Afghans

 Afghans are desirable for nearly every situation.  Cold?  Here's a blanket.  Need a cushion for comfort?  Sit on a folded blanket.  Need something for an impromptu picnic?  Here's a throw.  Need some shade in the bright light? An afghan, no matter how lacy, if YOU can find a way to prop it up, will offer you some shade.

Now what if you have a child or grandchild who is obsessed with blankets?  Blankets for forts.  Blankets for cuddling.  Blankets for hiding under.   What if you don't have a young person in your life who loves to play with blankets?  They are always a great thing for a gift.  They are a great thing to donate to charities like homeless shelters, animal shelters, NICUs, PICUs, you name it.  A cuddly afghan can keep you warm in the face of many different hardships and losses.

Fleece fabric can be the fastest way to make a blanket.  Crochet or knit are among the slower ways to make a blanket. Let's look at a few stitch patterns that can speed up the knit and crochet.  I won't go into the debate about microplastics vs. ease of cleaning and use and costs.

Crochet. A large granny square can be fairly quick to work up. Lace can be quick but it isn't very warm.  Very tall stitches like double trebles and triple trebles can be even faster to work up but like lace might not be very warm.  A double crochet chevron can be fairly quick. 

Decide what you want to do.  Do you want to learn new stitches while working on the blanket?  Ok.  You can do it in horizontal sections.  Or you can do it in square swatches that later need stitched together.  A wise idea for this type would be to keep the colors limited and repeat them.

Do you want some stitching that you can do without thinking too hard?  Use the same stitch and possibly more colors.  Our mothers and grandmothers might have had the right idea with the chevron afghan on the back of the sofa in 1 main color and 2 to 4 accent colors in the center.  

Most afghans are done with worsted weight yarns but current thoughts are to use the blanket yarn which is a size 7 yarn.  This is soft and squishy but the jury is still out for how long it holds up under regular use and laundering.  If this yarn is like the chenille sweaters from the 90's it won't last long at all.

Happy Yarnsgiving!!

Here's my contribution of a turkey napkin ring.  He's quick to work.  Experienced crocheters should be able to do one in an hour.

Thanksgiving napkin ring.  I used a boye hook size H and Caron simply soft yarn.  It's a fun little thing to crochet.

Thanksgiving napkin ring 

Designer:  Wendy Stumpf 

Boye crochet hook size H

Caron Simply Soft yarn 

            Autumn maize 

            Autumn red

            Pumpkin 

            Chocolate 

            Red

Gauge:  not important 

Stitches:  dc - double crochet 

                  Sc - single crochet 

                  Fsc - foundation single crochet 

                  Fhdc - foundation half double crochet 

                  Ch - chain 

                   Sl st - slip stitch 

                   Sk - skip

                   St(s) - stitch(es)

Body 

     Using chocolate yarn, ch 5.  Join in the first ch to form a ring.

     Ch 3 (counts as a dc now and throughout), 15 dc in the ring. Join with sl st in the top of the ch 3.

     Ch 3, dc in same place, 2 dc in each st around.  Join in the top of the ch 3.  Fasten off.

Tail feathers and head

     Using autumn maize, join in any st.  * Ch 2, sl st in the st to the right.  Fsc 4 sts, fhdc 2 sts.  3 dc and hdc in the fhdc, hdc in the next st, sc in the next 4 sts.  Sl st in the st to the left of the join.  Fasten off.

      Using pumpkin, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.  

      Using autumn red, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.  

      Using pumpkin, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.

      Using autumn maize, join in the 5th st from the pumpkin tail feather.  Repeat from *.

Legs

     Using autumn maize, join in the 8th st from the neck.  * Ch 6, (ch 3, sl st in the 2nd st from the hook and the next st)  repeat 3x, sl st back to the body and in the next st. Repeat from *. Fasten off.

Weave ends.

Use the picture for placement of facial features.  With chocolate, place a French knot on the head.  With red, embroidery the wattle.  With pumpkin, add the bill.

Ring

     With chocolate, ch 20 sts.  In the 4th ch from the hook and in each st, dc.

     Ch 3, turn and dc in each st across and in the top of the ch 3.

Sew the end of the ring to the wrong side of the turkey on the left hand side.  Sew the other end of the ring to the wrong side of the turkey on the right hand side.

  

     

Swatching: The HOW

 There are two schools of thought about how to swatch.

