Mother's Day musings

I cannot believe that April is almost a memory. Seems as if a month just starts and it's almost over.
This year as we come to the month of May it has an extra-special significance for me. It will be my first Mother's Day without my mom, and the first anniversary of her death is at the end of May. To think we have travelled almost an entire year away from that point is remarkable indeed. So many hours and days have been spun into our lives, so many weeks have been woven into our beings. And on it goes.
To mark special remembrances, especially Mother's Day, do something really special for your mom. I can't think of anything more special than something handmade by you. The care and the time you take will be well worth it when you see the look on her face when she opens your gift.
Above is a wonderful scarf pattern, which I devised, and which doesn't take long to knit at all!
After you knit Part A, be sure to pull down on those stitches; it will make them come to life. That's the secret to knitting "dropped stitches" - you need to adjust those rows just a little.

Loving Lace Scarf
2 skeins of a soft worsted-weight yarn
(ex. - Red Heart TLC)
Size 7 straight needles

CO 36 stitches.
Part A:
Rows 1 and 2: Knit.
Row 3: (RS) K6, *yo twice, k1, yo 3 times, k1, yo 4 times, k1,
yo 3 times, k1, yo twice, k6; repeat from * to end.
Row 4: Knit, dropping all the yo's off the needle.
Rows 5 and 6: Knit.
Row 7: K1, *yo twice, k1, yo 3 times, k1, yo 4 times, k1,
yo 3 times, k1, yo twice, k6; repeat from * to end.
Row 8: Repeat row 4.
Repeat these 8 rows, twice more; work will be approx. 5" long.
Pattern changes to a zig-zag pattern.
Part B:
Row 1: (RS) K3 *K2, p3, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 2 and all WS rows: K3, p30, k3.
Row 3: K3 *K1, p3, k2tog, yo, k4; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 5: K3, *p3, k2tog, yo, k5; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 7: K3, *k3, yo, ssk, p3, k2; repeat from * to last 3 sts. K3.
Row 9: K3, *k4, yo, ssk, p3, k1; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 11: K3, *k5, yo, ssk, p3; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 12: K3, p30, k3.
Repeat these 12 rows until scarf measures 50" from beginning.
Repeat Part A for another 5".
BO all stitches.
No need for fringe because of intricacy of pattern itself.

This scarf can be knitted in a weekend or 3-4 evenings. It's very pretty, so make an extra for yourself.
Please tell me about your own Mother's Day musings.

Charity websites For You

What a beautiful day! Sunny, dry, and about 70 degrees. All the ornamental trees and shrubs look so pretty, which puts me in mind of Mother's Day which isn't too far away.

As promised, if you go to http://www.theknitstitch.com/charity.htm you will find some
terrific sites all dedicated to helping those in need. Please be generous with your time and projects for there are so many worthy causes.

Next week I'm bringing you a few unique patterns for Mother's Day gifts. Especially things for remembrance. This is my first Mother's Day without my own beloved mother. There are times I would give anything just to hear the sound of her voice again. I am grateful for my memories though, and for my own children, who have been the center of my heart for many years now!

So let me go look through my treasure trove of knitting "stuff" for patterns dear to my heart!

*7* Surefire Strategies to Get You Knitting!

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend; and there it goes.....
If you are new to knitting or an ol' pro, there are times when we could all do with a helping hand...
The following are 7 surefire ways to get you knitting in no time!
1) Overcome Your Fear! Yes, fear. Ah, you say, what does fear have to do with knitting?
Maybe nothing. On the other hand, maybe everything. If you are the type of personality who just likes to get in there every time and get your hands dirty, then fear is probably not that big a deal for you.
If you're like me, whenever you start a new project, your tendency will be to want everything about it to be perfect. Guess what? Nothing is ever perfect.
That isn't to say, whenever you do something it looks a mess. Quite the contrary. You take time to see to it that whatever you do, you do your best. That usually doesn't have anything to do with being perfect. After all, if we were all perfect, why would we need to strive better to do anything at all? There would just be no need!
You should recognize within yourself, that “perfect” has no place in your life. Anything worth doing will present mistakes and errors all along the way. How else do we ever learn anything?
2)Calling All Procrastinators! We all put things off, it's just human nature. If we are new to a project, a job, or even a relationship, we think going slow, or hardly moving, is the best route to take.
Well, here's news. It never is. You need to TAKE ACTION and take it now!
Open that knitting magazine to the instruction page, and start reading. It's that simple. Follow the instructions and you will begin to learn how to knit! But, you have to do it, now, (!) and just go forward.
3)Know Your Tools. Beginning knitting is simple, indeed. All you need are a pair of knitting needles. I recommend the metal or bamboo type as they are the easiest to work with. Make sure your needles are the straight version, NOT the circular needles.
Your knitting needles should be size 8, 8-1/2, or 9, preferably. Not too small, and not too big will help you learn faster.
Yarn comes in infinitesimal varieties. Why, you might walk into a yarn shop and never come out, there is such an array of yarn to choose from.
Again, be simple. Choose a worsted-weight yarn. Look on the label which is on each skein of yarn for the words “worsted weight”. Not sport-weight, not fun fur, not chunky or bulky, not cotton, or chenille. Just stick with the worsted weight. And, here's good news, you can choose whichever color you like! There are too many to list here.
4)Learn The Basic Basics Start learning to knit the easy way. Learn how to cast on, learn the knit stitch, learn the purl stitch, and learn how to bind off. That's it!
Do not over complicate your life when learning anything new. Stick to the basics and you will never go wrong!
5)Be Consistent I've been married more than 30 years. That is a long time. It hasn't always been a bed of roses, nor has it ever been awful. But there are always the slow times, the rough times, the nothing-seems-to-be-going-right times. With practice, I and my husband have learned what it takes to be happily married. And we have let all the rest go by.
The same goes for learning to knit. Keep it simple, be consistent, practice, practice, practice!! And no, practice doesn't make perfect; but you will come close.
6)Knitting Is Good For You! I'll bet you didn't know that! But did you know this?!
There is scientific evidence that shows the benefits that come from picking up a pair of knitting needles and creating a knitted sensation. Knitting brings about serenity; it helps to synchronize the left and right sides of the brain; knitting brings one closer to a meditative state. The gentle clicking and clacking of the needles brings about a soothing rhythm.
This soothing rhythm leads to more harmonious blood flow and lowered blood pressure. Our minds and bodies are connected; but your grandmother could have told you that!
7) Do What Works When you are learning to knit, learn one step at a time. When you have learned the knit stitch well, practice it over and over. Use it in various patterns, and designs before moving on to something new. Don't feel that you have to be too fancy or intricate if you don't feel comfortable doing that.
There is always a tendency in this loopy world we live in to try and be more that we are. Do what works, in knitting and in every other way, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results! For great instructions on how to learn knitting, just go to
http://www.theknitstitch.com
Follow these 7 simple steps to get you knitting today!! You'll be a winner every time!

