advice · emily explains · instructions · knitting · teaching · yarn

Emily Explains: A Few Methods of Yarn Splicing

For every knitter, there comes a time when your project takes more than one skein of yarn. This leads you to a crossroads. How do you join a new skein? There are so many methods to choose from. A good method for lace is Russian splicing. This method is a little tricky but, when done… Continue reading Emily Explains: A Few Methods of Yarn Splicing

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Designer Spotlight: Little Man Waistcoat by Lissa Snyder

Lissa Snyder knows that designing is a process – sometimes, a very frustrating process. From mismatched pinstripes to a run-in with a hungry kitten, her latest design truly tested her patience. Despite those and other problems, she kept knitting until she got it right. She says it’s now one of her favorites! Lissa’s Little Man… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Little Man Waistcoat by Lissa Snyder

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Designer Spotlight: The Harvest Pumpkin by Bonnie Burton

An experienced knitter with a professional background in marketing, Bonnie Burton has found her niche in lifelike knitted displays. She started several years ago with a knitted picnic scene aimed to catch shoppers’ eyes as they passed the large front window of Colorful Stitches – a LYS that Bonnie co-owns in Lennox, MA. Thanks to… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: The Harvest Pumpkin by Bonnie Burton

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Amy’s Thread: The Season of Cabled Pullovers

My favorite trend that I'm seeing this fall is big, cozy, cabled pullovers. The kind that knit up double quick in chunky gauges with bold cable patterns, that transition from fall jacket to winter weekend staple. My personal favorite from our current collection is Wicklow from booklet #346 Inca Tweed (from left to right: Diggory, Analogia and a detail from Wicklow)… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: The Season of Cabled Pullovers

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Designer Spotlight: Avoca Fingerless Gloves & Mittens by Patricia Hart

Patricia Hart grew up watching her mom make beautiful things without any patterns. Patricia says that this creativity she witnessed as a child inspired her own design career with knitting and crochet. The Avoca Fingerless Gloves & Mittens pattern is one of Patricia’s most recent creations. Knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca from cuff to fingers,… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Avoca Fingerless Gloves & Mittens by Patricia Hart

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Amy’s Thread: Good Finishing Starts at the Beginning

Finishing isn't just the final slog of assembling the pieces - it is the details that make the design. Choosing the right way to finish a project really starts at the beginning. The right cast on complements the bind off and the finishing techniques.  After weeks of deliberating over the best possible yarn shade, I finally cast… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: Good Finishing Starts at the Beginning

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Amy’s Thread: What’s On the Needles

New England has taken a turn into fall weather - in the last week we went from beach weather to beautifully moody gray skies and brisk morning temperatures - sweater knitting season is here! In my last post, I mentioned that I'm playing along with the Fringe and Friends Amanda Knit-Along. This is really a cardigan knit-along so… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: What’s On the Needles

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Amy’s Thread: Swatch like you mean it!

About a month ago, Karen Templar of Fringe Association posted a picture of the Amanda sweater from the book "Essentially Feminine Knits" by Lene Holme Samsøe. I instantly knew that this was going to be my next knitting project - and I wasn't alone. Karen's hosting a knit-along that starts September 15th, so there is still… Continue reading Amy’s Thread: Swatch like you mean it!

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Designer Spotlight: Grey Dolman Cardigan by Irina Anikeeva

Irina Anikeeva grew up in Russia with a mom who knit and sewed for a living. Knowing her mom didn’t have much time to make anything else, Irina asked her mom to teach her the basics. She says it was “love at first stitch.” Now living in California, Irina was looking for a roomy cardigan… Continue reading Designer Spotlight: Grey Dolman Cardigan by Irina Anikeeva

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New American Knits Giveaway

If you've visited Ravelry, your LYS or the bookstore lately, you may have noticed a fabulous collection of knitwear patterns that just hit the shelves. New American Knits, designed by our very own Amy Christoffers, is a compilation of 20 classic knits, all inspired by great American artists. With pullovers, cardies and a variety of accessories, there's… Continue reading New American Knits Giveaway