Inside Knitscene : Knitting Techniques

Getting to know... me!

AmyPalmer — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:00 GMT

(Possibly the most awkward blog title I've ever written.)

There's been some beyond the norm behind-the-scenes activity here in the Knitscene offices of late. Amidst the drama of our busiest press season, there were some staffing changes at the offices. If you've picked the amazing Interweave Knits Summer issue, you'll know that the incomparable Eunny Jang has left the Interweave family for other pursuits, and long-time Knitscene editor Lisa Shroyer is now running that ship.

And on the Knitscene side, I've been promoted to editor, and we've recently hired a new assistant editor (you'll meet her soon, in this space), and we're full steam ahead into getting Knitscene Fall to the printer in a couple of weeks. Kathleen has asked me to do an introductory post, which felt a little bit weird, as I've been blogging here for the last couple of years—surely a lot of you know some things about me by now, don't you?

So Kathleen gathered up some questions, including some of your questions, and here are my answers! Feel free to leave more questions in the comments below, or hit me up on Twitter at @AmyPalmerKnits.

What are you most excited about in your new role as Knitscene editor?
I'm most excited about the relationships I'm hoping to form, both with our readers new and old as we move to a subscription model and with our incredibly talented designers. In my role as assistant editor, I spent a lot of time emailing designers, but now I'll get to meet some in person at TNNA and work more closely with people who inspire me with their beautiful knitted designs.
What will be your biggest challenge?
Reining in my excitement and my ideas will probably be the biggest challenge. I want to do everything and I don't want to have to wait for it and those have always been problems for me.
Is the magazine going to change at all under your leadership?
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: Yes, though not all of these changes are coming from me. For example, our subscription service for Knitscene is beginning with my first issue, the Fall issue. I had nothing to do with that. There are some other things that are changing for a variety of reasons, changes that have been talked about since I started working here almost four years ago and probably before then. And then some parts are changing because I want to create a more connected experience with our readers in this era of nearly immediate, digital-based communication. Which sounds hokey. Just trust me on this.
What is your favorite thing to knit?
About a year ago my answer probably would have been socks. Then I was bit by the sweater and cardigan knitting bug and now I can't quite decide. But I usually have either a pullover or cardigan and a pair of socks in progress.
Do you throw or pick?
I throw (or knit English style), but I taught myself to pick to knit stranded colorwork. So I can do both, but I'm more comfortable and a faster knitter with my right-hand.
Have you designed any patterns?
I've got a few under my belt! I'm most proud of my Wasabi Peas Socks, as I had a lot of fun creating the gusset decreases in pattern (hint: they're not where you'd expect them to be!), and I really like the Mercury Cowl with it's twisted cast on edge.

If you have a specialty in knitting, what is it?
Uhhh. Hm. I love knitting colorwork, cables, and lace, though I go through mood swings on each of those (one week I will be casting on five colorwork projects, the next I may need some yarnovers and lace in my life). My friends come to me for a lot of sock-knitting advice, so maybe that's my specialty?
If you could give knitters one piece of advice, what would it be?
There's no such thing as "beyond my skill level," there are just techniques you're not overly familiar with yet. And if you try out a technique and you don't like it, that's fine too.
Do you belong to a knitting group?
I do! Though I haven't attended as frequently as I'd like over the past few months. I miss my knitting gals!
How does knitting make you feel? What does it mean to you?
Knitting is one part fulfilling a need to be creative, one part excuse to get together with friends (and meet new friends!), and one part justification for watching so many movies and TV shows—I might be mainlining a season of Sherlock but look how much I got done on this sleeve, etc.

From Mary W on Facebook: What does she look for in original designs?

Knitscene

From Gina B M on Facebook: Can she stay on the cutting edge of trends and add that element to the classics we older women love?
I sure hope so! Let me know sometime in the future--the Spring 2014 is my first "full" issue, so you won't really see my spin on designs until early next year.
From Nicole E on Facebook: Ask about any knitting failures. What were her mishaps? How/when did she decide to move on?
For my own mental health, I have to think about these as knitting learning opportunities. ;) I finished a pullover not too long ago that came out waaaaaay too big, because I got lazy and didn't swatch enough. I know a lot of us detest swatching, but it's a part of knitting that is stressed so much for a reason. (And sometimes I still don't swatch, so I go into the knitting with the mindset that I only have myself to blame if it doesn't turn out the way I want.) In that instance, I didn't move on until after I'd blocked it (and this is why I also stress blocking your swatch). I haven't moved on. It's folded up in a corner awaiting a day when I'm less annoyed by my "learning opportunity" to frog it.
From Caroline A on Facebook: What type of yarn does she like to use and does she like to knit for babies?
I'm a big fan of wool. Heritage breeds and locally milled yarns speak to my soul in a specific way. I enjoy knitting for babies because the projects are quickly finished and then have the cutest models ever, but I generally have to have a specific baby in mind when I choose those projects.
From Nancy E E on Facebook: What does she like better, knit or purl?
Anyone who has ever knit with me in person knows that I strongly dislike purling. It feels clunky and unnatural to me and, for me and my style of knitting, goes so much slower than knitting. So I'm a big fan of garter stitch and stockinette in the round. I've tried "knitting backward" to avoid purling but that's even more clunky, so I'll purl when I must.

