Knitting Friday
"TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
Howard Zinn, “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A personal history of our times”
http://www.rightsaction.org/newsletters/RAnewsletterMarch06-USA.pdf
A short post today because it’s a traveling day. A picture of the hat will follow once the camera gets out of the suitcase.
But before I give you a short hat pattern, I want to mention Howard Zinn who just died.
Remember I told you I’m still trying to figure out what Voltaire meant with “Let us cultivate our garden” at the end of Candide?
Well, after reading Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, you’ll feel like taking the shovel and burying yourself in Voltaire’s garden.
It’s that depressing. But it is a necessary read for every member of our species who wants to be a good ancestor.
Zinn was not alone in his belief that Americans were being spoon-feed rose-colored U.S. history (Native Americans [or fill in your favorite villain] bad vs. U.S. citizen/government saintly) but he did something about his concerns by writing his classic, anti-establishment account of U.S. history.
Zinn is important as a first history read because he slams you over the head with his brutal realism. If you are ready to accept this, Zinn is a drug-free, mind opener.
Right now, Zinn’s book is available free on-line at:
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
Since the selections include the 2000 US presidential election debacle some must be based on works after A People’s History (1980.)
Take a look at it. It’s not a happy read. It’s a essential one.
And now, on to a pattern. I decided to make a knit hat though I never wear knit hats except for knit, thick headbands which attach with a button so my hair gets flattened, not frizzied. However, since I’m starting a needlework group in a week I thought a short pattern handout might be nice for the first meeting.
Ever mindful of copyright laws, I designed my own pattern using crochet and knitting. The reasons for the crochet: 1. It is so much easier to start the top of a hat with it’s small amount of stitches in crochet. 2. A crochet brim in neater, more dressy?, than a knit rib.
Crochet/Knit Hat - Medium Size Woman w/ US 9 DPNs, H or I hooks, 150+ yards DK yarn
Crochet Part: Ch 4 and join in ring. Ch 2, work hdc sts in ring to fill ring but keep it flat.
Round 2 & following: Ch 2, inc around with hdc sts (ex: one round of: *2 hdc st in each st* then *2 hdc in one st, 1 hdc in next st* then *2 hdc in one st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts*, etc. You will always end the round with a sl st in the top of your first hdc of the previous round and begin your round with a Ch 2. Your goal is a 6 ½ inch hdc circle, fairly flat, of about 65 sts. At this point, stop crocheting.
Knit Part: With US 9 DPNs, pick up your end loop and one st in each crochet st around. (65 sts on needles) Work round in K to desired depth of hat. (Don’t make it too long; shorter is better.) Bind off.
Crochet Brim: With H hook (or smaller if brim looks floppy) work a round of hdc sts. Join with sl st, Ch 2 and work another round of hdc. Continue these rounds till your brim is as wide as you want it. Work 1 round of crab st, if desired. Cut and weave in end of yarn.
Variation: End the Knit Part with ½ inch of P in the round so when the crochet brim is turned up you see the public side of the st st.
You may notice that I used a lot of abbreviations in this pattern. That’s because when I give it to my needlework group I’ll be able to tell the level of the group. A novice knitter/crocheter will have trouble but it’s pretty straight-forward for slightly experienced needlecrafters.
Here’s a list of abbreviations if you need them:
http://www.needlepointers.com/displaypage.aspx?ArticleID=25497&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.knitting-crochet.com%2fabb.html
Happy knitting.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
Howard Zinn, “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A personal history of our times”
http://www.rightsaction.org/newsletters/RAnewsletterMarch06-USA.pdf
A short post today because it’s a traveling day. A picture of the hat will follow once the camera gets out of the suitcase.
But before I give you a short hat pattern, I want to mention Howard Zinn who just died.
Remember I told you I’m still trying to figure out what Voltaire meant with “Let us cultivate our garden” at the end of Candide?
Well, after reading Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, you’ll feel like taking the shovel and burying yourself in Voltaire’s garden.
It’s that depressing. But it is a necessary read for every member of our species who wants to be a good ancestor.
Zinn was not alone in his belief that Americans were being spoon-feed rose-colored U.S. history (Native Americans [or fill in your favorite villain] bad vs. U.S. citizen/government saintly) but he did something about his concerns by writing his classic, anti-establishment account of U.S. history.
Zinn is important as a first history read because he slams you over the head with his brutal realism. If you are ready to accept this, Zinn is a drug-free, mind opener.
Right now, Zinn’s book is available free on-line at:
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
Since the selections include the 2000 US presidential election debacle some must be based on works after A People’s History (1980.)
Take a look at it. It’s not a happy read. It’s a essential one.
And now, on to a pattern. I decided to make a knit hat though I never wear knit hats except for knit, thick headbands which attach with a button so my hair gets flattened, not frizzied. However, since I’m starting a needlework group in a week I thought a short pattern handout might be nice for the first meeting.
Ever mindful of copyright laws, I designed my own pattern using crochet and knitting. The reasons for the crochet: 1. It is so much easier to start the top of a hat with it’s small amount of stitches in crochet. 2. A crochet brim in neater, more dressy?, than a knit rib.
Crochet/Knit Hat - Medium Size Woman w/ US 9 DPNs, H or I hooks, 150+ yards DK yarn
Crochet Part: Ch 4 and join in ring. Ch 2, work hdc sts in ring to fill ring but keep it flat.
Round 2 & following: Ch 2, inc around with hdc sts (ex: one round of: *2 hdc st in each st* then *2 hdc in one st, 1 hdc in next st* then *2 hdc in one st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts*, etc. You will always end the round with a sl st in the top of your first hdc of the previous round and begin your round with a Ch 2. Your goal is a 6 ½ inch hdc circle, fairly flat, of about 65 sts. At this point, stop crocheting.
Knit Part: With US 9 DPNs, pick up your end loop and one st in each crochet st around. (65 sts on needles) Work round in K to desired depth of hat. (Don’t make it too long; shorter is better.) Bind off.
Crochet Brim: With H hook (or smaller if brim looks floppy) work a round of hdc sts. Join with sl st, Ch 2 and work another round of hdc. Continue these rounds till your brim is as wide as you want it. Work 1 round of crab st, if desired. Cut and weave in end of yarn.
Variation: End the Knit Part with ½ inch of P in the round so when the crochet brim is turned up you see the public side of the st st.
You may notice that I used a lot of abbreviations in this pattern. That’s because when I give it to my needlework group I’ll be able to tell the level of the group. A novice knitter/crocheter will have trouble but it’s pretty straight-forward for slightly experienced needlecrafters.
Here’s a list of abbreviations if you need them:
http://www.needlepointers.com/displaypage.aspx?ArticleID=25497&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.knitting-crochet.com%2fabb.html
Happy knitting.
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