Top knitting and yarn resources

Top knitting resources blog posts (intro image)

Welcome to the ultimate list of top knitting resources!


Introduction

Welcome to the ultimate knitting and yarn resource guide!

Calling all fellow knitters and yarn lovers…

Are you a die hard knitter like myself? Do you swoon at the sight of gorgeous yarns in all fibers, textures and colors? Does the idea of shopping for knitting needles and supplies tickle your fancy? Do you have a bookshelf filled with knitting pattern books and magazines? If so, then will you be my new best friend?

All jokes aside, if you answered yes to any of the above questions then you’re at the right place! I’m constantly on the lookout for top knitting and yarn resources that are useful, informative and educational for every knitter… whether beginner or expert. And I’m not one to keep such knowledge to myself!

Join me as I share with you my curated list of top knitting and yarn resources, available exclusively on the Knitting & Purling blog. Enjoy!

Blog Posts Featuring Top Knitting and Yarn Resources

An illustrated guide on how to make 1 stitch in knitting (a.k.a. “M1″)

I finally got around to posting blog photos documenting my progress of knitting the Chevron Panels pattern (a.k.a. the January 6th knitting pattern of the day in the Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar).

Part of the Chevron Panels pattern required increase stitches be made via Making 1 Stitch (M1). As a result, I had decided to create an illustrated guide on how to make 1 stitch in knitting… where I would walk users through the process, step-by-step, in the form of photographs.

I thought this “How To?” Photo Guide to Making 1 Stitch (M1) was worthy of its own blog post, so here we go! Enjoy.

Illustrated Guide on How to Knit an Increase Stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)

As previously mentioned, the Chevron Panels pattern calls for increase stitches be made via Making 1 (M1). Some sources say if the pattern doesn’t specify whether the M1 stitch is a M1L (Make 1 Left) or a M1R (Make 1 Right), you should opt for an M1L increase. However, I have a soft spot for M1R, and always depend on it whenever I’m making stitches in a pattern (only ’cause I feel it forms less of a “hole” or “opening” in the row).

You may not feel the same, which is fine. But if you’re just learning how to Make 1 Stitch, I would suggest giving M1R a try.

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - before photo

The "before" photo...

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 1 lift the horizontal yarn bar

Step 1: Lift the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle from front to back

Note: Other sources may ask for you to directly lift the horizontal yarn “bar” with your left needle (inserting from back to front), but I find it easier to add an extra step of lifting it with the right needle first (inserting from front to back), and then transferring it to your left needle afterward (more on this further down).

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 2 transfer horizontal yarn bar from right to left needle

Step 2: Transfer the horizontal yarn "bar" (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle

Note: As you can see, the end result is the same as if you had directly lifted the “bar” with your left needle from back to front.

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 3 knit into front of newly-picked up yarn bar on left needle

Step 3: Knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch

Note: Once inserted into the loop, your right needle should end up behind the left needle… as if knitting a regular stitch.

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right stitch (M1R) - step 4 wrap yarn counterclockwise around right needle

Step 4: Wrap yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 5 pull right needle through left needle loop as if to knit

Step 5: Pull the right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around it) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - the after photo

The "after" photo... you now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

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Measuring gauge size: Stockinette stitch pattern [Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar quilt project]

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar front cover

The Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar

As mentioned in my last blog post, I had good intentions of keeping up with my plan to knit an 8″ x 8″ square swatch every day in accordance to the daily knitting patterns listed in this year’s Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar. I kept it up for a good month or so before the plan flatlined.

Well, all of that aside… I did start the project. And just like starting any other knitting project, the process begins with measuring the gauge size of the yarn that you’d be using (i.e. calculating the needle size and yarn tension needed to achieve the right gauge size with your chosen yarn).

Boxing Week 2010 yarn shopping trip at Romni Wools

For my annual Boxing Week yarn shopping trip last year? I purchased bags and bags of Cascade 220 yarn!

I had decided to use Cascade 220 Heathers yarn for this knitting project. Why? Because I was at Romni Wools for their annual Boxing Day sale last December (The one day in the year when you’ll get the lowest price on yarn… as in, 25% off! Excuse me while I drool for a bit.), and I was enticed by the colors of Cascade 220 Heathers yarns available at the store that I ended up choosing: 2 shades of green (#9407 “Celery” & #2429 “Irelande), 2 shades of blue (#9452 “Summer Sky Heather” & #2433 “Pacific”), and 2 shades of purple (#2422 “Lavender & #2420 “Grape Heather”).

Note: If you’ll recall from this blog post, I had recently discovered purple as my new favorite color!

Plus, Romni Wools had sealed, full bags (i.e. 10 hanks of yarn in each bag) for each of my chosen yarn color. So I decided to simply grab 1 full bag each. Yes. Literally. 60 hanks of yarn, right then and there, purchased. Sounds insane? Well, that’s just how addicted I am to buying yarn!

