Knitting Daily : Hats

2009 Winter Knits Preview!

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen: My friendly UPS gal brightened my day again on Friday and delivered the winter 2009 issue of Interweave Knits! I was on my way to A Grand Yarn, my LYS, so I slipped my copy into my knitting bag to show it off at the shop. And guess what, it was a hit! Several of my buddies were there and they all gathered around and ohhed and ahhed.

I really love the "paper lanterns" by Kristi Schueler. They're knit out of Louet Euroflax Sportweight, which I have in my stash. I'm adding this pattern to my home dec knitting list.

It's your turn to browse now, so here's editor Eunny Jang to introduce this fun new issue.

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The winter issue of Interweave Knits is here!

This is my first real winter in Colorado. We've already had two major snowfalls, and the night temperatures are dropping quickly. I've put my beloved flats aside for lined, waterproof boots; I've put de-icing washer fluid in my car; I've bought an electric kettle, the better to make boiling-hot tea in a hurry. And I'm approaching my knitting with new enthusiasm. I'm ready.

Whole books have been written about the soul warming knitting can do, but this winter I'm most interested in the practical warmth a lapful of yarn provides. Slippers to guard against cold floors, cozy throws for curling up under, good, honest wool in mittens and hats and gloves.

There is something solid and reassuring in knitting, backed by centuries of real application: When we knit, we make something with our hands, and then use it to make life more comfortable, more beautiful, better. It's a pretty good deal.

In this issue of Interweave Knits, we're taking our knitting explorations in a number of different directions: We're taking a look at how simple constructions can benefit from just a little adornment ("All in One"); ways to explore the usual yarn + knitting = fabric equation ("Weighty Matters"); cables and cable lookalikes ("All Tangled Up); stranded colorwork in some new guises ("Strands"); and what positive and negative space can mean with knitting ("A Stark Contrast").

We're also taking a closer look at reversible cables, where pop culture commentary and knitting traditions meet, and taking you on a tour of knitting around the world. There's enough inspiration to send you off on a dozen knitting journeys of your own. Sweaters for men, sweaters for women and children, fun gift items and ways to fill your home with your craft—we've got it all.

Keep learning new things, keep exploring, keep knitting. What are you knitting to stay warm this winter? Let us know!

Cheers,

Eunny

Interweave Knits Accessories Preview!

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Remember that hilarious line from the movie Steel Magnolias: "the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize"? Well, our new special interest publication, Interweave Knits Accessories, is a collection of patterns that'll keep you from becoming an animal for years and years!

With more than 60 favorite projects (at about 25 cents per pattern!) from the pages of Knits, KnitScene, and Interweave books, Interweave Knits Accessories is packed with patterns. You'll find pages and pages of scarves, hats, socks, gloves, and mittens—quick projects to go with everything in your wardrobe.

I love small projects because you can practice your skills on a small scale, perhaps challenging yourself a little here and there! And in today's economy, we could all use a couple of one- or two-skein projects, right? Shop your stash to find yarn for many of the patterns in Interweave Accessories.

You'll also get several popular "Back to Basics" tutorials, such as Finishing Details, Circular Knitting, Getting Started with Socks, and the Grand Plan Mitten Chart (I'm going to check this one out ASAP!).

Here are some of my favorite projects:


Koolhaas Hat	Forbes Forest	Orenburg Lace Triangle
Jared Flood	Kathy Zimmerman	Galina Khmeleva

I've admired the Koolhaas Hat since it debuted in the first issue of Interweave Knits Gifts, so I think it's about time to make one! I like the unisex appeal of this hat, and Jared Flood's designs are always a pleasure to knit. Forbes Forest is also a great unisex design, one that will work equally well with a fancy coat or a down vest. The Orenburg Lace Triangle is so beautiful—I love a stylish shawl, and this one is timeless.


Sideways Grand Hat	Subway Mittens	Citrine Socklets
Laura Irwin	Colleen Meagher	Marilyn Webster

The Sideways Grand Hat is a wonderful blend of fashion-forward and vintage style. This is one that looks good on many face shapes. You'll love the handy pocket in Subway Mittens, whether you need a spare subway token or an extra quarter for the parking meter! I love anklets, and the Citrine Socklets are cozy, pretty, and comfortable. They're designed with a beautiful silk-merino yarn, too, one that'll keep your tootsies warm throughout the winter.

So check out the preview for all of these projects and many, many more! I know you'll enjoy this wonderful collection as much as I do.

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. Glove update! Thanks to all of you who chimed in on my yarn choices for the gloves I'm making. More than 400 of you commented! I ended up choosing the Koigu because of several comments about the wearablilty. Votes-wise, I think the Malabrigo came in first, followed by the lost-tag green, then the Koigu. I weighed the green, and I was afraid I didn't have enough to make both gloves—wouldn't that be awful?! I have a dim memory of making a pair of baby booties and a hat from that green . . . So, Koigu it is! I've cast on and I'll post photos as I go. Thanks again for making this so much fun!

I Need a Hat: The Knitted Slouch

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

I am NOT one of those people who looks great in hats, especially the beanie-type hat. I wear those hats in the winter when I have too, but I much prefer the beret style hat or the slouch hat.

It was in the 30s this weekend in Spokane—it's getting hard to remember those 95-degree days when all I wanted for Christmas was a fan. I need a hat now, and I can't wait for the holidays to get one as a gift.

So, I was trolling through the free patterns on Knitting Daily, and I decided to try the Barrymore Slouch Hat by Lisa Shroyer from our recent free eBook, 6 Free Easy Knitting Patterns. This hat is really easy and quick-to-knit, and it's also stylish and warm. Some slouchy hats don't cover the ears, which isn't an option for this climate. The Barrymore Hat actually has built-in ear flaps tucked under the band for extra coziness.

