Tuesday, October 28, 2008

THE NEEDLES AND THE DAMAGE DONE


My daughter. I brought her up. I taught her wrong from right
And black from white and all the grey bits in between,
Know what I mean? So what does she do,
The artless, heartless little moo? Frightens me
Fartless by sodding off to live in Brighton,
The Sussex Sodom & Gomorrah of yesterday, today,
Tomorrow and well into the middle of next week,
Magnet for every freak from John O’Groats to Lands End,
Chock full of gender-benders, boozers, cruisers,
Serial substance abusers - and unusually, I’m not talking muesli!
The stuff they smoke would make Puff the Magic Dragon choke.
The lengths they go to in pursuit of carnal satisfaction
Would put Casanova in traction.
And are all these salacious South Coast groins enough
To gratify the sole feminine fruit of my loins?
Is there no depth of depravity, no unexplored corporeal cavity
With which she is unacquainted? Brace yourselves, people.
Folk have fainted at this disclosure. Strive to maintain
Your composure. My wild, sensation-seeking child,
With a consenting partner, was sitting in a pub
When she was asked to leave - for knitting!
I must confess that when she said "Hold me, daddy,"
And told me, I was in stitches. I laughed so much
I bust my britches, and she looked at them penitently
And whimpered, " Can I sew them for you, ever so gently? "
The poor kid’s crochet-hooked on yarn-based products.
She’s a fool for wool, a pushover for pullover patterns,
A slattern for tatting, an embroidery hoyden - and she’s not alone.
She only has to pick up a phone to unravel a whole skein
Of thread-heads, running a patchwork of internet chat rooms
Where they groom the unwitting into a total dependence
On knitting, an unsustainable greed for tweed.

Mind you, you gotta be hardy to survive in the sordid world of full Fair Isle
Cardy. Not for them the exquisitely stitched hem, the romance of
" Knit one, purl one. " More a frantic clicketty-clack, flat on your back
And not an ounce of 4-ply. Addicts, wasted on worsted, rove Hove,
So bestial and rotten as to fleece old ladies for a single spool of cotton.
And the social cost of these lost souls is incalculable. When
They need a fix of mixed shades they’re reduced to visiting
Rough-trade haberdashers shops who can be relied upon not to call the cops.
Cast off by society, if they commit the impropriety of coming out
And parading their perversion in a pub or club, they risk a snub
From someone like the churl who told my girl, " I don’t allow spitting,
And I don’t allow knitting! I know it’s crewel hard but, YOU’RE BARRED."

© peter wyton

Another Knitting Poem

This one comes from the poetry society.org.uk site:


How To Knit A Poem 


The whole thing starts with a single knot 

and needles.A word and pen. Tie a loop 

in nothing. Look at it. Cast on, repeat 

the procedure till you have a line 

that you can work with. 

It’s a pattern made of relation alone, 

my patience, my rhythm, till empty bights 

create a fabric that can be worn, 

if you’re lucky and practised. It’s never too late 

to pick up dropped stitches, each hole a clue 

to something that might be bothering you, 

though I link mine with ribbons and pretend 

I meant them to happen. I make a net 

of meaning that I carry round 

portable, to work on sound 

in trains and terrible waiting rooms. 

It’s thought in action. It redeems 

odd corners of disposable time, 

making them fashion. It’s the kind of work 

that keeps you together. The neck’s too tight, 

but tell me honestly: How do I look? 

--Gwyneth Lewis 


Adoringly yours,


--The Knit Chick


Tuesday Poems

A couple of quickies for this overcast Tuesday morning~


Mother by Prabha Raj 

Watch 
her, as she
Sits and knits.

As pair of needles
Criss cross,
I see her thoughts
Setting her wrinkles
To play.

The moment she completes
The picking of stitches,
Her wrinkles
Erase out.

I call it
The juxtaposition of
Mind and sentiment. 


*   *   *   *   *





"Knit your hearts 
with an unslipping knot."
   
