Knitting Daily : Wraps

Knitting and Pumpkin Pie: What do they have in common?

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

My sister doesn't like pumpkin pie, (I do not understand; does not compute) but her favorite color is orange. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was raking up orange and yellow and brown leaves, thinking about how pretty the fall colors are, even as I'm hating raking. There are so many beautiful colors of orange out there: pumpkin orange, saffron, tangerine, rust, ocher, that Crayola favorite Burnt Sienna, and so on!

I love orange, too, but it's not something that I knit with very often. In fact, I only have one knitted piece in orange—a lace vest that I made when I first started knitting. I think one reason I don't knit or wear much orange is because I think of it as going with black, and my high school colors are orange and black. When I wear orange and black I feel like I'm back in high school in the bleachers cheering for the Tigers!

Our special today is a bundle of magazines, and as I was flipping through my issues I was appreciating how well the editors choose projects that convey the feeling of the season. What jumped out at me this time was the color choices: nice, subtle color palettes for spring and summer, with just enough vibrant color choices to be exciting; and deep, warm, cozy colors for fall and winter. Take the Every Way Wrap in the Fall 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, for instance—it's the perfect fall orange: a dark, pumpkin pie orange.

So, in case you haven't gotten the memo, what knitting and pumpkin pie have in common is orange! It's fall, and orange is a fall color, and we're going to be making thousands of pumpkin pies in a couple of weeks, and today I'm going to conquer my high school demons and bring back the orange.

I've gone through our pattern store and picked out several patterns, plus a couple of free patterns that look great in orange, and here they are!


Citrus Yoke	Saffron Cables	Refined Raglan	Sienna Cardigan
Katie Himmelberg	Kathy Zimmerman	Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark	Ann Smith

Citrus Yoke is a beautiful pullover that's knit in the round from the neck down with an interesting eyelet rib pattern on the yoke. The Saffron Cables afghan will keep you warm while you're knitting it and after you're knitting it! The Refined Raglan is full of simple styling: an eyelet pattern on the raglan portion of the sleeves, and a neat knitted hem on the bottom and sleeves. The Sienna Cardigan is a quick, worsted-weight knit with pretty, feminine touches along the button bands and the collar. (And it's also part of our free e-book Knit Cardigan Patterns From Knitting Daily: 7 FREE Knitting Patterns!)


Washington Square Vest	Tangelo	Wavy Orange Scarf	Fountain Hat
Simona Merchant-Dest	Kate Kukra	Rebecca L. Daniels	Katie Himmelberg

I love the variegated orange of the Washington Square Vest. This pattern incorporates lace on the edges and basketweave waist detailing. Tangelo is just what you need in the fall—a bouquet of flowers (and a fun, quick knit, too).

And now for two free patterns! The Wavy Orange Scarf will keep you interested as you knit—the wave pattern is one of those that's fun to watch develop. And the Fountain Hat is a wonderful gift option and a stash-buster! It's a small project that takes just under 400 yards of sock yarn. (And it's also part of our free e-book Knitting Lace: Knitting Daily Presents 7 FREE Knitted Lace Patterns!)

Well, that about wraps up my vacation to the Land of Orange. For a side trip, check out our Facebook post about orange yarns (about halfway down our page). And become a fan to get updates on your Facebook newsfeed!

Cheers,

Kathleen

Fall Favorites: Versatile Knitted Wraps

Kathleen Cubley — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 GMT

It's getting down into the 20s and 30s here in Spokane, so it's time to bundle up! I've amassed quite the collection of cozy scarves, but the one I go to more than any other is a large, simple rectangle that I can wear as a scarf or as a wrap. My favorite way to wear it is around my shoulders with a shawl pin.

One of the most popular knitwear designs of this fall is the Every Way Wrap by Okmin Park. The pattern is in the fall 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, and it's amazingly versatile. This one will work for myriad sizes and styles, as you can see below.



The Every Way Wrap, worn as a vest.		The back view of the vest option.



The Every Way Wrap worn as a shawl.		And as a scarf!

The Crosstown Convertible

Our next adventure in versatility is the Crosstown Convertible.

This piece was featured on episode 210 of Knitting Daily TV and the free pattern is available here.

The Crosstown Convertible is a simple rectangle with sixteen buttons and buttonholes added (it's one of our favorite easy knitting patterns!).

It's as simple as knitting a scarf, but you can drape it and button it in so many different ways, it'll become a wardrobe staple. The Crosstown Convertible can be worn as a vest, a scarf, a shrug, or a wrap, and it has built-in pockets, too.

And if you're a beginning knitter, this is the perfect project for you—you'll be able to practice buttonholes and a bit of seaming. This design is a great bridge from knitting scarves to knitting garments.

Here's a video clip from episode 201, in which Bonnie Burton from Colorful Stitches shows several of the ways you can wear the Crosstown Convertible.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Try one of these patterns—I think you'll like the cozy comfort and style of either wrap (or both!). And if you've knit a wrap you love and you want to show it off, post a photo in our gallery section. We'd love to see it!

