Gansey Yarn: Have You Tried 5-Ply?

Plus, Pick a Palette: The North Road Hat and Tam O'Shanter ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Gansey Yarn: Have You Tried 5-Ply? Known for their strength and stitch definition, gansey yarns can be hard to find. A new Shetland 5-ply has launched, and we had to get on board! By: Kate Larson

Ganseys—also called guernseys or jerseys in some regions—were fitted, hardwearing knitted workwear common to fishermen up and down the coasts of Great Britain and the Netherlands. Knitters have long pored over old nineteenth-century portraits of fishermen in their ganseys to decipher stitch patterns. And despite the fact that most of these sweaters were dyed a deep, dark blue and photographed in sepia, the motifs worked in knits and purls are often easily seen—thanks to the classic gansey 5-ply. Continue Reading

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Pick a Palette: The North Road Hat and Tam O'Shanter Boost your colorwork confidence with 4 tips for knitting Shetland-inspired hats. By: Debbie Blair, Kate Larson

Shetland's distinctive color patterns—sometimes using bold contrast, sometimes subtle shading—continue to catch our knitters' attention. Not only is Shetland-style knitwear beautiful, but the color-stranding technique used creates an exceptionally warm and hardwearing fabric. Continue Reading

The Natural Beauty of Shetland Yarns The colors of Shetland's sheep are a great source of knitterly inspiration. Hear how Gudrun Johnston uses naturals in color-filled palettes. By: Kate Larson

The native sheep of the Shetland Isles are often described as a "primitive" breed, meaning that they retain many of the characteristics of their hardy ancestors. The first thing that often turns our knitter's heads, of course, is their beautiful fleece colors. Continue Reading

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SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE The Tam O'Shanter (Pebble Version) Take style to another level with Eileen Lee's brilliant tam. The circular cast-on produces a beautiful cast-on edge; the elasticity from this cast-on helps the tam fit better. View pattern.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Yarn Substitution: Fibers As every wise knitter knows, substituting yarns is about more than just getting gauge. You'll need to dig a little deeper to find a yarn that gives you the right blend of qualities, starting with the fiber. Continue reading.

Lace: It's Not Just for Heirlooms Anymore Think lace patterns must be made out of tiny yarn? Think again. Continue reading.

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