I know I haven't been keeping up with posting in awhile - for that I apologize!
Our next U-Knit meeting will be on Tuesday, December 16th from 7 to 8:30 pm in Bridges. Hope you can make it! I'm really looking forward to it myself.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Support Our Troops Project
Sorry I haven't been able to post in awhile. One of our members suggested this as a great project to get involved in:
"HELMETLINER" KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS
(Known as a "Wooly Pulleys" by our Armed Forces)
Materials:
Any soft, worsted (100 grams/3.5 ounces) wool yarn that will knit to gauge, such as Cascade 220 or equivalent. The label should state that for size 7 needle, 5 stitches per 1 inch, and for size 8 needle, 4-1/2 stitches per 1 inch. Approx. 175 yds.
Only 100% soft wool yarn will be accepted, because our ground forces are not allowed to wear synthetic fibers. Wool is inherently non-flammable and won’t melt against the skin in the event of an accident and is warm even when wet.
Colors:
Only black, charcoal, brown, tan, gray or combinations of these colors are allowed by our Armed Forces.
Size 8 – 16” circular needle, or size to get gauge
Size 8 - Double point needles
Size 6 - 16” circular needles for the ribbings
1 stitch marker.
Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
Be sure to check your gauge to ensure the helmetliner will fit properly when worn.
Neck Ribbing: With smaller circular needle, cast on 84 stitches loosely. Place marker. Join in round and knit in 2x2 (meaning knit 2, purl 2) ribbing for 6 inches.
Cap: With larger circular needle, knit 32 stitches off smaller needle onto the larger size 8 circular needle. Leave smaller circular needle in the rest of the stitches. The smaller circular needle will just act as a stitch holder while you complete the cap portion with the size 8 circular and double-point needles.
Cast on 59 additional stitches, place marker to mark beginning of round, join in round, knit even for 4”. ("Knit even" means to knit every stitch).
Be sure to check your gauge. Even being off 1/2 stitch per inch will make the helmetliner useless, as it will not fit properly.
1st decrease row: *Knit 11, Knit 2 together,* repeat to end of round.
Next row: Knit even.
2nd decrease row: *K10, K2 together,* repeat to end.
Next row: knit even, meaning to knit every stitch. Change to double point (DP) needles when necessary.
Continue decreases as established until knit 2, knit 2 together. After this, decrease every row until a total of 7 stitches remain on the double point needles. Cut yarn 8-9” long, feed through remaining stitches and weave in.
Face Ribbing: With size 6 circular needle that is still in neck portion, pick up the 59 stitches that you cast on when starting the cap portion. Increase 1 stitch, so you now have a total of 60 stitches. Join in circle and Knit 2, Purl 2 ribbing for 1 inch. On last row of ribbing, decrease about 4 stitches by purl 2 together in 4 locations around the face. You may need to increase or decrease the number of times you decrease (purl 2 together) so that it isn't too tight or too loose in the face ribbing. This keeps the wind from whipping underneath it.
Cast off. Weave in ends.
(The original pattern was designed by Bonnie Long, Knit Wits, 3419 Chatham Rd. Springfield, IL 62704. 217-698-6100. Revised 1-19-05. All rights reserved. Copies may be made only for the purpose of donating helmets to our active service personnel. In any case design attribution must remain. Operation Helmetliner, Inc. has made changes to the original pattern for clarity and to incorporate suggestions from our Armed Forces).
Ship to Operation Helmetliner, P.O. Box 104, Dahlgren, IL 62828.
Website: www.geocities.com/helmetliner
Questions: helmetliner@hotmail.com
"HELMETLINER" KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS
(Known as a "Wooly Pulleys" by our Armed Forces)
Materials:
Any soft, worsted (100 grams/3.5 ounces) wool yarn that will knit to gauge, such as Cascade 220 or equivalent. The label should state that for size 7 needle, 5 stitches per 1 inch, and for size 8 needle, 4-1/2 stitches per 1 inch. Approx. 175 yds.
