At the beginning of January, I went to JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store, where there was a sale. 

The store in Florence, SC is less than a year old.

As I was checking out, the clerk asked if I wanted to take any classes.  Well, one thing led to another and they needed a knitting and quilting teacher.  Two of my favorite crafts!

This past weekend I taught my first knitting class. More importantly there are now three new knitters!

Jackie, Marcy and Pamela did GREAT!  The time flew.  They made my job of instructor easy – and fun!

We had a nice discussion about how much easier it is to learn to knit from a live instructor.  Rather than a book.  Videos are nice, yet when you’re stuck it’s nice to have the hands on of an experienced knitter.

They learned to cast on, knit, purl, bind off and even started to read their knitting stitches!  They are pretty amazing, and I’m looking forward to seeing their projects.

All of them consider themselves crocheters, so they were comfortable holding the yarn.  Sometimes juggling the yarn and needles is the most difficult place to start.  As crocheters, they are used to a single hook and yarn although I think all will do well as knitters too.

Are you looking for a knitting instructor or for knitting help?

I’m starting a Gold Membership on The Knitting Yarn with webinars to answer your questions.  To get all the announcements about the new membership, you’ll want to become a Bronze member if you’re not already.  Just click here now for your free Bronze membership!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

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

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

I have finished my first sock of 2012!

And what I have decided is I’m working on my own version of a generic sock.  Right now it’s knit cuff down, because the arch shape seems to work best that way.

The arch shape is based on Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen’s “Arch-Shaped Stockings” pattern, available from Schoolhouse Press.

My current interest in socks started while caring for my mother.

In her later years, it was often hard to keep her warm.  And her feet in particular would get cold.  The socks available in the stores were seldom what she wanted, so I decided to knit her a pair of socks.

I knit the first pair cuff down.  Some knitters say to fit precisely you need to start at the toe and work up. I wanted to be sure these fit as well as I could.  So, I slipped them carefully over her foot to frequently check the fit.  I wanted to be sure there was no problem with too tight socks cutting off her circulation or too loose socks causing wrinkles  and maybe sores.

Could they easily be slipped on and off?

Yes!  While I knit the socks with double pointed needles, initially I slipped the stitches onto circular needles to check the fit.  After the practice of a few fittings, leaving the stitches on four double pointed needles worked fine.

Ribbing tends to fit more snugly than other patterns, and seems more forgiving for three dimensional projects like socks.

I ended up using a spiral ribbing pattern on the leg and top of her foot, which worked out very well. They socks fit, and she enjoyed wearing them.  Even if they were turquoise blue!

My current socks are for myself, and they are also knit from the cuff down. 

And, yes, once again I altered the pattern.  I like the arch shape.  The other options, not so much. 

Wondering how many ways I deviated from the how to knit socks instructions?  Here are three ways…

1. The cast on.  Might as well start altering the pattern immediately!  Actually, I discovered this when knitting socks for my mother.  Using a provisional cast on and then when the sock is off the needles, going back and binding off with an elastic bind off makes a great cuff edge for someone with concerns about leg swelling. Or just a different shaped calf (larger or smaller than usual). The bind off expands nicely yet snugly fits.
2. 1 x 1 ribbing in the leg and foot instead of the pattern.  I still like ribbing, and feel the socks stay up better with it than with stockinette stitch.  For beginners, stockinette stitch is often easier because in the round the stitches are all knit.
3. The heel is a mitered heel instead of a saddle heel.

Do you see how important knitting was to my caregiving?

Not only did it help relieve the stress of caregiving giving me a much-needed few minutes respite, it also provided some great projects!

Without knitting, I probably would not have come out of caregiving whole and happy.  Even with my family’s help and my professional caregiving experiences. 

Of course it’s not just knitting that helped me survive.  It was much more.  It seemed at times like traveling along roads without a map.

Easy to get lost and off track if you don’t know the route.

You know what I mean?

It takes a road map to successfully navigate caregiving, to more than survive – to thrive – emerging happy and whole.

