New design coming!

Sr. Rosalie Bertell is a very interesting person.

Rosalie Bertell, Grey Nun of the Sacred Heart, received her Ph. D. degree in Biometrics with minors in Biology and Biochemistry from the Catholic University of America, in 1966. Since that time she has worked as a biometrician and environmental epidemiologist. By choice, Dr. Bertell works for the victims or potential victims of industrial, technological and military pollution with a particular emphasis on assisting the struggles of third world and indigenous people to preserve their Human Right to life and health. The major issues are the dangers associated with economic globalization, war and the proliferation of chemical and radioactive pollutants as the result of preparation for war and the toxic products and processes developed from weapons research and production.

The International Institute of Concern for Public Health (IICPH), of which she is Founder and Immediate Past President, opened its doors in 1984 in Toronto Canada and continues to serve as an institutional support for her work. She is also a founding member of the International Commission of Health Professionals, and the International Association of Humanitarian Medicine.

Among many projects she has headed, the most notable are: Director of the International Medical Commission Bhopal which investigated the aftermath of the Bhopal disaster in India, and organizer of the International Medical Commission Chernobyl to present testimony to the Permanent People's Tribunal. She assisted the people of the Philippines with problems stemming from toxic waste left by the U.S. Military on their abandoned Subic and Clark military bases. She has worked with the government of Ireland to hold Britain responsible for the radioactive pollution of the Irish Sea, and is assisting the Gulf War Veterans and the Iraqi citizens dealing with the illness called Gulf War Syndrome. She acted as Consultant to local, Provincial and Federal Governments, unions and citizen organizations.

She is the recipient of five honourary degrees. Among her many awards can be numbered the Alternative Nobel Prize, Right Livelihood Award; World Federalist Peace Award; Ontario Premier's Council on Health, Health Innovator Award; the United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 award and the Sean MacBride International Peace Prize. She has recently been selected to be one of the 1000 Peace Women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, 2005. Rosalie has published numerous articles, reviewed articles for professional journals and was editor of the journal, "International Perspectives in Public Health". Her books, "No Immediate Danger: Prognosis for a Radioactice Earth" and "Planet Earth: The Latest Weapon of War" can be obtained from IICPH. "Handbook For Estimating Health Effects From Exposure To Ionizing Radiation" intended for the health Professionals, which she edited, is also obtainable from IICPH.

I've realized that my header says these are supposed to be easy designs, and lately they haven't been exactly something a beginner could easily tackle. So this new design will be a very easy one. Very very easy. You could probably knit it under your desk at work, or in a meeting. Once you "get" it, you may not even have to look at the pattern. Yeah, that easy. It will also use the Fibonacci numbers, thanks to my son liking the book "Penrose, the Mathematical Cat".

Kathy Kelly Cabled Capelet

This pattern is dedicated to Kathy Kelly, a friend of a friend and someone who exemplifies the kind of woman warrior for peace I like to bring more attention to. She was a founding member of Voices in the Wilderness, and also Voices for Creative Non-Violence. She's been called "probably the most respected leader in the American peace movement." She has put herself in the line of fire in fact-finding missions to very dangerous places, and has been imprisoned several times because of the work she is doing.

download now

Use a worsted weight (or thicker) yarn with stitch gauge at most 18 stitches per 4 inches with whatever size needles it takes you to get that gauge. I'm doing mine with Lion Brand Fisherman's wool yarn and using #8 circulars (but it is NOT knit in the round!)

Stitch Abbreviations:

K - knit
P - purl
SSK - slip, slip, knit - a
K2tog - knit two stitches together
K3 into 1 - into the same stitch - knit, yarn over, knit
Lifted increase stitches - this is an almost invisible increase done by knitting into a stitch below the current row. See the video on http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-knit-lifted-increase-176501/ if you have trouble with this stitch. There are 4 versions:
Llk - insert the left needle into the stitch beneath the stitch just knitted & knit it.
Llp - insert the left needle into the stitch beneath the stitch just knitted & purl it.
Lrk - insert the right needle into the stitch beneath the next stitch to be knitted, transfer that stitch to the left needle and knit it.
Lrp - insert the right needle into the stitch beneath the next stitch to be knitted, transfer that stitch to the left needle and purl it.

