2019 Fall Photo Contest Winners

Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo to our fall photo contest! We enjoyed seeing what everyone is making with their favorite Knitter's Pride needles, hooks and accessories.

We are pleased to share the winning photos which were randomly selected to win the following prizes:

Grand Prize: - C.S. has won a SmartStix Deluxe Interchangeable Set for sharing this photo of their Zing DPNs in action!

Amanda W.'s hat WIP on Royale fixed circulars.

Samantha A.'s autumn cables

Runners-Up: Amanda W. and Samantha A. will receive a SmartStix fixed circular or DPN needle in the size of their choosing.

We will contact all winners via email to arrange for the delivery of their prizes. Don't forget to keep sharing your photos of your fave Knitter's Pride products in action here on Ravelry or on Instagram using the #knitterspride hashtag for your chance to be featured!

Free Knitting Pattern: Triangle Rib Baby Hat by Heidi Gustad

This month, we're pleased to feature Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied, who shares a FREE baby hat knitting pattern for our Fall/Winter Charity KCAL! Knit one, two or a whole bunch of little hats babies in need; you can contact your local hospital to inquire about current needs and requirements, or send your donations to Wool Aid, where they will be given to those who need them most.

Heidi is a knitting, crochet and crafts Designer and former Librarian. She first learned to knit at age 8 from a grandmother who saw in her a need for something to keep her busy. Her obsession with primary colors and clean lines can be seen throughout her work. You can keep up with her designs and more by following her blog and searching your favorite social network for handsoccupied. Don’t forget to share your finished knits online with #handsoccupied and #kpcharityKCAL.

Keep reading for KAL details, including your chance to win some great prizes from Knitter's Pride! 

Triangle Rib Baby Hat by Heidi Gustad

YARN

Shepherd’s Lamb Rambouillet Yarn (100% Organic Wool; Sport Weight) in Razzleberry

NEEDLES

US 5 (3.75 mm) double pointed or appropriate circular needles

NOTIONS

• scissors
• yarn needle
• stitch marker (optional)

FINISHED SIZE

Hat measures 13” (33 cm) from in circumference and 5.5“ (14 cm) in height.

GAUGE

approx. 18 sts and 28 rows = 4” [10 cm]

Abbreviations

( ) repeat instructions as indicated between the parenthesis
CO cast on
sts stitches
rnd round
k knit
k2tog knit 2 sts together
p purl
p2tog purl 2 sts together
rep repeat
rep from * to end repeat instructions following the asterisk as directed

Pattern

CO 60 sts (or any multiple of 4 sts) using a German twisted cast on for stretch and sturdiness.

rnd 1. *k2, p2; rep from * to end of rnd.

rnds 2-6. Rep rnd 1.

rnd 7. p all sts.

rnd 8. k all sts.

rnd 9. *k3, p1; rep from * to end of rnd.

rnd 10. Rep rnd 1.

rnd 11. *k1, p3; rep from * to end of rnd.

rnd 12. p all sts.

rnds 13-15. Rep rnds 9-11.

rnd 16. *p13, p2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (56 sts)

rnd 17. *k12, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (52 sts)

rnds 18–20. Rep rnds 9-11.

rnd 21. *p11, p2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (48 sts)

rnd 22. *k10, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (44 sts)

rnds 23-25. Rep rnds 9-11.

rnd 26. *p9, p2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (40 sts)

rnd 27. *k8, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (36 sts)

rnds 28-30. Rep rnds 9-11.

rnd 31. *p7, p2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (32 sts)

rnd 32. *k6, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (28 sts)

rnds 33-35. Rep rnds 9-11.

rnd 36. *(p1, p2tog) twice, p1; rep from * to end of rnd. (20 sts)

rnd 37. *k2, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (15 sts)

rnd 38. *k1, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (10 sts)

rnd 39. *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (5 sts)

Finishing

Break yarn and draw tail through final loops to secure. Tighten to bind off.

For a PDF version of this pattern, visit handsoccupied.com.

Fall/Winter Charity KCAL with Knitter's Pride

Knit or crochet your favorite baby hat pattern (or use the one on this post!) to donate to your local hospital or those in need via Wool Aid; click here for more ideas on finding places where your handmade hats are needed! 

Share your finished hat photos here in our Ravelry group, or post them on Facebook or Instagram using the #KPCharityKCAL hashtag to be entered in our prize drawing: 2 lucky winners will get a Rainbow Row Counter Ring from our new collection!

ANY baby hat finished between November 22, 2019 - January 5, 2020 will be eligible in our prize drawing. We will notify the winners via direct message after January 5. We can't wait to see all of your knitted and crocheted hats! 

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Using Knitter's Pride SmartStix Needles to Level Up your Knitting Game

What makes our new SmartStix needles so smart? These specially-designed needles allow you to...

Save time

Measure stuff

Assess gauge

Reduce clutter

Test weight

No more searching for a tape measure -  no matter where you are, as long as your needles are in your project, you’ve got a way to measure on the go. Today we’re going to share a few more ways to use SmartStix needles to level up your knitting game!

