Distaff Day, or St. Distaff’s Day, occurs on January 7. The twelve days of Christmas are over, and it’s time to get back to work, for real.
Distaff Day is a way to recognize and celebrate women’s work in the home. Spinning was hugely important throughout history, and in European traditions it became synonymous with women’s work.
Today, some spinners celebrate January 7 as a kind of event, getting together for spin-ins and other fun.
Even if you’re not a spinner, I think it’s good to stop and think about all that unrecognized work that women have done to keep generations of people clothed. If you work with any kind of fiber to create fabric, you are doing the same thing. And we don’t need to be gender-specific here. Let’s recognize and celebrate all fiber crafts done by everyone!
What is a Distaff?
A distaff is a tool used to hold unspun fibers. The fiber is loosely wrapped around the distaff. The distaff can be held under the arm when drop spinning, or attached to a spinning wheel.
There are different styles, but a basic distaff is simply a smooth stick with a finial of some sort. Russian-style distaffs look more like boards, and can be highly decorative.
Nobody. There wasn’t an saint, or even a person. (My opionion? The name probably came about because it is the “13th day of Christmas” and somebody back in history was trying to be clever.)
The 17th Century poet Robert Herrick wrote about shenanigans that happened on “S. Distaff Day”.
Saint Distaff’s Day, or The Morrow After Twelfth Day
Partly work and partly play Ye must on S. Distaff’s day: From the plough soon free your team, Then come home and fodder them. If the maids a-spinning go, Burn the flax and fire the tow; Scorch their plackets, but beware That ye singe no maidenhair. Bring in pails of water, then, Let the maids bewash the men. Give S. Distaff all the right, Then bid Christmas sport good-night; And next morrow everyone To his own vocation.
If you’d like to read a bit more about the history of St. Distaff’s Day, and spinning in general, check out these links:
Conventional wisdom says that sharing New Year’s resolutions with someone else is supposed to keep us accountable and thus more likely to achieve success.
I’ve come up with 6 reasonable and sustainable goals for my crafting life in the New Year. With your help, I think I can achieve them. Who wants to join me with these New Year’s Resolutions?
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support me but don’t cost you anything extra.
Resolution #1: Allow My Yarn to Mature
This classic yarn has been in my stash for many years.
Not all yarn needs to be used immediately. Sometimes it
needs to age until it is ready to reach its full potential.
This process may take years. Since yarn doesn’t go bad if
properly cared for—in moth-proof storage, for example—there’s no time limit on
when it must be used. I have yarn that is more than 25 years old. It’s still a
nice color. It’s still wool. It just hasn’t decided what it’s going to be.
My yarn stash serves as high-quality housing insulation.
I resolve to not stash bust this year.
Resolution #2: Allow My Yarn Stash to Grow
Who wouldn’t want this beautiful pink yarn from Stunning String Studio? And some cute stitch markers, too?
Forget “yarn diets”! They just make me feel guilty about buying new yarn. Yarn doesn’t have calories and it doesn’t make me fat, so why should I diet?
Instead, I want to embrace the joy that purchasing a beautiful
new yarn brings: the expectation of a future project; the zen of repetitive
motion as colorful fiber slips through my fingers; the prospect of unlimited
options.
I bought souvenir yarn with my last forints in this shop in Budapest.
Yarn makes an excellent travel souvenir. Every time I see that ball of yarn I bought in Budapest, I remember the adventure I had finding the yarn shop. I couldn’t read the street signs, the store was on a small street away from any tourist areas, and no one around spoke English (or Spanish or French, which were other languages I tried). When I found the shop, we all had a marvelous time visiting and admiring each others’ work, despite some pretty significant language challenges. They helped me figure out how many forints I could spend and still have enough change to take the tram back to the boat. If I had been on a yarn diet, I would have missed that entire experience!
I resolve to buy more yarn this year.
Resolution #3: Allow My Yarn to Range Free
The sad truth is that my studio is never Instagram-worthy.
Some people like a very tidy desk, a very tidy house, and a very tidy studio. I am not one of those people. While I like a neat kitchen, living room and bedroom, when it comes to my creative spaces, “tidy” is not a word that any one would use.
