Keeping up with the Knitting Bloggers

February 14, 2007 by Laura Nixon Leave a Comment

I wrote earlier in the week about podcasts and how you can listen to them on your PC or mobile device (Ipod, Zune, Zen or other) and keep up with events and issues surrounding the knitting community while you knit.

Today, I will tell you how you can keep up with all the blogs you like to read and how it can be done in one spot.

There are many stand-alone software programs used to collect, update, and display [tag]RSS feeds[/tag]. Many of these are free. Some work from within your [tag]web browser[/tag] or email client, while other work on your desktop. [tag]Yahoo[/tag] list many readers that you can try, some are application specific; that is just for outlook or just for blogs.

I use Google Reader. This is free software at the Google site and all you need to do is establish an account. The account and software are free.

After creating a Google account, adding your subscriptions is easy. You can click on the Add subscription field on the reader page, or you can go to your favorite blog and click on the orange RSS symbol next to the URL address. The click will take you to a page that will ask you Add to Google home page or Add to Google Reader. Click on add to reader and it will automatically add the blog to your reader. Each time you find another blog you wish to keep up with, just click the symbol.

Reading is easy as the blogs are all listed on the Google Reader page and you just click on the one you wish to read. If you click on the individual blog, it will list the posting from that blog.

This simple software helps you keep everything in one spot.You never need to worry about losing bookmarks to your favorite blogs or missing out on a new post due to time constraints.

Leaves more time to knit!

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Stitch a Scarf with Dreamy Waves

As I write this, it’s probably time to start thinking about winter knitting if you haven’t already. And it’s definitely time to think about gift knitting if you have any of that you plan to do for the holidays.

The Dreamy Waves Scarf from Knit Picks, designed by Stacey Winklepleck, would be a great project to go in either category.

It uses two different multicolored yarns and a simple repeating wave pattern to make a project that looks a lot more complicated and dramatic than it is. The gradient look happens naturally just by switching which yarn you’re knitting with.

This pattern uses worsted weight yarn so it’s a pretty quick project even though a scarf is large and this one is pretty wide. It measures 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) wide and 63 inches or 120 cm long. Of course you can make it longer or shorter as you like. As written it takes one ball of each color so it’s a pretty economical project, too.

It’s rated for intermediate knitters but if you know how to do various increases and decreases you’ll be all set. The pattern uses knit 2 together, make 1 left and right, centered double decrease and slip slip knit. All of the stitches are explained in a glossary in the pattern so even if you haven’t done all of them it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.

The pattern also includes tons of options for different colorways in yarn that Knit Picks sells, so you can see how different combinations knit up before you buy the yarn. That’s such a great idea!

Of course if you already have two multicolored yarns with long color runs on hand, you can absolutely use them, too. It might also be fun, but would give you a totally different look, to use a solid color and a bunch of scraps or one multicolored yarn to see how the different colors play together. So many options!

You can grab this free pattern and check out all the color options at Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

Summer Shawl and Scarf Knitting Patterns

Take It Easy with the Bessie Scarf

Sweater Scarf Knitting Patterns

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

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