This week, Greta shows us exactly what it means when a pattern says, “Block over a plate.” Now you’ll be able to block your berets and slouchy hats perfectly!

Have you ever knitted a slouchy hat pattern and reached the finishing instructions only to find this strange little tidbit, “Block over a plate”? Now, I absolutely love knitting slouchy hats and berets, but when I saw this for the first time I was a little confused. After trying this blocking technique many times, I finally got it down and thought I would share what I’ve learned.

Materials:
A dinner plate (about 10” in diameter)
A bowl or pitcher, something that balances nicely
About 1 yard smooth scrap yarn
A tapestry needle

Step 1: Using some smooth scrap yarn (about 1 yard) and a tapestry needle, thread the scrap yarn loosely around the brim of your hat getting as close to the edge as you can manage. Technically this step is optional, but I like it because it gives the brim a more finished look and helps open up any lace work in your hat.

Step 2: Block as usual. I wet blocked my hat to soften the fibers and really let those stitches bloom.

Step 3: Place the hat around and over the dinner plate. I arrange it so the crown of the hat is over the bottom center of the plate.

Step 4: Gently and evenly tighten the scrap yarn and tie it in a slip knot. Make sure everything is arranged nice and evenly on the plate.

Step 5: Place the plate brim-side down on an upturned bowl. This keeps your project from getting dirty and helps it dry faster.

Once the hat is dry you are good to go! Wear that slouchy hat with a smile knowing both you and it look awesome!

(Pattern is Crooked Paths by Melissa LaBarre; Yarn is Madelinetosh Vintage in Flashdance)

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Jamie lasted about a month of working at WEBS before diving in to knitting. Learning has been a combination of taking classes here, asking questions of patient co-workers and getting help from books and online videos. It’s never easy to learn a new skill, but Jamie jumped right in with the perfect attitude. “I have no problem trying something new and failing. I’m always trying to learn new things. I’m a lifelong learner. You just have to recognize that you can try something and not be good at it, and that’s okay.”
(Above) Bandana Cowl knit in Tosh Chunky in Amber Trinket.

How long have you been knitting? Do you do any other fiber arts?
I started learning to knit this past September (2012) by taking Knitting I and Knitting II here at WEBS. I’ve also had a lot of help from my wonderful and talented office-mates! I haven’t picked up any other fiber arts yet, but I’m hoping to take Crochet I in the near future.

What is your favorite yarn to work with?
I haven’t worked with that many yarns yet, but I have a not-so-secret fondness for Madelinetosh yarns. I really love the subtle variations in some of their greyed-out colorways like Opaline.

(Left) Eternity Scarf, by Michele Wang (published by Brooklyn Tweed). Knit in Rowan Felted Tweed Aran in Pebble.
(Right) Romney Kerchief, by Jared Flood (published by Brooklyn Tweed). Knit in Tosh DK in Antique Lace.

What is your favorite fiber project?
So far it’s really been that my favorite project is whichever one (or three) I’m working on at that moment. I try to pick a project that’s exciting to me, whether because of the color and fiber of the yarn, or new techniques I have to learn or how great the finished object looks. I’m really happy with a Romney Kerchief, designed by Jared Flood, that I made with Tosh DK (above right). I had to learn a Provisional Cast On, Kitchener Stitch and Elizabeth Zimmermann Sewn Bind-Off to complete it, and I love how simple but elegant the design is.

(Left) Greta’s Neon Cowl pattern knit in Manos del Uruguay Alegria in Locura Fluo.
(Right) Irving Hat, by Melissa LaBarre knit in Tosh Vintage in Nassau Blue

What fiber project are you working on right now?
Currently I’m working on a super-bright cowl using Manos del Uruguay Alegria sock yarn. WEBS’ own Greta Shaver designed a nifty little cowl pattern using a neon colorway of Alegria (above left). I think it’s a loud, silly and awesome accessory, and I’m making it for a loud, silly and awesome friend! I’m also working on an Irving Hat, designed by Melissa Labarre (above right). I love her hat patterns, and so far it’s been really helpful for me to get experience doing a more complicated lace motif with an easier-to-handle worsted weight yarn.

