Inside Knits

Knit Gloves for the Ones You Love

kateg0762 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:57:00 GMT

As a retired trial attorney, I am always curious about what people think and do during their time on a jury. So when I came across the Juris Mitts in the 2011 issue of Interweave Knits Accessories, I knew that I simply had to knit them.

First, the designer came up with the idea while serving on a jury.

Second, and more important as far as knitting is concerned, I had been on the lookout for a while for a fingerless gloves knitting pattern for myself and my sister Cynthia, who also lives in Colorado. These flip-top mitts were perfect!


Cynthia loves her Juris Mitts

I showed the magazine photo of the mitts to Cynthia at Thanksgiving, and she was equally enthusiastic about them. I went to a local yarn store the next day, avoiding the Black Friday crowds at the mall in favor of spending time wandering around the walls and bins of yarn. Since it was one of the elements that drew me to the pattern in the first place, I decided to stick with the Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed yarn used in the mitts modeled in the magazine. The yarn weight used for the Juris Mitts is substantial enough to hold their shape without being too bulky in the fingers.

The directions called for two skeins, so I bought two skeins of red for Cynthia's mitts and two skeins of blue for mine. I decided to knit the medium size after measuring my hand as a reference. I made the right-hand mitt in red in just a couple of weeks of evening knitting. It was an excellent easy knitting project of one-by-one ribbing and stockinette, great for knitting in front of the TV or when I didn't have much time. When I got to the fingers, I knit an extra two rows after the pinkie for the rest of the hand before knitting the other three fingers. Then once all of that was done I tried the mitt on and realized that it was too big for my hand and would be too big for Cynthia's as well.

But the mitt was perfect in construction, and I couldn't make myself ravel it. Instead, when I knit the left-hand mitt, I made it in size small. For it, I shortened the fingers so that they ended just below the bottom knuckles. The longer fingers in the pattern limited my finger dexterity and shortening them restored it. I got the medium and small mitt out of one skein of yarn. At Christmas, I had Cynthia try them both on, and as I suspected, she much preferred the small one. I knitted diligently over the next few days and was able to deliver a complete pair-in size small-to her before the New Year rang in. She loves them, and they are now her favorite pair of hand coverings. She likes the flip-tops for handling car keys or grasping coins and can flip the tops on and off very easily.


	One small red mitt and one medium red mitt.

I was left with a single, lonely medium-size mitt. Since I had gotten a medium and small mitt out of the first skein, I knew I had enough yarn left in the second skein to finish the second pair of mitts. With all four mitts done, I have enough yarn from the second skein remaining for a flip-top for another mitt, but not the rest of a mitt. I think the medium pair took more than one skein, but the small pair took a little less than one skein.

The medium-size pair of knit mittens has been mailed off to a friend of mine who lives in northern New Jersey and is a real estate agent. He spends a considerable amount of time driving clients around and fishing keys out of little boxes. He also does a lot of yard work, even in the colder months. The flip-tops will preserve his dexterity for doing all his activities and keep his fingers warm when he is finished.

It is good that I love this pattern so well, because I will end up making four pairs of Juris Mitts! Get a copy of Interweave Knits Accessories and knit something that will warm the hands and hearts of your loved ones.

Now on to the blue yarn!

Kate

Belated Resolutions

arwilliams — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

The beginning of this new year has flown by, and I've neglected to make my knitting resolutions. Here are my top 3.

Organize my stash. A daunting goal! But one that I know will benefit my knitting for the rest of the year. My yarn stash has expanded considerably since I started work with Interweave. Carefully arranged skeins have exploded out of their Tupperware and now run rampant all over my apartment, making it mighty hard to stash-dive for a project. Ultimately, I'll have everything catalogued by yarn weight, with a few luxury skeins on display.

Challenge myself with colorwork. I'm a texture gal at heart. I swoon for cables, I go mad for lace, can work twisted ribbing on tiny needles for days. I'm not sure why I avoid stranded knitting. Maybe it's all those dangling ends, or the fear that my love for bright color will result in knits more clownish than sophisticated. This year, I'll make at least one Fair Isle project. There are a few tempting options in Vintage Modern Knits.

More warm-weather knitting! We've had a few unseasonably warm days lately, and they've turned my mind to spring knitting. I actually love summer knits, and am looking forward to experimenting with new fibers. No more pining for sweater season-- tricky socks, lacy tees, and silky camisoles will be filling my knitting bag this spring. First on my list is the Millefiori Cardigan.


	The sweetly retro Millefiori Cardigan, Interweave Knits Spring 2009.

Happy knitting!

3 for the Road

arwilliams — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

The holidays are upon us, bringing a question at least as important as whether or not to knit the man in your life a holiday sweater. What knitting should I pack for holiday travel?

For starters, I need a project for the journey itself. I am a dedicated airplane knitter. Officially, knitting needles are allowed on board American planes. Really. Of course, it never hurts to leave your 12 inch aluminum straights at home in favor of a benign-looking bamboo circular. That's fine with me, as the only thing I seem to have on my needles lately is an endless parade of hats knit in the round. For the plane, I'm thinking the Pointilist Hat from Interweave Knits Accessories 2011 will be perfect. The all-over bobble pattern has enough happening to keep me occupied, but the 6-st repeat will be easy to keep track of during the frequent starts and stops inevitable during travel.


Pointilist Hat, Nikki Wagner	Copenhagen Hat, Mary Keenan

I'm thinking the Copenhagen Hat, also from Accessories, will be perfect for relaxed knitting at home. The welting adds cuteness and warmth without fuss, and long stretches of knits and purls are perfect for chatting over coffee.

Last is a project I've been saving for a long weekend. An exquisite sampler of twisted-stitch knitting, The Proverbial Cap is finely etched with three different charted motifs. My personal favorite is "Forgotten Love." This might stretch my powers of concentration, but I think the result will be well worth the time. This pattern appeared in Interweave Knits Fall 2010, along with a detailed primer on twisted stitches.


How pretty is this?	The Proverbial Cap, Meg Swansen

Now, the only decision left is what yarn to use. Suggestions are welcome!

See you after the holidays! Hopefully, I'll have a few new accessories to show you.

Happy crafting,

Amanda

Grafting In Pattern, Part 2: Top-To-Top

Joni Coniglio — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:00:00 GMT

In Part 1 of my post on grafting in pattern, I focused on top-to-bottom grafting. In Part 2, I'll look at top-to-top grafting.

Knitters employ various methods for remembering the correct sequence of steps when using Kitchener stitch to join two sets of live stitches together. The most popular methods involve chanting phrases such as, "Knit off, purl on, purl off, knit on."

The center back seam (from the underarm to the neck) in Sarah Fama's Manuscript Vest was joined with top-to-top grafting. Joining the seam with three-needle bind-off would have left a very visible (and bulky) seam in a place where a seam would detract from the
look of the garment.

But have you ever wondered how these methods work---or why, in some cases they don't? (Perhaps you've found yourself getting frustrated because the same formula that you've used countless times for grafting the toe of a sock doesn't work as well when you use it to graft two garter or seed stitch pieces together.)

It all comes down to knitting structure and how it can be duplicated by drawing yarn through live loops, using a tapestry needle, while at the same time joining the live loops on two different needles together.