From Holly P and Melissa L on Twitter (your questions paralleled each other so I combined my answer): When did you decide that you wanted to be in the knitting industry as a career path?
The exact moment—I saw a listing for an Interweave Knits assistant editor job and decided to go for it. Longer version: I started out in educational publishing, so I had the editing background. I started knitting for realsies more than six years ago, so I had the knitting background. Through a series of events that are becoming the norm in the publishing industry, I'd been laid off and was working at another editorial job that wasn't quite my ideal working environment, so when I saw the listing on the Interweave website, I thought "Well, I have nothing to lose." A few months later I was offered the position of "Yarn Group Assistant Editor," packed up my things and moved 2,000 miles and now here I am!
From Emma W on Twitter: Imagine a post-apocalyptic world, only one snack food has survived the fall of human society. Which one are you hoping for?
I feel like I should say Twinkies because of Zombieland, but I am truthfully going to say pita chips with the hope that I can figure out how to harvest chickpeas and make hummus. Because I can kill a bag of pita chips and hummus in no time. Plus, it's mildly healthy! I'm going to need protein after the apocalypse, you know.

Absolutely not a well-balanced meal, but so tasty (image from Forbes)

From Rohn S on Twitter: What sets you (and your magazine) apart from the rest! I'm sure it's the fabulousness of it all but still! ;-)
The easiest answer is our tagline—simple, stylish, and spirited. We strive to have projects that are both interesting enough in the knitting for the most advanced knitter while not so technique-based that they turn off less experienced knitters, and are projects almost anyone can wear, fashionistas or otherwise. Speaking as a knitter, I think we do this better than other similar magazines. Even before I started working for Interweave, Knitscene was one of my must-have magazines as a beginning knitter (I also loved Knit.1, though I found, on average, those patterns were less wearable for me, but you will have to wait until I'm dead to pry those issues from my hands—there's great inspiration in those issues!).
From Melissa L on Twitter: Do you do any other types of handwork?
I've always loved playing with string and did a lot of cross-stitch when I was younger. I have some still that I'd like to get to, and I know how to crochet, but I find that I'm just drawn to knitting more than those other crafts.
From Ashley P on Twitter: Who's your favorite superhero? Favorite dwarf? Best knitting project to bring on a plane? Coolest astronomer you know? What yarn would you bring if you were going to be stranded on a desert island? What book?
Sheesh. Favorite superhero: Right now I'm going to say Captain Marvel but I also love Batman, Iron Man, and Captain America a whole lot. Favorite dwarf: I think Gimli still wins, but ask me at the end of the third Hobbit movie. Best knitting project for a plane: For me, socks. But only on circular needles, because I've dropped a few too many DPNs on planes. Coolest astronomer I know is also the only astronomer I know, but she's pretty cool regardless of that fact. ;) Stranded island yarn: Can this be a sub-arctic island? You know I hate the heat. And then I could bring a few sheep and finally accept spinning as a fact of life and constantly make my own yarn so I will never run out. Stranded island book: Maybe The Lord of the Rings because it's long (gotta stretch out that entertainment value) and I can read it over and over again.
From Bristol on Twitter: Who are your knitting heroes?
Oof. Lisa Shroyer and Eunny Jang, for sure. Debbie Stoller for her Stitch N *** book which helped me, and I think many other women of my generation, learn or re-learn to knit. My grandmother and Betsy Dye, who each kindled the knitting fire in me at different times in my life. I would list out every knitter I admire but then we'd never get another magazine published.
From Julia F-C on Twitter: What do you wear to work? I'd love to see what the Loveland office style is like typically
Depends on the day and how early I managed to get out of bed/plan my outfit. :D We're pretty relaxed here, jeans and nice shirts tend to prevail, though somedays I get a little crazy and like to create adventurous color palettes (like the day I wore an orange sundress with a mint tank underneath, a purple cardigan and dark magenta tights). I think we're going to need to do another blog post on our different styles.

From Amy M on Twitter: What has surprised you most in your new position as editor?
So far, I've been most surprised and humbled by the number of people who responded to my first call for submissions. I've honestly never seen that many submissions in one call, and I don't know if the themes I listed just resonated with people or if there's an influx of newer designers out there or what, but it was shocking and humbling and a bit overwhelming.
From Karen L on Twitter: If you could only knit on 1 pair of needles (not 1 kind, 1 pair!), what would they be — type, size, etc.
Ouch. Uhm. Hm. Definitely circular, to account for all manner of knitting techniques. And a long circular at that. I think maybe a size 3 would be most beneficial, though I'd have to start knitting my socks with heavier yarn. And metal, because I've broken two different wooden needle tips in the last few months (through accidentally sitting on them or applying pressure with my hand). So I'm going to say size 3, 48" metal circular needles. And now have a lie down at the thought of only one pair of needles forever.
From Amy C on Twitter: What's your least favorite thing to knit?
I generally like knitting in almost every category of project, but I extremely dislike "extratextural" elements, as I like to call them. Bobbles, nupps, popcorn stitch, etc, just, NO THANK YOU. I think they can look really cool on a knitted fabric, I'm just not going to knit them myself.

Thank you for all your questions! As I said, if you have more, leave them in the comments or ask them via Twitter and I'll either update this blog or write another one in a few weeks. Until next time, happy knitting!

Knit the Lale Shawl from Knitscene Winter 2012

AmyPalmer — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:20:00 GMT

Many months ago, while we were photographing Knitscene Winter over a couple of incredibly hot days in July, Katie Himmelberg, our photo stylist, fell in love with the knitted lace in the Lale Shawl, designed by Corrina Ferguson. This shawl is designed around a counterpane panel, one of the knitting techniques we focused on in this issue. She whipped up her own shawl before our recent Knitscene Spring and Summer photo shoots (...you did read that correctly) and wore it over four days of chilly weather (and models running around in shorts—sorry models!). Katie wrote about her experience knitting this beautiful shawl.

When I'm photostyling Knitscene and deciding what kinds of clothing would look good with each project, I get a sneak peek at what each issue will hold. There are always so many projects that catch my eye; some I think that would go great in my wardrobe or make a great gift, some that have extra-interesting construction or technique, or maybe just something I want to knit immediately! The Lale Shawl was all three of those things. I loved the way it looked and I had no shawls in my massive scarf collection, plus the counterpane technique seemed really interesting and I was ready to drop everything I was working on and cast-on right away.

