New Moon in Scorpio

  Well I'm several days late on this post, I blame the busy times and Halloween! But that is no excuse, I've been thinking about it since last Wednesday, October 26th when the new moon occurred at 4 degrees in Scorpio.
   For me this fell in my 2nd house, which is the Prosperity/Abundance Gua. I was also a few days late on doing some proper prep and dedication, but I read in my astrology magazine that you have a good 2 weeks after the new moon to put new things in action. So I cleaned my office nice and shiny on Saturday and since have begun really working on defining some of the career aspirations that were probably also motivated by the prior new moon.
   In the 13 moon calendar, this month (which started mid-October and continues to Nov 14th) is about asking " what form does our service takes in the world?" Scorpio is a sign of deep water and so I am starting to dive deeper than I ever have into the definitions of how my service can be shared into the world, and also how I can attain my own prosperity from that!
   As a final note to this post, I'm just going to add that starting with the full moon in Libra, I will try to document progress made in a gua or sign when the dedication I set out at the new moon comes to completion with the full moon in the same sign.

New Moon in Libra

   Here is the first installation of my feng shui of astrology blogging :) Please visit my Feng Shui of Astrology page for more info!
    With the new moon at 4 degrees Libra as of 5:09am (MDT) today, I prepared yesterday by finding 4 degrees Libra in my chart. For me this falls in my first house.  The first house in astrology corresponds to the Career/Life Path bagua in Feng Shui and the color Black. The way I determined which areas of my house to clean up and prepare to welcome some fresh energy, in order to align with this new moon, were several-fold.
    First I made a list of each room in my house, including the entrances, such as Front Door, Living Room, Dining Room, etc. There are a couple of schools of thought in feng shui, one where the Career/Life Path bagua is the front entrance (to a house/room, etc) and the other is by direction, where that bagua is in the North. I'm not sure which school of thought I ascribe to, so I decided to go with both of them.
    Next I made a list of all the areas that would correspond to this bagua from all the angles.  And because I apparently like to complicate matters, I also added another configuration where I considered my back door the 'front entrance' because I use it to leave/enter my house more than the front door.
    After associating all the areas of my house with different baguas, my First House - Career/Life Path bagua consists of these focus areas: Front door, Back door, Master Bedroom and the Stairs (in the north).
    For my new moon ritual, I cleaned the front and back doors, as well as the separate door to my garage, and cleaned all of the clutter out of the front door area. To finish up this week I am going to re-paint the outside of the entrances since the paint has chipped and is weathered a bit since I moved in (6 years ago).
    I guess it is no surprise that I am spending so much time updating my blog either, since it relates to my 'life path' which I'd like to someday turn into my career ;)

Shifting direction ...

     Ok, so as I mentioned in a previous post, I have been rethinking the direction of my 'work'. Here I mean the work I came to do in this life, my soul purpose, what I am here to do. Bear with me as I shift towards my truer purpose, and bring this blog along :)
    As you may already know, I have been studying Astrology somewhat intensely for the last year and a half or so. As I continue to be passionate about knitting as well, I've decided to attempt to combine the two, in an alchemical way that creates healing for the subject.
    My intent is to create a foundation where I take the basic aspects of knitting and astrology, relate them, and then find the alchemical healing aspects.
    If you are not familiar with Alchemy, let me give you a brief description of how I'm intending on using it. As the ancient tradition it was the way to turn base metals into silver or gold, also known as the "philosopher's stone". There are lots of mythical qualities associated with alchemy, and it is sometimes associated with spiritual concepts as well.  This is more my leaning - my goal is to take some concrete properties such as the colors, patterns and fibers of yarn and mix them with a subject's astrological birth chart, and create some sort of healing in a knitted piece.
    Long term I want to expand what I've discovered into a book, website, etc. My approach is going to start with case studies. I have already collected the astrological info of several of my friends, as well as compiled a great big amount of info of how the astrological signs, etc could possibly relate to knitting.
    My next step is going to be to print out and organize all of this information, and continue to expand it by pursuing more about the history of knitted stitches.  Then, once I have gathered enough information, I'm going to construct my 'case studies' in a hopefully scientific experimental fashion, and set out some theories as to how combining these things can help heal people.  Oh, and the type of healing I am really focusing on is more specifically helping people to achieve balance in their lives.
    I plan on taking an intuitive approach as well, since my intuition is strong.  I may also incorporate other aspects including Feng Shui of Astrology, Gemstones, and anything else that I feel could help out in this creative process.
   Btw, I have decided to publicly post this plan and these ideas as a way of laying claim to them as mine, and have dated record that I came up with them first. I find that far too often I have great ideas which I decide not to record or pursue and then not much time later I see them popping up on the internet from someone else completely.  Which is fine for those things I was not meant to pursue.  Since at the moment I feel as though this is what I am meant to pursue, I may as well make it publicly known.  Anyway... haha, thanks for following along on my journey!  I hope you find it interesting and entertaining.
   

