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KnitBits: Baa-ble Hats, Knitting Bits and Franklin Schools Journalists

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KnitBits: Baa-ble hats, stash knitting and Franklin's tips for writing about knitting.I see stuff about knitting online all the time. I’m always saving links in Facebook, holding onto emails with patterns and Google alerts with knitting news stories.

And these things tend to pile up. So I’m going to try once a week this year to collect some of those favorite links and news items that I haven’t gotten to yet all in one place. And there’s some really good stuff this week.

A Facebook group I’m in has been obsessed with the Baa-ble hat by Donna Smith lately. It’s easy to see why, because it’s adorable, and I really want to knit one soon. But there have been a lot of complaints that the hat comes out big. Susan B. Anderson has some great modification tips for this hat on her website, which she learned from Martha Healy. This is great stuff to keep in mind if you’re planning to knit this sweet sheepy hat.

If using up bits of your stash is on your agenda this year, check out the Knit by Bit posts on the LoveKnitting blog. Each of these is a small pattern that will use up some of your odd balls, whether a skein of bulky for a big cowl or a little bit of a lot of colors on a striped hat. And make sure you check out my posts on using your yarn stash for more inspiration.

Finally, I shared this one on my Facebook page the other day but it’s just too good not to mention again. Franklin Habit has some great advice for journalists (or interns, perhaps) who get “stuck” writing the knitting story. He hits all the important points: knitting and crochet are not the same, grandmas should not be mentioned and yes, guys do it and yes, that’s not a big deal. My only addition would be to please not mention yoga in your story, either!

Have you seen any great knitting-related content online lately? I’d love to hear about it!

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Comments

  1. I love that Baa-ble hat, but I don’t really wear hats that much. Keeping this pattern in mind to modify for another project. It’s so cute!

Have you read?

Knit and Felt Some Tabi Style Slippers

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical. 

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique. 

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead. 

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit. 

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern. 

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like. 

[Photo: Maymade Knits]