knitnight: Knitting "Green"

Our first session of the year was well-attended -- 22 knitters. So glad to see familiar faces, and to welcome new knitters to our group. The two hours just goes by far too fast; I feel like we didn't get everyone's questions answered, but I think most of the newbies are off to a good start.

I talked bit about "green" knitting -- knit organic, knit alternative, knit recycled, knit local. I ordered a few unusual yarns from Earth-Friendly Yarns last week, and brought in some others from my collection:

Center: Mango Moon's Viscose (a fiber made from tree or plant cellulose) in the Earth colorway. I had read that some viscose yarns are soft and pliable, but this one is not -- I think this might be the yarn for the guitar strap I have been thinking about.

To the right of that, the yellow "cake" of yarn is from Judy's farm (knit local!)

Next, clockwise, is a little purple skein of Vickie Howell's Craft, which is 65% cotton and 35% milk fiber. Having grown up on a dairy farm, I was interested in how milk was transformed into fiber. Through miracles of bio-engineering, the protein casein is removed from the milk and spun into fiber which is environmentally friendly and of the same pH as human skin, making it an ideal fiber for clothing. The US had begun producing milk fiber in the 1940's, but production was expensive and curtailed by World War II. Now, China has perfected the production of milk fiber (along with soy and hemp) and is providing the fiber to manufacturers around the world. Very interesting.

To the left of the Craft is Maizy, made by Crystal Palace. It is 82% corn fiber and 18% elastic -- it would probably be great for socks (if I were a sock knitter, which I hope to be soon!)

Below that is a skein of pakucho, an organic cotton from Peru. The color is natural -- no dyes are used in their processing; no pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals were used in the growing of this cotton, either.

Clockwise next is Hempathy by Elsebeth Lavold, a knitting designer from Sweden. This yarn is 34% hemp, 41% cotton and 24% modal.

Then comes the recycled sari silk from Nepal. I purchased this skein from Earth Friendly, but I think I prefer the sari silk from Mango Moon. The MM silk is soft and pliable, but I just wound this skein into a ball, and it feels like twine in my hands -- I think it is destined for a tote bag. The important thing about these sari silks is that they are recycled, and the profits go toward empowering the women of Nepal.

Finally, the large skein at the top of the picture is Manos del Uruguay ("hands of Uruguay"). I love this 100% wool, which funds "economic and social opportunities for rural women of Uruguay". It is hand spun and hand-dyed, and no two skeins are the same.

We also talked a bit about buying sweaters and other knitwear at thrift shops, unraveling them and re-knitting. This is a group that hates to rip out knitting, and that idea was met with groans and skepticism. I doubt anyone rushed out to the Goodwill looking for the perfect sweater to frog!

Along the "green" theme, I "designed" this pattern for a Green Grocery Sack:

I designed this in the same shape as a plastic grocery sack. My first attempt, which was the same size as the plastic, stretched to the floor when I put a few groceries in it! So here is a re-vamped version, using 3 less drop stitch pattern repeats and with shortened handles.
(Note: You will first knit a rectangle, then pick up stitches on three sides of the rectangle -- the 4th side is the last row of 16 stitches of the rectangle. Then you will join and knit in a circle. The handles are divided in two and joined at the top.)

Materials: kitchen cotton, probably 3 skeins (I used different colors from my washcloth leftovers)
10 ½ needles, both circular and DPN

Glossary: K=Knit; yo=Yarn over; BO = bind off

Instructions: Using circular needle, cast on 16 for rectangle.

Knit 40 rows (20 garter ridges on each side)
Pick up 20 stitches on one long side of rectangle, between garter ridges.
Pick up 16 stitches on short side
Pick up 20 stitches on other long side of rectangle
Place marker.
Knit around for 12 rounds.
(You could continue knitting, without adding the following pattern; just knit until the sack measures 9” from the base rectangle)

Drop stitch pattern: Row 1: *k1, YO* to end of round
Row 2: * K1, drop yo*
Rows 3-7: Knit
Repeat this pattern 3 more times.

Next row: K16, BO 20 stitches, k16, BO 20 stitches.

Handles:
First side: Switching to dpns, on one set of 16, knit 4 rows in stockinette.
Row 5: K7, BO 2, K7.
Divide these stitches with 7 stitches on each dpn.
Using another dpn, knit 16 rows; leave stitches on dpn.
Repeat with stitches on second needle.

Use 3-needle bind-off to join both halves of the handle
(3-needle bind-off: Hold the 2 dpn’s with the wrong sides of the handles together. Using a 3rd dpn, knit the first stitch on both needles together. Knit the second stitch in the same manner. Lift the first stitch over the second. Repeat to the end of the row.)
Weave in ends

Repeat with second handle.

Weave all ends in securely and you are ready to hit the market.