Now you can download your own road map.  Just click here right now to download!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

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

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

Daylight Savings Time 2011 (officially Daylight Saving Time 2011) has ended in the U.S.

Do you notice a change in your caregiving?

Whether you’re giving care to a baby, an adult or animals, it doesn’t take long to realize how sensitive they can be to light – and to time changes.

Try to explain to a hungry child or pet that it’s not time to eat for another hour because the time just changed.  Yeah, right.

It’s no surprise that many farmers hated Daylight Saving Time when it first went almost national in 1966.

And ever notice how it also can affect adults?

Maybe the one you’re caring for cannot express it in words.  He or she may be more easily frustrated, angry, or even withdrawn. 

And maybe it affects you too.  The light change could be the cause.  Or maybe it’s all the clocks and gadgets that need a time change – adding to your tasks.  If they were made before a certain date, their automatic adjustments are wrong.

Daylight Saving Time was extended around 2007 in the U.S.  So it now starts earlier and ends later each year.  Supposedly to save money.  At least one recent study shows it doesn’t save money.  Any chance of a repeal?

That’s a rhetorical question.

I’m reminded of a quote…

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

In thinking about it, time is fundamental.  Plants and animals including humans react to the light.  Animals including humans produce hormones in daily cycles.  Which is why a fever is often higher in the evening than the morning.

Time is something sacred to be honored.  And best left to Someone Who knows all the possible consequences?

Instead of ranting on about Daylight Saving Time, it’s time to knit.  Knitting relieves stress.  While it may not solve all the problems in the world, it can help put them in perspective.

Daylight Savings Time 2011 affected caregiving, and knitting helps relieve caregiver stress.  In caregivers who knit that is.

Another way to relieve stress is to show others how much they mean to you.  To find out how click here right now.

And in the meantime…

Keep knitting to your heart’s desire – or someone else’s!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

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

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

Does knitting relieve your stress?

If so you’re not alone.  Knitting stimulates the Relaxation Response.  And if you’re a spinner or a crocheter or other crafter, your craft probably does the same thing!

“I take my knitting everywhere to take the edge off of moments that would otherwise drive me stark raving mad.”
  ~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit’s End:  Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Knitters and other crafters have known for centuries what medical science has confirmed in the last 30 years.  Knitting is relaxing!

Do you find yourself drawn to knitting when you’re the most stressed?

Like at night?

Ever notice how caregiving and other things are worse at night?

Maybe your care recipient gets up at night, and you’re exhausted from not sleeping 3 hours in a row.  Or maybe she’s in more pain or more upset at night.  She maybe more frightened because she can’t see as well at night.

I’ve found sitting up with knitting helps relieve the stress while passing the time.  And in the darkest part of the night – just before dawn – there is a rhythm to the needles that speaks deeply to the soul.  In concentrating on knitting patterns, a morning song can burst forth.

What’s a morning song?

It is the music of the morning that includes the hopes and promises of a new day.  And combining music with knitting can be very powerful.

I just read a beautiful story of the reaction of a deaf boy to Native American flute music.  It touched my heart.  You can hear the music and read the story by clicking right here now.

Although you may want to get out your knitting first…

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

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

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

This week I’m knitting a Christmas stocking and pattern.

Christmas stockings are interesting.  Basically they follow sock patterns and are often knit with larger needles and thicker yarn.  It can be plain or fancy. 

This stocking is a top down pattern, so the toe has symmetrical decreases.  Every other row is a decrease row.  And each decrease row has four decreases.  Two are left slanted and two right slanted.

 And because the yarn is heavier than sock yarn, I decided to add the decreases to my How To Knit Videos series.

To see the left slanted decrease video, just leave a comment on this post.  If you are reading this post on a site other than The Knitting Yarn, click right here now to leave your comment and see the video.

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

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

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

Do you like knitting scrubbies?

They’re often a quick knit and practical.  Because they’re usually small projects, they make a great project for on-the-go.  Such as when you’re caregiving.  And a simple pattern like garter stitch is easy to work on, leave and then come back when needed.

