The Hook and Needle Nook

  By Esther Wheeler We have some simple rules of thumb for picking yarn for shawls. Keep in mind, these are general rules, not hard and fast ones, and in the end the only set rule is to have fun and enjoy your project. These rules can really apply to crocheting or knitting, depending on the tip.                                                     Shawl knitted by Sherry Morrison Picking Yarn for Shawls: Color Choices If your shawl has more than one lace pattern or the lace is a focal point for the shawl, use a light solid for the lace pattern. Consequently, it will pop and draw the eye to your work. It is a good idea to frame the lace with a complementary color, either a solid or a variegated with no more than 2 color changes.                               ...

  The guide to choosing the perfect knitted sock construction for you and your feet! We want to offer our fiber buddies a great understanding of how to dip their toes in the sock-y waters. In this knitted sock construction article, we detail different construction methods, toes and heels. Furthermore, we give some examples of when one might method might work better for you, over another. Knitted sock construction comes with many decisions and choices. Before we start on the construction methods we also want to mention that there are many different needle combinations you might use. Some of these include Double Pointed Needles, two circulars, two at a time, magic loop and more. This is something we will save for a post for another day. The world of sock knitting is vast and we don't want to overwhelm anyone [or write a 12 page thesis :)] Getting Started: Toe-up or Cuff-Down So you want to do a sock, and the pattern is written for both toe-up and cuff down. Which...

  by Tiffany Landres Here at The Nook, we love knitting everything from basic knit-purl scarves, to cozy sweaters, to intricate shawls, and everything in between. One of the constants in almost any pattern (unless you are knitting a straightforward piece like a scarf) is knitting increases or decreases. Most times, patterns come with specific instructions on what type of increase is called for. This is because each type of increase creates a different look on a piece. Some of the differences are subtle and some are obvious. Sometimes patterns opt to let you choose your own increase. These patterns usually just say something like "increase 1 stitch", "make one", or "increase evenly across row". Which increase is most appropriate in these situations? To help our fiber buddies, we are going to detail some of the most used increases, and let you know when you might use each increase. Every garment pattern form lace shawls to sweaters has incre...

  By Tiffany Landres Personal Experience When talking about the difference between knit and crochet, my personal experience comes to mind. This is because, mine is a story I hear echoed often with other crafters. The first needle craft I ever encountered was crochet. My mom is an amazing crocheter and can do anything with a ball of yarn and a crochet hook. She made my dolls' clothes, made the prettiest doilies I have ever seen, made baby blankets galore and the cutest baby layettes. She taught me to crochet when I was about 8 years old. Years and years later, after having my first child, I taught myself to knit. I fell in love with it as well. I noticed the difference between crochet and knitting right away. However, knowing how to crochet lent itself greatly to being able to teach myself to knit. Knowing how to figure out how stitches relate to each other always helps you to learn new fiber arts. Both crafts make amazing and different products. I personal...

 A couple of weeks ago we had a shipment of new fiber come in from The Yarn Fairy and Pixies . Amongst it was a beautiful colorway of Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) and nylon. I couldn't help it, I just HAD to have it. With one glance I just knew this must be matching socks. So once I blinked the stars out of my eyes, I thought to myself, 'How do I preserve these color changes? The beautiful hand dyed braid of BFL/nylon from Yarn Fairy and Pixies that I could not resist! I now had an idea for what I wanted the fiber to become. However, I wasn't sure how to make it happen. Opting more often for a mixed yarn, I had never before made self striping yarn, . I definitely haven't made two balls of yarn match. I have spun fly on the ply before. But, I really didn't want a three ply yarn with slightly more obvious joining areas this time around. So, it was time to go about this a totally different way than I ever had before. It was time to try and make my 2 ply, se...

  Sherry78's Tiny Cabled Christmas Sweater. See the full project page here . Picture Courtesy Sherry78 on Ravelry. Cables are so cozy, and in between tasks on this busy December I can't help dreaming of sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace with some hot cocoa, a bulky knitted project and a cozy cabled blanket on my legs. How relaxing!  Even if you add one cable to your project, you add a whole new layer of interest and sophistication to your piece. Cables might feel a little bit daunting--what with adding a whole extra needle to the mix--but fret not, we have you covered with some of our tricks and tips.  Tip #1: Not all Cable needles are created equally There are several kinds of cable needles, and not every person likes to work with every kind. Some of the basic ones are J Cable needles, straight cable needles, and bumped cable needles. You can even use an extra DPN.  These all seem to be personal choice, and I would suggest trying ou...

  It's that time of year where Stockings are popular to craft. Made in a wealth of colors, you can get a personalized stocking with some color-work techniques and a little bit of patience. Since there is a little bit of a learning curve to stranded color-work, we thought we might try and give you some tips and tricks to help your project go a bit smoother. Whether you are a newcomer to color work or are more seasoned, we hope these 5 tips will help you out! Tip #1: Use bobbins! Bobbins come in all shapes and sizes, from small plastic squares with openings (traditionally used for embroidery), to plastic bobbins made specifically with knitting and crocheting in mind. You can even make your own bobbins with a bit of cardboard on your own! The concept is the same for any type of bobbins you use; you wind your bobbin full of yarn (one bobbin for each color) and knit, keeping the yarn coming from the bobbin to the project as short as you are able to. This way you aren't twistin...