Blog – Tagged "Independent Designs" – Little NutMeg Productions

Cables, Cables and Lace, Independent Designs, Lace - September 28, 2018

In search of epic texture: Grand Boulevard

Have you ever worked with a springy yarn? Not just a nice merino with a decent ply; I'm talking a tigger tail-trampoline bouncing-lamb on a pogo stick kind of yarn. The kind of yarn that creates texture as high and crisp as the Rocky Mountains and helps your cables be seen from space. No? I hadn't either, until I met Elemental Affects Cormo worsted, and let me tell you the love affair has only just begun. The combination of longer fibers and extra twisty spin makes for a stretchy bouncy yarn that just pops your cables right off the knitting. I...

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Independent Designs, New Pattern Release, socks - February 23, 2018

Bander Ridge, the Socks that Knit Themselves.

Okay, not reaaaally, no socks actually knit themselves (well maybe Mrs Weasley knows how, but I don't). The point is that this newest pattern release; Bander Ridge is a very specific kind of sock pattern, one of my favorite kinds. I've come to realize that there are two kinds of sock knitting experiences that I personally enjoy. One is the Totally Committed; fancy patterning, all kinds of cables and lace and nupps and beads, and maybe even a fancy technique or two. Keeps the knitter totally mind-rapt and focused because each row is a little adventure through the woods and you really really...

How To: Place Beads in Your Knitting.

Placing beads in knitting can be done in two ways, one way is stringing the beads onto the yarn and then working them into the stitch. I'm not a huge fan of this method since I think it is hard on the yarn to pass thousands of beads down it's length while knitting. I also find that it slows down my knitting considerably, and inevitably I have to add more beads which means cutting the yarn and threading more on, no thanks! For the Samarran shawl I use the other method which is to place the bead onto a stitch using...

Crooked Fingers, a War and the Coordinates Home

A funny thing happens when someone you love is away and in danger, you tend to have little rituals to keep them safe. Similar to sports players who don’t change their socks to ensure a winning streak it seems like the smallest details of a day, if repeated, might actually keep all the days identical. If you can only hold onto the schedule of each 24 hours and somehow make them moderately the same; then perhaps time will be tricked into working on a loop. And if it was a good day then all the following days will also be good,...

When you can't find what you want; design it!

About a year ago I was looking for a spring/summer cardigan to knit, not necessarily only for spring or summer either, I find that I wear my warm and cozy wool sweaters in my cold 100+ year old house but as soon as I leave to the grocery store, or a friends house (who has this crazy "insulation" stuff everyone is so hip on) I get way too warm. So I like lighter sweaters for the winter as well for...

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