Wiggle Their World, Free Pattern Today!

Good Afternoon,

Yesterday's post was about mittens, today hats.  One in particular, the Wiggle Hat.  This is one of my very favorite hats to knit for kids of all ages, newborn to adult.  It is nearly a close your eyes, sit back and relax kind of hat.

There are no increases or decreases, just the ribbing if you want and then straight up the hat to the closure.  Use a 3 needle bind off or my favorite, Kitchener Stitch.  Add some pom poms, maybe some embellishments and you are done.  Add a pair of mittens to go with it, and you have a great gift for the Holidays for your favorite munchkin.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

 

This one is used on my website http://youandmeknit.com

 

I knit this hat to demonstrate the Kitchener Stitch on my You Tube Channel.

It may be accessed from my website if you would like to review the tutorial.

 

 

This hat began the Wiggle Collection.  I knit this for JT for his Birthday in December.

It was he who named it the "Wiggle Hat" and it stuck.

 

This one belongs to Mason, JT's younger brother, both the boys look so cute in their wiggle hats!

 

 

Get out your needles and here we go:

 

Using your favorite yarn, cast on the number of stitches that you would use for that weight yarn using a 16" CN in a size for your chosen yarn.  Or, use a favorite hat pattern for the cast on amount.

 

Begin by knitting your favorite edging, ribbed, twisted ribs, or rolled edge.  The idea today is to make it yours.

 

Once you finish the border or edging, work in whatever stitch or color pattern that suits your fancy.

Continue to knit usually between 6"or 8" depending on the size of the hat for the child.

 

Finish off with Kitchener Stitch or a 3 needle bind off. 

 

Add pom poms to the corners, add embellishments if desired and fasten off and weave in all ends.

 

Make a hat for the entire family.  Depending on size, an easy knit for the evening while watching TV or reading.

 

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and the hat.  Happy Knitting!





Mittens for the Masses

Good Afternoon,

What exactly is a basic mitten?  Well, in my mind it is a ribbed cuff, followed by a gusseted thumb, or other type of thumb, and then on up to the tip of the mitten.

Then you have the fingerless varieties, and the thumb less for babies and young children, and the mitten with the removable mitten top....and on and on.  You are only limited by your imagination.

Then, there are the double knit mittens, thrummed mittens, colorful, beaded, embroidered, and slightly different shaped tops.  Those shaped tops have to do with how the top is decreased and then finished....decreased to six or eight stitches and then draw the yarn tail through or Kitchener stitched together.

So many choices.  The good news about this is that once you never get bored knitting such a wonderful variety of mittens.  There is something for everyone.  Even with the most basic pattern,  you can introduce a really lovely yarn.  Since most mittens don't take a huge amount of yardage, you can entertain the thought of using something more exotic for that special someone. 

Choices once again, in the fiber arena this time are:  Buffalo, Possum, and Yak, just to name a few.  Don't forget Camel either.  It is another wonderful fiber to knit with.

Get out your paper and a pencil or pen.  Start by tracing hands, labeling the paper with names and maybe some notes on color preferences and fiber considerations. Don't forget to measure the circumference of the hand as well.   Doodle on down the page with some stitch variations, cables, seed stitch, twisted ribs, etc. You now have gifts for your family and friends and never make the same pair twice!

How awesome is that!  Have a great rest of the afternoon and Happy Planning!

The Cable Connection

Good Afternoon,

I just received my Vogue Knitting Magazine in the mail today.  One of the hot items for fall and winter is Arans. I personally love adding cables of all sizes and varieties into my knitting.  It breaks up a long monotonous knit, sweater or coat, and gives it character.  The garment now has a voice that invites ohhhs and ahhhs.

Cables can be very small as in a two stitch twisted rib or as big as a ten or twenty stitch cable.  There is often a collection of cables within one garment.  Usually, a center focal point and then smaller cables on either side to "frame" the center motif.

While helping my students and other customers in the yarn shop, I have heard so many remarks and fears about cables.  The remarks are about how beautiful they are when paired with just the right yarn to show them off at a distinct advantage.  Add to that the correct lighting, and you have a winner of a piece to show off.  But on the other hand, the fear that you can see in the eyes that agrees with the beauty of the piece, but also, the phrase, "I could never do that!". 

So here is where I like to break something like this down into components and explain that all the seeming complexities of cables is merely taking the stitches out of their existing order and rearranging them.  That concept seems to be understood, but then when shown traveling cables, I can see them start to twitch, and again say "Oh, I could never do that either!". 

It is so enjoyable to sit with students who are learning about cables and I love it when they finally see that they really aren't difficult, but just look intimidating.  One of the most important things that I also teach along with the mechanics is getting the right cable needle.  I do not encourage anyone to use the aluminum ones as they are so very slippery.  But, that is what I learned on and because of the needle always falling out, I learned to do many cables without the benefit of using a cable needle.  It just plain slowed me down, constantly picking up the cable needle from the floor.  I always recommend wooden ones to beginning cable students.  I personally like the birch ones that come three sizes to a package.  When I was at the yarn shop last week, one of my colleagues had a wooden cable needle with a bend in it similar to its aluminum cousin.  Quite unique.

For those who aren't familiar with cables, I will include a couple of my favorites here:

 

Simple Braided Cable, courtesy of Dummies.com

 

Basket Cables courtesy of thewalkertreasury.wordpress.com

 

Celtic Cable courtesy of knittinghelp.com

 

 

All three of the samples above can be found either in print or in charts in a knitting pattern.  Sometimes you will find both, the written out instructions as well as charts.  The one most valuable piece of advice that I can give, is that when knitting on the left side of the design going from cable to back ground stitch, purl the first stitch after working the cable.  It will be hidden by the edge of the cable and the purl stitch will tighten up that loosey goosey stitch following the cable.

 

Now that you are armed with some insight into cables, do not be afraid of trying one in your next project.

 

Have a wonderful rest of the afternoon and Happy Knitting!

 

P.S.  Just wanted to say that I'm glad to be back.  It was totally crazy getting everything ready for California.  I am so happy that I was able to ship well before the fair begins later in the week, and what a relief it was!

 

Short Rows Rock

Good Afternoon,

Sorry I missed you all yesterday.  It has been a bit hectic getting ready for Los Angeles County Fair.  Also, Mom had a complete knee replacement on Monday.  She is doing great and is expected to be released on Thursday.

