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When you have a creative passion, you want to share it, and why not inspire others to take up the adventure! In this post I'll be sharing my advice on how to get started with knitting without stress :) Do you want to start knitting but don't know where to begin? Which needles, which yarns, which pattern... and what is a sample? There's no need to get discouraged, just learn and progress step by step, without pressure. Personally, I learnt to knit when I was a child with my grandmother, so I don't particularly remember the first time I knitted or made my first stockinette stitches. This may frighten beginners, but there's nothing to worry about! I'm going to describe the key steps for getting started here, and I'll be sharing some tutorials soon! Which yarn to start with? There is a huge variety of yarns. Knitting is generally associated with sheep's wool, but new types of yarn are now emerging (including yarns made from plant-based or recycled materials). There are three main categories: -natural animal fibres: sheep's wool, alpaca, mohair, cashmere, angora, etc. -plant fibres: cotton, hemp, linen, silk and nettle -synthetic fibres: acrylic, polyester. I've always preferred fibres from the first category, which are my first choice. To begin with, I don't recommend mohair-type yarns, which are generally a bit hard to handle, unless combined with a second, thicker yarn. You should also be aware that sheep's wool is made up of several sub-categories (the wool can be simply carded, or combed and even treated as 'superwash'). If you'd like to know more about these different categories, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'd be delighted to answer your questions and why not write a dedicated article :) Sometimes, some yarns are a mixture of wool and synthetic fibre (with various ratios). I much prefer 100% wool fibres, because I like to have a material that's warm for winter and cool for the summer months, while still favouring natural fibres. This choice is completely personal, so it's up to you to choose what you prefer; combining it with a synthetic yarn makes it possible to create more original yarns (in terms of colour and/or appearance), which can be very appreciated. What thickness of yarn should I start with? Without hesitation, I recommend a fairly thick thread! It's really easier to see the stitches and understand what you're doing. A very thin yarn will only complicate things, which is what you want to avoid :) You will see the different designations: -lace and fingering: the thinnest, knitted with needles 2 to 3.5 mm in diameter. -Sport and DK yarns: slightly thicker, knitted with needles 3 to 4 mm in diameter. -worsted and aran yarns: for needles 4 to 6 mm in diameter. -Bulky and chunky yarn: really thick, knitted with needles 7 to 10 mm in diameter for bulky yarn and 10 to 15 mm in diameter for chunky yarn. Needles up to 25mm in diameter are also available! So to start with, choose a yarn that can be knitted with at least 4 or 5 mm diameter needles. If you can test different thicknesses to see which one suits you best, that's even better! Knitty and Woolly yarns are available in two bases, Azun Sport and Azun Worsted. The Azun Worsted yarn is a good choice for beginners! What's more, the yarn doesn't split (which shows the very high quality of the spinning), and makes knitting easier when you're just starting out. Needles Have you ever browsed online haberdashery sites, in the knitting needles section? Between straight needles, circular needles, needles with interchangeable cables, mini needles and double point needles... There's plenty to pull out your hair! To begin with, I recommend choosing straight or circular needles (which are shorter than straight needles and linked together by a cable of variable length). However, getting to grips with them is not at all the same. I started knitting with straight needles, but now I have to admit that I prefer circular needles, as they are easier to handle and more pleasant to work with. What's more, it's perfectly possible to use circular needles to knit in rows back and forth, just as you would with straight needles. Given that most knitting patterns use circular needles, I think this is a good investment. If you have the opportunity to try out both, that's obviously the best thing, as everyone has their own sensations and tastes, but you could quickly be limited by the designs. Secondly, circular needles with interchangeable cables are really practical: depending on the size of the project, you can adapt the cable, which unscrews from the needle, while keeping the same needle size. This avoids having needles of a certain size for each length of cable (which can vary from 20 cm to 120 cm in intervals of 20 cm... which would be a lot!), but you'll still have to buy cables of different lengths. The option of fixed circular needles