I have this dirty habit where I agree to things before discussing it with my partner in crime, Megan-Anne. She’s just as guilty, so I never feel bad about it. (Ahhh, the joys of sisterhood!) But when I told her Blue Sky Alpacas asked us to participate in a blog tour for Up, Down, All-Around, Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard and that I’d already agreed to do it, she wasn’t exactly happy with me: “Stitch dictionaries are great, but what are we going to say about it? They’re all the same.”
“They said it’s revolutionary.”
Megan-Anne rolled her eyes and said, “Yeah. Okay. I’ll believe it when I see it.” She sipped her coffee and sat there, all hoity-toity. It was as if she was already dancing around the living room singing “I told you so” at me.
Let me tell you, it was a particularly delightful feeling to watch her gush over the book when it arrived in the mail. While the fact that it’s spiral bound was enough to make her clutch it to her chest, she hadn’t realized that in addition to providing directions on how to work the stitches top-down and bottom-up, it also shows how to do them in the round!
More importantly, I got to do the greatest “I told you so” dance since that time she bleached her hair in the 11th grade and it turned pink.
I had planned on knitting a few swatches from the Edging section, but Megan-Anne whisked away the Alpaca Silk yarn and the stitch dictionary before I had the chance. By the time I finished hiding the giveaway swag from the cats reach, she was already balling the yarn and choosing her needles.
Wendy Bernard’s Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary is comprised of 11 sections, which include Knits and Purls, Ribs, Textures Slipped and Fancy, Yarnovers and Eyelets, Cables, Lace, Colorwork, and Hems and Edgings. There’s something in there for every knitter, including a simple pattern at the end of each chapter that showcases one of the featured stitches.
Wendy also makes it easy for knitters to try their hand at designing in her “From Scratch” section where she shows you how to plug your favorite stitch patterns into project formulas. With a little basic math, you can create anything from a lace stole to a slouch cap to a pair of mittens.
For me, Hems and Edgings are one of those places where it’s hard it get creative as a designer. I can dream up cables and colorwork until my brain pops from too many ideas, but when it comes to hems I’m like “Uh, put an applied i-cord on it?” Needless to say, I had a particular interest in the sixteen different stitch patterns in that section.
I have to say that I am OBSESSED with the look of the Waves Edging. (In the picture above, it’s the bottom swatch.) I want to put it on everything now. I mean, the Kick Pleat and the Feather Edging are great too. It’s why I insisted Megan-Anne make those for Knitted Wall Art project. But, there is something about those waves that I adore.
::::::KNITTED WALL ART TUTORIAL::::::
Need something to do with all of those swatches you’re going to make? After you’re finished knitting, washing, blocking, and measuring the swatch for whichever garment you’re making, all you’ll need is an old frame, a piece of card stock in a complementary color, and packing tape.
First, cut your card stock to fit the frame. Next, lay out your hem or edging swatches how you would like them to appear in the frame. Just be certain the right side is face down or else the wrong side will show! Then, lay the card stock over the laid out swatches and tape each end to the back. It’ll look like a hot mess, but that’s okay.
Now all you have to do is drop it into the frame and you’re ready to hang it! I put the glass pane between the frame back and the card stock, so it wouldn’t flatten the texture of the swatches.
::::::GIVEAWAY::::::
Of course, no blog tour is complete without a giveaway!
THE PRIZE
- A signed copy of Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard
- 3 rub-on-your-face wonderful skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas yarns (Melange, Worsted Hand Dyes, and Alpaca Silk)
- an adorable Pretty Cheep Project Bag
THE RULES
- The giveaway is open to all of our readers currently residing on planet Earth. We’re not shipping to Mars, so don’t ask. Sorry, interplanetary readers!
- Giveaway is open until Friday, June 20, 2014 at 11:30 PM EST.
- All comments must include a valid email address or Ravelry ID, so that we can contact you if you are the winner.
- Winner will be chosen via random number generator and will be contacted within 48 hours after giveaway ends.
HOW TO ENTER
- Leave a comment letting us know what you love about stitch dictionaries or what you do with your swatches. Don’t forget to include your email or Ravelry ID with your comments or else you’ll be disqualified!
- Bonus Entries: Tweet, share on Facebook, or Pin this post. Then, come back and leave additional comments for each place you’ve shared.
Tweet: Can’t wait to get my hands on @KnitTonicWendy’s Up Down All-Around Stitch Dictionary! Enter to win at @DoctorLlama: http://wp.me/p30KHy-zG
A huge thank you to Blue Sky Alpacas and STC Craft for inviting us to be a part of the Up, Down, All-Around Dictionary Blog Tour! You can find the rest of the tour stops below for more giveaways, tutorials, and patterns using this super-boss stitch dictionary:
May 20: Knit and Tonic
May 22: FreshStitches
May 24: Hey Jen Renee
May 26: Very Shannon
May 28: Miso Crafty Knits
May 30: The Sweatshop of Love
June 3: Stockinette Zombies
June 4: Mari Knits
June 6: Lattes and Llamas, wooooooo!
June 21: Wendy Bernard on the Ready, Set, Knit! podcast
~ Jac
Every time I’m right and my sister is wrong, an angel gets its wings.
I love stitch dictionaries for reference but also inspiration. I’m working on a crazy quilt made with swatches……..it will be crazy!
biscottibeth@ravelry
I have never used a stitch dictionary so I am in desperate need. :)
Becky
I Pinned here. http://www.pinterest.com/source/lattesandllamas.com/
I love stitch dictionaries, they give me more ideas than a simple pattern would. I love designing my own cowls, mitts and scarfs and a stitch dictionary really helps.
