Archive for April, 2007
April 17th, 2007 at 10:08am
Under Updates
IMPORTANT NOTE APRIL 2008: Due to a technical issue, the posts on this blog are showing up in reverse order! Please click on the Recent Posts links to the right to see the latest. The issue will hopefully gets fixed soon!
Thanks for visiting the SweaterBabe.com blog! Now, many of your questions on knitting and crochet can be found in this blog, as well as postings on the latest from SweaterBabe.com, like Yarn Shop News, new Knitting and Crochet Patterns, and more.
Stay tuned for new entries… and be sure to sign up for SweaterBabe.com newsletters to be notified of the free monthly pattern downloads and much more. Sign up at www.sweaterbabe.com.
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 17th, 2007 at 12:37pm
Under Updates+ New Knitting Patterns+ New Crochet Patterns
Here are some previews of kid/baby patterns that will be written up for the site soon. Stay tuned!
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 28th, 2007 at 12:49pm
Under Knitting Questions and How to+ Ask SweaterBabe
Our “Ask SweaterBabe.com” advice will now live here on the SweaterBabe.com blog. That way, you can search on a topic easily and more of your questions can get answered. Please keep your great knitting and crochet questions coming by emailing them to advice@sweaterbabe.com. Here’s one that I’ve been asked a lot!
“Dear SweaterBabe.com, The pattern says, row 2 and all WS rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts. What does that mean?” — Susan H.
Dear Susan, “To knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts” means to work the stitches as they present themselves. For example, as you are about to work the next stitch, see if you are looking at a knit stitch (which looks like a “V”) or a purl stitch (which has little horizontal bars that look like ripples). Then, do what you see by knitting any stitch that looks like a knit stitch and purling any that look like purls.
Here are some photos to illustrate what the knit stitches look like vs. the purl stitches:
The bottom half of this swatch shows the “Knit” side of the Stockinette stitch.
The top half shows “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing, so you can see how distinct the knit stitches look with their “V”-like look.
Here is the flip side of the swatch. The bottom half of this swatch shows the “Purl” side of the Stockinette stitch, which can be thought of as little “bumps,” “ridges,” or “pearls.”
The top half shows “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing, so you can see how the purl stitches appear next to the knit stitches (which seem to “pop” upwards).
This is an example of knitting the knit sts and purling the purl sts to maintain a stitch pattern (in this case, the “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing).
The next stitch on the left-hand needle to be worked is a knit stitch, therefore, you knit it.
The next stitch on the left-hand needle to be worked now is a purl stitch, therefore, you purl it.
If a pattern says “row 2 and all WS rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts,” it is often that the complex part of the stitch pattern is only happening on the odd rows (all the RS rows), e.g. the yarn-over-ing, the skp’s, etc. for a lace pattern; the cable or twist stitches for a textured pattern, etc.
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 24th, 2007 at 01:37pm
Under Cute Baby Photos
Here’s the newest addition to our Cute Baby Photo Gallery - which will now reside on this Blog. Keep them coming by sending your pics to: info@sweaterbabe.com. Be sure to include the name of the baby and some details about the crocheted or knit items! Here are 2 CUTE photos of Baby Owen Lloyd from Mari of Binghamton, NY.”The sweater is crocheted and the hat too with Lion Brand Yarn. I have been making one each time he goes into another size. Here is another photo (his first set).”
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 17th, 2007 at 11:04am
Under Yarn Store News
The super-popular event at the Bonita Knitting Store is their Spring Yarn Tasting, which just happened on March 28.
Attendees received a kit of 12 mini-skeins (20+ yards each) of the hottest spring and summer yarns with a pattern for a slip stitch scarf worked lengthwise. Last winter’s was all jewel tones and this spring’s will be tropical blues & greens to commemorate the recent Stitch ‘N Beach cruise.Also, their spring and summer yarns are here, with the focus on natural and new fibers like Vickie Howell collection from SWTC, Panda Cotton & Wool from Crystal Palace, plus many other silk, cotton, and organic cotton yarns. Bonita Knitting Store is also featuring handpainted yarns from Schaeffer and handspun/hand-dyed yarns from local artists.
Visit the Bonita Knitting Store, Inc. at:
4046 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902. (619) 475-1278.
www.bonitaknitting.com.
Tell them SweaterBabe.com sent you!
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 24th, 2007 at 01:56pm
Under Yarn Store News
The news from the Yarn Shops are flooding in! Here are some of the latest tidbits:
“The newest fun item at Yarn Heaven are the light up crochet hooks as well as the square crochet hooks, some fabulous new Crochet Books like Party Crochet, new Blue Heron yarns and what a project!”
Visit Yarn Heaven at:
1300 W. Arkansas Lane, Arlington, TX 76013. (877) 280-9276.
Info@yarnheaven.com
www.yarnheaven.com
“It’s all about socks at Cottage Knits! The sock class is the most popular. March is the annual sock contest. The competion is fierce. Two charity projects continue to bring out our knitters. The motto is ‘your hands, our yarn.’”
Visit Cottage Knits at:
1632 7th Street, Columbus, IN 47201. (812) 376-4009.
cathiscottageknits@sbcglobal.net
www.cottageknits.com
Tell them SweaterBabe.com sent you! If you are a Yarn Shop Owner, tell us your news using our easy online form. We’ll include it in our blog and newsletter to 10,000+ knitters and crocheters!
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 28th, 2007 at 02:30pm
Under Yarn Store News
“We are having a fabulous ‘Padded Hanger’ Workshop! Don’t you hate it when your fine hand-knitted sweaters slip off the hangers and/or lose their shapes? Knit a cover for those satin padded hangers and you’ve got a hanger to be proud of!”
Visit the Yarn Studio at:
816 S. Cooper Street, Memphis TN 38104.
info@yarnstudio.com
www.yarnstudio.com
And from West Virginia:
“We have released the NeedleTracker recently, with GREAT response! The NeedleTracker is a tri-fold card that lets you keep an inventory of the needles you have at home - no more guessing, and no more pesky returns! $1.00 retail (wholesale available)”
Visit The Woolen Willow Shop at:
447 Highland Ave., Williamstown, WV 26187. (304) 375-WOOL (9665).
woolenwillow@aol.com
www.woolenwillow.com
Tell them SweaterBabe.com sent you!
If you are a Yarn Shop Owner, share what’s hot at your store using our easy online form. We’ll feature it in this blog and the newsletters that go out to 10,000+ knitters and crocheters!
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe