‘Tis the Season to … PANIC!

Every year since I learned to knit, I have made that sad mistake of making a New Years resolution of “I am going to knit-crochet my Christmas gifts this year.”

There’s that promise to yourself that you are going to work on them all year long and have them completed, maybe even with plenty of time to spare.

I have seen a change in the many of the popular Web sites for our craft. Many of them have started helping people by giving them ideas for gifts.

This is great!

They are also offering ideas earlier in the year. Their knit-crochet alongs (KALs-CALs) bring people together to help each other along. I have seen some new ones with “last minute” gift ideas for projects.

As for me ... Yeah, I didn’t really make anything ahead of time again this year. But I found a few projects that might help.

To start off with, I found a pattern on the Internet for a bath puff. Now, tell me how many women (and even men) you know use these bath puffs? Just about everyone I know does.

The Web site is strngbn.tripod.com/puff.html. This simple crochet pattern can be easily altered to make a bigger puff. I just added another row of double crochets to the pattern.

How many people do you know who get their coffee to go — either from “mom-n-pop” coffee stands or the brand name places?

Again, I know plenty.

Now, think about that hot coffee to-go cup and the little sleeves they sometimes put on them. Yet again, with another Internet search, I found a quick crochet (or you could even knit one) pattern for a coffee sleeve at shala-beads.livejournal.com/121994.html.

I found many other patterns with a general Google search for crochet coffee sleeves. I created the one that is pictured in The Columbia Basin Farmer.

That’s just two quick, fun things I found. I found them on a site called Crochet Pattern Central at crochetpatterncentral.com. There is also one for knitting at knittingpatterncentral.com.

These two sites offer a collection of links to patterns all over the Internet. What a great way to find something simple to crochet or knit for a quick Christmas gift!

From these sites I gathered some ideas that might be just the thing:

A quick project to crochet or knit is headbands. I use one every day. Though it’s not seen in public, it is used.

How about trying jewelry? Bracelets, necklaces and rings are quick and easy to do.

There is always the easy standby: a washcloth. I know as knitters or crocheters, we sometimes think of a washcloth as either a baby gift or a beginners project. But, do you remember how quick you can crank them out?

What about a skinny scarf? They’re back in style again.

A different way to knit a scarf would be to cast on for the length of the scarf, instead of width-wise. Or how about some stash busting and creating a crazy scarf? Spice up those winter blues with some bright colors in a variation scarf?

For the little girl in your life, try Barbie clothes. There are many free patterns and it’s a great stash buster.

Also for kids, there is always play food. Or for a baby, there are animal wrist toys.

I have two words for you, cell phone. Hmm, let’s try this again with three words … cell phone case. Need I say more?

How about a hat? Who can’t use a good hat? A Web site I found at www.crochetandknitting.com/articles/art118.htm gives you the basics for a crochet hat for adults using double crochet stitches. It also gives a pattern for a granny square hat for a child.

Let’s not forget the pets. You could create a sweater for a dog. Try this Web site www.crochetnmore.com/dogsweater.htm. This Web site even has instructions for altering the pattern to fit your dog.

Now for the cat, you could just give them the expensive ball of yarn they keep stealing out of your stash. You know the cheap yarn just isn’t the same.

How about a catnip toy? You can find a pattern for them here www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/miscellaneous/f114005catnipmouse.pdf. You don’t have to put the catnip in the toy. I am sure the cat will enjoy it without — especially if crafted from the aforementioned expensive yarn.

You know the saying, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime?” Well, let’s apply that to knitting and crocheting. Why not give the gift of learning to knit or crochet?

You can contact me by e-mail at wovenpixel@yahoo.com, visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com or on Ravelry.com as WovenPixel.

Check your gauge: Three of the dirtiest words in knitting

Authors Note: This column also applies to crocheting.

Have you ever spent hours knitting a sweater only to find out it did not fit? Either it was too small or it ends up being large enough to fit multiples of you in it.

Well, did you check your gauge? Was it correct? Did you check your gauge while you were knitting?

Gauge is very important if you are trying to make something that will fit.

When you are knitting a garment you want to wear, or to give as a gift, you want to make sure your gauge is correct.

The definition of gauge is the number of stitches and rows per inch. Usually, you see this written out as so many stitches and rows equals four inches.

Gauge is not a math test, it is not there to annoy you, it is there to help you.

Every knitter is different and gauge is to help make sure the garment fits, instead of having to look for a way to get rid of it.

If you are going to spend hours creating a beautiful garment, why take a chance that it will not be worn? Gauge is the key to being happy with your finished garment.

