I mentioned at the end of my last post that I wanted to share some cool yarns with you this week that do a lot of work for you, the knitter, and can turn a simple project into something much more unique.

Self-striping yarns are yarns that are dyed in such a way to make stripes in your knitting without you having to do a thing. There are many different variations on this style, a few of which… Read More

You didn't think I would show you a picture of me cutting my knitting without showing you the aftermath, did you? Effectively "cardiganized," all the scarey stuff is over now. All that's left is a bunch of finishing details that shouldn't take too long, and I won't bore you with a walkthrough (the excitement has passed).

I'll be picking up stitches on both sides of the cut and knitting button bands and a collar in garter stitch (staying true… Read More

Well, if you've gotten through my long-winded spiel about all the preparations necessary for the 'cardiganization' of your favorite pullover - here's the sweet release you were probably waiting for. The moment of truth. The picture says it all - the scissors are cutting from bottom to neck, like they're hungry for wool or something. Did I hold my breath for a record-breaking amount of time? YES.

But hey, it's done and the cardigan is starting to look… Read More

The final pieces are in place for us to make this pullover into a cardigan (finally!). In my last post I showed you the area that needed to be reinforced with crochet chains and the yellow wool. Today you see those reinforcements complete, centering around the cut-zone. In effect, they are isolating the exact area that can now safely be cut with scissors. If you were able to get an up close view of what's lurking between those two yellow… Read More

Before we make the big cut, we have to do some reinforcing of the knit fabric to ensure that everything stays in place. Without reinforcements, cutting the knitting would be disastrous and surely prove hazardous to your mental health. There are a few different ways of preparing your steek - my preferred method is reinforcing with a crochet chain. Tutorials on steeking abound online, most notably Eunny's chronicles here. If you want all the knitty gritty details, check… Read More

I've just finished the majority of knitting on my Saddle Shoulder Aran Cardigan. Yes, I said cardigan and yes, the sweater in the photograph has a closed front as you will notice. This brings me to a critical juncture in the knitting process. Over the next couple of days I'm going to informally walk you through a fascinating technique called "Steeking." Steeking was refined by Norwegian knitters who worked seamless, two-color ("stranded") garments in the round, but wanted to expand… Read More