First things first

Our lazy, hazy days of summer floating in the pond at my mother-in-law’s camp in Maine have sure led to a backlog around these parts. The Fit to Flatter classes (yes, there are two now!) I’m teaching at Purl Diva sold out before I had a chance to even tell you about the second one, I still haven’t done my post on the design process for Twinflower, I’ve been meaning for ages to rave at you about the wonders of applied i-cord, and you should be looking for Pyromania, a new sock pattern, here within the next couple of days, too:

(Photo copyright Splityarn 2010.)

But before I can do that, I have to tell you about the wonderful surprise that was waiting on my doorstep when I got back late last night!

Knitting it Old School is the most fantastic new book of patterns to come out since sliced bread. You guys, there are three books’ worth of great patterns in this one luscious hardcover. I’m thrilled to have my very first design included in the sci-fi chapter:

Apocalypta is a figure-skimming, futuristic top knit out of Berroco’s aptly-named Seduce yarn. I had a lot of fun playing around with the futuristic theme:

Of course, it has the body-conscious shaping that I find indispensable in my own sweaters.

(I’ll do a more complete round-up on the sweater some time next week, but I needed to give you at least a little peek today.)

As soon as the book was available for pre-order, I snagged myself a copy. Caro and Stitchy later told me that as a contributor I’d get a complimentary copy, too. So now I have a spare! And what better use to put it to than a giveaway?

In honor of Apocalypta’s chapter, to enter to win a signed copy of Knitting It Old School, please leave a comment on this post predicting what knitting will be like in the future. (Insert scary space noises here.) On Friday, August 27th at 5:00pm Eastern time, I’ll draw a random commenter and send them the book!

115 thoughts on “First things first

  1. Looks like such a cool book!! I’d love a copy!

  2. What a cool sweater! I’d love to be entered in the drawing 🙂

  3. Hmm, knitting in the future … I think knitting in the future will be much like knitting was in the past: necessary, expected, practical, passed from one person to the next. That’s not to say boring, but not a hobby, either. Especially if the future really is an apocalyptic one.

  4. Sentient yarn.

  5. I think that in the future the fibers may be different and the materials needle are made from may change but the actual process will remain the same because of its therapeutic qualities.

  6. congrats on the book!

    I hope that there will be a continued growing awareness of source of fibers and production of materials.

  7. I think it will relatively the same, but people will work with yarn they find local and space yarn made of crazy materials that we can’t even imagine

  8. Looks like a great book.

    I think old will be new again-meaning that knitters will move towards natural fibers. Wools (my favorite) will arrive in yarn shops by the dozens and we will all be well versed in the varieties of sheep and wool weights in order to knit practical minimal garments for ourselves.

  9. knitters will be a high commodity. we’ll sit and knit away with needles attached to our hands like rings while other people come and trade us their food and other goods for a warm article of clothing knit with yarn that’s been spun out of recycled silk. 🙂

  10. hmmm… I think in the future there will be MORE KNITTERS! knitters everywhere! taking over the world!

  11. I predict both a continuation and enhancement of current knitting styles for process knitters, and new and more sophisticated, fully programmable (program your entire sweater to fit your proportions – heck, put your proportions in and let the machine do the math!) knitting machines for project knitters.

  12. I think we’ll be seeing LOTS of new developments in yarn – we’re just beginning to learn how to use vegetables, but I hope we’ll start developing more ways to recycle weird stuff into yarn.

  13. Hm, I hope that knitting in MY future will be about me making garments that are tailored to my body. I still have so much to learn, but I want to produce items that look professional!

  14. Well, I’m not a believer that the world will end in 2012, but if it does and I somehow manage to survive, my knitting skills and I will be very hot commodities!

    My other prediction: handknitted garments in beautiful yarns will become an even more valuable antidote to industrial-made, crappy-ass fiber clothing. I don’t even look at commercial sweaters anymore. I’ll just knit my own, thank you very much, in colors, sizes, and fibers that fit me and my personality.

