Winner + Spring Home Decor KAL/CAL Round-Up

First, let's announce the winner of our June blog giveaway - congratulations to caffeine72 with this comment:

We'll be in touch via Ravelry to coordinate the prize delivery. Thanks to everyone else who took our quiz and entered the contest!

Spring Home Decor KAL/CAL Round-Up
We had a great time seeing all of the clever home decor patterns that you all knit or crocheted over the last couple of months.

Here are just a few of the projects that caught our eyes.

#1. Dishsoap Bottle Dress and Cloth
The moment we saw these dresses, we thought they were super clever, and a fun way to bring a little fun into the kitchen.

What a great idea, and we are sure to see more of these popping up on Ravelry! Thanks to LeilaEvelyn on Ravelry for sharing these with us.

#2. The Spa-Riffic Wash Cloth
Many of you took to this delightfully textured pattern, and the results were fabulous!
This one by 55yrknitter looks great with that hand poured bar of soap.

Knittingdancer made hers in this stunning bright orange!

#3. Fronded Trivet
We thought this dual colored pattern deserved some attention. The subtle patterning makes this a great addition to your kitchen or even a botanical inspired bathroom, Great work CornucopiAmy!

Here are the winners for our prizes, as chosen by the Random Number Generator:

1. 55yrknitter from Ravelry - Royale Special Interchangeable Needle Set 

2. kshufelt from Ravelry - Knit Blockers 
3. Asteride from Instagram - Reverie Fabric Bag

We will get in touch with you via Ravelry to arrange for the delivery of your prizes. Thanks to everyone who entered our KAL/CAL!

What Does Your Knitting or Crochet Project Say About You?

There are many types of crafters out there - what kind are you? We've created a fun quiz for our fans, click START below to see what your crafting preferences say about you!

Share your quiz results in the comments below for your chance to win your choice of these 2 prizes: a Royale IC Starter Set or a Waves Crochet Set- we'd love to know just how accurate our quiz is!

Don't forget to also include your email address or Ravelry ID so that we can contact you if you win. We'll randomly select one lucky winner to announce on our next blog post on Friday, July 14th. Good luck!

Share this quiz with your crafting friends to see their results using this link or the sharing links at the bottom of this post! 

Join Our Spring Home Decor KAL/CAL!

With Spring and Summer comes warmer weather, and the desire to knit or crochet cozy woolens is gone. You don’t need to put down your hooks or needles though, it’s time to make home decor!

From now until June 30th, we’re hosting a home decor CAL/KAL - just knit or crochet something for your home and share it with us in this Ravelry thread for your chance to win great prizes (more on that in a bit).

During the month of May, we’ll be sharing pattern ideas on our Facebook page, so be sure to check those out. In the meantime, here are 3 of our favorite home decor patterns to inspire you:

The Ten Stitch Twist by Frankie Brown

This blanket is amazing because it allows to create any size of blanket all the while only having 10 stitches on your needles at a time. This is a variation on the rectangular blanket, made famous by Staci Perry’s tutorials on her Very Pink Knits YouTube Channel.

Mermaid Tail Afghan by Nadia Fuad

This is a trend that continues to be popular, this crochet pattern by Nadia Fuad is so fun. It would look especially great in a semi-solid yarn.

Entangle Basket by Deja Jetmir

We love this basket pattern with the chunky braids and handles! Now you can have a knitting basket that you knit yourself!

As previously mentioned, there are some great prizes up for grabs for anyone participating in our CAL/KAL:

• Royale Special Interchangeable Needle Set
• Knit Blockers
• Reverie Fabric Bag

Winners will be selected from the Ravelry group thread and from Instagram, using the event hashtag #KPSpringKAL. You can make as many projects as you like for multiple entries in the contest drawing; double dipping with other KAL/CALs is ok, too!

Once the KAL/CAL closes, we'll announce the winners here on our blog at the beginning of July.

Be sure to share your projects on Instagram with the hashtags #knitterspride and #KPSpringKAL. We can't wait to see what you make, and don't forget to add our blog to your reading list because in our next post, we’ll share a free knitted wash cloth pattern!

Keep it Green by Upcycling for Earth Day + Giveaway

Do you want to help keep as much as you can out of the landfill? Do you hate to see things going to waste? Here are a few tips to help upcycle materials this spring!

Unravel a sweater to reclaim yarn

We all have those sweaters in our closet that are destined to go to the thrift store after the Spring cleaning purge, but what if that sweater could become your next new project?

