The Prayer Shawl Begins

I don't know how it's going to turn out, but the knitting of the prayer shawl has begun. I hope to have some little progress bars posted on the sidebar to show how things are going, but don't get too excited, it may not happen soon.

I started out just playing around with different variations on the theme of "three" as I have seen suggested all over when looking into information about prayer shawls. A lot of it goes into the Christian tradition of linking prayer shawl knitting to the Trinity. I finally settled on a faux shaker pattern. It is truly NOT a shaker pattern--it is just a reversible textured pattern.

Here are the directions for the pattern:

Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches, plus 3, plus two selvedge stitches.
(Keep in mind the pattern does not specify how to work the selvedge stitches, you can do this however you want. I will make two recommendations at the end of the pattern directions)

Row 1: work selvedge stitch, *Knit 3, Purl 1*, repeat between * across row, end Knit 3, work selvedge stitch.

Row 2: work selvedge stitch, Knit 1, Purl 1, *Knit 3, Purl 2*, repeat between * across row, end Knit 1, work selvedge stitch.

Repeat these two rows for pattern.

Okay, now here's my recommendations for working the selvedge stitches:



***No. 1***

On Row 1, slip the first selvedge stitch and the knit the last selvedge stitch. On Row 2, slip the first selvedge stitch and purl the last selvedge stitch. Continue with subsequent rows likewise.

***No. 2***

Purl the selvedge stitches on either side, for all rows. Just purl them. This, by the way, is the method that I prefer. Often, if a pattern does not call for selvedge stitches, I add them and purl them. I like how it turns out.

I am using Caron Simply Soft and #7 Boye needles. I cast on 97 stitches and just started working. It feels really nice. I hope it's wide enough...this pattern has a tendency to pull together. I may even steam block this even though I normally wouldn't for a pattern like this...I definitely wouldn't for shaker but this is not shaker so I guess I would be OK in doing that. I'll just check things out when it's done.

Keep checking back for updates, and join me on BeliefNet in my Meditative Knitting Group because I'll be posting there soon about prayer shawls.

Knit On!

Things to Come

I knitted up some lacy swatches with the intention of showing what the difference is going to be once I block them. One I won't block, one I'll block overnight, one I'll block by steaming it. That way I can compare results.

Unfortunately, things are going to be busy for me for a while. I'll get the swatches and blocking experiment posted as soon as I can.

In the meantime, the only thing I can think to do is include an interesting knitting link:

Wild Knitting

As it happens, it's another blogspot blogger. Way to go! The only thing better was You Knit What? (another blogspot blog) but they're not posting anymore. Oh wait, I just found this:

You Knit What - Part 2

Yes! I can again get my dose of fugly knitwear.

Then again, there's this, too.

Knit on, everybody!

Took the Easy Way Out

Since I am going to give the baby gown away as a gift, I decided to take the easy way out and am following a pattern. It's from an old knitting magazine. Very lacy. It's going to take some blocking when it's done, though.

On the subject of knitting with patterns, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Read over all the materials you're going to need and make a list to take with you to the store when you go get the yarn, new needles, etc.
• Glance over the directions for the entire pattern. It is unlikely you will be able to just outright "read" the entire pattern, because depending on the pattern it may not seem to make sense to you until you begin knitting. But you will want to familiarize yourself with the types of stitches used and make sure you know what any abbreviations mean.
• Do try a pattern that you think might be out of your skill range sometimes!
• Don't use other people's patterns--even free ones on the web made by somebody else--for your own profit, unless the creator of the pattern gives specific permission for this (for instance, if someone posts a pattern that they think would be good for making money at church bazaars or something).

That's all I have for today. I've been busy knitting! Look for blocking tips when I've finished the baby gown!

Knit On!

Lacey Links

At this moment, I am designing a lacey gown for a baby. I have knitted lace before, but I haven't designed my own lace patterns. It is a bit of a challenge, but I think it will be rewarding in the end.

Here are some links with info on lace knitting. Since I do most of my knitting from books and design my own, I'm not going to vouch for the content, but I have looked them over and they look pretty good:

See Eunny Knit! - knitting blog with tips and hints on lace construction. This is a link directly to one of the lace articles.

Heirloom Knitting - Shetland lace and lots of information. On this site also see A Beginner's Guide to Charted Lace Knitting.


Knitting-and.com's Over 100 Free Knitting Patterns for Lace Edgings and Insertions.

