Knitting Daily : Knitted Shawls, Knitting Daily

Never Enough Accessories!

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT


	Vaudeville Shawl by Grace Akhrem

	Amodda Socks by Rachel Coopey

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." —Clairee Belcher, from the movie Steel Magnolias

I watched that movie a few weeks ago; there are so many good lines in it, but the accessorizing line is one of my favorites. Even though some people do dress up their pets, accessories are really a human phenomenon. And as knitters, we know that they're the icing on the cake.

We might enjoy knitting sweaters in the cooler months of the year, but most of us have little goodies on our needles all year round. I know I do! In fact, I just finished a pair of Turkish Bed Socks, which are little footies that are perfect for wearing with Danskos, my favorite footwear. The instep starts lower on the top of the foot in this pattern, so the socks don't poke out of the shoes very much, if at all.

I decided I'm going to knit several pairs of these this summer so I have a footie wardrobe when shoe-weather starts next fall.

Are you ready to start on some summer knitting? As luck would have it, the new issue of Knitscene Accessories is here, so you can fill your queue with fun, fab accessory knitting for the summer, too!


So Faux Cowl by Amy Keeler

Riga Bonnet by Allyson Dykhuizen


Bow and Arrow Hat by Andrea Babb

Here are editors Lisa Shroyer and Amy Palmer to introduce the issue.

In this, the second issue of Knitscene Accessories, designer Caitlin ffrench asks the question: How many knitted things is too many to wear at once? I'd like to expand on that question with this one: How many knitted things is too many?

This is a not a question any knitter should try to answer.

As functional as hats and mitts and scarves are, we don't make them because we need them. We make them because we love making them. We love the yarn, the process, the cable charts, the pastime thrown in the bottom of a reusable grocery bag as we move from A to B on the subway.

Someone asked me recently, how can you keep putting out more patterns? Hasn't everything been done? And the answer, in a sense, is yes. Everything has been done.

As editors of a knitting magazine, though, it is our job to find the people who are doing old things in new ways, or old things in old ways that are newly exciting.

Take Allyson Dykhuizen's bonnet-styled earflap hat with its Latvian braids. Is this a traditional knit? Is it contemporary? Is it childish or funky or hip or beautiful? You decide. One thing's sure—it's interesting. It looks great with locks of hair waving out from under it. And it's really fun to knit.

Or take Amy Keefer's leopard-print cowl. It uses stranded colorwork, an old technique, and a kitschy faux animal pattern to make something fetching and coyly modern.

That's our job here. We find the designers, we choose the projects, we plan the photography that presents those projects at their best and adds stylistic context to them.

You take it from here. You can knit all thirty-three projects, and guess what? That still wouldn't be too many! Knit your heart out.

—Lisa and Amy, from Knitscene Accessories, 2013

My answer to the "how much is too much" question comes from another movie: "To infinity and beyond!" (Toy Story).

Order your copy of Knitscene Accessories today, or download it right now! And get knittin'!

Cheers,

P.S. Are you an avid accessory-knitter? Leave a comment and tell us what your favorite little knit is!

Knitted Shawls and How to Wear Them

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT


	Basilica, draped in front

	Euclid, side wrapped

I've worked lots of scarf knitting patterns and several large wraps, but I've only knit a couple of shawls. As much as I like them, I just haven't been able to incorporate them into my everyday wardrobe. I have a friend who knits amazingly intricate lace shawls. I asked her where she wore them and she said, "Oh, wherever. Albertson's, mostly." I love this attitude, though I don't have the chutzpah to pull it off.

In her new book, Free-Spirit Shawls, Lisa Shroyer shared some advice about actually wearing the knitted shawls, which really opened my eyes to the possibilities!

Wearing Your Shawl

Let's talk about style. Many knitters enjoy knitting shawls but aren't quite sure how best to show them off. There are so many possible ways to wear your shawl, and it can be fun to experiment.


Lindsay, side knotted

Mineral, front knotted

For smaller shawls: A shawl about 26" (66 cm) across the top edge makes a great kerchief. Simply hang the point in front and wrap the ends around the neck, knotting them in place—or bring the ends forward after wrapping them around the neck. Small and medium-sized shawls can also be wrapped around the shoulders off-center, so that the opening hits near the front of the shoulder. Knot the ends there or pin with a brooch.

For delicate lace or larger-sized shawls: Think about ensemble. A large "traditional" looking shawl doesn't have to look frumpy if you pair it with fresh styles and remember that it's an accessory. Use these shawls as part of your look—go Boho with torn denim, big jewelry, and flowy fabrics, or go dress-up with a slinky dress and dramatic earrings. A lace shawl can always be bundled and looped around the neck like a scarf. Though you won't see all the detail, the effect can still be striking.

Of course, almost all shawls can be worn traditionally, with the deepest part of the center straight down the back and the ends draped in front. You can wear sweet little semicircles and crescents this way and look very stylish today. Top a strapless dress with one and you have instant romance.

Some shawl designs lend themselves to a tougher, more urban aesthetic. Tuck a bold little shawl into the collar of a coat or leather jacket, bundle it like a cowl, grab your sunglasses, and you're ready for the city. Long, narrow shawls can be worn like scarves, slung around the neck, or wrapped and tied.

—Lisa Shroyer, Free-Spirit Shawls

Knitted shawls are so beautiful. And, as you can see, they come in all shapes, sizes, and patterns, and you can use any yarn you like. Pre-order Free-Spirit Shawls today so you can start knitting up some wonderful accessories as soon as the book comes out in April!

Cheers,

P.S. How do you wear your knit shawls? Leave a comment and let us know!

