For the Love of Buttons

I have collected buttons for many years; Especially, the more unusual ones. Will I ever have a worthy project for them? Who knows. Today, I did.

Today, I finished knitting a pillow cover, but it needed something. A flower, some leaves, what? As I looked about my Studio, not the most tidy, I spotted a string of lonely buttons. A memory jerker……I had purchased them at a knitting/ textile show from a young couple. He a potter, she a spinner and their baby sleeping in the baby carriage, tucked away in their booth. There was no line up at their booth. Their work was very artistic, the sock knitters weren’t interested. She spins beads and other objects into her yarn.

I purchased some yarn and the green pottery clay buttons.

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Repurposing Swatches………

Swatches, most often I keep them until the end of a project. Perhaps, using the yarn for seaming or a pocket. If large, just unravel and reuse in a different project.

Today, I needed a new flag at the end of my driveway to warn drivers of a sprinkler head.

I had painted my front door a spring green colour and a green flag might be nice.

When, I pulled out my green yarn, I noticed the swatch. Maybe, flag size? It was.

Knit out in Public Day, June 9, 2018

My local library hosted the Knit out in Public gathering on the grounds of the Library, under a mature shade tree. The weather was pleasant and attracted quite a number of knitters of a wide range of ages.

We played a “Blind Knitter” game, where we were blind folded. We cast on 20 stitches and one stabilizer row. A 3 minute timed round of knitting. The winner was the one who knit the most stitches, error free. The winner managed 3 rows of knitting. A prize was awarded.

Another group event was a “Knitting Trivia” questionnaire. Fortunately, there were many small prizes. I won a “yarn separator/ monitor. An ingenious plastic ring that fits my arthritic finger.

The “fob” was a gift from the Burlington Public Library, Burlington, ON. Canada. I attached it to my knitting bag so it wouldn’t get lost and have it handy when needed.

Experimenting on the Chunky 9 mm machine

Of late, I have been experimenting with the use of Fingering weight yarn on the Studio Chunky 9mm knitting machine and ribber. I have surprised myself. I used a yarn that I had knit on the Standard gauge , 4.5 mm machine at Dial 8. This time, I set the machine and ribber at a radically different setting.

Full needle rib, MB at 2 and the RB at 7. The result was a variation of “long stitch”.

The scarf itself was pleasant enough, but needed some umph!

A delightful Reread….the Prolific Knitting Machine

This book was published in 1990 and is very relevant to Machine knitters. The author addresses fit and the use of “cut and sew”methods. At the time of publishing she was knitting 200 sweaters per year. Truly a prolific knitter.

Here are a few quick pics of the contents. This book is available on the 2ndary market.

Pattern: Baktus

Hello readers,

Whilst housekeeping my electronic devices, I ran into the following scarf instructions.

I’m not sure if I rewrote this pattern or not. Nor, do I have a link to its potential originator. In any case, the shape and procedure is NOT my original idea. However, it is a very nice scarf that I have knit in many different stitches and yarns. I prefer the thin sock type yarns.

BAKTUS scarf

This is a version of a scarf or kerchief that was all over the Norwegian blogs in 2008.
The principle is to take one or a couple of skeins, and knit a triangle using your exact amount of yarn. A good way to use up one of those single skeins of sock yarn in bright colours.
It works with any kind of yarn, but I prefer a less than bulky yarn.
I used one skein of Hello Yarn sock yarn.
Choose needles that go well with the yarn you use.
To be able to know when I had used up half of my skein, I used a scale:
I weighed my yarn before casting on. Weighing the skein every now and then, I started decreasing when I had about 50% of the skein left.
How to knit:
Cast on 4.
Row 1: Knit 1, YO, knit the rest of the row.
Row 2: Knit, make sure you knit the YO through the back loop.
Rows 3 and 4: Knit.
Repeat rows 1 through 4 until you have used up half your yarn, or until your scarf is 50% of desired length.
Then decrease 1 every 4th row:
Row 1: Knit 1, knit 2 stitches together through the back loop. Knit the rest of the row.
Rows 2, 3 and 4: Knit.
When you have 4 stitches left, bind off.
Note:
You can increase and decrease in a number of ways, use the ones you like.
If you do this in stockinette, you will have a Karius scarf instead of a Baktus.
Karius and Baktus are two characters in a Norwegian children’s classic.
Comments are closed on the patterns to keep the pages as tidy as possible.
If you wonder about something, please read through the comments to see if you find the info you are looking for.
The patterns are free to use, but please respect that the copyright belongs to Norway Needles, i.e. do not use the patterns for commercial purposes or publish them on the net or otherwise, without my explicit permission.
All rights reserved.
©Strikkelise

FREE Pattern: April Shawlette

This Shawlette pattern is using 100 gm of yarn.

Red Heart Unforgetable acrylic yarn. The colouring is amazing.

How to………. April Shawlette

1ball (100 gm), Red Heart Unforgetable yarn. Tuck stitch patterning,

54 in/136 cm long. 10 to 11 in wide.

9 mm Chunky knitting machine. I use a Studio SK 890 electronic with the EC1 for patterning.

Stock pattern stitch on OEM mylar using the EC1

METHOD:

Cast on 30-0-30

Dial tension setting 4

Knit one row,

Change dial to Tuck stitch

Knit in Tuck stitch until yarn is finished.

Allow enough yarn for the cast off. (4 x width measured over knitting on the needles)

Fold in half. Finish by sewing a small seam for the shoulder/ head opening. ( possibly 3 inches/7.7 cm ). Add 3 buttons for decor.

Feel free to make one of your own.

Mary Anne Cutler,

Yet Another Canadian Artisan, 2017

A few Cuties

These were presented at Show &Tell at my local, Burlington Machine Knitters Guild.

These are “hat” kits that Rosanne knit up on her Chunky knitting machine. The heads are secured with a button type disk that was supplied in the kit.

Another item that drew attention was this shawl, that one of the members graciously modelled. It was also knit using a knitting machine.

Roving spun and Spring

The local temps here is Southern Ontario, Canada is still ranging in the low  -0 C, but we crave Spring. Hats made of Roving spun yarns is still appropriate. Patons yarn and others have made them available in our stores. I prefer the 100% wool, although synthetic yarns are also available.

Here are a couple of hats using the Roving spun yarns AND some photos of a local Spring Bulb Show.

SLIP Stitch…….grid type

I was aiming for a grid type stitch fabric with SLIP stitch on the Knitting Machine. This type of fabric can be produced most readily using a Knitting machine that has an automatic patterning system, no matter if Punch card, Electronic or Electronic connected to patterning software. The Manual knitting machines and the Plastic Hobby machines too, but require hand pulling of the needles, every row.

Here are a few samples to view and consider possibilities.

The place matt was using Caron Cake yarn, an acrylic yarn. I think it is “whimpy” and could an “iron-on” backing. The other was using a thinner Cotton yarn.

Most any card can be used for Slip Stitch; the bottom patterns would be more useful for a Grid.

The fabric produced can be used for placemats, cushion covers, chair covers, wall hangings. It also produces a fabric suitable for skirts and jackets.

Enjoy the discovery of various yarns and stitches on the Knitting Machine.