Have you considered doing this?

Years ago when my children were in elementary school, plastic canvas was enjoying a huge amount of popularity.  Does anyone else remember that?  Sadly I had boys who didn't really like anything made with that substance.  They were much more into match box cars and trucks and other modes of transportation.  Plastic canvas cars and trucks were more of a decorative than functional toy.  

I did find a leisure arts booklet for a plastic canvas circular Santa workshop.  I really wanted to make it .  However I couldn't justify the time it would take when I had things to do and make that my sons would like, want and use.  Things like hats, mittens and gloves and camping and digging in the dirt.

I was going to make this for younger son but he'd want to play with it and that would be bad.

Now that we have a next generation, the youngest wants a Christmas village.  I'm not sure if it was her hangry mood, her inability to express she didn't feel well or she really does want a Christmas village.  If she does, it's being made from recyclable materials and she can play with it.

I might crochet her a gingerbread house for next year.......

To Grinch Along or Not

Do you gift your needlework?  Do you do specific things for the holiday, any or all?  

The Knitmore Girls, Jasmin, Gigi, and Genevieve, subscribe to grinchiness.  They suggest that there should be no mad dash to finish Christmas gifts you are making for people.  To a point, I agree.  To a point, I disagree.  Hear me out.

If there are those in your circle who are worthy of your handcrafted goodness, do you really want to have the harried last-minute cursing that goes along with hurrying and making mistakes inserted in your project?  I don't mind finishing things at the beginning of the month the holiday is a part of.  Or two weeks before, whichever comes first.  This way I can enjoy the process and enjoy the decorative things this season.  I don't really want to finish things and have to pack them away until next year at the same time.  I'll probably forget them.

Right now, I'm working on a very large gift that is not a Christmas present but will be given at Christmas because this is when I will see this part of my family.  There are so many things going on and I can't enjoy any of it. My husband wanting me to go off with him every other minute doesn't help.  But there we have the wonderful chaos of life.

As soon as this large thing is done,  I have a couple pairs of slippers for my granddaughter and a quilt for her new bed. 

Fast forward to a new year and a new holiday season.  She received store-bought slippers and bedding for her new bed and she is thrilled.  She also got sheets that were her great-grandmother's and those made her very happy.  They were plush sheets with blue flowers.  The tie to Nana will deepen in the years to come I think.

This is a queen to king-size afghan.  The pattern is courthouse steps taken from quilting.  I don't remember where all the yarns came from.  The center of each 30-inch block is the basic diagonal knit dishcloth.  This is a 10-inch center.  Each strip is 5 inches deep.  All blocks are mattress stitched together.  The colors are special to my daughter-in-law to remind her of home no matter where she goes.

This new holiday season will probably be just as chaotic and just as full of fun and life as previous years and I wouldn't miss it for the world.  Happy holidays friends.  Much of my joy of knitting and crocheting comes from working on things when the mood strikes me.  If I don't have a deadline things can get forgotten.

Simple Shapes and How to Achieve Them

Basic shapes make up most of life.  I see circles, squares, and rectangles all over the place.  Triangles are a little harder to come by, as are ovals. 

A brief search of Pinterest will bring up many graphics of circles and squares and how many increases to add each go-around.  Let's start with the basics.

CROCHET CIRCLE

CH 4.  Join with a sl st in the first ch.

Rd 1:  Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a stitch), 6 sc in ring. Join with sl st in top of first sc.

Rd 2:  Ch 1,* 2 sc in each st.  Rep from * around. Join with sl st in top of first sc.

Rd 3:  Ch 1, *2 sc in st, sc in next 2 sts.  Rep from * around.  Join with sl st in top of first sc.

Rd 4:  Ch 1, *2 sc in st, sc in next 3 sts.  Rep from * around.  Join with sl st in top of first sc.

Continue in this fashion increasing the number of stitches between the increases every round.

CROCHET SQUARE

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 (3x). Join with a sl st in top of ch 3.

Rd 2:  Ch 3, dc in same ch 1 sp, *dc in each dc to ch 1 sp, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in ch 1 sp.  Rep from * around.  Join with a sl st in top of ch 3.

Rep Rd 2 to sufficient size.  Fasten off.

KNIT CIRCLE

Cast on using Judy’s magic ring, 9 sts.  PM

RD 1:  Kfb in each st. Slip maker each round.

Rd 2:  * Kfb, k.  Rep from * around.

Rd 3:  *Kfb, k in next 2 sts.  Rep from * around.

Rd 4:  *Kfb, k in next 3 sts.  Rep from * around.

Continue in this fashion increasing the number of stitches between the increases every round.  If you do the increases every other round or more, you will end up with a hat shape.

KNIT SQUARE

Cast on using Judy’s magic ring, 8 sts.  PM different marker from others.