Yarn Over Lace Knitting - Website dedicated to lace knitting. Mostly looks to be links.

There is a lot more information to be had at your local library. Look especially for knitting "encyclopedias" from Barbara Walker. It helps to buy at least one book and keep it at hand while you knit. I don't have a lace specific book but I have a book with a lot of stitches and a general techniques book. I'll review some books soon and include their names when I do.

After I finish this baby gown, I'll post a list of hints and tips that helped me along the way. I'll probably post with updates, as well.

Knit On!

Every Girl Needs a Boye

When my aunt gave me a whole bunch of old McCall's knitting magazines from the 60s and 70s, this slogan was everywhere. Boye knitting needles and accessories everywhere with bright eye-popping yarn.

I'm glad to see that things have calmed down.

And Boye is still around. While I don't find their aluminum needles have that certain finesse and quality that wood or bamboo possess, they are still good utilitarian needles. And they are "cheap" in price. There are plenty of Boye accessories around as well.

This weekend I decided to look for something to try and review. I almost picked up the Knifty Knitter Straw Weaver. Almost. But, for about $6, I just couldn't do it. It looked fairly cheesy and I had this vibe that I was going to regret the purchase as soon as I got it home.

So, instead, my eyes fell on a nice little package of Boye stitch markers. I needed some more anyway, why not try them? So, for just under $4 (about $3.96) I got one pack of Boye plastic stitch markers.

Don't ask me how many are in the package. I threw away the wrapper already and the plastic box they give you to store them in doesn't say. But, it is a nice little box. I has a little spot on it to hook it to something, too. I'm thinking of how I am going to use this feature.

The stitch holders are plastic and in cute colors. Pastel blue, yellow and pink. You can leave them open or snap them shut. They feel pretty sturdy and they stay shut but they open pretty easy. So far, so good.

But, they are a bit thick in diameter. I decided to try them on my current project: a baby sweater made with Red Heart Baby Yarn (Soft Baby). I am using size 0 and 1 needles. I needed to mark a certain row. It was hard to slide the stitch marker in because of its diameter. I am still not sure that I didn't stretch the stitches a little.

I'm not sure if these things come in different sizes. I will mostly stick to my old earrings that I use for stitch markers already, especially for projects using baby, sport or fingering yarn and small diameter needles. But, once again, Boye proves itself as a maker of fine utilitarian items. These stitch markers will do just fine for day-to-day knitting and they're quite sturdy.

I give them 1 nose. Not stinky hardly at all, just a little big.

Knit On!

New Year, More Kntting

I hope the New Year's holiday was safe and happy for all. And may the New Year bring everyone what they need. Not necessarily all you want, but what you need.

I am currently in the market for some yarn or products to test. And, sadly, my Ravenclaw Tie pattern has seemed to disappear, I may have to start from scratch on that one. It would be nice to get some really thin fingering yarn and do a double-knit reversible version instead of the garter stitch ribs I had before (a little tricky on the color changes). Also in the works is a pattern for the headband Ginny wears in Order of the Phoenix. This is a crochet pattern, very simple. She seems to favor crocheted items...the bag from Goblet of Fire and also a sweater in Order of the Phoenix.

Also, sadly, one of my yarn sources may be closing down. At least, she won't actually have a shop anymore, possibly. And a trip to my only real "local" LYS is in order. When to fit the trip in is the question!

Look for updates about my website soon, it is starting to look pretty good, although a bit empty so far.

In the meantime, knit on!

Closing for Christmas

I'm sorry to say I'm going to have to "shut down" for Christmas. The blog itself isn't going anywhere, I just won't be posting until after Christmas, probably. I'm so busy! But, it's a blessing.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

Where to Go for Knitting Help

I can't get to my Ravenclaw Tie pattern yet, so instead I'm going to point you a good direction for getting, well, directions. On how to knit, that is.

I'm a visual learner, so I love to see video clips of people doing stuff I'm trying to learn, or at least some really detailed diagrams. KnittingHelp.com has great free online videos of all kinds of knitting techniques. Here is the link to the section on casting on. They have all kinds of other videos as well, including ones on how to fix your mistakes.

Give them a try soon.

Knit On!

Lost in Cyberspace

Somehow my Ravenclaw Tie pattern has been lost in cyberspace; it is my own fault as I left that old website alone too long. I have it saved somewhere on my old desktop computer. I'll go looking for it on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Things are starting to get busy here; doctor's appointments and school conferences are shoved in along with last minute pageant preparations.

