NY Giants Hat

Donald Juniors NY Giants Hat

Our Passions in life

To have a fulfilling life it is helpful to be passionate about something. Passionate people have purpose and their passion generates energy. My passions are my faith, family, the art of business, and fiber arts. My son-in-law and his family have many passions and one of them is their love for sports and their allegiance to their teams. My grandson is no exception. He loves NY Giants so I embarked on designing a hat for him. You can find my free pattern on my patterns page. You can change the colors to the recipients favorite team. I got the patch from a seller on e-bay.

The Past and The Present

Knitting, reading, technology.

The Past and the Present

Technology, knitting, and reading, these are three of my favorite hobbies.  It is exciting to enjoy each one for very different reasons.  They balance each other, when technology gets overwhelming, a simple knitting project can be calming.  Reading connects them all together.  I enjoy reading; I like fiction and books about my hobbies.  I love reading knitting books that are fiction, technical, and tid-bits of helpful information about my craft.  I enjoy reading about business with a focus on technology, how to’s, how processes are applied to solve a problem, and new discoveries and how it I can use them in my life.

Knitting connects us to our past.  Men and women have been knitting throughout history.  In the past knitting was a career, these careers provided a resource for men supported their families.  Knitting was a career that required proficient work and was achieved through a comprehensive apprentice program.  As time progressed knitting was done by women to provide for their families and the military.  And knitting evolved into a hobby, providing hobbyists the ability to make something from a ball of yarn, camaraderie with other knitters, therapy in many forms, the ability to give warm comforting items to people in need, and last but definitely not least stress relief.

Technology and knitting have become great buddies.  Knitters have recently discovered through the advancement of technology, they can learn more; see videos to succeed in a specific techniques, communicate with other knitters worldwide, make “virtual” knitting friends, and achieve much more than possible before technology brought our world a little closer.

Reading knitting fiction and technical books brings knitters together, communicates valuable ideas and life styles that include knitting.  I have been using the book pictured “The Knitters Life List”, by Gwen W. Steege as a tool and kind of diary of my knitting journey.  This book is very interesting.  There are profiles of well-known knitters, techniques discussed, suggestions of what and how to apply knitting to our lives and interesting things to learn.

Enjoying all the aspects of all of our hobbies makes us well rounded, knowledgeable knitters.  Whatever your passion, whatever you love to do, whatever makes you lose track of time because you are engrossed in what you are doing, is what you should study, enjoy, seek out, and grow in.  So please share – what is your passion?

Let’s make 2012 an opportunity to reflect and choose to advance in what we love.

Don’t waste another day!

Gratitude Scarf

I have added a new pattern to my patterns here on the blog. I designed this scarf for a very special person. She likes the color blue so I thought this will keep her warm on those cold winter days at school.

Gratitude Scarf

What are you working on?

Swatch #7

On swatch number 7 we are learning SSK decreases. The SSK goes on the right side of your work because it mirrors the K2tog which is worked on the left side, normally. These two decreases mirror themselves and look the best when trying to avoid any attention to your decreases. For the Masters program we have questions to answer about this swatch and we need to write up an instruction sheet to make an SSK properly that is easy to follow. Being able to explain techniques is a good skill to learn.

Level 1 swatch 7

I am also working on a scarf for a dear friend. She loves blue, I love the yarn, I am using Lion Brands Natures’s Choice organic cotton. I am developing my own simple pattern. I will post a picture of the completed scarf and instructions upon completion of the scarf. Here is my work in progress.

Special Blue and almond scarf

This weekend we were camping at Hickory Run State Park in Albrightsville PA. I knitted the scarf a lot while I was there. I love knitting outside. I am inspired by the color and vibrancy of the woods. It was very relaxing and enjoyable.

Being creative is always learning experience for me.

This week I completed a pair of crocheted slippers for a friend of mine. I like this pattern because it crochets up pretty quickly.