Anyway, I digress. What I was trying to get at, is that I had to determine the size of knitting needles and # of stitches/# of rows needed to knit an 8″ x 8″ square swatch in Stockinette stitch knitting pattern using my chosen Cascade 220 Heathers yarn.

The label wasn’t the most helpful thing in the world: 18 to 20 stitches when knit on size US #7 (4.5mm) to size US #8 (5mm) would give you a 4″/10cm square swatch. Not only were the given numbers not specific, it didn’t even give any info on the # of rows needed to attain the gauge size!

As you can see below, I measured the gauge size myself. For anyone out there also in search of the gauge size for Cascade 220 Heathers yarn, according to my swatch I’ve determined it as 18 stitches x 24 rows = 4″ (10cm), on size US #7 (4.5mm) knitting needles.

Note: Click here for everything pertaining to my Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar quilt project.

How to Knit Stockinette Stitch Photographs

Below is an illustrated guide to how I measured gauge size for my Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project

Measuring gauge size in Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project

View of my 8" x 8" square swatch knitted in Stockinette stitch, to be used in measuring the gauge size needed in my Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project

Measuring gauge size in Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project (bird's eye view)

Bird's eye view of an 8" x 8" square swatch knitted in Stockinette stitch

Measuring gauge size of Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project (left side view)

Left side view of my 8" x 8" Stockinette stitch knitted square swatch

Measuring gauge size in Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project (bottom corner view)

Botton corner view of my 8" x 8" Stockinette stitch knitted square swatch

Measuring gauge size in Vogue Knitting Calendar quilt project (top corner view)

Top corner view of 8" x 8" Stockinette stitch knitted square swatch

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January 6, 2011: Chevron Panels pattern [Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar quilt project]

Chevron Panels: Knitting Pattern for Jan 6th

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6

Chevron Panels: Knitting pattern of the day for January 6th, 2011

Knitting Pattern Type:
Rib knitting pattern

# of Yarn Colors Required:
1 color

# Stitches/Rows in Each Multiple/Repeat (As Called For in Pattern):
[(16-stitch repeat) + 3 stitches] x [16 rows]

# Stitches/Rows in My 8″ x 8″ Square Swatch:
[35 stitches] x [48 rows]

Intro to Knitting the Chevron Panels Pattern

The Chevron Panels knitting pattern is comprised of a 6-row multiple/repeat, made up of a combination of knitted stitches, purled stitches, decreased stitches via “Purling 3 Together” (a.k.a. p3tog), and increased stitches via “Making 1” (a.k.a. M1).

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (finished a few 6-row repeats)

Finished a few 6-row repeats while knitting the beginning of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels square swatch

Here’s a zoomed-in view of 1 rib column of the Chevron Panels knitting pattern…

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (zoomed in view)

Zoomed-in view of 1 rib column in the Chevron Panels knitting pattern

Illustrated Guide to Knit an Increase Stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)

As previously mentioned, the pattern calls for increase stitches to be made via “Making 1” (a.k.a. M1). Some sources say if the pattern doesn’t specify whether the M1 stitch is a Make 1 Left or a M 1 Right, you should opt for a a “Make 1 Left” increase (a.k.a. M1L). However, I have a soft spot for “Make 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R), and always depend on it whenever I’m making stitches in a pattern (only ’cause I feel it forms less of a “hole” or “opening” in the row).

You may not feel the same, which is fine. But if you’re just learning how to “Make 1 Stitch,” I would suggest giving M1R a try.

The following series of photographs is my illustrated guide on how to create an increase stitch by “Making 1 Right” (a.k.a. M1R)…

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - before photo

The "before" photo...

Start off by lifting the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle right front to back.

Note: Other sources may ask for you to directly lift the horizontal yarn “bar” with your left needle (inserting from back to front), but I find it easier to add an extra step of lifting it with the right needle first (inserting from front to back), and then transferring it to your left needle afterward (more on this further down).

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 1 lift the horizontal yarn bar

Step 1: Lift the horizontal yarn “bar” (i.e. the yarn running between your left and right needle from the row below) with your right needle from front to back

Here, you can see what I meant before about transferring the horizontal yarn “bar” (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle. The end result is the same as if you had directly lifted the “bar” with your left needle from back to front.

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 2 transfer horizontal yarn bar from right to left needle

Step 2: Transfer the horizontal yarn "bar" (previously lifted with the right needle from front to back) from your right needle to your left needle

You will now knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle, done by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch. The end result? Once inserted into the loop, your right needle should end up behind the left needle… as if knitting a regular stitch.

