Uploaded August 2026 | 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!
BIRTHDAY SALE: USE CODE DRK43 TO SAVE 43% ON ALL OF MY INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED PATTERNS (except Antipodes and the Flock Pullover) THRU AUGUST 7, 2026 MIDNIGHT EDT.
While Antipodes and the Flock Pullover aren't included in the full birthday sale since they were just released in July, I still wanted to offer something extra special, so please enjoy 25% off of both of those sweaters with the Flock Pullover discount code - FLOCK25. Happy knitting!
Please Note: You will want to make sure to enter the discount code before completing your purchase, as it cannot be added retroactively. You will want to type it yourself, using all caps - as copy & pasting it can inadvertently lead to placing an unwanted space before or after the code, rendering it unable to work.
Sign up for my newsletter here: Sign up for the DRK Newsletter: eepurl.com/diPxsr
1. I'm very much enjoying the process of knitting the Antipodes sweater because of the ways that the structural elements develop. Given the complexity of the Antipodes design, I'm wondering about your process! Where did you start from? The saddle? The colorwork? In what order did you pick the "phases" of the pattern? And -- if you're willing to share -- were there any false starts, that is, places where you started one strategy but then backed up to take another? Thanks!
2. I'm knitting the Antipodes sweater and am absolutely loving it! I've gotten to the bottom of the color work on the body and recently tried it on. I noticed that the bottom hem on the back is sitting much lower than the bottom hem on the front of the sweater. I was wondering if it would look weird to add some german short rows to lengthen the front of the sweater by about an inch so there isn't such a big discrepancy between the front and the back? How would you recommend doing that?
3. Hi Andrea I have just started knitting your Harlow Flip hat. I am wondering if you have any tips on weaving in ends as discretely as possible to make it truly reversible. My two colours are quite high contrast so I'm worried about the yarn tails being quite visible where I weave them in on whichever side of the fabric I do it.
4. Andrea! I was bit by the spinning bug last fall, and am LOVING spinning on my Daedelus Dove, but I have always been fascinated by traditional (manual?) wheel spinning. I would like to purchase a spinning wheel, but unfortunately I cannot find ANY dealers in my area within a reasonable driving distance. I also can’t seem to find a spinning guild nearby, so I am at a loss as to how to choose a wheel that would be good for a first timer, without actually trying any out. Do you have any brands, tips, or criteria to consider when buying a wheel without the opportunity to see and try it in person? I am looking at the Lendrum DT, Schacht Ladybug, and Ashford Kiwi, but perhaps there are others I should consider? I am afraid of making the purchase and then feeling like I chose “wrong” or ended up buying a wheel that is too complicated for a newbie. Thank you so much for your weekly chats! 😊
5. My question is about blocking. I have just finished a pattern that directs one to block the sweater pieces separately then seam and either steam the seams or re-block the piece in its entirety. The sweater also has pockets that need to be seamed and it has those seams sewn after the initial blocking. I am concerned about stretching the not sewn pockets when the sweater is wet. The yarn used for this project is by Myak so it does have a lot of bloom. What are your thoughts about blocking first then seaming a sweater? Does the yarn content factor into this decision. Finally does the pattern matter? My project is plain stockinette but perhaps a lace pattern may benefit from a separate un-sewn block first?
Today I am wearing the Weekender Crew
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-weekender-crew
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/the-weekender-crew
Antipodes KAL on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4411829
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/1819939809141225/events
Discord: discord.gg/jAynqQqZfn
Instagram: #RBantipodesKAL
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!
BIRTHDAY SALE: USE CODE DRK43 TO SAVE 43% ON ALL OF MY INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED PATTERNS (except Antipodes and the Flock Pullover) THRU AUGUST 7, 2026 MIDNIGHT EDT.
While Antipodes and the Flock Pullover aren't included in the full birthday sale since they were just released in July, I still wanted to offer something extra special, so please enjoy 25% off of both of those sweaters with the Flock Pullover discount code - FLOCK25. Happy knitting!
Please Note: You will want to make sure to enter the discount code before completing your purchase, as it cannot be added retroactively. You will want to type it yourself, using all caps - as copy & pasting it can inadvertently lead to placing an unwanted space before or after the code, rendering it unable to work.
Sign up for my newsletter here: Sign up for the DRK Newsletter: eepurl.com/diPxsr
1. I'm very much enjoying the process of knitting the Antipodes sweater because of the ways that the structural elements develop. Given the complexity of the Antipodes design, I'm wondering about your process! Where did you start from? The saddle? The colorwork? In what order did you pick the "phases" of the pattern? And -- if you're willing to share -- were there any false starts, that is, places where you started one strategy but then backed up to take another? Thanks!
2. I'm knitting the Antipodes sweater and am absolutely loving it! I've gotten to the bottom of the color work on the body and recently tried it on. I noticed that the bottom hem on the back is sitting much lower than the bottom hem on the front of the sweater. I was wondering if it would look weird to add some german short rows to lengthen the front of the sweater by about an inch so there isn't such a big discrepancy between the front and the back? How would you recommend doing that?
3. Hi Andrea I have just started knitting your Harlow Flip hat. I am wondering if you have any tips on weaving in ends as discretely as possible to make it truly reversible. My two colours are quite high contrast so I'm worried about the yarn tails being quite visible where I weave them in on whichever side of the fabric I do it.
4. Andrea! I was bit by the spinning bug last fall, and am LOVING spinning on my Daedelus Dove, but I have always been fascinated by traditional (manual?) wheel spinning. I would like to purchase a spinning wheel, but unfortunately I cannot find ANY dealers in my area within a reasonable driving distance. I also can’t seem to find a spinning guild nearby, so I am at a loss as to how to choose a wheel that would be good for a first timer, without actually trying any out. Do you have any brands, tips, or criteria to consider when buying a wheel without the opportunity to see and try it in person? I am looking at the Lendrum DT, Schacht Ladybug, and Ashford Kiwi, but perhaps there are others I should consider? I am afraid of making the purchase and then feeling like I chose “wrong” or ended up buying a wheel that is too complicated for a newbie. Thank you so much for your weekly chats! 😊
5. My question is about blocking. I have just finished a pattern that directs one to block the sweater pieces separately then seam and either steam the seams or re-block the piece in its entirety. The sweater also has pockets that need to be seamed and it has those seams sewn after the initial blocking. I am concerned about stretching the not sewn pockets when the sweater is wet. The yarn used for this project is by Myak so it does have a lot of bloom. What are your thoughts about blocking first then seaming a sweater? Does the yarn content factor into this decision. Finally does the pattern matter? My project is plain stockinette but perhaps a lace pattern may benefit from a separate un-sewn block first?
Today I am wearing the Weekender Crew
Ravelry: ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-weekender-crew
My Website: dreareneeknits.com/shop/the-weekender-crew
Antipodes KAL on Ravelry: ravelry.com/discuss/dreareneeknits/topics/4411829
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/1819939809141225/events
Discord: discord.gg/jAynqQqZfn
Instagram: #RBantipodesKAL
Ask a question for next week’s Q&A:
https://forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7