  15. I think future knitting will have lunimescent yarn for knitting in the dark.

  16. Apocalypta is such a cool design.

    I expect in the future that people will move away from industrially produced garments and so knitting will become more and more popular.

  17. I think new fibers will continue to be developed from unconventional materials, inspiring new shapes and designs, and that knitting in the future will just get more and more interesting!! Yay!

  18. In the future, knitting will be an old-fashioned but still hip craft that most people will learn from mom or grandma. Just like now.

    The book looks really cool!

  19. The great thing about knitting is that it will probably remain nearly unchanged throughout time. We’ll still be making fabric out of sticks and string, just like so many generations before us. I love that about knitting. And I love the looks of that book and your design!

  20. In the future knitting will be done by machines. Oh wait, that’s happening now.

  21. Retro, retro, retro — at some point we’ll go back to basics, not just materials. Shapes will become more boxy, and maybe we’ll even see fewer cables and less lace. Who knows???

  22. That looks like an awesome book!

    I think that in the future, the divide in pricing between luxury and basic fibers will continue to grow, but that fibers like eco wool will gain popularity. I think that we will continue to see new types of fiber, particularly high-quality hypoallergenic fiber for the wool-allergic.

  23. I’ll be getting my own copy of the book, so don’t count me – someone else should get this one.

    However, I think in the future, we’ll still do the same thing in the same way, but with fibers and tools that we can’t imagine now. Like needles from recycled sneakers and fabulous soft yarns that don’t pill or tangle. Perhaps voice activated patterns that speak to us (and answer questions) like the GPS does now.

  24. Knitting in the future… I agree with others that I think more recycling, less-processed yarns are a good prediction for the near future. For the further future, hard to say – I hope they start teaching it in all schools and everyone knits!

    Thanks for the chance to win!

  25. Looking deep into my crystal ball I see advances in materials but not necessarily the process. Hand knitting has existed this long for many great reasons – it’s practical, relaxing, rewarding, etc. Can’t wait for this new book to debut. It’s been on my Must Buy list for ages!

  26. I think we’ll see a focus on basic, wearable items with a slight kick to them, something to set them apart from the crowd. At least, that’s what I hope to see!

  27. Knitting will be… less painful because the cure for all repetitive motion injuries will be found!

  28. In the future, knitting will be much like it is now, as it has been for hundreds of years. The main differences in knitting between the past and now- that we knit for pleasure instead of survival, and we knit to connect to the natural world, which we are increasing alienated from, whereas in the past, we were undeniably a part of it, these dichotomies will continue to influence our knitting habits.
    In the future, the softness and tactile pleasures of yarn, along with the satisfaction of making something ourselves, and the desire for creative expression will (continue to) be the driving forces behind the craft. I think the accessories will be better. Maybe we’ll be able to download pattern directions directly to our minds, bypassing paper altogether. Or be able to visualize the perfect sweater and have a program translate our ideas into knitting patterns. We’d all be designers then! Thanks for the fun!

  29. They’re going to make yarn out of odder and odder things and maybe figure out how to make really soft yarn out of recycled carrier bags. Hopefully those yarns will be cheaper!

  30. What a lovely book, and a lovely design! As for knitting in the future, I only have two words for you: alien sheep.

  31. I’m thinking (hoping?) that there will be even more knitters. I would guess that we’ll probably have some crazy new fibers made out of unexpected things, but hopefully also a greater awareness of where our fibers come from and what goes into making them.

  32. It being all Post Apocalyptic and all, we will probably have reverted to just using straights and dpns for everything, most likely the needles will be made out of bits of pipe and things that are left around the shattered landscape.

    Oh, and we will have reverted to chasing the wild sheep/mongoose crosses that have six legs and woolier coats, because all the merino were hit with a major dose of radiation that caused them to mutate.

