Come join me for a Fiberside Chat!

Throughout the pandemic Longmont Yarn Shoppe have been hosting Fiberside Chats, bringing yarn shops, designers and teachers together, for regular zoom chats and discussions.

On May 7th at 11am MDT, 6pm BST and 7pm CEST, I’ll be their special guest! You can book tickets by clicking here.

Image description: me in my studio, grinning, as our tabby cat Mina comes into the frame.

Longmont Yarn Shoppe work together with 32 yarn stores across the US and Canada for these chats. When you book tickets you can choose to buy them through your local LYS if they’re on the list, or choose another LYS to support. I think this is such a great way for yarn shops to work together and support each other!

Tickets are $20 each and the proceeds are split between the organisers, yarn stores and special guests. The more folks attend the talk, the more we each earn for our time.

The talk is held via zoom and there’ll be a recording made available for booked attendees for one week after the event, should you not be able to make that time slot for any reason. So you can book in confidence knowing you’ll still be able to watch it later.

My Scourie design

My Dulcie pattern

My Rhinebeck Hat

My Ruschia deisgn

And my talk? Sideways knit Hats!

These are my favourite Hats to design and most of my best selling patterns are sideways knits. Yet I know that many folks haven’t yet taken the leap as the construction method is a whole new thing - it may be the technical aspects, it may be that they’re a little intimidating. Or it may be that folks don’t kinda get what they’re about.

In this talk I want to demystify this construction method and show you it’s potential, why I love it, and why it’s worth your time. So many knitters have told me that they were really unsure about trying a sideways knit Hat but once they took the leap, they had so much fun and learnt so much, and went on to make many more sideways Hats. Some have even told me they wouldn’t go back to vertically knit Hats, they enjoyed my patterns that much!

I’ll talk through a number of samples, show you deconstructed Hats and how they look on the needles, and talk about the differences between the different construction methods. I’ll talk about how the stitch patterns and fabric properties change when we turn our work through 90°, and how we can use that to our advantage. I’ll also touch on the techniques used and why they’re so useful. Honestly, there’s so much I can share so if you’ve any questions ahead of the talk now would be a good time to let me know so that I can try and tailor it a little.

Fancy joining me on May 7th? You can find all you need to know and book your tickets by clicking here. Tickets are $20 each. Hope to see you there!

Planning zoom events

Throughout much of the pandemic I’ve not been able to join or hold live events via zoom, or similar, due to our craptastic internet. We’ve needed to change service provider at least twice in the last 2 years as our internet got noticeably worse with everyone under lockdown and we couldn’t even manage Aran’s online schooling let alone anything else.

Image description - a video still from the next online class, ‘Turning Sideways: Next Level Slouch’, taken in my studio. Our tabby cat Mina and our grey doodle look-a-like, Jaz, are both in frame. In a zoom event with me you’re guaranteed to see me pulling a multitude of faces and most likely to meet one of our furry family members, all in the setting of my studio.

Now that lockdown measures are easing and local providers are finally stepping up and offering better coverage, I’ve found a sweet spot in my studio where I can pick up 5G on my phone! Which means I can tether that to my laptop and maintain reasonably good service. Still not what most folks with broadband in the UK or US are probably used to, but for us it makes all the difference.

And so I’ve been organising, booking and planning zoom events!

I’m not giving up on online workshops, fear not. Zoom isn’t particularly accessible as it requires a decent internet connection, a common or at least overlapping time zone, a common language and it doesn’t offer the same kind of subtitles and transcript service either, although I’ll be looking at options for improving this where possible. Yet zoom events are much lighter workload and budget wise, and if I’m to keep creating more structured and accessible online workshops then I need to keep the business ticking over and earning so that I can invest in them.

I’m in the process of booking a few zoom events as a guest and I hope to be talking more about those in the very near future, but today I’m hoping to get your feedback on talks that I can host. I’m thinking an hour, maybe an hour and a half, where I talk through a particular topic in-depth and show some examples and or short demonstrations. I don’t have the capacity just yet to hold longer or more thorough workshops live; these talks will be more informal and good way for me to test things out, whilst also offering you something fun and interesting!

There’s a few subjects I know folks love to hear from me about yet there’s no doubt something I’ve not thought of so please do leave a comment with a suggestion. These are the talk topics I’m currently considering and I could do all 3 if there’s enough interest!

The Magic of Sideways Knit Hats

This is a Hat knitting method so many folks associate with Woolly Wormhead and I’m keen to demystify it! I can talk about the construction method, how our stitches change and the techniques we use to create a seamless Hat. I can talk about why I love this method, it’s potential and how it differs to other Hat construction methods. It doesn’t need to be all technical, this can be light and fun, and I’ve plenty of examples, schematics and deconstructed Hats to share.

