Sometimes it’s nice to have small easy knitting projects.  When your time is not scheduled for knitting, it’s nice to be able to drop your work and pick it up easily.  Without having to spend more time puzzling over following the knitting instructions than actually knitting!  I first learned that as a family caregiver, when I might get an hour without being called, or maybe only a few seconds! This week has been one of those weeks for small projects.  The weather turned cooler, so I decided it’s time to try a head wrap.  It’s not quite cold enough for a knitted cap,... (Read More ...)

  Free knitting patterns like this one:   3 hours   Almost Wordless Wednesday!    Keep knitting to your heart’s desire – or someone else’s, Dr. Ina Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)“The Knitting Dr.” Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.comAmbassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.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 at www.TheKnittingYarn.com/Policies    (Read More ...)

I used to think I was allergic to wool. Every time I used it, my fingers would itch and it felt very scratchy. More recently, though I’ve found it’s not the wool: it’s the processing!  Some processed fibers still are too scratchy, but the lesser processed fibers work just fine.  Good thing too, or I wouldn’t have been able to finish my latest project. Here’s what’s left of two balls of handspun that wasn’t dyed. It’s from Brown Sheep Mills mill end roving, and is very soft to knit. Homespun yarn natural colors It was a real pleasure to knit this... (Read More ...)

Yesterday’s mail brought me a treat: Vintage knitting issue I first learned about Piecework Magazine’s annual historical knitting issue while reading this Peacefully Knitting blog post about vintage knitting, which convinced me to subscribe. I called first to be sure they were still offering the historical issue with paid subscriptions. Which they were. Phew! Historical knitting is intriguing. It’s interesting to get a glimpse of how our ancestors dressed and lived. While they’re now silent, their knitting can still give us insight into their lives. I grew up with stories... (Read More ...)

I’m typing while wearing one fingerless mitten. Why? Well, my fingers were cold and I decided to experiment. I was curious to know how fast I’d notice a difference between the two hands, I decided to try just one. Striped fingerless mitten In less than 10 seconds I noticed an improvement in the hand wearing the mitten. Wow! What a surprise! I always thought they’d warm the hands but not the fingers. Now if I could just knit that fast. While I like mittens and gloves, fingerless ones are better sometimes. For example, when you’re working at a keyboard, wearing regular mittens make typing... (Read More ...)