Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re at the halfway point of our Confident Knitting journey, but it’s true! Which means it’s time for me to introduce the sixth Confident Knitting pattern, the final one of the summer set … the almost unbelievably lush Lustrous Shawl by Noma Ndlovu (that’s a Ravelry link) which will teach us all about reversible cables!
Read moreA Garter-Variety Heel (Confident Knitting Video Tutorial)
Have you ever tried a short-row heel? It’s a very useful one to have in your sock knitting tool box! It shares a lot of handy properties with the afterthought heel: it’s worked the same no matter what direction you’re working your sock; it doesn’t require you to pick up stitches along a gusset (there isn’t one!); and, particularly pertinent for this month’s Confident Knitting pattern, you can work it without interrupting the sequence or width of a self-patterning yarn. Unlike the afterthought heel though, there’s no waste yarn (or snipping of stitches) required, and it’s shaped not with decreases, but with (as the name suggests!) two sets of short rows! It’s one of those really clever pieces of knitting that feels a bit magical the first time you do it!
Read moreLive Chat with Lily Kate France
Lots of people dream of being knitwear designers. But few people think of it — let alone realise it! — as young as Lily Kate France. Lily published her first knitting patterns when she was just 12! Now, at 23, she’s a powerhouse of a knitting designer, creating really beautiful and fun knitting patterns with a keen eye for detail and modern silhouettes. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Lily since she first started out and was absolutely thrilled when she came on board for Confident Knitting!
Read moreAdding Horizontal Interest with Vikkel braids! (Video tutorial)
Are you ready for a nifty technique to add horizontal interest to your knitted fabric? Vikkel braids are this month’s technique for Confident Knitting, and they are a great way to frame other stitch patterns, or to give a horizontal detail to your fabric.
Read moreBurnished Mittens + Vikkel Braids
It’s time to welcome July’s Confident Knitting pattern, the Burnished Mittens by Lily Kate France! Do you spy those tidy, irresistible little bands around the cuff? They are this month’s featured technique, Vikkel braids!
Read moreA Trio of Stitches for Standout Embroidered Knits!
When was the last time your tapestry needle got some love? It’s an essential bit of kit, for sure, but a humble one, most often consigned to the drudgery of weaving in ends. Well, now is your tapestry needle’s moment to shine, as it takes on a starring role in this month’s headline Confident Knitting technique, Embroidering on Knitting!
Read morePatina Scarf + Embroidering Your Knitting
Happy June! It’s hard to believe we’re about embark on a new season of Confident Knitting, and we’ve got a real showstopper of a pattern to jump start our summer of learning. I’m ever so pleased to unveil our fourth Confident Knitting pattern, the dazzling Patina Scarf by Jeanette Sloan!
Read moreLambing Life with Designer Janette Budge
Let’s end the week with a real treat, shall we? Confident Knitting designer Janette Budge was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions about lambing and life on a Shetland croft! Janette’s lived on Shetland her whole life and is a woman who has worn many (handknit) hats, from helping out on the family farm, to working in IT, to a career in Clinical Aromatherapy, as well as being a knitwear designer and tutor. So grab a cuppa and settle in for a great read!
Read moreKnitting Know-How: Understanding a Pattern With Multiple Sizes
When you think about it, knitting patterns are really an impressive bit of technology, in the broadest sense of the word. The best patterns manage to succinctly convey all the information you need to successfully turn a bit of yarn into a fully realised knitted object. And, very often, they include instructions for making that item in various sizes. Today, we’ve got a quick crash course in reading knitting patterns written for multiple sizes.
Read moreCatching Floats in Stranded Colourwork Knitting (Two Video Tutorials)
For this month’s Confident Knitting project, we’re focussed on floats! If you’ve ever knitted colourwork that’s turned out a bit lumpy and bumpy, or that looks a bit loose and sloppy, it was probably down to the floats being too tight, in the first instance, or too loose, in the second. Even floats equal even, beautiful stranded colourwork! Today, we’ve got two tutorials to help you catch your floats for even colourwork!
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