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. Stitches East is happening this week in Hartford, Connecticut, and the CYCA (Craft Yarn Council of America) is offering a new venue for reaching out to new knitters and crocheters as well as providing a meeting place for current enthusiasts: the Share & Care Cafe.

The Cafe is a place to learn to knit and crochet for FREE and a place for visitors to gather, relax, and exchange ideas. There will also be a Warm Up America exhibit in the Cafe. (Warm Up America is an organization made up of volunteers who create handmade afghan blankets, clothing and accessories to help those in need. These items provide warmth and comfort to people who have lost their homes, fled abusive relations, or are being cared for in hospices, shelters, hospitals, and nursing home.)

The Cafe will provide free yarn and needles or hooks for anyone who sits down for a lesson, free how-to instruction sheets and a Resource Guide listing helpful information about guilds, websites, and CYCA members, their products and programs.

If you're headed to Stitches East, be sure and check out the Share & Care Cafe!

Video: Blocking A Large Lace Shawl

KD Sandi — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:10:00 GMT

If I am knitting a piece of lace in public, friendly strangers will ask, "What are you knitting?" When I tell them it is a lace shawl, they get this very polite, back-away-slowly-from-the-crazy-woman look on their face. I look down at what I am knitting and realize that to them, the rumply thing on my needles looks more like some bit of knitting my cat may have mauled than the gorgeous lace shawl I can see in my mind. Lace doesn't look like much when you are knitting it--in fact, on the needles, lace looks a bit of a crumpled mess!

But add the magic of blocking, and voila: That crumpled, rumpled mess spreads out to reveal its true beauty.

I've heard so many knitters wistfully say that they would love to try lace--"but where would I block it? I don't have a blocking board!" Most have heard stories of blocking a large shawl on one's bed, but don't have any clue about how to get started.

Today, I have a great video to show you how it's done--a clip from Knitting Daily TV Series 200, where Kathy Elkins demonstrates how to block a large circular shawl.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

If you have trouble watching the video above, click here to view it.

Looking for a great knitted lace shawl pattern? There are some pretty ones, from beginning to advanced, in the Interweave Store! Browse the lace shawl patterns in the store. (You might also check out the scarves and the wraps, too. You never know what might catch your eye!)

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!)

Download Your Free Lace Patterns Today

Free Pattern: Summer Sneak Peek!

KD Sandi — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:29:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: While we do not have the Knits Summer 2009 Preview ready for you yet, we have the next best thing: a Free Pattern Sneak Peek! Eunny Jang, editor of Interweave Knits, is here to tell us about this special sweater. Here's Eunny!

When Karen Kendrick Hands first showed me the prototype for the Grotto Cardigan, I was smitten - the classic wrap sweater shape is always flattering and wearable, but she'd refined it by knitting in two symmetrical halves for fit and adding sweet gull-wing cables that run up the sleeves and shoulders and flow neatly around mitered corners. Knitted in an airy hand-dyed mohair and silk yarn, the Grotto Cardigan can take you through spring to the cool evenings of summer all the way into cooler fall weather.

-- Eunny

Download the free pattern for the Grotto Wrap now

Looking for that perfect summer project?
Our Interweave Pattern Store has hundreds of patterns to choose from!

There's a whole section called Tops, Tanks, and Camisoles--stroll through those and you might fall in love with a cute little number.

For those chilly summer nights, pop on over to the Shawls and Wraps section.

And since summer is when we are all on-the-go--how about a knitted tote bag or shoulder bag? Check those out here: Bags and Totes.

The hardest part won't be finding something you like...the hardest part will be choosing which one to cast-on for first!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I finished my small lace shawl and blocked it, using blocking wires for the first time--much faster than hand-pinning, with good results. I'm going out tonight, so I think I'll wear it to celebrate!

We Have Yarn Winners!

KD Sandi — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

It's Tax Day in the United States, and so maybe today is a good day to give away some yarn. Let's put some smiles on a few faces, shall we? But first, let's refresh everyone's memory (no doubt blunted by all those deduction calculations):

Eunny Jang's Blooming Cotton Scarf, from the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, was originally knit in the colorway you see at right: Mango and Murex. Then, Eunny created three alternate colorways, seen in the photo below (left to right): Rossa Corsa, Peacock, and Tree and Ore.

That's where the yarn giveaway comes in: We decided to give away enough Tahki Cotton Classic Yarn in each colorway to make the Blooming Cotton Scarf. Since there are four colorways, that means four lucky winners! Each person will also receive a copy of the Tahki Cotton Classic Book, 3rd edition.

Here are the winners:

Kristina Johnson Strosnider of Norman, OK: Peacock.

Sue Hartnett of Exeter, RI: Tree and Ore.

Paulette Fritz of Howards Grove, WI: Rossa Corsa.