This hat has a lot of design features, such as the garter rows every so often and the buttons on the side. I have quite a collection of buttons from my great gramma, my gramma, and my mom (not to mention my own OCD button-shopping tendencies). I keep them in a vintage Crisco jar, which just adds to the charm of the collection.

I usually find just the right button in that jar, and it gets replenished regularly from various sources (tell people you have a button collection, and you never know what you'll get).

Building Skills: No Slouching!

This project uses several basic skills and some more intermediate techniques that add just a bit of a challenge. You'll do your basic knitting in the round plus a slip stitch row and a purl row each time you switch colors. You'll also pick up stitches with a crochet hook

If you're new to knitting in the round, here's a quick tutorial from Knitting Daily TV that shows how to join in the round when using both circular needles and double-pointed needles. You'll learn a couple of tips in this video clip, too, including how to keep a round marker on the needles when you're using double-points.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

I have two black coats and one silver down vest, so I think I'll knit this hat out of a dark gray and a silver gray merino wool. Should be beautiful. (Or maybe some red and silver?)

Get the Barrymore Slouch Hat pattern and five more easy knitting pattern when you download your free eBook!

Cheers,

Kathleen

The Knitted I-cord: "I" is for "Ingenious"

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The venerable Elizabeth Zimmermann rediscovered and named the I-cord (the I-cord, called a "stay lace," was mentioned in Victorian needlework manuals). The "I" stands for "idiot" because Ms. Zimmermann thought the technique was so simple anyone could do it (even an idiot, I guess!).

I think the "I" should stand for "ingenious." The I-cord is simply a tube knitted in the round with two double-pointed needles (I've done it with a long circular needle, too).

The I-cord is one of those things in knitting that is endlessly useful. The technique is somewhat idiot-proof, once you get the hang of it, and it's also really mindless knitting (especially if you need a long I-cord, like in the Greek Pullover)—the I-cord is something to do in front of the TV or with a good audio book on board for sure!

Here's a quickie tutorial:

With a double-pointed needle, cast on the desired number of stitches. *Without turning the needle, slide the stitches to other end of the needle, pull the yarn around the back, and knit the stitches as usual; repeat from * for desired length.

(The illustration above shows knitting the stitches after you've slid the them to the other end of the needle.)

The I-cord Beanie: A Perfect Baby Topper

I've used I-cords for many things, but my favorites are those little hats where you finish up by making three or four inches of I-cord and then tying it in a knot. So cute!

I made a pair of booties and an I-cord hat for a friend who had a preemie baby, and he wore it all winter. He's a big boy now, but that hat is well-documented in photos.

There's a similar hat in my arsenal, one that I call the Noodle Cap. It's a simple cap pattern, like the one in the photo, but to finish it I knit about eight, 4-inch long I-cords and then attach them to the crown of the hat. It looks like there are noodles coming out of the top! It's especially cute if you use a white or cream yarn for the cap and different colors for each of the "noodles."

A Smooth Finish: The Applied I-cord

One of the best uses of the I-cord is in finishing. The technique is called "applied I-cord" (or sometimes "attached I-cord") and it gives you a really smooth, nice-looking finish that's perfect around armholes and necklines.

The Ruched Shell by Lou Scheila (below) is a nice example of the applied I-cord used in finishing; note the pretty neckline and smooth, even arm openings.

Here's how I do the applied I-cord.

With garment's right side facing and using a separate ball of yarn and circular needle, pick up the desired number of stitches along the garment edge. Slide these stitches down the needle so that the first picked-up stitch is near the opposite needle point. With a double-pointed needle, cast on the desired number of I-cord stitches. Begin knitting the applied I-cord as follows:

Step 1. Knit across the I-cord to the last stitch, then knit the last stitch together through the back loop with the first picked-up stitch on the garment.

Step 2. Slip the number of cast-on stitches back to the right hand needle (so, if you're doing a three -stitch I-cord, slip three stitches back to the right-hand needle).

Step 3. Knit across the I-cord to the last stitch, then knit the last stitch together through the back loop with the first picked-up stitch on the garment.

Step 4. Continue in this manner until all picked-up stitches have been used.

Here's a video tutorial, too.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

I've seen the applied I-cord used well on felted bags, too. The bags are sometimes finished with two applied I-cords on top of one another, which felts into a sturdy, rounded border around the opening of the bag. It's a really nice finish when felted.

Case Closed: The I-cord Closure

I-cords can be used as pretty closures, too. Check out the Asian-style closures (at right) on the Mandarin Blouse.

My friend Leslie showed me how to make a really pretty I-cord knot closure: The Chinese Knot, which is nice on a cardigan for a little Asian flair. You could use it on a one-button cardigan instead of the button. The knot is from Knit Kimono, by Vicki Square. Here's my version:

Click here for instructions on making the Chinese Knot closure.

In Elizabeth Zimmermann's book The Opinionated Knitter, there's a photo of Ms. Zimmermann with her glasses on an I-cord strap, which shows yet another use for this versatile technique. I hope you'll try some of these projects that incorporate I-cords.

Have a great weekend!

Kathleen

Knit up a Blizzard (Scarf), Plus a Free Edging Pattern!

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen: I'm always inspired by each new issue of PieceWork magazine, and the November/December issue doesn't disappoint. It hits newsstands on November 3, and I think there are some projects in there that will have you running to your local yarn shop to pick up supplies for holiday gifts. Here to talk about the November/December issue of PieceWork magazine is editor Jeane Hutchins. She recommends some heirloom quality knitted accessories to both keep you warm this winter and to present to your loved ones this holiday season.

You'll want to pick up your copy of PieceWork right away (or order a subscription here) so you can get started on some of these projects. In fact, why not get started right now on the free border pattern near the end of this email! It's a beautiful, classic pattern that ace-knitter Ann Budd adapted from a Victorian-English pattern book.

Here's Jeane to introduce this fabulous new issue of PieceWork.