Even though it doesn't always photograph well, I love the look of lace in a dark color of yarn. After deciding to knit my Lale in Madeline Tosh DK in the colorway Kale (oh my, a Kale Lale!), I also chose to knit my version on a size 7 needle rather than the size 8 called for in the pattern to result in a smaller shawl. Otherwise, I followed the pattern exactly. The shawl starts in the center of the lace panel with lots of texture in the botanical, leafy pattern worked in the round. When the center square is complete, stitches along one side of the square are kept live and worked into one of the shawl's wings. Then the edging is added to live stitches along two sides of the square before completing the second wing along the square's fourth edge. Since there was always something new going on, I couldn't put this project down and finished it in record time!

I wet-blocked my shawl and pinned out the points in the edging. If I were to do it again, I'd make sure to use blocking wires or thread to block it and make sure that my square was square before pinning out the edging. My finished shawl (because I knit it on a smaller needle) measures 24" deep and 46" wide versus the pattern's 32" by 64". I think it's the perfect size to wear bandanna-style and tuck it into the front of my coat all winter long.

Which patterns from Knitscene are you itching to knit? The issue officially hits newsstands today, so get your needles ready!

Happy knitting,
Amy

Knitscene presents Easy Seamless Sweaters to Knit

AmyPalmer — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:25:00 GMT

This time of year, many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are planning our fall and winter wardrobes. If you're a newer knitter, this is the perfect time to learn how to knit sweaters with our new eBook, Easy Seamless Sweaters to Knit.

We've chosen five of our favorite, and easiest, raglan sweater patterns from past issues of Knitscene and collected them in this eBook specifically with the newer knitter in mind. These five sweater knitting patterns are all top-down raglans with very little seaming at the end. One of the benefits of knitting sweaters from the top-down is that you can easily try them on as you're knitting, allowing you to easily check that the sweater is fitting as you go.

Included in this eBook is an article on the basic construction of raglan sweaters, and a few of our most popular knitted sweater patterns. Debbie O'Neill's Equinox Raglan is probably the easiest of the bunch—unfinished edges and a square neckline topped off with minimal waist shaping in a yarn that does all the color striping for you. The pattern is written for sizes 28¾ (32¾, 36, 40, 44, 48)" bust, shown in size 32¾" with zero ease.

Forever Tweed by Wendy Bernard is the perfect cozy, slouchy sweater for fall days, with an oversized collar and deeply ribbed hems. The finished sweater measures 36 (39, 42, 46, 50)" bust, and is shown in size 36" with 2" positive ease.

A marled yarn creates a tweed-like effect in Cecily Glowik MacDonald's Heather Raglan, worked in alternating rows of Stockinette and reverse Stockinette stitch. Knit this in sizes 35¼ (38½, 41½, 44¾, 48)" bust circumference (shown in size 35¼" with 1–2" positive ease).

Melissa Wehrle's Sigma Tee starts to get a little fancy, adding dropped stitches along the raglan lines. Still simple, but with a little extra sass, for sizes 33 (35, 37, 39, 43, 47)" bust.

And finally, the most challenging pattern in the collection is still a simple knit. Romi Hill's Rayonnant Pullover begins with a little bit of lace work for a pretty, feminine edge, then continues in easy Stockinette stitch with eyelets along the raglan lines. Choose from seven different sizes: 30 (31½, 34, 36¼, 39¼, 41½, 44½)" bust.

More experienced knitter? Grab this eBook and choose from five simple knitting patterns to knit a sweater in time for Rhinebeck! Everyone loves a new knitted sweater for the annual New York Sheep and Wool festival. These five sweater patterns are simple and fast to knit.

Happy knitting!
Amy

Forever Knits: 9 Patterns to Knit for Fall

AmyPalmer — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:30:00 GMT

Something (hopefully autumn) is coming. Maybe it's the slight chill to the mornings that greets me when I walk out my front door; maybe it's the sinus pressure–inducing shift in the barometric pressure. But I know that sooner or later, summer will transition into autumn and I'll need to break out the layers.

Knitting trends go through transitions as well. Not quite as quickly, usually, but with that inevitable come and go of time. But some knitting trends remain the same; some trends provide a sense of stability.

The Forever Knits collection in Knitscene Fall 2012 celebrates those traditional knitting trends and updates them for the modern knitter. Cables, texture, and slipped stitch colorwork are incorporated into hip, wearable pieces for cooler Fall evenings, or that tricky transition to winter. Traditional cable motifs are just slightly set off in Anniken Allis's Kennedy Sweater. A simple honeycomb stitch is placed on the front of Ruth Garcia-Alcantud's Agnes Pullover, while the back is plain stockinette. In her stunning knit pullover, Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark turns the traditional gansey on its side with Margot. And Silka Burgoyne beautifully blends cables into ribbing in the Kelsey Gloves and Mitts.

Slipped-stitch colorwork knitting requires no stranded, no twisting of yarns, no pesky floats, and yields spectacular results. Brenda K. B. Anderson adds a bill to a familiar beanie-style hat and a star slipped-stitch pattern in the Rhonda Cap. The Amherst Scarf from Marjorie Dussaud works three colors together in a slipped-stitch pattern bordered by an i-cord edge. Amy Polcyn works slipped-stitch motifs at the bottom band and shoulders of the Frances Cardigan.

Lace gets its day in the sun too, with Carol Feller's Prudence Pullover, an easy to knit sweater pattern with a lace panel and cabled funnel neck. And Odessa Reichel lines a simple lace pattern with miniature cables in the form-fitting Sandra Sweater (and a tiny bit of puffed sleeves never hurts!).

The weather changes, our preference for light summer-y plant fibers may shift to lofty, cozy wools, but there are some things about knitting that never, ever change.

