Knitting Daily : introduction

Fair Isle Fever: The Ivy League Vest

Kathleen Cubley — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Sailing the Fair Isles

In my knitting, I tend to get inspired by something and just jump right in, whether or not I know how to do certain techniques. I figure that hands-on is the best way to learn, so I go for it. Fair Isle intimidated me more than usual, though, so I found a beginning class and signed up.

The pink and purple hat (left) is the result of that class. (It's a class pattern, so it's unpublished.) The yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, and it's really cozy and warm, though I wish it were a tad longer to totally cover my ears.

I fell in love with the skull cap pattern (right) and knit it up for a Christmas present two years ago for my brother. (The pattern is We Call Them Pirates.) He loved it so much that he wore it out and I had to knit him a new one last Christmas.

This year I have a new hat in the works for my brother, one of the "faux isle" patterns where you use one solid color and one variegated color to achieve a multi-colored Fair Isle look.

I've mentioned before that I've only done a couple of Fair Isle projects (see the hat photos below), but now I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Fair Isle!

Fair Isle Made Easy

I've just had the opportunity to watch the new Knitting Daily Workshop DVD, Introduction to Fair Isle: The Ivy League Vest with Eunny Jang.

For almost an hour I was mesmerized by Eunny's Fair Isle design, the Ivy League Vest (click on the link for a free pattern download!). Eunny talks of the various principles of Fair Isle knitting, such as picking the right yarns, various ways to hold that yarn, keeping your tension even (tricky in Fair Isle!), and how to change colors easily.

Plus, Eunny has some great finishing tips that I will certainly be putting into use. I really do feel like I could be successful and have a great time with a Fair Isle sweater project!

This pattern is designed so well, even the ribbing makes use of the colorwork throughout the piece.

Eunny provides a demo in steeking, which is the process of cutting the armholes and neckline after you knit your sweater completely in the round. She cuts with confidence, making it look easy. The edges really don't unravel!

Here's a clip from the steeking section of the DVD, where Eunny cuts an actual steek and shows us how to pick up stitches on the resulting edge.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

See how easy that cutting part is?

I've got a yoked Fair Isle cardigan on the needles, which I put it down to do the Central Park Hoodie, but I think I'm going to pick it up after the hoodie is complete. I'm knitting it out of Cascade 220; the body is brown and the yoke is pink, blue, and cream. It has steeks, so I'll definitely be reviewing Introduction to Fair Isle before I tackle that step!

Maybe the next project in Kathleen's Knit-a-Long should be a Fair Isle project! What do you think?

Cheers,

Kathleen

Great Free Easy Knitting Patterns EBook

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kathleen

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

New Adventures in Knitting . . . Daily

Kathleen Cubley — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Three years ago, when Interweave asked me to be editor of Knitting Daily, they gave me a phenomenal opportunity to learn from and share with knitters from all over the globe. My job as editor was to help build a vibrant online community; but it wasn't long before I discovered that I was merely the cheerleader—YOU were the ones actually making Knitting Daily a wonderful place for knitters to call home. And what an amazing home you've built!

Along the way, you've been great teachers; together we have learned things about life and yarn and knitting and laughter that have enriched our knitting as well as this larger craft we call life.

So methinks it's time to see what happens next! And one thing that happens next is that starting today, I’m stepping aside as your editor and moving into a new role here—which means that we all get a new editor! We’re in good hands—"Oh, the places we'll go!" with Kathleen as our guide.

This might seem like goodbye...but it's not! Remember I said I was moving into something new? So many of you have told me that you love the wee short tidbits next to my photo that I’m going to expand "What's on Sandi's Needles?" into a regular knitting blog. Every week, I'll be sharing my own knitting adventures with you right here on Knitting Daily, alongside other new knitting blogs that we’re adding to the site. I hope you'll stop by, leave a comment, and then go and explore all the other great things Knitting Daily has to offer—things that you helped to bring to life.

Much gratitude and many blessings to all of you—and a warm welcome to Kathleen!

Sandi Wiseheart

***

Hello Knitting Daily Community!

