Mother of Purl

gathered around the table, all of whom patiently await my help. And since I have yet to master the ability to clone myself, one of the best things about the knitting circle is how my clients assist each other until I can make my way to them. While it’s the more proficient knitters who guide beginners, everyone offers an opinion, advice, and comfort. It’s satisfying to see how my clients truly care about knitting and offer encouragement. After all, if you see someone who has only been knitting for six months manage to shape a sweater or master cabling, then you’ll be inspired to advance your skills as well.
As I tell my clients, it’s important to choose your next project with an increased level of difficulty so you’re continuously challenging yourself and improving your knitting skills.
STAR SIGHTINGS
Since La Knitterie Parisienne opened its doors in 1996, we’ve enjoyed the reputation as a haven where the famous and the nonfamous gather, sharing at least one thing in common: their love of knitting. And, while it’s well–known that celebrities have helped to catapult knitting’s popularity, the celebrities aren’t always immediately recognizable. For instance, not too long ago, I had two new knitters sitting next to each other; the first was a stay–at–home mom, the second a beautiful brunette—who also happened to be an Academy Award–winning actress. As they knitted, I overheard the first woman whisper to the second, “I’m kind of disappointed, I was hoping to see a movie star, but it’s just regular people tonight.” With a completely straight face, the leading lady whispered back to her, “I know, I’m disappointed too!”
SARAH JESSICA PARKER AND KRISTIN DAVIS
I remember opening People magazine one day and seeing Sarah Jessica and Kristin sitting in director’s chairs on the set of Sex and the City, knitting. I had to chuckle. They were knitting with the yarn I had just sent to them. Another time, Sarah Jessica called me requesting a particular yarn that she said she couldn’t find anywhere in New York after searching several knitting shops. When Sex and the City wrapped production, I designed and knit both Sarah Jessica and Kristin what I envisioned to be the quintessential “Sex and the City Scarf (the pattern is featured in my book). They both called to say thank you; I was glad to hear the scarf was a hit. Kristin has since moved back to Los Angeles, and I’m delighted to be able to see her more frequently.
Now that you’ve learned the basics—casting on, binding off, knitting, and purling—you’re ready to graduate to the next three essential steps. Remember that knitting is based on two basic stitches: the knit and the purl stitch, and in combination, you can create virtually any pattern imaginable. With the addition of tension control, ribbing, and shaping to your repertoire, you are on your way to becoming an expert knitter. Without these skills your knitting would be limited to shapeless, flat pieces. Don’t be disheartened if they seem difficult at first. Like with everything else, practice makes perfect.

TENSION AND GAUGE
Every master has her tools. In addition to my yarn and needles, I’m never without the telephone by my side, the tape measure dangling around my neck, and my signature red manicured nails. True, you might not need two of the three, but you will always need a tape measure—to measure your project and, in this case, to measure your gauge as you knit with the proper tension.
What Is Tension? The first thing you need to master is tension: the way in which you hold your yarn as you knit. As in the classic story of the “Three Bears,” it’s important to hold your yarn “just right.” If you hold the yarn too loosely, your stitches will be too large and holey; if you pull your yarn too tight, your stitches will be tight and difficult to move along the needle.
UNDERSTAND YOUR GAUGE BEFORE YOU KNIT
I recently helped a woman rip out a scarf that was so wide it looked like the back of a coat; she was annoyed and couldn’t understand how this could have happened. After all, she’d already knitted several scarves, and just as before she had cast on 18 stitches. The one thing she failed to understand was that rather than the medium weight yarn she had used in the past, she had selected a very bulky yarn for this project. Instead of ending up with 5 stitches to an inch she had 2, and thus her project was considerably wider—and unwearable. There is a simple solution to this problem: knitting a gauge. Had she taken the time to work up a gauge, she would have had a perfect blueprint of her finished scarf.
What Is a Gauge? A gauge—also referred to as a swatch—is the most critical part of knitting because it is the recommended number of stitches and rows per inch required to successfully knit your project to size. For instance, if a pattern calls for 5 stitches and 6 rows per inch, you would make your gauge by casting on 20 stitches and working for 24 rows. A sample of your work for your project—or the gauge—should be a 4–by–4–inch swatch. The needles recommended in the pattern is just that: a recommendation. If you are a tight knitter, you may have to go up one or more needle sizes, and if you are a loose knitter, you may have to go down several needles sizes. It might take you up to half an hour to knit a gauge, but it will also save you countless hours of frustration. Be sure to always knit your gauge in the stitch stipulated in the pattern.
A lot of new knitters are unwilling to learn the technical aspects of knitting. They come to the store and ask me, “How many stitches do I need to cast on?” My standard response is that I forgot my crystal ball at home. Without knowing how many stitches they get to