Time to switch ‘em up (by Debbie Purcell)

It’s that time of year again.  It is for those of us in the northern hemisphere.  It is not yet November and I’m sorry to say I had to turn the heat on in my house.

I’m somewhat frugal and try not to turn the heat on until at least November.  Yesterday I broke down and turned on the furnace because it was cold in the house.  In Boston we had our first brush with snow this past Thursday, burr!

I’m almost finished with my second market bag from the Naughty Knitterz fall knit-a-long event created by Gypsy for our Facebook group.  It was a wicked fun project for me.

The market bag pattern created by Gypsy is super easy to follow.   I made my two market bags using this red cotton yarn I found.  What a deal it was.  I paid $4 for a giant spool of yarn at my local Walmart.

It’s perfect for the bags I’ve made so far.  What else does a person do with that much red cotton yarn?  Look for a picture of my bag posted to the Facebook knit-a-long event.  I use my bag to carry the other canvas grocery bags I use.  It is perfect to then use to carry home the bread I buy.

My market bag has drawn some attention where I shop for my groceries.  One woman asked where I got the idea.

Now is the time of year I want some warm wool around my fingers so I’m knitting these Cabled Fingerless Mitts.  I found this cool pattern which I downloaded from the Pattern Share page.  I will be knitting up these gloves using the American Gothic yarn you can find on the Misfit Knitterz page.

I was apprehensive about using a yarn blend using pistachio, purple, mauve, and olive brown colors.   From the description I thought the yarn would be pretty but wasn’t sure.  I love it.

I don’t know what I was so concerned about.  All I can say is that the American Gothic yarn is absolutely beautiful.  How does Michele come up with these color blends?

I should know by now to trust any yarn she creates for Misfit Knitterz will be pretty.  This is a lady who taught us to dye yarn using Kool-Aid.

Look for an email coming soon announcing an end of the year deal on the new Misfit Yarnz page.  You should visit the page to see this funky picture slide Mike added which shows all the yarn available in an automated way.

How to Knit on Circular Needles (video)

An easy, up close, demonstration of how to knit on circular needles by Judy Graham, Knitter to the Stars, who’s knits have appeared in movies, TV, and concerts for over 30 years and who has been hand knitting for over 50 years.

The Basic Knit Stitch (video)

Hey there Naughty Knitterz! Learn how to make the knit stitch used in knitting in this free online instructional video on how to knit.

How To Knit: The Basics (video)

This video will show you the basics of knitting. Follow along and see how easy it is to actually do! Anyone can learn to knit and it’s a great craft to know if you want to give handmade gifts! A simple large knitted rectangle is essentially an afghan. So this simple stitch can go pretty far and will keep you warm for years to come!

With this video you will learn how to Cast On, knit rows, and Bind off to complete a simple project.

Real Men Knit (video)

What is a “Real Man”? Is it a guy who plays football, drinks beer & belches freely? Or is it a man who has the courage to knit in public?  How about a guy who drinks beer, watches football, belches AND knits…all at the same time?

Will you share?

We are looking for experienced knitters to share what you know.  Do you have a lesson learned, a hint, a tip or even a story you’d be willing to share with the group?  Is it a humorous tale about a huge mistake you made?  How you goofed.  Did you use “naughty” expletives while you unravelled a large part of your project?  The project that has so far taken you way too many hours to knit?

Do you have a cool pattern you are willing to offer up to our knitting circle?  We’d really love to see it.  Do you have a good source for free patterns that you can share with the group?  We’d love to publish your article detailing any pattern you suggest with your reasons for recommending it.  We will soon be publishing an article describing a beautiful afghan created by one of our circle experts.  Stay tuned for the article and pictures of the beautiful afghan.

We’re also interested in what reference resources you have and use religiously.  What books or what web sites are your favorites?  Send us a review.  Tell us about your favorite local knitting or yarn shop.  If the shop is your business we’d be happy to advertize it to our circle for you.  Advertizing on Naughty KnitterZ is free to any member who contributes to our community. 

Knit Happy!

Are you a beginner?

If you’re a beginner you’ve come to the right place. Is casting on still a challenge for you?  Do you know a knit from a purl? Have you figured out how to ball your yarn or what the best yarn is to use for your project?  Let the experienced knitters on this site help you.  Help with knitting advice, tips and general guidance and some basic direction.

If you’re a beginner we want to hear from you. Tell us what challenges you.  We collectively will help you develop you knitting skill.  We’ve included a few videos that we believe offer good insight to basic knitting techniques. Naughty Knitterz  is here to enable collaboration and to help you master the craft of knitting.

One thing…remember try not to get frustrated and Knit Happy!