rostitchery

a stitch by any other name is still just a loop

 

a few days ago a question was posted on the gettin' it pegged! loom knitters clique facebook page that got my mind whirling:

“Do you prefer the true Knit Stitch, the U-Knit Stitch, the Flat Stitch or the E-Wrap (Single) Stitch? I think I prefer the U-Stitch.”

it is often said in needle knitting that there are only two stitches:  knits and purls.  everything else is a variation on these two stitches.  i contend something a little different:  that there aren't actually two different stitches at all, but two variations on the same stitch:  a loop.

 

further it is my opinion that the terms "knit" and "purl" are actually verbs, not nouns.  i hope i can explain.

the only difference between a knitted stitch and a purled stitch is what it looks like on the front of the work.  whether the head of the loop appears on the front or the back of the work determines whether or not it is called a knitted or purled stitch. 

you can demonstrate this to yourself easily.  when working in the round, if you knit every other round and purl the rounds in between, you end up with only purl bumps on each side of the work.  you know you made knitted stitches at least half the time, but the surface is not flat, it is bumpy.

the product when knitting flat panels depends on whether you are knitting with needles, machine, or loom.  when working on a flat panel on needles, if you knit every row, back and forth, the final product will be two sides with purl bumps on them.  you didn't purl at all, yet you have only purl bumps showing.

when knitting back and forth on a loom or a flat-bed machine to make a flat panel, you will end up with one side of the work that is smooth, showing the knitted V's, and the opposite being bumpy, having only purl bumps.  if using a loom, it doesn't matter if you make knitted stitches back and forth or purled stitches back and forth, you will always have one side flat and one side bumpy.  (flat bed machines don't make purl stitches, but that is for a different post).

now to put this to a more strenuous test:  knit 2 purl 2.  when knitting this on a flat panel you have to purl 2 knit 2 on the back side in order to maintain the pattern.  that's because when looking at the back you are presented with the purl bumps on the stitches you knitted and the knit V's on the stitches you purled.  but the final result on the front will still be K2P2.

i bring this up because in my opinion all the talk about different knit stitches in the loom world is really not useful, and i'm hoping eventually the loom field will standardize the terminology so as to be less confusing.  the method you use to create a stitch is really not critical except as it pertains to achieving the look you want.  needle knitting patterns do not state "make this kind of knit stitch", they tell you to knit, and you then knit according to your preferred method—continental (this is the method i use), or english, or eastern/combined, or backward, or one-handed, or whatever.  same with purling--a pattern doesn't tell you to form a purl stitch, it tells you to purl--verb, not noun.

rightly the term “stitches” should apply to the fabric created by knitting, such as stockinette stitch or basketweave, or cabled stitch.

the stitch most commonly used in loom knitting is referred to as the e-wrap stitch, but to needle knitters it is just a twisted knit stitch or KTBL (Knit Thru the Back Loop).  the stitch that loomers call the flat stitch is just a plain knitted stitch as in all other forms of knitting.  whether or not you create this stitch by flat wrapping, or U-wrapping, or some other wrapping method, what you end up with is a knitted stitch.

it is important for loomers to start taking charge of their knitting.  i hope that patternmakers for looms will begin using the standard that needle patterns use, which will make patterns more concise and will also eliminate a lot of the confuse loom knitters seem to have about which "stitches" to use for their projects.  the point of a pattern is not simply to dictate how things are made but to give a blueprint for creating a finished product.

thoughts?

 

*pretty much everything you could want to know about the technical aspects of knitting can be found at techknitting and its companion site, techknitter.  loom knitters and beginning machine knitters might find the article about why some knitting curls and other knitting doesn’t.

if not for the last minute: knifty knitter edition

now is not the time to pull out the needles.  this is the next-to-the-next-to last minute.  if yarn is going to be your medium of choice, then you need to whip out the looms.

shawl you can make in an hour

 

cabled hat you can make in an afternoon 

 

pet sweater you can make in an evening 

 

ear flap hat you can finish just in time for wrapping 

 

*confession:  i’m knitting something on needles too.  and it MIGHT get finished in time.  what about you?

