Like a lot of knitters, I first learned to knit socks with Dutch heels--the kind where you knit half of your stitches into a flat flap (usually with slipped stitches to thicken the fabric) and then pick up stitches along the sides of the flap and continue in the round--like this favorite old sock of… Continue reading Building a Better Sock
UPDATE 3/3/2025: Testing for the Monocot Socks is done and the pattern is now available on Ravelry. This was a great test knit. You should see the cute socks everybody made. _______________________________ Hey Knitters! I’m looking for testers for my Monocot Socks. These are vintage-style socks worked top down in quick stockinette, with small touches… Continue reading Monocot Socks Test Knit Completed
So you've found an old sweater, scarf, or blanket suitable for repurposing (see previous post). Now what do you do with it? Make sure it's clean. If the knit piece you've chosen has a tag with washing instructions, follow them. Put machine washables in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, and hand-wash if that's… Continue reading How to Repurpose Yarn from Old Knits Part 2: Washing Your Yarn
More than 20 years ago, I knit my husband one of the ugliest sweaters ever created by human hands. I made it in three colors of boucle (I know!). It had big pale blue buttons that looked like Necco wafers. The body was too short and the sleeves were way too long. The button band… Continue reading My First Published Pattern
Few things make me feel more clever and all-powerful than taking a knit item that's the wrong size or is truly ugly and destroying it to make something beautiful. You find an unloved, ill-fitting waste of fiber on the thrift store rack, lovingly dismantle it, and reform it to your will. And in the process… Continue reading How to Repurpose Yarn from Old Knits Part 1: Choosing Your Victim
This sweater is an old favorite for lots of reasons. I made it years ago from a pattern in Interweave magazine. I repurposed the yarn from two cherry-red sweaters I bought at the thrift store. If I remember correctly, one was an angora-acrylic blend, and the other was cashmere--big boxy sweaters with some wear and… Continue reading My Old Red Sweater
Looky Knits 