Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Infinity Scarf on Circular Knitting Needles



Cowls aka. infinity scarf,  have been the latest fashion trends for winter. I've seen so many different prints and styles. I've been wanting to make one on my own for some time. I grabbed a size 15 29' pair of circular knitting needles at Michael's the other day. I picked up a pair of circular knitting needles at Michael's a couple of weeks ago.
There was a lot to learn about knitting cowls. They are easy to do but thought must be given to the type of stitch you'll be using to make your cowl scarf.



Loops & Threads Country Loom Yarn, I used the color Shale. It's a ridicously soft yarn which makes for looser stitches. The first cowl I made with this yarn was warm but I wanted a tighter knit. My cool co-worker got me Red Heart's Stitch Nation by Debby Stoller in Full O'Sheep/ Passionfruit. It's such a BEAUTIFUL color. This is a great yarn for mixing.  I'm going to get photos up here soon. I just have to finish weaving in the ends of my first cowl and bind off the second one.

This is what I did:

I really liked how this one came out. It was really soft. But I ended up undoing the whole scarf because I didn't rib the other end and I didn't like it.





Quick tips for cowls:

1. If using the Stockinette Stitch, start with a stitch that won't curl (i.e. Garter Stitch or Seed Stitch). End also with this stitch before you bind off.
2. You don't need circular knitting needles to make a cowl scarf. DO take note of the type of stitch you're using so that you know how to correctly join the seams together.












Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Tips for New Knitters and Crocheters






So many people I talk to think that crocheting and knitting are the hardest things in the world. In fact, it is one of the most relaxing activities that you can do once you get the hang of it. The first thing I'd recommend is:

Do not take on more than you can handle.
Start simple and work your way up to harder techniques.
Practice, practice, practice.
Take frequent breaks.
Use your forearm muscles to knit or crochet, not your wrists (this may reduce your chance of developing Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. )
Once you master a stitch,  think of other ways to use that stitch.
Trust your muscle memory when you forget a stitch.
If you find yourself about to dooze as your knitting, that's a good point to take a break.
I almost forgot: Figure out if the American or European style of knitting works for you. Yes, they are quite different.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Welcome

The objective of this blog is to put together all of the things that I admire and makes me love being a girl. I will try to be as crafty as I possibly can be with what I write. Most of what I'll be posting on this blog will have to do with crafts, health, and beauty, photography and some artwork. I have no idea where this is going to go but it will be fun to give it a shot and see what happens.