Some patterns use the finished size of the knitted garment while others use body measurements to help you decide which stitches to follow. In order to tell which type they are using, you knit a gauge swatch. An entire pattern is written around a gauge swatch, so why shouldn’t you check to make sure yours is correct?

A half stitch, more or less, could alter your garment drastically.

Gauge should be a continuous effort and checked as you knit. There are many factors as to why your gauge changes. Was it a stressful day at work? Are the kids driving you up the wall? Have you been knitting for several hours? Since knitting is a form of relaxation, your gauge relaxes, too.

The types of knitting stitches you use can also affect your gauge. The main characteristic of ribbing is to “pull” in your knitting. This gives you more stitches per inch. Cables pull at your knitting, as well. Purl stitches are generally looser than knit stitches.

Projects are created for specific yarns and you may have to substitute the yarn. You need to know if it is suitable for your pattern. Does the gauge of the yarn match what is in the pattern? Do you like knitting with this yarn? Is it fuzzier than you first thought? Creating a gauge swatch gives you an idea of what is going to happen with the finished garment.

How do you measure your gauge swatch? Gauge is truly measured in the middle of your swatch. The first few stitches, cast on and bind off rows are different since you are creating an edge to the fabric. Make your swatch wider and taller than the area you are trying to measure. Gauge should be used to become familiar with the pattern stitches and yarn, knit until you are comfortable with what you are learning.

I once was told you should measure your gauge swatch before and after “finishing.”

Once you have bound off your swatch, toss it gently onto a flat surface. Let it sit there for a few minutes to relax. If it curls up too much, you are allowed to gently pat it flat. It will be a more accurate gauge if you do not pull and stretch your fabric. Stretching, even the teeny-weeny tiniest bit, can throw off your gauge and you will be knitting on the smaller side.

Grab your trusty gauge measurement tool, scrap paper and a trusty calculator. Count the stitches over three to four inches then divide the stitches by the number of inches. This will give you an average gauge. This is more accurate than counting the stitches in an inch. If your gauge turns out to be more stitches per inch than you need, try larger needles; if less, smaller.

Now, you can proceed to the “finishing” of your swatch. This must be done. How else are you going to know when you wash the yarn that it pills or felts or drapes badly?

However you are going to treat your final garment, hand-washing or machine-washing, is how you should treat your swatch. Do not wring or stretch your fabric after you have washed it. This stretches the stitches and we do not want that. Blocking, though a column unto itself, is basically to help the fabric lay flat, not to stretch it.

Let your swatch dry all the way. Do not try to speed up the process, this also distorts the stitches. Be patient, it will dry. Then repeat the measuring steps above.

If you do your homework, a gauge swatch, you will enjoy those hours, days, weeks or years it took to knit that garment and be able to wear your masterpiece in the end.

Danielle can be contacted by e-mail at wovenpixel@yahoo.com. Please visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com or find me on ravelry.com as wovenpixel. I enjoy discussing my yarn habit, sharing local and Internet resources and meeting fellow yarnsters.

Going public with your projects

It’s that time of year again. Funnel cakes, giros, space burgers, cows, rodeos, demo cars, kiddy rides and the smells of fair.

There is an area at the fair that many of my readers know about.

Let us imagine together. You walk in and the first thing you notice is the colors. Actually, you may notice the cooler air, then the colors.

Pinks and purples. Browns, blues and blacks. Lets not forget the whites, yellows, greens and every color in between.

All colors in various combinations and patterns. Welcome to the Craft Barn at the county fair.

Someone has to create these lovely pieces of art, but who? Well, you, of course. Each year, just before fair, you are able to enter your projects into categories. They have to be created in that year between fairs.

Many county fairs now have web pages you can visit to see their fair books, exhibitor guides or whatever it is they call them. These guides tell you about the categories you can enter items into the fair.

First off, you have to find the department and section you are going to enter your project(s) into. Second, you find within that department a class your project applies to. Then, it is as simple as filling out the exhibitor’s form for that fair.

These are placed around the Craft Barn and displayed for visitors during the fair.

So maybe you don’t want to enter into the fair. Don’t worry, there are other places you can enter you projects.

Many of the craft magazines and web sites offer contests you can enter. Not to mention if you have a guild in the area. For the “tech savvy” readers, there are also podcasts and blogs that hold contests.

There are many different kinds of yarn craft-related contests. You can design your own pattern. Name someone else’s pattern. You can knit-crochet along with a pattern that is revealed in parts. And many, many more.