(Knitting) Project Management

     I have been focused this month on wrapping up the multitudes of projects I started within the last few months. I've also been working on making progress on some non-knitting projects, including latch hooking (a 3D penguin when it's done!), cross stitch (tiger pool project I've been working on forever), and I've picked up weaving and am taking a class for it!
     With Mercury in Retrograde, it seemed like a good time to finish rather than start things. And the great news is that Mercury goes direct on Friday, and then there is a New Moon Sunday, so I'm probably going to set my sights on starting all these yummy new projects then.
     In other news, I have had a bit of an identity crisis with my 'brand' that I am continually trying to develop. I'm in the process of reformulating my whole approach and I expect this blog to morph as well! So stay tuned for more about that.
     The main project I've managed to complete is the blanket for my friend who is due with her first in a couple of weeks. I started it back in April and even worked on it at Jazz Fest! I'm excited to deliver it, though not sure if as excited as she is to deliver! (haha).  In the process of making that blanket, I fell in love with the yarn, Mushishi, which is a 95% wool/5% silk blend. Verigated and a little uneven in weight, but only to a charming degree. Plus, everyone LOVES the color green that it is. I'll have a picture up soon.
    Earlier in the month I wrapped up the hand dyed tubular sweater that I made for a class I had on the schedule. Unfortunately the class did not happen (no one signed up). But I am glad to have finally made something out of that beautiful hand dyed yarn that I've had for a couple years.
     For now, trying to finish these fishnets .... :O()

Mastering Tension

The most difficult thing that my beginning knitters usually run into is mastering their tension.  When I refer to tension here, I’m not talking about gauge (though that is the European term for gauge), although your tension will surely affect your gauge. J  Tension is the natural flexibility of the knitting piece based on your hands, and how tightly you knit. Yarn and needles can also affect tension, however. For example cotton does not stretch as much as wool, so you will have less flexibility in the knitted item when using cotton vs. wool, no matter what your tension is.
    Getting to a point where you knit with consistent tension is all about practice and time. Over time you will generally hold the needles and the yarn the same way, and thus develop your natural tension. But it is important to develop some proper technique as you develop your tension, to avoid challenges later. It’s true that some people tend to be tight knitters, and others are loose. But your mood can also affect your tension. If you are tense, you will probably knit tighter.
    I mostly see beginner’s struggling with how to hold the working yarn in their hand to knit. The problem with teaching tension is that everyone's knitting style is different. In the same way everyone holds a pencil differently when they write, so will they hold the yarn slightly differently when they knit. Continuing with the pencil analogy, you can hold the pencil too tight (and that hurts your hand!) or push down too hard on the paper, and break the lead. Working with yarn while knitting is the same. If you wrap the yarn too tightly around your hand, or pull the yarn too tight when you wrap, your tension will be too tight and your knitted piece may pucker. Or it could make it simply a pain to knit, as you have to keep wrapping and unwrapping the yarn around your fingers. But if you don’t wrap the yarn at all, then your knitted piece won’t have enough form to be consistent and it will be difficult to wrap the yarn at all.
    The key to finding the balance point, as I often try to demonstrate to my students, is to wrap the yarn just enough so when your fingers are closed around the yarn/needle, the yarn doesn’t move. Then when you open your fingers, the yarn slides easily. For me this means I wrap the yarn once around my ring finger, and then rest it over my index finger. When I grip the needle, my fingers close and hold the yarn tight. When I open my hand or release the needle, the yarn will slide easily over my fingers. Harder to explain with words than demonstrate, but hopefully you get the idea.
    The best advice I can give is to try wrapping a) not at all; b) around your fingers once; c) around your fingers more than once. Pull on the other end of the yarn with your hand both open and closed and see how easily the yarn moves. 

