A Year in Stitches week 1

This year is starting off slowly for blog posts. There's a problem with publishing new posts but not pre-scheduled.  And now here's week 1.  I did have this up but can't find it anywhere now.

Knit week 1

This is a quickie.   It's a 1 row stitch pattern in a multiple of 4.

R1: * k2, yo, k2tog-b.  Rep to the end. 

Crochet week 1

Granny in rows

This is another easy and quick stitch pattern.   It can be done with 1 color, 2 colors, or many colors and possibly use up leftovers. It's a multiple of 4.

Ch 24

R1: 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, * ch 1, sk  3 ch, 3 dc in next st. Rep from the * to the end.

R2:  ch 4, * 3 dc in ch 1 st, ch 1.  Rep from * to the end. End with dc on top of ch 3.

R3:  ch 3, 2 dc in ch 1 space,  * ch 1, 3dc in ch 1 space.  Rep from the * to the end.

Rep r2 and r3 until the desired size is reached.

A year of stitches 2018 and other updates

Yes! I'm doing it again.  It's been a lot of fun in 2017.  We will be exploring laces, cables, colorwork,  texture.  More importantly,  we explore ideas for using the swatches we make.

My goal for this year's year in stitches series is one a week.  One post a week will be a stitch either written or charted for knit and crochet. One post each month will be ideas for using the swatches we make.   I'm unsure at this point if these will be ideas or actual patterns.

I will also give updates on my progress with level 1 of master crochet program.  As of Halloween 2017, I had the written answers done and about a dozen of the swatches.   It's been decided,  I have to redo some of my written work.   I have to check swatches and finish those needing to be done.

a Year of Stitches Week 52

Well, we made it to the end of the year.  Here is our last post in 2017 for a year of stitches.  Let's use these.  There should be something fabulous to meet your fancy here.  Enjoy these.  They offer a variety of looks.  The traditional winter and Christmas specific motifs and then things that can stand the test of time for the whole year.  Done in heavier yarns, there are afghans and pillows.  Done in finer yarns, sweaters or accessories.

This is only a quarter of the pattern.  Mirror image in each direction to form the whole.  This would be stunning worked in silver or gold thread in filet crochet or as a pillow.  For the pillow, sew the pocket for the stuffing in line with the points where the two scallops meet.

A Year of Stitches Week 49

At this point we are headed into December with a vengeance.  For those who celebrate Advent before Christmas, you will find this year a very short 3 week Advent because of where Christmas falls in the week, Monday.  For those who celebrate other holidays in December, tell us about your traditions.  The days are getting shorter with a culmination on December 21 with winter solstice, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere.  Those of you down under let us know about your summer and holiday traditions.

For this week let's delve into some more complex charts

Here is a flower that can be transformed into a doily, a scarf, a blanket, a poncho, a sweater, the sky is the limit.

ch 5, join with a sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Rd 1:  ch 3, dc in ring, ch 2, * 2 dc in ring, ch 2.  Rep from * 4 times more.  Join in top of ch 3.
Rd 2: sl st to ch 2 sp, ch 3, dc in ch 2 sp,* ch 7, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp.  Rep from * around 5 more times.  Join with sl st in top of beginning ch 3.
Rd 3: * 6 dc, ch 2, 6 dc in ch 4 loop.  Rep from * around.  Join with sl st.  Fasten off.

They can be joined by a sl st in the final round by working a ch 1, sl st in next flower, ch 1 before finishing petal.

The finer the yarn, the more delicate.  Use a slightly smaller hook than usual to keep this compact.  Work rd 1 in yellow and the rest in red to resemble a poinsettia.

For the knit stich let's try this Japanese lace stitch.  Make a note.  The chart only shows the right side stitches.  All return rows are purled and not shown.

 

A Year of Stitches Week 34

A Year of Stitches

For the knit stitch this week, I choose something easy.  Elongated lace.

This is a used with any number of stitches.

Cast on 20 sts.

K 3 rows of garter stitch

*Insert needle in first st, wrap yarn 3 times around needle, complete stitch.  Rep this for each stitch.

Insert needle in the first loop on the needle, drop other two wraps, complete stitch.  Rep this for each stitch.

K 3 rows of garter stitch.

Rep all instructions from * until desired length is reached.

For the crochet stitch this week, I choose again something easy. Rippled Single Crochet

As with the knit sticht this has no multiple. 

Ch 21.

R1:  SC In the 2^nd ch and each ch across.

R2:  Ch 1, sc In first sc, fpsc around all sc until the end, sc in last sc.

R3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, bpsc around all sc until the end, sc in last sc.

Rep R2 & R3 until desired length is reached.

Christmas 2016

I'm starting my gift knitting early.  OK, very early.  However, I have an idea that I think will work wonderfully.  On ravelry there is an advent calendar scarf pattern for knitting.  Actually there are about 10 from different designers, but I'm doing the German site's series of 5.  I'm using Paton's Lace in natural, plum ice, turquoise with repeats of the plum and turquoise.  I'm not adding beads.  I will be doing a thin version.  The finished dimensions as written are 50 cm (20 inches.  I did the conversion.) by 200 cm (78 inches).  Since these will be fairly quick to knit in the thin versions and are broken down into 24 small bites, I hope to get them done by the end of January, February at the latest.

I also received high compliments on some granny square slippers I made for my sister's boyfriend.  Those will be repeated and expanded for the recipients.  A few adjustments to hook size and I will have dialed in a perfect size I hope.  I used this pattern with doubled Red Heart Super Saver yarn and an I hook.  I will go down a hook size.  These should wash and wear like iron, but still be soft and comfy on the foot.