Rita Noetzel of Park Falls, WI: Murex and Mango.

Congratulations to all the winners! May you enjoy every minute spent knitting these pretty scarves.

Make one for yourself! Download the free pattern for the Blooming Cotton Scarf.

If you haven’t gotten your copy of the Spring issue of Knits yet, visit your local yarn store or order here.

Want more scarf patterns? Shawls, scarves and wraps are everywhere you look--on the red carpet, in movies, and on regular folks on Main Street. I think we are all ready for warmth and sunshine, but those spring breezes mean we need just a little bit of something warm around the edges. Interweave's book Scarf Style is a classic in the knitting world, with 31 designs from 25 top designers--the scarves are whimsical to elegant and back again. Pick up a copy at your local yarn shop, or purchase one here.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I've been working on a small lace shawl for weeks and weeks inbetween other projects, and I'm only eight rows from the end. I also have been working on a Cookie A sock for a friend. I want to finish at least one of these projects this weekend...

Step-by-Step Video: The Stella Shawl

KD Sandi — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:49:00 GMT

Sometimes a gorgeous lace shawl can seem totally intimidating, whether it is crocheted or knitted. You might look at the graceful motifs, the interplay of spaces and fabric, and think, "I could never do that." But all knitting and crocheting is simply one stitch built upon another, one round looped through the one before it. Like life, a lace shawl is only done one stitch at a time.

The Stella Shawl, from our book Wrapped in Crochet by Kristin Omdahl, caught my eye during a recent visit to Interweave's book department, where I was lucky enough to see the shawls for Kristin's book in person. I'm a sucker for anything with a star in it, first of all. Take a star motif and work it into the center of a gorgeous spiral shawl, and I'm, er, hooked (sorry). I picked up the Stella and wrapped it around my shoulders...mmmm, alpaca. (I'm also a sucker for alpaca.)

Once I began to examine it, I realized the shawl itself was relatively simple to make. Don't believe me? Well...it just so happens that we have a video of Kristin herself walking us through the shawl's construction, step-by-step. One of the things I loved best about this video was discovering the little memory tricks Kristin had inserted into the shawl pattern to help make it easier to crochet!

I knew you'd love the Stella Shawl, so guess what? The Stella Shawl is this week's free pattern!

Download the free pattern for the Stella Shawl on the Knitting Daily TV website. (It's the same login and password as you use here on Knitting Daily.)

Look for Wrapped in Crochet at your local yarn shop, or buy it here.

Watch the video of Kristin demonstrating how to make the Stella Shawl from Wrapped in Crochet.

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

Download Your Free Lace Patterns Today

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.

The Spring Knits Preview is Here!

KD Sandi — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:35:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: Get your needles ready, because it’s time for the Knits Spring 2009 Preview! And here to give us a tour of the new issue is the editor of Interweave Knits herself, Eunny Jang.

Me, I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. Spring seems like a much better time for starting over—for throwing open the windows, for cool salads and sorbets instead of braises and bread puddings, for running and biking instead of curling up by a fire, for cottons and linens instead of alpaca and angora. Everything feels new again, refreshed and ready for action.

With that in mind, we bring you the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits—full of the kind of garments that feel as cool and fresh as a spring breeze. But we also know that everyone’s got their own idea of spring knitting: If spring in your part of the world is still chilly, we’ve got you covered with long-sleeved cardigans (check out the Silk Cocoon Cardigan) and cozy wraps (how about the Sweet Lily Shawl, Float Stole, or the Fountain Pen Shawl?). Maybe you like knitting accessories when the weather warms up: Take a look at Bettie’s Lace Stockings, the Blooming Cotton Scarf, or the Net Duffel Bag. Or maybe spring is a great time to knit some items for men: Jeff’s Pub Sweater and the Sculptured Lace Scarf are both fun choices.

All four of our editorial stories speak to some element we love about spring—Sheer Bliss examines lightweight, cool fabrics; The Florist Knits anticipates blooms; Side by Side puts a fresh spin on old favorites; and Clean and Simple focuses on the pure and unfussy. A variety of silhouettes and techniques speak to all the different ways and things we like to knit, but everything is uncluttered and inventive: just right after the long, cold winter.

We’ve also added something new, starting with this spring issue: We’ve added an Online Table of Contents to the magazine to better reflect the way you use the web to find fresh new knitting information and to index great resources. Every issue will have bonus web-only features around techniques, in-depth looks at projects and patterns, behind-the-scenes peeks at photo shoots, and more—for Spring, we’ve styled some of the projects in a variety of different ways to show you how they might fit into any wardrobe. In every issue, you’ll be able to see what we’re planning in the print table of contents, and then find out more online at interweaveknits.com—and as always, we’d love feedback. What kind of bonus features would you like to see on the web? Let us know!

It’s spring! Knit on –and don't forget to check the Interweave Knits site in March for all the wonderful online content listed above.