Knitting tips – never counting higher than 10

     Crocheters sometimes say they prefer crocheting to knitting because there is too much counting in knitting.  I believe they are just not making use of all the tools that knitting provides. Here I intend to let you in on some tips to how to never have to count higher than 10 when you are knitting. In addition, these tips will help you feel more relaxed while knitting and offload much of the brain power required, which will help knitting become more relaxing and fun for you!
    To start, you should never have to count higher than 10 when casting on. When I cast on, I place a stitch marker every 10 sts. That way when I have to cast on 100 or so sts for a large hat for example, I place a marker after every 10 sts cast on, and then I just have to count 10 of those sections of 10 sts. Then on your first row/round, you can remove the markers.
    Next make sure you are making use of your row counter. Depending on what you are knitting, and what the pattern is, you may use your row counter in different ways. You may even need to use more than one row counter on a project! I do this when there are two different things going on, for example, a pattern that repeats every 6 rounds, and a decrease that happens every 4.  Yes, you have to remember to click your row counter every row, but this will otherwise keep you oriented in where you are in your work. This is especially helpful for when you set your work down and pick it up later. My rule of thumb is, I set my row counter to the number of the row I am working on. That way when I come back to it later, I can see exactly which row in the pattern I am on.
    Back to stitch markers, another great use is to set them around different pattern elements, or between repeats within a row. It depends on the complexity of the pattern you are working, but it would be nice to only have to look back to your last marker rather than the beginning of the row to check your number of stitches in a complex pattern.
     If you have another place in your knitting that you find yourself doing too much counting, let me know and I will help you never count higher than 10 ;)

Keeping track when you get back

     In my last post I provided some tips to help you reduce your thinking while knitting, and thus be able to relax and enjoy the craft. In this post I hope to provide some more useful tips towards that end. One challenge a lot of my students have is forgetting where they left off on a knitting project when they set it down and come back to it later.  The best thing you can do is to get to the end of a row or round and make sure you have properly noted where in the pattern you stopped. Most of the time this can be done with either a sticky note on your pattern itself, or by using your row counter when you are working a pattern that has repeating rows. 
     Unfortunately you can’t always make it to the end of the row, and sometimes you get interrupted in the middle of what you are doing, and then need to reorient yourself to your pattern.  This can be challenging for newer knitters, who may not be familiar with what knit and purl or other stitches look like after they have been worked.  If that is the case, look back to the beginning of your row or round, and start counting the stitches along with the pattern. For example, if I am working in 2x2 ribbing, and I started my row by knitting 2 stitches, then purling 2 stitches.  If I am on stitch 36, then I know it is a knit stitch. I can start at the beginning of my row and count, knit 2, purl 2, etc. up to where I am.
     With lace patterns this could become much trickier as the yarn-overs (yo) are increasing the total stitches and knit-2-togethers (k2tog) are decreasing. If you are in the middle of a row, the easiest thing is to start at the beginning of the row and review each worked stitch to see what it was. If the pattern is something like: *K1, K2tog, yo, k1*, then I need to count my stitches in groups of 4. Knowing what a yo looks like and what a k2tog look like will help. A yo doesn’t have anything connected to it on the previous row. Be careful because sometimes these stitches will get cozy with a stitch next to it and hide. K2tog’s have two stitches hanging off them on the row below. The best way to learn what any stitch looks like after it has been worked is to work that stitch, and look at what has formed on the right hand needle. 

