ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Take a punt – look at those yarns you have – Gather together the yarns that you have in the weight you wish to knit, mix fibre, mix colours – and play.

Choose the correct needle size for the average yarn weight.

Play with the yarn – sort it in rows to see how the colours work together, change the order, check that you love the colours together – follow your gut feeling.

Weigh the yarn. Divide your yarn into 2 piles, with 1/2 the weight of yarn in each pile, one pile for each half of the throw. It is important so that you can see how far the yarn goes as you are knitting and be alerted early to the fact you may need more yarn than you have to hand, early enough to add maybe add another colour on the first half if required.

This baby blanket was knitted using yarns left over from other baby projects. It was large enough to be folded over as a pram cover, and when used flat as the correct size for a cot blanket. Because it is knitted on the diagonal it looked great whichever way it was used.

Pattern: the throw is knitted from a corner to opposite corner.

Cast on 4 stitches
K3, YO, K1, turn
Slip 1, K2, YO, knit to end, turn

Slip 1, k2, YO, knit to end, turn – repeat this row until the side is the right width for your throw.

Slip 1 K2 YO Slip 1, k2tog PSSO, k to end, turn (decreases one side only)
Slip 1, K2 YO k to end

Continue with these 2 rows until the side still being increased is the correct length for your throw.

** At this point it is a good idea to weigh the knitting as it is halfway through, if you didn’t at the beginning that is. Check the weight of your remaining yarns and see if you need any additional yarns to complete the piece.

Slip 1 K2 YO Slip 1, k2 tog, PSSO, k to end, turn
Slip 1 K2 YO Slip 1, k2 tog, PSSO, k to end, turn

Cast off 4 stitches.

Continue with the decreases on every row until 4 stitches remain.

Garter stitch throws / afghan

NOTE: note the decreases are on both edges – so that the knitting will converge at the point directly opposite the Cast on point.

I have not provided yarn quantities – as it depends on your yarn weight and the needle size you choose as well as the intended size of the finished baby blanket or throw.

I will set this up later as a formal pattern and provide it as a pdf – in the meantime – just give it a go.

Here in the Netherlands I do not have my Toastmaster folder so some of the details are hazy – except for that pertaining to yarn and fibres. So I shall stick to the yarn (story).

Sometime in the very late 1990″s I had an opportunity to be a member of a local toastmasters club and what does a fibre crazy individual speak to a group of toastmasters about? I decided to yarn about yarn of course. This was a prepared speech and if I remember it was to be 30 minutes long. Now it might simply I remember it being very long and it may not have been.

I sorted through my stash and found yarns of different plys, different content – 100% wool, faux fur, other crazy fibres, mohair, alpaca, cotton, ribbon and everything else I could find. The yarns were all purples or shades of purple.

I brought my large bag of yarns to the front of the group. They were all sitting in a horseshoe arrangement of desks and chairs – so everyone could see me and I hoped they would also listen. They could also see each other and their reactions to my yarns and my yarn.

I was absolutely terrified to speak in front of a group of people where no one had previously admitted to any type of yarn interest (no knitters, no textile artists, no crocheters, no embroiderers, no weavers – no one passionate about yarn or fibres). These were men and women from all walks of life including managers, business people, software developers etc.

So there I was alone at the front and I had to excite these people about fibres. I passed the yarns around as I spoke about each one and these non fibre enthusiasts were asked to participate by touching, smelling, stroking, resting it on their cheeks, comparing the shades and so on. Some looked a little stunned, but they are all toastmasters and they are open to anything. They did touch, stroke, feel it against their skin, smell the yarns and laughed a lot.

I guess now that speaking to a group like this will never be scary again as the yarn story went quite well. They all learned a lot about me, and I learned just how easy it is if you are passionate to take people along with you.

I do not remember the score or mark I received. I do remember some of the faces and their reactions and then their enthusiasm.