Start by examining the sweater, if it is still in good condition, you can reclaim the yarn. Start by unseaming the sweater. Once the sweater is in parts, find an end and start unraveling! This can be a fun project to do with kids. Using a swift makes the process go a little faster, and prepares you for the next step. Wash the yarn in a yarn soak to relax the fiber, then hang it up to dry with a weight to get out any of the pesky kinks.

If you don’t like the original color of the yarn, this is the ideal time to dye it.

If you don’t have any old sweaters, head to your local thrift store and there are sure to be plenty of them there to turn into a pretty sizeable stash. For a more detailed explanation of this process, check out this great blog post.

Turn fabric into yarn

Whether it’s a worn out t-shirt, or old sheets, any fabric can become your new rug yarn! Cut up t-shirts and sheets to create long strips of fabric that you can either crochet, knit, or weave long-lasting durable rugs. This gives those old garments a second life, and gives you an excuse to use your Jumbo Birch needles and hooks!

Crochet Rug Tutorial from 1 Dog Woof

Upcycle your worn-out clothes
If you have a t-shirt that is a little worn out or just don't love it anymore, adorn it with yarn!

The Jelly Bean Tee Edging pattern teaches you how to add a knit yoke around a shirt, which can add new life to your favorite sweatshirt! Or, try adding some lace around the worn out cuff of your jeans.

Spruce up your boring outfits by adding appliques, as seen here in the Sweater Makeover pattern from Meredith Crawford.

Giveaway
What is your favorite upcycling tip? How do you celebrate Earth day? Let us know in the comments below for your chance to win 1 of two prizes: a set of our Naturalz DPNs or a pair of our Fixed Circular Needles. 

We'll announce our winners in our next blog post on Friday, April 28. Good luck!

If you liked this blog, please share it with your friends and knit group! If you try any of these projects, let us know over on Instagram and use the hashtag #knitterspride.

Winner + Designer Spotlight: Wooly Wormhead

Congratulations to caffeine72, our winner for this month's blog giveaway. We will get in touch with you shortly to arrange delivery of your prize! 

For our final blog post of 2016, we are pleased to share this interview with Woolly Wormhead, whom we've been a fan of for quite some time. We have donated a few prizes to her Muratura KAL that is happening now through December 31 (click here for more info), and last week she shared a technique tutorial with us - click here if you missed it! 


When did you learn to knit/crochet? - or - How did you get started designing?

My mum taught me to knit when I was 3, and I started making clothes for my dolls. You could say I started designing when I was about 7 or 8 or maybe even younger, as I clearly remember making up patterns by myself for my toys, and finding inventive ways to achieve things. I made my first jumper for myself when I was 9, and from there continued making garments for myself every year.

What is your design process typically like? 

Varied, but always organic! I'm not very good at having everything planned out on paper beforehand, with several trusty swatches. I can do it, but I always need to refine on the needles. And often that means ripping out and adjusting. I will chart out stitch patterns and know how the design will be graded before I cast on, but it's never a done deal; the design is never finished until everything is polished, and that's usually done on the needles. It's not uncommon for me to reknit a Hat 3 times to get the fine details just right.

What is your absolute favorite Knitter's Pride product, the one you would HAVE to have if you were stranded on a desert island?

My Karbonz short tip interchangeables - they're my go-to needles, each and every time. I'm also developing quite a thing for the Zing short tip interchangeables, too!

What tips do you have for knitters who plan on gifting their KAL hat to that knit-worthy person on their list? 

Sizing is really important - one size does not fit all! That said, you can pretty much guarantee that if the Hat you knit doesn't quite fit or suit the person you originally had in mind, it will fit and suit someone ;)

I have a super handy guide on my website to measuring for Hats, and gives you an idea of average head sizes. They are just that though, average. Some Hats and stitch patterns are much more forgiving about size (lacey slouchy Hats for instance) but others are not - cables and other heavily structured patterns need more precision. It's always worth remembering that a knitted fabric will stretch widthways, but what it gains there it loses in length.

There's also a useful guide on my website for choosing the right Hat style to suit difference face shapes and hairstyles - some people might be surprised to hear that there is a Hat to suit everyone!

What is your favorite cast-on method for hats? Other projects? 

That would depend on the brim with vertical Hats... the alternate cable cast-on where a rib is needed, a cable cast-on if the edge pattern really doesn't matter or needs something giving but strong, and a crochet provisional cast-on as a main cast on as a decorative finish, especially on garter stitch. I've recently been introduced to the Chinese waitress cast-on and am keen to experiment with it more, and see how it works in the round (i.e. can I join it invisibly?)

