Got Tri-loom? (by Pamela Kelly)

Start by getting a loom and some of your extra yarn because next month we will start weaving!  If you don’t have a loom and decide to purchase one you can do so by going to www.sunflowerfibers.com along with sending me an email ( sunflowerfibers@gmail.com )  and I’ll make sure you get a 10% discount on the purchase of your very own tri-loom.

So now you’re asking what can I do with a bunch of woven triangles?  You can do a lot of things with a two foot triangle.  For example, putting 8 together you can make the “8 Piece Woven Wrap”  which is pictured on the right .  You can also purchase the pattern for this wrap at www.sunflowerfibers.com. 

To get started designing with triangles, make yourself some paper triangles and laminate them.  Than just put those triangles together and see what you come up with.  Use your imagination.  You’ll have a blast!  It is also great fun to mix woven triangles with woven squares. 

I would like you to start thinking about what you can make with a bunch of woven triangles.  Next month I will be teaching you how to weave on a triangle loom.  Also in the coming weeks I will post complete triangle weaving instructions on my website - www.sunflowerfibers.com.  I’m also working on instructions for weaving on the  square loom. 

If you have any ideas, any questions or just need a little help contact me.  Thanks for reading.  Now, Got Tri-loom?

Knitting MittenThumbs – The Debate (by Ina Gilmore)

Where are you in the knitting mitten instructions for thumbs debate?

The other day, I was astonished at how passionately two knitters were debating.   Knowing both of them, it’s not surprising they were passionate.  What surprised me was the topic of their debate: knitted thumbs.  Each was absolutely convinced her favorite thumb was “the best,” and other ways of knitting thumbs just don’t fit right. It took the calming influence of another knitter to put the discussion in perspective. 

She noted while she preferred one type of thumb, her husband another. Perhaps, she calmly asked, it depends upon our individual hand shapes?  Or even what we do with our hands when we use the mittens? Maybe this is a case of individual preference?  Since I’ve usually made only one type of thumb for myself, this discussion started me thinking:  Just how many different thumb types are there? And are there times one would be better than another?

So, what are the types of knitting mitten instructions for thumbs?

Peasant Thumb: Often considered the simplest thumb to knit. Knit without a gore, or wedge-shaped insert, this thumb is often preferred when a complex color pattern is used. The peasant thumb allows the pattern to continue without interruption. The thumb is knit slightly into the palm, so the mittens are either left-handed or right-handed. There’s no adjustment in mitten width for the thumb. The thumb tends to be flat.

Peasant Thumb

Stitches for thumb gore

Side seam gore thumb

Normal gore fingerless mitten

Norwegian Gore Thumb: Knit with a gore and a peasant thumb, this thumb also interrupts the color pattern. In Norwegian mittens, though, this interruption is often incorporated into the color pattern. The mittens are either left-handed or right-handed.  While this mitten has a thumb gore, the mitten body continues above the thumb with the same number of stitches. This thumb also tends to be a flatter thumb.

Color pattern interruption for thumb gore

Norwegian thumb

 Many knitters view these as two types of thumbs (those with or without gores) or four types of thumbs.  

Do you have a favorite?

About the Author: Ina Gilmore

Ina Gilmore learned to knit as a child.  She enjoys sharing her knitting adventures, tips and techniques. You can find her online at her knitting blog, The Knitting Yarn, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/theknittingyarn, and on Ravelry as theknittingyarn.

Different Ways to Cast On (video)

In knitting the easiest way to cast on is the simple cast on or easy wrap. Discover different ways to cast on in knitting with tips from a knitting teacher in this video.

Pam Grushkin learned to knit at a young age and she now teaches knitting both independently and through yarn shops.