New to sweater making? Try knitting the Step by Step Cardigan by Florence Miller as a way to gently ease into some simple sweater knitting techniques. This cardigan is a classic raglan cardigan, perfect as one of your first knitting projects. It is knitted from the top down, and the sleeves are knitted in the round. The simple design is finished with clean double knitted edges. The cardigan has a full video walkthrough available.

Maybe you're looking for something a little more trendy this season, but crochet is not in your skill set... The Kylie Pullover by Irene Lin ticks that box perfectly! The Kylie Pullover is knitted by starting at the back from the top down to the base of the armholes. Then, both fronts are picked up and knitted separately, working from the top down to the edge of the front neck. After joining both pieces, the front is worked to the armhole, and then the front and back are joined and knitted in the round down to the hem. Pick up and knit for the sleeves.

For those who love colorwork and are feeling a little festive, what about the Festive Yoke Pullover by Skeindeer Knits? The Festive Yoke Pullover is worked top-down, in the round, and can have yoke-only or all-over colorwork. Choose from 20 charts (deer, hearts, trees, snowmen, presents, bells) to make your sweater as kitsch or as elegant as you want.

 Step by Step Cardigan by Florence Miller

Kylie Pullover by Irene Lin

Festive Yoke Pullover by Skeindeer Knits

Granny Go Round Jumper by Iron Lamb

Shawlettes and small scarves are having a moment in the sun this year, and once we knit a sample of the Small Fry Scarf by Samantha Guerin, we are here for this trend! 

Knit in Primo Fingering and Spiffy Lace held-double. The Small Fry Scarf is the answer when sometimes you just need a little something. Simple and sophisticated, this is a quick knit and the perfect way to add a bit of hand knit flair to your outfit. Small Fry is easy to style - wrap it around your neck twice for extra warmth or drape it loosely for a chic layered look. This crisp textured stitch is deceptively simple - comprised of just knit and slipped stitches! This pattern is beginner-friendly with both written and charted instructions for ease of reading.

The Satama Shawl by Veera Välimäki is a great option for the fall season with a bit of brioche and simple garter wedges that will keep things interesting while knitting and super squishy while wearing!

Satama Shawl mimics the theme of the Helsinki Harbour painting quite literally: the soft colors glow in the simple texture panels of garter stitch and brioche. You will have fun working single color parts alternating with two-color brioche, plus, there are a few short rows included in the mix for perfect shape.

With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to narrow it down! Check out these great patterns: The Second Winter, the Winter Weekend Beanie, the Homebody Hat, Tread, and the Nydia Hat! Whether you love texture or colorwork, hats are a must for the fall making season!

Do you feel inspired to cast on? What will you be making this fall? We love to hear about all of your plans, so head over to the KAL Chat thread on Ravelry and tell us all about them! And don't forget, we have a whole new palette of colors ready for all your fall making needs available 24/7 in our PK Essentials shop!

Throughout our knitting journey, one of the things that we've found most helpful in reducing the stress of deciding what to make next, is actually to start thinking about it during our current project. For instance, say you're working away on the sleeves of your sweater, this is when we like to start thinking about what we would like to knit next. Is it another sweater, or maybe it's time to switch things up and make a shawl or cowl? Sometimes scrolling through Ravelry for patterns we've favorited or queued helps in making that decision.

If you decide to make a sweater next, we like to take an evening and cake up the skeins we'll be using and make a swatch to see what gauge we get and if any adjustments need to be made. Then once we're off sleeve island or finished that current WIP, we're all set to cast on the next project! This process can feel more gentle and conscious, rather than rushed and frenzied.

Another method that works really well for those times we get stuck, or unsure of what to make next, is to cast on a small, simple project like the Conversationalist Hat or some Vanilla Socks as a nice palette cleanser. These are easy projects that help clear our minds and allow us to be present in our craft and just feel the yarn pass through our hands and put aside the pressures we may put upon ourselves to be productive. 

