Arts n Crafts

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:




During the 17th and 18th century, the Scottish Isles main occupation was knitting. Colorful patterns were made by using Fair Isle technique. The Industrial Revolution brought a major development in the knitting. The British government published a booklet by the name “Make do and mend” that supplied knitting patterns for people to knit sweaters, gloves for the Army and Navy.

Knitting has undergone a vast change. There are lot of magazines and online publications for knitting. Adirafil is an online publication that has free patterns, yarn information etc. This site is accessible in four languages (English, Spanish, Italian and French). It is published four times in a year, and it gives information about guild news, free patterns etc. Creative Design school publication gives knitting lessons and instructions. Family circle Easy knitting & Crochet is published four times a year which can be subscribed online. Heels and Toes Gazette is published quarterly and gives information about sock knitting, sock patterns and knitting tips.

InKnitters is a quarterly magazine published under Machine Knitters source. This magazine is mainly featured on patterns and articles about knitting. Interweave magazine is published by Interweave Press. It is a quarterly magazine. Knit N Style can be subscribed online and it is published six times a year. It deals with free patterns and bulletin boards.

Knit Net is an online knitting magazine, which gives more about retailer information, great patterns and articles. It is published five times in a year and its issues are available on CD ROM. KnitScape Magazine is published two times in a year and under the publishers of Interweave Press. Knitters Review is updated every week because it gives the latest information about yarns, shops and techniques of knitting. Knitting digest features about the latest patterns and designs in the knitting. It is published six times in a year.

Knitting Now, has three issues in a year which gives information about patterns and technical support of knitting. Knitting Universe is a famous magazine that is published four times a year. It also gives information about nice patterns and techniques of knitting. The European Yarn Company publishes Lana Grossa and it is issued seven times in a year. This is an online magazine. Machine Knitters Source is a magazine published 6 times in a year which mainly features on articles about machines.

Machine knitting monthly, is a website, which is updated every month and features about news and reviews, articles, hints and tips. MagKnits, is published with free patterns. Piecework Magazine is also published by Interweave Press, which is published two times in a month. There are projects on knitting, embroidery and crochet, stitch, basket, lace and other craftwork. Rebecca is German knitting magazine that gives information about free patterns and technical support.

Rowan is published twice in a year that gives information about patterns of Rowan yarns. Sandar is a knitting magazine that is published monthly. Spinoff magazine is a quarterly magazine that deals with articles of spinning and knitting.

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:




A capelet is most often needed for fashion purposes. Plus know that a capelet is also referred to as a cape or collar. If you want to knit capelet then you can design your own type of capelet using your favorite yarn, color. There are different patterns for making caplets. And you can vary the length of the capelet or you can add a collar to any capelet and you will get a different type or style.

Pattern for a Capelet

Here is a simple pattern for a hand knit capelet. Note for this project, you will have to knit from neck to hem down. For this purpose you will need a circular needle. If you want a collar caplet, then you can attach roll collar of about 1.5″. To design this capelet, you have to measure basically three lengths which are neck opening, shoulder width and front length.

This caplet needs approximately 20 gram balls of mohair yarn in which each ball has about 90 meters of yarn. For knitting you should have minimum: one circular needle which must be sufficiently long so as to hold all the stitches at the hem of the cape and for this purpose you need 16″ near the neck and around 24″ near the hem.

The main steps of this caplet project are as follows:

While knitting, you have to knit from neck to hem in down word direction with the help of a circular needle. For this cape collar that’s optional, attach one near about 15″ around the top. Now close it tightly with cord. Stitch the ending of edge, front and border. Level front and back by short shaping near the border. The back of the neck must be raised with the same shaping method, according to your body or fitting (you have to take proper measurements.)

To give the pattern or shape to your caplet enter your stitch as well as row gauge. When you are well worth with the knitting the try for these patterns but yet this is the simplest pattern among the all.

This pattern has around 8 increased rays and about 2 shoulder darts. On back side also you have to knit around 4 decreased rays. Place around 10 stitch markers to locate the rays. For further reference label them as 1f, 2f, 3f for front side and same for back side as 2b, 1b, etc. while knitting down you have to increase about one stitch on both the sides for each stitch marker for every 6 rows.