School 1  Chain or cast on 4 inches of stitches.  Crochet or knit using the stitch pattern in the gauge of the pattern.  Work four inches of length.  Bind off or Fasten off.  Do you get the same number of stitches and rows as the pattern says you should?  No?  Change the size of the tool.  Too many stitches for the four inches? Increase the size of the tool.  Too few stitches for the four inches?  Decrease the size of the tool.

School 2 Chain or cast on at least 6 inches of stitches.  Using the stitch pattern listed in the gauge section of the pattern, work 6 inches or more of length.  Bind off or fasten off.  Now measure the center 4 inches in both directions.  Use pins to show where the center 4 inches are.  Too many? Too few?  Increase or decrease the size of the tool and try again.

Wash and block your swatch and remeasure the gauge.  Has the gauge changed?  Re swatch. 

OR

Make multiple swatches and on the first row make a different stitch for the number of the tool size.  So if you are using a 4 mm hook, do four stitches different on r 1.  If you are using a US 7 needle purl 7 stitches.  Or write on the swatch with a sharpie or embroider with a different color.

Now the analysis.

School 1 works very much to the skills of the experienced.  Edge stitches are notorious for being oversized in the beginner stitching.  Or for being missing altogether.  This form of swatch is looking for very even sttiches to form very even rows so that you get an accurate gauge.

School 2 works for every one but is a good friend to the beginner stitcher.  In this form of swatching, you measure the center four inches in each direction.  This is where the most even stitching is located. The edges can be wonky.  The chain edge or the  bind off edge can be tight and it won't affect gauge.  That is not to say you can keep it for the project you are swatching for, but it won't affect the stitch count.

So which way should you swatch?  Depends.  The larger swatch will work for everyone one of every skill level.  But before you hold your swatch to being accurate after stitching, wash and block the swatches.  Washing might not be completely necessary but saturation is.  Spraying and steaming will be helpful for blocking once the object is done but that isn't how you are going to clean it.  How will full saturation affect the yarn?  Does the ball band say it's machine washable?  How does full saturation and agitation affect the yarn?  Is it hang dry?  Lay fliat and dry?  Machine dry?  How do these affect the yarn and the swatch?  Be careful that you don't toss your non superwash wool into the washer and dryer.  They will felt and shrink.  

Swatching: the why

A few years ago, I shared trunkfuls of ideas for what you can use swatches for, or granny squares/motif squares.  Sweaters, blankets, and pillows, oh my.  Some projects look great with a broad spectrum of colors.  Others will be better with the components being all the same color or range of colors or the same pattern.

But let's examine why we might want to swatch.  I'll go over how to swatch later.

We would want to swatch if fit mattered.  It would be nice if something you are making for a gift would fit the recipient, wouldn't it? So, swatching to be sure your stitching is the same as the pattern is important.  You might need to work many swatches with different sizes and different types of material of hook or needle to get the gauge.

We would want to swatch to see how our yarn choice reacts to the blocking process.  Blocking is part of the cleaning process.  Soak the swatch in a rinse-free wool wash.  Drain and start by patting it into shape. OR better still, treat the swatch the way you will be treating the finished garment or item.   Has it grown? Which way did it grow?  Did it shrink?  Which way?  Now you have to go back to trying a different size tool or a different material.  Will it work with all patterns?  

Personally, and I advise this to many, I think a very patterned yarn hides the beautiful stitchwork I have done.  Is the yarn highly textured?  Is it really fuzzy?  This can hide my beautiful stitchwork also.

New and Exciting Things Are Happening

 Next year, I will be participating in more historical events for knit history and crochet history.  Most of these events require period costuming so I will be working on that. 

Next year, I will be a project leader for the local 4-H.  I will teach knitting to the children and teens who want to learn.  More information is needed for me.  But for now, I think I have completed all the training, clearances, and forms.

Next year, the knitting guild and the crochet guild I belong to will be teaching knitting and crocheting to the Kimmerlings Grange.  We will be worked into their schedule of events.

But the newest news is that we have a wedding coming up in our family.  My younger son is getting married next month.  And then to our surprise, a grand nephew has gotten engaged.

My Bingo Update

Well, I have had to be flexible and make some changes.   I am disappointed, but it is not the end of the world as I know it. 

Change 1.  The wreaths have to be postponed.   I have misplaced the frames for them. So I will carry on with the things that go on, but I won't be able to complete the wreaths. 

