I just wasn’t crazy about how big it was or the clothes hanger part of it. When I was home recently visiting my parents, I ran an idea by my father and he helped me drill holes into a nice piece of wood and make a holder that I could mount above my craft table. It was relatively easy to do and we made room for three needles of each size, 0–15. Any needles I have larger than that, I rarely use anyway and have no problem leaving in a drawer. All of the needles stay neatly in place, though if I ever made another, I would angle the holes slightly upward to further insure that they stay put and don’t fall out. I have yet to label the holes, though it’s pretty easy to figure out which size is which. We added a hook underneath to hang a needle gauge, just in case.

Barbara Walker organized her circulars in plastic cases and I like that idea as well. I took these photos when I visited her:

I just haven’t found any cases that I’d be able to modify and use for this purpose yet.

Does anyone out there store their circular needles in a creative way? It would be great to hear from you!

http://www.wfuv.org/news/cityscape/110224/staying-warm-and-cozy-nyc

Kristy

Here in Brooklyn, I used to go to a lot of vintage stores — loved finding dresses there — but the recent bed bug epidemic has put an indefinite kibosh on those outings — simply isn’t worth the risk. I love the idea of repurposing because it makes you look at every sweater in a consignment shop in a new way, i.e. “What can I make out of this?” — which I find fun. I convinced myself that there were no bed bugs in NH and started looking through the sweaters. I ended up getting lucky and finding a 100% cashmere sweater in a maroon red — for the ridiculously low price of $3.  So I thought, even if unwinding it was a bust, I’d have nothing really to lose. We drove by a pharmacy on the way home — my sister lives in quite a remote area — but her pharmacy remarkably carries knitting needles and supplies and I picked up a set of size 2 double points and a crochet hook. We got home, I built an epic fire and ended up unwinding half the front of the sweater and half of the sleeve, until I thought I might have enough yarn to start. The unwinding itself was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  The side seams were a bit tricky to undo at first, but once I did, everything else came undone quickly and easily.  I thought of Barbara Walker’s top-down hat template, which I had memorized and could rely on, and just started to play around.  A great thing about the top-down template (like all of Walker’s templates) is that you can try items on as you go.  I ended up with an earflap hat, with long, rounded flaps, which because of the fine gauge, I could easily tie together under my chin.  I finished the edges with a few rounds of single crochet and when I got home, I lined the inside of the flaps with cranberry stretch lace and had my dear neighbor model it for me so I could share it with all of you.  I will write up a pattern for it, but for those of you interested in experimenting, the technique is outlined in Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top, page 109.

So my question of the day of course is what items have you made with repurposed yarn? I would love to hear your stories!

Kristy

Part of the beauty of Walker’s project is her language and presentation and ultimately I believe it would a shame to deprive knitters of that experience.  I encourage those interested in the method to get a copy of Knitting from the Top and if they have any problems with the instructions, I can offer myself and this blog as a resource and a place to work through their issues and answer questions.

In closely examining where knitters may get stuck, and where I got stuck, I’m glad to have included photos in my book of the steps involved in creating a top-down cap sleeve – those instructions were tricky for me initially – and, in the tutorial section here on my website, I offer a video clip of an alternate way to work a provisional cast on, simply having found the crocheted method easier. But that’s the extent of the tips or visuals I think are needed to get started.

As I set up more top-down classes and workshops now around the country, I hope to meet more of you in person and to celebrate this incredible book and method together.

In the meantime, I’ve been knitting away and new patterns are coming soon!

w. my best, Kristy

Walker’s methods and guidance encouraged me to experiment with ideas and to have fun and, wanting to share that experience with others, I was pleased to provide a bit of the backstory in my book’s introduction.

Like many knitters figuring out Walker’s techniques for the first time, I found the process thrilling and often wanted to shout what I was learning from the rooftop. Her steps and ideas make everything easier, they insure a good fit and for me, they provided the confidence to try different silhouettes and use interesting and efficient shaping tricks like elastic cord. I remain very grateful to Barbara for all of this.

Since my book came out, knitters have written and asked me to explain certain parts of Knitting from the Top that they have found difficult and I’ve welcomed their questions. Part of what I want this blog to be is a place to examine and highlight Walker’s techniques, but it is also very important to me that this be done honorably. The important issue of copyright has been at the forefront of my concerns and great care has been and will be taken to never reproduce Barbara Walker’s shaping calculations, diagrams or ideas in any way that would suggest that I came up with them on my own. Any ambiguity of authorship does not honor the original masterwork and would not allow me to sleep well at night.

Fortuitously, I have been asked by Joelle Hoverson, graceful knitting book author and the owner of Purl Soho in Manhattan, to teach a top-down workshop at her store on December 5th. I view the class as an opportunity to share with knitters the steps I learned from Walker’s book and I am in the process now of carefully knitting samples and preparing a lesson that will hopefully provide a solid, inspiring start for those interested in learning the method. My plan is to focus on various templates from the book, starting with the set-in sleeve template which I use most often in my own designs.