Knitted Accessories: The Mighty Mitt

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

I think of knitted accessories as the precious gems in a knitter's jewel box. They're the cabled hats knit out of a smooth 100% merino wool, the cowl knit from luscious cashmere, the clutch adorned with sparkly beads, the lace shawl knit with delicate, alpaca lace yarn. What fun! What adventure! No one can say knitters are complacent.

Relatively new to the accessories world are fingerless mitts. Sure, they've been around for decades, but not at the top of the fashion scene. These days they're everywhere, and deservedly so! Ever so useful, small projects like mitts can be wonderfully whimsical or prettily practical. Here are three of my favorites.


		Coppice Mitts by Courtney Kelley Inspired by fisherman's ganseys, Courtney designed these mitts to be both utilitarian and luxurious. A coppice is a small grove of trees, and the design on these mitts elegantly replicates a lovely tree, all made out of knits and purls.

		God's Eye Mitts by Alexis Winslow Remember making God's Eyes at camp? I must have made 50 one summer. Now you can bring your camp skills to your knitting! Stranded colorwork makes off-centered God's eye motifs on the back of the hand and palm. Button the cuff and you have a snug, warm accessory.

		Wellington Mitts by Rebecca Blair These little mitts are perfect for the coming spring. You'll need them when you want to sit outside and knit a few rows! Just for fun, the narrow zigzagging stripes travel in perpendicular directions on opposite hands.

All of these mitt designs are from Knitscene Accessories or one of the two issues of Knits Accessories. We've put all three Accessories issues together for you—an accessories kit, if you will! Order yours today!

Cheers,

P.S. What's your favorite accessory knitting pattern? Leave a comment and share it with us!

Knitting Daily TV Turns 10!

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

I note from Kathleen: It's hard to believe another season of Knitting Daily TV is here! But it is, and I'm thankful. Each episode is so full of interesting techniques, patterns, and fun personalities. If you want to learn how to knit, or if you want some new tips and tricks, or if you just enjoy welcoming Eunny, Kristin, and Clara back into your home, wait no longer!

Here's Associate Producer Annie Bakken to tell you what's to come in series ten of Knitting Daily TV.


Eunny demonstrates fancy increases and decreases to shape your knitwear on episode 1003.

Clara Parkes and Eunny are in the knitting lab to talk about softspun yarns on episode 1005's Yarn Spotlight.

Behind the Scenes, Immersed in Yarn

As a knitter, there's nothing better than to be surrounded by the yummy yarns on the set of Knitting Daily TV.

We've taped the tenth season of the show, and I'm proud to say we get better and better with each series. Airing this January on Public Television, series 1000 of Knitting Daily TV is sure to delight our fans and hopefully intrigue new knitters to join us. Plus, if you're a yarn lover, tune in to see first-hand some of the newest yarns on the market.

Lucky Number 13!

We have thirteen new episodes, which means thirteen more quick tips and thirteen more getting-started segments with host Eunny Jang. We paid attention to what our fans wanted on our Facebook page, and we're diving more into sweater construction, lace knitting, knitted socks, and new design orientated segments. Viewers will learn how to tailor their knitwear, how to add drape using the right yarn and stitches, and even how to add small design elements that make all the difference.

Clara Parkes is also back on this season of Knitting Daily TV with thirteen more yarn spotlights, where all yarn lovers (crocheters, weavers, spinners too!) can enjoy her scientific, informative take on the newest yarns and how to best put these fibers to the test in your knitting. Learn the difference between handpainted and hand-dyed, woolen and worsted, and mercerized versus non-mercerized cotton. Plus, have you heard of possum yarns?!

Introducing Knit-Alongs!

Also brand-new are two knit-alongs with Kristin Omdahl. Mixed into our usual how-to designer segments, you can knit alongside Kristin to make the Agua Rios Vest and the Wheeled Lace Shawl.


	Kristin Omdahl knits the Wheeled Lace Shawl on this season's knitalong.

Both of these patterns are geared towards women, for beginning to intermediate knitters. They both look like elaborate knits, but are actually easy to master with Kristin's step-by-step approach. And, they're classic, ageless garments that we hope a wide audience of knitters will enjoy.

As always, favorite guests Laura Bryant and Barry Klein are also back for more knitting and crochet know-how with slip-stitch knitting, tencel yarns, and Tunisian crochet. This season also welcomes crochet designer Robyn Chachula with crocheted jewelry and edging advice.

I hope you'll tune into the show and enjoy watching it as much as I love being a part of it. And as always, please feel free to leave comments as to what you like, love, or want to see more (or less!) of on Knitting Daily TV. We're listening!

Tune in to Knitting Daily TV on your local PBS station, or order the DVDs now and get KDTV delivered right to your door!

Cheers,

P.S. What's your favorite thing about Knitting Daily TV? Leave a comment and let us know!

A new reason to love lace knitting!

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT


The cuff and front panel of these elegant lace stockings are inspired by a nineteenth-century Shetland veil.

Margaret Stove demonstrates how different arrangements of yarnovers and decreases create contrast in lace patterns.


Aileron Shawl by Carol Feller

A note from Kathleen: We're so excited about the new eMag, LaceKnits! It's full of techniques you'll use right away and patterns you'll want to cast on as soon as you see them. It's be available for the iPad, in the iTunes Store. Here's editor Anne Merrow to tell you all about it.

Fresh Techniques for a Fine Tradition

"More than cables or any other kind of stitch pattern, lace was always the thing that made me feel like kind of a knitting rock star," says Ysolda Teague.

Learning to transform those yarnovers or slanting lines on a chart—what knitter doesn't feel exceptionally clever when a pattern of airy holes and decreases first takes shape on the needles?

Interweave's latest eMag, LaceKnits: Fresh Techniques for a Fine Tradition, celebrates the innovative knitters who have created such diverse lace creations. In Franklin Habit's article, "Shetland Lace (and how it got that way)," we trace two stories of the origins of the iconic shawls and lace motifs for which the islands are so famous.