Change 2.  The kitchen Roman shades and other window coverings are permanently removed.   We are putting up shutters on each window.  That is hubby's job. 

Change 3.  The jar scarf is coming to an early finish.   The scarves are coming close to 6 feet in length, and it's only August. 

Change 4.  My queen-size Afghan will not make it to that size.   I failed to order enough yarn. It will be as large as possible. 

Other squares on the card are still in play or have been finished. 

I have a wedding to help with as one of my sons is getting married soon.  I went shopping for my dress and hit pay dirt on the first store, first dress I picked up.  That doesn't happen every day.  I will take the win.

My reversible sari silk skirt that I'm sewing doilies to is still up to be done.  

I have gotten 9 of the 12 hats done or found.  I have lost the address for the slippers for charity.  I will instead do a dozen hats for premature babies in Nigeria.  

I have to amend my plan for the blankets.  I am unable to use the rotary cutting disk to punch holes along the edges to then crochet into them to crochet the swatches together.  That was my original plan from January.  The rotary cutting blade to make a dashed line of holes doesn't cut consistently through the upholstery swatches.  I will be sewing them together.  This will go quicker anyway.

Have you decided to play the home game with your own bingo card?  Maybe next year you can.  Mine for next year will not be quite so full of large projects.

Happy Yarnsgiving!!

 Have you heard about this? It's all about making with yarn and giving that thing at Thanksgiving.  This is the second year for yarnsgiving.  It was started by the Craft Yarn Council of America.  Designers get together and create new and beautiful things for knitters and crocheters to make to give away.  Now, if you think it's just something like creating yarn dolls, think again.  Last year's submissions were creative and fabulous.  Check out the website here 

Yarnsgiving runs from I Love Yarn Day, October 12, to Giving Tuesday, December 2.  In the spirit of donating, the inspiration is to create things for donation to Warm Up America.  Warm Up America offers blankets and warm winter accessories for people who struggle with homelessness, being below the poverty level for basic necessities.  

I'm planning to offer both a knit design and a crochet design.  My knit design submission will be a cowl.  I am thinking of a striped cowl with leaves in lace.  My crochet design submission will be a napkin ring featuring a turkey.

In my mind, they look fabulous.  Now to get the patterns written, the prototype done, the pictures taken, and everything submitted.  Come craft along with us.

Yarnsgiving has a list of sponsors we will support.  The perennial favorite Red Heart is listed.  This has been a workhorse in my area for close to 60 years.  Also in the yarn department will be yarnspirations that support the Caron brand and Bernat brand.  

This year's colors come from Pantone's line of paints.  They are beautiful colors.  I want to go to the paint department and pick up swatches of the colors for shopping for yarn,  I will link the colors in a new post when I get them.

Charity Begins at Home

How else can I apply my knitting and crocheting to charity?

The basics are easy.   Figure out what you want to do.   Find a charity that will accept the thing you want to make.   Get the finished thing to them. 

Now that I have put on my captain obvious hat, I will take it off and give some not so obvious points. 

No perfumes or smoking.  Many people are allergic to or highly sensitive to smells.   These two can cause nausea or vomiting or worse can close off the airway of the very person you are trying to help.   How can you prevent harm?  

First, wash your hands.   Seems obvious but it isn't. You want to start with least amount of smell as you can. 

Second, if you are a smoker in the house don't store your yarn in the house.   It will absorb the odor.  This will also mean you have to work on the thing outside the house and store the partially made thing where the yarn is kept. 

Third, don't store the yarn in the attic or cellar and definitely don't put dryer sheets in with the yarn.   Attics and cellars can have their own unique smells and worse can be a haven for mold or mildew or rodents or bugs.  These things can cause a lot of harm to people who are in physical illness or are homeless. 

Check your chosen charity's website for particulars.  You are going to want to know if you have a restriction on fiber type,  if you have to use new yarn or can recycle yarn,  if there's a specific pattern to use,  specific sizes allowed. All these parameters are for a reason.  

Most charities will not accept wool.  So many people have discovered sensitivity or outright allergies to wool.   It also is not usually a toss in the washer and dryer fiber. Some, like the knitted knockers,  require specific brands of yarn and fiber because the area of use is extremely sensitive. The yarns they specify are the least irritating and most comfortable while giving women what they need. 

