Knitting Daily is Live

[tag]Interweave Knits[/tag] [tag]Knitting Daily[/tag] is live. The site is fresh and interesting looking. The Editor, [tag]Sandi Wiseheart[/tag], is interested, for now it seems, in getting the opinion of the knitters as to what they want in patterns and designs.

As the PR page states: More informative than columns, more fun than posts, more technical than blogs, these thrice-weekly offerings are an interactive invitation to come on in and knit a spell. It’s all that you’d expect from Interweave Press, and just a wee bit more.

One Survey was to tell her what was the perfect sock pattern. The results showed that according to the Sock Survey the perfect sock pattern would be:

Worked from the cuff down (70% of the votes);
For a woman (46%);
Designed in a textured (but not cabled) stitch pattern (22%);
Worked on 5 dpns (37%); and
Suitable for a variegated or handpainted yarn (36%).

If this survey is used, the perfect pattern should show up soon at Knitting Daily.

I checked out the free pattern library and noticed that it contains all the online and free patterns from Interweave Knits, [tag]Interweave Crochet[/tag] and [tag]Knitscene[/tag]. Currently the library contains 65 patterns. There is also a stitch guide containing very detailed graphics and good explanations of how to perform the stitch. The graphics are LARGE – love it as I can actually see them clearly!

It seems one of the best magazines for our hobby has built a good internet magazine. Lets hope it continues to grow and thrive and maintain the current focus – knitters!

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

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