| Home | Articles | Blog | News | Patterns | Podcast | Reviews |
Twelve Months of Knitting
Twelve Months of Knitting: Improve Your Knitting skills Month By Month With 36 Seasonal Projects by Joanne Yordanou is a unique knitting book because not only does it have some great projects it also helps you plan on starting and finishing them.
Have you ever started a sweater in March and April and ended up finishing it but it was to warm out to wear? Waiting a few months to wear something I've spent weeks and possibly months on, is disappointing.
But with Twelve Months of Knitting, Joanne Yordanou, takes the guess work of project planning so that you can start and finish projects to use and wear right away.
The book is divided by month with garments each month. These are the months that they should be completed for. And there is a weekly planner that tells when you should start the project and the approximate length of time it will take to complete.
So for January, there is a Ski Lodge Scoop (one of my favorites), on page 17. On the planner it says to start the second week of December and the vest should take 1 to 2 weeks to complete if you are an average speed knitter.
Another favorite of mine, the Girl's Valentine Cardigan on page 27, should be started the 3rd week of January and take 2 weeks to complete. Just in time for Valentine's Day!
I also like the Boat Launch Cables on page 94 which is a sleeveless wrapped top made from 100% bamboo. Joanne has it placed in July and says I should start it at the beginning of May for it to be done in time to wear it.
The planner could also be used for projects similar in design that aren't in the book. So if you see a sweater pattern with cables like the Stitch Therapy Turtleneck (page 57), you could check the planner and see that it should take about 3 to 4 weeks to complete it.
This book was big hit when I took it to my weekly knit group. There are so many items that were popular including:
Kiss Curls Sunggles Wrap for February, page 30, 2 - 3 weeks
Summer Chill Shaw for August, page 107, 3 weeks
Kimono Wrap for October, page 125, 1 -2 weeks
Red Cable Cardigan for December, page 151, 3 - 4 weeks
Although I don't necessary agree with months that some items were placed (ie. a long sleeve llama/wool sweater in August), most of the projects are appropriately placed. And the time to complete some of the projects seem to short, at least for me anyway (ie. the cable sweaters and cardigans would take me much longer then 3 - 4 weeks to complete). But I also like to have several things on the needles.
Overall, I really like Twelve Months of Knitting by Joanne Yordanou. It has some great projects for all level of knitters and the helpful planner and placement of patterns in months, makes it a great book to guide you to completion.
Labels: cables, cardigan, knitting books, shawl
Posted 1/01/2008 - Twelve Months of Knitting
The Knitter's Book of Yarn
The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn by Clara Parkes is an informative and entertaining guide to everything you need to know about yarn.
The Knitter's Book of Yarn is written by the editor of Knitter's Review (http://www.KnittersReview.com), Clara Parkes, who has been reviewing yarn, needles, and all things knitting for years.
It includes a thorough discussion of the 4 major types of fibers used to make yarn: protein fibers (wool, cashmere angora, etc.), cellulose (plant) fibers, cellulosic fibers (rayon), and synthetic fibers (nylon, acrylic, etc.). Clara writes about the characteristics of each kind and where they come from. More importantly she explains the properties of each kind of yarn and what type of knitting uses are best for them.
Clara also has a whole section of the book that covers how yarn is made from the major mill to the microspinneries and everyone else in between. Plus she discusses the different processes used to dye yarn.
Finally, in the third section of the different plys of yarn (single, two-ply, tree-ply, four-ply, cabled, textured, boucle, brushed, and chenille), she has 40 knitting patterns that take in the best features of each type of yarn.
I especially liked the two-ply Baby Soft Cardigan (page 91), the four-ply Princess Mitts (page 173), and cabled-yarn Cabled Headband (page 187) by designer Jennifer Hagan of Figheadh Yarnworks. The baby cardigan has an unique slightly asymmetrical front placket that doesn't require a button band to be knit. And the fingerless gloves have a beautiful cable pattern on top.
Amy King has several nice patterns including an angora cardigan, Vines Cardigan (page 103) and a cabled-yarn vest, XOX Vest (page 183).
Other designers featuring patterns in the book are: Adrian Bizilia, Cat Bordhi, Teva Durham, Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer, Norah Gaughan, Amie Gavin Glasgow, Bess Haile, Lana Hames, Shelia Janury, Elanor Lynn, Tara Jon Manning, Gina Wilde, and Margaret Klein Wilson.
Clara Parkes has included several of her own patterns including a lovely Butterfly Moebius shawl done in a cabled-yarn.
What I especially enjoyed about all the great patterns in the book is that in addition to listing the yarn used in the pattern, the book also has recommendations on what type of yarn to use for substitution.
Two patterns from the book are available for free, Maine Morning Mitts by Clara Parkes and Princess Mitts by Jennifer Hagan
Errata for the patterns is available on the Knitter's Review website.
The finally section of the books is a great reference that any knitter could use. It includes how to care for handknits and special considerations to keep in mind for each type of fiber. There are couple of invaluable charts, one on figuring out Wraps Per Inch (WPI) and the other listing the standard yarn weight system. And the abbreviations and technique section is invaluable.
