WarpOrWeft.com

Knitting + Weaving in Seattle, WA

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It's the holiday season! I've rounded up a bunch of knitting products that I can't live without. These will make great gifts or stocking stuffers for the knitter in your life or, if you are the knitter, items that you may want to ask for if you don't already have them. Some items are from small shops and others are from Amazon (for you last minute shoppers!) and they are in different price points as well. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 1. Yarn Gauge - This tool measures the thickness of any yarn when you wrap the yarn around the belly of the cat. You compare the number of times your yarn wraps around with the key to the left of the cat to find out the weight of an unknown yarn. 2. Needle Gauge - More often than I'd like to admit, different sizes of double pointed needles get mixed together and the printed needle numbers rub off. This tool helps with that. The holes are laser cut from bamboo to measure knitting needles from sizes 0 to 17 in US sizes and metric measurements. 3. Blocking Pin Set - This set works great in place of individual pins. It offers more even tension and is quicker because there are either 4 or 8 pins on each blocker. I have 2 sets of these. 4. Yarn Umbrella - If you buy yarn online and have to wind it into a ball to start knitting, it is much easier to use this umbrella tool than to wind by hand. The umbrella spins smoothly and makes yarn winding more fun. It clamps on to the edge of a table, chair or any other convenient location (mine is clamped on to the front of my floor loom). It easily comes off for storage as well. 5. Skein Winder - This is the piece that actually winds skeins of yarn. It is super easy to use especially when you pair it with the umbrella above. I personally like this durable metal version better than the cheaper plastic versions, but there are many great options available, including electric versions. 6. Removable Highlighter Tape - This is a great tool for keeping track of where you are in a pattern. All you have to do is move it forward every time you advance to the next row. The tape is see through so you can see the row below without moving the tape in case you need to reference it. Tip: I fold about an inch on the end back onto itself so that it is an easy pull tab for when I am ready to move the tape up a row. 7. Rosewood Cable Needles - Sure, the plastic or metal cable needles do the trick, but there is something special about using this affordable luxury to help make cables during knitting. Sold as a set of three, this is a great tool. 8. Small Embroidery Scissors - I use small embroidery scissors to carefully cut the woven in ends on knitting projects. I like how they get close to the fabric and make the ends easier to hide. 9. Soak Wash - This is a gentle, no-rinse cleanser that makes and keeps your clothes and crafts soft and looking their best. I LOVE Soak Wash so much that I now exclusively use it on my knits, handwoven items, as well as commercially bought sweaters, underwear, bras, pajamas and anything else that is delicate. It comes in a variety of scents as well as an unscented formula. Not pictured, but another great idea: A yarn bowl to hold the ball of yarn while you knit. There are SO MANY in every style on Etsy - HERE. Happy shopping!

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Berroco Flicker One Skein Cowl

November 2016 UPDATE: I heard that Berroco Flicker yarn is discontinued and is on sale in a lot of stores right now, so I thought I would reshare this super easy pattern, which makes a great gift in case you want to get a jump on a beautiful scarf for holiday knitting. The Berroco Flicker Cowl Scarf is super simple to knit and turns out lovely. I made a bunch (seven!) of these Flicker Berroco cowl scarves for Christmas in 2014. I don't think I would recommend making that many of them in a short period of time, but they are a breeze to knit up and have the most lovely ridges. I gave the teal colored scarf to my Mother-in-Law and she wears it all the time. BERROCO FLICKER COWL PATTERN Cast on an even number of stitches (I used 24 stitches and size 13 needles, but I may make them wider in the future and would need a second skein of yarn). Do NOT join (the pattern is knit flat). Knit the first stitch (for the border), *yarn over, knit two together* (repeat from * to * until there is one stitch left), k1 (for the other border). Each row is knit the same way. Just remember to yarn over after the first stitch in each row or you will be off. When you reach the end of the ball of yarn, leave enough yarn to bind off loosely and then join the two ends with mattress stitch (or whatever method you prefer). Weave in ends. Many thanks to Teresa at So Much Yarn in the Pike Place Market for the idea and guidance! You may need:

I recently heard that Flicker by Berroco Yarn is discontinued and is on sale in a lot of places for a very affordable price, so I'm sharing a FREE PATTERN for a one skein cowl scarf so you can get the yarn while it's still available. It makes a really lovely holiday gift or a sassy addition to your own wardrobe. Head over to Warp or Weft to learn more and see the pattern.

