Uploaded December 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
Jaunty SAL with Daedalus: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4386868
Jaunty-along intro video: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
In this week’s episode we cover:
1. What does short row shaping on a sleeve do? I’ve never done a pattern with that design but I’ve seen some ravelry comments suggest modifying the pattern I’m working on to add short rows to make a sleeve cap. I’m working on a drop shoulder cabled sweater.
2. I’ve heard you talk multiple times about how you store all your knitting in plastic bags to lessen the risk of moths. I do this also but I struggle with finding a plastic bag that is the right size for sweaters. I was curious if there’s a particular brand of bags that you use for your sweaters and larger garments.. Absolutely love everything you design. The Weekender sweater was the first sweater I ever made and I have since then made several other sweaters. I simply had to make that sweater when I realized you lived in Michigan and I grew up in East Lansing, and the yarn that you used was from a company in Portland, Oregon, which is where I call home now. It was fate, thanks for helping me build confidence in sweater knitting.
Large Zip Top Bags: amazon.com/dp/B089SJ5NFF?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1
3. How do you manage your fiber for combo plies? Straight end to end, divide all braids into equal small strips, fractal, other?
My spinning plans for the Jaunty-along: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
4. I have three gorgeous skeins of DK weight yarn (267 yard/100g each) that I’d like to use to make the Free Your Fade shawl. I was wondering if any modifications would be recommended with changing the yarn weight. Thank you!
5. I was wondering if you could make a yarn choice suggestion…? The first book I bought when I taught myself to knit in 2011 was The Knitters Almanac by EZ. I’ve always wanted to knit the incredibly beautiful “Pi Shawl” from July, which is featured on the cover. I think I’ve mustered up the courage/might/gumption to give it a try. The yarn she suggests is vague (4oz wheels Icelandic wool or 10-12oz Shetland wool), the gauge is 3 stitches to 1”. What yarn (brand, weight, etc) would you suggest for this pattern? Thank you!
michiganfineyarns.com/products/lopi-lettlopi?
Today I am wearing the Ooey Gooey Cowl:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/ooey-gooey-cowl
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/ooey-gooey-cowl
And the Just My Luck Jeans (by Izzie not Lizzie!) forestandthread.com/product/just-my-luck-jeans-pdf-pattern
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
Jaunty SAL with Daedalus: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4386868
Jaunty-along intro video: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
In this week’s episode we cover:
1. What does short row shaping on a sleeve do? I’ve never done a pattern with that design but I’ve seen some ravelry comments suggest modifying the pattern I’m working on to add short rows to make a sleeve cap. I’m working on a drop shoulder cabled sweater.
2. I’ve heard you talk multiple times about how you store all your knitting in plastic bags to lessen the risk of moths. I do this also but I struggle with finding a plastic bag that is the right size for sweaters. I was curious if there’s a particular brand of bags that you use for your sweaters and larger garments.. Absolutely love everything you design. The Weekender sweater was the first sweater I ever made and I have since then made several other sweaters. I simply had to make that sweater when I realized you lived in Michigan and I grew up in East Lansing, and the yarn that you used was from a company in Portland, Oregon, which is where I call home now. It was fate, thanks for helping me build confidence in sweater knitting.
Large Zip Top Bags: amazon.com/dp/B089SJ5NFF?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1
3. How do you manage your fiber for combo plies? Straight end to end, divide all braids into equal small strips, fractal, other?
My spinning plans for the Jaunty-along: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
4. I have three gorgeous skeins of DK weight yarn (267 yard/100g each) that I’d like to use to make the Free Your Fade shawl. I was wondering if any modifications would be recommended with changing the yarn weight. Thank you!
5. I was wondering if you could make a yarn choice suggestion…? The first book I bought when I taught myself to knit in 2011 was The Knitters Almanac by EZ. I’ve always wanted to knit the incredibly beautiful “Pi Shawl” from July, which is featured on the cover. I think I’ve mustered up the courage/might/gumption to give it a try. The yarn she suggests is vague (4oz wheels Icelandic wool or 10-12oz Shetland wool), the gauge is 3 stitches to 1”. What yarn (brand, weight, etc) would you suggest for this pattern? Thank you!
michiganfineyarns.com/products/lopi-lettlopi?
Today I am wearing the Ooey Gooey Cowl:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/ooey-gooey-cowl
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/ooey-gooey-cowl
And the Just My Luck Jeans (by Izzie not Lizzie!) forestandthread.com/product/just-my-luck-jeans-pdf-pattern
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