But, what if your making mojo just gets up and walks out the front door? 😱

It's going to be okay... it will come back, we promise! Sometimes looking for different avenues of inspiration can help. Maybe flipping through some of your pattern books, or watching your favorite podcaster to see what they are making will spark your creativity. Or, perhaps even trying another craft for a time, maybe weaving or sewing, as a creative outlet can challenge you in a new way and ignite your knitting or crochet mojo again. Or, maybe, for a time, not making is the answer. 

Keep in mind that in our core, we are all creatives, so we can have confidence that we will find a way to express our creativity in one way or another. 

Hopefully, this little blog post has helped you if these are some things you might be struggling with. We would love to hear any methods for reducing decision fatigue or finding your mojo that you may have! Feel free to reach out via customerservice@thepluckyknitter.com or find us on Ravelry and share your thoughts in the group!

It all starts with the way the fiber is prepped. All fibers must pass through a carding machine before they head off to be spun, and at this stage the fibers are loosened up, removing dirt and debris, leading to a fluffy jumble of fibers, called a batt. From this stage, the batt is then pulled into one long strand, called a sliver. 

And now comes the decision - whether these slivers will become woolen or worsted-spun yarn?

By gently adding twist to those slivers mentioned above, the yarn retains little air pockets throughout that strand of jumbled fibers, creating a lightweight, lofty yarn that can keep you toasty warm!

One of the benefits of this type of yarn, is the range of needle sizes you can use to knit a wide variety of gauges. All those jumbled fibers will fit into the space provided for each stitch, filling in any "gaps" created by uneven tension or irregular stitches, or hiding any floats you have when knitting colorwork. Once blocked, these fibers really "bloom" into place. 

You'll want to be careful on what project you choose for your woolen-spun yarns though, as they do tend to be a bit more delicate than worsted-spun. You will also find that because the fibers tend to go every which way, this type of yarn is more prone to pilling. Although, don't worry too much about removing those pills, because woolen-spun yarns tend to have fibers that are shorter in length, they are easily removed with minimal damage to your fabric.

Sometimes we are looking for something a little smoother and more durable, so in this case, we would choose Worsted-spun yarns.

Remember that jumble of fibers that creates woolen-spun yarn? Worsted spinning goes one step further in the fiber prep and removes all those shorter fibers and combs the longer ones so they all travel in the same direction. This removes those little air pockets and creates strength, smoothness and more drape in the finished yarn and fabric. 

You will notice a greater amount of twist in worsted-spun yarns. This will provide substantial strength and durability and more resistance to pilling from abrasion. Many choose worsted-spun yarns for items like socks because of these reasons. 

With woolen-spun yarns you will find that your knitted fabric will have more of a subtle, fluffier look, with minimal stitch definition for a bit of a weathered look. Whereas fabric knit with worsted-spun yarns shows off the stitch and texture details with more luster and crispness.

Woolen-spun fabric shows more of a "weathered" look (left swatch), whereas worsted-spun highlights the crisp stitch definition (right swatch).

We do! Our flagship yarn line - Primo, are all worsted-spun, in addition to many of our other bases. However we do also carry woolen-spun yarns from time to time that include Beauregard DK and Scholar 2.0. We do our best to note this in the details for each of our bases found within our Base Library. 

What type of yarn do you prefer to work with? Are you team woolen or worsted? Or both? Let us know over in our Ravelry group!

First up, we have Vogue Knitting - The Ultimate Knitting Book and The Knowledgeable Knitter. Two great resources that cover a wide range of information from choosing the right needles, yarn and pattern, all the way through embellishing a simple design with fancy stitches and finishing techniques. While Vogue Knitting covers many of the basics to knitting, it also provides information on how to care for your knitwear as well as how to design your own knitting patterns. However, The Knowledgeable Knitter by Margaret Radcliffe, provides instructions for fixing mistakes and customizing the fit of your garments. We couldn't decide which one you need more, so they both made the list of what to include in your library.

Some additional resources we find very useful are both The Knitter's Book of Wool and The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parks. These books both provide a comprehensive understanding of the fibers used to create different yarns, but then how to choose the right yarn for your project. If you find you enjoy learning about wool and fiber, then we highly recommend The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson for your library! This tome covers more than 200 fibers, ranging from many types of sheep breeds to various other animal fibers we see in the industry today. If you are a spinner, you no doubt are very familiar with this resource.