A Blizzard of Knitting

It snowed in Colorado last week—big, puffy flakes fell from the sky for hours. Watching them was mesmerizing; waking up the next morning to a snow-covered landscape was one of those special Colorado moments. With temperatures in the teens though, I really wished I had Inna Voltchkova’s glorious Meteliza Scarf from the November/December issue of PieceWork around my neck!

Inna, who grew up in Ukraine and learned to knit when she was ten, used an angora yarn named Blizzard for the scarf; "meteliza" is the Russian word for “blizzard.”

The yarn evoked memories of Inna’s childhood, in particular her angora knitted hat whose earflap shape she used for this scarf along with traditional Orenburg lace motifs—Cat’s Paw and Mouse Print. In Orenburg lore, the cats are chasing the mice!

Do check out the christening bag project in this issue, too. The first ninety rounds are knitted; the remainder is worked in broomstick lace, a form of crochet.

The designer, Karen Hooton, became intrigued with broomstick lace a number of years ago, and her combination of the two techniques is brilliant. I am always amazed by the ingenuity of our contributors.

The small, child’s hat shown here is in Jacqueline Fee’s collection of “homeless knittings.”

Jacqueline, intrigued by its unusual three-rib construction, which allows the hat to expand into the fullness of a beret, recreated it. It definitely will delight the lucky child who receives it.

Since this is last issue of the year, our thoughts turned to the holidays (and the first snowfall of the season helped). Nancy Bush’s evening stockings knitted with yarn that has a touch of glitter will be perfect for a holiday party.

The small heart-shaped ornaments are quick-to-knit projects; they were worked in two weights of yarn: fingering and sport. Use them as ornaments for holiday trees and package adornments.

We also hope they will inspire you to enter PieceWork's 2010 contest-Heart Ornaments. You could win $500 in cash!

We know you'll enjoy all this issue of PieceWork has to offer. We sure enjoyed putting it together for you.

—Jeane

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A Wheat-Ear Border to Knit
Adapted by Ann Budd

If you’re searching for another quick-to-make idea, here’s a small project from our archives. Ann Budd adapted “The Wheat-Ear Border” from Volume 2 of Weldon’s Practical Needlework, a popular source for patterns in Victorian England. She used size 8 pearl cotton thread and size 0000 (1.3 mm) needles. We attached the edging to pillowcases, but that’s just one possibility. I think the edging will make a spectacular garland on a holiday tree!

CO 20 sts. P 1 row. Work Rows 1–16 until piece is desired length. BO all sts.
Row 1: (RS) Sl 1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, (k2tog) 3 times, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, (yo) twice, k2—22sts.
Row 2: K3, p1, k3, p13, k2.
Row 3: Sl 1, k1, yo, k2tog, (k3tog) twice, yo, k1, yo, k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k5—20 sts.
Row 4: BO 2 sts, k4, p8, p2tog, p1, k2—17 sts.
Row 5: Sl 1, k1, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo) twice, k2—20 sts.
Row 6: K3, p1, k3, p11, k2.
Row 7: Sl 1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, (k2, k2tog, yo) twice, k2tog, yo, k5—22 sts.
Row 8: BO 2 sts, k4, p13, k2.
Row 9: Sl 1, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, (ssk) twice, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, (yo) twice, k2—23 sts.
Row 10: K3, p1, k3, p14, k2.
Row 11: Sl 1, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, k2, yo, k1, yo, (ssk) twice, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k2tog, yo, k5—22 sts.
Row 12: BO 2 sts, k3, p3tog, p2tog, p9, k2—17 sts.
Row 13: Sl 1, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, k2, yo, k3, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k1, (yo) twice, k2—20 sts.
Row 14: K3, p1, k3, p11, k2.
Row 15: Sl 1, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, k2, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k5—22 sts.
Row 16: BO 2sts, k4 p13, k2—20 sts.

Wet-block edging to open up and set the lace pattern.

Faux Isle: A Great Colorwork Technique (plus a free pattern!)

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

There are so many beautiful variegated and self-striping yarns out there. They're perfect for adding some pizzazz to your stockinette projects, but have you thought about doing some colorwork with these yarns?

The term "faux isle" is a funny play on words, but it's also a neat technique that uses one variegated or self-striping yarn and one solid yarn to knit a Fair Isle-type pattern.

I'm working on a faux isle hat (at left) for my brother for Christmas, and it's so much fun. Like all of the colorwork I've done, it's really addictive—I can't wait to see the next row!

I developed my own easy knitting pattern for this hat, which my friend Deborah kindly modeled for me—she's one of those people who looks great in hats of all kinds.

This is today's free pattern, so read on!

Kathleen's Faux Isle Hat

This hat measures about 18 1/4" when finished, and fits about a 20" head. For a larger head, cast on more stitches in multiples of four.

Your gauge should be 21 stitches to 4 inches in stranded knitting.

Using worsted weight yarn (you'll need about 100 yards of a variegated yarn and 100 yards of a solid yarn) and size 6 US 16" circular needles, cast on 96 stitches in the solid color (Yarn A).

Place a marker at the beginning of your work and join for working in the round.

Work in k2, p2 rib for 1 1/2", using the variegated yarn (Yarn B) for the purl stitches and Yarn A for the knit stitches.

Knit 3 rounds in Yarn A.

Knit 2 rounds in Yarn B, and then work rows 1 through 8 in Chart A.

On row 9, switch to Chart B, repeating rows 1 through 6 of the chart until the hat measures about 7 1/2" from the cast-on edge (or to desired length minus 2 inches).

Using just one of the yarns (A or B, you choose!), begin decreasing crown as follows:

*K10, k2tog; rep from * around hat—88 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K9, k2tog; rep from * around hat—80 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K8, k2tog; rep from * around hat—72 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K7, k2tog; rep from * around hat—64 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K6, k2tog; rep from * around hat—56 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K5, k2tog; rep from * around hat—48 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K4, k2tog; rep from * around hat—40 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K3, k2tog; rep from * around hat—32 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K2, k2tog; rep from * around hat—24 sts rem.
Knit 1 round even.
*K1, k2tog; rep from * around hat—16 sts rem.
*K2tog; rep from * around hat—8 sts rem.