The scarves posted on ravelry in the finished projects tab are breathtakingly beautiful.  I might adopt a similar idea for either an afghan along or a lace class series.  There are many lace patterns out there that really have a lot to teach and look fabulous.

I have also decided that lace cardigans for my granddaughters will happen next year.  I will make them over-sized for more wear-ability.  The lace will not be the very holey kind, more of eyelet outlines of some of their favorite animals.  I will post pictures of all progress once we get some sun.  I need to do this outside.  My lighting inside is poor for pictures but great for general seeing.

For now, I must get my laundry done after finally kicking the flu.  Holidays and illness are not fun when combined.  Add every Godzilla movie made and killer klowns from outer space and I had to get better for self preservation.  Yarn shopping in my stash will be fun.  I know I have something that will work.

Works in progress and nurturing new knitters

At a recent Christmas party, I had the great joy of helping a grand niece learn to use her knitting machine.  It's an updated version of one I received when I was about her age. Hers has more capabilities than mine did. My only complaint is it came with eyelash yarn.  This young lady let me know what I knew but didn't voice. This yarn in not easy for a beginner to learn with.  My solution? To give her yarn that I know I won't be using for whatever reason.  My problem? I could not find it anywhere. I just knew it was in certain storage containers. It took me three weeks and a nasty bout of stomach flu to find it. It was exactly where I put it. I had consolidated most of my stash in the way that makes sense to me.

Unfortunately the finding of stash coincided with some really cold (definitely Arctic) weather and our heat was lost. The air intake and exhaust were blocked by ice. No way was I going to pack yarn in 30* temps in my basement.  Now we have heat back and a new problem. But I can pack the yarn in relative warmth.   She will be getting a nice big box of assorted yarns and colors.

My new issue? We had a leak that is threatening our bedroom ceiling. My task is to clean out all the things I can so we can move the furniture out to replace the ceiling.  I'm finding projects I forgot about, projects I started and put aside, projects for classes, charity afghans for warm up America.

I decided to make two lists.  One of each UFO and who it is for, when it was started, when it is needed by.  The other list is who is on the gift list and three ideas for each.  Where I can I will be matching up these two lists.  So far I have almost twenty UFO s.

I also have an opportunity to put each project in its own bag. This will make it easier to grab something on my way out the door or as I sit down and relax.  When the list is finished, I will post it.  This might be better for holding me accountable and get things finished.

Christmas in July day 7

Today is all about shawls.Whether they are triangles, rectangles, squares, circles or half circles, they are incredibly useful and stylish.  They can be just for show or keep you warm as well.

Here are links to just a few

Lacy Shawl

Square in a Square shawl

Here is a link to the Patons Yarn company list for shawls

Christmas in July day 5

A Scarf Just for YOU!!

Advent usually comes right around the first of December.  However, knowing that we have so many things to do during the holiday season, here is a gift for YOU early.  You could do it over a period of 4 weeks just like Advent normally runs but you could also take longer to do it.

Advent scarf from 2012  I have linked the English version.  There is a German version that you can find if you want it.  You can use lace weight, sock weight, sport weight or even worsted weight for this scarf.  It will affect the finished size though.

Yarn and sewing machines and knitting machines

Yesterday I set about to clear some room in my sewing/craft room in the basement.  That sentence alone gives a hint of things to come.  The reason I needed to do this was a I have a big sewing project to do for my day job and wanted room by my machine.  I did actually get there.  I did not get the job done to my satisfaction but that is for another time.

I'm convinced that yarn balls, skeins, hanks, even fleece multiplies while left alone in a darkened room.  Silly you say?  Hear me out.  I found yarn that I do remember buying, yarn I have never seen before, yarn I have seen but don't know where it came from nor what I used it for.

Yarn I do remember buying I accept.  It was close out cottons for dish cloths and such.  It might have been part of a leftover ball from a Christmas present or worse whole skeins.  I try to keep fibers together and weights  in those broad categories, kind of like yarn departments.  I'm not lucky enough to have the nice bins.  But then I also don't have to worry about my pets nesting in them or having yarn get dusty before it gets used.

Yarns I have never seen before or don't remember where it came from or where I used it but do know I have are more perplexing.  I found the bit of sweater that needs frogging still that had been son #2's.  He has his finished sweater so all is fine.  I have found things that completely bewilder me.  Why would I buy that????  Where did I buy it?  What did I use it for?  What was I planning for this yarn?

I also clustered together the UFOs found.  I have all in their own bags, a shawl, a pair of worsted weight socks for a son, a baptism shawl that is no longer needed, 5 skeins of worsted alpaca for a Miss Lambert's scarf started on a guild retreat, 3 pairs of vanilla socks for me, cotton yarn and tulle kitted up for dish cloth and scrubby creation, pumpkin hats for a guild fundraiser started but not finished, mittens also for the guild but in mismatched sizes, a feather and fan prayer shawl, granny squares for an afghan, 3 unfinished quilts of varying sizes, a kit of yarn and pattern for pocket pals also for a guild fundraiser, lavender alpaca for a scarf for my soon to be daughter in law before discovering she hates lavender, an adult surprise jacket for me, 1/4 of a hippo (?????), and an unfinished dog sweater.

Some of these things are for classes.  Most are clearly guild related and should be finished.  Other things should just be finished so they are done and can be utilized.  The quilts are going to take time and lots of it.  

Once all the yarn is away.  Once all the Christmas decorations are also in their appropriate spaces.  Once I sort the summer clothes and get them where they need to go and the winter stuff has a place to go.  Once all this is done, I might actually be able to work in that room as I intended and get Christmas done early.