Knit and Crochet Bible Study

Month: July 2010

  • What is a Knit & Crochet Bible Study?

    Take a look at your Bible Study group. Everyone sits around a table or in some group setting. Bibles are open and pens are poised for note taking. Some will say very little, fearful of sounding unintelligent. Others willingly share their knowledge and ideas. But the focus is the Lord.

    Now take a look at the knitting or crochet group. Everyone sits around, project in hand, with conversation and laughter around. The ease of the setting makes it easy to talk and share.

    Let’s combine the two. Take the ease and comfort from the knitting/crochet group setting and add the conversation guidelines of the Bible Study which is to be focused on the Lord. While the others are working on projects, one person reads the lesson and scripture. Discussion questions are stated.

    With the relaxed atmosphere and hook or needles in hand, a sense of sharing instead of studying prevails. For many having the project in hand makes it more comfortable to join in. Insights are made with in depth discussions into how the Word has affected the lives of those involved.

    That is a Knit and Crochet Bible Study. A few guidelines are stated up front:

    All conversation must be God honoring. This is not a stitch and bitch session. Are you mad at your husband or children? You can speak but no demeaning words may be spoken. Male bashing will not be allowed.

    You must be respectful of all persons whether in the room or not.

    Prayer requests are confidential. They are not to be discussed outside the group. They are not to be forwarded with email.

    Prayer requests must not be something that would be harmful information about another. Every family has secrets. Honor those secrets. Seek counsel from your pastor or another trusted person on a one-to-one basis.

    Respect each others view. Don’t argue the gospel. Don’t speculate on the gospel. Use the Word as written.

    There is only one gospel, but when it comes to knitting and crochet, there are many techniques. Just because someone doesn’t do the stitch or hold the yarn the same way you do doesn’t make them wrong. Work together without criticism of needlework abilities.

    And there you have a Knit and Crochet Bible Study.

    With that that in mind, grab your Bible, yarn, needles and/or your hooks; let’s get started.

  • Why the Knit Crochet Bible Study Books are computer files & not printed books

    Several years ago my husband introduced me to reading e-books on my computer or phone. I have enjoyed it. I could stand in line at the DMV or grocery store or at the doctors office and have my book on my phone ready to read while waiting. Less cost, easy to manage.

    When I started working on the lessons for the Knit and Crochet Bible Study we discussed fees and the idea of putting out the book as a PDF file quickly proved the most cost effective, especially in these economically challenging days.

    Whether you purchase one or both current books, you receive a notification with a link., From here, download the files to your computer. But that is not the best part.

    Have you participated in Bible Study which required each person involved to buy the book and maybe even the  additional workbook? This can run into considerable expense with each individual possibly running from $10 – $25 or more.

    Once you purchase from Knit and Crochet Bible Study, you have copyright permission to print as many copies as you need for your local group. So the breakdown looks like this:

    Purchase one of the books: cost $27   ($37 if both are purchased together)

    Now, you want to offer up a class at your local church. You have 10 people sign up so you can legally print 10 copies.  You can choose how to bind them. One suggestion I like is to print these on front and back, 3 hole punch, place in a binder.  You can charge each participant $5 if you choose, whatever the cost of printing is.  Then when you do the 2nd class, copy the second book front and back page, 3 hold punch, add to the same notebook as previous class.

    You have full control of the fees.  Now you want to offer the first class again. No need to order any more books, you still have permission to print for your local group, so copy again.

    No extra books to keep in storage or return to the publisher. Printing cost whether you go to Kinkos or print at your local church, are all predictable.

    The cost effective method and low key format allows women to learn new trades, share their craft knowledge with others and expand their abilities. It also allows for less threatening setting allowing someone who has never participated in a Bible Study.

    This is a great opportunity for intergenerational learning. A Titus 2 setting is created.

    Additional class studies can also be created from the stories in the monthly e-newsletter Purls and Chains of Wisdom.

     

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    If you’d like more information on the books, click here.

    KCBS_2bkcovers

  • Stitch Patterns

    I found a couple of stitch patterns I thought you might enjoy.  These are the ones referenced in the post, The Shepherd I Shall Not Want

    Knit: Five Stitch Cable (found in Beginner’s Guide Knit Stitches & Easy Projects by Leisure Arts)

    Panel of 5 sts on a background of Reverse Stockinette Stitch.

