Knitters, do you do this? I made this mitten over a year ago. It has been sitting alone, unused, and unloved, contemplating its own extinction like the unicorn on Noah’s ark. I don’t remember what size needles I used to make it, and I didn’t even make notes about it in Ravelry. I can’t imagine I’ll ever get around to knitting it a mate. (And … Continue reading What is the Sound of One Mitten Clapping?
I remember first discovering Ravelry in 2009 when I decided to take up knitting (again — if you count that very short, green scarf with several holes in it I knit when I was about 10), and marveling at the complex projects other Ravelers had seemingly whipped up effortlessly. I admired the complex lace work, colour work, and the way some knitters had taken a … Continue reading Knitwise: What almost 5 years and 160 projects taught me about knitting
I’ve managed to turn out a couple of new garments in the past couple of weeks, and I’ve also developed a school-girl crush on an 81-year-old woman in Britain. First, here’s my new Annika cardigan, based on the pattern by Milla Mia Sweden. I modified it a fair bit from the pattern directions, mainly making the bottom half far narrower than called for. I’ve detailed … Continue reading I’ve got a crush on an 81-year-old woman
One of my favourite things to knit is a skirt. So easy: just knit a tube. Voilà. With Fall approaching, I thought I’d share with you the skirts I’ve knit, in case you’re looking for a little Fall-y skirt-y inspiration. Many women worry about wearing knit skirts…will they stretch and sag? In my experience, no. But I have only ever made skirts with Cascade 220 … Continue reading Knitted Skirts for Fall
It’s July and if you’re a knitter, you know it’s time to start thinking about that big ol’ holiday in December, what I like to call the X-mess. Make your list — and only include people who actually appreciate the value of a hand-knit gift — and get started. Which is weird advice coming from the queen of procrastination, who gave her mom a Christmas … Continue reading X-mess in July
I love Iceland! As I was saying in Iceland: Knit Inspiration Part 1, it’s an amazing country full of amazing vistas, creative people, and of course, lots of knitting. While I was there last summer I was thumbing through a tourist guide our lovely hosts Angela & Starki left in our room, and had a little gasp of squee when I saw an ad for … Continue reading Iceland: Knit Inspiration #2
Around this time last year I was on vacation in Iceland. It’s one of the few places I’ve been where I decided I had to come back, and soon, as soon as I returned home. What an amazing country! It’s remote, sparsely populated, has incredible landscapes and seascapes, good food, and it’s easy to get around. Everywhere you go, there is yet another unusual vista, … Continue reading Iceland: Knit Inspiration
I have ‘crazes’, as my husband calls them. I get interested in something and become completely obsessed about it until it no longer interests me. Knitting became a craze for me in 2009 or so, and it’s actually stuck, long past most of my best before craze dates. So because I had to have something on my knitting needles ALL. THE. TIME., I naturally included … Continue reading Summer Knitting: yea or nay?
Have you seen the hot mess that is the Vogue Knitting Early Fall 2013 edition? I’m usually happy to buy a download of Vogue Knitting without having first eyeballed the patterns before parting with my cash — usually there are some great patterns and it’s certainly worth a few dollars. But I have three words for you about this issue (or, ok, a few phrases … Continue reading Hey Vogue Knitting, I want my 5 bucks back
There are a couple of things on my needles these days. I’m making a sleeveless dress from this beautiful batik fabric I bought in Ghana, using Burda’s “Fatina” pattern #6051. And on my knitting needles, I’m working on the Erika Cardigan by MillaMia, using Cascade 220 sport yarn. I chose a brighter blue than the model from the MillaMia website, as well as chartreuse for … Continue reading On my Needles: Batik Dress & Colour Block Cardigan
Frivolous At Last 