Knit, Blog & Be Happy!

I just finished my Fern Lake Baby Blanket, which got me thinking about machine-washing knitted or crochet projects. I am going to put the blanket in the machine but very carefully! Read on... When knitting or crocheting for new parents or a friend who might not want to hand wash something, most people say, "I need a yarn that can be machine washed and dried." The machine-friendly yarns, many of which might have a bit of acrylic or nylon to help offset the felting or shrinking issues with wool. However, hitting the project with a regular washing machine cycle and...

When I sit down to knit, I often listen to a book on Audible or stream a mystery series. In the last few months, I have added a video podcast to my must-watch list, Wool Needles Hands, hosted by Tayler Earl. Tayler lives outside of Las Vegas and is the owner/dyer of Fiber for the People, and has a knack for creating engaging videos weekly. The episodes are well-planned and edited, and I always walk away with a nugget of knowledge or inspiration for future knitting projects. She highlights all types of yarn, her line, big box craft stores, and LYS offerings. Her show...

My sweater is complete, and the ends are woven in. It is time to give this Teddy Bear Sweater a bath. I believe that blocking is the magic fairy dust of knitting. Last November, I wrote, “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 and softens. It can also open any lacework, helps cables pop and can flatten the edges of your project. As an added bonus, blocking washes your...

My least favorite thing to do when knitting a top-down sweater is the sleeves. I simply do not like knitting in a small circumference. I am not a big fan of double-pointed needles or magic loop. Using two circular needles is another good option, but it is still not my favorite. So, before I talk about how I chose to knit the sleeves, I will link all the options for knitting sleeves in the round so you can pick your poison. double pointed needles - Elizabeth Smith makes it look easy here! magic loop - great Cocoknits video two circular...

Now that the yoke is complete, it is time to knit the body of the sweater. While this is basic, knitting around and around, I have a couple of tips to make it a bit easier. You will start by separating the sleeves from the body. I like using TKB cords (see my blog post here), but you can use your preferred stitch holder or waste yarn. Following the pattern you have, knit to the markers for the sleeve, put the sleeve stitches on a holder, cast on the prescribed number of stitches using the backward loop cast on, knit...