Technique – Page 3 – Ann Budd Knits

Gauge Demons

December 30, 2015 / Technique / 12 Comments

If you hate knitting and measuring gauge swatches, you’re not alone. Short of Kitchener stitch (which I happen to love), many knitters view gauge swatches as the most onerous part of a project.

I won’t go into why a gauge swatch is so important, especially if you’re knitting a project that has to be a certain size, but I will offer a little help when it comes time to measure your gauge.

The Gauge Ruler shown below is a clear plastic ruler with white and black markings of knitted stitches at 11 gauges from 4 stitches/inch to 9 stitches/inch in 0.5 stitches/inch increments. Simply move the ruler across your knitting until the images of the stitches on the ruler match the stitches in your knitting. If you need more stitches per inch, swatch with smaller needles; if you need fewer stitches per inch, swatch with larger needles. Of course, for the most accurate measurements, you’ll want to measure the number of stitches over 4″ (10 cm) of knitting.

(Note that the ruler is fully transparent; I’ve added a strip of white paper under the bottom portion for readability in the photograph.)

For a demonstration on how to use this gauge ruler, check out Amy Detjen’s YouTube video on measuring gauge.

Contact me at annbudd@annbuddknits.com if you’re interested in purchasing the rulers, which retail for $5 each, with a minimum order of five, plus shipping. Wholesale inquires are welcome.

Gauge Demons Read More »

Fun in Edmonton

October 29, 2015 / Classes, Retreats, Socks, Technique, Travel / 2 Comments

Yesterday I got home from a week in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where I taught for River City Yarns and Stix and City Retreat (Hosted by River City Yarns).

If you ever make your way to Alberta, this is a must-stop for knitters. The shop is delightful and carries a huge amount of yarn, including a few exclusive brands — one of which is dyed the colors of hockey teams (the newest is the colors of the Colorado Avalanche, which I’ll use to design a mitten)!

As usual, I forgot to take photos of most the classes, but here’s a sampling of the miniature mittens knitted for Sunday’s class.

My favorite class was on Monday — Steeks and Zippers. Everyone made a cylinder (most used two colors) with steek stitches.

Then we cut the steeks and inserted colorful 4″ (10 cm) zippers!

These beauties will work as coffee/tea cup cozies. The techniques can be easily applied to sweaters or anything else that needs a zipper. How about leggings?!

I’ll be teaching the Steeks and Zippers class at my Knit For Fun Retreat that takes place in Park City, Utah, April 28 to May 1, 2016. There are still spots available. Click here for more information and to register. Click here if you have questions. It’s going to be loads of fun!

Fun in Edmonton Read More »

Craftsy Sock Class Winner

October 20, 2015 / Classes, Raffle, Technique, Video / 1 Comment

I love all the reasons all of you love to knit socks!

The lucky winner of Essential Skills for Sock Knitting is Roxanne, who wrote:

“Being over 70 inspires (requires?) that I multi-task or combine more than one element in everything that I do.
I enjoy knitting socks because I get utility along with beauty in the finished product.
Socks are portable and offer endless possibilities for customizing PLUS they keep your feet warm.
Double points, endless loop, cuff down, toe up, a multitude of ways to turn a heel…. Oh my goodness how I love to knit socks!!”

I’m with you Roxanne — multi-tasking is the way to go! I hope you find lots of inspiration (and help) in the class.

For the rest of you, you can get the class at 50% off by clicking on this link.

Here’s to happy feet all winter long!

Craftsy Sock Class Winner Read More »

New Directions in Knitting Socks

September 20, 2015 / Books, Patterns, Socks, Technique / 5 Comments

I’m pleased to announce that my newest book, New Directions in Sock Knitting is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com!

Not just another book of knitted socks, New Directions in Sock Knitting includes 18 inventive ways to push the limits of sock construction, including bottom up, top down, side to side, and combinations of directions. In this book, you’ll find an array of socks that deviate a little to a lot from the traditional top-down or toe-up construction. From the imaginative ways that heels, gussets, and toes are formed to the ingenious directions of the knitting, I hope this book will change the way you think about knitting socks.

The eighteen designs herein represent the efforts of seventeen designers (Kathryn Alexander, Kate Atherley, Anne Berk, Carissa Browning, Anne Campbell, Rachel Coopey, Hunter Hammersen, General Hogbuffer, Jennifer Leigh, Heidi Nick, Louise Robert, Betty Slapekar, Jeny Staiman, Nicola Susen, Marjan Hammink, and Nathalia Vasilieva) who have puzzled out new ways to knit socks. The designs range from quite simple socks that are appropriate for first-time sock knitters to engineering feats that may require a leap of faith for those accustomed to traditional sock constructions.

Techniques include mitered triangles and scallops, double knitting, intarsia in the round, short-row shaping, mirrored color and texture patterns, the addition of laceweight mohair for warmth and durability, and multiple knitting directions. The socks feature unusual heel, gusset, or toe shaping, clever use of color, or a neat trick in construction. In all cases, the instructions are written in step-by-step detail that will ensure success.

To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here, then join my Ravelry group Budd’s Buds for a knitalong of these fascinating designs.

New Directions in Knitting Socks Read More »

New Workshops

September 6, 2015 / Classes, Technique / 3 Comments

I’ve spent the summer generating NEW workshop classes that I’ll teach at Knit For Fun Retreats, as well as other retreats and gatherings.

Decorative Cast-Ons: Learn an assortment of decorative cast-on techniques that will add unexpected style to the edges of whatever you knit. Techniques will include Channel Island, I-Cord, Braid, Fringe, and others as time permits.