Katherine Slippers

I also finished re-knitting Swatch number 7. I am happier with this swatch because the stitches are even. The SSk’s are still larger than the K2tog but I think they are OK. I am blocking the swatch now.

I don’t know about you but when I bind off the last bind off stitch is sometimes larger and distorted. I discovered a way to make the last stitch on the bind off look better in the Vogue Knitting Book. When working the bind off row when you have one stitch left on both the right and left needles, transfer the remaining stitch from the left needle to the right needle. Now you have two stitches on the right needle. Pick up the left part of the loop on the knit stitch on the row below. Slip the slipped stitch back to the left needle, be sure not to twist the stitch. Knit the slipped stitch and the picked up stitch together and bind off. Cut your yarn and pass through the remaining stitch. This makes a very neat final bind off stitch.

I have taken a computer graphics course at my local community college. I am learning Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This will help me in business but also with my knitting. I believe having the ability to show my projects and patterns using these graphic software will be helpful when designing patterns for Master Knitters or for my own use, or who knows maybe I can publish one someday. I don’t know where this skill will lead but I do know I will put them them to good use.

Our first project was to design a magazine cover. Well, of course I designed a Fiber Arts magazine cover. This design gave me the idea to change my blog name and I also purchased the domain name www.americanfiberart.com. Maybe someday I will start a website, who knows but I will be prepared.

Here is a picture of my magazine cover, how do you like it?

American Fiber Arts Magazine Cover

Have a great weekend and happy knitting (or crocheting).

Cecily

Summer Fun – New Blog Name

Hello everyone, I am excited to announce our blog address and name has changed from Forgetmeknots to American Fiber Art. The new address for our blog is http://americanfiberart.wordpress.com. This name and address is more content appropriate and we will be able to build on it.

Summer events and a course at our community college has slowed my knitting and posting. I have finished a knitted shawl for a special person. I will be re-knitting swatch #6 and #7. I was not happy with the tension (a constant struggle but the key to exceptional knitted projects). I have a technique that will help correct my tension issues. I always have more tension on the purl side but I have added a little more. After wrapping the yarn around the right needle I just give a little tug. You can see the yarn react to that and it just adds some extra tension. This may seem like common sense but I also started to loosen the knit side. These small changes have fixed many of the tension inconsistencies.

Here are the pictures of my Lion Brand’s Gratitude Shawl. I used Lion Brands “Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton Yarn”. This yarn was a pleasure to work with. It is a soft yarn that knits up beautifully.

Now that I am done with the shawl I don’t know what to work on. I know I have swatches for the Master program but I like to have a recreational project on the needles also. Any suggestions?

Don’t forget change your links to this blog to the new address. It is http://americanfiberart.wordprss.com. What have you been up to this summer?

I am a knitter but these quilts can make you drool.

Fiber arts are beautiful and exciting. Knitting is my passion but I admire quilters and their works of art. I enjoy looking at quilts, reading about them, looking at the different patterns and materials used. I recently attended a quilting show where I saw such wonderful talent displayed. I believe there were over 100 hand made quilts displayed. Here are a few samples of what I saw.

Quilt1

Quilt2

Quilt3

Quilt4

Quilt5

Quilt6

The last quilt really caught my eye. It is my favorite color and the white squares with the green star design was cross stitch. I enjoy cross stitch and when placed on a quilt it is extra special. The attendees got to vote on their favorite quilt. Quilt 6 was my choice.

This week I am re-knitting swatch 7 and 8. I have been getting better with my uneven tension and rowing out. I think I will do better with my submissions if I re-knit them. I don’t mind re-doing my work because I see improvement at every try.

Almost done my gratitude shawl, on my final skein (#5).

Make this Memorial Day memorable with family, crafts, and fun.

This Memorial Day I plan to make some progress on my Master Level 1 program. Decreasing is our subject and I plan to be proficient in this skill by the end of this journey.

Here is swatch #7 where we decreased using SSK and K2 tog. I am not 100% sure I won’t re-knit this swatch. My stitch tension is always a challenge for me.