I’m thrilled to be here with you, exploring the wealth of resources and products Interweave has to offer, as well as the Knitting Daily Community. I’ll be writing to you from my home office in Spokane, Washington.

I’ll bet you’re asking, “What exactly are your knitting creds to be the editor of Knitting Daily?” Well, I’ve been a member of Knitting Daily since the beginning, eagerly opening emails every day, just like you! I’ve learned so much from Sandi and Interweave’s great resources; Knitting Daily has increased my confidence and my passion for knitting. I’ve also been in publishing for twenty years, as an editor and a production manager, so combining my professional interests with my passion for knitting is really a dream come true.

I’ve always been crafty. I learned at my mom’s elbow as she knitted, embroidered, and macraméd her way through the 70s; sewed, serged, and painted in the 80s; and paper-crafted in the 90s and 2000s. Cross stitch became my favorite craft and I as moved from silly sayings and characters to intricate samplers and art deco designs, I thought I’d be cross stitching forever. Enter knitting. . .

When my mom’s best friend, Pat Harris, opened up a knit shop in Hendersonville, Tennessee, she came to Seattle—where I was living at the time—to visit the yarn shops (there are a ton of them in Seattle—if you haven’t done a yarn crawl there, get to it).

I’d been curious about knitting, and Pat said she’d teach me the basics. She spent an afternoon with my sister and me teaching us to knit and purl, and I took to it pretty naturally. I continued on my own, with one of my first reference guides, The Knitter’s Companion, at my side. I tried different stitch patterns, yarn, and needle sizes and types. I wasn’t knitting anything in particular, I was just knitting. I loved the repetitive nature of stockinette stitch as much as I enjoyed the challenge of a stitch pattern. After a few weeks I decided to knit a baby sweater, so I went to my LYS and bought yarn and needles. The rest is history, especially for my cross-stitch projects.

I’m now an avid sweater knitter (you’ve all knit the Central Park Hoodie, right?), taking breaks every now and then for a pair of socks or a felted project. I also teach knitting classes at my Spokane LYS, A Grand Yarn.

I’m addicted to all things knitting, including magazines, books, and online magazines, patterns, and blogs. I’m so excited to become part of the online knitting world, taking over the reins so deftly handled by Sandi. I look forward to becoming a big part of your community, bringing you new techniques, projects, author introductions, tips and tricks, videos, knit-a-longs, insider’s info about new products—basically, a host of information to increase your confidence and enhance the joy of knitting.

Here’s to new adventures ahead!

Kathleen Cubley

Update Your Wardrobe Cheaply With Needle Felting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-- Sandi

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

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

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

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

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

Bust Dart Math!

KD Sandi — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:37:00 GMT

I guarantee that explaining this will take far longer than it will take you to actually DO the math. Plus, if I were sitting right next to you, I could show you in a nanosecond. But, we have our friend the written word to help us, so here we go: Bust Dart Math!

For a top-down in-the-round sweater, vertical bust darts are lines of decreases that take the full-bust measurement of fabric at your bust and decrease it in size until it matches the measurement under your bust. Thus, we start off with:

1. How much do you need to vertically decrease?

You'll need two measurements of your own beautiful self:
Full Bust (FB): Around your bust at its fullest part.
Under Bust (UB): Around your ribcage, just under your bust.

Now, subtract:
FB minus UB equals Total Decrease Amount (TDA).

However, we need to convert that TDA measurement to rows/rounds and stitches so we know what to knit, right?

2. How much are we decreasing in each individual dart/decrease round? And then, how many decrease rounds do we work overall?

Figure out the stitches-per-inch gauge.
Divide that gauge into four (4 divided by gauge) because we are working four decreases for each round (two bust darts each side; each dart is a line of vertical decrease stitches). The result is the Decrease Amount Per Round (DAR).
To find the number of decrease rounds: TDA divided by DAR = Total Decrease Rounds (TDR). (Hold onto that TDR number for a bit.)