it's beginning to look a little like christmas

there is a lot of crafting going on around here these days.  mostly because as much as i want to honor my true, authentic commitment to the christmas craft revolt, this year i really need to honor my true, authentic commitment to my family budget, and my true, authentic commitment to my kick out the clutter project.

so i’m making some presents, but i’m doing it now, so that we can still enjoy a little fun during december.

and in honor of my kick out the clutter project i am declaring a new stash reduction contest, 2010 christmas edition.  there's nothing like a little competition to get me up motivated.  i’m aiming for 1000 points by the first week of december.  definitely not over-ambitious. 

so i’m making another sushi scarf (5 yarns that have been in stash for 2 years—i’ll take 10 points):

 

and another hallowig (1 ball of yarn that has been in stash for 1 year—but on a pattern that is far above my level of competency—give me 50 points please):

 

i’ve already made several more loom-knit market bags (1 HUGE skein of yarn that i’ve had for at least 3 years—let’s make it an even 20 points):

 

and two more pairs of loom-knit mittens (four balls of yarn that i’ve had in stash for 1 year, but i had to buy another ball of yarn because i ran short, but i had already knit the cuffs last winter, and i finished the second pair on a day when it was almost 80 degrees, so let’s just say 12 points):

 

and i’m thinking i might even make just a few more dishcloths, to tide me over during the busy holiday season (ok, i have to come clean:  i bought another ball of yarn.  so 1 point, right?):

 

 

for a grand total of 93 points.  so far, so good.

i am also working on some double-secret, extra-pinky-swear, no-can-tell-you projects for a secret santa swap.  the only thing i can say right now is this:  the reveal date for the swap is saturday, 4 december. 

cabled hat on the knifty knitter

 

this is the second piece of the cabled set i made for my friend and then made for myself.  this is a really fast knit--about two hours total!  for the brim i made the very same cabled section that i made for the mittens, this time measuring around my head as i went and stopping when it was just barely long enough--you don't want it fully long enough or it won't fit snugly on your head.  then i put it on the green loom exactly the same way as for the mittens--by picking up stitches all around--and then i knit 19 rows.  sure i could have knit 20 rows but i like the number 19.  :)  i took it off the loom by the gathering method, then the only thing left to do was seam the cabled brim.

now, if you're thinking of making this for a child, you will be tempted to make the cabled section shorter--if you are using round looms to knit your hat, this won't work, you need to make it long enough to go all the way around the loom.  and if you are thinking of using the red loom for a child, i strongly advise you to reconsider--children's heads are not that much smaller than adult heads--my head measures 21.75 inches, ella's measures 21.50!

the only way you can make the hat truly smaller without resorting to the red round loom, is to use one of the long looms and the loom clips to make a custom size.  but in fact i have always made ella's hats on the green loom, since the first time i got looms when she was just barely two years old.

on the other hand, if making this hat for a man you might be tempted to make the cabled section much longer--again, you either need to use the length that fits the green round loom or you need to make a custom loom with the long looms and clips.  i actually did use a long loom for rudi but again, even though he is seemingly a lot bigger than i am, his head only measures 1" more around--so i used 40 pegs which is just four pegs more than the green loom.  

the last piece of this set is a scarf which uses a "new" method for making ribbing!  i'll show you that one next time in a future post.

mittens for me

 

for three years i've wanted to knit myself some mittens.  every year, i knit a new pair for ella but never get around to any for me.  this year i also knit a pair for my friend tough mama, and i liked them so much that i decided that THIS YEAR would be my year--i have finally knit myself some mittens.  

these are so quick that i've made several pairs in the past week.  

the design is a hybrid of two patterns i found online.  the cuff comes from the cabled mitts pattern from loom knit.  i love the way this cuff looks, but knitting cables on a loom is a tedious process--not hard--anyone who has knit a hat or scarf on the loom can easily learn to do it--but it is time consuming and labourious and generally just a too slow for someone like myself who likes instant gratification.  so after the first pair, i have been knitting the cuffs on needles, thusly:

cast on 8 stitches

row 1:  P2, K4, P2

row 2:  K2, P4, K2

row 3:  P2, Cable 4L, P2

row 4:  K2, P4, K2

i prefer to knit cables without a cable needle, by just slipping the stitches off and rearranging them in the order to be knit.

then for the actual mitten i use a modified version of the one loom mitten by looming with love.  i found that this pattern as written makes a mitten WAY TOO BIG for my hand so instead i use the long pink loom and one loom clip to create an 18 peg round (in this picture it is set up for a 16 peg round--different project).  

