Knitting in the Snow
Beautiful yarn, reversible cables, two socks at a time, and knitting without tears.
Snow is starting to blanket the land here in my area in Idaho. Sounds like a lot of people are getting storms, so I hope everyone is warm and well. Of course, knitters know how to keep warm! We snuggle up in the wool and all is well.
I have been experiencing a special treat. Cleaning through my closet revealed an old bag of yarn spun by a friend years ago. I have a basket of lumpy skeins in fabulous bright colors. It’s all turning into my newest fad: Mobius Scarves! I’m having tons of fun blending all the brightness.
That’s the good news, the bad news is that I’ve been suffering a computer crash, and it has really hampered my productivity. So we get a nice short newsletter today.
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New on Knitknitting.com
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I’m enjoying my beautiful yarn so much that I found a ton of colorful skeins available on Amazon!
- Click here to see: Beautiful Yarn
My passion for mobius scarves has me fascinated with reversible patterns. So I am very excited to find a video on reversible cables. What a great idea… and so beautiful.
- Click here to see: Reversible Cables
Here’s another good idea. Knit socks on circular needles… two at a time! I do have to say, though, that knitting two at a time inside each other (as we explored in a previous newsletter) is still more cool. All the same, the whole idea is fascinating! And great news! It’s also available in Kindle edition!
- Click here to see: Knitting Socks Two at a Time
And finally, my favorite favorite!! Knitting Without Tears. This is one of the most important books in my knitting careers. It’s what taught me how to think about how my knitting was shaping in my hands, and start designing my own patterns.
- Click here to see: Knitting Without Tears
Ever bind off and then find it is too tight? Here’s a great video on a surprisingly stretchy bindoff.
- Click here to see: Jenny’s surprisingly stretchy bindoff.
Thanks for reading and Happy Knitting! And here’s to a more productive week next week!
Sincerely,
Connie Delaney
www.spincraftpatterns.com
Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off
This is my favorite bind off! Once you try it, it will be your favorite too! Knitty published this bind off, Fall 2009.
Harvest Classic Merino Wool Yarn
Harvest Classic Merino Wool Yarn
- 100% merino wool
- 100 grams (3-1/2 ounces) 223 yards
- 4 Inch =20 stitches on size 7 needles
- Suggested crochet hook: 7
- We will try to match dyelots, but dyelots are not guaranteed
List Price: $10.99
Your Price: $4.91- 
A soft yarn for fabulous, resilient knit and crochet apparel and accessories. Gorgeous color palette! Great range of stepping shades, perfect for home decor as well as garments. Lovely shades that highlight the latest trends: rich and modern. A favorite for felting. Weight category: 4, 3.5oz/100g, 223yd/204m, 100% Merino wool. Suggested knitting needles: 7/4.5mm, crochet hook 7/4.5mm. Care: Hand wash, dry flat, do not bleach, do not iron, dry cleanable.
Reversible Cables with Lily Chin – Knitting Daily TV Episode 402
Knitted cables don’t have to be traditional. They can make a fashion statement all on their own with the right design and styling. In Knitting Daily TV episode 402, knitwear designer and author Lily Chin talks about reversible cables and how they can be knit so their intricate-looking textures look as good on the back as they do from the front. The patterns seen in this segment will be published in “Power Cables” by Lily Chin (Interweave, Summer 2010).
2-at-a-Time Socks: Revealed Inside. . . The Secret of Knitting Two at Once on One Circular Needle Works for any Sock Pattern!
List Price: $16.95
Your Price: –
Sock knitters everywhere know the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. It goes something like this: A cute new sock pattern and soft, foot-warming yarn lead to many happy knitting hours, resulting in . . . ONE sock. The first sock is done (and it’s adorable!) but pattern distraction sets in. Who wants to knit the same project all over again? There are so many new projects waiting to be discovered.
