How to Wet Block your Knitting

How to Wet Block your Knitting

Simple blocking of knitting evens your work.

Blocking your knitting may sound scary or foreign but the fact is it can make your project sing!  It will make the stitches even out and open lace wok and cables nicely.

"Even the professionals block"

There are ways to steam knitting that can kill synthetic yarns but wet blocking is perfect for all types of yarn, is cheap and simple.

The following I had previously blogged on another post for my mitered picot lovey.  You can find the original patterns for the layette set at this link (click here) but I wanted to give blocking its own blog.  Thanks for reading.  Be sure to subscribe and comment below.  Thanks! -Kristen

Blocking instructions:
I suggest a wet block approach.  This is safe for all types of yarn.
If you have a machine washable fiber you can run it through the wash on gentle then follow pinning instructions below.  If a natural fiber or delicate stitches like lace, wash by hand with a recommended mild detergent then follow pinning instructions below.










Washing Instructions:

I prefer washing by hand in my plastic basin with a product called Soak. This detergent is formulated to not need rinsing. Mix with one tsp of detergent to 1 gallon of water.  Use spring or filtered tap. Mix up with your hand in a clean sink or basin. Place knitting in and let soak in for 15 minutes. Gently squeeze the water out or place in a dry white towel and roll.  Knitting will be damp.

(I originally bought my blocking set with tub and "Soak" on Craftsy. click here but I'm not affiliated with them, I just love the product.)





Pinning Instructions:
Need:
Blocking Board(s) or clean kids play-mats
T-pins that are rust-resistant.  These are reusable.

Lay knitting on blocking board and pin the corners evenly with 1 pin in each corner.  On one side start pinning behind each picot to have a nice straight line. Adjust corner pins as necessary.  Repeat for adjacent side and work your way to the corner opposite your first starting pin.  Try to match the sizing pinned from the first side. Now skip the adjacent side and go to the side opposite of the 2nd side you pinned.  After pinning behind each picot  Adjust the criers as needed and complete the last side.

Leave knitting until it is dry.  Be sure to place in a well ventilated area with good air circulation.


Happy Knitting!

Want to Guest blog on our site about Knitting, Loom Knitting, Crochet, Yarn, Crafts/Cooking or tell your crafty story? Send us an email to goodknitkisses@gmail.com with the subject line GUEST BLOG and we'll send you more information.  Your own blog or site will be linked and you will be named.  

5 Things About Knitting You May Not Have Known

5 Things About Knitting You May Not Have Known

Guest blog By Kath

Knitting, once associated with only older people used to making their own clothes and embarrassing jumpers made by well-meaning Grandmas, is on the up.  Crafts are increasingly popular amongst the young, and sewing and knitting your own clothes in a struggling economy is now not only sensible but also seen as a great way of making your clothes unique to you.

Are you thinking about taking up knitting and are curious to know more?  Here are 5 things about knitting you may not have known.

• The number of celebrities that have taken up knitting.  There are some celebrities that you might associate with knitting but there is a wide range of glamorous women that look to work their needles.  This includes Uma Therman, Debra Messing, Scarlet Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker and supermodel Kate Moss.

• How old knitting is.  The earliest examples of knitting have been found in Egypt and include a wide range of items, including indigo blue and white cotton stockings, which have been dated between the 11th and 14th centuries CE.

• How important the kind of yarn you use is to the finished product.  Patterns will often come measured in stitches as opposed to being measured by size. This means that the kind of knitting yarns you use could mean the difference between it being fit for purpose or not.  Make sure that you choose the weight that they suggest to avoid problems in the future.  There are around 6 standard weights; super fine, fine, light, medium, bulky and super bulky.

• How important the needle you use is.  This is for the same reason as the kind of yarn you use is important.  Bigger needles do bigger stitches.  This doesn't mean you need a load of needles, you can just buy them as you need them, or there are a lot of starter kits out there that give you a range of needles in the most commonly used sizes.

• Knitting is for more than just clothes.  There are even some people allergic to wool, so if you enjoy knitting this doesn't mean that you have to get used to the idea of wearing wool if you don't want to or sending knitted clothes to anyone you know.  There are crafts you can do; household items, decorations etc.  These are also good for novices and those that only know a limited number of stitches.  They are also good for those looking to learn new stitches.

If you'd like to know more about knitting there are loads of websites and books dedicated to this up and coming craft, so you can make the most of and develop your skills to become a proficient knitter.

