The next project on my list is one of the knitting classics of all time: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket.

This little piece of magic (really it is) was designed by Elizabeth in 1968 and since has become a classic staple item in the knitting repertoire - and for good reason. The jacket, which is worked in garter stitch and shaped with mitered corners is worked all in ONE piece. When the knitting is finished it resembles a knit… Read More

I took my own advice and started a lace shawl. Not only that, it's a wedding shawl too. Summer knitting, check. My brother is getting married in London at the end of August and I plan on gifting my new Sister-in-Law with this minty green triangular number.

The pattern I'm using is from Interweave Knits Magazine (I think it was last Spring's issue, but don't hold me to it) - it's the Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark. … Read More

The most obvious and practical option for warm weather knitting is lace. Being the lightest weight of all yarn groups, you can get away with a thousand yards of laceweight sitting in your lap and still feeling as light as a feather, and it is no more stifling than one either. You can't say that for sweater wool, no matter how 'luxury' the fiber.

I usually work a few lace projects through the spring and summer for this reason. … Read More

That all-too-familiar thick air has descended upon New York City and, even if summer hasn't arrived in full force, I know that from here on out the heat is going to pose its yearly challenges.

See, I'm from Washington state. Sweet, beautiful Washington with its mild summers, free of the horrors of humidity and close to the Pacific. Moving to New York in the middle of the summer was the shocker of my life (5th floor walk up with… Read More

It's refreshing to see the Green Movement making its way into various aspects of our society - architecture, home and furniture design, every-day living, diet - the message that is finally starting to come across is that anyone, doing just about anything, can go green at it if they put a little mind power and elbow grease into it. You thought knitters were exempt from this duty? Well there are ways to take even your knitting to a new, enlightened… Read More

Today's Pattern Round-Up (our first!) brings you one of my favorite little knits from the last few months. For the record, I knit this in a day so it's definitely one of those low-commitment, instant gratification types - the yarn is already waiting in your stash... you can use just about any weight or fiber for this pattern. And you're little one can have warmer ears tomorrow than they did today. Nice how that works, eh?

This is a… Read More