ERRATA As of July 10, 2024   Shawl Collection Page 2:  Change this line to read “mid-gauge or bulky” as follows:  Machine:  You may follow these directions for a mid-gauge or a bulky machine. Page 16:  In the third paragraph from the bottom, after “Thread garment yarn and knit 1 row to the right,”  add this sentence:  Set row counter to 000. Page 16:  In the second paragraph from the bottom, delete the words after Repeat * to * up to the last sentence, which you leave.  Replace them with “until row counter reads 040. You will have only a few ..read more

Now that I've been making some digital patterns, I wanted to put up one more "Afghan in a Day or Even Less" project.  This one, the Long Triangles Blanket, required either a ridiculously long video or five technique videos. Once you get the hang of this, it's actually a quite easy project.  To do it the first time, though, I felt that you needed to be able to see the techniques.  I try very hard to make my pattern instructions accessible to everyone, not just experienced knitters. So, like a lunatic, I put up five technique videos.  I may not do this again!  I put QR c ..read more

 I did this video in response to a question.  I realized that to answer the question, I needed to demonstrate and explain the following things in more detail: Why we wrap as we short row and how to do it How to understand those line diagrams in magazines with the darts on the sides How to do a very typical toe on a sock Here's the video: Happy Knitting! Diana Sullivan Email me by visiting my blog at diananatters.blogspot.com and clicking on the envelope icon down on the left side of the page ..read more

 This month's new videos were two key techniques from my new pattern set, Bargello Lace Collection.   The first video, the Double Strand E-Wrap, is an easy, practical cast-on for lace projects.  This gives you a thicker, sturdier edge than a plain e-wrap, and it's ideal for these Bargello Lace scarves. The second video is a Double Strand Tapestry Needle Bind-Off, so you can do a top edge that exactly matches the cast-on taught above.  Same idea - it's thicker than a typical e-wrap and it's stretchy.  It's just a variation of the backstitch bind-off. Happy Kn ..read more

Sponge bars on my mind lately, and I thought a little information about them might be useful to others. So, why are sponge bars on my mind lately?  I have pulled two different knitting machines out that I hadn't used in a year or two, and they both needed sponge bars.  I can push on a needle tip anywhere and it pops up about 1/8".  I know better than to try to knit with the machine like this!  This can result in jams, bent needles, and terrible aggravation.    First of all, just about every flatbed machine has either a sponge bar, a felt bar, or a spring to hold t ..read more

 I didn't know how many of you would be interested in this, but I've been fascinated with it, so I'm sharing.  I had purchased a TINY Sister toy knitting machine, so small I can put it in my suitcase for an ordinary trip, and it is quite old.  I did a video on it, and someone suggested we replace the sponge.  Well, of course, I should have thought of that!  All old machines need a new sponge or felt. The sponge holds the needles in proper position for knitting.  It's just foam rubber, and it deteriorates over time.  Modern machines have a sponge bar, which yo ..read more

Round Tams My mother-in-law likes these little berets for her morning walks, just for a little bit of extra warmth.  She is having a birthday later in June, and since she asked for more, I knitted some. A few comments about this pattern: 1.  They're standard gauge, and made from 50 grams of self-striping sock yarn.  You could use whatever works well on your standard gauge, but I enjoy the interesting designs that self-striping yarns make on the crown.  Besides, I often have 50 grams of sock yarn - sometimes I'll even buy single balls on the sale table in the yarn shop.  ..read more

 I have been remiss about posting my new YouTubes here - sorry!  I'll try to do better. So, this video is specifically to help the Chicago club as I teach seams at their meeting next weekend.  It is the "Faster, Flatter Mattress" stitch (probably my most popular YouTube ever in its original form), but I had to change it up.  The original video showed how to sew it from the knit side, and this one shows that and also how to sew it from the purl side. Maybe you have never done this stitch - try it!  It will improve your ability to get projects sewed together, and it look ..read more

 Hello, dear fellow knitters, and Merry, Merry Christmas!   Over the years, since I've been teaching machine knitting online, I've got to know quite a few of you.  You are very important to me.  I do hope you are having an absolutely beautiful holiday and that your heart is filled with the hope, love and peace Jesus provides. If for some reason you're experiencing difficulty, discouragement, or illness, please email me so I could pray for you?   (Email me by clicking on the envelope icon down the left side of this blog).   We knitters need to stick ..read more

I think you'll get a kick out of this if you have children in your life who just love teddy bears, especially Build a Bears. Kids love to dress them.  Last year, I helped with a charity project to help dress a LOT of them, and after getting the patterns just right, I created a new book and DVD set.   These patterns include a dress, Mary Jane "show" which is really a slipper, Tam hat with and without ear holes, top-down raglan sweater with cables or Fair Isle, poncho and also a sewing pattern for trousers, complete with the tail hole. This is a terrific teaching set.  If you ..read more