First, let's take a brief look at knitting structure and how stitches are created using a knitting needle. To create a knit stitch, you insert the knitting needle into a loop from front to back and draw another loop through from back to front. A purl stitch is created by inserting the knitting needle into a loop from back to front and drawing another loop through from front to back.

To recreate a single knit or purl stitch using a tapestry needle and a strand of yarn requires two steps. A knit stitch is created by drawing the yarn through an existing loop first from back to front (purlwise), then from front to back (knitwise). A purl stitch is created by drawing the yarn through a loop first from front to back (knitwise), then from back to front (purlwise).

For Katya Frankel's Quatrefoil Cups, the live stitches on the front needle were grafted to the provisional cast-on stitches, using a garter stitch graft. With stitch patterns such as stockinette stitch or garter stitch, you can use either the top-to-bottom grafting method I described in Part 1, or the top-to-top method. The only difference between the two is that there will be a slight jog at the sides with the top-to-top method.

When you graft live stitches on the front needle to live stitches on the back needle top-to-top, you are creating two distinct pattern rows simultaneously, one on each needle. Moreover, because the wrong side of the work on the back needle is facing you as you graft the stitches from right to left (assuming that you are grafting right-handed), the pattern row on this needle is being grafted in reverse. And, if that's not enough to make your brain start hurting, there's one more thing: the pattern stitches on the back needle are upside down and shifted a half stitch to the left in relation to the pattern stitches on the front needle!

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Let's back up a few steps.

As I said earlier, when the live stitches on the front needle are grafted to the live stitches on the back needle, two pattern rows (one on each needle) are created simultaneously. What makes this possible is the serpentine structure of the knitted row (or, in this case, the grafted row).


Illustration 1

Illustration 1 shows a row of four grafted stitches, with the rows above and below it omitted. The four X's at the top of the row indicate the top loops of the grafted stitches that are a continuation of the pattern on the front needle. There is another row of loops that runs along the bottom of the row and faces in the opposite direction. These four loops, also marked by X's, are a continuation of the pattern on the back needle. The tops of the loops grafted on the front needle form the running threads between the loops grafted on the back needle, and the running threads between the loops grafted on the front needle form the tops of the loops grafted on the back needle.


Illustration 2

It helps to look at each pattern row first individually, then show how the two rows fit together into one grafted row. In traditional Kitchener stitch, the type of grafting you might use to close the toe of sock, the stockinette stitch pattern is continued on each of the stitches on the front needle (illustration 2) by drawing the yarn through the loop on the needle first purlwise (leaving the stitch on the needle because the yarn needs to go through each stitch twice) and knitwise (removing the stitch from the needle because the stitch is now complete). I like to use chart symbols to represent the loops on the needle.

The grafted stockinette stitch pattern on the back needle (illustration 3) looks identical to the pattern on the front needle (and is), but it's achieved in an entirely different way.


Illustration 3

In top-to-top grafting, the stitches on the back needle are oriented upside down in relation to the stitches on the front needle and are shifted a half-stitch to the left (illustration 4). In addition, they are grafted with the wrong side of the work facing the knitter, so the stockinette stitch on the back needle is achieved by working a purl graft on the purl side of the work. A purl graft is the exact opposite of a knit graft: the yarn is drawn through the loop on the needle knitwise (leaving the stitch on the needle), then purlwise (removing the stitch from the needle). Since the row is grafted from right to left (assuming you are grafting right-handed), each pattern row on each needle progresses from right to left, as well.

As the row is grafted, the grafting yarn alternates between the stitches on the two needles (illustration 5), going through the first half of a stitch on the front needle, then moving to the back needle and going through the first half of a stitch on that needle (the two set-up steps). It then moves to the front needle again and goes through the second half of the first stitch and the first half of the next stitch, then moves to the back needle where it goes through the second half of the first stitch and the first half of the next stitch. The sequence of second half/first half on each needle is repeated across the row until one stitch remains on each needle. The row ends with the yarn going through the second half of each remaining stitch. Each time the second half of a stitch is worked, it is removed from the needle.


Illustration 4

Hopefully, breaking the process down in this way will make the grafting process seem a little less mysterious. In fact, the steps follow a very logical order. Below are the written instructions for stockinette stitch grafting. By comparing each step of the instructions to the path the arrows take through the chart symbols in illustration 5, it is easy to see how the steps relate to the creation of the pattern on each needle.

Begin with two set-up steps:

Purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the first stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

Repeat four steps until 1 stitch remains on each needle:

Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.


Illustration 5

End with two steps:

Knitwise through the last stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the last stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.

By the way, the grafting chart could just as easily have consisted of two stitches on each row, instead of four. The chart only needs to be as large as the smallest multiple of the stitch pattern (and a minimum of two stitches).

Pretty much any pattern can be charted in similar fashion (and I usually just use a piece of graph paper and a pencil for this).

Take garter stitch, for example. In this chart (illustration 6), I use a shaded box to represent purl stitches (as viewed from the right side of the work).The last row worked on the front needle was a knit row on the wrong side, which resulted in a purl row on the right side. The last row worked on the back needle was a knit row on the right side. To continue the garter stitch pattern on the front needle, a row of knit stitches must be grafted on that needle; to continue the garter stitch pattern on the back needle, a row of knit stitches must be grafted on that needle from the wrong side of the work, resulting in purl stitches on the right side of the work. This is where the fact that you are grafting a distinct pattern row on each needle really becomes evident. You must account for the two rows when planning how to end the pattern on the front and back needle, in preparation for the grafting.


Illustration 6

GARTER STITCH

Begin with two set-up steps:

Purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the first stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

Repeat four steps until one stitch remains on each needle:

Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

End with two steps:

Knitwise through the last stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the last stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.

As the stitch pattern repeats get larger, so (obviously) do the grafting repeats. A grafting multiple will be four times the multiple of the stitch pattern, because each stitch of the pattern repeat requires four grafting steps (two on each needle). For example, the K2, P2 rib shown here is a multiple of four stitches, plus two, so the grafting will require a multiple of sixteen steps, plus eight. It's easy to see how the written instructions for grafting can get very long and complex with even the smallest changes to the stitch pattern.


Illustration 7

K2, P2 RIB

Begin with two set-up steps:

Purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the first stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

Repeat sixteen steps until two stitches remain on each needle:

Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

End with six steps:

Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the last stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the last stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.


Illustration 8

SEED STITCH

Seed stitch is a pattern with knit and purl stitches that alternate across every row as well as from row to row. If you work it over an odd number of stitches (back and forth), you can work every row the same: *K1, p1; rep from *, end k1. The chart (illustration 8) shows the last wrong side row worked on the front needle and the last right side row worked on the back needle, with the grafted row between. The knit and purl stitches alternate even on the two pattern rows of the grafting. Since the seed stitch pattern is a multiple of two stitches, plus one, the grafting steps will be a multiple of eight, plus four.

Begin with two set-up steps:

Purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the first stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

Repeat eight steps until one stitch remains on each needle:

Knitwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Knitwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the front needle, leave the stitch on the needle.
Purlwise through the stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Purlwise through the next stitch on the back needle, leave the stitch on the needle.

End with two steps:

Knitwise through the last stitch on the front needle, remove the stitch from the needle.
Knitwise through the last stitch on the back needle, remove the stitch from the needle.

