Tuesday Needlework: Cabling without a Needle

Based on a True Story

The scene: You are in a coffee shop and have just set down with your most recent knitting project and a
steaming hot cup of your favorite brew. You have worked hard all week for these few free minutes and
you are going to enjoy them. You are working along and you get to the beautiful cable section and you
reach for your cable needle. Oh, no! You've left it at home in your other bag. Suddenly your day has
gone from a relaxing, self-indulgent day of knitting to a tragic horror. It is all ruined. Or is it?
No, my friends, it is not. You can still work that cable! Do not give up hope! Relax and I will show you
how.

The first step is to decide if your cable is a front cross or a back cross. In other words, do the first set of
stitches cross in front of the others or do they cross in back? If they are front crossing, this is what you
will need to do.

Notice how the first set of stitches crosses in FRONT
of the others in previous rows

Front Crossing Cables 

Slip the first set of stitches purlwise to the opposite needle, in this case four, keeping your working yarn
in back.

Work the next 4 or set of required stitches.

With the yarn still to the back, take the left needle and slip the 4 slipped stitches onto it, keeping all of
the stitches on the right needle. Now pinch all of the stitches (8) and pull out the right needle from all of
the stitches, making sure you have dropped your working yarn so it does not pull out from your worked
stitches.

Don't panic! Your 4 slipped stitches should be on the left needle still, but the 4 worked stitches are kind
of hanging out there. Calmly take your right needle and place it back into the worked stitches, making
sure they are slipped on purlwise and aligned properly on the needle.

Now the hard part is over! Your four slipped stitches are crossed in front of the worked stitches. Simply
work them off of the left hand needle and carry on enjoying your project!

Rear (Back) Crossing Cables 

I tend to have a little more difficulty with rear or back crossing cables. The process is basically the same,
but to begin move your working yarn to the front as if to purl, then slip your 4 stitches onto the right
needle.

move working yarn to front of work

slip stitches, then move working yarn to back of work 

 Move the working yarn to the back and finish work your 4 remaining stitches.


 Here I like to drop my working yarn and turn the project around. Slip the left needle purlwise into the slipped stitches on the right needle and remove the stitches off the right needle as before.

Turn work so back is facing you to slip stitches, leaving working yarn in the front

Turn your work back around and slip the four loose stitches onto the right needle and work the
remaining 4 stitches off the left needle. Before you work the remaining four stitches, though, make sure that you move your working yarn back to the back and between the two needles.

Loose stitches

Pick up and work remaining four

Stitches worked, cable crossed to back

Your cable should be perfectly crossed as long as you remembered to move your yarn front to back and to work the slipped stitches from the back of the work. There you go! Take a well-deserved sip of that coffee/mocha/latte and smile. You, my friend, have been freed from the cable needle. It is a little more difficult if you have a large number of stitches in your work, but not impossible. Just remember to take your time, breathe deeply, and know that you CAN do it. Knit on sister! 

Tuesday Knitting: Knitting is an Olympic Sport on Ravelry

The Sochi Winter Olympic Games are in full swing for 2014! While countries around the world are cheering on their prized athletes and taking home medals, those of us not in the Olympics or athletically inclined may be wondering how we could win our own medals. Everyone has a skill of some kind, and for some of us it is crochet, knitting, or fiber work of some type. Ravelry has your solution!

My 2014 Entry!

Ravelry hosts the Ravellenic Winter Games in which knitters, crocheters, and other fiber workers can find their niche in their Olympic "sport." And of course one of the big stories in the needlework arena is that of the Finnish Snowboarding Coach Antti Koskinen knitting at the starting line. It even made it to Buzzfeed and is all over Facebook. So why not have it as a game?

So what are Ravellenics? Honestly, I hadn't even heard about them until this year. Never being very active on Ravelry until this year, it's not surprising that I missed it. The Ravellenics are a series of events that fiber artists can enter to set a personal goal of finishing. Everything from cables and lacework to finishing up UFOs can be entered. They even had a classification for things that don't fit into other categories. Basically, you chose a project, enter it into your project gallery, and tag it with Ravellenic tags to enter. If you can finish by February 28 (the end of the Olympic games) you get a medal. Pretty cool, huh?

I entered this year, hoping to finish a cabled shell that I've had my heart set on. I started on opening day, then ripped it out to start over again last night. I know I only have 17 days left now. I'm a little worried. But hoping I can pull this one off! If not, there's always next year. Setting a personal goal is fun and challenging!



