Expand Your Library Greatly

Here is a great tip for any crafters who use Ravelry.

In addition to cataloging the books you actually own in your Ravelry "Library" section, consider this...

Add all the books that your local library carries also.  You can create a "set" and include all the library books in that set so you won't get confused between what is lying around your own house and what is gathering dust down the street somewhere.

You can most likely access the list of books your library has right from your own home, and then type in the ones of your choosing.

Here's how to create a set and add books to it

1. After you have added the first book, you will see a thumbnail picture of the book and right next to that will be an icon with a check-mark and the words "in library".  
2. Click the "in library" icon and a window will come up. 
3. Click "select sets" on the right of that window.
4. Click "create a new set"  
5. Create a set titled "Yourtown Library" (or whatever)
6.  Put a check-mark in the box to add the book to that set.

 For each additional book added there is no need to repeat steps 4 and 5.    

Why is this a good idea?
Two reasons.

1. Because now you can browse all the patterns in a library book without even having to have it in front of you.

And more importantly

2. Because now when you are conducting pattern searches, if you filter by "in library" you will see all the patterns in books to which you have access.  Suddenly you have access to a lot more patterns for free!

I mean, it's your library. Use it.

What I'm Working on Anyway

So knitting, yeah...

I have been knitting the Rock Island Shawl by Jared Flood.

Incidentally I cannot get this song out of my head.  That's fine I really like that song.

Here's a picture of my progress so far.

The Rock Island Shawl is a mighty good shawl.

This promises to look very different after blocking than before.

I'm using two of my Fiesta dishes to help me out with this project.  The teacup holds my yarn as I am working from the outside of the center-pull ball that I wound.  The bowl in the background holds the project when I'm not working on it.  I love my Fiesta dishes, and I like to use them whenever, and for whatever possible.  

I have also been working on designing my own patterns.

Here are the ingredients to a pair of mittens that I have been busy with.

Pretty things.

The only other thing I'll say about the mittens right now is... Honeycomb Brioche.

Book Review: Learn to Knit in Just One Day

Learn to Knit in Just One Day 

by Jean Leinhauser

The book is laid out in step by step sections.  Very much for a beginner. Not like the pattern books I see where they attempt to instruct you in one paragraph how to do a knit stitch.  This book to my recollection had at least 3 pages on the knit stitch.  It would describe a technique, show some line drawing pictures, and then instruct and encourage you to do the thing it was describing.

 

It was published in 1993, so the style is outdated to say the least.  Most of the items wouldn't look that bad if made in more “fashionable” colors.  So keep an open and creative mind.

My favorite part of this book was that it told you when to take a break.  Almost like it was saying; “You learned that thing, good job, now go have lunch or something and come back later.”  I did have lunch or something and I did come back later, this really helped. 

This book really did let me learn to knit in just one day.

How I Learned to Knit (Part 2)

My quest to learn to knit had begun.  I successfully purchased a booklet, some yarn and some needles.  I excitedly went home.  Once at home I sat on the living room floor, cross-legged with the book laid out in front of me.  I started to read.  I felt confident, and excited.

Please understand that this was 2001 and there was no You Tube in order for me to see knitting in motion.  Please understand that I had no seasoned family member around to teach me. It was just me and my $6 booklet.

It was a bit daunting, but I had a mission.  With slow and calculated concentration, and careful attention to detail in the pictures I began casting on.  The casting on was not too hard.  The knitting was very hard that initial time.  I had no idea what I was looking at.  I couldn't get the yarn to go where it was supposed to. I got extremely frustrated.

 The author instructed to knit loosely.  What’s loosely?  That’s a relative term.  After trying and trying, I got a bit snarky.  Loosely huh?  Ok, I’ll show you (i.e. me) loosely.  I exaggeratingly and spitefully made the cast on as loose as I could.  I exaggeratingly and spitefully pulled the loops through the other loops as loose as I could. It worked!  Holy hell, I was knitting.  That will show me.  So there.

How I Learned to Knit (Part 1)

In 2001 I decided that I wanted to learn how to knit.  Down to The Rag Shop I went. First I found the yarn aisle, that part was easy. Then I turned the corner…

There I was faced with a large and untidy set of racks with loads of magazine-sized booklets sporting uninspired titles like "Weekend Afghans to Knit and Crochet", and "Knitting Patterns for the Whole Family."

As I just mentioned, the entire area was a mess, and the booklets all seemed to be published in the early 90’s.  It was frightful.

Tons of stuff like this.  

They were all so ugly not my style. However, if I wanted to learn to knit, I had to persevere.  What I needed was an instructional booklet.  I found and settled on one titled “Learn to Knit in Just One Day”. 

Just one day? Perfect! 

You know the saying about books and covers and judging.

The booklet recommended starting with a pair of 10 inch long, size 7 needles. It also recommended getting some worsted weight yarn in a light color.  I chose a pair of metal Boyle needles that were medium grey, and some acrylic yarn which was medium grey.  (I didn't do color back then.)

That book which cost all of $6 and change is one of the best purchases I have made in my entire life.   

To be continued…

Hello & Welcome

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

Here I will write about knitting projects, and my own designs.  I will write about yarn, yarn tools, knitting math, knitting books, and anything else I can think of.