After all, that’s what’s traditional. The custom started with children using their own stockings. And they’ve become a part of many knitters’ Christmas knitting.

If you’re an experienced knitter, knitting a Christmas stocking is much like a sock. A bit larger of course, and you may use a heavier weight yarn with larger needles. If you’re not an experienced knitter, it can be frustrating. The heel requires short rows and picking up stitches for the instep. Then there are decreases, and usually socks or stockings are knit in the round.

Why not try a different project?

Like a mitten! This mitten was knit in the round, more for an intermediate knitter.

It was fun to knit, and I made it in two evenings. Click here for the pattern on Ravelry. Now through December 31, 2015 if you buy 2 Christmas knitting patterns from my store you’ll get the third one free.

To your happy & healthy knitting and caregiving,

Dr. Ina

“The Knitting Dr.”

Ina Gilmore MD

Founder, www.TheKnittingYarn.com and www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com

You can recycle yarn by unraveling a completed project and reusing the yarn for something new. Got a sweater you never wear? Use the yarn to create a shrug, a bag or even as part of an afghan. By recycling yarn, you’re saving on new manufactured yarn.

Natural fibers are also a way to go eco-friendly. Cotton and linen make great washcloths and fashion accessories.  Wool is super for socks and winter accessories like hats and scarves.

You could dye your own yarn. Usually this works best with natural fibers.  There are a variety of instructions on line. My favorite is using paste food dye from a cake decorating section of a craft store. It’s food safe, so no harsh chemicals. The colors are often an adventure in themselves, as they don’t usually turn out the same as they would on a cake.

A few years ago I discovered eco-friendly tawashi. Tawashi is a Japanese word, and is used to describe what many Americans call scrubbers or scrubbies.  The original tawashi look like real sponges, not manufactured.

Recently both knitters and crocheters have discovered the fun projects tawashi can be. Some are simple, and others more complex.  When they’re made with acrylic yarn, they become eco-friendly.

At first glance, that somehow seems wrong. The truth is acrylic tawashi use less soap — or even no soap — than manufactured equivalents.  They’re reusable. They can be washed in your machine, and even cleaned in the dishwasher. I’ve used both the light load and regular cycles. Avoid the microwave though as its temperatures may be too high, and the acrylic fibers may ignite.

As a bonus, most only take a few yards of yarn to make. And Red Heart Sasvers Yarn makes great tawashi at a very reasonable price.

Looking for tawashi patterns? Here are some free ones to get you started. My current favorite is the quick and easy Tribble pattern.

• Scrubbies and Cloths With Scrubbies (knit and crochet)
• Tawashi to Knit and Scrub (knit)
• The Tribble (knit)
• Scrubbers (crochet)

Got some favorite tawashi patterns? Leave a comment with the source to add them to this post.

To your happy & healthy knitting and caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina  Gilmore, MD

Founder, The Knitting Yarn and Caregiving With Purpose

This past spring I started making a pair of acrylic socks, mostly to see how they knit up and wore.  Then I got sidetracked with other projects and didn’t get back to knitting.

Knitting is a great stress reliever, and very soothing to the soul.  I hadn’t replaced my knitting with a similar activity, and this week realized how much I missed it.

So what is the pattern?

Well, it’s my own pattern. I love the way a 1×1 ribbing cradles my foot.  So I decided to knit the whole sock except the heel and maybe the toe in ribbing. And the pattern isn’t written down; it’s that easy.

Well, it is once you’ve knit a few socks and understand the basic structure.  You know sometimes it’s nice to just knit something very simple and basic. Not needing to follow a chart or complicated pattern instructions can be very restful.

I use 5 bamboo needles, although some knitters prefer two circular needles. Whatever works best for you. One of my first projects as a beginner was mittens on double pointed needles, and ever since I’ve always enjoyed knitting with them.

Back to the sock… The cast on is provision, because using a provisional cast on and then binding off loosely gives the edge more stretch than the cast on edge.  The heel is called an “automatic” heel, and it’s from a needlework book from the 1940s.  It only has 4 stitches on each side to pick up and decrease in the gusset. It fits better than other heels I’ve knit, and is nice for a narrow heeled foot.

The arch is a variation of the arch from Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen’s Arch-Shaped Stockings from Schoolhouse Press.

One of the reasons I like this pattern is the way I work the purl stitches. I purl with the yarn under the needle, or “scooping” the yarn. This makes the knit stitch on the wrong side more prominent and it’s almost like having all knit stitches on the inside. Very comfortable especially on the sole of the foot, and no ridges from purl stitches.

What have I been doing instead of knitting?

Mostly working on my other blog, Caregiving With Purpose.  We’ve had two telesummits this year, one for Alzheimer’s and other dementias and one for caregivers. The site is undergoing some major changes too.