If you'd like to give it a try, find out more and a list of events on the Ravelry Ravellenics group page. You can enter with a team you already have or go it alone. It's a good way to have fun with your groups or stay on a project you'd like to complete. All in good fun!

Tuesday Needlework: Yarn Bombing

Obviously I knit and crochet. Obviously I love yarn and many things made from it. I think it is an art form that some master with skill. I find value in wool, cotton, and natural materials gathered, spun, dyed, and distributed. Obviously I think yarn bombing is the biggest waste of time, energy, talent, and yarn that ever existed. Yep, I said it. It's a waste. I'm a huge fan of art, too. Creating it and distributing it and appreciating it. In a wide variety of forms. But to me, yarn bombing is a desperate cry for nothing better to do with one's time than make tubes to tie on trees.

It looks terrible. Nature can never be improved in any way by knitting something to put on it. And defacing someone else's art (statues, sculptures, etc.) by putting YOUR yarn on it is sacrilegious. It irritates me in ways I can't even explain. Especially when I see these long works that took hours to make (and who knows how much wool and/or polluting acrylics) draped over some bush in the park, doing nothing more than interfering with natural beauty and wildlife. And why in the world would it make any kind of a statement to cover a bridge in yarn? The whole thing just grates on my nerves and I want to scream, "DO SOMETHING GOOD WITH YOUR TALENT! If you want to use up yarn and time, do it for a good cause!"

Then, I seen this:

My Facebook was blowing up with it! Not only was it being shared by every single knitting group that I like, but my friends were also sharing it. According to CTVNews this yarn bomber was leaving notes attached that said to "take the scarf it you need it!" Wow. I'm already impressed. No name was associated with it, just a good Samaritan. THIS was impressive. THIS was important. THIS was worthwhile. 

I run an organization called Warm up the Boro. I collect and make hats and scarves to donate to the needy in our community. I've been doing it for a little over a year now, and we just had our first distribution. It's been difficult to get donations locally, so I have some plans to try and expand it. BUT! I wish you could've seen the faces of those that got their new hats this past weekend. Many were overjoyed and enormously thankful. 

Donation day. We had already given out a bunch of hats!

Part of our collection! 

No, I didn't yarn bomb, but I can see the potential in this! Whoever did this doesn't care what your circumstances are, here is a free scarf. This was done with intent and purpose and a great outcome. 

Now, before someone jumps down my throat about my OBVIOUS hatred of yarn bombing, let me say that I DO know that some of these other works are donated to shelters and such after the bombing. That's great. I really can't say anything bad about that. My distaste comes from those that just leave it. I've never met a fire hydrant that needed a scarf. Not. One. Although a dog could probably see some wiping value in it. 

Now about knitting and crocheting food...

Tuesday Needlework: The difference between crochet and knitting

Have you ever been quietly enjoying your coffee (tea, latte, frappe, insert beverage here) in your favorite coffee shop while working on your current crochet project, dressed in your awesome asymmetrical cardigan and slouchy hat (that YOU made, btw) only to have some person obviously uneducated in needle arts come up and ask you, "What are you knitting?"

As the hair on the back of your neck raises and you feel your blood start to boil, you ever-so-patiently take a sip of your beverage with the cozy on it that YOU crocheted, look up and say, "I'm not knitting. It's crochet." And inside your head you're thinking, "If it was knitting I'd have two needles to jab you with." Yeah, don't act like you've never thought this a time or two. 

I pursue both knitting and crochet because I find they have their purposes for different items. I don't necessarily like to make clothing such as sweaters from crochet, but that it is great for scarves and hats.It is too bulky for my taste preferences.

Crochet stitches for a hat

Knit stitches for a hat

I have made cardigans and such, but as for sweaters, gloves, and socks I just think the stitches are too big and it looks too "homemade." Before you string me up, remember, this is just what I feel about it and that I have nothing against homemade. I think knitting has a smoother look and the closer stitches make for a much more appealing fabric for clothing. 

However, if you want something done faster, your best choice is crochet. I can work up a crochet piece in half the time it takes me to knit something. This is also because the stitches work up about twice the size of a knit stitch. I think it may have a lot to do with only using one hook as opposed to two needles, too. 

So what is the major difference? Well, if you do one or the other you probably already know the answer to this. I'm hoping to reach out and educate those that may not know, and hopefully one day the world will be a much better place when the two are not confused, inciting violence in the mind of an otherwise peaceful needleworker. 

