Loom Knitting

Long Loom book

2010-03-27T19:51:00.007-05:00

This book was several years in the making, and all the projects use the double knit technique. There are many stitch patterns used in the various designs, including using beads and basic lace techniques, adding and decreasing stitches, and several bind-off and joining methods. Difficulty levels are Beginner, Easy and Intermediate. It's coming out at the end of April, and you can preorder a copy!

Sock Loom Book

2009-08-27T08:22:00.001-05:00

A surprise greeted me in the mailbox today, an advance copy of Loom Knitting Socks. I was thrilled to see my socks on the cover. Well, not really my socks, but the Bead Peaks socks is one of the pairs I knit for the book. All sock designs are by Isela Phelps, and 16 of us helped knit over 100 socks in six weeks earlier this year. The book will be available at the end of September.

Shepherd's Harvest

2009-05-10T19:24:00.004-05:00

I spent Mother's Day at the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival in Lake Elmo, MN. It was exhilirating, overwhelming and inspiring. There was yarn in every stage including on the hoof. Sheep dogs did their herding thing, there were shearing demonstrations, carding and spinning machines everywhere. You could buy fiber in any stage, roving, skeins (dyed and undyed), and even knit up! There were even angora rabbits for sale.

Here is what llamas look like right after they get a "summer haircut"

There were four buildings of vendors, with hand made stitch markers, buttons and beads, beeswax lip balm, hand made soaps (some were felted), felted dolls with sculpted ceramic faces and hands, leather purse straps, sweaters and hats and mittens and slippers and shawls and scarves and ... the creativity displayed was indescribable. There were felting hat forms, blocking boards, lamb recipes, and every knitting, crocheting, weaving, and felting tool and notion you can imagine! Ever seen a two-eyed needle?

There was a full schedule of hands on classes too, for spinning, basket weaving, using circular sock machines, dying yarn, machine knitting, even blogging. What a day of fiber fun!

Any Loom, Any Yarn, Any Size Sock!

2009-04-08T17:17:00.016-05:00

Yes, it's true, with this pattern you can make any size sock with the yarn and loom of your choice, with the caveat that the loom is able to be adjusted for the number of pegs in use. I can't tell you how many socks and sock parts I've knit to create this pattern. Really, it's a template, and it works like this.

1. Knit up a gauge swatch with the loom and yarn you want to use to make your socks. Measure the rows and stitches per inch.

2. Look at the (included) table to find the measurements that correspond to the shoe size of the intended sock wearer. You can make socks for an infant, a grown man, and any foot size in between all from this one pattern.

3. Plug in the numbers to make a few calculations. These calculations will tell you how many pegs you'll need and how many rows to knit for each section of the sock.

4. Write the results of the calculations in the pattern itself.

5. Cast on and start knitting!

The socks are made toe up (no seams!), and the toes and heels are knit with Japanese short rows. They're very simple to do (no wraps and turns like other short row socks!) but they do require some stitch markers -- little coilless safety pins work really well, since you'll be marking stitches, not pegs.

You can individualize these socks with coordinating heel and toe colors, changing leg length, amount of ribbing at the top, etc.

I hope you enjoy this versatile template pattern!

Head Hugger at LKC

2009-04-08T16:19:00.004-05:00

The Spring 2009 issue of Loom Knitters Circle is now available, and it includes my pattern for a Head Hugger winter hat. It's not yet spring weather here in MN, and we still have days where such a hat is welcome, but you can always get started on next winter's knitting too! Unless you live in the southern hemisphere, then this pattern is here just in time! It's a portable project, so go check this out and all the other new patterns too.

Hiatus

2008-12-12T21:04:00.002-06:00

I have been very busy with my looms and have missed posting about what's been happening. Rest assured, I'm still here! I hope to catch up on my backlog soon, and get those partially completed posts up here!

Teeny Tiny Socks

2008-05-13T22:41:00.005-05:00

A friend makes teeny little socks on a very small custom made loom. When I saw those socks, they really struck a chord with me. You see, when my daughter was born 13 - 1/2 years ago, she had to stay in intensive care for a week. Her condition was fairly common; she just had to be on IV antibiotics for seven days before she could go home. As I spent hours in the ICU with her, I got to see the extremely ill and very premature babies in there also. The sight of those miniature feet is something I will never forget.

My friend made me a small loom similar to hers, and I have been trying out making those little preemie socks. But there's some Serious Single Sock Syndrome going on here -- none of these match!

1. Ribbed cuff, turned heel, stockinette foot, zigzag bindoff.

2. Ribbed cuff, turned heel, ribbed foot, flat bindoff.

3. Ribbed cuff, turned heel, stockinette foot, gathered bind-off.

4. Ribbed cuff, turned heel, stockinette foot, toe-up design.

I still don't have a sock I'm entirely satisfied with...

Headband

2008-04-10T15:08:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to taking pictures of this little project. (IOW, my dd finally consented to modeling it!) This headband was made using a 10-peg fine gauge keychain loom that Isela Phelps gave out to people at the Knit Out at the Mall of America in Minneapolis in February. The headband pattern was part of the give-away. It is knit in a garter stitch pattern, with tapers at the beginning and end.

The recommended yarn in the pattern has some stretch, but I used some regular old worsted weight from my stash, and there's enough stretch in the garter stitch pattern that the headband fits comfortably and goes on and off easily.

It would be cute worn this way too.

If I were to make it again, I wouldn't use all the pegs, as I like my headbands a little narrower. I'd also do a longer section that is narrow to go along the hairline at the neck, and move the tapers closer to the ears so the width is just where the headband shows on top of the head. It really is an easy project, though knitting with a fine gauge loom takes a lot longer than knitting with the large gauge Knifty Knitter looms!

Funny

2008-04-06T10:32:00.007-05:00

This tickled my funny bone.

What a way to use up leftovers in your stash!

Selvage Edge

2008-03-28T11:08:00.001-05:00

The alternative to a slipped stitch edge is a selvage edge. This firm edge is generally used when the edge is hidden in a seam. It is considered a finished edge, so can be left visible. It is called a selvage edge because the yarn is doubled back on itself, the same as with woven fabric.

To make a selvage edge, the end pegs are knit on all rows.

For example,

Cast on to 10 pegs.
Row 1: Knit pegs 10 - 1.
Row 2: Knit pegs 1 - 10.
Repeat rows 1 - 2.

Since the selvage edge of a knit item is usually hidden in a seam, you generally wouldn't need to put a garter stitch pattern on the sides, as the seam eliminates the need to prevent curling. But to be consistent with the post on slipped edges, here is what the piece would look like with a garter pattern edge:

Cast on to 10 pegs.
Row 1: Knit pegs 10 - 1.
Row 2: Purl pegs 1 - 2, knit pegs 3 - 8, purl pegs 9 - 10.
Repeat rows 1 - 2.

Slipped Stitch Edge

2008-03-25T21:37:00.005-05:00

Questions lately have been about the slipped stitch edge. This technique gives a pretty finished look to the sides of your knitting. If you are making a scarf or afghan or other project where the edges of the knitting will show, the slipped edge is definitely worth considering, since it looks like a smooth braid.

Making a slipped edge is a simple as skipping the first peg on each row.

Let's say your knit piece is 10 stitches wide. You would cast on to 12 pegs, because the slipped stitch at each edge doesn't contribute to the width of your piece. For each row, you would skip the very first peg, then knit to the end of the row.

Cast on to pegs 1 - 12.
Row 1: Skip peg 12, knit pegs 11 - 1.
Row 2: Skip peg 1, knit pegs 2 - 12.
Repeat rows 1 - 2.

If you are alternating knit and purl stitches in any sort of pattern, even just a garter stitch pattern at the edges to prevent curling, you always want to knit the very last peg in every row. The knit edge loops make the braid along the side of your knitting.

The sample is knit as follows:
Cast on to pegs 1 - 12.
Row 1: Skip peg 12, knit pegs 11 - 1.
Row 2: Skip peg 1, purl pegs 2 - 3, knit pegs 4 - 9, purl pegs 10 - 11, knit peg 12.
Repeat rows 1 - 2.

A well written pattern will indicate if the edges are slipped or not, either by stating so in the notes, or in the instructions themselves, such as above (skipping the first peg of each row, knitting the last peg in each row). If the pattern doesn't have a slipped edge, you can always add one by casting on to two more pegs and skipping one peg at the beginning of each row.

The name for this technique comes from the similar technique when knitting with needles. The first stitch on the left needle is slipped onto the right needle without being knit or purled.

Michaels is Discontinuing Classes

2008-03-21T15:27:00.008-05:00

I'm so sorry to have to spread the word that Michaels stores are discontinuing their classroom programs effective the end of March. The word has been out for a few weeks, but I wanted to wait to say anything here until all the instructors received their lay-off notices.

I've been teaching at the Michaels in Maple Grove MN for 2-1/2 years. I've created and refined curricula for different levels of loom knitters and for the various looms that ProvoCraft developed. I've shared the craft of loom knitting with countless customers while giving demonstrations in the store, and gotten many people hooked on knitting with looms in the classroom. Not only have I taught technique classes, but also project classes, from hats and scarves to mittens and felted purses and slippers and so much more. Many of my students took multiple classes from me, and some travelled quite a distance. I will truly miss sharing my passion for this craft in-person, one-on-one in the Michaels store.

It's not just Knifty Knitter classes that are discontinued, but all knitting, crocheting, beading, scrapbooking, flower arranging, painting, etc. classes. (The only classes that are staying are the Cake Decorating classes through Wilton.) This is not the first (or second) time Michaels has stopped offering classes, so chances are that classes will again be offered at some time in the future. After all, the Kids Club program has already been replaced by The Knack. You can make your opinion known by calling 1-800-MICHAELs.

My book at Michaels

2008-03-07T21:44:00.006-06:00

Woo hoo! The store where I teach is finally carrying the book that I wrote! And it's on an end cap at eye level. :)

Loom Knitting Meme

2008-03-06T23:50:00.009-06:00

This is making the rounds. I saw it first on Denise's blog.

What are you loom knitting?

Just for fun...a loom knitting meme. What have you made with your loom? What do you do knitting/fiber related? Copy and paste the following meme into your blog and link back to me by commenting to this post. 
 
What I've made on my knitting looms and what I have done knitting/fiber related: 

Afghan - several 

I-cord – many, of different thicknesses 

Garter stitch - absolutely 

Knitting with metal wire - no 

Shawl - several 

Stockinette stitch - yes, constantly 

Socks: top-down – yes, singles 

Socks: toe-up – singles here too.

Knitting with camel yarn - nope 

Mittens: Cuff-up - plenty 

Mittens: Tip-down - no 

Hat – More than I can count 

Knitting with silk a fine strand with wool for socks - no 

Moebius band knitting - yes 

Participating in a KAL – A few

Sweater - yes

Drop stitch patterns - yes 

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn – oh yes

Slip stitch patterns - definitely 

Knitting with banana fiber yarn – hmm, where do I find that? 

Twisted stitch patterns – e-wrap counts 

Knitting with bamboo yarn – yes, very soft 

Charity knitting - some

Knitting with soy yarn – yup

Cardigan – no, but I should 

Toy/doll clothing - some 

Baby items - some 

Knitting with your own handspun yarn – Spinning used to be a dream, but it’s fading as I get older 

Slippers - Definitely

Designing knitted garments – uh, yeah.

Cable stitch patterns – done that for years

Lace patterns – simple ones, they’re a bit challenging on looms but getting easier with the sliding peg thingies

Publishing a knitting book - check 

Scarf – uh huh 

Teaching a child to knit – Just how many Girl Scouts have I worked with? 

