Music

Research has shown that knitting reduces stress. Once the stitches become routine, your mind may start to wander while you knit. What do you like to do when you knit? Do you listen to music? If so, what type? Do you watch TV or movies? Any suggestions?

Happy knitting!

New Charity Knitting Site

One of my students told me about this website. Apparently penguins are suffering from the oil spill. This is a quick and easy project to help out an animal that we all love.

http://www.girlslife.com/post/2011/10/21/Calling-all-knit-wits-Help-a-penguin-out.aspx

Happy knitting!

Knit for Charities

Knitting is a great hobby for many reasons: it takes away stress, it's productive, it helps you focus, etc. It's also great for your heart because there are many ways to give knitting to people and organizations who really need it and appreciate it. There are many charities looking for hand-made items.

--The Prayer Shawl Ministry: knit prayer shawls and donate them to your local hospice.
--Premature baby hats/blankets to donate to the hospital. Preemie Projects
--Linus Blanket: for kids who are very sick or traumatized. 

--afghans for Afghans: it's a way to donate blankets, sweaters, vests, mittens, socks, and scarves to Afghans who have been displaced from the war.
--KasCare: an organization that knits for orphans in Africa. They make blankets, hats, and garments.

Interweave Knits is a website with a huge list of charities to knit for: http://www.interweaveknits.com/community/charities.asp

Do you have a particular charity that you like to knit for? Please leave information about it as a comment.

Happy knitting!

Basic Cast On

Here is a tutorial for the basic cast on method. There are various ways to cast on, but this is a good method for beginners.

Happy knitting!

Cast off

This is a video tutorial for the basic cast off method for knitting.

Happy knitting!

Knit Stitch, Continental Method

Hi,

Here is my video tutorial of the knit stitch using the Continental, or German method of knitting. To see another tutorial, see a previous post, Knit Stitch, English Method, and there is a link with another helpful video.

Happy knitting!

Knit Stitch, English Style

Here is a video tutorial for the English way of doing the knit stitch:

If you would like an additional perspective, knittinghelp.com also has tutorials on both the English and Continental methods of knitting, found here: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knit-stitch

Happy knitting!

Supplies

While experienced knitters will have straight, circular, and double-pointed needles of all sizes, and boxes of yarn, a beginner should start with:

• 2 balls of worsted weight yarn (Caron, Bernat, Lion Brand, from a local knitting shop)
• US size 10 (6mm) straight needles or 16"-24" circular needles (Clover is a great brand)
• to practice at least 1 hour a week outside of the club

Please leave a comment to share:

• your favorite yarn brand
• your favorite yarn shop
• the needles you prefer and why

Happy knitting!

Welcome!

Welcome to Stitch a Wish! In this club you will learn:

2nd Quarter:

1. basic information about knitting
2. to Cast on, basic method
3. knit stitch
4. make a dish cloth
5. purl stitch
6. make a scarf
7. cast off

3rd Quarter:

1. Cable cast on
2. Long-tail cast on
3. different yarns and needles
4. decreases
5. how to make a kerchief
6. hats
7. purl and knit in the same row

4th Quarter:

1. scaves/shawls
2. increases
3. patterned hats
4. Charity knitting
5. Projects of your choice

This club has you knit at your own pace. While you may not cover everything each quarter, those will be the techniques taught throughout the year. I will post tutorial videos on this blog. Feel free to write comments or questions and I can address them.

Happy knitting!