purlin' along

Pattern: Marin by Ysolda TeagueYarn: 1 skein of Annedelle...

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:58:00 -0500

Pattern: Marin by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: 1 skein of Annedelle Alpacas Silk Alpaca in unknown colorway
Needles: US 4
Time: September 22-November 4, 2012
Ravelry link (public access!)

I have notes on how I lengthened this pattern to fit a fingering weight yarn on Ravelry, and other than that there is little to say on this project other than I FINALLY blocked it and FINALLY took photos and I love it so much and I get complimented on it often and I consider sort of like my own child. And if you are feeling like treating yourself, definitely consider this yarn, holy moly is it soft and it is hard to do the color photographic justice!

Pattern: Camp Out Fingerless Mitts by Tante EhmYarn: 1 skein...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:37:00 -0500

Pattern: Camp Out Fingerless Mitts by Tante Ehm
Yarn: 1 skein of Wisdom Yarns Poems in “473”
Needles: US 8
Time: September 13-16, 2012
Ravelry link

These were finished way, waaaay back; they spare my hands from cold bike handles through the fall and now from icy steering wheels in the winter! My only mods to the pattern were to add longer garter thumbs so that all of my fingers would be equally cozy.

Photo credit goes to @relatedbydelusion, who managed a perfect project photo in one shot.

Pattern: Knitted Police Tape by Michelle KempnerYarn: 2...

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:36:00 -0500

Pattern: Knitted Police Tape by Michelle Kempner
Yarn: 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver in “Bright Yellow” and “Black”
Needles: US 9
Time: November 7, 2012-January 4, 2013
Ravelry link

My first ever double-knitting project! When I say “I used the pattern” I really mean “I used the letter chart for a completely different phrase”. Commission for a classmate at college! Hope I can mail to her before the winter is over.

Best knits of 2012: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Click the pictures...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 14:09:05 -0500

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/you-see-me-rollin-up-pops-you-step-aside

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/welchs-cowl

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/endless-rose-hat

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/baby-sweater-on-two-needles-february

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/marin

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/sanpo

Best knits of 2012: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

(Click the pictures for Ravelry links)

2012 was a great year for my knitting: I worked on a lot of very...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:54:31 -0500

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ehmazing/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ishton/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/CafPow/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/amyduch/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/hellokiddo/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Loopylooloo/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mskgb/sanpo

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Denysse/sanpo

2012 was a great year for my knitting: I worked on a lot of very different projects and tried a lot of new techniques, and I’m proud of what I’ve made! But I think my biggest accomplishment was publishing a new pattern and experiencing the excitement and joy of watching others make things with it. My Sanpo hat has over 20 finished projects and over 400 likes on Ravelry now, and this photoset only samples a few of them! Thank you everyone for a wonderful year, and happy knitting in 2013 <3

(Click the pictures for a link to each hat’s Ravelry page)

The downside of Ravelry is that I spend most of...

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:15:00 -0500

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/affection-5

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bromeliad-shawl

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nevilles-sweater-2

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/squirrelly-swedish-mittens

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hearts--flowers-top

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/betties-lace-stockings

The downside of Ravelry is that I spend most of my allotted knitting time lusting after things I’m not knitting. I’ve got 101 problems and they are all in my queue.

(Click on each pic for a link to the pattern info!)

Pattern: my own!Yarn: .8 skein of Noro Kureyon, .7 skein of...

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:13:27 -0500

Pattern: my own!
Yarn: .8 skein of Noro Kureyon, .7 skein of Cascade 220 in “Dark Grey”
Needles: US 8
Time: June 12-October 5, 2012
Ravelry link

Don’t look at the knitting time, it didn’t actually take me that long. This hat just went through several versions (ripped, ripped, ripped again) before I achieved the slouchy look I wanted! It’s taken so long to get a post about it because I wear it practically daily :) The Noro was purchased over the summer on a weekend getaway with my four best galpals and I think of them with love every time I wear it.

