Little Tips for Knitting

So, I've been gone for a while, but lately I got back into my knitting.  (School was something else, I tell you.  But now that I know what I'm doing, it'll be so much better! XD)  But, I've learned that I am much lazier now about my knitting, and I really want my work to be simple and easy.

So, I decided to try out some tricks, and see what works best for me.

1. Trying out a new stitch--> Use graph paper to visualize.  Take a sheet of graph paper and put "x"s where you knit and "o"s where you purl! (don't forget to switch the symbols on the even rows, as your work will be turned around).  This allows you to see what the final pattern looks like before you start, and having a picture can help you spot mistakes earlier on.
2. Keep a gauge around for your most common yarn weight/needle pairings.  I knit most often with worsted and a size 9 needle, so I just keep a note on the gauge with the rest of my knitting patterns.  Keeping your gauges with your patterns allows you to adjust for sizes easily, before you even start your project.
3. Get a crochet hook and keep it close.  You never know when that stitch will drop, and you don't want to be unprepared when it does.
4. Keep some spare yarn in basic and fun colors for surprise projects.  Forgot an acquaintance's birthday was coming up?  Whip up a soap buddy or a headband in some bright or neutral colors in  just a couple minutes.  
5. Have a list of colors, weights, and lengths of yarn that you have on hand, with a note for any that are currently part of a project.  It does you no good to use yarn for something when you needed the yarn to finish an old project.
6. Give yourself a deadline.  Say: "I will finish 12" of scarf by the end of this movie" or "This sweater has to be done on Tuesday."  Even if it isn't necessary to have your projects done in advance, it helps keep your knitting stuff clear from all though unfinished projects that seem to accumulate.
7. Keep a shoe box for all the small balls or scraps of yarn to hang out in (instead of floating around in your knitting basket.)

I hope these are useful to you (as much as they were to me).  Let me know in the comments and I'll see you folks around!  :)

Food!

So, if you've ever loved ice cream, then you've had it at home.  However, there is a severe shortage of easy homemade ice cream sauces!  It's a conspiracy to make us all go spend extra money at a specialty ice cream shop!


Well, maybe not, but still, all the same...

Look at that deliciousness!

Why have strawberry syrup from a bottle when you could have this delicious tri-berry sauce ready in 5 minutes?

Berry Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/4 C Raspberry Preserves
1/2 C Frozen Mixed Berries
2 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp White sugar & 1 Tbsp Brown sugar (use only if your raspberry preserves are more tart than sweet)
A splash vanilla extract
A pinch ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Cook until the berries are thawed and sauce is warm.
3. Serve warm

Ta da!  Perfect over plain vanilla ice cream!

Idiot Cord? So Easy, An Idi-- well, you get the idea..

So, what could be simpler than something with the word "idiot" in the title..?  (kind of like those "___ for Dummies" books... ;P )  The Idiot Cord is so simple to make, that soon you'll be up to your neck in them!

Here we go!

Materials:

• Yarn
• 2 Double Pointed Needles

Directions:

• Cast on three stitches.
• Knit the first row as per normal.  
• Slide the stitches down to the end of the double pointed needle.  Then insert the tip of the second needle into the "first" stitch on the first needle.  This should be the one not attached to the working yarn.
• Pulling the working yarn over, knit the first stitch.  
• Knit the two remaining stitches. 
• Repeat.

An easy use for scrap yarn!

We've all seen this, right?  A pile of little bits and pieces of leftover yarn of all different colors, lengths, and sizes. What to do with them, then?

Well, I have just the idea for you!  While looking through new patterns for washcloths, I realized that i have yet to make a single soap buddy!  (What's wrong with me..??)

And, of course, being the lazy person I am, all of the patterns I found for them were too complicated or specialized for my tastes.  So, I decided to make my own!

Here we go!

Easy Soap Buddy


Materials:

• 3 Double Pointed Needles (size 8-10)
• Scrap worsted weight yarn (or another weight- just adjust up or down 5 stitches depending on the weight).  Use just one color, or as many as you want!

For the pouch:

• Cast on 21 stitches (if using worsted weight yarn) onto two double pointed needles.
• Knit 24 rows (or however many fit around your soap of choice--I used a Dove bar for a measure), then cast off as if working a flat piece.
• Sew the bottom seam together and weave in ends.

Here's what the stitches should look like when you'redone a few rows:

For the tie around the top:

• Knit an idiot cord (one with two or three stitches) until about 7 inches long. Don't even bother weaving in the ends!  Just cut them to the same length and you're good!

That's it!  Nothing to it, right?  Now, go forward and use those scraps!