I started using the knifty knitter a few years ago and loved it but I only had the rectangular looms. Recently I started looking for more versatility, something where I could make tighter stitches, etc. and realized most patterns and instructions (many on youtube.com btw) for these things require (or are demonstrated on) a round loom, which I just don't have. I also want to learn to use 1 side of the rake, which has proven difficult to understand - however - I just purchased an "Authentic Knitting Board" (http://www.knittingboard.com) and with it came a DVD. The website itself has a few pretty good, simple to understand videos on how to do casting on/off, as well as how to do a few different stitches. Im very new to knitting and found these little videos (which are free on the site, and some on youtube) to be very helpful. I knitted a cabled scarf 10 minutes after watching them and it came out incredibly well! While I'd love to know how to get that e stitch down on the board, it can wait. The only real question I have right now is in making a Cravat (short neck wrap scarf with a button closure) How would you go about adding the button and the button hole best? I really want to make a bunch of these for christmas and could knock out several per day if i just knew the dynamics of adding the button/hole. Im sure you could just pry the button thru some of the stitches in the other end but wonder if that will just mess up the stitches. Getting the button on - well I can't even pretend to imagine unless you add it by sewing it on to the end of the scarf after it's cast off and completed. Anyone with any advice, who has made these before, feel free - I'd like to be less of a knitting noob by the end of the day somehow ;) Now, I can't translate any of these patterns from regular knitting to the board but this page has an extreme overabundance of free patterns. There are so many you'll be looking at them for days. Perhaps if you find one you love, you could find someone to translate it to board instructions for you. http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/scarves.php

Like a ski hat? Look at the yarn sites for good free patterns. Redheart.com lionbrand.com And Pattons has one too.

I've knitted a couple bedsized blankets, and afghans, and to make it manageable to do, I make mine in long strips...from top to bottom...then sew the strips together. I, personally, don't like blankets or afghans that have a right and a wrong side, so I knit mine using reversible strips, knitted using stitches or combinations of stitches that look the same on both sides...like the moss stitch, double moss, and lots of combinations of knits and pearls (for example, squares created by, blocks of knit and pearl stitches). Get a book...try the library....on different stitches....there are a ton you can use. You can either make each strip all one stitch, or divide up the strips into squares...this will enable you to try more stitches. This is the sort of thing I like to do...I call it 'mindless knitting', and great for in the car, etc. You just don't want to have to drag the whole bloomin' thing around with you - doing it in strips makes it easy.

I'm late to the party, so I suppose the original poster will never see this, but... This last picture you provided helps a lot. That is totally a pocketbook slipper, just no strap. You make the triangle at the top (this is for flat-knit version), then increase by doubling all the stitches, then do a 2x2 rib (count up how many rows of dark rib there are and do that many, then switch to the 2nd color and continue) Keep going in a reverse fashion right on up the other side, and halve the stitches at the point where you previously doubled them. When finished knitting, you seam the heel and the toe area, leaving the 2nd side of the triangle open for the foot to slip in. I can't provide exact numbers because you need to measure to make up for th extra height needed to take its place. But follow the main pattern for pocketbook slippers to give yourself an idea of what to do. You could convert it to in the round fairly easily if you prefer. My Ravelry page has some variations: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jvallas/pocketbook-slippers. This one is strapless, though my notes are super sketchy: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jvallas/seamless-salomas-slippers. Well, after all that, I just found the pattern for your slipper. It's what I based that 2nd project of mine on: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seamless-salomas-slippers