THE HALF-STITCH JOG


2 X 2 Rib swatch

As we've seen, when stitches are grafted top-to-top, the piece on the back needle shifts to the left a half-stitch in relation to the stitches on the front needle. (This always makes me think of tectonic plates!) The result of this shift will be more or less noticeable, depending on the stitch pattern being grafted. With patterns such as stockinette stitch and garter stitch, the jog will be completely invisible, except maybe at the side edges. But with patterns such as K2, P2 rib that have both knit and purl stitches on the same row the jog will be more noticeable.


Garter Stitch Swatch


Seed Stitch Swatch

That is, it will be more noticeable if the rib is stretched so that the transition between knit and purl stitches is visible. If the rib is relaxed, the jog won't show quite as much.

In seed stitch, where the pattern alternates every stitch, it's more difficult to see the jog.

This may seem like a lot of information to process in one sitting---knit, purl, remove, leave on, top-to-top, top-to-bottom, right side, wrong side, upside down and half-stitch jog to the left. The best way to make sense of it all is to pick up your needles and knit a few swatches. Work through the examples and then try your hand at creating your own grafting charts.

I welcome your comments and/or questions!

Joni

Allison's Flock

Kathy Mallo — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:17:00 GMT

Here at Interweave, we really love sheep, yaks, goats, angora rabbits, alpacas, muskox, lamas and all critters that provide the wonderful fiber that we can knit (spin, weave, or crochet). When trying to come up with an accurate yet interesting title for this blog, I can't help but think of the life of a shepherd tending his/her sheep. What's that?!? The Yarn group (including Knits, Knitscene, Crochet and all special issues) editorial manager is our profile today. Her job is to basically herd sheep! Although sometimes she may think she's herding cats.

Meet our fabulous Allison Mackin!

Her professional side:

1. Tell us about your work history here at Interweave.
I started working at Interweave as an intern for PieceWork magazine (still one of my favorites!) about five years ago. Since then, I've been fortunate to work in various editorial capacities with many of Interweave's magazines, including Spin-Off, Handwoven, Stringing, Beadwork, and now Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, and Knitscene.

2. What are your current job responsibilities?
As the managing editor, I do a lot of behind-the-scenes work. My main responsibility is to keep the magazines running on schedule and within budget. That means working closely with our editorial staff and many other departments within the company.

3. What is a favorite task and why?
Another part of my job is reading all of the pages of the magazines before they go to the printer to make sure that everything is correct and consistent. Strange but true: I absolutely love this part of my job. Sure, I have to check that page numbers are right and that text is formatted correctly, but I also get to see all of the gorgeous projects and read the interesting articles.

4. What do you find most challenging?
Seeing all of the beautiful projects is actually sort of a challenge. I'm only a beginning knitter, but already have a huge pile of magazines with turned-down corners for projects that I want to make. I have no idea how I'll ever make them all! And I still need to learn to crochet, which will open up a whole other world of temptation.

5. Who do you share an office with?
I share an office with Ms. Amy Palmer, assistant editor of Knitscene and Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts and Knits Accessories. She is a general wellspring of knitting knowledge.

6. Why is Interweave a good place to have a career?
The creativity. I love working with our great, creative contributors and editorial staff. Their beautiful ideas make working here feel really worthwhile. And imagine going to the lunch room and sitting down to eat-only to realize that you're sitting next to knitting guru, Ann Budd! It's very fun.

Her personal side:

In my last blog post I promised that you would share a little about your life changing event.
I just got married a few months ago! We've had a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family. We really enjoyed our small family ceremony, which we had in the West of Ireland. We chose Ireland because my father grew up there and his side of the family lives there now. It was really special to be able to celebrate with them. We had the ceremony at an historic country house that I visited when I was young and had always loved.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in beautiful Wisconsin and lived out in the country with lots of pets.

What is your college experience? Did you waffle or know all along what you wanted to do?
I have degrees in English, Spanish, and poetry. Earning my Master of Fine Arts in poetry is what brought me out here to Colorado (and is how I met my husband!). I was on the path to becoming a poetry professor, but had fallen in love with publishing (mostly literary journals) along the way. Those publishing experiences translated well to working on Interweave's magazines.

Tell us about your recreational interests.
As you might have guessed, I'm a "words" gal-I love reading and writing. Historical fiction is my favorite, though my favorite writer is Alice Munro, who writes mostly contemporary fiction. I also love to travel. Some of my favorite places that I've been include Chile, Cuba, Trinidad, Hong Kong, and, of course, Ireland. Australia is next on my list of places to visit because a dear friend lives there.

A few miscellaneous tidbits about me:
I'm an aspiring violinist, a vegetarian, a huge Bob Dylan fan, and a big-time animal lover: I have a cat and a dog so far. (See photo at the right) Someday, I would love to have a little hobby farm. I adore history and antiques, and am particularly fascinated by the Edwardian period. It seems like it was such an interesting time of change and transition. I collect antique photographs, jewelry, and furniture.

Is there a knitting technique that you are exploring?
I've always loved crafts. Right now I'm knitting my first sweater, which you can read about here. I have to say, learning to knit this sweater and for the first time creating a garment that I'll be able to wear really borders on magical. With the time it takes me to knit a single row, I've found that it's also definitely an act of self-love!
As far as techniques go, the Vera Cardigan by Alexis Winslow uses colorwork, which I had never done before. I was very intimidated by it at first, but it's actually a lot of fun to see the colorwork pattern take shape. And it definitely lets you know when you've made a mistake!

Allison's office roommate Amy is a profoundly skilled knitter and has helped not only Allison with her first sweater project but she has also patiently and generously helped me with personal project knitting questions. It might be a surprise to you that not every single person here at Interweave are "experienced" knitters. Don't worry: we leave the pattern design, writing, editing, technical editing and advise to the experts!

Take Care,

Knitting Mittens For The Holidays

kateg0762 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:04:00 GMT

One of the perks of working for Interweave is seeing our magazines and books before they are available to the general public. The new issue of Knits Accessories is bursting with easy knitting patterns—I can make for friends, family, and myself without busting my budget or time limitations. I decided to start with the Arc Mittens by Peggy O'Grady—the ones with the angled increase for the thumb (pictured left). I like that little design element. Turns out the photo in the magazine shows the mittens reversed; the pattern places the increase on the palm. So it's knitter's choice if they increases go on the palm or top of the hand; I like it on top of the hand though.


Above: Knitting mitten (left) completed

Above: Knitting mitten (right) in progress

The day after Thanksgiving I visited my local yarn shop and got Brown Sheep Yarns Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn, the same brand of yarn used in the sample mittens, in a soothing cream, and a set of size 8 double pointed needles. The next day, when the weather wasn't so great, I spent an enjoyable 5 or 6 hours watching Christmas specials on TV and knitting the first mitten. I am a slow knitter, but with fewer than 40 stitches in the body, once the thumb was done, things went quickly. I had to rip out the first few rows because I wasn't paying enough attention to the placement of the increase stitches, but after three or four rounds, I was able to easily see where the stitches went. I had the first knitted mitten done by bedtime.

The second mitten gave me a little more trouble, all of my own making rather than the knitted mitten pattern's directions. I brought the second mitten in to work on Monday and got the help of a co-worker. That evening I tried again, but still was not able to get a nice, clean demarcation for the increase. On Tuesday I brought it to one of the magazine editors, and she straightened me out. It turned out that I was doing two different things wrong.