Knitting to make money – I don’t think I’ve ever sold a knit item…

Buttonholes – uh huh 

Knitting with alpaca - yup 

Fair Isle knitting - no 

Dying with plant colors – not for knitting, but I’ve smashed flowers onto fabric… 

Knitting items for a wedding - no 

Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…) - yes 

Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) - yes 

Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn - yes 

Holiday related knitting - yes 

Teaching a male how to loom knit – yes, but not many 

Bobbles - yes 

Knitting for a living – You can support yourself by knitting? Sign me up! 

Knitting with cotton - yes 

Knitting smocking – not really

Dying yarn - no 

Knitting art - no 

Fulling/felting - yes 

Knitting with wool – how else do you felt? 

Textured knitting - yes 

Kitchener stitch - yes , without knitting needles!

Purses/bags - yes 

Knitting with beads – both knitting a strand of beads and stringing beads along the yarn and placing them in the stitches

Swatching – All the time 

Long Tail CO - yes 

Knitting and purling backwards – let's see, would that be going the opposite direction on the loom? 

Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn - yes 

Stuffed toys – working on them 

Knitting with cashmere (mmm, cashmere!) – I’d like to 

Darning – ugh. When I was a kid I’d darn socks using a plastic easter egg on the inside.  

Jewelry – yeah, knitting with beads. 

Knitting with synthetic yarn – that would be the cheap stuff, acrylic, right? 

Writing a pattern - yes !!!

Gloves/mittens – Both

Intarsia – not a lot 

Knitting with linen - no 

Knitting for preemies - no 

Short rows - ya betcha!

Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers - yes 

Pillows – they’ve never held much appeal, though my Grandmother used to needle knit gorgeous patterned ones. 

Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine – does knitting a pattern FOR an online magazine count?

Rug – no, but I want to 

Knitting on a loom – Duh!

Knitting a gift - yes 

Knitting for a pet? – I’ve threatened, but dh would draw the line 

Shrug/bolero/poncho – two out of three 

Knitting with dog/cat hair accidentally or on purpose? – Cat hair all the time. Mine too. And horse hair sometimes. 

Hair accessories – yes

Knitting in public – Absolutely! 

Knitting with buffalo yarn - no 

Knitting with pygora – hmmm, goat hair, sounds fun

Dyeing with food dye/drink mixes - no 

Dyeing with chemical dyes (acid, etc) - no 

Kumihimo

2008-02-23T12:36:00.000-06:00

Kumihimo is a Japanese form of braiding or weaving strands of silk (or yarn or other fiber) into round or flat cords. This was taught at a hands-on booth at Knit Out by a Washburn County WI 4-H club. I can see myself making kumihimo cords instead of knitting I-cords for purse handles, edgings, etc.

This simple cord was made with seven strands of yarn and a piece of cardboard from a cereal box that I cut into a rough octogon. I have since found kumihimo braiding boards with as many as 40 slots! Traditional kumihimo stands have a "mirror" (a slightly bowled round unnotched disc) that can be used with an unlimited number of strands. With those, you also use bobbins to hold your strands, weights for even pressure on the braided cord, and a chopstick as your braiding tool. Once you get into the rhythm of moving the strands (I alternated between right and left hands with just slight shifts of the cardboard disc), it becomes very relaxing, almost meditative.

Local Fame

2008-02-21T09:51:00.007-06:00

I've had a hard time wiping the grin off my face. I've been feeling like a celebrity, with people coming up and saying they saw the article in the February issue of Plymouth Magazine about me. I dare not go out in public now in my sweats and without make-up!

Knit Out 2008

2008-02-17T20:33:00.019-06:00

The second annual Knit Out and Crochet event in Minneapolis was this weekend, again at the Mall of America. It was a smaller event this year, with fewer vender booths, but it was just as crowded as last year. A number of vendors again had give-aways -- the coveted large black canvas Lion Brand tote bags, knitting needles, crochet hooks, magazines, patterns, gauge measuring tools, yarn, etc. A long line snaked through the mall as people went from booth to booth collecting freebies, and many people were knitting or crocheting while shuffling along. The Learn to Knit and Learn to Crochet areas were combined into one. The demonstrations were off to one end instead of in the rotunda, but there were more demonstration tables. Maybe by next year they'll figure out that the demonstrators need microphones; there's just too much ambient noise inside a large mall for anyone not sitting in the first row to hear well.

Isela Phelps did the loom knitting demonstrations this year. She gave a fine presentation, showing a couple different cast on methods, binding off, and knit, purl and cable stitch techniques. She also gave out 10-peg keychain looms along with a headband pattern so people could practice what she was demonstrating. She was promoting (and autographing) her Loom Knitting Primer book as well as the Loom Knitting Pattern Book coming out in May with projects from various designers. Many of the beautiful cabled projects from her book were on display.

Not only did I get to meet Isela and Sam, but also Carrie Putzier. Carrie helped me a lot when I was first getting started with the looms. She lives in MN too, but this is the first time we've met in person.

Carrie, Isela and me

There were so many knit and crochet samples on display to inspire us, but this Sock Monkey dress in the Knitting Machine Guild's booth was the most unique. Each monkey was named!

I'll have more to share in upcoming days as I experiment with some of the tools and techniques I saw and learned at the Knit Out.

Simple Afghan Pattern

2008-02-13T23:15:00.005-06:00

I've been asked so many times if the looms can be used to make an afghan, and if there's an easy pattern for one. I made this afghan as one of my first projects using the round Knifty Knitter looms. It is well-used and well-loved, but I'll show it to you anyway.

For this afghan, I used 8 skeins of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick yarn in color Fisherman. It's about 44" wide and about 60" long. Here is what I did:

All knit stitches are e-wrapped for the twisted stockinette stitch.

Make two panels.

Cast on with the e-wrap method to 41 pegs of the round yellow KK loom.
Row 1: Knit pegs 40 - 1.
Row 2: Knit pegs 2 - 41.
Repeat rows 1 - 2 until 190 rows are completed.
Bind off with the flat method.

Sew the two panels together down the center. Weave in tails.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If I were to make the afghan again, I would put a garter edging all around it to make it more finished looking, and to prevent the curled edges. The garter sides would have a slipped stitch edge for a pretty braid-look finish. The center seam side would have a selvedge edge. Here is what I would do:

All knit stitches are e-wrapped for a twisted stockinette stitch.

Panel 1 (garter edge is pegs 1 - 5; selvedge edge is at peg 41):
Cast on with the cable method to 41 pegs of the round yellow KK loom.
Row 1: Knit pegs 41 - 1.
Row 2: Purl pegs 2 - 40, knit peg 41
Rows 3 - 6: Repeat rows 1 - 2 twice.
Row 7: Knit pegs 41 - 1
Row 8: Purl pegs 2 - 5, knit pegs 6 - 41 (Note: put markers on pegs 2 - 5 as a reminder to purl them.)
Repeat rows 7 - 8 88 times
Repeat rows 1 - 6.
Bind off with the flat method.

Panel 2 (garter edge is pegs 37-41; selvedge edge is at peg 1):
Cast on with the cable method to 41 pegs of the round yellow KK loom.
Row 1: Knit pegs 40 - 1.
Row 2: Purl pegs 2 - 40, knit peg 41
Rows 3 - 6: Repeat rows 1 - 2 twice.
Row 7: Knit pegs 40 - 1
Row 8: Knit pegs 2 - 36, purl pegs 37 - 40, knit peg 41. (Note: put markers on pegs 37 - 40 as a reminder to purl them.)
Repeat rows 7 - 8 88 times
Repeat rows 1 - 6.
Bind off with the flat method.

Sew the two panels together in the center. Weave in tails.

(Note: These instructions are what I would do if I were to make the afghan again. I haven't test knit these instructions. If you notice an error, please let me know!)

KISSing cables

2008-02-11T11:34:00.000-06:00

I had a goal when I was visiting Graciela: to knit a cable using the KISS loom. There had been some discussion among KISS loomers about whether it could be done. Of course it could; I just had to do it for myself.

In some ways, cables are easier on KISS looms than regular looms. I found a cable needle wasn't necessary to hold loops while they are trading places. I just put the loops on the pins on the back board, moved the adjacent loops onto the vacated pegs, then moved the loops being held on the pins to the remaining empty pegs. Graciela did show me a trick which applies to cables on any loom -- e-wrap the pegs that have loops that will move. That gives a little extra length to the loops, making the stretch go a bit easier.

The only glitch with the cables is the crossover portion happens between the pegs and the pins, so the knitting doesn't easily slide past the pins. Not a big deal -- after I knit a couple more rows past the crossover, I just held the loops on the pegs with a finger of one hand, and lifted the crossovers behind the pins with the hook tool.

Flat Bind Off method

2008-02-08T08:05:00.000-06:00

I've had a number of questions on how to do a flat bind off, so I thought I'd share this technique with you all. I made a single knit flat piece on a long loom because it was handy; this process applies to flat pieces and tubes on round looms as well.

This method is the same as the Basic Bind Off used with needle knitting. You start by knitting two stitches, then pass the loop of the first stitch over the second stitch. Knit one more stitch, and pass the previously knit stitch over it. This gives a nice braided look to your bound off edge, and you can control how snug or stretchy the edge is by the tightness or looseness of the loops on the bind off row.

For clarity, I knit the bind off row in a different color. (Click on the pics to see them larger.)

Step 1: Wrap and knit off pegs 1 and 2.

Step 2: Move the loop on peg 2 to peg 1.

Step 3: Knit off peg 1 (bring the bottom loop over the top loop).

Step 4: Move the remaining loop back to the empty peg. This peg is now peg 1.

Step 5: Wrap and knit off (the new) peg 2. (Note: this is where you control the stretchiness of the bound off edge -- the tighter the loop, the less stretch you will have.)

Step 6: Repeat steps 2 - 5 until there is one loop left on the loom.

Step 7: Wrap the peg with the loop on it and knit off. Cut the yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Take the loop off the peg and pull on it until the cut end of the yarn comes through. Continue pulling until the loop is closed snug against the knit fabric.

BTW, to put the braid of the bind off on the wrong side of the knitting, purl the pegs in steps 1 and 5 instead of knitting them.

Visiting Graciela

2008-02-06T11:13:00.000-06:00

Also over the holidays, I got together with Graciela Worth, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I grew up.

Graciela is very talented in many craft areas. She has many years of experience designing sweaters, including custom logoed sweaters she used to make and sell to local sports teams. She now spends all her free time with a knitting loom in her hands. When I was there, she had just finished another gorgeous loomed sweater, to which pictures don't do justice. She used what she calls the Slip and Purl stitch pattern, and has graciously given permission for me to share that with you. This stitch pattern alternates columns of garter stitch with columns of elongated knit stitches.

Cast on to an odd number of pegs.
Row 1: Purl 2 pegs. *Bring the yarn behind the next peg to skip it. Purl 1.* Repeat from * to * until two pegs before the end. Purl the last 2 pegs.
Row 2: E-wrap and knit off all pegs.
Repeat rows 1 - 2.

Visiting Markman Farm

2008-02-04T10:33:00.000-06:00

When I don't post, it's not because I haven't been doing anything, it's because I get way too busy! So I have some catching up to do...

My holiday travels took me to Markman Farm, in the out of the way community of Standish CA. So rural that, according to Lynn Markman, if you hit an animal in the street, you reimburse the owner for the animal and pay for your own car repairs!

Lynn and I spent a day loom knitting and sharing stories and techniques while our girls played with the sheep, llamas, chickens, dogs, cats and probably some other animals I missed. Lynn has a cozy business office in her farmhouse where she ships out the hand made looms with packets of patterns, and a shop right next door filled with wonderful gift items made by local artisans from scented soaps to cards to knit items and yarn made from her sheep. Everyone at her house was so friendly and welcoming that we could easily have moved in and stayed for a while.

Lynn was experimenting with making dish clothes on fine gauge looms using crochet thread. She was using the Chunky Braid Purl stitch pattern, which she generously agreed to allow me to share with you. The resulting knit fabric has a 3-D texture; the e-wrapped pegs make a raised braid pattern on one side, and the reverse side looks like stockinette stitch.