For this just go on stitching across the unit, the stitch left before the marker. Skipping this marker again go on stitching and continue it. For this task, learn to stitch odd numbers - now increase knitting from both the sides as well as purl side of the fabric. For purl, the same procedure is what you have to repeat as mentioned above.

When your cape becomes sufficiently long to cover up your shoulders, then stop lengthening it further. Continue knitting for the border side. But just before you hem it, you have to knit short rows so as to level or even up the back and front properly. In this pattern the back is longer than front.

After completing this short row you will complete the knitting for your capelet and your new pattern caplet is ready to use.

Maddy Cranley asked:




“Blue and green should never be seen except in the washing machine!” When I first heard this little rhyme, I was standing in the general store on Main Street in a little prairie village ironically called Rosetown. The town belied its name. Unlike a lush and vibrant flower, it was a dry and dusty place. Surface colors on buildings and signs had been bleached by the sun or worn away by the wind. Even still, Rosetown had a charm that only a small prairie town can muster. It was the middle of August and spending a week with family friends, who had a daughter my age, Main Street was our recreation center and the General Store, our mall. Shopping was limited but Ellen had spotted a pair of green shoes sitting on their box in the store window. She loved the style but wanted them in navy blue to match her new school clothes. Alas, the coveted shoes only came in one color - bright green. For me, it was not a problem - one could wear green with blue. My suggestion was promptly rejected with a rhyme.

I always thought that green and blue did perfectly well sitting next to each other. After all, think of trees and sky. Choosing colors for a knitting project that are both pleasing to the eye and in a balanced combination, is usually achieved by artistic instinct or by employing the scientific method of color theory. Most of us react to color emotionally, often attaching certain colors to memories, either pleasant or unpleasant, and respond positively or negatively when faced with a particular color combination.

We also absorb color suggestions that are displayed in nature and in the various visual media that enter our lives. You can’t help but notice the color combinations just outside our windows and doors, whether it be autumn’s subtle gradation of green leaves into shades of orange, gold and russet or spring tulips that pop up in all colors, some even changing color as they mature. These natural combinations can only inspire us to use these colors in a simple stripe or complex Fair Isle pattern. Interesting color combinations are displayed in cultivated landscapes and designed living rooms featured in gardening and home decorating magazines. Keeping a file of clippings and photos that display pleasing color arrangements can be used as a source of inspiration for a new knitting project.

Often color choices available for a chosen knitting yarn are somewhat limited by the shade range that is offered in that particular brand. In this case, a “basket” method can be quite helpful. Place all the colors of yarn that you think might work together for a particular project into a basket. Place the basket where it can be passed many times during a day. On some passes, stop and rearrange the colors, hiding more of one and exposing more of another. At other times, offer just a quick glance, or a long gaze. It may be days, but eventually the color combination becomes either a pleasing option or one to be discarded as unsuitable.

A more scientific approach to choosing a color involves the study of color theory as displayed in the color wheel. It certainly can be a useful aide as a starting point when deciding on a certain color combination. It will also act as a problem solver if a particular “artistic” color decision becomes difficult. The color wheel is made up of twelve colors and illustrates the relationships between colors. It is laid out so that any two primary colors (red, yellow, blue) are separated by the secondary colors (orange, violet, and green). Primary colors are basic and cannot be mixed from other elements. One can mix two primary colors to result in a secondary color. The remaining six colors are called tertiary colors and are the result of mixing one primary and one secondary color. Complementary colors lie opposite each other on the wheel. Pairing a color with its complementary color will make both colors appear vibrant. A color wheel is available at an art supply store along with other tools and publications that can aide in selecting and matching colors.

Whether it is artist’s instinct or science that you use, both can assist you in finding a balance of color that pleases you. There’s the key - it pleases you and will satisfy the picture you have in your “mind’s eye” of that new knitted garment.