In about a week or so, I’ll post photos here and open the blog up to answering your questions. Those interested in following along with these upcoming tutorials should absolutely get a copy (if they don’t have one) of Knitting from the Top to follow along. I’ll show photos of my own work, but I will also reference specific pages from the book and having it on hand to study Barbara’s diagrams and enjoy her written text, will be most helpful and effective.

Knitting from the Top is published by Schoolhouse Press and can be ordered on their website:

http://www.schoolhousepress.com

It is also available on Amazon.

Very much looking forward,

Kristy

As I sit here today thinking about the patterns ahead and things I’m eager to create and share, my thoughts go to Barbara Walker and her process of testing out new ideas and silhouettes. In developing the top-down techniques she’s famous for, Barbara would often create mini versions of various items and quickly amassed an incredible collection of clothed dolls. My visit with her a few years ago was far too brief for me to have examined and appreciated each doll fully, but I was grateful to have taken a few photos and to be able to share some of them with you now. In a back bedroom, there was a large closet filled with dolls – including Elvises, a few Spocks and many Barbies:

Barbara was a fan of sparkly yarn and many of the pieces were knitted with hatpins at tiny gauges. I found the neckline and waist shaping of this dress especially impressive:

Along with the dolls and a cedar chest full of knitted blankets, Barbara also shared several photo albums with me, each containing pages of fully knitted outfits and blankets she had made to test original construction ideas and stitch patterns:

Realizing (and seeing firsthand) the work involved in developing the top-down shaping calculations and amazing techniques Barbara set forth in Knitting from the Top (and that form the basis of my designs) was immensely powerful to me. The wonder of watching an item take shape and the drive to remain curious throughout the process guides me today.

In the weeks ahead, I look forward to presenting new patterns, highlighting interesting top-down techniques from Barbara’s book and exploring all sorts of design ideas and inspirations along the way.

Welcome to the site!

Wyeth Robe

This simple robe (constructed from the top down) highlights the soft, cushy properties of Araucania’s Nature Cotton and reminds me in texture and feeling of a welcoming, cotton bedspread (much like the one depicted in my favorite Andrew Wyeth painting (Master Bedroom). I used elastic cord to gather the sleeves and pockets and an invisible zipper to open the front to the waist. I then finished the inside zipper edges with a colorful piece of trim.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

30 1/4 (34 3/4 (39 1/2, 44, 48 1/2, 53 1/4)”, including Front Bands

YARN

Araucania Nature Cotton (100% cotton; 105 yards / 100 grams): 13 (14, 16, 17, 19, 21) hanks Color #1 Natural.

NEEDLES

One 32″ circ needle size US 8 (5 mm)
One 16″ circ needle size US 8 (5 mm)
Change needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

NOTIONS

Waste yarn; stitch markers; size US E (3.5 mm) crochet hook; one 12″ invisible zipper; sewing needle and matching thread; 3 yards round elastic cord; 1 yard 1/2″ wide trim of your choice and matching thread (optional)

GAUGE

14 sts and 20 rows = 4″ in Stockinette st (St st)

Bucky Dress

For this dress, I channeled a dear friend’s love of the color green and set out to create an open, yet structured dress that one could wear throughout the fall. The airiness of the netted stitch pattern enables endless layering possibilities and color combinations. For the photos shown here, I chose an olive-colored tank and slip set. I crocheted the center placket separately and then sewed it onto the knitted portion of the dress, which I worked from the top down.

SIZES

X-Small (Small, Medium, Large, 1X-Large, 2X-Large)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

bust: 31 ½ (35 ½, 39 ½, 43 ½, 47 ½, 51 ½)”

YARN

Tahki Cotton Classic (100% mercerized cotton;
108 yards / 50 grams): 14 (16, 17, 19, 21, 23) hanks
#3703 Dark Leaf Green

NEEDLES

One 32″ circ needle US 8 (5 mm)
One 16″ circ needle US 8 (5 mm)
Change needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

NOTIONS

Waste yarn; stitch markers; size US E (3.5 mm)
crochet hook; sewing needle and matching thread;
four ½” (13 mm) buttons; 1 yard round elastic cord

GAUGE

16 sts and 24 rnds = 4″ (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch (St st)

Hillcrest Cloche

This easy pattern (especially for first-time top-down hat knitters) embraces the intensely rich palette of Malabrigo’s Chunky merino yarn and knits up like a breeze. To emphasize its bell-shaped, cloche feeling and to play with color, one can easily attach a buckle and a piece of favorite ribbon to the base of the hat, as I’ve shown in image 3.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

22″ head circumference

YARN

Malabrigo Chunky Merino (100% superfine merino wool; 104 yards / 100 grams):
2 hanks #35 Frank Ochre

NEEDLES

One set of five double-pointed needles (dpn) size US 10″ (6.5 mm)
One 16″ (40 cm) long circular (circ) needle size US 10 ½ (6.5 mm)
Change needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

NOTIONS

Stitch markers; crochet hook size US H (5.0 mm); 1 yard ½” wide trim;
matching thread and sewing needle (optional); matching 2″ buckle (optional)

GAUGE

16 sts and 20 rnds = 4″ (10 cm) in Stockinette st (St st)