-- Antony and Cleopatra 

by William Shakespeare










Yours in every word and fiber,

--The Knit Chick

Monday, October 27, 2008

Yarn Ball Boogie


Okay, just when I thought I was done for the night, my daughter comes up with this site.  It's called Yarn Ball Boogie.  I haven't surfed through it much yet, but what I've seen so far suits my quirky side to a "t."  Check out this fab neck warmer (scarf?) created by knitboy1.  Oh so very cool, or should I say "hot?"

For more visit Yarn Ball Boogie at:


I'll do some more surfing on this site, and get back to you later.

Spellbound,

--The Knit Chick

Giant Pink Rabbit Seen From Space!

Okay, no doubt many of you have heard about or seen images of the Giant Pink Rabbit that can be Seen From Space.  This made National Geographic, and is rapidly spreading across the internet at the speed of... well, a rabbit.

From the Telegraph.co.uk:


A giant knitted rabbit in Italy can be seen from space by visitors to Google Earth.

The knitted bunny can be seen on Google earth
he giant bunny was "knitted by dozens of grannies" Photo: BARCROFT

The 200-foot-long toy rabbit lies on the side of the 5,000 foot high Colletto Fava mountain in northern Italy's Piedmont region.

The pink rabbit was knitted by Gelitin, the Viennese art collective, as an outdoor sculpture for people to climb on, sleep on, and generally play with.

It is made of soft, waterproof, materials and is stuffed with straw.

Gelatin say it was "knitted by dozens of grannies out of pink wool".

Wolfgang Gantner, a group member said: "It's supposed to make you feel small, like Gulliver. You walk around it and you can't help but smile."

He explained that the bunny is not just for walking around and they expect hikers to climb its 20 foot sides and relax on its belly.

The bunny attracts many visitors each year and can now be seen via satellite on the internet. It is expected to remain on the mountain side until 2025

A spokesperson from Gelatine said: "Now even Google Maps is spotting the rabbit from outer-space."

The idea of giant art installations is not new. In June this year, artist Giancarlo Neri unveiled his giant writing desk and chair on Hampstead Heath.

The sculpture, called The Writer, is 30ft high and has already become such a part of the London landscape that pranksters have been using it as a pizza delivery address.

So, the next time you are unsure of what to knit next...

Oh my!

--The Knit Chick

Latest Rowan


Just couldn't resist posting the latest cover of Rowan, which happens to be their 30th anniversary issue.  These have to be some of my absolute favorites.  Such gorgeous color, texture and character.  Very rich indeed!




Weaving Works

When I was in college I used to frequent a great little yarn store just off of "the Ave" in Seattle's University District.  The store was located in an old house on a corner, and inside it was stuffed with treasures of all sorts.  One had to step over boxes and baskets of tempting treats--the store was that full of gorgeous yarns and fibers.

I was just newly reacquainted with knitting, having first learned when I was around 10.  I designed a sweater with a zipper in it, then gave it up for other things.  One weekend I came across a skein or two of nice-ish looking yarn and some needles belonging to my aunt, and I set about trying to remember this knitting thing.  By the end of the weekend, I'd gotten a fair start on a scarf.  Thus began another happy distraction from the rigors of University life.  I was back knitting again.  

And, I was right back into designing my own sweaters.  In fact, one one of my first visits to The Weaving Works, I spotted a poster with a sweater that looked interesting, and determined to create one for myself.  Now I had to work backwards--teaching myself to knit from a pattern!  I bought several skeins of "Soft Ball" cotton, and knitted feverishly on my cowl necked sweater.  From then on I would knit several sweaters from patterns, but mostly I reverted back to creating my own designs, which continued on into the years I had my own knitting business.  And the Weaving Works served me well during that time.

A year or so after I discovered it, the store moved into it's new location--a nice big, two story building with lots of light and space.  Upstairs were rooms for instruction and weaving, and downstairs one could find quality yarns of all sorts, spinning supplies, roving and raw fleeces, books, buttons, patterns, dyes...  you name it, I bought it.

Weaving Works is still going strong, and if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop in and look around.  You won't be disappointed.

