Twelve projects, from world-class designers (you wait until you see the list!), teaching you twelve new techniques that will bring your knitting to a new level. Each pattern will be supported by an article with a detailed photo tutorial, as well as a video tutorial to walk you through each step of the technique. The projects are intended to be small enough to be completed within a month, thus allowing you to try something new without over-investing in either time or yarn. And the best part is that we will be with you every step of the way, knitting along and encouraging you as you try something new.

As if that's not exciting enough, I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that we will be working closely with Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner over at Mason-Dixon Knitting! Kay and Ann pretty much embody my fantasy of knitting with friends. I've followed their blog religiously since I started work on The Knitter back in 2008, and their chats about knitting have inspired and amused me ever since. They will be contributing the Foreword to A Year of Techniques, as well as hosting our video tutorials, and general knitting fun over in their swanky Lounge. 

A Year of Techniques will allow you to try learning new knitting skills within a friendly community. Whether you knit with mates at a local knit night, or share your knowledge online through Ravelry or The Lounge, there's nothing quite like working on a project with others. From top tips to help you master a new cast on, or the sharing of pattern ideas that use your newly found technique, knitting with friends is a joy, and undoubtedly enriches my knitting life enormously. I'm really looking forward to sharing that experience as we work together through our Year of Techniques.

So, it's time for some details:

We are running a phased book launch, with the print book being published in September 2017, to coincide with what I always feel is the start of the knitting year. Prior to that we will be releasing patterns monthly from March, with updates being delivered via our online shop and Ravelry. We will be hosting monthly knitalongs, starting in March (YAY! KALs! My favourite!!), and generally cheering everyone along as they dive into A Year of Techniques.

Accompanying the book, we will be selling seasonal kits, providing all the yarn you need to complete three of the monthly projects. The Spring kit will go on sale, along with the book, in just under a fortnight.

If you haven't already joined our busy and friendly Ravelry group, please do come on over and introduce yourself in the Welcome thread, or just dive into any of the conversations. We recognise that as a chatty group, it can sometimes feel hard to keep up, so there's no expectation to read every post. Simply dip in and out as you fancy.

I think that's probably enough excitement for one day! Jim and I have been working on this for almost a year, so it feels very odd, but also incredibly exciting to finally be telling you all about it. I'll be back later in the week to share the list of techniques that are included in the book, and then early next week I'll let you in on the secret of who else we tempted into designing for us. I might burst a little bit in the meantime... If you want to be first to get the inside news about A Year of Techniques, be sure to sign up for our newsletter below.