How to knit a log cabin blanket

A basic log cabin blanket block knit with leftover DK weight yarn on 4mm needles.

One of the things I love most about log cabin blankets is that you really are free to knit them however you like. Once you have the basics of the construction sorted out you can freestyle to your hearts content. They can be used to stashbust and use up scraps or you can purchase to fit a particular design -  the choice is yours. This tutorial will show you how to knit a square log-cabin block which is the building block for most types of log cabin blanket construction.

To start with you need to knit a central patch - garter stitch is by far my preferred stitch for this as the squares lie flat and don't roll. I have seen spectacular log cabin blankets knit in seed stitch but that's a a level of commitment I'm really not prepared for.

BLOCK 1

Cast on 15 stitches and knit 30 rows and then cast off - you will have 15 garter ridges. If it helps, stick a bulb or safety pin into the right side to help you although technically at this stage but sides are the same. If you get into the habit of slipping the first stitch purlwise (with the yarn in front) this creates a neat slipped stitch edge and will make the job of picking up stitches later so much easier.

Starting block 2 - with stitches picked up along the side of block 1

BLOCK 2

With colour 2 (green, here) align block 1 with the right side up and the cast on edge towards you. Pick up and knit 15 stitches along the left hand side of block 1. Knit 29 rows - the pick up and knit row counts as 1 row - until you have 15 garter ridges. Cast off.

Starting block 3 - with stitches picked up along the side of block 2 and the cast on edge of block 1

BLOCK 3

With right side facing and colour 3 (light brown), pick up and knit 15 stitches along the left hand side of block 2 and then 15 stitches along the cast on edge of block 1 (30 stitches in total). Knit 29 rows - 15 garter ridges then cast off.

BLOCK 4

With right side facing and colour 4 (pale green), pick up and knit 15 stitches along the left hand side of block 3, and the other side of block 1. Knit 29 rows, Cast off. Spotting a pattern yet?

BLOCK 5

With colour 5 (gold), pick up and knit 15 stitches along the left hand side of block 4, 15 stitches along the cast off edge of block 1 and 15 stitches across the other side of block 2 (45 stitches in total). Knit 29 rows. Cast off.

This completes your first full block and you’ll see that block 1 is fully enclosed by the surrounding 4 blocks.

You can now continue in the same manner, always remembering to turn the work 90 degrees clockwise. You pick up stitches along the side of the block just worked and across to the end of the piece, adding more blocks as you go. You can keep going until the blanket is the desired size or you run out of yarn.

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Keeping a beginners mind

Wishing and Hoping Baby Blanket

I think one of the most popular blog posts I ever wrote, back in the day, was entitled Death by Scarf. In it I talked about how I had come across an acquaintance who was a new knitter and he had asked for recommendations for starter projects. He’d been given the traditional advice often given to newer knitters that he should start with a ‘nice garter stitch scarf’ and well, let’s just say that the idea didn’t appeal to him.

And I didn’t blame him one little bit. As far as I’m concerned there is nothing more likely to bore the pants off a new knitter and to firmly turn them off the hobby for life than making them sit through the tedium of knitting 6-feet of garter stitch no matter how lovely the yarn.

Unless it’s a scarf for a teddy bear then nope, I’m afraid you can keep your nice garter stitch scarves.

Instead I directed him towards the amazing Tincan Knits website where they have a fabulous (and free) range of patterns aimed at beginners. The instructions are clearly laid out with tutorials to everything the new knitter is likely to need.

The next time I saw him, in a matter of a few short weeks he had knitted a hat, some mitts and was shopping for yarn for his first pair of socks. The man was well and truly hooked and believe me when I say I rejoiced inside.

People only think it’s hard if you tell them it is

It’s a fact that’s common to most areas of life, when you are a beginner you literally know nothing. Not only that, but you don’t know what you don’t know. Indeed, in the Four Stages of Learning this is rather insultingly defined as Unconscious Incompetence. But it’s true, you can’t know something until you’ve started the process of learning.

Gradually people move through a process of being aware of what they don’t know (conscious incompetence), becoming more proficient (conscious competence) and finally through to being so skilled that they can do it without thinking (unconscious competence).

Turning the heel of a sock is a classic example of this. Often people will tell me things like they have been knitting for years but have always been scared to try socks. They will talk about ‘turning the heel’ as though it is somehow imbued with magical properties rather than a series of easily followed instructions.

Literally all you need to do is follow the steps in front of you faithfully, to the the letter and you will have a successful heel turn. It’s isn’t magic, it’s maths.