Celebrating the end of midterms with an Etsy order :)

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:46:37 -0400

Celebrating the end of midterms with an Etsy order :)

Finished a hat last night!! Need to block it and then better...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:24:48 -0400

Finished a hat last night!! Need to block it and then better pics will be taken :)

Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth...

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:41:00 -0400

Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmerman from The Knitter’s Almanac
Yarn: 2 skeins of Vickie Howell for Caron Sheep(ish) in “Pink(ish)”
Needles: US 10
Time: August 10-Septmeber 15, 2012
Ravelry link

I love making sweaters, despite being incredibly slow at them, so finishing a baby-sized one in a month felt utterly amazing. The intended recipient is my cousin’s new baby girl, but man, people need to have more babies so I can knit more small things!!!!

I CAST ON AND KNIT A ROW TODAY!

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:34:00 -0400

L2K (Learn to Knit): The Basics, Part 2

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:35:00 -0400

THE BASICS
PART 2: HOW DO HANDS (PART 1)

So you’ve acquired all of your knitting supplies and have a rectangular object in mind, fantastic! Though you must be itching to start, you need to know about how knitting actually works.

When you knit, you are pulling the yarn through loops (stitches) to create new loops (the next row of stitches).

That’s it. Really. Knitting is not magic or rocket science. It takes some practice, but like riding a bike, you’ll never forget how once you’ve learned.

WHERE TO LEARN

KnittingHelp.com

Well-deserving of its name, KnittingHelp covers every technique in the knitting book with narrated video tutorials. They even demonstrate techniques in two knitting styles, which is rare! I still go to KnittingHelp I encounter a technique I haven’t tried, it’s simply a very user-friendly site.

(NOTE: If you’ve visited the site and jumped to “OH GOD THERE ARE DIFFERENT STYLES WHICH ONE AM I SUPPOSED TO LEARN”, the answer is: either! I knit and was taught in English style, which I find is less intimidating for beginners. If you’d like to attempt Continental, by all means! KnittingHelp also has a handy guide to left-handed knitting, but I advise lefties to learn traditional right-to-left style first, so that you aren’t totally helpless when you come across your first pattern chart.)

Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Fondly known as “EZ” in the knitting community, the late, great Elizabeth Zimmerman writes so warmly of knitting that you can’t help but want to spend the rest of your life making afghans. Though all of her books are excellent, I recommend Knitting Without Tears because it comes with many great beginner projects, including the only sweater patterns you’ll ever need. There are also very clear illustrations of basic techniques, which attest to EZ’s timeless wisdom. The overarching theme of the book is “It’s okay! Knitting can be confusing sometimes! Sit down and I’ll make your comfort beverage of choice as I explain for your benefit.” Rest in peace, EZ.

YouTube

Take your pick.

ADDED: Lion Brand Yarn tutorial

A printable PDF covering all the basic skills, complete with illustrations.

BUT HOW DO I FIGURE IT OUT???

Pay attention. Watch (or read) closely. Watch more than once, if needed. And don’t get upset if you make mistakes. Say it over and over: all knitting can be ripped out, and made again. Knots can be untangled. Stitches can be picked up. It’s okay to mess up! It’s okay!!!!!

WHERE TO TURN TO FOR HELP

The Ravelry forums

I’m going to save Ravelry navigation for another post, but making an account just for the sake of using the forums is perfectly fine! All of your questions will answered by other knitters, and they are more than willing to help beginners.

Tutorials

There’s no link attached to this section because there are literally hundreds of amazing knitting tutorials available online. Just googling will pull up a ton of posts on whatever technique you’re having trouble with, so try your luck!

The Questions button at the top of this page

My ask box is always open for immediate assistance :)

Best of luck, and bon voyage!

NEXT POST will be about how to move beyond your first project (or your tenth scarf or dishcloth if you’ve been knitting and don’t know how to advance). Including: getting over your purl fears, reading a pattern, deciphering the ~~runes~~ common abbreviations, and why gauge is actually necessary.

L2K (Learn to Knit): The Basics, Part 1

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 23:02:00 -0400

Alright, so I’ve decided that I’m going to post short informational posts about knitting every so often on this blog, maybe weekly? All of these posts will be tagged #L2K if you feel you don’t need to be lectured!