Knitting Steeks and Inserting Zippers: Learn how to add steeks so two- (or more) color patterns that are worked in rounds can be cut open—typically for a front opening, armholes, and neckline of a sweater. In this class, you’ll knit a coffee clutch with a two-color pattern and steek stitches, then cut the steek open and finish the cut edge with a colorful zipper.

Flexible Cast-Ons and Bind-Offs for Comfortable Socks: Socks are most comfortable if the cuff edge is flexible enough to stretch over the heel and firm enough to hug the leg. Learn a variety of my favorite methods for starting and ending socks, whether they’re knitted from the toe up or the top down, including the Cable, Old Norwegian (also called German Twisted), and Tubular cast-ons, as well as Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy, Tubular, and Sewn bind-offs.

Matching Cast-Ons and Bind-Offs for Working In Rounds: Learn three to four interesting and elastic cast-ons and their matching bind-offs. Armed with these techniques, you can get the same look whether you knit your socks or sweaters from the bottom up or top down!

Shadow Knitting: Variously called “Japanese fine knitting” and “optical knitting, “shadow knitting” is the term introduced by Vivian Høxbro to describe a technique in which purl ridges define a pattern on a two-color striped stockinette-stitch background. The right-side ridges cast a “shadow” pattern that comes and goes depending on the angle at which it is observed. When viewed straight on, the fabric resembles simple two-row stripes. When viewed at an angle, the garter ridges predominate and a different pattern is visible. Learn this ingenious technique by knitting a swatch with a heart motif.

Notify your local yarn shop or guild — maybe I can teach one (or more) of these classes in your neighborhood!

New Workshops Read More »

New Craftsy Class

August 30, 2015 / Classes, Patterns, Socks, Technique, Video / 1 Comment

I’m delighted to announce that I have a new Craftsy class: Essential Skills for Sock Knitting!

In this class I demonstrate how to knit socks from the top down as well as the bottom up with round heels, short-row heels, wedge toes, and short-rows toes. The techniques are color coded: coral for a toe-up sock with a short-row toe and heel, light blue for a toe-up sock with a wedge toe and round heel, burgundy for a top-down sock with a short-row toe and heel, and dark blue for a top-down sock with a round heel and wedge toe.

In addition to as many tips as I could squeeze in to the video sessions, you’ll get downloadable patterns for the four sock types, each in my signature style of multiple sizes (seven!) and multiple gauges (five!). The handouts alone will keep you busy knitting socks for family and friends for years to come.

Click here to get a 50% discount on the class!

New Craftsy Class Read More »

50% Off Fixing Mistakes Craftsy Class

March 25, 2015 / Classes, Technique

Last year at about this time I taped a class for Craftsy called Save Our Stitches: Fixing Knitting Mistakes.

If you follow the link below, you can get 50% off the price of the class, which will teach you how to read charts, how to identify what different stitches, increases, and decreases look like, and how drop down stitches to correct mistakes made a few rows below (even how to drop and pick up edge stitches!)

www.craftsy.com/ext/AnnBudd_4000_H

My goal with this class is to help you learn to “read” your knitting (which makes it much easier to find your place) and understand how to fix the mistakes you do happen to make. I hope it works for you!

50% Off Fixing Mistakes Craftsy Class Read More »

Star for a Few Days

April 24, 2014 / Classes, Technique / 5 Comments

This week I took a deep breath and put myself out on a limb. I taped a class for Craftsy. I’ve never been good in front of a microphone or camera and I’ve been fretting about this for weeks. But I shouldn’t have.

Upon arriving at the studio Monday morning, I was directed to my *own* dressing room. Step aside all you Hollywood divas, my name was printed on a star!

Inside, my hair and makeup were done by a professional (the bags under my eyes disappeared for three glorious days). Then I was escorted to Studio A where the crew was putting the finishing touches on my set.

From behind the table, my view was a little more intimidating:

But the crew was wonderful and put a lot of effort into keeping me calm and comfortable.Here’s Evan, the producer:

And Rob, the videographer (arranging things for the camera):

And Gabe, the editor, or mixer, who’s going to put it all together:

I apologize for the blurry photos, but these guys had me laughing much of the time. We had so much fun that we took a selfie at the end:

From left to right, that’s Rob (videographer), Gabe (editor), me (the TALENT), and Evan (producer). Those of you with sharp eyes will notice that I’m holding a bottle of The Glenlivet (12 years), which Evan gave me as a thank-you gift.

I’m wondering how soon I can do it again!

And for those of you wondering, the class is called Save Our Stitches: Fixing Knitting Mistakes and will be available through Craftsy in early June.

Star for a Few Days Read More »

A Lot Comes Out in the Wash

August 14, 2013 / Sweaters, Technique / 1 Comment

The ShiBui Linen top looks a little better after machine washing. I washed it with a load of bath towels, then laid it flat to dry. The rolled edges are certainly behaving themselves better and the stitches have evened out.

The piece now measures 16.5″ wide at the bust and 19.75″ wide at the hem. The body measures about 16″ long to the armhole; the armhole is 7.5″ deep.

I decided that it still felt a little stiff so I threw it in another load of wash (sheets this time) and put it in the dryer with the rest of the load.

Although the stitch pattern shows up, and the piece is oh, so soft, I think that I didn’t knit enough rows for the rolled edges and I think I picked up too many stitches around the armholes — they seem a bit wavy to me.

So, I’m going to rip out edgings at the lower bottom, neck, and armholes and knit them again. For the armholes, I’ll pick up fewer stitches. For all of the edgings, I’ll work more rows. Because I machine washed and dried the sweater, I don’t want to rip out just the bind-off row, join new yarn and knit more rows as needed. There is too big a chance that the boundary will be too obvious between the old and new knitting.

A Lot Comes Out in the Wash Read More »