Some people react in horror when I suggest socks as a beginner knitting project but really when you think about it they are ideal. Yes, the cast on can be a little tricky but that’s the same of any cast on when you are just starting out. As a young girl my Nana used to cast on and do the first row for me when she was teaching me to knit.

But once the cast on is done you are literally just knitting round and round, there’s nothing else to distract your attention. You come to the heel turn, concentrate and follow the instructions. Then it’s plain sailing all the way to the end.

As a beginner you don’t know that socks are thought to be hard. You only know they are hard if other knitters tell you that they are.

Keeping a beginners mind

I’ve seen teachers and other education professionals refer to ‘keeping a beginners mind’ when approaching a new topic or skill and it’s a great thing to do. It’s not meant to be insulting or patronising, but more it’s meant in the spirit of being open to learning and to new experiences.

It’s a term translated from from Shoshin - which comes from Zen Buddhism -and it describes the way that a beginner doesn’t have any expectations or pre-conceived ideas about how something should be. They are literally experiencing something for the first time.

“If your mind is empty … it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” - Shunryu Suzuki

And no matter how expert we might be in something, there’s a lot to be said for stepping back sometimes and seeing it fresh, with a beginners mind.

We might be surprised at what we find.

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Can I take my knitting on a plane

The short answer is yes, just remember the 3 cardinal rules

• Think small (socks, mitts, hats)

• Use wooden needles

• Remember to remove scissors/tapestry needles (use tiny snips instead)

There is of course a much longer answer to this which is that, like so much in life, it depends.

There is a common misconception that the individual airlines set the rules, but for the most part the airlines are bound by the commercial regulations pertaining to the countries they are operating from.

In the UK this information is available on the gov.uk website, which specifically states that knitting needles are allowed in cabin baggage. The final decision though rests with the security staff on duty and they have the right to confiscate anything they deem to be a security risk. It is extremely unlikely that you would have your needles confiscated but there are a few things you can do in advance to mitigate this risk.

1. Stick to wooden, rather than metal needles and avoid taking your most expensive set with you. Only take needles that you wouldn’t be upset to lose.

2. Run a lifeline through your work prior to leaving. That way if you do have to remove the needles and hand them over you won’t lose your work.

3. Don’t bother taking a self-addressed envelope with you (as some advise - so that you can post them back to yourself). Think about it - due to security concerns when was the last time you saw an open post box in an airport concourse.

4. Make sure to remove any scissors or tapestry needles from your project bag. You can buy little Hiya Hiya snips with tiny blades, Clover do a little cutter (although I have heard of these being confiscated too). In a pinch a dental floss container - and it’s little integral blade can cut most yarns.

5. Please don’t try to hide needles in other baggage or on your person. I’ve heard of people hiding needles in their hair and honestly I can’t imagine an easier way to get pulled over and pat searched for suspicious activity. Be honest, up front and be prepared to demonstrate your knitting. From personal experience I have had security agents confused by circular needles, as they expect to see long, pointy ones. Circular needles may sometimes require an explanation.

So, there you have it. It’s not rocket science and with a few exceptions most countries have no issue with you flying with needles - Mexico is known for being particularly strict I hear.

Avoid hearsay and rumour

Few things are likely to elicit more of a response than posting this question in a Facebook group so please save yourself the time and bother. You’ll get a flood of contradictory advice from people in different countries and operating under a different set of assumptions. People will tell you to

• Call the airline

• Call your holiday operator

• Yes, you can

• No, you can’t

• Sometimes

Honestly, it’s not worth the hassle - check the regulations for the country your flight is leaving from:

UK: Hand luggage restrictions at UK airports: Personal items - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

USA (TSA): Knitting Needles | Transportation Security Administration (tsa.gov)

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5 ways knitting can help your brain

As knitters we all know of course that it can be wonderfully relaxing, but did you know that there is a wealth of scientific evidence out there to show that knitting or crochet is one of the best things you can do on a daily basis to improve your mental health?

1. The slow, repetitive movements associated with knitting can actually cause the release of serotonin in the brain? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which is important in mood regulation amongst other things. The mindful, repetitive movements can bring about a state of relaxation akin to those associated with yoga, making it ideal for those who are seeking to bring about a more meditative state of mind. Speaking personally I often struggle with traditional meditation exercises which require visualisation techniques. But I can often achieve a relaxed, happy state of mind by knitting, in the same way as I can by going for a long, slow walk in nature.

2. The act of following a pattern is associated with an improvement in focus and in memory.

3. Knitting improves fine motor control - knitting has been used as a therapy to help patients with Parkinson’s Disease improve motor control. Knitting, unlike a lot of other therapies requires use of a lot of different parts of the brain at the same time - Frontal lobe (planning and paying attention), Occipital lobe (processes visual signals), Parietal lobe (sensory and spatial information) and the Cerebellum (in control of precision and timing).