I encourage you to have fun in whichever contest or fair you are comfortable with. Part of the excitement of knitting and crocheting is being able to share your work with others.

Since I am encouraging you to enter the local county fairs, I thought I would share the project I intend to enter this fall. I knit an afghan.

The pattern is a second-place contest winner from Mary Maxim. The pattern is called “Twin Trees Afghan” and was designed by Shirley Rhyne.

I chose to knit this pattern using Bernat Satin Solid yarn in the Star Dust colorway. The finished afghan measures 44 inches by 53 inches and is knit with almost 2,500 yards of yarn.

This afghan was a big project for me.

When I first got the pattern, I was wondering what I had got myself into — it was overwhelming.

There were four solid pages of small print detailing each panel to be knit. The two side panels were to be repeated on the other side of the blanket, two sets of the smaller twin trees and then the two larger trees in the center.

The intricate design of the twin trees and the side panels made for quite an interesting project. I enjoyed working on the afghan as much as I enjoyed watching the pattern unfold.

While I have dreams of winning a ribbon, my fondest hope is to garner feedback that will help me become a better knitter.

You can contact me by e-mail at wovenpixel@yahoo.com or visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com. I enjoy discussing my yarn habit, sharing local and Internet resources and meeting fellow yarnsters.

Blanket your neighbors in kindness

When someone says the words “Charity Knitting,” what comes to your mind?

I think of little old ladies, sitting around, knitting mittens, hats and socks for orphans in some cold distant country.

Well, that may be true, but there are other groups that serve people right here in the United States. One of those charities is Warm Up America!

Warm Up America! (warmupamerica.com) was the yarn child of Evie Rosen from Wisconsin. She wanted to help people in need here in the U.S.

Rosen started by asking people she knew, customers of her yarn store and her community, to knit or crochet 7-by-9 inch squares that would later be joined into afghans and donated.

Countless volunteers from all over the U.S. help to keep this charity going. These volunteers donate their time to knit or crochet the original squares, join these squares to make afghans and either donate them locally or send them off to the Foundation Headquarters, which will also join the squares and distribute them.

Each afghan resembles a patchwork quilt and also represents the different people who make each square their own.

Warm Up America! afghans are given to people in need.

The American Red Cross, women’s shelters, children’s hospitals and others are recipients of these afghans of love. Many communities complete afghans in the spirit of “neighbor helping neighbor.”

The Columbia Basin Farmer-The Othello Outlook has a basket for donation of squares, yarn, needles or even completed afghans. These supplies are then passed on to a group in the Tri-Cities that is working with Warm Up America! Pictured in the upper right corner is the basket with supplies that were donated last September.

Another charity to look at is Project Linus (projectlinus.org). Project Linus’ mission is to provide blankets or quilts to children in need. They are comprised of local chapters and many volunteers, “blanketeers,” across the U.S.

Project Linus accepts all styles of blankets that will then be given as gifts to seriously ill or traumatized children (0 to 18 years old).

For Project Linus, the blankets need to be homemade, washable, free of pins and come from a smoke-free environment (due to allergy reasons).

Project Linus has a few chapters in the Columbia Basin. By going to the Project Linus Web site and clicking on “Chapter Listings,” you will be able to get in contact with someone in your area who can help you find where to donate blankets.

Don’t forget your community also has people in need. If you want to do some charity knitting or crocheting there are many ways to help. Go to any church, hospital, nursing home or shelter.

Please remember, there are many people in the U.S. who are in need of the loving care that goes into charity knitting and crocheting. The care and compassion that goes into the making of your project(s) offers a message of hope and compassion to whomever the lucky recipient may be.

You can contact me by e-mail at wovenpixel@yahoo.com, visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com or on Ravelry.com as WovenPixel. I enjoy discussing my yarn habit, sharing local and Internet resources and meeting fellow yarnsters.

*Published in The Columbia Basin Farmer, May/June 2009 Edition.

Knit-along: Spring tulip scarf with Cathy Glaesemann

I have asked Cathy Glaesemann, owner of the Country Yarn Boutique in Moses Lake, to be my surrogate knitter for this column. I recently sat down with Cathy to learn about her knitting life and her store.

Glaesemann has crocheted since she can remember; one of her granddaughters requested her first knitting project, a ballerina sweater from a Mary Maxim catalog.

“It was the first thing I ever knit,” Glaesemann said. “One of these days, I am going to make another one, because it was my first one and it wasn’t perfect.”

Her granddaughter still has the sweater to this day.

While at market to find yarns for her store, she has met many wonderful people, including writers and designers we see in magazines and books.