I have a few things on the back burner for winter, one is working with short row shaping.  If you haven't given it a try except for sock heels, please have fun and play with the technique.  It can be used for so many things.

• Sock heel shaping...you already know that
• Raising the back neck of a sweater
• Lowering the back edge of a sweater
• Creating curved and slightly rounded angles
• Creating wedges that will form a half circle

These are just a few ideas for short rows.  A unique idea is shaping for bathing suits.  The short rows are used to create the cups of the bra top. 

For those that love to swatch and play with design, what a great technique to add to your list.
Short rows use two basic methods.

1. Wrap and turn: knit X number of stitches, yarn forward, slip next stitch, yarn back, slip the slipped stitch back, turn work and continue.
2. Instead of W & T's, my favorite method is a yarn over.  Knit X number of stitches, turn work, and yarn over the right hand needle.  If this is a purl row, make sure you bring the YO all the way around to the front. 

Picking up the wraps or YOs varies slightly.  The wrap is worked with the stitch it is wrapped around.  The YO is worked with its neighbor that is the farthest away from it.  I know this sounds silly, but it works.

Enjoy and don't be afraid to give these methods a try.  Once mastered, think of all the great shaping you will be able to accomplish to make otherwise plain knitting come to life.

One of my biggest short row projects was Oat Couture's Curlicue Coverlet.  I knit it about 8 years ago for a friends new baby.  Since I do not have a picture of it, I will include an image from Short Rows.   This photo is courtesy of Long Lake Yarns.  This was knit using Noro Silk Garden.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and Happy Knitting!

Color Your World

Good Afternoon,

Whether new knitter or veteran knitter, adding color to your project has been a difficult concept to master.  Working in one color all the time is OK, but adding that just right splash or two of color can make your knitting come alive!  There are many places to find a color wheel to help choose color if you don't have that built in sense that many people have.

Image courtesy of blog.timesunion.com



There are so many ways to add color to whatever you are knitting...Stripes, Color Blocking or Intarsia, Slip Stitch, Fair Isle, and even variegated yarns add pizazz.  When I began knitting many knitting books and magazines introduced color by duplicate stitch.  That was OK, but if you are like me, when the knitting is done, it is done.  I really wasn't interested in going back to duplicate stitch a design in that could have been knit in. 

So, do that.  Take the design and put it on a chart or graph paper and knit it in.  Anyone who has knit a few projects has a stash.  You don't even have to buy a full skein or ball of yarn for the colors because you probably have something left over from another project.

Stripes are easy too.  It is a matter of planned or random.  Have you seen the socks that are purposely mismatched?  This is a perfect example.  If you are a sock knitter, you need to look no farther than the closet, under the bed, or wherever you keep your stash.

Slip Stitch is also easy.  Barbara G. Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns has chapters devoted to color knitting patterns that use only one color at a time.  Easy, easy, easy.  It is the method of slipping stitches that makes the color work so simple.  You will be able to find her books in the Library if you want to investigate this technique further. 

Color Blocking, or Intarsia is where you work with multiple colors at a time.  Using a yard or two of each color and tie them butterfly fashion or use yarn bobbins, they will hang off the back side of your work ready to be picked up and then exchanged for the next color.  The important thing to remember with this technique, moving from one color to the next, you will have to twist the two colors together to eliminate the holes.  Not difficult, just fiddly.

Finally, is Fair Isle.  Very intimidating for many knitters.  There may be anywhere from 2 to 20 colors in your project, but remember, you are only using two at a time.  There is a method to stranding your knitting, or carrying your yarns.  Decide which color will be oriented on top and the other on the bottom.  These strands lie parallel to each other.  They may be carried together in right or left hand depending on your personal knitting style, or one color in each hand.  It is your choice.  Trying the different methods on a swatch size piece will give you an idea which is easier.  Remember, it is your comfort zone.  You will want to practice this technique to learn the correct tension for the "carries" or strands.  Too tight with pucker your knitting and too loose and the strands will hang on the back side making it easy to snag while putting on and taking off.

Fair isle is always worked more easily in the round with "steeks".  A steek is a minimum of 5 to 10 stitches.  Don't cringe, or cry here, when your sweater is complete, it will be cut open with scissors.  Steeks can be used in the center front to create a cardigan as well is the armhole.  This will create a drop shoulder sweater as there is no shaping to deal with.

Since we are getting on to Fall and Holiday Season, sort through your stash. Small bits of yarn work great for mittens and hats with larger balls of color for sweaters and vests.  Start planning and remember the more stash you use, it is the perfect way to justify another yarn purchase!

Have a great weekend, and Happy Knitting!

EZ's EPS System

Good Afternoon,

While I was doing some re - reading of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac, I am just amazed at how simple it is to follow her designs without a lot of hoo - ha directions.  If you haven't read or even thumbed through the pages of any of her books, please take a moment the next time you are at the library.

If you become familiar with EZ's "EPS" system, take a moment or two to think about it, now, apply the formula to a simple knit sweater from any knitting book, magazine, or pattern.  It doesn't have to be an adult size, it will work for anyone.  Once you have K, or Key Number, the rest of the body is given a percentage of that. 

The kicker is, the whole business is based on gauge.  Yup, gauge.  My students are getting better at this technique, I have only been reminding them to do this for longer than I can remember.  I  know it is an unwelcome subject for so many knitters, but I like to explain the necessity this way. 

Most of us purchase the best quality of yarn that we can afford.  Now, combine that with the number of labor hours invested in this garment and give it price as well.  Not to do so is short changing yourself.  Do you like $5.00, $10.00 or perhaps more an hour for your knitting.  It is so important to think of it in those terms.  This may be a gift for a loved one, but if it doesn't fit, look at what has been lost.  To just give it away to someone else who can wear it is OK, but now you are out your gift, yarn cost and your labor cost. 