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You may remember that last month, I wrote about a baby hat made with leftover yarn from the Quince & Co. baby duck bootie kit. I feared that it may be a bit tight for the 12 months size, so I remade it with Lark (worsted weight) yarn from Quince & Co. and went up a needle size for the ribbing and the main hat.

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Beginning Knitting Tip

Today I'm sharing a knitting tip that it took me far too long to learn, but will hopefully be helpful to beginning knitters. When you put your knitting down in the middle of a row because you are too tired or get interrupted, which will happen more frequently than you would think (at least it happens to me all the time between text messages, phone calls, hungry or bored cats, dinner that needs to be stirred in the pot, etc.), you may forget in which direction you were knitting. You will want to panic because you may end up knitting in the wrong direction and then will have to take out several rows, but fear not! If you look at what side the strand of yarn that you are working is connected to, THAT will be the needle that you hold in your RIGHT HAND when you pick up your knitting. You can see it in my right hand in the photo above. When you hold the needle with the yarn attached in your right hand, you will continue to knit in the correct direction onto the left needle. See how easy that is?! I hope this helps. Cheers! More Tips: Tips to Keep Your Knit and Woven Items Smelling Fresh Top 3 Must Have Weaving Books

Great tip every beginning knitter should know

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I am working on a longer post about how to get started in weaving because many people have been asking. I thought I'd start by sharing the weaving books that I rely on the most. Learning to weave is a bit like teaching yourself to play the violin. You can do it and it will eventually turn out great, but there will definitely be struggles along the way...and the lack of readily available, helpful information will make you want to pull your hair out. Keep in mind that because the popularity of weaving fizzled a bit in the 1980s to the 2000s, second hand bookstores, estate sales and amazon may be your best bet for finding helpful weaving books. (this is also why my books look so beat up!). Most weaver's guilds also keep a library of books that members can borrow. You can find your local weaver's guild through this link - local weaver's guilds. Here are my top weaving books in no particular order: The Key to Weaving by Mary Black This book provides information on a range of weaving topics that are great for beginning weavers. The subjects include warping the loom (in case you are brand new to weaving, warping is how to set up the loom), how to correctly wind a bobbin, how to read a weaving pattern, different weaving structures, how to finish a piece and much more. I refer to this book a lot because it has great instructions. The descriptions are helpful and there are often actual photos of pieces in addition to drawings. The forward indicates that the book is designed as a textbook and the lessons should be woven in order, but I don't use it that way. It would be interesting to weave straight through the book. If you do it, let me know. A Handweaver's Pattern Book by Marguerite Porter Davison This book includes a very short description or history of each type of weaving pattern - i.e., twill, Swedish lace, overshot, etc. - and then gets down to the meat of the weaving structures. It offers patterns without any instruction, so you will need to know how to warp the loom, use tabby, add a selvedge, etc. But if you follow Warp or Weft, you'll know that I weave from patterns in this book A LOT. I could probably weave forever on patterns and variations of the patterns in the Davison book alone. Some examples of patterns from the Davison book: Overshot Snail's Trail and Cat's Paw, Gertrude's Fancy, Swedish Lace, Monk's Belt. My advice about this book is to make sure that you do a draw down and a sample because the patterns don't always line up exactly with the photos in the book. I learned it the hard way, so you don't have to! Note: The green Davison is the original book. They are now selling an orange book. I've heard it is not the same, but have not seen it yet. Be aware of this when you are buying the Davison book. The Techniques of Rug Weaving by Peter Collingwood Even if you aren't specifically interested in weaving rugs, the Collingwood book offers excellent tips about weaving and finishing techniques. I find this book incredibly useful even though I have never woven a rug. It has great descriptions and drawings. I am especially drawn to the section on using multiple weft colors and the many different ways to interchange the strands of yarn. When I flip through it and see the drawings, it makes me want to try new things on the loom. I hope you find these books as helpful as I do! Weaving is a bit different for everyone, so go ahead and share the top weaving books that you love in the comments below. Happy weaving!

