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To Each Their own..or How do you loom?

My editor called out of the blue yesterday and posed a question to me that she had been asked by the teachers at one of the ‘big box’ craft stores. Apparently they were doing knitting loom classes, using the Knifty Knitter, and had my book. Their question was.. why were my directions opposite of the ones in the package of the Knifty Knitters? Was I left handed?

Well the answer was no.. I may have been at one point but ‘they’ fixed that in kindergarten.. no honestly I wrote the directions the way I learned to loom and the way I have been looming all along.  I work around the loom clockwise.

I told her.. and in my experience this is true… that the majority of loom knitters do it that way. That the independant loom makers out there have their instructions that way. She concurred that the In the Attic Loom instructions are written that way as well.

So I put the question out there. How do you loom? Do you work around the loom clockwise or counter clockwise?

The Shopping List..

Size 3 32″ circular needle, so I can make the Fiddlehead Scarf I bought the ‘kit’ for at Rhinebeck
300 yards of Manos de Urguay or other similar wool to knit up the felted ‘yoga’ bag from Loom Knitting Primer to carry my softball bats in!
Some kind of bulky-ish cotton yarn.
A yarn meter..perhaps to measure yardage.
Some Habu wool and another cone of the steel wool blend to make a cool felted scarf!
1700 yards of a laceweight that I can actually wear to make this pattern that I just bought.
Briar Rose Sonoma.. so I can make something with the skein I just unraveled! (just needs a second skein to go with it!
Oooh yeah sock blockers.. if they have a bit of pizazz!

That should do it!

Let’s see..I excersise one more session today, get a little more laundry work done and I am set!

I havn’t heard from anyone about meeting up.. I will need to change the time to 11a.m. As I am getting a ride there now! Same place! So any loom knitters or others showing up.. meet me here! Let me know you are coming!!!

Random ramblings…

Allow me to introduce the latest member of my personal design team…. Sharon..

Her name came about by accident, as Brian mis-heard that we where calling her ‘shirty’. I sort of liked the little bit of sci-fi girl Cylon reference.. because of the character Sharon from Battle Star Galactica and so it stuck. I think she looks rather good in my Ballet Top don’t you? She is nearly my double.. if I slim down in the middle that is..

In a little slice of life.. Caleb was REAAAALY thirsty last night…

I am making up my shopping list for the Great Lakes Fiber Festival. I might be accepting a ride there from Kraftie, so I might move the meetup up a bit. We will see. That might be best since Azia can’t go, and I sure don’t want to drive the truck all the way there. And with the record of Brian ALWAYS getting himself hurt or stung or something on show day every year I want him to have the van available. But like I said we will see.. I might just drive myself down and be freeeee! Well List tomorrow… booty on Saturday and then some!

Bop on over to  my Lion Blog to see my latest finished object. I just cast off last night and I think it needs a slight bit of tweaking.

PS. One last note.. I have gotten alot of great comments and feedback on the knit as you go I-cord.. all on the boards and forums.. just in case you havn’t seen the comments link since I switched themes.. it’s up at the top of the posts now!! So please drop me a line!

What a nice gift for a blogger! Buttons!

Well it’s raining in Utah, so Isela couldn’t get out on her bike. So what did she do? She made a little gift for me! Some buttons!!! Check them out!!

And My . . . → Read More: What a nice gift for a blogger! Buttons!

How-To’s Day: Knitting an I-cord edging on as you go!

Welcome one and all! I hope you are back and eager to learn a new trick today! It was fun figuring this one out and I hope you find it useful and enjoy it too! We can solidly blame the development of this method on Elizabeth Zimmerman. I bet she never imagined that her ideas for knit on I-cord would ever be applied to the knitting loom. I can say though that I have had a definite spark of interest in reading up on her works to learn more! So let’s get to it!

Included in today’s tutorial are and I-cord cast on, I-cord edging knit on as you work the peice. This can be done on both edges, or one edge as you need it, and an I-cord cast off so that the edging goes all the way around the peice.

Here is what it looks like:

 

(Click on Photos for larger view.)

This method can be used on any knitting loom or rake, (*or needles) you simply need to use yarn appropriate for your particular loom. I have made the samples with a garter stitch pattern in the center, this really brings out the I-cord edging and makes it loom nice. I am sure it can be done with stockinette stitch, however the edging will not be as pronounced. My thought is that it will help with curling found when doing stockinette a bit as well, but I have yet to try it. If you are using self striping yarn, the stripes will just go along for the rid right up to the edges and blend right in, unlike an edging applied after the fact!

So please try it out and let me know what you think! Just click here!

THE KNITTY GRITTY:

I understand that many of you will want to use this technique in patterns that you write. I encourage this, however please follow these simple rules:

Please do print out a copy of the tutorial for your personal use, if you are teaching a class and wish to print out multiple copies simply email me and ask.  

Do not copy and paste the tutorial into any document, or post it on any  website or blog without my permission, again a simple email request will suffice.

If you wish to use this techique in a pattern, I prefer that you refer the users of your pattern to this tutorial, rather than requesting to reprint it.

*For my needle knitting friends: this works as well by just bringing the working yarn to the front of  your work and slipping your stitches as if to purl on the right edge of your work and the opposite on the left edge! So you all try it too!*

It’s my party..and I’ll knit if I want to!

Well Azia is still down with the pox. So things are slow around here. It was my b-day yesterday and  I got to spend the day playing hooky from church with Azia, knitting and trying to keep her fever down. The boys had gone out with Brian the day before and got me some gifts.. an audiobook set .. Sue Grafton ABC Gift Collection: “A” Is for Alibi, “B” Is for Burglar, “C” Is for Corpse so I can knit and ‘read’; and Microsoft Windows Vista Visual Quick Tips.

Then Brian made some De-li-cios lunch! SOO good. A little known secret about him is that when he just throws something together.. 99% of the time it’s absolutely wonderful!

I spent a little time surfing the web too and found these!

A great way to recycle flip flops that are worn out.. or for me.. new ones because I can’t stand flip flops! The pattern is so easily transferred to a small or fine gauge loom I thought I would share! I think I am just going to have to try it out! It’s also a great way to get a pair of flats in a custom color, and just all around fun!

Tommorow is How-to’s Day so look out for that tutorial on knitting I-cord as you go on the loom. I have the cast on edge and the sides covered, now for the cast off! See you then!!

My Monday Motivation list.. just to keep me honest!

Today:

1. Exercise for 20 minutes

2. Get my how To’s-day tutorial done

3. Get my daughter’s fever down!!(Chickenpox!)

This week:

1. Get remainder of my 30 day blog goals done.

2. Two more exercise sessions.

3. Make a plan for end of year school work for kids.

4. Get my zucchini and flowers planted!

5. Catch up on laundry..

What a housewifely list!

The carrot. A $100 allowance to spend at this weekend’s fiber festival! WOO HOO! Keep me honest!