Knitting Daily : Spinning

Fill Your Calendar with Knitting Projects

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

I love calendars, especially wall calendars, and I spend a lot of time every year in the bookstore choosing something that will inspire me every day. It's a tough choice, too, because with wall calendars, you look at one photo for a whole month.

I've said before how lucky I am to have this job, and my luck knocked on the door last week in the form of the UPS gal, who handed me a package containing what will be my wall calendar for 2010. It's the new Spin-Off Calendar, and it's truly inspiring to someone who loves all things yarny. The photo at left is so beautiful, and that's just one of twelve!

(I can't believe we're coming up on 2010, though. It sounds so futuristic—I thought we'd all be flying around in spaceships by now!)

As I looked through my new calendar, I started thinking about my knitting and some of the projects that are in my queue. I thought it might be neat to plan my knitting for the year. I know some of this won't happen—we all have things that come up to disrupt our knitting plans (like cool new patterns we must knit now!)—but it was fun to look through my bookshelves and my Ravelry queue and schedule some projects.

A Year of Knitting, a.k.a. "Best Laid Plans"


Cabaret Raglan	Sculptured Lace Scarf	Soap Bubble Wrap	Bacchus Socks
Norah Gaughan	Kenny Chua	Connie Chang Chinchio	Alice Bell

I've had the Cabaret Raglan in my queue almost as long as I've had my Ravelry account. I love the simplicity of the Cabaret—it's a raglan pullover, but the eyelets and two-stitch cable patterns really dress it up. I think I'll tackle this in January and February.

The Sculptured Lace Scarf is something that I can knit at the same time as the Cabaret Raglan, because I like to have more than one project on the needles. I love the tight lace and cable pattern in this design.

The Soap Bubble Wrap is knit from a flax yarn but I have a linen blend linen in my stash that will be perfect. This warm-weather beauty will be a good knit for the spring months. For my alternate project, it's got to be the Bacchus Socks. There's an option for knitting these without the bobbles on the foot portion, which I think I'll do so I can wear them comfortably with shoes. These socks are just beautiful.


Tangled Yoke Cardigan	Harvey Kimono	Simply Marilyn	Side Slip Cloche
Eunny Jang	Louisa Harding	Debbie Bliss	Laura Irwin

I really like a cardigan, and the Tangled Yoke is a classic. At a gauge of six stitches to the inch, it's a nice, light cardigan that won't add bulk. I like the fabric that's produced when I knit on size 5 needles, and that's the needle size called for in this sweater. The cable pattern on the yoke draws the eye toward the face, too, which is a nice feature. This project will hit during the summer months, and while I don't like to knit with wool in the summer, I do like to have a new sweater to wear in the fall, so I'll have to deal with it, won't I?

My second summer project will be a Harvey Kimono. If you have a little one in your life, these darling kimonos couldn't be more perfect. They're so cute and they knit up fast. There's an option for a boy version or a girl version.

In September and October, I'm penciling in Simply Marilyn. This pullover is just that: simple. The big cable up the front and the cowl add a classic, cozy feel, and the larger gauge makes quick work of this sweater. It's so pretty in pink, too—or maybe I should do it in a soft blue since I already have two pink sweaters!

The second project for fall is the lovely Side Slip Cloche. There's a sample of this hat at my LYS and everyone who tries it on looks great—even me! It's a sophisticated hat that's fun to knit. My mom's been asking for one since she saw it on the cover of Boutique Knits last fall, so I'll put this on my holiday knitting list for October.

I'm not going to fill up my calendar for November and December, because I know there will be a bunch of last minute holiday knitting that I'll want to squeeze in. Plus, some of these projects will creep into later months, I'm sure.

So that's the plan, folks! Why don't you take a few minutes to put your projects on the calendar? It's really helped me set my knitting priorities, and I've had fun looking at the beautiful photos in my calendar, too.

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. Interweave has come out with three new calendars, so if you're a quilter or a papercrafter, there's something for you, too.

Knitting and Crocheting: A Successful Relationship (Plus a Finishing Tip!)

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen: Even though I'm a knitter first, I look forward to seeing each new issue of Interweave Crochet. There's always something that inspires me to try a new pattern or stitch. This time, the inspiration came from an article by the ever-adventurous Franklin Habit. Here to tell you more about Franklin and his foray into crochet is Marcy Smith, editor of Interweave Crochet—check out the preview of the fall issue! Marcy and her colleague Wimi were lucky enough to spend some time crocheting and laughing with Franklin. (And see my crochet finishing tip at the end of Marcy's story. It's the perfect edging for your knitted sweaters.)

Here's Marcy!

Flirting with the Hook

Here at Interweave Crochet, we love to share the joy of crochet. Even more so if we can bring a knitter on board.

So imagine our delight when we discovered that Franklin Habit, intrepid knitter and author of It Itches, had a dalliance with the crochet hook. We met up with Franklin in Chapel Hill, NC, in February. You may have read Franklin's hilarious cartoons and essays; he's even funnier in person.

With me at the reading was Wimi (say "Wee-Me"). Wimi began life as a Best Friend Doll then took on a career as a crafts journalist, meeting crafters throughout North Carolina. Nowadays, my little knitted friend hangs out with her on-again, off-again Peruvian boyfriend, Smyth, who is crocheted. They work daily to overcome their differences.