The increase stitch moved one stitch to the left on the first mitten. So that is what I did on the second mitten where the increase stitch gets made at the same place of each round. Next time I'll read the pattern more closely. I was also not picking up for the increase stitch correctly. Once I understood, the increases started looking like they should. I should have the second mitten done by the end of this week, in plenty of time for Christmas.

Enjoy!

Kate

P.S. If you'd like to knit mittens for this gift giving season, you can download Interweave Knits Accessories 2011 and get started right away.

Does a Grafted Row Count as One or Two Pattern Rows

Joni Coniglio — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:15:00 GMT

In my article, "The Ins and Outs of Grafting," which recently appeared in the premiere issue of knit.wear magazine, I mentioned the fact that, when trying to determine how to fit the grafting into the row repeats of a stitch pattern, you should allow for two pattern rows, instead of just one. I'd like to talk a little more about that here. (Note: In the article, I described both top-to-top and top-to-bottom grafting, but for now, I'm going to limit the discussion to top-to-bottom grafting, which is very different from top-to-top grafting. So for the moment, put aside what you know about grafting the toe of a sock!) But first, here's a short quiz: You've designed an infinity cowl that will be joined end-to-end. You want the pattern to continue around the entire circumference of the cowl, uninterrupted by a seam, so your plan is to cast on using a provisional cast-on and graft the live stitches to the cast-on stitches. Your stitch pattern has a 10-row repeat. You start with Row 1 of the pattern after the provisional cast-on, then repeat Rows1-10 until the cowl is the right length. In order for the pattern rows to match up perfectly when you graft the stitches together, you will need to do which of the following: A) End with Row 9 of the pattern and graft Row 10. B) End with Row 8 of the pattern and graft Row 9. If you answered A, you are probably in the majority. It does seem like the logical choice. After all, since the grafted row is only one row, it follows that you'd end one row shy of a full repeat before grafting the stitches together. The correct answer, however, is B. You should end with Row 8 of the pattern (two rows short of a complete repeat) and graft Row 9. But if you start with Row 1 of the pattern after the provisional cast-on and end with Row 8 before grafting Row 9, won't you have a gap in the pattern where Row 10 should be? No, there won't be a gap because Row 10 already exists, albeit in an "unfinished" state, in the provisional cast-on stitches. The row is unfinished because the loops that are secured by the waste yarn aren't attached to another row of knitting, so are neither knit stitches nor purl stitches (and won't be until the grafting yarn is drawn through them). You could say that Row 10 is a pattern row "in-waiting." During the knitting process, loops of yarn are drawn through other loops to create a new row of stitches. If you look closely at the place where the two rows intersect, you can see that the top of the loops of the lower row wrap around both "legs" of the loops from the upper row. If the stitches of the new row are knit stitches, the top of the loops from the row below will disappear behind the legs of the new loops (the two legs of the old loop form the "V" of a knit stitch); if the new stitches are purl stitches, the top of the loops from the lower row will be in front of the two legs of the new stitches (the top of the old loop forms the "bump" or "ridge" of a purl stitch). As we can see, it is the relationship between the two rows of loops that determines whether the new stitches are knit or purl stitches. When live loops on the front needle are grafted to live loops on the back needle, a pattern row is created when the grafting yarn is drawn through the loops on the front needle. At the same time, a separate pattern row is created by drawing yarn through the loops on the back needle. In top-to-bottom grafting, the tops of the stitches on the front needle are joined to the bottoms of the stitches on the back needle (which are the running threads between the provisional cast-on stitches). It is the running threads of the cast-on stitches that are placed onto the back needle in preparation for grafting. When it comes to grafting in a pattern that contains both knit and purl stitches, top-to-bottom grafting has a distinct advantage over top-to-top grafting: the stitches of the grafted pattern will line up perfectly with the stitches of the rest of the pattern. This is because the grafted row is no different than any row in a piece that has been worked from the cast-on row up to the bound-off row (in top-to-top grafting, there will be a half-stitch jog in the pattern because one of the pieces being grafted is upside-down). In top-to-bottom grafting, the grafted stitches are an exact replica of stitches created when loops are drawn through other loops with a knitting needle. Because of this, the steps required to graft each stitch should match the vertical alignment of the pattern. Look closely at a single stitch in the middle of several rows of Stockinette stitch and follow the path the yarn takes through the loops above and below it. You will see that there are four places where the yarn passes through another loop: first it goes through a loop in the row below, then it travels upward at a diagonal and passes through a loop in the row above (this loop is upside down and not directly above the stitch, but a half stitch to the right of it), then the yarn moves to the left horizontally where it passes through another upside-down loop (this one a half stitch to the left), then moves downward at a diagonal and passes through the same loop in the row below that it passed through the first time. Each stitch has the same four anchor points: two below in one loop and two above in a half-loop each. In top-to-bottom grafting, a single grafted stitch follows the same path: The tapestry needle is inserted into a loop on the front needle, the yarn is drawn through and the stitch remains on the front needle. The tapestry needle is inserted into a loop on the back needle and the stitch is removed onto the tapestry needle, but the yarn isn't drawn through until the next step. The tapestry needle is inserted into the next loop on the back needle, the yarn is drawn through and the stitch remains on the back needle. The tapestry needle is inserted into the same loop on the front needle as before and the stitch is removed onto the tapestry needle, but the yarn isn't drawn through until the next step. These four steps are repeated for each grafted stitch. The direction in which the tapestry needle is inserted into a stitch on the knitting needle at any given time will depend on the pattern being grafted. To graft a knit stitch on the front needle, insert the tapestry needle through the loop purlwise in Step 1 and knitwise in Step 4. To graft a knit stitch on the back needle, insert the tapestry needle through the loop purlwise in Step 2 and knitwise in Step 3. To graft a purl stitch on the front needle, insert the tapestry needle through the loop knitwise in Step 1 and purlwise in Step 4. To graft a purl stitch on the back needle, insert the tapestry needle through the loop knitwise in Step 2 and purlwise in Step 3. Since the grafting conforms to the structure of each stitch, it is possible to use the stitch charts from the pattern as a guide to the sequence of steps. Simply pick two rows of the chart and use the lower row for the front needle graft and the upper row for the back needle graft. Each knit stitch on the lower row of the chart will represent a knitwise graft on the front needle (purlwise, then knitwise into one loop), while each knit stitch on the upper row will represent a knitwise graft on the back needle (purlwise through one loop, then knitwise through the next loop to the left). For purl grafts, the knitwise and purlwise steps are reversed. In the following swatches, I show how various patterns can be grafted using charts. For each swatch, I used a provisional cast-on and worked a few inches in the pattern, beginning with a wrong-side row, then I bound off the stitches. I like to start with a wrong-side row above the provisional cast-on so that I can use the cast-on tail for the grafting (I leave it long, about four times the width of the piece). For the portion of the swatch below the grafted row, I cast on regularly, worked a few rows, and ended two rows before where I started the pattern above the cast-on. Before I removed the waste yarn from the provisional cast-on in preparation for grafting, I picked up an extra stitch at the corner (the cast-on tail side) so that I had one more stitch on the back needle than on the front needle. I did this because I wanted a half-loop at each side of the back needle and only wanted the grafting yarn to go through those stitches one time, instead of two. This matches the structure of the knitted fabric as it's worked from the cast-on row up to the bound-off edge. The arrows in the charts show the path the pink grafting yarn takes through the loops on the front and back needles. The letters represent the knitwise (k) or purlwise (p) direction the yarn takes through each loop to create knit and purl stitches. The white boxes represent knit stitches (as viewed from the right-side of the work) and the gray boxes (and boxes with dots) represent purl stitches (as viewed from the right-side).