    Row 1: (right side): Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold in back of work, K2 from left needle, K3 from cable needle.

    Row 2 AND ALL WRONG SIDE ROWS: P5

    Row 3: K5

    Row 5: K2, (K, P, K, P, K) all in next st, pass second, third, fourth, and fifth sts on right needle over first st, K2

    Row 7: K5

    Row 8: P5

    Repeat Rows 1-8 for pattern.

    Crochet: Garden Rows (found in Beginner’s Guide 30 Easy-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches by Leisure Arts)

    Ch 27 loosely

    Row 1: (right side): Dc in fourth ch from hook and in each ch across. 25 st

    To work Front Post Single Crochet (FPsc), insert hook from front to back around post of st indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook. Skip st behind FPsc.

    Row 2: Ch 1, turn; work FPsc around first 5 dc, * dc in next dc, (sc in next dc, dc in next dc) twice, work FPsc around next 5 dc; repeat from * across.

    Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), turn; dc in next st and in each st across.

    Row 4: Ch 1, turn; sc in first 2 dc, dc in next dc, sc in next dc, dc in next dc, work FPsc around next 5 dc, dc in next dc, (sc in next dc, dc in next dc) twice, work FPsc around next 5 dc, dc in next dc, sc in next dc, dc in next dc, sc in last 2 dc.

    Row 5: Ch 3, turn, dc in next st and in each st across.

    Repeat Rows 2-5 for pattern.

  • The Shepherd I Shall Not Want

    Years ago when I first learned of Psalm 23 I was quite confused

    You see, the Sunday School  teacher was saying this is a passage that offers comfort. For me it offered something else to worry about.

    I read and memorized the first line “The Lord is Shepherd I shall not want.  In my immature mind, I kept thinking this said I don’t want this shepherd. I couldn’t figure out why the  teacher was talking like this was an encouraging passage.  Then the next verse said “He makes me lie down in green pastures”.  He MAKES me lie down, like when I was in trouble and got sent to my room.

    As I grew and matured in stature and in God, I understood the true message. My needs are met by my Lord.  He cares for me.  He helps me to rest when I am weary and keep running in circles.

    Another thing I learned about the first verse of Psalm 23 is to look at punctuation. There is a comma after The Lord is my Shepherd which separates it from the thought following -I shall not want.

    That’s what Bible Study offers; a chance to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. I asked questions, listened to sermons, talked with other believers. I learned more about this Shepherd they spoke of.   I had to become familiar with God to understand His Word.

    The same goes for reading a knit or crochet pattern. I had to learn what PSSO stood for, and watch for commas and parenthesis in phrases like K2, (K, P, K, P, K)all in next st, pass second, third, fourth and fifth sts on right needle over first st, K2.    Or how about  Ch 1, turn; work FPsc around first 5 dc, *dc in next dc, (sc in next dc, dc in next dc) twice, work FPsc around next 5 dc; repeat from * across.

    Pattern reading , like Bible Study takes time and commitment. You must learn to see not only the words, but the punctuation and the context of each passage. Context is very important. In patterns and in Scripture you need to know what is happening around the verse. My friend, Debi Stack, loves to tell about her favorite ‘out of context’ verse; Deuteronomy 14:26 Use the money to buy anything you want.  This is great verse to take with me when I head to the mall, but not exactly what is being commanded.

    Sometimes a passage of Scripture, like a pattern, is understood more clearly if read aloud. At other times it may require speaking to someone with more knowledge. With today’s technology you can search online for errata (pattern corrections); you may also contact the designer in person via email or website contact.

    Don’t become discouraged if the Scripture is confusing. Stop, take a deep breath, read it slowly, out loud, and take notes; meditate on His Word.  Most importantly, don’t give up; reach out and take the hand of the Shepherd you DO want and rest in Him.

    Keep your eyes on Jesus , who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed, that exhilarating finish in and with God. he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there , in the place of honor, right alongside God.  – Hebrews 12:2

    NOTE: If you’d like to see the full stitch pattern to those referenced above, check out the post dated today called “Stitch Patterns