This complicated looking stitch notation will get easy to use once you get used to it. I wrote out the first two in the pattern so you can test your understanding of how to read it. Believe me, as the pattern goes on this will make things SO much easier to read!
C - cable stitch - after the C is the number of stitches you slip to the cable needle, then f if you hold it to the front or b if you hold it to the back, k and a number tells you to knit that many stitches next; or p and a number tells you to purl that many stitches next; then c and either k or p to show you’re now to knit or purl all the stitches from the cable needle. For example C2fk1ck would be slip 2 to the cable needle, hold to the front, knit 1, then knit the 2 from the cable needle.

I will use the format [first edge], (repeat the stitches inside these the number given - to make the 7 panels), additional stitches, [second edge]. If you want to change the edge to seed stitch or widen it or add buttonholes, that should make it clear where you can do that.

Cast on 57.

Row 1: knit

Row 2 and all even rows: purl

Row 3: [K2, P2, K3], (K2, P, K, P, K) X 7, K, [K3, P2, K2]

Row 5: [P2, K2, P2, K], (K2, P, K, P, K) X 7, K, [K, P2, K2, P2]

Row 7: repeat Row 3

Row 9: [P2, K2, P2, K], (K3 into 1, K, P, K, Llk, P, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [K, P2, K2, P2]

Row 11: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, K2 tog, P, C1fk1ck**slip 1 to cable needle, hold to front, knit next stitch, knit 1 from cable - got it?**, P, SSK) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 13: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, SSK, P, K, Llk, Lrk, K, P, K2 tog) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 15: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, SSK, P, C2fk2ck **slip 2 to cable needle, hold to front, knit next 2 stitches, knit the 2 from cable needle**, P, K2 tog) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 17: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, K2, P, K2, Llp, Lrp, K2, P, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 19: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, K, SSK, P, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 21: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, K, SSK, P2, Llp, C2fk2ck, Lrp, P2, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 23: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K, SSK, P, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 25: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, P, C2fp2ck, slip 2 to cable needle, hold to back, knit 1, Llk, purl 2 from cable needle, K, Llk, P, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 27: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P3, C2fk2ck, P2, K2, P, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 29: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, K2, Llp, P, Llp, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 31: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P3, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 33: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, P, Llp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, Lrp, P, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] *be careful here to get the two Lrp’s in - I kept missing them!

For those counting stitches, Row 9 was increased by 23 stitches to a total of 80 stitches. I increased it by 14 stitches on rows 13, 21, and 29. I increased it by 28 stitches on rows 17, 25, and 33. Every other odd row has no increases (and the even rows are just purled.
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Row 35: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 37: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P2, Llk, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, P2, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 39: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P2, Llk, C2fk1ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 41: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, P2, K2, Llp, Lrp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P2, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

*****Row 37 and 39 were increased by 7 stitches; Row 41 was increased by 28 stitches.
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Row 43: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P2, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 45: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P2, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, Llk, C2bk1cp, K, Llk, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 47: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P2, K2, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 49: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, P2, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, K2, P, Llp, Lrp, P, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 51: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

**Row 45 was increased by 14; Row 49 was increased by 28.

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Row 53: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K, Llk, C1fp2ck, Llk, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P2, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 55: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K2, P2, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 57: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, P, Llp, Lrp, P, K2, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, P2, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 59: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

** Row 53 was increased by 14 stitches and Row 57 by 28 stitches.

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Row 61: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P3, Llp, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, Lrp, P3, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 63: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P3, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, P3, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 65: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, P3, K2, Llk, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, Lrk, K2, P3, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

**Row 61 was increased by 14 stitches; Row 65 was increased by 28 stitches.
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Row 67: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P3, C3fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk3cp, P3, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 69: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P4, C3fp1ck, Llk, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, Llk, C1bk3cp, P4, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 71: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P5, C3fk3ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C3fk3ck, P5, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 73: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, P4, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P2, Llk, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, Llk, P2, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P4, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 75: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P3, K2 tog, K2, Lrp, P2, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, P2, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, P2, Llp, K2, SSK, P3, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 77: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P2, K2 tog, Llk, K2, Lrp, P4, C3fk3ck, P4, C3fk3ck, P4, Llp, K2, Llk, SSK, P2, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

** Rows 69 and 77 were increased by 14; Row 73 was increased by 28.
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Row 79: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P, K2 tog, K3, Llk, P4, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P2, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P4, Lrk, K3, SSK, P, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 81: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K10, P, K2 tog, K3, P3, K2 tog, K2, Lrp, P2, Llp, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, Lrp, P2, Llp, K2, SSK, P3, K3, SSK, P, K10) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14.

