Tutorials

How to design your own cowl
Tue. November 16th 2010 4am
Today, I am going to show you how to design your very own cowl.  I want to be as transparent as possible in this tutorial and take away any mystique with regard to designing. You will then see how easy it is and hopefully you will feel confident enough and say: "I can do that!" We will work with the Zara cowl, which I found online, and we will try to create one that looks like it. This is called "reverse engineering".  Are you ready? Let's go! Step 1: Determining what stitch pattern to use and swatching After looking closely at our Zara cowl picture, I have determined what stitch...
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Smooth Operator
Fri. November 12th 2010 2am
Don't you just love it when your knitted item looks smooth and well finished? I always strive for that and this means that the job is not done when your item comes off of your needles. This morning I pulled out a bunch of Lana Gloves I had finished knitting a few weeks ago. I could have just seamed them and be done with it if it weren't for my compulsive need to deliver a smooth and slick looking item. Call me the smooth operator. Take a look at my Lana gloves right off the needles. See how "frumpy" they look? As if they just woke up and rolled out of bed? The stitch pattern used in this...
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Free pattern: Seattle gloves ARAN weight
Thu. October 28th 2010 6pm
Last week I was contacted on Ravelry by a knitter named Becky. She told me that she wanted to make a fingerless glove for her husband, preferably with my Seattle pattern using  ARAN weight yarn. Since my original Seattle gloves are knitted with US#3, and Becky wants to make them with ARAN weight yarn, re-calculations and ultimately re-writing the whole pattern are in order.  Instead of just re-calculate/re-write the existing pattern, I want to show you what it entails to do this. It's a lot of work! What happens if... Question: Let's say Becky would have printed out my original...
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Free pattern: Vanessa Headband
Thu. October 21st 2010 12am
NOTE ADDED ON OCTOBER 21, 2010: YIKES I FOUND A TYPO IN ROW 3.... I am so sorry folks! I have corrected it in the pdf. If you have downloaded the pdf before or on Oct. 21, 2010, delete it and download the pattern again.  If you have downloaded the pattern AFTER Oct. 21, 2010 you are fine! Special thanks to Ravelry member Ruthieless for inserting my images in the pdf file. The Vanessa headband is very cozy for those cold winter days when you need some protection for your head and ears. If you wish, you can also wear your Vanessa headband as a cowl. Very versatile little knitted piece!...
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Yay for three needle bind off!
Fri. April 2nd 2010 2am
  In this blog post, I am going to discuss the three needle bind off. I first heard about this technique when I was at a yarn shop in Philadelphia and I remember how nifty I thought it was. A very kind knitter showed me how to do it and we both marveled at the outcome. Are you ready? Let's go. Two identical pieces of Feather and Fan Over the past few days, I have been knitting on two identical pieces of my Feather and Fan Shawl. Today, I have finished my two pieces: In my instructions, I will tell you exactly where in the pattern to stop. It is a specific row where I will make you...
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Intimidated by Socks and dpns Part III
Sun. May 6th 2007 8am
In this third and final part of "Intimidated by socks and dpns" I am, as promised, going to touch 5 topics: Zen of picking up stitches Zen of picking up DROPPED stitches Seriously getting Geeky with it How variegated yarn behaves in stockinette stitch How the journey to get there can be more captivating than the destination itself 1. Zen of picking up stitches At some point, you have to pick up stitches when knitting socks. These stitches are picked up alongside the heelflap: The instructions of the pattern I was working with, said to slip every first stitch while working the...
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Intimidated by Socks and dpns Part II
Thu. April 26th 2007 9am
My second Great Adirondack Soxie sock is done! Remember my first soxie? Here you see the Soxie pair: In this post I am going to touch two topics: Anatomy of a sock demystified Tip for knitting in the round with double pointed needles In Intimidated by Socks and dpns Part III I am going to touch the following 5 topics: Zen of picking up stitches Zen of picking up DROPPED stitches Seriously getting Geeky with it How variegated yarn behaves in stockinette stitch How the journey to get there is more captivating than the destination itself Before we start I just wanted to say that...
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Intimidated by Socks and double pointed needles
Tue. April 17th 2007 10am
I would always tiptoe around socks and double pointed needles. Very quietly, tippy toeing, observing, closer and closer and then ... hastily back away. Oh how those socks and double pointed needles intimidated me! But then, there was Robert. My knight in shining fiber armor, helping a damsel in sock distress and teaching me that double pointed needles are harmless. I met Robert at a beginner's sock class over at Close Knit, my favorite yarnshop. He chased away my fear and showed me with lots of patience and encouragement that anyone can knit socks with double pointed needles. Will you...
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