Why Swatching Doesn't Have to Suck

Lately I have found myself making tons of these little guys in preparation for upcoming projects. Being fairly new to knitting (I have only been knitting for 3 years) I have heard many a knitter either sing their praises, or curse them out completely. Whether you love them or hate them, swatches are a necessary evil and can be pretty useful when they want to be.

Coasters

via Hello!Lucky

Bangles

via See Mi Knit

((image via A.Sappa))

Patchwork Quilt

via Ready Made

Garter Stitch Dish Cloth

via Pickles

 

Atomic Blocks

via Alegra DaSilva @ Raverly

(The color on these blocks

were worked in duplicate stitch)

City Gauntlets

(Seriously, just sew up a seam and slip'em on!)

via Lion Brand

When all else fails.... go yarn bomb something!

I enjoy knitting swatches so much, I was gifted a copy of Knitting Block by Block by Nicky Epstein for my birthday. I seriously recommend this book to anyone in need of some swatching in their life :) 

Think of all the Fancy Yarn Bombing possibilities!

So there you have it!  A couple of handy ways to use up some swatches or just keep yourself busy between projects.

Happy swatching everyone!



Pinups Do It!

Knitting Pinup



Scantily clad knitter, depicted by Chicago based artist Harry Ekman..... Isn't this how we all look when we knit? Maybe not, but who's to say that all Knitters and Crocheters are old spinsterly types? Besides, how else would you know if your sweater was going to fit..... unless you tried it on?

via We Heart Vintage

Kool Aid: The Perfect Shade of Green...

Yummy, Kool Aid Dyed Yarn!

I have never used this method before. Why not, right? Dye is dye. I have my eye on the Lemon Lime flavored Kool Aid, it looks like it would make a great "Zombie" Green! Click the link below for the How To.

Tutorial via Knitty

Sh*t Knitters Say: Yup, Still Funny!

via Yarndiet.com

I am this woman! Seriously, we are destined to be besties! I really have got to meet someone this obsessed. It's the only way my husband will stay sane (since he is the person I talk yarn with) ((I know, it's sad but he listens... kinda)) I first came across this video a while back and shared it on Facebook but every now and then I catch myself re-watching it on YouTube! It just encompasses everything that goes on in a knitter's brain. Even down to the stashing of the stash! Even though I have watched it a few times, it still makes me laugh :)

P.S- I always swatch! 

Yarn Storage: Its Kind of a Big Deal

Do I have a lot of yarn? You betcha! Do I organize said yarn... no, not really. There comes a point in time when the stash gets a bit unruly. My time is coming; with all the knitting I did last Christmas I have a budding yarn stash in the making but it isn't overwhelming. (not yet anyway) So, I decided to do some recon and seek out solutions to organizing my budding collection of fiber, before it becomes an issue. I used the word "issue" here instead of "problem" because lets face it, when is too much yarn ever a problem?