The Art of the Knitted Crown

Here I could show some of the many ways I’ve incorporated the crown shaping into stitch patterns to create the detailed crowns that I’ve become known for. I could talk through the maths, where the magic of circles comes into play, and spill some of my secrets in how I approach both Hat design and the crown shaping. I could even talk about some of the pitfalls of Hat design and knitting and ways around that. I have many gorgeous samples to show you, it’ll be fun just to get all those Hats out and talk you through them!

All About Knitted Hat Style and Fit

I’ve been travelling round to yarn shops and fibre events for over a decade with my Hat Clinic and I’ve learnt a thing or two about choosing the right Hat style AND the right size. Because our heads vary so much in size and proportion and knowing this before you cast on for your next Hat project will make all the difference. This won’t be the same as doing this in person, where I’m famed for placing all kinds of unexpected Hats on heads and surprising folk, but it will provide you with some idea about how to choose the best Hat pattern for you. It will also help in thinking about yarn weight, stitch properties, brim types and much more.

Image description: another still from my forthcoming online workshop. I’m mid-chat, looking down, and our dog Jaz has snuck into the frame on my right.

And finally - do you have a preference for day of the week? There will be a replay option which I’ll hold open for booked attendees but if I can set things up on the best possible day I’ll try! Time wise, knowing I’m around 6 hours or so ahead of most of my knitters it’ll need to be late afternoon time at the latest for me, which’ll mean late morning or early lunchtime for most folks outside of Europe.

The Loop or Fur Stitch

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

Loop, or Fur, Stitch creates voluminous texture that provides warmth and detail and a whole load of sensory fun. It reminds me of vintage makes from the Seventies and it no doubt brings distinct memories to mind for many.

This is a yarn thirsty technique, be warned, and somewhat labourious too. But it’s worth it if you've the right project in mind and it’s very effective with hand-dyed or variegated yarns.

The Loop Stitch is normally written as *K1, M1L; then *M1L, K1; on alternate pattern rows, with a plain row between them, for a 4-row repeat. This offsets the loops to create an appearance with more volume and no gaps. This tutorial will show you how to make the ‘M1L’ stitch and all you need to ensure the loops are the same size is your thumb!

1) Knit to the point where the loop is to be made and it usually won’t have a loop 2 rows below at the same point.

2) Insert your right-hand needle into the back of the loop of the next stitch on the left-hand needle.

3) And knit it, bringing the new stitch through. However, don’t drop the stitch you’ve just knit into off the left-hand needle yet.

4) Carefully place your thumb at the base of the stitch you’ve just worked.

5) Bring the yarn forward between the needles and wrap it around your thumb, before taking the yarn back again.

6) Keeping the loop around your thumb, insert the right-hand needle into the back of the same stitch, just as before.

7) Knit the stitch through the back of the loop and drop the stitch off the left-hand needle.

8) There’ll be 2 stitches on the right-hand needle, one either side of the loop you’ve just created.

9) Insert the tip of the left-hand needle into the first stitch of the pair on the right-hand needle.

10) And lift that stitch over the 2nd stitch of the pair and drop it off the needle.

11) This passing over of the stitch creates a small knot around the loop to keep it in place. If your loop is looking a little small, firmly hold the base of the knot and give the loop a little tug – this will help tighten it up and give you maximum textural impact.

Support

If you’ve a question about this technique, pop it in a comment below or visit the forum! I’m unable to offer help with patterns or techniques via email.

The Hand Knit Hat Academy is live!

That’s quite the title, huh? I launched a Hand Knit Hat Academy and it’s take me right out of my comfort zone and given me a huge lift at the same time. The first classes about Hat design are live!

After much fighting with the internet and grappling with the various logistics, my Teachable school is open and the first 3 classes are ready for you.

Here’s a quick rundown on what we’ve got available so far!

One of the featured Hats from the ‘Design Your Own Beanie!’ class, shown in variegated greens with a front-left view.

The first class is a free class, as I wanted to make sure that everyone had a chance to try workshop and see if my teaching style was for them before they purchased. There’s over 400 students signed up to the Design Your Own Beanie! class already, and it’s not been live a week yet! (I know, I’m late in blogging but launch left me flat out exhausted).

In this class I’ll run you through measuring your head, checking gauge, deciding on cast-on numbers, starting the brim and more, all the way through to finishing the crown. There’s 50 mins of instruction and an 8-page eBook, and all together it’s equivalent to a 3hr in-person class.

You can download all of the content - including the videos - to work through at your own pace, in your own time and time zone, without the need to stream or rely on an internet connection. Full subtitles are included and there’s a transcript available, too. This is the standard we’ve set for all of the classes.

A sideways knit beanie from this first ‘Turning Sideways’ class, shown in a heavily variegated yarn with a front-left view.

