New KnitNet Is Out!

I ran across KnitNet around the middle of last year. It’s an online knitting magazine, published 6 times a year for a very modest price. You get 5 or 6 patterns in each issue (this current issue has socks, scarves and sweaters), industry news, new products reviewed, lists of guilds, knitting techniques and book reviews, lists of charity knitting groups, and lists and lists and lists of resources.

This particular issue features cables, such as the sweater pictured.
Knitnet also has a free e-newsletter you can sign up for.

StreetKnit, a group of knitters in Toronto who knit items for homeless shelters is mentioned. “Down at The Pump, a pub in our University of Toronto neighbourhood, knitters are gathering every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. to chat and knit for StreetKnit, which collects new hand knit items to be donated to the various shelters and homelessness groups across the city. As the group’s Web site says, We can’t knit shelter, but we can do the next best thing.

Next Pattern:

I’m honestly not totally sure what to say about the Sun King shawl pattern from Ursa Major Knits other than isn’t this cool? You should probably make one.

This modular design is worked in two parts, the “waxing” and “waning” sections. Both pieces are asymmetrical and use the same yarns in different ways to mix up the colors and make it even more interesting.

You can choose to use two contrasting solid yarns, a solid and a gradient or two complimentary gradients for your yarns. And you can use any weight of yarn and whatever gauge you like to make shawls of different sizes. There are also a bunch of different size options (seven, in fact) that take the project from a little collar like design to something more like a scarf to a large shawl that wraps around the neck to keep you warm.

The sample projects use fingering/lace weight yarn, but you can use whatever you have on hand to make your own beautiful version of this shawl. Using lace weight, you’ll need twice as much of one color as the other.

There are lots of yarn suggestions on the pattern page on Ravelry, and I love the color choices the designer made so much I’d definitely be tempted to use the same colors they did (there are a couple of different versions on the pattern page if you want to see how it looks in different sizes and different colors).

I love the little diamond shapes a the edges of the pieces, which add a little more drama to the project, as if it needed more.

I’m still not sure this boils down to anything beyond this project looks really cool and you should probably knit it, but that’s pretty much how I pick all the projects I share, so I guess that’s fine. You can check it out for yourself and grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Ursa Major Knits]

A Shawl to Wear While You’re Reading and Knitting

A Striped Shawl to Celebrate Progress [Knitting]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?