Happy knitting,
Amy

5 Summery Shawls to Knit Now!

AmyPalmer — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:13:00 GMT

We do seem to go in phases here, don't we? Blog post, blog post, blog post, static and silence. Usually in those quieter times, Lisa and I are going a little crazy trying to get another issue of Knitscene off to the printers and eventually into your hands. The last few weeks are no exception. Let's just say, there'll be a spanking new issue of Knitscene to scope out in a little more than a month. Try to contain yourselves.

Colorado seemed to miss the memo that spring comes before summer, and it's been in the 70s and 80s this week. Usually around this time of year, we're bracing for one last snow storm, but we've lately been asking the skies for rain, the weather has been so dry. The evenings, though, are still cool and occasionally chilly—basically the perfect weather for a knitted shawl!

Knitscene Summer is officially available at your local Knitscene retailer (and of course, online at the Interweave Store in both digital and physical editions, as well as Zinio), and inside are five shawls that are perfect to knit for those cooler summer evenings, spent sipping drinks through straws on patios.

Sarah Wilson's Westport Shawl is the ideal piece for layering over your favorite summer dress. Knit side to side, with the edging worked as you go, this is the kind of knitting that you can't put down once you start. This is a great project for a luxurious skein of yarn or a wildly variegated colorway.

The rectangular Leaf Net Stole by Kristy Howell is a great shape for summer outfits. Scrunch up this knitted stole for a skinny scarf look, drape over the arms for a more elegant occasion, or go boho and wear it as a wide belt over a summery maxi dress.

I talked a little bit about Andrea Jurgrau's Filigreen Shawl in my first post about Knitscene Summer, and I keep coming back to it as a must-knit triangular shawl. The subtle shimmer added from the beads reminds me of the quick glimpses of fireflies amongst the trees in the summer evenings.

Blasé about knitted shawls after knitting tons of triangular shawls in the past? Sink your teeth into Paula B. Levy's Ginkgo Counterpane Shawl. Sure, it's somewhat triangular in shape, but that's achieved through knitting individual ginkgo motifs and stitching them together. Modular knitting at its leafiest!

Finally, Robin Ulrich's Sweetgrass Triangle is the utmost in instant gratification knitting. Knit in a sport weight yarn with an open stitch pattern and simple knotted fringe edge, this knitted shawl works up incredibly fast—start one today and wear it to your Cinco de Mayo party next weekend!

Don't let your summer knitting be limited to prepping for fall—knit a shawl to wear all summer long, or any of the other patterns in Knitscene Summer, with 23 patterns to knit now. Hey, the days are longer for a reason, and I think that reason is so we have more daylight for knitting.

Happy summer knitting,
Amy

First sweater, finished!

AmyPalmer — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:22:00 GMT

If you're new to the story of Allison, our managing editor, and her quest to knit her first sweater (Alexis Winslow's Vera Cardigan from Knitscene Winter 2011), you can read the three previous posts here, here, and here. Since we last posted, right after the Christmas holidays, Allison has not only finished her first knitted cardigan ever, but also painted all of the banister rails and trim in her living room! Both of these are big achievements; one of them impeded the progress of the other. I'll let you decide which is which.

I've knit a few cardigans in my knitting career, so I thought it'd be best to let Allison herself tell you about her finished cardigan, and what she learned from knitting a garment.

First and foremost, knitting a sweater = magic. No, it didn’t come together by waving a magic wand, but where would be the fun in that? What was magic was shaping a ball of yarn—bit by bit—into an actual garment. Maybe the state of awe this inspires will wear off once I’ve knitted my second or my seventieth sweater, but I hope not.

I love the design of this cardigan. For my taste, it was just the right amount of shaping and sweet details (like those fun button loops on the cuffs) to make it feel really special. It is also majorly cozy, and terribly exciting to think that I made it myself.

The colorwork was terrifying. I wrote about it a little in a previous post. Fellow beginning knitters, fear not, you too can do colorwork. In fact, in retrospect, that was my favorite technique that I learned. I was also scared of the general idea of knitting a sweater. It seemed like a really big undertaking. It was intimidating. It made my palms sweat. I was fortunate to have the likes of Ms. Amy Palmer and our stellar tech team (Joni Coniglio and Larissa Gibson) helping me out along the way, but in quiet moments of crisis at home I found a lot of great online resources, which leads me to believe that even someone who doesn’t work at Interweave could learn to knit a sweater.

I wish I would have taken more opportunities to knit a row here and there, rather than feeling like I needed a three-hour block of time to work on the sweater. I think chipping away at it that way would have made the knitting go a lot faster. And of course there are little things about the actual sweater I might have done better, but I guess they are good reminders of what I learned along the way (“look, there’s the rough patch where I was figuring out how to pick up stitches around the arm hole” or “mental note, keep working on your mattress stitch technique so stuff doesn’t fall out of the bottom of your pockets next time” or “alpaca grows when you wash it”).

Amy again: Congratulations, Allison, on knitting your first cardigan! I think all of us agree that it's pretty spectacular. In theory, Allison is tackling another knitting milestone, her first pair of socks as part of the Simply Sockupied Knitalong, but she's talking about re-painting her trim. Don't worry—she'll get her priorities sorted quickly enough. Knitting always comes first, am I right?

Happy knitting!
Amy

Summer Knitting, Knitscene Style

AmyPalmer — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:08:00 GMT

Spring officially arrived last week, and here we are talking about summertime knitting! Our second Knitscene Summer issue debuted today, and if you ask me, it's a scorcher!

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

Terrible jokes aside, my own tastes gravitate more toward knitting projects that would be more at home in Fall and Winter issues—long sleeved cardigans with cables or colorwork elements, elaborate colorwork mittens and socks, basically, projects that make you feel warm just by looking at them. This new Summer issue, however, is bursting with 23 knitting patterns that stay true to the Knitscene motto of simple, stylish, and spirited, while also not giving the wearer heat exhaustion.

