Category: Loom Knitting

Felting, Take Two

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Coinpurse
Coinpurse

I had another try at felting. Having read up a bit, I decided on a coin purse, mainly because I didn't care what size the end product was. I'm new at this, I tell you. I used about 3/4 of a skein of wool, probably 100 yards, and used the red loom. I knitted about forty rows in the round, then I just knitted back and forth on one half of the pegs for the flap. I cast off with a slightly different method this time, and it worked dandy for this project. I took one loop, hooked it over the peg closest to it, and then knitted over. Then I took the remaining loop on that peg I just knitted off of, and I hooked it over the nearest and knitted over. Over and over. I did the same for the loops remaining on the other half of the pegs. I then stitched the bottom. I had a purse about 6" wide and probably 5" tall. I'm sorry to say I didn't photograph the before picture, but here's the after. I decided to flip this inside out, because I liked the look of the "purl" side better than the "knit" side. I washed it in a hot washer and then dried it for probably 30 minutes.

What I learned: Felting works, and it's super cool. Using the KK means you should knit a denser object than you think. Use two strands or a chunky-type stitch (one over three).

What I wish I would have done: Put on a button before felting!

Categories: Finished Object Loom Knitting

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Slippers… Warm but ugly

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Slippers1
Slippers1

I made some slippers! And, wow!, are my feet cozy. Making slippers with the KK loom creates a slipper-sock. Not thin enough to be a sock, and yet not heavy enough to be a true slipper. Some people may want to put little sticky spots on the bottom to prevent slipping. I can admit they're not the most attactive, but it's okay. This is my first attempt at making something to wear, and it was super fun to see the slipper emerging from the loom. I used the blue loom and followed instructions at Yarn Gear, except I didn't quite do the heel right (worked out in the end), plus I didn't make the long ankle but shortened it into a doubled brim-like-cuff. Used Lion Thick and Quick yet again. (Must branch out to new yarn!!!)

Goals for slipper making: seamless toe! flat stitch on the bottom, and maybe, just maybe, some type of ribbed leg.

My dad asked for a pair, so we'll see how it goes. Did I mention how fast the KKs are? I know I did, but it's worth mentioning these slippers took about 1.5 hours apiece. I used one skein total, but I nearly ran out at the end, and just held my breath and kept on knitting.

Categories: Finished Object Loom Knitting

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What Santa Brought Me…

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…Yarn! And a new KK purple loom! I'm very quickly becoming addicted to loom knitting, and I've discovered several Yahoo groups plus some great knitting blogs out there. I'll add links soon, but Isela's is one of the greatest sites. She's made a dozen short movies, and I've learned some great stitches from watching them–flat stitch, purl, etc. We'll see how I can incorporate them.

Felting
Felting

I bought some great Turkish yarn. It's got a Mohair look, and it's a brilliant green, but I can't decide what to use it for. I also bought some more Lion yarn, plus two skeins of Lion 100% wool with ideas of felting projects.

My latest project was my first real mistake. Using the new purple loom, I used two strands of dark blue wool and knitted a panel (the purple loom knits a double-knit panel that looks good from both sides. If you do a flat panel on the regular round looms, you have a front and a back.) I made the panel long enough for a French Press cozy, which is what my husband requested, but I was stumped as to how this would shrink down. Well, here's the end product! Doesn't it look like a doll's skirt? I tried felting this panel by hand in the sink, and it ended up with holes, gaps really. It's thin and pretty ugly.

Frenchpresscozy
Frenchpresscozy

So… determined to get this project finished, I decided felting was best left for machine shrinking (it would have been too small anyway), and I knitted another panel on the purple KK loom using Wool-Ease. It came out the right size: 10" x 6". I added a few buttons, and we'll call it finished. This was the first project that frustrated me a little because I wasn't using a pattern, just guessing. If I had to do this again, I'd probably use the red loom and knit in the round for a inch or so (for the bottom), and then find a way to knit back and forth, leaving an opening for the handle of the French press.

So, this is my finished French Press Cozy.

Categories: Finished Object Loom Knitting

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I made a ball

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Ball
Ball

And here it is! It was a silly project but one I had fun doing. Using the blue loom, I cast on using one thread, but I wrapped the loom four times. I then brought the bottom thread over the top three, and continued with this for about thirty rows, wrapping one new one each time. I gathered the bottom together and pulled it shut like you would with the top of a hat. I didn't have any stuffing so I used scraps of yarn, and then I gathered the top and pulled it shut.

This is a fun indoor toy, and it bounces against the wall without leaving a mark. đŸ™‚

Total time: 1 hour of silly fun.

Categories: Finished Object Loom Knitting

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