I hope to make some big changes with my Spruz site after the first of the year. Keep checking in here and I'll keep you posted.

Busy Weekend

I still have to hope you hang in there with me, I'm not going to get a lot done this weekend. Wrangling six kids is about wearing me out already!

I've got several projects on tap and I'll start posting about those as soon as I can. I need to work on the Harry Potter felt dolls, some baby foot washcloths and make a layette set for someone for a gift. I'll have the Harry Potter and washcloth projects posted to my Spruz site as commissioned projects. I'll post a list of the types of projects that could be commissioned (although I certainly wouldn't limit myself to the list) probably before the end of next week. This is too close to Christmas to really do anything, but all this is very new and I hope to put myself in a very good position for next year.

I've also got some ideas for the Spring Fling at my church coming up in the, well, Spring. It's not just knitting ideas, I'll try to have a Spring Festival section in my Spruz site as well, for idea exchanges. I've got to try and salvage my Ravenclaw Tie pattern from my old website. That's going to take more concentration that I've got right now. Maybe later today.

Knit On!

Friday Blues

Knitting is really a big deal to me, so you know it's big when Knitting takes a back seat to my actual life. And, although I'm being sarcastic saying that, it's not as sarcastic as my hubby might like....

At any rate, please bear with me as I attempt to wrangle 6 kids this weekend and hopefully still have all my hair at the end of this.

I hope to dig out my Ravenclaw Tie pattern and have it up at my Spruz site soon. And get a working banner or at least a text link.

Keep checking back, and Knit On!

Properties of Bamboo Yarn

I know I've talked about Bamboo before, but I feel it is worth going a little more in depth into why I feel this yarn is an excellent choice. There are some cons to using Bamboo, but in my opinion, the pros far outweigh them.

I discussed before Bamboo's anti-bacterial properties. Apparently this stems (no pun intended) from the fact that the bamboo plants themselves can thrive without the use of pesticides. The yarn which results from smashing the bamboo up and making it into fiber that is spun retains those anti-bacterial properties. It retains those properties even after the finished piece is washed multiple times. It also has deodorizing properties. I can attest to that fact, because I have a washcloth I knit from bamboo yarn that I use every day in the shower, and I hang it back up after rinsing it out. I forgot about it for a while while I started to use my shower puff again, and despite being left in the damp shower, the bamboo washcloth did not start to get gross and smell like an old terry cloth would have done.

Bamboo is also soft, easily spun and earth-friendly. Bamboo grows pretty rapidly, so that makes bamboo yarn an easily renewable resource. Again, the fact that no pesticides are needed in the cultivation of the plant makes it earth-friendly as well. I'm not sure about what type of effect the manufacture of bamboo yarn makes on the environment, but already this is ahead of other types of fibers right off the bat. Bamboo yarn is also cruelty-free; obviously it has no connection to any animal products whatsoever, making it a fine choice for those wishing to avoid any animal products whatsoever. In addition, Bamboo yarn is nearly impossible to break by hand.

The only cons I can think of when using Bamboo yarn is that it takes a bit of care to make sure the garment/whatever gets back to its original shape after washing. I accidentally washed and dried my washcloth in the washer and dryer. It withstood the washer pretty well, but of course, it shrank in the dryer. This is definitely an item that needs a lot of care and drying on a completely flat surface and blocking to maintain its original shape. Also, the only kinds of Bamboo yarns I have seen so far have had a lot of plies and there was a tendency for the yarn to be split by the knitting needles. Recommendations I have seen say to use blunt ended knitting needles when using Bamboo yarn to prevent splitting. I would second that recommendation.

I'm not going to give Bamboo a "nose" rating since I've already done that. However, I will suggest that you try some soon!

I used these sites for information when writing this article:
Bamboo Fabric Store
Yarn Traders

Taking the Day Off

Today's Sunday, trying to take it easy.

I know I said I'd have some info today, but I don't want to make today about stress, just about rest. Whatever cold the kids had, I'm starting to get, so I'll take it easy.

Happy Knitting, everyone.

The Word Today

The word today is "tired," as in, "I am really tired." This makes it difficult to post something coherent, but I'll try my best.

