Mystery Projects

 Let's suppose you want to do a mystery project on your own time.  Sometimes this can work with the ones you see online.  Sometimes it doesn't.  How can you set up your own?

1.  Choose if you want to knit or crochet the project.

2.  Choose what you want your finished object to be.  Blanket?  Shawl?  Scarf?  Sweater?  Something else?

3.  Pick the website, book, or a Pinterest search that has a variety of different stitch patterns for you to choose from.

    A.  write out twice as many stitch pattern names as you will need for the finished object on slips of paper

    B.  Find a receptacle to put them in with the source nearby.

    C.  Determine how long the stitch patterns will be done.

4.  Determine how often you will be doing the mystery project, once a week, once a month, something else?

5.  Gather your yarn and tools to be placed with the stitch patterns.

Now it's time to start.  Pick a slip.  Look up the stitch on the slip and create your first stitch pattern. 

This can be fun.  If your stitch counts change from one to another stitch pattern, consider having a section of resting stitches where you increase or decrease from one count to the next.  It also puts a visual break from one type of stitch pattern to the next.

You can add to the mystery of the finished item by having a variety of fibers and colors and grab  a new one each time you work on this project.

Broomstick Lace

Lace Lovers is another local guild to which I belong.  They are dedicated to teaching traditional handicrafts and embellishments that beautify, add warmth and are generally amazing for the simple way things are formed.

I'll be teaching broomstick lace.  

Have you tried this technique before?  It's really fabulous for blankets, shawls, and purses.

Why is it called broomstick lace?  Back in the 18th century when it was invented, the handle of the broom was used to hold the stitches until they were worked off.  

How do you do it?  Chain the number of stitches for your project or just a swatch.  Do it in a multiple of 5 for your practice swatch. Put the loop on the "broomstick" or in today's crafting, a very fat knitting needle, size 19 to 50.  Use a crochet hook that you usually use for the size yarn you have.  So for worsted weight, use a US G to I hook.  Insert the hook into the second chain from the end and pull up a loop.  Put it on the needle.  Do not twist.  Insert the hook into the next chain from the end and pull up a loop.  Put it on the needle. Keep doing this until you have no more chain stitches.  Use your hook and go into the first 5 stitches.  Draw up a loop.  Wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through.  This is your chain 1.  Now insert the hook back into the 5 loops and work 5 single crochet.  Drop the loops off the needle.  Insert the hook into the next 5 loops and work 5 single crochet in the loops.  Drop the loops off the needle.  Continue this until you have no more loops to work single crochets into.

Without turning (because broomstick lace is worked from the front in each direction), put the loop on the hook onto the needle.  Working in the back loop only, pick up a loop from the second and each single crochet across, one at a time, and put them on the needle.  Now follow the chain and single crochet directions from above.  Keep going in this manner.

IS it easier to see how to do it?  Yes it probably is.  Can some people follow just written directions?  yes.

Granny Square Vs. Granny Alternative

 I think most if not all of us know what a granny square looks like.  Here is a 4 round pattern for the granny square.

ch 4.  join with a sl st in the first ch.

rd 1: ch 3 (this counts as a dc now and throughout) 2 dc in the ch 4 ring, ch 1, * 3 dc in ring, ch 1.  Rep from * 2 more times.  Join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3.

rd 2:  ch 3, 2 dc in the ch 1 sp, * 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch 1 sp (corner formed).  Rep 2 more times.  In the first ch 1 sp, work 3 dc, ch 1 and join in the top of the ch 3 with a sl st.

rd 3: ch 3, 2 dc in the ch 1 sp, 3 dc, ch 1 in the next ch 1 sp, * 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1 in next dc.  Rep from * around.  Finish the first corner as rd 2.

rd 4:  ch 3, 2 dc in the ch 1 sp, (3 dc, ch 1) in next 2 ch 1 sps, * 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1 in next ch 1 sp,  (3 dc, ch 1) in the next 2 ch 1 sps.  Rep from * around.  Finish the first corner.

Now let's analyze this.  The square increases on each side by 3 dc and a ch stitch on each round.  This keeps it square.  IF you find that the corners start to twist, it can be corrected in the short term by turning every other round.  In the long term, practice. practice, and more practice and some experimentation with the number of chains between each segment of 3 dc and in each corner.

Now the granny alternative.  This also makes a square but you will quickly see how it differs.

ch 4, join with a sl st in the first ch.

rd 1: ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 1, * 3 dc in ring, ch 1.  Rep * twice more and join in the top of the ch 3.

rd 2:  ch 1, sc in the ch 1 sp.  * ch 3, sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, sc in the same ch 1 sp ch 3.  Rep * twice more.  End with ch 3, sc in first ch 1 sp, ch 3 join with sl st in top of first sc.

