Journal

Discover the quiet comfort of slow knitting in this first post of our April series. We explore mindful knitting, simple projects, and the calming rituals that make knitting such a restful and grounding part of everyday life.

Looking for a relaxing knitting project for the Easter long weekend? Small projects like shawls, hats, socks and simple accessories are perfect for travel, social knitting and quiet moments. Here are a few beautiful one- and two-skein knitting ideas that are easy to take with you wherever you go this Easter.

Looking for inspiration for your next autumn knitting project? In this post we're sharing the knitting trends we're loving for Australian Autumn 2026 — from relaxed knitwear and textured stitches to earthy colour palettes and beautiful natural fibres.

Looking for your next autumn cast-on?  Discover five beautiful knitting projects perfect for cooler weather - plus explore our curated autumn kits at Skein Yarn.

How to manage multiple WIPs

Exploring the benefits of having multiple WIPs.

June is the month of our winter solstice here in Australia, which makes it the perfect time to have a winter accessories KAL.  

** THE DETAILS **

* This is a winter accessories KAL: hats, cowls, gloves, socks, legwarmers, shawls etc. are all perfect.

* Cast on is June 1 and the KAL will run until June 30

* This is an open KAL, so you can use ANY yarn you have in your stash (it doesn't have to be our yarn)

* WIPs are fine to knit on, too!

* The KAL will be held on our Ravelry group, Discord and you can post on Instagram as well with #sysolsticeKAL

* There will be prizes!  We will be randomly selecting posts with pictures on all three platforms - so, make sure you post!  If you do use our yarn, you will get a double entry bonus for prizes.

Come join us for some pre-cast-on chatter and let us know what you are thinking of knitting!

Shibori is the traditional Japanese method of resist dyeing that can be traced back to the 6th century.  It literally translates as 'to wring, squeeze or press' and involves various techniques that can include binding, folding, stitching, pressing or crumpling the fabric prior to dyeing. Traditionally, there are six different types of shibori techniques that each have their own symbolic meanings related to nature and life. Today, we are delving into each of these methods: Kanoko, Kumo, Miura, Itajime, Arashi and Nui.  I have added videos so that you can see a demonstration of each technique and, hopefully, be enticed to try them yourself!

Kanoko 

Translates as 'fawn' and is most similar to the western method of tie-dye.  Fabric is bound by string or rubber bands to create a pattern or spots similar to those seen on a fawn's back.  The Kanoko pattern symbolises longevity and the richness of nature.

Photo credit: Shibori

Kumo

Literally means 'spider' and the resulting pattern using this technique resembles spider webs.  The fabric is gathered and bound tightly and closely with thread.  The fabric can also be pleated finely to enhance the design.  Kumo symbolises wisdom and the intricate beauty of life.

Photo Credit: Art Threads

Miura

Uses a hooked needle to pluck sections of fabric that are then bound by a thread.  The thread is left loose with no knots, making it very easy to unbind the fabric once dyed.  The process, however, is very time consuming. Yet the resulting patterns are so beautiful and fittingly symbolise the ebb and flow of tides, linking it to the fluidity of life.

Photo Credit: Talu

Itajime

Literally meaning 'board-clamping' in Japanese, this technique uses wooden boards or templates, between which folded fabric is sandwiched and then clamped. The boards or shapes form the resist and prevent dye from touching the fabric.  The fabric itself is folded in a precise way, thereby creating patterns that are geometrical in nature and symbolise stability and the earth.

Arashi

Literally meaning 'storm', it is a technique where the fabric is wrapped diagonally around a pole and then tightly bound with string.  The fabric is then scrunched together and dyed.  The resulting pattern symbolises driving rain and represents the dynamic and sometimes overwhelming forces of nature.  

Photo Credit: Common Fold Blog

Nui

This method of shibori uses stitches to form a resist that results in a wide variety of patterns. There are many different ways to use this method, from complex designs to simpler running stitches. 

Photo Credit: The Printed Fabric Bee

Interested in trying shibori or have you already given it a go?  Let me know in the comments below.

We turn 15 in May!!!

It's amazing how quickly time flies!  I started Skein back in May 2010 and I NEVER thought that fifteen years later I would still be dyeing yarn.  I really am so grateful for all your support over the years.