Swatch A

For Swatch A, I worked garter stitch by purling every row. The back needle portion begins with a "valley" (achieved by purling on a WS row) and the front needle portion ends with a "ridge" (achieved by purling on a RS row). When I grafted, I worked a knit graft on the front needle and a purl graft on the back needle. The purl bumps of the grafted row (shown in pink) are on top of the knit "V's."

Swatch B

For Swatch B, I worked garter stitch by knitting every row. The back needle portion begins with a "ridge" (achieved by knitting on a WS row) and the front needle portion ends with a "valley" (achieved by knitting on a RS row). When I grafted, I worked a purl graft on the front needle and a knit graft on the back needle. The purl bumps of the grafted row (which appear in the main color because they are the tops of the stitches on the front needle) are below the knit "V's."

Swatch C

For Swatch C, I worked in Seed Stitch. Since I had an odd number of stitches, I worked every row the same: *K1, p1; rep from * to last st, end k1. Because I started with a WS row above the cast-on, there is a purl stitch as viewed from the RS of the work on each side of the row. The front needle begins and ends with a knit stitch. Because the grafted row creates two pattern rows, the knit and purl grafts need to alternate, just as they do in the Seed Stitch pattern itself. To graft Seed stitch, I just alternated Versions 1 and 2 of the Garter Stitch charts (starting with Version 2).

Swatch D

Click Here for Larger Image

Swatch D shows a Zig Zag pattern consisting of four purl bumps on each diagonal line. The chart shows how the grafted row connects the purl bumps at the top of the zig zag with the purl bumps at the bottom of the zig zag. I again used the Garter Stitch charts above and added a symbol for a Stockinette graft (on the first grafted stitch, then every 3^rd grafted stitch).

Swatch E

For Swatch E, I cast on 20 stitches and started with the WS row of the pattern above the grafted row. I worked a cable crossing on the 2^nd row, then every 4^th row. On the front needle, I ended with a cable crossing row in order to continue the four-row repeat of the pattern when I added the two pattern rows during grafting. Here I used a combination of Stockinette stitch grafting (for the four-stitch cable) and Reverse Stockinette stitch grafting (for the two stitches separating the cable pattern).

By mixing and matching the four grafting symbols I've shown here (Stockinette, Reverse Stockinette, and two versions of Garter Stitch), you can graft pretty much any combination of knit and purl stitches. Just remember to account for two pattern rows for the grafting and pick up the extra stitch at the edge of the back needle so that you have one more stitch on the back needle than on the front.

Joni

Cozy up in knit.wear.

arwilliams — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:11:00 GMT

Ah, fall. It's a safe bet that if you're reading this, you already know the joy of curling up with your knitting on a chilly evening. In summer, I found myself reaching for small, challenging projects to keep my fingers busy on long afternoons. Now, I'm more interested in warm, wearable garments that fit easily into my closet. Since I find myself wearing the same cozy pieces day after day, I also want to knit up something that looks good with a variety of outfits.

Take the easy, clean lines of Eunny Jang's Exposed Seam Pullover in knit.wear. With its wide boatneck and slim waist shaping, I think this silhouette would be flattering with everything from crisp office slacks to a comfy pair of leggings. The yarn, a blend of linen, wool, and alpaca, promises a balanced drape to complement the pullover's modern shape. All pieces are knit in the round and joined seamlessly in a unique combination of vertical and side-to-side stockinette fabric.

The Selvedge Cardigan, by Amy Christoffers, is another versatile knit in knit.wear. The chunky gauge is quick to knit and practical for cold weather. I tend to reach for grandpa-style cardigans, and might lengthen the body and sleeves a bit for extra warmth.

What are the pieces you want in your wardrobe right this minute? Whether you answered a fitted, cropped cardigan or an elegant braided capelet, knit.wear has something for you.

Happy knitting!

Amanda

Exploration of Stars and Stitches

Kathy Mallo — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:16:00 GMT

Welcome to Getting to Know the Folks at Interweave!

This edition is about the Interweave Knits assistant editor, Larissa Gibson. She aims for the stars (literally), but as she told me, her "fantastical yearnings" pull her to the textile crafts of yore. Enjoy...

What are your basic responsibilities?

As the assistant editor, my primary function is to assist the editor. I do this, in part, by developing content for the magazine including the departments located at the front of the magazine, writing the first draft of the submission call, proofreading, taking pictures, coordinating with contributors, and managing hundreds of small details-many of them relating to "where is the ______?"

How do you decide which products to promote on the New and Notable pages?

Putting together New and Notable is a lot of fun. I come up with a theme and go out and find products that I think are fun and interesting. They aren't necessarily new to the market, but I try to look at them in a new way. I like to draw attention to products that might easily go unnoticed in the sea of knitting notions. I love to highlight small businesses and independent artisans who are coming up with innovative and beautiful tools for knitters.

Are there any new projects that especially excite you?

My fingers are itching to pick up needles and yarn as I read through the Pam Allen (Quince & Co.) patterns in our latest special issue, knit.wear. (see her 4 designs below right) The stitches and shaping are elegant yet uncomplicated; the textures and shapes are intricate enough to keep you interested but would easily flow off the needles. The silhouettes are timeless and wearable for every day, from the office to lounging on the weekend. I haven't started one yet but they are on my short list. The big question yet to be resolved is which one to make first.

Do any experiences with the latest issue stand out to you?

I enjoyed working with what I refer to as "the body parts." We brought in a selection of retail fixtures for a feature in knit.wear about hosiery, glove and hat displays. Every day in the office I was staring at an odd assortment of legs, hands and heads, alongside a mannequin with none of those parts. It was amusingly unsettling much like a good Tim Burton movie.

What are the best and worst aspects of your job?

Worst part of the job: the dreaded basement. At this Interweave office, we store things in a very old, very dark basement. It is a lovely office except for that basement! Sometimes I have to go down there and I don't want to! I've taken to asking our intern to go down for me. That's what interns are for, right?
Side notes to reader: First, I'm pretty sure that the basement is home to a friendly ghost named Howie. Second, if you have ever wondered what Interweave headquarters look like I've included a photo. The editorial department is on the top floor of this wonderful historic structure in downtown Loveland, Colorado. It was constructed in 1928 as the First National Bank (serving bank customers until 1963). Interweave home offices occupy this and a couple of other buildings in little old-town Loveland!

Best part of the job: Are you kidding? It has to be the yummy yarn and the gorgeous garments, the New and Notable products, and of course the Interweave library. I really love delving into the subject of knitting: be it the tools we use, array of techniques, the wonders of design and functionality of garments. You may think that would be the bulk of the job, but there are millions of little administrative tasks in getting a magazine out the door, so for me, there is never enough time to truly immerse myself in knitting.

What did you do professionally before coming to Interweave?

