Category: Knitting

DIY Friday: Arm Knitting?

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Okay, before I get into my real topic for this post, I just have to share this Lucy Neatby provisional cast on video. I was listening to old (2009) episodes of the KnitPicks Podcast where someone suggested this video, so I went to check it out. I seriously don’t know why it was so difficult before, but she explains it perfectly in this video. If you are confused as to how to provisionally cast on, watch it immediately. Or when you have a spare moment.

Now, on to today’s real topic: arm knitting. I’ve seen finger knitting before with yarn, but never one that uses your whole arm. I’m still not sure this is something I will be trying, but for those who want to try (or if you just want to see how this works) here is a good instruction video I found by Audra Kurtz of The Kurtz Corner. Here are her instructions for arm knitting:

Has anyone tried this before? Or even heard of it? Because “wandering” around YouTube was the first time I had ever seen it. I think. I may have seen it before and just forgot about. That does happen from time to time.

Sleep Deprived

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Or, the laziest DIY Friday to date. Because a button sewing tutorial wasn’t lazy enough.

I have been awake pretty much since yesterday morning. Because my brain likes to sabotage my sleep when I have to be awake early. I got a bit of sleep, but only in 30 minute spurts. I know because I woke up and checked the clock about every half hour last night.

I’ve also been slightly busy this week working on computer things in the afternoon and so I didn’t make the thing I’ve been somewhat planning to make this week.

I did make a coaster yesterday, but technically it is a swatch for a secret project so I can’t tell much about it. I can say I made it using Wool of the Andes Superwash that I got from KnitPicks when they were offering a free ball to try a few months back. The colorway is Noble Heather.

Here is the DIY portion of today’s ramble:

Basic Coaster:
Materials:
Worsted weight yarn
Size 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles
Scissors
Yarn Needle
Instructions:
Cast on 24 stitches.
Knit 4 rows.
W(rong) S(ide) row: K2, P20, K2
R(ight) S(ide) row: K24
Continue alternating WS and RS rows until piece measures 3.5 inches, ending with a WS row.
Knit 3 rows.
Bind off.
Cut yarn, weave in ends.

Very simple, no? I’ve decided I need to make a couple coasters to have around my room since I have a coffee maker next to the end of my bed. It makes it easy when I have to get up 30 minutes earlier than normal after having slept exactly none the night before.

It’s Easier Done Right

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This message brought to you by Captain Obvious.

But seriously, sometimes you just have to make do with what you have at hand until you have time to get the actual things you need to do the project. That is why (after stringing 350 tiny beads only to find out the yarn was not exactly strong enough to hold them all being pushed along with each few stitches) I spent a week or so threading dental floss through individual stitches to thread a bead on each stitch of a project I can’t quite show yet considering it is a surprise Christmas gift. But I can show you the painstaking process in progress:

Annoying, but effective if you have floss lying around and not a tiny crochet hook. But I kept avoiding working on this project because, again, 350 beads plus having to go through that whole thing for each individual one equals not exactly fun. So I finally hoofed it on over to Michael’s (is it still hoofing it if you ride a bike? I have no clue), and got myself a size 12 crochet hook. Much better, much faster, much less frustrating.

I get the bead, make the stitch, and thread the bead all in one smooth motion. Definitely going to save my sanity on a project which actually has 700 beads. The 350 is just for this half.