Maddy Cranley asked:




Knitting is a natural when it comes to creating stripes. A stripe is defined as \”a line or long narrow section differing in color or texture from parts adjoining\”. The needles act as the guardians of the straight line, that crossover point where changes in color or texture can be made. It is up for grabs how to fill in those rows that make up a stripe. The ever-popular  horizontal line and color changes are just a start in choosing how to stripe a sweater.  

It is quite simple to incorporate stripes of color into an uncomplicated knitting pattern. The more difficult choice is what colors to choose. Once yarns that are compatible in gauge and fiber content are assembled, the next step is to see how the chosen colors will relate to one another when placed in a striped pattern. General rules will apply such as dark lines on pure color will have the tendency to deepen the entire look of the garment. Light areas will appear larger than dark areas. Warm colors will pop out to the eye much more than cool colors.   

Woven rugs and fabrics can offer up varied inspiration particularly if they embody a balance of color and stripe thickness to result in an eye-pleasing combination. An hour or two spent flipping through upholstery fabric swatches or wallpaper sample books may result in obtaining a dynamite sequence of striped color.   

Stripes can vary by size from the bold stripes of a rugby shirt, which may have three or four large bands of color, to pinstripes and all sizes between. The stripes need not be uniform in size throughout the garment. Increasing or decreasing the size of the stripe by one or two rows and repeating the same sequence of those smaller and larger stripes will definitely add interest.    

Stripes can also be distinguished by texture. Rows of garter stitch or seed stitch alternating with plain knitting create an understated stripe when only one color of yarn is used. A few rows of bobbles or of simple lace can create a stripe of interesting effect. Paying careful attention so that the gauge is the same for each chosen stitch pattern will avoid creating an unevenness in the finished measurement. Simple stitches to knit for subtle changes can be found in knitting dictionaries and stitch guides.  

The placement of the stripes can also add further appeal. Use vertical or horizontal striping in the ribbing of bands and cuffs. Try a striped collar or pocket to stand alone on a plain-colored background. Begin to work stripes at the start of the garment piece and narrow the stripes to fade into a one-color finish. Stripe one sleeve and leave the other plain. Stripes do not have to remain horizontal. A little trickier to knit, vertical or diagonal stripes add their own flourish. Yarn bobbins will be needed and careful twisting of the yarns at color changeover points will keep your stripes in line.  

  So to earn your knitting stripes, incorporate several rows or more in your next project. Choose a simple pattern that will easily accept a change of stitch pattern and welcome a color change every few rows. It will all make for a very unique sweater, not to mention the release from guilt knowing that those leftover balls of yarn are being put to such good use.   

 

 

 

 

Maddy Cranley asked:




  No sooner than the last chocolate has been popped into our mouths and the roses have been hung to dry, St. Valentine steps aside for St. Patrick as green takes over from red to mark the next commercial milestone on the calendar. Shamrocks are everywhere even if their signature emerald green is not quite aligned with today\’s fashion palette which features more avocado, pear and lime shades - a green with much more yellow than blue. As well, green has become a strong symbol of the environmental movement and is earnestly displayed by political parties, coalitions and planet-saving products. 

  Concern for the environment in our everyday lives has finally found its rightful place. Recycling is a good thing and has become a regular practice. Just a few years ago, we didn\’t give a moment\’s thought to throwing a tin can into the garbage. Now a pang of guilt is felt if we toss out the odd non-recyclable juice container. Of course, our natural resources are there to be wisely enjoyed and with ingenuity we can squeeze out a little more value from nature\’s gifts. 

  Our knitting craft gives us the opportunity to make a contribution to the recycling movement. Flea markets and tag sales can be searched for \”gently used\” knitted garments. These garments if made from natural fiber (even if moth-eaten) can be an opportunity to finally try a fulling or felting project. If there are no garment labels to indicate fiber content, a quick burn test can easily determine if the yarn is of natural or man-made fiber. Over a sink or bowl of water, take a six-inch length of yarn and with a match light one end, allowing to burn for one-half inch. Extinguish the flame and when cool, examine the burnt portion. If the end is a hard charred lump, you have a synthetic yarn. If you are able to crumble the burnt portion between your fingertips, it is surely a natural fiber yarn. 