Rd 3: sl st into the ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch 3 loop, ch 1, * 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 3 loop (corner formed in the corner loop) ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch 3 loop, ch 1.  Rep from * three times more.  End with a corner in the last ch 3 loop, ch 1.  sl st in the top of the ch 3.

rd 4:  ch 1, sc in ch 1 sp, ch 3.  sc in ch 1 sp of prev rd, ch 3.  Make a corner loop in the corner.  

rd 5:  sl st into the ch 3 sp.  ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch 3 loop,  ch 1.  3 dc, ch 1 in each ch 3 loop,  3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1 for each corner.

As you can see rd 1 has 1 segment of  3 dc on each side the same as the more frequently seen granny square above. Rd 3 also has 3 segments of 3 dc on each side the same as the more frequently seen granny square above.  Rd 5 will also have 5 segments of 3 dc.  The ch 3 loops are where the increases happens.  So the math works for both.  The alternative will have less chance of twisting.

25 in '25

 I've been challenged in my knitting guild, as we all have if we choose to take it up, to finish 25 things in 2025.  It's a fabulous idea for not starting new things but to finish stuff so we can use it, wear it, gift it, love it.  Why don't you join me?

The guild even decided to make a bingo card to help some of those who don't know for sure if they will get all 25 done.  This way they only have to do 4 or 5 finished things.

My bingo card has on it to finish a mystery knit along from 2022, a queen-size afghan of 6-inch granny squares, a pair of socks, our mystery kal jar scarf, my doily skirt, a pullover sweater in bulky yarn, a coffee cozy for teaching steeking, 12 each blanket, hats, cowls, slippers, mittens for charity, the glowfrost or glowhair shawl by Stephen West, a crochet dress from 2013 interweave crochet in ella rae alpaca chunky yarn (this is done), summer flies shawl, 4 squared granny sweater by secret yarnery, roman shades for my kitchen and 15 different wreaths that are not evergreen.

Yes, this seems like a lot but I have a plan for some.  The blankets are 16 x 16 fabric swatches from a local furniture store.  I'll be crocheting them together using a dotted-line rotary cutter, worsted yarn and an H hook.  The join will be a granny join.   This keeps it flat and is quick to work.

The queen-size afghan of 6-inch granny squares needs 342 and I have so far 82.  The yarn is Caron Simply Soft in harvest red, autumn red maize, tree green, chocolate, plum, pumpkin, persimmon, taupe, and wheat.  I'm using the granny alternative since I can't find the pattern I printed out.  I'll write out the pattern in my next post.

The '22 sweater I will hand knit to the place where the division is for the arms and body.  The rest will be machine-knit.  I'm using size 8 US needles in Takumi clover bamboo.  The yarn is from Webs and is 

The Stephen West shawl is being done not according to his wants but mine.  I eliminated the mohair because I only have jewel tones.  The yarn I chose for it is Loops & Threads from Michaels a few years ago in the color sage with size 5 US takumi clover bamboo needles. At this moment I have section 1 done.  Section 2 is 3/5 done.

The Roman shades are started but I need to move from the guest room to my attic studio.

The doily skirt is me covering a silk skirt that is extremely sheer with hand-crocheted doilies.  Some were given to me.  Some were made by me.  A couple were made by family but I don't know who.  The rest were rescued from trash by purchasing from thrift stores and "antique" stores.

The dress is done.  The 4 squared granny sweater is from youTube channel secret yarnery.  I can't wait to see how it goes.  The hats slippers cowls and mittens are fast knits at a day or less for 1.

The summer flies shawls is started in cotton yarn that was hand dyed.  

I'll post pictures as things get worked on and finished.

Knitting Math

Have you ever  ....

So many questions and stories start with this. Knitting math falls under this category. 

Have you ever knit and knit and knit and feel like you aren't getting anywhere?

Have you ever wondered why some knitting seems to fly while others drag on and on?

Knitting math 1.  Recently I wondered why a corner-to-corner dishcloth seemed to knit more quickly while a traditional cast-on with straight sides seemed to take forever.   I did the math to first see if it was because there is actually fewer stitches. 

First the traditional dishcloth example:

10 stitches cast on 

10 rows knit 

This equals 100 stitches knit 

Bind off the 10.

Now for the corner-to-corner dishcloth example 

Cast on 1.

Increase and knit across for 10 rows.