3. Where do you put the dart (decrease) stitches in each round?

Remember that we are assuming a top-down sweater worked in the round. Here's how we figure out precisely where to put the dart stitches in each round:

Make sure you have marked the midpoint of each armhole on your partial sweater. This marker is at the "side seam," so to speak. We'll do all the counting/measuring in relationship to that marker, so it's pretty important.
Find this "side seam" location on yourself, too. (Go ahead, cheat: Put on a thin shirt that actually has side seams.) Measure forward from the side seam to your nipple. This measurement, side seam to nipple, we'll call N.
Try on your partially-knitted sweater, and place a safety pin (carefully...) next to the stitch closest to your nipple (by "next to," I mean on the "armhole" side of that stitch). Count the stitches from this marker to the side seam marker and you have what we'll call Total Side Stitches (TSS). (If all the math works out perfectly, then your stitches per inch gauge times your TSS should equal N, but don't stress too much about this one, because your bust may be stretching the gauge out a bit!) NOTE: Use a safety pin or a marker that looks very different from your other markers to mark the nipple stitch, because you will want to remove this one before knitting and you won't want to get confused which marker is which.

Location of the Center Dart: (On Bertha in the photo above, this dart is represented by the BLACK clip.) This dart is easy. You want it to be about .25" away from your nipple, towards the side seam. Figure out how many stitches that is (use your stitch gauge or just measure), and place another marker at that spot. Whoo! Center Dart Alert! (Now do the same thing on your other side for the other Center Dart.)

Location of the Side Dart: (On Bertha, this dart is represented by the PINK clip.) This one is a leetle more tricky, but we can handle it. There are two ways to figure out this dart: using measurements, or using actual stitch counts.

Measurement Way: N minus .25" was where we put the Center Dart, right? Well, the Side Dart is placed at the point one-third of the remaining distance from Center Dart to side seam: [N-.25] divided by three equals the distance from Center Dart to Side Dart, measuring from nipple towards the side seam. Place a marker there for the Side Dart; do this step again for your other side. (See how on Bertha the pink clip is about a third of the way between her non-existent nipple and her "side-seam"? That's what I'm talking about here.)

Stitch Count Way: For this, you have to figure out how many stitches are in the .25" you used for the Center Dart above. Got that? OK, then: [TSS minus that number] divided by three equals the number of stitches between the Center Dart and the Side Dart. Place marker and repeat on other side.

(Note: On Bertha, her pink clip is a little bit further forward than the "one-third" rule. That's because Bertha's curves are about a B or C cup; my "one-third" rule/suggestion/guideline/loosely-discussed-between-friends-number is what I used for my D/DD cups. If you did the exercise with the hair clips and the loose tee shirt, you may have your own customized measurements for the placement of the Center Darts and Side Darts. Use those. They're all about you, baby!)

4. Now, the knitting instructions:

Remove the safety pin that marked the location of your nipple. (If you leave it in, you might get confused which marker is a dart and which is your nipple. Amusing, but not very helpful.)
Starting at the first "side seam" marker, work to three stitches before the first Side Dart marker, ssk, k1, slip m.
Work to three stitches before the first Center Dart marker, ssk, k1, slip m.
Work across the center front of your sweater until you get to the other Center Dart marker, slip m, k1, k2tog.
Work to the other Side Dart marker, slip m, k1, k2tog.
Finish this round, and then work one round even.
Repeat those two rounds (one dartly decrease round and one work even round) a total of TDR times (the number you held onto in Step 1).

There.

Wow. Know what? YOU HAVE DARTAGE!! Notice that the decreases will form vertical, diagonal lines that are actually quite attractive.

An example is always better, but we've run out of space to do that today. We can do that on Friday, plus I can start answering questions then, too.

--Sandi

P.S. Have something to add to the discussion? Need to ask a question? Leave a comment! I'm not quite actually and fully back yet due to Unforseen Circumstances, but remote access is a beautiful thing.

Previous Bust Dart Posts:

The Return of The Bust Darts

Introduction to Darts: Vertical and Short-Row

Bust Dart Placement

Getting Started With Your Bust Darts: Shoulders To Bust

Introduction to Darts: Vertical and Short-Row

KD Sandi — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 GMT

The now-infamous Bust DartsToday we continue our adventures into the Land of Bust Darts...

