Need to knit something for that special guy in your life; socks are it, the bolder the better. Guys are now expressing themselves through their socks. Gone are the plain black, brown and navy blue socks and in are the bright bold colors and in designs.
Read MoreWe have started a new knit-a-long, it is call Friday Squared. Every Friday we are getting together to learn to knit a new cable design. This is a great way to learn cabling techniques on a small scale. With the purchase of your yarn you may join any Friday.
Read MoreIt has not been too terribly cold for Montana with the temperature 28 for the high and 17 for the low. All and all not bad, I still layer up with socks, mittens, scarves, (yes I wear more then one) and take my two-mile walk twice a day. But my favorite thing to do is sit by a nice cozy fire and knit for hours on end.
Read MoreA New Year is always a time for a fresh start, a do over, and a chance to change directions and get it right this time. It is a wonderful time of the year. Everything that was bogging us down in the year that passed seems to be shone in a new light and doesn’t seem to be quite as daunting.
Read MoreIt has turned cold here in Montana; we had a beautiful white Christmas. The nighttime’s are down into the teens and in some areas below zero. This is all great as I have enough wool to keep me warm on the coldest days.
Read MoreI sit in the window of my small cottage, the children have long since gone to bed. In the quiet evening and by candlelight I knit my husband’s gansey. My husband is a fisherman and every day he goes out to sea and ply’s his nets to provide for his family.
Read MoreThere is something magical about this time of year. I have always thought it was a time of miracles. People seem light, happier and kindness abounds. It is a time for family and friends and good food, too much good food I think.
Read MoreThe days of winter are upon us, the light of the day is less intense, and the darkness invades our days.
Read MoreThe gansey sweaters were knit by the women of the village. It is thought that these garments were originally undergarments.
Read MoreIt is that time of year for celebration and reflection. It has been a wonderful amazing year so come help us celebrate December 19, 2015 from 10:00 am to 3:00pm
Read MoreWhy should I take a knitting class, I know how to knit, I can read a pattern; what can I get from a class that I cannot figure out on my own. The fact is, no you don’t need a class to make a successful garment. So why take a class? Like so many other things, having that structure there to help you put in the work can really help.
Read MoreSlow Fashion is not a seasonal trend that comes and goes, but a sustainable fashion movement that is gaining momentum.
Read MoreWhat brings you joy? We are in full swing of the holiday season, so much rushing around; the stress level is so high, you can feel the air vibrate with it. My question is why, why are we doing this to ourselves?
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When you sit down with your needles and yarn pattern, or no pattern, you are creating art. Through your hands the yarn is being transformed into something that is made by the human hand and as such it cannot be replicated exactly the same way by any other human.
Read MoreThe holiday’s are upon us with few knitting day’s until Christmas, my suggestion would be to do small projects…mittens, hats and sock.
Read MoreMy daughter recently moved back to Montana with her family. She just had a birthday and decided to do a 5k run on Thanksgiving Day. When she woke on the day of the run, it was in the single digits. There was nothing to be done except find the wool things that Mom had knit. Sifting through the many moving boxes, she finally came up with her red snowflake hat and grey and white mittens. Sadly she didn’t find a wool scarf and had to make due with a store bought cotton scarf.
The run went well. She was toasty warm in her hat and mittens and greatly enjoyed the challenge of the run. I had made those woolen items several years ago, and it is so nice to see that they withstood the test of time. That is the great thing about wool. It lasts forever and the traditional style is not dated.
Wool is a wonderful material, soft, and warm even when wet. Our Thanksgiving brought snow and very cold temperatures. The only way to survive is cozy wool socks, sweaters, mittens and hats. Knitting for your family today will last them a lifetime.
Happy knitting
Tammy
A Christmas tree is a great way to celebrate the season. The fresh smell of pine, the wonderful decorations and beautiful light, gives a festive feel to your home. I have taken those ideas and designed two different Christmas trees. The CT-01-Reindeer Tree was inspired by a Scandinavian Christmas. This tree has a stylized reindeer design. I choose a yarn that has a bit of bling, Hollywood by Cascade yarn, giving the tree a joyful look.
Read MoreThe Thanksgiving holiday week-end is over and we are moving into the Christmas season. Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday as a child; we would always go to my maternal Grandparents’ home. They lived in a small two bedroom home that my Grandpa and Great Uncle built. It was situated in a neighborhood close to downtown, Great Falls, MT.
My parents would pack the three of us in the backseat of the family car and off we would go on the drive, only taking about two hours. We lived in Lewistown, MT. It took four hours when we lived in Kalispell. So a small home which usually accommodated two people, suddenly had to accommodate seven people and there was only one bathroom. Very close quarters, but we always had so much fun and so much love filled that tiny home.
Thanksgiving day would start with the turkey; my Grandma always said we had to tie the turkey up so it didn’t run away. So we would get the turkey under control and start on all the extra dishes of which there were many. By the time it was time to eat, the kitchen held cozy warmth from all the activity, and we would gather in the kitchen. Many times we had to open windows even though it was in the twenties outside, to add a little fresh air.
As I have grown older, Thanksgivings are not the same and have lost a lot of the appeal it once held for me. It is strange that the simplest things could bring so many happy memories. Our world is so complex now. I wonder if the children now will be able to create such wonderful memories of simplicity , warmth and love.
Admittedly I am not a fan of super bulky weight yarn. In a garment, I think it make, the wearer look bigger then they are, not a very flattering look. So I thought about what can I do with this weight of yarn that is useful and lends great warmth to the user.
A couple of things came to mind; an afghan would be a great use of this yarn. Especially a cabled or something with a knit and purl motif, using a bulky yarn gives great stitch definition, cable stitches pop. Using wool in a bulky weight of course will give great warm.
So I decided to take out my size 15 needles, yes I do own a pair. I decided to start out with a cabled cowl. I do a lot of walking all year round. I live in the northern part of Montana about 30 miles from Glacier National Park. Our winter can get a little nippy. I walk regardless of the temperature outside; I just layer up with many layers of wool. So I decided to design a very warm cowl that I could essentially hide my face in when the weather plunges below freezing.
I think I have a winner with this cowl, worked in a diamond cable motif and Lana Grande from Cascade Yarn. This cowl is super warm and takes a couple days to knit.
So, if you want a warm, fun, and fast project for a gift or for yourself this one fits the bill.
Gloves have a rich history. Originally used for hand protection down through the centuries, they have taken on many meanings. They have signified love and devotion, an emblem of high honor, a tenure for by which land and estates were held and transferred.
On the darker side of the history of gloves, when one dropped a glove, it was considered a challenge and to take up the glove was to accept the challenge. In the past, gloves were so prized that it was considered a felony to steal a pair.
Though, in modern times, the glove does not carry as much symbolism. They are, nonetheless, still used to protect our hands. They also give the wearer dexterity as well warmth. Gloves are made in a variety of materials, but for a knitter, there is only one material to use and that is wool. It will keep your hands toasty warm as well as wicking away the moisture. Even when wool is wet, it retains its heat properties.
Gloves are not as hard to make as you may think. They are made like mittens until you arrive at the base of the finger and then the fun part starts. At this point, it is advisable to use short double pointed needles. I always start with the little finger taking the number of stitches requested and join then in the round. The stitches are distributed over three double pointed needles and knitting with the fourth. This portion goes quickly as you have just a few stitches you are working on.
Gloves are fun, give them a try, I think you will enjoy them. They also make wonderful gifts. Show your love and appreciation for someone special; knit them a pair of gloves. They will think of you every time they wear them.