I'm only coming up on my first year anniversary at Interweave and this has been a huge career change for me. Let me back up and tell you some history:

I went to college on a ROTC scholarship to study astrophysics because I had a dream of being an astronaut. Once the physics department chewed me up and spit me out, I found myself with a degree in math. I was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for four years to meet the terms of my college scholarship. In the Air Force, I was part of a team that wrote a piece of software that fighter pilots would use to plan their missions. Later, I worked in the insurance industry and most recently on agricultural software using GPS navigation. I never made it into space myself but the satellites that I worked with did!

I've always been enchanted with textile traditions and handcrafts, of doing things in an old-fashioned way and connecting with our ancestors. I became obsessed with spinning, knitting, weaving and all things related. So I left software behind and went to graduate school to follow my passion for textiles! The end of 2009 was graduation. I taught undergraduate students at Colorado State University both while still a graduate student and then as adjunct right after I graduated, picking up my advisor's courses, Introduction and Advanced Textiles, during his sabbatical.

Now, I want to build my expertise in the textile field and possibly discover new and fresh angles and depths to this ever fascinating craft.

Some very important facts about Larissa:
1. Favorite food: ice cream, favorite flavor: coffee, favorite brand: whatever is local.
2. Favorite band: Pandora - ok I know it isn't a band but now I don't have to know who I like, Pandora knows.
3. How I survive the winter: watching minor league hockey.
4. High School identity: theatre geek-Current identity: band mom. (Same show, different role)
5. Favorite place in the world: Fiordland, New Zealand.
6. If money were no obstacle: that's a tough one, it's a real toss-up between travelling everywhere and having a great fiber studio that I'd rarely leave.
7. Best accomplishment: twenty-one years ago marrying the man I still want to spend time with every day.

I'm just getting to know Larissa, but my impression is that when she sets her mind on something, there are no limits.

Remember how she mentioned her love of all textiles? She wove a coverlet for a couch at home, and...

Poof!

It ends up on the cover of sister magazine Handwoven, the November/December 2011 issue! As a newbie weaver myself, I am especially awed!

Who will be next in the Getting to Know the Folks at Interweave blog? Let's meet Allison Mackin, Yarn Group Managing Editor. She just had a life-changing experience! Intriqued? Until next time, take care.

Coverlet project by Larissa Gibson, Handwoven, November/December 2011

Indulging in Fall

arwilliams — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:14:00 GMT

Hi All,

In Colorado, the first few days under 75 degrees mean snow is just around the corner. As I tearfully pack away my bikinis and beach towels, I remind myself that chilly weather can bring the best knitting. For starters, nasty weather is a fabulous excuse to spend all day curled up with my knitting and a Brat Pack movie. No more guilt about hiding indoors with my yarn while pool parties rage outside. And, with September sending so many people back to school, I've got the motivation to teach myself some new knitting tricks! I'm also looking forward to reconnecting with burly yarns, and digging into projects with some meat on their bones.

I've already professed my love for the wild and wooly Riot Yoke Pullover from Interweave Knits Weekend 2011 . I should really get cracking on the first cozy pullover of the season, especially considering the box of hand-dyed bulky wool now languishing in a corner of my apartment. Of course, the Interweave Knits Fall 2011 issue is packed with even more substantial knits for windy days, from the highly wearable Bryn Mawr Skirt to Mary Jane Mucklestone's Border Socks (manly, but with enough rustic colorwork to keep the knitting interesting).

And yet... even as I picture myself visiting a pumpkin patch in the Riot Yoke Pullover, or pairing the Bryn Mawr Skirt with my favorite winter boots, I can't resist one more light, airy, project.

Ta-da! Enter Rebecca Blair's Hex Mesh Stockings, the perfect balance of whimsy and warmth.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a wooly lace stocking. The suggested yarn is a delicious laceweight merino that I'm betting will keep toes toasty despite the pretty open stitch pattern. If so, these stockings will be a wonderful wardrobe addition for anyone (ahem) who insists on wearing floral dresses year round. Airy, but warm. Feminine, but practical. For the knitter, anything is possible! I'm starting these in a warm cinnamon brown, perfect for transitional weather. A thigh high pair in a brighter color would be lots of fun to layer over black tights.

I'm thinking of these stockings as my last summer fling-- one more wispy, flirty, knit before I hunker down to some Serious Stitching. I'm curious to know what kind of transitional projects you're up to. Feel free to share your pictures!

Cheers to sultry summers, blustery snowfalls, and all the days in between.

Happy Knitting!

Amanda

A chunky, handknit, skirt and a pair of Frye boots... a match made in heaven. Only thing missing as a latte!

Maple Leaves

LarissaG — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions people have of those of us who work for Interweave Knits is that we get to spend a lot of time "knitting on the job." I must confess, there is some of that but not as much as you might think. I was knitting today in a meeting; sometimes I prepare samples for the magazine, but I think overall, I knit less since I started working for Interweave than I did before I started. Why is that? I suppose there is a little knit fatigue, being surrounded by and thinking about knitting all day, it is harder to escape to knitting on my off hours. Mostly I think it is that I have less free time and that I am tired at the end of the day. Many days I'm not up to challenging knitting and simple, comfort knitting doesn't beckon as loudly. It feels like the days are shorter.

And, shorter days make me start thinking about fall and fall makes me think about . . .

Can you guess? Yes, many wonderful things (apples and pumpkins and crisp days, and crunchy leaves, and back to school), coupled with a few complaints, like where did my summer go?

But of course, it's the Interweave Knits Fall 2011 issue.

In this issue, I did get to do some knitting and this time it was more challenge knitting than comfort knitting. Challenging enough that I had to call in for some support to get all the knitting done on time. We reviewed Shetland yarns and for that review I designed a Fair Isle maple leaf sample. I drew up the design and knitted one of the samples and then we hired Karen to knit the other 3 samples for us. The interesting thing about having someone else knit for you is that you really have to carefully plan everything out in advance, even something as simple as a rectangular sample. You also realize how each of us has a slightly different approach to knitting. For example I knit my sample in the round with a steek. Karen knit back and forth, flat and incorporated my steek stitches as border elements. The samples come out very similar with different nuances. Here are some close ups of those samples.

Above is my original sample.

All the rest of these were knitted by Karen

As you can see, Karen did a fabulous job and I was so grateful to have her assistance. Remember that part about often being too tired for challenging knitting? While the knitting isn't hard per se, you do need to be awake enough to pay attention to all the color changes. I'm really please with the way the maple leaves turned out, so here is one more picture:

And do you see the paper chart in the upper left? That is what I gave to Karen along with scattered verbal instructions and a little magic hand waving as I tried to explain all the notations I made on the chart.

And here, my friends, with a little help from the technical staff at Interweave is a chart of the color pattern for you. Incorporate it into your next project. If you check out the Fall issue of Interweave Knits, we provided a nice roundup of Shetland yarns you could put to work. I've charted how I elected to change the colors but change the colors any way that suits your fancy. Pick any 4 colors and assign MC as the primary color of the leaf motif, CC1, CC2, and CC3 are the contrast colors and form the main background color of each section of the rectangle as well as the color of the patterned motifs within the leaf.

Click here for a PDF of this chart or look below for the list of attachments.