Only 100% soft wool yarn will be accepted, because our ground forces are not allowed to wear synthetic fibers. Wool is inherently non-flammable and won’t melt against the skin in the event of an accident and is warm even when wet.
Colors:
Only black, charcoal, brown, tan, gray or combinations of these colors are allowed by our Armed Forces.
Size 8 – 16” circular needle, or size to get gauge
Size 8 - Double point needles
Size 6 - 16” circular needles for the ribbings
1 stitch marker.
Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
Be sure to check your gauge to ensure the helmetliner will fit properly when worn.
Neck Ribbing: With smaller circular needle, cast on 84 stitches loosely. Place marker. Join in round and knit in 2x2 (meaning knit 2, purl 2) ribbing for 6 inches.
Cap: With larger circular needle, knit 32 stitches off smaller needle onto the larger size 8 circular needle. Leave smaller circular needle in the rest of the stitches. The smaller circular needle will just act as a stitch holder while you complete the cap portion with the size 8 circular and double-point needles.
Cast on 59 additional stitches, place marker to mark beginning of round, join in round, knit even for 4”. ("Knit even" means to knit every stitch).
Be sure to check your gauge. Even being off 1/2 stitch per inch will make the helmetliner useless, as it will not fit properly.
1st decrease row: *Knit 11, Knit 2 together,* repeat to end of round.
Next row: Knit even.
2nd decrease row: *K10, K2 together,* repeat to end.
Next row: knit even, meaning to knit every stitch. Change to double point (DP) needles when necessary.
Continue decreases as established until knit 2, knit 2 together. After this, decrease every row until a total of 7 stitches remain on the double point needles. Cut yarn 8-9” long, feed through remaining stitches and weave in.
Face Ribbing: With size 6 circular needle that is still in neck portion, pick up the 59 stitches that you cast on when starting the cap portion. Increase 1 stitch, so you now have a total of 60 stitches. Join in circle and Knit 2, Purl 2 ribbing for 1 inch. On last row of ribbing, decrease about 4 stitches by purl 2 together in 4 locations around the face. You may need to increase or decrease the number of times you decrease (purl 2 together) so that it isn't too tight or too loose in the face ribbing. This keeps the wind from whipping underneath it.
Cast off. Weave in ends.
(The original pattern was designed by Bonnie Long, Knit Wits, 3419 Chatham Rd. Springfield, IL 62704. 217-698-6100. Revised 1-19-05. All rights reserved. Copies may be made only for the purpose of donating helmets to our active service personnel. In any case design attribution must remain. Operation Helmetliner, Inc. has made changes to the original pattern for clarity and to incorporate suggestions from our Armed Forces).
Ship to Operation Helmetliner, P.O. Box 104, Dahlgren, IL 62828.
Website: www.geocities.com/helmetliner
Questions: helmetliner@hotmail.com
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Felted Bowl Pattern
For those of you who'd like to try felting and/or contribute to a UUC project (the gift of a felted bowl to the young people who've completed the Coming-of-Age program) here's a basic pattern. It's from Leigh Radford's book, One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet - a great addition to your library.
Basically, using yarn that's not meant to be washed, you'll make something which will look a like a little hat. Throw it in the washer and voila! You've got a bowl.
This pattern requires that you know how to knit in the round - an easy skill and one I'm happy to share at our next meeting if you need any help.
MATERIALS:
1. Chunky weight non-washable wool. I recommend Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky. When it comes to felting, this yarn is a sure bet; it felts beautifully. If you're going to experiment with other yarns, BE SURE TO KNIT A SWATCH AND TRY FELTING IT FIRST. Otherwise you may find that you've produced something which maintains its textural integrity. In other words, you won't have a felted bowl, but you will have a very cute little knitted hat. :-)
2. Size 15 24" circular needles and a set of double-pointed #15 needles.
NOTE: Some people find the 24" needles too tight for this project. It's true that the cast-on and first rows are a bit tight, but the work does loosen up as you go along. However, you can also easily start right off with double-points if this is more comfortable for you.
ANOTHER TIP: I finish my bowls with a smaller needle (#11). In my experience, the smaller needles produce a tighter result for the bottom of the bowl. It doesn't seem to affect the way the bowl felts, and I find the smaller needles less awkward to work with.