So after the reading, Wimi sidled up to Franklin to see if he had any insights into dealing with Smyth. And, as you can see, they hit it off right away. Franklin confided that he too has struggled with crochet. Wimi asked if he could write about it. And the result is “Filet of Soul: One Man's Journey into Crochet,” in the Fall issue of Interweave Crochet.

In a tale that begins on a Greek island and moves to Chicago—with Franklin curled around a crochet hook in the fetal position—Franklin unwinds his story of coming to understand and respect crochet. In between are stints of '70s-afghan-trauma therapy and spates of an odd disconnect between head and hands. By turns hilarious and poignant, Franklin's story demonstrates that even the most confirmed knitter can have a happy flirtation with crochet.

Take a whirl yourself in the Fall issue, where we offer several sweaters that will have you marveling at the style capacity of crochet. There are five quick gifts to crochet, as well as five patterns that call for just one skein of yarn. With a couple of beginner patterns and seven advanced beginner patterns (including a lovely laceweight shawl and an afghan that had a non-crocheter in the office reaching for a hook), you'll find something to sink your hook into. And everything you need to know to get started crocheting is right there in the magazine.

So spice up your own fiber life with Interweave Crochet!

Best,
Marcy

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Reverse Single Crochet Stitch: A Nice Finish

Kathleen, here!

I've used the reverse single crochet stitch—also known as the "shrimp stitch" or the "crab stitch"—so many times it's almost my finishing signature. It gives you a nice, almost picot-looking edge that perfectly finishes a cast-off edge or a neckline.

At left is an example of this technique, on a sweater that I knit for my mom a couple of years ago. I like it with the delicate white yarn and cable pattern.

Here are the directions for this versatile stitch:

Step 1. Working from left to right, insert the crochet hook into a knit edge stitch, draw up a loop, bring the yarn over the hook, and draw this loop through the first one. *Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right (figure 1), draw up a loop, bring the yarn over the hook again (figure 2), and draw this loop through both loops on the hook.

Step 2. Repeat from * until the entire edge has been covered (figure 3).

Cut the yarn and secure the last loop by pulling the tail through it.

I hope you'll try this finishing technique, I think you'll like the result.

Cheers,

Kathleen

"Spin-Off" into the International Year of Natural Fibres

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:31:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen: There's so much going on in the knitting/yarn/fiber world lately, and we're all so lucky to have access to it through Interweave's various publications. Spin-Off magazine, for instance, is a wonderful resource for spinners, but as a knitter, I find several things of interest in each issue I see. There are some really neat features in the upcoming fall 2009 issue of Spin-Off (which will be on the shelves on September 15), so here's editor Amy Clarke Moore to give you a little preview of the exciting offerings in this unique, fiber-lovers' magazine, including an amazing declaration from the United Nations to honor natural fibers.

Spinning Off into the International Year of Natural Fibres

I've been the editor of Spin-Off since 2000—and so far I've worked on thirty-eight issues. Wow, has that time flown by!

Each issue, I think, "This is my favorite. Our readers are going to love this one." Well, this time, with the Fall 2009 issue, my feelings about the issue exceed that feeling by one hundred-fold. Maybe it is because it was so fun to come up with a concept for this one.

The United Nations has declared 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibres (IYNF) and Spin-Off magazine is all about natural fibers every issue, every year, every second (well, occasionally we talk about man-made fibers, but mostly we talk about natural fibers).

Once we jumped up and exclaimed, "Yes! Let's celebrate the IYNF! in the Fall 2009 issue of Spin-Off," we sat back down again—rather quickly with our hands on our chins—"Wait a sec. How do we celebrate natural fibers in a way that we haven't done before in every single issue, every single year since the magazine was born over thirty-three years ago?"

Then it hit us, we're all about making yarn from scratch, let's look at the very beginning of cultivating fiber—we'll investigate growing cotton, raising silkworms, and look into being owned by goats. We'll put out a call for entries by our readers and invite them to show us what they've made absolutely from scratch.

So even if you never pick up a spindle, as a fiber enthusiast you're bound to find something in this issue of Spin-Off that captivates your imagination.

Fall Leaves Shawl Project

You'll love the Fall Leaves Shawl project: six spinners/knitters made eleven stunning versions of the same lace shawl using different techniques for achieving color and texture in the shawl. At left are some samples of this beautiful shawl. You'll see even more samples of the shawl, plus get the pattern, in the fall issue of Spin-Off.

And there's yet another exciting knitting feature in this issue. . .

The Horseshoe Cap: Get into the Spin-Off Gallery!

Here's a pattern we're giving to members of our website: The Horseshoe Cap by Janet Wray (photo at right). We've invited spinners to spin and knit their own version of the Horseshoe Cap to submit to our Handspun Gallery for the Summer 2010 issue of Spin-Off. Guidelines are here. Join spinoffmagazine.com and receive the pattern free!

(When you join Spin-Off.com, you'll need to provide your email and a username. You'll get a confirmation email, then you'll log in to the site. When you're there, go back to this window, and click the free project link. Click on the green download arrow on the right and you'll get the free pattern.)