Back in contemporary knitting, designer Rebecca Blair adapted two motifs from an antique lace shawl to grace the cuff and leg of her delicate Madder Stockings.

Smart Lace Techniques

Internationally recognized lace expert Margaret Stove demonstrates how different combinations of yarnovers and decreases yield more solid or more airy sections of lace, and Sivia Harding takes you step-by-step through the process of designing your own unique triangle-shaped lace shawl.

Ysolda Teague explains what she loves about knitting and designing lace, and Ann Budd explains three different ways of working a perfect finish for lace by blocking. [photo Margaret Stove value study.psd; caption: Margaret Stove demonstrates how different arrangements of yarnovers and decreases create contrast in lace patterns.]

The issue's most mind-blowing article comes from our own Joni Coniglio, senior project editor of our knitting magazines, who was always bothered by the awkwardly visible join created by working Kitchener stitch to graft two halves of a stole. There must be a way, she reasoned, to work the graft in pattern and minimize the awkwardness of that row. To our delight (but not our surprise), she developed a surprisingly simple method of rearranging stitches with a tapestry needle, then grafting to make a nearly invisible join.



Using her innovative grafting method, Joni Coniglio avoids the noticeable seam in the left sample and creates a near-invisible seam instead.

Creativity in Every Stitch


	Heather Zoppetti's Clematis Tunic

The patterns in this issue have something for all fans of lace knitting.

—Carol Feller's Aileron Shawl adds curves to a basic triangle shape for an easy-to-wrap flourish.

—Lacy leaves and vines climb up from the ribbing of Heather Zoppetti's Clematis Tunic, incorporating waist shaping in the pattern.

Donna Druchunas' summer scarf

—Donna Druchunas adapted a lace pattern from traditional Lithuanian stockings for an airy summer scarf with shaped sides and fun braided tassels.

LaceKnits is packed with exciting techniques, lace patterns, stories about knitting lace through the ages. Check it out!

Cheers,

Anne

More Fun with Garter Stitch!

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT

The Summer 2011 issue of Knitscene featured an article by one of my favorite designers, Stephen West. I just bought his Spectra Scarf pattern, which is a circular scarf knit from a ball of self-striping sock yarn and a coordinating solid sock yarn. One of my knit-night buddies worked it up and it's just beautiful.



Striped Square Swatch

Intarsia Swatch

Curved Arch

Crescent-Shaped Swatch

Stephen loves garter stitch and he includes it as a design feature in many of his patterns; sometimes it forms the basis of the pattern and sometimes it's a design feature.

Here's an excerpt from Steven's Knitscene article, where he talks about garter stitch and its versatility.

Swatch Play: Garter Stitch

My first knitting project was a scarf-a radiant masterpiece, or rather a bright blue, acrylic, lopsided piece of fabric. As I worked on my masterpiece, I became familiar with the knit stitch, but as a beginner, I didn't appreciate the satisfaction of knitting every row. I quickly transitioned to new skills like purling, Fair Isle, and lace. In fact, I used to love purling so much that I modified all sock, hat, and sweater patterns so I could work them inside out, purling every round! Now as a more experienced knitter, I find myself constantly coming back to garter stitch.

The Swatches
The striped square swatch is a classic example of simple colorwork. It's easy to let the mind wander while inserting random stripes and blocks of color while knitting each row. Note that it takes two rows of one color in garter stitch to make a complete stripe. The blue/gray rectangle shows off basic intarsia, another fun technique to explore in garter.

Manipulating the fabric into different shapes with increases and decreases provides endless entertainment, as demonstrated in the solid triangle and parallelogram. The knit front-back (k1f&b) increase is perfect for garter stitch because it looks great on both sides, and the garter ridges hide the little purl bump formed by the increase.

A curved arch is achieved in the solid yellow crescent with short-row shaping. I'm drawn to clear graphic lines, and this short-row swatch really demonstrates the harmony achieved by the distribution of purl ridges.

The graphic effect is enhanced in the blue/gray crescent-shaped swatch. This example is a little combination platter of techniques, with the blue segments worked in intarsia while their sliced shape results from short-row shaping. Increases and decreases along one side add to the fabric's shape to create a scalloped edge.



Triangle Swatch		Parallelogram Swatch

It's times like these when I am most grateful for good ol' garter stitch—using colorwork and shaping techniques at the same time is much easier when you know that each stitch in every row is a knit stitch.

We knitters are fortunate to have so many yarn companies and indie dyers to supply us with stunning yarns. I often find it difficult to conceptualize a design for a special yarn; but whenever I find myself wondering what to do with that one skein, I know that a garter stitch swatch is the best place to start. It puts the focus back on the beautiful yarn.

Then, I can apply whichever techniques I want to explore within garter stitch. All it takes is a little dose of creativity to make this handsome textural fabric into something completely unique and pleasurable.

—Stephen West, from the Summer 2011 issue of Knitscene


	The Figurehead Shawl

Are you loving garter stitch again? Check out this pattern from Knitscene: The Figurehead Shawl by Alexis Winslow, shown at right. The kerchief-style shawl is worked in garter stitch in two-color stripes and finished with a scalloped edge. There's a button closure at the edge of the kerchief so it can be worn snug like a cowl. It can be worn with the kerchief point at the front (as shown in the photo) or at the back. Super cute and an easy knitting pattern, too.

Check out all of the fabulous garter-stitch designs (and the other groovy knitting patterns for women!) in the Knitscene 2011 Collection CD, available now.