Some of us are in financial hardship but still want to help.   So unraveling sweaters and afghans give a way to get a lot of yarn for not a lot of money. However, no one except the donor,  knows what the blanket or sweater was exposed to before we bought it. These are recycled yarns and not usually acceptable.   Check your chosen charity for guidance. 

Many charities have requirements for finished sizes and won't accept any other.   Many times this is for ease of joining.   Having every thing the exact size means someone else can zip through the joining.  For those who say it's good enough,  your contribution may well be tossed in the garbage.  For those who say the charity can send your unusable contribution to someone else that will be able to use it,  no they won't.   They don't have a running list of what charity accepts what.   Even the internet can't do that.   One organization has made a small dent in this, career.  Even they recognize that changes occur and they can't keep up. 

Specific patterns might be requested because that is what they need.  Baby blankets may need to be solid rather than have holes because little fingers and hands can get caught up in the holes and,  if not caught quickly, can cause loss of circulation or the need for amputation. 

Some charities request each donation be presented in a zippered plastic bag.  This helps keep the donation clean and contaminate free.

So follow the rules for your chosen charity or find a charity that aligns with your way of doing things.   They are grateful for the items donated that follow the rules they have. 

Resources for the charities mentioned 

knitted knockers

carewear

warm up America

Charity Knitting - Clothes

 I've been housecleaning my UFOs and WIPs.  I've also been housecleaning other's UFOs and WIPs.  You would be amazed how many of these things can be repurposed into things for various charities.

From all the things I made as samples for my time teaching at a big box craft store, I have a chest full of things I can donate as is.  Hats, fingerless mitts, and scarves are ready to go with little to no modifications.  If anything, I need to add length to scarves.  This is an easy finish.

A slightly more difficult thing to accomplish is putting together colors.  I definitely don't have the colors of the samples from a decade or more ago.  Trying to match colors is difficult.  Finding complementary colors is easier.  

One thing I have that is causing me some head-scratching is the short novelty yarn scarves.  I definitely don't have any matching yarn.  They definitely don't have a use in today's cold weather wear nor today's fashion wear.  I hate to throw them away.  It's part of the waste not want not thought process I was raised with.  But I've hit a block wall for ideas.

One of the things I do think is great to create, the Guidepost T sweater.  These are sent to many 3rd world countries.  They go quick because of all the garter stich and very simple shaping.

One of the other patterns that is a great thing is the pillowcase dress.  I first saw this on the Sewing with Nancy show on PBS years ago.  Here is the little dress.  These are for the girls obviously so they can go to school.  School for girls was not something that happened.  It is slowly becoming more common.  

You will have to choose what calls to you.  Who do you want to help?  How close to home do you want to have your donations?  Read this last question as how much do you want to spend on shipping or postage.  

The one thing I can't stress enough is to go to the website for your chosen charity and print off the requirements for their donations.  Don't send shetland wool to the knitted knockers.  Your donations will be tossed.  The distribution center people don't have time to send it on to another place where it can be used.  The needs have been carefully thought out.

More Cozy Knitwear in the Sunny Summertime

I'm currently working on a project for the knitting guild to which I belong.  I'm partnering with some of the other members to catalog the various techniques and patterns that have been done over the last 20 years.  Oh boy are there a lot!!

We seem to have an affinity for shawls and hats.  Those are the most prevalent.  Some of the ones I have not done before, I will be doing for the Lace Lovers Guild for the yarn bombing in November.

Some of the patterns include the Leni hat, the 21 color slouch, brioche starter hat, quick ombre hat, prism hat, anthology hat, owls hat, baable hat and so many more.  I also have seen koigu feather and fan cowl, zickzack scarf, grey gardens headband, thanks, it has pockets cowl, whistlewood hat, simply harika, da Vinci cowl.  Every one of these is available on Ravelry.

All I have to do is pair up yarn, needles and pattern.  Sounds so easy, yet it really isn't.

Cozy Winter Wear in Summer

It's summer.  It's hot.  It might be a dry heat.  Or if you live where I do, it's humid.  But as we all know, winter is coming.  I'll be doing a workshop of simple and easy winter accessories.  What fiber to use?  Weight of the yarn used? What patterns to use?  We'll take a look at this and more.

