428 Finger Knit Heart Wreath

About a week ago I discovered Gussy Sews. I have loved reading her blog, and I have been so inspired by her. (even more so now that she is running a series of interviews with blogger/crafters who have quit their day jobs) Well, a week ago I found this post on finger knitting necklaces and garlands. Of course we all did this at least once when we were kids, but I hadn't thought about it in years... now I am hooked! Katie has claimed each necklace as I have tied them off. I have made one with each yarn that was within arms distance (I have a stash at my end of the couch). Chenille, Homespun, Eyelash, Baby Weight ...

It was when I finger knit the pink variegated eyelash yarn that I had the idea for this wreath.

As usual I had to use what I had on hand (by the way, I had bought the yarn about 4 years ago on clearance. Super stash clearing) so I grabbed a wire coat hanger. I actually couldn't find the wire cutters right away, and I didn't feel like searching for them, so I just bent the wire back and forth until it snapped. It didn't take that long. Then bent the wire into a heart shape.

 Wire ... a little yarn ....

A quick tutorial on finger knitting though Gussy Sews probably did it better. 

Warning: Do not look at my cuticles. I am NOT a girly girl. I have never had a manicure, and fingernail polish feels heavy on my nails. I mean to take care of my nail beds, but it seems to slip my mind. 

Tie a knot, leaving a 6-12 tail and a finger sized loop.

Place the loop on your pointer finger, yarn underneath if you have you palm facing up.

Weave the yarn through your fingers. Under the middle finger, over the ring finger, around the pinky, under the ring finger, over the middle finger.

 This first time you will go back around the pointer finger and repeat until each finger has two loops.

Take the first loop on your pointer finger (the one closer to your palm), pull it up and over the second loop, and over the tip of your finger. 

 Repeat for each finger, and you end up with a single loop on each finger and the start of your chain on the other.

To create the second set of loops you will take your yarn around your pointer finger, under the middle finger, over the ring finger, around the pinky, under the ring finger, over the middle finger. Loop over and keep repeating until you have a long enough chain. For a necklace that is about a foot, for the wreath I finger knitted a 5 foot garland.

 After a few rows, take the tail you left at the beginning and weave it through each loop of your first row, go through it twice to make sure. I finsihed it off with a slipknot. Stretch the chain as you go to have a more accurate idea of how long your garland will be.

 Like I mentioned earlier, I created a five foot long garland.

 I secured one end to a loop and started winding it around the wire. Around and around and around and around...

 Join the two sides together, twisting the wire to secure. I wrapped the tails around a few times and made a slip knot to secure. Tie a knot to create a loop to hang.

 Cute, fuzzy, and pink ... the perfect Valentine's Day decoration ... or year round, because love should be present all year.

Not only was this wreath CHEAP ... it was FAST! Finger knitting goes so quickly, and it is perfect to do while the tv plays ... or the kids play.