 

to start the mitten i pick up 15 stitches on the cuff as for the cable mitts pattern, starting at peg 1 on the end of the loom but in the center of the cuff rather than an end.  this puts half the cuff on each side of the loom.  this way, the join of the cuff is at the outside of the arm where i feel it is less noticable.  i e-wrap the three empty pegs at the end opposite the starting peg when i get to them and continue picking up stitches till i get back to the starting peg. then i knit 11 rounds using the e-wrap stitch.  you could knit more or fewer rounds, according to the length you wish from the cuff to the base of the thumb.

for the right hand thumb, i knit pegs 1 thru 4, back and forth with no turning peg, for 30 rows.  you might need more or fewer rows, more or fewer pegs, depending on the size you need--you can test as you go.  you will end up with a loop of knitting which will become the thumb.

for the left hand thumb i knit pegs 1, 18, 17, 16--in other words, the first peg and the last three of the round.  again, adjust according to your own needs.

after that i knit 22 rows--again this has to be judged based on your own hand, you can slip your hand inside the loom to test.  i take the mitten off the loom using the gathering method.

then it is just a matter of sewing up the sides of the thumb--i do this the same as for needle knitting, by lacing up the sides thru the little bumps on the ends of the rows, AKA mattress stitch.  i close the cuff the same way.

ta-da!  each mitten takes me about 45 minutes to complete, so i can easily finish a pair in an evening of TV with my family. 

for the pair i'm knitting rudi i am using the blue round loom, worsted weight yarn holding two strands as one, and knitting the one loom mitten pattern as written.  for ella, i'm using the pink long loom, 12 pegs, worsted weight yarn holding two strands as one.  for both i knit the exact same cuff, but to their wrist size--rudi's took 9.5 cables, ella's took 6.5 cables (mine took 7).  the exact number needed will depend on not just the size of the wrist but also how tight or loose you knit and how tight or loose the wearer prefers the cuff.

these mittens are actually part of a set--next time i'll show you the hat.

doggie sweater on the knifty knitter

it's been a while since i posted something for the knifty knitter.  i get away from it and forget how much fun it is, and then when i take it up again for a project i remember how much fun it is!

anyway, i needed a gift for my friend brenda who recently got a very cute little puppy and with winter coming of course i thought her cute little puppy needed a sweater. 

no, your eyes do not deceive you, this is not a cute little puppy, this is an irritating little stuffed cat but the cute puppy and the stuffed cat are about the same size, and the stuffed cat will sit still for pictures.

i knit this sweater right under brenda's nose, in the green room during an opera last month--she asked me what i was making and i said it was a gift for a dear friend which was not only not a lie, it was the exact truth. 

brenda had been asking for instructions on how to make such a sweater on the KK looms so here they are:

i used the blue loom, you could use any loom that is the right size for your dog.  the yarn was something fuzzy in my stash--i had already wound it into pull balls and had tossed out the label/band, but the red was chenille and the body was some bulky-weight stuff that ella picked out on a shopping trip this summer.  

cast on and knit several rounds to make a collar.  i chose to make a rolled collar but you could also do this with K2P2 ribbing to make a flat collar, or you could make a brim that is pulled up as for a hat.  change colors/yarns after you knit the collar, if you so choose.  then knit until the piece looks long enough to fit your dog from neck to front legs.

to make leg openings:  at the beginning of the next round, bind off enough pegs to fit your dog.  for this little sweater i bound off four pegs--for a larger dog, do more (i can't be more specific as i haven't tested on other sizes--but it is pretty easy to hold up the work to the dog to check).  then knit the same number of pegs as you bound off--if you bound off pegs 1 thru 4, then knit pegs 5 thru 8--and bind off another set of pegs for the other leg, in this case pegs 9 thru 12.  then finish knitting the round as usual.