The Weaving Works | P 206.524.1221 | F 206.524.0250 | TF: 888.524.1221 | 4717 Brooklyn Ave NE  Seattle, WA 98105Our Store


Colorfully yours,

--The Knit Chick

Sunday, October 26, 2008

You Are Not Alone

...says the ad for Men Knit.net.  The main page invites you in:


"What?

You thought you were 
the only guy who knits?

No way.
There are thousands of us 
around the world. 
Men knitting isn't as strange 
as some would think.
Men have been knitting 
since the beginning of the craft.


So, welcome! 



Help support MenKnit.net and get some good looking schwag at the same time. Check out the cool MenKnit.net t-shirts, totes, and more gear at Cafepress.


 You can always email us at info@menknit.net

Visit them at  http://www.menknit.net/main.html

Read an excerpt from the History link:


Columbia University Undergrads knitting (1930s)According to Wikipedia, the online dictionary:

"Originally a male-only occupation, the first knitting trade guild was started in Paris in 1527. Knitting became a household occupation with the growing popularity of knitted stockings and by the end of the 1600s, one to two million pairs of stockings were exported from Britain to other parts of Europe."


Click on the Blogs link for a lengthy list of blogs for all those stitchin' guys out there.  

Check it out, and get back to me with your projects.  I might just post your photos here!

Loving it,

--The Knit Chick

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Tough Knit


Tough Knit
Originally uploaded by punk rawk purl
Love it! Might have to go on my tattoo blog, once I get it up and running... Here's the quote that went with the photo:

"Tough Knit

i tried to look rough here... for all of my friends who were second guessing my choice to get my knuckles tattooed.

I swear that having this done will not increase my odds of ending up in prison! ; )

also... these are fresh from today.... still a lil blurry with rampant ink smudges.

the full story.... punkrawkpurl.blogspot.com/2007/09/tough-knit.html

Uploaded by punk rawk purl on 16 Sep 07, 4.27PM PDT."



Love it!

--The Knit Chick

Fiona wants to knit


Fiona wants to knit
Originally uploaded by st-carrie




Oh dear! My DD will not be pleased with me, but when I saw the name Fiona while searching knitting photos in Flickr... I couldn't resist. Wonder if our cat would like this?

All bundled up and waiting,

--The Knit Chick

Thursday, October 23, 2008

New School Knitting:


: The Influence of Elizabeth Zimmermann and Schoolhouse Press.

I found this site which shows images of several sweater and accessory designs in a virtual exhibition format.  Quite interesting--check it out!


Cheers~

--The Knit Chick

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Kitten in Stitches


...I found this pic from Momo425.  How cute can one get?

All wrapped up,

--TKC


Tuesday: Beautiful Knitter


The Knitting Girl

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1869




Russell Crowe, knitting

Couldn't resist:

Enjoy!

--TKC

The Tricoteuse--a poem

THE TRICOTEUSE


She has brows like a knitting machine; teeth 
grinding, sliding back and forth, hands 
tense twitching, like the furies, knitting revenge 
into every stitch, like Madame Defarge, 
the tricoteuse. Like Nero, she could be knitting 
while Rome burned. For each

stitch that drops off the needle, 
another head will roll. Stitch on 
stitch, she builds a scaffold of reprisal 
to shore up her pain and punish her foes, 
fatally – clickety-clack. As she watches

the guillotine swing, she never lets go of those 
knitting pins, pinning elbows to sides, tight, 
pressing breasts together, like a turnkey, pointed,
like knives piercing nooses, tearing at thread 
and yarn. She never lets up on the rhythm of plains 
and purls and slip stitch over, knitting holes for the holy, 
knotting sutures for her bleeding wounds. She knits

her worries into the fabric, repetition relieving her 
heart’s terror. She experiences no trauma. The edge 
of life is taken off, woven into lacy borders, colours, 
a jacquard array, balm for her sorry soul. Falling apart, 
she knits to keep herself whole.

*


Wendy Freebourne, knit designer and poet.