is still very interesting, if you don't want to go to the trouble of changing cables and needles, or if your range of knitting projects is rather limited (by which I mean, if you mainly knit caps or chokers, you'll more often use 60 cm and 80/100 cm needles, so you might as well have fixed needles). Personally, I knit with a mixture of these two types of circular needles! As for the material of the needles, here again there are several possible choices: metal, bamboo, wood or plastic. Apart from personal taste, the choice depends partly on the wool you're using: metal needles will be slippery (more so than wooden or plastic needles), so they're particularly suitable for mohair, for example. I've never tried plastic needles, so I can't give my opinion on them; wooden needles are generally favoured by knitters (I prefer them!). Finally, you may have heard of the magic-loop technique for knitting small diameters, such as socks, sleeves or the tip of a hat; for this technique you'll need circular needles with a 60 to 80 cm cable, but you can also use mini circular needles 23 or 30 cm long (cable and needles included), or double-point needles (4 needles are required and sold in sets). Personally, I've opted for these tiny needles and I love them! They come with fixed or interchangeable cables. It's worth noting that these are really tiny needles, which can be a bit tricky to hold... Finally, the diameter of the needles, expressed in millimetres, will depend on the thickness of the thread you choose (see Which thread to choose). When you buy wool, the needle size is normally indicated on the label! On my online shop, you'll find all the basic equipment, including beautiful wooden needles from KnitPro and stitch markers made in my workshop! Which pattern to start with? The headband This is the project I suggest to beginners who come to my workshops. You can knit a headband with less than 50g of wool, and it's a "useful" knit, an accessory that you can wear proudly afterwards. The easiest way to knit a headband is to knit a strip in moss stitch in rows going back and forth (so only single stitches), and sew the ends together to make a pretty bow on the front. The advantage is that you can knit it with circular needles, even if it's knitted in rows going back and forth. You'll need a cable at least 60 cm long to give you enough latitude between the two needles. What's more, it's quick to knit and good for morale when you start knitting! The cowl This is THE ideal project for getting started with circular knitting! It's knitted in a circular pattern and you only need one pair of circular needles (usually 60 cm). You'll be able to experiment (but without breaking the bank on materials) with right-sided jersey, more original stitches like ribbing, and a variety of colours (stripes, jacquard even for the most daring!). It's a great way to have fun, while learning the basic techniques of circular knitting (setting up stitches, joining in the round, folding over). The swatch... But before we get started, let's get back to the sample or swatch thing... I'm sure you've already heard about it, and if you haven't already, you will soon :) On the face of it, you'd be tempted to skip this stage, which seems a bit daunting because you're so keen to get started. But if you want your project to be a success and the final size to correspond to the model's intended size, it's an essential step! But what does it actually involve, and why is it so important? A sample is a piece of knitted fabric in which you have to count the number of stitches and rows obtained in a 10 cm by 10 cm square, after having 'blocked' it (i.e. washed it in a bath of cold to lukewarm water with a little washing-up liquid and then dried it flat with combs or blocking pins). When you choose a model, it is designed for a particular thread (thickness), combined with needles corresponding to its size. For example, you might be told: "sample (10 x 10 cm): 24 stitches x 34 rows with 3.75 mm needles". But everyone has their own "tension" when it comes to knitting: you may tend to knit a little loosely, or too tightly. As a result, the size of the sample may vary from one person to another and the final project may not have the intended dimensions. For example, if you knit too tightly (so you've got more stitches and rows in the 10x10 cm square), you'll need to choose a larger needle size. This way, the final project will be the right size! So even though this step may seem tedious (because you have to block the sample and it takes a bit of time), it's very important. This is also the case if you want to create your own pattern: for a 30 cm wide scarf, for example, you need to know how many stitches to make to get 30 cm and how many rows to make to get the desired length of scarf. You don't need to buy a pattern for a scarf. You can decide to create it yourself from A to Z, taking the time to make a sample to estimate the dimensions. Thread, needles...and that's it? Well, not quite. It's very useful to have a wool needle for any seams, a pair of scissors, stitch markers for knitting in the round (and marking the start of the round or whatever), and a ruler for measuring your sample. If you have crochet hooks, they are also very useful in knitting, for example to repair a mistake or to lift stitches on a neckline. And there you have it, now you've got all you need to start knitting without stress! And if you need any help, I'm here to guide you! Good luck to you :) #bloggingtips #WixBlog

