Category Archives: Crocheting

Review: “Making Life More Beautiful: A Maker’s Handbook”

Posted on June 30, 2018 by sweatyknitter

For several years I’ve been following Kate Davies’s blog, “Fabrickated.”  London-based Kate has a “real” job, but among other talents, she is a skilled and creative clothing designer/maker with a keen eye for assessing fashion.  Kate’s mission always seemed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Dyeing, Knitting, Miscellany, Sewing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Schematics, Design & the Bell Curve

Posted on January 5, 2016 by sweatyknitter

Many of knitters and crocheters – and I include myself – get rather annoyed when we pay for and download a pattern to find that it contains no schematic.  In this post I decided to discuss sketching one’s own. Due … Continue reading →

Posted in Bulky Lopi, Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Construction, Sweater Design | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Holiday Donations

Posted on December 12, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Around the holidays there seems to be an uptick in the number of people knitting or crocheting items (particularly hats) for holiday or charitable donations. When I have seen the contents of “donation baskets” – the  containers into which handmade … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting | 26 Comments

Mormors Klem/Grandma’s Hug

Posted on December 4, 2015 by sweatyknitter

When Thor and I went to my daughter’s house for for Thanksgiving, I brought the two gifts I made for the grandchildren:  a mitered square afghan for Grandson O and a granny square afghan for Granddaughter F.  As I gave … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Knitting With Large Needles

Posted on November 14, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Because of damage I sustained to my hands many years ago, I do not knit with wool heavier than worsted.  The weight of heavy wool on top of the strength needed to manipulate large needles aggravate the damage. I recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments

Poncho Pattern Problems

Posted on October 24, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Thinking of the ponchos so in vogue in the late ’60s and early ’70s (what my parents called “hippie garb”), I wasn’t particularly excited to learn that ponchos were again “in.”  (This picture [source] may bring back memories for some … Continue reading →

Posted in Brown Sheep Company, Bulky Lopi, Burly Spun, Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Construction | Tagged , | 28 Comments

Where Do Your WIPs Live?

Posted on October 10, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Perhaps because I routinely have multiple WIPs at any one time, my WIPs are scattered in an array of containers – a cloth basket hung on a wooden frame I bought 20 years ago (similar to the one on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Miscellany | Tagged | 34 Comments

Guerrillas or Rogues?

Posted on October 3, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Recently two friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, neither of whom is a knitter or crocheter, emailed me news items about yarn bombers.  One article was recent and looked at yarn bombers in Scotland; the other article was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting | Tagged , | 13 Comments

What Are Those Numbers?

Posted on August 23, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Have you ever found a cone of interesting yarn, looked inside the cone, read “8/2 cotton,” 10/3 linen or “10/3 wool” and wondered what those numbers mean?  It’s the yarn or thread count.  The yarn count or thread count is … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Fibers, Knitting, Miscellany, Spinning, Weaving | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Strengthen Your Pattern: Schematics

Posted on August 1, 2015 by sweatyknitter

Recently I received the newsletter of a knitting organization that focuses on knitting and crochet patterns (some rather pricey – up to US $12).   I skimmed the patterns but only two caught my attention.  I gave them a closer look.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Norwegian Knitting, Pattern Construction | Tagged | 12 Comments