In these times of budget stretching, where every penny is important, I'm thinking that the lowly gauge swatch makes more sense than not.  Thirty to sixty minutes of knitting to get it right is a small price to allow for. Here is what you get for your mini investment of time:

• First and most important, the correct number of stitches per four inches (not one inch)  for a fabric you absolutely love.  It won't be too loose, like, in seeing through it, or too tight, as in stiff and unwearable. Remember to measure over four  inches.  It makes a whole lot of difference.  Try this, measure the number of stitches over just one inch. and mark it down.  Now, measure over four inches, is it the same?  Most likely not.  For instance, if you measure over the four inches and get 20 stitches over 4 inches, that means per inch, you have 5 stitches.  Now, measure over only one inch.  It is rare in deed that you will come up with the same number, and remember, fractions of a stitch count as well, don't over look that.
• If you keep a record of your projects, attach it in your book along with a yarn label, needle size and also be specific as to whether you knit a flat gauge or circular gauge.  If you are knitting a circular garment, you should always do a circular gauge.  If you really love this yarn, and you should, the information you need for future projects is already documented.

From here it is a just matter of some simple math.  I am not a math whiz, I carry a calculator all the time and usually more than one.  First, measure the widest part of your body, hip, waist or bust, or measure a similar design sweater at the widest spot, using the circumference.  So if the measurement is 22.5" the circumference is 45".  Take this number and multiply it by your gauge.....stitches per inch, and that becomes your cast on number, or in EZ's terms "K".  K = key number and refers to the cast on total.

From this point it is a matter of casting on your stitches and get on with knitting your pattern or design.  Another advantage of EZ's books, you will learn to knit by very vague directions rather than line by line.  I'm not saying that she doesn't use line by line directions, but prefers to simplify by guided instructions instead.  It truly is amazing how well this method works.  For new knitters, the thought of "flying by the seat of your pants" so to speak can be scary, but you also learn the general construction of the sweater, and ultimately cuts you loose from the dependency on every printed line.

I am going to stop here, there is so much more information that I can share with you.  If anyone wants to read more, pick one of EZ's books and then let me know if I can be of some help to you.  We can do all kinds of things, KAL, a class, or what ever might be helpful to you.  Leave a comment or contact  me at dee@youandmeknit.com.  It is time to look toward the Holidays and the special gifts that you will be able to knit for everyone.

Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, and Happy Knitting!

Pattern Complete

Good Afternoon,

Today was the last pattern update to be completed.  The Petal Face Cloth has been emailed to Matt, matt@yerkesphoto.com.  He is my photographer, web designer, and printer. I would not be able to work without him, thanks Matt!

I had emailed the pattern yesterday, but forgot to add the link for the technique video.  Fortunately adding the video link and resending only took a few minutes and then email it on to Matt. 

The video is Emily Ocher's Circular Cast On.  When researching for my pattern details, that was the one element that I knew that I wanted.  I had taken a class on this technique years ago when knitting from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac.  The directions in the Appendix on page 141 does have a couple of diagrams and a description.  This was included in the book to knit the Pi Shawl on page 71 for the month of July.  Ironic that I designed the face cloth in July as well.  The cast on is unique in that there are crocheted stitches into a ring that are then divided and placed on double point needles.  A little fiddly but well worth the effort to learn.

Sketching and drawing are not my strong suits, so the video was created to give a visual of the cast on.  My students seem to work much better when a visual is provided for them, so I thought it might be helpful for you as well. 

This is one of the patterns that will be going to the L.A. County Fair, sold in kit form as well as a finished product.  Not being there in person, the video is the next best thing to being able to teach the cast on.

Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQi2DrdG0jIxOZp1SeKebQ?feature=guide

Give it a try.  It is a great way to begin anything circular; doily, wash cloth, table cloth, blanket, shawl, and the list is only as short as your imagination.  The best part of the cast on is that it can be tightened so there is to tell tale hole in the center.  All it takes is a tug of the yarn tail to close it up. 

I hope you enjoy it and find in helpful.  Have a great rest of the afternoon and.....

Happy Knitting!

Kid Stuff

Good Afternoon,

How many of you enjoy knitting "kid stuff"?  This can range from infants to middle school and includes items like blankets, clothing, toys and on and on. 

Many of you know that I learned to knit from my Great Aunt Zelda.  She was a school teacher and loved to knit and share her knitting  with others.  I can remember her saying that she would only knit for kids, my word, children, her word.  That is because adult sweaters took too long.  There were many of us in the family, so not only were there many sweaters knit, but also that same number were passed around from child to child.

She had me knitting when I was about seven years old.  My favorite projects as I remember was knitting for my dolls, scarves, and hats.  As I got older and into middle school, I started knitting sweaters, mittens, as well as some simple designing as well.  I began knitting for my siblings as well as myself.  Once in high school, I began making some money from my knitting by selling to my friends.

Back to knitting for kids.  What kind of yarn for what  type of project should be used.  There are as many thoughts on this subject as there are knitters I believe.  The possibilities of what type of material used is endless.  100% wool, a blend, super wash, cotton, cotton blend, just to name a very few.  All of us have our favorites.  My personal favorite is wool.  There are so many wonderful, soft wools available today.  Not like when I was growing up.  The wool seemed to be a short staple length and prickly like Shetland.

Most of the things I have knit for my grand kids have been wool or wool blends.  There have been some super wash varieties thrown in for good measure.  Unless the dog decides to take a chunk from the knitted items, they are out grown before they wear out.  Then become the process of passing around the family.

What are your favorite fibers for kids.  What are your favorite projects to knit for kids.  Do you prefer to knit toys or a sweater.  I would love to hear from you.  Leave a comment in the box or share a comment on my FB Fan Page:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/YouAndMeKnit. 

Hope to hear from you soon!  I would love to share projects with everyone.

Have a nice rest of the afternoon and Happy Knitting!

P. S. Here is one of the grand kids hats that I love to knit:




This is the "Wiggle Hat".  I made matching blue and white for JT and Mason this past winter and JT decided to call it his wiggle hat.  The name stuck.  His Mom asks him to go get it and that's the one he brings back, how could I not use that?

Anyway, I would love to hear your comments and see your photos.

Going to the Fair!

Good Afternoon,

I have been writing, knitting, working on a new video,  I have an opportunity to place some of my things in the LA County Fair!  The thought of it all just amazes me. 

One of my sister instructors at yarnandteashop.com is going out to LA this year.  She and her husband used to live in California, and they would be there every year, but now they have to travel.  She at first asked me to knit a hat for her, a commissioned piece, and I said yes.  Then she invited me to share my patterns and any kits I might have to travel with her to LA where she would place them for sale.