Break yarn, leaving about 4 inches of tail. Thread tail onto a tapestry needle and pull through remaining stitches. Cinch tight.

Weave in ends and block lightly.

Fill Up Your Basket With Faux Isle

Faux isle projects really give you a lot of bang for your buck; because of the variegated yarn, it looks like you're using several colors, but you're just using two colors throughout the whole piece. I enjoy Fair Isle projects, both the process and the product, but this faux isle technique is so easy (not so many ends to weave in!) and beautiful in its own right.

Here are some ideas for your project basket.



The Cactus Blossom Pullover is a beautiful and easy pattern that knits up quickly in worsted weight yarn. This is a comfy, slouchy sweater that's perfect for weekend adventuring.	The Faux Fair Isle Cardigan is so beautiful! I love the colorwork in the ribbing. This is a cardigan that will end up in the hope chest for the next generation to enjoy.	My friend Laurie knit this version of the faux isle kids' sweater. Isn't it amazing what a change of color can do? Whatever the color, though, this one's a keeper.

I hope you'll try a faux isle project—I think you'll really like the results.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. If you ask me a question in the comments section, check back on the blog post for the answer; I'll either answer there or send you a personal message. Thanks!

An Affair for Three Seasons: The Knitted Jacket

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Last weekend I went to camp. The event was called Wild Women's Weekend and it was held at a YMCA camp that I went to as a child. It was so much fun to go again as a "big kid"!

Three of my knitting friends went along, too, and even though there were a bunch of activities on the schedule, we sat our butts on the dock and knitted for hours in the sun. It was in the 80s—beautiful weather for late September! The evenings were chilly, though, and all four of us knitters packed a knitted sweater or jacket for the nippy nights.

I was recently going through my closet, switching out summer and winter clothes, and I was mourning a bit because I have so many knitted jackets that I wore all fall and winter when I lived in Seattle. The mild weather there allowed me to wear my favorite knitted jackets to work almost every day from mid-fall to early spring. And since it was Seattle, I'd just throw on a light raincoat overtop as needed and run out the door.

Now, not only am I working from my home office (work clothes = sweats and slippers!), but it'll be COLD and snowy soon. Time for a big girl coat (and boots and mittens and scarves and hats. . .). I'll wear my hand-knit scarves and mittens all the time, but wearing my knitted jackets as outerwear will be delegated to the fall and early spring.

Just because I can't wear my jackets as much as I want to anymore, I'm not going to stop knitting them! I'm adding Three Sisters to the queue ASAP. It's from Knitted Jackets by Cheryl Oberle.

This book is full of wonderful jacket patterns; it's hard to choose just one. Three Sisters appeals to me because I love the "three sisters" in the jacket: garter stitch, stockinette stitch, cable pattern. It's elegant in its simplicity.

And I appreciate the name of the piece, too: Even though I only have one sister, Liz, she's going to want this jacket before it's even close to being off the needles. (Every time I start a project Liz says, "That's going to look GREAT on me!")

Below are three of my favorite knitted jackets, modeled by my mom and my sister. (The Central Park Hoodie is soon to join this club because I'm making it a bit bigger and longer so I can wear it as a jacket this fall.)


The Brown Jacket: This jacket is my favorite. I knit it a couple years ago out of a variety of yarns. It's got some silk, some merino, and some nylon, all coming together to make a soft, cozy, warm fabric. (That's my mom amongst the roses.)	The Silk Garden Jacket: I knit this about five years ago, and I wear it all the time: a testament to the durability of Noro Silk Garden! I also call this sweater the "ton of buttons sweater." (That's sister Liz modeling.)	The Big Button Jacket: This one is a favorite among the knitted jacket fans. I love wearing short -sleeved items over long sleeved tee shirts, and this sweater is perfect for that. (My sister is such a trooper, modeling for me on command!)

Have you knitted any jackets? Share some of your favorites with us in the forums!

Cheers,

Kathleen

Gearing Up for Gift-Giving (plus two free bag patterns!)

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

We're having the most beautiful early fall here in Spokane. The air is crisp, the sun is shining, and all of my TV shows are starting up again. Well, I guess the TV shows are starting again everywhere, but that's still a sign of fall to me. I always knit while I watch TV, so I'm looking forward to some evening knitting time again!

And although it's just the beginning of fall, those winter holidays will be upon us before we know it. I've been giving knitted gifts ever since I started knitting, and this year will be no exception. Because of Knitting Daily, I'm busier than I have been in the past, so I need to get started ASAP. My past gift-giving efforts have included felted slippers, hats, mittens, and stuffed animals—smallish things that can be done in two or three weeks. This year, though, I have some projects in mind that need longer lead-times.

I've been so inspired by the books Knitted Gifts and Crocheted Gifts; I'm looking to those two books for holiday gift ideas. While none of these patterns are enormous undertakings, taken together, there are quite a few stitches that need to be knitted, so couch and stash, here I come!

Here are some of my gift contenders:

Ballet Flats (from Knitted Gifts)
by Marta McCall

There are lots of felted slipper patterns out there, but this one tops my list for its unique style and beauty. I would love to have a pair of these myself, but I think I'd like to give a pair as a gift even more. My sister would really appreciate these and they would look lovely on her; she has a sophisticated sense of style and a pair of Ballet Flats would suit her perfectly.

Animal Crackers (from Knitted Gifts)

by JoLene Treace

Nephew Henry loves dogs and cats, and I know he'd get a kick out of an Animal Cracker sweater. The knitted hem, cuffs, and rolled collar are such nice details on this sweater pattern and there are options for a dog, a cat, or a bear. Which one do you think is cutest for Henry?