    But, being an ancient and hardy breed, all the Shetland and Icelandic fleece will be fine, wandering around their island landscapes, and looking at the humans like… “what? I’m just being sheepy…”

    Thanks for the opportunity to win! I am excited as all get out to procure Knitting It Old School

  33. Maybe knitting patterns of the future will be adaptable for adjustments like your fit to flatter series suggests. You tell it about your body shape and it does the math/revisions for you! Well, a girl can dream…Congrats on the pattern. It looks like a really neat book.

  34. Depends if it’s a dystopic future or a utopic future!

  35. I bet you knitting in the future will be almost like it was in the past and is now, a wonderful craft that brings people together and is able to produce clothes, art, and so much more. I’m sure the materials to knit with will be different but the concept will remain the same.

  36. I’ve been following your adventures ever since you left (we miss you!) and it’s been a thrill, so proud for you! I would love a copy of this book (please sign it!).
    Knitting in the future: we’ll be able to sketch a design on an integrated pad that will have our current dimensions stored, which will be automatically adjusted to be most flattering in shape and fit, then we can design to order the fiber blend, spin and color and order it all up to be delivered through pneumatic tubes. (everything is delivered that way, no one can go outdoors because the air is poisonous)

  37. I think that knitting in the future will be the same as knitting today — a meditative process and a useful or fun project. Thanks for the chance to win the book!

  38. I think in the future they will find a way to make synthetic yarns feel nicer.

  39. Knitting in the future will include clever needles who will tell me when I drop a stitch and some kind of cool scanner that will let me know early on that a project will be too big/small/ugly!

  40. Personally I like the comment of alien sheep. Could you just see sheep that have little antenae? A-freaking-dorable!

    I can’t see knitting changing much functionally in the future but for available materials.

  41. Ooooh. nice book!

    I also see little changing in knitting other than materials. It is what it is. But I live in a place where knitting is not so popular…maybe we will see it get more mainstream. That is more of a wish than a prediction, though.

  42. Well, I think knitting itself will be much the same. The needles might be lighter, faster, and more durable. I am predicting more organic and recycled yarns, and yarns that incorporate some sort of electronics–maybe they sense your temperature and heat you/cool you as needed. I’m also predicting that patterns will be apps that customize automatically to your stored measurements and desired fit. And if the pattern would not work for your figure, you’d get an error message that says “What would Amy say?!” 🙂

  43. I think knitting will continue pretty much as it is today, but with more exotic materials.

  44. In the future, we will knit in zero gravity!

  45. The book looks great! I hope that in the future I will own an auto-swatcher so I won’t get into as much trouble by launching into projects without swatching first.

  46. I think knitting in the future will use a lot more recycled products. And possibly very wacky novelty yarns that come from everywhere and anywhere. Moon yarn anyone?

  47. Looks like a fantastic pattern, and book!

    I think knitting in the future will be much like that of the past, hopefully with handknits even more popular than they are now, and perhaps some new fibres with added moondust.

  48. In the future, I think there will be even more interesting blends of yarn and even more hypnotic, saturated colours. I will not even try to predict whether fine knits or chunky knits will be in, as that changes with each season!

  49. Yarn with variable fit settings. Want it tighter? Aim a blow dryer at the places that you want to shrink in a bit. Need it looser? Rub some ice over that spot. Items made of Variable Fit(tm) should not be worn as an outer garment…

  50. I think in the future the biggest change to knitting will be the fibers we work with. I can imagine a boom in yarns made from recycled textiles and leftovers from the garment industry as resources become more scarce. Maybe we’ll even carbon nanotubes or yarn made with nano technology so that they will self repair any wear and tear to the garment (no more pilling or darning).

  51. The design looks great! Congratulations! Man, do you ever sleep?! I’d love a copy of the book should it come my way 🙂

  52. Congratulations! Sounds like a super book. I think you’re raising the bar too high here; who could have predicted how the knitting world would be changed so elementally by social networking in general and by Ravelry in most particlar. I am just not THAT imaginative.