What exactly are Darts?
Darts are ways of adding (or subtracting) fabric in a small area in order to create more (or less) room in a very small, very specific area. The darts are placed so that they give more room for your curves--belly, bust, and booty all can be helped with the judicious addition of dartage.

In knitting, as in sewing, if you work a decreasing dart, you are taking away fabric: decreasing the number of stitches takes away fabric. To illustrate this with ordinary fabric: take a fold of your shirt between your fingers and pinch it closed. This makes the area around the dart smaller.

In knitting, again as in sewing, if you work an increasing dart, you are adding fabric: increasing the number of stitches adds more fabric. To illustrate this with ordinary fabric: Imagine if you were to cut up along the seam line of your pants legs, and then sew in fabric triangles between the seams of each leg. You'd end up with roomier pants legs (bell-bottoms, actually).

How do you work a dart?
There are as many different ways to work darts in knitting as there are clever knitters to invent them. But basically, more or less, you can break them up into Short-Row Darts and Vertical Darts. (Now that I have said that, you folks will come up with sixteen other kinds of darts that I don't know about.)

Differences Between Short-Row Darts and Vertical Darts

Short-row darts are formed by working partial rows to "build up" one small portion of your fabric. Thus: You can work an insert using short-row darts on the armhole side of your bust, and this will give your sweater some room for The Girls. (You may also be familiar with using short-rows to build up the back neck of a sweater, or to make sock heels. In fact...sock heels. Think about the shape of those for a minute. Little miniature bust cups, right? Exactly.) Worked horizontally, these darts add height to a small section of your sweater's bust area.

Vertical darts are worked, well, vertically. They are very similar to tailor's darts that run up and down the front of some blouses--they nip in where you need less room, and increase to give you more room where you need it. Worked vertically, these darts add/subtract width across the front (back) of the garment. In fact, they are the same idea as waist shaping, only used more dramatically. The increases and decreases in waist shaping are worked once every several rows, to make gentle curves; the increases and decreases in darts can be worked every other row (or every row) to quickly add or subtract fabric. Generally, most of us do not have very much vertical distance between bustline and underbust, so the decreases/increases have to be worked very close together--every other row/round, if not every row/round. A line of decreases/increases worked so closely together in a vertical line forms a dart.

Me and my hot Tomato in progress

Where Can You Use Darts?

Anyplace that needs extra room or extra shaping. My home-economics teacher in middle school used to say, "Girls, you are not refrigerators. Mark those darts and use them!"

Bellies: If you have a round little belly, you can work vertical increases in a top-down garment from the narrowest part of your waist down to the widest part of your belly in order to create more belly room. (For bottom up: Work decreases from the widest part of your belly up to your waist area. Note that you would want to adjust the hem cast-on stitches accordingly.)

Bottoms: If you have a voluptuous backside, work your darts as vertical increases in a top-down garment from the waist down to the widest part of your booty on the back of the sweater to create more booty room. (For bottom up: Work decreases from the widest part of your booty up to your waist. And you would want to adjust the hem cast-on stitches accordingly.)

Anywhere: If you have unusual body curves of any type, a strategically-placed dart might be just the thing to help your sweaters fit better. A rather odd example: My dog, Buddy, had to have his left foreleg amputated due to injuries sustained in Hurricane Katrina. (We're not from there, we got him as a rescue dog months after the storm.) He has a pronounced "bump" where his leg used to be. If I wanted to make him a sweater, the bump isn't big enough to be a stump (thus warranting a sleeve), but it is big enough to make a regular sweater rather ill-fitting. I could use darts to shape the Bump region, thus giving him the best custom-fitted tripod dog sweater from here to Baton Rouge. (Told you it was going to be an odd example!)

Coming up: How to figure out Where The Darts Go; Dart Math.

-- Sandi

P.S. I'm still out of the office, but I am reading comments from my Secret Location. So leave a comment and let me know if you have any questions or nifty things to say!