I have lots of fun plans for May, but I wanted to do an early announcement for our May Make-A-Long, which coincides with our yarniversary (details below).  Stash yarn is totally fine to use for the MAL; however, if you would like to cast on with something new, we're celebrating our 15 years with 15% off our in-stock yarns.  Having the sale now means you'll get your yarns in time to cast on with us on May 1!

I've got lots of fun things planned, and I can't wait for May to arrive so I can share everything with you!

15% off in-stock yarn until Sunday night!  Use the code YARNIVERSARY

Celebrate our 15 year yarniversary this May with a month-long Make-A-Long!  Join us in creating something fun with our yarn while we talk about old times and future plans.

Here are the details:

* Our MAL starts on May 1
* Use all or part of Skein Yarn in a project. 
* All crafts are welcome! Crochet, weave, knit, punch needle, embroider etc.
* The MAL will be held over on our Ravelry group.
* You can also share your projects on Instagram #symakealong
* There will be prizes!  To enter, you must post in our Ravelry group or use the hashtag on Instagram.  All posts from 1-31st May are eligible for prizes.
* There's no pressure to complete your project.  We want this to be fun and relaxing.
* Last day of the MAL is May 31

I have already started a thread on Ravelry, so come on over and let me know what you are planning to knit, and what yarn base and colour/s you are using.  Feel free to tag me on Instagram, too (@skeinyarn)!

Happy knitting!

Kristen xx

I love dyeing up long-repeat colourways.  I also love the way they look when skeined up.  However, knitting with them can be challenging.  The biggest issue is pooling, which looks fabulous for socks but can, for some people, be a problem in larger projects like shawls and sweaters.  This is where assigned pooling comes to the rescue!

So, how does assigned pooling work?  Basically, the shortest colour repeat is worked into a 'yarn hungry' textured-stitch pattern (i.e. bobbles/nups, wrapped stitches or even short rows) which gathers together this colour repeat in small clusters.  Every time you come to the colour change, this stitch pattern is worked.  The longest colour repeat forms the 'background' that is usually worked in stockinette stitch.  It's a very creative and interesting way to deal with yarns that pool.

So, what colours work best for assigned-pooling projects?  You want to look for yarns that have been dyed in two distinct sections: one will be long, and the second short.  Here's an example of our colour Aster that we developed especially for assigned pooling; it was used for our sample shawl (pattern is Calico by Dawn Barker).

If you are searching for assigned pooling projects, you must check out Dawn Barker who is the creative innovator behind this fabulous technique.  She has a ton of patterns developed especially for long-repeat colourways.  Here's just a few!

Fizz

Floriculture

Ramble

Have you tried assigned pooling before?  Is this something you are interested in trying? Let us know in the comments below!

Bouclé yarns are making a bit of a comeback, but what can you knit with them?  I get asked this question regularly.  There's not a lot of patterns out there (yet!) and it isn't a yarn most knitters are familiar with.  So, I thought now would be a great time to write a blog post to give you all some simple tips on what patterns to look for when using bouclé.

Firstly, bouclé yarn is highly textured.  The yarn itself features lots of tiny loops that knit up into a fabric that looks a little like terry toweling.  Because of this, you don't want to choose patterns that feature fancy stitches, cables or lace - these details will be hidden under all those loops.  The best patterns for bouclé feature simple stockinette or garter stitch with, or without, a rib.

Colourwork, on the other hand, looks great.  Stripes, slipped stitches, stranded colourwork, even brioche looks great knit in bouclé yarn.  I'm planning to cast on a Soldotna Crop by Caitlin Hunter with our bouclé yarn Curly.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Basically, the simpler the stitch the better when choosing patterns for bouclé yarn.  The most important thing to look for is a pattern that features simple stockinette or garter stitch with or without colourwork.

Here's a few pattern ideas:

Superlative Sweater by Samantha Guerin

Ship Shape by Heidi Kirrmaier

Ginny by Andrea Mowrey

Arco Iris by Joji Locatelli

DRK Everyday Cowl by Andrea Mowrey

Field Day Cardigan by Hailey Smedley

Balloon Cardigan by PetiteKnit (this is the pattern I knit, pictured in the beginning of the article)

Hope this helps!