I am finally back in NYC after spending the last 10 days traveling through Scandinavia and dealing with the bittersweet return to routine, changing of the seasons, and reunion with Charlie after his vacation with Grandma and Grandpa(w) (though that part was just sweet). We spent the first half of our trip in Norway - Oslo and a remote island in the north in the Leinesfjord region - followed by 4 amazing days in Copenhagen, Denmark.

When I say Scandinavia is a knitter’s paradise, I’m not only referring to the divine yarn shopping (we’ll get into that in a moment). I also mean the cultural alignment with the principles that have really been reinforced by knitting - particularly regarding respect for and preservation of nature.

The topic of knitting with natural fibers is one often discussed and while I have always sided in their favor (as it seems many dedicated knitters do), this trip has given me a much deeper appreciation for why.

Opting for natural fibers (whether they be animal or plant) is not just a snooty preference or propaganda to get you to spend more money - it goes back to honoring the heritage of knitting and the abundance we get from nature.

Buying yarn that is 100% wool / cotton / silk, etc. isn’t just for aesthetic purposes: it is in support of the concept that humans don’t need to constantly optimize / over process materials. Nature gives us everything we need to make beautiful, long lasting garments and (in my opinion) it is our job as fiber artists to support and respect that.

And support I did… we explored so many local yarn stores on this trip in every single destination (Oslo, Bodø, and Copenhagen) so let’s get into all of the spots I visited, which ones I will be returning to, and shops that were recommended for future trips.

Read more

I am also thrilled to share with you guys that I finished my first self-drafted garment - the all-over lace tank top (below)! There were a couple of kinks in the process, but I’m overall so proud of the look and fit of the piece. It turned out almost exactly as I’d envisioned it - sort of Varley-esque but with a higher neck and more knitwear / less sportswear. I would definitely need to make another sample before turning it into a pattern, so let me know if you guys would be interested in that?

As you guys know, this isn’t exactly my first foray into knitwear design (you can find my Lover Girl Baby Hat here!) and today I wanted to talk about the response I’ve gotten multiple times from non-knitters when I talk about my design process.

One tool that I have been loving as a new designer and long-time finance professional (this dual life is feeling very Hannah Montana) is Excel. Seems crazy, but it has been the best tool for me to create colorwork / contrast stitch charts. When I tell people that I use Excel for knitwear design, the response I’ve gotten repeatedly is “you know, if you put that into Claude, you’d never have to do it yourself again!” To which I give a small chuckle and respond, “that’s not really the point.”

Read more

Welcome back to “Knit 2 Together”! To my followers who have come here from Instagram / TikTok, thank you for giving this new medium a chance - your support means the world. 💛 And if you’re new here from Substack, welcome to Knitting with Charlie! If you’d like to get to know me (and Charlie), make sure to check out my intro post here.

This post is very exciting because not only do I have a finished object to share with you all, but I am also releasing my first pattern!!! Introducing the “Lover Girl” Baby Hat (reluctantly modeled by Charlie below). This whimsical, precious little hat features a rolled edge, 2x2 rib, contrast purl hearts and a little i-cord bow. It is a gift for someone with a newborn (human) baby, but since I don’t have one of those around here to model, my (canine) baby had to do. If you have a baby in your life, this is such a sweet little project that takes very little yarn and shockingly little time to knit, despite all of the details.

Before I share the pattern below, I want to make a couple of things very clear about how I will be using Substack and what you can expect from the patterns I release on here (at least for the near future):

1. These are the steps I followed to knit this piece but it was not test knit and I have not included multiple sizes. However, from what I understand about newborns, head size can vary dramatically so I will include the finished dimensions (of course) and a note on how you can scale up or scale down the sizing. And I am more than happy to answer questions in the comments!

2. I have been working on some other self drafted pieces (see below for my all-over lace tank!) that I plan to share in the very near future. In lieu of selling these individually on Ravelry, I will be posting them here for my paid subscribers. That means that if you choose to subscribe, you will have access to my entire catalogue of patterns as I continue to release. I hope to learn how to adapt my patterns for multiple sizes and ultimately start testing them, but that may not be the case for the first few releases. I hope you will be patient as I continue to learn how to design 💛

Ok enough yapping, here’s the pattern!

Read more

Subscribe now

Hi there!

If we haven’t yet been digitally introduced, my name is Aly and I am the creator / knitter behind the Instagram and TikTok account Knitting with Charlie, a growing online family of fiber artists looking for inspiration, camaraderie, and a celebration of all things knitting & slow fashion.

1. What is Knitting with Charlie all about?

At Knitting with Charlie (KWC), we aim to celebrate, support, and inspire the online knitting community. And I didn’t just choose those words randomly from the “feel-good thesaurus of blogging” - they actually speak to the deep purpose of each piece of content that goes onto a Knitting with Charlie page. Let me explain:

Celebrate: from cast-on to cast-off, big wins to minor setbacks, we celebrate all of the highs and lows of the knitting process.

Support: If you have seen any KWC content on either TikTok or Instagram, there’s around a 75% chance you have my posts about hand sensitivity, health, and longevity. While knitting has added so many positive elements to my life, it has unfortunately also given me carpel tunnel at the ripe age of 27. Managing hand pain, finding new methods of treatment, and supporting my followers who may be struggling with the same issues is a core piece of my “why.”

Inspire: Just like any other knitter, my Ravelry queue and pattern wish list is fall longer than I could ever reasonably get through. So a large part of my content falls into the knitting pattern inspiration category - including curated lists of select patterns, including my “Painless Pattern” series that highlights patterns for knitters like me dealing with chronic hand pain.

2. Who the heck is Charlie?!

Ah - my most frequently asked question. Charlie is my little Havanese puppy and constant knitting companion. My hope for this community is to create a feeling of warmth, acceptance, and support (like you would get from a beloved pet) in the digital world. A constant supporting presence that makes you smile, regardless of whether they are in the room with you. Charlie also happens to be extremely cute, see below for visual evidence.

3. What can I expect from Substack that will not be available elsewhere?

Substack is where I’ll be diving a layer deeper into all of my content. This includes self-drafted patterns (starting with my lace tank and baby hat below), technique tutorials (Portuguese knitting, bind-off alternatives), in-depth yarn crawl itineraries (San Francisco, Paris, San Sebastián, Madrid to be posted soon; Oslo and Copenhagen coming end of August!), full completed pattern reviews and any modifications (Inga Sweater, Roomy Raglan Sweater), and much more! You will get all of the nitty gritty details a layer deeper than on TikTok or Instagram.

4. My promises to my audience

I promise to provide a space for my community to feel at home. In an online world that can feel cold, divided, and lonely, I hope to cultivate a community that brings you even just a little joy, warmth, and belonging. I promise to actually provide value to each of you - through the patterns I publish, recommendations I provide, and techniques I teach. I promise to celebrate, support, and inspire this community, whether you are a beginner knitter or far more advanced than I am. Welcome to Knit 2 Together by Knitting with Charlie - I can’t wait to create, learn, commiserate, rejoice, and grow together.