If you are looking to further your skills, we find these additional resources to be helpful: Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd; Amy Herzog's Ultimate Sweater Book and Patty Lyon's Knitting Bag of Tricks. All three of these publications are written by very experienced designers who have a wealth of knowledge and experience that shines through in each of their respective books.

But what if you need a quick how-to lesson to learn a new-to-you stitch? Where can you turn?

Local yarn shops—including all of our wonderful wholesale partners—are a great way to get in-person information and assistance. Not only does the staff have a wealth of knowledge and helpfulness, many shops also offer classes too!

We LOVE YouTube for those quick videos on how to work a new stitch or learn a new cast on, or even grow our knowledge about knitting in other ways. What are some channels that we've found helpful? First, we would probably all agree that Staci Perry of VeryPink Knits has a great catalog of how-to videos covering a wide range of knitting techniques. Another channel we enjoy keeping up with is, Andrea Mowry of DreaReneeKnits. On her channel she not only has how-to videos, but she also hosts a weekly podcast where she answers questions from knitters who are looking to design new patterns, need help substituting yarns, or troubleshooting garment fit, as well as many other topics. And last, but certainly not least, if you are interested in learning to knit socks, Kay of the Crazy Sock Lady podcast has some great tutorials for learning to make socks on DPN's, 9" Circulars, and Magic Loop along with a variety of other sock knitting techniques you will find useful.

What if you don't like collecting books, have an LYS nearby, or YouTube just isn't your thing...

If the above-mentioned resources don't speak to you, fear not! As you know, we have a blog here on our website, that has some helpful tips and tricks that will continue to grow as time goes on. However, we also love Modern Daily Knitting's blog too! Over there you can find anything from how-to's to travel to inspirational type posts. These ladies have been blogging for years and have contributions from some of the top designers in their catalog of posts.

And of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention the huge asset we as knitter's have in Ravelry. We love that within our Ravelry community you can find vast amounts of knowledge and help, no matter the problem, it seems. Plus, there are thousands of patterns to choose from and plenty of KAL's to keep our knitting mojo thriving!

Once you're beyond the learning curve, knitting and crochet are both considered to be meditative, or mindful activities that can help to reduce stress and anxiety. The repetitive motions involved in knitting and crochet can really help to calm the mind and promote a sense of relaxation, which can be especially beneficial for those who suffer from conditions such as anxiety or depression.

Many people enjoy knitting and crochet as a way to connect with others who share the same interest. What better social connection can there be than joining a knitting or crochet group! Whether in-person at your LYS, or as part of an online group, knitting and crochet provide a way to connect with others, which can be beneficial for mental health and overall well-being.

There's nothing better than getting your finished object off the blocking boards, trying it on, and IT FITS! What a boost to one's self-esteem and confidence! This can be extremely advantageous for people who may be struggling with self-esteem, anxiety or confidence issues.

Clear away the cobwebs forming in your brain with knitting or crochet! Because of the complex hand movements, especially when working cables or fancy stitches, and our use of spatial reasoning, knitting and crochet can be beneficial for maintaining cognitive function and preventing cognitive decline, especially in older adults. It's also great for sharpening our problem-solving skills.

Knitting and crochet require the use of fine motor skills, which can help to improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination. (Looking at you, size 2.25mm sock needles. 👀)This can be helpful for older adults, as it can help to maintain or improve these skills, reducing the risk of falls and other accidents.

Just as wool's greatest enemy is the moth, cotton has a couple enemies too: Mold and Mildew! We always want to make sure our cotton knits are completely dry before being stored and avoid keeping them in humid conditions where they could potentially gather these harmful spores.

We recommend these bases for many sweaters, accessories, and blankets. Below are some great patterns designed with a wool/cotton blend in mind.

Head of Operations and Production - The Boss Man 🙂

Nick has been dying yarn at Plucky for over 10 years now and, while he is proficient on the dye floor, most often you'll find him working with our Stockists and typing away on the computer making sure we have all our inventory ordered, sorted and tracked.

Nick is our team leader and works very hard at keeping production on track. He also manages logistics for Plucky when it comes to Trunk Shows or any in-person events we may be attending.