I am trying to get things organized so that I can do some more holiday knitting, but I have so much excess "stuff" that it is difficult to get through it all. I think, once again, unless someone orders something specific, most of my knitting will have to wait until after the first of the year. I hope to try and get a few coffee cup cozies made.

Total exhaustion notwithstanding, I'll have some info for you tomorrow. I am really interested in bamboo and want to show you what I'm learning about this noble plant. I couldn't believe it when I found out bamboo yarn has antibacterial properties! There's lots of interesting things about this plant and only a little bit has to do with yarn or knitting, but it's great information anyway. Consider it an early Christmas present.

Knit On!

Not on Hiatus; Just on "High Stress"

Never fear, I have not abandoned the knitting community. We're just dealing with issues around here lately: sick kids, cranky kids, Christmas parades, teenagers leaving for a trip for a Robotics competition, tutoring issues and whatever else comes up. Yesterday's post got lost in the shuffle.

Finally I have my Spruz website resembling something that passes for a "real" website. Come on over and visit. I should have my banner up over here shortly, if not now.

In the meantime, take it easy. I sure wish I could.

Knit On!

Christmas Crafts Links

Okay everyone, I'm a little stressed, so I'm going to take it easy today and just scope out some sites for Christmas crafts. This is about all kinds of crafts, not just knitting. I'm not necessarily saying I tried and recommend these, I just looked around a bit and they looked interesting. Happy Crafting!

Christmas Crafts at AllCrafts
Just a page with links, but worth a look

Holiday Knitting Patterns
The gingerbread house looks cute

Knitting on the Net
Again, just links, but looks promising

Christmas Crafts at Kaboose
To do with your kids

More stuff later. Make something pretty for someone you love this year!

Bucilla Doodle-Loom Product Review

I recently purchased a Bucilla Doodle-Loom in the hopes of being able to make pom-poms for hats faster and easier. I had "graduated" from making my own cardboard pom-pom forms to using a cheap pom-pom making set from Wal-Mart; I'm not sure of the brand, but it had three little plastic circles that could nest inside one another. The instructions only partially made sense, but it didn't do too badly at helping to make a decent pom-pom, although it was a bit tricky to use. So, I purchased the Doodle-Loom at Hobby Lobby ($5.99 plus tax) in the hopes of streamlining the pom-pom process.

The packaging makes the Doodle-Loom look impressive. Mine came in a little plastic zipper "purse" with a little corded handle. The looms themselves come nested in a plastic form and you get the instructions and a "project worksheet." "No knitting knowledge required" says the package. Well, for a pom-pom, I wouldn't expect to need to know how to knit. But, the professional look of the packaging was encouraging.

I took the looms out in the van on the way home (my hubby was driving) because I was impatient and wanted to try the loom. There were 3 looms in the package, in small, medium and large sizes. The instructions are pretty clear, although they make me wonder a little bit. You'd have to read them to see what I am talking about. It's a little complicated. I used some Caron Simply Soft and was not able to make a satisfactory pom-pom. I've tried a couple of times and can't get either the small or the medium to make a satisfactory pom-pom. I think the main problem is loading the pom-pom loom with enough yarn to make a full pom-pom. Even if you fill the loom to the bursting point with yarn, you don't wind up with enough yarn to make the pom-pom full enough, although I came pretty close with the last one I tried to make. I think if I tried, I could make a good pom-pom with the Doodle-Loom, it will just take some practice.

All in all, how does the Doodle-Loom make out? The packaging is pretty good, although all the plastic and stuff probably contributes to the somewhat high price for a few bits of plastic. The Looms themselves seem pretty sturdy; they' re not going to break any time soon. The instructions are not great, but they're not too bad. It's hard to make a good pom-pom, but part of my failure is that I need to practice with the looms. The project sheet seemed like pretty much of a joke to me, I could have done without it. I can't give the product a totally bad review even though I can't get a good result because I believe part of the problem is operator error. Therefore, I can't recommend you buy this product yet, but I can say that the price is relatively low if you feel like taking a chance.

The product, on the whole, averages out to be about 3 noses (medium smelly) only because I'm giving it a medium review until I try a few more times to make a good pom-pom. I'll revisit this product in about a month to give an update.

'Tis the Season to be Knitting


Note on spelling: "Pom-Pom" is the way I have always spelled the word for those little fuzzy yarn balls you make by wrapping yarn around something, tying it, and cutting the loops.