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In the mid 2000s, I started making a cowl scarf that I really liked. My friends soon wanted them, too, and encouraged me to sell them on etsy. I did that for several years before taking a break from etsy. As I packed one of the scarves for our recent vacation to Banff in the Canadian Rockies, I realized that I really like this scarf, so I should turn it into a pattern to share with you on warporweft.com. Also available on Ravelry.

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Knit Collage Ribbed Hat Reprised

The original hat may have had an accident with the washing machine, which led me to remake it. Don't judge...it was in the middle of a moth infestation and I was on the third straight day of doing laundry. Anyway, I really love this hat. The yarn is a great mix of wool and sparkle. It's fashionable and fairly warm. I love the thick and thin yarn. The colorway is Day Dreamer by Knit Collage. The original blog post about the hat is through this link. UPDATE: Here's the pattern: Using a US size 13 circular needle that is 16 inches long, cast on 40 stitches and knit one, purl one until the length measures approximately 9 inches. Please note that It is important to make sure that you have an even number of stitches if you are knitting in the round because you want your rows to line up. Then knit two together for the next row. Break the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. I went with a pompom and it really added that special something to this hat. I used the rest of the skein from the same Knit Collage yarn as the hat. I used a large card from a mailing (5 inches / 12.7 cm) to wrap the yarn around when making the pompom because my hand wasn't big enough. If you need guidance, watch the video through this link, but note that the Knit Collage yarn is much much thicker, so you do NOT have to wrap it the 100 times that she suggests. When you attach the pompom to the hat, you may need to attach it in more than in the pure middle of the hat for stability. Adding a tie down piece of yarn about a half inch to an inch out from the center on two sides helped me anchor the pompom, so it doesn't move all over. I can't wait to wear it. Have a great weekend!

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North Broad Cowl Scarf Pattern

In the mid 2000s, I started making a cowl scarf that I really liked. My friends soon wanted them, too, and encouraged me to sell them on etsy. I did that for several years before taking a break from etsy. As I packed one of the scarves for our recent vacation to Banff in the Canadian Rockies, I realized that I really like this scarf, so I should turn it into a pattern to share with you. At the time, drop stitch scarves were really popular, but I didn't know the technique, so I created the pattern without an actual drop stitch. It is a nice faux drop stitch and is easy even for beginning knitters. More advanced knitters can knit this in an hour or two, which makes it great for a quick gift or a last minute fashion accessory. I've knit the North Broad Cowl Scarf with Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande, which has a nice feel to it and is pictured above. I've also made this with Lion Brand Homespun in tons of colors. Corinthian is my favorite colorway, but I've also knit it with Candy Apple, Harvest, Grape, Cream, Golden, Lagoon, Parfait, Apple Green and Black. The nice thing about Homespun is that you can easily wash and dry the scarf in your washing machine and dryer if you put it in a garment bag. Find the pattern: North Broad Cowl Scarf in my shop North Broad Cowl Scarf on Ravelry

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Baby Bear Sweater

I've been eyeing the Lamb's Ear Cardigan kit by Appalachian Baby Design for at least two years, but the kit is a bit pricey and my friends have been having babies in groups (we welcomed six newborns in the first two weeks of March!), so how could I make one baby this adorable sweaters and not the others? Finally, a close family member is pregnant AND there are no other babies on the immediate horizon, so I knew right away that this would be perfect. I modified the sweater to knit the body bottom up in one piece so I didn't have to join it later. I also made a series of other modifications like rounding the ears, which is noted below along with notes about things I found a bit unclear in the pattern.

