Summer-time knitting! (by Aubrey Mayes)

   

 

It’s that time of year again! Yes- summer! Know what that means? Christmas knitting! Yes, I know it seems like a long ways away, but I assure you, it’s closer than it seems.

There are only about 150 days left until Christmas, and that’s only 150 days to knit. If you are like me and panicking about the looming perpetual deadline, here are some tips for you.

1. Santa isn’t the only one that needs a list, and check it more than twice. I suggest making a master list with projects, then separate lists for yarn type, yarn color and needle size;  receiver personal information (age, measurements, favorite colors, fiber allergies), and completion status. Microsoft Excel is amazing for this. (openoffice.org has a free office suite that is compatible with any version of Microsoft Office. )
2. Knit a little every day. I have a bit of PADD, or Project Attention Deficit Disorder, so I have many projects going at once. I try to do at least a few rows every day. Need to fit a little extra time in? Well, a full article is coming soon about that, but here are some tips: I knit on the bus, in waiting rooms, and while watching movies, whether in the theater or at home. I also listen to audio books so I can enjoy my Harry Potter and fiber fun at the same time.
3. Stay calm, organized, and prepared. Now is the best time to stock up- grab some plastic storage tubs to keep FOs in (toss in some lightly scented soap bars to keep them smelling fresh!), and keep the project yarn together and separated from each other for quick and easy access. I mean, let’s face it- nothing kills motivation like having to clean. Store the needed needles with the yarn to be sure they are free for use.  Make photocopies of the patterns (esp. if they are from library books!) and store them with the yarn. Stock up on notions and post its (for tracking a place in a pattern).
4. Winter is the best time for yarn, so have fun with all of the fibers, colors, and textures! Step out of the sock box and test yourself. Learn something new, revive something old, and just have fun with it!

Happy knitting…err I mean Knit Happy!

 

   

Have you tried loom knitting yet – part 2? (by Jen Chambers)

Since Christmas is right around the corner, you might want to start now and try some loom knitting.

This is a fun project that is easy to complete and I think is the cutest thing ever!

The pattern is free at Provo Craft’s website.

The pattern calls for using a 12″ new sink plunger inside to give the snowman stability to stand.  I didn’t have this exact pattern when I made mine, but I did use a big zip top plastic bag full of beans to give the bottom round some stability.

I wanted my snowman to look a little fluffier, so I used one thread of white worsted weight yarn, and one thread of Fun Fur.  I held the 2 strands together as I worked the pattern.

I also used little Christmas light buttons I found at the craft store.  He needed a top hat rather than a knitted cap, which I found at the craft store in the doll making section.

Have you tried loom knitting yet – part 1? (by Jen Chambers)

It’s a whole lot of fun.

Sure it looks a little spooky and doesn’t resemble your pointy sticks at all.  How do you begin?  What will you make?

I found patterns by Googling loom knitting or circle looms.  There are quite a few patterns on Provo Craft’s website as well.

The different color rings are for different size projects.  Using the Lion Brand Knitfy Knitters the blue ring is for baby size heads, the Red ring fits kids, The Green ring for adult heads.  The Yellow ring is for even bigger projects, and I used mine to knit flat projects back-and-forth rather than in the round.

Here’s the basics….you begin by looping the yarn around each peg  going in a counter clockwise pattern wrapping the pegs one at a time.  Once you’ve wrapped each peg with a loop one time, then repeat and put a second loop around each peg.  After this, use the hook that comes with loom and pull the loop on the bottom of each peg up and over and off the peg.  It’s the same principle you learned when you learned how to bind off stitches. 

This will leave one loop on each peg.  Stop and re-loop each peg with a second loop.  Then repeat using the hook and taking the bottom loop up and over and off the peg.  As you do this, you’ll grow your project into a connected tube of knitting.

It’s very easy to create hats, scarves and other fun projects.  Look for part 2 of this article…coming soon!

Going green! (by Jenifer Rank)

Over the past few years, it seems as if everyone is “Going Green”… current proposals where I live have local government discussing proposals to “Ban the Bag”, which would result in no more plastic shopping bags and a five cent charge for paper bags.  So, as crafty types, this is a whole new realm to get involved in. 

Many people ask, “Well, where can I start?” or “What is a good project to begin with?”  Fortunately, there is a simple answer.  In fact, it is so simple that it is easy to overlook!  We started our household out with washcloths.  Yep, an hour to make and a whole two dollars spent for two of them.  This is also a great thing to pass along to friends and family – a set of three tied with a pretty ribbon and an organic bar of soap makes a great hostess gift!

