Knitty Gritty Ideas?
Hey all! I’m working on a pitch list for seasons 7 & 8 (yup, that’s right, we’ve shot 6 seasons already!) of Knitty Gritty, which will go into production at the end of the year. I’ve met gobs of cool people at various fairs, expos and conventions that I’ve included in the list but I would LOVE to hear what you’d like to see on upcoming episodes of the show. Please post a comment with any guest, project or technique ideas you’re interested in. Even if we’ve covered something similar to your suggestion in the past we may be able to come up with a new spin on it for the future, so don’t hold back!
Thanks in advance. Any success that Knitty Gritty has is all due to the fans, so I greatly appreciate your input!
Crafty Kisses,
Vickie
LOOM KNITTING PLEASE!!!!!
We are just begging for it.
“Give us what we want and we will go away.”
hee..hee… We wont go away really.
You could always have one of these many talented woman on too. Like Amy Rynolds (I am not her but I do enjoy her patterns.)
Thanks,
Dora Renee’ Wilkerson.
http://bricoreandfamily.blogspot.com/
Howdy do! Yes, i’m one of those loom knitters too!I would love to see stitch techniques, types of looms and tools ect. Loom knitters knit2….
I think it would be cool to do a class on the Noni Bags that everyone is knitting. High fashion bags that you knit yourself!! Also I like the idea of a show dedicated plus size women. It is hard to find patterns that are for plus sizes. More socks would be good also. Thanks!
Loom knitting is a great hobby. People who can’t needle knit find it much easier. Arthritis and carpal tunnel is less a problem for loom knitters.
Hi Vickie,
I also enjoyed the knitting for charity show – almost all of my projects are for charities. I can imagine how many charities would love to be represented by your show! How fun it must be for you to pick!
I wonder if you could do a show with patterns for using bulky yarns and big needles. I enjoy making things that work up quickly.
I also like using a knitting machine and loom knitting. Ooh, and what about holiday items… This is fun – thanks for opening up the opportunity to us!
Knit on!
Jeanette
How about perhaps .. well, themed shows? Knits for the kitchen, for the bedroom, for the bathroom, for the garden, etc? Then you could use all sorts of patterns and such, and the projects could span from beginner to advanced techniques.
Have to say, your show has really made me love knitting. I mean, I liked it before, but I’m totally hooked now,and I can’t seem to put my knitting down.
Hey Vickie:
Ms. Literal, here. How are ya? Hope you’ve been enjoying the summer. I don’t know if you remember when you were here, but we talked about doing a show about knitting on the bias – scarves, blankets, garments. The Princess and the Prince say “Hi”!
Once again, LOOM KNITTING!!! Please check out the following blogs/websites to see that you can do more than just hats and scarves…
http://www.knitchat.com/
http://loomincatshaven.blogspot.com/
http://isela.typepad.com/
http://pegsandneedles.blogspot.com/
http://yarngear.blogspot.com/
http://traceycarsto.blogspot.com/
http://gracielandcrafts.typepad.com/my_weblog/stitches/index.html
http://amoonsinger.blogspot.com/
http://kansasa.blogspot.com/
http://www.cindwoodcrafts.com/
http://www.markmanfarm.com/
http://www.knittingboard.com/Knitting_Boards_s/1.htm
and of course MY site too…
http://www.spunkybluecatdesisgns.com
Just in case you needed some homework after all these posts!!! Loom knitters are a bit enthusiastic about their craft!! Hope to see the show soon.
Amy
Hi Vickie,
Let me first say that I have always loved your show! It’s very inspirational, and I’ve enjoyed all the episodes. I think I echo everyone’s sentiments about loom knitting. It would be interesting to see.
I also would be interested in a show on a show dedicated to crochet for beginners. Specifically, how to incorporate crochet into knit pieces. There are some many pretty designs (included those featured on your show) that I’d like to make myself which require a crocheted edge. It would be great to see it demonstrated – slowly – under the Knitty Cam!
Maybe a show focusing solely on harder-to-do techniques (at least for me) – such as how to pick up stitches, finishing stitches (like seaming), etc.
