Garter stitch is the first stitch we learn–just knit, knit, knit. As a result we often can hardly wait to do something else. You may be like me in that you came back to garter stitch after a few years, and kind of got excited by it, but were a little embarrassed because it is…
Blog
Yarn and Stitch Pattern, and You
We had to get to yarn and stitch pattern eventually! This pairing is what we want to solve most, but is actually a fairly difficult topic to address. I’ve been looking at the make up of yarn to better identify why some yarns work and some don’t. I’ve introduced fiber content, fiber processing, ply, twist,…
Yarn and Color: Alchemy or Science?
I love yarn and color so this is a topic I’m excited to try to tackle. I’ve given you information on fiber content, ply, twist, treatment of yarn and fiber, so now color. The alchemy of yarn and color is what gets us excited about hand dyed yarn and every other yarn. A funny story…
Twists Per Inch or TPI In Your Yarns
I was thinking about the next steps in writing about matching yarn to projects and TPI or twists per inch popped up in my head. Just when I think I’ve covered something, another thing occurs to me. TPI was a new-to-me concept when I started researching hand knitting yarn structure. I knew it existed, but…
Yarn Play Date (No Shopping!)
This post is about a yarn play date, and why you should have one. I’ve been playing with a lot of different yarn and ideas since we entered 2018. I’ve got my ongoing Anzula yarn reviews which have me looking at a different yarn each month. We did two in January to cover the release…
Let’s talk Ply–single, 2-, 3-, and beyond
As you know, I’m not a spinner, but I can talk ply. I used to teach it when I taught textiles at FIDM. It is the same principles for textile yarn as for yarn, just different scales. Once you know some basics, you can take a fresh look at your yarns, and yarn choices. Ply…
Autumn/Winter 2018 Fashion Colors
The reports are in for Autumn/Winter 2018 Colors for fashion from New York and London Show. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but it doesn’t matter what you think of them, they are what will be showing up in the months ahead. It is a matter of how the palettes are use that will end…
Yarn Fiber Processing: The Basics
You may not ever think about yarn fiber processing, or it may be something you pay attention to, but it is quite important to what your yarn will and won’t do. I am by no means an expert, and like all things, yarn fiber processing has pros and cons for every step, and you should…
Yarn Fibers: Basic Helpful Information
Yarn fibers are spun together to make yarn. There are some very odd exceptions, but mostly, yarn is made from fiber. It doesn’t matter what the fiber is, it has to be spun to make yarn. Before I get to talking about ply, let’s talk about yarn fibers. There are two categories of fibers: Natural…
LYS Day is Local Yarn Store Day
I’m taking a day here to talk about the upcoming, first ever, Local Yarn Store Day on April 21, 2018. Hopefully LYS Day is coming to a local yarn store near you. If your LYS belongs to TNNA they should be participating! So please, ask your LYS if they are participating and send them to…
Will This Yarn Work for This Project?
The question most of us have when we pick up a yarn, or pick a project we want to make is “Will this yarn work for this”? I love to swatch, so I am always trying things out and have come up with a formula for getting a sense of a yarn, but quite honestly,…
Almost Plaid Scarf in Blush and Black Cherry
Before I get into Almost Plaid, you might like to check out my blog on Cloud on Anzula’s website. I’ve done swatches for Remarkables, Snow Farm, and for Roundhill in Cloud. I ended up with yarn left over, and you know I hate that. I wanted to challenge myself to design something masculine. The challenge…
