A recent discussion in the shop on solving the problem of a knitter’s too-tight bind off yielded 4 different suggestions from the randomly assembled knitters…
‘I just pick a size bigger needle and cast off with that‘.
‘It’s always the sewn cable bind off for me.‘
‘Knit 2 stitches, then put your left needle through them both and knit them together, knit one more and carry on like that.’
‘I think really loose thoughts and just focus on keeping the stitches loose.’
Different knitters, different answers, similar-ish stitches. I love that about knitting – that there’s rarely one right way, and also that the different ways have their own appeal to different personalities and knitting moods, yarns, projects and fabric requirements. It makes sure that our craft is in a permanent state of flux, constantly evolving as resourceful knitters puzzle out new solutions to stitch and construction problems, and then share them around, ensuring that the knitty body of knowledge carries on growing.
Now a yarn shop’s role in this process is all very well (in fact super if you happen to be the shop keeper who gets to hear all these brilliant suggestions) but we all know that good advice is not equally accessible to everyone – especially those not in easy reach of a friendly wool shop. And that’s why we’ve decided to take your knitting questions out on the road with a special Knitters’ Question Time event at the new Make Joy Knitting Show at Woolwich Works in east London on 9 November. So if you’ve been pondering a technical, spiritual, practical or theoretical knitting question, now is your time! Simply send it to us at kqt@wildandwoollyshop.co.uk or reply to this newsletter and if your question is picked, our panel of 4 expert knitters will each have a go at giving you an answer.
Who are they?
Well I’m so pleased you asked! We’re p r e t t y chuffed at who we’ve got on board..
Belen Fernandez is a Spanish knitwear designer and podcaster based in Oxford. Her YouTube tutorials have brought English knitting techniques to a myriad of Spanish-speaking knitters throughout the world. She has taught at various knitting festivals such as Vogue Knitting Live, Barcelona Knits, Love Yarn Madrid and Expo Teje in Chile. She has self-published numerous knitting patterns on Ravelry and also had a pattern featured in Laine magazine.
Wendy Peterson is the creator and developer of Yarnsub.com, and author of The Yarn Geeks Newsletter. She teaches a range of techniques at Wild and Woolly. Her legendary solution-seeking swatching has contributed to the development of an innovative variant of intarsia called shaped intarsia, infinitely nicer left-leaning decreases and plenty more knitting geekery besides.
Sylvia Watts Cherry is a UK knitwear designer who loves bold patterns and striking colours. Her work draws heavily on the colours and symbolism of indigenous African textiles.
Her designs have been featured in PomPom Quarterly and Knit Now magazines, and Warm Hands, a collaboration between Jeanette Sloan and Kate Davies.
Jonathan Day is the knitter behind Jonathan’s Days Podcast. The meteoric rise of knitting in his life has taken him from prolific sweater knitter, to test knitting for Brooklyn Tweed and a burgeoning collection of his own designs. As part of a collaboration with the Raw Wool Co, Jonathan has also masterminded a new inclusivity-focused Knit and Ramble knitting retreat.
For those coming to the show, check the Make Joy show plan for the exact location of KQT and join us at 2.30. If you’re not able to get there, we are hoping to be able to record the event to put up online later for downloading. I will keep you posted!
Bring your knitting and your curiosity and prepare to be surprised..
Knitters’ Question Time will take place at the Make Joy Yarn Show at Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, London on 9 November at 2.30.