Knit, Blog & Be Happy!

Let me start with one note, this post is not meant to be a comprehensive study of blocking. One could write a book about the subject. I simply want to highlight why blocking is so important and talk about how I approach the process. Why block? Blocking is the magic fairy dust of knitting and crochet. Simply said, blocking improves the look of a project. You have spent a lot of time working on a project, so why would you skip the last important step? So many good things happen: your stitches relax,  some tension issues can be eased and the yarn blooms...

When I was at H+H this past summer, my friend Josie of KnitChats took me to meet Pam Powers and introduce beautiful yarn line, Ikigai Fibers.  This booth was filled with color, knit and crochet projects alike, and a feeling of joy. Because Pam has been a designer for years she knew exactly what she was looking for when she created her line. Ikigai “is the Japanese philosophy of having a source of value in one's life that makes everything worthwhile”. She says it best herself:  “I have been fascinated with Japanese crafting for many years and have been fortunate...

Over the last couple of weeks I have been singing the praises of TKB Cords to visitors in the shop.  Honestly people, these are a game changer for all knitters.     What are they? TKB (The Knitting Barber) cords are hollow silicone cables that can be used to hold stitches. Each set has three cables, one 60 inch (152cm) and two 30 inch (76cm), and comes in a handy storage tin. They work on needles up to a US 9 (5.5mm).  How do you use them?  All you do is pinch the end of the cable and place it snuggly on...

Bonjour La Bien Aimee!  We are so pleased to have these lovely yarns in our shop. Aimee, a Kansas native, moved to Paris and opened her lovely knitting and tea shop, L’OisiveThé.  A number of years ago she started to dye her own yarns and the wonderful La Bien Aimée was born.  Makers from all over have since been in love with her soft bases and stunning colors. We are carrying three bases in the shop, Merino Singles, Merino Sport and Merino Dk. Come into the shop for a burst of color and inspiration! This week I am sharing some pattern ideas for their fingering weight...

In my blog post, Knit Your First Sweater, I mention that many people do not like to knit sweaters because they have trouble with fit. Knitting a sweater from top down, as most patterns are designed these days, gives the you the opportunity to ensure the pattern will fit because it can be tried it on as you knit.   My Cargill Sweater is the perfect example of how important it is to stop and try on a sweater.  I knew that trying the sweater on was going to be part of the knitting process for this project because I was in between sizes. I knit the smaller...