Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Healing my heart: knitting with color therapy

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Just started tonight, a round mug rug with my bamboo dpns, US size 4, using two strands of crochet thread in a very nice apple green shade... cool to the eyes yet warm to the heart, since green is the color of the heart chakra and has a balancing, healing effect.

And that is why i purposely chose to knit green tonight. I'm hoping to make a complete set of the 7 rainbow colors plus magenta, the color that shows up when you combine red and violet. These 8 colors comprise the basic color wheel.

As you see above, I've already got three rows, according to my very useful row counter. I used to just note down the row number I'm working on, but the notes have a way of disappearing on my messy workstation... the row counter is supposed to be worn like a pendant, but in our hot summer days, who'll want anything strung around the neck?

Here's another pic to show the two balls of mercerized cotton I'm using:

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Not everyone likes to knit with dpns, but I do. Maybe it's because I have small fingers (small compared to my size!) and I don't mind working with 4 to 5 dpns.

Eventually I'll switch to my 16-inch long circulars, which are just perfect to get the 4-5 inch circumference.

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And one last final group shot... the pattern is something I found from "Knitting for the Home" by Rita Weiss, and it's really a pattern for a round floor rug, I'm just adapting it for a smaller mug rug :-) basically it's a seed stitch pattern with increases after so many rows.

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To balance the green effect, the next mug rug I'll work on is its complementary color, magenta. Then, let's see which color I'm gonna feel like doing next.

This is a combination of process and project knitting :-) I'm into the process but it must have an end, not just the means.

I am so glad I'm doing knitting for color therapy. If I need more green energy, I'm gonna make a triangular shawl next in my dark green and olive green tencel :-)

3 comments:

monanoke said...

Hi Amy, I love the color! Is that magic loop at work?

I have to admit I still have to learn how to knit with dpns. I only understand the principle at this point. I have four 8" ones, and four 14" ones of the same size (2.5mm).

Guess what, Everson behind Wellmanson along Tabora in Divisoria sell a limited amount of Chinese-made nickel-plated straight aluminum knitting needles, sized from 3.0mm to 6.0mm. The dpns were only in one length and size. Average price of needles was P30-35.

My current project is a toddler's summer blouse for my niece. Finally learned how to shape armholes!

Have a great weekend of knitting!

Amy Cavosora said...

No, I don't know how to do Magic Loop.

I can show you how to knit with dpns, but only if you'll be knitting something circular in shape, like a hat :-)

Have no more time for Divi these days :-( stuck to my PC for 2 months most of the time.

monanoke said...

I researched "magic loop" and apparently it's not for dpns but for circulars (will try it later na lang, when I actually have circulars na). I think it's for tubular objects, not circular ones. My bad.

Just wanted to share the Divi needles info. We went last Wednesday. You never know who might be interested in the info :)