This morning I had a meeting with Matt, my photographer and web designer, yerkesphoto.com.  We then began a check list of items that would have to be worked on.  At present count, there are five patterns that will go.  One of them will need a video link embedded to clarify a technique I use.  I tried shooting the video this morning, but was unhappy with the results.  I will try again tomorrow.

There will also be one kit to be made up....that is if the fiber gets here in time for me to break it down into kit form.  This is for the Petal Face Cloth and the fiber comes from Vermont.  Keeping my fingers crossed as I only have 1 1/2 weeks to prepare everything. Plus the knitting that has to be done as I am sending along some finished Face Cloths as well.

And on top of that, have a baby garment and hat to finish by mid week, a private class on Wednesday afternoon and my usual class on Saturday morning.   I feel like I  have been caught up in a whirl wind of things, but so excited about all the possibilities.

I will wrap this up, keep you all informed of how things go.  I created a checklist of things to do and I have accomplished three of them today. Oh, so many to go!

Have a great rest of the afternoon, and Happy Knitting!

Needs For New Knitters

Good Afternoon,

I would like to focus on the new knitter.  This person has a stirring interest in knitting but not sure where to start.  Here are some suggestions:

• Visit you LYS (Local Yarn Shop).  There you will find everything you need to get started.  You will know if it is the right place for you if the shop oozes friendly.  Check out the yarn selections.  You want good quality, but you also do not need to start out on a luxury fiber either.  Check out the class schedule, usually you will find beginner classes at different times to accommodate most schedules.

• Investigate libraries, community colleges, churches, etc., these organizations often have knitting groups that welcome new knitters.  The draw back is not having supplies to purchase.

• What if there isn't a LYS within a reasonable distance?  There area a huge amount of knitting websites that sell supplies and there are also teachers, mentors and coaches that can interact with students online as well.

Purchasing your supplies can be very overwhelming.  What exactly will you need to get started?
Well, your first project should be simple, able to be completed quickly, so there is that feeling of "instant gratification".  You don't want a project that goes on and on.  Interest is lost with a long repetitive, non stop knit.  So, your supply list should be short and sweet too.  Appropriate fiber for your project...you wouldn't want to use 100% wool yarn for a washcloth, you would rather choose a cotton or cotton blend.  Your needles should be specific for your project as well.  View these as tools of the trade.  They will be reusable for many projects to come.  I have encountered potential knitters who look at needles as just an expense, but better to view the purchase as an investment.

After your first couple of knitting successes are under way or completed, you might also consider some of the wonderful knitting needle kits that are on the market now.  They come in a host of price ranges from the more expensive Addi Turbo Clicks to the very reasonable Knitter's Pride.  These are circular needle sets that contain a variety of sizes within a set.  It is always better to buy a set when possible because in the long run they are more economical. 

Speaking of needles, as a long time teacher, knitting coach and mentor, I recommend to my students to invest in circular needles instead of straight needles.  The reason being, you can knit flat on circulars, but you can't knit circularly on straight needles, also more cost effective.  If you have never knit on circulars before, there really isn't much of a learning curve at all.

If you are a member of a knitting group, there are usually as many needle brands as there are members.  Bring some yarn to swatch with and ask a member if they like their brand of needle and see if they would be willing to let you give their brand a try.  It usually only takes a few minutes or so of knitting to make an informed decision...yeah or nay.

Once you find out the knitting notions that you prefer, perhaps your LYS or your online knitting supply source has a wish list that you can print out and post in a strategic place.  That way at gift giving time, it can be used as a valued tool for the gift giver.  Include web info, LYS info, pricing etc.  The more information provided, the more likely it will be used.  Also, be sure to add books to your list as well.

I hope that this information is helpful for you and that getting started will become the beginning of a long association with the world of knitting and all it's groups and members.  We are a friendly bunch of people who love to share what we are knitting, finished or unfinished.  It is a great way to get ideas for future projects and expand your knitting experience.

My current projects are, Hemp Face Cloths, ongoing, French Beret, Layering Shrug, Little Girl's Dress, pattern writing and organizing for my classes.  I'm sure I have left out a few things as well.
I would love to know what projects you are working on.  As always, if you get stuck or have a question, post in the comment section below, or email me:  dee@youandmeknit.com.  Skype and Face Time are available as well. 

I hope you all have a great weekend and Happy Knitting!

Another Happy Customer!

Good Morning!

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

I received a text message from one of my students this morning after I arrived home from work.  Some photos saved to a memory card that had been taken months ago was found.  She had taken the photos for me, I didn't have my camera, of a commissioned sweater I had knit last year. 

A friend from church had given my name to a co - worker.  After a meeting with clients, it was decided that they would look for a pattern they liked then come back to the yarn shop where I worked, Amazing Threads at the time.  This is the cover of the pattern booklet they brought:

If you notice, the cost of the pattern is $.65!  There is no date in the pattern booklet, but it is No. 119.

The sweater that was chosen is the cover photo.  So, now I am a little cautious.  After looking at the pattern, the men's sizing only goes to a 38" chest.   After measuring a favorite sweater, my client is a 47".  Fortunately he had a sweater with set in sleeves, the pattern is a saddle shoulder.

OK, I accepted the challenge.  The re - size wasn't too bad as the boarders on either side of the center motifs would be able to accept a few more inches without any major issues.  The same with the sleeves, I just added to the waffle looking stitches on either side of center.  The problem was the saddle and the neckline.  They took a might more fussing.

The smart thing that I did do, was keep the client's sweater to use for measuring.  It was summer and he wouldn't be wearing it til fall.  So with lots of careful measuring, I was able to justify the depth of the armhole with the saddle, where it came together with the neckline and then the overall neckline.

The pattern instructions had been written for flat knitting.  I usually change that to knit in the round, but the one thing I have found is that knitting for others, you really need more places for adjustments.  No matter how carefully you measure and then knit, something usually needs to be addressed.  In this case, he wanted the bottom of the body to be taken in just slightly.  If this had been knit in the round it would have been more difficult to adjust.  I cast on using a ribbed cast on with Cascade 220 wool.

When they came to pick up the sweater after final adjustments, my student took these pictures:

Another happy customer!  I would have liked the saddles to come a little lower on the front and back, but didn't change that due to not wanting them to be unhappy and have to rip and re - knit.  By the way, all those little "Vees" are created by baubles!

All's well that ends well!  Enjoy the rest of your day and Happy Knitting!