In this article, I'd like to explain why wool inspires me so much in my day-to-day work, and share with you the values I uphold. Wool, and more specifically sheep's wool, has been used for thousands of years in the manufacture of textiles. Easily accessible, it is naturally renewable because it always grows back after being cut from the sheep's back. Made up of protein fibres (keratin), wool products can easily be biodegraded at the end of their life cycle by micro-organisms [1]. Its physico-chemical properties make this fibre very interesting and unique. For example, its scale-like structure increases its surface area in contact with the air while slowing down its circulation, over a wide range of temperatures. So it doesn't just keep you warm, it keeps you cool. It can also absorb up to 35% of its weight in moisture, which is then released as water vapour into the air [2]. So we stay dry too! Despite their many advantages, cheaper synthetics have gradually taken over from wool and other natural materials in the global textile market, and are now making their way into our wardrobes. And yes, most of our clothes are now made of plastics! Synthetic materials, produced from hydrocarbons, are also dyed with chemical dyes derived from petroleum, which have direct and harmful consequences for the human health of workers and consumers, and of course for the environment, which is greatly impacted. According to ADEME, dyeing alone is responsible for 20% of the world's water pollution. Wool, on the other hand, has become a noble material, used to make mid-range and top-of-the-range products. So what do we do about it? Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom, as some voices are speaking out in favour of change, in terms of both practices and attitudes. Many players have decided to (re)turn to natural raw materials that respect the environment, animals and people. Wool is one of them. But we have a long way to go, because the wool industry in France and more widely in Europe has seen a drastic decline in activity over the last few decades. So we need to rebuild, to recreate the link between the land, the animals, the breeders and the new players in the industry. We also had to recreate the link with the machines and the technical know-how that had been lost or forgotten. All this is taking shape again now, and it's an incredible source of energy. Together, I'm convinced we can do a lot, and there's so much to do! All these ideas about the environment, biodiversity and our way of life are fundamental to me and guide me on a daily basis. They were passed on to me by my parents and grandparents, and by the place where I grew up, the Pyrenees. An area that is still partly unspoilt, but that needs to be protected. That's where the Lourdaise ewe comes in. A breed of ewe that is emblematic of the Pyrenees, yet still endangered to this day. So when my father undertook to help save it over thirty years ago, he may not have imagined that I would be continuing the fight in my own way: by adding value to its wool. This material, which is harvested every year (because it is essential for the health of the animals), generally earns nothing for the breeders, who are faced with competition from foreign wools. As a result, the wool accumulates and the breeders, no longer knowing what to do with it, even come to describe it as waste. Faced with this situation, I wanted to get involved in the wool industry to promote this noble material and give it back its rightful place. Wool itself fascinates me. Its feel, its structure, its shape, its colour. Its many properties too, which demonstrate the power of this natural fibre. And all the things you can do with it. As I said earlier, wool has been used for thousands of years to make clothes. And back then, it took so much time to spin yarn on a spinning wheel or spindle that the rare garments that were created were precious and darned as much as possible when needed. Nowadays, spinning mills and industrial spinning mills can produce yarn in larger quantities and more quickly than by hand. All the wool needs is to be processed. So we have yarn available to us, ready to be knitted, woven, crocheted... It's no less important to reuse and repair as much as possible. My positioning in this sector was clear from the outset: I wanted to offer a