I didn't get a chance to talk about my other Fall issue challenge, my first published pattern (Solstice Jacket). All of that work happened so long ago, it is hard to believe it has only just now been printed. I finished knitting that piece before spring break. Perhaps another time I can talk about how a pattern gets prepared for publication here at Knits.

Up next though, knit.wear is wrapping up and you should have that in your hands by the time I post my next blog entry. Very exciting!

Enjoy your fall. I hope it is full of wonderful yarn and knitting,

Larissa

Getting to Know a Familiar Face: Online Editor Kathleen Cubley

Kathy Mallo — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:00:00 GMT

We see her all the time on Knitting Daily and in newsletters. She's a part of our day! But, who is this whiz-woman of yarn and design behind the knitted curtain? What makes this cheerleader of color and technique happy?

Here's what she told me:

I live in Spokane, Washington where I was born. It is fun to be back in Spokane after being away for twenty years in Seattle. I'm part of a knitting group meets every Wednesday evening. You've seen this terrific group of knitter-friends model their projects in the Knitting Daily galleries. Thanks for modeling, girls!

		I recently brought home a puppy named Daisy. She is half Cocker Spaniel and half Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She's such a delight! Even her big sister Poppy, my six-year-old Cocker Spaniel, likes her.
Daisy

A surprising fact: I was in a flash mob at the Sock Summit
in Portland, Oregon!

The Sock Summit flash mob!


I love camping and swimming; I try to get at least one good camping trip in each summer. Last year my friend Mimi and I discovered amazing Yellowstone National Park. Notice that our fingers haven't let go of our yarn and needles!

Cooking and gardening are activities that I enjoy very much. I recently made a flank steak rub that is really delicious! Click on the link and give it a go!

Job Q&A:

1. When did you start this role as online editor? What drew you to it?
June 2009. With my past in publishing and passion for knitting, it seemed like the perfect job! (And it is.)

2. What did you do for work before this job?
I was the Director of Editorial and Production at The Mountaineers Books in Seattle, Washington.

3. What duties do you have as an online editor of a knitting community?
I write several blogs a week, develop our free eBooks, administer and take part in knit-alongs, and so much more!

4. What is the best part of your job at Interweave?
Getting to work with the wonderful people and spending a good portion of my day thinking about yarn, needles, and knitting patterns. I love to see unique garments that are designed in an unusual way. The Dahlia Cardigan by Heather Zoppetti, for instance—that lace knitting pattern on the back panel is spectacular! The pattern is in the Interweave Knits Fall 2011 issue and was also profiled by Eunny Jang on Knitting Daily.


The Dahlia Cardigan		Back Detail

5. Any new knitting techniques that you want to explore?
Entrelac knitting. It's been on my list forever and I need to tackle it!

Me, too, Kathleen! I think I'll check out Interweave's eMag EntreKnits.

My next blog will be all about Larissa Gibson, Interweave Knits assistant editor.

Take care till next time,

Colorplay and the Riot Yoke Pullover

arwilliams — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Hello, everyone!

The latest special issue of Interweave Knits Weekend dropped a few weeks ago, but it's taken me a good while to pick a new project from the 32 (32!) fabulous patterns. There are projects of every shape and size, from whimsical toys to dapper, cabled, menswear. Each page is a reminder of knitting's versatility, an exploration of fiber and technique through all seasons. I love that this special issue takes you through an entire year of knitting, especially since in Amanda's world, sweaters to be worn in winter must be cast on in summer. Yet another reason that Knits Weekend, with its full calendar year of patterns, makes my heart smile with glee.

I have finally decided to cast on the Riot Yoke Pullover, designed by Cathy Carron. For starters, it just looks fun. Chunky yarn, easy fit, and bobbles, bobbles, bobbles! The name alone conjures up images of rocking good knitting and fires up my inner 90s riot grrrl. Plus, if I get cracking now, perhaps I will have it blocked and ready to wear by the first snowfall!

This sweater has also inspired me to experiment with color. The pattern suggests knitting with Rowan Felted Tweed Chunky, a yarn that comes in some beautiful heathered shades. Of course, I want to be different, and envision this pullover in a truly riotous apple green or a soft, buttery, yellow. Now seems as good a time as any to experiment with hand dying.

I've decided to conduct my dye experiment with Kool-Aid. Dying with Kool-Aid brings out the mad scientist in me, and seems like a good (inexpensive and non-toxic) first foray into hand dying. And, let's face it, splashing around in a tub of lime Kool-Aid has my inner child screaming with joy. I'm thinking lemonade for a nice, safe, yellow, or a combo of lemon-lime and Blue Moon Berry in search of the perfect light turquoise.

I'd love to hear your stories and suggestions for this project! Have you hand-dyed your own fiber? Are you thinking of casting on the Riot Yoke Pullover? What's your favorite flavor of Kool-Aid?

Happy Crafting!

Amanda

For more smashing color and playful sideways construction, try Carol Feller's Spoked Cardigan in your favorite shade of Noro Kuryon.
	Or, turn your colorful scraps into a beautiful gift! Felted Pincushions by Meg Kandis are a perfect stashbuster.

Getting organized

LarissaG — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:00:00 GMT

I promised to share behind-the-scenes information with you in my blog posts here at Inside Knits. Often I provide a backstage look at the photo shoots but, there is a lot more that happens here at the Knits offices than photography. The photo shoots are pretty interesting however, and do make good blog posts, so expect more of those in the future, but today I turn to the more mundane.

It's a little difficult for me to decide what to write about. Much of what goes on around here is typical workday stuff and it would never occur to me to write about it. What I tend to forget is that for those who don't work around here, typical workday stuff might be fascinating. My fear, though, is that I will write about it and you will yawn, ho-hum. Anyway, here is a little of what consumes my days. Perhaps not a riveting read, I hope that this strikes a familiar chord and you can share in a little piece of my days here at Interweave.

This is the view from my chair and what I see as I sit here and write this post. What may escape you at first glance is the rather large expanse of empty tabletop and rather full recycle bin. I have been on a mission and that mission is to get organized and STAY organized. I've had about a week with a cleaner workspace and I must say it has made a world of difference. I feel less overwhelmed and better able to get a handle on my day and tick through my to-do list. (That is another effort, to actually keep a detailed to-do list and work from it. I've always had a list, but I often let things sneak into my workday without appearing on the list first. This often leads to the frustrated feeling of never getting anything done.)

Another view of my newly cleaner workspace with handy beverage at the ready. Yes, that is a ball of yarn, and knitting project in the background. I am reformed, but I doubt I'll ever be fully cured and really don't want to be. I think I will always let knitting "clutter" my day. Some of you may be disappointed, having seen earlier pictures of my office with buckets and bins with yarns tumbling out. How could I part with those? Well, I haven't! They are just strategically placed elsewhere, where I don't have to step over them every time I walk to my desk.

So what do I do in my new workspace? Well so far, not much. I just returned from three days off. But I am renewed, recharged and ready to put my new system to the test.

We just got Interweave Knits Fall 2011 out the door and into your hands. I love this issue for all kinds of reasons. But what struck me most is that after working on it for months and reading every word, several times over, I still took it on vacation with me. I'm starting a new pair of socks and I wanted to look back at the Hex Mesh Stockings as inspiration.