A New Class Project Coming Up

Good Afternoon,

I was spending time with the boys, so missed you all yesterday.

New project coming up on the horizon, a double knit afghan.  Here is the link:  

http://www.ravely.com/patterns/library/winter-wonderland-afghan.  This is an incredible afghan worked in the double knit technique as well as color work.  Certainly not something that will be completed in a short time.

by aknitter52 Flickr

This is a most incredibly knit piece, however, not to be done in a weekend! 

Double knitting is knitting a reversible piece on two needles.  The total cast on is completed, must be an even number of stitches, divisible by 2, and then the stitches are evenly divided between two needles, holding them parallel.  Starting at one end, begin combining stitches to one needle by slipping the first from the front needle, then slip a stitch from the back needle, then one from the front needle and then one for the back needle. Continue in this manner until all stitches are merged on to one needle. 

Now to knit them, knit the first stitch, yarn forward, and slip the next stitch purl wise, yarn back and knit the next stitch, yarn forward and slip the next stitch purl wise, yarn back.  Just continue in this manner, checking occasionally that you haven't caught a stitch by executing one incorrectly by putting your hand up through the bottom opening and making sure all is separate and not connected anywhere.  There is a rhythm to it, just chant along and you will pick it up in no time. 

I will be completing a video tutorial in a week or so, and will let you know when completed.  I also used this technique while knitting the finger portions of the Gauntlet Fingerless Glove Pattern.

Have a great afternoon everyone and Happy Knitting!

view aknitter52's Winter Wonderland Afghan

by aknitter52 Flickr

Farmer's Market Cardigan Photo

Good Afternoon!

Bit by bit, I am getting things accomplished, but so much to do.  But here is one success story that I really must share.

Last year one of my students asked me to help her knit up a sweater.  It's design was really beautiful and it was in the Interweave Knits magazine Fall 2009, by Connie Chang Chinchio.  The design was confusing to my student and she asked me if I could break it down into more understandable sections for her.

That being completed, she cast on and began knitting.  Having reached the armhole section, even the re - write was more than she could handle.  She turned the sweater over to me with a huge amount of yarn and asked me to finish it and it is now February of this year. 

Now a problem cropped up, her gauge was slightly erratic, and I wasn't sure that I could match it.  So, knowing there was plenty of yarn, I began fresh, ( I wish I had kept a yarn label to tell you what it was, but it was beautiful).  One month later, I brought the finished sweater back to class and presented it to her. 

She was ecstatic, it fit perfectly and the color complimented her hair and complexion.  My student is away helping with her new grand baby so she lent me the sweater for a photograph.  The photographer, by the way, is Matt Yerkes matt@yerkesphoto.com and he also built my website for me http://youandmeknit.com.   The model is my daughter Jessica.

I do believe she will be modeling all my wearable art!

I also added this to the Knitting Daily Galleries for Reader Photos. 

Time to get this published and on to other things.  Have a great rest of your day and..

 Happy Knitting!

Pashmina Scribble Lace Cowl

Good Afternoon,

I think my fingers are bloody stumps!  I have been working on the Pashmina Lace Cowl Pattern in several different programs.  Most of the ones online use a format to create the graph to gauge, and then it transitions into your graph.  BUT, it is downloaded as a PDF document, which is a PAIN!  I don't simply want to print, which is great if that is all you want to do, then these types of programs are perfect.

I wanted to download to my documents and then create my graph, pattern key and insert it into the pattern. No can do!  So I searched around some more and found a great little tutorial using Excel, and it proved to be better than the last one I used.  I will add the link: http://www.marniemaclean.com/words/2007/08/using_excel_to_1.html. 

It is short, sweet and to the point that even an Excel challenged person that I am, could understand it.  So, I would like to share the knitting key.  The graph wouldn't work in this space, it just got strange looking.

	Knit Every Round
0	YO
K	Knit
\	SSK
/	Knit 2 Together

This is my beautiful daughter, Jessica modeling the Pashmina Cowl.  And for a bit of whimsy....

Just for fun, she pulled it up over her hair.  Very cute.

As before, when I published the original photo, I had offered to share this free from me to you, just because.  Thank You for following my blog.

Have a great weekend and Happy Knitting!

Entrelac Knitting

Good Afternoon,

Reading my Knitting Daily blog last week, there was an introduction to Entrelac Knitting.  For those of you who are not familiar with the term, it is a technique whereby working either flat or circularly, the knitting becomes what looks like woven blocks.  It is knit one square at a time, joining as you knit it to it's neighbor, and some easy decreasing.  It has recently been gaining in popularity amongst the knitting community.  You can use two colors or a complete rainbow for some serious color impact

 Photo courtesy of:  A finished swatch of entrelac. © Sarah E. White.  Taken from images while    researching for this blog post.
                                       

  Photo courtesy of: (Photo from Entrelac, The Essential Guide to  Interlace Knitting by
                                          by Rosemary Drysdale) Also copied from images.

                                            

                                         
 Photo courtesy of: James Mallos, wrong side of ribbed entrelac hat.   Copied from images
                                                      
As you can see, entrelac has many faces and forms.  The images that I have here are just a few from the numerous pages available to view. 

This technique can be used for anything wearable as well as knits for the home.  If you can visualize the project, you can adapt entrelac in some form to that project.

Here is an excerpt taken from the Knitting Daily blog post of June 24, 2012, written by Eunny Jang

"Getting started with entrelac can be a little tricky, so sit down with a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine—but just one! You’ll need all your concentration), your yarn and needles, and an adventurous spirit, and cast on. You’ll see your fabric grow stitch by stitch and block by block. Just watch out—entrelac can be addictive".

Expand your knitting and give this a try.  If you need some help getting started, drop a comment in the box below or email me: dee@youandmeknit.com.

Happy Knitting Everyone!

The First Organic Soap and Hemp Face Cloth Promo in the Mail!

Good Afternoon,

My morning was spent typing and revising and printing.  My first promo package went out to the mail on it's way to Massachussets. 

My brother has a salon in Bradford, Salon DKS, just in case you get out that way, and he has agreed to carry my beautiful Petal Face Cloths and Organic Soap. 

The first photo is of course, the Petal Face Cloth, which is hand knit  from hemp fiber.  It is a renewable resource, a natural exfoliate, antimicrobial and biodegradable. The second is a photo of some of the actual samples that I ordered.  These are the 1 oz bars and they are available in a 4 oz size as well.  For those who are fragrance sensitive, there is also a 4 oz bar of unscented soap, also organic.