  Once the fiber has been identified as a natural fiber from an animal source, most often wool, place your \”finds\” in the hot water cycle of your washing machine in a sudsy soap solution. In the strictest sense you will be \”fulling\” these garments and the result will be felted sweaters ready to harvest for felted fabric. Now that you can cut this felt as yardage, even simple shapes can be stitched together to fashion a scarf accented with decorative stitching on the seams and edges. Cut out the front sections of a vest from the newly felted pieces and contrast with a slippery satin fabric for the back. If doing decorative stitching, remember to keep the yarns compatible so that laundering will pose no problems. 

  Then there\’s unravelling - an activity for someone who has tremendous patience or likes to test their patience. Be warned, it can turn into an Olympic recycling event if the sweater proves difficult to undo. I have a friend who bought a sweater at a flea market for twenty-five cents. She happened to love the particular color of this sweater\’s yarn. She unravelled the entire sweater, washed the yarn and knit another garment. She didn\’t win any gold medals but found it extremely satisfying that she had retrieved this yarn and put it once again to good use. Once you start to unravel a sweater, you will soon determine if it will unravel in ball lengths or just in bits and pieces. Obviously, multi-colored garments will likely contain much shorter lengths of yarn not adequate for knitting. Once you have unravelled the sweater, wash the yarn by hand and gently wrap it around a plastic cutting board or a large book protected with plastic wrap and allow to dry. This should remove all those kinks and curls that have been locked into the yarn. Rewind the yarn into even amounts by weight or length so that you can determine how much yardage you have retrieved. Even if you don\’t have enough for a complete garment, this yarn could be used to knit ribbing, cuffs, or trim. Again, remember to match the fiber content to facilitate easy laundering. 

  So if you take on recycling yarn as a challenge or a purely practical exercise, your project will take on a fresh look either in texture or style. You will at the same time appease your \”green\” conscience to recycle and gain satisfaction from the fact that you have saved a few of those \”green\” dollar bills. 

 

 

 

 

 

Maddy Cranley asked:




Yes, it is the first week of December and those of us with a true crafting spirit feel compelled to make at least one or two handcrafted items for gift-giving this coming holiday season. I know, time is short and the thought of knitting an entire sweater, even a vest, seems overwhelming. There are so many other activities that demand our attention at this time of the year. A quick and easy project with readily available materials - that’s what we’re looking for. No hunching over rows of complicated knitting or hours of darning in ends, pressing, blocking and joining. So may I suggest knitting some mitts for those you love. Mitts are a small project, quickly knit, and best of all, you can make a dent in that yarn stash - providing you can find it.

Both gloves and mitts serve as a protector for the hands from wind and cold but gloves have always been the somewhat snobby fashion-conscious cousin of the mitten. Throughout history, gloves have been considered to be a stylish accessory whereas mittens were worn for warmth. Linen gloves were even found in the 14th century BC tomb of the Egyptian king, Tutankhamen. Sticking with the upper classes, gloves in the Middle Ages were only worn by men of high rank or by those engaged in falconry, a past time of the well-to-do. The masses made do with mitts or garments that had extra long sleeves to keep their hands covered. Gloves became a must-have for women in the 16th century following in the fashion footsteps of Catherine de Medici, who was consorting with Henry II of France at the time. In the 17th century, gloves made from soft kidskin became very popular.

In 1834, glove making became a full-fledged industry when Xavier Jouvin of Grenoble, France invented a cutting die that made it possible to fashion a precise fitting glove. Gloves for both men and women were a requirement for proper dress in the height of the 19th century, a trend which continued until after World War II. Although, I certainly remember wearing a snappy little pair of stretch lace gloves. Then again, weren’t we also wearing “spring bonnets” on our heads at the time? Although nowadays some wear gloves as a practical measure to get a better grip or to enhance a swing or a slap shot, mitts are born to keep hands warm but do take on many other tasks. There are bath mitts and baseball mitts, mouse mitts for carpal tunnel syndrome, heated beauty mitts, oven mitts, mitts to groom your pet and mitts to wash your car.