    I just finished Susan M. Strawn’s KNITTING AMERICA, published in 2007. That book would have to be massive if published today because it would have to have an immense chapter on Ravelry, Yarn Bombing, Stitch ‘n Bitch…

  53. That sweater looks awesome! Very much in line with my personal aesthetic. 🙂

    I imagine knitting in the future will be even more creative and elaborate than it is now. I expect to see more “high fashion” type pieces as the audience shifts and people push the boundaries out farther and farther.

  54. Knitting in the future — fantastic new textiles… from outer space! 😀 (Laceweight made from the Klingon equivalent of cashmere goats! I’d sign up for that.)

  55. Very cool sweater! I think knitting will become even more high tech with patterns being released for e-readers as the standard.
    Wouldn’t it be neat if yarn could change color based on your mood like a mood ring. Maybe that one is from way in the future:)

  56. Ooh, I wanna win!

    Knitting in the future? Will be so popular they’ll teach it in elementary schools and everyone will do it on the subway, in cafes, etc.

  57. In the future your LYS will have a 3-D scanner to record your measurements and tell you how much yarn you’ll need for a certain pattern. You’ll be able to type in the pattern you’re considering and a screen will show you what the piece will look like on your body. Type in the yarn you like and the screen will show that pattern in the yarn you’ve selected. Add different amounts of ease, waist shaping, different collars and sleeves – ooh, I’m in love with this idea!

    Yarns will be both more natural – new wools and cottons, and more high-tech – yarns that shed dirt, water, stains, etc. Of course they will be bug proof.

    I think there will be more young knitters joining our ranks as people become more aware of what is available and possible with fibers.

  58. What fun!

    I predict that knitting in the future will be done by every breathing being as it will finally be recognized by experts the world over that knitting is a superior stress reliever, in addition to being the creative stimuli necessary to exist in a technologically advanced society.

  59. I’m with the porter above – there will be more customisation.

  60. In the future we’ll knit with newfangled things called “circular needles.” And maybe we’ll have needles that glow in the dark??!! And things called ‘row counters’ so you don’t have to make hash marks on paper. Maybe we’ll even have cool bags to carry our knitting around in so we don’t have to use plastic bags! 🙂
    So excited to see the book – it looks great!

  61. I think knitting will go more retro/mod with more slimming cuts. As for yarns, I think they’re going to be more eco-friendly.

  62. Knitting will be ubiquitous in the future… And everyone will use shaping to help combat our sweaters floating around in zero gravity, obviously!

  63. I think knitting in the future will bring the use of fibers we haven’t even thought of yet, but I think knitting will essentially remain unchanged, a few new techniques here and there. I’m loving Amy’s idea of the auto-swatcher. One can only hope!

  64. Just found you- so glad I did!

  65. I can’t tell you what knitting will be like in the future – but I can tell you this: It will never go back into obscurity as something merely for “old ladies”. It can only continue on in it’s popularity, especially as it has two important characteristics – Enough sameness for there to be a communion among all who knit, and enough diversity to attract any type of person. The future is looking very bright indeed.

  66. Hmm, knitting in the future… more shaping, more colorwork, and fancy new fiber combos.

  67. Wow congratulations!!! Love the design and hope to have the chance to see the other futuristic knits 😉

  68. In the future, knitting will be more digitized but the interest in traditional knits will remain. I love the ability to dive into other cultures by learning about traditional knitting methods and motifs. I don’t think that curiosity for information about our pasts will ever be diminished — and a machine knit shetland wedding ring shawl will never give you as much insight into history as creating one yourself.

  69. What knitting will be like in the future?

    Hm, to say it with Philip K. Dick: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? We don’t know yet. But I think knitting will still be: FUN!

