Knit and Crochet Bible Study

Tag: Crochet

  • All Knotted Up

    I just finished crocheting a teddy bear from a skein of knotted up yarn. Why? I don’t know.

    One of the first posts I made and actually the first writing that led to the creation of the ‘Knit and Crochet Bible Study’ book was comparing my life to a tangled mess of yarn filled with knots.

    I laughed at myself as I realized I obviously have not learned anything because here I was, once again, working on a project and instead of untangling the strands and rolling it into a usable ball, I worked as many stitches as I could from the free yarn. Then I untangled a few more feet of yarn and worked until I ran into another tangle. I worked the entire piece like this!

    Romans 7:15 kept running though my mind: “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15 NAS)   Do you find yourself doing the same thing? You know what needs to be done, you know how you should do, yet you continue in your old habits.

    I looked through my stash to start another project. I hope I have learned my lesson. You know the old saying, “The third time is the charm”. Hopefully this time I will get it right.

     

  • Daily Contact

    I recently read a post by author and speaker, Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries that reads:

    What difference does it make if you’re not in the Word of God on a daily basis? It makes a critical difference. It’s the difference between a Hi-how-are-You?-By the-way-I’ve-been-meaning-to-tell-You relationship with God and a deep intimacy with your heavenly Father. Check out Psalm 119:2, “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.”
    I spoke with a friend on the phone today, we discussed how difficult it is to talk and be mindful of one another when we don’t talk for a long period of time.
    I can’t imagine a day going by without speaking to my husband, our relationship is very special and constant contact with each other solidifies our commitment.
    Looking at how daily contact is so important makes me ashamed that I am so far behind in sending out the newsletter and even posting on the blogs.
    I had surgery on my back in July of 2010 and unfortunately I received no relief from the pain so I had a second surgery in March of this year. I neglected my knitting and crochet, I neglected contacting my friends, I neglected my prayer life and I neglected contact with all of you.
    While still in pain, I am taking charge to seek reconnection with all.
    I have pulled out the yarn, needles and hooks; I have started writing or calling friends, and I am writing to you now. Notice the verse in Psalm 119:2 says “those who seek him”.  Those words imply action. I must seek Him. God is always there, reaching out to me, but He will not force Himself on my life. I must in turn reach to Him.
    I must also seek contact with you. So I am starting over and will be blogging again.  I have a number of posts started waiting for me to finish.
    So grab your hooks, your needles, your yarn and your Bibles. Let’s get back together.

  • Goal Setting

    “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.’” (Ps. 32:8 NLT)

    In January I made a list of what I want to accomplish in 2011.  I figured if I did a plan for the year instead of a “resolution” I might accomplish it more easily.

    I made three columns: (1) My Personal Life  (2) Knit and Crochet Bible Study (3) Crafting

    I considered, as many do when a new year rolls around, reading the Bible in a year. I have tried this and after a few weeks, I miss one day, then another, then I am so far behind I get frustrated and give up. I found a group on Facebook that is reading the New Testament in 2011 reading one chapter a day Monday through Friday. If you like to check it out there is the link:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Read-the-New-Testament-in-2011/185576411468685

    For Knit and Crochet Bible Study I had planned to start a once a month radio show/podcast. Perhaps I can get started in February.

    My crafting leaves a lot to be desired.  I have started quite a few projects. Every day new patterns come to me through email, online groups, facebook and twitter that I get excited and jump on in.  I hope during this upcoming blizzard (yes, they are using the word blizzard in the forecast) I can just sit down and finish a few.  Maybe by stating it here I can be accountable to you.

    There is another personal goal: draw closer to God. The verse above, Psalm 32:8 “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.’”  He will guide, but I must follow. How many times He points me in one direction and I see pretty flowers along another path that I rush toward.  As He leads I slow down a bit, I stop awhile as He goes forward. I have to run to catch up.  I can understand the Israelites roaming in the desert. God led them, but they wandered other directions. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it?

    So, one month into the new year I have fallen behind in some areas, but I know that the Good Shepherd will not leave me behind.  He will take my hand and draw me to the still, calm waters where I can rest. And that place of rest is better than any flower patch along the road I can find. 

    So, how about you? In a few hours January 2011 will be in the past. Are you frustrated about your own goals? How are you encouraged?  Comment below and/or on the Facebook discussion tab.

  • And the Winner is…..

    Congratulations to Ambar, selected via random dot org. I will be shipping to Ambar 7 skeins of yarn, 2 knitting pattern books, a printed copy of the Salvation Colors Afghan, a set of knitting needles and a crochet hook.

    I wish I could send something to everyone who commented. Each of you have a wonderful testimony. I was excited to read each of the comments.

    I will plan another contest soon. This was a lot of fun.

  • My Merry Christmas Card and a Present

    My wall looks very bare.  In past years Christmas cards lined the hallway wall, representing best wishes from family and friends

    As a child I watched as my mother proudly displayed each card after reading it. Many were filled with pictures and long notes of the year gone by. As I set up my own home and started my family, I followed in her footsteps.