Cast on to an odd number of pegs.
Row 1: E-wrap and knit off the first peg. Purl the next peg and e-wrap the peg after that. Do not knit off the e-wrapped peg. Continue purling and e-wrapping (no KO) to the end of the row.
Row 2: Repeat row 1. (Purled pegs get purled, e-wrapped pegs get wrapped again.)
Row 3: Repeat row 1, except e-wrapped pegs get knit off as 3-over-1.
Repeat rows 1-3.

My book at Joann's

2008-01-13T10:00:00.000-06:00

I am so tickled! My book has been available at Joann's for a couple months. This week it's in their ad, for a good price too.

Mom's Mittens

2008-01-11T10:29:00.001-06:00

Not to worry, my Mom wasn't left out. I made her a pair of mittens. Just in time, too, as snow is not common where they live!

Calypso Felting

2008-01-10T13:15:00.000-06:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to deliver my Christmas gifts in person to family members on the West Coast this year. Some of the gifts were slippers, to be felted of course. My parents have a new type of washing machine that made felting my Dad's slippers a challenge.

The Calypso washing machine has no center agitator, and uses very little water. The clothing is washed by the bottom plate of the washing tub moving in a bouncing rolling type motion. In this situation, the slippers felted, but didn't shrink! (Hmmm this might be great for felting purses, to get very little shrinkage!)

Some quick research on the internet on how to felt the slippers by hand found me with boiling water in one side of the split kitchen sink, and ice water in the other. Even shocking the yarn and hand agitating it didn't do much.

So then I tried saturating the slippers in water, then running them through the dryer. It took three iterations of that to get them to shrink to the right size. Third try was a charm, and now my Dad has toasty toes!

These slippers were made with Lion Brand Felting Wool in Midnight Blue and Ocean Blues, with one strand of each held together as one. I like the resulting subtle color pattern.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-18T13:13:00.000-06:00

The Loom Knitting office will be closed from Dec 19 - Jan 9.

We hope your holidays are peaceful.

More Neck Warmers

2007-12-17T20:55:00.001-06:00

I've been making neck warmers as Christmas gifts. The bottom one is made with Patons Bohemian in color 11425 Poetic Pinks. I just knit in an e-wrap with the green KK loom until I'm about done with the skein, then bind off. The velour feel is very soft and snuggly.

The middle one is Bernat Alpaca color 93040 Ebony. The top one is also the Bernat Alpaca, but color 93141 Indigo. With that one, I did a rib stitch of K2 P1 around the loom. This neck warmer is more like a turtleneck and less like a cowl; the ribbing allows it to easily stretch over the head.

These knit up as quickly as a hat, it's just the bind-off that's different. They're great to wear instead of a scarf since the ends don't get in the way. These will be going to people who, in winter, work outside, care for animals and ride a bike.

Neck Warmer pattern

2007-12-10T10:08:00.000-06:00

Here's a quick knit pattern that's great for last minute gifts. It's super simple -- if you've made an e-wrap hat on a loom, you can make this! You can use just about any yarn you have in your stash, just make sure it feels comfortable against your skin. This neck warmer is a great alternative to a scarf.

The free pattern is available on my website, and comes in child and adult sizes. Enjoy!

Yarn Substitutions

2007-12-04T22:49:00.000-06:00

This topic has come up frequently lately -- can you use a yarn different than what is called for in the pattern? Yes, you can, but there are some caveats.

First, does the yarn the designer used contribute significantly to the piece? For example, if the piece is to be felted, you'll need to use natural animal fibers -- plant fibers and man-made materials won't felt, so you won't get the same result. Some pieces are designed around a specific yarn, using the yarn's natural tendency to drape or hold its shape, or some other qualities. Slubs, bumps, variance in yarn thickness, etc., will all impact the ability of the yarn to slide against itself and affects the stretchiness of the piece. The number of plies and the tightness of the twist affects the texture and sheen of the finished knit piece. The stitch pattern itself may be a factor -- complicated stitch patterns are best shown off with smooth yarns and get lost in textured yarns. So you'll want to consider the specific qualities of the yarn when choosing a substitute.

Second, does the pattern have a specific gauge, or does it say the gauge isn't critical? If you're knitting a scarf or an afghan, it may not matter too much if the end result is off an inch or two. But if you're knitting a sweater or other sized piece, that inch or two will make the difference between a cherished item and a thrift store donation.

Gauge tells you how many stitches it takes to knit 4" wide and how many rows it takes to knit 4" long. If the pattern gives a gauge, you'll want to match it, even if you used the identical yarn the designer used. With needle knitting, you can knit up a swatch with your substitute yarn and determine if the gauge matches or not. If not, you switch needles to a larger or smaller size, and knit up another swatch, and so on until you find the yarn/needle combination to match the measurements the designer specified. Needle knitting patterns give needle size as a guideline; the knitter must select the appropriate size needles to match the gauge.

To date, loom knitting patterns are generally designed for a specific loom (such as the KKs). It is more difficult, and spendy, to switch looms to try to match gauge. Chances are, you'll get too large a gauge with one loom, and too small a gauge with another loom, or the peg count will be off. You do have the option of trying to knit with a little more tension or a little less tension than you normally do. You could also adjust the pattern by adding or subtracting stitches in each row and changing the number of rows to get the same finished measurements.

For loom knitters, the remaining option is to find yarn that is as close as possible to the same dimensions as the yarn the designer used. Generally, it is the diameter of the yarn that you're trying to match up. Compare labels (the designer should include label info in the pattern) for weight and length of the skein -- calculate ratios and see how closely the yarns match up. If you can, compare wraps per inch (wrap each yarn around a pencil, and see how many wraps it takes to cover one inch) -- they should match up pretty closely. Even so, before you commit to your substitute yarn, knit up a swatch and verify you'll get the gauge you need to get the results you want.

KISS vs. KK Gauge

2007-11-25T07:55:00.000-06:00

Many of us started to learn to loom knit with the KK looms, so the obvious question is: can KK patterns be knit on KISS looms?

This swatch shows that the KISS looms can handle bulky yarns. The yarn I used was from my stash with no label, but I believe it's Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. I modified the wrap method to use every other peg, and two pins per peg. The top section is done with the KISS loom on Setting 2, the middle section is done on the round yellow KK loom, and the bottom section is done with the KISS loom on Setting 3.

On Setting 2, the gauge is 3"= 6-3/4 stitches and 11 rows.

On the yellow loom, the gauge is 3" = 7 stitches and 11 rows.

On Setting 3, the gauge is 3" = 5-1/2 stitches and 8 rows. (Setting 3 is only possible when knitting flat pieces, not in the round, because of the placement of the bolt holes on the boards.)

Your results may be slightly different, but a close approximation to the yellow KK loom is to use Setting 2, maybe with a spacer or two, and the modified wrap method.

Extreme KISS

2007-11-24T15:05:00.000-06:00

The KISS loom boards are designed for three basic settings, which you choose based on how the boards are placed against each other.
Setting 1 has the thin sides of the peg board and the pin board together. Setting 2 has the thin sides of both boards facing the same direction. Setting 3 has the wide sides of the boards together. (ed. Setting 3 is only possible with the boards in a straight line, not in the round.) Each of the settings moves the pegs and the pins further apart.

The looms come with spacers that are 1/32" of an inch thick which can be placed in between the boards, so you can fine-tune the gauge of your knitting.

This swatch shows the difference between basic setting 2, and adding a single spacer to slightly increase the stitch gauge.

The knitting on the left is at Setting 2, with 4"= 12 stitches and 15 rows. The knitting on the right is at Setting 2 with 1 spacer, and 4" = 11-1/2 stitches and 14 rows.

This swatch shows the other end of the extreme: the difference between basic setting 2, and adding 32 spacers (1" worth, about the maximum extent the bolts allow) to greatly increase the stitch gauge.

The knitting on the left is at Setting 2, with 4"= 12 stitches and 15 rows. The knitting on the right is at Setting 2 with 32 spacers, and 4" = 8 - 9 stitches and about 4 rows.

The nice thing is that I was able to add the spacers to the loom without needing a row of waste knitting or even removing the knitting from the loom. I can see this being very handy when knitting things with borders such as sweaters. Many sweater patterns call for a specific size needle when knitting ribbed edges then switching to a needle one size larger to knit the body and sleeves of the sweater. With these looms, you can knit the ribbed edge, then slip in a spacer or two before knitting the rest of the piece.

First KISS

2007-11-23T12:28:00.000-06:00

I've recently had the opportunity to do some experimenting with a new type of knitting loom, the KISS loom. These looms look like double rakes without the gap in the center for the knitting to go through. But, the knitting is done only on the front board with the pegs, and the knitting comes off the loom behind the back board. The back board has pins, which are used only to achieve a specific gauge. So far, I've been able to replicate every basic technique I've done with KK round looms on the KISS looms, with a slight modification to the wrapping method to incorporate using the pins.

The pin board is used to regulate the bar portion of the stitch, or the amount of traveling yarn used between wrapping one peg and the next. It affects the tension of the resulting stitches, which impacts the gauge (number of stitches and number of rows per inch) of the completed knitting.

What is so exciting about these looms is that they can be adjusted to achieve the exact gauge you want! Needle knitters switch needles to get a different gauge. Now, loom knitters can adjust the loom to make the knit gauge larger or smaller. What this means is that no matter how loosely or tightly you knit, you will be able to exactly match the gauge the designer got when creating the pattern you want to make!

The looms are also modular, so you can assemble the pieces according to the number of pegs you want to use, especially handy for making socks and hats and other tube-style projects in different sizes. Customizable stitch size and quantity -- what else could a loomer want?

I'll have more to share about these looms in the future, but for now I'd like to show you three different knit pieces, created on the same loom from the same skein of yarn. The different knitting gauges are achieved simply by adjusting the distance between the peg board and the pin board. These are made with the basic settings, but it is very easy to fine tune the settings to get a knit gauge in between these.

All swatches are worsted weight Red Heart yarn in stockinette (flat knit) stitch.Setting 1: 1 inch = 4-1/2 stitches and 6 rows

Setting 2: 1 inch = 3 stitches and 4 rows

Setting 3: 1 inch = 2-1/2 stitches and 3-1/2 rows

No Curls with Purls

2007-11-20T10:53:00.000-06:00

I'm frequently asked what can be done about the curling at the ends and sides of flat pieces. An answer I've often seen and heard is to crochet an edge around the piece to make it lay flat. But this common problem is easily handled while the piece is still on the loom (or needles).

First, I think it helps to understand why the curling happens. Each stitch has tension, and the tension pulls in a certain direction. When all your stitches are identical, they all pull in the same direction.

So the answer is to use some stitches that pull in the opposite direction. Purl stitches, being the opposite of knit stitches, pull in the opposite direction of knit stitches.

You don't need equal amounts of purl stitches as knit stitches; a border around your knit piece will work just fine.

This piece is made with two purl stitches on each end of every other row. So one row is Knit All, and the next row is Purl 2, Knit to two stitches before the end, Purl 2. (If you want a pretty edge, add a slip stitch at the beginning of each row by skipping the first peg.) The finishing edge has a row of knit stitches then a row of purl stitches alternating for several rows.

The garter pattern shown here is only one of many possible combinations of knit and purl stitches that can be used to prevent curling. But the key is that you must use some combination of both stitches to make a flat piece lay flat.

Suzie Snowlady Class

2007-11-19T08:03:00.000-06:00

I am teaching an online class with the Yahoo group Loom Class next week (starting Nov. 26) for Toni Girt's snowman pattern, with Toni's blessing. I knit one up last week, and it was a real hit on the demo cart at Michaels this week-end. I used pony beads for the embellishments as that's what was easily available at the time. A couple young girls decided it was a girl, because of her pink and purple hat and scarf, and they named her Suzie.

