Hope you’re enjoying your summer (or winter if you’re down under)! We have a group of youth conservationists who work for my company every summer. They’re all Yonkers Public School students and, as it turns out, several of them are learning to knit and there are a few more who are knit-curious. There’s one girl in particular who seriously has no fear! She made a hat and scarf and then decided it was time for a dress. The she decided that she would rather turn it into a skirt and top so she modified the pattern and ended up a with a great outfit!
But here’s the rub. Most of these kids come from families with very, very limited resources. Our gutsy knitter has recently been gifted a treasure trove of single skeins in amazing yarns and colors so we don’t need yarn and another friend was purging her needles so we’re good to go on that front as well. We do, however, need the expertise of this amazing group to figure out what to make with them.
So what’s your One Skein Wonder! Don’t worry about how big the skein is or the weight of the yarn; it’s a great assortment. And as they say, the best things in life are free so unless it is such a perfect pattern that should be in everyone’s library, please try to stick with the free ones.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what this group can come up with.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Love,
Karen
P.S. If you happen to be a designer who has a great one skein paid pattern please DM me. I have a limited budget but can buy a few patterns for them.
One skein or a set of scrap skeins can make a lovely “Florida Float”, which is a short cowl-ish capelet. Make 3 or 4 stitch I-cord long enough to wrap around your head at forehead level without being stretched, then rotate the needle and pick up and knit along each stitch of the length of the cord. Grab a couple stitches out of the cast on edge, join the yarn for circular knitting, place a BOR marker and start in with YO, K2tog. Do a round of that, two rounds of plain knit, repeat that set three times then make 8 increases in one of the all-knit rounds. That’s what will gradually give it a flare to slip nicely over your shoulders.
Repeat the whole thing until you have just 5 or 6 yards left, do I-cord bind off, and it’s done.
Hi, How exciting to shepherd and inspire this group of avid learners! I highly recommend Susan Ashcroft’s (Stitchnerd Designs) “Fluff !” free on Ravelry pattern. Following Loop in Philadelphia’s online store I used worsted weight minis. I’ve done two and the recipients were thrilled with them. I have a new cache of Cumbria minis waiting their turn for still another. The pattern as written uses lace weight mohair, but the worsted created a beautiful fabric – so whichever yarn weight is available will do. Please let us know how your group fared with one-skein projects.
I just remembered there is an actual i-cord cast on, too, although I like the flexibility of making the cord the preferred length, which automatically takes gauge adjustment along for the same ride. But choose as your new knitters need.
There are loads of free wash/dish cloth patterns on Ravelry. Knit Picks has a very nice collection of free patterns as well. Dish cloths are fun fast projects. Knit Picks has a pattern for a wash cloth with a sun in the pattern which makes it a fun way to practice changing from K to P stitches and following pattern instructions. Good way to learn to knit with good old inflexible cotton.
Lots of free patterns for finger puppets. Quick projects with so many benefits - knitting in the round, knitting using DPN, learn shaping, learn to do minimal sewing or embroidery on finished projects to make eyes, hair, manes, etc. Finger puppets are great gifts for younger kids or donations for hospitals to use as prizes for young kiddos having their blood drawn.
Some of my favorites with one skein: Tutu Top by Lisa Chemery (Frogginette) in smallest sizes (have knit a lot of these as baby gifts), LYTC cowl, the Barley hat by Tin Can Knits (free pattern). Also Peekaboo Mitts by Abi Gregory (have knit lots of these as gifts too). Tin Can Knits has The Simple Collection, “a learn to knit series with excellent free patterns and clear tutorials.”
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