When I’m being creative, I want to see things out in the open. As I sit and crochet with one yarn, I like to let my eyes rest on other yarn that I have yet to use. I allow my mind to wander and dream of my next project. If everything is tucked away from sight, I can’t do that. I prefer free-range yarn.
I resolve not to organize my stash this year.
Resolution #4: Allow Some Yarn to Depart
Not all yarn needs to live at my house.
This resolution may seem at odds with Resolutions #1 and #2,
but it’s not. I do have a finite amount of storage space, and an even more finite
amount of open (free-range) space.
Sometimes as yarn matures, it tells me it needs to leave the
house and spread joy elsewhere. (Infrequently, it tells me this the moment it
arrives at my house, but often it takes a bit longer.)
Maybe the color is not my thing, or the fiber content. Maybe I swatched with it and just couldn’t get it to behave in the way I wanted it to. These are the yarns that are ready to spread their wings and depart my nest.
There are plenty of people who would love my unloved yarn. I’ve given to senior centers, elementary and middle schools, and church groups, and they are always happy to accept donations.
I resolve to give away yarn this year.
Resolution #5: Use the Best Tools
I don’t love every single one of these needles. It’s time for some to find a new home.
I have a lot of crochet hooks, and even more knitting
needles. I have tape measures in every drawer and project bag.
However, some of those tools aren’t the greatest. Needles may have blunt tips or sticky finishes that I find annoying. A few circular needles have a catchy cable-to-needle join. Certain brands of crochet hooks don’t fit my hand and make crocheting awkward and uncomfortable. A couple of those tape measures are surely stretched out and faded.
Some of these items should be discarded entirely, while others would be perfect for another crafter. Why am I keeping these tools?
I resolve to use only tools that make my crafting more enjoyable.
Resolution #6: Practice Safe Crafting
If I want to keep knitting and crocheting for years to come,
I need to take care of my body. This means avoiding repetitive stress injury, getting
up and moving instead of sitting at my computer and behind my needles/hook. It
means getting sufficient full-body exercise. It means using a body-friendly bag
when I go to teaching gigs, fiber shows and shopping sprees. It means paying
attention to proper lighting, keeping my yarn and electrical cords out from
underfoot, and more.
These are not new resolutions to me, but it helps to remind myself of them. One of my go-to resources for reminding myself of these things is Carson Demers’ excellent book Knitting Comfortably. (Read my interview with Carson.)
I resolve to pay attention to crafting ergonomics this year.
Final Thoughts
Of course, I could make more traditional goals that would make me more organized, tidier, and maybe even more financially responsible. But I probably wouldn’t keep them, and that failure would just make me feel bad.
I’m content with the way things are, and these goals fit into my lifestyle this year. If they don’t fit into yours, that’s fine. Perhaps you need to save money and thus should use stash yarn all year. Maybe an untidy crafting spaces gives you the creeps, or UFOs make you nervous. Perhaps your living space doesn’t allow for more yarn.
Embrace what works for you, and set your goals accordingly. This fiber-crafting thing is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Make it so.
What about you? What are your goals for the New Year? Share in the Comments below.
Intarsia knitting can be a fun color knitting technique! The trick is in understanding how to prevent holes at the color changes. While a lot of intarsia projects are knitted in stockinette stitch, it’s easy to do in garter stitch if you know how.
Let’s work through this simple intarsia sample together, and I’ll show you how wonderful it can be to knit intarsia in garter stitch. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for a video.
This post may contain affiliate links which may provide a small income to me if you buy something, but don’t cost you anything.
What is Intarsia Knitting?
Intarsia is a color knitting technique that uses one yarn color at a time to create blocks of color. You work across stitches in one color, then drop the old color and pick up the new color to begin working the next stitches.
The yarns are twisted around each other at the color change to prevent holes.
Compare this to stranded knitting techniques where you hold multiple colors across a row, or slip stitch techniques which use just one yarn and just one color across the entire row.
I’m using three colors. The pink is wound into a yarn butterfly.
In this sample I used full balls for the blue and the green and a yarn butterfly for the pink. I’m using Marly Bird’s Chic Sheep from Red Heart, and Clover Takumi bamboo knitting needles, size 5 mm.
