Every once in awhile it happens. Right place, right time, right? This time it was the very special occasion of AMERICAN IDIOT being in town at the Oriental Theater, my fabulous friend D taking me for my b-day treat (OMG! Thank you!) and moi having to find something to wear in a flash!
Digging in my closet, I found a pullover from long ago with a silly message on it.
It’s a little something I made in 2004, with the letters duplicate stitched on it (but of course, in my favorite color). Actually, I was going through a duplicate stitch fever phase and remember excitedly trying it out on lots of stuff and finding all sorts of alphabets and decorations all over the place.
And, even though the Oriental is a rather fancy-schmancy destination, this musical, being the off-center, explosive celebration of punk rock that it is, was sure to forgive, nay, might even hug a little rebel-rebel…
So I threw it on over a dark T and ran off to see one of the most energetic paeans to Youthful Angst ever. Being a big Green Day fan, it was thrilling!
Here’s a snippet of the last show in New York, but what also happened last night in Chicago, (sans Billy Joe). During the encore, the entire cast took up guitars and good-byed the audience with a little musical love…
Help me celebrate this week’s cavalcade of special days and fun! There’s a copy of the new release of PRINCIPLES OF KNITTING waiting to wing its way to a special knitter here at le Chic.
Now if you love knitting, this book just might blow you away! The sections on shaping and short rows alone made my heart go pitty-pat!
Duplicate stitch is in Chapter 14: Surface Decorations(!) and if you’d like to enter a draw for this book, leave a comment below and tell us what thing you’d most like to learn. (We’ll random draw next TGIF and announce…)
gee, what’s not to learn. which cast on, increase, decrease and bind off method to use for which situation for a start. double stranded, continental knitting, entrelac, steeking…. the list is endless.
TI would like to add some alternative cast-on and bind-off techniques. I was lucky enough to catch American Idiot in Berkeley just before it went to Broadway; what a great show!
I would love to learn a lot of things but starting off with purling three together, alternate cast ons, entrelac, and understanding charts…too many more to list. I would love a copy of this book!
Thanks for the great opportunity to win the book! As with others the list is endless but the one big thing that has scared me off is knitting with 2 colors and fair isle. I too appreciate knowing different cast ons, bind offs and the difference of which to use for different patterns and why.
I’m currently enchanted with stranded knitting and would love more tips, tricks and pointers. I’ve heard raves of this book, but haven’t had the chance to review a copy.
Some aspects of finishing come to mind: the best way to sew on buttons that stay on and lie neatly, the most invisible way to weave in ends with those tightly spun superwash yarns that look so bulky when I try to hide them. For knitting itself: I recently tried to match a lace pattern top-down that had been knit bottom-up on the other side of the garment, I fudged my way through but would love to know a method for approaching “reversing” lace this way. And for planning projects: I feel fine working with colors, but choosing colors for multi-color garments is intimidating, I feel like I make choices that are too “safe” and would love to learn how to choose more bold but harmonious combinations. Thanks for the chance to win the book!
I got to see this book at Madrona Fiber Arts, so beautiful and certainly on my wish list. so much wonderful information.
Wishes or needs include do I decrease for the armhole one stitch in versus at the end? When the patterns indicates SSK is the slip always a slip as to knit unless otherwise stated?
My list of to learn is long but I also need help with duplicate stitch and brioche.
My knitting needs this, in every way possible! My short rows need help.
There are so many more methods and tips I would like to discover, including duplicate stitch!
I would love to know about the different increases and how they can affect the final look of a knitted piece. Stitches amaze me. They can be so intricate and complex making understanding their structure a pleasure and challenge all in one.
I am very excited to learn new cast-on methods. I hear there are about a billion in this book, so I’m imaging the possibilities!
I would like to learn to knit lace more evenly. At present, my ssks and my k2togs make different sized holes, so the patterns look wonky :(
I need to learn more ways to cast on…the three or four that I have memorized are good, but to know more would be better!
My grafting skills are also very lack..toes are easy…the rest? Not so much.
