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... (Read More ...)
One of the nice things about a knitted dishcloth pattern is its gauge usually doesn’t matter. Which is a blessing for me, because I’ve been known to rewrite patterns to match my gauge. Yes, really! I knit loosely, and use the pick or Continental method. When I use the throw or English/American method, the gauge is much closer. And my knitting is much tighter. So I think most patterns are written by knitters using the throw method. Personally I find the pick method much easier, faster and smoother. If you like a different method GREAT! What else makes knitted dishcloth patterns... (Read More ...)
I’m a fan of hand knit dishcloths. Every time I use one, I’m amazed at how long they last. And how much better they are at scrubbing than manufactured dishcloths. Although they can be fancy with embossed-looking images, they don’t have to be. A knitted dishcloth pattern can be as simple as garter stitch. I just finished knitting one in about three hours. Grandma's Favorite Knitted Dishcloth I used a dishcloth pattern that’s been around for years. It’s called Grandma’s or Grandmother’s Favorite Dishcloth. Its name suits. It’s a quick and easy knit. All you need to know is... (Read More ...)
Like many knitters, when I first learned to knit, I started with a garter stitch scarf. By the time I finished, I’d learned cast on, knit stitch, and casting (or binding) off. As I recall it was a long scarf, so I had lots of practice on my knit stitches. The scarf was made of a single color. I didn’t try anything fancy. Was just happy to be using two wooden needles, size 11, instead of the spool knitting I’d done previously. At the time I thought spool knitting boring, and for children. It seemed as though there were only a limited number of things like placemats or hot pads... (Read More ...)
When reading about dyeing wool yarn, the instructions usually say to dye the yarn before you knit it. Since I wasn’t sure how much my project would take, I decided to finish the baby jacket first, then dye it. Baby Surprise Jacket before dye I used Kool Aid and food coloring for a nontoxic dye, and am happy with the results: Baby Surprise Jacket after dye The dye looks as even as dyeing the wool first, both inside and outside. I first soaked the jacket for 20 minutes in cold water with white (distilled) vinegar. It took 1-1/2 quarts of water to cover the jacket in the pot. After 20... (Read More ...)
