Some purists don’t like to combine knitting and crocheting.

Why some, won’t even talk to people who do the other one!  Good grief is all I can say.

While knitting comes easier for me, I enjoy them both.  And part of the fun is combining them into the same project.

Recently I decided to redo part of an afghan I made a few years ago.  It’s made of individual blocks of different colors.  The original knitting instructions in the afghan kit said to sew the blocks together. 

Well, that’s fine.  I wanted to use the same color yarn, thinking it would be less noticeable.  My first attempt was to knit a border around each block in garter stitch, then sew them together by hand. 

It was not quite what I wanted.  Initially I though it would be okay – and soon changed my mind.  The borders around the blocks actually made the whole afghan feel itchy and rough.  The blocks are all acrylic yarn, so I used an acrylic yarn.  Unfortunately it was a scratchy acrylic yarn which just seems to get worse with time. 

Or maybe I’m less tolerant of it!

So, I decided to try again.  This time I’m using a soft acrylic yarn from Caron. I thought the neutral nutmeg brown would make a nice background for each of the squares. Instead of knitting garter stitch, I’m crocheting around the edges.

Single crochet is faster than knitting, and probably uses less yarn.  Plus once I have the borders all done, I can crochet them together instead of sewing. 

It will be fun to see how it turns out.  Customizing the knitting instructions are part of the fun of knitting!

For copies of my free knitting patterns and more ideas about knitting, join The Knitting Yarn’s FREE membership now.  Just click right here now to register.

Keep knitting to your heart’s delight – or someone else’s,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. FullDisclaimer and Disclosure at www.TheKnittingYarn.com/policies.

Are you having a relaxing Labor Day weekend?

I often have mixed feelings about long weekends.

Yes, many folks find them a great way to relax.  There’s another side to long weekends though.

Sometimes you’re the person who is left behind.  For example, you may be the professional or family caregiver who works through the long weekend when everyone else takes a break.  And so a long weekend can be a source of stress including caregiver stress.

Is knitting one of the ways you reduce stress?

After a long working day of a long weekend, I often found it helpful to relax.  For many years I thought it was just my way of clearing my mind, and relaxing.  It’s more though.   According to medical researchers, knitting elicits the Relaxation Response.

When you knit, after about 20 minutes you may notice yourself visibly relaxed. This is the Relaxation Response kicking in. Of course an added benefit of knitting and other crafts is your completed project.  So you get the benefit of stress reduction PLUS a completed project when you finish!

My current project is my own pattern. 

It’s inspired by Faroese-style shawls and the Danish shawl.  I’m designing this shawl for knitters who need a portable project.  In addition to one that will easily fit into a bag for portability, one that you can start and stop in the middle of a row.

So the prototype is more like a shawlette or bed jacket size than a full shawl.  Although I think it could easily be adapted to a longer shawl.

With most lace knitting patterns, making a mistake can mean pulling out your stitches back to a row without a mistake.  With a shawl, that can be a LOT of stitches. And with many lace knitting patterns very complicated.

This one is mostly garter stitch, easy to start and stop quickly.  The last row I knit is 574 stitches, and the shawl has about 5 inches more to go.  I expect to add about another 175 stitches to the rows, maybe more.

Right now each row takes about 20 minutes to knit, and I knit fairly quickly. This pattern can be stopped in the middle of a row and picked up later without a lot of thinking about where you are in the row – or what’s next!

With the aim of reducing your knitting stress!  After all when you’re knitting to reduce stress the last thing you want to do is to counteract it by increasing your stress at the same time!

Yes, there are ways other than knitting to reduce your stress.  You may find crocheting or spinning or another craft more your style.  It may not have been studied.

When you’re looking for a unique way to reduce stress for yourself or someone else, check out www.AskDrIna.com/gift

By the way, the pictures are of the same shawl.  In the second one I figured out how to use an adjustment for low lighting.  Never mind how long I’ve had the camera!

Keep knitting to your heart’s delight – or someone else’s,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. Full Disclaimer and Disclosure.

My mother never considered herself a knitter.

If you asked her, she’d say she sewed, quilted, and crocheted.  She did many other things, including some knitting.

As Mother’s Day 2011 approaches, I decided to look at the baby set she knit for me.  I haven’t looked at it in several years.  I recalled vaguely the knitting patterns included lace, although I wasn’t quite sure about it.  And I’m not sure I ever really studied it.

