Archive for the ‘Easy Knitting Patterns’ Category
October 16th, 2009 | 
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This Allison Isaacs video gives general information about types of yarn and stitches you might use for a simple baby blanket. It shows some nice examples. However, it does not give you an actual baby knitting pattern. The video in my next blog entry actually demonstrates a pattern and lists how much yarn you will need.
As this video states, a baby blanket is usually about 2 feet by 3 feet. The best type of yarn is machine washable (since babies have been known to spit up and do other generally unclean things!). Allison points out that you should avoid yarns with fibers that shed, such as mohair, angora, and alpaca. (I never use anything that expensive anyhow!) Between the washability issue and the shedding issue, I would say you should pretty much stick to acrylic.
Expert: Allison Isaacs Contact: www.imagiknit.com Bio: Allison Isaacs learned to knit and needlepoint at an early age. Filmmaker: Sam Lee Duration : 0:1:50
To view the video, click on “Read the rest of this entry.”
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, Knitting Tips | 
Tags: baby blanket, instructions, knit, knitting, patterns | 
2 Comments »
I always have at least two easy knitting patterns going at the same time. My original reason for this was because I wanted to do the Wavy scarf knitting pattern I described in an early post. But this scarf requires a row counter and a row diagram. I didn’t want to be bothered with carrying this stuff around with me. Plus you never know if you’ll have a convenient place to set this stuff.
So instead of even trying to work on Wavy when I’m out and about, I just started a new project. The alternate project is Read the rest of this entry »
“Wavy” is one of my favorite easy knitting patterns created by someone else. I have made it twice, both times in Caron’s Simply Soft yarn. (Six sets of 44 rows takes about 8 oz of Simply Soft. I used #8 needles.) To me, this yarn seems reminiscent of cotton embroidery floss. I love the little bit of sheen it has, along with the softness and drape. The only problem I have with this pattern is keeping track of what row I’m on. (The pattern has 44 rows that can be repeated 6 or 7 times to make the full scarf.) Which leads me to the real topic of this article: how to not lose your place when you’re easily distracted (or, in other words, when your brain is starting to turn to mush).
There is no shortage of ideas for counting rows out there. Forty years ago, my mom used the kind of row counter that slides Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, Pattern Reviews |
Tags: easy knitting pattern, row counters, row counting, Scarf Knitting Pattern |
3 Comments »
I have this reputation for being late, like a lot of women. So why am I always late? I think part of it is that I am avoiding boredom due to being early and having nothing to do. I just can’t stand the thought of getting to an appointment 15 minutes early and having to just sit there.
But something happened to change all this about a year ago–I rediscovered knitting. It was all quite unexpected. I was at a church women’s retreat. There were two women there who sat and knitted all weekend. One of them even had Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, The Knitting Life |
Tags: Barbie, church, Easy Knitting Patterns, knitting needles, retreat |
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Here’s the second in my series of easy knitting patterns. I have actually made several of these in varying stripes and colors, depending on whether the intended recipient was male or female. The one in the photo was made for my husband. Rib patterns are nice for scarves because they look pretty much the same on both sides. They’re a really great off-to-college gift, too, if you work them in school colors.
One thing I really like about using quadruple ribbing for a scarf knitting pattern is that it looks Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, Scarf Knitting Pattern |
Tags: Easy Knitting Patterns, ribbing, scarf knitting patterns, stripes |
1 Comment »
Chicks with Sticks authors Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen O’Connell bring a fresh, new approach to teaching an old subject. As they say, this is not your grandmother’s knitting. They share my philosophy that one of the attractions of knitting is that it is completely portable. In fact, they add a new knitting venue that hadn’t occurred to me: car pool lines. Now I wish I had re-learned to knit before my kids learned to drive!
This book starts at the very beginning, explaining needles, yarn, gauges, and Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, Pattern Reviews |
Tags: book review, Easy Knitting Patterns, how-to |
1 Comment »
Here’s the first in my series of easy knitting patterns. I made this scarf for a relative who’s in college in the south. The soft white color gives it a very feminine look. Made out of chenille yarn, the finished scarf feels reminiscent of wide-wale corduroy. Since the weather doesn’t get too challenging in the south, I made it fairly narrow. It’s almost more fashion than function. I’d make it wider if it was for someone facing a northern winter.
I started off with this particular scarf knitting pattern because single-ribbing is Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, Scarf Knitting Pattern |
Tags: auto-pilot, chenille, Easy Knitting Patterns, Scarf Knitting Pattern |
1 Comment »
What is it about knitting (or crocheting) that appeals to so many crafters, and has for so many generations?
Sometimes, I guess, it’s just in our blood. My dad’s mom was mostly into embroidery, especially pillow cases. But she also loved to do fine crochet, such as lacy borders on hankies. My mom’s mom was a professional seamstress, but she was known to knit a sweater now and then.
My mom would sew clothes on occasion, but she was really a knitter. At one point, she made herself about a half-dozen waist-length, lined jackets. She wore them with simple, straight wool skirts and had a lovely wardrobe on a budget. She knit everywhere—at home, on the bus, in the car—the needles were always clicking. She eventually taught herself to crochet and did a sofa-sized afghan not long before she died at the young age of 39.
But just having it in my blood is not the whole explanation. What is it that draws me to knitting Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Easy Knitting Patterns, The Knitting Life |
Tags: crochet, Easy Knitting Patterns, embroidery, multi-tasking |
1 Comment »
