Purl Stitch Tutorial

Here is the third video in my "learn to knit" series! This is a tutorial on the PURL STITCH, which is a second foundational stitch in knitting. I hope you find this helpful.
I've added even more videos to my "Learn to Knit" page covering techniques from cast on to bind off! You can CLICK HERE to check those out or VIEW THE ENTIRE PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE. The videos are listed in order, so you can knit up a swatch of stockinette in no time ;)

Long Tail Cast On Method for Knitting Tutorial

I decided to make a little video series about knitting! This video, which covers the Long Tail Cast On Method, will be the first in a series covering the basics of knitting.

I hope some of you might find it helpful, especially if you're just starting out & want to learn how to knit. When I first began, there were several youtube videos out there on "how to knit", but knitting never clicked for me until a friend showed me how in person. Nowadays, there are TONS of great youtube videos out there, but I'll be putting mine all in one place so you can literally go step-by-step with ease. And if there's something you've been wondering how to do & would like to see it demonstrated in a video, let me know in the comments!

Over the next week, I'll also be uploading video tutorials for KNIT STITCH, PURL STITCH, STOCKINETTE, and BINDING OFF.

Free Chunky Cable Hat Pattern from Yarnspirations

I am in LOVE with this chunky cabled hat! The pattern is from Yarnspirations, and you can find it HERE. I used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick for both the hat & the pompom. I didn't knit quite as much ribbing because I didn't want to "roll" my hat like in the pictures that go with the original pattern (sorry, that looks gross). I also didn't go up in needle size after the ribbing; I stuck with the size 10 needles the whole way since it seemed like it'd get too big. LOVE the end result!




CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FREE PATTERN.

Overcoming Knitter's Block

Confession: I suffer from Knitter's Block. It's serious, guys.

I realize I'm blessed to be knitting in the age of wifi, where virtually any pattern you want to knit or skill you want to learn is at your fingertips.. most of it for FREE. That's right: most of it, but not ALL OF IT. And the problem is that I'm picky.. about the clothes I wear, the makeup I'll use, the food I eat, the way I decorate my home, etc...but mostly about the patterns I'll knit. Basically, I'm a huge control freak & also a little bit cheap economical. I want the good stuff & I want it for FREE.

Right. So most of you are probably thinking I'm such a snob, but I know you do it, too!
I will literally waste a decade browsing Ravelry & come up with nothing acceptable to knit.
On the off-chance that I do find something, it ends up that the pattern is flawed. WHY ME!?

Oftentimes, I can envision exactly what I want in my head, but I just don't have the skill or know-how to make it happen. Luckily, a solution occurred to me over the past weekend. What I've been missing is a Stitchionary. A dictionary made up totally of Knitting Stitches/cable patterns/motifs. I rushed out to my local bookstore to pick one up this weekend, and I'm really excited to learn some new skills & implement them in original designs which I will, of course, share here!

Basically, if you want to improve your knitting, go to Barnes & Noble and look at all the knitting books until you find one that has a ton of stitches you like with clear, simple instructions & good pictures.
Here's the one I got: Knitting Stitches Visual Encyclopedia by Sharon Turner. 
I've linked to it on Amazon in case you want to check it out also.

I'm also thinking of subscribing to VOGUE Knitting magazine. It just seems to have the most modern and "wearable" fashions of all the knitting magazines I've seen. What do you guys think? What are you favorite knitting magazines, if you subscribe to any? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your advice!

Monday Mini Knitting Haul

I ain't gonna lie, y'all. Mondays are poop. But I think I've found the remedy. Just order things with Amazon Prime on a Friday, use the free 2 day shipping, and when you get home from work Monday at 5pm: PRESENTS! At least the evening will be slightly less poopy.

Here are the details of my Monday Mini Knitting Haul:

The Yarn is from New Lanark Wool & Textiles. I purchased the Adult Harry Potter Kit in Medium from them in Forest Green with Soft Gold Contrast for the initial. I'm already knitting a Weasley sweater, but this is for the next one, which will be screen accurate according to what Harry, Ron, Fred, George, etc. wore in the movies...and it will have the L for Lexie. I'm so excited! I'm hoping to finish my first one and make the next in time to wear to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando sometime this fall. Feel free to check out my progress on my first Weasley Sweater or view the free pattern from Canadian Living here.

Second, I finally ordered a set of interchangeable knitting needles. I've done research online for awhile, but there are so many to choose from, and I finally just went with this Knit Picks nickel plated set. Definitely on a frustrated whim. I haven't tried them out yet, but one of my main motivations was to get a set that I could practice magic loop with, and I've heard good things about these. All the "round" needles I've purchased in craft stores have cables that are too hard or inflexible to effectively knit magic loop. Review to come!

And finally, I guess I snuck some non-knitting items in this haul, too! My Birchbox came in the mail, and that Ageless Body Cream by Harvey Prince smells DIVINE. Also, I finally ordered the18" gold plated Circle necklace from Dogeared. I've been lusting after it since it came out, and after other Dogeared jewelry since long before that. It's dainty, feminine, and the perfect amount of sparkle for every day! Go treat yourself to something special, friends..we made it through Monday!