Row 83: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P, K2 tog, K2, P2, K2 tog, K2, Llk, P5, Llp, C3fk3ck, Lrp, P5, Lrk, K2, SSK, P2, K2, SSK, P, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 85: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P, K2 tog, K, P, K2 tog, Lrk, K3, Llk, P5, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P5, Lrk, K3, Llk, SSK, P, K, SSK, P, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 87: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P14, K2 tog, Lrk, K2, Lrp, P2, Llp, K2, Llk, SSK, P14, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14

Row 89: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K11, P13, K2 tog, Lrk, K3, Lrp, P4, Llp, K3, Llk, SSK, P13, K11) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 28

Row 91: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K10, SSK, P12, K2 tog, Lrk, K4, P6, K4, Llk, SSK, P12, SSK, K10) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14

Row 93: Bind off. You’re done! Now if it’s wool, soak it in a wool wash solution, rinse, squeeze out as much water as you can, lay it out in a beach towel and roll it and the beach towel together into a log and walk on the log (to squeeze out as much water as possible), then pin out on a large surface (I use the guest bed). The lines down the bits between the cabled panels should all be straight, and the cabled parts should be stretched out (the garter part will try to compress them some). Put a fan on it and let it dry, patting yourself on the back for a job well done!

If it’s acrylic, I’ve found the easiest way to kill it is to put several towels on a flat surface and pin the shawl out as stretched as I can get it, then steam it using an iron held 1/8 inch above the yarn. If you let the iron touch it, it will flatten the yarn weirdly, if it’s too far away the yarn doesn’t get hot enough and will snap back to the unstretched position. You should be able to see the yarn move slightly when the steam hits it, kind of shrinking and then relaxing. You may want to go around the edges again for good measure. Then pat yourself on the back and you’re done!

You may want to spray some starch on the edges to help them lay flat.

New design coming!

I'm 95% done designing the next prayer shawl, which will be more of a cape, actually, due to not much in the way of lacey holes and lots of cables. It probably won't be for beginning knitters, except maybe for the fearless ones. It will be dedicated to Kathy Kelly, founder of Voices in the Wilderness and also co-coordinator for Voices for Creative NonViolence. More about her when the pattern comes out.

Picture this: the cables will start as a single strand, which grows almost like a vine and spirals, ever enlarging as it reaches the edge until it is a whirlpool. I was thinking of tornadoes, maelstroms and spirals as I designed this, but now I feel it is quite beautiful. There will be elongated diamonds separating each cable panel (the only lace element), and an edge that would be easy to add buttonholes to if one wanted to fasten it around themselves.

Sometimes lace just isn't warm enough for some people. This should WARM them! My lace shawls fall off my shoulders a lot. This should stay on. I looked for cabled shawls and didn't see many at all and nothing like this one. How did it happen? I woke up at 1:00 in the morning with my brain just going. I contemplated God, chaos theory, activists, and the meaning of life, then this shawl popped into my head as a picture. Then I had to figure out how to make the yarn do what the picture required. Like so many other lace patterns, it just flew off the needles almost as if it had been already designed and I just had to remember how it was done.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's start this off with the good. I found a wonderful blog that tells how to make your own yarn swift! You know, those spindly-spinny things that help you move yarn between hanks, cones and balls. So if you'd like to get more into hand dyeing wool, or just a better way to wind hank or cone yarn into balls, here it is! I made one in a few hours with a miter box and power drill, spending around $2 on parts - the long bolt and some washers. I had the rest sitting in the garage.

Here it is: http://www.craftydiversions.com/patterns/homemade_yarn_swift.htm - THANK YOU Anne Kuo Lukito! You can buy a .pdf of the directions from her for just $2 on her site.

The only thing I'd like to add is, be sure to drill straight down when you make the hole in the center for the main bolt that holds it all together. Mine's off so one part of the swift is higher than the other now. Live and learn!

