Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Jil Eaton’s Knitting School!

by 19 Comments

Attention class! Come to order! Come on settle down! I know you’re excited to begin but we have a few basics to cover first!

First of all, I highly recommend that you go our and buy the textbook for this class. It’s called “Jil Eaton’s Knitting School – the complete guide to becoming a confident knitter”

Ready? Got your needles? Yarn? Something to measure gauge? What’s gauge? Well, let’s get started!

Chapter one covers the basics, from how to put together the perfect knitting kit, blocking and laundering, how to read a pattern and abbreviations. Then we get to practice these new techniques.

Beginner’s Delights is the next section. From the very first “making a slip knot” to the basic cast on’s, and knit stitch. Binding off, weaving in ends, and even pom poms! Then we get to practice these new techniques.

Throughout this whole book from the beginners techniques and projects through the graduate school which covers bobbles, socks, kitchener stitch, fair isle, texture knitting, pleats, and lace and multistitch patterns this book is chock full with all the tips, techniques and helpful little hints to ensure success. This one’s definitely a keeper….. for you!

And someone’s going to win it! Leave me a comment telling me who or what you would use this book for!

Ready… Set…. Go!

Next Pattern:

Comments

  1. I can only do basic knitting (scarves, and jumpers that never fit as my technique is terrible) so I’d use this to improve and finally knit something pretty!

  2. I’m pretty confident basic knitter, but I’m forever passing up projects because they involve knitting on double pointed needles or any kind of color work. I even the most adorable cardigan pattern for my little girl on Ravelry, but have stopped short of buying yarn for it because color work scares me. I’m hoping this book would help give me the confidence to go beyond “just the basics” to make something truly special for my loved ones. =0)

  3. I would use it to encourage some of the girls at a local youth club I help at to begin knitting and make gifts to put in shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Oh AND to remind myself of some of the stuff I have no doubt forgotten.

  4. I would give this to my niece who is learning to knit. My sister does not knit so a book like this will be good.

  7. I would like to learn beyond the basic techniques to be able to knit more advanced projects for myself and my family.
    Thanks 🙂

  8. This looks like a great reference for a somewhat new knitter like myself, I’d defiantly share it with my niece when she comes over to get her started knitting, she’s been asking when she’d be old enough.

  9. This book would be for me! I have very very basic knitting skills. I would love to be able to knit something other than a scarf like hats and sweaters and all the other goodies! 🙂

  11. I wish I could learn to read my knitting better, so I wouldn’t get so lost when doing cables and lace. I get lost so often!

  12. This book would surely help me get past some of my knitting phobias and get further with my knitting!

  13. Would love the book for my daughter 🙂 She is just getting started and would enjoy a wonderful tutorial book.

  14. It’s my dream to one day retire and open a yarn store. I’d use the book to refine my techniques, better my knitting, and also to help me in my quest to become a master knitter.
    My niece is five and enjoys watching me knit. I’d love to be able to pass this book on to her in time.

  15. My husband and I just started a plan to get out of debt and one of the recommendations is to give crafts for xmas. That is what I would use this book for.

  17. I am a beginner and could definitely use a more solid foundation of the basics, as I tend to choose patterns beyond my knitting know-how…. just love a challenge, I guess!

  18. this book would be so helpful, as I am new at knitting and find myself in problems that I don’t even know how I got myself there!

Have you read?

Get Your Summer Knitting Started with this Fun Top

I decided last fall that I actually have enough knit sweaters. Maybe even a few too many if we’re being honest with how rarely I wear some of them.

Of course I don’t want to stop knitting garments, so I’ve added more vests and socks to my rotation. I’ve started crocheting more (though only one sweater so far!) and throwing in other crafts instead of being all knitting all the time.

And of course there are summer tops. I don’t wear them as much as I should but they’re a great way to get some knit garments in my life without knitting a whole sweater.

If you’re new to knitting clothes, starting with a summer top is a great entry point, especially if there are no sleeves involved.

Gudrun Johnston’s Simmer Dim Top is definitely going on my list of makes for the warmer weather to come. It’s worked in lace weight yarn, making it super light and comfortable for warm weather. It’s sleeveless and seamless, worked from the bottom up with a-line shaping, in the round to the armholes.

The textured stitch on front and back is worked flat one piece at a time, and finished with an I-cord edging that becomes the straps. The armholes are finished by picking up stitches and then binding them off.

Darts are used to shape the a-line of the body, and faux side seams are used on the body. It’s identical front to back.

The pattern comes in 10 sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 31 to 60 inches, or 79 to 152.5 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 0 to 2 inches/5 cm of positive ease. In the photos it looks a little shorter than my preference (since I have a long torso) but working from the bottom up makes it easy to adjust because you can just knit as long as you like to the armholes.

You can find this pattern (and a bunch of pretty versions other people have made) on Ravelry.

[Photo: Gundrun Johnston]

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