    Ah, but alas, the world of technology has taken over. Combine the technology of facebook and the rising cost of postage, the past few years cards have become scarce. Today, only a few cards are displayed.

    Don’t get me wrong, I like facebook and the world that technology has opened up. That technology has paid the bills in my home for many years.

    With nearly 200 people who ‘like’  the “Knit and Crochet Bible Study” on facebook and over 900 on twitter, I certainly cannot use the United States Postal Service to send each of you a card. – hmmm. 1150 people times 44 cents each…..add the 2, carry the 7, double the 9….. that’s $484.00!!

    So I thought about a gift. If cards are nearly $500 I certainly can’t send all of you a gift. BUT… what if…..  I have been telling you about the yarn my father-in-law has sent me. I’ve heard from some who say they are jealous and would love to receive boxes like that. One person even said she’d rather have a skein of yarn than a birthday card! This got me to thinking.   I am going to put together a gift package of yarn and I don’t know what else. I’ll find some other accessories for the package. How do you get it?

    To qualify for the drawing to receive this package, leave a comment below. One per person with this exception.  If you make a comment on the Knit and Crochet facebook page, then leave a comment here linking to the facebook comment.  Now you have 2 entries.  Want a third one? Tweet that you like Knit and Crochet Bible Study -@KnitnBibleStudy – then leave a comment here with a link to the tweet ( @KnitnBibleStudy and the hashtag #kcbspresent must be included in the tweet). There you have it, 3 chances. All entries must be in by midnight December 24. I will use random dot org to choose a winner on Christmas day.  I will send the winner an email and post it on facebook and twitter.

    Now on to your Christmas Card. So what could I do that would be a special Christmas greeting to all with a story of what is happening in my life?  In comes Jon Acuff.   I follow Jon’s blog “Stuff Christians Like“.  He is a funny writer. He is now working with Dave Ramsey.  Jon just released his book “Gazells, Baby Steps and 7 Other Things Dave Ramsey Taught Me About Debt“.  He offered to write a Christmas card if his book was pre-ordered. So, I did. (I have since received the book and laughed all the way through it, realizing how true this thoughts were.)

    So here is my Christmas card letter, as written by Jon Acuff.  Merry Christmas to all. And to all, some good yarn.

    Dear friends & family,
    My name is Jon Acuff and recently on my blog I offered to write Christmas cards for people. I am happy to say that TerryAnn took me up on the offer. Why? Well, she’s probably really busy. For one thing, she’s on the edge of her 10 year wedding anniversary. For another she has found a creative way to incorporate crafting into the study of the Bible. That’s no easy feat. Be honest, did you ever read the book of Joel and think, “I could see finding a creative way to use these verses in a craft application?” Probably not, and neither did I. But TerryAnn is creative that way and so is her husband. He’s a Trekie and Scrabble enthusiast. Thus far he has not found the tie between the Old Testament and Star Trek, but if someone can it will be him.

    Thanks Jon. Wishing all of you a very blessed and merry Christmas.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • What to do with granny

    No, not that granny!!    This one!! 

    My local Knit Crochet Bible Study is working on granny squares this summer. We plan to get together in the fall and sew them into blankets, scarves, slippers, etc for local Social Services.

    I got started on some squares from my stash. I used 3 different colors. They blended well together with a fourth color.

    But as I completed several squares I found I did not have enough to complete a good sized afghan, so I searched my local WalMart, JoAnn’s and Hobby Lobby. One color still remain unavailable.

    So I finished off by making several rows of border around all the squares I had completed.  Here is the finished project.

    If you’d like to learn how to crochet a granny square, check out the video in my previous post.

  • Granny Square

    I tried to get creative with the title, but as you can see, I just stuck to the basic Granny Square.

    Speaking of basics, do you know how to make a granny square?  If you can chain and make a double crochet, you can make a granny square.

    The ladies in my local Knit and Crochet Bible Study have decided they want to make granny squares using miscellaneous yarn from their stash (or as an excuse to go to a yarn shop for more yarn. Me? Would I do that? My favorite verse is she shops for the best yarns)

    But before they could make the granny squares they had to learn how. So in an effort to help them I have created a how-to video to help.

    I am still having trouble with the volume, once I finish the encoding it drops so you may have to turn your speakers up a bit.  I also added some pop-up instructions on the screen for further assistance.

    The thing I like best about granny squares is that you can make them any size you desire.  I have a number of afghans made full size and baby size in one big piece.  Others I have made are several squares seamed together.  You can make square of various sizes and incorporate them into one piece.

    Overall it is a fun stitch, easily transportable, and versatile. I’d love to see pictures of your completed projects from granny squares. Here are a couple of mine.

     

    This was a Christmas gift I made last year. Using some Peaches’n’Cream cotton yarn the granny square became a dishcloth.

    This granny square grew to be 45 inches square and finishes off this baby ensemble.

    There are other ways of making the granny square, check out other patterns and find the one that is your favorite.