One of my favorite patterns is a knitted scrubby called Tribble or maybe it’s Tribble2.  Click here for a link to the original pattern.

The knitted dishcloth pattern calls for knitting with worsted weight crochet yarn.  As I learned about eco Tawashi, I decided to try knitting one with acrylic yarn.  And found acrylic Tribbles are great for scrubbing, and easy to knit.  When needed, I’ve even thrown them in the dishwasher for cleaning (no heat on the dry cycle).

Why eco Tawashi?

Because they can be used with less soap or even no soap on dishes.  Acrylic scrubbies including Tawashi are too rough for skin, though.  They do make great scrubbers for dishes and cleaning.

So how can you improve a scrubbie knitted dishcloth pattern?

• Change cotton yarn to acrylic which often lasts longer…
• Consider changing the edging to suit yourself.  Such as adding a slipped stitch garter stitch edging, which looks like a row of single crochet when finished…
• Change the size and colors to suit you!

Acrylic yarn lasts longer and I notice the colors stay brighter longer.  Not as much fading as cotton dishcloths or scrubbies.

For the tribble pattern, using a slipped stitch garter edging makes it easier to gather the long ends into a circle, forming the three-dimensional scrubbie. 

The gathered circle is also more symmetric.

Often the size of needles are a suggestion.  You can of course change them to suit your gauge.  Or you can experiment with different sizes to see what works best.  And of course, changing colors is part of the fun of making small projects like knitted dishcloth scrubbies!

While using knitting tips and techniques may sound complicated, as you can see it can also be super easy!

For a free list of scrubbie patterns online, just leave a comment on this post.  If you’re reading this post on a site other than The Knitting Yarn, be sure to click here right now to leave your comment.

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

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

Founder, www.TheKnittingYarn.com and www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

P.S. If you haven’t yet signed up for your free membership be sure to click here right now!

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, and it’s too chilly for a summer hat.

A head wrap is a nice alternative.  Its openness in the back keeps the head from overheating in mild weather while it covers the ears nicely. This one was quick and easy.  2×2 ribbing in short rows for shaping.  Next I want to try my own version with a different stitch.  Maybe a Fisherman’s rib would work well.

The acrylic yarn I used is reused from a shawl I didn’t like.  There was a LOT of yarn in that shawl, so even after making a second shawl I still have yarn left over!

And my second project is a dishcloth made from cotton yarn left over from another project.  So in addition to getting my knitting in, I’m using up some of my stash.  Dishcloths wear out, and it seems like they all wear out at once!  It’s nice to have a stash of completed dishcloths. 

Their bright colors add a fun whimsical touch to kitchen chores.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

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.com
Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Full disclosure and disclaimer at www.TheKnittingYarn.com/Policies

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.

This week I was wondering what to include in the next episode of my how to knit videos.

While finishing knitting my shawl, inspiration struck – in the form of a bind off especially nice for some lace knitting.  While doing the picot edge bind off, I realized it’s actually two techniques in one.

It is a combination of the cable cast on and a traditional bind off.

You start with the cable cast on. The cable cast on can be used as an initial cast on.  Usually though it’s used when you need to add stitches to an existing row.

I explain the cable cast on in two tutorials.  One for right handed knitting and one for left-handed knitting or mirror knitting.

Leave a comment at the bottom of this post on The Knitting Yarn, and you’ll get instant access to the free tutorials of how to knit the cable cast on.  You can choose either one, or both.

If you’re not reading this on The Knitting Yarn website, you’ll need to go to the original post to leave a comment and get your free download.  Click here right now for the original post on The Knitting Yarn.

And if you’re a free member of The Knitting Yarn site, you can see the right-handed knitting version in one of my free how to knit videos below.  Click here right now to join. 

Once you’re a member you can log in by clicking here right now.

Remember: Leave a comment at the bottom of the post to get your free tutorial.  If you’re not reading this on The Knitting Yarn site, just click here right now to get to the original post.

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.