The first premium class is Turning Sideways: Beanie + Pixie and it’s chock full of techniques and key skills and maths and lots of sideways love!

There’s 2 hours of video content and a 42-page eBook, all of which is equivalent to a 6hr in person class. It’s available for $60 and because I offer support via my forums, it’s VAT-exempt meaning EU customers won’t be charged extra due to their location.

As with the free class, everything is downloadable and has subtitles and transcripts.

This is a key class for anyone wanting to get to grips with sideways Hat knitting, whether you wish to design them or not. I go through everything from the anatomy to the structure and how the key maths elements work. It’s all broken down into bite sized chunks to help you absorb everything and learn better. I promise not to overwhelm you with maths and techniques, it’s all been planned to ensure you can knit your first sideways Hat with your own yarn for your own size!

A handspun beanie, featured in the ‘Turning Sideways: Beanie’ class. It’s shown in greens and blues, with a left-front view.

The 2nd premium class is Turning Sideways: Beanie and is the same class as the one mentioned above, except it doesn’t have the bonus pixie Hat classes and bonus key skills. Everything you need to make a sideways beanie is here, and you don’t need to buy both - this class is for those who want to explore what’s behind the sideways beanie but don’t want to pixie aspect.

There’s 1 hour and 40 mins of video content and a 38-page eBook, which is equivalent to a 4hr in person class. This class is $40. Going forward we’re aiming for the same kind of set-up where applicable: two premium class formats, one with bonus materials and extra details, the other focusing on one main topic with all the key skills you need to get it done.

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It’s been pretty exhausting getting these out whilst also bringing the new website closer to launch and managing home schooling and my health issues on top as well as the bonus brexshit and pandemic stuff. We’re mighty proud of what we’ve achieved, especially in the standards we’ve set for ourselves and in achieving them - we’ve had a lot of really positive feedback not only on the class structure and content, but also on the filming and editing - and that’s brilliant.

The next classes are already filmed and are partially edited - ‘Turning Sideways: Beret + Slouch’ and ‘Turning Sideways: Beret’. These build on skills already learnt in these first classes but also offer a brief recap for those confident enough to dive straight in.

Samples are knit for the next workshop and I’m planning the filming schedule for that this week. I’ve started writing the handout eBook at the same time as planning the filming schedule, as it’s helping me keep focused and stay on track, which in turn is making Tom’s editing job easier. We learnt a lot with the first class and didn’t go too far wrong at all. The technical issues were the biggest hurdle and those are sorted now, so with an even finer tuned filming schedule the next classes should be much less work for us.

Have you taken a class yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Camden Cap - creating the peak brim

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

This blog post was first published on Carol Feller’s ‘Stolen Stitches’ blog as part of the blog tour for Classic Woolly Toppers. Carol has very kindly permitted me to repost her photos and content here, and I hope it’ll prove helpful in seeing how the peak of the Camden Cap comes together.

Carol is an amazing knitwear designer living in Cork, Ireland, and she also has her own line of yarns. If you pop over you’ll also find books, online classes and kits!

It is an interesting process working through a pattern with my son. We found some Cushendale DK wool in my stash that he liked the colour of and got started. He hasn’t come across a lot of the techniques before but I’m just teaching him each one as we reach it. We’ve now done the provisional cast on, short rows, picking up wraps and undoing the provisional cast on. We’re currently working on the blocking and moving on to the joining of the hem. The patterns are all so well written that once the technique has been explained he’s well able to go from there to working through the remainder of the Hat. I’m afraid thanks to the imposition of school he hasn’t finished the Hat yet but that will be another blog post :-)

Now here, in Caelen’s own words was his experience knitting Camden:

“I discovered this Hat when investigating the website of Woolly Wormhead. I was intrigued by the peak of this Hat, as I had never encountered such a design in a piece of knitwear before. After expressing this interest to my Mum, I discovered how it worked. As the blog tour of C.W.T. was taking place, I decided to give it a go and show my results. The Hat has a very interesting design, I have just moved on from the peak to the brim, and should finish it soon. Knitting together two pieces of wool around a piece of constantly slipping plastic was a first for me, I can confidently say. This Hat is by far one of the more challenging knits I’ve done, and I’ve enjoyed and learned a lot knitting it so far. I look forward to seeing how it turns out!”

1) Pinning the peak

2) Knitting in the plastic

3) Close-up of knitting in the plastic

4) Joining in the round

I know the brim doesn’t look like a pocket when it’s knit, but bring the two sets of live stitches together following the schematic and it will. I hope these photos have helped! Many thanks to Carol and Caelen.

Support

If you’ve a question about this technique, pop it in a comment below or visit the forum! I’m unable to offer help with patterns or techniques via email.