Vicki Square is quite a world traveler when it comes to appreciating our knitting heritage. Two of her books, Folk Bags and Folk Hats, make up an armchair tour of countries that many of us only dream of visiting. In her most recent book, Knit Kimono, Vicki shares her discovery of how beautifully the shape of kimonos provides a blank canvas for the talents of every knitter from rank beginner to long-time fiber addict.
 
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How do we develop a yarn line? Well, if you asked Bob, it would involve a large dartboard and about 200 darts. The truth is that I’ve never been very good at playing darts. The reality is a fine balance of economics and knitting enthusiasm. Much like what every knitter faces every time they choose yarn for a new project.
 
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Double-pointed needles, two-circular needles or one long circular needle? In the old days, you didn’t have the luxury of matching a knitting style to your project or your individual idiosyncracies. Now you can choose classic DPN instructions from books like Sensational Knitted Socks. Try using two circular needles using Cat Bordhi’s Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles or even just one long circular – Magic Loop, with the help of Bev Galeskas.
What are the pros and cons of each method? How do they each work? Is one method really that much easier than any other? When does your project dictate which method you should use? Hopefully, I will shed some light on the questions raised by being lucky enough to have so many options.
 
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The funny thing about knitting is how little things can make a huge difference in the ease of knitting and in the look of a finished project. One of the most under-utilized and misunderstood techniques is the simple i-cord, or idiot cord – a tube of 3 stitches that can be used on its own or applied to a garment in a variety of ways. I’ve given you a couple of examples, but if you would like to see i-cord used to its full potential you can refer to some of the projects in Elizabeth Zimmermann’s book Knitting Around. Better yet, watch the Knitting Glossary DVD where she gives no less than 15 useful ways to use this magical tube of knitting.
 
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Kelley chats with Laurie Perry, author of Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair. 
 
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You know that I absolutely love to teach people how to knit. I put in my order for my vacation knitting supplies which included 2 balls of Wool of the Andes and 2 pair of #7, 24″ circular needles. This is my usual routine before I leave on an extended trip because it seems I always run into at least one person who tells me they would love to learn to knit. Voila! I have the yarn and needles ready for a spontaneous lesson. I’ve gotten people started by swimming pools, in ski lodges and even during long airplane flights.
The holidays provide two excellent opportunities for sharing the joys of knitting. If you happen to joining in family celebrations, you can teach a new knitter in person. The second option is to put together a nice “learn to knit” package that will be nearly as good as having a …

I love the New Year! I get all wrapped up in making new plans and setting new goals. The majority of my plans fall by the wayside but enough of them actually work out to keep me going through the same routine every year. Well, almost the same routine. This year, after some inspiration from the fantastic designs in Kristin Nicholas’ book, I am going to re-work my knitting stash. That’s right! Every ball and skein is going to get dragged out and re-assigned to something productive! I know it sounds crazy but I’m seriously considering making this a yearly habit. 
 
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