Bond Buzz, Issue #27
May 8, 2006
Free from Bond America

Welcome to another issue of Bond Buzz! It seems as if spring has finally arrived in Vermont – the trees have just about leafed-out and everyone is wearing flip-flops regardless of the temperature.  It also means we’re all finally in the mood to check out what’s in the stores – and it’s embellishing everywhere: floral appliqués, trims, braids, beaded fringe, beaded everything.  I especially like the really creative fashions where more unusual fabrics and purchased trims are used to make the garments truly unique.

For this month’s technique, I thought I’d make this one kind of quirky, using knitting in combination with fabric, a trend that’s really picking up steam with the younger knitters.  This technique is great for the lower edges of femmy knitted skirts, ruffles placed anywhere, tutus (for spring ballet recitals – or Halloween), purse embellishments or, as in our sample, circular motifs perhaps to place on springtime hats or purses.

I used standard, inexpensive nylon netting (Fig. 1) available in many colors at all fabric and discount stores that carry fabric.

Be sure to get the kind with the larger holes, not tulle (which has fine holes).  This mesh doesn’t fray, can be cut up easily and is around 72” wide.  I bought a half yard to play with but you can buy as little as 1/8 yard. 

I also used 2 colors of Simply Soft:  black and off white, but you can use whatever colors you like.  You’ll need 3-4 claw weights which you can hang directly onto the
netting and which do not damage it.

Calculate the finished width of the ruffle.  Fold the fabric at least 4 times and cut through all layers.  Don’t worry about the edge being perfect. (Fig. 2)

Using the 1-prong tool about ¼” from one cut edge, weave the prong in and out of the mesh about 10 times, spacing the “entrances and exits” from the netting about 4-5 holes apart.  (There is no need to be exact, so don’t waste your time counting holes.)  (Fig. 3)

Bring forward approx. 15 needles for every 72” width of netting.  (If you want to have a longer piece, such as for the bottom of a skirt, just continue to add lengths of netting – and don’t worry about seaming the netting where the strips meet.)  Insert the 1-prong tool with the netting on it onto the hook of the first needle.  Transfer the netting to the needle.  Attach a claw weight.  (Fig. 4)

Weave the 1-prong tool as before and continue transferring the netting to the needles until all the netting has been used.

Manually knit the first row with the Simply Soft, taking care not to catch the netting. (Fig. 5 )

Push the needles up to FWP and, using a #2 KP, knit 1 row.  At this point, I changed colors, but you can keep the same if you like and knit as many rows as you like.

I then knitted 4 rows in the off white. For creating a medallion, cut the yarn, leaving a 2’ end.  Thread a tapestry needle and weave the needle through the stitches on the needles. (Fig. 6)  

Remove the claw weights and the work from the needles.  Here’s what the finished piece will look like on the right side.  (Fig. 7)

You can now tighten the yarn that is threaded through the needles, creating a circle.  (Fig. 8)

For extra embellishments, you can cut a piece of beaded trim, usually ribbon, with 3 fringes of beads.  (Make sure the thread that holds the beads to the trim is glued or otherwise secured or the beads will come apart.) 

Poke the ribbon part through the hole in the center of the medallion, letting just the bead fringe hanging on the front. (Fig. 9)   Glue or sew the ribbon to back of medallion.

So have fun with this technique and experiment using other fabrics! 

On May 12, I head back to Rwanda for two weeks to bring to (nearly) full circle the original goal of helping to set up a women's economic collective for knitting: business training. The 630 Sweater Machines provided by a grant from USAID have been delivered to 16 different cooperatives around Rwanda and the 7 Rwanda Knits instructors have begun their travels around the country to teach the groups how to use the machines. Rwanda Knits (a program of FACED'S sister-organization based in Rwanda, Rwandans and Americans in Partnership) and its partners, the Business Council for Peace and UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), will be conducting a business training workshop for members from each of the 16 groups for four days. The business training will teach two representatives from each cooperative how to organize their groups, develop and market their products, maintain accounting records and grow their businesses.

To get the groups started in creating their first products for resale, Caron International has donated over 1,200 skeins of yarn. I will be showing the Rwanda Knits instructors how to teach quality control, fix mistakes, do basic designing and maintain the machines.

We will also meet with other organizations to help us put in place the last piece of the puzzle: securing a yarn distributor for yarn for use on the machines. We have found the perfect spinning mill, located in Kenya, for yarn for the domestic Rwandan market. Once a distributor has been secured, it'll be great to return to Rwanda just for fun!

I hope to post to my brand new blog from Rwanda. Keep checking the blog page for updates. I look forward to sharing photos from the trip with you when I return. Have a Happy Memorial Day!!

See you next month!

Happy Knitting,

Cari Clement
Bond America

P.S. As a subscriber to Bond-Buzz, I'd like to invite you to subscribe to the FREE e-mail newsletter—Caron Connections from Caron® International. Just visit the Caron site (http://www.caron.com) and enter your email address. It's that easy. As a subscriber to Caron Connections, you'll receive monthly emails filled with the latest inside scoop on Caron's new fashion yarns and free patterns.