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.
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Birch Bay is back! Last
time, I had just spun the roving into a (roughly) fingering weight
single and was just getting ready to ply the ends together on my wheel
at home. Now it’s all spun up and ready to knit!
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A friend of mine has two little girls age 9 and 7. I volunteered to knit each one a scarf figuring it would be a great way to use up some of my leftover fingering weight yarn. In my enthusiasm, I completely forgot about the possibility of sibling rivalry. So, I came up with a plan.
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Over the past few weeks Birch Bay evolved from an unspun batt, to spun singles and then to a two-ply yarn. Today, I finally finished
knitting it into a delightful slouchy hat (a bit slouchier than I
intended, but more on that later). I know that I was imagining a red and
black hat last time, but I decided to start at the opposite end of the
ball and wound up with an (almost) entirely vivid blue hat instead! I love that the colors shift into the dark magentas towards the crown and the shiny strands of sparkle really pop too.
I had a little bit of relaxation time during the holiday season, and it was nice to be able to sink my teeth into some fiber projects (both new and old). I did start a bunch of knitting projects, but I also had time to take my spinning wheel for a, um, spin.
Working alongside so many clever crafters, it is easy to branch out of my comfort zone and try my hand at new projects and crafts. In addition to those who knit and crochet, there are also spinners, weavers, and dyers here at the KP office – a wealth of knowledge and inspiration! Over the past year, I have crocheted a few amigurumi toys and learned how to weave on a rigid heddle loom. Not only is it so much fun to explore new ways to indulge my fiber love, but it is also welcomed reality check. It was strange and exciting to be back into that unknown territory where I couldn’t read my stitches and I wasn’t sure if my hands were moving correctly to warp the loom. It was fun to have a project where I could embrace the experience and learning process rather than focus on the finished object.
In the spirit of a new year and new projects, I am beginning to plan my list of new things to try out in 2012. First things first – I am starting to realize I have a growing collection of fiber. I have a drop spindle that I play around with from time to time, but I think learning to spin would be a much more effective use of my time and fiber!
Wool of the Andes and Hanks in the Hood roving
Read more »Do you have a favorite hat that, no matter how many hats you have, you always grab it first? I certainly do, it’s my version of Erica Jackofsky’s Scalliwag.
(that’s Erica‘s version shown there – not mine!)
Read more »When we first received our shipment of Full Circle, I was in love. I love single ply yarns & this one was even more interesting since it was from recycled wool!
I especially loved that it was in 100 gram skeins! So I immediately snapped up a couple of colors…but then I had to decide on what to do.
Later that same day, Mara Jessup sent me her newest pattern for IDP – Woof! My decision was made.
Occasionally as a designer, the opportunity arises to really explore
the art of knitting. When I was in college, knitting was another artform
to me, much like the metals, encaustic and foam core board I was used
to playing with. I liked that it was an additive, structural process. As
I was studying modern art, I started seeing all mediums in a different
way; there’s so much more possibility in any medium than can be
expressed in its intended use. This, to me, was as true for oil paints
as it was for yarn.
One concept I often explored in my art was the balance of hard/soft.
That old theme was reinvigorated when I started to really think about
the linear, almost mechanical process of knitting with something so soft
and changeable as yarn. Pondering artists like Chuck Close, Warhol and
Kandinsky, I thought, what if they were knitters? What would they do
with yarn? And so I started to play.
Susanna IC does it again!
This Nougat, the second in her Box of Chocolate series (the first, which I mentioned last week, was BonBons Mitts). Isn’t it beautiful? It’s sure to keep you nice & cozy when it’s chilly
Read more »Kelley shares the story of Knit Picks and how the company first began through the evolution of product development from selecting the first yarn lines to developing new needles and tools to enhance your fiber craft. Continuing with the theme of product development, Alison chats with Teri about the newest Knit Picks yarn, Brava! Teri has wool allergies that make it impossible for her to enjoy all of the lovely natural fibers available at Knit Picks, which is exactly why she was so excited throughout the entire development for Brava. And finally, Kelley shares her enthusiasm for the new year along with her plans and goals for getting her work and fiber life organized.
3 easy ways to listen…