So make your list and gather some mitts patterns. Make soft mittens in angora or mohair - sure to warm up loved ones’ hands and hopefully their hearts. Make luxury mittens in cashmere or alpaca. Knit stripes, felt wool, work a Fair Isle design, or embroider some spring flowers on mitten backs to brighten a dreary winter’s day. On such a small project, even a complicated design can only last for a few rows. Lace patterns look terrific if the mitts are lined with a warm flannelette fabric - in a contrast color of course.

Attach a couple of pompons along with a twisted cord and these mitts will never make an appearance in the lost and found. Add a trim of faux fur or circle the cuff with a ring of antique buttons. Remember mitts don’t have to stay outside - knit a mitt in cotton or linen, tuck in a sweet-smelling bar of soap, and tie with a ribbon for a bath lover’s mitt. So I throw down the gauntlet and challenge you to knit some mitts. Best wishes for a terrific holiday season. Don’t forget to steal away some time to knit.

jo asked:


By Sam Russell

In this brief article we aim to just give a basic understanding of knitting needles, their sizing and what you need to look out for.

Size IS important…………….

Knitting needles come in different sizes. It is important to know the size of your knitting needles because their size is related to the size of your stitches and, implicitly, to the appearance of the finished work.

Knitting needles are given different numbers according to their measure. Do not think of their length! It is important how big round the needles are. However, these numbers can differ from one country to another. For example, a knitting needle of 3.75 mm is number 5 in American measurement and number 9 in British measurement, or you may see on the bag of the knitting needles you buy it is simply written as a 3.75 mm needle.

Notice that the American measurement has low numbers for needles with smaller diameters, and the numbers can go up to 50 for a larger diameter like 25 mm, while the British measurement has high numbers for low diameters and the numbers decrease when it comes to high diameters like, for example, 000 for knitting needles of 10 mm, Therefore, you need to look up a knitting needle conversion chart to ensure you end up with the correct needle size.

To confuse you still further if you have a 4.5 mm knitting needle, in that case the size number coincides; with both countries calling it size 7.

Understanding Gauge …………

In knitting, there is the concept of gauge and it means the number of stitches in a given length. This concept is related to the pattern you have and, if in your pattern it says there are supposed to be, for example, 5 stitches to an inch and you can make only 3, than you should and need to change the size of your knitting needles. Each pattern requires that you knit a certain number of stitches using a particular yarn and a specified needle.

However, it is not necessary to stick to the yarn or the needles specified in the pattern, but it is important to get the correct number of stitches per inch in order to have the right size, length and other characteristics of the pattern.

Different Kinds ……….

You can also choose between circular needles and straight needles. Some people prefer circular needles because they are more comfortable to use and you can knit both in the round and back and forth like straight needles. You can find circular knitting needles, double point knitting needles and also single pointed knitting needles made of different materials such as steel, wood or bamboo. There are also different types of knitting needles like Addi knitting needles, Clover knitting needles, Misc knitting needles, Crystal Palace, Rosewood and HiyaHiya

To find out more pay a visit to a good knitting or haberdashery store & ask for advice.

Maddy Cranley asked:




Having lived in apartments for the last twenty years, I have had little opportunity to put my paws into the earth except for planting the odd balcony pot or attempting to grow seeds on a spare-bedroom window sill. So now that I am the owner of a horticulturally-challenged property, I can’t help but relate my passion for knitting to what I feel might become another passion in my life - gardening.

I never thought I would like getting my hands this dirty. I can feel this fascination and perhaps borderline compulsion to plant and grow flowers, nurturing them into splendiferous cut-flower arrangements to display on my dining room table. It all starts with those seed catalogs, fashion magazines for the gardening set, that arrive before the Christmas tree has been taken down, leaving you with just enough time to think about turning that very tree into mulch for the intended flower beds. The catalogs give us the opportunity to see what might be and we are encouraged to buy into the dream.

As with knitting magazines and sweater pattern leaflets, we chance to see what we might look like in a certain sweater, albeit never quite as blond or as thin of waist. The gardening catalogs promise a profusion of blooms of intense colors in idyllic weed-free gardens. We follow the dream, our imaginations in full bloom, seeing ourselves in that gorgeous sweater and magically skipping through acres of ever-blooming flowers.