Designer and Sexy Knitter Sarah Wilson is our featured designer for this issue, and delivers the goods in her four-piece collection. Sashay around town in the Sundance Square Pencil Skirt or cover up at the beach with the Lakota Tank. I love the versatility of all of Sarah's pieces—each is perfect for a day at the office or a night on the town.

Amy Christoffers takes knitting on the bias to the gorgeous level with her Robin Tank and Amy Gunderson plays with asymmetrical hems in the Quinn Sweater as part of our Slightly Askew story.

In yesterday's Knitting Daily newsletter, Kathleen hinted at our biggest story of this issue, Stitch by Leaf. Inspired by the leaves that will, presumably, be unfurling in the coming weeks, the eight knitting patterns in this story are all inspired by knitted leaf motifs. Andrea Babb's Ginkgo Camisole is a light and airy layering tank with delicate ginkgo-inspired leaves extending into faux-princess seams. Andrea Jurgrau's Filigreen Shawl employs a geometric leaf pattern in a triangular shawl decked out with a tassel!

Summer knitting stays cool with our Plaza del Sol story, featuring cotton and cotton-blend yarns in seven patterns. Amanda Bell's Cara Cara Pullover is our cover project. Knit in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, this raglan pullover features a kangaroo pocket and seed stitch details. Leah B. Thibault's Westwood Blouse is a comfy tank with a simple lace yoke, knit in Kolláge Yarns' Riveting Sport. And Terri Kruse's Michaela Tee, knit in Rowan Amy Butler Belle Organic DK, is another simple knit with particular detail in the asymmetrical button placket and raglan sleeves.

Knitscene editor Lisa Shroyer highlights up-and-coming organic cotton yarns, while I had the toughest job of all, reviewing six amazing knitting bags with a limited amount of word space. Tabetha Hedrick shows you how to measure your gauge to better ensure the perfect fit, Laura Birek sits down to talk sexy knitting with Sarah Wilson, and senior project editor Joni Coniglio shares seven amazing leaf motifs to knit. It may not quite feel like spring, even, but at least you can start knitting for your summer vacation. Download Knitscene Summer 2012 now and get a jump on your summer knitting, or pre-order the physical edition. If you prefer to wait until you can see the magazine for yourself, look for it at your local yarn stores, on sale April 17.

Happy knitting, and don't forget the sunscreen,
Amy

A New Knitter's Adventure in Top-Down Knitting

AmyPalmer — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:18:00 GMT

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to our Managing Editor, Allison, and her plan to knit her first cardigan. A quick recap: Girl sees Vera Cardigan sample in the office, girl falls in love with cardigan, girl asks Amy to knit cardigan for her, Amy says "No. You will knit this yourself."

And lo, a sweater-knitting addict is born.

Almost every day since she finished her second gauge swatch (that's right, I am a tyrant who made her knit a second gauge swatch when the first came out too big), Allison's come into the office to tell me about her sweater knitting progress.

"I started the colorwork part last night! It's a lot easier than I thought it would be."

"These rows are so long, I can't wait to separate for the sleeves."

"Wait, how do I separate for the sleeves?"

My friends, Allison is a master colorwork knitter in disguise. Look at how even the stitches are! And nary a blip in the pattern. I'm pretty sure I can't say the same for most of my colorwork projects.

While she's not yet in the home stretch of the knitting, having separated for the sleeves means that she'll be knitting over fewer stitches than she had been. And of course, one of the beautiful things about knitting a top-down sweater is that you can try it on as you go.

Yep. Not only is her colorwork perfect, but the sweater is fitting quite nicely so far (obviously, when it's washed and blocked, the beautiful Berroco Ultra Alpaca will loosen up a bit and even out for a fantastic fit). If you are a little jealous and maybe shaking your fist at the screen, that's totally understandable.

Have you bought your copy of Knitscene Winter yet? Started knitting your own Vera Cardigan? Knitscene Winter will only be on the shelves for about a month longer; pick yours up today at your LYS (and get $5 back from us with this coupon!) or order your digital edition from the Interweave Store.

Until next time, happy knitting!
Amy

A First Knitted Cardigan

AmyPalmer — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:44:00 GMT

Allison is the Managing Editor for Interweave Knits, Knitscene, and Interweave Crochet, and Allison is knitting her first cardigan. Allison came to us from our sisters in the Jewelry magazines earlier this year, and while she'd had some experience as a knitter early on, she hadn't really graduated from knitting scarves.

Scarves are great, and who doesn't need some knit scarves, but when Allison caught a glimpse of Alexis Winslow's Vera Cardigan while Lisa and I were working on Knitscene Winter, Allison fell in love. And who could blame her? Alexis's cardigan is so fantastic, with its fairly simple colorwork bands at the hem, waist, and yoke, cute pockets, and a classic silhouette.

When Allison asked me if I thought she could knit this cardigan, I said "Of course!" Well, first I said "No, that will not do" when she asked if I would knit it for her.

If you're looking at your screen like I've gone crazy, I'm sure you're not alone. I know that the jump from scarf-knitter to cardigan-with-some-basic-stranded-colorwork-knitter is a big jump. But more than that, I know that every project I've been less than enthused about knitting has languished mightily in my work-in-progress bin for a ridiculous amount of time. I know that love of the craft is best caught by people who are excited about and interested in a particular project, regardless of the perceived skill level. I know how Allison's eyes lit up when she tried on the sample cardigan and how enthusiastic she was as we went back and forth discussing color options. And I know that Allison and I will spend many a lunch break going over very basic cardigan construction and step-by-step knitting. Which, quite frankly, is how I feel most lunch breaks should be.