A note about the Horseshoe Cap pattern: Since this pattern is written for spinners, it starts off with "Finishing," which we knitters expect to see at the end of a pattern. In this case, the finishing section talks about finishing up the actual making of the yarn before starting the knitting process. So don't be alarmed—if you're using mill-spun yarn, just skip to the second paragraph under the "Finishing" heading and cast on.

Here's to a year full of fiber adventures!

—Amy Clarke Moore
Editor, Spin-Off

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.)

Weaving: The Perfect Stash-Buster

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:32:00 GMT

A note from Kathleen: When I was little, my across-the-street neighbor was a fabulous weaver. She had a huge studio set up in her house and I used to spend hours watching her create the most beautiful tapestries, scarves, bedspreads, tablecloths, and runners--you name it, she could weave fabric for it. Though I haven't gotten into weaving until VERY recently (read on), that childhood fascination never completely faded. I was at the Madrona Fiber Arts festival in Tacoma, Washington a couple of years ago, and one of the vendors was featuring this little table-top loom. The speed at which the weaver produced about five inches of fabric was staggering; for weeks I had visions of Christmas gifts dancing in my head. I didn't buy the loom then, but I've been thinking about it off and on ever since I saw it. And then when I was in the office the other day, Handwoven magazine was going to press and I caught a glimpse of the projects. I couldn’t wait to get back home, go through my stash, and go to my local weaving store to look at looms. Oh, and I asked Liz Gipson, the managing editor of Handwoven, to get you busting your stashes too, and to inspire you along the way. So here's Liz!

Why should knitters care one bit about weaving? Knitters are "loopy" people not "over-under" people. You knitters use two sticks to make cloth; we weavers use this thing called a loom that has all kinds of moving parts. Knitting yarns come in playful balls; weaving yarns come on intimidating cones.

There is a reason that knitters might want to take notice of weaving--it's faster than knitting. I know, I know, you say, "but what about all those threads that have to go in all those different places?" It is true that dressing that loom does take some time. (Doesn't "dressing" provide a wonderful mental picture--I think I'll put on the cobalt top with the chocolate brown skirt. Another term you have probably heard is "warping the loom," yet it doesn't bring up the same cozy mental image. Anyway, I digress.)

The first few times you play dress-up-the-loom are just like learning to cast on or to purl for the first time: you feel like you're all thumbs. After the loom is dressed, though, the cloth grows row by row, not stitch by stitch! Plus, the big movements of weaving provide your body a break from the small movements of knitting.

Best of all for you knitters, though, is that you can also think of weaving as stash reduction. We all need some help with that, right? We owe it to our families to keep the yarn to just the spare room. (And weaving is absolutely not cheating on your stash!) Weaving provides a home for all of those lovely single balls of yarn you just had to have.

If all of this isn't enough to get you motivated to learn more about weaving, knitting and weaving can be used together to produce fabulous pieces, such as the Rigid Heddle Woven Ruffle Pillow. Here are two clips from season 1 of Knitting Daily TV: in the first one you can see the ruffle pillow being created as I show you how to weave on a rigid-heddle loom--one of the simplest, most knitter-friendly looms on the market.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

In the second segment I demonstrate how to weave on a table loom, which offers all the advantages of a floor loom (and sometimes even more when it comes to treadling options) but takes up less space. Both looms are beginner-friendly options for new weavers.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

For lots of tips and tricks about weaving, download the handy brochure "Get Weaving!," get your hands on the bestselling Learning to Weave (for floor loom weavers) or Weaving Made Easy or Hands On Rigid Heddle Weaving (for rigid heddle weavers), and go find yourself a teacher (there are tips on how to do this on learntoweave.com). And, all of the instructions for the weaving projects seen in Knitting Daily TV episode 105 are available on the Spinning and Weaving Association's website.

Have fun!

Liz Gipson
Managing Editor, Handwoven magazine

P.S. Goat update! Last fall I introduced Knitting Daily readers to my four cashmere-bearing goat friends, Bella, Faith, Diva, and Zeus. I've just sent nearly two pounds of cashmere off to the mill to be dehaired and cleaned. Diva for the most part has stopped tormenting Bella, and Zeus has developed an unrequited crush on Diva. Faith as usual carries on in her quiet unassuming way. You can read more of their adventures (and mine) in the back-page essay of the Fall 2009 issue of Spin-Off, coming soon to your local yarn shop and to Interweavestore.com.

Liz Gipson is a spinner, weaver, and all-around fiberista. Her day job at Interweave is the Managing Editor of Handwoven and she's a co-host of Knitting Daily TV on public television, where she offers advice about fibers, yarn-making, dyeing, and yes, weaving.

Knitting with Homespun: A Gift-Giver's Delight

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:30:00 GMT

True confession: I've never spun a single inch of yarn. Really embarrassing true confession: I've never wanted to spin a single inch of yarn. (I'm sure that'll change as I get to know more about spinning, right?) So why am I even talking about spinning? It's all because of the yarn, folks. The wonderful, unique, goodness that is handspun yarn. (And because of the Quant. The what, you ask? The Quant. Keep reading.)

