Pattern Roll-Call: Is Garter Stitch the Answer to Everything?

Sometimes less is more, sometimes simple is best.  And so often I forget about that and all caught up in fancy and complicated and intricate and time-consuming…  And then someone pulls out their project and I go over to smoosh it and I realise it’s garter stitch.  Garter stitch!  So simple, so easy, and —…

Pattern Roll-Call: Yarns for Color Affection

You know I love dyeing yarn — I love thinking up the colourways, and I love whole adventure of creating the colours.  But when I send a skein off to the customer,  it always feels like I’ve somehow stopped halfway through the process. A skein of yarn is nothing more than a lovely, smooshy bundle…

Pattern Roll-Call: Tea Cosies! And How to Make (Me) the Perfect Cup of Tea

These are cosy days.  Here we are at the end of December, mid-way through Hannukah, with the Winter Solstice just yesterday, and Christmas only a few days away.  And the days are cold, and the nights are so long, and crisp, and sparkly.  We are all tucked up indoors, with fires crackling and twinkly lights…

Pattern Roll-Call: The One About Versitility

I spent much of yesterday surround by piles and piles of mini-skeins, as I put together the very first parcels for the members of the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club (and, hey, if you’re in the club, keep your eyes on the mailbox, because your yarn is on its way!). While I was working, I kept thinking…

Pattern Roll-Call: Mini-Skein Patterns, Part 2

Usually when I do a Pattern Roll-Call, I like to feature several patterns by different designers.    But as I was sifting through all the mini-skein patterns on Ravelry, I came across a little treasure trove full of patterns that I just love so much that I had to dedicate a whole blog post to them….

Pattern Roll-Call: Mini-Skein Patterns, Part 1

A friend mentioned the other day that I haven’t done a Pattern Roll-Call in a while and, as I realised she was right, I also realised I knew exactly which patterns I wanted to include!  Usually, I focus on one-skein projects that work well with hand-dyed yarn but, just lately, everywhere I look it’s been…