Intarsia in Stockinette Stitch vs. Garter Stitch
If you’ve never done intarsia before, it can seem intimidating. Just remember that you are only holding one strand of yarn at a time, so how hard can it really be?
There’s a simple rule for remembering how to twist the yarns at the color change:
Hold the old color to the left
Pick up the new color from underneath (and to the right of) the old color
Begin working with the new color.
The trick is to cross the yarns on the wrong side at each color change to prevent a hole. In stockinette stitch this becomes intuitive, because the yarn is just where it needs to be, at the front or back of the knitting, as you come to it. In garter stitch, however, when you are knitting wrong side rows, you have to bring the yarn forward between the needles to allow that yarn crossing to happen on the wrong side.
Confused? Me too. I’d rather show you.
Reading a Chart
Garter stitch is usually worked from a chart. While there are different ways of presenting the information for a garter stitch chart, we’ll be working from this one.
I’ve made a printable pdf of the chart available to make it easier for you to follow along.
This chart is read in the ordinary way, with each rectangle representing a stitch. Right side (odd-numbered) rows are worked from right to left and wrong side (even-numbered) rows are worked from left to right. Note that all the rows are knit.
Cast On and Row 1
Cast on 10 stitches in each color.
You’ll read the chart beginning with Row 1, a right side row. If you use a long-tail cast on, you can count the cast on as Row 1. This is what I like to do when working garter stitch.
Using a long-tail cast on, cast on 10 stitches in blue, then 10 stitches in green. At this point, the cast ons will not be connected to each other.
Row 2
Row 2 is a wrong side row, read from left to right. Knit 10 stitches in green.
Bring old color between needles to the front.
Now that you’ve finished with the green for this row, it’s time to change to blue, but you need to twist the yarns to prevent a hole. This twist needs to happen on the wrong side. Since this is a wrong side row, that means that the twist needs to happen on the side closest to you.
Pick up new color from underneath so that the old color crosses over the new color.
Bring the old color (green) to the front between the needles. Hold it to the left. Pick up the new color (blue) from underneath the old color and bring it between the needles to the back.
Bring new color to the back and knit with new color.
Begin knitting with the new color, and knit to the end of the row.
Row 3
On right side rows, hold old color to the left.
This is a right side row, and the color change will happen on the back (wrong side). Knit 10 with blue, then hold the old color (blue) to the left
Pick up new color from underneath old color.
and pick up the new color (green) from underneath the old color. Knit 10 with green.
Row 4
Once more on a wrong side row, for good measure: Knit 10 blue, bring yarn forward between the needles. Hold the blue to the left. Pick up the green from underneath the blue and bring the green to the back. Knit 10 with green.
Row 5
Add pink on Row 5.
It’s time to add a third color! Knit 9 stitches in blue. Leaving a long tail, knit 2 stitches in pink. Hold the pink to the left and pick up the green from underneath, knit 9 stitches in green.
Rows 6-24
Work in pattern according to the chart, crossing the yarns when the colors change.
Bind Off and Weaving In Ends
Knit the last stitch of the blue with green yarn.
Bind off on a right side row, using the following trick to make sure you maintain a clean color transition. Beginning with blue, bind off until there is 1 blue stitch on your right needle and 1 blue stitch on your left needle.
This bind-off method prevents the blue from creeping into the green section.
Knit the next stitch in green (turning the blue stitch into a green stitch). Continue binding off in green.
Weave in ends.
Use the remaining pink tails to close up the holes at the beginning and end of the diamond, then weave in those ends on the wrong side of the pink section. Weave in remaining ends.
What are you going to knit next? Will you give garter stitch intarsia a try?
Stuff a stocking with tools and notions for a fiber artist in your life. They’ll love you for it, and you may even get a handmade gift in return! Here are some suggestions for stocking stuffers for knitters and crocheters.
Scroll over the image for more information, or click the links to learn more.
This post contains affiliate links, which may provide a small income to me if you buy something, but won’t cost you anything extra.
Stitch Markers
Every crocheter and knitter uses stitch markers, and if they don’t, they should! And markers have a way of getting lost, so we always need more.
