Top 10 Reasons to Keep Knitting This Summer

I know it's hot, and where I am, it's so muggy you tend to feel like you've been hit by a warm wet cotton bath towel, right in the face, when leaving an air conditioned building and walking outside.

Ah, Summer. Since I live in the South, Summer can end up being quite the endurance contest. About mid-July we begin counting down to that magical time when the Weather Changes....only 14 more Saturdays until the end of October! (Also, Fall Classes!)

A lot of people stop knitting during the Summer and I get that. It's hard to keep anything going when you just want to sit under the ceiling fan and drink iced tea. However, since I think it's worth doing, here are my Top 10 Reasons to Keep Knitting This Summer.

10. You're no quitter. Seriously, think about it. You made it through school, you have held down boring jobs, you've hit redial repeatedly for an hour to win concert tickets. You're no quitter--so don't quit knitting.

9. Knitting will help with Summer travel. Stuck in an airport? Facing a long car ride? Take your knitting.

8. Keep up your proficiency. This is especially key if you're a relatively new knitter. Your hands gain the muscle memory for knitting by practice and if you take the summer off, you'll get flabby. Your muscle memory will get flabby, that is.

7. Get a jump start on holiday gifts. Don't be like me and wait until November to realize you want to knit big gifts for your immediate family and not only have you not cast on, you don't even have the yarn yet. Pick a holiday gift to work on for each of the draining, mind-melting Summer months.

6. Knitting is fun. Just thought I'd remind you of that, in case you'd forgotten.

5. Learn new techniques. Pick a new technique you've always wanted to learn and make it a summer project. I know several knitters who wanted to train themselves to knit Continental instead of English so they made it a project to master it. Summer is a great time for that.

4. Knitting will help with uncomfortable visits. Have guests coming? Having to go visit someone else? Not entirely comfortable with these individuals? (hey, it happens)  Pull out your knitting and give yourself something to focus on that is positive and soothing.

3. Knit for those in need. Don't wait until the weather turns cold to start knitting warm hats for the homeless. Or until the Red Scarf Project deadline to cast on a scarf for foster kids heading off to college.

2. Beat the heat with an indoor activity. Yes, knitting is highly portable and you can take it with you to the park and the beach and all, but if you're in the middle of a heat wave with honest-to-goodness heat advisories being issued, you do not want to be outside. Also, drink lots of water.

1. Being a knitter is worth it. Even though it's hot and you're busy and the humidity makes your head hurt and you feel sluggish, it's worth it to pick up those needles. Being a knitter is what helps us stay sane and grounded and calm and engaged during the rest of the year. It connects us to our ancestors, to our community and to people on the other side of the world. Being a knitter has given us a reason to get out of bed in the morning when times are hard. It keeps our brains young, our hands limber and our creative juices flowing, no matter our chronological age. Knitting isn't just something we do in our spare time, when the weather suits us. We are knitters.

So keep on knitting, despite the heat. Stay hydrated, stay focused and we'll make it to Fall, I promise. It's only 14 more Saturdays, remember?

Simple Knitting Tip: Share your passion

As a knitter, I like very much to see what other knitters are doing. I like Monday Morning knitting group (this week's was so much fun!), Knit Night (coming up--July 14!) and big events like World Wide Knit in Public Day, so I can take close up, in person looks at other knitters' projects. 

I also like to see pictures of knitting, of patterns in process, of new yarn, of favorite knitting tools and even projects that are headed to time out for being bad in the online world.  Because I am passionate about my knitting, I share it, so finding other passionate sharers of knitting is a real treat. I have bonded online countless times with knitters frustrated over challenging techniques, and shared the joys of completed projects that are finally done. 

Today I want to encourage you, if you knit and have a smart phone, to consider sharing your knitting with the rest of us. It's so encouraging to see what my fellow knitters are making.

Setting up a social media account is easy and mostly painless. It's a quick way to put your pics online and show off your knitting. In addition to Ravelry (just for fiber artists), Twitter (pics, but words are limited to 140 characters), Instagram (pics! and unlimited words), Pinterest (pics, patterns, tutorials, recipes, decorating ideas, hairstyles...it's pretty huge!), and others like Tumblr (sort of a way to blog).

If knitting is your passion, sharing that passion with others will inspire and encourage. It's a lovely way to connect, too!