RD 1:  *Kfbf, k1, PM.  Rep from * around.  Slip marker each round.

Rd 2:  k around.

Rd 3:  *K 1, kfbf (middle st of the increase) K to marker.  Rep from * around, slipping markers as you go.

Rep Rd 2 & 3 until sufficient size.  Bind off using a stretchy bind-off of choice.

These are basic shapes suitable for shawls, blankets, and if you choose to try it, sweaters and other types of clothes.  For ideas on how to put these shapes together, look for schematics for granny squares on Pinterest.  There are some really good ones.

Blanket for granddaughter

I made my youngest granddaughter her own snuggly, cuddly, very warm blanket for when she gets a big girl bed. In the beginning on her youth bed (for those who don't know, this is the crib mattress on a very low to the floor twin like bedframe.  She thought she was a big girl until she got her big girl bed) this blanket fit the length and 2/3 back up.  This was fine because she could be cuddled in the softness front and back and kept warm.   

So far here are my particulars.  

Yarn is yarnspirations Bernat blanket stripes.  The colorway is chocolate rose.  It's a size 7 super bulky yarn.  There is a center section of magenta before continuing the chocolate rose.  Six balls of yarn were used.

My needle is a boye circular needle size US 13 with aluminum tips. It's a 29-inch fixed length.

My gauge is 1.5 stitches per inch and 2.5 rows per inch. I used just a standard garter stitch.  It's wide enough for covering a twin-sized mattress to all four edges.  It was a fairly quick knit given the size of the yarn and the size of the needles.  I was able to work on it during campfires and while waiting for people while I was in the car.  After the first ball or so, it was too large for travel knitting unless I was stationery.  

This blanket is heavy enough that she doesn't drag it off the bed but not so heavy as to be a weighted blanket and not let her move.  She still manages to take it quite a few places and likes it when she doesn't feel well.

Blankets for grandchildren

When I decided to do blankets for my grandchildren, I shared them with my knitting guild, and now you have the ideas I was thinking of for each.  This idea gelled for me in September 2019.  Things happened including a move, caring for aging in-laws, caring for a granddaughter, and losing some of the children for whom these blankets were intended due to relationship breakups.  Suffice it to say not all of these are done.  In the move, most have disappeared.  Finished ones?  Lost in the packing.

Blanket 1 is all but finished and ready to wrap.  I have to join the ends of the i-cord bind off, give it a little blocking, and zoom into a box.  I have no clue where this is.

Blanket 2 is currently on the needles for the 3rd time.   Attempt/rejection 1 was in the round as a 10-stitch circle blanket.   Attempt/rejection 2 was a 10-stitch square blanket.  Attempt and success 3 is the dishcloth blanket.  I have no clue where this is.

Blanket 3 will be a feather and fan pattern.  I.  Using the same yarn in a pink with chocolate stripes colorway.   I plan to use the same needle.  Feather and Fan pattern was scrapped for a simple garter stitch.  It is finished and in use.

Blanket 4 will be a zigzag stitch with us yet to be determined the number of stitches between the peak and valley. The yarn is the same in a blue ombre. The needle will be the same.  Yarn is packed from moving and still in an unknown box.

Blanket 5... I might do a center out square again or a dishcloth blanket again since it won't go to the same family.  It might be a circle blanket with spirals of yarn overs each round. But it is up in the air. The yarn is the same as the rest. The colorway is called storm.  The needle will be the same.

I determined I don't want to do the pick-up required for the 10-stitch blankets.

Particulars are yarnspirations Bernat blanket ombré yarn in burgundy ombre.  Same as blanket 1 it has 220 yards per 300g cake. I'm again using US 13 circular needles.

I started with 3 stitches cast on with the long tail cast on.

R1:  k1, kfbf, k1
K2:  k2, yo,  K to end of the row
Repeat r2 until you reach the end of the cake with a whole row.  Repeat this. Kitchener the two halves together with the garter stitch version.  

I'm hoping to find these blankets/yarns this summer so I can get this project done and off to the children left in the family.   If I had any inkling that the blankets would be received and kept, I would have no problem knitting the for the kids who we are not in contact with any longer.  But I don't and have no idea how things would be received.  What would you do in these circumstances?

My Booklist

 Recently, I read a story about a woman who wanted to go to college but couldn't afford it and kept her high school English teacher's reading list.  She figured she would get a liberal arts degree equivalent by reading everything on the list.  This got me thinking about what kind of reading list would be helpful for a knitter or crocheter?  Let's see what kind of list a well-read knitter should read we can put together.