I have knit with my share of homespun and I love it. There's something so satisfying about buying a skein or two (Etsy, anyone?), choosing a beautiful accessory pattern, and knitting it up. I usually use my super-special hardwood needles with homespun, just to make the experience that much more luxurious.

There's also something a little sad about giving the project away as a gift, which is usually what I end up doing.

I once knit a scarf out of the most funky, thick and thin homespun that had bits of fluff, felt, and sparkly things randomly interwoven. I ran it with a DK merino in a solid that picked up the brightest color of the fluffy stuff. This was a simple side-to-side garter-stitch pattern that really showed off the spectacle of this yarn.

Then I gave the scarf away. I've been pining for it ever since, secretly being a little mad at the recipient, and I've never been able to find the yarn again.

In the spirit of letting go of my resentment, I'm going to start some new gifts with homespun. I was flipping through the summer 2009 issue of Spin Off magazine--and there it was--the perfect simple-ish patterns that really shows off the beauty of homespun yarn: TA DA . . . the Quant, by Star Athena.

The Quant is a nifty entrelac head wrap-the perfect one-skein wonder and beginning entrelac project. It's a wonderful head scarf for late fall and early spring in Spokane. (In the dead of winter you would need about three of them to fully encase your head, leaving an air hole or two.) For me, it achieves two things: I can practice my entrelac and have some great gifts as a result.

There's something for everyone with the Quant--you spinners can spin yarn specifically for this pattern, and us knitters get another excuse to buy some more lovely homespun--maybe yours!

Just remember to at least take to take a picture of your next homespun project before you give it away.

We Ask the Editors: What Are You Proudest of Making?

KD Sandi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:55:00 GMT

Do you ever wonder what the experts are proudest of making? I thought it might be fun to know what the editors of Interweave Knits, PieceWork, Interweave Crochet, and Spin-Off thought were their finest craft pieces--so I asked them to share the best of the work of their hands with us.

The one knit I'm most proud of is the Rambling Rose Cardigan from Interweave Knits Winter 2006. In a DK weight with lace inserts, raglan shaping, and a long silhouette, it wasn't a quick knit, but I enjoyed the knitting so much I finished it in about a month's time. The yarn is a wool/cashmere blend from Karabella, the fit is very slinky, and I worked the sweater all in one color, unlike the original that uses intarsia for a two-color look. It's a wardrobe staple for me!

--Lisa Shroyer
Senior Editor, Interweave Knits

As long-time Knitting Daily readers know, sometimes it takes me a long time to finish a project (update: I did finish the sweater for my Dad after only twelve years). So, the fact that it only took me two years to spin, design, and knit this domino sweater for my daughter Hannah gives me great relief. Here’s a picture of Hannah shortly after I finished it in January 2009. The spinning was a piece of cake, it was the knitting that took me a long, long time. The pattern will be in the All New Homespun, Handknit book that will be available this fall from Interweave.

-- Amy Clarke Moore
Editor, Spin-Off

I first started writing about crafts at the urging of Weta Ray Clark, the Home editor at The News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. She kept nudging and cajoling until I said yes. It was the best idea I never had, that brainstorm of Weta's. Meeting and reporting on crafters was the best fun ever.

So when Weta fell ill with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, I did what I know best: bring together crafters to make a blanket for Weta, whose treatments left her chilled even on the hottest Carolina days. I asked the newspaper's resident knitters and crocheters to make a strip of fabric 36 inches long. As anyone who has coordinated a blanket knows, everyone has her own tools for measuring, not all related to actual inches. So when the strips came in all sorts of crazy lengths, I laid them out and pondered. Initially, I attempted to make a merry blanket with edgy variable ends; it was quite terrible, soothing to neither eye nor soul. I pulled the strips apart, then kept nudging and cajoling until the strips lined up at the ends. I crocheted them together with various bright yarns, then added a deep crocheted ruffle, to create a bright confection of love.

Weta is no longer with us, but it is because of her that I am with you. I am glad to have helped transform the blanket from a wish to a warmth. It's what crafters do best.

-- Marcy Smith
Editor, Interweave Crochet

My mom was a very skilled and avid knitter. Regardless of what she was working on, she would stop to knit something for me—usually a new Fair Isle to match my latest ski clothes. But one day, I knew it was time, and I asked her to teach me. Although she was a very patient teacher, her eyebrows did raise when I announced that my first complete project would be a red cashmere scarf for my then boyfriend (it worked; he’s now my husband!). She wrote out a pattern, I bought the yarn and needles, and set off. Months and months passed; the planned Christmas gift was now to be a birthday gift; no wait, next Christmas! I finally finished it about two weeks before Christmas and promptly shipped it off to Mom for her to repair the numerous dropped stitches (I hadn’t given her enough time to teach me that part!). As usual, Mom worked wonders; Bob received his handknitted scarf, which he still wears. Of the handmade things I’ve made, I love this scarf the best—thank you, Mom!

--Jeane Hutchins
Editor, PieceWork

What things have you knitted that have made you the most proud? Leave a comment in our Forums--and maybe even upload a photo to the Reader's Gallery!

