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Cholla Blossom Fingerless Mittens Kit
Calling Scotland Hat and Fingerless Mittens Set
Catalina Highway Pillow Knitting Kit
Allamanda Hat Knitting Kit
North Star Hat Knitting Kit
Flourishing Scarf Knitting Kit
Polar Chullo Knitting Kit
Spice Route Gloves Knitting Kit
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The author hiding out in her Ivy Headband.
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Category Archives: Technique
On Swatching for Gauge
A knitter wrote to me this morning, wondering if she had misinterpreted something or done something wrong because she could not get the 32 x 38 stitches per 4″ gauge for a Dale Baby Ull pattern (Peace Sweater). Her stitches, … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Technique
Tagged fit, gauge, Knitting, needle size, size, swatch, yarn
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Top 10 Tips for Machine-sewn Steeks
UPDATE: My post on steeking has been updated, formatted as a free, downloadable PDF and moved to the Technique page on my new website, MaryAnnStephens.com.
Posted in Fair Isle Knitting, Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged cut, cutting, fair isle, finishing, Knitting, machine, norwegian, reinforced, sewn, steek, steeked, steeking, steeks, tips
6 Comments
Knitted Hem Fine Points
Happy 2015! I hope you all had a wonderful 2014 and are ready for an even-better 2015. Now, it’s time to get to work on those resolutions! One promise that I made myself for 2015 was that I’d stop letting … Continue reading
Posted in Fair Isle Knitting, Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged cotton, Dale, Dale Garn, egyptian cotton yarn, finishing, hem, knit, Knitting, technique, vipe
2 Comments
Christmas Balls – A Brilliant Blocking Idea
I’m so lucky – I have the coolest, most talented customers! Here’s a nifty blocking idea that one of my brilliant customers shared recently on Ravelry: She’s been using my free Christmas Balls patterns. Before she stuffs and closes up … Continue reading
Posted in Fair Isle Knitting, Free Knitting Patterns, Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged balls, Christmas, decorations, free, holiday, Knitting, norway, norwegian, ornaments, pattern, pdf, yarn
1 Comment
On Flat Charts for Round Shapes
This popular post on using flat charts to knit rounds shapes has been moved to the “Technique” section of Mary Ann’s new website, MaryAnnStephens.com.
Posted in Fair Isle Knitting, Free Charts, Free Knitting Patterns, Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged ball, chart, Christmas, design, fair isle, free, Knitting, norwegian, ornament, pattern, shapes, stranded, yarn
8 Comments
Blendoku – a great game for Fair Isle fanatics
What’s Blendoku? It’s an intriguing free app that sharpens your color management skills. Should disaster strike and you find yourself without your knitting (gasp!) it’s a fun way to sharpen your skills for setting up smooth color gradients for your … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Miscellaneous, Technique
Tagged Blendoku, color, color gradient, colorwork, fair isle, fair isle knitting, free, game, Knitting, Norwegian knitting, stranded knitting
1 Comment
Steek stitches – how many???
Someone just posted an interesting question in my Two Strands group on Ravelry. It’s one I’m often asked regarding Norwegian steeks, so I’ll share it with you folks here, too. She’s thinking about knitting the Dale Sirdal design from their … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged cut you knitting, cutting stitches, Dale, fair isle, knit, Knitting, machine-sewn, norwegian, steek, steeks, stranded knitting
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Circular knitting intro for use with Christmas Balls PDF
When I wrote my “Christmas Balls” free knitting patterns last year (and my free “Star of Bethlehem” pattern this year) I had my “typical” knitting customer in mind. Not that any of you are typical – you’re all special and … Continue reading
Posted in Free Knitting Patterns, Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged chart, Christmas, christmas balls, christmas ornaments, circular knitting, colorwork, fair isle, fair isle knitting, free, free knitting pattern, how to read a knitting chart, knit, Knitting, knitting chart, knitting design, knitting pattern, knitting pattern pdf, nordic knitting, norwegian, Norwegian knitting, pattern, pdf, stranded, stranded knitting, wool, yarn
1 Comment
Stranded Knitting Presentation at LI Knitting Guild
I’d like to send out a big, warm “Thank You!” to everyone at the Long Island Knitting Guild. This past Friday, I presented my talk to them, “Stranded on Long Island – Tips and Tricks for Developing Your Very Own … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Knitting Classes, Mary Ann's Designs, Technique
Tagged class, craft, DIY, fair isle, guild, Knitting, knitting instruction, long island, Mary Ann Stephens, norwegian, presentation, stranded knitting
1 Comment
Catching long floats on the Polar Chullo
