Loom Knit Mittens

This is the first time I've tried to make anything on a loom and leave it to me to attempt mittens instead of something simple like a scarf.  And just to add a little extra pressure to myself I was making them as a birthday gift for my sister!

The problem, at least as far as loom knitting goes, is that most two needle patterns create a gusset for the thumb and this is done in the middle of the work.  When working on a loom doing increases or decreases means that you have to shift all of the stitches one-by-one  to the next peg for every change in the number of stitches. 

After several hours of frustration trying to accomplish mid-row increases I frogged the work and tried just adding the same number of stitches  to each end of the pattern and then pretending the gusset was in the same location.  Here is the result:

As you can see this was not successful.  My best guess is that I misinterpreted which rows I should have selected as my "right-side".  When knitting on the loom there is no purl row to accomplish a stocking stitch.  If you knit one row and then purl the other it looks like the garter stitch.

After several failed attempts at adapting a two needle pattern to the loom I finally stumbled upon this pattern called Great Fit Knifty Knit Mittens.  Since it was written specifically for a loom it was much easier to follow.  My only challenge was that measuring the work is much harder to do on a loom then on needles.  So I ended up with mittens that would fit a giant's hand.

Since at this point I was basically out of time (and patience)  I decided to knit a removable liner for the fingers.  This fills in some of the mitten and has the added bonus of making it warmer.

Over all I am satisfied with the results and I have definitely learned a few things that I will do differently next time.  Like use the gauge and a row counter to figure out size rather then trying to use a tape measure on the knitted work!


knitting

Knitting Season Is Back!

 After a long hiatus I am back at the old knitting.  I was too busy this summer to get any knitting done but now that the weather is cooling down the idea of sitting in front of a warm fire with a pair of needles is blissful.  I've actually got a few projects on the go right now but I can't talk about them now because they are gifts. 


knitting

Adventures with Lettuce Arm Warmers

This one of the more intricate pattern stitches that I've tried. The key to making sure that this pattern knits up right is counting.  A few times during the knitting of this project I got lazy with counting and it resulted in having to frog several rows to get back to a row that had the correct number of stitches.

I sewed them up and oops the are way too loose.  I checked notes on the internet from others that made this pattern and it seems to be a common problem especially at the hand and wrist where as you can see the fit is not right.

I've decided to soak them in hot water to see if they will shrink enough.

Pattern: Lettuce Knit Armwarmers

No Plastic Please - Hand Knit Shopping Bag - Progress Update

The body of the has been complete for about a week now. I just have to start the handles.  The handles are I-cords that are knit directly on to the top of the bag.  I've convinced myself that this will be difficult so I have been putting it off.  I'm going to Cornwall this weekend so it will be the perfect time to get working on those handles.

Knitting the Wrong Way?: No Plastic Please - Hand Knit Shopping Bag

 

No Plastic Please - Hand Knit Shopping Bag

I'm currently working on this shopping bag. It is a good little project to do during the summer.  I can't wait to take this to the market.

The pattern was published in Stitch'N Bitch Superstar Knitting: Go Beyond the Basics

Hotness Top Update 3 - Just keep Knitting

The sweater is almost finished. I actually had to knit the front section two and a half times before I got it right. Maybe it's the time of year and all the distractions of the holiday season but I couldn't maintain my concentration, so mistakes kept happening.
I am working on the lace section right now so, I am taking my time. I only want to have to work it up once... knock on wood.

I do not Knit Weird

I've been told I knit weird.  I see how other people I know knit, and I have noticed two things:

1. The technique I use looks nothing like their technique.
2. My way is a heck of a lot faster.

My final product looks no different than your typical knit item so, you would think that a faster way to complete a piece would be wildly embraced but nothing could be farther from the truth.  To make matters worse every How-to knitting book I've ever seen says that my way is wrong  and that my stitches face the wrong way i.e. are "twisted".  I guess you could say I'm a twisted stitcher *groan.

Anyway until recently, I thought I was the only freak that knit this way but thanks to the internet I've discover that there are other  twisted stitchers out there.  I've even learned that this style of knitting has a name - Combination knitting.  If you are from North America, England or Europe most likely the style of knitting that you use is called Western No Cross.  There are two ways to do this the most common in England and North America is called "English".  The English hold the working yarn in their right hand and wrap the yarn to make a stitch.  The other western style is called either "Continental" or "German" depending who you ask.  It is exactly the same as English except the continental knitters hold the yarn in their left hand and pick at the working yarn.

Being that both English and Continental are called western I'll bet you've already guessed that there is also a style called Eastern.  Bingo!  I am not exactly familiar with this style accept to say that, the movements are in the opposite to those of the western style.  

So what is Combination then?  It is kind of  like a knitting love-in.  It uses some aspects of both western and eastern knitting techniques.  I like to think of at as taking the best of both worlds.  

Don't You Hate it When your Stitch Count is Wrong!

Still working on my Hotness Top sweater.  I had finally made it to the section where the lace pattern stitches were to start but I must have messed up somewhere because my stitch count is way off.  I'm talking about 10 stitches!  There is no way to fudge this one and keep going  I'm going to have to frog at least part of my work.  That's what I get for not counting as I go.

The Hotness Top

The past couple months haven't been conducive for getting much knitting done but I'm back at it with gusto! I found this pattern a few months ago and fell in love with it. It is technically a summer knit project but I think that it will look awesome as a vest over top a turtle neck. It is currently a work in progress but at least progress is being made! The poor project was sitting there collecting dust for nearly a month before I picked up the needles again to work on it. I finished the back last week and I am about a third of the way done the front.

Knitting for the Warm Hands Network

A couple of months ago I was reading about the Warm Hands Network.  It is a grassroots organization that gathers hand knit or crocheted items for people living in cold climates that are in need.  One of their current projects is knitting for people in Rankin Inlet. 

Having actually been in Rankin Inlet before (in February no less) I have a first hand appreciation of how cold it can get in the winter there.  I could not imagine what it would be like without the proper clothing to keep warm!  You would literally be trapped indoors for a large part of the year!  Unfortunately the poverty levels for people living "north of 60" in Canada are shameful.  Approximately 50% of northern residents have reported going hungry because they could not afford food.

So I decided that I had to participate.  Knitting a few items to be sent up North won't solve the problems the region is facing but it will make a difference for the people that receive them.  A ball of yarn and a few hours of my time is definitely do-able.

I Shrugged this!

I finished my socks and  decided to make something else before tackling another pair.  I came across this shrug pattern on Ravlery and just had to make it. Designer, Toni Kayser Weiner must have been truly been inspired to come up with such a simple and quick-to-knit pattern.  The item is worked top down and there is absolutely no sewing.  I would recommend this to any beginner looking for a simple yet classic looking garment to make.

Started My Second Sock!

It seems silly that I would be so excited about starting on the second sock in a pair but I must at admit I am stoked.  This is my first pair of socks ever.  The first one turned out pretty good and fits my foot perfectly!  Just knowing that I've passed the halfway point of my project gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Baby Soft Ankle Socks

I've been working on these socks for about two weeks and I'm almost finished the first sock.  This is the first time I've ever knit a pair of socks so it's been a bit slow going.  So far I'm pretty happy with them.  The biggest challenge of knitting in the round for me is my "weird" style of knitting requires normally requires a purl row to untwist the stitches.

Thankfully the internet came to my rescue (what a wonderful invention) and I found out a modification I could make to keep the stitches from twisting while still maintaining my preferred knitting style.

Free Pattern Here