3. Stitch marker
4. Tapestry needle for finishing
Exact gauge isn't critical for this project - that's the beauty of felting! These directions are for a smallish bowl.
DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 45 stitches. Place marker and join for working in the round. Work even in Stockinette Stitch (knit every row) until piece measures 5 1/2 inches from cast-on edge.
Shape bottom: Decrease as follows, changing to double-pointed needles when necessary (I usually do it here, before the work gets too tight.):
Round 1: *Ssk (slip-slip-knit), k5, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (35 stitches remain).
Rounds 2 and 4: Knit.
Round 3: * Ssk, k3, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (25 stitches remain).
Round 5: *Ssk, k1, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (15 stitches remain).
Round 6: *Ssk, k2 together; repeat from * to last 3 stitches, ssk, k1 (8 stitches remain)
Break yarn, thread tail on a tapestry needle, gather through remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off. Weave in loose ends. Felt and shape as desired.
FELTING 101:
Some experimentation may be required to actually get your bowl to felt to your satisfaction.
To begin, wash your bowl on a warm setting with a small amount of detergent, adding either a couple of pairs of jeans or tennis balls to the washer to speed up the felting process.
It's important that you check on your bowl every now and the to see how it's doing. (This will save you from the unpleasant experience of pulling something out of your washer that looks like a leprechaun's yarmulke.)
It could be that the warm setting will felt your bowl; it could also be that you'll need to set your washer to "hot" to really get a good tight felt.
In addition, you might find that one wash cycle isn't enough. Washers do vary.
DO NOT DRY YOUR BOWL IN THE DRYER. Simply remove it from the washer, wring out any excess water, and shape it by placing it over an appropriately-sized, overturned bowl or tupperware container. It will air dry within a day or two.
If you want to get fancy, you can add stripes and/or beads.
If you want to boost the colors a bit, you can give your bowl a haircut by trimming the fuzz. Or leave as is.
Felting is such a forgiving art form; any mistakes come out in the wash. It's also a process that's full of surprises. I've used this pattern with a number of different yarns and no two of my bowls are completley alike!
Have fun!
kpkppkkpS
Basically, using yarn that's not meant to be washed, you'll make something which will look a like a little hat. Throw it in the washer and voila! You've got a bowl.
This pattern requires that you know how to knit in the round - an easy skill and one I'm happy to share at our next meeting if you need any help.
MATERIALS:
1. Chunky weight non-washable wool. I recommend Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky. When it comes to felting, this yarn is a sure bet; it felts beautifully. If you're going to experiment with other yarns, BE SURE TO KNIT A SWATCH AND TRY FELTING IT FIRST. Otherwise you may find that you've produced something which maintains its textural integrity. In other words, you won't have a felted bowl, but you will have a very cute little knitted hat. :-)
2. Size 15 24" circular needles and a set of double-pointed #15 needles.
NOTE: Some people find the 24" needles too tight for this project. It's true that the cast-on and first rows are a bit tight, but the work does loosen up as you go along. However, you can also easily start right off with double-points if this is more comfortable for you.
ANOTHER TIP: I finish my bowls with a smaller needle (#11). In my experience, the smaller needles produce a tighter result for the bottom of the bowl. It doesn't seem to affect the way the bowl felts, and I find the smaller needles less awkward to work with.
3. Stitch marker
4. Tapestry needle for finishing
Exact gauge isn't critical for this project - that's the beauty of felting! These directions are for a smallish bowl.
DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 45 stitches. Place marker and join for working in the round. Work even in Stockinette Stitch (knit every row) until piece measures 5 1/2 inches from cast-on edge.
Shape bottom: Decrease as follows, changing to double-pointed needles when necessary (I usually do it here, before the work gets too tight.):
Round 1: *Ssk (slip-slip-knit), k5, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (35 stitches remain).
Rounds 2 and 4: Knit.
Round 3: * Ssk, k3, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (25 stitches remain).
Round 5: *Ssk, k1, k2 together; repeat from * to end of round (15 stitches remain).
