We sat down yesterday morning to think about where we are, and what we can do. You don’t need me to tell you that things are unusual at the moment, so instead I want to tell you about some of the things we have planned, interspersed with some photos of projects I’ve finished over the last couple of months, but not got around to sharing here!
Read moreKnitting: Boosted!
Well that was fun!
Twelve months, three hats, two sets of hand warmers, two pairs of socks, one child’s sweater, a cowl, a scarf, a shawl, and one delightful bunny later, our Boost Your Knitting knitalongs have, somehow, come to an end … today we’re peeking back at what’s happened over the past twelve months!
Read moreFO: Hey Now Sweater
Who could do with a bit of colour to cheer up the grey?
I certainly could!
I’ve been wearing my finished Hey Now Sweater absolutely NON-STOP since it came off my needles just before we went to Unravel. The Mustard yellow Something to Knit With Aran just makes me beam with joy. I am so pleased with it!
Read moreAn Interview with Ella Austin
The final Boost Your Knitting design comes to us from Ella Austin. Ella’s design, Brunny the Bunny, showcases how to properly finish knitted toys. Ella has numerous gorgeous toy designs under her belt, as well as a wider portfolio that celebrates color and texture — her book, the Beginner’s Guide to Colourwork Knitting, was released last spring. A few months ago, Ella was kind enough to answer a few questions about her design process and share some great tips for finishing knitted toys (hint: even she has to occasionally try, try again!)
Read moreAnnouncing the Spring Into Colour KAL!
I don’t know how things look in your corner of the world, but around these parts, it’s been nothing but winter storms, cold temperatures, and some very grey days! But I’ve also spied the first of the spring flowers popping up, their little bursts of colour promising that winter, in fact, will soon be over!
Read moreThree Techniques for Terrific Toys
Knitted toys can make for fun and cheeky companions, and they really come to life with good finishing. Today, we have a trio of tutorials to give you confidence in making up your toys!
Read moreKeyford Hat and a 2x2 Tubular Cast On
It was frosty this morning as I walked to work. We are still without a car, and I am so enjoying noticing the differences in the hedgerows and front gardens as the weeks go by. I pulled my hat down over my ears and was particularly grateful for the cosy aran-weight colourwork of our newest pattern release – the Keyford Hat. Designed by Mary Henderson and featuring a bold, geometric motif as well as a neat 2x2 tubular cast on.
Read moreBrunny the Bunny and Finishing Techniques for Toy Knitting
Oh how I love a cute knitted toy!
But I’ll be honest, I had never been very confident about getting my finished toy to look its best, until I met Ella Austin’s fantastic designs. Ella helped me to overcome my fear of finishing toys, and this month’s project includes lots of hints and tips so that you too can create a polished-looking bunny!
Read moreKnitting inside out
Do you struggle to keep your tension even when you knit stranded colourwork in the round over small circumferences? Lots of people do!
I’ve mentioned the trick of working inside out a few times in our books and here on the blog, but I’ve never shown in detail what I mean by this, so in today’s “not totally gratuitous excuse for more photos of my nearly-finished cowl”, I’m going to take you through it.
Read morePlanning my Time for Socks
I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to knit in 2020, and one of the things that has been at the front of my mind is that I’d like to make more socks. I’ve always enjoyed sock knitting, but it has been a while since I made anything more complex than a plain vanilla sock, or a pair with a straightforward stitch pattern. I love how the small canvas that a sock gives can be used to put together complex patterns. I have a few patterns in my Ravelry queue that I’d like to work through: Bitter & Twisted by Jimenez Joseph and Delbert by Rachel Coopey are high on the list.
So I have set myself a challenge to make 12 pairs of socks in 2020. In normal life a pair of socks would take me around 10 days of knitting, so I think that this is a reasonable goal to set. I can knit some socks for smaller members of the family if I get behind!
I thought it might be interesting to show you how I’ve set up my Strickplaner for 2020, as I’m planning to use it to keep myself on track with my knitting goals for the year…
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