The Nurmilintu Lace Shawl by Heidi Alander is the perfect one-skein project for beginner lace knitters. In this post, Kelley shares tips for knitting this free pattern and how to add some unique finishing touches.
The mattress stitch is arguably the best way to seam handknit projects. Whether we're talking sweater pieces or blocks for an afghan, mattress stitch joins pieces simply and beautifully. This tutorial is especially timely for those who've been participating in the Building Blocks and Building in Color groups. I know several of the ladies in the Tuesday evening Open Knitting Group are doing one or both of those and several of them haven't done mattress stitch before. This tutorial is for you! Shelly recently brought her Building Blocks pieces in to our Tuesday group to show off and get some help with putting everything together.
It’s tough to get knitters, spinners & crocheters to agree on anything-- let’s face it, we’re an opinionated bunch of people! Fiber lovers of all stripes get into heated arguments at our Idaho storefront: whose craft is easiest for beginners, which stitch is best for a breathtaking scarf, whether metal or wooden tools are better & under what conditions... But underneath all the lighthearted (or occasionally not-so-lighthearted!) squabbling, there’s one thing that draws us all together once more: an appreciation for fiber of true quality & value. That’s why we at Alpaca Direct are so passionate about crafting with alpaca yarn & rovings!
There’s nothing like the post-holidays for crafters: a time to take a deep breath, shift gears, and pick up a project you’ll truly & thoroughly enjoy. No more Christmas deadlines, no more second-guessing sweater sizes... It’s just you & your yarn! So, in honor of your newfound freedom, we’re spotlighting a perennial favorite “process project”: socks!