Fibers not to use:  cotton, linen, hemp.  Fibers to use:  wool, alpaca, llama, acrylic, silk.  Why?  Plant fibers keep you warm, but not for long.  They absorb liquid and hold it to your skin making you colder.  Some animal fibers keep you warm, even when wet, others not so much.  It also comes down to affordability.  what can you afford to buy?  Especially if you are giving away the fruits of your labors, cost will play a big part.

What weight do you use??  This depends on a variety of things.  How cold does it get where you live?  How hot do you run?  How much stitching do you want to do?

If you live in the arctic, you probably don't want to knit a lace weight single layer hat.  Conversely if you live in somewhere like Brazil on the equator, you probably don't want to crochet a super jumbo yarn hat.  Are there exceptions?  You bet.  Older people who tend to do a lot of sitting get cold faster.  Younger people who are more active or people who experience hot flashes won't appreciate that very heavy head gear.

So I offer one source where you can choose the weight of yarn and an approximate age/size of the recipient.  It's Red Heart's Gotcha Covered #1 and Red Heart's Gotcha Covered #2 from purple kitty.   Knit Hat and the Crochet Hat  These are very basic beanies or toques  They work up quickly if you choose a small head or larger yarn.

Next thing up would be to keep your hands warm.  Mittens work up quickly but they have to be the same size.  If you have trouble with this, try working them at the same time  I tend to like the basic mitten pattern from Bev's Country Cottage.  The pattern can be found here.  There's also a glove pattern that I find to be interesting.  I'm not sure where I first saw it but I suspect it was from one of the books I learned to knit.  It's a garter stitch pattern.  Here is a similar garter stitch pattern from Elizabeth Zimmerman on Ravelry.  Again if you have second glove syndrome or trouble with making things the same size, do two at a time on either long straights or circular needles.  

Yarns to use for gloves and mittens should be on the thinner side.  Why?  You need dexterity.  What yarns should you use?  Animal fibers, possibly synthetics in worsted weight or thinner.  

Have You Ever Played Bingo for Yourself?

 My knitting guild is doing a bingo game for this year.  I may have mentioned it.  You receive your card and fill it out with your own choices.  You then decide if you want to try for 25 in '25 or go in a row, column, or diagonally.  Or throw caution to the wind and just keep working on your WIPs as you want.  This is a year long endeavor.  

I have had to modify this a bit because I can't find the wreath frames and the Roman shades are being replaced by shutters, the purple socks have had to be changed to a different color.  It turns out I can't make out the stitches in that color purple.  On the other side of things though I have finished the crochet dress, 4 blankets for charity, 6 hats for charity, 100+ squares for the granny afghan queen size of the 342 needed, 4 square granny sweater, so far I have kept up with the jar scarf and I finished on time the cup cozy to teach steeking.  I can also cross out 4 mittens for charity.  Oh, my center is to put away all the books and printed patterns I have.  I succeeded in doing this with my knit and crochet patterns and books.  The sewing ones I have not found yet so I'm not counting them.

This might sound like gloating but I can assure you it isn't.  The blankets for charity, hats and mittens were in part found items in my home.  Others in those were ones I made.  Sometimes things just find their way into my house and I know I can find a home for them.  Then everything went topsy turvy in the move 5 ish years ago and only now am I getting things organized.  It's been long and interesting.  I'm discovering things I had forgotten.  I'm getting to greet things I knew I had but could not find like old friends.  And for my granddaughter who is interested in learning the crafty ways, I'm setting up a place for her to keep her supplies.

Here is the dress.  This was just a quick try on.  I wear it with a tank dress underneath to help preserve modesty and to help it keep its shape.  It's an alpaca yarn and has shown a tendency to grow.

I can't find a picture of the four squared granny sweater nor the coffee cup cozy.  The granny squares won't be enough.  I didn't order enough yarn when I started it.  And no I can't order more.  The colors are changed or discontinued.  Oh well, it won't be queen sized.  Updates will keep coming.

What Do I Listen To

When you knit and crochet or do almost any other handcraft, do you listen to something?  Watch something? 

I listen to audiobooks.  I listen to podcasts.  I listen to old movies on replay for things I need to pay attention to.  I listen to and watch new to me movies and tv shows for the things I don't need to pay attention to.

Audio books or book series I like include Mrs. Polifax, Harry Potter, The Cat Who, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings and the Little House series.  Are there more?  You bet.  But these are the ones in my current rotation.

I like the old black and white holiday movies because they have been watched so often

that I don't have to pay that much attention to them.

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.