Eunny Jang
Editor, Interweave Knits

Which Free Patterns Were Your Favorites Last Year?

KD Sandi — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:24:00 GMT

On Monday, I gave you a list of the top posts of 2008...but what about the top patterns of 2008? Which patterns did you love the most?

Top 5 Most Downloaded Free Patterns of 2008

Number One: For the second year in a row, Mags Kandis' colorful Modern Quilt Wrap was our top Knitting Daily free download.

And no wonder! The colors are rich and oh-so-adaptable to your own personal palette; the knitting is easy; and the result is a work of art to wrap around your shoulders.

This has become such a reader favorite that we asked selected bloggers to send in their versions so we could feature them on Knitting Daily TV.

Watch the video clip and see these lovely variations for yourself.

Number Two: You people have exquisite taste! The second most popular free download was Nancy Bush's stunning Estonian Lace Scarf, originally published in Interweave Knits.

Although the pattern was a free pattern for only one month, it broke all kinds of download records. But no worries: The pattern is now available in our online store.

Read about Nancy's own thoughts on this scarf--including what she would do differently now.

Number Three: The post about this pattern--the Old World Booties by Gryphon Perkins--was the top post of 2008--but in a moment of silliness, someone (ahem) forgot to update the link in the post before sending out Monday's email! My apologies.

The pattern was free for a limited time; it is now available in our online store.

Number Four: Ribbed Scarf by Ann Budd. This scarf is modeled after one pictured in Volume 6 of Weldon's Practical Needlework.

The scarf is knitted in an easy rib pattern, with a simple but lovely crochet edging. I have the original scarf used for the photo session, and it is a daily favorite!

Number Five: Seafoam Towels by Ann Budd.

Who wouldn't love a set of handknit hand towels? Simple to make, these are a lovely gift for anyone, anytime. Plus--they are machine washable and dryable. Good stuff, all 'round.

There's many more wonderful free patterns in the Knitting Daily Free Pattern Library--go have a look and see if you find your next knitting (or crochet!) project there!

Enjoy these first wonderful days of the new year!

-- Sandi

Soon to Be a Winter Wardrobe Favorite: Knitted Jackets by Cheryl Oberle

Baby, it's COLD outside! As I am writing this, the temperature is 12 degrees Fahrenheit here in Canada where I live; it is 30 degrees Fahrenheit in Loveland, Colorado, where the main Interweave offices are. My town is buried under a foot of blowing snow (I'm beginning to understand the entire reasoning behind having a snowblower oh-so-much-more-clearly now!). And I'm dreaming of warm things, lovely, lovely knitted warm things...

What could be nicer than a handknit jacket this time of year? A book chock-full of patterns for gorgeous hand-knitted jackets, that's what, which is exactly what we have for you this winter: Cheryl Oberle's Knitted Jackets. I'm already in love with the Northwest Celtic Jacket pictured here; there are twenty patterns in this beautifully photographed book for everything from lace wraps to simple coats to warm you against the chill.

Now all I have to do is figure out if I have the time to knit that beautiful Celtic jacket...Ah, well. It's good for knitters to have patterns that inspire our dreams of yarn and long evenings by the fire with our favorite projects in hand.

Look Inside Knitted Jackets: 20 Designs from Classic to Contemporary

Look for Knitted Jackets at your local yarn shop; or buy it online from us.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I finished it! I finished my mom's Leaf and Nupp Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush--but alas, not in time for it to go under her Christmas tree. By the time it was all blocked and dried, it was New Year's Eve...so now I have to take a few zillion photos and then I will mail it off to her. I'll only keep it for a little while longer, Mom...

The Top 5 Knitting Daily Posts of 2008

KD Sandi — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:39:00 GMT

Here on Knitting Daily, we love YARN!

Which posts did you like best? I took a look at which emails had the highest "open rate"--meaning the emails you opened and read versus those you left unread and unloved in your inbox (or worse, those you deleted!). And here's your Top 5 Most-Read Posts of 2008:

1. The Booties Are Back! The Booties Are Back! (May 30)

2. Come Play On Our New Site -- Including FORUMS! (May 23)

3. Tips for Working Tricky Armholes (May 28)

4. Are You In A Box? (February 25)

5. The Knitting Tools That Lurk In Your Closet (February 11)

So what do those tell me about what you want to see on Knitting Daily? You LOVE it when we make a beloved but long-out-of-print pattern available online, especially one that is as cute as those little felted booties. You were excited about the "grand opening" of our new KD site. You really like tips and techniques, especially anything that helps you knit better fitting sweaters.

And you REALLY hope that there are, in fact, hidden knitting tools lurking in your closet. (I'm not really sure why asking "Are you in a box?" got everyone all excited. I mean. Did you folks just really need vacations?)

But the post that says the most about who we are as a community is the one that generated nearly 1700 comments, the highest number of comments ever on Knitting Daily: the post titled Are You A Yarn Collector? (from April 21, 2008). That one told me the following:

We. Love. Yarn.