And for this week…………

THE BASICS
PART 1: YES YOU HAVE TO BUY/BORROW/STEAL ALL THIS STUFF (PART 2)

Before I begin, I would like to say: teaching yourself to knit is NOT impossible. In fact, most of what I know about knitting came about because I had no available teacher. But! There is no substitute for an experienced knitter over your shoulder. Not only will they be able to help you with your grip, how to hold the yarn, and point out and fix your mistakes, in my experience it is just altogether less frustrating when there is someone who knows what they’re doing. So if you know a knitter, ask for their advice!

That being said, if you don’t know any other knitters and don’t have a yarn store near you (or don’t feel comfortable approaching strangers at a yarn store), here is everything you need to know! I will do my best to be over your shoulder, virtually.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Yarn

Don’t go to a yarn store and pick out the prettiest skien you can find for your first project. Here is why:

Your first project is going to suck.

This is not an attempt to bring your hopes down. It is a simple, complete fact. You are a new knitter, and you are going to make mistakes on your first project. You are going to drop stitches and knit with the wrong end of the yarn and watch as inexplicable holes appear. And you are going to be so amazingly proud of yourself.

You are going to be proud of yourself even if your first project is made of steel wool, so do your wallet a favor and choose an inexpensive yarn. Jo-Ann and Michaels carry a lot of generic brands that can be surprisingly hardy, and of course there is always online shopping! Here are some yarns I recommend for first projects:

If none of those sound appealing or you can’t find any of them, choose a yarn that follows these guidelines:

a mostly solid color (to see your stitches more easily)
not too fuzzy or with chunks or tendrils (the only bonus of using fuzzy yarn for your first project is that it usually hides most of your mistakes, but it also makes it ten times more difficult to see what you’re doing and dropped stitches can go dangerously unnoticed)
has at least 200 yards/180 meters (check the paper ball band or tag)

PAY ATTENTION TO THE BAND!!! The paper band or tag contains vital information about the yarn: whether it can be washed, the yardage/meterage, and the fiber content can all be found on the band. You will also find one of the following symbols:

These refer to the yarn’s weight (layman’s term: thickness). For your first project, stick with yarns that are listed as a 4. Anything thinner and your project will take ages to finish, anything thicker and you’ll feel like you’re knitting with rope. Most importantly, make sure that you are not allergic to anything listed in the fiber content. Generic craft store yarns are often acrylic or acrylic blends, though you can find 100% wool nearly anywhere. I also recommend choosing a cotton blend, for reasons I will outline later.

Needles

All of the needles I own are Takumi bamboo needles, but I’m not elitist, I’m allergic to nickel. The lone pair of metal needles I owned gave my hands a horrible rash! You’re welcome to use either material, though if you tend to have a strong grip, I would try metal needles because I have known friends who’ve snapped bamboo needles clean in half.

For your first project, use straight needles (shown above, they have one pointed end and one capped end). As with yarn, it’s important to pay attention to numbers. Needles are numbered according to their diameter, measured in millimeters in the British system and numbered 00-15+ in the US system, with 00 being the thinnest. For your first project, choose between a US 8/5 mm and US 9/5.5 mm. These needles are the easiest to learn to hold for beginners and you will definitely use them often for later projects!

Other miscellaneous things

Tapestry needles, often called yarn needles, which usually come in packs. Buy the pack and save yourself the trouble of tearing apart your entire house looking for your missing one.
A tape measure
Rust-resistant pins, for blocking
A crochet hook, for fixing mistakes and for crochet borders and cast-ons

WHAT TO MAKE FIRST

Anything but a scarf

I’m going to go ahead and contradict nearly every piece of beginning knitting advice given. Do not make a scarf. If you want to spend a lot of time fretting over your mistakes and wondering if you’ll finish or die first, then go ahead and cast on. But you will gain just as much satisfaction from a dishcloth (this is where choosing a cotton blend comes in!!!) or a hat, and you will finish those projects with pride while other beginners begin to contemplate just setting fire to the end of their still-unfinished scarves. Go easy on yourself, and start small!