I did deviate a little from Toni's pattern. If you leave a long tail with one of the yarn strands when casting on, you can use it to gather the bottom of the snowman/lady closed. At row 22, I put in a lifeline, which delineated where the neck would be. I used a 4" styrofoam ball (with the plastic wrapper still on it so it wouldn't catch the yarn) for the head, and a 5" ball for the body. I used the lifeline to snug up the neck in between the two balls by pulling it to gather the knitting somewhat, then tying it in a knot. The scarf is a 2-peg I-cord.

To help make the snowman/lady stand, whack the body's styrofoam ball hard on a flat surface to create a flat section on the ball. Or, don't gather the bottom of the body, and let the curled cast-on edge be a base of snow that helps support the body to stand upright.

This is an easy, simple, fun project suitable even for beginners that will add some festivity during the holidays and winter season.

Long Loom Purse #2

2007-11-17T18:56:00.000-06:00

I incorporated the changes I mentioned with the long loom purse demonstration project for the Michaels Yarn Event on Sunday, and finished the purse at the Class Preview today. I used a lucet cast on, and a single knit bind off, which made for equal stretch for the top edges. For the seam up the sides, I did crochet slip stitches on the right side of the purse. The "crochet braid" blended right in with the knit pattern and looks much nicer. I crocheted extra single stitches for the loop closure, so the button could be lower on the body of the purse. And I strung a package of matching beads on the yarn for a beaded handle, which I like MUCH better than the bulky 4-peg I-cord. I didn't put a lining in it, but if I were to use the purse, I definitely would, so the contents wouldn't stretch the purse out of shape.

Felted Muff Pattern

2007-11-06T13:46:00.000-06:00

This felted muff is another great project for gift giving. I wish I had one of these when I was a soccer mom, freezing on the sidelines early on Saturday mornings while my daughter and her teammates were running up and down the field keeping warm.

These muffs are as practical as they are pretty. The layers of fur and felted wool will keep your hands warm, and give extra warmth if you're already wearing mittens or gloves. The neck strap will keep the muff from falling to the ground as you wave your arms cheering. And there's even a little pocket attached that fits inside the muff where you can tuck a tissue or the car key.

The pattern has been added to the website.

Oh, do be sure to watch the felting while it happens, or your muff will become a great sleeping tube for a mouse!

Long Loom Purse

2007-11-03T11:06:00.001-05:00

Michaels is having a Yarn Event on November 11 and 17 in all their stores. All the KK instructors will be doing demonstrations on the long loom set, making this purse. This isn't my pattern, but I did knit up a sample to put on display at the store where I teach.

This purse is knit with just over 1/2 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick using all the pegs on the pink loom, using a "Figure-8" stitch for 36 rows. The knit rectangle is folded in half, and side seams are sewn. The purse opening has one row of single crochet, with a loop included in the middle of one side for the closure. I used a large bead to complete the closure. The strap is a 4-peg I-cord also made on the pink loom.

If I were to make this purse for myself, I would make a shorter, beaded strap, as the 6" square purse is too pretty and dainty for the bulky I-cord strap. I would also put a lining in it so heavy contents don't stretch the knitting out of shape.

Felted Slippers Pattern finally here!

2007-11-01T20:45:00.001-05:00

I've had so much fun creating this pattern, and I can't even begin to count how many pairs of slippers I've knit already -- I've got a great start on my Christmas list! The pattern has been many months in the design, but well worth the wait because the slippers are super comfortable!

The slippers are knit as flat pieces on the round green or yellow KK loom, with seams on the top of the foot and at the heel.

After felting, they are custom shaped to the foot of the wearer for a perfect fit.

This pattern includes sizes from a youth large (women's size 3) up to a men's size 13. I hope you enjoy making these and giving them as gifts as much as I have enjoyed creating the pattern.

Variegated Yarn

2007-09-27T12:27:00.000-05:00

A young male co-worker was fascinated with the bright variegated yarn I was frogging and wanted a hat made from that yarn. I took advantage of the opportunity to try something I've wanted to do for some time. I wondered how it would look to make a hat with two strands of variegated yarn where the colors matched up. So I knit up hat that way, and only had to "cheat" a couple times to keep the color changes matched up. This hat has a ribbed brim, and is knit with the twisted stockinette stitch with some purl stitches at intervals.

Then I knit up a hat with the color changes of the two strands at odds with each other. This hat has a garter stitch brim, and is all twisted stockinette stitch.

They're both great. I can see them on toddlers at a playground, making it very easy for Mom to keep track of her kids. I'm curious to see which the young man prefers.

--ed. He chose the first hat, where the two strands of color match up.

Pidge Precursor

2007-09-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

Denise posted about the Pidge pattern and I did a double take.

I had unearthed a very similar picture earlier in the week, except it was of me nearly two years ago, and I was wearing a similar "unique and elegant" piece of knitwear. I know that picture is old, because my hair is shoulder length now, including the bangs!

Both items are loom knit. I think the Pidge is double knit on a double rake; mine was made as a flat piece on a round loom. I wore mine quite a bit, since my winter coat is wool and itches my neck. The mini-scarf is definitely comfortable, but I didn't think it was worth writing up a pattern for. I pinned mine closed, though I do like the buttons.

So, knit a short scarf, with two button holes (eyelets) near one end. Wrap the mini-scarf around your neck matching up the corners in a point, figure out where the buttons should be and sew them on. Use any yarn you like. I used a single skein of an orphaned novelty yarn that was on clearance in the Fall of 2005. (My cost was $2.00, not the $275.00 - $425.00 on the 3Fe site.) If you want more details on how I made this, let me know.

Negative Progress?

2007-09-15T18:46:00.001-05:00

I spent most of the day loom knitting today, a rare treat! And I think I now have four rows less than when I started. I knit and ripped, knit and ripped. It's a process of writing down what I did, then doing what I wrote, and finding the mistakes. It's days like this that makes me question my sanity, or at least why I try to figure out new techniques for the looms. I thought I'd come home today with tons of knitting completed, ha ha ha! But I think I've got it worked out, and it'll be perfect this time for sure. Hmmm, what can I procrastinate on so I can do a little more knitting tonight instead?

Felted Tweed

2007-09-03T15:00:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about my experiments with knitting tweed looks. I finally got around to felting those pieces, and here is how they turned out.

Here is the tweed where the placement of the yarn colors is controlled on each stitch:

And here is the tweed with the two colors laying where they will at random:

Again, they both are fine, it just depends on what look you're going for. Neither technique is easier or more difficult than the other.

More Inspiration

2007-08-31T23:14:00.001-05:00

I don't know how I missed this before, but I was at the State Fair again and it caught my eye as I took a shortcut through the Creative Activities building.

This knit basket and tea cozy set were felted then hand embroidered. I especially like the two-color woven look to the basket.

Inspiration

2007-08-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

I've spent a couple days at the MN State Fair, and will be there again for three more days while I chaperone the 4-H girls from our county who are camping in. I did get a chance to look at the knit items on display in the Creative Activities building. There was one loom knit entry:

Here is another hat (done with needles); I really like the stitch pattern. It can definitely be replicated on looms, and while it's a little slow going, for a small project like a hat it's definitely do-able.

Regular readers of this blog know I've been playing with felting, especially purses and bags. I'd be proud to have created this one:

I love cables, and a throw pillow would be a great way to try the challenge of a new cable stitch pattern:

This baby blanket was crocheted. It took the very discerning eye of a gentleman standing near me to point out the technique employed to prevent the strips from slipping and bunching. Hmmm, how to accomplish that on the looms?

And for true inspiration, this patchwork banner was knit and crocheted by a blind lady. The tag attached to it reads, "Gerry is a woman who bas been blind since birth. She was raised in the country. She does blind art, writes music and poetry, and likes to knit and crochet. This is what the world looks like from her perspective."

Using a Lifeline

2007-08-19T10:08:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, even the best of knitters needs to fix a mistake. And sometimes unraveling the knitting a few rows is the best way to do it. That's where a lifeline can come in very handy.

A lifeline is a single strand of smooth yarn in a contrasting color that runs through every stitch in the row. If you need to unravel your work, the lifeline will stop the unraveling at that row, and all the loops can be put back onto the loom (or needles), so you can pick up and knit from there.

You can put in a lifeline while you're knitting (in case you're planning to make a mistake, or maybe you'll be switching stitch patterns) by threading the lifeline into the loop on each peg as if you're going to do a gathered bind-off. Make sure there's at least 6" extra yarn hanging at each end of the knitting.

When you knit off the next row, just take the lifeline along with the bottom loop.

After you knit a few more rows, your knitting will look like this on the wrong side,

and like this on the right side.

If you discover a mistake, and you're going to frog back to it, you can run a lifeline by catching one side of every stitch in the row (yellow yarn).

Either way, when you frog your work back to the lifeline, you'll have live stitches that won't unravel. Just slip them onto the loom, and you're back in business!

Lifelines are great to use also when you have a project on the loom, and you just have to use that loom for something else right now! Run a lifeline through the loops on the pegs, and remove your work from the loom. You can easily put it back on the loom later.

I like to use yarn that's thicker than the yarn I'm knitting with -- the thickness of the yarn keeps the loops larger and makes them easier to put back on the loom.

Latest Find

2007-08-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest thrift store find. This little loom appears to be hand made, judging from the marks by each peg and the lack of manufacturer's ID. What's interesting is the pegs on each board are offset, which definitely affects the wrap patterns. This is the first loom I've used that didn't have some sort of cap to the top of the pegs and didn't have a groove in the side of the pegs. It was easy to adapt to pulling the loops from the side of the pegs. I usually insert the hook tool point up into the bottom loop and bring the loop out and over the peg. Now I understand why some people insert the hook tool downwards into the loop and use a wrist motion to twist the tool to bring the bottom loop over the top loop and off the peg. Without having a peg cap, the top loop slips off very easily otherwise.

Tweed Looks

2007-08-13T22:03:00.001-05:00

I've been playing with getting a tweed look by using two different colored strands together. I found it easy to make a smooth appearance. First, I don't let the two strands twist when I wrap the row, so if the dark color is on top, it stays on top for the entire row.

Second, I make the colors sit next to each other when wrapping a row. So, if the light color is on top for the loop already on the peg, the light color is on the bottom for the new loop being created. On the next row, the dark color is on top for the loop already on the peg, so the dark color is on the bottom for the new loop being created.

By letting the yarn twist as it will, you will still get a tweed look, but it will have darker and lighter sections at random. This is perfectly fine also; it just depends on what look you are going for.

Beaded Bracelet

2007-08-08T15:28:00.000-05:00

Isela's Arellis Bracelet was on my mind when I was perusing the bead aisle at Michaels. I couldn't remember the materials she used, so I just got some elastic thread and a value pack of pastel seed beads. Let me tell you, the most time consuming part of this project is stringing the beads! I highly recommend a beading needle; it has a very large eye in the center of the extremely thin needle, and is super simple to thread. When my thumb and index finger got tired of pinching the beads, I just stabbed the needle into the container of beads and came up with 2-3 beads each time.

I tied a knot in the elastic about 5-1/2 feet from the end, then threaded beads until the elastic was full. I tied a knot at the other end so the beads were held in place, but with no stretch to the elastic. I had just over 5 feet of beads, with several inches of extra elastic extending on both ends.

I didn't tie any knots in my "bead yarn," but started wrapping a 2-peg I-cord leaving a short beginning tail of beads hanging down.

My wrist is 6-1/4", so I knit 16 rows to get a 6-1/4" length of knitting. When wrapping the loom, I placed the bead strand around the pegs without stretching the elastic at all. I had about 10" of beaded elastic left.

