Idiot's Guides: Knitting Sweaters
By Megan Goodacre
It's been a big year.
A new job.
And a new book.
Time for some back story.
First, the job. I hinted at this way back in May. While most of you know me through Tricksy Knitter, my first loves have always been graphic design and communication. Charles and I ran a small business for 15 years, building custom digital solutions for all sorts of organizations, from hospital foundations to chocolate factories. Then, just over 2 years ago, opportunity struck: Charles was offered a full-time position here in Ottawa, working for PostMedia. The job combined his first two loves: programming and journalism.
Was I enthusiastic about leaving balmy Vancouver Island for the frigid winters of Ottawa? Hmm, I think we could describe my attitude as, firmly opposed. However, as I'm always saying, Say Yes to Adventure. I often say it sarcastically, but it's actually a useful mantra, and works in almost any situation. Move to Ottawa? Say Yes to Adventure. Chipotle chicken on your pizza? Say Yes to Adventure. Walk to the store instead of drive? Say Yes to Adventure!
See? It works for everything.
So Charles went to an office instead of working at home with me. The boys got older and more independent. And gradually I realized, Hey, it's just me alone with a room full of yarn. I think it's time to get one of those "job" things and talk to other human beings.
Don't get me wrong. Tricksy Knitter was a Job. I worked very, very hard at it, usually every day of the week, putting in long hours.
And then, opportunity struck again. I was offered a position that combined everything I loved: Visual design, information architecture, usability, and technology. The job is a 6-minute walk from my front door.
So I said Yes to Adventure, and now I'm the UX Lead at a wonderful digital agency here in Ottawa, Industrial.
You might be wondering, What about Tricksy Knitter? That leads me to the second part of this post, the new book:
Knitting Sweaters, my second knitting instalment for the Idiot's Guides series. The book is available at major retailers like Amazon, Indigo/Chapters/Coles, Target, and Walmart. And you can your local bookstore to order it in too.
My first was the learn-to-knit book, Idiot's Guide: Knitting.
I've been hinting at this over the past ten months or so, and I showed you some work behind the scenes.
Knitting Sweaters was a labour of love for me: from planning the table of contents, recruiting knitters, deciding the colour palette, writing the patterns, drawing the illustrations, to taking the pictures.
And that's just Part 1!
The best place to see all 20 patterns in on place is on Ravelry.
I'll write more about the book later this week. In the meantime, here are a few images from the book:
"
A new job.
And a new book.
Time for some back story.
First, the job. I hinted at this way back in May. While most of you know me through Tricksy Knitter, my first loves have always been graphic design and communication. Charles and I ran a small business for 15 years, building custom digital solutions for all sorts of organizations, from hospital foundations to chocolate factories. Then, just over 2 years ago, opportunity struck: Charles was offered a full-time position here in Ottawa, working for PostMedia. The job combined his first two loves: programming and journalism.
Saying Yes to Adventure
Was I enthusiastic about leaving balmy Vancouver Island for the frigid winters of Ottawa? Hmm, I think we could describe my attitude as, firmly opposed. However, as I'm always saying, Say Yes to Adventure. I often say it sarcastically, but it's actually a useful mantra, and works in almost any situation. Move to Ottawa? Say Yes to Adventure. Chipotle chicken on your pizza? Say Yes to Adventure. Walk to the store instead of drive? Say Yes to Adventure!
See? It works for everything.
So Charles went to an office instead of working at home with me. The boys got older and more independent. And gradually I realized, Hey, it's just me alone with a room full of yarn. I think it's time to get one of those "job" things and talk to other human beings.
Don't get me wrong. Tricksy Knitter was a Job. I worked very, very hard at it, usually every day of the week, putting in long hours.
And then, opportunity struck again. I was offered a position that combined everything I loved: Visual design, information architecture, usability, and technology. The job is a 6-minute walk from my front door.
So I said Yes to Adventure, and now I'm the UX Lead at a wonderful digital agency here in Ottawa, Industrial.
My New Book!
You might be wondering, What about Tricksy Knitter? That leads me to the second part of this post, the new book:
Knitting Sweaters, my second knitting instalment for the Idiot's Guides series. The book is available at major retailers like Amazon, Indigo/Chapters/Coles, Target, and Walmart. And you can your local bookstore to order it in too.
My first was the learn-to-knit book, Idiot's Guide: Knitting.
I've been hinting at this over the past ten months or so, and I showed you some work behind the scenes.
Knitting Sweaters was a labour of love for me: from planning the table of contents, recruiting knitters, deciding the colour palette, writing the patterns, drawing the illustrations, to taking the pictures.
In Part 1, you can read about:
- Sweater skills
- Your sweater toolkit
- Choosing your yarn
- Reading sweater patterns
- Sweater construction
- Flattering your figure
- Tailoring your knits
- The importance of swatching
- The right cast on and bind offs
- Edgings
- Working in the round
- Shaping
- Joining
- Picking up and knitting
- Buttons and buttonholes
- Tips for a strong finish
And that's just Part 1!
In Part 2, you'll get into the 20 patterns. There are 5 chapters:
- Sweaters for Little Ones
- Easy First Sweaters
- Classic Comfort
- Funky Knits
- Stylish Sweaters
- For the Guys
The best place to see all 20 patterns in on place is on Ravelry.
I'll write more about the book later this week. In the meantime, here are a few images from the book:
"