How to adjust gauge

   Although gauge could be considered the most important thing when it comes to knitting, choosing patterns, and producing wearables that fit, it is often misunderstood or neglected altogether. Many patterns will tell you ‘make sure to check gauge!’  Gauge is also important when it comes to picking out the materials for a particular project.  New knitters often get confused by the gauge listed at the top of the pattern.  Here I hope to elucidate some of the mystery surrounding gauge.
    First of all, gauge is usually listed on patterns as a sts and rows value over 4”.  The reason they don’t just list stitches per inch, is that the gauge of a pattern is an average of stitches per inch over four inches. When you knit a gauge swatch, you should knit it four inches by four inches and measure your stitches per inch in several places to get an accurate measurement. [I will admit that I am far too anxious to actually knit a gauge swatch this big, and I usually knit a 2”x1” rectangle. However, since I have been knitting for awhile, and have fairly consistent tension, I know that this will generally be a good measure of my gauge.]
    The most confusing thing about gauge is what to do when your gauge does not match the gauge of the pattern, with the prescribed needle size. Despite how counter-intuitive it seems, the way you adjust is as follows: If you have more stitches per inch than the pattern calls for, you should try knitting with a larger needle. If you have less stitches per inch than the pattern calls for, try a smaller needle. The logic works as such: A larger needle produces larger stitches, and less of these fit into an inch than with a smaller needle. So if you want to decrease your stitches per inch, user a larger needle. Similarly, a small needle produces smaller stitches, and more of these fit into an inch than with larger needles, so if you want to increase your stitches per inch, user a smaller needle. It is basically an inverse proportion. J
    Your other options for adjusting your gauge are changing the thickness of the yarn. Thicker yarns are going to produce less stitches per inch no matter how small of a needle you knit them on, because the stitches produces by thick yarn are just large stitches. So if you have dropped 5 needle sizes and still can’t get enough stitches per inch, you may need to switch to a finer weight yarn.

Zen Knitting

     I recently finished reading the book 'Zen and the Art of Knitting'.  It's a quick read that explores the meditative value of knitting.  Turns out that a lot of people knit as a form of meditation, or calming the mind. This made me feel much better about having a somewhat sparse meditation practice.  Since I knit every day, I feel like I am reaping some of the benefits of meditation when I knit.
    The meditative qualities of knitting include the counting and repetition of motion involved with knitting.  The fact that your mind is focused on saying 'knit, purl, knit, purl' or whatever your pattern, means that your mind isn't running rampant.  So knitting can be a great tool for calming the mind, and helping to focus your thoughts. I also find it is a great way to distract my mind when I am stuck on a problem at work. I will walk away, knit a few rows and let my subconscious work on the problem for me while I relax. Then when I come back to my problem, I feel much more centered and able to solve it.
     Knitting also teaches patience. I laugh when people see what I have made and tell me that they don't have the patience to 'do that' because I never used to think of myself as a patient person.  But ever since I began knitting, I have become much more patient!
    Learning to knit, like learning other complicated tasks, can be frustrating at first. But once you figure it out, it becomes that much more gratifying to know that you did it!  You figured it out! You solved the problem.  By continuing through the process, you build your self-confidence and self-esteem.  And when you get stuck with knitting, there are always plenty of resources available to help you through.
    Let me encourage you to reach for your knitting when you feel anxious, stuck, frustrated, lonely, empty or anything else. And I challenge you to see how it can change your mood and adjust your state of mind. Make a practice out of it, do a little every day. If your knitting project is the source of your frustration, start another project that is easier and you know you can complete, to build up your confidence before tackling the more challenging project. I hope you can find the peace of mind and the zen in the art of knitting.
   

social knitting

     Who knew such an individual craft like knitting would also be such a social activity!?  I'm not sure if this is the way things have always been -- I've only been knitting for about 7 years -- but it sure is a big component of the knitting world today.
     Once a month I go down to my local knit shop/yarn/fiber store for Knit Knite! An awesome little get together which often includes a special sale and is always a great place to get advice on projects, get help on mistakes, or at least check out some other projects in progress. My knit store also has $1/slice pizza.
     It's great to see knitters of all levels interacting. People from all walks of life. I think it is essential for any knitter - from the hard-core to the just beginning - to attend these types of events. If not to get help and advice from more experienced knitters, sometimes it is nice to get out of the house and knit! And you are sure to learn something. Or you can co-miserate about some part of a project that was really tough to do.  Knit nights are also a great way to meet new people if you happen to move.  Last month at knit night there was a lady who had just moved here from Minnesota. She loves to knit and wanted to meet people and found her way to the right place!
     If your local yarn store doesn't have a knitting night, but you know other knitters, set up a night of your own! My best friend Becca and her friends up in the fort (collins) get together every Tuesday night to knit and socialize.  Even if you don't make progress on your projects, you know you'll get some feedback from your audience!  I love seeing what other knitters are working on. It always gives me more ideas of what I can do and how I can expand my craft.
     Here's a link for locating a group in your area: http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/knitting-clubs.  If you don't see your usual spot on this site, there is a link right on that page to add them! Spread the word, and the love of the craft. Happy knitting :)

Scarf it Up!