Thanks to our editors for sharing their proudest moments with us. We're all thrilled to bring good patterns and techniques to you so you can share in crafting and make something you're proud of, too. Need some more inspiration? This week, we have a special offer for those of you who wish to subscribe to all our fiber craft magazines. If you already subscribe to any of these magazines, we'll simply tag on a year to your subscription. We'll continue to supply patterns and information we're proud of and hope you'll continue to create.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I had to rip back a half-row of stars on the Star Light, Star Bright baby blankie because I dropped a yarn-over or three somewheres...all of a sudden, the stars were leaning a little bit too much to the left! So now I have a proper lifeline installed, as well as extra stitch markers. Onwards!

Make Your Own Yarn: Spin With Maggie

KD Sandi — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Are you enjoying the new Knitting Daily website? Pretty, isn't it? Those Web gurus, they're talented folk. (Thank you, talented Web gurus!) If you haven't had time to go exploring, you have a treat in store for you!

On Monday, I wrote about my little spinning "science experiments" where I tried to see how different ways of playing with fiber affected the yarn that I made. I had a ton of people write in saying "OK, you've got me hooked now. Where do I go to learn to spin?" (Evil chuckle...I think it was the pretty fiber. Pretty fiber gets a knitter every time.)

I get a little thrill every time a knitter says they want to learn to spin. After all, it's the yarn—all that beautiful, irresistible yarn—that gets so many of us into knitting in the first place, and the experience of making your own yarn is rather heady stuff. I've seen the faces of knitters when they spin their first length of yarn...and that look of joy and wonder must be one of the greatest pleasures of a spinning teacher's life.

This fall, I’m going to learn to teach spinning. Yes, that's right: I want to become a spinning teacher myself, because I want to pass on the fun and the deep satisfaction of making your own yarn. And who do I want to teach me to be a teacher? The woman who taught me to spin, Maggie Casey. Maggie has that magical touch—the gentleness to encourage students to overcome their anxieties, the joy in her craft to inspire folks to do more than they thought they could, and the depth of knowledge to make it fun to ask questions in class just to see what fascinating thing she comes up with!

So when people ask me where to go to learn to spin, I always answer: Take a class from Maggie Casey. The trouble is Maggie can only teach so many classes in so many places. You can learn a lot from her book, Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn. But my friends, spinning is best learned sitting at the wheel with Maggie by your side. So we’ve done the next best thing to cloning her—we’ve produced her video Start Spinning: The Video. It's literally a spinning class on DVD, where she starts at the very beginning and goes step by step through everything you need to know. And the best part is that Maggie isn't just talking to the camera—she's actually teaching a beginning spinner, so it really is just like being in a spinning class. A spinning class where you can set your wheel up in front of the TV, and replay things you don't understand. See a sneak peek of this video, behind the scenes of the making of Start Spinning: The Video.

Oh, and did I mention that Maggie's spinning student is Eunny Jang? As in, editor of Interweave Knits Eunny Jang? Being the consummate knitter, Eunny asks questions every knitter would want answered, and learns to spin from a knitter's point of view.

So where do you go to learn to spin? Right here, with Maggie by your side.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I'm seeing stars! I'm nearly done with the first row of lacy stars on the Star Light, Star Bright baby blanket for the cutest baby niece on the planet. (Well, ok, on MY planet, anyway.).

Become the Boss of Your Yarn

KD Sandi — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:04:00 GMT

You love yarn. C'mon, admit it: If someone left you locked in a yarn shop overnight, you wouldn't call anyone to come let you out, you'd just stay there and play with all those pretty yarns all night long, till someone found you the next morning with a big dopey grin on your face.

But our beloved yarns often frustrate us--the yarn called for in the pattern does not come in the right shade of blue; or the yarn we imagine for the bewitching little sweater pattern does not seem to exist anywhere but in our minds.

Yarn is fickle; it knows we adore it, but it refuses to bend to our every whim. We are its slave, not the other way around.

But what if....what if you had a chance of getting a bit more of the upper hand in this relationship? What if you had a way of making the exact yarn in your imagination, all by yourself?

That, my friends, is why thousands of knitters learn to spin--to make the yarn we yearn to knit.

I took up spinning again about a year and a half ago, and for the first few months, I just spun whatever my hands and the wheel and the fiber would agree to produce. I didn't have much say as to what type of yarn I made; I was too busy learning to keep the yarn from breaking or tangling or otherwise sticking its tongue out at me.

But once I'd managed to spin a consistent yarn, I felt like I wanted a bit more control over the process. In short, I wanted to spin the yarn in my head; I wanted to be the boss of my yarn as well as the boss of my knitting! I see all those lovely handpainted rovings in the stores, and I wonder: How does what you do to the fiber before you spin it influence how the colors appear in the finished yarn?

If you want to know how to handle handpainted fiber, ask a dyer who specializes in luscious handpainted rovings: Amy King, author of Interweave's new book Spin Control. In addition to a ton of other great spinning information, her book has instructions on how to prepare those gorgeous painted fibers to get the yarn you want. So...I decided to do a little hands-on experimenting, using Amy's book and some of her wonderful Spunky Eclectic fibers. I had two handpainted fibers--one a combed wool top in shades of red/orange/pink called "Lobster" and the other a hank of pure mohair dyed in bright yellows and oranges called "Walking on the Sun". I divided the Lobster into three parts, and, working from instructions in Amy's book, tried a different fiber preparation method on each part.

