Straw House Life Lesson Plan
		Straw House and Log Cabin Craft Projects Spool Knitting

	Spool Knitting   supplies    directions    projects Spool knitting or corking is a fun and easy hobby for children. Supplies for Spool Knitting or Corking
	Knitting spools with heavy needles or crochet hooks are available through:	Amazon.com Mini Carry-Along: Knitting Case   Ages 4 - 11
		Wrights 4343 N. Ravenwood Chicago, IL  60613 www.wrights.com call for information
		Make your own knitting spool! Simple knitting spools can be made using a large wooden thread spool available at craft shops and four nails. Fasten 4 finishing nails in one end of a spool. Locate the nail pegs at the 12/3/6/9 clock positions.
	Other supplies: yarn, crochet hook or needle, scissors	*Spool knitting projects typically take several hours to complete.

	Casting Yarn on Spool
	Run the end of yarn down through the center hole. Leave 4 inches of yarn at the bottom of the spool as a tail. The working end of yarn is at the top of the spool.
	Hold spool with peg A in front of you. Pass working end of yarn counter-clockwise around peg A.
	Next, loop yarn clockwise around peg B, opposite side of spool from peg A.
	Bring yarn clockwise around peg C.
	Loop yarn counter-clockwise around peg D. Now you are ready to knit.
	Spool Knitting
	Hold spool in left hand with peg A, the first peg, in front of you. Keep the needle (or hook) in right hand. Pass working end of yarn across the front of the peg, from right to left. The passed yarn rests above the looped stitch on the peg.
	Pick up the bottom looped stitch with your needle or hook.
	Slip the looped stitch over the passed yarn and drop the stitch over the peg.
	Rotate spool 1/4-turn counter-clockwise in your left hand and move to peg C. Continue knitting one peg at a time, passing yarn from right to left in front of each peg and slipping the bottom stitch over the passed yarn and peg.
	As you knit, pull carefully on the tail to keep the stitches tight and even. The knitting becomes easier after completing 4 or 5 rounds. Slowly, the knitted piece will come through the hole in the bottom of the spool.
	Casting Off (end knitting)
	End your piece by knitting peg D, the last peg. Take the last knitted stitch off peg D and place it on the peg to the left, (peg A). Now drop the bottom loop over the transferred stitch and peg. Continue moving stitches to the peg on the left and knitting them until 1 loop is left. Cut the working end of yarn, leaving 4 inches. Slip the loose yarn through the remaining loop and draw tight.
	Spool Knitting Tips
	Mark your beginning peg (Peg A) and draw an arrow pointing left on the spool. Beginners may find using thinner 3-ply baby fingering yarn easier to knit with. Try different hooks: size 4 double pointed knitting needles, heavy yarn or darning needles with a blunt point, various sizes of crochet hooks. Pick up the bottom looped stitch from the side of the peg.

	Projects     Snake      Crazy Corking Quilt
	Snake   Ages 4 - 9 Supplies: yarn, knitting spool, scissors, glue, felt or construction paper for eyes and tongue
	Make a spool knitting cord as long as you would like your snake to be. Select one end of the finished cord for the snake's head. Leave the yarn tail on the head. Trim the yarn tail from the end of the snake. Tightly tie and knot a piece of yarn 1 1/2 inch from the snake's head. Cut two tiny eyes, add pupils and glue to the snake's head. Cut out a narrow strip of felt or paper for the tongue. Glue tongue to yarn tail. Trim.
	Crazy Corking Quilt   Ages 4 - Adult Supplies: yarn, knitting spool, scissors, heavy yarn needle, fabric glue, felt, optional: embroidery floss, ribbon, fabric scraps.
	Make spool knitting cords of different lengths and colors. Leave tails on both ends. Tie the tails together, forming circles. Coil and stitch the longer pieces of cord. Arrange the circles in a rectangle. Tie circles together with bits of yarn, embroidery floss or ribbon. Tie a long piece of cord around the edges of the rectangle. Glue pieces of felt or fabric in the centers of the circles.
	Find more great corking projects in -  Corking (Kids Can Easy Crafts) Ages 4 - 8 Judy Ann Sadler, Linda Hendry (Illustrator) Kids Can Pr; ISBN: 1550742655

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