• The Principles of Knitting – June Hemmons Hiatt. 
• The Knitter's Book of Yarn – Clara Parkes. 
• Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible – Hitomi Shida. 
• Knitter's Almanac and Knitting without tears – Elizabeth Zimmermann. 
• A treasury of Knitting Patterns – Barbara G. Walker
• Vogue Knitting - The Ultimate Knitting Book -- Vogue Knitting Magazine
• The Knitter's Book of Knowledge -- Debbie Bliss
• Ultimate Sweater Book -- Amy Herzog
• Stitch 'N' Bitch Nation -- Debbie Stohler
• Knitting Workshop -- Elizabeth Zimmermann

Why are these books on this list?

These books are basics in the knitting world for getting you started learning how to knit.  A few of them will start you with getting a ball of yarn and these needles and here is how you cast on, here is how you do the knit stitch, here is how you bind off.  Let's make this now that you have the knowledge.  

One of these books is a literal encyclopedia.  It shows you many ways to cast on, and do the various stitches (knit, purl, increase, decrease, bind off.  It doesn't do a lot with stitch patterns, but there is an education in drafting a pattern and gauge.  Blocking is also heavily discussed.  (Hint:  We all have our preferences for this.  I'm of the opinion that some things require it like lace and some things don't like garter stitch scarves.)

Stitch Dictionaries are incredibly useful.  With your plain basic garments and accessories, you can add stitch patterns, color work patterns, cables, and lace.......  The sky is the limit in these.  Mix and combine them to your heart's content.  

Knitting and Increases

 Have you considered how many ways there are to increase your knitting?  When I learned to knit at the age of eight, the book I learned from showed only the knit in front and back.  It didn't even clue in the new knitter that a yarn over could be an increase.  Though, I guarantee you I had plenty of those accidentally.  For many knitting years, that was the only increase I used.  In raglans, it was less than satisfactory but I could live with it.  Occasionally I used the yarnover to increase but I was not always happy about the hole, even if it gave a slightly different look.

Let's fast forward to 15 or so years ago.  I had been getting books from the library and thrift stores but not so much online yet.  Usually, there were different increases and decreases in the "special" stitches section and I took note of them.  Now there are a plethora of websites, youtube videos, books, and other resources to show you a huge assortment of increases.

A list of major types of increases would include

• yarnover increases
• bar increases also known as M1 increases
• lifted increases
• working two or more stitches in one stitch
• cast on in the middle of a row

These can be made to lean left or right or just kind of sit there in the middle pushing both sides out.  And to think for so many years I used just the knit in the front and back of a stitch.  But even that was hard for me to get because I knit through the back loop and had twisted stitches. As a child with no one to teach me and a book that didn't show me where I had gone wrong, just the right way to do it the first time, I had a hard time until I got it figured out.  

Please be aware, that there are only two ways to increase crochet.  One is to crochet more than one stitch in the stitch in the row below OR add chain stitches which adds a hole like a yarn over increase.  This doesn't mean that these two can't be used to great effect and artistry.  In the future I will look into these more in depth and show pictures of them.

Charity Hat Knitting and Crocheting

Premature babies.  Nigeria

Years ago (30 or so) my local radio station had a request for "caps for Casey's kids".  It was for the local NICU unit.  Size was not really specified because as we know babies come in all sizes.  However, they were looking for fairly large baby head sizes for babies who are only a month or two premature rather than truly tiny premature babies.  But as only knitters and crocheters can be, we took to the internet to find hats for these babies.  "unloved" babies had to make do with the stockinette tube that is used for arms and legs under casts rather than those who are "loved" and receive knit and crochet hats from everyone.  This is patently false but from the remembrance, this is the vibe given.  However, they got so many hats that they were sent around the country to NICUs far and wide.  They also encountered many that were unusable here in the US.  You will see why later.

More recently I came in contact with a woman from Nigeria who teaches knitting and possibly crocheting to local school children in Nigeria.  She had taken the Craft Yarn Council's certification courses.  She is also looking for hats for premature babies.  She has the children making hats because it seems there is a need in each family whether a sibling or a cousin or further in the family and friend circle.

The premature Nigerian babies are much smaller than most American preemie but have a higher survival rate.  This is due to the kangaroo care the baby receives.  After the baby is released from the hospital, they are kept skin to skin with Mom and Dad wearing nothing more than an oversize hat (it's ribbed and long so it can grow with the baby for a few months) and a diaper.    The hats are folded and doubled which keeps them warm and the skin to skin allows baby to feel comforted and hear a heartbeat.  The baby is not left alone for very long, except for sleeping by the parents.

