Tag Archives: Knit

I get a round

Posted on October 5, 2025 | 4 comments

So it’s gone from this

A knit circle being stretched over an embroidery hoop

to this

Three knit circles featuring assigned pooling, and a cat

to this! Pardon my Quality Assurance Cat; she’s making sure the ends have been woven in properly.

A knit circle featuring assigned pooling motifs on an embroidery hoop

I’ve added spiral stitch markers to the circle; can you see them? They’re cats! The ears help them stay in place. The stitch markers are meant to hold my lightweight necklaces. Which I’ll show you, once I get them untangled. They’re currently in a box, all jumbled up.

Reminder: The Knit Your Own Adventure Summit is this week! This free online event will help you be a more confident knitter. Learn more about the Knit Your Own Adventure Summit, and grab your free ticket here (The links to the summit give me credit for you signing up, which is free. If you upgrade your access with an Expedition Pass, I receive a commission. Your choice!)

My presentation is Frogging Your Knitting: Getting Back On Track. And I’m participating in a Zoom panel on Tuesday October 7 at 1 pm Central. It’s called Live Fix-It Lab: Your Top Troubleshooting Questions Answered. Come join the fun!

4 Comments

Posted in cat, classes, events, Knit, pattern design

Tagged assigned pooling, helpful knitting cats, Knit, knit your own adventure, knit your own adventure summit

Knit Your Own Adventure Summit

Posted on September 22, 2025 | 2 comments

I’m excited to be part of the Knit Your Own Adventure Summit! This is a free 4-day event where you’ll learn from 20+ top knitting designers who are ready to help you fix your knitting mistakes, tackle challenging techniques with ease, and knit with confidence.

I’m giving a presentation about frogging your knitting. As a designer, I have a lot of experience with frogging. It’s part of my design process. (Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it! Practice makes perfect.)

This summit is free! You can watch the presentations for 48 hours after they go up. You can also upgrade your access with an Expedition Pass, but basic access is totally free.

You can get all the details about the Knit Your Own Adventure Summit over here, but as a quick recap:

The summit will run from October 7-10, 2025
Each day will be packed with amazing speakers who are ready to help you learn
The summit is absolutely free to attend, but you can choose to get the upgraded Expedition Pass for bonus resources and an upgraded event experience

Learn more about the Knit Your Own Adventure Summit, and grab your free ticket here (The links to the summit give me credit for you signing up, which is free. If you upgrade your access with an Expedition Pass, I receive a commission. Your choice!)

Looking forward to it!

2 Comments

Posted in classes, events, Knit

Tagged froggng, Knit, knit your own adventure summit

Introducing Fired Up!

Posted on April 14, 2025 | 2 comments

woman wearing a handknit cowl featuring assigned pooling motifs — Fired Up cowl

Fired Up and ready to go! Fired Up is a simple worsted weight cowl featuring an
assigned pooling Flame Motif on a stockinette stitch background. It is knit top down.

Yarn dyed for assigned pooling, black with rainbow color accents

Choose a worsted weight yarn that is dyed for assigned pooling, and cast on for some fun!

Detail of stockinette stitch with colorful assigned pooling flame motifs

Two kinds of assigned pooling make this cowl shine: the Flame Motif, and colorful purl bumps.

Colorful hand knit cowl featuring assigned pooling flame motifs

Simple shaping at the center front creates cozy coverage over your shirt’s neckline. The cowl
ends with a reverse stockinette edge to keep the bottom from curling up.

Tara Roberts of Stranded by the Sea gave me this yarn at Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat, and I knew exactly what it wanted to be. It took me a few tries to figure out how to best make the Flame Motif, but once that was sorted, it flew off my needles!

This pattern is available on Ravelry, link here. It’s also available on Payhip, link here. Use coupon code FLAME for 15% off through April 21, 2025 on either site.

Fire away? Flame on? Have fun!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged assigned pooling, Fired Up cowl, Knit, Stranded by the Sea, Stranded Studio Narwhal Space Dyed

Knitting, tinking, knitting Stardust Nebula

Posted on January 26, 2025 | 7 comments

it shawlette standing in a knit art installation by Sarah Divi — Posing at Sarah Divi’s art installation at VKLive

I finished my current design project in a hurry so I could wear it at VogueKnitting Live last weekend. But I had 15 g of my pooling yarn left, and I still needed to make a video tutorial on how to make the assigned pooling stars, and the shawlette needs re-blocking anyway so I can take product photos…

so I tinked the bind off and the last couple rows, and put it back on the needles. I added 18 more rows at the wide end, about 3 inches longer and 1.5 inches wider, unblocked.

tiny ball of yarn on scale, weighing 0.5 grams

Yarn chicken is so much better when you have a scale to keep track. I won!

I had great helpers. Caturday knitting in bed is great, even when it’s work!