     I was digging through my stash recently when several pink-ish balls of yarn called out to me "I want to be a scarf!"  They insisted so loudly in fact I cast on immediately - 300 stitches finished off the first fragment, and my 'scarf the long way' had begun!  One week later and I am oh so pleased with the result that I've started a blue version :)

      Now I've suddenly become hooked on scarf-up-your-stash scarves! Here's a plan if you've got extra yarn in small quantities creeping out your closet that you can't think of anything to make with and don't want to donate.  Gather up several balls of pink-ish (or whatever color) leftovers, not worrying about size or gauge. Lay them out in the approximate order you want, deciding which colors look best next to each other. They don't need to match - in fact they probably shouldn't.  Get creative!

Scarf it up!
Needles: Size 8, circular, at least 24", or whatever you have on hand.
Yarn: However many random balls of whatever sized leftovers in generally one color. Any fiber, any gauge, pretty much anything! I do suggest throwing something really fun/furry in there.
Gauge: Don't bother! (knew you would like that)

CO 200-300 sts, depending on how long you'd like your scarf.  I did the pink one 300 sts and it was rather long. Dropped down to 219 sts on my blue one, I'll let you know how it turns out.  The best way to cast on this many stitches is with this trick: take two ends of your yarn and tie them both together in a slip knot. Now cast on using long-tail cast-on where both ends of the yarn form the ball and tail strands. On the next row, when you get back to your double-strand loop, just knit it as one stitch.

Knit in garter stitch.
When you get to the end of a ball of yarn, just grab the next one and keep going.




Fringe as you go:
When you get to the end of a row, leave a long tail/large loop, knit a couple of sts of the next row, then set the needles down, take out the scissors and cut the middle of the loop. Tie the two ends in a square knot, then pick up them needles and knit on!


Leave enough for a bind off:
Continue in this fashion until you are getting close to running out of yarn (but not too close!).
To determine how much I would need to bind off all 300 sts, I measured out a length of yarn, like from my hand to my elbow, then counted off several of those lengths.  Then I knit a row and watched to see how much I used up. If you don't want that fuss, I would estimate about 20 feet of yarn you'll need to bind off. It's best to leave some extra which you can always use to thicken up the fringe.

knitting projects galore!

     I for one am a knit-a-holic. I love knitting and I do it every possible second. When I am not knitting, I am probably thinking about knitting. When I am too tired to knit (yes, it happens), I read about knitting or dream up new designs. Lately my obsession has triggered me to start what may turn out to be too many knitting projects at once.
     But can you really ever have TOO many?! :) Nah... but while I was reading through a pattern of this sweater thing I want to make (see my advice on how to read patterns for why you should always read through a pattern before starting) I realized that I may not want to start that particular project until I wrap up a few others. Reason being that it is somewhat complex, and if I'm bouncing around too many other projects, I'm likely to make more mistakes.
     We shall see how long I can resist, that yummy yarn sitting there all balled up, just teasing me. In all 5 delicious colors. But alas, I should really finish this awesome sweater for the class I am teaching. And although it is only June, the baby blanket for my friend due in September is only barely started. And I really should wrap up this other sweater whose sleeve I recently frogged to make another attempt. I'm still decoding the pattern on that one. Went back over it and realized that the instructions leave a few things to be desired for me, and lots is left up to interpretation. How did those people on Ravelry make such beautiful sweaters without comment on difficulties?
     I do recommend having several projects going at once to break up the difficult or the monotonous.  Some projects need too much concentration to really be portable and others are too boring to just chug all the way through. But if you are going to have several projects going at once, I recommend the following:

• Keep each project in its own bag, with the pattern and yarn all there together. 
• Make sure you leave yourself plenty of notes and clues as to where you are in your pattern when you put it down. If you go off and work on another project, you might forget those little details when you come back to it, and you never know how long it will be when you do come back.
• If it has been awhile since you've picked up the project, re-read over the pattern to make sure you know what you are doing and where you are. 