Gentleman's Scarf (from Knitted Gifts)

by Veronik Avery

Although billed as a man's scarf, change the color (maybe) and the Gentleman's Scarf is appropriate for anyone. The stitch pattern is a zigzag and cable pattern that's knit at a fine gauge. Choose a yarn with some cashmere content and this gift will be a favorite for years! My mom's been wanting a pink scarf, and she always appreciates a nice gentleman!

Free (Gift) Bag Patterns!

Swirling Bag
by Kathryn Merrick

This one's from Crocheted Gifts, and it's a free pattern!

It's so nice to get gifts in a reusable bag, and this one is the definition of reusable. It's made from renewable cotton, and who wouldn't love to get a gift wrapped in a gift? Even if you're a novice crocheter, Kathryn's Swirling Bag is something you can accomplish. The color choices are endless—the sample is knit from Rowan Cotton Glace, which comes in so many colors it's staggering.

The Market Bag
by Vicki Square

Take a look at another free pattern, the knitted Market Bag. It's a wonderful gift for the eco-conscious shopper we all have on our list. I've "wrapped" gifts in reusable grocery bags (especially food gifts—imagine a baguette poking out of the top of the Market Bag) and the recipeints have been so happy with the ultimate in reusable giftwrap!

Why not take some time to plan your holiday gifts so you don't end up finishing things on Christmas Eve (believe me, I speak of what I know!)

Cheers,

Kathleen

The Magical Magic Loop

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

I started knitting circular objects—socks, gloves, mittens, hats, and so on—on double-pointed needles (DPNs). While I enjoyed knitting the pattern, I didn't particularly like the finished object because I always ended up with ladders where I switched from one needle to the next. I guess I wasn't knitting those stitches tight enough, but as much as I tried to tighten them, the ladders remained. And who likes to think about tightening stitches all the time, anyway?

Because of this problem, I simply didn't do as many "tube projects" as I wanted to.

Enter the Magic Loop! I was at my LYS one Saturday afternoon and I saw a gal knitting a sock on the oddest looking contraption with loops sticking out of each end of the knitted sock. I asked her about it and she said she was using the Magic Loop method—which uses just one, long circular needle. I quickly found a class on this technique, thinking that I might enjoy it more than DPNs. I was right—the Magic Loop brought me back to sock knitting!

Now I use this method for almost all of my small, circular knitting projects. I also teach it when I teach sock classes. The students get two classes, really: sock knitting and the Magic Loop technique!

And Now, a Lesson for You

Most people really take to the Magic Loop method, so I thought I'd share a lesson with you, too. It just takes a few rounds to become familiar with the process and by the time you're halfway through the leg of a sock, you'll be a pro.

I recommend at least a 32-inch circular needle for socks and a 40-inch needle for hats, baby sweaters, and other larger-circumference projects. (The neat thing about using the Magic Loop for hats is that you don't need to change to DPNs to finish the crown.)

A Note About Circular Needles: Your knitting life will be so much easier if you relax the cable of your circular needle before you begin knitting. I do this by microwaving a large mug of water for a couple minutes, dipping the cable into the hot water for about 30 seconds, and then straightening it out and running it under cold water for a few seconds until it's cool. You can also steam the cable, or if you're using a metal needle, you can boil a little water in a skillet and put the whole thing in. It's amazing to watch it loosen up! Be sure and use hot pads or tongs, though, because that metal gets hot!

Here we go, step by step!

Step 1
On a circular needle at least 32 inches long, cast on the required number of stitches (I've cast on 40 stitches). Slide the stitches onto the cable part of the needle.

Step 2
Hold the needle so that your working yarn (and tail) is to your right. Bend the left part of the needle toward you slightly (but don't put a crimp in it!), making sure the bend is halfway through the total number of stitches—so, if you've cast on 40, bend the cable between the 20th and 21st stitches (photo 2a). Grasp the cable and pull it out of the stitches until your stitches are on the needle portions of the circlular needle; you'll have half your stitches on one needle and half on the other needle (photo 2b).

IMPORTANT TIP: Make sure that your working yarn is hanging off of the back needle. What's the back needle? If you hold your needles parallel to each other, the "front" needle is the one nearest you and the "back" needle is the one farthest from you. If your yarn is hanging off your front needle, slide your stitches back onto the cable and divide them again, this time making sure the working yarn ends up at the back. If you start with your working yarn and tail to your right and bend the left end of the cable needle towards you, your working yarn should end up on the correct needle.

Step 3
Make sure your stitches aren't twisted: all of the stitches should be "hanging" downward; the cast-on edge sits at the top of the needle. (Some people like to place a marker to mark the beginning of the round, but I just use the yarn tail as my marker.) Slide the stitches on the back needle to the cable part of the needle, thereby freeing up the back needle. This back needle is now your right-hand needle—you'll be knitting onto it just as if you were using straight needles (photo 3).

Step 4
Knit the stitches on your first needle (photo 4a). When you've knit to the end of the needle, you've knitted half a round (photo 4b, and in this photo the back needle is the needle showing on the bottom). Turn the needles so both tips are pointed to the right and slide the now-front needle into the stitches that are on the cable (photo 4c).

Step 5
Slide the now-back needle out of the stitches that you just knit so that those stitches end up on the cable. You're now ready to knit the second half of the round.

And that's it! You keep switching sides, pushing the stitches on the cable onto the front needle, and pulling the back needle out of the previously knit stitches. Remember that you need to knit both sides of the work to complete one round.

Some Pattern Ideas

I'm recommending three sock patterns here and one sock and mitt pattern. These are lovely patterns in general, but also good patterns for practicing your Magic Loop technique. Once you're two to four inches into one of these projects, you'll be Magic Looping without even thinking about it.

