bestillandknit's blog

I totally fell in love with the oak leaf cable design from knittingfool.com and had to make it into something, and I’ve been admiring wimples and cowls lately. So, here’s the pattern. This is made with a sport weight yarn or a sock weight yarn to be nice and warm, but not too heavy. This yarn weight is perfect to show the complexities of the cable design, but not so heavy to be stiff. A variegated color is perfect with this falling leaf design.

The cable designs are relatively easy to knit, but I’m rating this pattern as experienced because you really need to know how to read your knitting in order to keep the patterns aligned.

Now available in the Ravelry store for $3

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance

--Lee Ann Womack

This song has been around for a while, but every time I hear it, I am inspired. I wanted to share it with you, my gentle readers. I hope that when you are faced with a decision that you will take the path to joy and the path of action rather than sitting back and letting life happen to you. It is easy to sit on the sidelines, but your life will be richer and more fulfilled if you will take the risk and dance!

As I sit here in a conference room waiting for my next meeting (in 90 minutes), I am brought back to this article. It has been on my list of articles to write for some time now. It just seems that it gets pushed a little lower on the priority list as the days pass. But, here I am with a perfect opportunity to capture those thoughts and put them together.

Portable projects, in my mind, are those projects that you always seem to have along with you. They have five characteristics, in my mind.
1. Small enough to tuck in a purse or tote – not necessarily the whole project, but a portion of it that can be worked on the go
2. A pattern that is easily memorized or compact enough to carry
3. A project that can be started and stopped quickly. If you are working a project while waiting for an appointment, you don’t always have the luxury of knitting to the end of the row, repeat, or round
4. Needs a minimal set of notions – you don’t want to have to carry your whole tool set around
5. A project you enjoy sharing with others.

Knitting in public usually attracts attention, and it’s nice to meet new people over a small project.

I finished these up last night, just in time! I decided to go with a folded hem on the top rather than the ribbing I considered when I wrote the pattern. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Question: I need help with knitting instructions: It says : *ssk, K 17, rep from * 4 times more, ssk, k to end - ( end with 124 stitches) Repeat dec row every 2 " , 5 times more, knitting 1 less st between ssk"s I read it as repeat * row every 2 inches, 5 times, But I dont get it how I am going to do knitting 1 less st between ssk"s ? Can you help me with this?

Answer:From what I see, you will be knitting 1 fewer stitch between the SSKs. Because each SSK you do is going to decrease the number of stitches by one. Here's a description of what I see you're doing:

For illustration, the row immediately preceding the one in question has 19 stitches in each repeat. It may be different in the pattern you're using, but for illustration, let's say it is all knitting. When you accomplish the row in question, you'll do this:
(SSK K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K) repeat this section 4 times more (total of 5) then SSK K to end, and end up with 124 sts on the needle.

Now, you see in the repeat section, you have 18 sts. You decreased one when you did the SSK. The next time you do this row, you'll decrease one stitch like this:

I just ran across this short video clip from CBS News' Early Show that talks about the health benefits of knitting and crocheting. I know that I have always taught my classes from the perspective that the calming and relaxing benefits of needlework are valuable, even if they are only offering you a short, portable retreat from the stresses of your day. Now, there are medical professionals sharing the health benefits, such as reduced blood pressure, reduced memory loss, and lower cholesterol! So, get out there and find some yarn, a hook or pair of sticks, and get stitching!

Wow! I just ran across this little video. It is a very unique tribute to craftiness and knitting. Let me know what you think!

As my newsletter readers know (you can subscribe at the top right of any page), I am scaling back on my knitting classes and doing more online and video based learning projects. Here's one of the first. Your own, personal learn to knit class. All online, and all free. So, break out your yarn, a pair of needles, and knit along! Got a question? Submit it through the Ask the Knitting Teacher program and get it answered here.

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