natural, traceable wool yarn that reflects its terroir and is produced in a way that respects animals, people and the environment as far as possible. By natural wool, I mean: -wool that has not been carbonised (a chemical process requiring sulfuric acid to destroy plant debris), but simply subjected to the mechanical action of machines to remove as much of this debris as possible (not forgetting the little hands at the sorting stage) -wool that has not been treated 'superwash', a process that involves applying a resin to the fibre to prevent it from felting when the garment is washed (at the same time reducing its insulating properties) -wool that has not been dyed with synthetic dyes, but rather with vegetable dyes, by hand and without the use of synthetic alum mordants. In this way, the wool retains all its natural properties and the resulting yarn is all the more authentic. When I was looking for partners to take care of the various stages of processing, I wanted to turn to local, artisanal companies that have all these skills. There aren't many of them, but they do exist. And thanks to the Filature de Niaux in Ariège and the Myrobolan workshop in Creuse, the result is there. I'm so proud and happy. Now we just have to keep going - it's only the beginning! On the other hand, I wanted to offer hand-spun wool creations. For me, working with this fibre by hand from A to Z is essential. It allows you to connect with and understand the material, to acquire skills and techniques, and simply to take the time. What's more, a handmade creation tells a story, reflects the personality of its creator and reflects values... Values that I can share and pass on during creative workshops, which are also rich in human encounters. I hope that these few words have aroused your curiosity and that you have found yourself somewhere in all this. I look forward to hearing from you, so don't hesitate to drop me a line! Références [1] The wool handbook, Morphology, Structure, Properties, Processing, and Applications The Textile Institute Book Series, 2024, Pages 401-440 [2] J. Chybik, Natural Building Materials, 978-80-247-2532-1, Grada Publishing, a.s., Prague, Czech Republic (2009)

s you will have noticed, it is rare to finish all your balls of yarn after a project. This is particularly true for jacquard, as the yoke patterns do not usually require a whole ball! But then, what to do with these leftovers of wool? There are several options, and that's good! There are plenty of small knitting projects that require little amount of yarn. There is of course the headband, an essential accessory to keep your ears warm! But it is also possible to make jewelry such as earrings. I show you a photo example here. Finally, when there is a little more wool left, you can make a hat. It's quick to knit and so useful for winter. It's the kind of little knitting project that makes you happy! I also have the idea of ​​knitting a sweater when I have enough leftovers of yarn that can be combined together. But it's not for now :)

I told you about it the first time a few months ago, here it is! The pattern is finally available in French and English on Ravelry.com. Thank you once again to my testers, who knitted the sweater in all sizes to correct any possible errors in the pattern, but also to show you what it could look like in other colors and sizes! All versions are available in pictures on my Instagram account (#aspinsweater) and Ravelry, so be sure to check them out! But by the way, why the "Aspin" sweater? I couldn't quite decide on a name. It's not so easy after all, although it may seem obvious. So I called on my knitter friends and thanks to their ideas, I finally managed to find it! Aspin refers to a famous pass in the Pyrenees, where I grew up. I wanted to give a name that looks like me and that speaks to me, so here it is, the choice has been made! I then worked on a second version, with the contrasting color only used for the jacquard. Once again I used a worsted weigh yarn, Gilliatt base from De Rerum Natura, a safe bet for a cozy and warm sweater! Aspin is a loose, very comfortable and fluffy sweater with dropped shoulders. Its turtleneck brings a lot of warmth. It has a nice finish on the shoulders and pretty jacquard details on the body and sleeves that give it a little Nordic and wild side. The Aspin sweater is worked from bottom to top, without seams. We start with the body in the circular, then the front and back are worked in back and forth rows after separating the sleeves from the body. The shoulders are then sewn with the 3-needle bind-off method for a nice finish, then the collar is made in the circular. Finally, the sleeves are also worked in the circular, after picking up the stitches around the armholes. Do you have any questions about this pattern? Contact me by email or see all the detailed information on Ravelry (needles used, yardage, gauge etc...). See you soon !