hi!  I want to try the log cabin or moderne blanket from Mason Dixon Knits, but I'm not crazy about the garter stitch look... is it not possible to do it in stockinette because of curling?  any other suggestions?  the only thing I could think of is seed stitch (?) which I would like to avoid as k1,p1 will take forever. 

thanks in advance for any suggestions!

how does this work, exactly?  I know from reading other posts here that cotton doesn't have as much stretch as wool, so I assume this will affect the pattern somehow, but how?  what do I do to correct for it?  should I just find a pattern for stretchy rib stitch and hope for the best?  what about an acrylic pattern?  or does it really not matter...

I want to make my wool-allergic bff a hat for her birthday, i got the Blue Sky organic cotton, but I'm worried the gauge will be all messed up or something...

thanks in advance!

although we really ignore valentines day, so this was a "just because" washcloth.  here is the pattern.  so easy, just knit and purl.

So I was all excited when I got Knitpicks Options set (the interchangeable circulars) thinking that this would cover most of my knitting needs!  Well, no.  Because they don't even produce a 16" cable, and as I like to make hats, that means I have to buy a bunch more circulars.  I called to ask if they were going to start selling one but the woman who answered the phone didn't know.  So frustrated!!   Wishing I bought the Denises instead!  thanks for letting me vent.

So I really want to build a handsome stash of yarns that I will love and use so when I see some cute project I don't have to agonize for 8 years over yarn choices, I can just say, oh that would be a perfect use for xyz yarn!

I don't want to spend a ton of money, but nor do I want crappy yarns that a) won't feel nice b) won't wear well or c) are just crappy.   I'm sort of overwhelmed with all the choices and would appreciate input from experts.

So any recommendations for specific yarns to buy?  and in what amounts?  I'm a new knitter (experienced crocheter) so I don't see myself doing a sweater anytime soon (takes up too much yarn in crochet!).

thanks in advance for all help and suggestions!

I made this by request for my sister.  she wanted something like a balaclava, but with a more snug fit so that she could pull it up around her nose and it would stay there.  She's been wearing this skiing and says it's perfect - the fabric is porous enough to let her warm breath out so it doesn't become all moist inside - yuck - but thick enough to keep her face warm.  I messed up on the buttons but she likes it anyway.


it's all shell stitch with this thin little yarn that required a D hook with two strands held together.  so it took forever!  I'm so glad she actually likes it and uses it.

I saw on the active swaps there is a Newbie Specialty Swap. I love the idea of a specialty swap (if anyone wants anything crocheted!) but I'm not exactly a newbie...

As I understand it, you list your best 3 crafts, and your 3 most wanted, then participants are matched up with someone who wants something that you do, and who does something that you want.  E.g. I can't knit, so I get a knitter, who wants something crocheted.  Or it wouldn't have to be one-to-one, Craftster A could send to Craftster B who could send to Crafster C who sends to Crafster A.  if that makes sense.

would any non-newbie craftsters be interested in doing a specialty swap?

my first iron-on!  this is onto the Sublime Stitching tea towel, and the iron on is the Dharma soft transfer paper.  I think I ironed it on for too long though.  The cosmopolitans are embroidered.  this was for the Sex and the City swap.  is it me or is the whole iron-on thing a little bit stressful?!



edited to say - I don't think it really looked yellowed in real life.

my first purse post!  I know this isn't much, but I am ridiculously proud of this, because I drafted a pattern and figured out a closure!  (which explains the wonkyness).  Prior to this I had only done a couple of totes from a pattern.  I'm still a beginner at sewing.  I tried to do topstitching, but I think my needle was too small because I had serious trouble going through all the layers on the sides.  Actually, I made tons of mistakes on this purse, but I learned a lot and I think it turned out cute anyway.



edited to say - the colors are slightly off, my wall is actually blue and the colors are more vibrant in real life.

This is probably super obvious, since you iron on the patterns anyway, but in case anyone wanted to combine embroidery with an iron-on transfer, as was unreasonably panicked about it working as I was - it will work.   I used the Dharma "soft transfers" onto the SS tea towels and it came out perfectly.   (off-topic, but just to warn you that those iron on transfers do not work so well on fleece, not even the less-fleecy side, although again that's probably obvious to everyone but me)