His and Hers Socks by Ann Budd. This is a good advanced-beginner project, with options for men's and women's socks. Ann Budd is a sock pro, so you'll be happy with any pattern by her, but because of the two versions this one is particularly valuable.

Knotty or Knice Socks by Chrissy Gardiner. This is an intermediate, toe-up sock pattern. I love the twisted stitch pattern on these socks—it's a Bavarian pattern but it almost looks Celtic to me. The Magic Loop works equally well with top-down socks and toe-up socks.

Rustic Ruffled Socks and Mitts by Ann Budd. This is also a toe-up pattern, with the added challenge of short-row heels (these heels are easy, really, and fun to work). You'll get a nice, simple sock pattern with a touch of romance in the ruffle, as well as a simple but useful mitt pattern. Who wouldn't like a set of these?

Comfy Socks by the Knitscene Design Team. This is an easy, free pattern knit from bulky-weight yarn (it's also one of 5 free patterns in our free downloadable eBook, 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns). These socks are perfect for fall lounge-around-the-house-days. And they knit up really quickly, too!

Have fun practicing your Magic Loop technique!

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. Special thanks to Sarah Hauschka, who invented the Magic Loop method, and to Bev Galeskas and Fiber Trends, who published the first book on the subject.

Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

Need a new sock knitting pattern? Want a great free sock pattern? Here are five of our top sock knitting downloads together in one FREE ebook for you.

So what kind of sock patterns are in this eBook? Let's see. There's a knitted lace sock pattern, a cabled sock pattern, a colorwork sock pattern, a men's sock pattern, and an easy beginner sock pattern. Something for everyone!!

Download Knitting Socks with Knitting Daily: 5 Free Sock Knitting Patterns

A Tight-Knit Community: All New Homespun Handknit

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite things about being a knitter is the community that we automatically belong to. I was in the airport recently and I saw a woman knitting at the same gate where I was waiting. I sat down next to her and we spent a nice half-hour talking about what we were knitting, favorite yarns and stores, and what our next projects were going to be. I love that instant kinship knitters feel for other knitters.

I have our new book All New Homespun Handknit in front of me, and I'm really appreciating the blend of community and tradition this book embodies. The original Homespun Handknit, edited by Interweave Press founder Linda Ligon, was in print for twenty years, and the editor of All New Homespun Handknit, Amy Clarke Moore, discovered it when she was in college. Amy is now the editor of Spin Off magazine and she was thrilled to put this new collection together.

That's the community part of this book. There are twenty-three designers represented in this book, all of whom are accomplished spinners, too, and twenty-five designs that span the knitting spectrum from hats to bags to shawls. These designers really understand how yarn works and they've put their precious handspun into the most fabulous patterns.

For the experienced knitter, Faina Letoutchaia presents the Old Garden Scarf, a stunning scarf that expertly combines a lace pattern with shaping to create a piece that actually fits around the shoulders without bunching up at the neck. I love it when brilliance meets beauty and they fall in love.

I also love the Spider Hat by Nancy Roberts (photo at right). Nancy designed this hat based on traditional Peruvian weaving patterns depicting spiders. This pattern uses the Fair Isle technique with a twist: you only use two colors of yarn at any one time, but one of the yarns is a variegated yarn, so the color changes are really impressive without being difficult to achieve. The top of the hat is a fabulous web--another beauty + brilliance match-up!

One thing to note is that you don't have to be a spinner to use this book to its fullest potential. Yarn weights are given for each project, which makes it easy for non-spinners to use yarn from their stashes or from their favorite yarn shops. One of my favorite features is a photo that shows each yarn used in the book, which is a great tool to use if you need to substitute yarns. (Added bonus: most projects use small amounts of yarn, so this is a good source of designs for those super-special-single-skeins of handspun yarn.)

There's also a nice list of fiber sources for handspun yarn. If you've never used handspun yarn before, please try it! You'll see what all the fuss is about when you knit up something with handspun--that extra something is the love and care that the spinner put into the yarn as it was being spun and dyed and packaged just for you.

This book has that same feeling: Amy put it together just for you, so ask for All New Homespun Handknit at your LYS or order it from the Interweave Store and start some new traditions with your knitting community!

Cheers,

Kathleen

(Interweave would like to express our gratitude to Lion Brand Yarns for graciously granting us permission to use the term "Homespun" in this book. "Homespun" is a registered trademark of Lion Brand Yarns.)

Great Free Easy Knitting Patterns EBook

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:26:00 GMT

Lots of us want to fill our project baskets with easy knit patterns, especially in the summertime. Occasionally, though, easy knitted patterns can sacrifice style: there's sometimes a lot of room between "easy" and "attractive."

Not so in this new, free Ebook, Easy Knits From Knitting Daily: 6 Free Easy Knitting Patterns! Sandi Wiseheart has put together a wonderful variety of simple, stylish, easy knitting patterns. Full of easy stitches and simple techniques, Easy Knits From Knitting Daily: 6 Free Easy Knitting Patterns is just what the Hey-It's-Summer-Let's-Relax doctor ordered. (If anyone has that doctor's number, send it to me STAT.)

Here's a snippet from Sandi about this free pattern collection. "Our designers have used easy stitches and simple stylings to produce some of the most popular designs we've ever published: Green Tea Raglan, all knits and purls in a gorgeous top; the Knitting Needle Knitting Bag knits up quickly with large needles, which are then glued onto the final row of stitches; the Barrymore Slouch Hat, a great introduction to knitting in the round on large double-pointed needles; the Ribby Slipper Socks, with an ingenious construction that doesn't require a genius knitter; the Super-Simple Wrap Cardigan, a graceful cardi in "five easy pieces" of stockinette stitch with a garter stitch belt; and Mike's Easy-Fit Pullover--something for the guys, with an easy knit/purl texture and great shaping that he'll wear every weekend."

