Crazy for Ewe
Gauge and fabric and knitting Cocoknits Emma
There’s a lot of confusion around gauge, especially when it comes to the Cocoknits Emma because I always get questions about using lighter weight yarns for this project.
It is especially confusing because the three Emma versions are shown in different weight yarns, each with its own look and feel. But how does a lighter weight yarn affect the gauge.
In a word,
Favorite knitting notions
The power of notions. Notions are the tiny tools that make knitting better, easier, and smarter, and this time of year, they make terrific stocking stuffers.This week, I have compiled a list of my favorite stocking stuffers and this week on YouTube, I’m highlighting some of the techniques the different ways you can use them. In this post, I give you my top 20 notions.
The Knitters' Holiday Wishbook
The holiday season is filled with the magic of giving and receiving. As we create gifts for others, we dream of new projects, needle sets, and chic project bags we’d love as gifts for ourselves. But here's the catch – our loved ones, as much as they cherish us, often find themselves in a tangle when it comes to choosing the perfect knitting gifts. We have our own specific preferences, and the details matter immensely. Without insider knowledge, even the most well-intentioned gift can miss the mark.
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Gratitude and happiness go hand in hand
I was reading an article on mindfulness today and how mindfulness and gratitude are the building blocks of happiness. The author used the term "savoring." I love that word -- I love the idea of it. I think it kind of sums up the whole mindfulness gratitude concept and ties it all up in a neat little package that summons everything that we like most about Thanksgiving. Food and family, time together, and a heightened awareness of the gifts we treasure. But mindfulness is hard. Especially during the holidays when there's the constant press of shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, whatever. The focus is on getting it done rather than enjoying the process. Sadly, getting through
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Be gentle with your former knitting self
This week, you may have seen my reel about how a classic sweater is timeless and never goes out of style. The sweater in that video is more than 30 years old, and I still love it and think it looks good. It’s got that feel that’s actually having quite a moment with the Quiet Luxury trend.
I bought the yarn at a store that’s still there - Uncommon Threads in Los Altos, California. It was 100% wool, and I distinctly recall that it was $4 per 2-oz skein and that I needed 8 skeins. I remember thinking, even back in 1989, that this
Yarn substitution, Noro edition
There is no substitute for Noro yarn. Only Noro is Noro, and that, as my daughter would say, is a hill I am willing to die on. No other company can begin to replicate Noro's texture, color, and overall aesthetic. That being said, not everyone loves the brand's trademark bold colors and stripes and many people will dismiss Noro before they realize that Noro is so much more than Kureyon and its colorful siblings.
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Traceability in Wool--Look at Noro's Haunui and Haunui Blend Yarns
What is traceability in yarn anyway? -- Traceability is complete transparency of the movement of materials from their original source to the point at which you purchase them. For you and me, it means that you can follow the journey of your yarn all the way back to the sheep that produced the wool to my little shop where you buy it. Traceability gives you insight into the integrity of the process at every stage. With Haunui, you can see the Haunui sheep in their natural New Zealand habitat and meet the farmers who care for those sheep and tend to their health and well-being.