I cut the cast-on tail of beads right at the knot, and allowed the excess beads to come off. With a pencil, I marked next to the first bead right where the I-cord started. I stretched the elastic to tie a knot right on the mark. There is no tension on the elastic once the knot is completed.

I took the active end off the loom, and attached the bracelet ends according to the Closing an I-Cord Loop instructions below. (I recommend trying this with yarn a couple times before attempting it with beads.) Then I cut the elastic knot holding the beads at the tail end, and allowed the excess beads to come off. I tied a knot in the elastic right next to the last bead in the I-cord, as above. Then I tied the beginning and ending tails of beadless elastic together.

Here is the completed bracelet, with the elastic tails cut long so you can see how cleanly the join comes out. I put a small spot of glue on the knot, then cut the elastic at the knot. It is a dainty bracelet, but it fits a bit bigger on my wrist than I'd like. I forgot that the join itself adds a row to the length. Next time, I'll make the bracelet shorter by two rows.

Oh, and the other thing a beading needle is really good for: transferring beads from one thread to another. My first bracelet attempt wasn't pretty.

Closing an I-Cord Loop

2007-08-03T15:13:00.000-05:00

Here's how to join the beginning and end of your knit I-cord to make a loop. I'm showing it in two colors for clarity; I started knitting with the blue yarn, and the white is the working end.

Here's the I-Cord, just taken off the loom. There are two active loops (white yarn). The last loop created is on the right. Cut the working yarn to about 6" long and thread it on a tapestry needle.

Thread the working yarn through the left active loop as shown.

Now thread the working yarn under one "chain" at the beginning of the I-Cord.

Finish the stitch by threading the working yarn back into the left loop from the outside to the inside as shown.

Thread the working yarn through the right active loop as shown.

Now thread the working yarn under the opposite chain at the beginning of the I-cord.

Thread the working yarn into the right active loop from the outside to the inside to complete the stitch.

Adjust the tension of the two stitches you made if necessary. The tails can now be hidden inside the I-cord. You'll have to look closely to find the beginning/end of the loop!

Felted Purse Pattern now available

2007-07-09T21:04:00.000-05:00

It's finally here, a fun summer project to make for yourself, or to get started with making holiday gifts!

The pattern is now available!

Lost E-Mails

2007-07-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

I've had a small series of unfortunate events, the bottom line of which is I have lost some e-mails for the period of June 23 - July 6. If you have e-mailed me during that time, and I have not responded to you, please try again.

Finished Felted Purse

2007-07-01T15:37:00.001-05:00

As promised, here it is! I wasn't thrilled with any of the handles Michaels had in stock, so had to go to the competition. I'm not excited about this handle either, but it will do. I think the button I found is a good match with the beads.

The pattern has been test knit and will be available soon.

Really, I'm not losing it!

2007-06-21T22:26:00.001-05:00

My husband watched askance as I put the wet knit "thing" on one box after another. Once I found a good fit, he watched as I carefully adjusted the piece, straightening out the biasing and evening out the edges. He finally asked what I was doing. I told him I was using a box to shape the purse I had felted. He was visibly relieved. You see, he had opened a bottle of chilled white wine at dinner, and I quickly ran to get one of the felted wine cozies to use as a cooler. So then he thought I had completely lost it and was making decorative covers for everything in the pantry!

I made this bag while teaching it as a class at Michaels. I'll show it to you when it's assembled, hopefully after my demo at the store on Saturday.

County Fair Ribbons

2007-06-18T19:05:00.000-05:00

My last post title is so ironic; I've done very little knitting recently, though not by choice. I wasn't kept from our local County Fair however! I was so excited to discover a new category this year: Loom Knitting. Then I was crushed to see that while Hand Knitting, Machine Knitting and Crochet all had 20+ classes, Loom Knitting had only three.

(I will apologize up front for the picture quality. The colored canvas of the tent roof made everything look bright orange! I've adjusted the color as best I could. Gotta love digital technology.)

The first class was "Clothing." LOL, a basic hat according to the ProvoCraft directions took first. My Woven Top hat from my book Learn New Stitches on Circle Looms took second.

The second class was "Household." I decided to enter a wine bottle cozy. My daughter chose this prototype because she liked the colors, though I think the colors obscure the stitch pattern that remains even after felting. My daughter chose well, as I got the blue ribbon for it.

For the "Not Specified" category, I entered a prototype felted bag (discussed earlier in this blog).

I did enter a few items in the Hand Knit category, even though they were loom knit. One category was Baby Afghans. The first place and second place winners were beautiful.

This Chevron pattern afghan was also in my book Learn New Stitches on Circle Looms, and took a not too shabby third.

I also entered the Child's Sweater class with this sweater, which didn't make the cut for the book.

I was amused to see this winner for the Youth Novelty Yarn class -- another KK hat! The woman who made it told me she had done it in a class.

This hand knit felted muff would be an easy project to convert to the loom.

My vote for "People's Choice" was the intricate beadwork on the outfits for the dolls. Doubleclick on the picture to see a larger size. I don't think my eyes, fingers, or patience would let me do this!

Finding Time to Knit

2007-05-10T06:27:00.000-05:00

I was asked this question recently, how do I find time to knit. I honestly do take a knitting bag with me nearly everywhere. There have been times I've been tempted to take a small project along to work on while standing in line at the grocery store. I don't know why I have to spend more time in line waiting to pay for my things than I spent gathering them from the store shelves. When I was working on my book, there were times I knit in the car, but just while sitting at leap year red lights. I didn't keep that up for long, as I quickly realized I was not setting a very good example for my daughter, who is old enough to remember this when she starts driving in a few short years!

The trick to knitting on the go is to work on simple and/or small projects. If it's something you'll be picking up and putting down quite a bit, or something you'll be working on while chatting, you need to be able to figure out where you left off and what you were doing very easily.

Things that don't work for short bursts of knitting are complex stitch patterns, complex color patterns, and large projects that get bulky and heavy to carry around.

I keep each knitting project in it's own bag, with loom, yarn, and notebook. I have a small toolbox that has a hook tool, crochet hook, scissors, measuring tape, tapestry needle and pencil. That toolbox goes into whatever bag I'm grabbing to work on. I have seriously considered having several toolboxes, especially when I find myself bending a paperclip to use as a hook tool when the toolbox got left behind!

When knitting in public, be sure to have a good story to tell about what you're doing. Many people haven't seen loom knitting, and will want to know what it is and how to do it. They will surely ask what you're making. Frequently, I'm making a sampler or trying out a new stitch or technique, and people always seem so disappointed I'm not knitting something "real." And they get so incredibly shocked when they see me frog something in seconds that I spent several hours creating.

So where do I take my knitting? My daughter takes piano lessons, so there's a 45 minute block of time to knit every week. I take her to Spanish class one day a week, and co-op classes another day (we homeschool), so those are knitting opportunities also. Same with horseback riding time, or any other sport where you sit and wait and watch. Chatting and knitting go very well together, as does knitting and watching TV. Really, you can follow the show very well while listening to it and glancing up every once in a while.

Think about it: any time you can sit is time you can knit. I'll give you a pass during meals and when driving!

Boiling Cotton

2007-04-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

I've been playing with Lion Brand's new Cotton Ease yarn. I love the bright colors for Spring and Summer, and knit up a clutch style purse alternating three different colors (terra cotta, maize and lime) for a striped pattern. Here is what the right side looks like.

But the "wrong" side looks wonderful too!

The cotton-acrylic blend is easy and soft to work with, and has a lot of stretch. More stretch than I want in a purse. A friend suggested I try boiling it so see if it would shrink or tighten up. So I knit up a small swatch with a little of the leftover yarn.

I put boiled it for 10 minutes, then ran it through the dryer with a load of laundry. It did shrink up a little bit, but nothing like what happens when felting wool.

To make the purse usable, I could make a lining for it. Then the weight of the contents wouldn't stretch the purse's knit fabric. I'm kinda bored with this project though. I'm not sure I've got enough interest in it to knit it several more times as would be needed to write up the pattern or teach this project as a class. I may frog it and use the yarn for something else. This yarn would definitely make a very comfortable t-shirt or tank top!

eZine: For the Love of Yarn

2007-04-11T21:27:00.001-05:00

has just released it's Spring issue, and they've expanded it to include Loom Knitting articles, patterns and book reviews to complement the crochet and knitting sections. Be sure to check it out!

Making a Center Pull Yarn Ball

2007-04-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

I've been working on some pieces using two strands of yarn, and switching skeins for different colors. It's been messy, since I'm carrying the yarn on the inside of my knitting instead of cutting the yarn with each color change. I've been using the beginning and ending tails of each skein, and learned my lesson to not do that anymore. I've spent more time untwisting; it's just not worth it!

I don't have a yarn ball winder, but I found an excellent description online on how to make a center pull ball by hand. I can't find it again, but here's how it works.

Step 1. Leaving the tail hanging about 6", wrap the yarn around your fingers about 10 times.

Step 2. Remove the yarn from your fingers, and grasp the folds in the palm of your hand.

Step 3. Hold the yarn secure with your ring and baby fingers, and pinch the upper part with your thumb, index and middle fingers. Wrap the yarn at a diagonal around your thumb and upper fingers 6-10 times. Wrapping around your thumb and fingers prevents the yarn from being stretched when it's wrapped, even if you stretch it unintentionally when you are wrapping.

Step 4. Remove your thumb and fingers from the wrapped yarn, turn the yarn in your hand about 1/5 turn, and pinch it again. Wrap at a diagonal again.

Step 5. Continue wrapping diagonally and turning the yarn. Allow the folded ends of the yarn to stay uncovered. If the ball gets really big, you can wrap over the folded ends at the top. But make sure the starting tail remains free.

Step 6. When you get to the end of the yarn, wrap it under a few strands a couple times to secure it.

To use the yarn, pull on the long starting tail that's hanging out. The folded yarn that's sticking out of both ends will be used right away.

I now have the two balls of each color in their own zip top bags. After I've changed colors several times, I just reposition the bags to undo the twists that occur each time I pick up a different color. It is so much more manageable, and was definitely worth the time spent.

Felting Again

2007-04-04T12:01:00.000-05:00

This bag turned out closer to my vision. I knit it on a smaller gauge loom with more pegs, and kept the color stripes clean. I liked the color contrast edging I added to the blue bag, so included that in the knitting process. Here's the bag after it came off the loom, and the bottom seam was sewn. I was a little concerned with the rolling of the bound off edge, but it turned out not to be a problem. There is definite biasing again. I rarely have that problem when knitting in the round, so I'll attribute it to the twist of the yarn.

This time I felted it with just a pair of tennis shoes in a small load on the heavy duty cycle. I checked it after 5 minutes, and the felting was well on its way, but still had distinct columns of knitting. After 5 more minutes, it seemed just right, though a bit small. I let it go through the rinse and spin cycles.

Orville Redenbacher came to the rescue this time. That box is slightly bigger than the Cream of Wheat box I used on the blue bag. I had to stretch the bag a little to get it to fit, which was fine. The corners of the box were helpful to remove the biasing of the knitting.

And here is the finished bag, with the button-tab closure and real handles. I would have liked it to be a little wider, and the tab could be longer, but I'm still pleased with it.

The original piece of knitting was 11" x 11". The finished bag is 7" x 7", with a 3" bottom. Again, the knitting shrank more side to side than it did top to bottom.

Easter Eggs

2007-04-02T09:37:00.000-05:00

These clever eggs are a quick knit on the orange KK flower loom. They take about 1/2 hour each to make, and have a plastic egg inside. I found it easier to use a single strand of yarn for the beginning and ending gathers. The gathered cast on is alternating flat knit and purl stitches.

Felting -- Folly or Fun?

2007-03-29T23:42:00.000-05:00

I've joined in the felting frenzy, mostly because students keep asking me about it. Several weeks ago, I knit up a bag on the yellow loom. It was a very simple knit -- e-wrap all the way. I wanted to add some stripes for interest, and thought I'd try to blend the colors when changing them. I added a tab at the top with a button hole for a small flap closure, and decided to attach purchased handles instead of knitting a strap. I also sewed a flat bottom so the bag would stand up.

