***Originally published December 16, 2011***Let’s say you want to make a circular crochet project. Like let’s say, oh, coasters. Most crochet projects that begin from the inside and work their way out (think also, granny squares) begin by crocheting a chain, joining it, and then crocheting an uncomfortable number of stitches into that loop, from which your circle or square will then grow out of.Here’s the tricky part: this method inevitably leaves you with a big hole right in the middle of your work, as these into-the-loop stitches tighten themselves around the original loop. Here...

***Originally Published September 10, 2010***I did not begin my knitting career as a follower of patterns.  I find this baffling since now, as the owner of a yarn store, I spend hours each week reading patterns like they are poems, analyzing them for clarity, coherence, and purpose; wading through hundreds of possibilities to find the perfect pattern to show off a new favorite yarn. I had no idea.  My first year of knitting was spent without a local yarn store, without Internet, and with a lot of free time.  I figured patterns were an option, rather than the norm.&n...

Originally published May 6, 2015I’ve been crocheting a lot of flowers lately!  And these are not just any flowers, these are the flowers that will comprise my good friend’s bridal bouquet at her wedding this July, which she asked me to make for her a few months ago.  We talked about what kind of flowers she wanted, picked out a color scheme from the yarns we have here at the shop, and I’ve been cranking out 2 flowers a week! Here’s one of the main stars of the show: a peony. It’s a fun construction (based upon this pattern), starting in the center and spiraling outward;...

Originally published June 14, 2010Solid colored yarn is an oft-forgotten phenomenon at Yarnia; when you can combine colors in so many thousands of permutations, it’s easy to forget that you can keep it simple and create beautiful colorwork by incorporating stripes, fair isle, or alternating colors within the work itself. How does this work?  Well, let’s say you find that perfect shade of teal bamboo that you love, love, love. We can just take that color and make it as thick as you’d like, by winding together multiple strands of the same yarn.  If you don’t want your yarn to...