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Blocking Knitted Items in Bon Echo

A few weeks ago we took our first camping trip of the year. Early May can be cold, and the greenery is only starting to wake up, but it is my favourite time of year to camp, next to September. There are no bugs and the other campers (if any) are quiet. The cold is comfortable, because it is easily …

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Blocking Uneven Ribbing

Knitting nice uniform, even-looking, ribbing is a big challenge for me.  I realize it has to do with the varying tension of my knits and purls when ribbing back and forth, but the nature of some yarns make it difficult to get uniform ribbing even when ribbing in the round. At the moment, my best option is to fix the …

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Gradient Mini-Skeins: Hat Pattern

I purchased my first mini-skein set this fall with 2 specific purposes in mind:  1) To try a gradient, 2) To make Lauren a new hat and cowl. I had so much trouble finding a pattern to make with a gradient, I decided to just improvise one.  It occurred to me that others might have the same struggle, so I’ve …

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Cables and a First Gansey

It’s been awhile since Galt Riverstone, and I really itch to have a cable project on the go, at all times – so I sketched up the following sweater over Christmas this year. I used this yarn – which I bought at this store.  This is the sheepiest, loveliest, unprocessed Blue-Faced-Leicester wool, I have ever used.  This is my second …

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Starting 2016

Welcome 2016. 2015 was a quiet year in terms of designs released – with only the Havelock Pullover – but I certainly never stopped knitting so I have plenty of new material to release this year. Here are some highlights: 1.  I finally made the decision to switch to professional pattern photography – one of the best decisions I have …

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Reinforcing a Steek in Bulky Yarn

This is by no means my first steek… but I still consider it new territory, because it is my first steek in BULKY yarn (Alafoss Lopi). a) I chose not to machine-sew these steeks as I sometimes do with small 2-3 stitch steeks.  My walking foot doesn’t lift high enough above the thick fabirc, and the double-layers of yarn through …