On the show, we featured a book that is written for children but is so charming in its presentation, concept and contents that I feel it is not only a wonderful book for its target audience, but is worth the attention of adults as well.
Kids Knitting is exactly what the title implies: there are many pictures of children--both boys and girls--knitting, and many more pictures of the items they have knit. Step-by-step diagrams accompany easy-to-understand directions. Best of all, the projects are not only realistically easy, but made up in such wonderful colors and used in such creative ways (an afghan for a llama?) that they do NOT look like "Knitting 101."
An added bonus: Along with directions on how to knit, the book includes directions for making your own knitting needles.
Steps
- Cut a 1/2" dowel into two 14" lengths.
- Insert one end of dowel into a pencil sharpener and sharpen to a point. With an emery board or fine sandpaper, smooth off the point so it is rounded rather than sharp.
- The other ends of the needles can be wrapped with rubber bands to keep any knitting from sliding off. The book, however, suggested making balls of wildly colored polymer clay, then pushing the end of the needle into the ball and, after baking, gluing ball to end to hold it in place.
I also tried using bamboo skewers as needles. Though they are much smaller in circumference, they worked beautifully. Again, the points need to be dulled with an emery board or sandpaper.
Knitted Hat
From a pattern for a knitted ball that a viewer sent to me in the 1970s, I knitted a hat using four-ply yarn and No. 10 needles. The dowel needles, although a size or two smaller, could also be used.
Steps:
- Cast on 28 stitches.
- Row 1: Knit all 28 stitches. Turn.
- Row 2: Knit to within 8 sts. of the end (20 sts). Turn work and knit back to beginning of row. Turn.
- Row 3: Knit to within 6 sts of the end (22 sts). Turn work and knit back to beginning of row. Turn.
- Row 4: Knit to within 4 sts. of the end (24 sts). Turn work and knit back to beginning of row. Turn.
- Continue in this manner until you are once again knitting all 28 sts. Repeat pattern ten times. Cast off leaving a long thread of yarn. Fold knitted piece in half and sew the two ends together to form the hat. Done!
Variations
- Add a pom-pom or tassel to the top of the hat.
- Alternate colors every group of rows or make every grouping a different color.
- Cast on many more than 28 sts. so you have a longer hat and turn back a brim.
Knitted BallA ball can be made following the same basic idea but this time you will turn back before coming to the end of the row on BOTH ends of the needle. The actual numbers would be as follows:
Steps:
- Cast on 28 sts. Knit across one row and turn.
- Knit 20 sts. Turn.
- Knit 12 sts. Turn.
- Knit 14 sts. Turn.
- Knit 16 sts. Turn.
- Continue in this manner, increasing by two the number of sts. you knit in each row until you are again knitting across all 28 sts. This completes one section. Continue knitting until you have ten such sections before binding off. To make a multicolored ball, change the color yarn for each section.
Resources Kids Knitting: Projects for Kids of All Ages
by Melanie Falick (ISBN: 1885183763)
Click
here to order this title.
Workman Publishing Co. Inc. (Artisan Books, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill)
708 Broadway
New York, NY 10003-9555
Toll Free Phone: 800-722-7202
E-mail:
info@workman.com
Website:
www.workman.com
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