How are you feeling with all this extra time at home? Are you knitting more? Wishing you could be face-to-face with your friends, family and your knitting community? 

The Knit Stars crew has done it again! The online workshops begin in October, but for a short time now through May 3 you can register as an earlybird at a discount.

Imagine registering for a knitting festival, and scoring a seat in ALL TEN of these amazing teachers’ classes…

Åsa Söderman
Francoise Danoy
Gayle Roehm. (I know Gayle personally, and she is a gem! Her expertise is Japanese knitting patterns and stitches.)
Gaye “GG” Glasspie
Jacqueline Cieslak
Meri Tanaka, Amirisu Magazine
Tatiana Sarasa
Tian Connaughton
Tina Tse
Yumiko Alexander

Now imagine that you OWN the classes, so you don’t have to try to retain everything you learn. You can just enjoy them on your own schedule and at your own pace, knowing you can refer to them again and again.

https://www.knitstars.com/a/4441/2hiCoD4A

Knit Stars Season 5 Earlybird tickets are now available, along with previous seasons, at the lowest price we’ve ever offered. And you can watch any previous seasons right now! You can save up to $100 by joining by May 3.

1. Due to the global crisis, Knit Stars is offering their lowest Earlybird pricing ever – just $179 (will go up to $229 next time it’s offered, in the fall)
2. Pricing on previous seasons is also $179 during this window. So if you buy Season 5 + a previous season, you’re saving $100. (My season was 3.0.)

Again, read all about it here: https://www.knitstars.com/a/4441/2hiCoD4A

On a personal note, please know how much I appreciate Knit Stars and your participation. They continue to be very generous with all their alumni, and by using the link here, they will share some of any of your purchases with me, something I really appreciate as much of my teaching has ground to a halt.

Stay safe, stay home, and enjoy this online experience.

Remember the first time you tried stranded color work? How did you decide to hold two strands of yarn? Until now your options have been two in the right hand, two in the left hand, one in each hand, or two in the left hand using one of those index finger clamps or scary wire springs.

What do you really need? A third hand of course!

It’s just what we needed. What took the industry so  long to figure this out?

Apologies for the hands. Yesterday was a great gardening day in Seattle.

These are two hashtags to watch if you are heading to the Santa Clara Convention Center this weekend for Stitches West- #STITCHESWest #FeelingCraftsy

I’ll be teaching eight classes (phew!!) and I look forward to seeing you. I have some openings in those classes and just printed extra handouts for you in case you can make it. Check it out.

On Saturday, February 24, starting at 12:30 please come visit me in the Craftsy booth #936 and 938 for a continental knitting demo. And join the Facebook group “Knitting and Crochet Makers” to follow along with the fun. I just finished taping my fourth Craftsy class, which is still under wraps for now, but here are my other classes currently available.

Craftsy is also hosting a Craftsy Unlimited Experience with Craftsy instructors in the same booths Saturday at 4:30. I’ll still be in class but will try to pop in there for a few minutes before the evening Stitches Student Banquet.

Are you missing out on all the fun this time? Are you on the other side of the country? Then maybe you can make it to Stitches United in Hartford next month.

See you soon!

Click this to get to Craftsy and have a good look around at knitting classes:

New in 2018: How about a subscription? Try a free trial to Craftsy Unlimited. Click this:

Come to Hartford for Stitches United! Whether you yourself have many stitching interests, or you have buddies you like to travel with who knit, sew, crochet, quilt, weave, dye, and more, Stitches United is where you’ll want to be. I’ll be teaching. Check it out. Click on the image to see my classes and information on the entire event:

Once in a while my knitting group gets together and has a themed party. For example, last year we gathered to overdye our previous yarn purchases in the colorway “What-the-hell-was-I-thinking?” – you know the color.  Those with expertise share it, and we all benefit.

Our most recent gathering was themed “Things our mothers (or fathers, aunts, uncles…) made.” It was a time for meaningful, and sometimes silly, memories. We all share an appreciation for the memories of our family members making things, and we are glad that as makers of things, we continue the tradition.

Michale’s doll clothes.

April’s sweater, quilt, and wire jewelry.

Arlene’s crocheted coat her mom made, lined of course.

We also enjoyed this spectacular view of the day’s changing weather over Lake Washington.

Arlene’s crocheted piece. We were not sure if it was a bed or table cover, but its border went round all four sides, so we think tablecloth.

April’s sweater (above) and quilt (below).

Pat, wearing her own newly finished sweater, and holding an afghan.  Her mom taught her to knit left handed and how to rip and fix mistakes.  Mac the cat was on the lookout for loose ends.

Carolyn’s wicked sharp can opener and crocheted hanger.

Michale’s mom’s painted ceramic duck, with a broken and re-glued neck (above).  Her quilt is below.

Arlene and Carolyn holding Michale’s doll dresses with lined bodices.

Jacqueline’s granny square blanket and Kaffe Fassett vest.

Mary’s crewel embroidery was so charming! And below is a doll made from grandma’s embroidered pillow cases.

My mom made my sweater for me when I was in high school, and it was similar to one Arlene had purchased years back.

And I made friends with Mac.

Susan was not able to share as her treasures are all in a moving pod, but she did offer sound advice.  We need to record these stories, pen to paper, and store them with the treasures so future family members can know their value.

This cardigan gets nine buttons. A tenth is sewn inside for insurance against future loss. I want them done right so they don’t pull on the button band. I’m ready with buttons for the public side, clear buttons for the inside, sewing needles that fit through the button holes, a nice sharp scissors that will do double duty later, and yarn to sew with (I’ve split my four-ply in half).