His favorite Plucky colors are a toss up between Gimlet Haze or Limerick, and his favorite base is whichever one will take the dye the best.

In his spare time, he likes to keep busy with remodeling projects around the house, or hitting the links when the weather here in Michigan cooperates.

Sales and Marketing Director/ Knitting Enthusiast

Brandy has been with Plucky for over 10 years and learned the business from the ground up. While she started on the production floor, twisting the skeins and adding the ball bands, she now takes charge of Plucky’s sales and marketing efforts, including social media and our website, as well as working with our stockists in supporting any collaborations we are partnering together on. 

With over 10 years of knitting experience, she still refers to herself as "obsessed" with the craft. She always has socks on-the-go as they are her favorite thing to knit, and indulges in sweater and shawl knitting regularly too. When she's not knitting, you will find her typing away, creating content for social media, plus answering any questions you may have over on Ravelry or in our Customer Service inbox. She also enjoys cheering you on through the KAL's hosted on Ravelry, as well as giving you any tips and tricks that she's learned along the way, here on the blog.

One of her favorite Plucky bases is, of course, Primo Fingering, with Legacy not far behind. And her favorite colors are the many autumnal tones from the Plucky Catalog.

Charly, her Bernadoodle pup, likes to try to help out during work hours when she can by giving plenty of kisses and snuggles which continues even after the office is closed for the day. 🥰

Shipping Extraordinaire

Drew is your guy if you have any and all shipping questions! Having worked here for over 14 years, he knows all the ins and outs of the shipping process. He has a sharp eye for quality and does his very best to send you matching skeins of yarn so your projects always come out looking the very best. He is also great at navigating the set-up of our website and keeping our finished inventory in check.

While he doesn't knit, he'll definitely never turn down a hand-knit hat when the temps dip and there's a chill in the air. And his favorite Plucky colors are any and all options in the blue and green families. Or the ones that give him the least trouble matching when shipping sweater quantities. 😉

When he's not at work, Drew loves to tuck in at home with a good book, or learn various new things through podcasts. 

Quality Control and Expert Skein Maker

Julie, who has just started her 10th year with Plucky, is the one who looks over your dyed skeins while she is twisting them up to make sure that they meet our high quality standards. She has a keen eye to ensure the yarn looks as close to the photos you see online. She twists and tags all of our yarn and does a share of the photography for our social media as well.

Her favorite Plucky colors are any and all speckled skeins! And she absolutely loves when Peruvian Highland Fingering and Stout BFL DK bases have been dyed, as they are a dream to twist up into beautiful skeins.

She has also been known to dabble in knitting, making a hat or two, however her kiddos make her proud with their busy school and athletic activities. When not at the barn twisting yarn, Julie also cares for elderly people in need of extra care and love.

The short answer is most likely. We are here in the States, so we did a little research on the TSA website, and they do say you can have knitting needles in both your carry on and checked luggage. (Fact check us here.) But, the reason we say "most likely" is because the TSA covers US flights only. The rules and regulations may be different when you cross boarders though, so it's always good practice to double check what the protocols are in the country you are traveling to or from. 

We have never had any issues flying with our needles, both within the United States and when we've gone overseas, and on the vast majority of those flights, we knit socks with our steel, fixed cable, Chiaogoo needles. That being said, we always still plan ahead for the "what ifs" and the "just in case" scenarios.

Many of us like to take our knitting on the go and get a quick row or two in whenever we have a little time. That could be taking your knitting to watch the ball game with your friends or to a comedy show or concert in a large arena or stadium. Many of these venues will allow knitting needles, but any bag you carry in, must be clear and under a certain size. As these policies can be different for different venues, we always highly recommend checking on the venues' website for any updates to policies. 

Do you have travel plans this Summer? If so, we hope that you and your knitting have a safe journey! Let us know if you have any more questions or comments on this topic so we can keep this discussion going. 

There have been some great strides in the wool industry to create an eco-friendly "Superwash" yarn that is is technically classified as a Non Superwash, but behaves like a Superwash. Our Luxe Merino bases are an example of this new treatment. Notice in the image that Faded Ink resembles Legacy in tone, but has the shine of Primo.