Melissa Morgan-Oakes ends the drudgery of the second sock by showing knitters how to cast on and knit two socks at one time on one long circular needle! Her method is captured in step-by-step photographs, clearly showing knitters how to turn out two socks at the same time. Goodbye to lonely, abandoned single socks. Hello to unlimited pretty pairs, knit on one needle (often finished on the same day), and worn with pride and that gratifying sense of accomplishment.
Oakes is a dedicated knitter, knitwear designer, and knitting instructor who has known the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. Her easy-to-learn technique enables sock stitchers to adapt any pattern to her two-at-a-time method. But before experimenting with other patterns, readers will want to try Morgan-Oakes’s 15 original designs. Fun and creative, they include simple to complex choices, a variety of yarn weights, and designs for women, men, and children.
Socks are small, relatively inexpensive, and interesting to knit — a favorite portable choice of busy knitters. Keep the fun in sock-stitching with the innovative new technique that produces two socks — yes, that’s one sock for each foot — at the very same time!
Consumer testimonial —
“I am a new knitter and purchased 2-at-a-time Socks. Perfect! This is a book is the best investment I’ve ever made! I have a lovely pair of socks … for the first time! Very comprehensive instructions, as well as a very easy-to-understand glossary in the back. I recommend this book to anyone interested in knitting socks. So much easier than the double pointed needles! — Deborah, Colorado Springs, CO
Sock knitters everywhere know the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. It goes something like this: A cute new sock pattern and soft, foot-warming yarn lead to many happy knitting hours, resulting in . . . ONE sock. The first sock is done (and it’s adorable!) but pattern distraction sets in. Who wants to knit the same project all over again? There are so many new projects waiting to be discovered.
Melissa Morgan-Oakes ends the drudgery of the second sock by showing knitters how to cast on and knit two socks at one time on one long circular needle! Her method is captured in step-by-step photographs, clearly showing knitters how to turn out two socks at the same time. Goodbye to lonely, abandoned single socks. Hello to unlimited pretty pairs, knit on one needle (often finished on the same day), and worn with pride and that gratifying sense of accomplishment.
Oakes is a dedicated knitter, knitwear designer, and knitting instructor who has known the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. Her easy-to-learn technique enables sock stitchers to adapt any pattern to her two-at-a-time method. But before experimenting with other patterns, readers will want to try Morgan-Oakes’s 15 original designs. Fun and creative, they include simple to complex choices, a variety of yarn weights, and designs for women, men, and children.
Socks are small, relatively inexpensive, and interesting to knit — a favorite portable choice of busy knitters. Keep the fun in sock-stitching with the innovative new technique that produces two socks — yes, that’s one sock for each foot — at the very same time!
Consumer testimonial —
“I am a new knitter and purchased 2-at-a-time Socks. Perfect! This is a book is the best investment I’ve ever made! I have a lovely pair of socks … for the first time! Very comprehensive instructions, as well as a very easy-to-understand glossary in the back. I recommend this book to anyone interested in knitting socks. So much easier than the double pointed needles! — Deborah, Colorado Springs, CO
Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes
Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes
knit
- ISBN13: 9780684135052
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
List Price: $16.95
Your Price: $7.67
Do you love to knit — and hate to purl? Have you ever started a sweater without enough yarn from the same dye lot to finish it? When you cast on, do you end up with a tail of yarn that’s maddeningly too long or too short? Elizabeth Zimmermann comes to the rescue with clever solutions to frustrating problems and step-by-step instructions for brilliant, timeless designs.
In Knitting Without Tears, you’ll find elegant designs for:
- Color-pattern Norwegian ski sweaters
- Seamless patterned-yoke sweaters
- Hooded garter-stitch jackets for babies
- Watch caps, socks, slippers, mittens, and more!
This classic and influential book is poised to inspire a whole new generation of knitters who have yet to discover the joys and comforts of knitting. As the lady herself once put it, “properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”
On a Cowl Kick
Mobius cowls, addicting jazz video, sock masters, twisting a skein & beautiful yarn.