Thanks for asking for our input! Can’t wait to see all the upcoming shows!
Love the show! How about more shows on techniques, i.e. knitting on dpn’s, knitting in the round, etc. Also I would love to see a show dedicated to finishing techniques such as mattress seaming.
Thanks for asking for input. I really love the show and have learned so much from you and your guests. Even on subjects that are a little too advanced for me right now, I remember certain tips, etc. and then in the future refer back to them and find myself saying, “Oh, that’s how that works!” It’s cool when that happens!
I look forward to seeing all the new shows and am enjoying the new season being shown now on Mondays and Saturdays.
Wow-loom knitting seems to be popular here.
I’d like to definitely know more about knitting socks on circulars. And my personal favorite would be more shows on felting!
I recently took a celtic cabling class with Melissa Leapman that was amazing! You’ve had her on the show but I can’t remember if she demonstrated the celtic cabling. Good stuff!
~drew~
co-author
Men Who Knit and the Dogs Who Love Them
Thanks, guys! Your suggestions have been added to the list.
Drew, nice seeing you here. I actually just put your name on the list yesterday as a possible guest. 🙂
Some of these items may have been covered in seasons 5,6 & 7 which haven’t aired yet, but here’s my list:
* Another vote for a show on beginning crochet, (which may already be covered since Drew E. was just in L.A. for a shoot).
* Intermediate crochet
* Plus-size patterns and modifications.
* Multi-directional knitting (Iris Schreier is queen of that).
* Mitered squares in knitting — socks, blankets, etc. (Carodan Farms shop in Standardsville, VA teaches a great mitered square sock class, and Kay & Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting have a mitered-square blanket pattern. In fact, anything they brought to the show would be wonderful.)
* Entrelac
* Toe-up socks (Wendy Johnson is queen of that).
* Two socks on one circular; two socks on two circulars
* Fair isle knitting.
* Another show on spinning.
* Another show on tips & tricks (Margaret Radcliffe, author of the Knitting Answer Book, teaches a good class on this)
* Lace knitting – with another tutorial on chart-reading for those of us who need a remedial course!
* Lily Chin – teaching anything
* Eunny Jang (great idea from previous commenter) – she’s a genius – anything she demonstrated would be wonderful; she’s written a very comprehensive tutorial on lace knitting on her blog
* Perhaps a show on how to “journal” your knitting, either by scrapbooking (not my fav but many like that hobby) or by blogging or whatever other methods might be out there….
* A show on how to organize one’s stash and other knitting paraphernalia, and projects to use up one’s stash
Okay, that’s long enough. I’m sure I’ll think of something else later….
* Perhaps a knitting “career day” – various folks who make their living with, around, and/or about yarn, including yarn shop owners, writers (Yarn Harlot, for example), designers, how-to hosts (ahem), etc.
vic–i read your “call to arms”–as it were–on myspace, and wasn’t sure where it would be easier for you to pick up my response, so i opted for here.
anywhoo—i love it that you’re open to suggestions, because i have a few!!
1) mitered squares!! there are so many cool patterns using this technique, but not enough demonstration, i’m very much a visual learner, and i’ve learned A LOT from knitty gritty!
2) knitting toys–and not just looms–i have this nifty little thing called a k-tel knitter, and i haven’t found quite enough information on how to use the silly thing on the internet–again with the visual learning
btw–the mobius knitting has got to be the most insane, intriguing, and awesome thing i’ve seen done with knitting, so far!
knit on!
jaime
I’d love to see a show on the Baby Surprise Sweater (Meg Swansen could teach) or other such “mysterious” objects.
Nadya
Loved Cat and Lily on your show. Bring them back. Tips and tricks are always welcome. One skein knits, stash busting, more spinning, more knits for the home…that’s my two cents.
Hi, Vickie! I’d enjoy interviews with people from blogland (like Eunny Jang, Crazy Aunt Purl, Panopticon) and seeing more Knittin’ Men on the show. Some of them are churning out really great knitwear! Showcasing some of the latest knitting books and their authors would be great too.
