Knitting - Make Your Own Style

Welcome to KnittingBrain.com. We're here to keep you up to date with the latest in the world of knitting. Everything from gorgeous new knitting yarns to the latest knitting books. Our aim is to review knitting products and knitting books, share tips and ideas for making your knitting progress more smoothly, help you with your yarn substitutions and to generally share our love of knitting.

Try our knitter's personality test and find out what your strengths and weaknesses are, plus get tips for branching out based on your personality profile.

There is a cautionary tale about things that will eat woolens and other animal fibres, complete with pictures of what to look out for, see our knitwear care section for more details.

Spring-Summer Knitting Fashions

This season the big fashion winners are waistcoats, tank tops and lace stitch knits. Shrugs, boleros and cropped cardigans are also still very much in fashion. Check out the Sirdar Just Bamboo patterns for a good selection of fashionable knitting patterns in a lovely summer yarn.

Layers: Tank tops are back. Layer a lightweight knitted tank top (sleeveless sweater) over a crisp white shirt. Argyle patterns and open texture stitch patterns, such as lozenge stitch are proving popular.

Necklines: Necklines are still plunging low, so stock up on strappy vests to layer underneath.

Lace Stitch Knits: There is plenty of knitwear in the shops featuring open texture knitting stitches such as lace or eyelet patterns. Look out for patterns with a lace pattern stitch at the yoke of the garment, or shrugs and boleros with lace panels.

Lightweight Yarns: Choose light to fine weight yarns. Cotton, bamboo or silk are great for tops that will be worn next to the skin. For tank tops, cardigans etc you can use any lightweight yarn. If you've gone mad buying sock yarn look for shrug or vest patterns that use that weight of yarn.

Latest Knitting Goodies

Knitting Patterns using Lightweight Yarns

Knit So Fine: Designs with Skinny Yarn by Lisa R. Myers, Carol Sulcoski and Laura Grutzeck.

This is a great collection of knitting patterns using light weight yarns. Knitting with lightweight yarns doesn't have to be slow or boring. There are some quick knits as well as longer projects. These designs really make the effort worthwhile.

The patterns are in 4 categories: Simplicity, Speed, Style and Shine (more advanced projects).

Lightweight knits look more professional than chunky knits. The book covers yarn weights Superfine - Light (DK). This could be the perfect way to use up a stash of sock yarn!

Stylish Knitting Patterns

Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel. Say goodbye to boxy, shapeless jumpers with sleeves of the wrong length. These fabulously stylish designs are a doddle to adapt to your body shape.

This book has already sold well in the USA and is now starting to really get noticed in the UK knitting market.

I've already finished the gorgeous little shrug. The designs are knitted from the top down (upside down knitting) and many of them are knit in the round, this has the great advantage that you can try the garment on as you go and adjust it to give a perfect fit. If you've never tried top down knitting this would be a great place to start. Take a look at our book reviews for further details and a link to the knit along.

Sirdar Loopa

The Loopa enables you to make stylish boa scarves in an evening. It's a great knitting yarn stash buster. Combing a bulky yarn with a light novelty yarn gives a great effect. It's also really useful for variegated yarn that looks great in the ball but disappoints when knitted up.

Chenille yarns give a really luxurious scarf that can be worn with evening wear. All you need is imagination.

It's a good idea to pick 2 yarns that are roughly the same length.

The Loopa is also a great for kids because the progress is so fast they won't have time to get bored!

There are 2 sizes available, the standard and the mini Loopa.