When Jen of Arnall-Culliford Knitwear invited me to submit a design for consideration for her Year Of Techniques book, I was thrilled! We love the idea of bringing new techniques to knitters so they can up their skills, that was the goal behind our whole Simple Collection!
This was also a great opportunity to work with some other amazing designers, on a really special collection. Bristol Ivy , Ella Austin , Ella Gordon , Jen Arnall-Culliford , Jim Arnall-Culliford , Martina Behm , Mary Jane Mucklestone , Rachel Coopey , Romi Hill , Sarah Hatton , and Woolly Wormhead, are all also represented in this great and inspiring collection; you should check it out!
The little tern blanket is really quite simple, but gives you the chance to learn or practice a couple cool techniques you might otherwise not use. Because this collection has been put together with such thought and care, there are tutorials to teach you each step of these techniques, if they are new or unfamiliar to you.
Some other Tin Can Knits patterns which use the provisional CO technique:
The second technique that is interesting in this blanket is the sideways bind off. I had tried this before, but never incorporated it into a design before this point. Interestingly enough, Romi Hill’s Brightheart yoke design for the Heart On My Sleeve collection used this technique at the neckline. And, in fact, so does Bristol Ivy’s Wholehearted design, which creates the entire YOKE of a sweater using a variation on this same technique (combined with short-row shaping).


What are some of the techniques you are interested in trying?
TCK patterns to try something new:
January 24, 2022 @ 2:01 pm
I just now picked up the Little Tern pattern and I’ve completed the main body. When the pattern says to use Cable Cast on to add 26 stitches — do you start the Cable Cast on with the last 2 existing stitches on the existing last row? So insert your right-hand needle between those two stitches (that already exist). Or do you add two stitches and then do the cable cast on by inserting your needle into these two new stitches? Or perhaps it doesn’t matter — so long as you have 26 additional stitches? I feel like I’m overthinking this. Chuckle — thanks for the help!
This is a marvelous pattern!!!!
January 25, 2022 @ 1:43 pm
Hi – You want to use the 2 sts that already exist to make that first extra stitch, does that make it clearer?
August 3, 2017 @ 3:53 pm
I love your designs got learning new techniques, I picked up so much from knitting the Lush cardigan.
August 3, 2017 @ 10:50 am
Little Tern is gorgeous! I’ve got to try it!