In the washer, I checked it every few minutes, and the felting seemed to be going pretty slowly. The columns of stitches (e-wraps) were felting, but there were gaps in between the columns (traveling yarn, also called bars), so I just let it stay in for the whole cycle. I was going to throw it into the dryer if necessary -- my wool sweaters have felted wonderfully in the dryer, especially when I didn't mean to put them in there -- but the bag looked pretty good at the end of the wash cycle. The columnar texture was still there, rather like large wale corduroy, and I didn't want the bag to get any smaller.

I put a plastic bag in it and stuffed it with newspapers, but it was kind of lumpy and I didn't want my bag to look shapeless.

Then I spied a Cream of Wheat box that looked to be just the right size, and figured I'd get a cleaner shape to my bag if it dried around the box. I was also able to shape the bag so the columns would be perpendicular, not twisted or biased.

The tab was off center, and I decided this bag would be perfect for carrying a couple water bottles. I drink a lot of green tea, and don't mind if it's at room temperature, so this will be designated as my "tea bag." The button tab wasn't long enough to reach over the bottles, so I cut it off. You can barely tell where the tab was; the top edge is rounded but the cut edge was flat. I wet that spot and massaged it with my fingers for a few minutes to soften the cut area. Then I knit and felted a long strap to sew on to the two short sides of the bag. The felting of the strap took two complete wash cycles. From what I've read, smaller pieces take longer to felt than larger pieces. Still, no purchased handles or button needed after all!

Just to spruce it up a bit, I added a blanket stitch around the edges.

A few things I learned:

There was a definite bias to the knitting. When I put the box into the bag for the drying process, I was able to shape the bag so it didn't look twisted.

I don't like the "gradual" color change. I will make the color stripes be more distinct with the next bag.

I forgot about the "stepped" look to the color change when knitting in the round. Next time, I will slip the last stitch of the dropped color to avoid the obvious shift.

The bag shrank more in circumference than in height.

The tab closure seemed to be centered before felting, but got off center during felting. I'm not sure how that happened; I thought I counted columns, but maybe I eyeballed it. Next time, I'll have to triple check the position of the tab when sewing the bottom.

There appears to be an extra row of stitches on one side of the tab because of the tab being created at the end of the last circular row. I still like the idea of a button-down flap, but next time I'll knit it separately and sew it on afterward.

Felting doesn't hide flaws. But tails that stick out can be trimmed.

The two sides of the bag didn't stick together during felting. Next time -- pockets!

I still want a button-tab bag with short handles, so I'll be knitting up another. Stay tuned!

No SSS!

2007-03-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

I've knit so many slippers, trying out different designs, sizes, yarns, etc. that Single Slipper Syndrome runs rampant at my house. I finally have a completed pair. Not only that, they are mine!

I made this pair with one strand of variegated and one strand of solid colored worsted weight yarn used together, and the pair took less than one skein of each. They are very inexpensive to make, and they fit quite comfortably. This free easy pattern is available on my website.

Using a yarn tool

2007-03-11T21:05:00.000-05:00

One of the techniques people use to keep from wrapping their yarn too tightly around the loom's pegs is to use a yarn tool. Provo Craft makes some (top row center) , though a 3-4" length of a drinking straw is a similar option.

Last Spring, I loom knit five youth and adult size sweaters in three months, all using two strands of Red Heart worsted weight yarn. I know many people rave about that yarn. It certainly is inexpensive for a large quantity of yarn, and comes in about any color you can imagine. However, I have a hard time working with that yarn for larger projects as it dries out my fingers terribly, to the point where my cuticles crack and bleed no matter how much lotion/lanolin/beeswax I use.

A while ago, in a moment of forgetfulness, I bought a large quantity of Red Heart variegated worsted with gorgeous jewel tone colors, perfect colors for me! It just jumped into my arms and whispered in my ear how it needed to be a sweater for me. It sat in a bag in a corner for a few months, patiently waiting. Now I think enough time has passed since I last knitted a sweater that I'm finally up to knitting another: no small project! I knit up my gauge swatch, sketched out the design and calculated rows, stitches, decreases, etc. I cast on a few days ago, but first, I threaded one of those yarn tools onto the yarn!

What I have discovered is that the yarn tool works really well for e-wrap stitches, because you wrap all the pegs in the row, then go back and knit off. For stockinette (flat) and purl stitches, it just gets in the way. I also discovered that I wrap the pegs much tighter with the tool than when I use my fingers! So I've come up with a way to wrap the pegs to still maintain an even and looser wrap. When I e-wrap the peg, I start from the inside of the loom, wrap around the peg, and end up back on the inside of the loom. Instead of just wrapping around the peg, I pull the yarn tool past the peg and away from the loom, then come back on the other side of the peg to the inside of the loom. This adds enough play to the yarn to keep the wraps from being too tight.

I also discovered a bonus: I can wrap the loom much faster using the tool than doing it by hand. And so far, the tool has been wonderful in protecting my fingers from the yarn.

Recycling Yarn & A Tip

2007-03-08T05:49:00.000-06:00

The idea of recycling yarn has intrigued me for some time. When I saw this sweater in a thrift store, I knew the yarn was meant to be something else.

First, I recognized the yarn to be Lion Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. A check of the seams confirmed it was beautifully hand crocheted. And it appeared to be recently completed -- no wear or pilling. A discarded Christmas gift perhaps? I even tried on the sweater, and immediately discovered why it was at the thrift store. First, the obvious -- the yarn is just too warm for a garment worn indoors. But the clincher was the beautiful trim -- it had no stretch to it. It constricted the wrists and hips. That sweater begged me to take it home and give it a new life. So I did.

I happened to disassemble it at work. My coworkers watched askance as I took apart the pieces, then proceeded to unravel them. My arm got tired from swinging back and forth as I pulled the yarn away from the sweater, but I kept on. In the end, I had over 2 pounds of yarn! What a great deal for a $3.50 investment!

In the process of liberating the yarn, I discovered the answer to a pesky problem I've been having. Even though I weave in my yarn tails and trim them close to the knitting, over time they work loose just enough to stick out. The crocheter of this sweater showed me the solution: use sewing thread and teeny stitches to tack that yarn tail down.

So what will this yarn be reincarnated as? I've knit up a fun hat and scarf set, but it won't debut until this fall. The rest is waiting patiently, requests welcome.

Loom Knitter's Circle magazine premier

2007-03-01T12:51:00.000-06:00

Today, the premier issue of Loom Knitter's Circle magazine hit the web. Denise Layman and Isela Phelps did an incredible job of collecting relevent articles and patterns to share with the loom knitting community. Be sure to check it out, and add your name to the mailing list to be updated when each quarterly issue becomes available.

Knit-Out Report

2007-02-20T20:40:00.000-06:00

The Knit-Out and Crochet 2007 was quite the event! Judging from what some vendors told me about their give-away numbers (lots of yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks, patterns, canvas bags), there were at least 6,000 participants. There were booths along several main halls of the Mall of America, mostly taken by yarn companies and pattern publishing companies, but also some local needlework clubs. Michaels had a booth also, and they were promoting the classes offered at their 19 stores in the Tiwn Cities area. They had samples of knit and crocheted items made by the teachers from each of the stores, and I chuckled to see that all the items but one from my store were made on the KK looms!

There was a designated area with knitting instructors offering free lessons, and another area with crochet instructors. Also an area to attach afghan squares for Warm Up America. In the main rotunda, there were ongoing events, including fastest knitter and fastest crocheter contests, awards presentations (Minnesotans made the most newborn hats for the Caps to the Capital Campaign), fashion shows, etc. There was an author's table where many knitting & crochet book authors autographed their books, and demonstration tables where various techniques from Kool Aid dying to knitting with beads to crocheting cables were shown.

My demos were well attended. They were advertised as my teaching a variety of stitches on the looms, but most people didn't know much about knitting with looms, so I covered the basics quite a bit. One person brought her own loom and yarn and sat next to me for a good part of one demo so she could learn a 4-row repeat stitch pattern -- it was great! I also got to meet another loom knitting instructor that I had only talked to via e-mail previously. She just stepped in and started helping to answer the multitude of questions people had -- we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves for about 15 minutes! It was a challenge to do 360° demos -- even though I was seated at a table, people were surrounding me from all sides! There really is a lot of interest in loom knitting.

I have so many new ideas for projects I want to make, and I saw so many yarns I'd like to try. I wish the major yarn companies' product lines were more widely available; they produce so many more textures and colors than are available in the chain craft stores. I like to see and touch before I buy.

It was an incredible week-end, and I am thrilled to have been invited to participate.

Crochet Cast On

2007-02-15T07:02:00.000-06:00

Okay, this time it really is the crochet cast on I will show you. What I posted previously is called the cable cast on.

Step 1: Make a slip knot and put it on the first peg. Insert the crochet hook (size H, I, J or thereabouts) into the slip knot.

Step 2: Hook the working yarn around the crochet hook.

Step 3: Pull the working yarn through the loop that's on the first peg. You now have a new loop on the crochet hook.

Step 4: Put that new loop onto the next peg. Since I am right handed, it is easier for me to crochet from right to left, or in a clockwise direction around the loom. Keep the crochet hook in the loop. Wrap the working yarn around the crochet hook again.

Step 5: Pull the working yarn through the loop that's on the peg.

Step 6: Place that new loop on the next peg. Continue with steps 4 - 6 until you have a loop on as many pegs as you need.

Here's what the loom looks like with the crochet cast on. If you will be knitting in the round, the last loop will go on the first peg, so there are two loops on that peg. Knit off, bringing the bottom loop over the top loop and off the peg. This will close the circle. When you start to knit your first row, start with peg 1 that you just knit off.

Here is what the cast on edge looks like, with a few rows of knitting completed. Not loopy like the e-wrap cast on, eh?

Knit Out at MOA

2007-02-13T13:54:00.000-06:00

Will you be there?

I'll be giving demonstrations on knitting with looms Saturday at 4 PM and Sunday at 1 PM. You may also find me at the DRG Publishing booth. Please stop by and introduce yourself!

New Logo

2007-02-12T17:09:00.000-06:00

Two of my nephews are recently graduated Graphic Designers. They created this new logo for me. Ain't it great?!

Wrist Warmers

2007-02-06T16:24:00.000-06:00

With the highs in MN being in negative numbers the last few days, these wrist warmers have been a real blessing! A few of the buildings I've worked in lately have been rather chilly. I was glad to have them along! They're soft and warm and very comfortable.

I created this pattern about a year and a half ago, and knit up this pair to double check what I had written. This was a contender for the Learn New Stitches book, but didn't make the cut. I added instructions with some illustrations for the crochet cast on and handling the edges of a flat piece, and it includes peg by peg directions for the cables. The pattern is now available.

Sweater Needs Work

2007-02-03T22:29:00.000-06:00

I got hot off the press pictures of my new nephew today, on his 6 month birthday, modeling the sweater I made for him. It's too big, but that's okay. It's proportionally correct, and that's good.

But I was rightly concerned about a simple design issue -- the looseness of the knit. I didn't want it to be too hot as he lives in TX. This was made with a single strand of worsted weight yarn e-wrapped on a large gauge loom. But it's too easy for those little fingers to get caught! Next up, a tighter stitch pattern, and smaller pieces. It's a good thing I've got lots of baby blue yarn!

Easter Bunny Pattern

2007-01-31T10:17:00.000-06:00

Easter is right around the corner, but there's still plenty of time to make up a herd of these bunnies!

I started this pattern almost a year ago, intending the bunny to have four paws. It wasn't working out, so I put it aside. This version is simple and quick to make, and I'll be offering this as a project class at Michaels in March. The pattern is available on my website.