Glaesemann started a gift shop in 2003 and enjoyed the experience the store brought her. Being an avid knitter, no yarns to be found and the encouragement from friends, she started carrying yarn in her gift shop.

“Pretty soon there was more yarn than there were gifts,” she said. This is how Country Yarn Boutique was created.

Glaesemann offers a variety of services at the yarn store. The store is open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

However, with a request in advanced, she is willing to open the store on the weekends. There are knitting and crochet classes, private lessons with Glaesemann, tea, coffee and various goodies to enjoy.

There is also a Sit & Knit on Thursday afternoons with other knitters.

Plus, all the beautiful yarns and notions you could ever want.

The Sit & Knit group and Glaesemann would love to extend an invitation to you too.

“Come feel and touch and enjoy the yarn shop,” she said. “Enjoy the aromas, the company and have a cup of coffee or tea.”

Find the full pattern download here.

E-mail me at wovenpixel@yahoo.com, visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com, or on Ravelry.com as WovenPixel.

*Published in The Columbia Basin Farmer, March/April 2009 Edition.

Knitting: No Longer Just Grandma’s Pastime

There seems to be a craze out there. Mothers, sisters, girls of all ages and some guys, too, are picking up the knitting needles and learning to knit or crochet.

Have the times changed enough to accept that a person, of any age or sex, can sit in a public place and knit?

The public is becoming more understanding. People just want to get away from that computer every now and then. They need something that is different than playing video games, watching TV or reading a book (which everyone should do more of).

Have you noticed that TV has started picking up on the knitting bandwagon? A few of the prime time TV shows have their stars knitting on the air and it’s not just the “Golden Girls” anymore.

In the bigger cities that surround our small town, I am seeing the younger generation picking up the knitting needles and taking them in public! Before, it was taboo to be young and knit in public.

Now, it seems that everywhere you go, you can find a young person knitting.

Knitting was reserved for the home; you did not bring it out in public until you retired from working, which was when you were considered “old.”

My name is Danielle Evans, I am 26-years-old and I am studying to become a computer programmer and the deadlines are stressful.

I use knitting to get away from it all.

I have had to travel from our small town of Othello to Moses Lake to find a knitting group. I go there almost every Thursday to knit. We don’t bash our significant others (rarely ever) and we don’t really talk about politics (just when they really tick us off).

Mostly, we just talk about what has happened over the last week, ask silly questions and listen to everyone respond.

Even though I do not gripe about work or the latest squabble within my family, often, I really feel a lot better when I leave.

Of course, that could be the countless balls of yarn and accessories that I buy each time I am there.

The atmosphere of knitting something, a pair of gloves, a scarf, a blanket, whether it is for you or for someone else, contains a sense of accomplishment. It is overwhelming at first, but by spending a little time on it every day, it seems to fly off those needles.

Every time I put down the needles after finishing a project, I have to pick them back up to start something new.

Though it was once thought taboo, knitting is now becoming popular.

Go to Barnes and Noble in Tri-Cities and see if I am kidding. I know of a group that meets in Richland once a week to sit in the chairs, drink coffee, knit or crochet and just talk with each other, whether it is about a project they are having a problem on or just to shoot the breeze.

I started knitting in 2004. I am self-taught. I was down in Richland for a summer internship and one of my roommates knitted.

My grandmother crocheted when I was little, so I knew the basic idea of what was going on, but my roommate’s knitting fascinated me and I have been fascinated with it ever since.

I dare you to go to a local yarn shop (this does not include the big blue building down the road), go in and touch the yarns and feel the differences. It is a feeling you will never forget.

What is a good yarn shop? You know when you walk in, that feeling that you have been there before. That is a good yarn shop.

The Country Boutique in Moses Lake is the yarn shop that I go to. It reminds me of my grandma’s house when I was a child – warm, friendly people, who know the meaning of “there is never a stupid question.”

Do not go back to a shop if there is not someone who offers to help you. Finding the right yarn, needles and other supplies is hard enough when you first start out, let alone when you start a major project.

This is why smaller yarn shops are in business, they love the people. Yes, they want to make money, but the craft is what drives them to stay open.

This column will become a craft-along. I would love to involve you. I would enjoy writing about other crafts and also including a craft-along, but I will need your help. Send me your ideas, comments and suggestions. E-mail me at wovenpixel@yahoo.com, visit my blog at wovenpixel.blogspot.com,or on Ravelry.com as WovenPixel.

You will be the driving force of my column (and trust me, I need all the help that I can get).

*Published in The Columbia Basin Farmer, January/Feburary 2009 Edition.