Video tutorial is done. Shawlette is blocking, again. Pattern has gone to tech editor and test knitters. It’s still called Stardust Nebula for now. We shall see. If you’d like to be the first to know when this pattern is published, sign up for my newsletter here!

In the meantime, here are a couple book recommendations from me. I like to read while I knit; I can control the pace, unlike television. I usually read fiction, but the last two books have been nonfiction. First off, The Wide, Wide Sea by Hampton Sides. It’s the story of Captain James Cook’s final journey from England to the South Seas to Alaska to the South Seas again. I knew he died at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island of Hawaii, but this filled it all in for me.

We were at Kealakekua Bay last month. I didn’t want to hike 2 miles down and 2 miles back up (you can also get there by boat), so I settled for seeing it across the bay from Hikiau Heiau at Nāpo’opo’o Beach, a place that Cook had visited (and been mistaken for a god). Apparently he was mortal, after all.

The other book is The Art Thief by Michael Finkel. It’s the story of Stéphane Breitwieser, who stole more than 300 artworks from museums and churches across western Europe in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Fascinating true crime.

What are you reading and knitting? January is flying by!

7 Comments

Posted in book review, Knit, pattern design

Tagged book recommendation, Knit, knitting, stardust nebula, tinking, yarn, yarn chicken

Yarn review: MDK Atlas

Posted on January 8, 2025 | 2 comments

two skeins of Modern Daily Knitting’s Atlas yarn in shades of blue

I’m playing with Modern Daily Knitting’s Atlas, a worsted weight 3 ply Rambouillet. It’s bouncy and round and fun. The spin and ply aren’t particularly tight, which makes this a bit fluffy! It’s described as a light worsted weight so I thought it would feel thinner while knitting, but it feels substantial and squishy at the same time. Not quite as soft as merino, but nice and wooly.

brioche knitting in shades of blue, brioche pastiche hat

I need some new Brioche Pastiche samples, so what better way to test drive a new-to-me yarn? I’m loving it so far.

Atlas is USA grown and raised. I don’t see the words superwash anywhere, so I’m guessing it would also felt/full nicely. But I’m not about to try that with my brioche hat! Maybe something for a swatch later.

I have so much knitting and related work to do before VKLiveNYC next week! So I’ll be over here, knitting and writing and packing and…

Peekaboo Shawlette (brioche plus assigned pooling/algorithmic knitting) and assigned pooling yarn

By the way, if you’re planning to take advantage of the introductory discount for my Peekaboo Shawlette, use discount code PEAKING for 15% off through Ravelry or Payhip by January 10, 2025!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Brioche Pastiche, Knit, knitting, MDK Atlas yarn, Peekaboo Shawlette, yarn

Korknisse rabbit hole

Posted on December 24, 2024 | 9 comments

small cork korknisse wearing an orange and purple sweater and hat knit from malabrigo worsted

How it started

small cork korknisse wearing an orange and navy blue sweater and hat knit with malabrigo worsted

And then this happened

3 korknisse wearing sweaters and hats knit with malabrigo worsted

Followed by a couple more. They’re addictive!

five cork korknisse wearing sweaters and hats knit with malabrigo worsted

This all started because I wanted a little red one for the neighbors, like my Stopover Korknisse above. I may knit a couple more today while procrastinating about wrapping presents. If you want to knit some too, here’s a quick set of instructions. The original pattern is in Norwegian by Manne, and is only available via Wayback Machine/Internet Archive. I’ve adapted it for champagne corks.

I used Malabrigo Worsted for most of these (Stopover is in Lopi). US 5 needle, worked in the round.

Sweater: CO 18 sts
2 rnds k1p1 rib.
1 rnd stockinette
2 rnds 1×1 colorwork
BO round in neckline color

Hat: CO 16 sts
2 rnds ribbing, 3 rnds stockinette, then decreases every other row; 3 per decrease rnd. If you work the first dec rnd as K2tog, k2, k2tog; (k3, k2tog)2x, that will make your following dec rnds simpler. You’ll knit one fewer st before the dec on each dec rnd, until you have 3 sts remaining.

This all started because I wanted a little red one for the neighbors, like mine above. I may knit a couple more today while procrastinating about wrapping presents.

4 korknisse with sweaters and hats knit with malabrigo worsted, and a can of spam macadamia nuts

Here’s a crew of korknisse from 2014. I’ll catch up with my current Kona post…soon!

9 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, knitting, korknissse, malabrigo worsted

Introducing: Peekaboo Cowl

Posted on October 21, 2024 | 2 comments

The Peekaboo Cowl is a 2 color brioche cowl, knit in the round. It features assigned pooling/algorithmic knitting motifs that peek between the brioche ribs. The pattern includes a video tutorial for the Peekaboo motif.

Peekaboo is reversible; the motif looks completely different on the inside. You can wear it with a bit of both sides showing, for maximum fun. I do!

