The Hook and Needle Nook

 by Kathy Conway Hi, my name is Kathy and I am a bead-aholic.  There.  I confessed it!! First of all, let’s face it.  We could all use a little bling these days.  Being addicted to beading has its benefits. Because of it, I have lots of ear rings, and necklaces. Most importantly, I have some super knitted items which I have bedecked with lovely, beaded accents that make me smile!! Knitting with beads is so much fun. How do I add beads to my knitting projects? There are several ways and all of them are fun, and believe me, I have tried them all!   Put them on your yarn before starting your project.  As you knit, scoot a bead between the stiches as you need to.  Add them over a stitch by using dental floss. Sew them on after the project is completed.  Attach beads to small lobster claw clasps and clip them onto the garment.  You can position them to add weight on the edge of your work, like the bottom of a shawl or to...

Making a nice comfortable pair of socks starts with picking the right yarn. After knitting several pairs of socks for myself and others, I have some yarn favorites that have worked best for me. Color Choice The first thing to consider is color. If you are a beginner, pick a light solid color. Sound too boring? Speckled yarn works as well. However, solid yarn can be the best bet when knitting your first set of socks. If you are an advanced knitter, pick any color or dye style you like! Keep in mind, if you like to knit at night, picking a lighter color or investing in a good Ott light can be game changing! Socks are great fun to knit. However, if you knit socks in the dark, be prepared to tink or frog back the next morning. Rule of thumb: Use light yarn or work in plenty of light and all will be well. Fiber Content Merino Nylon Blends As far as fiber content is concerned, the yarn blend most widely regarded as best for knitting socks is 75% Superwash Merino ...