Sometimes I like to follow charts when I knit lace. But, when there are a lot of changes in the pattern, like what happens with circular shawls, I prefer to use my tried-and-true 3×5 index card system. Marianne Kinzel is a very considerate designer. She provides charts and written instructions. And, the instructions have a space between each round. That makes it easy to copy the pages and cut each set of instructions into a small bit of paper. Then, I tape one round of instructions on its own index card. I used to divide the cards up by sections of the shawl. There is always a logical transition that works out well. I put the card groupings into a zip-lock sandwich bag. That way I can see the instructions through the plastic. When I finish a round, I move the card to the bottom of the pile and knit …

Have you seen the snowmen pattern that I mentioned back in July? It’s up on our site free–in plenty of time for you to make holiday gifts or ornaments for your tree! The pattern is available here.
I also wanted to mention that we’ve added a new category on our pattern page, by request. We’ve been adding more and more low cost Designer Exclusive patterns, and now you can see them in one place here. Our exclusive patterns are available for only $1.29 as a download or $2.99 as a printed version. Of course, our free exclusive patterns can still be found in the ever popular “Free” category (and we just added a bunch of one skein patterns that were originally featured in the summer yarn samplers).
Happy holiday knitting! …

That rather sounds like a song! It’s raining outside (thought it was May showers – this is June!!!) and the creative juices are flying high inside…

Here’s Kerin in her “design” mode… Kerin is our in-house designer. She is busily working on projects for an upcoming kit and knit-a-long… What an amazing job to be able to sit back and knit!!!
Everywhere you turn around here the creativity is rampant as we work on your future knitting enticements! <

Diana has been with us since the beginning of IDP & has a whopping 9 patterns in the program (including 3 new ones this week!) & more on the way! She been such a fantastic supporter of the program & it’s been great to get to know her over the past couple of months.
How long have you been knitting?
I learned to knit when I was a pre-teen, but I kept forgetting how to bind off. I learned again when I lived in Japan to make a ‘boyfriend sweater’ and if his arms had only been a few feet longer it would have fit just fine! Several years ago when my sister-in-law (Lynn H of Colorjoy Designs) asked me to test knit a pattern from a beginner’s perspective, I learned I had been knitting Eastern-style with twisted stitches. I re-learned to knit continental, and was hooked. …

Have you checked out our IDP patterns lately? We have a whopping 165 patterns up from over 80 designers so far in the program! It’s been really fantastic seeing these beautiful designs & getting to know all of the designers – I only wish I could knit & crochet faster so I could make them all!
One of the more fun parts of my job is doing a photo shoot – while we love our designers to take their own shots (often they are even better than the ones we could set up!), sometimes they do not have the means & access to the kinds of photos we need. Being in charge of a photo shoot is something I have not had any experience with, but with help from our art director Christina & our photo gurus Sarah & Kerry, I somehow muddle through & have a lot of fun with …

I have a lot of sock yarn – between working here, my dyer friends who have sock clubs, our local yarny festivals (not least of which included Sock Summit!) and my local yarn store that stocks lots of indie sock yarn dyers (also where IDP designers Starr & Alex work!), I can’t seem to stop getting my hands on it!
So when we received our new Stroll Tonal samples, I was in absolute heaven – even the fact I couldn’t buy them yet did not diminish my enthusiasm.
I can’t even choose a favorite. I want a rainbow of these socks!
We’ve started getting in our samples from designers for their new patterns in too – so I grabbed Kate & Sarah & had a little bit of fun!

We even wore matching jeans!
I think what I love most about this yarn is how fantastic it …