It's a journey...don't give up too soon

"The goal is necessary, just as is the process toward the goal."

 Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

One of things that makes me happiest is teaching knitting.  Sometimes I think I like that even more than knitting!  When I first starting teaching, my goal was to create more knitters so I wouldn't be alone in this obsession that had gripped me.  Now, my goal is to create more knitters so we can take over the world.  It's important to keep raising the bar, right?

In my frequent contemplations of How Knitting is Like Life, I have noticed these parallels:

1.  It's a journey.
2.  Mistakes are not failure.
3.  Mistakes have lessons to teach us if we will listen.
4.  It's a daily thing.
5.  Some people will just never understand.
6.  Lots of people WILL understand, and they will also gladly join forces with you to take over the world.
7.  There's always something new to learn.
8.  Never give up. 

I say this to students and fellow knitters, as well as to myself, A LOT:

"Don't feel bad about starting over again because it's all part of the learning process."  

The reason I stress this so often is that, when I was a new knitter, I felt like such a tragic failure when I made a mistake and had to start over. All that time wasted!! Now I know better, and I want to make sure those whom I teach don't get too frustrated when mistakes happen or when they can't figure out a pattern or when their knitting mojo gets dimmed by using too much lower quality yarn (splitting, the struggle is real...).

In the meantime, if your knitting hits a snag and you're grumbling under your breath about starting over, AGAIN, take heart.  Yes, that finished project, that goal, is important and someone might even be waiting impatiently for you to finish it, but the things you are learning as you find and correct your mistakes will make you a better knitter and a better person.  Never give up.

Need some tips on how to find and fix mistakes in your knitting? I have a class coming up Saturday, May 16: Intro to Fixing Mistakes.

Free Pattern Friday: The Aunt Dahlia

I am a huge fan of humorous author P.G. Wodehouse. I first came across his works in connection to his "Jeeves and Wooster" stories, then discovered that this prolific man had written over 90 books, the lyrics for over 250 songs and 15 plays. He created dozens of memorable characters, among them Aunt Dahlia, Bertie Wooster's favorite aunt: fond of gambling, fox hunting and keeping her husband Tom happy (especially when asking him for money to subsidize her women's newspaper Milady's Boudoir). I see her as a mixture of tough practicality and sweetness--beneath her brash exterior she actually likes her nephew, especially since he brings along his very clever manservant Jeeves when visiting her home, Brinkley Court. She's pretty clever herself, as she knows Jeeves can get her out of whatever predicament she finds herself in.

Just like Aunt Dahlia, this pattern is practical and hard-working, with a touch of polish.

Available right here, right now, or download from my Ravelry store: The Aunt Dahlia

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight, about 150 yards Needles: US size 6
Cable needle
Button

Yarn needle for weaving in ends and sewing seams

GAUGE

Approx. 5 sts = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

FINISHED SIZE

This fits my iPad mini in its case, which measures 8” x 5 3/4”.

NOTES

C6F = slip 3 stitches from left needle to cable needle; hold in front of work. Knit next 3 stitches off left hand needle. Knit the 3 stitches off cable needle, or transfer stitches back to left hand needle and knit off left hand needle.
P = purl

K = knit
k2tog = knit 2 together
Backward loop or thumb cast on: Wrap the working yarn around your thumb from front to back and pick up the loop you just made on your thumb by picking it up (from underneath) with your right-hand needle. Online tutorial at craftsy.com by the awesome Ashley: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/05/thumb-method-cast-on-knitting-tutorial/

MAKE IT!

Cast on 30 stitches
Knit one row then begin pattern as follows: Row 1 (wrong side): p10, k2, p6, k2, p10 Rows 2 & 4: k10, p2, k6, p2, k10
Rows 3 & 5: as row 1
Row 6: k10, p2, C6F, p2, k10

Repeat this 6 row pattern for 17” or twice the length of your device, ending having just knit Row 5.