Cheers,

Learn something new: Domino Knitting

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 GMT


Beautiful domino knitting

Even though domino knitting has been around for a century, Vivian Hǿxbro is the present-day ambassador for this fun knitting technique. Vivian teaches about domino knitting all over the world and she's published books on the subject as well. Her newest venue is our DVD workshop, Domino Knitting with Vivian Hǿxbro!

What is domino knitting? Here's what Vivian has to say:

"In 1992, I was attending a handcraft fair in Germany and noticed a huge crowd at one stand. I could just barely see a bearded man demonstrating a different way to knit. That man was Horst Schulz. Later, I traveled to Berlin and took a course with him. It was on 'the new knitting' as he called it.

In domino knitting, pieces are knitted together while the work progresses, just as one "pieces" the tiles in dominoes. For more than a century, people have knitted this way. They knitted shawls with domino patterns on the Faroe Islands and pieced coverlets in the same manner in Canada and England. In the United States, I found a copy of a pamphlet from 1946 with the sweetest jacket, knitted in domino squares by Virginia Woods Bellamy. In 1952, she published a book on the technique, called Number Knitting.

From the first moment I saw the domino knitting techniques demonstrated, I was intrigued by the many possibilities of this knitting method; they're endless."

—Vivian Hǿxbro

I've done domino knitting just once, and that was several years ago. I'm eager to refresh my skills, and I thought you might want to learn along with me, so here's Vivian's easy knitting pattern: a simple square, which can be the building block for larger, beautiful domino projects.

Basic Squares
(Garter stitch, single color)


	Domino knitting: Basic square

These squares are the starting point for many wonderful hours of knitting. So ready, set, go!

Yarn: Use what you have on hand, but a good yarn for this project is Peaches & Cream cotton.

Needles: Short needles (8-inch straight needles or DPNs work great) in a size suitable for the yarn.

Notions: Markers, scissors, tapestry needle.

Using the knitted cast-on, CO 25 stitches.
Row 1 (WS): Knit to the last st, p1. Mark the center three stitches.
Row 2 (RS): (Note: The yarn tail hangs at the right side.) Sl 1 kwise, knit to marker before center 3 sts (=k10), sl 1 kwise, k2tog, psso, knit to the last st (= 10sts), p1 (=23 sts).
Row 3 and all WS rows: Sl 1 kwise, knit to last st, end p1.
Row 4: Sl 1 kwise, knit to marker before center 3 sts (= k9), sl 1, k2tog, psso, knit to last st (= k9), end p1 (= 21 sts).
Row 6: Sl 1 kwise, knit to marker before center 3 sts (= k89), sl 1, k2tog, psso, knit to last st (= k8), end p1 (= 19 sts).
Row 8: Sl 1 kwise, knit to marker before center 3 sts (= k7), sl 1, k2tog, psso, knit to last st (= k7), end p1 (= 17 sts).

Continue in this manner until 3 sts remain.

Next row (WS): Sl 1 kwise, k1, p1.
Next row: Sl 1, k2tog, psso (= 1st).

Cut yarn and pull the tail through the stitch but do not pull it tight. This last stitch is a "reusable" stitch that can be used again if you make more squares and knit them together. It is called an "end stitch."

To learn how to make different types of domino squares, how to join them, and how to weave in ends—plus lots more—check out the new Knitting Daily DVD Workshop Domino Knitting with Vivian Hoxbro. You'll learn all about domino knitting from the master herself.

Cheers,

Lace knitting is summer knitting

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT

I've just come home from the Sock Summit in Portland (my review will be on Knitting Daily next Wednesday!), and although socks took center stage, the crowd was a sea of knitted lace shawls, scarves, and tee shirts. I didn't have a shawl, but I sure wished I did! One of the gals sitting next to me said, "They like to keep the air conditioning on 'meat locker' in here!" I loved that, and it was so true.

That air-conditioning-to-outdoor-oven transition that we make several times a day all summer is hard to manage, but after last weekend I think the solution is knitted lace. Aside from being useful to cover up or cool down, it's also fun to knit and lightweight so there's not a pile of heavy wool on your lap when it's 90 degrees out! Although if you like the air conditioning set at "meat locker," you might like to work on sweater projects during the summer!

Below are some fun summer lace projects that will keep you cool outdoors and warm indoors!



Tourmaline Shawl		Emily Shawl
Laura Nelkin's easy lace shawl is worked from the bottom up and requires an understanding of lace and charts. Worked in a shawlette size, you can wear this shawl as a scarf or wrap.		Mandy Moore's shawlette is very wearable; the side-to-side pattern is unusual, and the easy charts require a basic understanding of lace repeats. A great first shawl project!


Bonita Shirt	Lace Vest	Lutea Lace Shell
Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark's delicate embroidery follows the simple lace pattern in this summer tee that's worked in comfy mercerized cotton.	Teva Durham designed this vest with an intricate lace pattern that's deceptively simple. The Lace Vest has great fashion impact and it's fast to knit.	Angela Hahn used a simple lace pattern on the shoulders of her summer shell, which is lovely paired with the simple stockinette stitch body.

The shawls will work for any season and you can make any of the tee or vest projects before summer is over. My favorite is the Lutea Lace Shell. It's so cute, and since it's knit on size 8 needles, it's as close to instant gratification as it gets.

I hope you'll try one of these lace patterns. And check out the Knitting Daily Shop for even more summer knitting patterns!

Cheers,

A Knitting Wrapsody: Knitted Shawls, Wraps, Scarves, and Skirts

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:00:00 GMT


Arcelia Skirt		Arcelia skirt worn as a halter!

A note from Kathleen: Kristin Omdahl is best known for her amazing crochet patterns, but she's a wonderful knitting designer, too. Her work incorporates unique stitches, shapes, and embellishments that are so much fun to work with!

In her newest book, A Knitting Wrapsody, Kristin incorporates her signature motif designs into eighteen fabulous projects.