Choose 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn, one of which should be dyed for assigned pooling. You can make the cowl close to the neck, longer for double looping, or anywhere in between. I knit a short cowl because I wanted a quick project!

The Peekaboo Cowl pattern is on sale 15% off through October 29, 2024 with coupon code PEEKING. The pattern is available through Ravelry, link here. This pattern is also available through Payhip, link here. You can use the coupon code on either site.

This pattern has been professionally tech edited. Thanks also to test knitters Ann Berg, Carolyn Crisp, Diane Kay Gelder, Rhea Kohlman, and Diane O’Brien. Thanks to Keith Leonard/Yarn Snob for the beautiful yarn for the design.

I’m working on more brioche plus pooling…can’t stop, won’t stop!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged assigned pooling, Brioche knitting, cowl, Knit, knitting, yarn, yarn snob yarns

Introducing: Trailing Leaves

Posted on September 2, 2024 | 2 comments

Trailing Leaves in Dream in Color Smooshy

Trailing Leaves is a brioche bandana cowl, knit in the round from the top down. It features a central double leaf motif in syncopated brioche against a background of MC brioche rib. Choose 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn in coordinating colors to knit this beauty.

Trailing Leaves in Knit Picks Chroma Fingering

A gradient yarn will add an interesting color play to the brioche rib background, as shown here in Knit Picks Chroma Fingering. Knitter’s choice! This pattern is easily adjustable for neck circumference and length. This is one of my favorite cowl shapes; it looks like a shawlette but doesn’t fall off. So easy to wear.

Trailing Leaves in Yarn Snob A Good Fingering

I’ve knit four samples of this, to get it just right. The sample above featured some assigned pooling, but it doesn’t show, so it’s not in the pattern.

And this sample was a little too long due to a different increase rate. But you get the idea!

The Trailing Leaves pattern is now available on Ravelry at this link, Payhip at this link, and is also available through Knit Picks at this link. The coupon code WILLOW will give you 15% off at Ravelry and Payhip through September 10, 2024.

I hope that you love knitting this as much as I do!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Brioche knitting, Knit, trailing leaves, trailing leaves cowl, yarn

Will it block out?

Posted on June 28, 2024 | 4 comments

As I said in the previous post, yarn still surprises me.

This is where I left you in the last post. The further I knit, the more the ribbing biased. I think it’s because this yarn is a single ply, rather than a plied yarn. It wanted to lean hard to the right. I didn’t have another project going, so I soldiered on, figuring it would block out…or not. A science experiment!

Fresh off the needles. Quite a lean, and also a loose column at the beginning of the round.

The front was quite askew, and the the leaf pattern was wonky at the bottom, too. Place your bets!

Blocking is magic. This project is essentially a big swatch. It’s longer than I want it to be, but it’s the right general idea. I did some math, and I’ll knit another one. Remember, as a designer I make the mistakes so you don’t have to!

I’ve been knitting outdoors all week; the weather has been spectacular. Not too hot.

The hydrangea is coming into glory; it’s going to be a big year for these blooms.

I’ve been reading while I knit; it keeps me on task. I highly recommend Things Past Telling by Sheila Williams (I also read her Dancing on the Edge of the Roof which was good, but not as good as Things Past Telling). I also read The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl; her descriptions of food are incredible. I just finished First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston…so twisty! I enjoyed all of these. Now I’m starting Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. Our library system uses Libby, and I read all these as e-books on my kindle.

What are you reading? What are you knitting?

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged blocking, blocking is magic, Knit, knitting, yarn

Introducing: Fuzzy Memories

Posted on February 14, 2024 | 2 comments

I’m back from VKLiveNYC, playing catch up, and on the move again. I’m now in Tacoma for Red Alder Fiber Arts Festival. I’ll catch up later! For now, here’s a little something to amuse you. And I’m offering a buy one/get one deal!

Fuzzy Memories is designed to use one precious skein of souvenir laceweight yarn. My souvenir yarn was a one ounce skein of qiviut (muskox yarn) purchased on the Vogue Knitting Alaska Cruise in 2023. This fuzzy yarn needed an unfussy stitch pattern to complement the dreamy fluffiness, so I chose a stockinette variation of Old Shale Lace.

Fuzzy Memories in Manos del Uruguay Cabrito

This cowl will also work with a 25g skein of laceweight mohair such as Rowan KidSilk Haze or Manos del Uruguay Cabrito. A fuzzy yarn will help keep the cowl’s shape at this loose gauge. Savor your warm fuzzy memories!

The pattern is available on Ravelry, link here. I’m having a BOGO sale; put Fuzzy Memories and one other pattern or ebook in your cart, enter the coupon code FUZZ at checkout, and the Fuzzy Memories pattern will be free. This offer is good through February 21, 2024.