Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week 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. Hi Andrea, I just started watching your podcast a couple months ago and it has been a wonderful resource for me as I started my spinning journey in January. I recently spun up two braids of fiber and plied them together (mildly successfully!) but after working through all of the fiber from one bobbin was left with quite a bit of leftover singles on the other bobbin. What do I do with this?! I don’t want to waste it. Do I make a Franken-skein and just combine all my leftovers from various projects. Would love to hear any ideas you have!
2. How hard would it be to make the “Hey Sailor” sweater without buttons, so it a tee type sweater instead of a cardigan type.
3. I have knit your stripes sweater and I ran into some issues regarding fitting which I want some help with, especially since I plan to knit another one. I'm quite petite but with wide and square shoulders thanks to my old swimming days. I have knit the 2nd smallest size according to my bust size. The size and the positive ease was perfect. But the front of the yoke was puckering and kept lifting. It is my only round sweater and I thought that maybe my body doesn't work well with that construction. Then after your podcast where you mentioned that the placement of the arms can be moved to accommodate fit, I got curious. Maybe if I move the arms closer to give more space to the back, it will fit better? What do you think? Also I plan to knit the sweater and then the neckline. What do you suggest? A provisional cast on or a regular cast on and then pick up the stitches for more stability? Thank you in advance. Looking forward for your opinion.
4. Your me-made outfits are such an inspiration. I love how you combine your knitting, hand-spun yarn and sewing to create outfits that are signaturely "you." I have been curious about learning to sew for years, but have yet to take the plunge. I have a birthday coming up in March, and I'm thinking of gifting myself a sewing course so I can also pair my me-made knits with me-made sewn garments. Do you have any online courses or tutorials you recommend for brand new sewists? What resources do you use to expand your sewing knowledge?
Sew Liberated (Courses & Patterns): sewliberated.com
Spaghetti Western Sewing Patterns: spaghettiwesternsewing.com/collections/all
Syd Graham (patterns and YouTube): sydgraham.com
Paradise Patterns: paradisepatterns.com
Friday Pattern Co: fridaypatterncompany.com
True Bias: truebias.com
Sew House 7: sewhouse7.com/collections/all-sewing-patterns
Helens Closet: helensclosetpatterns.com
Two O’ Nine (Patterns - the video instructions are great!): twooninefabric.ca/collections/sewing-patterns
5. I’d like to knit the Stria Cardigan. I have superwash sock yarn that I'd love to use for the stripes. Can I mix a non-superwash yarn for the body with superwash for the stripes? What would I need to consider if I do?
Today I am wearing the Comebackigan:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/comebackigan
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/comebackigan
March 2 May Knitalong!
Sweater forum on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4397005
Shawl forum on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4397009
Hashtag for Instagram: #DRKM2MKAL26
Jaunty SAL with Daedalus: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4386868
Jaunty-along intro video: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
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. Hi Andrea, I just started watching your podcast a couple months ago and it has been a wonderful resource for me as I started my spinning journey in January. I recently spun up two braids of fiber and plied them together (mildly successfully!) but after working through all of the fiber from one bobbin was left with quite a bit of leftover singles on the other bobbin. What do I do with this?! I don’t want to waste it. Do I make a Franken-skein and just combine all my leftovers from various projects. Would love to hear any ideas you have!
2. How hard would it be to make the “Hey Sailor” sweater without buttons, so it a tee type sweater instead of a cardigan type.
3. I have knit your stripes sweater and I ran into some issues regarding fitting which I want some help with, especially since I plan to knit another one. I'm quite petite but with wide and square shoulders thanks to my old swimming days. I have knit the 2nd smallest size according to my bust size. The size and the positive ease was perfect. But the front of the yoke was puckering and kept lifting. It is my only round sweater and I thought that maybe my body doesn't work well with that construction. Then after your podcast where you mentioned that the placement of the arms can be moved to accommodate fit, I got curious. Maybe if I move the arms closer to give more space to the back, it will fit better? What do you think? Also I plan to knit the sweater and then the neckline. What do you suggest? A provisional cast on or a regular cast on and then pick up the stitches for more stability? Thank you in advance. Looking forward for your opinion.
4. Your me-made outfits are such an inspiration. I love how you combine your knitting, hand-spun yarn and sewing to create outfits that are signaturely "you." I have been curious about learning to sew for years, but have yet to take the plunge. I have a birthday coming up in March, and I'm thinking of gifting myself a sewing course so I can also pair my me-made knits with me-made sewn garments. Do you have any online courses or tutorials you recommend for brand new sewists? What resources do you use to expand your sewing knowledge?
Sew Liberated (Courses & Patterns): sewliberated.com
Spaghetti Western Sewing Patterns: spaghettiwesternsewing.com/collections/all
Syd Graham (patterns and YouTube): sydgraham.com
Paradise Patterns: paradisepatterns.com
Friday Pattern Co: fridaypatterncompany.com
True Bias: truebias.com
Sew House 7: sewhouse7.com/collections/all-sewing-patterns
Helens Closet: helensclosetpatterns.com
Two O’ Nine (Patterns - the video instructions are great!): twooninefabric.ca/collections/sewing-patterns
5. I’d like to knit the Stria Cardigan. I have superwash sock yarn that I'd love to use for the stripes. Can I mix a non-superwash yarn for the body with superwash for the stripes? What would I need to consider if I do?
Today I am wearing the Comebackigan:
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/comebackigan
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/comebackigan
March 2 May Knitalong!
Sweater forum on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4397005
Shawl forum on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/4397009
Hashtag for Instagram: #DRKM2MKAL26
Jaunty SAL with Daedalus: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4386868
Jaunty-along intro video: youtu.be/JU1eu0G4Sl8
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