I asked Kristin to write about her new book for us, and here she is!


Sand Dollar Cape

A Wrapsody of Knitting

I've been designing knitting and crocheting patterns simultaneously for the last six years, and I make time to both knit and crochet every day. I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase A Knitting Wrapsody's knitwear collection.

My vision for this book was to take inspiration from other crafts and unusual places and apply it to knitted shawls, wraps, scarves, and skirts. I took inspiration from crochet, weaving, embroidery, fishing, seashells, and even an oil painting.

I also wanted to create versatile garments, so most of the pieces in the collection can be worn in a variety of ways. (My favorite surprise was that the Arcelia Wrap Skirt looks wonderful as a halter top. I can't wait to wear this top this summer!)

The most challenging project in the book was the Sand Dollar Cape. Inspired by—you guessed it—sand dollars, I thought it would be interesting to make a circular cape with overlapping ovals around the outer perimeter to easily weave a belt in and out to cinch the waist while keeping the "sleeves" wide and loose. It's a really flattering silhouette.

The challenge was that I started this project at the neckband and increased outward to the lower edge of the cape. Because of the amount of overlapping fabric, this project uses a lot of yarn. And I was trying to create a garment without knowing whether it would work, or even look nice, until it was finished. I was sweating bullets for over 1,800 yards! It wasn't until I bound off that I realized it was a success.


The Nerina Scarf

My son and I love fishing and I enjoying our fishing knots and have been trying to figure out how to incorporate my fishing knots into my stitchwork for years.

The Nerina Scarf is a really cool scarf that uses short-row shaping heavily to create beautiful ruffles and holes. The holes were a natural place to weave in cords for ruching the ruffles to manipulate the scarf into a cowl or capelet. Because the cords needed to be closed, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to use a uni-knot (the same knot that I use to join leader line to fishing line) in my knits!

The first project I designed for A Knitting Wrapsody, and the project that created the inspiration for the book's concept, was the Tree of Life Ruana. The ruana is a quick and easy knit in a simple, textured stitch with a beautiful pleat on each front that is fun to create.

The back of the ruana is my favorite part of the piece, though, and the one I was so excited to create. I fell in love with the painting Tree of Life by Tim Parish and wanted knit something like it.

I created a color chart for knitting the tree trunk in intarsia stockinette. The contrast of stockinette really pops on the textured fabric of the rest of the ruana. And the simple, chain embroidery stitch used for the spiral branches complements the stockinette stitch texture very well.


Tree of Life Ruana		Tree of Life Ruana, back view

The branches are embroidered free form. I chose a roving style yarn for this project because the texture of the yarn weaves in really well—there are a lot of ends to weave in on this project, and I wanted to make sure that when they were woven in they would stay in place!

A Knitting Wrapsody comes with a workshop DVD because I wanted to demonstrate the unusual techniques and offer my help, tips, and tricks. It's an hour-long DVD and I think it really complements the patterns in the book.

I love teaching and sharing my love of knitting and crochet with my readers, so DVD workshops are a great way for me to share my crafts more personally.

I hope you enjoy A Knitting Wrapsody. I sure enjoyed writing it for you!

Warm regards,

Kristin

Fibery Events Around the World

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:00:00 GMT


*Sandi Wiseheart designed this shawlette using handspun qiviut that she painstakingly dehaired by hand. The pattern and charts are available in the Winter 2010 issue of Spin-Off.*

A note from Kathleen: Here's a truly fun fiber factoid about the fabulous Arctic musk-ox fiber Qiviut!

Knitting Daily founding editor Sandi Wiseheart says "The musk oxen, cow-sized beasties with shaggy pelts and downward-turning horns framing their faces, rub up against the bushes and leave clumps of their pelts behind tangled in amongst stems and leaves. People come along and collect these clumps, and that's how a ziplock baggie of it ended up with me."

Sandi used that baggie of Qiviut fiber to spin and knit a shawlette she designed, pictured at left. Beautiful, no?

I love learning about fiber. There are so many fascinating stories out there about how people celebrate their love of fiber, it's really inspiring! I've invited Spin-Off editor Amy Clarke Moore to talk about two worldwide events that kicked off this fall: The Campaign for Wool and FeltUnited.

Here's Amy to tell you more!

Celebrating a World of Fiber with Spin-Off

The Winter 2010 issue of Spin-Off magazine, a sister publication to Interweave Knits, is just out.

While the magazine is created for handspinners, there is quite a lot of information in each issue that is of interest to knitters. I think Knitting Daily readers will be especially interested to learn that in the Winter 2010 issue, Knitting Daily founding editor, Sandi Wiseheart has spun and designed a beautiful qiviut lace shawl (the pattern and charts are included in the article).

Sandi tells a great story, and her article is all about the process of taking qiviut, which is the fine undercoat of fiber produced by the musk ox and naturally shed on the North American tundra, and painstakingly removing all the vegetable matter to create an incredibly fine, soft yarn.

We pulled a couple of short articles from our winter issue (from our "As the Whorl Spins" department) that highlight recent wooly events around the world.


Bowmont Merino sheep on Savile Row, London, October 11, 2010. Image courtesy of the Campaign for Wool.

Sheep in the Street Campaign for Wool

In October 11, sheep could be found grazing Savile Row, the street in central London synonymous with fine men's tailoring. Cars were removed to make space, turf was laid, and fences and a barn were built overnight in anticipation of the early morning arrival of the sheep. The organizers hoped to bring as much attention to the wool itself as the products made from it.

The sheep kicked off Wool Week (October 11-17) in the United Kingdom, which aimed to highlight the natural advantages of wool. Over ninety apparel and interior retailers, representing four hundred stores, took part. Wool Week offered the public the opportunity to interact with wool and sheep with events from Meet the Sheep (highlighting different breeds) and sheep parades to in-store events and specially organized knitting workshops.

