Use the force on Halloween – dress like a jedi!

Halloween is soon knocking on our doors, and for this year science fiction theme at our place, it is time to make the costumes. Mine is mostly done, so I will put my time and energy on making – Obi-Wan Kenobi. We have bought rather thick Egyptian cotton for the outer shirt, which I will start with. Here is a great homepage with practical ideas for making the costume. Check it out! ;)

http://www.jedi-academy.com/ep1_kenobi_tips.html

Skip the sewing, make it one piece!

As I told you, my grandmother taught me to knit, making cast on, knit and purl stitches and casting of, when I was a kid. Since then I’ve been learning more knitting skills through help from my mom and simply experimenting. Knitting is a mathematical thing, and I’ve been using my brain mostly, enjoying knitting a lot. One book that a much loved one brought back to me from the states was “knitting in plain English” by Maggie Righetti. I started reading it a few days ago and got amazed. The author describes almost every step in knitting. And even though I figured out most of it before, some things aren’t that obvious. For example, most patterns describe the knitting of the right and left front and back separately for a cardigan, simply because they quite often are knitted using a machine. But if you aren’t using one, you might as well knit both front and the back in the same time on a circular or flex needle. Less sewing is always appreciated, especially when knitting in bulky yarns. So, when I started the knitting of this cardigan, I simply cast on all stitches for right front, back and left front except for the 4 edge stitches that would be used for sewing the pieces together. I marked the transitions between the different parts to be able to make the decreases according to the pattern (except for the armhole, where two stitches less per side should be cast of).

If you learnt knitting skills by experimenting you might like this book as much as I do. The author is a rather old lady that has her own ways. But since I’m not a native English speaker I don’t bother about the complaints of an odd language.

A simple shawl

First time knitter? This is a project for you! Find a mohair yarn, or other thin yarn, or a mixture of several yarns. Use 20 mm stitches and cast on 3 stitches. On the next row, knit* 1, increase 1 by making a loop (or any other way you prefer), knit 1, increase 1, knit 1. Second row: knit 1, increase 1, knit the loop from previous row, knit one, knit the loop, knit 1. By now, you have 5 stitches. Continue with knit stitches and increase 1 stitch after the first stitch and before the last stitch every row. When the shawl measure the desired size, bind off. Add some fringes if you like.

If you want to make something even simpler: cast on approximately 30 stitches. Work in knit stitches to the desired length, bind off.

The nice thing with this shawl is that the large stitches hides every uneven move and make the shawl look lace-like.

* ”räta” in Swedish, check the “step by step knitting” link to your right for instructions

Fitted knits by Stefanie Japel (book review)

I love this book, simply because it is different in the way it is written. The author expects you to modify the patterns after your own body measurements, and she gives you the tools to succeed. I think that the title makes people believe that the designs are made to make you look fitted, but when I started reading I realized that that is not her point. She wants your knits to fit YOU! (and I like it!). In the open state, it is a very logic book with a clear aim (she just happens to be a scientist in geology), and I like most of her designs a lot.

If you think I am too optimistic about books, it is probably because I judge them from the authors aim, and not from my own expectations. I would like to see all books present a clear aim on their cover, so that customers don’t need to be disappointed. Books are in general good for what they are intended, which isn’t always evident from the cover...

Another thing that determines if a book is good or bad is errors in the patterns. All books have errors, it is more a question of easily found and updated errata. There is a correction pdf to download on Stefanie Japel’s homepage. It makes it a little easier… ;) http://www.glampyre.com/fitted-knits-errata/

Knitting on the overweight edge

As I told you earlier, I ordered Nicky Epstein’s “Knitting on the edge” for a much loved one to carry on his transatlantic flight, despite the extra hardcover weight. Was it worth it?

The author wanted to make a single source that collected all her edgings. The chapters are; ribs, ruffles, lace, fringes, flora, and points and picots. This is a book for anyone who likes to make own designs and who wants new inspiration to make edges that adds something to the knits. There are some finished designs in the book that I don’t believe that anyone would knit, they are simply not fitted, but she definitely fulfils her edge-aim. The book is simply a collection of 350 patterns on edges, but if that is what you are looking for, it is good. (I haven’t looked into her other two books on edgings, but I believe they are more oriented to 3D or pattern knitting.)

At first I was pretty bored when looking in the book. Then I realized that I was thinking about several different knits I would like to do, being inspired by the edgings in the book… So yes, I believe it was worth the extra hardcover weight.

What to do with rags or other emotional things

I had a quilt cover when I was a kid that simple washed out after several years of wear and tear. Having to strong bonds to it, I just couldn’t throw it away. Some years ago I found the solution, to tear the cover into strips, and crochet a bag.

This is how to do the “Extreme makeover bag” of something you just can’t throw away;

Tear the left-over fabric into strips; about ½ inch or 1-2 cm wide (the amount needed is of course dependent on the desired size, my bag is made of 4 meters washed out sheet fabric). Choose a needle that is large enough to crochet the strips. Make a chain almost as long as you would like the bottom to be. Continue in single crochet* around the chain making increases at both ends every row. When the bottom is the desired size, continue to crochet row after row until the bag is large enough. For handles, either fasten pieces of rope, or use a chain with single crochet. For closure, use a crochet eyelet and a button or bead (or stone with hole like on the picture, I found it during a language class in Hastings -94. Sometimes it takes a while to find the use of some things…).

* “fasta maskor” in Swedish, if you are having troubles, check the “step by step crochet* link to your right.

Click on this link every day!

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

In addition to the link for donating a mammography, there are links for giving a book, combating hunger, and saving an animal. All with a singel and free "click"!