In my last blog post, I shared some thoughts on yarn substitution. I compared Ultra Alpaca to Maya - two yarns that look different but behave similarly. Both have good stitch definition and produce fabrics with a lot of drape, so they're a great match. Since I have the luxury of many of different yarns at my disposal,… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: Choose Your Yarn Adventure (Part II)
Category: yarn
Designer Spotlight: Gracie Tank Top & Pantaloons by Tracie Taggart
As a teenager, Tracie Taggart often designed her own clothing – relying on her mom to sew them into reality. Then she started knitting and realized she could do it all herself! After a bit of trial and error, Tracie started producing patterns under her label, PETALKNITS. The Gracie Tank Top & Pantaloons are just… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Gracie Tank Top & Pantaloons by Tracie Taggart
Emily Explains: Nijo Pattern Stitch
I'm so excited that the weather is finally warming up around here! I practically live in dresses during the summer, so I've been thinking about knitting a lightweight cover-up that I can throw on over my outfit for that occasional chill. Nijo from booklet #344 is at the top of my list. A cropped, oversized… Continue reading Emily Explains: Nijo Pattern Stitch
Designer Spotlight: The Klompen by Lydia Hamilton
Lydia Hamilton is addicted to crochet and she doesn’t care who knows it. We’re talking intervention-and-hidden-stash level addiction. She tries to put down her hook from time to time, but old habits die hard. One of her favorite projects at the moment is actually her own design. The Klompen is a pair of felted, crochet slippers… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: The Klompen by Lydia Hamilton
How-To: Fix a Forgotten Yarn-Over
For the past month I've been carrying around the most perfect fluffy yellow yarn. I can't show you the yarn just yet - it is a new one for fall - but I can tell you that it is simply fabulous! I finally began playing with the yarn for a special project. The pattern stitch… Continue reading How-To: Fix a Forgotten Yarn-Over
Amy’s Thread: Thoughts on Yarn Substitution
Yarn substitution is always a gamble. There is a reason that the yarn was paired to the pattern by the designer and the pattern reflects the characteristics of that yarn. Choosing an different yarn is entering at your own risk - if it doesn't work out you're sort of sunk. Nothing's worse than a mismatched… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: Thoughts on Yarn Substitution
Designer Spotlight: Happenstance by Shelly Sheehan
Co-owner of The Yarnery in St. Paul, MN, Shelly Sheehan loves being surrounded by different colors of yarn. It’s this “eye candy” that gets her through the long, gray winters. Interestingly, it was construction – more than color – that inspired Shelly’s free pattern, Happenstance. The textured scarf features alternating sections of garter stitch, stockinette… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Happenstance by Shelly Sheehan
Emily Explains: COLOR
I adore color, but - to be completely honest - I have always been quite intimidated by it. There are so many to choose from. What's a indecisive girl to do?! You can choose color a lot of different ways. Sometimes, my color choices are as simple as two skeins of yarn that just happen to fall next to… Continue reading Emily Explains: COLOR
Amy’s Thread: The New Construction of Summer Knitting
I have a great big yarn crush on chainette yarns right now. I may even be a little obsessed. For years I've had a personal struggle with cotton yarns - I love (LOVE!) to wear cotton sweaters in the summer but I find knitting with cotton less appealing than wool. Cotton and cotton blend yarns… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: The New Construction of Summer Knitting
Designer Spotlight: Baby Showers by Amy Stephens
Amy Stephens plays with yarn like it’s her job, mostly because it is. She actually gets paid to review new yarns for her LYS! And she says it was love at first swatch with Berroco Modern Cotton. In fact, she bought about twenty skeins in different colors when it first went on sale and got… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Baby Showers by Amy Stephens
Design Team Blog 