Simple Knitting Tip: Make a Butterfly

Every knitter should have a secret weapon; mine is my daughter. She does just about everything well and offers terrific input for me on things ranging from outfits to blog posts to interior design. When she moves out, I will be getting a GoPro camera for each of us so I will always be able to get her opinion on whatever is happening around me.  I'm kidding.  Sort of.

In the meantime...one of the ways she is invaluable to me is that she taught me to make a butterfly. I am notorious for predominantly using the long-tail cast-on and as such tend to end up with a frightfully long tail. (All those little tricks to measure how much tail you'll need to cast on? No, I don't use them. Whew! Honesty feels good.) A few years ago, seeing my ridiculously long tail getting tangled in my knitting, she made me a butterfly. 

Here is what you do:

The completed butterfly. Pic A

Step 1:  Tie a slip knot in the end of the tail, making a loop:

Pic B

Step 2: Take the yarn nearest your project and wrap it around your fingers (like winding up the outdoor extension cord around your arm, but smaller and with fewer bits of debris) until you have wound it all up:

Pic C

Step 3:  Slide the loop you made with the slip knot over the wound up yarn and pull the tail, tightening up the slip knot over the yarn.

You'll have pretty little butterfly that keeps your yarn out of your knitting and won't get tangled so easily with your working yarn. Nifty, ain't it? (pic A)

If you'd like to see it in motion, here's a video of the entire process:

Yes, that's right--our first video here at KnitOasis.  It's not something I've tried before, but I figured it would be so much easier just to SHOW you how to do this little trick, rather than tell you. Let me know what you think!

Big 10 Knit-a-Long: Announcing the Charity!

I'm so excited! I just got off the phone with the Carolina Youth Development Center here in Charleston, and y'all, when I say this is the perfect fit for our Big 10 Knit-a-Long for Charity, I am not even kidding! (You can tell how excited I am about it because I sound all Texan...)

In case you're just now hearing about the Big 10 Knit-a-Long, here's what's what:

Last month I kicked off a year long celebration of my 10 year knitting anniversary--a charity knitting project that knitters (and crocheters) anywhere can participate in. Using the format set up by Warm Up America, we will be making afghan blocks that will then be sewn together to make blankets. Each block will need to be 7" x 9" and we need 49 blocks per blanket, which we will create during our sewing up party at the end of the year. (For sign up form and FAQs, read this post. For the first 2 free patterns, read this one. If at any time you need to catch up with all the Knit-a-Long action, just type in "knit-a-long" on the search bar at the bottom of this page.)

Until this afternoon, we had everything necessary to make this a great project: patterns, knitters, and tons of enthusiasm. What we needed was a charity and I'm delighted to tell you that now we've got that, too!

The Carolina Youth Development Center is celebrating an anniversary this year as well, but theirs is A LOT more impressive than mine! They were founded in 1790 as the Charleston Orphan House and have been helping kids for 225 years (!!!).  As I have studied the history of this area, I have heard about the Orphan House and some of the great work they have done over the years, providing housing and more for children in need. And now we can partner with them! I did say I was excited, right??

You're going to be hearing more about this awesome organization over the coming months, but for now let me leave you with this...they have a wish list on their website, with current and ongoing needs for the kids who come through the houses they run. At any given time they can have 20-30 children between the ages of 2 and 18, and they always like to give them blankets, pillows, hygiene items (bar soap, toothpaste, body wash) and basics like underwear, socks and a current big need--plain white t-shirts in any sizes. Even if you're not a knitter, you can help! If you would like to donate things to the Center, I will take wish-list items by there as often as necessary. Contact me through this website or the Facebook page and we'll arrange to get your donations from you.

And of course, you can knit! The next pattern(s) will be available soon. In the meantime, the link above has the first two patterns. If you crochet or want to just knit your own patterns, make sure they measure 7" x 9" and are knit from easy-care acrylic. I have just recently tried KnitPicks Brava worsted weight 100% acrylic and I adore it, but you can use any acrylic you have handy.  Holler if you have any questions, and honestly, isn't it great to be a knitter?

Tutorial: I-Cord, I love you.

