Archive for the ‘craft ideas’ Category

I started knitting prayer/healing shawls just recently.  When I purchased Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need I bought some Lion Brand Homespun Yarn to make a project.

Let’s start with – I really like this yarn.  “Soft, Silky and Beautiful! A uniquely textured yarn that works up quickly and easily. … Please note that some colors have long, slow color variations that cause them to subtly stripe. This is deliberate and adds to the beauty of the finished garment; such yarns are designated as our ‘painterly’ colors.”  It’s neat yarn.  It is made up of fibers woven around a central string to create these little nubs.  Homespun Yarn for a picture.  And it’s got a ton of colors.  It’s warm and most importantly it’s machine wash & dry.  My cats love it.

Ok.  I can’t purl with this yarn without straightening the nubs out on one side of my fingers and bunching them up on the other side.  If you pull too hard on this yarn it will do this.  Anyone who wraps the yarn around their fingers while knitting will notice this.  It just takes an adjustment in they way you knit.  That being said – I think it’s worth it.  I just have to figure out how to adjust my purling now.

Don’t you just hate trying to knit with circular needles?  Wouldn’t you just rather cram 200 stitches on straight needles?

Well until I discovered this trick – Me, too.  I was watching a DIY show called Knitty Gritty (http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_dkng) and I found this tip. 

Boil your needles and that will straighten out the cord.  There is one little thing though, don’t boil wooden or bamboo needles!  Just dip the cord in boiling water.  If you submerse the needles the finish probably will be damaged.  This is the voice of experience.  I got brand new bamboo needles, stuck them in the nuke chest (microwave) in a dish of water, the needle fell in and I had to rewax my needles.  Ugh!  But my cord is straight!