The colors of these soaps are so vivid and the different essential oils in the bars brings back memories of the 1970s.  Here is one....walking around Woodstock, NY and browsing the shops.  They all had that wonderful aroma of essential oils.  It could have been incense, candles, or soap,  and probably a combination of all.  But just now when I had them out on the table to photograph, I took a free ride back a couple of decades.

I have a couple of more promo packages to get out, and I will definitely share with you the outcomes.  If any of you who follow my blog are interested, drop me a  comment below, or email me, dee@youandmeknit.com, or catch me on Face Book. 

Have a great rest of the afternoon and stay cool.  Hot and humid with the possibility of T Storms.

Happy Knitting!



So Much Knitting News!

Good Afternoon,

The first week of "EZ's" A-B-C-SJ, went quite well.  Still have more sign ups to accommodate.  The yarn choices were wonderful, colorful, and a host of other "ful ending words".  There were 2 students last Wednesday and 4 on Saturday. 

Now for the other exciting news!  I just came back from the Post Office and mailed off my submission to Interweave Knits Sockupied 2013.   I spent an hour or so getting together the paper work, filling out the form, and typing up the submission.  I did knit a full size sock instead of just a swatch. 

The sock design is a sport type sock (short) like you would wear with gym or running shoes.  The sock features 2 X 2 ribs, a small short row section after the ribbing that elevates the back of the heel slightly which helps prevent that "slide down into your shoe syndrome".  The heel shaping is short rows as well.  Then, down the foot to the beginning of the toe box.  I like to leave this a little wider than many socks allow for.  The reason being, there is plenty of room to wiggle those piggies inside your shoe.

The best part is the yarn.  I used Cascade "Fixation" which is 98.3% Cotton and 1.7% Elastic.  This is a wonderful material to use especially for my targeted market for Interweave.  The submission is for the Diabetic community as well as for those who have difficulty with edema in the lower extremities.  The yarn having elastic, will stretch without cutting into the circulatory system of the lower legs.  The wider toe box, as mentioned above, is roomy and will not pinch or irritate sensitive toes.  And as all you knitters know, the toes are completed with Kitchener Stitch.  No seams.  When I was wearing commercial socks, I would have to turn them inside out to put the seam on the outside and away from  my skin.  This seaming technique does away with this problem. 

I had to do a sketch.  I do not sketch....very bad.  So I did my best and then wrote all the dimensions for the finished sock.  I wish that I could draw better, but one of my daughters has that talent, not me.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it isn't an automatic disqualify. 

Sorry I didn't have a blog post yesterday, but was just to tired and  I was afraid it would be gibberish.  I only had an hour of sleep Sunday before going to work at 12:00 am Monday morning.  I beg forgiveness.

I had to watch the boys this morning, and my daughter was telling me that they had their first "slap boxing episode" recently. They stood facing each other and in little boy aggression, they were open hand slapping at each other (32 months and 15 months).  I had all I could do to not chuckle the visual in my mind's eye was so funny.  Tis only the beginning.

Have a wonderful rest of the day and Happy Knitting!

P.S.  My You And Me Knit Fan Page is up, though not completed.  Take a moment to stop by and "Like" my page.  Thanks!

The Difference Between Natural and "Natural"

Good Morning,

I am going to back pedal for today because I received a newsletter in my email today that I believe is an important read.  Not just for me, but for anyone who is looking for all natural products involving skin care.  This came to me from Botanie Soap, http://botaniesoap.com, the company that I am using for my organic soap.

Maybe it is just me that is so un-informed, but there is information here that I wasn't aware of.  I hope you find this as interesting as I do.

The problem with the term "natural" is that there are no official definitions for it. Believe it or not, the only standards for defining a product as natural are voluntary ones, and a company is free to make up its own. In other words, in the world of soap and skin care, companies can call their products "natural" regardless of what's in them. We know, it's crazy. But it's true. You can't just trust what it says on a product's packaging, and you can't assume a product is truly natural just because it is sold at a natural products store.

The highest and truest standard for "natural" is organic certification, and we'll address this concept in the next newsletter. For many soap and skin care companies, though, "natural" is a more attainable standard. Whole Foods has developed its own "Premium Body Care" standard to define "natural." Two organizations, the Natural Products Association and the Natural Ingredients Resource Council, also offer strong standards for "natural."

For example, the Whole Foods Premium Body Care standard forbids the use of synthetic fragrances in skin care products. However, the use of synthetic fragrances is common in "natural" soaps and skin care. How can you, the consumer, tell the difference? The following terms refer to synthetic fragrance: "fragrance", "fragrance oils", "perfume", "parfum". If you see any of these on a label - even on a label that says "all natural" - you know the product has synthetic fragrances in it. By contrast, pure essential oils are the only truly natural scent ingredients. Also, be sure to read the ingredients panel on so called "fragrance free" or "unscented" soaps found in grocery stores. Some products, with names like "Unscented", "Fragrance Free", or "Sensitive Skin," have fragrance listed among their ingredients. Worse, some have clever ways to hide this, such as using ingredients like "Malto" as a "fragrance mask." Whole Foods has a helpful brochure that discusses this: PREMIUM BODY CARE

Fortunately, "natural" soaps are easy to understand. In our Newsletter coming in a few months, we'll be discussing the actual chemistry behind soap formulation and the technical names for ingredients you sometimes see on soap labels. Always, the highest standard for Natural is organic certification. For all the rest, here are four basic rules of thumb for determining whether a soap is natural:

• It is made from vegetable oils (if you see "tallow" or "tallowate" in the ingredients, this refers to animal fats)
• It is scented with essential oils only, or, if unscented, is truly unscented
• It contains no synthetic pigments, dyes, or preservatives
• SUMMARY: The ingredients sound like plant names!

A soap is either truly natural or it is not...."mostly" and "sort of" don't count!


 I hope you have enjoyed this and found the information helpful.  Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Knitting!

Lesson Learned

Good Afternoon,

During knitting class yesterday, someone said there are two seasons in New York.  Winter and Construction.  Which, brings me to my topic today. 