If you you'd like to try knitting check out this beginner video series!

(Editor notes by Kristen Mangus.  Welcome Kath to our GoodKnit Kisses blog! Kath comes to us from the UK.  By the way a jumper mean "sweater" in America if that bit confused anyone. We hope you enjoyed her and check our her regular blog site by clicking her name.)

What are your thoughts on Knitting?  Tell us your knitting experiences!  

Comment below, share and subscribe.  Much knitty love to you!

If you'd like to guest blog please email Kristen at kristen@goodknitkisses.com.  

Serious inquiries only.  This is not our help desk email.  Please visit our Facebook Page.

Dew Drop Shawl Pattern

Dew Drop Shawl
by Kristen Mangus of GoodKnitKisses

(VIDEO now embedded.  Click to watch!)

A sleek and glamorous shawl reminiscent of hairpin lace. Change the look with a change in yarn and go from a dressy date shawl in a shimmery yarn to a casual sock weight yarn or art yarn and wear as a keyhole scarf!

LOOM(s):

Authentic Knitting Board All-n-One loom. Loom configured at maximum with the 5 peg sliders on ends between the 48 peg front board & 48 peg back board. Could use alternate loom if can configure as above in 3/8" gauge. (Martha Stewart loom with 4 corner pieces and small pegs in all holes works well).

YARN:

300 yards of medium weight yarn for shawl or 200 yards if stopping for smaller scarf. Yarn used in test is Sensations Enchantment Silver Metallic. Other test yarns were sock weight and bulky art yarn which give a totally different look.

FINISHED SIZE(s):

21"x60" shawl or knit 10-12" for a scarf only

Abbreviations:

EW - Ewrap

BB - Back Board of loom

FB - Front Board of loom

St - stitches

PATTERN NOTES:

We're using the back board (BB) as a place for a holding peg to work the drop stitch and all knit stitches are worked on the front board (FB). Do not skip pegs on FB. The sliders provide the space and no extra wraps are needed for the drops. Plus the width of the shawl actually is the width of the board. It's a  multiple of *3 + hold* +3

The basic pattern is ewrap 3 & Hold on BB 1 peg behind 3rd ewrapped peg, EW 3 & hold on BB, repeat pattern till last 3 stitches and EW.

Row 1: *EW 3 on FB, wrap BB1*, repeat between *,* till last 3 st. EW 3.

Repeat Row 1 for 100 rows to knit the maximum intended size or till 21" measures on ends.

NOTES on Sizing:

Work in a flat panel with a turning peg (the first stitch of each row is always slipped, meaning skip and move to peg 2) until SIDE length measures 21" or length from nape of neck to waistline. The middle will measure longer because of the dropped stitches weight.
For petite shawl measuring 12"x54", as on my test in the sock weight seen below, Use a multiple of 4.  Cast on 3, wrap holding peg, *EW 4 on FB, wrap BB1*, repeat between *,* till last 3 st. EW 3.
This will take out a few drops and changes the sizing.

*The pattern is railroaded by knitting the length on the width of the board but one can knit fewer multiples on any loom and skip 2-5 pegs before wrapping EW to get the same results and it will effectively "turn" it to the side.  You would just knit till you got the desired length. For example using a Knifty Knitter: work as a flat panel and skip enough pegs to make about a 4" drop, then wrap the next peg.  Leave 3 pegs at the end to finish the row in 3 EW. Knit till desired length.

BIND OFF:

Make sure you have at least 9-10 yards left on ball or skein to bind off (or 3.5 times the length of the loom following around the pegs on front & back).

Loose Slip knot bind off, making sure to yarn over around the holding pegs following the pattern it makes along the loom so bind off matches cast on drop stitches.
*If your yarn isn very nubby you can use my stretchy bind off but you will need to add extra wraps or chains between to span the distance between the drops; this changes the look of the edge to look crocheted which was not intended.*

OPTIONAL FRINGE:

Add fringe to both shorter ends as desired OR one of the longer sides to hang from back of shawl.

©2013 GoodKnit Kisses

Copyright GoodKnit Kisses; do not copy, in whole or in part, the above written pattern or video. Please link to this video or GoodKnitKisses blog or website. Pattern itself may not be re-sold or distributed but you may sell an item made by using this pattern.

Thank you!

Yarns used in above designs:
Sensations Enchantment Silver Metallic (388 yards in ball - 300 yards used) 21"x60" full size
Weight: 4 - Medium. 5 ozs. 142 gms. 388 yards. 355 meters. 92% Acrylic, 8% Polyester.