Complete Christmas Wish List

Recently, I went over my yarn wish list. But there's so many more knitting and crafty-related products out there! The list goes on and on! Here are my top picks for what I would like to receive from Santa this year:

10. More Yarn. Any kind, but Bamboo or Alpaca would be nice. In all different colors. I'm going somewhere with this, so hang on....

9. A nice basket to sit in the living room for my yarn to live in. I actually saw this suggestion in a knitting magazine as a way to both store your yarn AND make it a home accessory. Did Martha think this one up? I guess not, but it sure is a "good thing" in my eyes.

8. Some more sets of bamboo or wood knitting needles. Maybe even some crochet hooks, too. A nice selection of straights and dpns would be nice. You can never have too many knitting needles! Some of the short dpns are good to put your hair up with, too.

7. More yarn.

6. Stitch holders, stitch markers, yarn needles, stitch counter, knitting needle gauge, any and all little gadgets that make knitting easier to keep track of.

5. Some knitting books. At this point, I'm not even going to be too picky on which ones they are! Sock knitting related would be nice.

4. Nice case to keep needles in.

3. Another big tackle box to keep case for needles and other stuff in.

2. More yarn.

1. A knitting machine.

OK, so I am indulging a little (well, maybe a lot) of the "gimmies" but, after all, it is only a fantasy list.

Again I would point out that there is a lot to do to give back to your community through knitting. Not sure where to start? I found this site today: Knitting for Charity. Take a look, there's so much information there, it could keep you busy for months!

Let's do some good with our knitting this holiday season, and on into the coming year!

Redeemed Red Heart Re-enters Rejoicing

I recently posted on Red Heart's lagging quality in the color department (colored yarn showing white spots on it). Let me say that my most recent project has renewed my faith in Red Heart as a fine low-cost yarn for quick kids' projects.

My youngest daughter's pink toboggan turned out quite nice. No white spots anywhere. It was a bit big in circumference, but that was on purpose to give her some growing room. I must admit, despite the problems with the color, the yarn itself has always stood up quite well to the punishment my kids throw at the items I knit for them.

On another note, look around for charity knitting projects this holiday season. It could be as simple as making little caps for newborns at the hospital, or more complicated, like sweaters for older kids or adults. Prayer shawls are popular right now, and don't forget lap afghans for those in wheelchairs. I'll try to post some links for resources and give some ideas for patterns in the next week.

As holiday stuff heats up for me, it's getting difficult to find time to buy products and test them. I hope to really get into that after the first of the year, but I will try to post something everyday, even if it is just a few ideas or an update on something I've posted about before.

I'm working on a new website, I hope to have that up and in great shape soon. I'll post about that when it looks OK, too.

Knit On, everybody!

Happy Hats for Winter Wearing

Almost done with hat Number Two!

I made a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG toboggan for Oldest Daughter, it turned out much longer than I was expecting, but I wasn't using a pattern and I didn't watch the decreases carefully. The only problem was I was knitting back and forth and not in the round so that wound up to be one massive back seam. C'est La Vie! But the un-seamed hat did turn out to be one long isosceles triangle. But the full tassel (with a little bell inside!) looks cute!

Now I am on to Hat Number Two for Baby Daughter. Different color, smaller hat, and trying to be a bit more restrained in the length. Still with the tassel and bell. The only problem with this hat so far is getting any work done on it when Baby Daughter is around because she has to stop me every few minutes to see how much progress I've made. She's really excited to have a hat like her older sister.

Hopefully, sometime this millennium, I will have access to a working camera, and I can have some pictures of the hats.

Just some notes on construction:

Knitting in the round would be easier, I suppose, at least for finishing, but it really is easier in my opinion to decrease on a flat piece of work and I think that's what really makes these long, tasselled toboggans work: the decreases (obviously).

I used a kitchener cast-on to make a really nice edge for the ribbing.

Mattress seam was, of course, used for the back seam. A really nice, full tassel was then sewn to the end of the hat, and a little Christmas Jingle Bell type bell was tied into the middle of the tassel.

Same procedures for both hats. Hat Number Two has more rows of ribbing. I hate this part of hats, I like getting to the more interesting bits pretty fast, and I have to force myself to make enough ribbing to fold over if the wearer so wishes.

Well, Happy Knitting, everyone, make yourself a hat. Any questions? Join me over at Knitting Foole's Crafty Pages where I am currently setting up my new website. It will have forums and everything! Not really anything there yet, but give it a little time.