Wool Week marked the start of the five-year Campaign for Wool, aimed at reconnecting people with the versatility of wool and in turn to help to support sheep farming as an industry and the international textile community. The campaign was convened by the Prince of Wales with the support of British, Australian, South African, Norwegian, and New Zealand woolgrowers. The campaign will extend globally in 2011 into Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and the United States.

Check out this video of the sheep on Savile Row!

(Please visit the site to view this media)

FeltUnited—the International Day of Felt


Elis Vermeulen's work Speak friend and enter, was part of the first annual FeltUnited. Photo by Elis Vermeulen.

October 2 marked the second International Day of Felt. Inspired by the designation of 2009 as the United Nation's International Year of the Natural Fibers, artists Elis Vermeulen (of the Netherlands) and Cynthia Reynolds (of Norway) created FeltUnited. FeltUnited is a nonprofit group of artists from around the world that aim to connect feltmakers and to raise awareness of felt as a both an art and a craft.

For the International Day of Felt, FeltUnited asks felt artists around the globe to display their felt outside their homes and studios by wearing it, hanging it, or showing it in large installations. Participants are asked to take photographs and submit them to be part of an online exhibit that is archived on the website. Preparations are underway for the 2011 International Day of Felt and updates will be available on the FeltUnited website.

Spin-Off is full of so many fun and informative articles for fiber enthusiasts—check it out!

Cheers,

Kathleen's Favorite Five

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Are you a list-maker like I am? I have all kinds of lists on my desk: a grocery list, an outdoor chore list, a hardware store list, a "things Gramma needs at the retirement home" list, and the ubiquitous to-do list.

This time of year I start another list, in fact it's my favorite list—a Christmas list!

Everyone in my life knows I'm a knitter, so I always get cute knitting notions and beautiful single skeins of luxury yarns. I've trained my people very well, and I'm very lucky they asked for training!

Do you need to let your people know what knitting goodness you'd like this year? Here's a list of my recommendations; feel free to pass it on.


Knitting Green: Conversations and Planet Friendly Projects is just what we need for these eco-conscious times. Editor Ann Budd brings together knitting pros to discuss their feelings about conservation and share clever and beautiful patterns that help us protect our planet. From yarn choices to washing your handknits, you'll be inspired to knit greener and live greener.		Knitting Daily TV Series 500 is a must-have for all of you knitters who want be up on design trends, new and favorite designers, tips and tricks, and any knitter who wants to go from good knitting to great knitting. I've learned so much from KDTV, and I promise that you will too!


Northern Knits: Designs Inspired by the Knitting Traditions of Scandinavia, Iceland, and the Shetland Isles is the knitting book for the armchair traveler. Author Lucinda Guy takes you to the northland, home to so many beautiful knitting traditions. Don't be surprised if your copy of Northern Knits comes littered with Post-Its marking the things the gifter wants you to knit for him or her!		Sockupied is truly revolutionary. You can use it from your computer (windows or Mac), viewing videos, watching animated tutorials, enjoying annotated photographs, and much more. The patterns are all presented as PDF downloads, too, so you can print them out and put them in your knitting bag. I love it, and you will too!



The Haapsalu Shawl: A Knitted Lace Tradition from Estonia.

Last but most certainly not least is one of the most important and special knitting books published in the last few years: The Haapsalu Shawl: A Knitted Lace Tradition from Estonia. This wonderful book is so beautiful that I keep it on my coffee table. If you're a lace shawl knitter, or if you aspire to be one, this book is essential for you.

Learn the history of lace shawls, complete with authentic patterns and tutorials; this is the whole package. Put it on your Christmas list or give it to a knitter in your life (it would be perfect for the person who taught you to knit!). It's a gift to treasure for a lifetime.

I hope you use these gift ideas to fill up your Christmas list, and just FYI, today is the last day of our Interweave Store sale, so pick up gifts for your knitter friends!

Cheers,

A Lace Knitting Challenge

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT


Maikell Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia

I have a friend who knits the most beautiful lace shawls. One day I asked her where she wore them, and she said "Oh, wherever—usually to Alberson's and Costco, actually, because I don't go anywhere fancy." I loved that answer so much—what a great attitude. Another friend who's a beader employs the same philosophy: she wears her creations with dresses and sweatpants alike.

One of the reasons I've never attempted a lace shawl is for the very reason that I think I have nowhere to wear it, so I'm going to adopt my friends' attitudes and go for it!

My very favorite lace patterns are the Haapsalu lace knitting designs from Estonia, presented in Nancy Bush's wonderful book Knitted Lace of Estonia.

Normally, I wouldn't tackle this type of lace project because it just looks too hard—I've knit plenty of lace scarves and a couple of sweaters, but never an Estonian lace project. (And I've never knitted with actual lace-weight yarn alone—it seems so fragile!) But the new edition of Knitted Lace of Estonia contains a DVD (also sold separately), which really demystifies Estonian lace! And the yarn is tougher than I though, too.

As I was watching I kept thinking, "I can do that. That's not so hard. Oh, that's how you do that!" Nancy is a world-renowned teacher, and I can see why. She's got such a calm presence; it's obvious she's both a master knitter and a master teacher.

Now I know that Estonian lace isn't too hard for me, and I'll bet it's not too hard for you, either! I'm going to challenge myself to knit the Maikell Shawl, at left. I think this could be the project that keeps me company all fall and winter as I work on it between sweater projects.

It's made with the traditional Haapsalu construction method—the stitches for the center panel are cast on and worked to the desired length, then the stitches are bound off on the wrong side. The lace edge is then knitted in two parts, each of which is sewn separately onto the center panel. Nancy used a shawl she purchased in Haapsalu as her inspiration for this shawl design; to learn the details of this type of construction, she had many lessons during her visits to Estonia.