Lucci Melange Sunset Romance (216 yards in ball - all yardage used) 12-14"x60" smaller
Weight: Bulky. Merino Wool, Pima Cotton, Angora, Rayon, Sequins, Metallic, Acrylic, Nylon



TEST in sock weight!
Sensations Enchantment Bamboo & Ewe color ciscontinued (262 yards in ball - 200 yards used) Petite size
Sock Weight: 40% Wool, 30% Nylon, 15% Rayon. 2.12 oz, 60 grams, 262 yards, 260 meters.

Yarn Giveaway & Granny Round Challenge 2013

GoodKnit Kisses is giving away 10,000 feet of free yarn!!!

Check out my Website for details on how to enter the Granny Round Challenge! Also check out the YouTube video vlog for more.

This month GoodKnitKisses celebrates our 2nd year on YouTube!  We are nearing 10,000 subscribers! (Currently we’re at 9,388 as of 01/03/2013). In celebration we will be having CHALLENGE GIVEAWAY!  We’re challenging YOU to make something, submit your photo & be entered to win 10,000 feet of yarn!

Please see the Contest Rules at the link below. If you do not know how to make a loom knit granny round you can access my free pattern & also a video loom along by clicking here! It’s a popular quick project.  Please visit out my main YouTube channel and if you are not subscribed, I’d be honored if you’d subscribe and check it out.  I am a YouTube Crafting Guru.  I teach how to loom & needle knit with a little crochet, general crafting & design as well. 

                                                        http://youtu.be/nICdjeEBMQc

Here is the Yarny Link:

http://goodknitkisses.com/GoodKnit_Kisses/Giveaways_Contests.html

If we have an overwhelming response 2nd & 3rd drawings will take place for additional winners.  All winners will receive a GoodKnit Kisses pdf pattern of their choice (by email) and a signed postcard from Kristen just for fun! :-)  See this link for the card.  Feel free to download to make your own card to keep or hand out for other loom knitters. 

Good Luck & Happy Knitting!!

©2013 GoodKnit Kisses

http://www.goodknitkisses.com

http://www.youtube.com/goodknitkisses.com

That's Loom Knit?! Chic Retreat Cowl

LOOM PATTERN & VIDEO ALERT! Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!

I wanted to announce to you today that my latest pattern is up on the vivaloom.com website! It is for my Chic Retreat Cowl with a lot of visual interest and texture. There is also a LOOM ALONG VIDEO, to go along with it & help you. I'd love for you to tackle this intermediate-advanced project to learn something new and exercise your creativity knowing there is a video to aid you the whole way.

You need to be able to use a small gauge loom with ability to knit in the round 96 pegs. It was written for the All-N-One loom but you can use the Martha Stewart loom with the for corner pieces and the two longest straight pieces & small pegs in every hole.

Here is the link: https://www.vivaloom.com/node/171


If you want to try a stitch sampler, cast on 17 stitches. Use the chart in the pattern to guide you. It will help with technique. The 17 stitches are for the chain lace part. The crossed sections won't be totally be even on crosses but you'll get the idea.

Have fun and Happy Looming!!



Blessings,
Kristen

http://www.GoodKnitKisses.com
For pattern shop, blog, & tutorials

LOCS of Love - A Loom Knitting movement

IDEA!!! Mission: Occupy Craft Stores

Think of how impacting our loom knitting community could be if we all ban together to promote looming! That would be an amazing thing we could all do by going to our local Craft stores and bring some of our more unique items with looms to show to workers and passers by! It can just be you bringing your project bag at first. If it expands maybe they'll let some do their own demo table. Let's call it "Looms Occupy Craft Stores"! Or LOCS for short. LOL!!! LOCS of Love!

I could put together a video to promote it and even send mailers to people to pass out or email a PDF you could print and pass with a QR code to link to a video or my learning YouTube channel.

Let me know what you think!

Also PLEASE come request to join my Facebook closed type group mainly for loom knitters (open to needle & crochet, too!). We are on there 24/7 sharing ideas and helping each other. Here is the link. By the way it is a closed group to make our posts private to the rest of Facebook. It is also a safe zone there rated PG for my younger audience and friends. No bullying allowed. I hope you'll join us!
Http://www.facebook.com/groups/LoomKnitClub

Happy Looming!!
Kristen

Http://www.goodknitkisses.com
Http://www.youtube.com/goodknitkisses