The Bad and Ugly
Sigh. Someone had written to me when I posted about charity knitting that on a certain reservation in the USA where handknit items were donated, a lot were just thrown away. So it was no little surprise to see this blog entry about the outcomes of some handmade afghans being sent to Afghanistan. Yes, being a people of rich artistic traditions in textiles, they don't seem to appreciate our handmade blankets of cheap acrylic.

Adieu Warm Woolies

Their website states:

"Dear Warm Woolies Friends,

Warm Woolies has decided to cease operating at the end of 2009.

Warm Woolies has always relied on relationships with international adoption agencies and international relief efforts to distribute our pieces overseas. Over the past year, due to matters beyond our control, these agencies and efforts are no longer able to distribute our pieces. Without these distribution channels, we are no longer able to fulfill our mission of providing children around the world with warm clothing."

Afghans for Afghans is still in operation and does almost the same thing.

Sally's Slippers

This pattern, a reworking of the "Felted Slippers" found on Midnattsol's blog is dedicated to Sally Fallon, a tireless worker to reach the masses with her message of how to be healthy. She's taken on the work of Weston A. Price, built upon what he started, and helps run the Weston A. Price Foundation (with a great group of other people like Mary Enig and Chris Masterjohn, to name a few). She co-authored the bestselling book "Nourishing Traditions" and has written several other books as well.

Weston A. Price was the world's most interesting dentist. He traveled the world, living with Eskimos and headhunters to find out why tribal people had perfect teeth while those in the industrialized world had crooked teeth with lots of cavities - what he found surpassed his own expectations as the nutritional differences also seemed to produce overall health and even emotional stability. He then made it his mission to bring what he learned about nutrition and health to the attention of the public, publishing his book "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" and running studies on nutrition in the cities of America.

The Pattern

This is a fun way to make slippers. You knit a series of squares, in alternating directions, then sew a few seams and it magically becomes a slipper. Throw it in the wash to shrink it down and you get a wonderful warm soft cushiony slipper to warm your feet all winter. This is a great stashbusting project because each square can be a different color and you can use up all those odds and ends of wool leftover from other projects. If the yarn is too thin you can strand - use two or more strands together to make the thicknesses match. The only thing you need to be careful of is that all of the yarn you use needs to be "feltable" - that is, no superwash or acrylic here! Use wool.

To begin, knit up a square of the yarn you want to use in garter stitch and put it through your wash and dry cycle to see how much it's going to shrink (if you're knitting these for a charity and it doesn't matter what size the slippers wind up you can skip this part!). Get your gauge for the project from the shrunken swatch.

Then look up the size you want to make on my handy chart and see how big your squares need to be. In my chart I figured for 25% shrinkage but depending on the yarn it may be more or less so a swatch may be more reliable.

You'll begin by making square 1, using enough stitches to get the size square you'll need, and making twice as many rows as you have stitches going across (so if you cast on 12 stitches you'll do 24 rows in garter stitch). You can easily count rows by counting ridges and you'll know you're done when you have as many ridges on both sides as you do stitches on the needle. In my example I'm using 10 stitches and knitting 20 rows, or 10 rows of ridges.


After the first square, check that it is the right size (if you're using the chart) by tugging the sides out to make it square and measuring. Then bind off so you have just one stitch on the needles. From here on, you will always use the same number of stitches as in the first square to make the rest of the squares, and the same number of rows (sometimes one less on one side to make it come out at the right corner).


Cast on enough stitches to get the right number for the next square, counting the one stitch you still have on the needles. This will be square number 2. Knit until you have enough rows for a square (same number of ridges as you have stitches - don't stop when it "looks" like a square). Bind off so the last stitch will be diagonal from where the current square is attached to square one. Again, keep the last stitch on the needle.


Cast on enough stitches to make another square, like you did for square 2. Knit two rows. On the third row, knit all but the last stitch. Pick up the closest stitch you just bound off from square 2 by inserting the needle through one side of the loop. Then knit that together with the last stitch. Do this every time the row ends against square #2. Bind this square off so your last stitch will be down by square #2, keeping the last stitch on the needle.


