Online Pattern Sources

Hello all! 

Sorry about the lateness of today's post - but I still managed to get it done!

In tandem with Wednesday's post about where  to buy your yarn online, I thought I would share with you all out there in the knitverse my favorite places to find patterns online.

Now books are fantastic source for patterns - as my poor over-worked bookshelves can attest to. But the internet is also a great to find new patterns from fellow knitters, to get free patterns (or fairly cheap ones) and even to publish your own. Often times these patterns can be downloaded in pdf format, which I love. I can store these pdfs on my iPod and carry dozens of patterns around with me all the time - no need to carry books or easily destroyed paper copies.

When I have an inkling to knit something new the first place I check out is the wonderful Knitting Pattern Central . I don't if it's possible to describe how much I adore this site. With literally thousands of free (!) patterns and tutorials - over 14,000  at last count - from all over the net and arranged in a few dozen categories, this should definitely be your first stop when looking for a new pattern on the web.

If for some odd reason I haven’t found what I'm looking for at KPC, I head on over to Ravelry to look around there. With over 66,000 patterns in 200+ categories, Ravelry is also a fantastic place to go pattern diving. Only drawback is that not all the patterns are free. Some cost a small amount of money, anywhere from $2 to $8, or are is a pattern from a book and not available for download. You do have be a member of Ravelry to access their sight - but this is a quick and easy (and free) process.

And there are still more options if you still haven't found what you're looking for. If you have a specific yarn in mind to work with, check out the yarn company's website. Chances are they'll have a list of free patterns to go with specific yarns. Some of these sights are better than others, Berroco, Caron,  and Classic Elite Yarn to name a few. Lion Brand Yarn's  website is also a good place to look - but I find their patterns are  a bit simplistic and geared more toward a beginning knitter.

And, with the internet being the vast pool of information that it is, there are thousands of other sites out there to get knitting patterns from. And heck, if you still can't find what you're looking for, then I guess you're just going to have to write your own, aren't you?

What's your favorite place to find patterns? Online? In a book?

Casting Off,

Megan

Knitting for Charity

So here's a question that nearly all knitters ask themselves at one point or another (and for some of us it's asked quite a lot): What should I do with my yarn stash? For some this question may be more pressing than it is for others.

In some cases, it's only a question of picking which color or which pattern to work on next. In other far more desperate case (myself included), in addition to asking which pattern to work on next or which yarn to use, one must also consider several other mitigating factors. These include, but are certainly not limited to: an overabundance of scarves/socks/sweaters/other knitted items in your home; family and friends who have threatened you with certain bodily harm if you attempt to give them just one more knitted item; and/or you have a bunch of single skeins of yarn that you thought might be fun to knit with but you have since discovered a) one skein isn't enough to knit anything, b) the yarn is a big ol' pain in the patoot to knit with, and/or c) the color puce (or whatever) no longer hold any appeal to you what so ever. So, again, the question is - what to do with your yarn stash?

Well, for some, myself included, the answer is to knit things to sell to people who have some odd need for more handmade things in their life (see: Etsy). But for others - and I include myself in this category as well, there is the option of donating your knitted items. There are literally hundreds of organizations out there that are ready and willing to accept you handknit sweaters, scarves, blankets, hats and other items for the less fortunate.  

Now, I know there will be some out there who will be a little weary of this option - so many of us are incredibly busy and barely have time to go grocery shopping (hey - ranch dressing is a food, isn't it?), let alone knit blankets and sweaters for complete strangers. Never fear!

There are knitting charities out there designed to fit your busy schedule, including one of my favorites Knit A Square. All they ask is that you send them in knitted (or crocheted) 8 inch squares that they in turn use to make blankets for AIDS orphans in southern African. Not only is this a great way to test out yarn or new stitches, but it's super fast and easy. I try to send them a few every month.

Other such charities are those that collect hats - which are super quick and easy to make - for either soldiers or for chemo patients. A great charity for soldier's caps (helmet liners) is The Ships Project, among several dozen. And for chemo caps, check out Head Huggers. Be aware, if you would like to contribute to these causes, there are often restrictions on what can be donates, color and fiber for example.

As the holidays near, its always nice to turn your thoughts to those who are in need of a little bit of help, even if its just a scarf or a hat. In addition to the options I mentioned above, you might find these lists of Knitting Charities helpful: Lion Brand Yarn: Charity Connection and Interweave Knits: Knitting Charities

Do you have a favorite charity (knitting or otherwise) that you contribute to? And what do you do with your extra yarn stash?

Casting off,

Megan

YouTube Knitting Videos

As my bookshelves at home will attest to, I have a weakness for knitting books (well, all books really). Good or bad, new or old, I don't really care. I love reading new patterns and finding new techniques or just seeing what other people design. But, there is a major drawback to knitting books - they're all two dimensional. I almost always find it nearly impossible to learn how to do a new stitch or a difficult bind-off through a flat drawing/picture on a page. Despair!

But fear not! This is where the magic of the Internet comes to the rescue. Little known fact: YouTube is good for something other than watching cats and stupid guys. Its also good for learning new knitting techniques! Need to learn how to do a perfect mattress stitch? Stumped by a picot bind off? Just do a quick YouTube search and all of your problems will disappear - well the knitting ones anyway.

Mattress Stitch:

Picot Bind-Off:

What was your best tool for learning a new stitch or technique?

Casting Off -

Megan