Felted Sweater Knitting Basket

I found this nifty knitting basket photo this morning, and have included the info that went with it:


Felted Sweater Knitting Basket

This is a knitting basket I made from a felted wool sweater. I saw the tutorial on Martha Stewart's talk show, then found the tutorial on her website here. Part of it is hand sewn and other parts I used my machine. The hardest part of the thing was finding the perfect sweater at a thrift shop. I have to thank my mom for this find because she sent me this beautiful hand knit Irish sweater! I felt a little guilty felting it, but it is now filled with Noro Silk Garden and Kureyon and my most recent craft book purchase, Handknit Holidays. 



Happily contained,

--The Knit Chick

Monday, October 13, 2008

More Knitting Poetry

Here is a poem from Naomi Shihab Nye, whom I had the pleasure of taking a workshop from a few years ago:


Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting...
 
 A small striped sleeve in her lap,
navy and white,
needles carefully whipping in yarn 
from two sides.
She reminds me of the wide-angled women
filled with calm
I pretended I was related to
in crowds.

In the next seat
a yellow burst of wool
grows into a hat with a tassel.
She looks young to crochet.
I'm glad history isn't totally lost.
Her silver hook dips gracefuly.

And when's the last time you saw
anyone sew a pocket onto a gray linen shirt
in public?
Her stitches must be invisible.
A bevelled thimble glitters in the light.

On Mother's Day
three women who aren't together
conduct delicate operations
in adjoining seats
between La Guardia and Dallas.
Miraculously, they never speak.
Three different kinds of needles,
three snippy scissors,
everybody else on the plane
snoozing with The Times.
When the flight attendant
offers free wine to celebrate,
you'd think they'd sit back, 
chat a minute,
tell who they're making it for,
trade patterns,
yes?

But a grave separateness
has invaded the world.
They sip with eyes shut
and never say
Amazing
or
Look at us
or 
May your thread
never break.




Naomi Shihab Nye
 


Holding it together,

--The Knit Chick

Knitting Machines!

Today I was looking for something interesting to post here, and happened upon a Lego knitting machine video on YouTube.  What a riot!  I have to say I appreciate the work that went into it.  I say this as I step over my son's Lego carpeted room... Check this out:



As I continued on my was I remembered an antique sock knitter I bought off of Ebay a few years ago.  Here is a demonstration of a 1924 Gearhart Sock Knitting Machine:



When I had my knitting business, making hundreds of felt hats, some purses and bags, and Austrian style felted short jackets, I used a Studio LK 150 for the bulk of my pieces.  I then seamed the pieces together using a graft that didn't show after felting.  These two videos show the set-up and beginning use of a similar machine:




This last one is a home-made machine.  I think this is cool just to watch!


Always in motion,

--The Knit Chick

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Sugar-Free Cabernet Socks

These are really neat looking socks. Here are the specs:


Pattern: Karen's Sugar-Free Diabetes Socks

Pattern Source: Gardiner Yarn Works

Yarn: Berroco Pure Merino; Cabernet colorway

Needles: (2) KnitPicks Circular size 1 US

Notes: The first time I knit this pattern, I followed the pattern as written, but this time I converted the pattern to knit these toe-up. I had no clue what I was doing in the heel section and got very lucky that it all worked out. Thankfully, Judy emailed me her toe-up heel math, so my next pair should go much better. I love the pattern stitch detail in how the finished product looks, but also that it's easy to memorize! I've knit with this yarn twice before when I made the Backyard Leaves Scarf & the Fetchings and although I did love the yarn during those two projects, I didn't really enjoy knitting with a worsted weight yarn on size one needles for these socks. I do like the finished project, but in the future I'll probably stick to lighter weight yarn when knitting socks.


Warmly yours,

--The Knit Chick

Socks and Diabetes

Greetings~

I've been out for a week.  Life has taken a slight turn, and shown me a new road I'm going to be traveling.  My son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes Tuesday morning, and we spent 4 days at the Children's Hospital, getting him rehydrated and learning about this disease.  