Well, was I surprised!

It’s a diagonal lace knitting pattern.  The cap is knit in one piece, with two seams going partway up the back.  The sweater was knit in five total pieces—two fronts, two sleeves and the back.

And each seam lines up perfectly.  The diagonals match precisely.

Baby cardigan shows precise seam matches in knitting patterns

Even more amazing is the yarn and needles she used.  The stitches are smaller than what I make when knitting socks with size 1 needles!

There’s a cap, cardigan sweater, booties and even mittens.  The mittens are in block stitch with a garter stitch edging.  They may have been knit at a different time than the rest, or maybe just from a different pattern.

The rest of the pieces are a combination of the diagonal lace, and seed stitch knitting patterns.  Seed stitch takes concentration, because the stitches change every row.  At least I think it takes more concentration than some other knitting patterns like stockinette stitch.

What did I learn from looking at this set and its knitting patterns?

• Well, if one of my first knitting projects was a lace baby set in this fine a stitch I wouldn’t consider myself a knitter either!  I probably would have run from knitting.  This is one of those knitting patterns that look easy but are challenging.
  
• I can see the love she put into every stitch.
• If there ever was a doubt as to where her children got their tendencies towards perfection, it’s now obvious.  And whether she called herself a knitter or not, she was an accomplished knitter.

I remember her showing me how to knit a pair of mittens as a child.  And when the wool sweater kit I received as a gift was too itchy for me, she finished it.  She not only finished it; without a pattern she cut and sewed a lining so I could wear it.

That’s a mother’s love.  While her final days were not all roses and sunshine, I choose to cherish the love, the memories from long ago, and their evidence in her crafts.  I learned from caregiving and am now sharing what I learned with other caregivers.

I was privileged to be her primary caregiver at the end of her life here on earth.  Out of that experience, the experiences of other caregivers, and my experiences in caring for others “A HEART PLAN” was formed.

The white square and heart are knit.  The letters are cabled yarn and embroidered.  It’s a way to help caregivers showing them how to to make caregiving more positive and to help themselves while caregiving.  Caregivers are often voiceless, and care for everyone else but themselves.

Maybe you’re a mother or a father or a son or a daughter.  When you give of yourself and your time you’re also a caregiver.  Maybe you help someone with shopping or cooking or cleaning.  You may not fit the conventional mode of caregiver, still you need to care for yourself.

A is for Accepting and claiming your caregiving.

 

H is for Healthy Humor Helps!

E is for Eliminating negativity.

A is for Avoiding isolation.

R is for Reducing your stress reaction.

T is for Thankfulness and thanksgiving.

 

P is for finding your Purpose.

L is for Love and forgiveness.

A is for Advocating.

N is for Nurturing yourself.

I’ll have more information in future posts.  And I’ve just opened a Zazzle Shop with the “A HEART PLAN” logo.

Just click here for A HEART PLAN Shop.

Or go to: http://theknittingyarn.com/shop.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Keep knitting to your heart’s delight — or someone else’s,

Ina

Ina Gilmore
“The Knitting Dr.”

Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

Disclosure

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. This site does not advocate medical or other health-related self-care, and encourages you to obtain advice from your own personal physician or other health care provider.

This web site is not intended to replace medical, financial, legal, or any other professional advice. Please use your own good judgment and consult with your own professionals before applying any ideas found within this website.

I remember watching one of my aunts knit and crochet.

When I saw her — usually at a family reunion — she had a smile on her face.  And it didn’t take much to get her to laugh.

Although many would have considered her life challenging she always seemed joyful.  She knit and crocheted some of the most beautiful pieces . . .

Image via Wikipedia

When I think of the knitters and crocheters I’ve known over the years, many of them also seem to go through life happy and at peace.  I’ve often wondered if they knitted or crocheted because of its calming effects — or if their personality attracted them to the needlework.

You know sometimes when life gets stressful I like to just . . .stop and knit.

If you’ve been knitting a while, you probably know why.

Concentrating on the knitting focuses your attention.

How often have you found a solution to a problem after knitting?

Or just found yourself more relaxed and calm afterward?