Level 1 Swatch 7

The swatch has been blocked and tagged. I have to do the swatch info sheet listing the source of my decrease reference.

I have been practicing my KSP and SKP decreases. The KSP stitch is a decrease made by knitting up to the point you want to make your decrease, knit the next stitch, return it to the left needle purlwise, then pass the stitch to the left of that stitch over that stitch and off the needle. Move the stitch back to the right needle. The SKP decrease is made by slipping one stitch knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch.

I am going to knit up Swatch #8 this weekend.

I am still working on my Gratitude Shawl, on skein number 4 of 5 – coming up to the finish line. Love this pattern and yarn. Pictures to follow.

Is anyone making something special over the Memorial Day weekend? Let us know what you are up to with any craft projects or activities this weekend. No matter what you have planned be safe and have a great time.

Happy Knitting!

Gratitude

As I knit the Shawl of Gratitude (Lion Brand), I meditate on being aware and thankful for my blessings. Being thankful has its benefits. Thinking about your blessings stops worry, negative thoughts, and stress. Having a heart of gratitude makes you healthier and happier. Artists have much to be thankful for. Fiber Artists have the ability to transform a skein of yarn to a beautiful work of art. We make projects for ourselves, family, friends, and even strangers. Our projects keep ourselves and people we care about warm and comfortable. Our projects provide comfort and happiness to others. Isn’t that what it is all about? Making others happy makes us happy. Having so many fibers available to us is also a blessing. Our choices are unbelievable and we enjoy a large choice of fibers. Our choice of fiber makes our projects even more beautiful.

For my Shawl of Gratitude I am using Lion Brand’s Nature’s Choice, organic cotton. Wow what a beautiful yarn, it is soft and warm. Love it! I am on skein number 3 of 5. Here is my progress:

My progress on Lion Brands Shawl of Gratitude

On my Master knitters program, yesterday I knit Swatch number 7, I will block this weekend and post a picture. We worked on decreases, K2tog and SSK. I am practicing KSP and SKP decreases for swatch number 8.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Swatch number 7 focuses on SSK and K2tog decreases. The SSK is a left slanting decrease, usually used on the right side of the piece is the decrease of choice when using a K2tog decrease on the opposite side. The decrease is challenging because the way the stitch is made has a tendency to distort the yarn and make the stitches larger. The SSK is made by knitting up to where you want to make the decrease. Slip two stitches from the left needle knit wise onto right needle. Insert left needle from left to right and knit the stitch.

There are options and alternate ways of producing this stitch. They are:

1 – When doing this method you must purl your stitches differently on the previous row. When making the purl stitches for the stitches that will be decreased wrap the yarn under the left needle rather than wrapping the yarn on the top as usual. When doing the SSK on the next row you can knit the two stitches far side from right to left.

2 – When making the SSK – slip the stitches knit wise from left needle to right needle then slip back to left needle. This twists the stitches, knit these twisted stitches on the far side from right to left.

I tested the traditional way to do these SSK and the two alternate ways. I have found that the traditional when practiced still makes the nicest stitches so I have decided to make Swatch number 7 using the traditional SSK stitch method.

The K2tog decrease is a right slanting decrease; it is easy to do and is not very visible. The K2tog decrease is usually placed on the left side of the piece. Knit to the point you want to make your decrease. Knit two stitches in the same way you would knit one.

After the practice is the fun – recreational knitting

I have completed a few projects and I found myself without a project. So I checked out Lion Brand’s site for a new project and found a Gratitude Wrap. A very easy pattern to relax with. It is made with 5 skeins of Lion Brand Natures Choice Organic Cotton. I am making mine in Almond. You can find the pattern at www.lionbrand.com – search “Shawl of Gratitude”. The yarn is so wonderful, it is soft and easy to use. It doesn’t split and works up nicely.

Shawl of Gratitude

What is on your needles?