Pick up stitches from the edge of square #2 on the other needle. If you have more than the number you need, continue binding off until you have the right number of stitches on your needles. Knit this square as you did the last one, picking up stitches from the bound off edge of square #1 and binding off so the last stitch is away from square #1. Pat yourself on the back, you're halfway done!

Pick up enough stitches along the top of the square you just completed to knit square number 5, picking up stitches from the bound off edge of square number 3 as you get to them at the end of the rows and knitting them together with the last stitch from the row.

When you finish square number 5, bind off so the last stitch is toward square number 3. Pick up enough stitches from square number 3 to knit another square (you may want to bind off another stitch to make sure the new square comes to the edge of square 3). Knit square number 6, making sure when you bind off that the last stitch is on the correct side to pick up stitches from the edge of the square you just completed to knit square number 7.

Knit square number 7, picking up stitches from the bound off edges of square number 5 as you come to it and knitting them together with the last stitch of the row. When you get enough rows on square 7, bind off so the last stitch is in the right position to start square number 8.

Pick up stitches from the edge of square 7 and knit square 8, binding off completely when you finish that square.

Now follow the diagram, matching up and stitching sides A and B, then C, D, and E. You've finished one slipper!

When you finish both slippers, put them through the full wash and dry cycle, high heat, to shrink them down. If they are still too big, you can do it again to shrink them more. If they are just a little tight, they will stretch to fit the foot comfortably in a day or two of use.

In case you want to use several colors and plan where they will be, here is the location of each square (unless you accidentally stitch it upside down!): 1 and 2 are the side flaps. 3 and 7 are the sides. 4 is the back, 5 is the bottom under the heel, 6 is the bottom under the toes, and 8 is the square on top of the toes.

Added 11/7/09: To make them non-skid, the cheapest and so far best way I've seen is to use 100% silicone caulk. You can do lines, dots, words (hand wash, or right and left), or cover the whole sole and spread with a craft stick or grooved spreader for extra traction.

Kingsolver Shawl Knitting Instructions

This is a triangular shawl, with a [yarnover, knit, yarnover] double increase down the center and an increase on both edges. I'm knitting it with a thin yarn on largish needles to enhance the laciness but I'm sure many readers will want to try different sizes of yarn and needles so that's how I'm writing the instructions. The shawl consists of 4 patterns, the Soaring Birds, the Ears of Wheat, the Climbing Leaves, and the Waves of Water. I've charted the patterns and will start you off with written out instructions but then refer you to the charts to continue for the specified amount.

I've decided that triangle shawls are the most flattering to most women, but they need to be big enough. I've seen many patterns that have the long side measure 7 feet. That uses a lot of yarn and you need pretty big needles to keep it all on! I highly recommend using circular needles.

Key:
K= knit
O = yarnover
SSK = slip, slip, knit - a right-leaning decrease
K2tog = knit two together - a left-leaning decrease
C** SL2,K1,P2SSO = slip 2 like for the K2tog, knit the next stitch, then pass the two slipped stitches over the one you just knit, for a centered double decrease. This is used on the Ears of Wheat and the Climbing Leaves.
SK2P - slip 1, knit 2 together as one, pass the slipped stitch over for a left-leaning decrease. This is used on the Soaring Birds and the Waves of Water.

To begin, cast on 3.

Row 1: K
Row 2 and all even rows, purl
Row 3: K, O, K, O, K
Row 5: (K, O)x4, K
Row 7: K, (O, K3, O, K)x2
Row 9: K, (O, K5, O, K)x2
Row 11: K, (O, K7, O, K)x2
Row 13: K, (O, K2, O, SSK, K, K2tog, O, K2, O, K)x2
Row 15: K, (O, K4, O, SK2P, O, K4, O, K)x2
Row 17: K, (O, K13, O, K)x2
Row 19: K, (O, K15, O, K)x2
Row 21: K, (O, K17, O, K)x2
Row 23: start second row of "birds" following the chart. Notice there will always be two knit stitches at the beginning and end of the rows, and 5 knit stitches between the "birds".



Continue until this section measures 12 inches measured in the direction indicated. You can click on the chart to see it bigger. The chart shows one of the two repeats so remember you need to do it twice.