Did you know medical science has now confirmed that meditation and knitting have a lot in common?  Harvard researchers found when you meditate or knit for 20 minutes:

• Your heart rate decreases . . .
• Your breathing decreases and . . .
• Even your metabolism slows down!

Who would have thought knitting could be heart-healthy?

While there are lots of ways to reduce stress . . .

Some people like to hold or pet a dog or cat . . .

And some find knitting soothing . . .

Heart healthy tips include knitting

And then there’s always something that isn’t recommended . . .

Stress Reduction Kit

What are your favorite heart healthy tips for stress reduction?

Keep knitting to your heart’s delight — or someone else’s,

The Knitting Yarn

P.S. Want to monitor your stress — or that of someone you love ?

Heart Math is a unique stress reduction tool.  Check out HeartMath!

Disclosure:

I may have a marketing connection to a brand, topic or product listed on the website. Through the use of affiliate links contained herein, I may collect fees from purchases made.

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Recently I bought a book on knitting dog sweaters, glanced at it, and set it aside.

When you live in the South — and it’s the middle of summer — it’s hard to get excited about knitting sweaters, even for dogs!

Then I learned a dear friend recently became suddenly critically ill. It was quite a shock to learn of her crisis, even after she’d started her recovery.  I knew she had a dog that she calls her “baby.”  So, I casually asked her if her baby could use a new sweater.  The answer was a very excited “Yes!”

Well, I figured that was as good a reason as any to try out a new knitting pattern. Not that I need to look that hard for an excuse to knit — or to try out knitting instructions. So, after she sent me her color preferences and her baby’s measurements, I started looking at the patterns.

The book, Dogs in Knits: 17 Projects for Our Best Friends had good reviews. This book, unlike some others, gives different sizes and gauges for each pattern.  That’s a big help when you need patterns that actually fit a variety of dog breeds and sizes.

Surprisingly, the sizes of the sweaters seem large. The smallest is for a dog with a 14 inch chest. No sweaters for tiny dogs!

If you’re expecting 17 sweaters, though, you’ll be disappointed. There’s an afghan, a blanket, a pillow topper, and a Christmas stocking. The book provides lots of ideas, and I think I’ll get use out of the book.

As I was looking at patterns, I decided to try the Peruvian-inspired coat. Of course my friend’s baby is shorter than the smallest pattern, although the chest circumference was right. And my knitting gauge, as usual, is okay for the stitches per inch but I have fewer rows per inch. If I followed the pattern as written, it would be way too long.

I decided to start knitting anyway, and figure out how to adjust the pattern along the way.

Starting the dog sweater

The original pattern has alternating large stripes with dogs and narrow stripes of color.

So, how easy was my solution?

• Very easy: just take out the narrow stripes!

Still, I wouldn’t recommend starting out trying to customize a three dimensional sweater for a dog. Because I’ve knit sweaters for people — as well as for a few dogs — I had no problem sizing the pattern to fit my friend’s baby.  However, this sweater is definitely not for a beginner, although others in the book are. The color stranding is at least intermediate, and it’s knit on circular needles.

As my sister — the dog expert — suggested, I also put the ties on the top of the sweater not underneath the chin as the pattern shows. Why? Because on the dog’s back they’re less likely to drag on the ground and are harder for the dog to chew.

Here’s my final version:

Peruvian sweater after customizing knitting instructions

Epilogue: After my friend and her baby received the sweater, she called to thank me.  Even her baby said his thank you over the phone!

It’s very rewarding to have people (and pets) truly love something you had fun designing. I can hardly wait for a picture and to share it!

Ready for inspiration? Check out Dogs in Knits: 17 Projects for Our Best Friends by Judith L. Swartz and click here to buy now!

The knitting gauge or needle gauge tool is a handy addition to your knitting basket.

Mine is yellowed with age, but still functional.  Since most of the patterns I need a gauge for give it in inches, the fact that mine has only inches is fine.

I like the handy L-shaped window, through which 2 inches horizontal and vertical are clearly visible.  Why?

Well,  it makes it easier to count horizontal stitches and vertical rows at one time.  Of course, you can still use the ruler and do one at a time.  Many times my gauge is only accurate in one direction anyway.  And if given the choice, I’ll make my gauge match the stitches and keep the width the same as the pattern.  I use the written knitting gauge provided in the pattern to convert rows to inches.  And then just knit the number of inches required for the length.

