Summer already feels like a very long time ago. In my corner of the world, the temperatures are falling, the leaves are starting to drop and the kids have long been back in school. But let’s take a moment to pause and look back on the Confident Knitting projects we made this summer. Maybe it was your vacation/taycation knitting? Maybe you did it with a summery drink to hand? Maybe it distracted you from a heat wave, or jump-started your autumn wardrobe planning? It’s fair to say that, for our Confident Knitters, knitting really knows no season, and you all produced some beautiful FOs between June and August. Let’s revisit them!
Read moreCatching Up with Noma Ndlovu!
Today, we’re bringing you a chat with South African-based designer Noma Ndlovu, the creative mind behind this month’s Confident Knitting pattern the Lustrous Shawl! Noma, who designs under the label Bigger Than Life Knits, is a real powerhouse designer: she’s been bringing out exciting designs for garments and accessories, with a keen eye for texture and colour, at an astonishing rate! She was kind enough to take a break from her busy schedule to chat about knitting in Johannesburg, intriguing side projects and how she fits it all in! Come join us for a chat….
Read moreNo-Wrong-Side Cables (Confident Knitting Video Tutorial)
Cable knitting has a long and rich history, allowing knitters to create stunning knits with real depth and movement. And the great thing about cabling is, if you can knit and purl, you can work a cable … cabling simply involves working stitches in a different order from the way they sit on your needles. If you’ve ever knitted standard cables though, you’ll know the fabric has a very definite wrong side. This is, of course, irrelevant for projects where you’ll only see the right side, like garments. But for knitted items where both sides will be on show — a scarf or shawl for instance — reversible cables are super handy!
Read moreLustrous Shawl + Reversible Cables
Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re at the halfway point of our Confident Knitting journey, but it’s true! Which means it’s time for me to introduce the sixth Confident Knitting pattern, the final one of the summer set … the almost unbelievably lush Lustrous Shawl by Noma Ndlovu (that’s a Ravelry link) which will teach us all about reversible cables!
Read moreSpring Sets! Patterns to Pair with the Flux Hand Warmers
It’s hard to believe we’re nearly halfway through March and the first of our Confident Knitting knitalongs! Perhaps you’ve finished your Flux Hand Warmers and are searching for a cast on to keep you occupied until April’s pattern release? Or maybe you’re just making a start on this month’s project, but enjoy a bit of knitting day dreaming! Today, we’ve rounded up a few patterns for heads and necks that we think would pair wonderfully well with Flux Hand Warmers to make a cheery spring set!
Read moreClearing the decks
I tend not to be a monogamous knitter…
(That might be a bit of an understatement!)
I enjoy the variety of knitting on different things. A sock one day, a shawl another, and at the weekend I might even work on a garment. If I’m in the mood.
There are heaps of reasons why this flitting between projects generally works well for me. But there are also a few downsides…
Read moreConfident Knitting: The Designers
It’s here, it’s here: LAUNCH DAY! Which is exciting for a whole heap of reasons. You can now buy Confident Knitting! Which means we’ll all be casting on together soon! And, most immediately exciting: I can finally shout about the out-of-this world team of designers whose patterns we’ll be learning with over the coming months! These folks have been so amazing over the last year as we have worked on the book – through one of the most difficult years I can remember. They’ve come up with some really beautiful designs, and I know you’re going to love knitting them! So without further ado, let’s say hello to the team!
Read moreFinding Joy in Socks – and a video tip
I have to admit that my socks isn’t generally the first place I look when I need something to give me an injection of joy! But it has been my go to so far this month…
I’m not talking about my sock drawer, although as a knitter with a penchant for self-striping sock yarn, there is certainly joy to be found there! I am of course talking about my current knitting project: Dambisa Socks by Noma Ndlovu (Etsy link) (Biggerthanlife Knits on Instagram).
Read moreComfort Blanket Patterns
What sort of knitting are you doing at the moment?
I’m craving a mixture of things so simple I can’t possibly go wrong (those are famous last words of course!)… as well as projects that are a little more absorbing. I’m being a knitting butterfly and flitting between projects, doing a little of what I fancy as and when.
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