Independent craft blog since 2007
Now that all the Joann stores have closed, a mysterious message has appeared on the company’s website:
… Read More...For generations, Joann has been honored to be part of your creativity: your quilts, costumes, school projects, and handmade moments of love. It
I know that my posts can be read at different times of year and in different years by different people, but as I write this we’re on teh cusp of summer. And I know a lot of people don’t knit … Read More...
Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind … Read More...
I feel like felting is a knitting genre that deserves a resurgence. My first knitting book (which came out in 2008, eek!) was all about felting, but I don’t feel like there are a lot of felting knitting projects out … Read More...
I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve shared any patterns for our circular knitting machine users. I know these devices aren’t for everyone but even though I much prefer knitting by hand, it is kind of fun to … Read More...
It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years … Read More...
I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you … Read More...
It’s been well documented that I love a knitting pattern with a bit of whimsy, so when I saw the Mine! Pullover from Sarah L. Kelly recently I knew I had to share it with you.
I mean, who wouldn’t … Read More...
When you’re new to knitting, you might think that you are relatively constrained in the kinds of projects you can make or a little intimidated by learning new skills. I know some knitters go months if not years before attempting … Read More...
If you’re new to lace knitting or just aren’t sure how to incorporate the technique into garments, check out these tops and sweaters that use lace as a decorative element.
The easiest lace out there is eyelets, and you can … Read More...
I am always a fan of stash busting projects that allow you to use all the little bits and pieces left from other projects or the balls of yarn you just aren’t sure what to do with. And if you … Read More...
I’ve been toying with the idea of making a yarn cozy or yarn ball holder on the circular knitting machine, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. In the meantime, here are some yarn cozy knitting patterns you can make … Read More...
I love to see variations on knitting patterns. It’s fun to see what knitters do with a designer’s ideas, and as a designer sometimes it’s fun to think about different ways that you could do things and change the look … Read More...
I decided last fall that I actually have enough knit sweaters. Maybe even a few too many if we’re being honest with how rarely I wear some of them.
Of course I don’t want to stop knitting garments, so I’ve … Read More...
Sometimes I find interesting things in the terms that people are searching on the website. Most of the time them make sense, but other times I’m scratching my head. When “gonk gnomes” turned up, I had to search it to … Read More...
I feel like I’ve knit most things that you can knit through my many years of knitting and designing, but one thing I’ve never done is a sweater worked in fingering weight yarn. It just sounds like too much commitment … Read More...
I talked the other day about how much I am enjoying vests lately. Another reason I’m liking them is that they give me an excuse to knit something sweater adjacent without actually knitting sweaters, since I have about 24 knit … Read More...
Whether because of Mother’s Day coming up or wishing spring flowers would arrive a little faster, now is a great time to knit yourself some flowers that won’t wilt. I’ve shared some flower knitting patterns before but I think these … Read More...
One of the biggest worries I’ve seen from people with the in-progress closing of Joann craft stores is the loss of Big Twist yarn. Big Twist is a private label yarn that was sold exclusively at Joann (though you can … Read More...
A story has been circulating online about a woman who was asked to put away her knitting on a flight by a flight attendant who warned that you wouldn’t want to have knitting in your hands during an emergency on … Read More...