Meeting an Idol

I was so excited to meet Ysolda Teague at our knitting store a couple of weeks ago! She is as charming and lovely as you would expect. She gave a talk about how she got started as a knitting designer and about her current projects, including choosing colors for Scrumptious yarns by Lantern Moon used…

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Isn't Knitting a Dying Art?

I have been knitting and crocheting since I was 14 years old. How many times have I heard as I sat working on my project, “My grandmother knits/crochets.” There I was, 21 years old, working on my filet crochet project, happy as I could be, and fielding yet another assault on the assumption that only…

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Dyeing for the First Time

I finally did something I’ve been wanting to do for years – dye yarn! With the easy-to-use indigo dye kit I bought from Knit Picks, it was fairly simple to dye t-shirts and then yarn with my friend, Judie. I admit, I was excited but nervous. I was more worried once I started the process.…

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Stitches West – Wow!

Are you thinking about going to Stitches? You should do it! After many years of wondering if I should go and wishing I could go, I finally went! It was even better than I expected. I took three classes – Celtic Cables with Melissa Leapman; Fair Isle with Sandi Rosner; and Designing Your Dream Sweater…

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Increasing Discovery

Working at the knitting store has given me the opportunity to help people every day with their knitting projects. Often the problem is dropped stitches or “something seems wrong.” My favorite problems are pattern confusion. I enjoy puzzling out what the pattern instructions are trying to tell us. I read through the pattern and imagine…

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Winter Class Schedule

When I’m not working at Knit Happens, I’ve been busily knitting up samples for the Winter Class Schedule. The socks on two circular needles are knit using Cat Bordhi’s book, Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles. This book taught me how to knit socks and I’ve been enjoying making pair after pair ever since. You…

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Trying Something New

This Brambles Beret is the latest item that I have knit with cabling and charts. I have used a very simple chart before when working a cabling pattern but always feel intimidated when I look at charts for lace. The chart for this beret was so easy to follow, I had no trouble at all.…

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Teaching

It has been so much fun for me to teach classes at Knit Happens in Scottsdale, AZ. I have met some lovely ladies and I hope I have helped them expand their knitting skills. At the end of February, I began working Tuesday nights at the store. This involves some shelf organizing and moving yarn…

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In The Beginning

When did I learn to knit? Honestly, I don’t remember anyone teaching me. As far as I know, I learned to knit from the Reader’s Digest Guide to Needlework. And I know I’m not the only one! What’s a bit unusual though is that I never made very many mistakes. Why? I think I have…

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