So, how does this relate to knitting?  I looked up the words Knitting and Diabetes, and found this good article, written by Canadian knitter Ennien Ashbrook:


**Note--this isn't written by the Knit Chick, but something I found useful and wanted to share with you.

--

Socks for Diabetic Feet

We hear this question all the time -- "Why do you knit socks?" It's a question that instantly betrays the asker as a non-knitter. Any knitter knows we don't need a reason to knit anything! We know perfectly well that we can buy socks. We just like to knit.

With diabetes on the rise, we find ourselves with another reason to knit socks. Most every new diabetic comes out of the clinic looking baffled by all the emphasis on their feet and particularly puzzled by the admonition to toss their cotton tube socks and wear special socks. Special socks are our specialty! But in order to knit the best socks, we must first understand two things: 1) The diabetic foot, and 2) the effects of different fibres on the diabetic foot.

Diabetic feet are usually cold, don't sweat as much as normal feet, heal slowly, infect easily, and aren't as sensitive to touch or pain. The effects may be more or less, depending on the progress of the disease. The root cause of nearly all of these effects is diabetes' destruction of nerves and blood circulation. Loss of blood circulation is the cause of nearly all of diabetes' end effects, from sepsis and amputation to heart attack and stroke.

The decrease of blood circulation to the feet means that not enough white corpuscles are brought to injured areas; thus the risk of infection is substantially increased for the diabetic. Healing is also slower, again because of the impaired blood supply.

Like the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet do not have sebaceous glands and rely on perspiration to maintain their suppleness. The cold feet of diabetics don't sweat as easily or as much as normal feet, so the skin may dry out and be prone to cracking. Cracks allow bacteria to enter the body, leading to possible infections.

Diabetes also damages the nerves and decreases sensitivity. This means that diabetics quite often don't feel small wounds and abrasions on their feet that people with normal feet would feel right away. Small wounds go unnoticed and untreated, heal slowly, and thus provide fertile ground for bacteria. Because of this, diabetics are usually advised to examine their feet daily, treat and bandage small wounds even if they aren't painful, and moisturize their feet. They're also cautioned to wear socks and shoes that are properly fitted and don't rub or abrade the feet.

Now we're into our territory: The socks! Now that we understand the characteristics of the feet we're knitting for, we need to understand what makes a sock good or bad for diabetes, plus we need to understand how different fibre contents affect diabetic feet. Diabetes journals and diabetes educators offer a lot of conflicting advice about this topic, because, quite frankly, there hadn't been much research into socks. That's changed now and there are several studies that we can learn from. Alas, the studies only investigated commercial socks, but we can use their results to improve our handknitting.

For diabetic feet, a "good sock" is defined as one that fits snugly without impairing circulation, that stays in place and doesn't bunch or twist in the shoe, which keeps the foot comfortably warm and dry, and which doesn't cause abrasions. The heel is particularly vulnerable because it's the most insensitive (even in a normal foot), it's exposed to considerable abrasion from shoes and impact, and it's difficult to inspect by oneself. Tube socks tend to bunch at the instep and stretch over the heel, reducing cushioning of this vulnerable spot. They frequently twist around during wearing and the seams may abrade the toes. Shaped, fitted socks are preferable to tube socks because they stay in place better and provide more uniform cushioning over the foot. 

Natural fibers are best, right? Surprisingly, Doctors Kirk M. Herring and Douglas H. Richie found that this wasn't necessarily the case. These researchers ranked sock fibers in terms of moisture wicking, moisture retention, shape retention, and abrasiveness. Their findings were quite surprising: The best fibers were Coolmax and acrylic, while the absolute worst was cotton! Cotton absorbs moisture, but then hangs onto it like a towel, keeping the moisture against the skin instead of wicking it away (which is why cotton socks start to feel slimy after wearing for a while.) This can lead to chapping. Cotton socks were found to get more abrasive with continued wash-wear cycles, leading to blisters and abrasion rashes. Lastly, cotton socks were found to stretch and lose their shape with wearing, causing them to shift and bunch in the shoe. These effects were not mitigated by blending with other fibers.

