Knitting Archives - Patty Lyons | Knitting Teacher

Knitting

Hudson Valley Cardigan Knit-Along (KAL)

Welcome to the Hudson Valley Knit-Along!

It’s time for the summer knit-along!!! I am so excited to start another KAL on my Ravelry group. There will be tons of teaching and fun, prizes and a great garment! This cardi is sure to become one of your favorite wardrobe staples. Perfect for cool summer evenings and keeping off the chill in the air-conditioning.

As with all my KALs / sweater classes, the pattern will come with hours of video tutorials, knitting how-tos and gauge modifications.

After Aug. 26 the KAL – sweater class versions (with all the how tos, video tutorials, and modification notes) will be $16. So get it during the KAL, knit it now or later and SAVE!

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE HUDSON VALLEY CARDI KAL

The pattern AND full video sweater class is only $10 during the KAL!

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

What is a KAL?
KAL stands for knit-along! It’s a great way to work through a garment with the support of the designer (me), but more importantly, hundreds of other knitters.

If you are new to KALs, find helpful FAQ on the general info page.

The heart of the KAL is our Ravelry group. There we will have updates, discussions, sharing of pictures, and knitting tips.

The pattern will come out in parts to help us all stay together and have fun!


How can I join?
Simply by purchasing the Hudson Valley KAL pattern…from my Ravelry page. On sale on June 10.

BUY PATTERN

You can join in ANYTIME! The KAL info will stay live on my group forever, and the video tutorial links will never expire! But the KAL class price goes up to $16 after Aug 26, so join now even if you aren’t going to work the sweater class until later.

Where do we get our yarn AND support our hard working designer?

Rowan Cotton Cashmere is the perfect yarn for this garment, made of a blend of the super Cotton and 15% Cashmere for the elasticity and memory you’ll need to make your cables and lace perfect!

ORDER YOUR YARN

Use the above link for ordering! Get a 20% – 25% discount for purchases over $60. Be sure to add a couple of balls to your order so you have enough for swatching, or pattern modifications.

I will be teaching options to change the body length and sleeve length.

What skills will I learn?
The cardi is chocked FULL of techniques. There will be video tutorials on all specialty skills along with sweater basics. New skills learned:

  • Casting on in pattern
  • Chart reading
  • Lace tricks
  • Cable basics
  • 3 Needle Bind Off
  • Cabling without a cable needle
  • Working the lace for combo knitters
  • i-chord edging
  • Pattern mapping
  • How to adjust pattern for gauge
  • Length, and sleeve variations
  • Seaming
  • Left lifted and right lifted increase
  • and MORE!

There will also be videos that cover all your sweater basics like gauge, blocking, cast on, seaming and more.

Where are the videos?
With every section of the pattern released to your Ravelry library, you will see red links in the PDF directly to the video tutorials to help you every step of the way. The links will be right there in the pattern!

Your initial downloaded Intro PDF will contain the pattern introduction with gauge, schematic, size information, yarn requirements and needle and notion information. It will also include a video on gauge swatching, special gauge cast on, how to pick the right size and a gauge tutorial.

KAL Schedule:

June 10 the KAL goes on sale. You will receive your pattern introduction and first video tutorials as soon as you purchase your pattern. Start swatching so you are ready to cast on July 8 when the first pattern part is released.

  • July 8 – Clue #1
  • July 22 – Clue #2
  • Aug 5 – Clue #3
  • Aug 26 – Post finished project photos, raffle drawing for grand prize

Jump in ANYTIME! We don’t all have to stay together; you can start late, start and stop . . . . Just make sure to register before Aug 26 to save big on the pattern! Then . . . start when you can. The videos will never go away!

Ravelry Group

  • Join the Ravelry group to work with other knitters.
  • We will have random prize drawings throughout the KAL for finished clue photos, and of course, the grand prize!

 

Pattern Info (Sizes & Supplies)

Sizes Woman’s XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL)

Finished Measurements

Chest: 34 1/2 (38, 42 1/4, 46 1/4, 50 1/4, 55, 59 1/4, 63 3/4)” / 88 (97, 107, 117, 128, 140, 150, 162) cm. circumference. Cardigan does not close in front. Chest measurements are the back measurement plus the two fronts.

Length: 23 ¼ (23 ¾, 24 ¾, 26, 27, 28, 28 ½, 29)” / 59 (60, 63, 66, 69, 71, 72, 74) cm

Meant to be worn with 4″ – 6″ of positive ease over full chest.

MATERIALS

Rowan Cotton Cashmere (85% Cotton, 15% Cashmere; 50 g/137 yds): Color #00217 Vintage Claret, 7 (8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 16) balls.

Size US 7 (4.5 mm) needle.
Size US 6 (4 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge.
Extra US 6 needle for Three Needle Bind Off

2 cable needles, tapestry needle, stitch marker, stitch holders or lengths of scrap yarn.

To learn more about how a video KAL works, WATCH THIS VIDEO

 

in KAL / Knitting 0 comments

5 Best Lessons Learned from the Roselle Tee KAL

Wow, it has been so amazing to see all of the progress on our eighth KAL (knit-along), the Roselle Tee! I am so excited to see all these finished Roselle Tees being posted across Ravelry and social media, and I am even more thrilled to see you all have learned so much!

For those who have already started (or just joining the fun) and need a little inspiration to get it finished, our Ravelry Group has some stellar finished projects. Scrolling through these gorgeous Roselle Tees will definitely jump start your knitting engines!