    Greetings from Germany

  70. Very cool sweater! Congratulations! In the future? Knitting will be much more personalized and knit-to-fit (and flatter). I’m sure there’ll be an app for that. iFit? Wait! Pretend I didn’t say anything! I’m going now to write that app myself… (-;

  71. What a gorgeous minimalistic sweater! And the socks look very cute.

  72. The future of knitting seems infinite. It’s still just pulling string through a loop… But it’s always amazing how people think of new ways to do it.

  73. Oh, and in the future: knitted objects will be considered even more precious than now (by all and everyone, I mean) and will have all the fame that belongs to them!

  74. The physical act of knitting in the future will be the same (unless we choose to automate it with machines). The materials we use will differ – imagine more personalized needles with exactly the right point, the right texture, and the right length for any project. (Also, unlimited storage space.) As for yarn – I’m hoping for alien “sheep”. And more. Alternatively, if raw materials are in short supply, the recycling fiber industry may grow. High-tech fibers in our clothes (micro-fiber, rip-stop, cool-max) will transition to the yarns.

    Love Apocalypta.

  75. Ever since the Matrix, I’ve vaguely wondered about future knitting (Since I doubt sheep will have an easy time of the extremely subterranean lifestyle adopted by humans since the robot wars). I predict a huge shift towards utilitarian garments, with minimal shaping, so future generations can safely enjoy the heirloom sweaters of their predecessors: acrylic-and-reclaimed-materials sweaters in every scroungeable color. After all, if the robots base vision on heat and noise, then why bother with drab camouflage at all?

  76. i imagine knitting in the future to be much the same, albeit with more flashy items to add to our knotions bags. 🙂
    congrats on the great sweater design!

  77. In the future, we’ll have robotic yarn-switchers that’ll bring the yarn front-and-back for us for purling/knitting! It’ll speed everything up!

  78. Call me an optimist but I don’t think knitting will change much at all- needles +sheep+K&P

    Ok, maybe someone will write an app so our iphones will read patterns out loud to us as we knit them, so no need to refer back to chart.

    Congrats on the fabulous pattern & book& series on fit.

  79. There’s going to be a complete new wave of design in the future to accommodate all the new materials we’ll learn to spin into yarn. Within the past few years bamboo, corn, and soy have gone crazy in the market… who knows what we’ll turn into yarn next and how that texture can change how cables, lace, etc will look.

  80. Love the design! Part of what I love about knitting is the way it is always changing and yet keeps the traditions alive. In the future, may we continue to learn and grow while still remembering our knitting traditions!

  81. In the future you’ll be able to custom order yarn in the weight color and fiber content you desire, and there will be magic teflon coated interchangable needles that truly stay put together and never snag!

  82. Knitting in the future! Let’s say we discover life on another planet and that life includes another fiber unlike any that we have on Earth – and we all spin it and knit with it. And it glows in the dark, naturally. And it has mild magnetic power, which means you have to knit on wood needles and think really hard about what you make with it.
    Sure, why not?

  83. Congrats! It looks like both an awesome pattern and an awesome book.

  84. I just started knitting, so I’m not really sure about knitting in the future. I’m just trying to get the simplest patterns to work for me.

    Maybe in the future, the yarn will be warmer and lighter weight, feeling like you’re not wearing anything at all, but still keeping you snuggly warm.

  85. Oh!!! Pick me! Pick me! There are some awesome designers that are in this book!!!!!!! Am I naive to think that it won’t be that different? After all, are we all the different from those that came before us? I do believe there will be fewer fine worn items that are knit because 1) our time is too valuable and 2) our society has become much more focused towards instant gratification. Can you imagine anyone knitting fingering weight stockings? When we do see it, even now, it is a source of amazement. But those of us that like the fiber arts, will still continue to make intricate, personalized projects with needles (whether they are hand-hued DPNs or titantium, individually-balanced hexagon circs) and be influenced by the pop culture of our time (monsters and IPODs in fair isle, anyone).