For one yarn, the color was less "blended" overall, with some distinct striping. The second yarn had a very even blending of all the colors, producing a sort of "heathery" effect. The third yarn was somewhere between the two--some distinct striping, but a softer, more heathery effect overall.

As for the mohair, I've learned from long experience that I can only handle that particular fiber in small amounts and for short periods of time, or my eyes swell up like water balloons. But it was so pretty, and I didn't want it to feel left out of the science party. So, using my handcards, I blended small amounts of it with silk, merino, silk noils, copper glitter, and romney and spun that up into a really unusual and beautifully colored yarn.

I never really thought about experimenting with my fibers in quite this way; I think I was focusing so heavily on Just Making Yarn that it didn't occur to me that I might be able to have enough control over the process that I could make the sort of yarn I WANTED to make instead of just settling for whatever wound up on my bobbins!

Spinning isn't all that hard; it's tons of fun and with a bit of practice and help from resources like Spin Control, you really can become the boss of your very own yarn.

Look for Spin Control at your local yarn shop, or purchase it here.

Be sure to join us on Wednesday, when we have a BIG suprise cooked up for everyone....you won't want to miss it!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Last night at Knit Night, I cast on for the starry baby blanket, Star Light, Star Bright, part of our new free Baby Knits ebook! I've worked the first seven rows and only had to rip back once...so far.

Galleries, Part 2: Knits Summer 2009

KD Sandi — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:35:00 GMT

A few weeks back, we published a survey where we asked you various questions about the Galleries, and there were over 500 individual comments--and I read each and every single one.

One question was asked over and over again: "Sandi, you're writing these fit commentaries for the models after they've tried on the sweaters--how do we pick out a size to knit when we don't have the sample sweater to try on?"

The usual answer--find a favorite garment similar to the sweater you'd like to knit, and compare its measurements to those given in the pattern schematics--may not work with an unusual garment such as Linda's Wrap Vest, the cover sweater from Interweave Knits Summer 2009. Unless you have a very cool closet, it's doubtful that you own anything like this elegant wrap. So how to choose the size that's right for you?

Here's one strategy: Read through the pattern to see how the garment is constructed, study the schematic to see how the pieces fit together, and look carefully at the magazine photo. What are you looking for? You're looking for key areas of fit. In the case of Linda's Wrap Vest, the two key areas of fit are the shoulders and the bust area, because the entire garment drapes from these two places. Have a friend measure across the back of your shoulders; compare this to the schematic. If you pick a size where this measurement is too wide, the wrap will not sit securely on your frame; too narrow a measurement and the wrap will be too tight to flow and swing! Next: Compare your bust measurement to the finished bust measurements and add at least two inches of positive ease. Find the size in the pattern that most closely matches both the shoulder width and your bust measurement.

Another trick: Do you sew? If you do, then you can make a "muslin," or fabric mock-up of the garment. This is particularly effective for unusual pieces like Linda's Wrap Vest, where the garment sections have straight edges. Use t-shirt material from the fabric store (it's knitted, right?--so it will have the right sort of drape and stretch), and make pattern pieces out of paper bags, following the measurements given on the schematic. Add a quarter inch seam all around for sewing; stitch the pieces together as they would be connected in the actual knitted garment. Try on your "muslin" and see how it fits!

These approaches may take a bit of extra time--and delay that delicious moment of casting on a bit longer--but the time will be well-spent in creating a garment that you know will fit you the way you want it to!

We have three more Galleries for you today: Linda's Wrap Vest, the Stanwyck Pullover, and the Filet Patch Blouse. Enjoy!

If you haven't gotten your copy of Knits Summer 2009 yet, ask for it at your local yarn shop; or purchase it online from us.

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I'm swatching for baby gifts for my new nieces-to-be! Meanwhile, I'm working on a pair of socks (as usual), and I just finished spinning some lovely hand dyed wool on my handspindle. (I'm getting into all kinds of fiber trouble, apparently.)

Galleries, Part 1: Knits Summer 2009

KD Sandi — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:20:00 GMT

We've been doing the Knitting Daily Galleries for two years now, and each and every one of them is different; each and every one a delight in its own way.

This one was different for me, because it was the first time I couldn't be in Colorado for the photoshoot, cheering on the Gallery Gals from behind-the-scenes. But fortunately, I had lots of help in the Loveland office, and at left you see the gang responsible for this season's Gallery fun: Allison, Trish, Sharon, Toni, and Karen. The delight for me came in seeing how the Gallery Gals posed and styled themselves for each photo! They really got into the spirit of the shoot, bringing their own accessories and making sure everything looked great.

This group photo is really useful as it shows you our five Gallery Gals next to each other, so you can compare heights--the range is 4' 11" (Trish) to 5' 8" (Sharon). There's also a range of ages and body types, as you can see.

In other words: We listened. A few weeks back, we published a survey where we asked you various questions about the Galleries, and many of you said you wished there were taller models, and older models, and so forth. Given that we can only use folks who happen to work for us, and who happen to be in the Loveland office the day of the photoshoot, I think this is a pretty cool group to show off the lovely fashions in Interweave Knits Summer 2009.