I know quite a few of you are working on your Polar Chullos, hoping to get them done in time for the holidays. I’m reposting a response I just sent to a knitter in Ravelry who is working on her … Continue reading
Fishy Booty
…Or, how to get maximum cuteness from one tiny pile of sock yarn scraps… The Fishy Booty design is knit circularly and seamlessly, using mainly garter stitch, with a few priceless little rounds of stranded garter stitch (which is explained … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged baby, baby shoes, baby ull, baby yarn, bootie, booties, booty, cute, cuteness, Dale of Norway, DIY, fair isle, fingering, garter stitch, home, knit, Knitting, merino, newborn, nordic knitting, Norwegian knitting, pattern, pdf, sock yarn, stranded, stranded knitting, yarn scraps
1 Comment
Perfect Mitten Blockers, on the Cheap
Right about now, I’d guess quite a few of you are finishing up Mitten #2, and you’re looking forward to that sparkling moment when you present your beautiful work to a (hopefully deserving and endlessly appreciative) special someone. Before you … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Miscellaneous, Technique
Tagged block, blockers, blocking, finishing technique, free, homemade, knit, Knitting, mitten, mittens, mitts
2 Comments
I’ll be teaching a class for my Vogue Knitting hat
Please note: This class was offered in 2011; it is not offered currently. I’ll be teaching a class for my Vogue Knitting Fair Isle Hat #08 this November / December with the wonderful folks at Keep Me In Stitches, here … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Mary Ann's Designs, Norwegian Knitting, Technique, Uncategorized, Vogue Knitting
Tagged cascade 200 sport yarn, circular knitting class, fair isle hat, fair isle knitting, fair isle knitting class, keep me in stitches, Knitting, knitting class, knitting instruction, Mary Ann Stephens, nordic knitting class, vogue knitting
1 Comment
“Norwegian Sweater Techniques for Today’s Knitter” by Therese Chynoweth
I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on “Norwegian Sweater Techniques for Today’s Knitter” by the wonderful Therese Chynoweth. At last, it made its merry way to my desk last week. What a treat! I’m so delighted by this … Continue reading
Vancouver V-neck progress report #1
All three of my sons play football, so I’m a very busy spectator, this time of the year. Vancouver is the perfect project for my purpose – simple enough that I can blast through the stockinette portions without missing any … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, New From Dale of Norway, Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged Dale of Norway, Knitting, knitting project, nordic, norwegian, olympic knitting, olympic sweater, Vancouver
2 Comments
Decisions, decisions…Fun with choosing yarn colors
I really want to make the new Vancouver v-neck, but I’m not the copying type. As much as I like the light blue model… I feel the need for a different colorway. So… I’ve been playing around with some possibilities. … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, New From Dale of Norway, Technique, Uncategorized
Tagged colorways, designing with color, fair isle, Knitting, norwegian, stranded
21 Comments
Like the blog? Join the group!
I’ve just started my own Ravelry group, “Two Strands”. I’m hoping it will grow into a fun place to discuss stranded knitting in general and my work in particular. You’re all welcome to join in the fun, talk about whatever … Continue reading
Steeks
A number of knitters have been looking around this blog, wondering where the heck I’ve hidden my steeks article. Actually, it’s on my Kidsknits store site, right where it’s always been. You can get to it through the menu bar … Continue reading
Fair Isle Repeat Offenders – managing motif layouts in Fair Isle knitting
We all learned at a very young age that even numbers split nicely and odd numbers create those troublesome leftovers, remainders. For some, that thought alone is the only seed needed to sprout an appreciation for optimal knitting design layout. … Continue reading
How to knit a hem
A few knitters have asked me lately how I finish a knitted hem. I just came across the above old photo and thought it might be useful in answering that question. This photo shows how I slipstitch the hem inside … Continue reading
Posted in Knitting, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged circular knitting, hem, hemmed knitting, knit, Knitting, knitting design, nordic, nordic knitting, Norwegian knitting, stranded, stranded knitting, sweater, technique, yarn
1 Comment
Grafting 911 – How to save your knitting with kitchener stitch
Knitting patterns start with the presumption that we will all follow every direction to a “T”. Experience teaches us that none of us is perfect, and, no matter the skill level, we will all eventually make some mistakes. Furthermore, it … Continue reading
Posted in Blogroll, Knitting, Norwegian Knitting, Technique
Tagged grafting, kitchener stitch, Knitting, knitting technique, knitting tutorial, Norwegian knitting
10 Comments
Two Strands 