Casting On

When you’re casting on, do you run out of yarn before you have all the stitches you need on the needle? Vicki Howell recently shared her tips and tricks for casting on using the SmartStix needles in her Ask Me Mondays series. What it boils down to is this:

1. Grab the needles and yarn you’re going to use for your project.
2. Figure out how many stitches you’re going to cast on for your swatch or project.
3. Leaving a short tail (to weave in after), start wrapping your yarn around the needle. If you’re knitting a swatch and you’re casting on a small number of stitches, wrap the yarn around the needle a number of times equal to the number of stitches you’re going to cast on. If you’re casting on a larger number of stitches, wrap the yarn around the needle a smaller measurement (ex. 10 times).
   
4. When you’re done, pinch the yarn between your fingers just after the final wrap on the needle.
5. Pull the yarn off the needle. If you wrapped enough yarn for your entire cast on, start the cast on at the point in the yarn that is pinched between your fingers. If you only wrapped a smaller measurement, fold the yarn back and forth on itself as many times as you need to, to get enough yarn for your cast on. (ex. If you wrapped the yarn 10 times for 10 stitches, and you’re casting on 80 stitches, fold the yarn back and forth 8 more times to get enough yarn to cast on those 80 stitches.)
   

See, it’s easy to never run out of yarn on your cast on again!

Swatching

When you’re swatching, your SmartStix can double as a measuring tape so you can see if you’re getting gauge without any other tools! While the stitches are on the needle, you can check the approximate width of the swatch. Are you hitting the right number of stitches per inch? This can be a little tricky if your yarn blooms with washing and blocking, in which case you’ll need to do that before you measure.

Do you need to knit a swatch of a certain length? Use your needle tip to measure the length of your swatch and see if you’ve knit enough!

Once you’ve washed and blocked your swatch (and we always recommend that!) you can also use your needle tips and cords to measure how many stitches and rows you’re getting per inch. Simply lay your needle over the swatch in the appropriate direction and get a quick count. No extra tools necessary!

While Knitting

It is a truth universally acknowledged among knitters that no matter how many measuring tapes you have, there’s never one handy when you need it! But have no fear, SmartStix can help you here too! Measuring the length of a brim on a hat or a cuff on a sock? No problem. Pull the needle tip out of the project and give it a quick check. Checking the length of a sleeve? You can use the cable and the needle tip to measure! You’ve already got a handy “measuring tape” the length of your needle. For example, your 24” needle will have 24 - 1” markings. You can use any part of the needle to measure anything you’d like!

We hope we’ve given you a few tips and tricks to use your SmartStix to level up your knitting game. And if you haven’t tried SmartStix yet, Santa is coming soon! Ask your preferred Knitter's Pride retailer about our 2019 limited edition gift set featuring SmartStix, which you can learn more about in the video below.

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Win Great Prizes in the Knitter's Pride Fall 2019 Photo Contest!

What are your favorite needles, hooks or accessories from Knitter's Pride? We'd love to see what you're making with the latest items from our 2019-20 Collection, as well as your tried-and-true favorites from our extensive family of products.

Share your best photo with us this fall for you chance to win some great prizes! One lucky winner will be selected at random to win a SmartStix Interchangeable needle set, but we'll also be selecting other entries at random to award prizes from our new collection. Let your creativity shine - we look forward to seeing your photos!

You have until Midnight EST on Friday, November 15 to submit your photo - click here for our official entry form to submit your entry and full contest details.

Winners will be notified via email and we'll share the winning entries on our blog and social media channels prior to November 30.

Pin this post to help spread the word!

2019 Limited Edition Holiday Gift Set Featuring SmartStix Needles!

Introducing the 2019 Limited Edition Gift Set from Knitter's Pride, featuring our new SmartStix Needles!

We're pleased to present this clever needle set in a modern carrying case that's multi-purpose: it can be used as clutch, a cross-body bag, a project bag or tool kit - the possibilities are endless! We've used vegan leather, ethically sourced beech wood and nickel-free metal hardware to construct this sturdy bag that's bound to be your new favorite.

But the real treat, of course, is what's inside! Each case contains a plush velvet roll-on and a vegan leather pouch to keep the accessories safe in style.

All 9 pairs of SmartStix Interchangeable Needle Tips and the color-coded cords are marked at every 1" interval for quick measuring on the go.

Each set includes SmartStix tips in sizes US 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5 & 11 and 4 color coded cords (included in lengths of 1-24"/60cm, 1-32"/80cm & 2- 40"/100cm) & a set of cord connectors.

Treat yourself or your smart knitting friends to this extra-special gift set - it's sure to be at the top of everyone's wish list this year! Sets are available for a limited time at your preferred Knitter's Pride retailer.

Want to leave a not-so-subtle holiday hint for someone? Save this post to Pinterest using the graphic below! 