Once it measures 12 inches, continue if necessary so you end after the purl row, the 7th row below the last "bird". Now you're ready to start the "Ears of Wheat" pattern. For these, each side of the center double increase should mirror the other side. If your stitch count is not off, the end of the row will also mirror the beginning. Where it says "repeat", you repeat until there aren't enough stitches to do another complete repitition. From there, stop at the nearest semicolon in the pattern to prevent your stitch count from being messed up, then knit the remainder to the center increase. Do the O, K, O for the center increase, then knit the same number of stitches as you did on the other side of the center increase. If it comes out exactly enough to repeat the pattern before the center, make sure you can still do an increase there - if necessary knit, yarnover, knit into the center stitch. I put semicolons in the second "repeat" to help you find where to start the pattern again. If you stopped at the first ; then resume the AFTER CENTER repeat at the second ; and if you stopped at the second ; then resume the AFTER CENTER pattern at the first ;

Transition Row 1: K, O, (K, K2tog, O, K; O, K2Tog; K2) repeat to center increase, knit any remaining stitches to center
CENTER: O, K, O,
AFTER CENTER: knit the mirror of the other side to resume (K2; K2tog, O, K; O, SSK, K) repeat to end, O, K (this should come out even at the end of the row).
Next Row: purl
Transition Row 3: K, O, (K, K2tog, O; K3, O, K2tog) repeat to center, breaking at semicolon if needed and adding knit stitches if needed, O, K, O at center, repeat mirror of other side to resume (K2tog, O, K3; O, SSK, K) repeat to end, O, K
Next Row: purl
Transition Row 5: K, O, K, K2tog, O, (K5, O, C**, O) repeat to center, adding knit stitches if needed, O, K, O at center, repeat mirror of other side to resume(O, C**, O, K5) repeat to end, O, SSK, K, O, K


Begin Ears of Wheat Pattern (for all continue as above, knitting extra stitches near center and using the O, K, O increase in the center, knitting the same number of extra stitches on the other side. On purl rows, purl across center. Count the number of stitches purled up to the center from the last knit stitch and purl that number on the other side of the center before knitting one and resuming the P7, K pattern):
Row 1: P3, (K, P7) to center...(P7, K), purl last 3 stitches.
Row 2: K, O, K2, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, K2, O, K
Row 3: P4, (K, P7) to center... (P7, K), purl last 4 stitches.
Row 4: K, O, K3, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, K3, O, K
Row 5: P5, (K, P7) to center... (P7, K), purl last 5 stitches.
Row 6: K, O, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, O, K2, K2tog, O, K
Row 7: P6, (K, P7) to center... (P7, K), purl last 6 stitches.
Row 8: K, O, K, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, O, K2, K2tog, K, O, K
Row 9: P7, (K, P7) to center... (P7, K), purl last 7 stitches.
Row 10: K, O, K2, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, O, K2, K2tog, K2, O, K
Row 11: P8, (K, P7) to center... (P7, K), purl last 8 stitches.
Row 12: K, O, K3, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center...(O, K2, C**, K2, O, P)repeat to end, O, K2, K2tog, K3, O, K
Row 13: purl
Row 14: K, O, K2, (O, K, C**, K, O; K3) repeat to center...(K3; O, K, C**, K, O) repeat to end, K2, O, K
Row 15: purl
Row 16: K, O, K4, (O, C**, O; K5) repeat to center... (K5; O, C**, O) repeat to end, K4, O, K
Row 17: purl
Row 18: K, O, K2, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, O, K2, K2tog, K2, O, K
Row 19: P8, (K, P7) repeat to center... (P7, K), purl last 8 stitches
Row 20: K, O, K3, SSK, K2, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, O, K2, SSK1, K3, O, K
Row 21: P9, (K, P7) repeat to center... (P7, K), purl last 9 stitches
Row 22: K, O, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, O, K
Row 23: P2, (K, P7) repeat to center... (P7, K), purl last 2 stitches
Row 24: K, O, K, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, K, O, K
Row 25: P3, (K, P7) repeat to center... (P7, K), purl last 3 stitches
Row 26: K, O, K2, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, K2, O, K
Row 27: P4, (K, P7) repeat to center…(P7, K), purl last 4 stitches
Row 28: K, O, K3, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, K3, O, K
Row 29: P5, (K, P7) repeat to center…(P7, K), purl last 5 stitches
Row 30: K, O, SSK, K2, (P, O, K2, C**, K2, O) repeat to center... (O, K2, C**, K2, O, P) repeat to end, K2, K2tog, O, K
Row 31: purl
Row 32: K, O, K, SSK, K, O, (K3; O, K, C**, K, O) repeat to center... (O, K, C**, K, O, K3) repeat to end, O, K, K2tog, K, O, K
Row 33: purl
Row 34: K, O, K, (O, C**, O; K5) repeat to center...(K5; O, C**, O) repeat to end, K, O, K