I-cord is one of those knitting tools that make me happy I learned to knit. I realize it's not everyone's favorite thing to knit, especially when one is called upon to knit 3 feet of it, TWICE, when making bag handles, but I really like it. I like the way it starts out flat and then becomes 3-dimensional, a little like turning a heel. I like the way it's mindless knitting and one minute you look up from it and when you look down again, it has grown, as if by magic. I love that you can knit it by itself or use it as an edge on a finished project like a blanket. I love that you use double-pointed needles but knit in the round in a way that is unexpected. I just love it.

Today, I'd like to show you how to knit a simple I-cord.

All of the above examples use a cast on of 4 stitches. Obviously, needle size and yarn weight make a difference in the size of your i-cord.

Using a double-pointed needle of a size appropriate for your yarn, cast on 4 stitches (or whatever your pattern calls for). (fig. 1)

fig. 1

Knit one row, then, instead of turning your work so that the working yarn is coming from the right side of the knitting, slide the work down to the other point of the double-pointed needle. Your working yarn is coming from the left side ON THE BACK of your work. (figure 2) Knit one row, then repeat the process of sliding the work down. The tricky bit is to always remember to slide the work and not turn the needle around. With some practice you'll get the rhythm down.

fig. 2

fig. 3

After you've knit a couple of rows (fig. 3) you'll want to give the bottom of your work a tug, pulling it down away from the needle. See what happens when you do that?

Magic. (fig. 4)

fig. 4

You'll notice that your cord looks like a small diameter tube of stockinette stitch fabric. You can also make it look like garter stitch by alternating knit and purl rows. When you have reached the length you need, bind off. If you are attaching the cord to make it a bag handle, leave a long tail when you cut the yarn and use it to sew the cord on where it needs to go.

It really is as easy as it sounds and it's a great tool to have in your Technique Tool Kit.

For you seasoned I-cord pros, what are some of the ways you've used I-cord?

Listener Mail!

Greetings and welcome to the portion of our show we like to call Listener Mail! Our loyal listeners have shared with us their insights and tips and now we will share them with all of you out there in radio land....

OK, clearly, I've heard one too many old radio shows in my time! Seriously, though, here are some Reader Comments on recent blog posts that I thought you'd all enjoy.

The post "Things knitting has taught me..." sparked some thoughts from a few of you:

I think knitting has taught me that one common thread (errr yarn) can bring people together. Finding out someone else is a stitcher can spark an instant connection, and I've made so many friends through knitting! Was just reflecting on this a few days ago when I met someone from out of town. She pulled out her needles and we instantly found things to talk about.--Ashley from The Feisty Redhead

I agree with Ashley, especially since knitting is how we met to begin with!

Knitting has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone. I am a new knitting blogger and I am finishing up the CYC Instructor course to teach at Michaels in Missouri. I am enjoying reading your blog, I think you provide a unique perspective.--Sarah at Cashmere Wishes and Angora Dreams

So true, Sarah! I find it empowers other areas of my life to learn new things about knitting. And props to you on the CYC course--excellent program! And shucks, thanks :) Your blog is beautiful. I also LOVE this from your blog: "Life lesson #1 that knitting has taught me: IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE BEAUTIFUL." That right there just makes my day!

And there's this from Lisa:

Knitting has a miraculous way of calming my spirit, and provides reassurance that all is well...

And from Arrylee:

Knitting has taught me patience.

Isn't it the truth, Ladies? If I had known knitting would have had such a good affect on me, I'd have learned much sooner!

Comments from the Instagram feed included this from sweet Pam:

That I'm not very good, need to practice more, better at crochet😢, but this is beautiful!😊 I'd really like to get better!

And this extremely philosophical note from Mblawson01:

That you need to see the big picture but don't forget the pleasure in the details.

That will make you think!

---

Last Friday's post on "How to Knit (More); plus a free recipe" brought this from Ashley:

Haha, I love it! I just wrote an article for Craftsy about more time for knitting and it included things like devoting an hour each night to knitting, knitting with friends, and other boring ideas that won't get me out of cleaning, cooking, and driving. This list is way more fun!

She's right, her article is chock-full of actual advice. I highly recommend it!

I'm still waiting to hear whether anyone tried my free recipe :)

Thank you to all who wrote in! Keep those cards and letters coming...or at least keep the comments on the posts coming--I love them!