The ‘double knit’ thing, I don’t know the correct term. You knit everyother stitch I think. You end up with two knit surfaces, reversed colors and I think it looks cool but have never figured it out exactly. Of course I haven’t gone looking for instructions, because I keep thinking I can figure it out on my own. lol
I want to learn to “read” the yarn in any given pattern and/or what it does in relation to the bar. I want to follow it’s path regardless of the stitch, stitch pattern, YOs, SSKs, etc. I knit swatches, sometimes using lifelines so I can backtrack the yarn and how it utilizes the bar or stitch as in a K1B, etc. Otherwise, even in all my years of knitting, there is still a lot that I haven’t done that I want to learn!
Learning continental style knitting and how to do the mattress seam with no fear.
Steek. I would like to learn how to cut steeks. Does the book come with the COURAGE and the know how???
I need this book in all sorts of ways! But certainly colour knitting and steeks. They scare me!
I’d still love to learn how to steek.
Oh…..I was talking about this book today. Got to flip through it and decided it is definitely on my wish lost. It’s great.
awright, I’m going to go out on a limb and say intarsia!
I’ve never done entrelac – that’s on the list! Love your duplicate stitch!
more fair isle, more steeking. wish i could find more workshops in my area.
What I’d like to learn is to weave ends in on the back in the least noticeable way. I try and try, but they always seem to be so glaringly noticeable.
I’d also like to learn to steek.
I would like to have a comprehensive list of cast ons and bind offs, learn more about entrelac and steeking, and generally have a great knitting resource book to turn to when I just want to learn more!
I would LOVE to have a knitting reference that would all the techniques that I want to learn.
I would like to learn more about edges, shaping and short rows. I have never felt comfortable enough to add short rows to a pattern on my own. My personal library needs a good comprehensive knitting reference book.
Any and all finishing techniques. Best ways to weave in ends, seaming, all of it.
I’ve always shied away from duplicate stitch and intarsia for no good reason, so I’d love to have more exposure to those techniques!
I am new to knitting and would love to learn all there is in this book. There is so much out there that I still need to learn and can’t wait to soak it all up!
I had the oppertunity to by this book many years ago and passed up the chance just before it went out of print. I knew it came back and have not purchased it yet because of funds. I would love to learn how to do short rows and edgeings and top stitch in a correct way. Thanks for the chance to win.
Janice
Thanks! I would love to learn how to finish a sweater. I’m terrified of seaming…
I would LOVE the very best bind-offs! I’ve tried and tried and some of my hardest work has fizzled from a tight bind-off. I’m a lover of knitting books!
Strategic short row shaping……I know how, I want to learn WHEN!
I’d love to get the fundamentals of shaping down. Now I can follow a pattern, but making changes scares me.
My duplicate stitch doesn’t work…so I really need this book! Love the Rockstar look you’re working.
AnnBan on Ravelry
Fairisle and steeking!!!!!
I would love to see what improvements she made on this book. I think I would really like to learn more about designing and all the components that go with it. But then, you are so great, why try to reinvent the wheel.
Short-rows. Even though I thought I had them figured my recent debacle proves that I don’t.
I would love to learn new bind off methods.
Sweet! I’d love to learn double knitting…
Oh golly….my only experience with duplicate stitch left me feeling inadequate to the task, unless it’s considered OK for the letters of a name on a Christmas Stocking to be on different levels! So that might be the first section to peruse!
Any basics book is always a good addition to a library or as a gift for a fellow knitter!!! Nice pick for a giveaway :)
I really want to delve into enterlac. I would also like to have this wonderful book as a resource just like Joy of Cooking!
I need some lessons in different cast ons & bind offs.
I certainly want this book; I have been knitting for three years but still have sooo much to learn. If gas prices head over four bucks a gallon, heading to my LYS half an hour away will NOT be an option!
This year I want to learn a new technique, how about entrelac?
I’d like most to learn how to do top-down sleeves! I can set a mean sleeve, but I always dawdle when it comes time to doing it.