Make garter stitch flap with button hole:
Knit every row across to last 2 sts, then k2tog.
Work decreases until 17 sts remain.
Work buttonhole:
Row 1: k7, bind off 2, k across to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 2: k7, cast on 2 using backward loop or “thumb” cast on, k across to last 2 sts, k2tog. Work decreases as before, until 4 stitches remain, then bind off.
Weave in ends. Attach button on front of case to line up with buttonhole.
Sew seams. Enjoy!

(Read more about Dahlia Travers in the works of P.G.Wodehouse, including Right Ho, Jeeves.)

Simple Knitting Tips: Take a Nap

Surely I'm not the only one that hoards articles written showing the importance of proper rest. When my children were small I fell in love with the elusive idea of "adequate rest." Now that my kids are older, getting enough sleep isn't magically easier. While it is true that the better care I take of myself (good nutrition, regular exercise) the more energy I have, sometimes due to a change in schedule or stress or illness or snoring spouse, I find my sleep has been compromised. This fact alone tends to make me stress even more. I really really like getting enough sleep! 

With enough rest, my thoughts are more easily organized, my to-do list is more easily tackled and my creativity is more easily summoned to the knitwear design or knitting class lesson at hand. Without it, well..... NOT. 

So today's Simple Knitting Tip is this: to add some pep to your step and a clear head to your knitting work, take a nap. Either occasionally or on a more regular basis, studies show that a short nap can refresh you and make you better able to tackle tasks at hand.  

Those of you with pets or small children know how much better it is for naps to happen, as well as how much worse it is when they don't.  I have literally stopped in the middle of a tricky knitting issue before and realized that I was just too tired to think it through. Fortunately, that day it worked out for me to take a quick nap and then approach the issue from a fresh perspective.

A recent article ( http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2015/03/23/A-short-nap-may-make-memory-five-times-better/9181427162911/) made the claim that you can improve memory by taking a short nap. I was going to say something about the importance of good memory when knitting, but I've forgotten what it was. Time for my nap, apparently.

Some articles on sleep for further reading:

• http://www.esbtrib.com/2015/03/23/8209/get-more-from-out-of-your-brain-get-enough-sleep/
• http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/not-enough-sleep-7-serious-health-risks
• http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/mental-health-and-relationship/get-enough-sleep

Big 10 Knit-a-Long: Free Patterns for April

If these patterns look familiar, it might be because they are! The Brickworks and the Altimeter are both scarf patterns I designed for the Red Scarf Project. You can find the full pattern for the scarves here on my Free Patterns page as well as on Ravelry (downloadable pdfs: Altimeter and Brickworks).

The Altimeter Block

You'll need: US Size 7 needles or size needed to achieve gauge of 5 sts = 1 inch; Worsted weight acrylic yarn. Finished size should be 7” x 9”.

Cast on 32 stitches.
Rows 1-8:  *k7, p1; repeat from *
Rows 9, 11, 13, 15:  k1, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k6
Rows 10, 12, 14, 16:  k5, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k2
Rows 17-24:  k3, p1 *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k4
Rows 25, 27, 29, 31:  k5, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k2
Rows 26, 28, 30, 32:  k1, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k6
Repeat these 32 rows until piece measures 9”. Bind off stitches, weave in ends.

The Brickworks Block

You'll need: US Size 7 needles or size needed to achieve gauge of 5 sts = 1 inch; Worsted weight acrylic yarn. Finished size should be 7” x 9”.

Cast on 24 stitches. Row 1: (K3, P3) 4 times Row 2: K1, P1 across the row Repeat rows 1 & 2 for 10 rows for a total of 12 rows Next 2 rows: Knit every stitch Knit 12 rows of rows 1 & 2 again, then Knit 2 rows. Repeat this process until scarf measures approx. 60” long. End with Row 1 and bind off in pattern. Weave in ends. Block as desired.