Another option which is super popular is the cotton market bags.  I’ve found several patterns for everything from a messenger bag size to totes to littler ones specifically for fruits and vegetables.  The Lion Brand site has a couple really great patterns and Ravelry is always a terrific source.  The thing about these that I really like about these patterns is that they’re customizable for any recipient (or yourself…) and can easily be adjusted in size or in color… just grab a different cotton! 

Hand towels for the kitchen and bath, cute little reusable lunch totes, reusable coffee sleeves for those days when you forget your reusable mug, mug wraps for at home instead of using that paper towel, coasters, placemats, napkins.  These are all fantastic, easy and decorative projects that are readily available.  Look around your home and see what you can find… sometimes the inspiration for your next project may be in the last place you would think – like the top of a bottle of wine!

You’ll notice that a lot of these projects are made with cotton.  There is, naturally (oh, yes, pun was intended), the debate between organic and regular cotton.  In my opinion, yes, organic cotton is the better choice, and if you can find an organic bamboo/cotton mix, then that is stellar.  However, that being said, I don’t like to spend eight or nine dollars on one little thing of yarn that is going to make me one washcloth.  Call me crazy.  I think the first step is to make products that are reusable and get not only yourself, but your friends and family into the habit of reusable goods as well.

One final thought… local farmers markets and fairs usually have farmers that spin their own wool (and if you’re really lucky and live in the southern part of the U.S., they should have cotton too!).  Buy from them!  Support your local growers.  Not only are you helping build a sustainable local economy, you’re also cutting down on pollutants needed for shipping and manufacture of the mass market goods.  Just make sure you are tossing those farmer’s market purchases in the tote that you made!

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

Building a stash of handmade gifts – Nine knitting patterns to use again and again (by Robyne Devine)

Almost every knitter I know loves to gift handmade presents for birthdays and holidays, but we also all find ourselves remembering this at the very last minute. While a plethora of “last minute knit” patterns exist, I’ve taken to keeping a list of “go to” patterns that I whip through whenever I have some spare knitting time. I store all these finished knits in a drawer of my yarn dresser (where I store my yarn stash), so that when a birthday, holiday, or celebration sneaks up on me I’ve got something waiting in the wings!

Babies – Everyone knows someone who is having a baby, and most new parents love the gift of handmade items. I love to give smaller gifts – hats, sweaters, and booties – that can grow at least a little bit with the babe.

1. My go-to hat pattern: Cabled Hat (http://heyjulie.wordpress.com/2006/08/18/cabled-baby-hats/). This hat looks great made in any color, and stretches unbelievably – I’ve known babes to wear it for their first six months!
2. My go-to sweater pattern: 5 hour baby boy sweater (http://gailbable.tripod.com/id41.html ). It looks good on both boys and girls, and most babes can wear it for up to four months if you make it long enough (the sleeves can be rolled up for the first month or two).
3. My go-to sleep sack pattern: Snug As A Bug sleepsack (my own pattern – http://robyndevine.blogspot.com/2010/05/snug-as-bug-sleepsack-free-pattern.html ). I can whip one of these up in three days flat, and for babes born in colder months, this can be a god-send!

Men – Men can be a bit harder to knit for. They look for utility above all, I’ve learned, which means neutral colors and design, less flourish and pattern drama but more classic lines and design. A good go-to pattern for men has to be something you’d give to your father, your husband, and your son.

1. My go-to gloves pattern: Cigar mitts (http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTcigar.html ). I make the pattern either with all fingers fully completed or with all fingers left open, and always in black, grey, navy or brown – and always in Patons wool. They stand up to anything, are great for working outside or on home improvements, and are classic enough for any man to love.
2. My go-to hat pattern: Vancouver (my own pattern – http://robyndevine.blogspot.com/2010/05/vancouver-hat-free-pattern.html). This hat is another fast and classic knit. It’s simplicity hides the fact that any man on your gift list will love it and wear it out – ask my father-in-law!

Women – The women in your life will end up being the hardest to knit for. Every woman I know has a different style, favorite colors, and fabric loves. None the less, I keep a few patterns on-hand for last-minute gifts – I’ve found these classics will make almost any woman happy!