I love making socks and these are both elegant and fun. I'm going to try my own version of lace stockings and that is the project you see in the background in the picture above. If I get further than the toe, which I've already ripped out once, I'll give you an update on my progress.

In other news. The design of our new issue knit.wear is coming together and we will start to lay that out and begin proofreading shortly. Look for that in about 2 months. Projects for Winter are being worked on and they have started to trickle into the office. Spring is about to step up and take some more of our attention. And Summer, (yes, Summer 2012!), the call for submissions went out this week; if you have an idea, please check our contributor guidelines and submission call and send it in.

Check in with me next month and see whether I am still on top of my mess or if it is just now laying in wait, ready to ambush me. This feels rather like a new diet or a New Year's resolution and we all know how those tend to go. I'm feeling pretty good right now, so wish me well and if I'm still on course next month we can talk about how I want to take up yoga.

Cheers,

Larissa

From Goats to Glamour, Editorial Director Embraces the Business

Kathy Mallo — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:22:00 GMT

Hello!

Today I'd like to introduce you to Karin Strom, Interweave Yarn Group Editorial Director.

As you may recall, my last blog post highlighted our Yarn Group intern, Amanda Williams. Amanda has just begun her journey into the world of fiber arts. This time, you meet an accomplished lady who has walked a few miles down an exciting textile career path.

Karin Strom's fairly recent relocation from a lovely home in New Jersey and working in New York City to come out west to be with us at Interweave is her latest step (and for us it was certainly a great move).

Here is our Q & A:

1. You wear a fairly large hat here at Interweave. Please describe some of the basic duties you hold as editorial director.
Yes, it's true - I wear a number of crocheted and knitted hats at Interweave! Basically, I oversee all of the magazines in the Yarn Group, which include Interweave Knits, Knitscene and Interweave Crochet and all of the special issues (such as Weekend, Knits and Crochet Accessories, Holiday Gifts and the upcoming knit.wear). Plus, yarn-themed eMags like Sockupied and EntreKnits come under my purview, as well as various other yarn-related products-pretty much anything knitting or crochet related, directly and indirectly. For example, Interweave Knits editor Eunny Jang and I were very involved with planning the curriculum for the new event Interweave Knitting Lab, and I'm one of the resident yarn experts on the Book Acquisition team, which I really enjoy.

2. Your career history is an interesting one because you've experienced the knitting world from different points of view. Please share what positions you've had and some things that you've learned along the way.
It's certainly been a long and winding road and an interesting one for sure. I consider myself really lucky to have experienced so many different aspects of the yarn industry. It gives me a fairly complete overview of things. I've been a designer, worked for several magazines and two different major yarn manufacturing companies. I've also held positions as photo stylist and marketing manager! My most recent gig, just prior to coming to Interweave last fall, was as the editor in chief of Yarn Market News, which is the only trade magazine that serves the yarn industry. Yarn Market News had been defunct for a number of years and I helped bring it back to life at a time when the yarn business was really booming in 2005, when lots of new yarn shops were opening and new yarn companies were starting up. During my tenure there I had the opportunity to meet many yarn store owners and visit some amazing stores all over the country - and a few in other countries, too. I've learned so much from local yarn shop (LYS) owners - about business, display, and merchandizing. We initiated a business conference for shop owners and industry folks that featured speakers and presenters who focus on various aspects of running a small business. I learned so much not only about organizing an event but also from the speakers and the shop owners themselves. Now some of my best friends are LYS owners!

My favorite yarn shop of all is on beautiful Bainbridge Island, Washington. It's called Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.

3. What new challenges has your Interweave position offered you?
I think the biggest challenge for me is not being as hands-on as I was in my last position. Being an editorial director involves taking more of an overview and working with a team of editors to help make their visions a reality. At Yarn Market News, I was very involved in the minutia of producing a magazine from the covers-each cover was a visual pun using yarn in unexpected ways, like yarn as pasta or yarn as sorbet (yes, there were a lot of food-themed covers)-to proof reading all the articles. My job at Interweave is much broader in scope and I don't have time to get as involved with every aspect of the process.

4. If you would, tell us about home, hubby and family.
Well, I have actually only partially moved to Colorado. We still have our place in New Jersey. Our home is seventeen acres in rural New Jersey, near the Delaware Water Gap. People sometimes find it hard to believe that there is a rural part of New Jersey-but I remind them that there is a reason that New Jersey is called the Garden State. Our house there is a farmhouse built in 1850. I think my house in Loveland was built in the late 1800s. I definitely gravitate towards vintage houses.

My husband, Gabe, and I both grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. We met at a high school reunion-both being dragged to the reunion by friends. We had both been married previously so together we have five kids, all grown now. Luckily he's been able to travel out to Colorado and I've been able to get back to New Jersey, so we do get to spend some time together!


My garden in New Jersey

5. You have a wonderful sense of style. I love everything that you wear-yes Karin, everything everyday. Please email me a list of retailers where you shop (and then I'll need some help on how to put things together). I'm getting carried away here... (but let's talk some time). Real question: Would you call yourself creative by nature? What inspires you?
Thank you! I do love clothes. It's a bit different working in Loveland than it was working in Soho in the heart of New York City. I definitely consider myself to be "a creative." I've always been interested in fashion, style, and home décor and I feel depressed if I don't have some creative project going. It could be cooking, gardening, doing a project around the house-I just need to be doing something. My focus on textiles started at an early age-my father traveled internationally on business and he would bring me something from wherever he went. I was pretty young when I started asking him to bring me fabric, embroidery, or ethnic textiles. So by now I have a pretty good collection and I continue to pick up interesting things when I find them.


	Loving on a Columbia lamb at the Imperial Stock Ranch

6. What needlecrafts or other fiber arts do you enjoy doing?
Little known fact about me: I have demonstrated spinning and weaving at a restored colonial village. I still have an antique spinning wheel but I haven't used it for a long time. I dyed wool with natural dyes and created one-of-a-kind pieces with the yarn I made. That was back in my hippie days....I would love to get back to my roots and do natural dying again someday when I have some time on my hands. These days, the most I do is the occasional knit or crochet project-as long as it's portable, since I travel a lot. And bead crochet. I love doing bead crochet!

7. Travel to Australia was a recent adventure. Do you have a fun story to tell?
It was a wonderful opportunity, hosted by the folks at Pear Tree Yarns. I went with a few other editors to Cowl Cowl Station, where the owners of Pear Tree have a "small" flock of cashmere goats-15,000! We were there for the annual shearing, which was quite thrilling, especially since cashmere happens to be my favorite fiber-what's not to like? We were treated to some amazing meals there-including, of course, goat curry. Delicious! And even though it was winter there, I put my feet in the water at the famous surfing beach in Sydney, Bondi Beach. It was amazing to see kangaroos in the wild, and the not so wild-they love hanging out at golf courses, so you can be pretty sure if you pass a golf course, you'll see some kangaroos.


A cashmere goat being shorn at Cowl Cowl Station, Australia

Thank you so much for letting me shine a light on your life, Karin. Next time let's hear from Knitting Daily Online Editor, Kathleen Cubley!

Till then...Take Care,

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Swatch C

Swatch D

Swatch E

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Exploration of Stars and Stitches

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Getting to Know a Familiar Face: Online Editor Kathleen Cubley

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From Goats to Glamour, Editorial Director Embraces the Business