Free Knitting Pattern: Undaunted Hat

In the last year we have been inspired to knit for charity and one of the causes that has come to our attention is Hat Not Hate, an anti-bullying campaign launched by Lion Brand Yarns in 2018. Lion Brand asks knitters to donate blue knit (and crochet) hats and teams up with schools around the country to distribute hats to students in October of each year for National Bullying Prevention Month.

Though the deadline for 2019 donations has passed, designer Laura Cameron was inspired to create a simple hat pattern in honor of Hat Not Hate. Today we’re sharing this pattern with you so you can knit one for yourself or donate one to a charitable cause near you.

Undaunted

By Laura Cameron

Thecornerofknitandtea.com

Finished measurements: To fit head circumference of 20” (22”)

Gauge: 20 sts & 32 rows = 4 inches St St

Supplies:

• US 6/4 mm and 8/5 mm - 16”/40 cm circular SMARTSTIX needles
• 1 skein TreasureGoddess Treasured Warmth Worsted Weight (100% superwash merino, 218 yards/100 grams), color: Swimming with the Fishes
• Darning needle
• Stitch Marker (to indicate Beginning of Round)
• Blocking Mats
• Nirvana Pom Pom Maker (Optional)

To make hat:

With US 6/4 mm needle, CO 84 (90) sts. Join to work in the round being careful not to twist and place stitch marker to indicate beginning of round.

Brim

Work in (P2, K1) rib until your work measure approximately 1.5”/4 cm from cast on (you can use your SMARTSTIX needles to measure!).

Hat:

Switch to US 8/5 mm needle.

Begin Pattern Stitch:

Rounds 1 & 2: Knit all stitches. 

Round 3: (P2, K1) to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1-3 until your hat reaches 7 (8)”/18 (20) cm or desired length before working crown.

Crown

Round 1: (K2tog, K4) to end of round. 70 (75) sts.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Round 3: (P1, K1, P2, K1) to end of round.

Round 4: (K2, K2tog, K1) to end of round. 56 (60) sts.

Round 5: (P1, K1) to end of round.

Round 6: (K2tog) to end of round. 28 (30) sts.

Round 7: Knit all stitches.

Round 8: (K2tog) to end of round. 14 (15) sts.

Round 9: (K2tog) to last 0 (1) stitch, K0 (1). 7 (8) sts.

Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, run tail through remaining stitches twice and fasten off.

Pom Pom (optional)

Weave in ends and wash with your favorite fiber wash. We recommend using Knitter’s Pride Blocking Mats to block your hat for the perfect finish.

Allow to dry, then enjoy your new hat or donate to the charitable cause of your choice!

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Fall Crafting Inspiration

Fall is around the corner and we’re feeling the call of our needles and hooks! Today we’ve rounded up some new free patterns to jump start your fall crafting. We hope you’ll find something inspiring and cast on with abandon!

Sweaters

If you’re looking to cuddle up in a sweater we’ve got a ton of options for you! If you’re into colorwork knitting check out the bands on Maj by Rachel Søgaard. If you’d like to add a touch of lace to your fall knitting, try the Beechnut Pullover by Amy Gundersen. If you’d like an oversized fall cardigan that will become a wardrobe staple, we love Maria by Quail Studio. And if you’re still loving those fades, check out the Metamorphic Tee by Andrea Yetman. For our crocheters, check out the Everyday Cotton Cardigan by Ashleigh Kiser (which could be done in wool for a warmer, cozier sweater) or the Elevation Sweater by Grace forthefrills!

Accessories

If you’re looking for the perfect small project to use up those special skeins, but still keep you warm, we’ve got inspiration aplenty (we ran out of room!) Just one skein of DK and some linen stitch and you’ve got the Oddly Satisfying Cowl by Christine Long Derks. A soft skein of luscious fingering weight will make these pretty Alder Fingerless Mitts by Agnes Zombory. If you want to keep your toes toasty warm, check out the Sea Oats Socks by The Blue Mouse. If it’s a hat you’re after try the Gentle Waves Hat by Beatrice Alexander-Howden or step up your game with a bit of colorwork with the August Hat by Sara Solomon (and check out all the free patterns Year of Hats from Kelbourne Woolens has to offer - a new free hat pattern each month!) If you want a quick bulky knit with just a touch of lace try the Icy Waters Shawl by EweKnit Toronto. And if you want the perfect fall shawl, we love Siki Shawl by Dawn Henderson. For our crocheters we’ve got cowls and hats for you too! Check out Anemone by the Berroco Design Team and the Kyrie Slouch by Phanessa Fong!

Other

If you’re looking for a little something seasonal, we love the Little Rustic Pumpkin by Rebecca Langford. And if you want to try a bigger knit, how about a cozy blanket? You’re not too late to join the CAL (Crochet Along) for the Cactus Garden Blanket by Susan E. Kennedy. Or if you want to knit up a cozy blanket for game night check out Dance on the Breeze by Fifty Four Ten Studio (or any of their other free blanket patterns!)

Whatever you choose to craft this fall, we hope we’ve given you some inspiration to get started!

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