1. My go-to scarf pattern: The Star Scarf pattern (http://crafthope.com/2010/01/project-6-orphan-foundation/ ) from Vickie Howell (made for Craft Hope) became an instant classic for me. Simple enough to memorize quickly, this is a great traveling project, and can be worked into a skinny scarf or a more substantial shawl. Again, the yarn makes the style for this beauty – knit in a neutral the scarf becomes perfect for anyone on your list, but by adding a fun color to the pattern you’ve got an instant favorite for those looking for an up-to-the-moment accessory.
2. My go-to hat patterns: Any hat by Jane Richmond (http://www.janerichmond.etsy.com/ ) is a winner in my book! Every woman I’ve made one of Jane’s hats for, from friends to family members and spanning generations, has loved her hat to death! They can be made slouchier or snug, and are classic enough that by simply changing up the color of your yarn, you end up with a hat that is traditional to funky and fresh!

Kids – If you thought knitting for the women in your life could be difficult, try knitting for the kids you know! From the minute they become mobile, kids start expressing their likes and dislikes, and that definitely includes knit-wear! I’ve found that sticking with simple items, knit with super soft and WASHABLE fabrics increases the chances the kids in your life will love what you knit for them.

1. My go-to hat pattern: Baby Beanie by Ulli Shibuya (free Ravelry download). The pattern calls for fingering weight, so by sizing up to sport weight or even worsted weight, you end up with a hat to fit any kid from a toddler to a teen. Leave off the tab at the top for older kids, and this hat is sure to be worn by girls and boys alike.
2. My go-to sweater pattern: Drive Thru, by Knit and Tonic. You can work this sweater into a cardigan (my preferred method) or a pull-over, and it can be made solid or with any variety of patterns to suit any boy or girl. I’ve made these for my nieces this year, and they fell in love instantly!

And if you’ve got a little extra time on your hands, my go-to blanket pattern is the Project Linus blanket from Knitting For Peace. This blanket works up great in any color, and can be adjusted for smaller or larger blankets. We’ve got a few in our home, even!

Hosting a Knitting Party (by Aubrey Mayes)

One of the best ways to socialize with fellow crafters is to host a knitting party (or a crochet party- we’re not prejudiced!). So go ahead- invite your stitch-y friends and eat, stitch, and be merry!

“So what’s the difference between a knitting meeting and a knitting party?”

At a knitting meeting, your group is usually meeting at a public place at a set time and date. The menu is limited to what the venue offers, and there’s often a lot of other noise at the venue, which can break both concentration and conversation. On the other hand, a knitting party is a special time in between meetings that can liven up your stitching routine in addition to your social routine. You can get together and enjoy some great food and drink, conversation, and get some extra stitching in.

Step One- Choose a Theme

The first step to good entertaining is always to pick a theme. Sure, we know its a knitting party, but are we talking about brunch, dinner, or even cocktails? Indoors or outdoors? Is this a Christmas party, a Tim Burton marathon party, or a tiki party? Once you have the theme, its smooth sailing!

Step Two- Pick a Date/Time and Send Out Invitations

When deciding on the date, you’ll want to pick a date and time that will be fairly convenient for your guests. If there are a lot of parents in the group, you’ll want to make sure its not close to graduations, soccer games, or award ceremonies. (Try to avoid the last week of May and the first week of June, and try to pick a time after 6 pm on weekdays. Mornings will be best for weekends and stay at home moms.) The best times for weeknights will be after the average time people get off work, and mornings or evenings on weekends (Most errands are done in the afternoon). After the date and time are selected, send out invitations. You can buy them pre-made, or if you have scrapbook supplies handy,  you can make them. Include date, time, location, theme, and RSVP. Slipping in the theme is as easy as picking up invitations with a coordinating motif. For instance, for a beach themed party, you could pick up invitations with seashells. Feel free to use yarn as an accent on the invitation to give it a stitch-ier look!

Step Three- Menu!

To create your party’s menu, you’ll want to take several factors into consideration. These factors are time, season, theme, and guests. Time will dictate the type of meal. For instance, a party that starts around noon would make a fabulous brunch, 2 or 3 would be good for cookouts, 5 or later would be best for dinner, and 7 or later for cocktails. You’ll want to make sure to use foods that are of good quality and in season, since those will taste the best and will give you more bang for your buck. When it comes to theme, you can find recipes for any occasion- Harry Potter themed recipes, beach themed recipes- you name it they make it. Possibly the most important factor to consider is your guest list. You’ll want to make see if any of your guests are dieting, diabetic, vegetarian/vegan, or have allergies, and you’ll want to make sure there are alternatives for any guests with any dietary needs. Also, be sure to pick desserts and finger foods that won’t bother anyone’s knitting!