Past Adventures of the Hot Tomato

You Asked For A Top, We Gave You A Tomato

On The Third Day, I Ripped

My Surreal Knitting Life and That Stripe

In Which The Commenters Chant: Bust Darts, Bust Darts, Bust Darts!

A Hot Tomato

Questions, Questions: The Darts and More

Increases and Decreases for Sweater Knitting

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Remember: It's the Week of Knitting For Your Heart. Knit what you yearn to knit, instead of what you should knit, just for this one week. (I promise, the world won't end.)

Gallery: The Ivy League Vest

KD Sandi — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Annie goes Ivy League!

Katie's notes:

(Katie Himmelberg is assistant editor of Interweave Knits.)

This colorwork beauty, designed by Interweave Knits editor Eunny Jang, modernizes a Fair Isle classic with its close fit. Using a modest six colors, this vest is a complete study in Fair Isle; the classic construction elements include steeks and two-color corrugated ribbing.

View The Ivy League Gallery

When selecting a size, be sure to check all the measurements shown on the schematic; the stranded fabric is very firm (but flexible) and a too-tight vest may be uncomfortable in the waist area. The sample I tried on was a little smaller than my actual measurements, and while not uncomfortable, was definitely on the tight side! So, if you're looking for a more relaxed fit, I'd choose the size with a waist measurement that is larger than your own. For a close fit, choose the size that is closest to or less than your waist size.

Don't be afraid to switch up the colors to suit your personal palette; as we discussed with the Bonbon Pullover, the key is to choose colors with similar values so that you'll have the same balance between light and dark. Contrast is key; it really makes the patterns pop.

from Winter 2007 Interweave Knits

I think the Ivy League looks great as shown in the magazine, and it could be worn with a number of different outfits; over a long, sleek turtleneck, a v-neck tee that echoes the neckline of the vest, or a jersey dress.

Sandi's notes:

Note that in the pattern, Eunny points out: "The deep V-neck accommodates a bust size up to 5" larger than finished size." Thus, the V-neck is why the finished waist size is a better guide to which size to knit than the bust size. For example, after a bit of weight loss this past autumn, I now have a 40.5" bust and a 37" waist. The finished bust sizes for the Ivy League go up to 41.75", which would give me 1.25" of positive ease (not including the ease added by the V-neck). However, I would hesitate to make the 41.75" size because the corresponding waist measurement, as shown on the schematic, is only 35.5".

Freaked by Steeks? If you are in love with the Ivy League Vest, but are put off by the very mention of the word "steeks" in the introduction...well, don't be. Eunny has a wonderful, hold-your-hand tutorial on steeks in the Winter 2006 issue of Interweave Knits (and I checked, back issues are still available if you missed that one). The big fear with steeks seems to be the fear of the fabric unravelling once it is cut; however, as Eunny points out in the article, knitted fabric is less likely to unravel if you cut down through the rounds/rows than if you cut across a single round/row. Also, garments such as the Ivy League Vest are usually knit with a "hairy" wool whose little hairs naturally hold the stitches together. So: Be a fearless knitter, and fear not the steeks.

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.

Knit Cardigan Patterns From Knitting Daily: 7 FREE Knitting Patterns

Every knitter has dreamed of the perfect cardigan pattern that he or she might knit some day. From a cozy cable knit to luminous lace, this free ebook will be your dream come true. This is a wonderful and varied collection of cardigans-which is one of the most important pieces in your wardrobe. You'll want to make every one of these knit cardigan 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!).

Knitting Daily : introduction

Fair Isle Fever: The Ivy League Vest

Great Free Easy Knitting Patterns EBook

New Adventures in Knitting . . . Daily

Update Your Wardrobe Cheaply With Needle Felting

Bust Dart Math!

Introduction to Darts: Vertical and Short-Row

Gallery: The Ivy League Vest

Katie's notes:

Sandi's notes:

Knit Cardigan Patterns From Knitting Daily: 7 FREE Knitting Patterns

Download Your Free eBook Today