So now we order the seeds and buy the yarn. Choosing colors carefully so as not to create any clashes in the beds or on the needles. We agonize over whether it should be rose or strawberry pink, tomato or cranberry red, lavender or lilac mauve, lemon or sunflower yellow. Matching and contrasting colors, balancing texture and proportion, we focus on a vision of a finished project that we hope would please both a Monet and a Fasset.

We hover over germinating seeds as we scour our Harmony Guide to Knitting Stitches for just that right stitch combination. Should it be tulip lace or crocus buds supported on a background of trellis stitch or lattice pattern? Perhaps clusters of bramble stitch scattered with embroidered daisies? Maybe a leaf edging, with a twisted tree cable framed with moss stitch? Optimal planting time schedules at hand, we are ready to start. With simple tools - needles and a good spade - the row of seeds is planted and the foundation row is cast on. Now what is needed most is patience. We watch our plantings slowly grow.

If the flower is a late bloomer or the stitch particularly difficult, more patience will be needed. Maintenance is important. Flowerbeds must be weeded and yarn ends darned in. In both scenarios, there comes that defining moment when you can see your efforts take shape, whether it be the appearance of that first flower bud or a completed pattern stitch sequence. In your hands, the digging and planting or the purling and twisting has transformed your design idea into reality. You become more confident as you see the project developing. Now you start to strongly visualize how you will accessorize that new sweater and which vase would best enhance those purple zinnias.

The sweater is finally finished and the flowers are in full bloom. Alas, this is where the shared journey parts company. Beautiful fresh cut flowers will give you enjoyment for a few days, perhaps a week, but a handknit sweater will bring you joy for many growing seasons to come.

© Maddy Cranley

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:




Knitting is the art of turning threads into piece of cloth. Knitting is done by looping those threads, into each other by stitching. Knitting may be hand made or machine made. By hand there are many styles and ways. There are so many different fibers and needles that are used to make those different varieties of cloth pieces such as table cloths, handkerchiefs and etc.

There are different knitting patterns, such as lace knitting, loop knitting, loom knitting, we will briefly discuss lace knitting, lace knitting is not that strange, Anybody can do lace knitting, they are able to form threads, by using the help from the charts or any other link, you can create beautiful patterns of cloths. It does not require any special or inborn talent to start knitting.

It will just take a time, to learn and get experience. Knitting becomes interesting automatically. Knitting is an art from ancient times. There are many designs that your mind can create such as natural scenery, flowers, birds, or aquarium beauty, anything is suitable, in your convenience. These ideas come for each person different, depending on there nature, but all these designs will surely turn into memorable creation.

Lace knitting is the relatively a new, hardly two hundred years old. This became a new profession for people who lived in villages, or rural areas. There are number of traditions of it like Orenburg and Unst which came from Russia. Laces are provided from Iceland and Estonia. In fact the oldest patterns of lace knitting were made by the fisherman, and they are very strong can not be ripped. These patterns were graceful, compared to its economy, originality and terminology. They were like made by true artistic vision and intellect.

Types of Lace

Lace may be illustrated briefly with two characteristics:

1. which kind of ground it is worked, if

- it is garter stitch that is every row is knitted.

- Or stockinet stitch that the knit and purl rows alternated-

2. frequency of patterned rows, if

- it is every row

- or only every right side row

Garter stitch lace look symmetrical, both ends are similar, but stockinet lace, has a specific right and wrong side. As we know by lace knitting we can interlace Shawls. Since most of the lace knitting is utilized into shawl, stoles scarves. Stoles look beautiful when you wear them on traditional “kurties” and western jeans. They give you a stylish plus modern and unique look.

Scarves and stoles all are available in rectangular shapes, while in shawls you will get variety such as circular, triangular.

The majorities of shawls are composed of main center piece and surrounded bye borders of many different patterns and then there is a final piping around it. There are many variations here if its scarves or stole. Lace knitting needs extensive stretching, to look at its best, inflexible cast on bound off edges should be avoided as possible. Knitting may move several directions within one piece.