Sandi has carefully gone through each simple knitting pattern and added tips and tricks to guide you effortlessly through the projects. You'll find lists of techniques, stitch guides, a simple chart primer, and a glossary of terms.

You'll get a lot of bang for your buck (er, download?) with these easy knits, so click on the link and cast on!

Kathleen

Download Easy Knits From Knitting Daily: 6 Free Easy Knitting Patterns

Circular Knitting: Jogless Stripes

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:00 GMT

I don’t know about you, but I’m a visual learner. I can read step-by-step instructions ‘til the cows come home, but I rarely get it right without photos or—even better—a video. In the new season of Knitting Daily TV (which starts at the end of July), co-host and Interweave Knits editor Eunny Jang hosts a new segment called “Getting Started.” She demonstrates basic and not-so-basic techniques to get you started on new projects.

One of these techniques has to do with knitting in the round. I love to knit striped hats in the round. Stripes are an easy and fast way to add color to a project, and a great way to use up those little bits hanging out in your stash, too!

The problem with knitting stripes in the round is that you get a little jog in the color—the first stitch in the row above a color change is actually the last stitch of the previous row of color, so it looks like you didn’t change colors soon enough. (This happens because when you’re knitting in the round you’re actually knitting a spiral, not a circle.)

When I complete a hat I always notice these jogs, but I've never known what to do about them. And, between you and me, I’m not a perfectionist knitter, so I give it the old shoulder shrug and move on.

However, even non-perfectionists enjoy improving their skills, so when I saw the Getting Started segment about jogless stripes in circular knitting, I was intrigued. In this clip, Eunny shows us two ways to avoid the jog with a slip-stitch technique that works for any width of stripe and the “barber-pole” technique for single-round stripes.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Knitting Daily is just starting in Spokane, so I have a lot to look forward to. I've cleared off my TiVo and set it up to record all of the new shows, but if your TiVo (or DVR, or whatever) is sometimes cranky like mine is, preorder the new season's DVDs below! You'll be able to watch your favorite segments again and again, and when you need a little help, Eunny's excellent technique segments will be right at your fingertips.

And check out the behind-the-scenes fun at Knitting Daily TV in the new blog Tuned In to Knitting Daily TV.

Update Your Wardrobe Cheaply With Needle Felting

KD Sandi — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:13:00 GMT

I made a vow with myself several years back: I Will Not Get Into Needle Felting. I figured I had enough "hobbies" (let's just be honest and call them "obsessions," shall we?) and I didn't want any more reasons to spend money that might detract from my knitting stash expansion efforts. Plus...I know myself. I love all things crafty. I just thought it wise not to add one more obsession to my already craft-crazed psyche.

That said...I've had these really warm and comfy felted slippers for a while, but they've started looking rather ratty and stained. Despite their embarrassing appearance, I love them and can't bear to give them up.

This week, as I was reading about different ways to Be Crafty On A Budget, I kept reading about embellishing clothes you already had: with sewn-on ribbons, with little knitted or crocheted flowers...and with needle felting. Suddenly, needle felting was everywhere I looked. And one day, I was pulling on my beloved battered felted booties and imaging them with little pink needle-felted birds on them....that's when I realized I was doomed. The time had come for me to try needle felting and see if it was something I might want to embrace in my crafty, obsessional repertoire.

I borrowed mats and needle tools from a friend, and then, because I'm a bookish sort, I pulled out the new needlefelt book we published this Spring, Simply Needlefelt. I read through the book last Saturday, thinking it would be all about arsty-but-impossible things done with lots of sheep fuzz. Wow, was I ever wrong! Did you know you can needle felt with yarn? Using a cookie cutter to make shapes? I thought of that little pink bird and immediately raided my husband's baking cupboard--and lo and behold, he had a birdie cookie cutter!

Two hours later, I had my little pink birdies on the slippers, each sitting on a tuft of green grass; the tatty old tops of the booties had been folded down and needle-felted with a simple braid of thick grey yarn.

The result charms me completely and has kept me from having to toss out something I loved; it has also saved my budget, because now I don't have to make or buy new slippers!

I was surprised at how easy needle felting was. And you know, there's something kind of therapeutic about sticking needles into something over and over. (Think about this. You'll see what I mean.)

I have an old grey wool skirt from my corporate drone days...I think that skirt could use some quality needle felting time to pretty it up a bit.

Enjoy. And let me know if you've caught the needle-felting bug!

-- Sandi

Curious about needle felting and want to learn more about how it's done?

Simply Needlefelt by Jayne Emerson is a great introduction to this addictive and enjoyable craft. The tools are inexpensive, and you can use all kinds of scraps and yarns you already have to brighten up everything from old wool jackets to hats and home decor. (I really want to try the french press cozy in here, since I have recently become a french press coffee snob.) I was amazed at all the little tricks and tips Jayne has in this book which I had never seen before...and Jayne, I gotta say that it's your fault that I am now eyeing my old clothes and thinking, hm, how can I stick some needles into those to make them look better?

Look for Simply Needlefelt at your local yarn shop, or purchase it online from us.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I started and finished a one-skein hat, and then needlefelted my booties this weekend! Two quick-and-pretty successes make me feel ready to go back and tackle a few of my other, longer-term projects with fresh energy.