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10=55 stitches 

10-1=9-1=8-1=7-1=6-1=5-1=4-1=3-1=2-1=1=45 stitches.  55+45 =100 stitches 

Nope, there is not a different number of stitches.  So what is the supposed difference?  Could it be the constant turning of the short rows?  The constant turning at the beginning and end will definitely make it feel like it's going faster.

Spring is here!

Many years ago everyone did spring cleaning.  Everything in the house was cleaned to within an inch of its life.  It was good for getting rid of the trash that had accumulated over the winter that weather might not have allowed to be removed.  This is less of a thing than it used to be.  Weather is not as harsh as it once was.  But it still feels good to do a deep cleaning after the house has been shut up over winter.

I'm going through this process in my knitting and crocheting.  I've been going through the boxes of yarns, tubs of swatches and blankets and stuff, boxes of books and magazines.  I need to paint the walls and ceilings of my crafting space.  As much as I want lots of color, I will be doing white.  White paint and a sheen will make the light bounce and spread unlike the dark color currently.

I have been going through the boxes one by one before moving them.  I have a list of things I want to find for various reasons.  I'm trying to collect all my swatch books in one place and make sure all the swatches are in them.  They're not.  I'm trying to collect my hooks and needles.  I thought it would be good to use what I have rather than buying.  Along the way I found many things like UFOs and projects from my teaching at Michaels, teaching at private lessons or guild retreats as well as things I have no idea where they came from.

So as I look through the boxes and find things, I'm putting aside the stuff on my list, the stuff I want to evaluate, and the finished stuff.  I also have added a box in my living room for the stuff to go to the various charities the guilds I belong.

So I have frogged so far all of the arm knit things.  I have no use for these things and they don't fit the criteria for the charities.  The yarn will be repurposed into things for the charities.  I have also frogged to reclaim the yarn a bunch of UFOs that for whatever reason have no clue what they are, have no pattern, or just plain don't interest me any longer.  Boy was that a big pile.  

I have also found a huge laundry basket of wool, cashmere, angora, you name it sweaters that I want to reclaim the yarn.  I didn't know I had so many.  Until I started checking them out.  Some were donated by my son that he doesn't want anymore.  These are all commercial knit sweaters not hand knit and come from thrift stores.  Those will wait for the reclamation process.

Have you gone through your crafty things yet?  It's a good idea every now and again to do.  It works to reacquaint you with what you have and make sure you still want to work with it.  If you don't, you have plenty of options.  Finish and gift.  Finish and keep.  Frog and keep the yarn.  Donate or sell it in the WIP state with the pattern so someone else can finish and keep it gift or frog it and make something they want with the yarn.

Happy spring!

Dreamwork

Recently I saw this topic on knitpicks blog.  Or was it a podcast?   Either way,  it was about people who are doing the things they dream about. 

I want to suggest something different.  I'm not going to talk about dream jobs.  Or dream projects.  Or dream fibers.  Have you ever dreamed a solution to a problem?   Have you ever dreamed a pattern that seemed perfect? Until you woke up and tried to write it down or put it into real practice......

One morning,  my husband said I had kept him awake half the night because I was teaching in my sleep.   I asked what I was teaching.  He said I wasn't all that intelligible to be understood. So maybe teaching in my dreams is a bad idea.

On the other hand, I have dreamed of a shawl/scarf pattern.  It utilized the Fibonacci sequence.  It was a knit pattern and had lace in it.  I tried so hard to write it down.  But that was just a beautiful dream. However, the idea has not left my mind apparently.  It has formulated itself into a crochet pattern that makes much more sense.  It still uses Fibonacci.  It should be done with multiple colors. Let's give this a try.  For those who want the numbers...

1+1+2+3+5+8+13+21+33+54+87+

Here it is in crochet. I suggest that this could be a great way to use variegated yarn.  Use whatever yarn you want. Use a hook two sizes larger than usual for that yarn and your personal gauge.

(1)  Ch2.
(1)  2sc in 2nd ch from hook. Turn
(2)  Ch1.  2sc in 1st St, SC in SC. Ch4.   Turn
       Ch1.  2sc in 2nd ch from hook,  SC to end. Turn
(3)  Ch6.  2sc in 2nd ch from hook,  SC to end. Turn
       * Ch1.  2sc in 1st St,  SC to end.  Turn.  Rep this row. 

(5)  Ch9.  2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc to end.  Turn. 

       * Ch1.  2 sc in 1st st, sc to end. Turn.  Rep this row 3x more.

(8)  Ch 14.  2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc to end.Turn.

       * Ch1.  2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc to end.  Turn.  Rep this row 6x more.

What does yours look like?  If I ever find mine I will post pictures.  4 plus years post move and I still can't find anything