I wanted to get a few initial impressions from Allison to see what she was thinking as she stared down the length of the knitting needles, before we really dove in to casting on for a cardigan.

You tried on the Vera Cardigan in the office one day, amongst almost all the other garments in the Knitscene Winter 2011 issue. What was it about this cardigan that really made you want to knit it?

I immediately loved the shape of the Vera Cardigan—the way it nips in at the waist just a bit and that it hits a little lower on my hip than a typical cardigan. The colorwork details make it feel special. And on top of all that love for the style of it, the cozy-factor was very high. But, oh my goodness, there were a lot of cute projects in this issue. I figured that since I’ve never knitted more than a scarf I should limit myself to starting on one sweater, rather than six and a cloche…and a dress and…well, you can see the problem.

I know you’ve just started working with the yarn on your gauge swatch, but what are your initial impressions of Berroco Ultra Alpaca?

Soft, soft, soft. It feels so nice and, to me, it’s the perfect thing for late fall knitting. I can’t wait to curl up by the fire while I work with this pretty yarn.

Have you started planning your next project yet? ;)

Working here at Interweave is dangerous business. It’s hard not to be thinking about future projects when so many pretty ones cross my desk every day. We recently published the premiere special issue of knit.wear, and I’d love to make the Shaped Capelet with Braided Cables by Erica Patberg (it’s the cover project). I’d better hope for a long Colorado winter so I’ll have time to learn how to knit both of these projects—and, of course, time to wear them too!

All of us as crafters have to, at some point, make the leap from so-called simple knitting to more advanced techniques, or our interest in the craft, be it knitting, crochet, tatting, wood-working, whatever, will wane and fade. If you're reading this blog, odds are you've made that leap at some point, maybe after a few years, maybe after a few scarves. So I hope you'll join me in encouraging Allison through this progress as she takes this leap of faith in herself as a knitter and in my abilities as a teacher. She's just getting started, having almost finished her gauge swatch (of course I made her knit a gauge swatch). Are you planning to knit the Vera Cardigan yourself? The pattern is available in the brand new Knitscene Winter issue, available on sale now, our first standalone Winter issue ever! Why not get your gauge swatch going and join along? We'll be checking in once a month or so with her progress, and we'd love to hear how you're getting on with your own cardigan knitting.

Until next time, happy knitting.
Amy

P.S. - I get very confused every time I talk about this cardigan, as my cat's name is Vera. "Why are you knitting my cat a cardigan? No, wait, that's not what you're talking about."

Planning yarn amounts for top-down knitting

LisaShroyer — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:25:00 GMT

Before the winter issue of Knitscene had even gone to press, I started knitting Melissa LaBarre’s Tereza Pullover. This simple top down pullover had a lot of appeal to me—chunky gauge, interesting lace pattern, the ability to add custom body shaping, chunky gauge. I was feeling antsy and wanted a fast-moving project, one that I might be able to wear for my upcoming trip to Colorado. So, I cast on with some old stash yarn, Classic Elite Duchess.

I’ve had this yarn in my stash for years. I often pull it out and consider it for different projects, but in the end always decide that there’s just not quite enough of it. But as I scanned the stash for materials for the Tereza, I paused to do the math—the size 46.25” required 780 yards of the original yarn. I had just under 800 yards of the Duchess. I decided to go for it.

What I did not consider back then, at the dreamy cast on stage, was that I would need to add width to the lower body. The silhouette of the Tereza is an hourglass, with the hem measuring the same circ as the bust. I did work waist shaping in my version, but increased to make the hem several inches larger than the bust, since I am VERY-PEAR-SHAPED. I also made the body longer. Oops.

So with 3 measly balls left, I have to knit the sleeves. I don’t think there will be enough for two full-length sleeves. My strategy is this: knit one sleeve til a ball runs out, then do the same for the other, and see where I am, with one ball to spare. Of course, the yarn is DISCONTINUED.

Two lessons here: don’t leave yarn to languish in your stash for years and years, letting it surpass its “expiration.” And two, think about how mods will affect yarn requirements before you start knitting!

And oh BTW, I used Amy Herzog’s coordinates to plan my waist shaping, spacing the shaping lines around the body instead of all at the side seams. I think it creates a really lovely, subtle shape. For her tips on placing shaping, see the Fall 2011 issue of Knitscene.

3 Things to Remember About Seamless Yoke Pullovers

AmyPalmer — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:12:00 GMT

I've become a little obsessed with seamless yokes lately. For as much as I knit, I am a fairly lazy knitter, so seamless knitting patterns are very much up my alley—I don't mind finishing, but if I can find a way out of it, I'll do that. A seamless yoke also allows for endless permutations and personal customization (which yes, does require some work, but it's creative work, not minutia and detail work; it's totally different!). In the Fall issue of Knitscene, we featured two sweaters patterns with lacy seamless yokes: Lien Ngo's Abbey Pullover and Melissa J. Goodale's Counterfort Pullover.

But really, with a seamless panel as your base, you can do pretty much anything. Stripey colorwork, Fair Isle colorwork, funky stitch patterns—the yoke is your canvas. Before you begin, though, there are a few things to keep in mind about knitting a seamless yoke:

A seamless yoke has a different armhole depth than your standard set-in sleeves. A quick glance at a schematic for each kind of sweater will tell you that.

Spacing out your decreases or increases depends on your shoulder depth. If you're altering a knitting pattern with a seamless yoke, make sure you adjust the number of rows between decrease or increase rows.
Planning the decreases or increases rows is pretty much up to the designer—there aren't any rules to follow. Typically, most seamless yokes will have three to five rows of changing stitch counts (either more stitches, in a top-down sweater, or fewer stitches, in a bottom-up sweater). In her book Knitting Plus, Lisa Shroyer points out that traditional yokes have four rounds of decreases, removing 20% of the stitches on the first round, 25% of the stitches on the second round, and 33% of the stitches on the third and fourth rounds.

