Knittinghelp.com has a YouTube video to show you how easy it is to create these effects. Thanks knittinghelp.com!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGbUGxPYcJU

Note: this is a generic pattern for creating this stitch pattern. This pattern uses a multiple of 17 stitches, decreasing to 15 stitches in rows 2-7. In the example shown, there are two vertical repeats.

Leaf Lace
Cast on multiple of 17 stitches.
Row 1 (Wrong Side): Purl across.
Row 2 (Right Side): *K1, yo, k1, k2tog tbl, p1, k2tog, k1, p1, k2, p1, k2tog, k1, p1, k1; repeat from *.
Row 3: *P4, (k1, p2) twice, k1, p4; repeat from *.
Row 4: *(K1, yo) twice, (k2tog tbl, p1, k2tog), p1, (k2tog tbl, p1, k2tog), (yo, k1) twice; repeat from *.
Row 5: *P5, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p5; repeat from *.
Row 6: *K1, yo, k3, yo, sk2p, p1, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k1; repeat from *.
Row 7: *P7, k1, p7; repeat from *.
Row 8: *K1, yo, k5, yo, sk2p, yo, k5, yo, k1; repeat from *.
Repeat Rows 1-8 for Lace Pattern.

Thanks, Lion Brand Yarn!

But enough of that. I have enough yarn in my stash room to substitute just about anything. So what do I do?

I find out how many yards of yarn I need for my project. Then I connect to www.yarndex.com and find the brand and name of the yarn that is required and find out both the weight of the yarn and how many yards are on each skein. From there I multiply how many yards on each skein by how many skeins are called for to give me the total yardage suggested for my project. I then take that number into my own private lys yarn room and go from there.

That’s my best advice for substituting yarn. You can always take 2 or more lighter weight yarns and hold them together to get a heavier weight also, but that’s kind of sketchy.

With just a few simple techniques tucked up into your brain, you can read them easily too, and soon, you’ll look forward to those charts. They’re sure a lot easier than the long lines of text!

Go here: http://www.examiner.com/x-6976-Phoenix-Knitting-Examiner~y2009m11d3-Knitting-tip-of-the-week-reading-charts?cid=examiner-email

http://www.maggiesrags.com/tips_color.htm

An example of Fair Isle or stranded knitting can be seen is this pretty Seashore Sweater.

While, Intarsia is represented in this Night Sky sweater.

 Check out all of the ins, outs, rules and variations, at Maggie’s Rags!

Of course (smacks head). Why not? How cool is this! And who else but Knit Picks? This kit including the pattern and yarn comes in 4 awesome color combinations (green too!).

This handy tote has space for all of your knitting essentials and teaches you how to make a variety of different pockets! The instructions contain tutorials for three basic pocket types, welts, and how to line the bag and pockets with the included interfacing and fabric. The outside of the tote is knit bottom up, and the inside is knit sideways. This construction combined with the stiff interfacing produces a knitting bag that will stand up on its own and maintain its original shape. This bag is knit with US 10 (6 mm) straight needles and a 24″ circular needle. The finished size of the bag is 12″ wide x 5″ deep x 9″ high with a 30″ opening circumference.

http://www.knitpicks.com/kits/Knitters_Handy_Carry-All_Kit__D40122.html?intmedid=Main4:Tool+Bag

I want one……. (goes off to whine to hubby)…..

Check it out! http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/craft_podcast/

And here’s the pattern: http://cdn.makezine.com/make/craft/CRAFT_Magazine_pattern71.pdf  (I like the yellow cardigan, even if it’s not green!)

Darn Good Yarn prides itself on providing you with fairly traded and child labor free yarns. Falling back on her experience with Around the Om Nicole takes that mission seriously. As DGY continues to grow so will our yarn selections, which we promise will be earth friendly, fair trade, child labor free, unique and fun to craft with! Namaste!

I’ll write more later on this stuff, including pics of my bag-to-be, and of course the pattern as I make it up.

Check out the website, pretty cool stuff, and a blog too (can’t go wrong with a site that has a blog)!  http://www.darngoodyarn.com

But, a word of warning, it requires scissors, so take a deep breath….

http://www.knittingforcharity.org/easy_instructions_for_lengthening_knitted_garments.html

Sarah, from knitting.about.com brings us this pretty stitch swatch.

http://knitting.about.com/od/knittingstitchesuz/g/vine-lace.htm

Are you a visual learner? If so, you have so come to the right place!

Berroco has, in their tutorial library, this video, How To Sew On A Buttonband. Go here to learn how:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odJeZnk9CQg

And here for more of Berocco’s tutorials: http://www.berroco.com/multimedia_videos.html

A group of knitters in Mersham, England has done just this. Nearly every building in their small village is reproduced in this knitted village.

The knitters did this as a way to raise money for their small town. Go here to (as Paul Harvey would say…) read the rest of the story. http://abcnews.go.com:80/International/story?id=7633204&page=1

And here for a video… http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/playerIndex?id=6805423

Here are some I found this morning featuring twisted cordings, picot edges, and wet finishing handspun yarns, here: http://www.tactilefiberarts.com/patterns

Also available is a free pattern for a ditty bag, using up all those extra bits of sock yarn, here:

http://maiaspins.typepad.com/maiaspins/2009/03/ditty-bag.html

Enjoy! These ditty bags are soooo versatile!

Come To Silver has these online classes, here: http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/

There’s not a lot of words on her site to explain, but she’s got some beautiful pics of her knitting! Check it out…..