Working small for a change

Today I picked up scraps and made some little quilts. Postcard sized.

What a change and relief from the recent giants!  Working at small scale is quick and easy. Everything fits in the hand, holds together without pins and doesn't need special engineering support to get through the sewing machine.

Of course they don't have quite the same impact and they wouldn't keep much of you warm. But great to freshen up with a change, use some scraps and to try out some new ideas.

They also serve who only stand and puff

Sometimes my role as Fairy Godmother includes being a stand-in Gymnnastics Mom.  It's a highly specialised form of sideline athlete. 

Today's challenge involved cardio-vascular fitness, aesthetic sensibility and marshalling tiny gymnast-siblings into a production line.

Yes - the moms and tinies prepped the practice gym for tomorrow's junior competition. My favourite bit: the balloon walk!

Starting over

Yesterday I shared a fabulous knitting technique. http://stitchsarah.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/knitters-delight-perfect-tubular.html

Tonight I finished the ribbing, admired my work, unpicked the contrast yarn and discovered...an orphan loop!  I'd missed picking up one stitch. Aue!

No cunning idea for rescue came on a flash of inspiration, so the oldest strategy in the knitter's repertoire came into play.

Unpick it all and start again.

A bit of a bother, but to be honest I made a better job of it second time round. It took about the same time as it takes to sing the Beatles "Starting Over" five times.  I wish this strategy were available in more facets of life!

Knitters' delight: perfect tubular ribbing cast-on

For a change, I share this technique learned two-thirds of a lifetime ago. Credit to Heather Halcrow Nicholson

1. Using any contrast yarn and speedy method, cast on HALF the number of desired stitches.

2. Knit one row in contrast.

3. In proper project yarn, knit 5 rows Stocking Stitch, beginning and ending with knit rows.

Now for the cool bit. 

4. P1 from the needle, move the yarn to the back.

5. With the left needle, pick up the bottom-most loop of project yarn where it pokes down below the contrast.

6. Knit this stitch. Move yarn to the front.

Repeat steps 4-6, alternating purling from the needle with knitting from the bottom row of project yarn loops, until all stitches have been purled from the needle. 

Voila! The knit stitches have created the tube and you have the correct number of stitches. Continue in k1, p1 rib as required. Unpick/snip out the contrast yarn whenever you like.