What’s a Toggle?  I say, its my ’saving grace’, when I neglect to make a buttonhole and now my sweater needs a button, or my bag needs a strap that is secured with a button.

So, we make toggles.  They are also a great accent for certain styles of knitwear or closures.  Make them by braiding 3 strands of yarn or crocheting a chain.  You can do the crochet chain with a single strand of fine yarn for a delicate look or use a double strand of thicker yarn for a very thick Toggle.  We can also use longer Toggles for drawstrings and hat straps.

Make the toggle just long enough to slip over the button with ends long enough to be tucked into the knitting.  So, if you are using a button that is 1″ wide, your toggle will be about 3″ long. Place the ends into the knitting with a stitch between.  Pull the tails out together at the same place on back of knitting.  Tie the tail ends and trim.  Now pull the  toggle into the knitting so the ends are not exposed.  Sew several stitches so that the toggle is secure in the knit and the button loop does not slip. 

Another effect with toggles is to make the toggle longer.  Sew into the knitting.  After sewing the toggle in place, sew the loop together leaving just enough open to slip over the button.  Lay the toggle onto the knitting and stitch down making a ’stripe’ effect with the toggle.  You can do this with different color yarn so that the toggle is a contrast to the knitted piece. 

Sue Kreitzer in Sanger TX has really stepped up and knit 3 complete afghans for our homeless and cold families in North Dakota.  She also did all the sewing of the pieces.  2 of them were knit in squares using many beautiful stitches and detail, and the red, white, and blue one is a one piece design.  Great work shows a lot of caring for less fortunate women and children. Thank you, Sue!                             

 I have completed a new rug and this I would have to say is the jazziest one. I am quite happy with the way the fringe turned out - it just makes me smile. We will post the instuctions up for free if anyone would like to give it a try. I used Lion Brand, Wool Ease, only 5 skeins to complete whole rug and that is including fringe. The complete size is 20″x40″.  

I’ve been working on a new rug  and I wanted to share. I experimented with doing the “box stitch” throughout adding 2 stripes with the “open rib” to add a change in texture. (Really, you can only see one in this picture because the other stripe was just knit). 

It is really easy to do and knits great with the new heavy duty knitting board.  I will put pattern up for free when I’m finished. I used Raliwool but any really heavy bulky yarn would work.     

Since we are working with Double Knit, sewing on buttons may require a little different techinique from sewing onto thin knit or material.  The button hole with bulky knits can be very thick when placed onto the button. 

When sewing the button onto a thick piece of knitting, you want to use the yarn whevever possible and leave some space between the knitting and the button.  That way, when you button up, the knitted buttonhole will lay nice and flat and not ‘bunched’.

Lace the yarn thru the button, pull the ends of the yarn thru the knitting.  Leave enough space between the button and knitting for the thickness of the buttonhole piece.  Bring one strand back up to the button and wrap the yarn around the sewing yarn that secures the button, so that the button ’stands up’ and retains the spacing.  Pull the yarn tail back into the knitting and knot the 2 ends of yarn to secure. 

Now, no bunching-it lays nice and smooth.

FINALLY I have finished the rug. Actually it has been finished for a while but I was having trouble taking a good picture of it. I must have taken over 50 photos but I just can’t get the camera to cature the lustrious color and texture. I just absolutely adore this yarn, raliwool. It is great to work with and really shows the benefit of the double knit.

Ok here’s another shot….

This is the rug we showed on QVC. It was really a quick shot as we tried to get a lot of samples in.

It feels really good to be back home. On-air presentations are very trying and exhausting!! I get so nervous and worked up and I am not even the one that goes on air. That’s Pat. She always does a good job, a true expert with the knitting board. But that place is so crazy and you never know who is going to be watching. It takes me about a week to recover. Now I am back and will be writing in our blog more often.