I love my little stitch dictionary to feed my imagination.
“Up, Down, and All Around” sounds like a real gem!
I love looking through stitch dictionaries for inspirations.
courtneydanielle on Ravelry
I love looking through stitch dictionaries for inspiration.
courtneydanielle on Ravelry
Just would really love to have the Up down, All around book to be able to use up all my leftovers! Just sounds cool and would be cool!
Loved your Blog! Found the link on Blue Sky’s site.
Stitch Dictionary’s in general, make me feel like your sister does about them but I am so very intrigued by this one….ever since I put an adorable pivot edge on an eyelet sundress for my best friends first baby I’ve been obsessed with finishing edges
We won’t even get into cables and lace! It would be nice to pick up a book instead of hunting on YouTube for stitch explanations!
Thanks for the good giggle and the great idea for framing swatches!
I haven’t found anything to do with my swatches until now! I love the idea of framing them. Thanks! gussek on Ravelry
I love looking at all the possibilities stitch dictionaries provide. My creativity is sparked more and more with each turn of the page. It makes me want to start a bunch of random swatches to stitch together creating a sampler throw.
I usually unravel my swatches and use that yarn.
I usually end up using my swatches as drink coasters. Especially if they are in stockinette. Thanks for the giveaway. melindamccaffrey(at)gmail(dot)com or mjmknitting on ravelry
I pinned your giveaway on pinterest. mjmknitting on ravelry
I also tweeted about your giveaway on twitter. mjmknitting on ravelry
Love stitch dictionaries (and have 8 of them), but Up, Down & All Around is unique! Too many times I’ve struggled to convert a stitch pattern to work toe up rather than cuff down, and this book will eliminate that. Thanks so much!!
khutli on ravelry
I’ve never found a useful stitch dictionary before so I would love to get this! I love the idea of making a blanket with all the test swatches! Broadwaywftx
I use stitch dictionaries to learn new stitches used in a pattern. I have several “stitch” dictionaries and find that not one has all the relevant information I need. I have to wade through several books to find the information I want. It would be lovely to have a stitch dictionary that has it all! I may or may not save my swatches depending on whether I need the yarn to finish the project.
I LOVE stitch dictionaries. I cannot seem to leave a pattern as written, and I refer to my dictionaries to find the perfect edging or seams to finish my project. jdthomas1974(at)msn(dot)com, jaydawnrn on ravelry
I like the idea of stitch dictionaries; I just can’t seem to find one with very good instructions. I can handle adapting most things on my own, but some of the stitch patterns are confusing and I need to understand them well first to adapt them. I’m the same way with edgings! I’m obsessed with built in hems, and I even figured out how to Kitchener stitch a hem so that it lies flat and has the full stretch of knitted fabric. But I’m not sure if this will be appropriate things larger than maybe DK weight as it may be too bulky. So I may have to figure something else out.
I think I have some grand idea of eventually making a small pillow or something out of my swatches once I get enough of them. Probably would be for my cat. Or my mom. (I just haven’t been able to bring myself to combine lesser quality yarn swatches with nicer quality yarn swatches, you know?) Thanks for a fun giveaway!
I shared the giveaway on Facebook.
I also tweeted about the giveaway.
I finally got it to pin on Pinterest. Did I need to share the actual tweet and pin?
I love to look through stitch dictionaries to get ideas for patterns. I use them for dishcloths, blanket squares and edgings. I would absolutely love to win a copy of the new book! Rav ID Grammacher
I love stitch dictionaries. Great reference points and the bright colourful photos are nice eye candy for inspiration.
Love them to create unique scarves with alternating stitch patterns.
taorourke on ravelry.
I have a really old stitch dictionary that I love and find really inspiring. Sometimes I will make a dishcloth using a different stitch. I confess I often unravel my gauge swatches!
For got to leave my Rav ID! hotcheese on Rav and I pinned the contest, too.
I rarely actually use stitch dictionaries, but this one is definitely a different breed! I do like poring through them for inspiration.
I like stitch dictionaries because I’m not skilled enough in knitting to create my own designs. I love just flipping through and looking at the pictures.
magicbanana3@yahoo.com
I do not have a stitch dictionary but I should get one by the sounds of it. As for my swatches I have them organized in a tote but I love this wall art idea and am thinking I will take to a new level all together. Lol. How fun!
My ravelry is jumie and email jjisis5 at hotmail.com
Shared on Facebook!
Shared on twitter!
Shared on tumblr!
Pinned and liked on Pinterest.
Stitch dictionaries make great bedtime reading. Then I can go to sleep and knit in my dreams, and when I awake, I have a design idea in mind!
I would create a rainbow of swatches on display.
I love using stitch dictionaries when I want to slightly tweak a pattern I’m working on. Ravelry ID: wraybot
What a great looking book!!! Best way I know to expand on knitting skills!! Ravelry ID :dsquires
I don’t have a stitch dictionary, so I need one! Ravelry: Kaydidid
Most projects I do don’t require swatches but the others end up to be blankets and beds for my daughter’s toys :) (asimplehomestd on Rav)
tweet: https://twitter.com/asimplehomestd/status/480050442185895936 (asimplehomestd on Rav)
Stitch dictionaries are great! I use them to substitute lace patterns in shawl designs. My Rav ID is yasmatazz
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