Bond Buzz, Issue #32
December 19, 2006
Free from Bond America

Welcome to another issue of Bond Buzz!

With the holidays hot on our tails and shopping a huge priority, before you buzz off to the mall, take some time to count the hours driving, hunting for parking places, standing in lines and driving home and I bet you’d have time to knit up a load of gifts on your Sweater Machine!  And making gifts from your stash of yarn is definitely a more cost-effective way to go than purchasing store-bought gifts.  But most importantly, a gift you make is a gift from your heart, your hands and your head - a one-of-a-kind, treasured much more than any gift you can buy. 

More free pattern fun for the holidays . . .

We’ll all be shopping – me too – but I’ll also be giving hand-made gifts - especially gifts for my new granddaughter, Hazel – one  that I gave her this past fall, one that I’d like to share with you.  This project allows the sweater to be lengthened as Hazel grows, just by adding rows of crochet around the lower edge and sleeves.  Just be sure to hold onto the extra yarn and remember the hook size you used – then, when you visit, you can add rows to the sweater as your grandchild/child grows taller.  (I did this for years with the clothes I made for my daughter, Naima, who grew far more in length than in girth.)  Note that the shawl collar on Hazel’s sweater is knitted by hand – but just about anyone can do a garter stitch.  The sweater is knitted in Ruby Red Bliss – super warm and easy care – and is sized from 3-6 months.  Click here for the pattern.  Please note that the schematics are not exactly to scale (mostly because I did them…..)

For our Holiday Pattern #2, also done in Bliss, the cozy and cool (not the temperature), the Deep-U-Neck Pullover is perfect for your favorite high school, college or other “fashion forward” family member or friend.  There’s nothing warmer or more comfortable on the skin than Bliss!

Not long ago I received an e-mail from one of our readers, Penny Winter from Battle Creek, MI, that included photos and a technique description for knit-weaving using cording made on the Embellish-Knit or Cool Corder. It was different from what I’ve seen before and Penny was happy for me to share it with you.  

Penny was working with hand-spun yarn (that she had spun) and was using two ISM’s (earlier USM) bolted together so she could make a full blanket.  (Now THAT’s a lot of cording…..).  But since I’m sure most of you are not hand spinners, I’ve converted her technique for use on the USM.

The technique is surprisingly easy and the results are VERY cool – highly textural and multi-use.  I corded up about a quarter skein of Autumn Red Simply Soft, resulting in just under 4 yards of I-cord.  I used Dark Sage Simply Soft for the USM knitting.  The results look almost like bricks, with the cording being the bricks and the knitting being the mortar.  Ideas for using this technique are: Christmas stockings, table runners, hot mats, placemats, purses – even rugs.

You will need an Embellish-Knit, Cool Corder or Magicord and a plastic tapestry/yarn needle.

The finished measurements of my piece is 6½”x 7½” which results in a gauge of 9.2 sts and 10.7 rows = 4” using a #4 keyplate on every other needle.

So here’s how I made the sample piece:

MC = Autumn Red cording with both ends bound off with at least 6” ends of yarn at each end of the cording.

CC = Dark Sage

1. Bring forward every other needle until there are 15 center needles.
2. With CC and a #4 keyplate, work a closed-edge CO from left to right.
3. Thread carriage with CC and knit 1 row.  COL.
4. Thread the tapestry needle with the yarn at one end of the cording.

Weave the tapestry needle in front and in back of the needles and draw the cording through the knitting.

Push all needles back to WP, enough so the carriage will not hit the needles.

Knit across.

Repeat weaving the cording but weave in front of and in back of alternate stitches from the row above.  Also, do not pull the cording, but let it gently wrap around the edge.

1. Knit across.

Continue with weaving and knitting until you have used up all the cording and have knitted the last row.  Bind off across.  Note that you may need to cut a small length of remaining cording and bind it off.

Weave in ends.

Be sure to include some of your favorite people in the USM club – by giving them a USM – and others in your family can give the Row Counter or Extension Kit or Cool Corder or Pocket Knitter or Embellish Knit!  There’s no reason for them to feel left out this holiday season!  It’s not giving a gift, it’s giving a community – a lifestyle – a passion!  You know – you have it and a community always loves more members!

Don't forget to vote in the new Bond Buzz poll. We hope to learn more about you and your stitching preferences so we can improve our products and projects for you!

Here’s wishing everyone our very best wishes from our family to yours for a very happy and peaceful holiday season – one that includes lots of relaxing downtime for knitting!

See you next year!

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.