Even though it's a big project when it's done and blocked, as I'm working on it the shawl can be scrunched down into a little project bag and carried on my wrist—just like the knitters in Haapsalu do! In fact, lace shawl knitters say that the finest shawls can be passed through a wedding ring when they're finished. Now that's an exquisitely fine shawl!

Instead of me blathering on and on about Knitted Lace of Estonia and the new DVD lesson, here's Nancy herself!

Want to join me in my challenge?Just choose a project from Knitted Lace of Estonia and get started!

Cheers,

The Haapsalu Shawl: Rhapsody in Knitting

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT


Knitting a Haapsula shawl

Sometimes a piece of knitting grabs you and won't let go. For me, those pieces have always been beautiful lace shawls. I've knit several lace scarves, but never a shawl; I'm intimidated by knitting that much delicate lace—what if I mess it up?

I know all about lifelines—running a piece of yarn through your stitches every now and then so you have a solid place to rip back to if necessary—but somehow those don't give me enough confidence.

I got a new book the other day, The Haapsalu Shawl: A Knitted Lace Tradition from Estonia by Siiri Reimann and Aime Edasi, and the combination of amazing and beautifully presented patterns and directions has finally given me the confidence (and inspiration) I need to proceed with a shawl.

Here's a little inspiration for you from the authors of the book.

Haapsalu, located on the shore of the Baltic Sea, is a small Estonian town which received town bylaws in 1279. Being surrounded by the sea on three sides, this quiet town is known as a health resort with curative mud. It is also famous for its medieval Episcopal Castle, the dwelling place of the most celebrated ghost of Estonia, the White Lady.

Legend has it that a maiden of Estonian blood was walled alive in the half-finished wall of the baptistery; although forbidden, she had continued to live in sin with one of the cannons. The poor woman's soul couldn't find peace and thus, for centuries she has appeared in the baptistery window to prove the immortality of her love.

About the same amount of recognition has been brought to Haapsalu by its hand-knit lacy scarves and shawls. One often speaks about delicate Haapsalu lace shawls, yet what this airy needlecraft really is about, what makes it different from other lacy shawls and how to knit them—these are the questions frequently put to knitters of Haapsalu.

With this book we hope to introduce the culture of the Haapsalu shawl to a wider audience and encourage anyone interested in handicraft to try out shawl knitting.

The tradition of the Haapsalu shawl and the town which has given its name to this tradition are inseparable. Therefore, together with the shawls, we will try to introduce you to the atmosphere of this small town as well as its celebrated ladies.

Kind reader and handicraft lover, the book you are holding in your hand has captured the secrets of the Haapsalu shawl and there is nothing left but hope that you, too, will enjoy knitting these lovely shawls as much as we do.

—Siiri and Aime from Haapsalu

This book is truly like no other knitting book I've seen. It does just what the authors hoped it would, combining the sense of place that is Haapsalu with the history and technique of its eponymous knitted shawl.


The Silvia Pattern for a Haapsalu Scarf or shawl. For a larger photo, chart, and for the chart key, please click here.

Basically, each shawl (or scarf) is comprised of a lace pattern and an edging pattern, and the book takes you through the math that's necessary to come up with the number of repeats and the size of the shawl you want. It's pretty simple—really!

Most of the lace patterns are based on items from nature. My favorite, though, was designed in 1992 to commemorate the visit of Sweden's Queen Silvia. It's the Silvia Pattern, a variation of the classic Haapsalu Lily of the Valley design.

I've included the Silvia Pattern for you at right. Try knitting a swatch with a lace-weight merino on size 2 1/2-4 US needles (3-3.5 mm). There's also a larger PDF version of the chart and a chart key available here—it's a lot easier to see when you have a bigger chart to follow!

What is a nupp and how do I make one?

One of the traditional stitches used in many Haapsalu shawls is the nupp (we call it a bobble). Here are the directions for working a nupp.

Knit into stitch, leaving it on the left-hand needle, * yarn over, knit into original stitch again, repeat from * two more times—seven stitches from one stitch.

If nupp is increased on right side row then purl all nupp stitches together on wrong side row.

If nupp is increased on wrong side row then knit the nupp stitches together through the back loops on right side row.

The Haapsula knitting masters include a hint with the directions, too:

In order to get a beautiful nupp, stretch the loops of the nupp so that they are even and long enough. This makes it easier to purl or knit them together on the following row.

This is just a taste of the shawls of Haapsalu, there's so much more to learn—and fair warning: you'll want to set aside an afternoon to enjoy The Haapsalu Shawl thoroughly—the time will fly by as you immerse yourself in the knitting of Haapsalu.

Cheers,

Fall in Love with the Five Peaks Shawl (and Tunisian Crochet!)

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen—True confessions: The only shawl I've ever knit was for a shop sample. I've always wanted to knit one of those beautiful lace shawls out there, but I really have no place to wear something like that, so I have stuck with scarves and neckwarmers. One of my friends knits the most beautiful lace shawls and when I asked her where she wore them, she said, "Oh, I don't know. Albertson's, I guess!" I cracked up. Anyway, When I received my Spring issue of Interweave Crochet, I was intrigued by the Five Peaks Shawl, which is a lovely meeting of casual and elegant, and it's the perfect Spring wrap for my climate.

Interweave Crochet editor Marcy Smith is here to delve into this shawl for us. Take it away, Marcy!

Spring into Crocheted Shawls


The Five Peaks Shawl by Vashti Braha

I know some of you were taken with the Tunisian crochet Sunset Ruana in the Winter 2009 issue of Interweave Crochet. Tunisian, a fusion of knit and crochet techniques, has been gaining favor among many fiber enthusiasts. In our Spring 2010 issue, we have a project you'll love: The Five Peaks Shawl by Vashti Braha.

