Twist & Shout! (by Erika Purcell)

No not dancing..twisting fiber.   Making yarn.  I promised myself 2010 would be the year I learned to spin my own yarn.  You know, cross something off my bucket list.  Maybe I’ll even buy a spinning wheel.   Who knows?

Naughty Knitterz seem to be most interested in two things.  Some are trading in their knitting needles and learning how to crochet.  Some are starting to spin yarn.  A few Naughty Knitterz are experienced yarn spinners.

I know nothing about twisting fiber but I have always been intrigued by the contraptions used to make yarn.  Spinning wheels fascinate me.  One of the first people to join the circle was Karin from eastern Australia who wrote an article entitled “Relax and Enjoy the Spin“.  Her article was my first exposure to spinning wheels. 

Karin wrote about how she came to own a Ashford spinning wheel and at a v ery reasonable price.  After reading Karin’s piece I became interested in learning more about spinning yarn and about the different types of spinning wheels available.  First thing I did was to look on eBay to see if I could find any Ashford spinning wheels. 

Ashford is described as the VW of spinning wheels.  Ashford spinning wheels are manufactured in New Zealand.  I thought it would be best to see if there was a wheel made closer to where I live.  My concern was getting spare parts.  I quickly learned spinning wheels are made all around the world and spare parts are available everywhere and online. 

The next thing I did was to ”Google“ spinning wheels.  I also looked on ”Youtube” to see what videos I could find there.  I was overwhelmed with all the information available.  There are a bunch of different types and brands of spinning wheels.  I found two articles which I recommend you read if you’re interested in a wheel of your own. 

The first is entitled “Choosing a spinning wheel“.   I found another must read article  about spinning wheels on The Woolery web site. After reading both I decided I wanted a folding wheel for its size and portability.  Here is a another article comparing the different folding spinning wheels.

The one thing I learned fast was buying a spinning wheel was not a decision to be made quickly.  Once I decided which type and brand I wanted, I decided to look around to see if I could find a used wheel.  The other thing I learned was that selecting a spinning wheel that’s right for you is not the end of your journey.  It is only the beginning.  Next, you’ll need to learn to use it.  You will find a good how a spinning wheel works video on the site which is a place you can start.

Start by deciding what type of yarn you want to make the most of.  Using a small hand spinning wheel is where I chose to begin.  Whatever you do remember to Relax & Enjoy the Spin! and as the song says ”Ride a painted pony…Let the spinning wheel fly!” 

Good Luck & Knit Happy!

In the Shadows (by Jen Chambers)

Have you discovered Shadow knitting yet?  It’s a lot of fun and makes for some interesting discussions with folks who see your project.

When viewed from the “normal” straight down angle, your knitting looks like a colorful ribbing project.   You can use any colors you wish, but contrasting colors work best.   Alternating colors every 2 rows.

The fun comes in when you change the angle of view.  Looking at a 45 degree angle at your project, and you’ll discover some clever knitting and purling! 

Found this great little book called Shadow Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro.    The book contains very nice detailed patterns for winged shawls, squared bags, a matching cap and scarf, vests, sweaters, and Japanese-style kimonos.  $14.93 on Amazon.

PLARN!!! (by Aubrey Mayes)

I recently purchased a wonderful book titled “AwareKnits” by pro knitter Vickie Howell and Adrienne Armstrong (knitter and wife of Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong). Along with dozens of eco-friendly knitting and crochet patterns and tips, there was a fabulous section on Plarn- or plastic yarn.

Plarn can definitely take some getting used to while knitting but its actually fun to make and a clever way to recycle plastic shopping bags. Through trial and error I have some fantastic tips to get you Plarn-ing away.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• Flat surface
• Scissors or Exacto knife, depending on your preference.
• Oodles of plastic bags. More bags = more Plarn!
• Patience

Try to make your bag as flat as possible and remove the handles. You can keep the handles to use as embellishment or just recycle them. Take your cutting implement of choice and make a one inch cut in the top of the bag at the seam going down. That will be the start of your strip. Cut in a spiral until the whole bag is one big strip (the book compares it to peeling an orange). Remember- the longer the strip, the fewer knots you have to tie.

From there, its just wash, rinse, repeat. Keep your strips in a pile until all of your bags are cut. I know it seems like a lot, but once you find your rhythm you’ll be turning out bags a lot more quickly. Once all of your bags are cut, tie them together. Knot them GENTLY so you do not tear the plastic but TIGHTLY because you’ll be knitting or crocheting with it. Snip the ends off the knots. Once they’re all knotted just ball it up and bada bing- PLARN!

Once you’ve made your Plarn there are many different things you can do with it. The book has a pattern for a bag, but you could do some really stellar art- deco items for the home  or some mod or bohemian- esque jewelry. The possibilities are endless, and there are millions of bags out there.

Stitch on and remember to Knit Happy with your PLARN!!! 

Yarn Review: Southwest Trading Company Tofutsies Solid (by Michele Grim)

Southwest Trading Company’s Tofutsies is my favorite sock yarn.  It knits up well, it wears well, washes and dries perfectly, and comes in a great variety of colors.  Tofutsies has finally come in solid colors. 

With fun names like Extra TOErrestrial  (black)and DeTOEnator (red), I had to try it out.  I ended up buying TOEffeta, which is a purplish-pink color.  I ordered it online, and when the yarn came, I couldn’t believe the quality of the color. 

It was so rich and beautiful, I couldn’t wait to make a pair of socks with it.  Tofutsies can do solid colors as well as they make variegated yarns.  I decided to make socks with a 2×2 rib because Tofutsies has great stitch definition. 

The color of the yarn also looks great when knitted up.  This yarn is just as great at Tofutsies variegated, so I highly recommend picking up a ball!

Shrug This! Pattern Review (by Jenifer Rank)

This pattern comes from the “One Skein Wonders” collection and is super easy to work up, however, the pattern is TINY!!!  Like toddler tiny!  After seeing the pictures posted on Ravelry, I decided to go down a needle size because I usually wear an extra small… gauge was fine and it was working along very quickly.  By the time I got to the end I realized that for as tiny as I am, it hit about halfway down my chest (and I’m small chested) and that was after adding a few rows into the pattern.  It fit my three year old perfectly and the bottom of the shrug hit right at his waist.  It fit my nine year old how I was expecting it to fit me – about mid torso.  Fortunately, there was a nine year old in my son’s class that was having a birthday… she now has a cute little cotton summer shrug. This first one was knit using the Bernat Cotton Tots in their Natural/Oatmeal color.

The second attempt, I made some adjustments: cast on 63 instead of 53, adding two stitches to each section, and used a size 11 needle – going up a size from the recommended 10.5.  For this shrug, I used the Lion Brand Cotton solids and it used nearly the whole ball.  I like how this one came out – it’s a looser knit than pictured on the pattern website, and again, I added a few rows so that it hits mid-torso on an adult (size Small).

This was my first try at raglan shaping and I have to say, I really enjoyed it.  This is a great beginner garment (or, if you just want a quick knit!).  I like that there is no seaming, as you cast off the sleeves, the underarm just works directly into the body.  Be aware though, if you choose to make this in an actual adult size, it will take more than one skein…. You can find the pattern at: http://www.oneskeinwonders.com/patterns/shrug.php  or on Ravelry by searching Shrug This.

You can contact me by email at kusalaknitworks@gmail.com if you have questions.

Jenifer Rank – Kusala Knitworks
www.jeniferrank.etsy.com
www.kusalaknits.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/kusalaknitworks