During "Construction" season it's a good idea to keep small projects handy when traveling.  You don't even have to go far.  On my way to class yesterday, the main route into Saugerties is being prepared for paving.  As you can imagine, moving at a snails pace, and then.....stopped.  It felt like 30 minutes when in reality was only 10 minutes.

My reality is that the knitting was packed  up and unreachable.  So annoying.  I have always thought of moments such as these as free knitting time.  You don't have to budget your time, write it in your planner, wait til whenever, it's just plain and simple free knitting time.

About ten years ago, the routes that I was traveling to and from work caused me to cross the railroad tracks every day.  This line is notorious for back ups, stops and two trains, one in either direction.  and of course, on train is usually one stopped while the other continues.  I knit a 60" chenille scarf complete with fringe, in a 2 X 2 rib, on size US 1 needles.  It took me months of train stops, but the point is, any small uncomplicated project can be set aside for just those occasions.

When I go for a walk, if it isn't too hot, I will bring my knitting along.  Today was OK to do that except when the sun came out, then it was too hot and my hands started to sweat.  But living near the Hudson River, it only takes a few minutes of that incoming tidal breeze to cool off again.


I knit in the grocery store.  At some point, I have to stand in a long slow moving or non moving line.  Mittens, socks or some such small thing can be thrown in your bag to be pulled out to save the sanity.  Not only that, if you are Knit Shop owner, or Knitting Teacher, such as I, it is a great way to advertise with out paying for the ads.  It's just your regular trip to the food store, bank, or wherever.

Have a great rest of your day and take your knitting along!

P.S.  Most of those free knitting places are air conditioned too, so being hot outside doesn't count except if you are walking!

"EZ's" A-B-C-SJ Class Begins

Good Afternoon,

What a fantastic day so far today.  First I watched the boys, JT and Mason this morning.  JT had "his" knitting box, but was lamenting about how few markers he had and so in no uncertain terms, said, "Nanny, you need to give me more markers....please."  He was totally serious.  So, I gave him four more markers for his collection.

Next, JT proceeds to take my knitting, holding up the end of the CN, and begins sliding his markers on to the needle and claimed he was knitting.  Too cute!

The first class of "EZ's" A-B-C-SJ began today at The Perfect Blend Yarn Shop in Saugerties, NY., http://yarnandteashop.com.  There were two students this afternoon, and so began the task of a gauge swatch, both were doing the baby version.  Then came the explanation of How?  What?  Really?

 Photo above courtesy of Schoolhouse Press Pattern #5

It really is confusing if you don't know how this sweater goes together.  So in terms of choosing yarn and placing color, as in the above sweater, how did the lavender stripe do that?  I want a solid at the cuff.  Do I knit some stitches in solid and some stitches in the color mix?  After a few simple explanations as to how the knitting process goes, it became much clearer to them. 

Then began the casting on and the marking of the stitches, not just sliding the markers on the needle.  The next question was about slipping the first stitch, which was a new technique, and then came the decreases.  Explaining there are four decreases in one row, it was thought directional decreases on either side of the marked stitch.  However, since this is an "upright" decrease, hence, the Sl 1, K2 toge, PSSO, or slip the first stitch, knit the next two together, then pass the slipped stitch over the stitch formed by  knitting two stitches together.  Phew!

Quite a handful to chew on and execute.  I think that they were clear on what direction they were working in and how the progress looks in terms of the pattern vs. the completed garment.  Always a good thing to remind students not to panic, follow the rows along carefully, and you should be OK.

There will be another class on Saturday this week as  well, so that was a plus.   No need to wait a full week.  Also, the Perfect Blend shop owner, Mary, will coach them if they can't wait until Saturday. 

What a Perfect day at The Perfect Blend Yarn and Tea Shop.  Happy Knitting!



New Soap Descriptions and New Face Cloth Design

Good Afternoon,

I have finished the first Face Cloth with the new Hemp Yarn.  I threw it in the washer with a load of laundry, and then placed it flat and pinned it out.  I am so pleased with how it came out.  I am so

pleased with how it came out. I have a few more face clothes to design for the collection and they will be done fairly soon as they really don’t take much time to make.

The other piece of information that I would like to share is the Organic Soap Descriptions:

OATMEAL SPICE

 Gentle oatmeal, ground and whole, provides skin-healing exfoliation. Organic ground cloves give this soap a rich, spicy scent. Feel the difference in your skin with this gentle complexion bar good for the whole body.

                                                               LAVENDER

Treat yourself. This bar’s fragrance is pure lavender essential oil – a natural relaxant. We’ve added organic comfrey root to our proven base recipe for a bar that will soothe and hydrate your skin.

                                                            LEMONGRASS TEA
This bar’s fragrance is a complex blend of six essential oils, including citrus and herbs, and organic rosemary leaf. A very popular bar among both men and women.

THYME GARDEN
A gardener's and herb lover’s bar! Full of scents of thyme, rosemary, sage, and others. This bar makes any gardener or cook happy. Natural chlorophyll and organic cloves create a deep green color.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT
This soap is a true pleasure. Pink grapefruit essential oil is at once brilliant, deep, and refreshing, perfect for a shower or bath at any time of day or any season. Our favorite.

                                                                PATCHOULI

Patchouli lovers, here is your bar. We’ve scented this bar with deep, earthy patchouli essential oil while keeping the scent level mild. Organic orange peel provides a bold color and a hint of citrus fragrance. If you haven’t tried our patchouli bar, then it’s time to take the plunge.

PEPPERMINT LEAF
A blend of pure mint essential oils combines with organic peppermint leaf to create this invigorating soap. We added menthol for an extra zing of peppermint. Great for the morning shower.

BLOOD ORANGE BERGAMOT
A unique twist on citrus! Blood orange essential oil blends with the complexity of bergamot for a smooth, light, and citrusy bar.

MONTANA PRAIRIE
This soap is best described as open and fresh. A blend of sage, lemongrass, and spearmint essential oils resembles the open spaces here in Montana, and calendula petals provide homegrown beauty. This soap is popular with both men and women.

CITRUS LAVENDER
Orange essential oil, with hints of tangerine and lemon, provides a perfect citrusy blend. Lavender essential oil rounds it out. This soap will surprise you with its fragrance that is both bright and mellow.

                                                         FOREST TONIC

The elusive and slightly sweet scent of juniper berries enhances this woodsy bar, fresh as the outdoors. Ground juniper berries provide exfoliants.

