Latest blog posts

Saving the Planet One Bag at a Time
MelsNattyKnits,
Earlier this year American Yarns, a Melbourne online yarn shop, contacted me to see whether I’d like to trial some of the their yarns. I jumped at the opportunity and decided to select a favourite cotton of mine, Lily Sugar … Continue reading →

So You Want to Be a Designer
Andi,
About a month ago, conversations on Instagram started popping up about why designers were so secretive about how to become a designer. My first thought was that it was a weird complaint because I picked up everything I knew from information shared by other designers, but then I realized that the us…

An Amazing Crochet Project for A Beginner -- I Swear!
Dayana Knits (noreply@blogger.com),
Wow, right? Before making this blanket, my experience with crochet was limited to slip stitch seams, single crochet edging and the occasional double crochet bikini (oops, did I admit to that?!). So yeah -- I wasn't a crochet noob... but I wasn't an expert by any means. I didn't even really know how…

4 Sock Patterns by Helen Kurtz
Hand Knitted Things (noreply@blogger.com),
Images courtesy Helen Kurtz and Stylecraft Yarns Today's post features sock designs by Helen Kurtz who has the popular knitting blog called Josie Kitten . I know Helen through the Blogstars group and over time I've see the number of her lovely knitted sock designs grow, so I thought I'd share some …

Pool Shawl Pattern
Hand Knitted Things (noreply@blogger.com),
The shawl pattern I designed specially for Head Over Heels All Stars yarn is now available from Stylecraft website free (link at the end of the post). You can read about this yarn and how it was inspired in an earlier post I wrote here . Here are some details about the yarn: 75% super wash wool 25%…

2019 Goals
Andi,
At the beginning of every years, for most of the life of this blog, I’ve shared my goals for the new years relating to knitting and design work, and I’ve reviewed how I did with the previous year’s goals. At the beginning of this year, I decided to keep things simple and make my only […]

Woodland Walk Notebook
Hand Knitted Things (noreply@blogger.com),
At the weekend I attended the Stylecraft Blogstars seasonal meet up at Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire. It was lovely to catch up with the group, share updates and participate in various activities. The Saturday afternoon craft session was lead by designer Juliet Bernard and featured hand stitched no…

Introducing Rowan's New All-British Yarn: Moordale
Dayana Knits (noreply@blogger.com),
If you're a Rowan Yarns lover, you know that the brand evokes its Brit-ness through masterful woolen designs and prancing-through-the-heathered-hills photography. When I think of Rowan, my mind jumps to my first (and still favorite) Rowan Magazine 38 and this spread: I wanted to be that lady, in th…

FO: Cacti Project Bag
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
Sometimes you make something that makes you smile from the inside out. This is one of those types of projects. This is an oversized knitting project bag for large items, such as sweaters, keeping multiple projects in one bag, or for blankets, if I ever climb on the crazy wagon (I dislike knitting o…

Love & Hearts Hat for Good and Sweet Bees!
Susan B. Anderson (noreply@blogger.com),
Hi, Knitters, I hope you are doing well this February! I have a few fun things to share today. One is a new pattern for good. And at the end of the post I talk about this but on Barrett Wool Co. we are having FREE U.S. shipping this weekend using the code HOME at checkout for all orders of 3 or mor…

On the Needles...
Alana Dakos,
… is another new sweater design! Combining a fingering weight wool tweed and a mohair silk blend with little pops of lace here and there. It is taking shape and I am so excited about it! :) One of the few things I am finding consolation in with closing my storefront is knowing that soon I will have…

Cosy Tea Love
Hand Knitted Things (noreply@blogger.com),
This colourful Fair Isle design features panels of hearts and little houses inspired by a croft house on the west coast of Scotland. The Home Sweet Home Tea Cosy pattern includes a knitting chart to make it with 11 pastel colours of Jamieson's of Shetland dk yarn and is knitted in the round. It wou…

Pattern Release: Vamp City Socks!
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
Vamp-up your style with some sexy lace socks that would kill to be in some black boots. They’re dying to be worn, so why don’t you get out your stakes -er-needles and knit them up! Valentine’s Day Sale! Grab this pattern for only $2.14 now until 2/17 at 11:59pm CT. No coupon needed. METHOD: Top-d…

When Socks Attempt to Bite the Dust
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
Sooner or later, our socks attempt to bite the dust. I say "attempt," because it looks really, really bad when there's holes the size of your, well, entire heel because you never thought to check the bottom decade-old handknit socks. FYI- wearing your handknit socks with "winter dry heels" is reall…

Birch Trees Scarf - Projects
Hand Knitted Things (noreply@blogger.com),
With low temperatures, snow and ice around, it's definitely scarf weather again. This post features Birch Trees Scarf and some project images uploaded to Ravelry by knitters. There have been over 64K downloads to date of the Birch Trees Scarf knitting pattern from Ravelry . For my design I used siz…

WIP: "Hermione's Everyday Socks" in Noro Sock Yarn
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
I have finally decided to use my ball of Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn that I bought in college. You might be seeing a theme here: start using yarn bought over a decade ago. It's a noble cause. However, you get to the point were it's nestalgic, and then you don't feel like you can use the yarn unless you …

FO: French Press Slippers
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
Pattern : French Press Slippers by Melynda Bernardi Yarn : 2 balls of Paton's Classic Wool in the color teal--double or triple stranded Needles : US 15 Started: Jan 24, 2019 Completed: Jan 25, 2019 The easy portion is knitting the parts. (The hard part is the felting.) I timed knitting the "top" of…

How To Frankenstein Patterns for the Exact Shape You Want
Dayana Knits (noreply@blogger.com),
How many times have you looked at a pattern and said: "I wish that had set-in sleeves!" "I wish that was for a different weight yarn." "Can I change the collar?" Have no fear, you can have all those things and more by Frankenstein-ing a pattern with another one that has the elements you want! Here'…

FO: Tweedy Flax Sweater
Unknown (noreply@blogger.com),
Dear Reader, I know what you are thinking: another Flax sweater? Really? Do you knit anything else? I mean, I don't blame you for thinking that. I'M thinking that too. The fact is, I've knit 4 versions of the Flax sweater, 2 in fingering weight, and two in worsted/aran. This, however, is the first …

New Year... New Adventures
Alana Dakos,
I’ve been procrastinating with this blog post because it is a tough one to write. I have been the proud owner of this little storefront for nearly 4 years now and I am very attached to it to say the least. While we have been in business, this building has changed ownership and it is no longer a goo…