We have three Galleries for you today: The Akomeogi Tunic, Spidery Tank, and Grotto Wrap. Come back on Wednesday, when our Gallery Gals will have three more pretty garments to show you!

If you haven't gotten your copy of Knits Summer 2009 yet, ask for it at your local yarn shop; or purchase it online from us. You won't be sorry; there are so many pretty summer tops and gift items this issue that it's hard for me to choose which one I want to knit myself!

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

Eight Examples of Outstanding Knitwear Design

KD Sandi — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:39:00 GMT

On Monday, Vicki Square shared her top 5 keys for a great sweater design. Today, I thought I would wander through the Interweave Pattern Store with these 5 keys in hand, and pick out one or two examples of each one. Because we're heading into summer, the garments I have chosen are all suitable for warm-weather wear (or cooler summer nights!). Here are my picks for garments that fit each of Vicki's top 5 keys:

Key #1: Overall presentation must be aesthetically strong and balanced.

OK, I know I said that I was going to choose warm-weather garments, but there's one garment that is such a standout that I just couldn't pass it up: Norah Gaughan's Nantucket Jacket. This garment is an outstanding example of all the best that knitwear design has to offer: the stitch patterns, the shaping, the details, the yarn choice, the color. One look at it, and you know you are looking at something special, something timeless, something where all the features work together to form a harmonious whole. (And actually, you could wear it on a cool summer evening, because the yarn is breathable merino and the sleeves are three-quarter length.)

Key #2: The marriage of yarn to garment has to be a desirable match.

My two choices here are the Printed Silk Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio, and the Waterlily Top, by Pam Allen. You know a designer has chosen the absolute perfect yarn for her design when knitters have trouble coming up with an adequate substitution! No other yarn will do for either of these garments, not if you want the drape, flow, color, and sheen of the originals.

Key #3: Choose a stitch to showcase, and not overpower, the yarn.

Here, I immediately thought of two garments at opposite ends of the spectrum. First, Butterfly, by Katie Himmelberg, is done in all-over stockinette stitch to emphasize the shiny drape of the lovely bamboo yarn. Second, Shirley Paden's Oriel Lace Blouse uses an all-over, large-scale lace pattern to compliment the subtle color shifts in the hand-dyed silk. Look at either garment: Can you picture the Butterfly in a more elaborate stitch pattern? No, because it would take away from the simplicity and flow of the top. And few other stitch patterns would give the Oriel Lace Blouse that "wow!" factor.

Key #4: The garment's design absolutely must be well grounded in knowledge of garment construction, proportion, and knitting techniques.

Again, I chose two garments which exemplify two completely different aspects of great garment construction: Pam Allen's Flutter Sleeve Cardi and Norah Gaughan's Origami Cardi. The Flutter Sleeve Cardi has everything: great shaping done cleverly and well; sleeve caps that fit; and overall proportions that look great on a variety of body shapes. We featured this in one of our Knitting Daily Galleries last year, and every single person who tried it on was amazed at how well it fit and how flattering it was, no matter what the body type.

Norah's Origami Cardigan is at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as garment construction goes: She appears to break a lot of the rules, but when you wear the finished garment, you realize that she has in fact, followed every single rule—she's just gotten there by the road less travelled, if you will! Melding aspects of traditional Japanese couture with modern yarns and stitchery, the Origami Cardi is a standout example of stellar knitting technique.

Key #5: There is one feature that acts as a primary focus, with all other design elements enhancing this feature, not detracting from it.

In Stefanie Japel's Cable-Down Raglan, the cables take center stage—and everything else, from yarn choice to the overall shaping—enhances the cables but never ever overwhelms them. I love how the raglan stitching at the shoulders leads your eye right down into a gorgeous cable on the sleeves; the smooth merino yarn makes those cables pop.

You mean I can only pick eight? Well, no one said "eight" exactly, but there was a limit to how many sweaters I could talk about in one post. So I had to leave out a lot more of my favorites.

What would your picks be? You might want to take a stroll of your own through Interweave's Online Store, where you will find patterns for all eight of my picks, plus many, many more great spring and summer designs! You never know what you might find...

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

Fun With Fiber and Water: Hand Felted Jewelry

KD Sandi — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:09:00 GMT

My first thought upon completing my first wet-felting project: "I am not ever going to arm-wrestle with Carol Huber Cypher. If she does felting projects all day long, that woman must have serious upper-arm strength."

My second thought upon completing my first wet-felting project: "That was fun! What can I make for my second project?"

Wet-felting is the process of taking fuzzy stuff, a.k.a. fiber, adding hot soapy water, and rolling and pressing it until the fibers stick together to form felted fabric, beads, or ropes. Through wet-felting, Carol makes beautiful hand felted jewelry and accessories (and develops aforementioned upper-arm strength).

Her book, Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads: 25 Artful Designs, is definitely on the irresistible side: flower pins, beads, necklaces, bracelets all made with brightly colored fibers and a bit of water and soap. There's also some needle felting in there, just to show what lovely things can be created with some fluff and a needle.

The actual techniques are extremely easy--the artistry comes in the selection of colors, the forming of shapes, and the assembly of the felted elements. In about an hour or so, I made a wet-felted fabric piece about 6" x 9", ready to be formed into a flower pin, which was my goal at the start of the afternoon. I used some hand dyed fiber left over from a spinning batt, as well as some strands of a mohair/sparkle blend yarn I had in my stash.

Following Carol's really clear instructions, I layered the fiber with the yarn in the middle, then added soapy water and started rubbing and rolling. The photo doesn't really do it justice--the fibers sparkle, and the texture and translucency remind me of handmade paper, the kind with leaves and flower petals embedded in it. It's so pretty I have it hanging on the wall next to my computer; it's almost too pretty to do anything with! (That's why I want to do a second project; so I can actually end up with a flower pin next time.)

If you're in a crafty sort of mood and you just have to Make Something--go get a copy of Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads and see what pretty things you can create!

Pick up a copy of Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads at your local shop, or purchase online here.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Striped socks. I have a bouquet of summer wildflower colored yarn from Louet and I'm knitting a bouquet of striped socks--look for them soon here on Knitting Daily.

Kristin Omdahl: Designing in Two Worlds

KD Sandi — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: It's not as easy as you think to be a proficient designer in both of the two sister crafts, knitting and crochet. Yes, the two crafts are similar, but each has its own architecture of style that has to be mastered before a design--a successful, beautiful design--can be created.

So when I meet a designer fluent in both knitting and crochet, I'm fascinated by her approach to these similar-but-different crafts. Kristin Omdahl is one such designer, prolific and proficient in producing graceful, beautiful garments with both hook and needles. Today's interview is a look inside Kristin's "bi-craftual," and extremely creative, mind.

Kristin's new book, Wrapped in Crochet, published by Interweave, is available at your local yarn shop, or you can order it here.

Q&A with Kristin Omdahl: Designing in Both Worlds

Sandi: I think many people have seen your beautiful crochet designs in Interweave Crochet (including the cover of Spring 2009!) and may not realize that you're a very talented knitting designer as well. In fact, in the Spring issue of Interweave Knits, we featured a lovely knitted lace shawl that you designed, the Sweet Lily Shawl.

Kristin: Thank you, Sandi! I taught myself to knit 1 month after I taught myself to crochet, 7 years ago. I have been knitting and crocheting interchangeably ever since. I feel very fortunate that I am able to design as much as I do in both crafts.

S: Do you keep a design notebook? At what point do you decide whether it will be knitted or crocheted?

K: I have several volumes of design notebooks with sketches, charts, notes, schematics and lists. I don’t always get the opportunity to knit them when the inspiration strikes. I would like to go back through them one day. Inside, there are many designs I think should be knit and crocheted! Sometimes a design concept that I originally created for knitting ends up being crocheted, and vice versa. Occasionally, I enjoy replicating a design in both knit and crochet.

S: I've noticed that you design a lot of spiral and circular shawls, both in knitting and in crochet. What are the similarities for you in designing for both crafts, and what are some of the differences?

K: Textures in nature heavily inspire my work. The spirals in sea shells are very intriguing to me. Flowers and the various shapes of different flowers are also very fascinating to me. Sometimes I think of a shawl as a canvas, where I can “draw” a geometric design with my stitches. In crochet, it is pretty easy for me to just pick up my hook and some yarn and manipulate the stitches as I wish – no chart, sketch or swatch first. Plus, if there is a mistake, it is incredibly easy to unravel back to the point in question. In knitting, especially lace, you can’t see what your stitches look like until the end, and I really don’t like unraveling knit stitches, so I check my designs with charts and swatches first. And, I usually don’t make lifelines. I prefer to count every row. But, I should make life lines.

S: Is there anything you've learned from crochet that carries over to your knitting? How about the other direction?

K: Absolutely! I learn from both crafts every day. I began creating my own stitch patterns in crochet first, because I was inspired by some of the textures of knitting that I didn’t see in crochet. And, now that I have so many original crochet lace edgings, it encourages me and inspires me to create new knit lace edgings that look more like the crochet floral lace I like so much.

Join us Wednesday for a video where Kristin walks us step-by-step through the pretty--and amazingly easy--star design of her Stella Shawl. We'll also have the Stella crochet pattern as our free download this week!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I did it! I finished a pair of socks! My husband is very happy about this, since they are HIS socks. I also worked a bit on a lace shawl and did some spinning.

New Free eBook! 7 Free Knitted Lace Patterns

KD Sandi — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:01:00 GMT

Great Free Lace Pattern eBook:
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.

There's a knitted lace pattern here for everyone, from beginning lace knitter to advanced! Beginners can try their hands at a lovely knitted lace scarf (there's two easy lace scarves to chose from), then move on to a triangular lace shawl, a pair of knitted lace mitts, and a knitted lace hat. More experienced lace knitters will love the Icelandic Lace Shawl. The knitted lace cardigan is worked on large needles and uses a traditional lace knitting pattern for a knockout lace sweater. Something for everyone!

Download Knitting Lace: Knitting Daily Presents 7 Free Knitted Lace Patterns

We want to know what you think!

The Knitting Daily Galleries have become a hallmark of our newsletters over the past two years. But are they "just for fun" or do they play an active role in what you knit and how you knit it? We've constructed a short survey to find out how you use the Galleries. And if you'd like another look at the Galleries, you can view them here.

Thanks so much!
-- 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.