  86. Ooh, that’s a yes please on the book. It’ll be a while until I hit the front of the queue at the library, so winning it would be great.

  87. Knitting…in the FUTURE! As an astute commenter pointed out above, it will still just be sticks and string – I don’t think the act of knitting will change too much in the future, but rather the instruments and accoutrements. And I do look forward to the fibers of the future – who would have even guessed that in 2010 we would be knitting with steel, corn, milk and more – what will the future bring? Knitting with broccoli fibers? Diamonds? Recycled tires? Can’t wait!

  88. In the future … (ooo—weeeee-ooooo) knitting (dramatic pause) any item will set off an alert as to how the garment will suit the knitter or the knitter’s intended recipient! In the event (dun dun dun) that the piece may not, as written, flatter the wearer (intended wearer) a holographic set of instructions (da da daahhh) will guide the knitter as to how to make it so.

    Also, that book looks ah-maaaaaaazing!

  89. I’ll bet we’re going back to all those funky novelty yarns. If so, I’m in business, because all of mine is in a bin, hiding in the basement.

  90. I have no idea what knitting will be like in the future, but as long as there is still wool, I’ll be happy.

  91. I guess it depends how far in the future, but I’d predict that knitting won’t change too much – so many of us seem to like it just the way it is.

  92. There will probably be more recycled materials (like how they make polar fleece out of soda bottles). But I think we’ll still be knitting the old fashioned way… while we sit as passengers in our hovercrafts…

  93. […] I am SO enjoying reading all of your predictions for knitting in the future. I had originally thought of the idea as an opportunity for cheezy sci-fi jokes, but I’m loving all of the really great thoughts emerging in those comments! Be sure to tune in Friday for the thrilling conclusion of the book giveaway. […]

  94. Knitting has changed so much in the last 10 years, who knows how it will develop in the future? We have so much more access to patterns and new techniques thanks to the web and sites like Ravelry and all the online mags. We’re no longer tied to whatever the local yarn company provides in the way of patterns and technique instruction.
    I’m pretty sure knitting will push the bounds of what can be made with sticks and string (of whatever material!). Old traditions will become new again as people find new ways of interpreting techniques and patterns.

  95. I think in the future knitting will be even more trendy, functional, and the fibers will be recycled or organic.

  96. Knitting in the future will involve apps for the Droid and IPhone, interactive accessibility to designers / pattern writers, more customization and availability.

  97. Neat book!! And lovely sweater. 🙂

  98. Book looks intriguing! Love the sweater, the shaping, the details! Looks fabulous!

  99. Think knitting will be much more technology oriented, both in terms of the fibers – fiber optics, wire, … and in the tools, maybe knitting needles that work themselves once you set the pattern up?

  100. I would love a copy of this fabulous book, should I be so lucky!

    Knitting in the future . . . perhaps time travel will allow us to keep right on knitting and knitting while we repeat the same hour — thereby completing our projects in only an hour and allowing us plenty of time for the other things we should be doing. Wouldn’t that be fabulous?

  101. not sure what knitting in the future will look like–but I hope it won’t entail scary futuristic man made yarns–I like my old school wool!

    The book looks great!

  102. I think in the future knitting will become more popular as people realise how much fun it is to do things with your hands and how satisfying it is to wear something you’ve made yourself that no-one else has! I think RTW mass produced stuff won’t be as popular with all those people who have sense.

  103. Predicting what knitting will be like in the future is not unlike trying to use a gauge swatch from Size 15 needles and super-bulky yarn made for a stadium blanket to assess anything at all about the Estonian lace shawl you plan to make with Size 3 needles and fingering weight yarn, but here goes …

    First, I see knitting continuing to play a significant role in the cultural emphasis on spiritual-ness that has made yoga practice and contemplative meditation so popular in these globally uncertain times. This should please the process-oriented knitters, not to mention the prayer-shawl (etc.) product-oriented knitters among us.

