Knitting Goes Hi-Tech.

So you’re ready to take your knitting to the next level, raise the bar, go high tech? Do we have the answer for you!
Software designed for the knitter, enabling you to make up your own patterns and designs without fiddling with all that fussy math.

Here are some I’ve found:
Knitware – Knitting and crochet pattern design software for hand knitters, machine knitters, and crocheters

Here’s a Random Stripe Generator, from Biscuits and Jam, it generates random stripe patterns for knitting sweaters, scarves, blankets, etc. It’ll give you an idea of what the finished sweater will look like, but it still leaves some unpredictability to the stripe pattern.

Of course, there’s the ever popular, Sweater Wizard. This program generates schematics and text directions for sweaters customized to the knitter’s specifications. Sweaters may be charted for flat or round knitting, using any gauge.

Knitware has a free trial. This program designs for hand and machine knitters as well as crocheters.

Swatch Wizard calculates your rows and stitches to give you an accurate guage. It will NOT, however, knit your swatch for you 😉

The Sole Solution provides hundreds of sock patterns for the price of about 5-6 individual patterns.

DesignaKnit touts itself as being professional design software. Complete with lace and cable modules, this looks to be for machine knitters.

And last but not least, at Woodland Woolworks you can find Sock Wizard, Stitch and Motif Maker, Sweater Wizard and Print a Grid.

Don’t forget to enter our Knitting Stuff Giveaway! Just leave me a comment, making sure to give me your email address. I’ll pick a winner on 1.1.09.

Next Pattern:

Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]

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