I’d also like to see a show on “advanced basics”, like different cast-ons (crocheted provisional, turkish) and finishing methods. I know there are many book and internet resources on this, but sometimes you need to see something in action in order to learn it. The LYS is a great resource, but I’m sure there are many who don’t have a one nearby for help.
I like the recent Knit Bits using yarn shops and their owners to explain tips. Keep that up!
Hi Vickie,
I’d love to see a show about altering patterns… basically I’m plus size and have been told over and over by saged knitters “just add a few rows or stitches where you know you need them” ok that’s easy for them to say. I’m sure there are other knitters out there who have run into this too. It’s so frustrating to run into a pattern that you know will “almost” fit and not know how to make it fit.
Kudos to all the loom knitters out there too. I can knit socks like crazy, but when it comes to the looms… well…they make better dog toys in my house :O
I’d love more advanced techniques, where it is the knitting, not the yarn, that does the showing off. 🙂
I think a shawl knit from the top center (triangular like the Kiri shawl or one of Evelyn Clark’s and also Myrna Stahman’s top-down Faroese insprired) would be great.
I’d love to see Meg Swansen discussing some of EZ’s things, like the Pi shawl and the Baby Surprise sweater (although there are many knitter’s who would be wonderful with these).
Also, if you cover Fair Isle knitting, please, PLEASE explain that it is not a technique, but that stranded knitting is the technique used.
Vickie –
I’ve seen a call for plus-size patterns and altering patterns. Well, how about something that meets those needs from a different angle. Design! I have hardly made a piece yet that actually matches someone else’s pattern (whether by mistake or intention). Learning to design is knitting freedom. Then it is easier to alter patterns. Mind you I am refering to overall patterns, such as shape and length to make a sweater, for example, not stitch patterns.
Speaking of…one of my favorite episodes was chockful of different stitch patterns. Let’s see more of those. I am trying to design a lacey sort of sheer to go between the drapes and the window in my baby’s nursery, and I haven’t found the perfect stitch pattern yet.
Kelly
I would like to put my hand up and say loom knitting is a must have. Then also plus sized knitting is another interest of mine. How to measure and alter a pattern to fit plus sized people. Another idea is knitting/crocheting doll clothes for barbie.
I think it would be very cool to host some kind of contest where the winner could be one of the knitsters and get a behind the scenes look at Knitty Gritty. Also would be cool to follow Vickie around for a day—a day in the life of Vickie Howell…..
LOOM KNITTING WOULD BE JUST GREAT!!!!!!!!!
Let’s see some Big Girl Knits!!! (We like to wear knits, too! Just ask Amy Singer!)
Also, how about the Ann and Kay from Mason Dixon Knitting?
I would love to see Amy Reynolds and some loom knitting on your show! She comes up with some neat patterns that I can follow pretty darn easy.
Thanks,
Dora Renee’ Wilkerson
Loom Knitting, but Please get a great teacher on there. Like Isela Phelps. Someone that knows that looms can be used for more than just hats and tubes. Please, please please! The whole show will matter on the teacher you have. This is a fast growing independant fiber art that is just leaping and bounding into new discoveries and stitches (Like the Mock Crochet Stitch I discovered, PDF on my blog, http://ladydove.typepad.com) But people are easily turned off from it because they believe that you can only make hats. I’ve seen sweaters, felted wonders, dishclothes, great double knits, triangle shawls, lace knitting, great cables, blankets, fancy stitches, shawls, shrugs, ruanas, hats, socks, clogs, mittens, everything created with looms.
But, while I love loom knitting, needles are my passion and Lace even more so. I love lace. Lace lace and more Lace!
I think some episodes on Vintage knits and the different methods on knitting socks would be great!
How about a show “knitting for boys”. There seems to be a lot of girl stuff out there but I would like to see something for my little guy.
