Inspiration
How an Easy Knit Can Make Your Day
Dear Kay,
There’s something about starting a new project that always works for me. It’s fun, every single time.
So when I see these two new projects from Karida Collins, in the new Field Guide No. 18: Beginnings, I see instant fun that will feed my craving for a project that has a beginning, middle, and end in only a few hours.
Sometimes you just want to make a thing. A whole thing.
Whole Thing No. 1: Diagonal Mitts
These Diagonal Mitts (Ravelry link) cleverly follow the extremely three-dimensional shape of a hand.
But there is magic at work here—no fancy structure to be found in the knitting here. In fact, they are nothing more than a square, knitted on the bias, then seamed to allow a thumbhole. Make two of these squares, seam the edges, and I’ve achieved the stupendous finished object that will make my gift giving very simple come December.
Really cute when all is said and done. The yarn here is Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Sock, which is Karida’s new base that reflects her commitment to sustainability. You’ll find twelve colors in the MDK Shop, including some gorgeous variegated colorways.
Whole Thing No. 2: Flash Cap
Karida tells me that she wanted the Flash Cap (Ravelry link) to be a quick colorwork project, maybe a good first stranded knitting project for a new knitter. Actually, I think there’s fun here for any knitter in search of a fast hat.
You can do one row of zigzags, two rows, or the truly spectacular three-row zigzag. These zippy colors are all found in Karida’s yarn, Organic Studio Worsted, a soft merino that is just the right weight for a hat like this.
We have nine colors in the MDK Shop, and I swear you could combine any of them for Flash Caps with a lot of personality.
Good fun in small doses is what summer is going to be for me this year. I can’t wait to dive in with these yarns and these projects—and finish them, snipsnap zipzap!
Love,
Ann
Those mitts are very cool! And as icing, I’m thinking of some contrasting icord around the top and bottom..l
Love that idea!
I have face coverings to match all my outfits. I’m going to love knitting simple mitts to coordinate with, too.
Hi all – just bought FG #18 and can’t wait to start the MiITTS (ohhh those mitts!!!) and the zigzag striped hat. Question for Ann or Kerida – I looked at the pattern for the zigzag stripes and it doesn’t mention anything about a jogless jog or show a picture of where the EOROUNDS meet so I assume they are just offset one row as you knit up. Ever since I saw the article on MDK by Patti Lyons on May 10th about her new method of doing a jogless jog I’ve been dying to try it.
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/2021/05/10/ask-patty-one-more-jogless-join/?mc_cid=cbc82d2015&mc_eid=9ef11e73a4
Has anyone already used it in a project and going to try it on this hat? I’ve not been knitting for several years due to being a full-time caretaker, and am finally in a good enough space to jump back into knitting. I know this FG is meant to be fairly easy patterns for beginners – or those who want some quick and easy patterns to relax with and/or start their gift knitting. But – I also see how Anne and Kay change things up when they knit their own copy of the patterns (as do we all) so hoping it’s okay to ask if anyone else wants to try Patti’s invention/un-vention and share results?
Over many years of knitting, it’s my way to relax and center myself when life is overwhelming. My mother thinks that it’s the biggest waste of time and money and I can’t knit in her presence which I find bizarre at best. I learned to knit when I was 30 years old and I took a class that changed my life because at 68 I still knit daily