Big 10 Knit-a-Long: "The Eyes Have It" Afghan Block

The latest in our series of afghan blocks for the Big 10 Knit-a-Long for Charity is this simple eyelet number that is fun and festive looking. I particularly like how it looks good in either a dark or light colored yarn--something that isn't always the case when you start throwing in pattern stitches that you want to actually show up in the knitting.

Give it a try and knit one (or two) for our blanket that will be given to the Carolina Youth Development Center. Free pattern below and more here. Thank you for your generous participation in this project!

The Eyes Have It: Eyelet Afghan Block

You'll need: US Size 7 needles or size needed to achieve gauge of 5 sts = 1 inch; Worsted weight acrylic yarn. Finished size should be 7” x 9”.
CO 32 stitches
Knit 4 rows for border

Begin eyelet pattern:
Row 1: Knit

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8: K4, p24, k4

Row 3: K4, *k6, yo, k2tog; rep from *, K4

Row 5: Knit

Row 7: K4, K2, *yo, k2tog, k6; rep from *, end last repeat K4, K4

Repeat Rows 1-8 until piece measures 8 1/2”, then knit 4 rows for border. Bind off all stitches. Weave in ends.

Want to download as a PDF from Ravelry? OK, here you go! The Eyes Have It on Ravelry

***An eagle-eyed knitter has discovered that I left in one too many "k6" when I published this this morning. The above is now correct. If you get to row 3 it should be: Row 3: K4, *k6, yo, k2tog; rep from *. So sorry for any inconvenience! TLG 7/1/15 7:40 pm

Simple Knitting Tips: Teaching kids to knit

At a recent Monday Morning Knitters gathering, I found myself with an adorable 3 year old watching me knit very intently. She was still and quiet and focused. I asked her, "Do you want to help me knit?" and of course she thought that was a grand idea.

When knitting with small children or teaching kids to knit, there are some guidelines that I try to follow, keeping in mind all the while that every kid is different and all guidelines will depend on the circumstances at the time.

Introduce them young--if they show an interest. My 3 year old buddy might not remember the details of the knitting we did together (although she might, because she's super smart), but having a positive experience with yarn and needles and knitting will stay somewhere in her memories.

Don't force it. If there is no interest, don't be that annoying grown up that makes them do a craft they don't want to do. It won't end well for anyone.

Work one on one whenever possible. With kids, you can't look away when they are in the middle of a stitch. If you can watch one child get through a row of stitches uninterrupted, you'll do better than trying to manage a a whole group of kids learning to knit at the same time. When I teach classes for kids, I keep them small--2-3 kids is plenty.

Break it down. My young friend wasn't quite ready for a complete knit stitch, so I broke it down into three parts:

1. Insert right needle into stitch on left needle.
2. Wrap yarn to form new stitch.
3. Pull loop through loop and take old stitch off left needle. 

When we began, I had her wrap the yarn, showing her once how and when to do it and then turning her loose. She did this for a long time before she decided that it was her turn to work parts 1 and 3 of the process. This meant it was my turn to work part 2, and if I was too slow in wrapping the yarn, she made sure I knew it! The cool thing was that, because she was a) super smart and b) watching me work the stitches, she knew just what to do when we swapped jobs and she took on the more complex steps.

Be patient. I really can't stress this enough. Anytime you're teaching anyone to knit, you simply must exercise the utmost patience. There is nothing more horrible than honestly trying to learn something and having your instructor get impatient with you. Just chill, y'all.  If you can't be patient, don't try to teach knitting. Call me and I'll gladly do it.

Repeat as often as possible, for as often as necessary. This works better if you are around the child frequently, of course. Just like grown-ups, kids go through a variety of moods everyday. The trick is to catch them during times that they are interested in practicing their new hobby, otherwise it is bound to be boring or even worse, considered "work."

Tools matter. If you're actually teaching them (as opposed to just having them help you), then you may want to get them their very own yarn and needles. Do think this through--if you get them cheap metal needles that are long and heavy and hard to handle with their small hands, you are setting them up for frustration. Bamboo needles are lighter weight and better for gripping stitches and not letting them slide off. Whenever possible, let them pick out a bright yarn in their favorite color--dark colors make it hard to see the stitches. Start them with a simple garter stitch scarf or washcloth or bookmark or wrist cuff (like a book mark, but sew it closed on the narrow ends) project. A fun knitting bag to carry it all in is always nice, too.

Have fun. If you are too intent on making them learn, they will pick up on your stress and pretty much hate it. Have fun with knitting and make their learning a grand, fun adventure.

How about you? Do you have any tips for someone teaching a little one to knit?