I think a show on how to make dog sweaters would be interesting and having more male knitsters/guests is a really fun idea and definitly more shows using basic learning skills I myself am a visual learner and have a hard time learning from directions if you did more shows on how to knit basics that would be really helpful I would definitly like to know how to cast on with dpn’s and how to use them *
I love your show! I didn’t know you had a website all your own! I try to commandeer my boyfriend’s tv (he has cable)every weekend just so I can gather purls of wisdom:D
I’d love, love, LOVE to see more shows on plus size knitting. Double knitting also would be cool as well as doing two toe-up socks at once. Knitting and felting bowls and vases would be a great project as well (maybe a knitted cornucopia filled with knit fruit??? How cool would that be?!)
Also, there’s an amazing lady in Ohio who has put together a group called socks for soldiers. What she’d love to do is put a pair of good, handknit wool socks on every one of our soldiers… please check out http://www.socksforsoldiers.org … she’d make an absolutely wonderful guest knitter! I think the author of Knitting Nature would also be extremely interesting.
I love your show. I’d love to see more socks, and other great gift ideas. Knitty Gritty Rocks!!!
Things I’d like to see: finishing techniques (different types of seaming, when and why, etc., cast-ons and cast-offs), crocheting for knitters, altering a pattern to fit your body regardless of whether you are big/small tall/short whatever. I also like the idea of just a total tips show – a collection of little things that books don’t show. I know the new Knit Fix book jsut came out – that would be a great show topic to teach how to correct mistakes.
Thanks for asking for our input!!
I would love to see a whole episode on fixing mistakes!!!
wristwarmers…
accessories…
trendy pieces of clothing…
for the teenaged knitter
I’ve been looking for a decent sweater jacket pattern, especially a more shapely one.
I’m also having a hard time finding cute/ more trendy patterns for sweaters and such.
Vickie,
I know you wrote this message a while ago but thought I would give my two cents.
A show about “Real Women” would be outstanding. Being that there are so many of us out there dedicating a show to us would be nice. Figuring out how to alter a pattern to fit me is sometimes too much for me to handle and I end up either not knitting it for myself or for somebody else. This has got to end…I want some sweater too dang it!
I also thought about a show that incorporates somebody who knits using the underarm method. Just a thought so others can see what that is like. I know that it is really fast which is always nice.
One more idea is a show on or about prayer shawls. It would incorporate lace kniting and knitting with a purpose (although is there really any other type of knitting?) you know what I mean. I don’t think you have done anything like that.
Alright. Have a good night.
MarlyKnits.
Are the same three people posting about loom knitting, more socks and plus sized items! How about some more felted items! We have a large knitting group and everyone loves to felt. Connie
Ms Howell,
I want to thank you for your input/show: Knitty Gritty. I have learned so much about knitting. Most of which I did not know exsisted. Thank you!
I would love to see a show on blankets. I am not sure how to make one or two or three. My skill level is beginner/intermediate. I use basic stitches, nothing fancy. I love Lion Brand acrylic yarn and would love to make a blanket using it. I am just not sure how.
Just a suggestion.
Thanks again!
Becky (sleighbel@gmail.com)
Charlotte, NC
Hey Vickie, my name is Andy from Denver, North Carolina. I love to watch your shows. I would love to see a show on magic loop knitting. I am very intimidated by DPN’s and learned magic loop for socks. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hey Vicki,
I’m a fan of the show.
I learned to knit by watching Knitty Gritty. Anyway, I’m also relearning to loom again. I was wondering why don’t you show a very easy sock pattern. Like a tube sock with no heels. those sock loom pattern with the heels is confusing to me. I am still a beginning in loom knitting and regular knitting. I did make socks with heels circle needle. But they alway came to short or long. lol. I think it my site on the knitting part. I also have 31/2 shoe size. But they do fit.
Just different sizes. Anyway, thanks for reading my comment.
Pam G.
Alabama
Hey Vickie, Its me again Pam G. I got another great idea. How about having a free newsletter so people can get your wonderful patterns & also the shows past & present patterns that are shown on the show. Well just a idea. Btw, if you want you can also write me. Doggirl3@gmail.com
Pam G.
Alabama