Learn to Knit....Me?

You know, I was thinking just recently; in this world we live in, there are many things to do. Besides work, I mean. And besides cleaning the house, or paying bills or running our kids all over town. Every one of us deserves a hobby. Something each of us does really really well. So well, in fact, that we infuriate everybody else we know with our hobby knowledge.
That can be you, too. We all need a place and something in that place that is just us. Just ours and no one else's. Something we have learned, and keep adding to; something we may adjust over time, or take to a higher level, but something that we just keep getting better at.
For me that something is knitting. And it can be for you, too. Knitting doesn't have to be selfish; although there are too many nice patterns that I have done up just for myself!
So, you may be wondering, who is there to knit for? Do you have children? How about parents or nieces and nephews? How about your best friend? Or a good neighbor or co-worker? What about your spouse or significant other? And let's not forget our pets! They deserve something knitted and wonderful, too! Or how about all the homeless people, the displaced people, the sick, the dying, the dead?
Believe it or not, we can knit for all of these people. So, pick a group, any group, and next week, take a look at my website, http://www.theknitstitch.com for a special webpage I'm adding. It will have links to charitable sites all over the web, which are all over this country and the world.
We can never be knitting enough, or fast enough, for all the need in this world that there is.
And that's a knitting fact.

Knittings Deep Deep Soul

It's an absolutely beautiful early spring day, even if spring is my least favorite season. Here in northeast PA it stays cold too long for me. I'm working on the day when I can move to a warm beach, turqoise water lapping at my feet, graceful swaying palm trees overhead, a comfortable chair and ---- you guessed it, my knitting!!
You see, you really can take knitting anywhere you go. Do you commute in someone's car or take the train or bus? How about those rides to see family on the weekends or travelling to a friends weekend retreat? On those long interstates, and parkways, over country roads and highways, there is always time to knit.
Here's the best part - it's so easy to learn knitting!! Master a few foundation stitches and there is just a whole world of wonder waiting for you! Once you know how to knit, learn how to purl, then from there you can experiment; learn dropped stitches, or yarnovers, then get really fancy and add some cable stitches. All so easy!! And all still using nothing more than a knit stitch or a purl stitch. Believe me when I tell you it's a piece of cake!
Knitting is such an ancient craft; and that's part of the pull for me. It's a craft, something that seems to be disappearing off of the American landscape these days. Better to run to the store for that scarf or sweater; who needs an afghan anyway?
You'd be surprised.
To learn a craft is to learn something about me. It helps to focus my attention, it takes me out of my comfort zone when I'm challenged by a unique pattern, then it puts me right back there again, pleased with myself that I can do this, and even more pleased with myself that I had the foresight to stretch my horizons. The best part of that is the more I do, the better I get, and the more I want to do.
When you start to learn knitting, just stick with the basics. Practice over and over again those most basic of stitches, knit the simple items first, and you will inevitably get better and better at it. It has to be! When you are really comfortable, that is the payoff. It's when you get to sit in your favorite room, in your favorite chair, and work on your craft.
We weren't given two hands for nothing.

Welcome to my blog!

Here I am...in blogland, finally! At last I've created a space where I can share ideas, random thoughts, and every other insight with all of you, no matter where you are and no matter where I am!

So, just what can you expect from my blog? Great question....glad you asked!

Every week I will be sharing with you.....

1) Updates from The Knit Stitch.com. I will give you techniques and tips about knitting that you probably didn't even know about! Knitting being such an old craft, has a lot of secrets that I will be letting out of the closet.

2) Announcements! Be the first to know when a new ebook is coming out; or find out about new bonuses and resources helpful to your knitting solutions.

3) Plus, my personal opinion on all things knitting that you won't find anyplace else!

If you want to get to know me and what goes on in the life of an Internet knitter, then stay tuned....it only gets better from here!!

So, once again, welcome and please check back on a regular basis for new information and ideas that you can put to good use, instantly, to take your knitting projects to the next level.