And I’m delighted to celebrate that for the third year in a row, Caregiving With Purpose has been named the #3 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Blog by Healthline. This week Healthline’s editors nominated it in their Best Health Blog contest. The voting is done by Facebook and Twitter, and the blog with the most votes wins.

I’m asking you to please vote for Caregiving With Purpose. The top 3 blogs are publicized on Healthline for a year. And it’s an opportunity to raise awareness about caregiving and dementia – in less than 2 minutes and with no cost! You can vote on both Twitter and Facebook once a day between now and January 15, 2015. Every vote helps, and thank you for your support.

Click on the image to vote.

To your happy & healthy knitting and caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore MD

“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder of the Award Winning Caregiving With Purpose and Founder of The Knitting Yarn
Ambassador of Caregiving, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Purple Angel Ambassador for Dementia

She liked cotton knit or crochet dishcloths, because they fit her hands better than woven ones. And the handmade ones also absorb water better.

A couple of years ago I made one for Valentine’s Day, and last year submitted it to the 2015 Day by Day Knitting Calendar.  It along with my mitten Christmas tree ornament pattern were accepted.

My writing knitting patterns started when my life was out of balance.  While considered part time, my position was 24/7 when my partner was off.  Most of the time, I covered weekends and some nights. When he was on vacation, I was the sole partner.  And caring for Clara who was in her 80s with more than one medical condition meant there was little time for caring for myself.

Balance in life seemed unreachable.  Knitting and quilting were ways of bringing balance into my life and caregiving. I could knit and create patterns for things for Clara.  Like dishcloths since she preferred the handmade ones to woven store ones.

She loved handmade Christmas ornaments, so using leftover sock yarn to knit ornaments was fun.  Soon knit socks and even mittens graced the tree.

And slowly, balance edged back into my life.  Time for things that were important but not urgent or emergencies.  With knitting again, I relearned how to relax, and found other ways to feel as good.  Clara enjoyed using my projects, and supervising their creation.  As long as she was able, we made quilts together.  She preferred the quilting, so I pieced them for her.

Is your life out of balance?

There’s a natural easy way to rebalance your life and keep it in balance.  David Sheldon CPC, Health & Wellness Coach and I have a free teleseminar explaining this process on Tuesday August 5, 2015 at 8 PM Eastern called “How to Transform Caregiving From Burden to Blessing”.

You will discover:

• The true nature and source of these negative emotions

• A Universal Law to easily change them and shift your perceptions
• A simple yet powerful tool you can use every day that transforms lives

Join us to transform your life.

Reserve my seat now

See you there!

Dr. Ina

P.S. Click here to get your copy of the 2015 Knitting Calendar with over 100 patterns!

Ina Gilmore, MD

Founder www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Purple Angel Ambassador for Dementia

 Other names for tapestry crochet include:

• Hard crochet
• Jacquard crochet
• Colorwork

The pattern is available through Ravelry for $4.97.

Click here to download your pattern now!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D.

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

For those that grew up with knitting, the entire process can seem calming, even meditative. But for those just starting out, frustration might be the first thing that comes to mind while they work their needles.

Above picture from Blackberry Beads

To fix this, here are some simple suggestions to keep things in perspective for the novice knitter.

Start a Project That’s Fun

Knitting doesn’t have to be work and it’s important that each project is done to be true to each person’s individual needs. The complexity of the project isn’t even an issue as long as the item being worked on is something they actually want.

Newbies can even make a bingo game out of it, especially if they’re in a group with others just starting out, thanks to all the different terms that pop up. The folks at BingoCardCreator.com have even started with several patterns that’s sure to take the sting out of a rough day with the needle. People don’t even need to have a dedicated caller to play, just listening to a discussion about the pros and cons of preferring the continental or English knitting style is bound to fill up a card fast enough.

 Pictured Above: Fox Knit Cap by user “theredfox” on Craftsy.com.

A great project to undertake for those who love playing bingo, or know someone who plays regularly, is this ingeniously designed knitted bingo bag from LMarie Designs. The design is extremely utilitarian yet stylish and provides bingo fans with enough pockets and space to hold all the essentials, including daubers, snacks, and other knickknacks. It’s a project that’s both smart and fun.

Pictured above: Foxy, the rather appropriately named mascot for foxybingo.com, and a surprisingly good candidate for future fox-themed knitwear designs.

Remember Why You’re Doing It

Newcomers to the craft are often faced with a feeling of disappointment, especially when it comes to their first few projects. It might not end up looking like the pattern, or problems might crop up that are discovered too late or are too difficult to fix. It’s very rare for the first few projects to come out perfect because, like almost anything in life, knitting is a skill that becomes developed over time.