knitting while traveling - flying

     Although some knitters I have talked to have had problems flying with their knitting needles, I have never run into issue with it. Mostly those reports came from just after 9/11 happened, and I guess that makes sense since they restricted just about everything at that time. But nowadays it seems like the airlines have gotten wise and made it easy for knitters to take their craft on the plane.
     Bringing my knitting when I go to fly somewhere is something I always look forward to, because I am guaranteed plenty of knitting time. From the ride to the airport (especially if you end up taking the bus), to the standing in line at the ticket counter (though how often does one even need to do this anymore with online check-in), to the part after you get through security and have to wait around at your gate for departure. Not to mention the flying time, and then waiting at baggage claim. All in all this can add up to 4-5+ hours of pure knitting enjoyment.
     The best part is the period of time after you have boarded the plane when they ask you to turn off all your electronics. If you don't have a book or something like knitting, you are forced to sit there and do nothing, with nothing to listen to but the flight safety info.  Not only do I have something to do during this time, but the knitting relaxes me during take off.
     Choosing which projects to bring can be tricky, since you often have limited space in your carry on. The trick here is to bring some of the more challenging knitting projects, since you know you will be sitting there for hours at a time, with very little distraction and plenty of white noise. Barring any major turbulence, the plane ride tends to be smoother than on the bus, and once you can lower your tray table you have a little more space to spread out and dig in.
     Here are my tips for setting yourself up once in your seat:

• Pick the window seat. That way people getting up won't cause you to shift your whole set up.  If you can't score the window view, then prepare yourself by packing an easier project.
• Use the seat pocket to hold your yarn, preferably rolled into a center-pull ball. That way your yarn won't wander off under the seats.
• Lower the tray table and have your pattern in front of you. When working on patterns that you have to keep looking at, this is the nice part of flying.  
• Choose projects that you can use circular needles on. Though you can get away with the double-pointed needles more easily on the plane than the bus, they are still difficult to pick up off the floor if you drop them due to limited space.
• Make use of the seat pocket for your other tools, just make sure you double-check it before you get off the plane so that you don't leave precious things behind!

Happy Travels!

how to read/write patterns - basics

     Finding the right pattern is just as important as picking out the right color of yarn for a project.  If the essential elements of a pattern are missing, then there is no point in casting it on to your needles in the first place.  The qualities that make a good pattern are more than just the absence of mistakes too.  The key to finding good patterns is knowing what to look for.
     The following guidelines can be helpful for knitters to learn how to choose patterns that will bring them the most satisfaction.  I would also like to present these guidelines to authors of patterns, so we can begin to develop some standards of pattern writing that make all those delicious recipes available to everyone.
     To start, a *good* pattern MUST have these elements:

• Gauge.  Believe it or not, some patterns omit the gauge completely. If there is no gauge, there is no way to tell what size something is going to turn out. As with any rule, there are exceptions. If the pattern is for a scarf, you might be able to get away without a gauge. But just for good practice, I would still include a gauge measurement, and I always encourage knitting a gauge before starting a project. Even if you have to do the 'lazy gauge', like I do, where I cast on about 20 stitches for an average weight yarn and knit about an inch and a half.
• Size.  How big is the piece supposed to be? If it is a felted piece (or has felted elements) what are the pre- and post- felting sizes? I would be hesistant to choose a felting pattern that doesn't list both of these sizes.  Some patterns, especially for wearables, list more than one size in the pattern. It looks something like this: S (M, L). And throughout the pattern there are instructions for all the sizes: CO 90 (100, 110) sts.  But if the pattern doesn't tell you how small S is, move on.  If it is for a sweater, it better have measurements. The more the better!
• Supplies list - Yarn.  At a minimum for the yarn used the weight/thickness, # of yards/grams, and the # of skeins required should be listed.  The more information listed on the pattern the better. More times than not, you will not use the same type of yarn that is called for in a pattern. And since no two yarns are built exactly the same, the more information you have, the better you can choose what to knit your project with. It's hard to match yards AND grams to a different type of yarn, but at least you can make a more educated guess.
• Supplies list - Needles.  Again I've seen patterns that have a gauge, but don't tell you what size needle they obtained that gauge with. It isn't the end of the world, but it does require you to do some guesswork. And that is more time you'll be spending figuring out the pattern than actually knitting it. So even if your gauge with the listed needles turns out different and you have to make adjustments, at least you have a starting point!
• Supplies list - Special Tools.  This is in the must list because you want to know what you are getting yourself into.  If you knit the entire arumigami creature only to discover you need some special wiring to make it look like it did in the picture, and it wasn't listed in the supplies list, you will end up disappointed having wasted a lot of time and effort in vain.  As I will stress again later, it is important to read through the entire pattern before starting. You don't have to read things word for word, but you should skim through and make sure there are no surprises down the road. 
• Photographs. This may be the most important of all, especially on the more difficult of patterns. If it is a basic ribbed hat pattern, you might be able to get away with no picture. A ribbed hat is a ribbed hat. But having a picture - or more than one from different angles - is essential when it comes to piecing together a sweater or something mystic and complicated like a 'fortune cookie shawl'.  Also important to note here is that if your pattern comes with pictures that are not in color, beware! You may want to ask yourself if the author was really just trying to save on printing costs or if there might be some flaws in the pattern they are hiding in the black and white.
• Diagrams.  This applies to the multi-piece piece that you must put together later, such as a sweater. If there are no diagrams, or if the diagrams are poorly done (i.e. lack key measurements) then you should probably walk away from the pattern.  The last thing you want to do is spend all this time knitting several pieces for your sweater only to have no clue how to put the thing together. Save yourself the headache upfront by checking out the diagrams before you purchase or start knitting the pattern.
• Skill Level.  This is probably the least standardized part of a pattern. Some books will rate all of their patterns, whereas some books are aimed at a particular skill level in general and therefore will not rate their patterns at all. The most standard rating of skill level I have seen is this little graph, which ranges from 'beginner' to 'experienced'.  

