In the various online knitting spaces I frequent I’ve come across a couple of interesting discussions on what “right side” means in a knitting pattern. It’s a tricky one because the phrase can be used in two separate ways – in terms of the outward facing part of your finished item or it could refer to the right hand side of a garment (which can be tricky in itself -see below). Right and wrong sides, and front and back In knitting patterns you will often see rows referred to as “right side” and “wrong side” rows. Usually this means the ..read more

Do you have a favourite cast-on? The one that’s not too tight, not too loose, with a bit of elasticity (but not too much) and gives an edge you like. Just right like Goldilocks and the bears’ porridge. Some people’s goldilocks cast on is the first one they ever learned. It works for them and they don’t have a good reason to change it. Other knitters will have tried several or have strong views on why they use the cable cast on rather than long tail or vice versa. Personally, my cable cast on is neater than my long-tail so ..read more

My cable knitting used to regularly be accompanied by what we might call "strong language" as I dropped or realised I'd lost my cable needle for the hundredth time.. I love cable patterns, but I was driven to distraction by how easy it was to lose a cable needle or for it to drop out of my stitches at just the wrong moment. Then I found my first kinked cable needle. The bend in the middle means you can let it angle from your stitches if necessary when working your cable and it doesn't escape. No more manipulating your other ..read more

My cable knitting used to regularly be accompanied by what we might call "strong language" as I dropped or realised I'd lost my cable needle for the hundredth time.. I love cable patterns, but I was driven to distraction by how easy it was to lose a cable needle or for it to drop out of my stitches at just the wrong moment. Then I found my first kinked cable needle. The bend in the middle means you can let it angle from your stitches if necessary when working your cable and it doesn't escape. No more manipulating your other ..read more

Today marks the first step in changing my business identity. As of today, my social media and Payhip pattern store are all changing to BronaghKnits. When I started designing, I didn’t expect it to become such a large part of my life so I relied on my existing Ravelry and social media tag of LaPurplePenguin – a name that was partly a personal joke. However, as I have increased my designing portfolio and working more and more for magazines, teaching in person and online all under my actual name this doesn’t really make sense. Over the past year I have ..read more

Today marks the first step in changing my business identity. As of today, my social media and Payhip pattern store are all changing to BronaghKnits. When I started designing, I didn’t expect it to become such a large part of my life so I relied on my existing Ravelry and social media tag of LaPurplePenguin – a name that was partly a personal joke. However, as I have increased my designing portfolio and working more and more for magazines, teaching in person and online all under my actual name this doesn’t really make sense. Over the past year I have ..read more

Today marks the first step in changing my business identity. As of today, my social media and Payhip pattern store are all changing to BronaghKnits. When I started designing, I didn’t expect it to become such a large part of my life so I relied on my existing Ravelry and social media tag of LaPurplePenguin – a name that was partly a personal joke. However, as I have increased my designing portfolio and working more and more for magazines, teaching in person and online all under my actual name this doesn’t really make sense. Over the past year I have ..read more

The new issue of Knitting magazine is out today and apart from some patterns by me it also contains a first person article where I talk about how knitting helps me manage bouts of anxiety caused by post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For my own well-being I have resolved to be more open about suffering from this condition but I know that it can provoke a range of reactions. So alongside the article I thought I’d say a few things about PTSD and me. (In the future I will put a version of the article on my blog but for ..read more

My idea of celebrating Christmas is holing up somewhere quiet with lots of cheese and yarn. And for many the festive period especially the “Betwixtmas” days are ones when they can grab some knitting time. So, my Christmas gift to you is a 12% discount on all my patterns until 6 January on both Ravelry and Payhip with the code 12DAYS. Just the thing is you get some lovely yarn from Santa this year – or if you are planning a stashbusting new year. There are one skein wonders in a range of yarn weights, and patterns for gloves, hats ..read more

One part of finishing that seems to ambush a lot of people is picking up stitches. There are two issues here. Firstly, picking up the right number of stitches evenly. Even if you place markers at the halfway and quarterway points it doesn't seem to work. Sometimes this is because your row tension is slightly different from the one the pattern. In this case, picking up the number of stitches listed in the pattern may not fit the space. The rule of 3/4 can help here - especially on stocking stitch based patterns. To get an even edging, pick up ..read more