Other projects? What are 'other projects'?! ;-)


Woolly Wormhead is a Hat Architect. With an instinctive flair for unusual construction and a passion for innovation, Woolly Wormhead is a designer whose patterns are trusted and celebrated by knitters all over the world. As a designer, Woolly is driven by a need to create and develop her understanding of 3D form. Communicating her ideas and sharing her specialised knowledge with her audiences is key to Woolly’s success as a designer. Woolly's high quality pattern writing ensures perfect results, teaches new skills and encourages us all to become Hat architects. Visit www.woollywormhead.com for further details.

A Colorful Summer: Fair Isle Inspiration (& Giveaway!)

Ravelry is filled with colorful projects featuring eye-catching motifs and pleasing patterns. The color work technique is commonly referred to as "Fair Isle" or sometimes called "stranded colorwork." Though the results look complex, Fair Isle can actually be mastered by any adventurous knitter! Staci Perry of VeryPink.com shows the step-by-step process of mastering Fair Isle techniques in her new tutorial video featuring Knitter's Pride needles and her new free pattern, Color my Cowl:

Once you have mastered the techniques above, it's time to put them to the test! We've collected some of our favorite trending patterns on Ravelry to inspire you to give Fair Isle knitting a try this summer. Click the links below to view more pattern information!

Color My Cowl by Staci Perry

Wildflowers Cap by Mary Jane Mucklestone

Crofthoose Yoke by Ella Gordon

Bruntsfield by Ysolda Teague

Ambiguous by Michelle Hunter

KARREE by Susanne Reese

Giveaway
This month, we're giving 1 lucky blog reader the chance to win a Nova Cubics Platina Deluxe interchangeable set! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post telling us what Fair Isle project you most recently completed or are looking forward to casting on!

We will randomly select a comment as our lucky winner to announce here on our blog on Friday, June 25. Good luck!

Four Trends for 2016 + Winner

The start of a new year is always exciting! It's hard to imagine what surprises 2016 has in store for us, but today we'd like to make some predictions of our own as we share some of our favorite trends to inspired you to knit & crochet in the new year.

Trend #1: Softer Colors

If the 2016 Pantone Colors are any indication, softer and more soothing color palettes will take center stage. In the world of yarn, the trend appears to point more towards neutrals - but that's not to say that brights and neons will go away entirely! However, we have noticed recently that there are plenty of patterns trending on Ravelry which would fit the "soft color" trend, such as: 

Briochealicious by Andrea Mowry

Snoqualmie by Michele Wang

Leading Bird by Leah B. Thibault

Trend #2: Colorwork Hats

It started with the Baable Hat, and now everywhere we look, we're seeing creative color work hats! Star Wars fans are knitting the Force Awakens hat in droves, and there are tons of new color work hat designs popping up on Ravelry; the 3 featured patterns below are all available as free downloads:

Siksak by Hanna Leväniemi

Mira by Amy Christoffers

Friendly Fair Isle Hat by Purl Soho

Trend #3 Blankets, Blankets Everywhere
From scrap yarn blanket mania to beautiful colorbocks, blanket projects are all the rage right now! There are a number of interesting techniques being used, too: arm knitting, Tunisian crochet, join-as-you-go mitered squares, you name it! Here are just a few pattern ideas to inspire you:

Modern Tunisian Quilt by Staci Perry

Arm Knit Cabled Blanket by flax & twine

Lydia & Sarah's Oh! Memories by Lydia Brown

Trend #4 Chunky Yarn
Big yarn, big needles (or hook), big trend! Fast projects using chunky weight yarns are not only instant-gratification, they're also a great way to stay warm during the chilly winter months without having to sacrifice style. Here are some great new patterns to try this month:

Annelise Cowl by Jennifer Romphf Designs

The Boyfriend Toque by Bree Zorel

Eveline by Grace Melville

Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to fishgirl182,  who is the winner of our Knit Blocker giveaway this month! We have contacted you via Ravelry to arrange for the delivery of your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered this month's giveaway! 

Winner + Holiday Gift Guide

Congratulations to Barbula, who has won our Marblz DPN giveaway this month! We will get in touch to arrange for the delivery of your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered this month's blog giveaway!

What's at the top of your wish list this holiday season? Today, we'd like to share some of our top picks for knitters and crocheters; you may want to send this link to your friends and family to give them a hint or two - we've conveniently arranged this year's list by craft to help folks find the perfect gift for everyone on their list!

Gifts for Knitters
An interchangeable needle set is perfect for prolific knitters, and we have a quite a few to choose from (click here to see them all). Our limited edition 2015 Holiday Gift Set, Royale, is the ultimate set to gift this year: we've paired our color-coded wood needles with sharp brass tips to provide an unparalleled knitting experience.