It’s okay to make mistakes. Don’t let failures discourage you.

Sometimes it can be even something as simple as knowing that your favorite celebrity loves knitting. We learned from Access Hollywood that Ryan Gosling actually learned to knit on the set of “Lars and the Real Girl” and discovered that he ended up loving to knit.

When faced with hurdles, take this time to have a cup of coffee or tea, or catch up with some friends over online bingo. Even the most exciting project shouldn’t take you away from your social circle, after all.

And knitting should be FUN!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D.

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

It’s not clear why this is presumed humorous to many online writers. Maybe they’ve never enjoyed watching someone spin yarn and knit a sweater? Or done it themselves?

One of the TV stations in New York City used to broadcast a burning yule log during the Christmas holidays.  Is it so far fetched to still enjoy the simpler things on television?

What do you think? Is this just funny, or a serious and welcome return to simpler activities?

Leave a comment with your take on this TV show.

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Original Post:

Norwegian TV Showing 5 Hours of Knitting

 The body of the shrug is done.  The ripple edge lays flat.  Since it ran down the fronts and around the back, there were over 450 stitches per row.  So it took a while to complete.

Because the yarn is acrylic, it doesn’t block like the original yarn.  The original blocking is a large open lace pattern.  This project is turning into a tighter lace pattern.

Next up are the sleeves, and one is started.

Please leave a comment about your favorite way to adapt knitting patterns to your own yarn or style.

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Original Post:

Knitting Patterns: Still Knitting the Tropical Nights Shrug

I started a variation of the Tropical Nights Shrug knitting pattern found in the May – July 2013 issue of Cast On. That’s the official publication of The Knkitting Guild Association.

The original is made of wool sock weight yarn.  Knitting with wool in the heat of summer is not fun.  So I’m using Bernat Sox Yarn in the Crazy Hot colorway for the main color, and Faded Denim for the contrast.

This sock weight yarn is acrylic, so will not block like wool.  I actually like the effect so far, because the open mesh is less open.

The variation has so far involved knitting more rows than the instructions call for because my gauge has fewer rows per inch.

Changing the yarn used c be interesting and with some minor modifications can make for interesting results.

Want more ideas for adapting knitting patterns?

Join the Knitting Clinic community for knitting patterns and for answers to your questions in webinars and audio podcast forms. Just click here now to join the Knitting Clinic community!

And get more ideas for how to adapt your favorite knitting patterns.

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Original Post:

Knitting Patterns: Tropical Nights Shrug Variation In Progress 

The Knitting Yarn posts have been both audio and video podcasts for a couple of years now. And what other folks do with knitting podcasts is inspiring and interesting.

Recently, I read the following post with recommendation for knitting podcasts, and thought you’d like to see the recommendations too.

W.I.P.S and My Favorite Knitting Podcasts

I have a few w.i.p.s going at the moment, namely one I have been working on for some time now and which I seem to drag my feet on getting done. It is my first foray into the sweater world, well actually it is a jacket by Debbie Bliss from her “Design It, Knit It” book, the Garter Stitch Coat. I am near the finish line with the last armhole to be shaped, a collar to be knit and the sleeves to be done and the whole thing made up. It is so easy to get bogged down with thoughts of “am I ever going to get this done!” But carry on I will and will show you the finished project providing it all goes together well. Wish me luck!

And as promised, my favorite knitting podcasts in alphabetical order that I listen to regularly and if you have any to suggest, please do! 

 

First up, a very witty podcast full of great knitting content and her adventures in the US and the UK, Cast-On by Brenda Dayne.

 

Second, the extremely funny and entertaining Electric Sheep telling the tales of the infamous sheep and the trouble he gets into, as well as book reviews, pattern talk, knitting and wips.

 

Third, a great knitting/crafty podcast called iMake by the lovely Martine from Guernsey Island in the English Channel with her lovely British accent who tells of her latest creative exploits.

 

Next up, YarnGasm, which is a video podcast that is cleverly done to show a lot of wips, yarn she is using and just general good yarny info. 

 

And lastly, but certainly not least is Ready-Set-Knit done by the Webs from yarn.com. This is always a very informative and inspiring listen to include interviews with lots of top people in the knitting world and an offering of their close-out yarns as well.

 

Original Source:

I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can: W.I.P.S and My Favorite Knitting Podcasts

How about you and knitting podcasts?

• Do you like to hear interviews?
• Tips and techniques?
• Ideas for projects or yarn?
• Or something else?

For updates and more ideas for knitting, click here for your FREE membership on The Knitting Yarn. 

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

P.S. Share your ideas about knitting podcasts in the comments!

Original Post:

Knitting Podcasts: What’s Your Favorite?