I know seamless yokes, in this context, may seem overwhelming, but find a pattern that appeals to you and try it out for yourself—knitting a seamless yoke is really quite easy.

Till next time,
Amy

PS - Did you see the preview for Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts yet? Let us know what you think, and look for that issue on-sale September 6.

Easy Knitting Patterns for Knitting in Public

AmyPalmer — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:12:00 GMT

This weekend marks the kick-off for World Wide Knit in Public (WWKIP) Week. Originally, this event started as a single day, for knitters (and crocheters!) everywhere to get out of the house, soak up some summer sun (or attempt to enjoy a wintery day, for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere), and spread the love of playing with yarn. Over the years, it's evolved into a week-long event with festivities taking place around the globe—the WWKIP site has listings for events all around the world, so hopefully there's one near you!

But what to knit while you're out and about? Are you going to be outside in a park? In a cozy café with your favorite knitters? Pattern selection for knitting in public is key, and I've got some easy knitting patterns for you to choose from, if you don't have a project on the needles already.

When I'm knitting in public with my knitting group, I find that the easy knitting patterns are the ones that don't require a lot of concentration, for the most part. I'm currently knitting myself a Rock Island Shawl by Jared Flood, and I'm at the part where I knit in garter stitch forever and decrease on the right-side rows. For me, this would make a good project for knitting in public.

If I didn't already have a work in progress, I might consider casting on for one of these garter stitch patterns from knitscene Summer 2011.

Amy Polcyn's Embassy Scarf is knit on both sides with dropped stitches. Once you've got the pattern repeat memorized, this becomes one of the easiest knitting patterns on the planet. Seriously.

Our featured designer for Summer, Amy Christoffers, has this fantastic Strafford Tee that's knit in the round to the armhole divide. Knitting in the round for a while? Perfect knitting for sitting outside or in a busy café watching people wander by.

Over the years, knitscene has published oodles of easy knitting patterns. Last year, we even published knitscene Easy, full of patterns that are perfect for beginner knitters and advanced knitters looking to rest their tired knitting brains. With the digital edition, you could take that issue to your WWKIP meetups on your digital device! And while you're out and about, why not take along this handy How to Knit handbook, so you can draft others into the cult of craft?

However you're celebrating WWKIP week, be sure to have fun and enjoy the process of crafting, wherever you may be. And if you're out in the sun, wear sunblock. Always a good tip.

Happy knitting,
Amy

PS - Can't wait for more knitting goodness? We just wrapped our knitscene Fall 2011 issue. Look for the preview in a couple of weeks!

Knitting on the go: 6 tips and tricks for travel knitting

AmyPalmer — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:19:00 GMT

I'm about to hit the road for a little late spring/early summer traveling and that means packing. I'll figure out the clothing situation the day before I leave (I always do), but meanwhile I'm a little stressed out over what knitting projects to bring. Raise your hand if you feel me! Yeah, I knew it.

Last summer, my family and I went to London, England, for six days. Six busy, jam-packed days, as my mom wanted to see as much as she could (a theory that I do endorse from time to time, though my preferred travel style is to live like the natives and take it easy). I took three projects—a pair of socks, a hat, a crochet scarf. For six days. And you know what? I finished all of them. (Now that I think about it, I had started the socks before leaving.)

So clearly, taking a lot of projects on vacation is nothing new to me. Figuring out which knitting projects are best for traveling, and how to most easily transport them, is always a bit of a challenge though. Here are some tricks for travel knitting that I've picked up along the way.

Pick easy projects. "Easy" here is a relative term. I'm not suggesting that everyone knit only flat garter stitch or stockinette stitch in the round, but be honest with yourself about your skill level and choose projects that you can knit without having to give a lot of attention. I know I can knit plain stockinette socks with my eyes closed, so they're a good project for me. Projects like Izumi Ouchi's Clipper Mitts or Amy Christoffers' Shelburne Scarf from Knitscene Summer 2011 would be great on-the-go knitting.
Pick small-ish projects. As any one who's ever traveled anywhere and had to cram a bunch of clothes into a carry-on suitcase (paying for luggage is not high on my list of fun vacation things) understands the importance of maximizing space. The smaller the project, the more easy it will be to knit while you're traveling. Bonus points if you finish the project, because then you clearly have to buy a new skein of souvenir yarn, right? For me, this usually means socks or hats, but it doesn't have to. Mittens or scarves are great travel knitting projects, but if we look outside the suitcase, think sleeves. Sleeves can be knit in the round or flat. Amy Christoffers' Vergennes Pullover or Sarah Fama's Mayville Cardigan both have easy sleeve patterns.
Choose your tools wisely. As you may have noticed, I like to knit socks. I knit socks a lot. Socks are my number one project for knitting on the go. I tend to switch back and forth between using double-points and using the Magic-Loop method when I'm staying in town (say, going to knitting group), but for longer travel, I usually opt for Magic-Loop—nothing like making friends with everyone on an airplane as you attempt to chase down a dropped dpn. (Knitting Help has a great video on learning Magic-Loop, if you're not familiar with it.) Occasionally, I'll bring along the double-points, but in those instances I have to have a dpn work-in-progress holder with me. It keep my knitting needles tidy, save me from stabbing myself as I reach into my project bag, and possibly make me appear a little less threatening to the TSA folks (this last point requires more research). Note: yes, you can generally take your knitting needles on the plane if your departure point is within the United States, but be sure to check the website of the arrival destination airport, or the governing body of travel within your country (such as the TSA in the United States). Knitting needles are typically not allowed when flying out of an airport in the United Kingdom, but I had no problem with my crochet project.
Organize everything. Take this opportunity to break out all those work-in-progress bags you have, or just grab some gallon-sized Ziploc baggies—whatever you use, make sure it has some sort of closure at the opening. If you, like me, take multiple knitting projects with you when you travel, the last thing you want is a mess of tangled yarns and needles all jumbled together in one bag. Placing your knitting projects in bags also protects them from getting roughed up in transit.
Keep a notebook handy. When traveling amongst other people (on a plane, on a train, on a bus, packed in the family minivan), you will inevitably be interrupted in your knitting. Having your notebook and pen or pencil nearby ensures that you can make a quick note of your stopping point, or jot down any modifications you make on the go. I actually have two notebooks that I use (I have a notebook addiction): Franklin Habit's Work in Progress Journal and a journal from Make My Notebook (you can see one of my journals in Check It from knitscene Summer 2011, page 7). The Franklin Habit journal is half blank and half graph paper, and the Make My Notebook journal is half ruled and half graph paper.
Most importantly, have fun! Vacations are usually a time to relax and maybe do something you've never done before, but that doesn't mean you have to leave all of your creature comforts at home. Travel knitting has all the benefits of knitting at home with the added bonus of having something familiar and relaxing during what can occasionally be a stressful experience. Take a picture of your sock toe covering the pyramid outside the Louvre as a "pyramid cosy" (I'm not going to Paris this year, but I will probably do this one day.) Wrap an in-progress scarf around the statue of Phil Lynott off Grafton Street in Dublin (note to self: go back to Dublin).