But the rating is really at the discretion of the author, and not everyone's definition of 'experienced' is the same. In any case, you should look for this or other clues as to how difficult the pattern is and make sure it is within your range.  Sometimes the title will give it away as in "Easy Ribbed Hat"  vs.  "Intricate Lace Scarf".  The next best clue is to look at the stitch guide, and make sure you understand all of the stitches listed.  

• Written or charted stitch guide.  If the pattern contains any special stitches, such as ones that go beyond the basics you would find in a list of knitting abbreviations, make sure that the special stitches are well explained.  You don't want to stumble upon the 'k2sp'  halfway through your row and not know what that means, nor have no written guide explaining that they meant you should "K2tog, then sl st back to LH needle, lift 2nd st on LH needle back over returned st and replace returned st on RH needle (2 sts dec'd)."  If the stitches are drawn out in a chart, then double check that the explanations make sense. Especially in the case where there are increases or decreases, make sure that the 3 stitch cable they describe is actually worked over 3 stitches. 

I have really just scratched the surface on how to read patterns. But I hope that these give you at least a basic overview of what to look for in a good pattern.  Stay tuned for more posts where I will go into more detail and cover other things that you need to know to read those patterns!  I also teach a class on how to read patterns. If you are interested email me at wildvinedesigns@gmail for more info.  

knitting while traveling - the bus

     I love to travel. At least, I love to explore new places and find new people to people watch. Sometimes it is the getting there that can be long and tedious, however. So that's why I always take my knitting! Because I get too anxious just sitting there. I hate waiting!
     When I worked downtown, I would take the bus to avoid having to park, and all the traffic as well. It was a wonderful hour (30 min each way) built-in knitting time.  You would think it might be difficult to knit on a moving bus. And indeed, I couldn't work on just any project - but I could work on a large number of them. I would just put in my headphones and knit away.  If you are rushing to your pile of projects to decide which one to bring, or if you are still hesitant that you could knit on a moving bus, here are a couple of tips for bus knitting. (BTW, I've learned all of these things the hard way!)

• Use circular needles - the benefit here is it is much harder to drop your needles as with straight or double-pointed. There is always that accidental needle toss action, and I've dropped plenty of double pointed needles and had to go chasing after them.
• Bring a yarn ball bag or carrying case - unless you've rolled a center pull ball and intend on holding it between your legs or under your arm, you might want something to hold onto your ball of  yarn which inevitably will roll onto the floor. This could be a problem if the bus makes that frequent stop and everything shifts towards the front.
• Make sure your row counter is securely attached to your circular needle, or don't take it out of your bag when you increment it. This one time I was working on double-pointed needles and my row counter slipped off the edge. I saw it fall to the floor in slow motion just as the bus slammed on the breaks and it rolled - all the way to the front of the bus. Ducking under the seats and trying to see where it had gone, I finally decided it must be at the front and so when I got off, I walked by, made a quick bend and found it in a pile of crumbs and other debris that had also found it's way to the front. EWW! 
• Make copies of patterns in books, and fold up the copies in an easy to read way.  I learned this after many a trip toting around my entire pattern book, constantly pulling out the book and opening to the right page, then having to stow it back in my bag and just repeat the process. The copied pattern on the other hand I could fold up and manipulate however I wanted.
• Double check your supplies list, and skim your pattern before you leave home. Too often I have brought a new project to start, grabbed my yarn and needles, and get on the bus and start reading the pattern only to realize that I needed the other pair of needles in the pattern first and did not bring them.
• Bring enough yarn. Also too often I have brought what I thought was all that I would get through and then I end up finishing knitting everything I brought - with most of a bus trip left. I guess this might be OK for some people, but I like to knit every second I can. And when I run out of stuff to do I start spiraling into 'oh my, this ride is taking forever!'.  So make sure you bring plenty with you!

