Happy
new year.
For my new year's resolution I decided to join the
growing phenomenon of committing to Knitting-from-your-stash.
Like most enthusiastic knitters I have a horde of
yarn, I just can't
walk past a yarn store, whether or not I need yarn I just have to go in
and look and usually end of coming out with another lot - well time to
pull the belt in and restrict myself and jump on the
KFYS
bandwagon)
Here are the basic rules (I added a few of my own)
The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run for
12 months.
- I
will
not buy any yarn or knitting tools during this period, with
the following exceptions:
- If
someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not
have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.
- If
we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough
to complete the project.
- If
I break or loose a tool I can replace it.
- I
can purchase yarn if it's to finish a project, but I can see this
getting abused if not careful, limiting this to 1 or 2 balls, not
picking an single ball to start knitting a sweater and running out to
buy 10 or 12 more balls - that's cheating.
- I
get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card - I am allowed to fall off
the wagon one time.
- I
am allowed to receive gifts of yarn, including gift certificates that
can be redeemed for yarn
- Trading
stash is allowed in fact encouraged.
- I
am allowed to buy yarn for a fellow knitter
- Spinning
fiber of any sort is exempt.
Will review all this later in the year and see how I go.
Knit-easy tip
for the month - joining a new ball of yarn
Leave
about 6-8 inches of yarn hanging down from each of the balls. Just
continue knitting across the row. When you're done, pull up any
looseness where the ends are hanging down and weave in the yarn end on
the back of the fabric. I like to weave in the end by zig zagging along
the back of one row of stitches. Be sure to do this loosely (it helps
to stretch the knitting to make sure it's loose enough). Finally, trim
off the remaining yarn.
Ideally,
when ever possible start a new ball of yarn at the beginning
of a new row where a seam will be sewn. When seaming,
you can then weave the ends into the seam.