If you take the time to notice, crochet is performed using a single needle with a hook on the end of it. The crocheter is usually in a very rhythmic trance with yarn in one hand and a hook in the other. Knitting uses TWO needles. These needles DO NOT have hooks on the end of them, but are rather sharp and pointy. The knitter will also have a rhythm down but it will not be the same as the crocheter's.

Interrupting a crocheter usually means you will interrupt their counting. This is not a good thing. If they sigh audibly and visibly start counting stitches with a louder voice (not the voice inside their head) you had better back away slowly and never, ever speak to them again. To repeatedly ask questions is not wise. 

The same could be said for a knitter, except that for some reason they have a tendency to use stitch markers more often and once they are sure of their stitch count, rarely have to repeat counting. This is not a guarantee, though. Ask yourself, "Do I really want to mess with or upset someone that can use sharp, pointy objects with obvious skill and grace and how much does she/he really value that yarn they are using? Would they mind a bit of blood?" 

If you feel you MUST talk to the knitter or crocheter while they are working, it is best if you sit patiently and watch them work. You may pick up a thing or two in the process. When they stop their hand movements to take a sip of their beverage, it is probably safe to talk to them. Hopefully you are intelligently armed with the correct question of, "What are you knitting/crocheting?" If you get it right, the needleworker is usually more than happy to speak with you about their project. 

I hope this has reached someone in time to avoid serious injury. If, however, you are sitting in a hospital bed with puncture wounds and reading this, I hope that at your next encounter you will be better informed. Cheers, and quick healing...

Knitting Two Socks at a Time

A couple of posts ago I wrote about the resurgence of old techniques such as tatting, and how some techniques seem to catch on for a while then die away again. I have another one to share with you that some may find very interesting.

I'm sure you've heard of magic loop socks. These are knit on the a long circular needle. You knit one sock, and then the other on a second pass. So with this method, you ARE knitting two at a time, but still knitting them separately on one needle. So for every one row that you do, you still have to repeat the row a second time on the other sock.

 The method I'm discussing is not the Magic Loop. This is a Double Knit method using double point needles and literally knitting one sock inside of the other at the same time. The Annie's Catalog class "Magic Socks" teaches how to use the same method on a long circular needle in the magic loop style. However, I don't own a good pair of circulars with a long enough and flexible enough cable. So for me, the dpns seemed like the best fit!

So what is this exactly?

Well, if you've ever tried double knitting, you've come half way to doing two socks at a time! Double knitting is a process that uses two strands of yarn on double pointed needles. The yarns are worked together and produce a thick, double-layered fabric that can also be used to show mirror images on either side. Here is a really good example on Ravelry by Heather Zoppetti that would make for excellent practice if you so desired.

Now that that's out of the way, let's discuss how we knit 2 socks without having them stuck together. The concept is pretty much that you are going to knit using 2 strands of yarn that are never crossed over each other. To do this, you have to knit one strand in the front by bringing the yarn to the back, then separating the yarns and bringing the front yarn to the front as if to purl, making the knit stitch in the back with the second yarn, then bringing the front yarn back again to make the next stitch. What you end up with is 2 separate socks, knit at the same time, with two yarns. Confusing? 

I thought so at first, too. But I can't confess to having only used one method. I also used the method by Kory Stamper in her article on Knitty to work out the kinks. I have included a bunch of notes in my Ravelry project for the changes that I made and why. But I DID succeed in making 4 socks. The images below only show one pair, because my daughter scarfed up the other ones and I can't find them right now. Kids...

As I was knitting these socks, I thought to myself, "Self, I bet we could knit just about anything tubular using this method." So self and I decided that we would try it! We knit 2 slouchy button hats (also a great Ravelry pattern!) using 2 different colors. Since I also knit hats for charity, I was ecstatic with the thought that I could knit one for personal use (see daughter below? She took the orange one and then other daughter has successfully taken the brown one) and give one away. While that idea only works if you don't have daughters that like hats, it is an excellent one. This same technique can also be used for knitting two sleeves, two boot cuffs, two pot holders...you get the picture. They don't have to be tubular either, as in the case of the pot holders.

I would not suggest using this technique for cabling, unless you have the patience of Job. Knitting two stitches together involves moving stitches around on the needles. It can be a bit tedious. I'll probably try it one day. Just to do it. And say I did.

Since there are a couple of tutorials on the socks that I mentioned in this post, I will be posting a tutorial Friday on making the hats. I'll be using a baby hat pattern and worsted weight yarn for a speedier finish than the dk and sock weights I used previously. The tutorials will be in 2-3 sections, depending on what I can cover. So stay tuned, and check back for more!