Overall, The Knitter's Book of Yarn is a must have for any serious knitter who want to knit better finished garments. It gives all the information you need to make better buying decisions of yarn and wonderful patterns to use the yarn with.
Labels: cardigan, knitted fingerless gloves, knitting book reviews, knitting books, shawl, yarn
Posted 11/22/2007 - The Knitter's Book of Yarn
Knitty Fall Surprise Patterns and 2008 Calendar Available
Knitty.com has published 3 new patterns for their Fall 2007 Issue. They are:
Intarsia Fun - Two intarsia patterns by Debbie Bakerfield, one a hat, the other a scarf.
Juno Regina - A lace wrap by Miriam L Felton
Oblique - a cardigan by Véronik Avery
Also available is their 2008 Knitty Calendar, available in the Knitty Shop. The calendar uses photos of completed Knitty projects. The winners are:
January: Alicia Ramirez
February: Sarah Wilkin
March: Jo Kerrigan
April: Flora Wermuth
May: Jenny Spencer
June: Suzie Putnam
July: Heidi Kastner
August: Angela Daff and her bunnies!
September: Lindsey LaPlant
October: Angela Moore
November: Jennifer Schmitz
Labels: cardigan, free knitting patterns, intarsia, knitty.com
Posted 11/08/2007 - Knitty Fall Surprise Patterns and 2008 Calendar Available
Free Knitting Magazine
INKnitters magazine has posted a free knitting magazine issue online.
INKnitters is a print knitting magazine available in the United States and Canada. It offers "cutting-edge techniques, finishing, design, and the latest news".
The free issue, published in the Summer of 2001 and their first issue, contains over 80 pages of patterns and articles.
The free knitting patterns that are available include Trendsetter Fizz by Kennita Tully, a cardigan/jacket knit with novelty yarn, Knit One, Crochet Too Truffles and A Taste of Glitz by Gloria Tracy, a v-neck cardigan, Tahki Sable by Charlotte Morris, a v-neck vest, Red Heart Soft by Diane Piwko, a child's dress and several other free knitting patterns.
The free knitting articles include:
- Decreasing Your Options: Choosing the proper decrease method by Dee Neer
- Why Bind Off? : Unique finishing methods using open loops and a short-row primer. by Diane Piwko
- Spreadsheets for Knitters: A Simple Charting Procedure by Margaret Hall.
All the article and patterns are available in PDF format for easy printing and to keep the layout of the original printed magazine pages intact.
Get your copy of the free knititng magazine at INKnitters
Labels: cardigan, free knitting patterns, knitting magazine
Posted 4/29/2007 - Free Knitting Magazine
Knitting Magazine: Spring 2007 Knitty.Com
The Spring 2007 issue of Knitty.com is now available. Here is a preview of all the great free knitting patterns.
bmp - charted sock pattern
carolyn - stripped knitted cardigan
tahoe - v-neck cardigan
ribena - short sleeve top with ribbing and arm warmers
torque - asymmetry cable sweater
isabella - tank top with picot edging
ester - cable shrug
morestripes - skeeked ribbed vest
monica - girl's tank top
briar rose - girl's sweater
hey mickey - girl's pleated skirt
vestee - toddler's sweater
palette - lace scarf
dashing - men's fingerless mitt pattern
paperbag - knit bag
bauble - knit bracelet
queen of cups - lace socks
quill lace - lace anklets
clessidra - cable socks
There are also some great articles including one on dyeing yarn with food coloring, one on spinning hemp, and one loom knitting.
Labels: cardigan, free knitting patterns, knitting, knitting magazine, knitting patterns, scarf, skirt, socks, spring 2007, sweater
Posted 3/07/2007 - Knitting Magazine: Spring 2007 Knitty.Com
Knitting Magazine: Winter Knitty.com
The winter issue of Knitty.com is now available. Included in this issue are some great free knitting patterns:
center square - fair-isle hat knit in the round
calorimetry - headscarf
antifreeze - knit mask
binary - scarf
argosy - modular knit scarf
corazon - mittens
tiffany - Fair Isle mittens
legwarmer socks - knit legwarmer and socks all in one
rolling thunder - knitted socks
monkey - knit socks
eiffel - DK yarn knit top
lauren - bulky yarn scarf
emerald - cardigan
twinkletoes - knitted balarina style slipper
spanish dancer - mitered, bottom up shawl
slingshot - knitted coffe cup holder
babe - ice skate blade covers
venezia - knitted wire napking holders
brown bag - felted luch bag
starsky jr - child's cardigan
blended hues - baby sweater
piggle - child's hat
norberta - knitted stuffed dragon
sheldon - knitted stuffed turtle
book of Knitty - knitted book
The issue has some great knitting articles including:
Sez who? by Cheryl Krementz
Vintage patterns by Kristen Rengren
Felted beads by Star Athena
The magic of hand-painted yarn by Beverly A. Army
Knitting in the Indian Himalaya by Tracy P. Hudson
Labels: cardigan, free knitting patterns, hat, knitting, knitting magazine, knitting patterns, scarf, shawl, socks, sweater, winter 2006
Posted 12/08/2006 - Knitting Magazine: Winter Knitty.com
The Knitting News Cast™, Knitting For Your Ears™, is a podcast especially for knitters.
Subscribe To Podcast