One of the first beds Jamie made himself.

How else do you express yourself artistically? 
I majored in Visual Art at a relatively small college, so while I mainly focused on photography, I studied a bit of everything, including painting, drawing and sculpture. Before coming to work at WEBS, I worked for a small hardwood furniture manufacturer. As a result, over the past three years I’ve spent less time making images and a lot of my free time learning woodworking (and now knitting). Making images continues to be important to me though, and I always keep a sketchbook where I’m working on or planning prints, paintings and photographs.

Do you have a favorite non fiber related project you’ve completed?
My wife, Elena, is a printmaker and painter, and this past September we worked together to make a large (6’ x 3’) woodblock print for BIG INK, a large-scale woodblock printing public art event put on for Northampton’s Arts Night Out. The print shows a scene from family friends’ blueberry farm in Maine. (above)

How do you like to spend your free time?
What’s free time? When not working on arts/crafts projects, I really enjoy spending time outside with Elena and our dog, Ginger. We like to go for day hikes up Mt. Skinner, Mt. Toby and Mt. Tom. I find exercise to be a great way to unwind and oscillate between running and playing ultimate Frisbee. Right now I’m training to do some triathlons this summer! While I do love to exercise, the secret reason I do it is so that I can bake and eat as many scones and muffins as possible.

When I asked Jamie what his dream job was, he had a hard time coming up with an answer. “I really like working here so don’t really spend any time thinking about it.”

“My absolute dream job would be working in Nick Offerman’s woodshop. He plays Ron Swanson on Parks & Recreation and seems like a really cool dude. He has a woodworking studio in L.A that makes really beautiful stuff. I’m not actually experienced or talented enough at woodworking, but that’s why it’s a dream job, right?”

This week, the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

I have been frantically knitting another supply of these Ruffle Washcloths for thank you gifts, Mother’s day and end of the year Teacher gifts. I knit a bunch every year and every year they are out the door as quickly as I can knit them!  They pair nicely with a fun bar of soap and pretty ribbon. I have found that they knit up nicely in almost any cotton but I think they would be beautiful in Bristol Yarn Bradford, Classic Elite Seedling, or Rowan Handknit Cotton. Back to washcloth knitting! > Amy S.

The Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs by Sarah Anderson – This fantastic compendium of spinning delights began to excite and inspire me as soon as I cracked it open. I sat down with it recently, began poring over its well organized chapters, and then immediately dove into my stash of handspinning scraps and started to combine them in new ways. The book is beautifully photographed and thoughtfully designed for easy reference. It includes a set of handy cards that can be used right at the spinning wheel to check your work during spinning, like the angle of twist or the structure of a multi-stranded yarn. This is a must have smorgasbord of inspiration and juicy tidbits of information that will bring new textures and dimensions to your handspun yarns! > Ashley F.

The inviting aroma of lavender drew me in to the Milk and Honey Lotion Bars as I walked by them in the warehouse one day. I had to buy one! Molded into decorative cakes, these all natural lotion bars are a compact alternative to liquid lotion bottles. Made from beeswax and infused almond oil, they not only moisturize your skin, but leave a heavenly lasting fragrance. I love the calming scent of lavender, and use this lotion at my desk whenever I need a little pick-me-up. The lotion bars are great to toss in your project bag, as some fibers will dry out your hands when you work with them. Snagging yarn on dry cuticles is the worst! A little does go a long way, your body heat will melt the oils and absorb into your skin. This lotion bar doesn’t leave my side! > Deb S.

This week’s tip comes from Amy G, one of our store staff team members. She finds you can take the 2-at-a-Time skill generally used for socks, and apply it to other projects too, like the sleeves of a sweater.

“I often find the sleeves to be the most boring part of knitting a sweater, so I do them at the same time on a circular needle using two balls of yarn. Of course it only works for set-in sleeves, not sleeves picked up and knit from the shoulders, but it helps me finish my project instead of getting distracted and starting something new!”

Dena, our Ecommerce Marketing Manager, loves this technique. It can definitely get a little confusing though, so she adds a locking stitch marker to join the two pieces together. She finds this helps keep her from turning her work too soon.