Bootie Slippers

2007-01-21T12:41:00.000-06:00

These bootie slippers are very easy to make.

Collaborating with Jo Ann Hill has been fun -- the slippers are her design, and I helped her write up the instructions. She created this slipper for Project One Fifty, which sends warm clothing to impoverished people in a small town in Enseñada, Mexico. But these slippers are great for local use too, such as during our chilly MN winters, and they make great gifts!

Jo Ann has kindly given her permission to make this free pattern available on my website.

Beaded I-Cords

2007-01-16T12:24:00.000-06:00

I've had beaded I-cord bracelets in the back of my mind for some time, and have posted about them on several of the Yahoo loom groups. Here are a few samples I made up for a kid's class. You get two really different looks depending on how many pegs you use on the loom.

To make these, first string the beads onto the yarn. Putting a piece of tape on the cut end of the yarn helps! The last bead you string will be the first bead you use, so if you are putting on extra beads, do them first.

The white bracelet is made with a 2-peg I-cord. Always bring the bead up to the pegs at the same point in the wrapping process. I knit off the figure-8, put the bead between the pegs, and wrap another figure-8. I used 21 beads on this bracelet.

The blue bracelet is made with a 3-peg I-cord. The bead goes on the long strand of yarn that gets brought from peg 3 back to peg 1. There are 20 beads on it, and the blue bracelet is longer and stretchier than the white one.

So then I started thinking about purse straps. I-cords make great purse straps, but they get kinda boring. Beads would sure dress them up, especially if they are something a bit classier than pony beads. ;)

This sample is also made with a 3-peg I-cord. I think fancy rectangular beads would look really nice. Depending on the length of the beads, I might use 4 pegs for the I-cord. Again, the beads go on the strand of yarn that goes on the inside of the loom between the last peg and the first peg on each row.

My daughter has put in her request for a black choker with black beads. ¡Qué sorpresa!

Bunny Knits

2007-01-11T23:22:00.000-06:00

Gotta be careful where the knitting gets left; you never know who or what may be interested in it!

This is my daughter's Dutch rabbit, Komet. He took a break from his agility training to investigate my experimentation. He did not chew the holes in the knitting, but I did find some damaged electrical cords. Uh oh.

Cable Cast On

2007-01-09T17:43:00.001-06:00

Edited 2/3/07: I called this the crochet cast on, but it's really the cable cast on. The crochet cast on is very similar, but with that, the loops are placed on the pegs instead of around the pegs. I'll illustrate the crochet cast on in a different post. Sorry about the confusion!

I've been asked about the ~~crochet~~ cable cast on method, so thought I'd post pictures on how to do it. This cast on makes the starting end of the piece look very similar to the flat bound off end of the piece.

I'm right handed, so it's easiest for me to crochet from right to left, so the loom gets wrapped from right to left, or in a clockwise direction.

Step 1: Make a slip knot in your yarn, and place it between two pegs.

Step 2: Put the crochet hook through the loop in the slip knot.

Step 3: Let the working yarn wrap around a peg, and catch the yarn with the crochet hook.

Step 4: Pull the working yarn through the loop on the crochet hook.

Step 5: Let the working yarn wrap around the next peg, and catch the yarn with the crochet hook.

Step 6: Pull the working yarn through the loop on the crochet hook, and continue with each peg.

At the end, put the loop that is on the crochet hook onto the last peg.

If knitting in the round, the last loop should go onto peg 1, which will already have a loop on it. Knit off peg 1 as the last step of the cast-on. Then wrap peg 1 for the first stitch in row 1.

Baby Sweater

2006-12-27T12:39:00.000-06:00

Finally, I finished this baby sweater. It's for my 4 mo old nephew, who won't mind that it arrives a few days after Christmas. I'm sure I reknit every part several times before I got it the way I wanted, and I am pleased with the final result.

I'll do a doublecheck with my sister to make sure all the proportions are correct on the live model, then I'll make this pattern available.

Fernbrook

2006-12-21T22:23:00.000-06:00

I worked with a couple great groups of 4th - 6th grade kids today. School wasn't in session, but these youngsters came in for a day of activities that included candlemaking, origami, and loom knitting. Due to a miscommunication about starting time, and sleeting/snowing weather, I missed the first part of the first session, but one of my frequent students at Michaels was one of the teachers for the loom knitting sessions, and she got the kids started with the basic e-wrap stitch. When I arrived, I showed them how to turn around at the sides to make flat pieces. I tried a new way of explaining it, which went over very well with the kids. It was fun to listen to it be interpreted as end pegs can be lonely (one loop), and the other pegs get partners (two loops).

With the second session, we made I-cords. Some became flowers, and some became Christmas trees. This group had quite a few boys, and their I-cords got tied into loops that they wore as necklaces. One girl, who had been needle knitting since she was four and wanted to learn to make socks, wanted to make a hat from her I-cord, and she completed about half the I-cord needed to coil around someone's head for a decent sized hat. The prospect of stitching all that I-cord together didn't phase her at all. I bet it will be a great hat.

I really am impressed with how easily children can learn to use the looms. Their skinny little fingers fit between the pegs so easily; I'm sure that helps them wrap the yarn around the pegs. They seem to have less problems switching between clockwise and counterclockwise wrapping as well. And they're very creative. I always learn something from them.

I-Cord Fun

2006-12-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

I've been playing with some I-Cord designs for an upcoming kids' class. Here are a few prototypes I especially like.

I've got a couple patterns almost ready to put on the website, and the final knitting design of several other projects just about completed, but they'll all have to wait a few more days. My daughter's birthday party comes first!

On the Big Brown Truck

2006-12-13T14:21:00.000-06:00

My books shipped from the warehouse in TX yesterday, with an expected delivery date to me of Mon 12/18. For everyone who has already placed an order, your shipping envelopes are labeled and ready to go. I'll pop the books you ordered into the envelopes on Monday, and they'll be on their way to you!

It's Almost Here

2006-12-06T08:52:00.001-06:00

I offer you: Learn New Stitches on Circle Looms!

It's been hard to not count down the days. I haven't reached the status of J. K. Rowling; my book won't be available in stores the day it's released. You probably won't see it in stores for a couple months -- that's just how the distribution process goes. But, you can order it from my website, and it will be shipped in time for Christmas!

I will also be offering the beginner book, so you can order both as the perfect Christmas gift (be sure to include a set of looms and a skein of yarn) for everyone you know!

Rice Lake KidStop Part 2

2006-11-27T22:05:00.000-06:00

The after school program at Rice Lake Elementary kindly invited me back, and asked me to teach the students the purl stitch. They want to make potholders/trivets as Christmas gifts, and want their flat knitted pieces to lay flat. The trick to that is, of course, to use a combination of knit and purl stitches. They will be using the garter stitch pattern, which alternates one row of knit stitches with one row of purl stitches.

I was very impressed with how easily this group of 3rd-6th graders learned the purl stitch! It usually took 1-2 tries with me looking over their shoulder chanting the 7-step mantra, "Through the loop, over the yarn, scrape the peg, make a big loop, take off the old loop, put on the new loop, pull the yarn." One of the teachers there today was one of my frequent students at Michaels, who helped get the Knifty Knitters into the school district, and we worked together with groups of four students at a time.

These kids have been using the looms for a while, and are very comfortable with the stockinette (flat knit) stitch, and the e-wrap (twisted knit) stitch. One of the girls stopped by Michaels this week-end when I was doing a demo. She was wearing a gorgeous scarf she had loom knit. It was an e-wrapped tube that she was wearing "wrong side" out, so it looked purled. She had used brightly colored variegated yarn which gave the appearance of diagonal stripes. I have some of the same yarn in my stash, and I'm going to have to make one up just to show off the picture!

The unexpected benefit of today's class is that my 11 yodd, who has steadfastly refused to do anything but the e-wrap stitch in a tube, happened to be watching while I showed the students the purl stitch. When one of the adult instructors asked my dd to show the purl stitch to her, my dd was able to do so! So now she knows too. :D (Let's see if she uses it, LOL!)

ProvoCraft Tool Set

2006-11-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

I love getting new toys. This tool kit from ProvoCraft is way cool. The carrying case has a detachable adjustable neck strap, and a felt strip to hold needles. The accessories include a pen, a pad of paper, a metal needle, a hook tool, a pair of scissors, a tape measure, and a size I crochet hook. The needle is an embroidery needle, with a sharp point and an eye too small for yarn. The only thing this kit is missing is a row counter and stitch markers. I haven't seen this in stores, and I have no idea how much it sells for.

Garter Stitch Scarf

2006-11-11T07:44:00.000-06:00

I wrote up this Garter Stitch Scarf pattern a long time ago, and have made so many of these scarves as gifts. For some reason, I never posted the pattern on my website. It's there now!

Rice Lake KidStop

2006-11-09T21:05:00.000-06:00

I had such fun this afternoon showing elementary school kids grades 3-6 in the after-school care program what can be done with the round KK looms. They were so enthusiastic about loom knitting! They had all each made several projects already, mostly using the stockinette (flat knit) stitch with worsted weight yarn to make hats and scarves. They'll learn the e-wrap stitch next, and they can't wait to get started.

I brought in samples of easy projects using the e-wrap stitch -- a variety of hats, tube, flat, and magic scarves, several ponchos, an afghan, an ornament, a purse, and more. They loved modeling everything! I also showed them different types of yarns and talked about when they might want to use them, or not use them, and when they might want to use two yarns together. The girls especially want to make ponchos with fun fur!

I've been working on a mitten pattern for children, as I've had so many requests for that. My main model, my 11 yodd, has hands larger than mine, so she's no good for this project. I made a small sample mitten last night, and had several kids try it on today. I'm glad I also brought my adult-size samples! Most of the kids liked the fit of the extra-small and small adult mittens. I now know what modifications I need to make for the "child" sized mittens, at least those of early elementary ages. Next is getting sizing for preschoolers and toddlers. Fortunately, I have access to some of them too. ;)

Need a few more pegs?

2006-11-07T13:31:00.000-06:00

Here's how you can "add a few pegs" to the loom when knitting a flat piece.

Say you need an extra 5 pegs on the 41 peg yellow loom. You'll be using pegs 1-5 twice, once for each end.

Cast on to pegs 1-41, then cast on to pegs 1-5 again. Turn around and wrap pegs 5-1 and 41-35. Knit off pegs 5-1, and pegs 41-35, bringing the middle loop over the top loop for pegs 5-1. Move the top loops on pegs 5-1 to a stitch holder. Finish the rest of the row, pegs 34-1.

For the next rows, wrap and knit off pegs 1-41 as normal. Put the 5 loops on the stitch holder onto pegs 1-5. Wrap pegs 1-5, and knit off the middle loop over the top loop. Now go back, wrapping pegs 5-1 and 41 - 35 and knitting them off (for pegs 5-1, knit the middle loop over the top loop). Put the top loops on pegs 5-1 back onto the stitch holder.

You're making pegs 1-5 do double duty, and moving the loops off the pegs to knit one side edge of the piece, then putting the loops back on the pegs to knit the other side edge of the piece. It's a bit cumbersome, but it does work!

Guardian of the Loom

2006-11-06T10:12:00.000-06:00

I very carefully folded my knitting and put the loom over it, pegs up, to prevent my cats from being tempted. I guess the joke was on me, LOL!

Hat & Scarf set, soy yarn

2006-11-04T11:46:00.000-06:00

I've been asked to help out at a local elementary school's after school program. They have about 25 KK looms, and want to know more about how to use them! I'm knitting up some easy projects to show them as samples.

Some of my younger students at Michaels have made tube scarves, and brought them to my classes to show off. They've always been so pretty, and are a great project for even the youngest kids to make. This will be one that I will show. With the leftover yarn, I made a matching rolled brim hat.