ok, i hear you asking how to bind off and still have the working yarn at the right peg to knit--i do it like this:

wrap and knit peg 1--move the loop from peg 2 over to peg 1 and knit--then move the remaining loop back to peg 2.  repeat until you have four empty pegs.  your working yarn will be ready to continue knitting pegs 5 thru 8.  this makes a stretchy edge which matches the stitches that will be cast on in the next round to complete the leg openings.

on the next round, wrap the entire loom as usual and knit the pegs that have two loops.  after that, you just knit around as usual until the body is as long as you like.  to finish, i recommend K2P2 ribbing so as not to make a lumpy roll for the doggie to lie on.

that's it!  if you don't have a doggie to knit for, please consider knitting one or more sweaters to donate to your local animal shelter, they make very nice going home outfits for doggies that get adopted at christmas. 

give a little, get a little

with one exception, i give away pretty much everything i know.  that's because pretty much everything i know was given to me.  for my entire life i have had the good fortune to be surrounded with talented, generous artists who have shared their knowledge and expertise with me simply because they loved what the did and they wanted to pass that on.

i will continue to do this--further down in this post is a project that i hope you will enjoy--but today i'm asking you to give something back.

i'm doing something really important this holiday season that you can help me with. i'm working to end hunger by raising money for heifer international.

i'm counting on you to pitch in and help reach my goal. any donation large or small will help us get there!

i chose heifer international to help because they are a wonderful organization working to end hunger and poverty in the world. for more than six decades, heifer has been helping poor families around the world become self-reliant by providing animals and the training to care for them. each recipient family promises to pass along offspring from their animal to another family in need.

heifer's simple but effective solution has helped more than seven million families -- 38 million people -- in more than 125 countries including the US, where more than 10 million people are chronically hungry.

rudi and i have been heifer supports for a number of years now--donations to heifer are our traditional christmas gift to each other--and we invite you to join us in this important campaign.

thank you in advance for taking a moment to go online and help me help heifer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and now, today's gift to YOU.  this is a simple little wrap that i made on the knifty knitter with just two balls of fluffy yarn and a little over an hour of time.

using the yellow knifty knitter loom, cast on and knit just three pegs for 30 rows.  this creates the first tie.  starting on the next row, wrap the three pegs, skip one peg, and wrap the next peg (K1, 2, 3, skip 4, K5).  knit these pegs, then knit one row plain to get back to the beginning.  from then on, continue skipping one peg and adding the next peg at the end on every other row. knit the rows inbetween without adding any pegs--until you have filled the entire loom.  then continue wrapping and knitting back and forth on just the wrapped pegs until you get to the end of the first ball of yarn.

add on your next ball of yarn, then start decreasing:  take the last loop off it's peg, put it on the next wrapped peg, then knit just THAT PEG.  you have just decreased one stitch.  wrap and knit one row plain.  decrease one stitch at the end of every other row until you are back down to the original three pegs.  wrap and knit these three pegs for 30 rows to create the second tie, then bind off.

there you go, another quickie gift done!  already today i could have sold this one off my own back several times, so when you wear yours plan on having mobs of people begging you to make one for them too.  just don't tell them how easy it is--let them labor under the illusion that you slaved away just for them.  :)

toe up sock on the knifty knitter

for years, i wanted to learn to knit socks.  last winter, i finally did it, using 5 double pointed needles and a lot of dove chocolate.  i learned to knit the traditional cuff-down, heel-turn-gusset-stitches-picking-up, graft-the-toe-together-when-you're-done sock, and what i would call the logical toe-up, no-seams-anywhere, no-gusset-stitches-to-pick-up, never-run-out-of-yarn sock.  i like the latter.  :)  since then, i have been ruminating and cogitating and stewing on how to do this on the knifty knitter.  earlier this week, it came to me, and i spent this afternoon making a prototype to test my theory.

