Italian Tubular Cast On for the Round Loom

I'm always playing with new techniques and one of my recent ones is a loom knit translation of a needle knit cast on called, Italian Tubular Cast On. This cast on is excellent for single ribbing (k1/p1) on hats, mittens, socks or sweaters. It produces a stretchy edge that has a "rolled" appearance with an indiscernible beginning. Below are photos of the finished cast on. Also, a complete tutorial may be found here: Italian Tubular Cast On for the Round Loom.

Kitchener Cast On for loom knitters

What do these projects have in common:

• Smartphone case, June 2012 (top left);
• Easter ducks, March 2013 (top right);
• An iPad Mini bag, June 2014 (bottom left); and
• Yellow Ducks, March 2015 (bottom right)

The answer is that they were all made from the bottom up seamlessly using a drawstring Kitchener Cast On that I developed in the fall of 2011 when I was attempting to find a seamless closure for the bottom of a slipper sock for my granddaughter. (Sorry, but there are no pictures of the frogged attempt on the slipper sock.)

Below are pictures of the bottom of each of the above projects showing what the grafted cast on looks like once it is closed.

This is really an easy technique. The most difficult part is adjusting the stitch tension when closing the cast on edge and that's not difficult once you become a "Stitch Whisper", which is explained on the last page of the Drawstring Kitchener Cast On for the Knitting Looms. Download the photo tutorial by clicking on the link in the previous sentence or in the Techniques section on the right sidebar of this blog. Enjoy!

Tea Time Coaster

Here's a project that is not only quick and useful, but it's also a great last minute little gift. Once you learn the wedge repeat, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish. It's also a great way to use up scraps of yarn since it only takes about 25-30 yards per coaster. It's also a great little project to stuff in you bag for knitting on the go.

The Tea Time Coaster pattern, which is designed for the CinDWood 1/2 inch gauge 10 peg thumb loom (pictured above), is available as a free Ravelry download. It could easily be made using 10 pegs on just about any loom but may require modifying the number of wedge repeats and/or the type of yarn used.

Enjoy & Happy Looming!!

Birthday Hibiscus

Bloom from my birthday hibiscus

I'm a huge fan of Georgia O'Keeffe's. When the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum opened in Santa Fe, New Mexico in July, 1997, my husband and I were there. Books about the painter and her artwork grace my library shelves with One Hundred Flowers displayed prominently on my end table. Also, I have three of her prints hanging on my walls. She has always inspired me to photograph flowers that emulate a similar composition found in her close-up flower paintings. I've made hundreds of flower pictures over the years, but my birthday hibiscus flower I photographed today is my favorite so far. I'm hoping to do a painting similar to the photo above or a post-impressionistic version similar to the one below.