Uploaded August 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. Can you tell us about your lip gloss?
2. Hi Andrea. I absolutely love your sweater patterns, and have knit many of them (three in the last year). I am getting ready to knit Birch (and also Ooey Gooey, but this question is about Birch :). The pattern calls for wrap and turns for the short rows. Can you substitute Japanese short rows for the W&T? I recently learned JSR, and they are so awesome! But I am not experienced enough with either JSR or W&T to easily convert them. I am most experienced with German short rows, which I also like. If I did not want to do W&T, which are the short rows I least like, do you think Japanese short rows or German short rows make the most sense for the Birch pullover? What modifications would I need to make (i.e., would I need to knit one more stitch before doing my turn, etc.). Thank you so much for your help--I love your weekly podcast and faithfully watch/listen every weekend!
Carol Feller Short Row Classes:
craftsy.com/class/short-rows
stolen-stitches.teachable.com/p/short-row-knits
3. You've talked a few times about your "magic numbers". I was trying to do this for sleeve length but realized that the starting point for a sleeve can vary both between different sweater constructions and individual patterns. For instance, round yoke patterns may all have different depths and may split for the sleeves in different spots, and in different lengths from the underarm. How do you recommend measuring for sleeve length? Should it be from the top of the shoulder or the underarm? How do you determine the right spot to measure from on your sweater? If it's top-down, do you have to try it on? Thanks!
4. what’s the last great book you read?
1. The god of the woods by Liz Moore
2. Swordheart and The Paladin Series by T. kingfisher
3. Weyward by Emilia Hart
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy weir
5. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
6. Broken country by Clare Leslie Hall
5. Hi! I have a project I would love to knit and already have the yarn and pattern. Only after buying the yarn did I find out that it is very prone to pilling (it is 70% wool and 30% alpaca). I still would like to knit this project, but am less inclined to use the yarn because of the pilling issue. But I don’t know what to do with the yarn otherwise and would love to somehow make it work. If I hold a strand of silk mohair with my yarn, will this possibly disrupt the knitted fabric from pilling so much? Any other thoughts on what to do about pilly yarns (other than avoid them?). Reviews for things knit with this yarn state that even depilling doesn’t get the fabric back to how it started. Thank you for your thoughts!
6. You mentioned a couple videos ago about a Marley Shawl spin and knit along. I have been watching Ravelry for weeks!!! lol! Are you still considering it? Please say yes!!
Today I am wearing Wool & Honey
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/wool--honey
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/wool-honey
With the Henrietta Skirt & Rothwell Top
spaghettiwesternsewing.com/products/henrietta-skirt
stitchwitchpatterns.com/patterns-1/the-rothwell-top
2025 Rhinebeck Ooey Gooey KAL
Ravelry Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4368040
Facebook Forum: facebook.com/groups/1076153613959074
Instagram Hashtag: #RhinebeckOoeyGooeyKAL
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. Can you tell us about your lip gloss?
2. Hi Andrea. I absolutely love your sweater patterns, and have knit many of them (three in the last year). I am getting ready to knit Birch (and also Ooey Gooey, but this question is about Birch :). The pattern calls for wrap and turns for the short rows. Can you substitute Japanese short rows for the W&T? I recently learned JSR, and they are so awesome! But I am not experienced enough with either JSR or W&T to easily convert them. I am most experienced with German short rows, which I also like. If I did not want to do W&T, which are the short rows I least like, do you think Japanese short rows or German short rows make the most sense for the Birch pullover? What modifications would I need to make (i.e., would I need to knit one more stitch before doing my turn, etc.). Thank you so much for your help--I love your weekly podcast and faithfully watch/listen every weekend!
Carol Feller Short Row Classes:
craftsy.com/class/short-rows
stolen-stitches.teachable.com/p/short-row-knits
3. You've talked a few times about your "magic numbers". I was trying to do this for sleeve length but realized that the starting point for a sleeve can vary both between different sweater constructions and individual patterns. For instance, round yoke patterns may all have different depths and may split for the sleeves in different spots, and in different lengths from the underarm. How do you recommend measuring for sleeve length? Should it be from the top of the shoulder or the underarm? How do you determine the right spot to measure from on your sweater? If it's top-down, do you have to try it on? Thanks!
4. what’s the last great book you read?
1. The god of the woods by Liz Moore
2. Swordheart and The Paladin Series by T. kingfisher
3. Weyward by Emilia Hart
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy weir
5. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
6. Broken country by Clare Leslie Hall
5. Hi! I have a project I would love to knit and already have the yarn and pattern. Only after buying the yarn did I find out that it is very prone to pilling (it is 70% wool and 30% alpaca). I still would like to knit this project, but am less inclined to use the yarn because of the pilling issue. But I don’t know what to do with the yarn otherwise and would love to somehow make it work. If I hold a strand of silk mohair with my yarn, will this possibly disrupt the knitted fabric from pilling so much? Any other thoughts on what to do about pilly yarns (other than avoid them?). Reviews for things knit with this yarn state that even depilling doesn’t get the fabric back to how it started. Thank you for your thoughts!
6. You mentioned a couple videos ago about a Marley Shawl spin and knit along. I have been watching Ravelry for weeks!!! lol! Are you still considering it? Please say yes!!
Today I am wearing Wool & Honey
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/wool--honey
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/wool-honey
With the Henrietta Skirt & Rothwell Top
spaghettiwesternsewing.com/products/henrietta-skirt
stitchwitchpatterns.com/patterns-1/the-rothwell-top
2025 Rhinebeck Ooey Gooey KAL
Ravelry Forum: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4368040
Facebook Forum: facebook.com/groups/1076153613959074
Instagram Hashtag: #RhinebeckOoeyGooeyKAL
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