the idea was that i could make the toe exactly like making a heel--i knitted one row on half the pegs of the blue loom (12 pegs), then started short row decreases until i was down to half the original number of pegs (6 pegs).  i then did "long row" (i have no idea what it is called in reverse) to add stitches until i was back to the original 12 pegs.  this gave me a cup shape for the toes to fit into, and there was no seam.

then i lifted the original 12 stitches and put them on the empty pegs--i forgot to take a picture of this--but basically it made a whole piece with stitches on all the pegs.  then i started knitting around as usual to make the foot:

close up of the toe:

i knitted until the piece was long enough for the pegs to touch my leg when i tried it on, then i did the exact same short row-long row as before to make a heel.  once that was done, i knitted around again for a while to get a leg (the little piece of green yarn is my row marker):

on the whole, this sock is pretty good, although the gauge on this loom makes the sock pretty thick.  my mama got a set of the new long knifty knitter looms for me (thank you, mama!), they are smaller gauge so i'll try again on one of those.

since finishing this sock earlier today, i found a yahoo group for loom knitting socks--duh, i should have looked there first.  oh well, i like figuring stuff out on my own--it makes me feel smart.

dolly

two christmases ago, i made ella a little dolly to match a dress i had made for her.  but since i didn't know diddly about making dolls (and still don't) the hair wasn't very pretty.  ella was concerned because she could see the dolly's scalp between the strands and she was sure the dolly was going bald.  :) 

last week, it dawned on me what to do.  i took off the dolly's hair, wetted it, and wound it on barbeque skewers.  i put the skewers in the oven to heat set--dolly hot curlers.  :D

meanwhile, i knitted a cap of hair for her on the green knifty knitter loom.  i did it by wrapping pegs 1-3-5-7-9-11, knitting them, then wrapping 2-4-6-8-10-12 and knitting them--repeated over and over--making a much looser piece of knitting than wrapping every peg.  i decreased in the back to make it fit the head better, then i loosely stitched the cap to the dolly's head:

this morning, i took the old hair off the skewers, cut each strand in half, then crocheted the strands one by one onto the wig.  a couple of hairbows later and voila!

ella loves the new hair!  "she got hairbows too!  she wooks gorgeous, just wike me, mama!"  which i believe is the nicest thing you could ever say about a dolly.

simple sweater for the knifty knitter

right after christmas, there is always a huge influx of newbies on any sewing, knitting, quilting, or other craft list, and we see the same questions being asked over and over----"does anybody know how to make XYZ?" and i can't help but thinking, "of course, somebody knows how to do anything", and every time, i take it as my personal challenge to figure out how to make it.

the following is a copy of a post i made in response to such a question, it was a request for a simple sweater pattern that could be made on a knifty knitter loom, however this sweater could be made on needles too, or with crochet, or in fabric.  in fact, one of my favorite sweaters was made exactly like this, i made it as a thank you gift to my husband for helping me buy a serger with coverstitch function, but i wear it more than he does because he doesn't actually get cold.  :)

my reply to the request for a sweater pattern:

measure the front half of your body over the widest part (bust, waist, or hips).  measure the length you want from shoulder to hem.  make a flat panel to these measurements.  repeat for back half of body, being aware that the back panel will probably measure shorter than the front panel because the back of the body is generally flatter than the front.  seam these two pieces together at the shoulder, leaving an opening for the head.

measure the desired arm length.  measure the circumference of the bicep.  make two panels to these measurements (count rows so they are the same size).  find the center of one short end, place that at the shoulder seam, and stitch.  repeat for other arm.

seam the sides closed, easing in the front fullness.

you can adjust these instructions to make all sorts of other sweaters--if you want a cardigan, you just make two narrow panels for the front instead of one wide panel.  if you want a collar, you make a panel the width and length needed.  you can make the sleeves long enough to turn up for cuffs, or you can make contrasting cuffs and seam them on.  you can make several smaller blocks of different yarns or different stitch patterns, seam them together to make bigger panels, this would be a great way to try new techniques without investing a lot of time or yarn.  if you make the body long enough, you have a coat!

the knifty-est knitter of all

like mother, like daughter.