I've finally gotten both crocheted baby blankets in the mail to my nephew and his wife. The second one was in a star pattern made from crocheted diamond shapes all sewn together. But my right arm will only crochet for so long before I have to switch to something else.
My knitting is limited to one channel - the All-Garter Stitch All The Time channel. I can increase and decrease. I can switch colors at the end of a row and in midstream as it were. But I have never mastered purling. Woe is me!
So I went to our new books, the knitting section, for inspiration. I found a wonderful book called "Quick Knits, Cool Projects" by Brenda Gallmeyer. I fell so in love with three or four of the patterns that I also grabbed Knitting for Dummies. I had no idea there were knitting needles size 17. Now that's fast knitting!
In the meantime, if you are a crocheter who likes to carry small work around with you and if you don't mind sewing the pieces together, you might like to check out the crocheted quilts at this website.
www.happyyellowhouse.com
Happy crafting.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hypnotic
I'm working on a tube scarf. It will be double thickness when I am finished and as warm as can be. Let winter do its worst. The interesting thing is that it seems to be hypnotic. I don't have to count. I don't have to cut the yarn or stop at the end of a row and turn the work around. I just keep working stitches in a never-ending spiral. I think I like it. It is a great end of the day activity. I can organize my thought from the day or plan for tomorrow while keeping my hands busy. Put a stitch in the next space, put a stitch in the next space...Tomorrow I'll fix a chicken for supper...Put a stitch in the next space...
Try it sometime. Your project grows without having to concentrate on it and you get a lot of mind-work done as well.
Try it sometime. Your project grows without having to concentrate on it and you get a lot of mind-work done as well.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Knitting looms
Knitting looms are supposedly the "new" hot idea for crafting. I admit that I have gotten into it pretty much wholeheartedly since it gives me a way to knit without using knitting needles. There are several pattern books available. One can knit anything from afghans to socks if you get a loom the right shape and with the right spacing of pegs.
As for being "new" - I remember knitting long skinny tubes exactly this way by using a wooden spool and a few nails. I remember trying to make a longer loom by hammering nails into the side of a 2 x 2 and giving it up as a lost cause because the nails were hard to work with and the wood snagged the yarn. I also remember the sweater-making looms where you would get the yarn started and then zip a sliding bar across the top and - voilà - you had a fancy pattern.
I think I like the knitting looms because they are simple, and they remind me of my much younger days. I generally catch myself crocheting at something approaching the speed of light, so using the knitting loom slows me down. I can relax and enjoy what I'm doing.
As for being "new" - I remember knitting long skinny tubes exactly this way by using a wooden spool and a few nails. I remember trying to make a longer loom by hammering nails into the side of a 2 x 2 and giving it up as a lost cause because the nails were hard to work with and the wood snagged the yarn. I also remember the sweater-making looms where you would get the yarn started and then zip a sliding bar across the top and - voilà - you had a fancy pattern.
I think I like the knitting looms because they are simple, and they remind me of my much younger days. I generally catch myself crocheting at something approaching the speed of light, so using the knitting loom slows me down. I can relax and enjoy what I'm doing.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
free patterns from River Knits blog
Posted for Linda H.
Hi,
More freebies for the blog. I REALLY like the Flower Scarf.
Linda
-----Freebies & funnies
Bride in Sheep’s Clothing http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
http://www.theloopyewe.com/
Kureyon Felted Tile Bag http://closerknit.blogspot.
Ribbed baby jacket using 4-6 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (or any worsted/heavy worsted weight yarn) http://www.allaboutyou.com/
Amy’s Pinwheel Beret, picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Socks of Kindness – patern would look great with many sock yarns. Try it with the Melody Superwash as shown or use your favorite sock yarn: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Knit on!
Elizabeth
www.riverknitsyarns.com
River Knits
926 Main Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
765.742.KNIT (5648)
http://riverknitsyarns.
Bride in Sheep’s Clothing http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
http://www.theloopyewe.com/
Kureyon Felted Tile Bag http://closerknit.blogspot.
Ribbed baby jacket using 4-6 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (or any worsted/heavy worsted weight yarn) http://www.allaboutyou.com/
Amy’s Pinwheel Beret, picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Socks of Kindness – patern would look great with many sock yarns. Try it with the Melody Superwash as shown or use your favorite sock yarn: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Knit on!
Elizabeth
www.riverknitsyarns.com
River Knits
926 Main Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
765.742.KNIT (5648)
http://riverknitsyarns.
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