One of the best parts about being a teacher is finding out what kinds of takeaways YOU the knitters take away from the experience. I love that these are lessons that you’ll take forward in the rest of your knitting lives.

What are some of the best lessons or skills people learned in the Roselle Tee KAL? Five of our KALers shared they learned.

Read More›
in KAL / Knitting 0 comments

Roselle Tee KAL Prizes!!

We are rounding the final corner and we are just a week away from awarding the four final grand prize packages for the Roselle Tee KAL.

Roselle Tee + pattern comes with hours of video tutorials, all the sweater modifications and knitting how tos for only the price of the pattern – $10.00. Once the KAL is over the price will be $16.00

Just grab it before May 20, cast on and enter to win!

(Read all the way to the end to see a sneak peek at the summer KAL cardi!)

ROSELLE TEE KAL

Read More›
in KAL / Knitting 0 comments

7 Historical Photos of People Knitting

In the era of social media, photos are all pretty much digital. But for some of us, we may remember photos B.S.(Before Social Media). Don’t get me wrong, I love Facebook and Instagram (where you can find all my pretty photos) but there was something truly special about the process of capturing a photo on film and sending it into a shop to get printed. The anticipation while waiting to get your pictures back was so exciting.

Personally, I love candid photos; I enjoy seeing people truly being in their element. That’s why I’m so fond of People Knitting: A Century of Photographs, by Barbara Levine. Barbara combines my appreciation for great photography and knitting in this vintage collection of people knitting throughout history. She showcases lovely candids of people knitting and enjoying life, and also staged photos of people with their knitting, showing us just how prevalent knitting was back then. 

Read More›
in Knitting 3 comments

Patty KAL Magic 8 Club

We are getting closer to casting on for the Roselle Tee. It’s our 8th KAL and already we have nearly 700 knitters signed up! I am floored and honored that over 3700 knitters have participated in the last 7 KALs.

We rolled out badges for the knitters who were in two or more of my previous KALs (Corcoran KAL, Tortola KAL,Soho Slip Stitch KAL, Rising Spades KAL ,Costa Maya KAL, Harbor Springs and Labadee Cowl, and now . . .  (drum roll please) If you’ve done all of my KALs, then help yourself to your new Magic 8-Club badge!

Congratulations! Show off your achievement proudly!!

Read More›
in KAL / Knitting 0 comments

Top 5 Books for Knitting Lace Techniques

Springtime is upon us (thank goodness!) and that means it’s time to switch up our knitting techniques. We may start to knit more shawls, use thinner yarns, or even do some lace work! I know, I know, knitting lace can definitely be complex at times and may seem daunting to those who have never tried. But fear not, there are plenty of great resources, including a few of my own blog posts, to help you along the way.

Lace has been around for many many years, and like so many things in fashion, everything old is new again. There are some amazing books on traditional lace techniques.

Here are five of my favorite books that cover lace techniques, that I think you’ll appreciate:  

Read More›
in Knitting / Product Review 0 comments

Labadee Cowl KAL PRIZES: And the Winners Are . . .

Another video KAL comes to an end (but this time I’m not sooo sad because the Roselle Tee KAL just went on sale)!! I can’t believe more than 900 people joined in on the fun of knitting this cowl. Some knit it now, while others will cast on later!

Through it all, the help and support of every knitter on the Ravelry group was always there. Over 3,900 amazing knitters helped each other and cheered each other on through every step of the way.

Haven’t joined us yet? If you are feeling inspired to try it, Labadee Cowl pattern comes with hours of video tutorials, all the gauge option and knitting how-tos for only will be $10.00!! It’s never too late to jump into any video class, as the videos (embedded in the pattern) never expire, and the message boards stay live forever.

Now it’s time to discuss…

Read More›
in Class Update / KAL / Knitting 0 comments

Welcome to Roselle Tee Knit-Along (KAL)!

It’s time for the spring knit-along!!! I am so excited to start another KAL on my Ravelry group. There will be tons of teaching and fun, prizes and a great garment! This garment, the Roselle Tee, is totally reversible so it’s like getting TWO tops for the price of one (actually three, but more on that in a second).

As always, there will be HOURS of video tutorials, and modification documents to help you every step of the way.

After May 20 the KAL – sweater class versions (with all the how tos, video tutorials, and modification notes) will be $16. So get it now, knit it now or later and SAVE!

Read More›
in Class Update / KAL / Knitting 0 comments

Gauge Round Up

Tuesday Tip copyI have written about gauge many times. I think about gauge, I teach gauge, I believe in gauge.

Right now nearly 900 knitters are knitting up the Labadee Cowl and have found out how a tiny difference in a gauge swatch can domino into a cowl that’s way too big. Good news is I updated the pattern for THREE different gauges so if you don’t match the pattern gauge you can cast on few stitches and even eliminate a repeat here and there and get your dream cowl!

Next week hundreds of knitters will start swatching for the Roselle Tee Video KAL, so I thought this was a great time for a round up of . . .

Read More›
in KAL / Knitting / Tutorial (Tuesday Tip) 1 comments

Designing for Dolores

I will never forget the day I got the call, the call from herself. There are some fashion icons so famous, so immortal, they only need one name, and their association with their designers have made the designer’s name immortal too. Audrey and Givenchy, Jackie and Oleg Cassini, Cher and Bob Mackie. Would it be possible? Could it be possible? Dolores and Patty.

Just then I got a text. She’ll be in New York next week. She’ll be coming by my studio to get started. At this point I had to put my head between my knees and breathe into a paperbag. It was my turn to design for Dolores.

Get Your Kit

Read More›
in Knitting 13 comments