Good winter to all! We are deep in January now, and it is great knitting time! I am fortunate to be spending the winter in a house with a cozy wood stove. So I am enjoying curling up in my favorite chair while I am toasted by the wood fire, and knitting on my new addiction of mobius cowls! Not something that can be done down in the city, but I am holed up right now in the woods of Idaho where I can enjoy a few old time back-to-the-land amenities.
The cowls I am knitting are really short infinity scarves with a mobius twist. I have invented two very easy reversible lace patterns that are great for distracted knitting and those of us who want no short term memory challenges! Here are the patterns, quickly below. Charts and good writeups to come later.
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Reversible Lace Patterns
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Basketweave Lace (multiple of 6 sts) Written as if in the round.
Row 1 & 3: k3, p3 around
Row 2: k1, YO, [Sl1 K1 PSSO], p3 around
Row 4 & 6: p3, k3 around
Row 5: p1, YO, p2tog, k3 around
Short Feather & Fan (multiple of 6 sts) Written as if in the round.
Row 1: YO, K1, YO, K1, k2tog, k2tog around
Row 2: knit around
Row 3: YO, p1, YO, p1, p2tog, p2tog around
Row 4: p around
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Addicting Knitting
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Beautiful Cowl Video
KnitKnitting.com has found us the most amazing video cowl gallery. Click on the pictures below to see…. but…
Warning! Do not watch this video if you suffer from any sort of fiber envy…. because if you do, you’ll launch into a mobius cowl knitting frenzy from which you may never return!
As a warning I give the following two pictures. Oh yea, and if you love cool jazz, you will really have a great time becoming addicted to this!
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Treat for Beginners
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We have a nice video for beginning fiber artists: How to twist a skein. This is something that us old hats take for granted, so it is nice to remember to pass on both how easy it is, and how cool it is to twist a skein!
Click here for: Twisting a Skein
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Final Treats
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- Speaking of addicting, what about socks? Here is the Sock Master Knitting Class
- A real treat: Amazingly beautiful Yarn from Amazon
- And more yarn! Catch the ebay yarn auctions before they end
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Until We Meet Again
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Once more, thanks for reading the newsletter. Hope you are having plenty of time to knit and are inspired by our weekly knitting treats.
Sincerely,
Connie Delaney
www.spincraftpatterns.com
Möbius Schal – Der Schal mit dem Dreh – Deutsch
Schöne Möbius Schals für die kühleren Tage sind immer schick. Zauberglöckchens Strickanleitungen sind verständlich und umfassend erklärt. Suchen Sie sich Ihren schönsten Möbius aus.
Twisting a Skein
Shows you how to twist a loose skein of yarn for storage. This “moving illustration” accompanies the Spinner’s Glossary column in the Deep Fall 2011 issue of Knitty.com. For more information about finishing your handspun yarn, please see the article.
knitting patterns Sock Knitting Master Class: Innovative Techniques + Patterns from Top Designers
Sock Knitting Master Class: Innovative Techniques + Patterns from Top Designers
knitting patterns
List Price: $26.95
Your Price: $16.89
Sock Knitting Master Class showcases methods for designing and knitting creative socks, featuring signature elements and techniques from 16 top designers. You’ll learn what makes good sock design, and then dive into knitting 18 spectacular, brand-new patterns featuring the widest variety of techniques.
With patterns divided into two sections by top-down and toe-up construction, Sock Knitting Master Class explores such techniques as cables, twisted stitches, lace, stranded colorwork, entrelac, shadow knitting, and intarsia worked in the round. Plus, you’ll discover inventive ways to start and end socks, shape heels and toes, and knit the soles.
Sock Knitting Master Class is an all-star assembly of the most inventive, exciting designers working in socks including Cookie A, Kathryn Alexander, Nancy Bush, Cat Bordhi, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts, Anne Hanson, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, Meg Swanson, Anna Zilboorg, and many more. And you’ll also learn how each yarn contributes to the overall design from Clara Parkes.
