New knitting

How many ways can we purl or work purl stitches? Knitters often tell me that working the purl stitch is sometimes slower and more cumbersome than working the knit stitch. Let’s look at five different ways we can purl and how they compare. https://youtu.be/oMV06didjwg The purl stitch is a fundamental way of forming stitches for knitted fabric. Knit stitches and purl stitches are building blocks of our knitting and when we use them in combination, they can create stockinette, ribbing, textured fabrics and more. Following up with a previous post about trying to learn to knit faster, if we want to make knitted fabric faster, we also need to consider making our purl stitches more efficiently and comfortably. So in today’s video, I’m demonstrating five different ways of purling — from English and Lever style (holding the yarn in the right hand) to Continental (holding the yarn in the left hand). I also introduce Portuguese knitting as a way of efficiently making purl stitches. Finally...

Celebrate the spirit of Lunar New Year 2025 with our new yarn colourway, Wood Snake . This limited-edition release is perfect for creating beautiful pieces that welcome the new year with hope and joy, created to honour the vibrant traditions of this celebration. The calming greens symbolize growth and abundance, while the cool blues evoke peace and prosperity—all with a delicate splash of purple dancing through the yarn. As we looked to test working with this year’s hand-dyed hues, Charlotte chose the beautiful drape of Tabetha Hedrick’s knitting pattern, Krouse . The long, graceful shape of the scarf is a beautiful match for the spirit of the Year of the Wood Snake, reflecting the balance between refinement and strength. WOOD SNAKE COLOURWAY Whether you’re crafting a cozy sweater, scarf, or colourful accessories, Wood Snake adds a touch of good luck to every stitch. The calming hues of green represent growth and renewal, plus they align with the element of wood. These soft, mossy ...

Do you find yourself running out of weaving bobbins time and time again? Spending time at the end of a warp weaving off half-full bobbins just to clear them off instead of sampling for fun? Imagine what you could do if you could have as many bobbins as you wanted. Have no fear, paper quills are here! Paper quills are awesome—let’s explore the four reasons you’ll want to weave with them. But before we dive in, what *is* a paper quill? They are slips of paper that are wound into a tube. You may see them described in Scandinavian weaving books, but they are a fantastic option for all weavers! Weave with Paper Quills for Peace and Quiet Does the sound of the plastic bobbin rattling around in the boat shuttle bother you? Weaving on a floor loom can be quite noisy, and so reducing noise any way we can makes a difference in our comfort and our safety. Plastic bobbins are louder,  cardboard tubes are quieter, but paper quills are quieter still. Paper Quills Fit Your Boat Shuttles ...

Are you blessed with perfect eyesight? No? Me neither! I’m a proud member of the glasses-wearing club and embrace tools that can help me achieve  good cloth  without straining my eyeballs. If there is one thing I have learned as I continue my adventure in  weaving with fine yarns , it’s that I need help to see how closely I’m beating the weft. And that is where the pick glass comes in handy. What Is a Pick Glass? A  pick glass , or  linen tester , is a small magnification tool that you can use to inspect your fabric surface. You can find them in different shapes and sizes, but typically, a pick glass consists of a magnifying lens (often 8x or 10x) and a measuring scale. Some have an adjustable focus or even an LED light, but the simplest ones I’ve found have a fixed focus lens, cover an area of one square inch and fold up into a nice and neat little package. A pick glass: opened and closed. Why do I Need a Pick Glass? When you get up close and personal wi...

Ever wished you could knit faster? Maybe you’ve got a gift knitting deadline looming, or perhaps you’re just eager to see your project finished. For years, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of knitting faster — I’ve attended speed knitting competitions and even hosted our own speed knitting event at Knit City a few years back. In this post, we’ll explore some practical tips and techniques to boost your knitting speed, while also considering the why behind our desire for speed. Different Knitting Styles: Finding Your Fit The way you hold your needles and yarn can significantly impact your knitting speed. Years ago, I learned from a workshop with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee that there are basically two kinds of knitters — those who knit for a living, and those who don’t. We can look to those who do production knitting for tips on speed and efficiency. Generally “picking” or Continental style (holding the yarn in your left hand) is the most efficient way to generate a knit stitch, and ...