Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
Sign up for my newsletter here: Sign up for the DRK Newsletter: eepurl.com/diPxsr
In this week’s episode we cover:
1. Dear Andrea. I absolutely love your designs, thank you for all of your beautiful work. I live in windy Iceland with very sensitive ears, not the perfect combination. So while loving many of your hats, I struggle with wearing them unless snuggly fit and with a brim preferable folded twice. I was hoping you could give me tips for e.g. including a knit lining for your hats that do not include a brim or other modifications that could help me wear many of these beautiful designs? An example would be e.g. Drift hat, Rudbeckia Hat and Vintage Prim
Old Port Hat:
Ravelry - ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-port-hat
My website - dreareneeknits.com/shop/old-port-hat
2. Hi Andrea! I'm knitting a handspun Weekender! This is my first handspun garment and I am really enjoying the fabric and the satisfaction of having a hand in every step of the making process. However, I notice that my yarn is not as consistent as I would like across skeins. It's typically fingering weight but in places gets up to DK. I am alternating skeins but am still worried that the inconsistency in yarn weight might impact the finished garment. Will any oddities block out or should I just chock this spin up to a learning experience? I'm hoping you have a happy answer cause a sweater spin is such a large undertaking! Thank you so much!!
3. Hi! I was wondering how you weave in the ends when doing a two color tubular cast on? I've never done this cast on before but have been watching your tutorials to get ready to cast on the Harlow Flip for your challenge coming up and it got me thinking. I've learned from your videos that this cast on has the first two rows done flat before joining in the round and it made me curious how you weave in the ends to keep it looking nice as well as preventing any gaps. With this being a reversable hat, what's the best method? I'm assuming since you work two rows before joining that there must be a gap, right? I've always been nervous to try this cast on but am excited to attempt it for your challenge! Thanks!
4. I'm planning to make a Stria cardigan because I really want something cozy and squishy on my needles and just so happen to have the perfect amount of Dyed in the Wool to show off in the stripes. However, just the idea of going back to pick up all those stitches for button band makes me forget how to count. In addition, I worry that my ribbed button bands won't be sturdy. Any tips to avoid this? How difficult would it be to either knit a button band as I go, or double knit a button band while picking up stitches one row at a time? Are there any patterns you recommend for Frankenstein-ing a button band onto the Stria?
5. Hi Andrea! I have been watching your podcast since Day One and enjoy it every week. I get my knitting out, relax and, learn so much. I especially enjoy your Show & Tell. It's just so "friendlly" and a reflection of what I do with friends in real life. My question is -- what exactly is grading? You occasionally say that you spent a day grading a sweater. I can deduce what it might be and of course I can look it up and find out but I'd rather hear your explanation and what that means for you when designing a pattern.
Today I am wearing the Harlow Flip:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/harlow-flip
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/harlow-flip
Yarn Bundles:
The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers: thefarmersdaughterfibers.com/products/harlow-flip-hat-kits
Spincycle Yarns:
Spring KAL Challenge:
Ravelry Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4360812
Instagram: #HarlowFlipKALCHALLENGE
March 2 May KAL 2025
Shawl Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4351754
Sweater Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4351752
Instagram: #DRKmarch2maykal25
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
Sign up for my newsletter here: Sign up for the DRK Newsletter: eepurl.com/diPxsr
In this week’s episode we cover:
1. Dear Andrea. I absolutely love your designs, thank you for all of your beautiful work. I live in windy Iceland with very sensitive ears, not the perfect combination. So while loving many of your hats, I struggle with wearing them unless snuggly fit and with a brim preferable folded twice. I was hoping you could give me tips for e.g. including a knit lining for your hats that do not include a brim or other modifications that could help me wear many of these beautiful designs? An example would be e.g. Drift hat, Rudbeckia Hat and Vintage Prim
Old Port Hat:
Ravelry - ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-port-hat
My website - dreareneeknits.com/shop/old-port-hat
2. Hi Andrea! I'm knitting a handspun Weekender! This is my first handspun garment and I am really enjoying the fabric and the satisfaction of having a hand in every step of the making process. However, I notice that my yarn is not as consistent as I would like across skeins. It's typically fingering weight but in places gets up to DK. I am alternating skeins but am still worried that the inconsistency in yarn weight might impact the finished garment. Will any oddities block out or should I just chock this spin up to a learning experience? I'm hoping you have a happy answer cause a sweater spin is such a large undertaking! Thank you so much!!
3. Hi! I was wondering how you weave in the ends when doing a two color tubular cast on? I've never done this cast on before but have been watching your tutorials to get ready to cast on the Harlow Flip for your challenge coming up and it got me thinking. I've learned from your videos that this cast on has the first two rows done flat before joining in the round and it made me curious how you weave in the ends to keep it looking nice as well as preventing any gaps. With this being a reversable hat, what's the best method? I'm assuming since you work two rows before joining that there must be a gap, right? I've always been nervous to try this cast on but am excited to attempt it for your challenge! Thanks!
4. I'm planning to make a Stria cardigan because I really want something cozy and squishy on my needles and just so happen to have the perfect amount of Dyed in the Wool to show off in the stripes. However, just the idea of going back to pick up all those stitches for button band makes me forget how to count. In addition, I worry that my ribbed button bands won't be sturdy. Any tips to avoid this? How difficult would it be to either knit a button band as I go, or double knit a button band while picking up stitches one row at a time? Are there any patterns you recommend for Frankenstein-ing a button band onto the Stria?
5. Hi Andrea! I have been watching your podcast since Day One and enjoy it every week. I get my knitting out, relax and, learn so much. I especially enjoy your Show & Tell. It's just so "friendlly" and a reflection of what I do with friends in real life. My question is -- what exactly is grading? You occasionally say that you spent a day grading a sweater. I can deduce what it might be and of course I can look it up and find out but I'd rather hear your explanation and what that means for you when designing a pattern.
Today I am wearing the Harlow Flip:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/harlow-flip
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/harlow-flip
Yarn Bundles:
The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers: thefarmersdaughterfibers.com/products/harlow-flip-hat-kits
Spincycle Yarns:
Spring KAL Challenge:
Ravelry Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4360812
Instagram: #HarlowFlipKALCHALLENGE
March 2 May KAL 2025
Shawl Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4351754
Sweater Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4351752
Instagram: #DRKmarch2maykal25
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