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Handwoven Cashmere Scarf

Here's a look at my first completed handwoven cowl scarf! I am honestly in disbelief at how well it turned out. I am often really hard on myself when it comes to the things I make...especially when it comes to weaving, but I am going to wear this scarf with pride. And it is SO soft. This was also the first time I wove with 100% cashmere and it was a treat. I am going to try a few variations on this scarf in the coming weeks and, if they turn out well, I will list them for sale on this website. If you are interested in making this yourself, the pattern is Monk's Belt with a black 10/2 perle cotton warp and a purple 100% cashmere weft. The perle cotton is a little bit stiff, but maintains the structure of the scarf. If you are looking for a better drape to the scarf, you may want to try a different warp. The sett is 24 ends per inch. I wet finished it using Soak Wash in Celebration, which is really nice because you don't have to rinse the fabric, and let it dry flat. Then I sewed it together with a French seam. Instructions on how to make a French seam HERE. It's never too early to start preparing for winter with great handwoven accessories (especially because summer barely came to Seattle this year!) and this is a favorite.

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Modern Brush Calligraphy Class

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me to join her at an Intro to Modern Brush Calligraphy class and I jumped at the chance. I've seen so much great modern calligraphy on Instagram recently that I couldn't resist! And I am so happy that I did. Sara Ward of Cable Car Couture taught the class and she was knowledgeable, stylish and a total sweetheart. The class runs for about three hours and goes through the structure of the letters in a way that builds on what you are learning instead of proceeding straight through A to Z. We also got to keep the marker we were using along with the booklet that has plenty of examples to keep practicing. The only thing I was a bit wary about was that the class location was only provided two or three days before the class, which was at someone's home. It's probably because I am from the northeast, but it always makes me a bit uneasy to go to a total stranger's house. I'm saying this more as a warning about what to expect than as a problem with the class. Everything ended up really great and I can't wait to take another class with Sara!

#calligraphy

#moderncalligraphy

#brushcalligraphy

#calligraphyclass

#seattle

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Quince & Co. Baby Duck Boots and a Baby Hat