Like many good tools, this one has more than one purpose.  Not only is it an easy way to count rows and stitches per 2 inches, but it’s also a ruler.  And it also has those little holes in a row.  The holes correspond to knitting needle sizes, given in both mm and US sizes.

If you’re used to knitting with straight needles, yes they are all marked.  But many circular needles aren’t.  And sometimes the differences between sizes are hard to see.  Especially for anyone wearing glasses:

These two circular needles are not the same size.  And, there’s only 1/4 mm difference between them.  They’re US size 4 (3-1/2 mm) above, and 5 (3-3/4 mm) below.

Even rolling the two in your hands, it can be difficult to tell them apart.  Which makes this little tool indispensable at times.

And a good deal, at less than $2 many places.

Does anything make a novice knitter cringe faster than talking about knitting gauges?

They shouldn’t.

Knitting gauges can be essential to following your knitting pattern directions.  An accurate knitting gauge prevents that adult size sweater from fitting only a child, or a giant.

Knitting gauges are simple measurements that help knitters compensate for the normal variations in tension when knitting, and in differences in yarn.  Yes, normal variations.

Knitters vary in how tightly or loosely they knit.  That’s okay.  It’s part of a hand knit garment.  There’s also a wide variety of knitting yarns, even within one type.  Look at different worsted yarns sometime.  The size of the thickness of the yarn varies from yarn to yarn.  Add specialty yarns with unusual textures, and you can see the wide variety of options.

And yes, it’s true.  I don’t always follow the designer’s suggested yarn.  I often use what I have on hand … can get easily … or can afford.  And adapting the pattern includes knowing the knitting gauge.

So, knitting gauge is important when making a fitted garment.  Something three-dimensional.  Like a pair of socks or a sweater.

As opposed to a flat scarf, where the width may not be as important.  Or dishcloths.  Does it really matter if your dishcloth is a half an inch wider or narrower than the pattern?

Probably not.

Another place you’ll often find knitting gauge important is with certain stitch patterns.  Some cables, lace patterns, or even fabric-like patterns can lose their pattern if knit with the wrong gauge.  Again, this is usually a three-dimensional pattern.

It helps me to remember three dimensional when I think about whether a knitting gauge is important.

Knitting tip: once you’ve made several knitting gauges, you’ll realize they aren’t that hard or time-consuming.  When in doubt, stop and knit a gauge before starting your project.

It may save you time and trouble later.

Abbreviations can be useful, but also confusing.

It took me awhile to figure out what LYS stood for.  Maybe it’s because I do most of my yarn shopping online.  Living in a rural area means there is no Local Yarn Shop.  Unless one considers 60-plus miles one way “local.”

I don’t.

So, my LYS (?LYSs) are online.  I’ve shopped online at Joann, Alpaca Direct, and The Sheep Shed Studio.  I like Joann’s selection of Caron One Pound yarn.  Especially when it’s on sale! It’s a nice acrylic yarn: soft not scratchy.  I’ve used it for making afghans, mittens, scarves, and hats.  The last I bought was still Made in the USA according to the label.  I also buy my Lily Sugar and Cream from Joann. I’ve learned to order ahead, since it’s sometimes taken almost a week for my order to be shipped.

I’ve already written a bit about the yarn and roving I bought last week from Alpaca Direct.  Shipping is very fast.  I ordered last Wednesday evening, and my package arrived Monday via USPS.  Pretty amazing from California to South Carolina!

My first purchase was my Denise needles.  They were the best price I could find, plus free shipping over $50.  To get the free shipping, I bought a 30 inch cord for the set.  And have used it several times since.  I really like my Denise needles.  And like supporting a cottage industry here in the USA.  Yes, Denise needles are made in the USA.  Virginia, if I recall correctly.

The Sheep Shed Studio carries roving and yarns from Brown Sheep Company in Nebraska.  And The Sheep Shed Studio is located in Wyoming.  Some of their yarns are seconds, and they have mill ends.  Their prices are great.  They ship quickly, and I like their personalized service.  It’s also nice to not have a big investment in yarn when you’re experimenting with a pattern or learning.  And just thinking of mill ends makes me recall fond memories of traveling to a woolen mill store in Pennsylvania as a kid.

So those are my reviews of my favorites.  What are yours?