There are several different styles of marker. Even if the gift recipient has a current favorite, it’s always a good idea to try new products. Try them all!
Hint: Crocheters need markers that open. Look for the words “locking”, “split ring”, or “opening” in the title to make sure you are getting the right kind.
Scissors
A good pair of scissors is always appreciated. I’m always on the lookout for tiny scissors that pack easily but are sharp enough to cut well.
Sometimes you need just a small amount of yarn for a project, and it would be uncomfortable to use a full ball of yarn. That’s when you need a yarn butterfly! Here’s how to wind a yarn butterfly. It’s quick and easy.
A yarn butterfly is simply a “re-packaging” of yarn into a small butterfly-shaped bundle. If prepared right, the bundle stays wrapped and secured, making it possible to use the working end of the yarn for your project while the rest of the yarn waits patiently.
Yarn butterflies are usually used for the intarsia method (knitting or crocheting), but they can be used any time.
It can be easier to use a butterfly than a yarn bobbin. In my experience, plastic yarn bobbins get tangled more than butterflies. Plus, I can never find enough bobbins when I’m ready to start a complex intarsia project.
OK, I didn’t say that very well in words. It’s really quite easy to do, so let’s try some pictures. Follow these step-by-step instructions or watch the video at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Hold the yarn tail under your thumb and out of the way.
2. Begin wrapping the yarn around your fingers in a figure-8 pattern.
3. As you wrap, keep the strands parallel to each other. Don’t let them cross over each other.
4. When you have wrapped enough, pinch the yarn bundle together at the center point, and slide it off your fingers.
5. Leaving at least 12″ [30 cm], cut the working yarn. Wrap this end around the center of the bundle. Wrap tightly, but not too tightly.
6. Tuck the end under the center wraps. A crochet hook is handy to use for this task.
7. When you have finished, use the working end (the end that was under your thumb). It should pull out neatly as you need it, leaving the rest of the yarn still wrapped up in its butterfly shape.
Brighten up your summer with these quick and easy summer placemats. They are a perfect first project for beginning knitters, and they make a great house-warming gift for new neighbors.
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support me but don’t cost you anything extra.
The Yarn
Bulky-weight yarn makes the knitting go fast! Lion Brand Rewind Tape Yarn is fun to work with. Because of its construction, it’s less bulky than you would think, and it imparts a great texture to the fabric.
I love the exuberant colors that I used, but you can also choose from more muted shades to suit your taste. The instructions below are for two placemats in different main colors. If you want to make four placemats, two of each color shown, with a yellow stripe on each, you’ll need two balls each of the blue and pink, and one ball of the yellow.
The Pattern
Garter stitch is about as basic as a knitting stitch can be, and that’s all you need to know to knit these placemats! Minimal pattern-reading is required, and gauge doesn’t even matter all that much.
Quick & Easy Summer Placemats
One size: 16″ x 13″/40.6 x 33 cm
Materials Lion Brand Rewind Tape Yarn (70% polyester/30% viscose, 3.5 oz / 100 g, 242 yd / 221 m), 1 ball each color 148 Fish Bowl (A), color 195 Think Pink (B), and color 157 Make Lemonade (C) [See note above about yarn amounts for multiple placemats.]
Pattern Notes Leave a 6″ / 15 cm tail for weaving in each time you begin and end a yarn.
Beginning knitters will want to knit the pattern exactly as written. More experienced knitters may create a slip-stitch selvedge by slipping the last stitch of each row knitwise with yarn in front.
Abbreviations k: knit RS: right side st(s): stitch(es) WS: wrong side
Instructions With A, long-tail cast-on 42 sts. Knit 1 WS row. Turn work, and place a marker or piece of waste yarn on this side to indicate that the side is the right side.
Knit every row until piece measures 13″ / 33 cm from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row. Cut A, leaving a 6″ / 15 cm tail for weaving in.
With C, knit 10 rows (5 garter stitch ridges). Cut C.
With B, knit 2 rows (1 garter stitch ridge). Cut B.
With A, knit 6 rows (3 garter stitch ridges). Bind off.
Weave in ends.
Make a second placemat, substituting B for A and A for B in the instructions above.
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