Knit with Julia Piro

Circular vs Raglan: Which Is Easier for Your First Sweater?

1. Only One Increase to Learn.
Circular yokes often use just one simple increase (like M1). No mirrored M1L/M1R to figure out like in raglans.

2. Fewer Shaping Rounds.
Only 4–5 increase rounds in total. In raglans, you’ll be increasing every other round.

3. Lots of Plain Knitting.
Just knit, knit, knit between shaping rounds. And a chance to practice your tension. 🙂

4. Fewer Markers to Manage.
One BOR (beginning-of-round) marker is all you need. Raglans typically use 8.

5. Lower Risk of Shaping Mistakes.
Circular yokes are forgiving: missed increases are less visible and easier to fix.
In raglans, missed increases can mess up the lines, throw off the stitch count between sleeves and body, and often mean ripping back.

6. Builds Skills for Future ProjectsIt prepares you for sweaters with stunning colorwork.

If you’re curious to try it, I filmed a full step-by-step tutorial for this type of sweater.

Your First Sweater Can Look This Good 🤗 (top-down, seamless)
https://youtu.be/f-5MfgE-pO8

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3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 330

Knit with Julia Piro

The Mellow Mood Cardigan pattern (with a full video tutorial for beginners) is launching Tuesday (updated)!

Esenotes subscribers, I prepared two special perks just for you:

🤩 A big thank-you discount for the launch!

🎁 An exclusive guide with all my secrets for knitting a cardigan you’ll actually want to wear outside!

If you’re not subscribed yet, sign up at juliapiro.com/ before the launch! 💌

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 208

Knit with Julia Piro

Friends, I need your help.
I’m doing everything I can to protect my designs from scammers — but I can’t do it without you. Together, we can do so much more.

Here’s the link to all Yarnora Facebook ads. 
👉 www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=active…

If you recognize who the real designer behind a little cat is, please let me know. I’d love to cooperate with them so we can fight back together.

Here’s what you can do (it takes less than a minute):
1. Tap the three dots on their ad.
2. Select Report ad.
3. Choose Misleading or scam.
Done!
Please do this for each of their active posts. It’s so quick, and anyone can do it, not only the copyright owner. But you need to be logged into Facebook to report these ads.

_______

I already contacted Facebook Ads, but they ignored me (not a surprise). 🙄 That’s why I believe if we all report them together, Facebook will finally delete those ads.

I’m determined to block these scammers for good, so they’ll think twice before scamming anyone else.

Thank you so much for standing with me. Your kindness and support always keep me going ♥️

Love,
Julia

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4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 70

Knit with Julia Piro

🚨 A Warning About Pattern Theft 🚨

Friends, I’ve just learned that a site called Yarnora.com is selling my knitting patterns — without my permission. They also operate under other names, like knitcy.com.

Unfortunately, these scammers block access from most European countries, so I can’t even see their Facebook ads or open their website. And it’s not just my designs they’re taking. Many other independent designers have been targeted too.

I’m so grateful to those of you who reached out to let me know! ♥️

If you come across their ads, please help by reporting them. Every single report makes it harder for these scammers to keep going.

Independent designers pour countless weeks (sometimes months) — of creativity, skill, and love into each pattern. When our work is stolen, it’s not only a financial loss — it’s deeply disheartening.

Thank you for standing with me and with all creators.

Warmly,
Julia

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4 months ago | [YT] | 145

Knit with Julia Piro

Exciting news, friends – auto dubbing is here!

You can now watch the Vivien Top and Summer Soul Top tutorials with voice dubbing in your own language. It’s like having a bit of extra support while following the PDF pattern.

I’m so grateful YouTube made this possible.

 Available languages & videos so far:
(Auto dubbing is only available for newer videos – not older ones for now.)

🇳🇱 Dutch: Vivien Top

🇫🇷 French: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇩🇪 German: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇮🇳 Hindi: Summer Soul Top

🇮🇩 Indonesian: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇮🇹 Italian: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇯🇵 Japanese: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇰🇷 Korean: Vivien Top

🇵🇱 Polish: Vivien Top

🇧🇷 Portuguese: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

🇪🇸 Spanish: Vivien Top, Summer Soul Top

It’s not my real voice (yet!), but I’m so curious —
Does the translation sound natural in your language? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear what you think!

---

How to turn on voice dubbing (if available):

1. Tap the ⚙️ "Settings" icon on the video
2. Select "Audio track"
3. Choose your preferred language – and enjoy! ♥️

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4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 190

Knit with Julia Piro

The Vivien Top is a gentle introduction to V-neck construction, designed especially for adventurous beginners. Just a small mid-summer project to help stretch these sunny days a little longer 🌞

Thank you for all your lovely responses. I’ve started reading through them and can’t wait to reply. So many stories, so much warmth and kindness. I’m truly grateful.

Julia Piro ♥️

Vivien top tutorial https://youtu.be/BaAPU8DnQUQ

5 months ago | [YT] | 230

Knit with Julia Piro

🎉 We have 3 yarn gift winners! 🎉

Thank you all so much for sharing your beautiful knitting dreams!
I’ve picked 3 winners using a random picker, and I’ve just replied to each of your original comments.

@alwayssearching5129
@margarettsang
@andybartzoka2354

I’m now waiting for your email.
I’ll contact you personally from info@juliapiro.com — no one else, from no other email.

Can’t wait to send out these Drops Belle sets ♥️
More little surprises coming soon!

5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 3

Knit with Julia Piro

Hey friends, 
I wanted to share something personal with you — a story about how I became a knitwear designer.

My story isn't about natural talent — it's about the permission to skip the 'right' way, to start messy, to try over and over again, and to grow into the knitter you want to be. And it all started with boxes of leftover yarn...

You know, I wasn’t one of those kids who learned to knit from their mom or grandma. Even though my mother is a brilliant knitter, I never really showed any interest. The only thing I ever tried was a garter stitch swatch from an old Soviet knitting book. I didn’t even finish a simple scarf because I didn’t know how to cast off.

But then, in 2015, my mom closed her online shop, leaving behind boxes of Italian yarn with no clear purpose. Little did I know, those leftovers would spark a complete life change.

So I finally put that story into words.

What began with a simple moment of curiosity grew into something much bigger. Now I help beginners move beyond hats and scarves and knit garments they’re proud to wear and show off.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could knit that” — this story might be for you.

Read the story behind Julia Piro 👉 juliapiro.com/pages/about-us

​

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6 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 126

Knit with Julia Piro

Hello friends,
I know how confusing yarn labels can be, especially for beginner knitters. All those numbers can make it tricky to pick the right yarn, often leading to buying the wrong one and spending extra time trying to adjust it to the pattern.

That’s why in this week’s Esenotes, I’m sharing how I read yarn labels when substituting the recommended yarn in a pattern.

I hope these tips make things a little easier for you! 🥰

📌 Read Esenotes: "They said it’s Aran weight yarn"
juliapiro.com/blogs/esenotes/they-said-it-s-aran-w…

Julia Piro

P.S. The Artist’s Sweater tutorial is coming soon.

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11 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 113

Knit with Julia Piro

Hey friends!
I’ve just published a new Esenote, and it’s all about my cotton-wool yarn experiments! If you’ve ever struggled with overheating in your sweaters, this one’s for you. I tested 4 most popular yarn blends to see how they compare to pure wool—and yes, I found a true gem!

If you’re not already subscribed to Esenotes, don’t worry—you can still read it here: juliapiro.com/blogs/esenotes/basta-overheating-4-c…

Let me know what you think in the comments, and feel free to share your own yarn discoveries!
♥️

Julia Piro

11 months ago | [YT] | 265