    Second, I believe that knitters will come to see themselves not only as craftspeople or artisans in fiber but also as stakeholders and shareholders in fiber production, needle manufacture, etc., a type of self-aware consumerism, if you will, of everything a knitter acquires and uses throughout the knitting process. Knitting may be greener in some ways, more expensive if quality is valued over quantity, or even go high-tech if Lycra and/or Spandex blends are valued by knitters.

    Third, while there are likely to always be universally-known charismatic super-knitters able to proclaim solemnly (for example) “2018 is the year of the double-knit four-color brioche-stitch horizontal-cable sweater-vest for women,” the most influential knitters will be the independent middle-of-the-road designers that populate Ravelry and often self-publish online. Identification of unmet need for specific kinds of patterns, desired construction techniques, etc., will be more bubble-up than trickle-down.

    Fourth, I predict that we’ll learn much, much more than we now know about the history of knitting. I think that archaeology, ancient documents/manuscripts, etc., have much to reveal to us, and that the field of textile studies is just beginning to examine its own past in a meaningful way. It will be particularly interesting to see where Viking explorations take us and whether Australian aboriginal contributions come to light.

  104. I think it will become more popular as people will want sweaters taht are of good quality and that fit well….

  105. I think it will become more popular as people want unique sweaters taht fit well and of good quality:)

  106. I think knitting in the future will be still popular! It will easier to find great supplies due to our world wide communication and shipping.

  107. I think locally grown/harvested/processed fibers will continue to grow in popularity. And hopefully yarns like Red Heart will no longer be necessary. And if anything I really would like to see knitting become even more popular in the new generations, I love seeing timeless traditions and cultural appreciation live on!

  108. In the future someone will invent a better way to clean fibers so there are no worries of shrinking and fulling and it will be easier to knit gifts for people who don’t have the skills to launder their hand knits properly.

  109. I think knitting in the future will be… pretty much as it is today. There will probably be some new man-made fibers, but the old standbys will still be around – other than perhaps cotton, since it is so bad for the environment. Needles might be shaped a little differently, perhaps the square ones will eventually win out over round, but they’ll still be pointed sticks.

    I think that’s the beauty of knitting; it has stayed fundamentally the same for 700-ish years, and I think will continue fundamentally the same for another 700 or more. Use two pointed or possibly hooked sticks to pull loops of a continuous filament through each other to create a cohesive unit.

  110. Hmm…would be neat to be able to knit “mentally.” But more realistically, there could be some way to design/alter patterns by taking a picture of a garment and uploading it somewhere. I know that that probably doesn’t sound too swift to a designer. How’s this instead: like those barcode thingies that you zap with your phone and it provides information, something similar could happen with garments: zap! you know who the designer was, where/how it was made (fair trade, sustainability, etc), where to obtain the pattern.

    All I know is that I lurve Apocalypta!

  111. There will be circular needles with expandable cable lengths, smooth as glass joins, and tips that can change into any size. There will be robot ball winders who will tell you stories, laugh at all your jokes and ooh and ahh at all the right moments. And calculate your cast-on number just by looking at your swatch. And there will be wonderful sheepy hand-spun hand-dyed yarn to knit and purl.

  112. I think we will see more knitting with alternative string/yarn, like plastic for a kitchen pot scrubber, or maybe wire for a glove to wear when shucking oysters. Hmmm, maybe that is very near future knitting for me!

  113. More and more organic and “crunchy granola” yarns even as technology gets more advanced, sort of a return-to-roots thing, along with the push for sustainable, organic products. Of course, technology means better tools for us to use on those yummy sustainable yarns!

  114. Hopefully I’m sneaking in right under the wire for the drawing! I hope that in the future knitting will be simpler, slower, more local and more handmade than it is right now. Maybe I’ll even have my own flock of mini-sheep by then to spin from! Cheers, and thanks for the great giveaway opportunity.

  115. You and Kellee make a great design team…she does her part after you do your wizardry. Nice!

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