjoy their beauty. You can actually knit directly from the hankies.
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Starting this Saturday is the annual Knit in Public week!
This was started in 2007 as a day for those who craft alone can get together with a bunch of other knitters! It has since grown into a week long celebration – this year it runs from June 9th-17th and if you go to the webpage, you can find events in your area.
Well, we all love the idea of celebrating knitting in public – we do that already! (For instance, the reason I have so many handknit socks? I was on a train for 2-3 hours a day for my communte when I lived in Boston). But why be so restrictive? Many of us also crochet or spin in public too!
So we’re going to celebrate Crafting In Public with a new contest!
Read more »Hubby isn’t the only one with a new sweater, though his modeling is a little better:
Our house isn’t really lit well enough for portraits, so we went 8300
feet up into the Wallowa mountains to get a shot. The locals were duly
impressed, I might add.
It’s still missing one thing, though. I need to snag it from him long enough to sew in a very appropriate label!
Read more »A while back, I got to spend the day with Jen, from Hanks in the Hood and learn all about how she makes those goregous spinning batts
of hers! Additionally, Jen was kind enough to take some time to share a
bit about herself, how she got drawn into the wonderful world of fiber,
and her inspiration. And it was awesome! I find it so amazing that so
many different people can connect with something as simple as fiber and
yarn, in such a lovely and inspiring way.
I simply love hearing these stories from everyone I meet. Which is
why I was thrilled when Jen asked if I would like to also spend time
with Lisa from Dicentra Designs! My answer was a resounding yes, the
more – the merrier! I got a chance to sit down with Lisa, an amazing
fiber artist, to chat with her about her love of all things color,
fiber, spinning and of course dyeing. In addition to dyeing her own yarn
line, Dicentra Designs, Lisa also helps Jen, from Hanks in the Hood, with the processing and dyeing of the stunning silk hankies!
And with Lisa’s love for bright and vibrant colors, it’s no wonder that
her color sense is a perfect match for working with Jen’s fearless
color combinations. Just look at all of the amazing colors you’ll find
in the silk hankies from Hanks in the Hood to see for yourself!
To hear more about Lisa’s color inspiration, the process for dyeing the silk hankies, and some of Lisa’s favorite ways of working with silk hankies – be sure to check out Lisa’s video!
Read more »Such a little thing, the button, but it sure can make a good project look great! Searching for that perfect button can also be a pain. Each store usually only a select amount – typically somewhat standard, one button fits all. But what if you want that special button that will wow your garment without running all over town (or further)?
Here at Knit Picks, we understand this dilemma. We have so many projects in each catalog that requires buttons, and not just any button. So now we now have the perfect solution. Buttons! Buttons! and even more Buttons, right at your fingertips!
(photo from Knitty Gritty Whistler, pattern is #31 Turban by Lola Ehrlich)
I like to start my day on Pinterest while I drink my first couple of cups of coffee. I love the creative inspiration I find as I look through the photos. A few days ago I saw this turban and thought maybe I could knit something like it for myself. So, I went to Ravelry and typed in “Turban”.
Read more »My summer knitting ritual consists of finishing up any sweaters that I may have still on the needles in favor of lace. It can be anything from a very large, traditional shawl to a cute, elongated shawlette – if it’s got lace, then it has a home on my needles during the warm, summer months. But, in order to fully appreciate all of the time and effort that went into the lace project, I definitely have to set aside a day of blocking for my projects.
If you are anything like me, you might even have more than one lace project set aside, just waiting to be blocked out into its full lace glory. It’s okay to admit it – blocking your project takes a bit of time and patience. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil (in my opinion, anyways!) since your finished lace project will come off of the needles looking akin to an ugly duckling. The lace yarn is so feathery light that it cannot hold its intended shape. And like the duckling, it is awkward and clumsy. But fear not! With a little dedication, blocking will transform your duckling into the beautiful swan it wants to be.
And to help you reveal the regal and delicate elegance of your lace project, we’ve got a wonderful video tutorial to help you block your lace into shape!
Read more »Up here in the Northwest, we seem to be straddling two seasons. It
makes for rather interesting weather, and a difficult time finding
something to wear!
It’s for those occasions – the not quite spring but not yet summer,
warm sun but cool breeze, the-AC-is-on-a-little-too-high type of days
that inspired the new Gemini Vest.
This tunic-length vest is knit in Stroll and Stroll Glimmer,
making it soft, shimmery and machine washable. The lower bodice and
back are knit in a subtle stranded pattern of diamonds that is echoed in
the lace upper bodice.
This week, Jenny chats with designer Nora Bellows, author of the new book Noni Flowers! Hear all about how Nora’s family, gardening, and flowers have influenced her process and designs, in addition to how Nora made the transition from teaching college classes to designing knitting patterns. Nora also reveals a behind-the-scenes look into the process of writing her book, how she began designing the collection of knitted flowers, and what sparked the idea for creating the unique photography of the knitted flowers. In addition to sharing tips and tricks for knitting up the flowers, Nora also shares her favorite techniques for how to use and attach the knitted flowers as embellishments on other projects. After hearing Nora’s enthusiasm and passion for her knitted flowers, you’ll want to cast on your very own garden of Noni Flowers right away!
You can find Noni Flowers here:
Noni Flowers
And …
A partial Earthues Botanical Dye Kit
kit found its way to my desk last weekend and I jumped on the chance to
dye a little bit of an enormous fleece I bought at last year’s Black Sheep Gathering.
There was enough cutch left in the packet to dye about 3/4 of a pound
of fiber. So, in the pot it went with some Alum as a premordant and then
once more into the pot with the powdered cutch for a few hours on a hot
stove.
