Because Mistakes are Opportunities in Disguise
Everyone loves free knitting patterns. It’s probably the most popular knitting related search out there. Fortunately, there are a LOT of choices available now. The following list is of some of my favorite sites that will let you download free patterns at the drop of a needle. The list is in no particular order and … Read more
I don’t knit with bulky, chunky, or jumbo yarns very often. I don’t like the way the stitches look. They seem awkward and lacking in subtlety. Overblown, usually. But there are times when bulky yarn, or larger, is a great choice. When you’re in a hurry… Your winter hat is gone. Who knows where. Maybe … Read more
Whether it’s your first project, your 10th, or your 100th, putting together a kit, or ordering one, gives you a sense of instant gratification. It seems like it would make your life so much easier. If you’re a beginning knitter, it seems like a knitting kit would be the obvious way to start. Everything’s right … Read more
Over the course of my knitting experience, I’ve seen a variety of cable needles. From metal, to plastic, to wood. Different shapes and sizes. There’s a fair amount to choose from. But my question is: Do we really need cable needles? For the longest time, I thought I couldn’t make cables without them, but as … Read more
I strongly prefer wooden knitting needles. If you haven’t tried wooden needles, or haven’t tried knitting needles made out of different materials, here are some things to look for: Comfort Points Texture Strength Circular or Straight Comfort For nearly 30 years, I only knitted with metal needles and my hands always hurt. It wasn’t until … Read more
Almost all knitters (and crocheters and weavers) eventually end up with more yarn than they can use. The result: the yarn stash. However big or small your stash is, you’ll want to store your beautiful, and possibly expensive, yarns safely. Keeping your yarn clean, dry, out of reach of rodents, cats, sun and heat are … Read more
Knitting without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann, first published in 1971, is still a wonderful book for new and beginning knitters. EZ, as the author is frequently called, writes in a wonderfully irreverent and humble style. She claims to be opinionated and even cantankerous about knitting. Her goal is to teach all knitters to “be the … Read more
Interchangeable knitting needle sets have replaced circular knitting needle sets, like this one, for many good reasons. I use interchangeable knitting needles almost exclusively. I have some double pointed needles and some fixed circular needles, but I have completely gotten rid of my straight needles. While there are cons to interchangeables, I find the pros … Read more
Converting knitting needle sizes from American to metric and back again. You found a great looking European design, but you’re not sure what needle size you need? Or you found a great American design and don’t know if you have the correct needles? Look no further. Here are the most common needle sizes in American … Read more
The first thing you need to know about knitting terms is that there are entire books written about them. I owned one at one time. It was a small book, but my point stands. Trying to fit all of the knitting terms & abbreviations out there into one post would not be enjoyable for the … Read more