Marblz needles are another crowd-pleaser, and we offer both Interchangeable and Double Pointed Needle sets in this line. Each needle features a unique marbled pattern in a range of eye-catching colors which are color-coded for easy size identification.

Gifts for Crocheters
Waves Crochet Sets continue to be a favorite among crocheters; each set includes 9 crochet hooks with ergonomic soft grips which are color-coded by size. Choose from a fluorescent green or pink faux leather zip case they can take on the go!

Gifts for Everyone!
Our Knit Blockers are the blocking tool everyone needs - don't let the name fool you, they are great for finished crocheted projects as well as knitted ones! Click here for our Knit Blocker tutorial from the Knitter's Pride blog archive.

A roomy tote bag makes crafting on the go a breeze! Each bag includes a matching notions case and yarn bag, and other clever features include a spot for storing a mobile device, a key fob, and two inner zipper pockets secure other valuables. Choose from 3 styles (shown below, from L-R: Danube, Rhine, and Volga), we also offer coordinating needle and hook storage cases in each line!

If you're looking for stocking stuffers, guild gifts, or something for everyone in your knitting group, we've got plenty of affordable ideas! Zooni Bead Stitch Markers come in 17 colorful styles to suit a variety of tastes.

We also offer many different styles and colors of in our range of shawl pins - below are just a few of the many options!

If you're planning to knit or crochet gifts for your loved ones this holiday season, we're collecting lots of great pattern ideas here on Pinterest, many of which are available for free! Shown below is the Gingerbread Boy by Sara Elizabeth Kellner.

Wishing all of our fans a merry and festive holiday season!

Designer Spotlight: Jana Huck + Giveaway

Jana Huck is a knitwear designer based in Luebeck, Germany; she is mostly known for her patchwork interpretations of the symmetry drawings by Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher. Jana also designs garments and accessories and blogs in English and German at www.janukke.com.

She has a group on Ravelry, janukke Strickdesign, where you can join KALs and other knitting related activities. Hop over and have a look, Jana loves to hear back from knitters!

How long have you been knitting, and how did you get started designing?
I have been knitting for almost seven years now. Once I had figured out how to follow directions and how the knitting process works, I wanted to realize my own ideas. And it didn´t take long until I wrote them down so that I could share them with other knitters, which is ridiculously easy ever since the invention of the internet and Ravelry. I cannot say enough how wonderful it is to get in touch with other knitters and share ideas, inspirations, techniques and so much more!

On the Shore Blanket

Where do you get inspiration?
I draw my inspirations from everywhere. From life really, as cheesy as this is. Everything around me is intense and often pretty. I especially like to be inspired by nature, but I have also often been intrigued by architecture, graphic patterns, the art of M. C. Escher, and the work of other knitters, among other things.
Often the yarn itself is what makes me think of something. It can be anything, for example the way leaves are dancing in the wind on a tree in spring, something completely random like that. With that picture in mind I start knitting.
My goal for every design is that it is new and has never been seen before like this. All inspirations are merely jumping off points and become a thing of their own.

How did Janukke Strickdesign come about?
When I started designing I used the alias “janukke” on Ravelry. Later it became the label “Janukke Strickdesign”.

Swirlybird Shawl

How do you balance your own design and blogging career with curating Janukke Strick Design?
Ah, you are asking the hard questions! … That´s something I come back to every so often to reevaluate. Naturally, I am drawn to designing. That´s what I started out doing and what I enjoy. But caring for the public and social media part of designing is how knitters get to know my designs, so it is very necessary. And I enjoy talking to knitters tremendously – it´s how many new friendships developed over the years. So it´s a balance. Sometimes I feel I am focusing too much on knitting, then again I have the notion that I am not knitting anymore at all. So I guess the average is ok.

Do you have any knitting horror stories/mishaps?
Of course! Who hasn´t. But none of them are too entertaining. There´s the sweater that for some reason fell into my laundry unnoticed and got unintentionally felted, there are the beginner mishaps of choosing the wrong yarn (who knew merino would grow All That Much?) or the wrong pattern (eek, I look like I never heard of such thing as fashion).

What are you most looking forward to in 2015?
This year I have so many great plans that it´s hard to pick only one or two. I´ll be working together with yarn companies, meeting other knitters that I know through the internet, teaching workshops, … and I haven't even mentioned the many designs I cannot wait to get done and put out there. I already had my first small success this February with my new Sea Buckthorn shawl collection, which is a good start into 2015, I think.

Five Rings Cuffs

Giveaway
This month we're giving away a Rhine Needles & Crochet Hook Case to one lucky blog reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite design from Jana Huck's Ravelry Page. Don't forget to leave us your Ravelry ID so we can contact you if you're our lucky winner!