Well, it's a good thing you like patterns, techniques, tips, and yarn, because there's a whole lot of all of that coming up in the days ahead on Knitting Daily.

A video tip for knitting colorwork patterns more easily;
Information about the wonders of knitting sweaters without seams;
The new Spring Knits preview;
Some fun behind-the-scenes shots from the Spring Knits photoshoot;
Our traditional Knitting Daily Galleries, as well as a new Gallery showing you different ways to rock the new Spring styles!
All that, plus more video techniques, richer forums, more photos, and more fun.

Oh yes. And more yarn. Because, when you're Knitting Daily, it really is all about the yarn.

-- Sandi

Soon to Be a Winter Wardrobe Favorite: Knitted Jackets by Cheryl Oberle

No one designs wraps like Cheryl; I first met her years ago when I fell deeply in love with her book Folk Shawls (also available from we nifty folk at Interweave Press). The shawl I knit from one of the patterns in that book has become a cherished friend on cold days like today.

So. Now all I have to do is figure out if I have the time to knit that beautiful Celtic jacket...Ah, well. It's good for knitters to have patterns that inspire our dreams of yarn and long evenings by the fire with our favorite projects in hand.

Look Inside Knitted Jackets: 20 Designs from Classic to Contemporary

Look for Knitted Jackets at your local yarn shop; or buy it online from us.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Did I finish my mom's Leaf and Nupp Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush? I don't know. I'm writing this ahead of time so I can have Christmas off. All will be revealed sometime early in Janaury 2009, I promise...

Love The Yarn You're With

KD Sandi — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:10:00 GMT

Note from Sandi: In the U.S., it is National Spinning and Weaving Week (October 4-10). Since every one of the lovely yarns we use is made by a spinner (somewhere...), I asked spinner and weaver Liz Gipson (yes, she of the cashmere goats!) to come back and talk to us about how to substitute a yarn you love for the one specified in the pattern. Liz talks about spinning her own yarn, but the wraps per inch method she describes here can be used with any yarn in your stash, or on the shelves of your local yarn shop. Heeeerree's Liz!

To celebrate Spinning and Weaving Week, Sandi picked a present for you—a free scarf pattern—and then challenged me to spin yarn for a handspun version. Her selection is a knitted ribbed scarf with a crocheted edging adapted by Ann Budd from Weldon's Practical Needlework for Piecework magazine.

Unlike a shaped garment, a scarf is pretty forgiving. I suspect that most of you who are reading this post knit better then you spin. Rather than worry about creating (or finding) a yarn that fits the pattern, why not adapt the pattern to fit the yarn?

To put this concept to the test, I set myself a little challenge. I didn't look at the pattern specifics just snuck a peak of the photo to get a feel of the project. Then I proceeded to pluck a luscious medium brown Alpaca top (top=combed fiber) from my stash and got to work. I set about spinning with nothing in mind other than spending a sunny afternoon on my back porch—periodically "chatting" with the goats. They bleat and I say something in reply. Then the cat chimes in. . . The result was 5 ounces of yarn or 187 yards. Now the million dollar question: What size needles do I need?

Wraps per Inch

There is no way around it--you are going to have to knit a swatch. You could guess what needles size to use, but I'm pretty sure you won't be as happy with the results.

How to determine wraps per inch: To judge the approximate weight of your yarn, wrap it around the space of an inch using a ruler or an inch gauge. The strands should be touching, but not overlapping. Don’t pull the yarn too tightly when you wrap. You want the yarn to be relaxed so that it will be a good measure of how it will act in the knitted cloth.

Years ago Spin-Off magazine compiled this extraordinarily handy chart for plain yarns. These numbers are compiled from a number of sources and from the experience of the editors, none of which precisely agree! Use them as rough estimates only.

Yarn Style	Wraps per Inch	Gauge stitches/inch	Needle size US	Needle size Metric
Lace	18+	8+	00–2	2–3 mm
Fingering	16	6–8	2–4	2.75–3.5mm
Sport	14	5–6 1/2	4–6	3.5–4.5 mm
Worsted	12	4–5	7–9	4.5–6
Bulky	10	3–4	10–11	6–7.5
Very Bulky	8 or fewer	2–3	13–15	8–9mm

My yarn measures 13 wraps per inch, placing it in the worsted to sport range. By using the chart I surmised that a good starting place would be to use either a size 6 or 7 needle. I started with a 7 and knitted, washed, and blocked a 4-inch stockinette swatch. I concluded that the hand--the feel of the fabric--was a little stiff so I moved to a larger needle. The dark brown scarf-in-progress (top photo) is made using a size 8 needle. It was perfect. How ironic is it that the pattern calls for this needle size!

But wait, my yarn did not produce the same gauge—isn't yarn fickle! This is probably because my yarn is much denser than the yarn in the pattern. I could either decided to cast on few stitches or follow the pattern exactly or to create a wider scarf. I went with the latter.

