IU book review: Mini Skein Knits
I have to say, I was pretty excited when Connie, the talented photographer of my Rhinebeck sweater and also an editor at Lark Crafts, emailed me about reviewing their latest book, Mini Skein Knits: 25 Knitting Patterns Using Small Skeins and Leftovers ($14.95 U.S./$16.95 Canada). When I blogged about knitting at the newspaper I used to work for, I was approached a few times about reviewing books, but they were usually for designs I wasn’t really interested in —…
What to stash — or knit — this week
The Pepperberry Cowl from Mitenae, a new designer and fellow Yarn Hoar on Ravelry who hails from the Western Australian city of Perth, uses 720 yards of fingering-weight yarn in three colors. It has a beautiful chevron pattern created with an intarsia technique (the pattern includes a tutorial) and I’m sure you can find some great color combinations from an Indie Untangled dyer — or your own stash….
Some true armchair travel
Knitting patterns are inspired by various things, but so many designers seem to find inspiration in the world around them, whether it’s Janina Kalio‘s Scandinavian minimalism, or Laura Patterson of Fiber Dreams naming a cowl for a mountain range in her new home state of Washington.
As I did last week with my map of dyers and makers, I created a map showing where the designers who have posted to Indie Untangled are based (I figured they would be a bit easier to explore if I separated them)….
What to stash this week: Indie discoveries
One of the best discoveries on my recent trip to Italy (aside from the delicious tiella in my friend Carmen’s seaside town of Gaeta) was Valentina of SnailYarn, who dyes out of her home in Ariccia, in the Rome countryside. I discovered her while doing a quick Google search for indie dyers there, and though we weren’t able to connect during my trip, she surprised me by posting on Indie Untangled a couple months later!…
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What to stash this week: Summer colors and giveaways galore
This week’s full of fibery goodness that, like summer, won’t be around for long:
Magpie Fibers‘ variegated colorways and complementary semisolids are the perfect match for Lynn Di Cristina’s fabulous Mirla cowl. You have a chance to win the pattern and two skeins of Dami’s Swanky DK via a giveaway! Simply follow Magpie Fibers on Instagram, like this post and repost it with the #magpiemirlagiveaway tag….
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What to stash this week: Summer lovin’
Linda of Kettle Yarn Co. has been working on a huge project for the last several months, and it’s pretty amazing. She just released The Boardwalk Collection, a series of six patterns by a stellar lineup of designers, all inspired by walking down a historic British pier and showing off her Islington DK, a scrumptious blend of BFL and silk. There are shawls and sweaters, as well as a hat and cowl designed by Renée Callahan,…
What to stash this week: Last chance to Untangle
If the Untangling kit has caught your eye, make sure to order yours before sales close at the end of the day on Sunday!
King Tut, this wild and crazy colorway from Stitchjones, is a tribute to actor, writer, banjo player and, of course, comedian Steve Martin, who turns 70 in August. Line up for this blend of silver, gold,…
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Untangling the Untangling kit
I’m not a sock knitter.
I certainly don’t have anything against handknit socks. The one pair I have, which a friend kindly gave me during a purge at Rhinebeck of FOs that she no longer used, are a godsend in the winter. I will probably knit a pair someday, but, for now, I enjoy making things that are more easily show-offable.
Which is why, when I approached Michelle of Berry Colorful Yarnings about a project using her self-striping sock yarn,…
What to make with variegated yarn
As a sweater knitter, I tend to gravitate toward more semi-solid colors. There are so many amazing variegated skeins from indie dyers, though I’ve often found it hard to figure out what to make with them — you don’t want lace and cables to get lost, but you do want something that breaks up the colors a bit.
Here’s a list of patterns, including some from Indie Untangled designers,…
What to stash this week: Journeys in yarn
Caroline of Life in the Longgrass, or LITL for short, dyes her lovely variegated colorways in the County Cork countryside. The name is inspired by the lives of the creatures that provide us with wool. Her 2015 Summer Yarn Club is now open to knitters all over the world, with flat-rate shipping included in the €70 (roughly $80) price. In June, July and August, subscribers get one 464-yard,…
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