Wool fared better than cotton. Wool absorbs some moisture, but also wicks it away from the skin. However, wool will compress during wearing and reduce its wicking ability. Although wool is still more abrasive than synthetics, superwash merinos are less abrasive than untreated wools and overall wool was found to be less abrasive than cotton. The abrasive qualities of wool were found to be mitigated by blending with synthetics, which also enhanced wool's wicking qualities. There are still many good reasons to dress diabetic feet in wool or a wool blend, though: Wool is the only fiber, natural or synthetic, that retains its thermal qualities when wet. That's particularly important for people who work outdoors or in cold climates. Being a natural fiber, wool breathes and deters fungal growth like athlete's foot. As knitting fingers know, wool is more elastic than cotton and retains its shape better, so wool socks are less prone to bunching and twisting.

Acrylic fared well. It has decent wicking qualities, doesn't compress, doesn't lose its shape, and is less abrasive than cotton or wool. Comparing cotton socks to acrylic socks, the 
acrylic socks were found to cause fewer blisters.

What does this mean for us handknitters? I haven't found any Coolmax yarns yet and a search of the Coolmax site reveals no such thing. It does mean that we should probably pass over any sock yarn with cotton when knitting for a diabetic. Instead, we should look for baby acrylics and soft wool blends with a higher percentage of synthetic. The best wool blend would include some acrylic or polypropylene along with soft superwash merino, perhaps with some nylon or polyamide for strength, such as Lang's "Jawoll Superwash" sock yarn. Otherwise, a traditional wool/nylon sock yarn will be good, especially if the percentage of nylon is a little higher, such as Regia's 75/25 blend. Some wool blends are treated, such as Austerman's "Step", which is a wool/nylon blend treated with aloe vera and jojoba oil. These help soften the feet and reduce abrasion.

Another yarn to consider is Knit One Crochet Too's "Wick." This is a blend of soy protein fibre and polypropylene. Polypropylene has been shown to have excellent wicking properties and elasticity; it has long been used in mesh thermal underwear for sports. Although to my knowledge, soy protein fibre has not been investigated specifically as a sock, its smooth fibre staple, strength, wicking and anti-bacterial properties make it promising, especially for vegan diabetics. "Wick's" downside is that it is currently available only as a worsted-weight yarn. It makes a bit thicker of a sock and the purl-side bumps could prove irritating to the feet. To combat this, knit the sock in reverse stockinette, or wear a liner sock.

Encourage the diabetic to give feedback on your handknit socksand to continue doing so. This is very important: Diabetes has a tendency to "jump" in severity every five years or so, so socks that were giving no trouble one year may give rashing or blisters the year after. Diabetes may progress slowly or quickly, but it never stops.

With our awareness of abrasion, should we choose a traditional heel-stitch heel? This will depend on the individual's needs and feet. My diabetic husband wears steel-toed safety boots at work and these are quite hard on the heels. Socks with a short-row heel seem to wear down quickly, so I knit his socks with a heel-stitch heel flap for the extra cushioning it provides, bearing in mind the roughness of the inner surface. (So far so good, he hasn't shown any signs of irritation.) If a heel-stitch heel proves to be irritating, the knitter can choose another sort, such as short-row or peasant heels. We're lucky that way!

Knitters are lucky another way as well: We can shape the sock to fit the foot exactly, even if part of the foot is missing. No joke - my diabetic brother-in-law just lost two toes due to septic infection of the foot. After amputation, the need for protective socks is even more urgent. Commercial socks can't deliver a perfect fit, but we can.

Because of abrasion, we might want to think twice about using those lovely lacy or pebbled pattern stitches for a diabetic's sock and stick with simple stockinette and ribbing. Again, get feedback: Some will have no problems, while others will show irritated skin or rashing. If the sock bags a little at the heel or ankle, it's too loose and will abrade; if the stitches look stretched when on the foot, it's too tight and may hamper circulation at the skin surface. The sock must fit like a glove, without stretched-looking stitches. If your favorite sock pattern doesn't fit quite perfectly, adjust it. Or, as I do, use a formula based on measurements and gauge that gives a perfect fit every time. If you're knitting a pattern and wish to keep it intact on the instep, do your adjusting on the sole stitches.