Happy Knitting!

coming up to speed

Dear Reader,

     Thanks for visiting my blog! Here is my story (apparently the long version) of how I became the knitter I am today. As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

     About 7 years ago, my best friend Becca got back from a trip to New York City. She said she had seen a girl knitting on the train, and decided that we needed to learn to knit! Since I was already into cross stitching, latch hooking, needlepoint and crocheting, I was all about it. So we got some books (Stitch and Bitch Nation - yeah!) and began the journey into the wide world of knitting.

     The first project I ever made was a scarf, black, on size 15 needles out of fun fur. It's very long and skinny, has tons of mistakes (but you can't see them) and I still wear it!  Another one of my early projects were multi-colored striped socks, made out of acrylic yarn (Red Heart). These two projects illustrate not only how little I knew about knitting at the time, but also display how far I've come with the craft.

     Becca and I taught ourselves and each other to knit, and then we started teaching our friends. I first learned that I was a continental knitter one day when Becca (an English style knitter) was showing our friend how to knit, and I was showing her how to knit, and the friend became really confused. Becca asked me why I was doing it backwards! I was like, I don't know! This is just how I do it. My guess is that it came from the way I hold the yarn when I crochet (which my mom taught me to do when I was very young).

     I discovered my LYS (local yarn shop) when on the search for a size of knitting needles that I was not able to find at Hobby Lobby or Michaels. But I found more than just needles there, I found out about the whole world of Real Wool!  I walked around the shop just touching everything. Wow!! Not only was that great but it was a lot closer to my house and seemed so much more personable of an environment for pursuing my new hobby, not to mention a great place to get help when I got stuck.  And then there was the 'Knit Knites'! Bunches of knitters (and crocheters) getting together at the shop to chat, eat, and of course knit!

     I found myself going back to the LYS for all the fun accessories and lots and lots of yarn. After winning a prize in a March Mad Hatter's contest, I found myself being offered to teach a class! Now I've been teaching knitting classes for about 4 years. It's funny because I struggled so much with my first project, not knowing that you shouldn't start with black yarn (it's hard to see) and you should probably choose something simpler to knit with (i.e. not fun fur). I've also learned that using acrylic yarn (unless it is the uber-soft variety) is kind of a faux pas - at least it isn't kind to the fingers if you knit with it a lot, and you won't find much of it in your LYS.

     I haven't always been a knit-a-holic. In the first few years there would even be whole months where I didn't knit anything. But the last 4 or 5 years it has turned into a real obsession. I have over 130 projects posted on Ravelry and find myself keeping several going at a time. My yarn stash has grown and taken over half the closet in my home office (still somewhat small by some standards), but I've earned quite the reputation for myself amongst my friends, family and coworkers, who are more surprised to see me without yarn and needles in hand than with. I do still find a little time to work on some cross stitching projects, but the knitting is definitely my obsession. I knit on trains, planes, buses, in waiting rooms, standing in lines (post office, grocery stores), in the dentists chair - I even bought my purse specifically because it was small, but could also fit my knitting.

     After tons and tons of suggestions by friends and impressed strangers to sell things I knit, I set up an Etsy store (wildvinedesigns.etsy.com). It seems like a bit of a saturated market tho, so my shop may remain a bit empty for the time being. However I do have plans to populate it again, most especially coming up with items that do not end up selling at this year's Colorado Renaissance Festival (Raven's End booth).

     I also have gotten into designing my own patterns, and plan to write some knitting pattern books.  I will probably also try to sell some of the patterns (as well as offer more free ones) on Ravelry.  Additionally I want to write some books on knitting instruction, to share the many tips and tricks I've accumulated at many a knit night. So stay posted to this blog for all of that. Or just follow me on Twitter: wildvinedesigns. :)  Thank you kind reader.

Sincerely,
Genevieve