Knitting at Bloglander talks about everything related to knitting including yarn, patterns, and DIY knitting projects.

Ever since I became an aunt in January, I’ve been looking into baby-size knitting. Who knew knitting in small scale could be so much fun?

I’ve added some great Debbie Bliss books to my collection:
Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers

Simply Baby: 20 Adorable Handknits for Baby\’s First Two Years

Quick Baby Knits: Over 25 Quick and Easy Designs for 0-3 year olds

I’ve also finished a baby sweater (see progress photo above) using a free pattern from Carole Barenys from Knitting on the Net. It’s great for beginners who are getting used to reading patterns.

I am really happy with the sweater I’ve done and can’t wait to knit more hats, booties and blankets! I am a very proud auntie indeed.

An article on how to do the basic English purl stitch.

View: How to Do English Purl Stitch

In the DIY crafting community, there is a little phenomenon called amigurumi. Basically, it’s a Japanese word for cuter than cute crocheted stuffed toys in the shape of animals or objects. I really want to learn how to crochet so I can make some adorable amugurumi creatures, but I still need to get better at this knitting thing. Hmm, one thing at a time, right?

I was about to give up the idea of making stuffed toys when I came across World of Knitted Toys by Kath Dalmeny and happily purchased it after flipping through a few pages. What a wonderful book this is, full of adorable knitted toys! Each creature has a corresponding pattern that is very easy to understand and follow. There are also difficulty levels listed so you know what you’re getting into. So far I’ve made a few dolphins and little kids just adore them. I plan to make a few spotted pigs when I can find the perfect shade of piglet pink!

So if you’re more of a knitter than a crocheter like me and want to dive into the world of amigurumi, give this book a try before picking up a crochet hook!

Thanks, Stumblers jellyfishjuice and ameih for the link to my How to Cast On and Making A Slipknot articles! Hope this site is helpful to anyone who’s interested in learning how to knit.

I have been knitting with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn lately, and I absolutely adore it. At 55% Merino wool, 33% Microfibre, and 12% Cashmere, it’s so nice and soft and knits up so very nicely. It also has a subtle sheen which gives your finished knitwear a very warm and luxurious look. It also comes in a variety of weights and colours that you can use them for all sorts of projects. Debbie Bliss’ knitting books are full of lovely patterns and I especially like the Baby Knits series.

image from Debbie Bliss Online

Okay, I admit, the cover of this book had me take a second glance. Ooh-la-la, what an adorable little pink knitted number! Sexy Little Knits: Chic Designs to Knit and Crochet by Ashley Paige is in a class of knitting books that are definitely not for your granny. Paige is a celebrity swimsuit designer who has had her flirty, fresh, and fun swimsuits grace the pages of Elle, Seventeen, InStyle, and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Sexy Little Knits is a collection of twenty-four patterns for fun summer pieces, from swimwear and tanks to dresses and shorts. The popular knit and crochet patterns combine sophisticated color and fun stitches with elegantly form-fitting shapes.

Each pattern is accompanied by clear instructions and helpful suggestions for customizing these designs with fun trims, clever color choices, options for more (or less) coverage, and creative stitch possibilities. Lushly photographed by fashion favorite Yu Tsai, Sexy Little Knits makes it easy to create a whole summer wardrobe at home or on the beach.

I’ve noticed a sort of negative vibe among some seasoned knitters regarding Rowan brand yarns. Being a knitting newbie, I don’t know what’s so bad about them at all. I just love Rowan yarn, especially the chunky weights. One of my very first completed knitting project was a scarf using Rowan Big Wool in Pip - a lovely shade of burnt orange, and using size 15 bamboo needles doing seed stitch, I was able to finish in about a week. I stock up on Rowan Big Wool whenever I see a color I like at my LYS (Local Yarn Store) and I always get so many compliments whenever I wear my Rowan Big Wool scarves. They’re not only nice-looking, they’re so warm and fluffy to wear as well. I also have a few balls of Rowan Biggie Print that I am looking forward to knitting with. On size 35 knitting needles I’m sure I’ll have a scarf completed in less than 3 days.

Whoa. Has anyone seen these new Speed Stix by Lion Brand? At a whopping size 50, they are 25mm in diameter, and using chunky yarns, you can knit a scarf in an hour. And I thought size 35 was big!

It retails $11.99 which is fairly reasonable for plastic needles. The knitting freak in me wants to get a pair just to see if I can do a scarf in an hour - the knitting geek in me wants it to add to the ever-growing needle collection!

An article on how to do the basic English knit stitch.

View: How to Do English Knit Stitch

“The percentage of women under forty-five who knit or crochet has doubled since 1996,” says Debbie Stoller, author of Stitch `n Bitch. This little book single-handedly took the activity of knitting from “old and frumpy” to “sassy and hip.” Suddenly, everyone from my little cousin Emily to big-name Hollywood stars are into knitting. They know where their LYS is and are proud to show off and talk about their WIP whenever the subject is brought up (”Local Yarn Store” and “Work In Progress,” respectively).

Continue reading “Stitch ‘n Bitch” …