Wherever you're going, whatever you're doing, have a fun and productive summer of knitting! Hopefully I'll make a good amount of progress in all of my travels.

Happy Knitting!

Amy

P.S.—Knitting on the go has been made even easier with the invention of laptops, tablets, and programs like Zinio that let you cart around multiple books without the weight, and knitscene Summer 2011 is now available on Zinio!

People are talking about Knitscene Winter/Spring 2011!

AmyPalmer — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:59:00 GMT

Knitscene Winter/Spring 2011 has officially been out for a week now, and I'm so excited to see that so many of you really like it! I love working on Knitscene, and hearing such positive words about the projects makes my job even better. But you don't just have to take my word for how great this issue has been received—Kel at Fibre Space wrote a wonderful blog post about the whole issue.

Many readers seem to have fallen in love with Melissa Wehrle's Chiton Pullover. It's a perfect tee for a warm spring day—a day like the one we are not having in Colorado, where the high for the day is 1°. (Single digit temperatures boggle my mind, then again, I'm a transplant from Florida.) Melissa wrote a little bit about the tee on her blog.

The Kelbourne Woolen team of Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn also talk about their projects, the Bahía Shawl and Setesdal Love Hat, repsectively. Amy Christoffers also shares a little love for her Kenning Mitts, while Laura Nelkin gets down to the beading business on her gorgeous Bergamot Shawl. And Debbie O'Neill, our featured designer, goes more in-depth on her Belvedere Cardigan, Paperboy Cardigan, Picadill Cardigan, and Bas-Relief Socks.

But what about YOU? What patterns are you loving from this issue? What projects have you already cast on? Let me know what you're knitting! I've spotted some fantastic finished projects on Ravelry, especially Talitha Kuomi's Eternalism Vest and the Setesdal Love Hat. AND, if you're in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina, stop by Downtown Knits in Apex to meet Lisa Shroyer, Esther Rodgers (of JazzTurtle Yarns on Etsy), and Talitha Kuomi (if she doesn't get snowbound in New England!) this Friday, February 4th, and see some of these awesome garments in person.

Haven't picked up this issue of Knitscene yet? You can buy a copy at the Interweave store, and very soon, on the Zinio platform for your computer, iPad, or Android device!

Knitting with Art Yarns

AmyPalmer — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:42:00 GMT

In the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Knitscene, I wrote a bit of an introduction to the fabulous world of handspun art yarn. Now, I consider myself to be a very novice spinner. I can make yarn on my drop spindle. One day I might even knit the yarn I've spun—one skein of Imperial Stock Ranch Pencil Roving. I'm too busy knitting to bother with spinning more yarn.

However, I was intrigued by the challenge of knitting with art yarns. Sure, they look so pretty in the skein, but what do they look like when they're actually knitted? And is there a difference in the way a knitter has to manipulate the yarn when using art yarn?

As Geraldine Santos of Dreamfiber told me when I asked her, "A simple stitch creates an outstanding creation with art yarn! It does all the work for you." I don't know about you, but I'm a fan of things that do my work for me.

So I grabbed a random skein of art yarn I had lying in my stash (this was gifted to me by a friend, and she told me it came from While Tangerine Dreams on Etsy) and one of my favorite Knitscene patterns—Katie Himmelberg's Phiaro Scarf from our Knitscene Winter 07/Spring 08 issue—and set to work. I wasn't sure how much yardage I had, and the yarn was much thicker than the DK weight used in the original, so I cast on about 130 stitches onto size 13 needles and then worked the pattern as instructed. I only knit for about 5", rather than the 20" the pattern calls for.

I made sure to pull the little flowers through the stitches, which wasn't always the easiest. I probably didn't have to do that, since this is a scarf and the flowers likely would have shown on either side of the work, but I was a little fixated on that for some reason. Other than that, knitting this scarf was incredibly quick and easy. I worked on it over the holiday break, while my family and I were watching movies, and I spent about 4 hours knitting in total.

I totally wore the wrong color shirt for this photo, oops!

I'm really happy to have a new knitted scarf that was finished in a jiff! It's really warm and squishy, perfect for the random winter days we're having here in Colorado.

Have you knit with art yarn before? Share your stories and any tips you have, and look for my article in the Winter/Spring Knitscene, available next week!

Happy knitting,
Amy