Step Four- Decor

When it comes to decor, you have to be careful. Make sure it looks appropriate for the theme, but be careful not to go over the top, especially when it comes to table setting if your guests will be stitching at the table. Its best to have a dining area separate from the seating area if the party is taking place indoors. But similar to the invitations, if you can dream the theme, there’s an infinite amount of decorations that you can purchase and make.

Step Five- Party Time!

Now that the party’s all planned, its time to put your plans to good use and have fun with it! Be sure to have food prepared when your guests arrive (unless its a barbecue or similar type of party), and whatever you do, don’t stress yourself out! The most important part is to enjoy all your hard work and the company of your knitty friends!!

 

Here are some great resources:

Williams – Sonoma: Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch

Ruth Lively: Cooking From the Garden

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/  (for Harry Potter themed parties)

http://allrecipes.com/Default.aspx

Be sure to (thegypsy@naughtyknitterz.com) if you have any quesitons!

Five tricks to using DPNs without pain (by Robyn Devine)

Picking up your first pair of double-pointed needles can be both incredibly scary and supremely exhilarating. To make something using them instantly makes one feel like an expert knitter but to charge forward and use them takes a fair amount of “yarn balls”!

While it can seem overwhelming – why did five of them come in the pack, how do I go from one to the other? – mastering them is much easier than you may think. All you need are a few helpful hints to get you pointed (HAH!) in the right direction. Here are five tips I’ve picked up along the path to mastering my DPNs.

Trick #1 – Be sure your stitches aren’t twisted before you join for working in the round! This same advice goes for knitting with circular needles – by twisting the stitches around the needles, you end up knitting a Mobius at best, and a hot mess at worst. Take a few extra minutes to be sure your stitches are situated properly before you begin, and you’ll have much fewer headaches as you knit along.

Trick #2 – To prevent the “jog” that happens when switching between needles, move your stitches from one needle to the other. Most first-time users of double-pointed needles will comment on looser stitches at the change point between their needles. To prevent this, simply knit the first stitch off each needle onto the last needle, rather than onto your new needle.

Trick #3 – Use three different colored needles so you always know where you’re at in your round (ex: red, then yellow, then blue, done. Yellow, then blue, then red, done!) One of the biggest mistakes I made when learning to use DPNs was losing track of which round I was on. By using different colored needles, I was able to track where I was at in the process and keep my rounds straight!

Trick #4 – When decreasing for a hat, the space between needles can count as a stitch marker! This equates to less stitch markers used, and an obvious point for decreases!

Trick #5 – If you have trouble joining for working in the round, cast on with two sizes larger of a DPN, and then switch all stitches to the right sized needles. You’d be amazed at how much more room you feel you have!

Test out these tips one at a time or employ them all at once and you’ll find your double-pointed knitting adventures becoming easier and easier!

 

Stitch Markers: A Knitters Best Friend (by Whitnee Humphrey)

I got a phone call the other day from my best friend. She asked if I could talk and that she needed help. I said sure and the first words out of her mouth were “my son has a giant head”. Naturally the first thing that goes through my mind is that this sweet little three year old has gotten his head stuck somewhere and she needs someone to calm her down while help arrives. Luckily this was not the case. It turns out she is knitting him a cute little hat and the pattern is too small for his giant head. My best friend has fairly recently begun to knit and has only done basic projects so she needs help modifying the hat. I whipped out the laptop, read through the pattern and told her exactly what she needed to do to make the hat larger. As I was reading through the pattern, I noticed that there was a pattern repeat. I explained that it would be wise to learn to use stitch markers for this pattern or she might just end up with a few gray hairs!

Stitch markers are a wonderful invention. They have kept me sane through a few projects, as well as made them fly by that much faster. Before the phone call from my best friend, I had never really thought about people not knowing what stitch markers were used for. I taught myself to knit from a book and they were discussed in there. I have taught several people to knit and I don’t believe I have ever once covered stitch markers in any of my lessons. Now I realize this was terrible of me!

Are all stitch markers created equal? No! There is the obvious difference between larger and smaller markers. Larger markers fit on larger needles. And yes you can use the larger markers on smaller needles, but be careful as big markers on small needles with small yarn can equal a big gap in the knitting.  A friend of mine, who used to own a yarn shop, taught me something wonderful to use for stitch markers: baby hair bands. These look like those rubber bands that you use on braces. They are multicolored and I believe they can be found in the toddler area, with the rest of the little girl hair accessories. The bands that I bought came separated by color in a plastic container. They are not sticky feeling like regular rubber bands so they don’t get stuck in the yarn. These do not create holes at all. I do find though that when I am working with a heavier yarn, I like a thicker marker.  There are also split markers which can be used like a regular marker but they can also be used to mark a stitch in the actual body of whatever you are knitting.