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 3 knit into front of newly-picked up yarn bar on left needle

Step 3: Knit into the front of this newly-picked up yarn “bar” on the left needle by inserting your right needle from left to right into the front part of the stitch

Now wrap the yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch…

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right stitch (M1R) - step 4 wrap yarn counterclockwise around right needle

Step 4: Wrap yarn from back to front in a counterclockwise direction around the right needle, as if to knit a regular stitch

Follow that by pulling your right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch…

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - step 5 pull right needle through left needle loop as if to knit

Step 5: Pull the right needle (with the yarn still wrapped around it) through the left needle loop from back to front, as if knitting a regular stitch

You now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

Illustrated guide to Make 1 Right Stitch (M1R) - the after photo

The "after" photo... you now have a newly knitted increase stitch, finished and resting on your right needle!

Illustrated Guide to Knitting Chevron Panels (Finished Square Swatch)

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (birds eye view)

Bird's eye view of an 8" x 8" square swatch knitted in Chevron Panels pattern

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (angled view)

Angled corner view of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels pattern knitted square swatch

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (close-up view)

Close-up view of the ribbed columns of chevron arrows in the knitting pattern

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (top corner view)

Top corner view of my 8" x 8" Chevron Panels pattern knitted square swatch

Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar - Chevron Panels pattern for January 6 (bottom corner view)

View of 1 rib column within the Chevron Panels knitting pattern

How to Knit Chevron Panels YouTube Video

Lastly, here’s a knitting instructional video I made on How to Knit the Chevron Panels Pattern from the Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day Calendar. If you have any further questions or need additional help, feel free to leave me a comment!




Click here for everything pertaining to my Vogue Knitting Stitch-a-Day 2011 Calendar quilt project.

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Introducing my yarn dresser

My yarn dresser - drawer 1 (thumbnail image)

Collage image of yarns currently stored in drawer 1 of my personal yarn dresser

To my fellow Canadians out there, happy gobble-gobble day! Hope everyone had a great long weekend holiday, enjoyed some quality time with family, and (if you’re anything like me) O.D.’d on tryptophan by eating lots and lots and lots of turkey. Oh, and for any Americans out there, happy Columbus Day!

So I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely been a busy bee this long weekend. Between having my best friend over to see my new place on Saturday, eating B.B.Q.’d turkey at the in-laws on Sunday, baking pineapple ham at home on Monday, and watching hours and hours of Hell’s Kitchen across all three days (there was a weekend-long marathon of episodes from seasons 4 and 5… because apparently nothing says “Thanksgiving” quite like hours on end of Gordon Ramsay screaming at incompetent chefs), I’m surprised I had any time left for anything else. Well, I did, because I got around to finishing my blog page on my yarn dresser!

If you’d like to sneak a peek into my personal yarn collection (and trust me, it’s quite large… apparently I’ve got an addition to buying yarn for no reason), then you should mosey on over to my yarn dresser.

Peek inside drawer 1 of my yarn dresser

A peek inside drawer #1 of my yarn dresser

Peek inside drawer 2 of my yarn dresser

A peek inside drawer #2 of my yarn dresser

Peek inside drawer 3 of my yarn dresser

A peek inside drawer #3 of my yarn dresser

I’ve got the typical Patons yarn and Bernat yarn that you can buy for cheap at your neighborhood arts and crafts big box stores. I also have a wide selection of Debbie Bliss yarn (I loooooooooove Debbie Bliss! I highly recommend her yarn if you’re looking for a more basic yarn that’s not too fancy and not too expensive, but still high in quality and made of natural fibers)… including Cashmerino Aran, Donegal Luxury Tweed Chunky, Donegal Aran Tweed, and more. But nothing brings me greater joy than my personal collection of handspun/hand painted/hand dyed art yarn from specialty yarn makers like Madelinetosh and Misti Alpaca.

So, if you’re as addicted to yarn as I am, then be sure to check out my yarn dresser. Feel free to leave a comment, and let me know about your favorite types and brands of yarn!

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Finally, my very own knitting blog

Natalie Dee comics - oh my god where is the end

Anyone who has ever attempted to knit (myself included) knows this feeling well!

Hellooo, blogosphere!

Well, the day has finally arrived. I’ve been a hardcore knitter for 10+ years (by hardcore, I’m talking attending conventions, spending hundreds of $$$ on yarn for just one sweater, knitting every night while watching TV… the works). I’ve also worked in the .com industry for 5+ years. But never before had I successfully married these two aspects of my life… and it’s not for lack of trying!

So here we are, on this day in October 2010, I have finally decided to create my very own knitting blog. I gotta say, I’m super excited! I can’t wait to start digitally recording the progress of all my knitting projects (and trust me, there are a lot in the works!). And nothing makes me happier than the idea of sharing my love of gorgeous handspun, hand painted, or just-plain-pretty art yarn with other fellow knitters in cyberspace. Are you one of these knitters? Give me a shout, I’d love to hear from you! Do you also enjoy decoding complex knitting patterns like I do (seriously, it’s like Sudoku)? Even better, you’ve just become my new best friend!

So, yes. Many thanks again for visiting my blog, and I hope to see you around again soon.

Cheers,
Karina

Image source: Comic image courtesy of NatalieDee.com.
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