I like to use safety pins to work out the button placement first. See where the pin goes in and out of the fabric? That’s where I aim my sewing needle.

If I were to snug these layers as I sewed, there would not be enough room for the bottoned-on layer to exist without getting squished, so I use a little lazy trick.

My scissor handles get closed around the button to preserve some space to make a shank.

Now I sew on the button through all the layers.

Remove the scissors. Wind yarn around to make a shank. Darn in ends. Repeat.

Ready for the next one.

(This design uses vertically stranded color work for contrasting lines of bobbles in a lace cardigan. I am still writing the pattern and working out the sizes. It will be called “Skagit Valley” cardigan when it is ready for public consumption. I love the way the yoke and neck worked out, but I am not letting you see that yet.)

Click on this link here to attend class. New: On 2/10 I updated the link. If you have found me here, you should get a discount to class! Click for a 50% off link which means the course will cost you $15.

Less strain + more efficiency = more knitting. Whether or not math is your forté, this is an equation sure to catch any knitter’s eye. If your knitting has ever been cut short by achy hands and wrists, or if you find yourself yearning for speedier stitching, join me, instructor Lorilee Beltman, for my online Craftsy class, Knit Faster with Continental Knitting, to learn a different style of knitting that increases comfort and bolsters efficiency!

When it comes to Continental Knitting there’s only one overarching rule: fewer motions mean more efficiency. During class, learn which motions have the greatest impact on stitch gauge to size knit and purl stitches equally and achieve even tension. You’ll give each finger a job, minimizing hand motions so that your knitting will become faster, more comfortable and more efficient! Whether you’re new to knitting, or seasoned in English-Style, you’ll be happy you took this big step.

For our first lesson, we’ll focus on the knit stitch — Continental style. Learn how to tension and position yarn in your hands to make knit stitches flow effortlessly across your needles, then move on to the purl stitch. I’ll show you how to hold your yarn and move it into place so that your needle grabs quickly and easily, and we’ll work to keep awkward movements at a minimum, making sure your stitches are correctly oriented on your needles.

Depending on your stitches, you might notice that your knitting is too tight or too loose. In our third lesson, I’ll show you how this happens and explain how to get those stitches just right. At this point, you’ve likely gotten an idea of how Continental Knitting increases your efficiency, but it’s with techniques that require frequent stitch alternation where the value of this style really shines. As we talk about ribbing and seed stitch, you’ll see that getting working yarn to the back or front of your knitting is simply a matter of shifting your right hand!

Next, we’ll walk through basic increases, decreases and other stitch maneuvers you need as you find out just how easy elaborate patterns become when you’re holding your yarn in the left hand. That’s why lefties especially will love Continental Knitting! Then, whether your favorite fabric has cables, colorwork or beyond, you’ll learn how to tackle each. Just try not to get too excited when you see how much easier Linen Stitch and colorwork can be — we’ve still got one lesson to go!

For our final lesson you’ll face an inevitable truth: the way you’re holding your yarn might be causing you pain. I’ll give you tips to keep in mind so you can avoid pitfalls and pain, and troubleshoot why you may have trouble keeping tension and stitches even. We’ll end on an inspiring note, and run over some small, fun projects with which you can put your exciting new skills to use! Learn how to rejuvenate your knitting and ditch stitching strain when you sign up for Knit Faster with Continental Knitting today!

Over the years, I’ve found that venturing into something new can really pay off! If you’re looking to try your hand at Continental Knitting, then rest assured that I’ll do everything I can to help, because one of my greatest passions is helping students embrace their creative curiosities and push past their obstacles! It’s this affection for knitters drove me to own and operate my own business, City Knitting, from 2005 to 2009. Now, I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to focus on instruction, and help knitters get the knowledge they need to flourish!

Luckily for both of us, Craftsy is as dedicated to getting rid of those educational roadblocks as I am. In fact, Craftsy makes education easy, with classes that you can watch anytime, anywhere, as you enjoy lifetime access to personalized support!

So what are you waiting for? Hurt less, knit faster and finish projects with smooth, even tension. You’ll soon realize that efficient knitting is exciting knitting!

Which type of person are you: clutter or anti-clutter?

I need some of each. I like my living space to have interesting personal things in it, but in general I’m happier with little clutter. Too much clutter and pattern in my living space tends to stress me out.

Throw this all out the window when it comes to creative spaces. Many of us, whether in the yarn business for work or as a hobby, have claimed a room in the house as our own craft room. For work I need this. And I need this space to be very cluttered- needles in view, a bulletin board full of random inspirations, needle gauges, notes, business cards. I want to see all my books. See them on a shelf. Gardening books. Art books. (Art books used to be my luxury purchase in college since I didn’t have the properly shaped feet to support a shoe habit.) Knitting books. My swift and ball winder need a permanent home ready to be used on a whim.

I don’t need to see all my yarn, class samples, and finished knits. I know, what’s wrong with me? So those are in cabinets behind closed doors.

Now a year-and-a-half ago we moved across the country to a house 1/3 the size of our Michigan home. Major purge. But the house did have a room for me to eventually claim as my own. With all three kids out of the house grown up working or in college, I finally got to claim my silver lining to our newly emptied nest. A week ago I painted and started moving in. It’s feeling great. I’m only half done, half-organized, but I am getting there.  I may share pictures here when ready.

In the meantime I leave my handy friends with one great tip. This project has involved a trip (okay, two trips) to Ikea and lots of assembly and affixing things to walls. Partway in, when I realized I don’t have to power I used to have to hold that drill firmly when pushing screws into studs in the wall, I reached for the bar soap. Each screw gets a little roll in the soap before gliding into the wall like buttah!