Knitting

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Knitting classes on line

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If you have ever wanted to learn new techniques but couldn’t find a class at your LYS, and you are comfortable taking classes on line, maybe the [tag]Needlecraft University[/tag] is for you. Students with no experience as well as those with Basic or higher skill level may benefit from these classes.

At the University, a beginners class is free and the project is a purse. [tag]Nazanin S. Fard[/tag] (Nazee) shows you the shortcuts. She shows you all the details, from holding needles, casting on to decreasing and binding off, with all the diagrams, all in plain English, no knitting lingo. However, as a knitter, you do need to become familiar with knitting lingo, as it is the standard way of writing instructions in almost every project. That is why after she explains every instruction in plain English, she shows its equivalent in knitting lingo, so you become familiar with it for your next endeavor in knitting world.

Many advanced classes are available, a few of the knitting techniques covered in the classes are Double Knitting, Kitchener Stitch or Bind Off and Circular Short Rows.

Additional classes teach cables, easy ways of working with color and socks that are worked from cuff to toe on two circular needles.

The classes are moderately priced and most are two lessons. The Needlecraft University site also offers a newsletter and a discussion board where you can your questions, and as you visit, respond to those you know the answer.

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Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.