All of us yarn aficionados have at some point come up against the “mystery stash” question: How do you figure out what kind of yarn is in that unlabelled ball? The definitive method looks at the microscopic structure of the fiber(s). However, most of us don’t have a microscope sitting around the house. So what…
Designing, Mixing Yarns, Reverse Engineering
Rini Reknitted
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of capelet patterns showing up on the radar, and I have an idea it might be “the” thing to knit this fall. And I can see why. A month or so ago I came across this Berroco design, “Rini”, and really loved it. Immediately, the dreamy dark blue-green color…
Technique Speak
Short Rows, Thoroughly Explained
Short rows are one of the best shaping tools in a knitter’s repertoire. They are so useful: for sock heels, fitting busts and shoulders, curved hems, and the list goes on. This post discusses short rows in general, and five techniques to get the job done, so why not find your favorite? (For a discussion…
Blog
Tess’ Top Ten List of Basic Knitting Advice
1. Don’t be intimidated. OK, sometimes this is easier said than done, but in the end, it’s just yarn, and needles. It may even be expensive yarn, but it’s still just yarn. At rock bottom, the act of knitting is just pulling loops through other loops. It’s been done for centuries, so it’s not rocket…
Designing, Sox Therapy, Technique Speak
Designing: Lazy Toe-Up Socks from Scratch
As you may know, I am a fairly lazy knitter. I also prefer knitting to a “recipe” rather than an exact pattern. In fact, written knitting patterns are a recent invention in the knitting world, within the last 150 years or so. It’s my belief that written patterns have proliferated mostly because they benefit yarn…
Technique Speak
Binding Off: Problems and Solutions
Binding off. Well, there’s not a whole lot to say about that, is there? I mean, you’re done knitting, you bind off, right? While I don’t think quite as many techniques exist for binding off as casting on, still, there are quite a few. And the CO and BO edges can make or break an…