4. Being part of a knitting group (whether in person or online can contribute to combating feelings of isolation and loneliness.

5. It can help with breaking old patterns of behaviour - giving up smoking for example - and in forming new healthier habits. A lot of people report that knitting can help to occupy the hands/brain and combat cravings.

I’m sure there are a lot more benefits than this - but these are just some of the wildly reported positive benefits of knitting, so much so that NHS Occupational Therapy departments are looking at knitting/crochet as a possible treatment option alongside more conventional therapies

According to the Mayo Clinic, seniors who engage in crafts (including knitting) are about 30-50% less likely to have a “mild cognitive impairment” than those who don’t.

Further reading

Stitchlinks: If this has sparked your interest you might like to check out Stitchlinks - the home of Therapeutic Knitting and the brainchild of author and knitter Betsan Corkhill who has lead the way in this exciting area of research.

Knit and Health for Wellness by Betsan Corkhill

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What gets in your way?

Yarn is from Eden Cottage Yarn. project bag is from Eldenwood Crafts

What stops you from casting on?

As a champion procrastinator I can put something off for weeks, even months. Or if I have that certain spark of motivation I can cast on almost immediately.

I've had this yarn kit (@edencottageyarns ) and pattern (Kismet sweater by @unwind_knitwear ) for months. I love the yarn, I love the pattern....have I started it....nope.

My main barriers are:

🌿 Winding the yarn. Lacking a dedicated craft space means that my set up is always a little cobbled together and I need the house to be quiet.

🌿 Getting the first few rows in. Especially if there is a complicated set up or lots of markers are needed.

🌿 If lots of counting is needed at the start. I can't do that when the house is busy.

The common factor here is the need for quiet. So of course I decided that yesterday afternoon with both boys at home and husband doing DIY loudly upstairs was the perfect time to start.

Do I never learn.

Of course I managed to mess up the increases so l be starting again today - hopefully when things are quieter. What get’s in your way and stops you from starting a project?

Thoughts on Threads

I know it’s not the most startlingly original title but after 2 nights of poor sleep on the sofa (husband has Covid and I’m trying, desperately not to catch it) it’s the best I’m going to get.

So, it’s been a week since Threads, the new social media platform from Meta, hit our devices and I thought I would just do a little summary of what it is and how it’s working for me at the minute.

This is written with the huge disclaimer that, as ever, your mileage may vary. Not everyone wants to sign up to a new Zuckerberg-led thing and nor should they. We are all adults here, so do your own research first and if you do want to join or to find out more then please grab a seat and a coffee and let’s chat Threads.

Speaking of coffee…

If Instagram is your picture-perfect, glossy shop window think of Threads as your coffee break. Picture yourself leaning up against the counter, coffee mug in hand chatting to your customers or to your co-workers. If water coolers still exist (do they?) this is very much in the spirit of a water cooler moment.

For the time being at least it is refreshingly simple and uncluttered. Mercifully, for us Reel-avoidant types there is no audio so it’s blessedly silent. There are no hashtags so it’s visually uncluttered. And there are no adverts, promoted posts or suggested trending topics.

Now, obviously all of those things I’ve just mentioned have their place and Meta have already said that they will be adding more features shortly, but to be honest I’m finding the stripped back nature of the platform really enjoyable.

I’m finding people organically through their comments on people I follow and it’s easy to hop back over to instagram to check them out. Pro-tip if you see someone,s Instagram profile and there’s a long number in their bio, that’s their Threads joining number. You can tap that and their Threads ‘about page’ will instantly pop up (as long as you have the app installed).

In a very noisy online world, Threads offers a quieter, calmer alternative and it’s something that people seem to have really resonated with. Over 100 million users in the first week and climbing steadily. Yes it’s a bit random and a bit chaotic, but my goodness it’s refreshing. Interestingly I’ve noticed that people I’ve followed for ages on Instagram but never see (thanks algorithmn) are suddenly popping up again. It’s a bit like a high school reunion, only with people you like.

I’m finding lots of new Instagram accounts to follow and it works the other way too. I’ve definitely seen a surge in follower numbers in the past week as we all chat and check each other out.

Will it last? Who knows. Social media platforms by their very nature will change and innovate, but for now at least Threads is offering something different and fun. It won’t replace my Instagram any time soon but I’m definitely finding it to be a more positive and less toxic place than Twitter - and long may it continue.

What do you think - have you checked it out yet? Do let me know in the comments if you have, or say hi on Threads. I’ve always got a pot of coffee on the go.

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What is Threads?

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