The hats are simple to make.  Using DK weight or worsted weight cast on loosely 20 to 40 stitches in an even number.  Knit 1, purl 1 across the row for enough rows to make 12 inches.  Run the tail through the stitches, pull tight, and seam carefully using the mattress stitch and between the first and second stitches on each side.  Weave in the ends.  Now cuff almost in half and fold up the cuff a bit again.  No pompom because the weight can be too much for the weak neck muscles and do more harm than good.  This is a smaller hat that doesn't have all the turns 

a knitting library

What is a knitting library?  When I first saw this concept in an email, I thought I knew what it was all about.  I thought a knitting library was the books that are on the shelf full of techniques, full of patterns and possibilities, and full of stories.  But the more I thought about what a library could include, the more my mind went to all kinds of things.  A library could include not only books and magazines but also needles and hooks and notions, yarn, and videos of patterns and techniques.

 I have a library worth of knitting needles and crochet hooks.  To me, this means straight needles in all lengths and in all sizes, not to mention a wide variety of materials.  Straight needles come in a variety of lengths from 14 inches down to 5 inches.  They also are made from a variety of materials.  Some of the materials used yesteryear are not used today such as ivory and powder coating and Parkesine and bakelite.  Aluminum, plastic, bamboo, and wood are still available.  And don't forget all these choices are available for the double point needles too. They come in sets of 4, 5, or 6 needles in a set.

  Likewise, circular needles have different lengths of needles and different lengths of cables.  To add to their function, there are interchangeable sets with usually just different lengths of cables that can be used as is or joined to create custom lengths.  An ultimate set would have all lengths of needles and all the different lengths of cables.  The manufacturers are continuing to improve these sets.  Who knows what may come in future incarnations.

Crochet hooks also have some fascinating choices these days.  Not only can hooks be found in the same materials as knitting needles but they have different types of handles (something knitting needles can't have) and hook styles.  They come in different lengths and colors and materials.

I think I might have a good start on a library of tools and notions.  But it's the books that get me.  I really want to be able to go through my books and cull books that I know I will never use, keep the stitch books, the technique books (who knew you could have whole books for one technique!), the patterns I will actually use.  But for now, the library is tucked in boxes and boxes and boxes and will remain there until some home improvement things are done in my studio.

Don't get me started on the yarns.  Those are like the throwaway magazines in your public library.  I'm not suggesting you throw away your yarn.  I'm saying it is the part that is used up and no longer available for knitting.  

What does a knitting library entail in your mind?

An FO from yesteryear.

granny square cardigan

To make a US size 5 sweater chest 25 inches.

Back

CH 4.  Join in a circle with a slip stitch.

Rd 1:  CH 3, 2 dc in the ring, ch 1, * 3 dc in ring, ch 1.  Rep from * twice more.  Join with a sl st

Rd 2: (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in ch 1 sp, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc in each ch 1 sp.  Join with a sl st.

Rd 3: ch 3, 2 dc in the first sp between the 3dc sections and 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc in each ch 1 sp around and work 3 dc in each sp between the two sections of 3 dc.  Join with a sl st.

Rep Rd 3 up to Rd 12.

To add length, sl st to corner ch 1 sp. 

R 1:  CH 3, 3 dc in each sp between the two sections of 3 dc across, ending with a dc in ch 1 sp.  

R 2: ch 3, 2 dc in the sp between the last 2 dc, 3 dc in each sp across, end with 3 dc between the ch 3 and beginning 3 dc.

Repeat r 1 and r 2 as many times as desired or needed to create the length needed .  Fasten off.

Sleeve make 2

Repeat back to 7th round.  Then lengthen by following the rows 1 and 2 until length needed or from the center of the square you reach 12 rows/rounds.  Seam. 

Sleeve cap

 Sl st across 3 dc. In the space, ch 3, 2 dc, * 3 dc in each of next 5 spaces. Turn. Sl st to the first sp, ch 3, 2 dc in that sp, * 3 dc in each sp. Turn.  CH 3, 3 dc in each sp and in the top of ch 3.  Turn. CH 3, 2 dc in each sp across. Turn. CH 3, 3 dc in each sp and in the top of ch 3. Turn. Sl st to the second sp, ch 3, 2 dc, 3 dc in the next sp. Fasten off.  There should be 2 sections at the top of the sleeve cap and 2 sections of 3 dc between the edges of the sleeve cap.

Fronts

Yoke section

Repeat back to 4 full rounds, sl st to sp before corner, turn.  CH 3, 2 dc in sp, work around the block to the last sp before the last corner.  Turn and sl st to the first sp.  Work around the block to last sp.  Turn and repeat last round 2 more times creating a stair step look to fit around the neck.  Make 2.

Make 2 squares 7 rds and lengthen by 2 rows.

Seam shoulders.  Seam a yoke section to one of the smaller squares opposite of the shoulder seam.  Repeat for the other side.

Line up the sleeve cap center and the shoulder seam.  Seam down each side of the sleeve cap then down the side seam.

Sew buttons on the front over the holes on the last round starting at the bottom of the V of the neck and going every other or every 3rd hole all the way down.