Now that December is here, quick knits are our go-to for knitted gifts. This week Kelley knit up the free pattern, Calisson Headband by the Berroco Design Team. She made several modifications to make the headband seamless and easier to knit! This headband knits up in an evening and uses up scrap yarn – win-win!
This week Kelley whipped up The Capitol hat by Hinterm Stein. This pattern is a lovely celebration of our country's historical architecture and is a part of a series of "Domes around the World"! It's a fairly easy pattern using twisted and wrapped stitches to replicate the Capitol dome.
It got cold fast here in the Inland Northwest, so Kelley decided to whip up the Matching Balaclava by Katrin Schubert to keep warm while walking the dogs. It's a quick knit in worsted weight that's perfect for those brand new to the brioche stitch. Kelley recommends using Ultra Alpaca Eco to knit up this warm hood.
Do you get frustrated with trying to 'lock' long floats when doing colorwork? You're not alone! It's a problem knitters have tried to solve for centuries. While knitting the Alaska Hat, Kelley decided to use Stranded Ladderback Jacquard to lock her floats. Kelley used Starke 6 and Ultra Alpaca Light to knit this hat.
Kelley's latest knit holiday table decoration is the Easy Linen Stitch Placemat. These easy-to-knit placemats lay completely flat and add a level of elegance to your table that would cost a pretty penny at the store! The knitting pattern is available for free.
This week Kelley got a head start on her Thanksgiving table decorations with the free pattern Cute Little Pumpkin Patch by Nimble Needles.This knit pumpkin pattern uses the increases Knit Left Loop (KLL) and Knit Right Loop (KRL) – both of which are practically invisible and leave no holes. In this week's Technique Tuesday, Kelley demonstrated how to make these increases and compared them to the increases she normally uses.
Kelley's great-niece, Mischa, loves and cherishes the hand knits she receives. Kelley designed these mittens and leg warmers just for Mischa, but they're sized for any young child. Kelley wanted a set that is machine washable and sturdy for our rambunctious youngsters as they enjoy the snow this winter. Both knitting patterns are free for you to enjoy!
Second-Sock-Syndrome is a real problem! You finish one sock, and everything gets set aside before you ever get to the second one. By doing two-at-a-time socks, mittens, leg warmers, etc – you avoid that problem all together! This week Kelley shared essential advice for knitting two-at-a-time items.
The I-Cord Bind-Off adds a lovely finishing edge to your knitted projects, especially shawls! But what about projects done in the round like cowls and ponchos? In this week's Technique Tuesday, Kelley shared how to use the Kitchener Stitch to join both ends of the i-cord bind-off seamlessly! No one can tell where your i-cord bind-off starts and stops.
It's a problem as old as knitting itself – curling and rolled edges on stockinette or lace!Kelley decided to experiment and see what finishing edges she could use to prevent the curling without altering the look of her knitting project. These tricks for preventing rolled edges in knits will work for almost any knit project!
Kelley is continuing to whip up hats for holiday gift giving! This week she shared the Sugarplum Hat by Knitterella, a colorwork hat that's great for using up odds and ends of worsted weight yarn. To finish off her hat, Kelley made her own pom pom with Knitter's Pride Pom Pom Makers and has some tips for using those!
There's nothing worse than investing in a sweater quantity of yarn and countless hours of knitting only to end up with a sweater you don't like. What if we told you that the key to finding the right knit sweater pattern is already in your closet? With these tips, you'll learn how to knit a perfectly fitting sweater.