Do you have any tricks to keep yourself from leaving a project half finished?

When Kristin knit Flow by Norah Gaughan, she was presented with a problem. The yarn, Berroco Seduce, is absolutely lovely but the slippery fibers made it hard to get the yarn ends to stay put.

To deal with unruly ends, Kristin uses crazy glue or super glue to tack then down after she’s woven them in for an inch or two. She also likes to use a patch of one sided fusible interfacing and iron it on to of the wiggly end.

Yarn made of slippery fibers like rayon and silk can be tough to keep in place. This tip will help keep your finished project looking clean and polished!

This week, the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

One of my favorite yarn and pattern combos is the Plymouth Yarn Select DK Merino Superwash and Rebecca Danger’s Monster Chunks pattern. The yarn is super soft and comes in a lot of great colors. The Monster Chunks pattern is quick and easy, and it’s the first time I knit something so many times in a row without getting sick of the pattern.  And the Monster Chunks look great with button eyes or safety eyes! > Jackie V.

I designed this cowl, The Bramble Cowl, for my older daughter who lives in England. Even though it’s spring, it’s still cool and blustery there. She loves chunky cowls but not the weight. I couldn’t resist all the beautiful colors of Madelinetosh Vintage that we have in the store. I just kept picking up skeins and putting them together. After I knit one for my oldest daughter, my younger daughter wanted one too, then I wanted one.  I can’t quite stop knitting these.  I have yarn for at least three more in beautiful color pairings. > Amy S.

I have been on a serious cowl kick recently. This one is The Wave Cowl, made with Noro Ayatori. I have been wanting to work with this yarn for a very long time but couldn’t figure out what to make with it. Right before a long car trip I decided to buy two skeins and make something. When all else fails, knit a cowl! That seems to be my current motto. Before the trip even started I knit up a cowl that turned out to be the perfect weight for a chilly spring or summer evening. This yarn is so soft and light. Of course I had to pick up another two skeins so I had something to knit on the trip. I have another one on the needles right now! > Amy S.

Amy has some great stories to tell. You can read more about her Bramble Cowl, her Wave Cowl and more on her blog, http://ms-ellaneous.typepad.com/ms_ellaneous/

Kristin from our Customer Service team shared a simple, yet very useful tip with us!

When working on a sock or any knitting project on double pointed needles, there is always an extra needle leftover at the end of a row.

To keep this extra needle in place, and to keep the stitches from falling off the needles, try using your yarn to secure both ends of the needles.

1: Fold your project so the needles lay flat.

2: Then, lay your extra needle alongside the others.

3: Wrap your yarn around both ends of your double points.

This little trick will keep your extra needle together with the rest of your project, and secure it!

One of the most challenging aspects of a project is selecting the colors. It can be difficult to tell which colors “go” well together. Frequently, I spend hours knitting only to discover I don’t really like how those colors I chose came together in the end. In today’s post, J shows us how we can select colors easily by using black and white photographs. He recently knit the Color Affection Shawl, so we asked him to share what he learned.

“Affection for Contrasting Colors or What Do You See in Shades of Gray?”

Every now and again as fiber artists we are tasked with choosing colors. The Kangaroo Dyer’s Color Grid is a great tool for picking colors and we make use of it regularly. For the purpose of this color exercise, we’re going to focus on the properties of color in relation to one another, specifically contrast and we’ll use the broad color palette of  Cascade 220 as an example. (And not just because it’s less than $6 a skein for the rest of April and May, but it is!)

Step One – Grab a skein of each of the colors you are considering (2 or more)
Step Two – Take a picture
Step Three – Make it black and white.
That’s it, three steps! Repeat as necessary with different color choices to your heart’s content.

When viewing your skeins in black and white, if two colors are close in their representation of gray, there will be little, to no, contrast. If the skeins can be distinguished in their representation of gray – TA-DA contrast! Below are some examples that will help illustrate this concept.

Group A: White #8505, Cotton Candy #9478, and Magenta #7803. Notice that the black and white photo shows white, gray, and black. We can see strong contrast between the skeins in both images. This means the colors won’t get lost when used together, and each will stand out in its own way.