If the foot has lost much of its feeling, or if it has already suffered serious injury, such as septic wounds or amputation, it's best to take no chances with abrasion - these are high-risk feet. According to Dr. Richie, a study done by the United States military discovered that wearing a CoolMax or polypropylene liner sock beneath the outer sock will reduce abrasions considerably. The friction of the shoe is dispersed between the outer sock and inner sock, instead of a single sock and the skin. CoolMax and polypropylene have been found to have excellent wicking qualities, so moisture is transported away from the skin and into the outer sock. For the high-risk foot, the best combination would be a thin CoolMax or polypropylene liner sock, under a wool sock. The wool will retain what little heat the high-risk foot creates, and will wick away moisture, while the liner protects the skin. 

A diabetes diagnosis can be scary: Strokes, organ failure, infection, and amputation are potential threats if blood sugar levels are not properly maintained, while a restricted diet and daily poking are immediate, permanent changes. A handknit sock is a gesture of love; a knitter who does research, gets feedback, and knits the best possible sock is saying "I'm with you all the way." Why knit socks? It's not because we can -- it's because we care.

References:
"
Socks and Your Feet," Douglas H. Richie Jr

"Sockwear Recommendations for People with Diabetes," Carol B. Feldman & Ellen D. Davis

"Sweaty Socks," Jennifer Faddis, University of Missouri-Columbia

Peer-reviewed, published research portal, with links to PDFs, Institute for Preventative Foot Health

"Properties of Soybean Fibre," SwicoFil AG Textile Services, Switzerland


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Ennien Ashbrook is a power engineer by day, dancer by night. In between, she finds time for knitting, tatting and volunteering on a running steam locomotive.

She lives with her husband and her cat, north of Calgary, Alberta.


___________________  

I found this article at the Knitty: Little Purls of Wisdom page 

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer07/FEATdiabeticfeet.html


Warmly yours,

--The Knit Chick

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Poetry For the Day


Tapestry 

   
In the needled clicking over mind
she knits with wool soft thoughts of yesterday
and weaves his wrinkled laughter
through her broken brow
slippered feet, rocker worn, retrace
remembered Sunday seams into the 
sunstretched smooth of summers carpeted vows
she nods, replacing fraying fears
of loneliness with satin sounds of a
wedding gown and dream of his
Hand in quilted warmth upon her Heart
she purls the borders of their ribbed
separation, and gently kissing
casted lots upon the finished corners
Folds it over the Earth.

by Ann Creer


Wrapping up the evening,

--The Knit Chick

Friday, October 3, 2008

Mocha


Mocha
Originally uploaded by knit_purr
One more from knit purr

She tells us:


"Mocha

I love the not-so-baby colour, the edges are actually in ecru.
It's so dark here, couldn't take a better picture."

Bright Colours






















Here is a series of little dresses...

Bright Colours
Originally uploaded by knit_purr 

I Know It's Summer... But I Can't Wait To See Santa

One more--I just can't resist!

I'm such a worsted weight knitter. Even my socks. So, I can live vicariously through knitters like this...

Fondly,

--The Knit Chick

Warm Up


Warm Up
Originally uploaded by knit_purr
knit purr says,

"Warm Up


Cabled wrist warmers, hope she will like them!"

Green Lacy Rib Pram Suit


Green Lacy Rib Pram Suit
Originally uploaded by knit_purr



More mini knits. With a coin for scale.


Priceless.  



--The Knit Chick

Miniature Knits


Mini Outfit
Originally uploaded by knit_purr
These are incredible. So tiny, so expertly crafted. A close-up look reveals such detail, it's amazing this can be done. (This, coming from someone who knitted so often, and so fast her hands needed acupuncture!)

Do enjoy these exquisite pieces.

Make sure to visit knit_purr on Flickr.

This little poem appeared with the image:

A little girl went home with the new dress on
She was happy just humming a song
When things don't seem to be going your way
Just remember to smile and have a nice day 



Humbly yours,

--The Knit Chick

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