Kategorie: knitting

I really like numbers. And I like mathematics. Most of the time – clearly not when it comes to  doing my tax return. Hence, on an annual basis, I visit the world’s best CPA. She doesn’t only like numbers, she loves paper and turns the stack I bring into a proper file with an equally adequate and orderly filled in form.

No one would ever mistake me for her or vice versa. Why? Well, I don’t think spending time with yarn (to the extend I do it) ever came to her mind – nor have I ever had any ambitions to live in her world of tax legislation.

However, last summer when reading a journal, she came across the pattern of a bathmat she really liked. Hence, she bought yarn and needles to get started.

She told me the story when I saw her last: „But then … that pattern … it was like a foreign language! Can you imagine?!“ (Yes, I can). „Nobody understands a language like that!“ (Well, uhm … yes, knitters do). „Seriously, a square – it can’t be that hard, can it?!“ (No, it’s not). What had to happen, happened: she had long since given away the magazine, the yarn and the needles. Too bad! It would have been my pleasure to „translate“ it for her and help her through the pattern.

Now, there I was, not knowing any details about the bathmat she had seen, but ready to defend a knitter’s reputation. And to start a new project!

Because her story – finally! – had me knit the bathmat I had been wanting to knit for a long time: the famous Baker’s Twine, made of Schachenmayr’s Cotton Jersey.

For those of you, who aren’t familiar with Baker’s Twine (no way?!): It is the name of the most wonderful potholders, invented and written down by Ducathi, that literally everyone knit earlier this year. Truly everyone and everywhere on social media.

If it works for potholders, it might as well work for a bathmat, I figured.

And it does! Trust me, Cotton Jersey was made for this. It is a voluminous, round tape yarn, constructed from a cotton net filled with polyamide. Due to its construction, it is lighter than other cotton tape yarns, features a slightly stretchy quality, it is washable and comes in beautiful colors.

Granted, this is not an easy knit – the whole thing gets heavier with every row and the needles are big – but the stitch definition is perfect and the finished mat is as firm but squishy as I wanted it to be. Did you see the icord edging? Isn’t that a neat finish?!

And – of course – that loop. The potholder’s distinctive feature, its trademark. Adding one to the bathmat was a must! If only to hang the mat up when needed (or to trip over it, I know).

The finished bathmat weighs 600 gr., it is about 65 cm wide and 45 cm long. I have used 6 balls of Cotton Jersey in nature and a little bit of pink. Finally, it took about a week to dry after washing (which is not true, it just felt like it).

Now it is blocked and neat and ready to go. About time, I call my CPA, don’t you think?

Whether this scarf is wearable or not – that’s something to argue about. The scarf itself is a statement though.

Four rows form one stripe; one stripe stands for one year. And while the stripes were blue around 1880 (that’s one end of the shawl), they are now red (that’s the other end). Dark red!

The world is getting warmer. Whether this happens because of human activity or natural unpredictability – all around the world temperature has risen steadily over the last 139 years. Two-thirds of the warming has occurred since 1975. Even if a man in Northern America claims that this is not true.

Climate change is the biggest threat we face!

The German energy consultant Dr. Eva Stegen translated climate change data into a scarf. She refers to it as the „climate scarf.“ When she presented her idea of a scarf on twitter she was stunned by people’s immediate reaction.

So far, her findings, as well as all information about the project and the (free) pattern are only available in German. However, it will be translated soon. Hence, you’re well advised to keep an eye on www.klimaschal.com. You might as well read some more about the Tempestry Project. Same subject, different approach. Which ever one you choose – the world needs more of these scarfs!

I have knitted mine with Schachenmayr’s Merino ExtraFine Its colour palette is incredible and the finished scarf is soft and warm.

And if you think it is too colorful and therefore not wearable, I recommend searching the net for pictures of Ed Hawkins‘ warming stripes. You can certainly „translate“ those stripes into a stripey scarf as well and a blue-red-white climate scarf would be just as unmistakable in its statement as a colorful one.

There are plenty of occasions to wear it. For example next Friday.

The third global climate strike of #Fridays4future is taking place worldwide. In about 2,000 cities in 129 states millions of people of all ages will take to the streets again and demand an end to the age of fossil fuels as well as climate justice for everyone.

Demonstrations have been announced in almost 300 German cities. The most important demand is to get to the 1.5°C target; it is about EU coal phase out, about the increase of greenhouse gases and global subsidies for fossil fuels. More than 200 organizations from various fields, such as environmental organizations, churches and trade unions, are involved. In short: EVERYONE, because it affects all of us!

The climate is changing – but are you?

Even if you feel that the issue of climate change is just too vast for individual actions to really make a difference – not true! You don’t have to join a protest march – flying less, eating less meat, less plastic in your life and less heating would be a good start.

And then hopefully things will slowly start to change for the better!

It is cold in Berlin. Way too old for summer and for me. Cold enough for wool and knitting though. Hence, before I forget until fall, here comes the pattern for the yoga socks I knit (and gave away) earlier this year. (See ravelry for details on yarn and needle size).

Knitting toe-up, cast on 60 stitches and knit about 4 inches (probably 30 rows) in k2 / p1. As the heel needs to be bare when doing yoga, bind-off 30 stitches, only to cast on another 30 in the next row.

Knit in rounds for another 20 rows. Then double each purl stitch (kfb);  k2 / p2 until the ball of yarn is almost finished. Bind off loosely.

The finished yoga socks fit tightly at foot and ankle, with more of a loose fit around the leg. Very comfortable. I think they are pretty perfect, but I don’t do yoga.

Therefore, constructive criticism is very welcome.

—

This is no (!) pattern. Hence, I am neither willing nor able to calculate different sizes, to give precise information on circumference and length of these socks or to name gauge. Please take it as it is (inspiration at its best) and forgive me …