In Summary: Spin; Measure w.p.i (wraps per inch); Swatch; Swatch again; Start knitting!

A Final Note: Every knitter who wants to spin has to get Ann Budd's The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns. You will simply never have to fret that your yarn won't work in any of these patterns. Ann's clever system is based on the same philosophy above—if you can't create the yarn you need, love the yarn you make.

--Liz Gipson
past managing editor of Spin-Off magazine
co-host of Knitting Daily TV

YARN SUBSTITUTION TIP FOR KNITTERS (those who aren't spinners!)

You can use the wraps per inch method with yarns you already have in your stash to help you determine needle size, gauge, and yarn "weight." In the back of each issue of Interweave Knits (as well as Interweave Crochet) is a page called Sources for Supplies that lists the wraps per inch information for the yarn specified in the pattern. You can compare this number to the wraps per inch of yarns you have on hand--or that beautiful yarn you couldn't resist buying at your local yarn shop--as an aid in yarn substitution.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Still seaming, seaming. I am stitching up the Camisa, and weaving in the ends. And yes, even I have to rip out a seam a time or two until I am satisfied with the way it looks. I had to rip the side seam three times....

Editor's Choice Fall Knits Galleries: Part 2

KD Sandi — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:00:00 GMT

This week, we are featuring the Editor's Choice Galleries: Eunny Jang, editor of Interweave Knits, chose six garments from the new Fall 2008 issue of Knits for our Gallery Gals to try on. Eunny also shares a little bit about three of the sweaters, to give you even more information and insight. On Monday, she talked about the Backstage Tweed Jacket, and we showed you the Backstage Tweed Jacket Gallery as well as the Little Blue Sweater Gallery. (Check out the list of all past Galleries here.)

What's a Gallery? It's where members of the Interweave office staff (a.k.a. "The Gallery Gals") tryon the sample garments used in the actual magazine photoshoot so you can see how the sweaters fit on women of varying sizes and shapes. It's tons of fun--and to make it even more valuable for you, I write little individualized commentaries for each woman and each sweater, to give you ideas of how to customize your own knitting.

Today, we have two new Galleries for you:

Braided Pullover

Afterthought Darts Cardigan

Here's what Eunny wrote about the Braided Pullover:

I love the high, narrow 40's armhole of this design--it makes the garment hang beautifully, whether you've got broad or narrow shoulders. Fit in that area is important, however--consider knitting the upper back and front of the garment in a wider or narrower size, depending on your particular proportions; choose the right size based on the cross-back measurements on the schematic.

The bias front cable, which wraps around the neck, is pretty spectacular. It looks good in a variety of positions, but you can always adjust placement by adjusting the slope rate.

There are two more garments from Interweave Knits Fall 2008 to show you later this week--don't miss them!

Knitting Daily factoid from Sandi: I was a subscriber to FOUR, count 'em, FOUR Interweave magazines before I ever came to work here: Interweave Knits, Beadwork, Handwoven, and Spin-Off. (I was getting ready to sign up for Piecework as well, but then they gave me the job.) If you're a knitter, and you're not a subscriber to Interweave Knits, you can sign up to subscribe online and we'll send four issues a year straight to your doorstep. (If you can't subscribe, please give your local yarn shop some love and buy your magazines there!)

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily. Packing trumps knitting right now, unfortunately, but I'm valiantly trying to have the Camisa, worked in String of Pearls yarn from Muench (prettypretty not to mention sparklysparkly!) done before I leave for Canada. (Canada countdown? 19 days till we get there!)

The Girl Who Loved Fiber Tools (plus making your own drop spindle!)

KD Sandi — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:00:00 GMT

The tools of our trade add to the delight of our craft. Spindle or needle, hook or wheel, I love them all. Yes: I am a tool gal. Bring on the pretty orifice hooks, the elegant top-whorls, the superbly balanced knitting needles, the wheel that sings to the eye as well as the heart. I love the fact that these tools, often so lovingly crafted by hand, are then in turn used to work more magic by hand.

I have a tiny spindle painted with tiny sheep roaming in a tiny painted pasture. (I squeal a tiny squeal every time I pick it up.) I have a lovely polymer clay spindle that I bought at the Estes Wool Market two years ago. I have, uh, "several" others. And still I lust after more.

I also hanker after ALL the knitting needles, particularly any that used to be part of a tree. I mean, how many size 2 wood dpns does a girl really need? (Several sets, in different woods and finishes and lengths, apparently.)

Hand spindles in particular fascinate me. They come in all shapes and sizes, are made of everything from clay to wood, and can be as simple as a stick pushed through a bead or as complex as a hand-carved beauty made from an exotic wood. I have to discipline myself not to become a spindle collector. I have been known to go up to a booth at a show just to pick up and admire every single spindle in a vase, and ignore all the rest of the glorious fibers and yarns for sale (forgive me, dear vendors…). When I am wandering through the latest issue of Spin-Off magazine, I make myself look away from those really gorgeously carved drop spindles in the full-color ads, because if I didn’t, then I’d be explaining to the dog why we were a little light on dog chewies this month.