Happy New Year
Taking the mystery out of mobius (but not the magic!), great stitches for scarves, colorful roving and recycled yarn… a great way to start the year!
Happy New Year to all. Hope the holidays were great and you are starting new projects for the new year.
I’m continuing with a new exploration into mobius knitting and have some great treats for you this week.
A mobius strip, as most of us remember from Jr. High math class, is a strip with a half twist. The famous artist M.C. Escher used the mobius strip in numerous art pieces.
As far as I know Elizabeth Zimmerman & Meg Swansen started the fiber arts world exploration into the mobius. So we are featuring her book “Knitting Around” in this week’s newsletter. Besides the mobius this book also contains the “Pie Are Square Shawl” which is a very cool design to experiment with.
Click here for: Knitting around with Elizabeth Zimmerman and Meg Swanson
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Knitting the Mobius
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Sometimes the mobius is hard to visualize even though we understand it (hence its mysterious and magical nature). A mobius has only one edge, so when you cast on correctly and knit along that edge the scarf grows from the inside out.
I found that knitting a short strip and giving it the magical twist makes it very easy to see, so I put together two short videos to help make this clear. Watch them in order and you’ll never be mystified by the magic again! The first video shows why you can’t cast on and “join with a twist” to get a mobius. The second goes into the true mobius, including the “mobius caston.”
- Click here for: Taking the Mystery out of Mobius
- Click here for: Secrets of Mobius Knitting
Totally Cheating Mobius Scarf
Sometimes it’s good to just cheat, especially if you want to explore how to get the right size in a mobius chart so I’ve included a video for: Simple Mobius Scarf
Totally Not Cheating
After all that exploration it’s time to go to the master herself, Cat Bordhi, and let her show her magical mobius caston:
Click here for: Cat Bordhi – Intro to Moebius knitting.
If that is not enough, here is another: Mobius Caston Tutorial
Here’s how to: Turn your mobius into a cool Turbin Hat
Mobius Fanatic
I’m a fanatic about knitting and websites, so I couldn’t help myself, I started a new site: MobiusScarf.com. It will post mobius and infinity scarf info. I’d be glad to open it up to anyone else who wants a place to show their mobius creations!
Moebius
BTW… yes, it can also be spelled moebius.
Next week I’ll be continuing the exploration into the moebius focusing specifically on how to figure out your size when you are using the mobius caston, and how to deal with getting the stitch pattern started on those first critical rows.
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Scarf Stitch Patterns
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Stitch patterns for scarves, especially the mobius scarf, are unique in that the pattern must result in a fabric that lays flat, and is the same on both sides. I invented a cool pattern that is easy to knit (does not challenge short term memory!), and looks great even when knit with bulky yarn and large needles. I’m calling it “Basketweave Lace.” I’ll try to have it written up and charted by next week’s newsletter.
Meanwhile, here are a few other stitch patterns to try:
- Lace scarf stitch worked over 7 sts and 2 rows
- Scarf pattern: K1, YO twice & drop yarn over
- Basketweave scarf
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Fiber & Yarn
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We have three treats in the fiber and yarn category:
- Make yarn from recycled clothing!
- Handspinning and Tie Dying Yarn & Fiber
- And for making an unwinding skeins: Using a Yarn Swift
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Feeling Great
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Finally I’m feeling like I am being successful enough in losing weight that I can go public with my thoughts and experiments in creating a totally healthy diet and lifestyle. I am down 10 pounds over the holidays (quite an accomplishment I think!). I’ve started a site for that and hope to have an “encouragement newsletter” going by the middle of the week.
Click here for: CeleryChicks.com
It’ll be much like KnitKnitting.com in that it streams information from the web, and then I’ll sort it and bring the best, and my own experience, into a weekly newsletter.
‘Till Next Week
So until we meet again…
Happy knitting and Happy New Year,
Connie Delaney
SpinCraftPatterns.com, Knitknitting.com
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