Machine Knitting Child!

This is Aurora. Aurora is 8 yrs old. Aurora is my niece. She knows how to hand knit, and knit most of a scarf over the last 6 months. Because they spend days with me, while Dad is at work, I'm always trying to find projects to keep them entertained. While I don't believe it is an adult's job to entertain children, I do feel we need to always widen their horizons. Her sister Ariel claimed she's seen it done and was not interested. Ariel is 12. I won't mention to her how many times she looked up from her drawing and her reading to watch her sister. Uh Uh . . . . she's at that "know it all" stage. But I have my ways to widen her horizons too!!

Machine knitting for children is often easier than hand knitting. They see progress faster, so will often complete the project. This machine is the Silver Reed LK150. We are knitting a child's hat on T5 using Cascade 220 Superwash. Aurora chose the color. Aurora’s Hat CO 90 sts with WY and ravel cord. Change to MC. Leave a 24" tail for seaming. Tension 4. Knit 30 to 36 rows. Hang hem. Tension 5. Knit 45-50 rows. Transfer every other stitch to adjacent needle and push empty needles out of work. Tension 3. Knit 2 rows. Cut yarn leaving a 12" tail and thread up a double eye needle. Remove stitches onto this thread. Block. Seam side with tail from cast on. Gather up top of cap, pull tight and tie off. Attach PomPom if desired.

Took Aurora about an hour to do the hat. I helped hanging the hem. I started on one side, and she the other. We met almost at the middle. Aurora transfered alternate stitches for the crown, but I removed them onto the stranded double eye needle to remove the hat from the machine. I also did the seaming.

A few days ago Aurora learned how to make tassles and pom poms. The plan today is for her to make the pom pom for the top of this hat. On my needles I cast on for another Neck Down Summer Cardigan. (You can see the pattern here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.) Yes, just like the blue one in Lion and Lamb. I am using Cascade's Cash Vero. Super soft, worsted weight yarn. Nothing to photograph just yet!

In the store, sales are moving up as knitters are planning their Christmas gifts. Janene and I finally put together another rack, and moved all the Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky to it.

With Cascade 220 continually expanding, I needed the space. There are now 360 colors in the Cascade 220 line. That is solids, heathers, tweeds, twists and hand dyed colors. Yep, and I pretty much stock 'em all! Break time over!! Talk to you again soon!