Tag: knityourselfhappy

What Kind of Fiber is This? Burn Test
Knitting Blog

What Kind of Fiber is This? Burn Test

Martha2 Comments

You have a lot of yarn in your stash! Maybe you don’t have the label. A simple burn test will tell you what type of fiber you have. While this is not an actual scientific experiment, you can learn quite a bit about the fiber with this test.

Watch the video to get an idea of the burning properties of man made fibers, animal fibers and plant fibers.

The only true way of telling whether a 100% wool yarn is superwash or not is to knit up a small sample and wash it in hot water to see if it felts. The burn test is the same for both of them.

So! There it IS! My unscientific experiment to help you find out what kind of yarn you have!! Now… KnitYourselfHappy!!

-Martha

New Subscribe Button and Bee My Honeycomb
Knitting Blog

New Subscribe Button and Bee My Honeycomb

Martha6 Comments

Hello Knityourselfhappy readers!

I have installed a new subscribe button and hope to get a big list going so I can give you updates by email. There won’t be any spam from my site because of this. I invite you to fill out the new subscribe button.

Meanwhile, I have made two videos that explain how to work the honeycomb pattern from my “Bee My Honeycomb” Blanket on Ravelry. The pattern is available on Ravelry here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bee-my-honeycomb-blanket

Made with Hikoo “Sueno” and “Spray” by Berroco.
Made with Hikoo Simply Worsted.

This blanket is so much easier than you think! I have updated the pattern on Ravelry to include many sizes!

Have fun trying this out!

And KnitYourselfHappy!

Wooley and Lambchop Sweater Continued
Knitting Blog

Wooley and Lambchop Sweater Continued

Martha2 Comments

You may remember my  two previous articles about designing a sweater for my brother Bob using wool from his two Babydoll Sheep, “Wooley” and “Lambchop”.

Part one of the series is found here. Part deux can be found here.

Other knitting projects skipped ahead of this one: baby blankets, a full sized blanket, felted oven mitts as gifts, and class projects.

I am happy to get back to this item. I finished the body of the sweater and joined the shoulders using a three needle bind off.

I started the first sleeve, worked for about 6″ and decided the increases were too fast. I frogged (rip it, rip it) back to the second cable row and slowed the increase rate.

I usually don’t “Hand wash, lay flat to dry” until after the garment is put together, but I just HAD to see how the cables would open up. I like it!

Stay tuned. I started it October 2017. It will be finished by the end of THIS October!

Bob and Martha

KnitYourselfHappy

 

 

 

 

Knit Star Stitch
Favorite Stitch Right Now

Knit Star Stitch

MarthaLeave a comment

My favorite knit stitch RIGHT NOW is the Star Stitch.

This stitch is easy and fun. It gives you a fabulous knit fabric with very little effort. (Don’t you LOVE that?)

This favorite stitch right now resembles crochet. The Star Stitch can be done in a solid color or any number of colors. It is usually knit in two colors.  Try working it in a gradient yarn. You may use it for shawls, scarves, baby blankets and even sweaters in any weight yarn.

If you work the Star Stitch in two colors, simply draw the yarns gently up the side of the work without cutting.

Cast on with color A. *Work rows 1 and 2 in color A. Join color B and work rows 3 and 4 in color B.* Repeat between *’s. Note: When a stitch pattern gives a multiple with a plus number behind it, use multiples over and over and add the plus at the end. For our example, you would cast on a multiple of 4 (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, etc) and then add one stitch. The pink swatch has 41 stitches. The green and white has 25 stitches. The cream and peach swatch has 17 stitches.

Star Stitch Pattern:
Cast on a multiple of 4 plus 1.

***How to MAKE STAR: Purl 3 stitches together. Do not remove these from the left hand needle. Yarn over the right hand needle  (counterclockwise as usual). Purl the same 3 stitches together again. Remove all to right hand needle.

Row 1: K

Row 2: P1, (make star, p1), repeat between () to end.

Row 3: K

Row 4: P3, make star, (p1, make star), repeat between () to last 3 sts, p3.

Watch the video below to learn the Star Stitch.

KnitYourselfHappy!

 

Fixing Knitting; Taking out Knitting
Knitting Blog

Fixing Knitting; Taking out Knitting

Featured Martha1 Comment

Knitting is Fun!

More fun if you can fix it!

I first published this article in August, 2016. Because this is SO IMPORTANT I am publishing it again!

Let us discuss Fixing Knitting Mistakes. Every knitter makes mistakes. This is a given. One key to becoming a better knitter is learning how to fix those mistakes! When you can fix even the simplest mistakes yourself, it makes you feel bold, fearless, and HAPPY!

Remember to examine your knitting often. Check back to really look at what you have just put on the needles. Too often, we knit away, knit away, knit away, and never look back to the hundreds of stitches we have just created. Think of this as admiring your work. You wouldn’t try on clothes without checking the mirror, would ya? This can help you identify mistakes right away, fix them, and knit on. Continue reading “Fixing Knitting; Taking out Knitting” →