SENSITIVE SKIN / UNSCENTED
Pure soap, plain and simple. This bar has no fragrance and no color. A perfect soap for people who prefer a gentle soap with a good lather in a fragrance-free alternative. Especially helpful for sensitive skin.

Gardener's Hand Soap

Gardener's Hand Soap is full of exfoliants - ground apricot kernels and coffee - to help clean the dirtiest hands. We've given this bar a bright, fresh lemon scent. We keep a bar at every sink all summer as well as in the gardening shed!

Shea Honey Oatmeal
This is a rich, moisturizing bar. We’ve loaded it with a perfect balance of shea butter, honey, and finely ground oatmeal to fit all skin types. As an unscented bar, it will sell very well with your sensitive skin customers.

I hope you enjoy reading about the new Soap and Face Clothes at http://youandmeknit.com.  As of yet, they have not been added to the website, but will be soon.  If there is interest in ordering, please contact me at:  dee@youandmeknit.com


Hope the rest of your day is wonderful, and whatever you need it to be and Happy Knitting.

Organic Soap and a Hemp Face Cloth

Good Afternoon,

I am preparing for a new adventure, Gift Baskets.  I have found a  wonderful source for organic herbal soaps and I received my sample order last Friday afternoon.  As I opened the box, I thought I had just stepped into one of those organic, herbal, essential oil, heavenly scented shops that makes you want to drop your troubles at the door before entering. You can find these wonderful soaps soon at http://youandmeknit.com, Salon DKS in Bradford MA, and at Hudson Valley Body Works in Kingston, NY, as well as Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry and Pinterest.

Each bar of soap that was opened was better than the last.  Now, I thought, what am I going to do to market these wonderful pieces of heaven. I had written in my 7/13 blog about my road trip to Mass to visit my brother.  I had knit a washcloth on my way in the car.  Better than cotton, I have ordered a cone of hemp knitting yarn, arriving any time now, to pair with these lovely soaps.  The hemp yarn will be knit into lovey face clothes soon as well and available at the above locations.  As soon as these are ready to go, I will post the links of the locations, but wanted to give everyone the heads up.


This past Friday evening, I began designing a face cloth to accompany the soap.  I can market the face cloth alone, paired with a soap, or a gift basket with several soaps and face clothes.  I have been searching for venues so when everything is packaged neat, tidy and beautiful, then it is a matter of hitting the pavement.

The possibilities are endless.  Collecting the names of spas, upscale hotels, salons, etc, will take some time, and then to knit for all will be another challenge to over come.  This is so exciting finally finding something so wonderful to share.  Now this can be added to the teaching, coaching, mentoring, contract knitting, etc., etc.

Time for me to get this out, but a bit of family news, my son and his girlfriend announced their engagement this afternoon.  The wedding is planned for June of 2014!  Another happy occasion to look forward to.

Have a great rest of the day and Happy Knitting

Sock Pattern Submission

Good Morning,

While catching up on a couple of blogs that I subscribe to, I came across yesterday's Knitting Daily Blog.  My mail is usually in such huge quantities, that I scan quickly through to see if it is content that I need to re - read later.  Well, this issue really caught my eye during the quick scan mode.  It seems that Interweave's eMag, Sockupied, is looking for submissions for issues in 2013.

Well, as you can imagine, I had to stop, back up, and read this more closely.  Once I had digested the information, my mind is just buzzing.  Can I make a submission?  Of course you can.  Oh, I don't know if I can do that.  Why not, you very nearly have your sport sock pattern complete.  Oh, I don't know.....

Back and forth, this conversation is going on, do I or don't I.  Reason and good sense has won.  I sent the email to receive the submission form.  What on earth do I have to lose anyway.  Here is an opportunity to have a pattern published! 

Just this morning early, I was reading about pattern submissions in my Knitting for Profit eBook by Liz Raad.  The eBook outlined the steps and some links to accomplish this very thing, and here it is again in my Google Reader.  Twice in one day this information has been presented, so I'd best not ignore it.  Experience has taught me that these prompts are limited and are only offered for a short time. 

So, the next step on my to do list today, pull the sock pattern out of my documents list, and edit it.  The photography work has been done already.  Then it's just a matter of sending the PDF pattern to my photographer/web designer, Matt for the final insertion of the photo. 

It is a cool, rainy day and we really  need it.  It has been raining like this all night and supposed to continue throughout the day.  I wish I could share this with other parts of the country that are so parched right now. 

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Knitting!

The Knitting Madness Begins Soon

Good Morning,

How is it that I have so many projects going on at one time?  No matter how well I try to plan, there always seem to be more and more that get added to the list.  They are now in varying stages of completion.

It is near the end of July and and steam rolling into August, typically  when I remind myself that Christmas is only four months away!  Oh my, no wonder the knit list is so long, then there area classes to prepare for to teach at yarnandteashop.com, my pieces on Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry.  It's a good thing that knitting is good for arthritis in the hands.
While talking with my daughter yesterday, she is a knitter as well, I told her that she may get some simple things to knit for me that she can do while she is reading for school.  She is my Braniac Math Major, who, by the way, received an A in her accelerated Calc Course!
I would like to share with you a couple of pictures that were shared on FB and brings to my mind the frantic, crazy knitting moments that seize me every once in a while.

How cool it would be if we could navigate our many projects like this.....maybe not, for me it is about touching and feeling the yarn and it's about the process.

Superman the Super Knitter?  This again, make me think how can I knit faster?

But, then I would not be a part of my knitting.  It would fly so fast through my hands that I would barely bond with them.

The reason I felt compelled to share these with you, is that first, they are cute and funny.  But on a more serious note, why do we do this to ourselves.  I dare say, probably every year, there are projects rushed because we are frantically knitting away, I know I do. 

I was thinking this morning, that a FaceTime or Skype KAL, might be fun.  We as knitters always have so much to share with each other, and I always have a great time knitting with others.  It doesn't have to be in a LYS, but could be in a cafe, church group, library or some one's home.  If this is something that might be of interest, please email me: dee@youandmeknit.com, or drop a comment in the box below.   

This can be a really fun way to get to know others who share a passion, learn how others execute a particular knitting technique, because there are many ways to do things.

Have to mention that it is much cooler today since the storms went through.  It is so much more pleasant outside.

Have a great day and Happy Knitting!