“Walk a-WAY from the spindles,” I chant to myself, and turn the page.

But what if you really want to try spinning, and you do not have a hand spindle? (I’m pale at the very thought of this terrible situation.) Or, what if you wish to be sensible (go over to your yarn stash and ask yourself why you would want to start being sensible now) and not make a purchase of a hand spindle until you know you are going to enjoy spinning?

What if you find out that you hate spinning? (You won’t. You’ll get addicted, just like the rest of us.) What if you’re terrible at it? (Not possible. Five-year-old kids in the Middle Ages could spin, so why shouldn’t you be able to?) What if you can only spin really bad yarn? (What exactly is “really bad yarn”? Bumpy yarn with personality? Don’t some folks package that stuff up and sell it for $25 a skein? You bet they do, and it’s really pretty bumpy yarn.)

I understand that some folks possess much more self-control than I do; these paragons of virtue say it’s good to dip your toes in, just a little, at first anyway. That way, by the time you’ve discovered that you are getting to work a little bit late because you wanted to spin for “just five more minutes,” you’ll have a better idea of which spindle you want (because you’ve been drooling over the ads in Spin-Off), or you’ll have had time to save up for a Lendrum wheel (which is the one I bought a few weeks back—yes, in fact, it is my second wheel, anyone got a problem with that?).

The question then becomes: What can you use to spin on, just to get yourself started, just to give spinning a try?

A spindle made out of a dowel and a CD. Yup. I’m totally serious. Don’t believe me? Here are the instructions on how to make your own CD spindle, plus how to use it to spin real, actual yarn.

Don't get me wrong here: One cannot possibly compare the ease and joy of spinning on a REAL drop-spindle to that of spinning on a CD spindle. Hand-carved spindles are precisely balanced and wrought by experts in their craft; and many are really not all that expensive. However, a CD spindle is actually a pretty good starting place, if a real spindle is not in your budget.

Plus, I added in a free pattern for a lovely, chunky scarf specially designed to be knit out of your very first handspun to the end of the CD Spindle PDF. The lumpier and bumpier your first glorious yarn, the better!

Do you love the tools of our craft almost as much as the craft itself? What are some of your favorite tools? Have you knit something wonderful out of your handspun? Leave a comment, and then go off and knit something. (After all, it’s the weekend, right?)

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's spinning wheel? Beautiful hand-dyed alpaca roving from SakinaNeedles, which I am spinning very fine, about 38 wraps per inch.

Spinning The Rest of The Story

KD Sandi — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:00:00 GMT

So many of you wrote in to compliment me on "my very first yarn" that I felt a teensy bit guilty. These posts are so short that sometimes I have to leave out parts of the story in order to fit in the really important stuff.

But this time, I realized that perhaps the "rest of the story" WAS really important, that it actually holds the key to just how important Maggie's class was to me, as a knitter and as a spinner. So now, here's the fabled Rest of The Story...

I actually learned to spin about fourteen(ish) years ago, back when I lived in California. I bought an Ashford Traditional wheel, dozens of drop spindles, and had an absolute blast spinning every fiber I could get my hands on. The yarn I spun was lumpy, bumpy, and, uh, "full of personality," —not at all like the lovely smooth yarns I dreamed of spinning. I always felt as though I was missing some Secret of Spinning that would enable me to make those "real" yarns, but I never could figure out what I was doing wrong. I was confused by all the fancy-dancy spinning terminology, and I felt like I was fighting with my wheel every time I tried to adjust it. Although I loved spinning, I came to the conclusion I was just really bad at it.

Then a car accident left me with a hand injury, an injury that when all was said and done left me with only partial use of my left thumb and forefinger. I managed to re-teach myself to knit and crochet and do beadwork, but no matter what I did, I couldn't manage the spinning anymore. My left hand was my dominant hand for spinning, you see, the hand that did all the pinching and clever stuff up front. Now that the hand wasn't being particularly clever, my bad spinning got worse, and, well...I gave up.

Not terribly fearless of me.

This is where Maggie comes into the picture. After years of thinking I would never spin again, a friend at work recommended I take Maggie's class, saying that Maggie knew so much about spinning that she was often able to come up with alternate ways of doing things.

The best way to spin? In handknit socks!

Which is exactly what Maggie did. She taught me to spin so that my "good" right hand did all the clever work, and my "not-so-good" left hand was just hanging out there back stage, to guide and supervise and provide running commentary. It was tough at first, because my brain, which thought it knew what it was doing, had to become a bit humble, and realize that it needed to be completely retrained now that I was learning to do everything the opposite of how I had originally learned to do it.

The point is: Maggie was able to teach me to do that. And when I spun my first smooth, fine yarn, yarn that looked like REAL yarn, I felt as though she had given me back part of my knitter's heart.

