Happy 20th Anniversary to Knitty!

The Internet was a lot different in 2002. There were maybe more knitting blogs, but not a lot of good, reliable places to get good, fun knitting patterns. The knitting industry was still very much focused on print media (KnitPicks also launched in 2002, and WEBS wasn’t selling yarn online until 2003).

Knitty published two issues in 2002 (the archived cover pages suggest viewing them with Internet Explorer and setting your font to 12) and has published four issues most years since. In the beginning it focused pretty exclusively on knitting, and through the years has added instructions and patterns for spinners and crocheters as well.

The cover archive shows a window into how knitting has evolved over the past two decades, from relatively simple sweaters to a burst of feminine details, lots of colorwork and lace. There have been knit thongs, tea cozies, toilet paper cozies and nose warmers in its virtual pages, along with classic sweaters, shawls, baby things and more.

This issue takes on pop culture with a tiny, angry knit uterus, a colorwork hat inspired by The Wizard of Oz, a “Queen’s Gambit” top and the spectacular Please Do Not Adjust Your Skirt, pictured here and designed by Lynne Sosnowski.

Those who weren’t knitters back in the earlier days of the Internet might not understand what it meant to have a curated, professional space online to get patterns. And that it has always been free (but also pays its designers) is a wonderful thing. Here’s to the next 20 years!

[Photo: Lynne Sosnowski via Knitty.]

Next Pattern:

I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking for Christmas stocking knitting patterns for your cats or dogs, this is the post for you.

These large paw print stockings are perfect for either dogs or cats, so they’re great to knit if you have both. They are worked in the round using DK weight yarn, and the stocking measures about 17 inches/43 cm from the top to the heel. You can get the pattern from nicolaluke.

The K4 Project has a super cute Kitty Christmas stocking pattern, which is worked in worsted weight yarn. They also have a dog version, or you can buy both and get a discount if you have both dogs and cats to knit for. Both projects have two patterns, showing how to work the stockings flat or in the round.

Put your dog into a Christmas scene with this stocking pattern from ifanhourChild. It shows a dog in a dog house in the snow, and has room for the dog’s name at the top. It’s worked flat using worsted weight yarn and the pattern includes charts for many small and medium dog breeds (there’s a separate listing for bigger dogs) so you can stitch a dog that looks like yours.

Annie’s Woolens has both dog and cat stocking knitting patterns that are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. You can change up the colors to suit your pet if you want, and they come with an alphabet chart for personalization. Or you can stick with holiday colors and buy a kit to make the dog or cat stocking.

Waiting for Santa Paws is a pattern from Kate Agner on Ravelry that would be cute for a dog or a cat. It looks like a leg with a paw print on the bottom part of the foot and more paw prints running around the top of the leg. This is a great option if you don’t want to mess with a heel turn because it doesn’t have a heel, because dogs and cats don’t have heels so why would their stockings?

Book Review – 20 to Knit: Tiny Christmas Toys to Knit

Book Review – Knit Christmas Stockings

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