Earlier this year my friend, Alex, was gifted a Quince & Co. baby duck booties kit while she was pregnant, but she didn't get around to knitting it before the baby arrived, so she asked me to knit the booties for her son. They are really cute, if I do say so myself. This is the first time I've knit with Quince & Co. yarn and it is really nice. I didn't have any problems or major adjustments to the pattern, which I really appreciate! The kit is from Quince & Co. or you can purchase the booties pattern and yarn separately from London Loop Knitting. I made the larger of the baby size booties in 6-12 months (not the toddler size) and had enough yarn leftover to make the adorable baby hat, too. For the booties - It takes a few rows to realize that the booties are knit flat and then you build out the toe, which leads into the tongue. After that, you pick up the rest of the bootie to form the actual boot. I knit the back part of the bootie with two needles instead of three to prevent a gap between the two needles (you could also use 2 circular needles if you have them in the same size and are more comfortable with that method instead of double pointed needles). I also added the picked up stitches at the end of the first row instead of the beginning of the second so that the two sides of the boot are even. And I omitted the 12 inch tails for seaming. They are unnecessary as you can seam it later without having a mess hanging down while you are trying to knit AND you will want all the available yarn if you want to make a hat, too. The most complicated part of the booties for me was blocking because the tongue curled a lot on both sides when I was knitting it. To adjust for this, I pinned the sides of the tongue to the sides of the bootie after the wet block. Overall, I'd say the booties pattern is intermediate level as double pointed needles, short rows and picking up stitches on each side of a row are required (as well as creative blocking). If you are an absolute beginner and are dedicated to taking on this project, make sure you have patience, access to youtube videos and a good teacher to help you out. NOTE: If you are making the hat, make sure that you fully complete the booties first, including cutting two adequate lengths of yarn for the laces. That way you won't accidentally use all of the white yarn in the hat and not have anything to sew the bottom of the booties with. For the hat - I modified a baby hat pattern to adjust for the amount of each color yarn that I had as the hat progressed. I knew I didn't have enough yarn to make even stripes or to complete a pattern as written. I had the most apricot left over, so I used that as a base for the hat. If you run out of the other colors, you can substitute more rows at the end with apricot. The hat is knit in the round. Cast on 88 stitches in size 3 US (3.25 mm) needles. Place a stitch marker. Join, being careful not to twist. Ribbing: Knit in a *knit 2, purl 2* rib for 6 rows Main Hat: Switch to a size 5 US (3.75 mm) 16 inch circular needle (or dpns) and Gingerbread color yarn. Row 1: Knit 2, make 1, knit until 2 stitches before the end of the row, make 1, knit 2. You will now have 90 stitches. Rows 2 and 3: Knit with Apricot. Rows 4 and 5: Knit with Egret. Rows 6 and 7: Knit with Apricot. Row 8: Knit with Gingerbread. Rows 9 and 10: Knit with Egret. Row 11: Begin the brown and gold pattern - *Knit 1 Gingerbread, knit 2 Apricot* repeat to the end of the row. Row 12: *Knit 1 Apricot, knit 2 Gingerbread, knit 2 Apricot, knit 1 Gingerbread, knit 1 Apricot, knit 1 Gingerbread, knit 1 Apricot* repeat to the end of the row. Row 13: *Knit 1 Apricot, knit 2 Gingerbread, knit 1 Apricot, knit 1 Gingerbread, knit 3 Apricot, knit 1 Gingerbread* repeat to the end of the row. Row 14: *Knit 1 Gingerbread, knit 2 Apricot* repeat to the end of the row. Rows 15 and 16: Knit with Egret. Row 17: Knit with Gingerbread. Rows 18 and 19: Knit with Apricot. Row 20: *Knit 1 Apricot, knit 1 Egret* repeat to the end of the row. Row 21: *Knit 1 Egret, knit 1 Gingerbread* repeat to the end of the row. Row 22: *Knit 1 Apricot, knit 1 Egret* repeat to the end of the row. Rows 23 and 24: Knit with Apricot. Row 25: Knit with Gingerbread. Row 26 and 27: Knit with Apricot. Row 28: *Knit 2 Apricot, knit 1 Egret* repeat to the end of the row. Rows 29 and 30: Knit with Apricot. Row 31: Knit with Gingerbread. Rows 32 and 33: Knit with Apricot. Row 34: Knit with Egret. BEGIN DECREASE ROWS WITH APRICOT (change to double pointed needles as needed): Row 35: *Knit 6, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 36: Knit. Row 37: *Knit 5, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 38: Knit. Row 39: *Knit 4, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 40: Knit. Row 41: With Gingerbread, *Knit 3, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 42: Switch to Apricot for the rest of the hat. Knit. Row 43: *Knit 2, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 44: Knit. Row 45: *Knit 1, knit 2 together* repeat to the end of the row. Row 46: Knit. Row 47: Knit 2 together on all remaining stitches. Break thread and pull through remaining 11 stitches tightly. Weave in the ends. Wet block the hat (I used Soak wash) and lay flat to dry . If you are feeling less adventurous, you could knit in a color block pattern. I'd suggest casting on in the apricot, then switching to the gingerbread (the darker brown color) and egret (the white color), then back to the apricot to balance the design of the hat. EDIT: I haven't made the bigger size booties, so I don't know how much left over yarn you will have if you make that size. If you try it, please let me know whether it works out! Quince & Co Baby Duck Booties Kit - Here - or buy the pattern and yarn separately - Here