Group B: Black #8555, Peacock #2447, and Purple Jewel Heather #7811. See what happens in the black and white version? These skeins show as three similar shades of gray -not good for showing off any of these colors. They don’t look terrible together, but they have similar tone so each gets lost in the other.

To compare these first two groups, with Group A you could stand far away and easily tell the differences in color – great contrast. In Group B the difference is so minimal that none of them take a prominent place – great if you want colors to blend, not so great if you want contrast.

Group C: Christmas Red #8895, Silver Grey #8401, and Blue Hawaii #9421. When viewed as black and white, two of these are similar, but the third stands out –  great for when you want a single color to pop. The light gray and aqua are similar in tone to each other leaving the red to take a more prominent place in your project.

Group D: Christmas Red #8895, Charcoal Grey #8400, and Blue Hawaii #9421. See how just changing the shade of gray makes a difference? It now stands in stronger contrast to the other two, helping to highlight the aqua, while still having more brightness than the red.

It should be noted that “true color” is difficult to represent on a computer screen, so this is just a guideline as color will  vary relative to your settings, the manufacturer of your screen, and the effects of the light that surrounds your screen. This is why sometimes the “color you thought you saw”, looks different when the skein is in front of you. (I love Franklin Habit’s yarn-shaming tumblr because it helps us to laugh at just this sort of thing.)

Do you like making multi-colored projects? How do you pick your colors?

This week, the staff at WEBS is buzzing about…

Left: There’s a potholder swap annually on Ravelry that I participated in the very first year. It was lots of fun! Not only did I get a set of amazing potholders from all over the country, but it pushed me into one of my first designs, Disc-Disc. This year I got the itch to participate again and when I just couldn’t find a pattern I really liked, the inspiration bug bit me once again. This is my HOTbutton Potholder pattern and it’s free through the end of May, 2013. Enjoy! > Sara D.

Right: I’m crazy about the Needle Nanny we carry now. Not only are they adorable, but the super strong magnet is SO useful to have on hand! I’ve been using mine as a makeshift button on my sweater at work all week. I’m working on a crochet pattern that weaves in a lot of ends, and having the Needle Nanny attached to my sleeve or collar vastly trumps my usual method of stabbing it into the nearest cushioned surface, which I promptly forget! > Kerry T.

This blanket has been a year and a half in the making and I am so happy it is done! It is a very special thank you gift for a dear family friend. I bought the yarn, Blue sky Alpacas Dyed cotton, over the course of a year, one color at a time. The blanket used a total of 28 skeins! The pattern is the Chevron Baby Blanket from the Purl Bee, but enlarged to fit a single sized bed. The finished measurements are 62” X 121”, slightly stretched. We are going to visit soon so I can personally deliver this blanket. I didn’t want to trust it to the mail and I also didn’t want to pay postage. The blanket weighs about 10lbs! Until then it will rest on this bed where I can look at it every so often. > Amy S.

Today’s tip is from Kirsten Hipsky, designer for Valley Yarns. She has some great suggestions for selecting the perfect size to make for your next garment. 

To help figure out which size to make, I recommend measuring around your chest at its widest and choosing the closest size to that measurement, making the larger one if you’re between sizes.

Another helpful exercise is to measure the bodies of your current favorite sweaters or sweatshirts just underneath the sleeves. This will help you see ahead of time which size sweaters you like wearing the most.

We try to design all of our Valley Yarns sweaters so that they could be worn with zero inches of ease. That is, a person with a 40″ chest should be able to wear the 40″ finished chest measurement sweater without the sleeves or neck being too tight. But if you prefer looser sweaters, you could easily make a larger size.

Most of the sweaters could also be worn with a couple inches of negative ease if you like tight-fitting sweaters. The Kohl Lace Pullover, for example, has a stretchy, lacy stitch pattern and a roomy, straight sleeve that could probably be worn with up to 4″ of negative ease. But I would measure your current sweaters first to make sure that’s what you would like.

The sweater shown in the picture is Valley Yarns 464 Bittersweet Pullover knit in Valley Yarns Sheffield.