Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

A New Knitting Gossiper

by

sarah e white
Hi there. My name is Sarah and I’m pleased to be your new knitting editor here at Craft Gossip!

I’ve been following this website for many years and my “gossip” has been shared on the knitting, felting and sewing pages in the past. You might already know me as the Guide to Knitting for About.com, but if you don’t, that’s OK, too. I’ve been working on that site, full of free patterns, tutorials and reviews, for more than five years, but I jumped at the opportunity to come over here and share even more knitting goodness with you.

I hope to bring you all the best in knitting news, share free patterns and techniques, give away lots of great stuff and get to know all of you, what you’re knitting and what you need help with, too.

When I’m not knitting or reading or writing about knitting, I also love to sew, though I’m not very good at it, and craft with and for my daughter, who’s about to turn three. (Eeek!) I share what we’ve been working on, as well as my unending quest for the perfect homemade playdough, at my blog, which I call Our Daily Craft even though I don’t post every day. I’ve also recently gotten into art journaling and smash books; we’ll see if that lasts longer than any attempt to scrapbook in my life ever has (which is not very long).

I’m the author of one book about knitting and felting, Picture Yourself Felting Your Knitting, and am at work on another one, all about knitting for babies, that’s due out next year.

But enough about me! I just wanted to drop in and say hi before I get busy sharing all the knitting gossip I know. I’m so glad to be here.

Want to keep in touch? Sign up for the Craft Gossip newsletter, or check us out on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Welcome Sarah, and please, if you can, pass on my thanks to Terrye for her several years of great work here at CG Knitting. I hope all is well with her, and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

  2. Hello Sarah!
    It is nice to get to know you through your description and the work that you have shown from what you have done so far!
    I look forward to the new knit gossip news delivered by you!
    I wish you lots and lots of wonderful discoveries when each day is filled with excitement!

  3. Welcome, I hope you will add lots of loom knitting projects to the posts. I, and many others, love to knit with a loom because as we get older we just can’t hold onto knitting needles very well any more. With carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis in the aging population we have to give up knitting or adapt. After dropping needles all the time while trying to make a scarf discovering the round looms was a blessing. Since typing has become a way of life with texting and computing many more people will develop hand problems in years to come. They will be glad you shared info about this great way to knit.

  4. Thanks, everyone! Terrye is doing well, as far as I know. She lives in a pretty remote part of the world and her Internet access is kind of sketchy so she was unable to continue. Pat, I will look for loom knitting information as well. I like to do it but don’t very often, so thanks for the request!

Have you read?

Knit a Garter Stitch Blanket with a Twist

When I first started knitting again after a long absence from the craft (which has now been almost 25 years ago!) I really didn’t like garter stitch that much. I found it super boring, somehow even more boring than knitting stockinette stitch in the round, even though it’s exactly the same thing.

Over the years I’ve softened my opinion, and even grown to like garter stitch. There’s nothing wrong with being plain, and actually the texture of garter stitch is more interesting than stockinette.

Also there are fun things you can do with garter stitch to make it more interesting if you want to, such as adding stripes, working on the bias, or doing fun effects to change the look.

That’s the way with the Bernat Twist My Way Garter Knit Blanket. Using combinations of casting on and binding off creates what they call a Swiss cheese effect along two sides of the blanket. This is a lot of fun in the self-striping ombre yarn they chose for the pattern, but it would also be fun in a solid color or making your own stripes.

Despite the dramatic effect, this pattern is rated easy. It’s worked from side to side (if you consider the “cheesy” edges the top and bottom) and has an eight-row repeat that involves binding off and then casting on again to make the holes. They’re kind of like giant buttonholes.

Once you get the hang of it it’s a pretty easy repeat to remember, and it will be smooth knitting as big as you want to make it.

You can download this pattern from the Yarnspirations website for free, or you can buy a kit direct from them that includes the yarn you need (and knitting needles if you need those, too). Bernat Sport Ombre Twist, which is what is used in the pattern, comes in 12 self patterning colors and is a DK weight acrylic yarn.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]