We all have obstacles to overcome in our crafting. In my beginning spinning class, there were several folks who had been to previous spinning classes, and like me, thought they were simply bad spinners. One woman was fighting with her wheel, and Maggie helped her learn how to adjust it. One woman had had a rather cranky teacher who had discouraged her. Maggie helped her spin a lovely two-ply yarn with confidence. And the true beginners in the class, the ones who had never held a drop spindle or sat before a wheel in their lives, well. They came in saying "I'll never be able to do this" and yet they left with hanks and skeins of beautiful handspun, dreaming of what they would knit with the yarn they had made.

If you want to do something, find a teacher. If that teacher doesn't give you confidence, find another teacher. If there are no teachers nearby, find a good book. Find a way to do what you yearn to do. The world's a better place if you are doing what you love.

Photos from Maggie's spinning class

I know Maggie lives here in Boulder, and most of you cannot make it to her classes. If you'd like to learn to spin, or if you'd like a refresher course in everything from handcarding to fixing yarn with too much twist, Maggie's new book, Start Spinning, is almost as good as having Maggie sitting right next to you. It's filled with step by step photos of Maggie herself demonstrating each technique; the instructions are so clear that it's like having a spinning cookbook as you learn the delights of fiber and wheel. My copy is already a bit battered, and I've only had it for a few weeks. Plus, it now has the ultimate Sandi Seal of Approval: page 52 in the Troubleshooting section has a chocolate smear on it.

If you want to hear more about Maggie's passion for teaching spinning, there's a conversation between Amy Singer and Maggie in the Spring 2008 issue of Spin-Off magazine.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's spinning wheel? Beautiful hand-dyed alpaca roving from SakinaNeedles, which I am spinning very fine, about 38 wraps per inch.

Mags Kandis and The Language of Color

KD Sandi — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:00:00 GMT

Mags Kandis, editor of Folk Style

"English," Mags told me during our phone conversation last Friday, "is my second language." I was puzzled—maybe she had spoken French or Greek as girl? I heard no trace of an accent in her voice, but the phone can be deceiving. Finally, I asked her: "Well, what is your native language?" "Color!" she replied, with a laugh. And looking at her Modern Quilt Wrap, and the beautiful Folk Style book that she put together (or "wrangled," as Mags says), I would have to agree: Mags is absolutely fluent in the rhythm and grammar of color.

Most of us, however, feel insecure when it comes to that particular language. Me, personally? I'm one of those folks who feels that color is an alien language. I balk at the idea of designing anything in colorwork, because I am afraid of saying something horribly wrong, making some awful Color Faux Pas. I wear a lot of solid colors; my knitting is the same way: lots of solids, where texture and lace form the interest, rather than color.

So I asked Mags: How does she choose the colors for a project like the Modern Quilt Wrap? I was hoping for the magic-secret formula that would turn me into a color-speaking genius. Her answer: Listen to the language of color you already speak.

Her exact words were: "Don't think too much about it—Just do it! Let the colors come at you, and let them speak to you. Be fearless. You know when the colors work for you, and when they don't."

For those of us who don't feel fluent in the language of color, this Being Fearless stuff might take a bit of confidence building. Here's an exercise I've found really helpful: Flip quickly through a book or magazine, looking only at the colors, not the content. Stop when a page speaks to you solely because of its colors—and then spend a few minutes studying the colors that spoke to you. Could you design a version of the Modern Quilt Wrap based on those colors? This exercise is a way of having a Color Conversation with yourself, a way of developing your own "ear" for the language of color. Practice these sorts of color conversations (could you knit a sweater to match a favorite photo?), and you'll gain more vocabulary for, and more confidence in, your color choices.

The Modern Quilt Wrap and me

In choosing the colors for the Modern Quilt Wrap, Mags said that she had had eleven balls of Rowan KidSilk Haze in a basket, each a different color. She kept rearranging them, and then standing back to look at them, until it became clear that two of the colors just "didn't belong." She took those two colors out of the basket, and voila—the remaining colors were perfect.

What if you can't see the yarn in person, or don't have access to all the colors? Here at Interweave, the editors and designers work from color cards, sometimes called sample cards. You can purchase these color cards, made with actual snippets of the yarn in all the available colors, for a small fee either from the yarn company directly or through the shops that sell the yarn. Color cards are invaluable tools, well worth the small investment, particularly when you are working with a project where several colors are involved. Take the time to order a sample card first, and you won't have to stress over whether that red you saw on the Internet is really orange-red or blue-red.

And finally: Yep, that's me in The Wrap. I've been wearing it around the office for days.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

My Red Scarf design for the Red Scarf Project is coming this Wednesday to Knitting Daily! The yarn for the Husband Sweater is on backorder and may not arrive for a while. I am in serious peril of ordering nine balls of KidSilk Haze for the You Know What. (Help me, Obi Wan).