Stitch markers do not have to be used only when the pattern calls for them. You can use them any time you want to mark a stitch or a group of stitches.  The times that I most commonly use them are:

• Any time there is a large number of stitches. You can break down that 400 stitch count into a smaller, more manageable number. This comes in handy when casting on or when you are KIPing and that wonderful friend of yours decides to count by tens while you are trying to double check your stitch count causing you to have to start over again and again.
• Pattern repeats. *K1, P4 , K1* Repeat across row. By marking each repeat, you don’t have to wait till the end of the row to realize that you are one stitch off at the very beginning of the row. Tink, tink, tink. When you get to the end of that particular repeat, you should know that you are off. I found this saved me from pulling my hair out when knitting lace.
• Places you want to keep an eye on. For me this is usually the borders. I am knitting a scarf for my mother right now that has a 4 stitch seed stitch border on each side. If I don’t mark the stitch, sometimes I will get going and not realize that the first stitch needs to be a purl instead of a knit. It may be only one little stitch, but it still takes time to tink and then correct.
• Measuring length. Knit 4 inches ST st, increasing on each side on even rows. Then knit another 4 rows of ST st with no increasing. Where do you measure from? Sometimes it is hard to tell which row to measure from. If you mark that with a split marker in the middle of the row, it will be much easier to measure from.

So why use stitch markers? Because they can save you a lot of time in your knitting and keep you sane!

You’ll find colored rubber stitch markers (pictured above) in the ACCESSORIES section of the KNIT SHOPPE under the NAUGHTY STUFF page!

What’s In A Notions Bag? (by Robyn Devine)

Most advanced knitters carry around with them a bag, full to the brim with tools to help make their knitting time easier and more productive. But when you’re just starting out a trip down the knitting aisles of your local craft store (or a visit to the notions section of your LYS) can send you into a tizzy in a hurry – all those extras, many with little to no explanation!

Never fear, Robyn is here! With this handy list of my seven favorite items you’ll want to have in your notions bag from month one – along with what each item is used for and some possible substitutions! – you can be sure you’ve got everything you’ll need to make your knitting time just as productive as the pros!

Stitch markers. These bad boys can be bought in bunches of plastic, multi-colored packs, or you can purchase them from Etsy sellers and other knitters. I’ve had my plastic ringed stitch markers almost from day one, and have slowly acquired some pretty beaded ones that I whip out when knitting something extra special. Don’t feel like you need to spend a lot of money on these, though – especially at first. You can even substitute strands of contrasting colored yarn, safety pins, or hoop earrings in a pinch!

Yarn-only scissors. No matter how new you are to knitting, you’re going to need to cut your yarn ends off at some point. I recommend keeping a pair of “knitting-only” scissors in your knit-kit. This way your scissors won’t get dulled by cutting paper, hair, or anything else, and you always know where your scissors are! Mine came from the dollar bin at Target, although I know knitters who have spent up to $20 on their pairs.

Cable needle. You may not think you need this at first, especially if you’re not cabling quite yet. I’ve used my cable needle to pick up errant stitches, however – this is actually more often what I use it for! I got a three-pack at my local craft store, so I know I’ve got a cabling needle that will work for any size cable I want to make!

Darning needles. When weaving in ends, I’ve known knitters to use crochet hooks, but I prefer a plastic, blunt-tipped darning needle. Buy these in bulk, as you’ll find they are the item that most often goes missing!

Row counter.  I’ve pretty well stopped using mine at this point, thanks to an app on my iTouch – if you’ve got an iPhone or iTouch, you can find knitting apps for free! Most knitters, however, slip this onto their circular needle so they never lose track of which row they’re on!

Tape measures. I buy mine at the local craft store when they’re on sale for $1 – they’re known to be stolen by my kitties for play toys, and can break pretty easily. I should probably buy a nice one that won’t break, I guess. This comes in handy for measuring gauge, for measuring length/width of your knitting, and for determining sizing.

Pencil. I keep a mechanical pencil in my knitting bag at all time – perfect for marking rows and notes onto my knitting patterns, and great in a pinch to write something down or even pick up a stitch!

While there may be dozens of other tools knitters will tell you to pick up, or tools you’ll come to love in your years as a knitter, this basic kit will keep you happily knitting from day one!

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