“Knitting has become my deepest means of expressing the love I feel for people in my life, my way of connecting to their spirits and hearts, my way of helping them in and out of this world.” – Susan Gordon Lydon
Hello there,
I hope that this newsletter finds you well.
My intention with these semi-weekly newsletters is to not only share my passion for knitting but to also inspire a more intentional way of living – one that embraces simplicity and essentialism (more about that in the article below), holistic well-being, rest, mindfulness, and joy.
As per usual, I have gathered a few articles that I think you may find interesting or helpful. I hope that you can find a few peaceful moments this week to enjoy them.
Peace, Love, & Knit Om…
Becky
:: Knitting – Wellness – Conscious Living ::
How to Knit a Striped Blanket (see picture below)
I love this tutorial for a simple striped blanket that joins several garter stitch panels into a final blanket. The blanket uses up leftover colourful sock yarn, making it a great stash-busting project! The tutorial explains how to make magic balls to join all the yarn bits together beforehand so that you don’t have to worry about weaving in hundreds of yarn ends!
11 Free Prayer Shawl Knitting Patterns
Prayer shawls are to be knitted or crocheted for someone who could use a good hug. The idea is that while you are making the prayer shawl, you hold the intended person in your thoughts and prayers. In this article, you’ll learn almost everything you need to know about making and giving prayer shawls along with 11 free patterns to get started with. Why not consider making a prayer shawl for someone you care about?
I appreciated this article by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot) about the slow magic, the magical transformation that is knitting – a phenomenon that only knitters can truly appreciate.
What is Essentialism and How You Can Benefit from It
Essentialism is a way of life that helps you navigate a distracting world by focusing on things that are important to you. Essentialism is not minimalism where you reduce your material possessions to the minimum. Essentialism is a mindset for deciding whether something is important to you or not. If something is not important, you eliminate it.
Feeling Pandemic Guilt? This Buddhist Teaching Might Help
It’s okay to be doing okay during the pandemic. We’re all struggling, to some degree, to adjust to life during the novel coronavirus pandemic. But some are struggling far more than others. It can feel uncomfortable, even shameful, to be enjoying good takeout and fun TV shows under a cozy blanket in a nice home when you know millions of others are experiencing the greatest hardship of their lives. If you’re feeling pandemic guilt, this Buddhist teaching might help.
This Icelandic Knitwear Designer Is Making the Trippiest Masks You’ve Ever Seen
Knitwear designer Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir’s is putting smiles on peoples faces with her fantastic, fun, and rather bizarre 3D tongue face masks. The designer was quick to state that her knitted face masks were created solely as intriguing, thought-provoking items to encourage creativity and, most importantly, social distancing. But her experiments will not be sold or used in public.
:: Techniques & Tips ::
When we knit in the round, we are actually knitting around in a spiral, so when knitting stripes, there is often an obvious “jog” where the colour change happens. To avoid this, you can work a “jogless join.” There are several methods for doing this, but the linked article demonstrates a method that can be done on every round.
:: Pattern Inspiration ::
The Striped Blanket by Nicolette Kernohan
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Knitted Ear Savers by Kimberly Nichols
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The Observatory by Kate Davies Designs
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:: Deals and Steals ::
Hawthorne Sock Lab – Scoops Limited Edition
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These delicious-looking and vibrant colorways will have you craving summertime frozen treats! Creamy swirls of berry pinks, icy blues, and citrusy oranges are topped with sprinkles of colourful speckles, making for a trio of truly tantalizing sock yarn.
Created on Knit Picks Hawthorne base, this yarn features a classic high twist, giving it the bounce and resilience it’s known for. This yarn is great for socks, shawls, and durable, lightweight garments.
But don’t wait too long – enjoy these limited-edition colours before they melt away!
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:: Final Thoughts ::
Full disclosure: This email contains affiliate links. All this means is if you make a purchase using one of my links, I will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. If you do make a purchase, I truly appreciate your contribution to my work in this way.
With gratitude,
Always.
Becky x