This simple and elegant wrap will be your go-to spring cover-up for both casual and formal occasions. Worked in sumptuous amethyst Road to China Light—a blend of alpaca, silk, cashmere and camel—this wrap is super-soft and drapey. The magic of the drape comes in part from working this DK-weight yarn on a large (size L) hook.

The shawl is worked in one piece using methods borrowed from the basic eyelet-edged garter stitch washcloth. As with all Tunisian projects, you pick up stitches all the way across a row using a longer-than-normal crochet hook, then work them off two at a time. You increase at the beginning of the row, yarn-over, then work to the end, yarn-over and decrease.

Now, you could simply work a triangle this way and it would be a shawl. But the genius of Vashti's design is that she created five peaks in the shawl so that it doesn't slip. You can let the front sections dangle, or you can wrap one or both front pieces across. You might wear it with the longer peak across one arm, instead of in the back, for dramatic flair.

We've rated this pattern a level 1 for easy-peasy. You can work this and watch the latest episode of Ice Road Truckers (or Knitting Daily TV!) at the same time.

You'll need a special Tunisian hook with a long cord for this project, because you'll need to fit 125 loops on it at one point (I know —only 125 loops! Not like the hundreds and hundreds of stitches you might need for a knitted shawl. Just saying.)

For more dedicated stitchers, we have the Forest Petals Shawl by Karla McCalmont. We've rated this a level 3 (of 4), but don't let that put you off.


The Forest Petals Shawl by Karla McCalmont

The pattern stitch is well within range for a beginning Tunisian crocheter, but working with the laceweight yarn requires a higher level of concentration. (You could maybe watch a rerun of Seinfeld while working this, but a Buffy marathon might be too distracting.)

You can work this project with a regular crochet hook, so long as it has a straight shaft without the thumb indentation (we love the Lantern Moon hooks—read all about them in Yarn Spotlight).

And to help you get going with the whole Tunisian crochet thing, we've uploaded a batch of Tunisian technique videos at CrochetMe.com. Check them out and get started!

Of course, we have a lovely batch of non-Tunisian crochet patterns as well in the Spring issue of Interweave Crochet. Take a peek and let us know what intrigues you!

And while you're at it, why not subscribe to Interweave Crochet? You won't want to miss out on any of our wonderful designs!

Best,

Free Pattern: Lovely Lace Shawl (Plus More Lace Tips!)

KD Sandi — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:36:00 GMT

Tips for Joining A Shawl Worked in Two Halves

Some long rectangular shawls or scarves are worked in two pieces and then joined at the center. Why? Because certain lace patterns produce a lovely scalloped or patterned edge at the cast-on end, but do not produce a matching pretty scallop at the bind-off end. If you were to work the shawl or scarf in a single piece, the two ends would look very different--and most knitters prefer the swoopy fancy cast-on edge to the comparatively plain bind-off edge!

Designers resolve this by knitting one half of the shawl which is then set aside while casting on and knitting another matching half. The two halves are then joined, usually by...no, no, don't run away, not yet anyway...grafting them together using the Kitchener stitch.

There's that dratted Kitchener stitch again. Just when we all were having so much fun, knitting a gorgeous lace shawl, that silly grafting thing had to go and sneak up on us at the very end. The existence of that sentence, "Now graft the two halves together using the Kitchener stitch" has stopped many a knitter from knitting certain perfectly lovely shawl patterns.

Methods for Joining the Two Halves and (bonus!) Saving Your Sanity

You can substitute a three-needle bind-off for the Kitchener stitch. This is easy and quick, but it can produce a pronounced ridge right down the middle of your shawl.

Another method, suggested by Alice Halbeisen, the designer of the Lace Shawl pictured above (and this week's free pattern!), is to bind off each half very loosely, and then stitch the halves together. This second solution works quite well, with only a minimal ridge if you do it carefully.

Here are some tips for seaming success:

1. If there is a "plain knitting" row, bind off on that row instead of a "lace knitting" row.
2. Bind off in pattern, meaning: If there are a mixture of knits and purls, knit the knits and purl the purls as you work the bind-off row.
3. Use the mattress stitch to sew the seam.
4. Carefully match column for column as you sew.
5. Use pins or locking stitch markers to "baste" the halves together to help keep the stitches and columns matched up.
6. Be sure to catch the legs of the very last stitch in each column, and alternate columns as shown in this tutorial.

Ultimately, however, every knitter sooner or later should become proficient at the Kitchener stitch. It seems to be some sort of scary monster that intimidates a lot of us; but really...it's just another knitting technique, just like entrelac or turning a heel or short rows. We're all knitters, and that means we're smart enough to Kitchener! I admit: I can graft when I need to, but I still have to look at the diagrams and in the process there's a lot of words coming out of my mouth that my momma wouldn't approve of. And so this summer, I'm making it one of my personal goals to conquer that silly grafting thing, once and for all. After all, who's the boss of my knitting? Me, that's who. So stay tuned! And don't forget to download the free Lovely Lace Shawl pattern.

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knitting Lace: Knitting Daily Presents 7 Free Knitted Lace Patterns

Are you addicted to lace knitting? Or maybe you've admired some of the gorgeous knitted lace patterns out there and want to give lace knitting a try? Here are seven of Interweave's top knitted lace patterns, gathered together in one FREE ebook for you.

Whether you are a first time lace knitter, or a seasoned expert, you'll enjoy the timeless beauty of knitting lace. Get these stunning projects that will continue to inspire, and be loved for generations to come. You'll want to make every one of these lace patterns, so download your free eBook now and get started (and don't forget to tell a friend so they can enjoy their own copy!)