I made this with the new soy self striping yarn, Patons SWS. It was wonderful to work with, so soft, and it slid through my fingers nicely. It was interesting to watch it on the loom; the yarn looks like a small diameter, like worsted, but it expands when given enough room. It also doesn't have much twist to it. This yarn is 70% lambswool, 30% soy, so it may felt pretty well too. The only thing I didn't like was that in each skein there was a very thin section of yarn that was several yards long. The wrapper does say that there are slubs and irregularities. The slubs were easy to remove. But the thin sections were extremely obvious in the knit piece, visibly decreasing the diameter of the tube, so I frogged that part of the knitting and cut out the thin yarn. It might be "characteristic" of the yarn, but with just one long section in each skein, those parts were unusable in my opinion!

The free downloadable pattern for this set is available on my website.

Cartoon

2006-11-03T08:12:00.000-06:00

Mitten variations

2006-10-31T22:19:00.000-06:00

My friend Lee Ann did some experimenting with mittens, using my Fitted Mittens pattern as a starting point. She followed the pattern with the first mitten, but used a worsted weight yarn. The mitten turned out great, but with the thinner yarn, it fits a child's hand.

Then she made another mitten, but made the wrist longer and turned up the hem, like the cuff of a hat.

Being a new loom knitter, she had a little trouble with the short rows and flat bind off at the fingertips, so she tried the gathered method instead.

Then she made a mitten on the red loom and felted it. It also had the gathered bind off.

They all turned out well, and she now has a nice stash of Patons® Rumor yarn she plans to use to make many Christmas gifts of mittens!

I wore a pair of my mittens while out Trick or Treating tonight. They kept my hands comfortable in the 31-degree weather for the three hours we were outside (we had a bonfire after collecting candy on horseback). If you're unsure what size to make the mittens, I would definitely make them on the smaller side!

Provo Craft's Sweater pattern

2006-10-23T22:16:00.000-05:00

Provo Craft has a sweater pattern, but the instructions are only for size L-XL. My daughter liked the sweater, and she is a ladies' size S-M. She asked me to make it for her.

I modified the instructions as follows:

Using the round yellow loom, I cast on 36 pegs, plus two pegs as turn-around pegs. I knit 60 rows for each of the front and back pieces.

For the sleeves, I cast on the same number of pegs, and I knit 44 rows.

I assembled the sweater as described in the pattern, which did not have the referenced diagram. The sides of the sleeve rectangles get attached to the cast off edges of the front and back pieces. The first 14 rows of the sleeves were sewn together as underarm seams. The sleeves can be lengthened or shortened by knitting more or fewer rows.

Allegra was uncomfortable with the depth of the V neck. So I knitted a 3-peg I-cord, which I laced in the bottom 4" or so of the V, and she was quite pleased. The V could be decreased by using less pegs for the sleeve pieces, but you don't want the body pieces to ride into the underarm area. The base of the V could also be seamed closed for 3" or so without any awkward pulling of the fabric. OTOH, the V could be made deeper by using more pegs on the loom; I think it would be attractive with the seam below the bust line.

For this sweater, I used 2-1/2 (7 oz, 364 yd) skeins of Red Heart Super Saver worsted weight yarn. I estimate that to make the size L-XL sweater, you'd need 3 skeins.

The sweater knit up very quickly; I spent maybe 15 hours on it, including assembly. The twisted knit (e-wrap) stitch with two strands of worsted weight yarn would not be among my top choices, but people who saw the sweater in progress liked the "different textured" look of it. I did finish all the edges with a single crochet stitch per the intructions, but it did nothing to stop the curling edges. Fortunately, my daughter likes it that way.

Sorry about how little detail shows in the pictures, what can you do when a girl's favorite color is black?

Hot Cup Sleeve

2006-10-12T09:24:00.000-05:00

I'm working on some more involved projects, but the snow flurries inspired me to make this Hot Cup Sleeve. After my daughter went horseback riding yesterday, she asked to get a hot drink on the way home. The well known coffee chain location neglected to give us a sleeve for the hot drink, so my idea was born.

These would be perfect for camping trips, or sharing that thermos of hot chocolate with the soccer teammates!

The pattern is available on my website.

Project Classes

2006-09-30T19:24:00.000-05:00

I've been changing over my class offerings from technique-based classes to project classes. I now have four beginning project classes: a hat class, a mini-purse class, a wine bottle gift bag class, and a holiday ornament class. Here's a sample ornament (the other samples are pictured in earlier entries):

I'm offering two intermediate classes: the mittens, and a garter stitch scarf. This sample scarf was made with a single skein of Caron Simply Soft Shadows in Mardi Grey. The subtle striping changes are kinda fun!

I am still offering a long loom techniques class, which includes various cast on methods, and a variety of stitch patterns. Also, there is a round loom techniques class where students can learn what they would like at their level, either very beginning techniques, or stitches they don't yet know, or stitch patterns such as lace, bobbles, cables, etc.

Book Orders Being Accepted

2006-09-29T16:51:00.001-05:00

My website is now set up to take advance orders for Learn New Stitches on Circle Looms. The book is due out on December 15, 2006. Orders will be shipped on or as soon after that date as possible.

The Stash

2006-09-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

Today, I had a block of time that allowed me to tackle a project I've been meaning to work on for some time: gather all the yarn I had stowed in various parts of the house and figure out what I have. In the process, I discovered several looms that had gone AWOL, several UFOs that I had no idea what they were supposed to be or else I had no desire to finish (rip-it, rip-it!), and one project that I've been wanting to work on, but didn't know where it was hiding.

It looks impressive, but it really ain't. Most of it is odds and ends. Some of it was given to me, and some I can't recall why I bought them in the first place -- clearance sales, perhaps? The baggies in the upper right corner are full of yarn tails I've been saving for Deb who uses them to make afghans to donate to charity.

For now, I've sorted everything into self-close baggies (no loose yarn ends to tangle!), and put them in bins. I have a lot of single skeins, and a lot of partial skeins, that I wouldn't miss if never saw them again. I'll have to find a local charity where I can donate them -- someplace that will make good use of them and where I won't have to pay a small fortune in shipping! I've got a bin and a little more of bags of matching skeins that need to decide and tell me what they want to be. And I've got all my UFOs in one bin, which will make it easy to grab one to take to work or to a co-op class.

Mittens Pattern Available

2006-09-21T21:58:00.000-05:00

The Fitted Mittens pattern is now available on the Loom Knitting website.

I first started on these over the summer. I was playing with the new long looms, and developed a BBQ mitt using cotton yarn. I wanted the thumb of the mitt to correspond to where the thumb is on the hand, especially for grabbing hot packets of food. I even played with paper patterns for a thumb gusset. I haven't finalized that pattern -- my husband and daughter both had a number of design change requests -- but I did come up with the idea to knit the thumb as part of the mitten body, instead of it being an appendage that gets attached to the side. And I incorporated that thumb design into this mitten pattern.

What I especially like about these mittens is that the tips for the thumb and fingers are rounded to fit the contour of the hand. (I like doing things like figuring the proportions of the short rows to accomodate different finger lengths.) There aren't any large 'air pockets' with these mittens. They fit well, your hands don't swim in them, there's no bulky gathering, and you could wear silk glove liners with them for added warmth. I'm actually not much of a mittens person, but these are so comfortable that I'll be wearing them while driving in the bitter cold MN winter this year.

When I first started refining this pattern, it took me about three hours to knit a mitten. I have knit so many of these, both to perfect details and to test the five different sizes, that now I can do one in about an hour. These would be great charity knitting items. I can't wait to teach this pattern for my Mittens class at Michaels in early November.

New Free Patterns available

2006-09-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

The patterns for the Wine Bottle Gift Bag and the Mini Purse are available at LoomKnitting.com. They are free!

The long-awaited mittens pattern should be there tomorrow. It's a 'for sale' pattern (with five sizes!), and the set-up process is a little more complicated. I'm just too tired to complete it tonight.

Increasing Stockinette Stitches

2006-09-18T11:11:00.000-05:00

I've almost finished with the mitten pattern I'm working on. For the largest sizes, I needed to make the hand wider, which meant moving the knitting from the blue KK loom to the red KK loom. With a seven-peg difference, it is a challenge! However, I think I have it conquered.

With the stockinette (flat knit) stitch, it helps to have some slack in the travelling yarn between the two pegs where the stitch increase will happen. I prepare to add a stitch in the row before the row where the stitch gets added. I do this by knitting a peg, wrapping the working yarn around the peg, then knitting the next peg. The first peg now has two loops on it. I remove the top loop, twist the yarn, and put the loop on the second peg. On the next row, I knit the first peg, then knit the top loop on the second peg (the new stitch), transfer that loop to the first peg, then knit the second loop on the next peg.

I did this on seven pegs on the blue loom, evenly spaced around. I then had the 31 loops needed to transfer from the 24 peg blue loom to the red loom. I knit a few rows on the red loom so you can easily see where the additional stitches were added (white lines). This technique does not leave a hole in the knit work like other increase methods do; the key is to put a twist in the travelling yarn being used to create the new stitch.

Here's how it looks off the loom (the tube got rotated).

Glasses Case

2006-09-17T15:09:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, you just gotta make something simple. When my daughter's science lab kit came with safety glasses, the Mom in me envisioned scratches on them before the week was out. A loom-knit storage bag was in order! Allegra rolled her eyes. Her favorite color is black, so black it had to be. This was done on the KK blue loom with a single strand of worsted weight yarn using a one-over-two e-wrap stitch. There are eyelets for the I-cord drawstrings; they are about an inch from the top, allowing the bound off edge to roll. The cast-on edge is seamed at the bottom of the bag.

When dd saw it, she said, "Cool." Good, at least she'll use it!

Provo Craft's Fingerless Gloves pattern

2006-09-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

9/18/06 update: I got a note back from Clella at Provo Craft today. She agreed there was an error in the pattern on step 2 and that the decreases should only be on the thumb extension side of the glove.

There's been some discussion on the Michaels KK Teacher's board about the Provo Craft pattern for fingerless gloves that we were given as a demo project. The pattern seemed to be confusing, and IMO, has an error. The following are my summarized directions and comments (italicized) on the pattern (left hand only). I used two strands of variegated worsted weight yarn, and the glove is plenty warm!

Step 1: Cast on to 19 pegs. Peg 2 is to the right of peg 1. Knit as a flat piece for 12 rows. This is the part that covers the fingers. I would do 6 rows only.

Step 2: From peg 1, wrap pegs 24 – 20 for the thumb extension. Knit from peg 20 – 24, then 1 – 19. Do NOT decrease one loop here! Knit back from 19 – 1, then 24 – 21. Move the loop from peg 20 to peg 21 to decrease one peg. Keep knitting back and forth as a flat piece, decreasing one peg on the thumb extension side each time, until you are back to knitting pegs 1 – 19.

Step 3: Knit two rows on pegs 1 – 19.

Step 4: Switch yarns and knit 3 more rows. Bind off with a flat method. This creates a contrast cuff. The different yarn also gives the cuff a looser bound-off edge. I didn’t change yarns for the wrist cuff.

Here is what the finished knit piece looks like:

The cast on edge is at the bottom, the thumb extension is on the left, and the bound off edge is at the top.

The piece is knit upside down; the cast on edge goes at the finger tips, the bound off edge goes at the wrist.

You can see here how the piece will fit on the hand.

Step 5: Sew up the sides. The white line shows the edge of the knit piece. Sew up from the wrist to the top of the thumb extension (1). Then sew the seam along the index finger (2).

Here is how the glove looks on. I didn’t tack the three spots along upper edge between the fingers (step 9) as the glove is too big for me.

I would definitely make the glove shorter at the top, and longer at the bottom. I don’t like the tightness of the wrist, but I didn’t change to a stretchier yarn, either. I think it would turn out well with those changes, and it really is comfortable.