My roommate “washing” dishes with her first project!

NEXT TIME: The best resources for self-taught knitters, what all those weird acronyms and symbols mean, and an explanation of how knitting actually works (your life will be made so much easier, I swear).

that awkward moment when i realize that you are not just in act an awesome person that knits, but also the number one person talking about on wecansexy's blog. -_-

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:32:56 -0400

HAHAHAHAHAHA well I’m not Taz, Known Wife, but I am listed as her matesprit (<3) because of Serendipity. GOOD JOB SLEUTHING

Would anyone be interested in posts about knitting, not only techniques but advice and general...

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:07:55 -0400

Would anyone be interested in posts about knitting, not only techniques but advice and general know-how about how to navigate the online knitting world/find free patterns and buy patterns/the best books for beginners/how to move out of garter-stitch scarves and onto more difficult projects/other various things in that direction? I’ve got seven years worth of knowledge under my belt and I love when knitters discover how much they can really do with the craft!

What do you think?

Pattern: Sanpo by Yours TrulyYarn: 2 skiens of...

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:48:00 -0400

Pattern: Sanpo by Yours Truly
Yarn: 2 skiens of NaturallyCaron.com Country in “Sunshine”, “Foliage”, 1 skein of unknown yarn in unknown colorway
Needles: US 8
Time: August 5-10, 2012
Ravelry link

I have wanted to knit something for the lovely Meredith for quite some time, and after completing Minu’s hat I was itching to do more colorwork. There are quite a few lovely Totoro-themed patterns out there, but most of the colorwork charts were too big for me to fit into a hat, and I wanted to knit more than just Totoros! In the end, this pattern was conceived and as of yesterday, the hat is en route to Meredith’s mailbox :)

Free Pattern: Sanpo DOWNLOAD: PDF, Full Version (color, with...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 18:39:00 -0400

Free Pattern: Sanpo

DOWNLOAD: PDF, Full Version (color, with pictures)
DOWNLOAD: PDF, Save Your Printer Version (b&w, without pictures)

A Norwegian-style hat with colorwork featuring Totoros, soot sprites, and acorns from My Neighbor Totoro.

Ravelry link
Ravelry download

Pattern: Endless Rose Hat by Mari Kermit-CanfieldYarn: 1 skein...

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:12:00 -0400

Pattern: Endless Rose Hat by Mari Kermit-Canfield
Yarn: 1 skein of Lion Wool-Ease Heathers in unknown colorway, 1 skein of Cascade 220 in “Gold”, unknown purple yarn used in brim and tassel
Needles: US 9
Time: June 27-August 6, 2012
Ravelry link

Crossed the finish line for the Ravelympics!!! Started out this hat with a colorwork design of my own, but I miscalculated my gauge and the first attempt turned out much too tight. So I decided to go the easier route and follow a different pattern. The Endless Rose Hat was great fun to watch knit up, but the hat is very, very huge. So huge, in fact, that I would definitely go down one or two needle sizes if I end up making another in the future. But the recipient has a lot of hair and likes slouch, and the hat should be a good fit for her. The tassel was the first I’ve ever done and was a lot of fun!

Ravellenics medals:

m-azing: how frogging works: 1. take your eyesore 2. take no prisoners 3. take pictures of your...

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 01:44:00 -0400

m-azing:

how frogging works:

1. take your eyesore

2. take no prisoners

3. take pictures of your glorious victory

Pattern: improvisedYarn: 2.5 skeins of Debbie Mumm for Jo-Ann...

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:18:00 -0400

Pattern: improvised
Yarn: 2.5 skeins of Debbie Mumm for Jo-Ann Traditions in “Heather Haze”
Needles: US 9
Time: October 2011-February 4, 2012
Ravelry link

FINALLY managed to block this cowl just in time to promise my new roommate a knitted present. I think it will suit her and the upcoming cold Ohio winters just fine!