Tips For Making Thrums

KD Sandi — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:11:00 GMT

On Monday, I showed you two fabulous pairs of thrummed mittens--one crocheted, from the Winter 2008 issue of Interweave Crochet, and one knitted, originally published in Interweave Knits Winter 2006 and now available in our pattern store. I even turned one of the mittens inside out so you could see those magical little fluffy bits of woolly fleece that, when worked into your mittens, give you a superb layer of insulation against winter cold. Of course, mittens are not the only garment where you can use thrums. Hats, slippers, even a jacket--the key is to make sure the garment itself is loose enough so that when you add thrums, there is room for all that fluffiness inside.
Tips for Working with Unspun Fluff (Roving) 1. Roving comes in long thick bands. Tear off a length (about ten inches) by holding your hands a couple inches apart and gently tugging until the fibers separate.
2. Peel off strips lengthwise. Start by peeling them in half lengthwise, then split the halves themselves into thirds, or whatever seems to work best for your roving. The goal is to get strips that are slightly thicker than the yarn you are using for the project.
3. Take each thin strip and starting at one end, with your hands a couple inches apart, gently tug the fibers lengthwise to "draw out" the strip. You want the fibers to slip past each other enough to make the strip thinner and longer, but not so much that the strip comes apart. Repeat for the whole length of the strip.
4. Tear the strip into short lengths--about four inches. 5. For each thrum, fold the ends into the center so that a loop forms at each end.
6. Hold the middle of the thrum between thumb and forefinger and gently roll--you're felting the middle so the thrum holds together where it will be on the needle (or hook).
7. Toss the thrum in a plastic food container with a lid and go make another one! That's it. Easy!
If you have never seen unspun roving before, go on over to your local yarn shop and ask to look at some. Roving is interesting stuff--because of course, it's where yarn comes from! It comes in a rainbow of colors and as many different types of fibers as there are sheep. Once again, though, I must warn you: Handling roving to make thrums is a gateway drug. Once you start with the thrums, it's just a short distance from there to a spindle or a spinning wheel. And making your own yarn--that gets to be a pretty powerful addiction once you've tried it.
	On Friday, we'll show you how to get the thrums into your mittens! Marlaina Bird, designer of the crochet version of Thrummed Mittens, will show us how to do this using a crochet hook, and I will show you how to do it with knitting needles.
Links to Thrummed Mitten patterns For knitters: Thrummed Mittens by Jennifer Appleby available in the pattern store Thrummed Mittens by Rita Buchanan Spin-Off, Winter 2001 (Subscribe here) For crocheters: Thrummed Mittens by Marlaina Bird Interweave Crochet, Winter 2008 (Subscribe here)
Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily. What's on Sandi's needles? I finished a quick hat over the weekend; and am one-quarter the way through a pair of mittens. (My sister's Central Park Hoodie is on hold temporarily. My sister lives in Chicago, so she totally understands and doesn't mind waiting until the mittens are done.)

What is a Thrum and Why is it in My Mitten?

KD Sandi — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:42:00 GMT

I have become quite obsessed lately with having warm hands up here in the land of single-digit-temps and multi-digit-snowfalls. I bought a pair of thinsulate gloves, but a half-block of dog walking finds me pulling my fingers into the palm section of the gloves because my fingers aren't warm enough out there all by themselves.

What I really need are mittens. WARM, totally toasty mittens. I've begun scouring through all my patterns to come up with Warm Mitten Candidates. I was thinking I could line a pair, or even felt a pair. But then a colleague at Interweave sent me the actual mittens Marlaina Bird made for the Winter 2008 issue of Interweave Crochet. (If you don’t subscribe, you’re missing out on making these. Subscribe now.) Within two minutes after opening the box, my little hands were singing with warm delight.

Thrums, people. The answer to cold hands and truly warm mittens is THRUMS.

What is a thrum and why is it in my mittens?

"Thrum" originally referred to the short lengths of waste yarn leftover after woven cloth was cut off the loom. In the spirit of necessary thriftiness, craftspeople would find a variety of uses for these thrums--stuffing pillows and mattresses, and after a while, knitting them into mittens and hats to provide an extra layer of warmth.

Each thrum, or short length of yarn, would be worked together with the main knitting yarn as a single stitch, with the ends of the thrum left hanging inside the mitten to provide insulation. Lovely! Except that people soon discovered that the yarny thrums could catch on fingers, and even fray.

The second type of thrum works much better, and has been a tradition for generations in the chilly-but-gorgeous environs of Newfoundland and Labrador up here in Canada. This type of thrum is actually roving, or unspun sheep's wool, separated into wisps, which are then knit into the stitches along with the working yarn as before. The ends of the fleece form little poufy pillows inside your mittens, and your fingers start thanking you the minute a pair of thrummed mittens is on your hands.

Basically, you're making a sheepskin for the inside of your mittens. With the wide variety of dyed wool roving available these days, you can choose a rainbow of colors from which to make your thrums. (You can purchase unspun roving at many local yarn shops; or take a trip to your local fibre festival!)

How do you make a thrum? And then how do you get it inside your mittens?

The technique of thrumming lends itself beautifully to both knitting and crochet. Since I cannot be the only person in the entire world with cold hands this time of year, here's what we're going to do the rest of this week:

On Wednesday, we'll learn how to handle the roving and make thrums. (Fair warning: Handling roving to make thrums is a gateway drug. Once you start with the thrums, it's just a short distance to a spindle or a spinning wheel. Just sayin'.)

On Friday, we'll show you how to get the thrums into your mittens! Marlaina herself will show us how to do this using a crochet hook, and I will show you how to do it with knitting needles.

And along the way, we'll have links to nifty thrummed mitten patterns (both knitted and crocheted) so you can make your own hands toasty and warm.

Because I gotta tell ya, there is nothing quite like reaching inside one's mittens and finding lots of tiny little sheepy fluffs waiting for one's poor cold hands.

-- Sandi

Links to Thrummed Mitten patterns

For knitters:
Thrummed Mittens by Jennifer Appleby
available in the pattern store

Thrummed Mittens by Rita Buchanan
Spin-Off, Winter 2001 (Subscribe here)

For crocheters:
Thrummed Mittens by Marlaina Bird
Interweave Crochet, Winter 2008 (Subscribe here)

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I finished a quick hat over the weekend; and am one-quarter the way through a pair of mittens. (My sister's Central Park Hoodie is on hold temporarily. My sister lives in Chicago, so she totally understands and doesn't mind waiting until the mittens are done.)