Episode 109 Debunking a Knitting Urban Myth

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Ellison Bay Shawlette

This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.  The folks at Quince & Co have created a line of thoughtfully conceived yarns spun from American wool and other fibers sourced from earth friendly suppliers.  You can view the beautiful yarns and designs at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there sign up for their free e-newsletter.

 

 

You can find my Longaberger Home Business at www.longaberger.com/paula.  If you wish to be on my email preferred customer list, please send me an email at paulaef@aol.com with your name, mailing address, and phone.

I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.

Pipeliner Notes

My designs that are on Ravelry are now in the shopkeepers program through Ravelry so shops can sell the digital version.   Thanks to a listener/shopowner who gave me the nudge I needed to do that.

Knitting Pipeline Retreat  April 26-27, 2013 with optional loosely structured day on April 25^th.  Signups will be announced in a few months.

Nature Notes

Set our clocks back on Sunday.  I like falling back better than springing forward.  I don’t spring forward very well at all. Sunrises are magnificent!  Like a gradient yarn from orange to pink to purple to gray.  I watched a hawk circling over the top of the woods.

Nobody loves a good rant about turkeys are much as Pipeliners.  There has not been a sighting of Franklin the Wild Turkey lately but I did read an interesting article about the comeback of wild turkeys.

Wild Turkeys a Sign of Success by Greg Stanley

The one red leaf, the last of its clan,
That dances as often as dance it can,
Hanging so light, and hanging so high,
On the topmost twig that looks up at the sky.
~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Needle Notes

Little Colonnade by Westknits

Be sure to use lifelines!  The lace is very simple but fixing a mistake can be a nightmare.

 

 

I used Miss Babs Yummy in the Deep Sea Jellyfish colorway.

 

The Blethering Room

I have heard on several podcasts over the past 4 years or so that knitting a pair of socks as much knitting as a sweater.  I think the person who started this idea was probably was trying to make the point that socks are more work than people think; however, I think others took this literally and have repeated it.  It is not true.

I estimate that an average pair of socks has about 23,000 stitches (based on 64 st per row).

I estimate that an average sweater with a 40” circumference has 49,000 stitches.

Time factor:

Socks have little prep work. 

Sweaters do require gauge swatches, sometimes multiple swatches that should be washed and blocked.  In general more planning is required.

Socks have very little finishing work.  Usually just tail at the beginning to weave in and a tail at the end.  Sweaters often have a lot of finishing work.  Even a seamless sweater generally has multiple ends to weave in, kitchener stitch on the underarms.

Actual knitting time:

I can knit one sock in a day.  And these were not vanilla socks.  Can you knit half a sweater in a day?

I’ve done a man-sized sweater from start to finish between Thanksgiving and Christmas…a period of about 3 to 4 weeks but with other things going on.  Even if I worked exclusively on that project it would take at least 2 to 3 weeks.

I look forward to hearing your feedback but only if you agree with me!  ;)  Not really.

Are there other knitting urban myths out there?  We know that there are a lot of misunderstandings about knitting from non-knitters but I’m talking about myths perpetuated within the knitting community. 

In the Pipeline

Knitloon share that there is a PBS app for iPad and that I could watch Call the Midwife via the app. I downloaded the app but have not used it yet but it sounds great.

Why am I boycotting buying e-books from Barnes and Noble?  (no longer have a Kindle)

1. cost of books has escalated to a point that I can no longer justify the cost. 

2. Barnes and Noble use book lending as a selling point but only certain books are lendable.  These are usually the free or cheap books and have never been the ones I want to loan.  I have never had the option of loaning a book that I have paid $10 or more for.

Have a great week.  Haste ye back and Hold your knitting close.

Still Waters by Keri Newdigate

www.magnatune.com

Tune: Awakening

Music to soothe your soul, soothe your nerves, soothe your child... Music to help to you relax, unwind, meditate, go to sleep, recharge your batteries, refresh your inner self, rejuvenate your spirit, think, ponder, wander, meander, remember.

If your life is busy and you feel bombarded by noise, images or deadlines, Still Waters will help you unwind, de-stress, relax and find a peaceful sanctuary. Suitable for massage, reading, creating, work, quiet times, before bed or to calm your children.