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OMG. YOU GUYS. I QUILTED SOMETHING. I made this quilt top in a piecing class on half-square triangles, then quilted it in my first class on quilting. Fabric is an Indigo Crossing charm pack by Moda fabrics. It’s kind of a random size because I was just practicing—too big to be a placemat, but too […]

I’m pleased to finally share with you a pattern that’s been a long time in the making. Meet my latest sock design, Sweet Onion! This is the first time I’ve had a pattern published in a real live ink-and-paper, bound-and-ISBN’d book: American Sock Knitting. photo © Planet Purl American Sock Knitting includes 13 sock patterns inspired by […]

I swore I wouldn’t do it. For years now I’ve sworn that knitting (and crochet) were enough hobby for me. I have a sizeable stash of yarn, and I don’t really want to acquire all the tools and accessories for a new craft or hobby. I’ve resisted dyeing yarn (for the most part), and spinning, […]

Last week I was in Maine, on vacation with family. We rented a rustic cabin on Mount Desert Island, the boys went hiking in Acadia National Park, and I, well… That’s right: I sat on the porch and knitted all week. You totally didn’t expect that, did you. I worked on Seneca, a cabled sweater pattern […]

My favorite thing about Ravelry is how it constantly introduces me to new patterns—through the Hot Patterns page, seeing what my friends are faving, or just when I’m searching for, say, a worsted-weight cardigan or a fingering-weight shawl. But now I’ve got a problem. It’s one of those “first world problems” that indicate that your life […]

Whew, where has the summer gone! Since my last post life has been full of travel, change and surprises. I’ve been on several excursions full of knitting and yarny goodness, and have been collecting pictures to share with you, but apparently got too busy to upload them before departing on my next adventure. 🙂 For […]

My local knitting group has a tradition of visiting the oh-so-chic yarn shop Churchmouse Yarns & Teas every spring. We’re on the Seattle “mainland” and Churchmouse is on Bainbridge Island, so it makes for a fun day trip because we get to ride the ferry over—it’s about a 30 minute ride, just long enough to […]

Last week I published my latest pattern, Flecktone: a free fingerless mitts pattern in three sizes. I designed this pattern to highlight the colors in a variegated or handpainted yarn—the crazier, the better. I’ve worked with these elongated slipped stitches once before (in my Karo Socken sock pattern), and recently I’d been trying to come up with […]

In 2010 I had start-itis. Bad. I love the feeling of winding up a new ball of yarn and starting out on a new project. (Actually, I get excited about pretty much any fresh start—moving to a new place, a new year, a fresh journal…) I forgot how bad my start-itis was until I looked […]

Sometimes it’s the little details that take a project from good to great. Here’s one of my favorites: making the end of your bind-off join seamlessly with the beginning when you’re binding off in the round, such as around a sock cuff or sleeve. This technique works equally well for knitting or crochet—any bind-off that […]