The Ears of Wheat section needs to be at least 6 inches. If you are using lace weight yarn and small needles it may not, so continue the pattern until it does. It's ok to make it more than 6 inches but you'll need more yarn then. If you are using larger yarn you may find it will become very large; in that case you can leave out a couple rows in the center of each "Ear of Wheat" - where the rows are identical except for the edge where you increase it.



Climbing Leaves Section

This pattern is really just two rows of knit pattern then the reverse of them. From here on out all rows on the wrong side are just purled. When you get to the center increase, you'll knit the reverse row on the other half, which is the second row above or below the one you just knit from the chart.

I'll write out the first four rows you'll knit, showing the edge stitches I used for the edge increases. If you shortened the Ears of Wheat or added rows it probably won't match mine. To begin this pattern, you pick the nearest O, K, O from the row you last knit and line it up with the column of O, K, O's from the charted pattern. You'll have to count backwards to see how many stitches of the pattern you can do, using the semicolons in the written instructions if needed to see where the increases and decreases balance out. An easier way, if you prefer, is you can just knit any extra stitches at the beginning, end, and center, not trying to break the pattern and figure out where to start. Regardless, as above, just knit any remaining stitches from the edges to the pattern and in the center before and after the center increase. And remember if the pattern comes out exactly at the center increase, use the knit, yarnover, knit in the center stitch to continue increasing there.

As you may notice, this pattern has a wonky stitch count - every other pair of rows has an extra stitch.

Continue the Climbing Leaves pattern for at least 6 inches, but longer for a larger shawl. The first row is the hardest but after that it's really easy to remember.

Row 1: K, O, K8, (O, K, O, SSK, K, K2tog; O, K2tog; K2tog, O; K5, O, K) repeat to center... (K, O, K5, O, K2tog; SSK, O; SSK, K, K2tog, O, K, O) repeat to end, K8, O, K

Row 2 and all even rows: purl

Row 3: K, O, K, O, K, K2tog, K3, SSK, O, K, (O, K3, O, C**; K, K2tog, O; K2tog, K3, SSK, O, K)repeat to center... (K, O, K2tog K3, K2tog; O SSK, K; C**, O, K3, O) repeat to end, K, O, K2tog, K3, SSK, O, K, O, K

Row 5: K, O, K2, SSK, O, SSK, K, K2tog, O, K, O, (K, O, K5, O, K2tog; SSK, O; SSK, K, K2tog, O, K, O) repeat to center...(O, K, O, SSK, K, K2tog; O, K2tog; K2tog, O; K5, O, K) repeat to end, O, K, O, SSK, K, K2tog, O, K2tog, K2, O, K

Row 7: K, O, K, O, SSK, K, C**, O, K3, O, (K, O, K2tog K3, K2tog; O SSK, K; C**, O, K3, O) repeat to center... (O, K3, O, C**; K, K2tog, O; K2tog, K3, SSK, O, K)repeat to end, O, K3, O, C**, K, SSK, O, K, O, K


You need to end this on one of the rows that has the C**/S2KP2 double decrease, so if that wasn't your last row, knit one more. There is no transition to the Waves of Water pattern, just center one of the yarnovers on the first row over the knit stitch in one of the O, K, O columns (not the stem). Make sure the edges and center of the shawl are still being increased. You don't need to reverse this pattern on the other side of the center increase, just be sure it has the same number of "extra" stitches on both sides. I put the last Ears of Wheat row in there for reference, but yours may be the other row that has the double decrease (which would be on the other side of the center).

When I bound off I used larger needles but it was still too tight. One way you may be able to prevent this is to knit one last row of just alternating knit, yarnover then purl then bind off. If you had extra edge you could block it to come to points for a more scalloped edge, which would be attractive.