Round 6: *Ssk, k2 together; repeat from * to last 3 stitches, ssk, k1 (8 stitches remain)
Break yarn, thread tail on a tapestry needle, gather through remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off. Weave in loose ends. Felt and shape as desired.
FELTING 101:
Some experimentation may be required to actually get your bowl to felt to your satisfaction.
To begin, wash your bowl on a warm setting with a small amount of detergent, adding either a couple of pairs of jeans or tennis balls to the washer to speed up the felting process.
It's important that you check on your bowl every now and the to see how it's doing. (This will save you from the unpleasant experience of pulling something out of your washer that looks like a leprechaun's yarmulke.)
It could be that the warm setting will felt your bowl; it could also be that you'll need to set your washer to "hot" to really get a good tight felt.
In addition, you might find that one wash cycle isn't enough. Washers do vary.
DO NOT DRY YOUR BOWL IN THE DRYER. Simply remove it from the washer, wring out any excess water, and shape it by placing it over an appropriately-sized, overturned bowl or tupperware container. It will air dry within a day or two.
If you want to get fancy, you can add stripes and/or beads.
If you want to boost the colors a bit, you can give your bowl a haircut by trimming the fuzz. Or leave as is.
Felting is such a forgiving art form; any mistakes come out in the wash. It's also a process that's full of surprises. I've used this pattern with a number of different yarns and no two of my bowls are completley alike!
Have fun!
kpkppkkpS
November's Meeting
Hello Everyone!
I was soooooo incredibly excited to come to our last meeting and see so many people there. Fantastic! Hope to see all of you again soon.
Our next meeting is THURSDAY, November 6th from 7 - 8:30pm in Pennell.
If you're making blanket strips and they're finished, bring them with you or drop them off at the church office. Claire has 2 and Stevie and I are making them as well. (18 inches by 4 feet, three strips make a blanket). Also, if you've got one in the works, would you mind letting me know? I'm curious as to how many blankets we'll give out this winter!
Stevie wanted me to share this idea with all of you as well: the Pacific Fabric Store in Northgate is once again collecting knitted hats and scarves for the homeless as part of the Warm Up America project. A few of our knitters did this last year.
Other knitting ideas:
Based on the number of students enrolled in OWL, it looks like there will be 35 kids in Coming of Age this year! WOW! The "graduates" organize a service in the spring and in the past, the U-Knitarians have made felted bowls to give to each youth as part of the ceremony. I hope we can do the same this year, so it might not be a bad idea to start early. The pattern is posted as another entry to this blog.
Also, I passed on 2 lap blankets to Alicia and the Care Ministry Team to give to members of our congregation who need comfort. She LOVED them (I'm sure you can picture her excitement) and many more such things would be GREATLY appreciated.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Calling all Blanket Strips
Claire wanted me to post this message:
Are you knitting strips for blankets for homeless children? (This is our current U-Knit project see the September 17th post called "9/16 Meeting Update") I now has 2 strips and needs more since each blanket will be made of 3 strips. The strips should be 18 inches wide x 4 feet long and can be of any yarn or pattern as long as it's machine washable. I will put them together. I can't be there on this coming Tuesday. Call me and we can arrange to get the strips to me or I will be at the next meeting in November.
Many thanks,
Claire
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Expand Your Knitting Skills
I'm sure many of you already know this, but you don't have to know how to knit to join the U-Knit group. We've got a number of people who would be happy to teach beginners what they need to know to get started.
And if you already know how to knit and purl and want to get into more fancy things, I'd be happy to teach knitting in the round (both on circular needles and double point), making socks, making pattern adjustments to have your garments fit better, lace, cables, and fair isle (that's knitting with multiple colors to make pretty pictures.)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Baby Yarn!
Hi all,
UUC's amazing new administrative assistant, Donna, was helping her friend clean out her house and they discovered a whole box of baby yarn they didn't want.
It's currently sitting in my office and I'll add it to the rest of our growing donated stash next meeting. So if you like making baby stuff, come check these skeins out next meeting and take some home with you!
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