Here are a few websites that I have found helpful while I have been designing garments.   I have also including other designers’ websites that have  inspired me. Instead of adding the full URL for the links, I have given each link a name. If you click on the name, it will open a new tab or window in your browser.

Sometimes you are asked to decrease or increase stitches evenly along a row of knitting. It’s a rather hit or miss operation unless you are mathematically minded. I found a great website that will do all the calculating for you. All you need to do is enter the number of stitches you are starting with and the number you want to have when you finish decreasing or increasing. It is written for hand knitters but can also be used for machine knitters. The link is How to Increase or Decreases along a Row.

One of my favourite websites is Susan Guagliumi’s website. It includes a Blog with lots of how-to videos that are full of information for creating great garments on the knitting machine. Here is the link to her website Susan Guagliumi.  Susan has written 3 great books for machine knitters that I would recommend to anyone looking for hand tooling or hand manipulated techniques. The first was Machine Knitting: Hand Tooling Techniques. The second was titled More Hand Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters, and the newest is titled Open Spaces: Machine Knit Eyelets, Ladders, and Slits.

Diana Sullivan has many YouTube videos that are very helpful in explaining techniques.  If you search YouTube you can see the full list of her videos.   She also has a Blog which lists the books and patterns that she sells, plus information for knitters. Her Blog address is  Diana Sullivan’s Blog.


Here are the links to the yarn companies I have used for my patterns. They are based in the U.K. but ship worldwide. 

Exclusive Yarns

Uppingham Yarns

Yeoman Yarns


For inspirational designs I look to a friend, Iris Bishop. Over the years she has produced countless designs and books for machine knitters. Now she has turned her talent in a slightly different direction, creating one-off pieces for private commissions. Her site shows off some of these designs and it is well worth having a look at it.   Here is her site address Iris Bishop