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Catch Up with Season 4 of Knit and Crochet Now!

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knit crochet now 4The fourth season of “Knit and Crochet Now” is currently airing on public television stations across the United States (check here to see when it airs near you), so it’s a perfect time to check in with in-house knitting expert Kristin Nicholas.

Kristin is known for her love of color knitting (though she admits this season she’s not a fan of lace knitting!) and is able to explain knitting projects in ways that even newer knitters can understand.

I’ve watched a couple of episodes of this season so far and it looks like a great one. Check out an interview with Kristin Nicholas below and stay tuned next week for an excellent giveaway related to “Knit and Crochet Now.”

And if you want to learn more about Kristin check out the interview I did with her a couple years ago for About.

Sarah: How did you get involved in the program?

Kristin: I’ve been in the needlework business for almost 30 years. I was the Creative Director of Classic Elite Yarns for 16 years. One of the first people I met was Candi Jensen. She was the Creative Director of Crystal Palace Yarns. We hit it off and have been friends ever since. When Candi became the Producer of “Knit and Crochet Now,” she asked me if I wanted to be a “knitting expert.” I had never done much television but I decided to give it a go.

Sarah: What’s your favorite part of the show?

Kristin: No favorite part, but my favorite project from Season 4 is the wreath with the sunflowers. The flowers come from my latest book 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet and Felt.

Sarah: Do you have a favorite project from the last season or a favorite technique to teach?

Kristin: I enjoy teaching colorwork. I find so many knitters are fearful of working with two colors at a time. It isn’t hard but there are some tips I share that make it more successful. I demoed a simple kid’s vest with a chevron Fair Isle Design.kristin nicholas

Sarah: Anything else crafty on the horizon for you?

Kristin: Right now I am working on a book called Crafting the Colorful Home (Roost Books, 2015). It has 20 DIY projects including knit, crochet, fabric painting, printing, interior decoration, felting, and embroidery. I am really looking forward to its release, once it gets finished!

Sarah: Anything else you’d like my readers to know?

Kristin: I live on a working sheep farm with my family. We have over 300 sheep and lambs. We also raise chickens and have 3 Border Collie dogs to help move the sheep around. I have my own line of yarn with Classic Elite Yarns which is sold by Annie’s.  I write a popular blog called Getting Stitched on the Farm where I chronicle our life on the farm and what I create.

 

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Comments

  1. I am looking for the free pattern for episode 410. Wreath with knit flowers and crochet flowers. If the free pattern is here I can’t find it.

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]