Showing posts with label shells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shells. Show all posts

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Weeks 17 to 33 of A Year in Stitches

I am going to offer a bunch of different charts and stitches in  this post to finish the catch up from the spring to mid summer weeks when I was working on a wedding and a carnival.
The charts will be for both knit and crochet.   There will be color work charts, cable charts, and lace charts. 
There will be written stitch patterns.   These are harder to use universally without a lot of creativity and thought behind them.  However, I'm sure everyone will have fun with at least some of these.

Week 17

For knitting, work in stockinette/reverse stockinette or colorwork.  For crochet, work in fair isle or tapestry.  If you choose color work, you can do bands of colors or keep it 2 colors throughout.

 Week 18

As for week 17, the same applies here.  Have fun with this.  Can you make it a lace?

Week 19

Enjoy the weather with some fun spring/summer motifs.  Color work is the way to go for these.  The brighter the better.


Week 20

This would be great as a pillow, purse, or in an afghan as panels.

Week 21
Lots of fun motifs here for gearing up for the colder weather that is sure to come or simpler items.  All these can be done in texture or color.  Use fingering weight yarns or lace weight and make these into bookmarks or book covers for those books that you read over and over.
 Week 22

Play with tapestry crochet and make change purses, make up bags, pencil pouches.  Play with texture and have even more fun now that you know the charts better.
 Week 23

Week 24

I can see the potential for coasters, mug rugs, cup cozies and napkin/flatware holders in these.  Who wouldn't love a picnic when these beauties are on the table with yummy food.  Don't forget to put the picnic table's feet in bowls of water to deter ants from joining you and hang a red ball covered in sweet smelling sticky in a tree away from you to deter flies and bees.  The bowls of water can be pie tins for wider feet and the balls can be washed off.


Week 25

This could be an early gift made up when we don't even want to dream of hot cocoa or fireplaces.  The markings on the side look like yarn color names.  However, I don't know which company this came from to give credit.  Anyone know?


Week 26

Here is a lovely little block from Japan.  It's Crochet, done in one of the join as you go methods.  For Knitting here's a lovely Russian lace stitch.




Week 27

Here is a granny type square.  Imagine this in the colors of the summer!  That would be one smart tote bag.  This knit stitch pattern on the other hand reminds me of roses in summer.  This could be a beautiful baby blanket or a made into a sweet dress for your little girl.

Week 28

Here are a bunch more square and hexagon motifs.  Mix and Match them unifying them by color choice or pick one or two and go crazy with the patterns.


Week 29

Here's a fun little crown for the prince or princess in your life.    It's crochet.  Try in worsted weight yarn and you can do fewer repeats.  Glue "gems" around the band for a really regal look.

The Knitting stitch reminds me more of a flower I see growing along roadsides, Queen Anne's Lace.  But this isn't the name of the stitch.

Week 30

Architecture has given us some beaurtiful knit and crochet patterns.    This arches pattern is crochet.  I can see it as a pillow cover, afghan, baby gift.... What can you see it as?  Meanwhile the seersucker knit stitch pattern just sounds like summer.  Done in a light weight cotton, linen, hemp or silk yarn it could be a beautiful shell.




Week 31

Interlocking crochet has fascinated me for quite a while.  It shows a different stitch to each side.

Meanwhile the knit stitch below it is a fake Entrelac stitch pattern.  This is done with a trick of the eye and is in a fair isle type of knitting.




Week 32

Mitered, Ribbed, handy as can be for dish cloths, hot pads, potholders.  Do them in cotton for good heat protection.  Chain an odd number of stitches plus 1 for turning or cast on an odd number of stitches.  Mark the center stitch.  Using Garter stitch or single crochet, work to the stitch before the marked one.  Dec3tog or k3tog.  Continue to the end.  Turn.  If you are crocheting, crochet in the back loop only. Work even to the stitch before the marked one.  dec3tog or k3tog.  Continue to 1 stitch.  Bind off.  Weave ends.  Can be done in 1 row stripes, 2 row stripes with unused color carried up the side or almost anything.
Week 33

One of my other loves is quilting.  I happen to live on the outskirts of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which has a rich history in quilting and frugality.  This is the Trip Around the World Quilt Pattern Or Sunshine and Shadow Quilt Pattern.  It depends on what you do with it.  Trip Around the World uses a variety of colors, where the Sunshine and Shadow uses shades of one color similar to what is shown.  The trip around the world is symbolic of travel. something most Amish don't do.   However, the Colonials, way back when, would trade fabrics or sometimes piece a quilt top for a friend who was leaving to pioneer either in the New World or out West.  One ring of fabric or even just a quarter of a ring symbolized that friend.  

In Sunshine and Shadow, the colors are kept to 3-5, going from a very pale to very dark (black or as close to as you can get) and starting over or fading back to very pale.  It symbolized that we can't appreciate the sunshine without the shadows, just as we can't appreciate life without death or separation.

Choose to do these in granny squares, mitered squares, or something completely different.  Start at a corner and work one block. Working in the join as you go, continue adding blocks in the colors your choose.

If you don't like the color choice given below, get your own 4 squares to the inch graph paper and a box of crayons or colored pencils and draw out what you want yours to look like.  Just remember, the colors need to be in concentric rings for this pattern.








Sunday, February 10, 2013

New Schedules and some time off

In an effort to have sufficient time for everything coming up, one son with his fiance is coming for a visit around Easter.  The same son is graduating and getting married in the month for weddings.  I also wanted to make sure I had enough classes scheduled for everyone to be happy and get what they need.

Here are my classes thru the end of July.  I don't want to think of August or the last third of the year just yet.

Beginner Knit Classes which are held Thursday nights unless otherwise noted are first.


Discover Knit Stitch Class    All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 28
April 4
April 6 (Saturday 9 – 11:30 am)
May 2
May 30
July 25



Discover Purl Stitch Class   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


March 7
April 11
April 13 (Saturday 9 – 11:30 am)
May 9
June 6
July 5



Discover Pattern Stitches Class   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 14
March 14
April 18
April 20 (Saturday 9 – 11:30 am)
May 16
June 27
July 6 (Saturday 9 – 11:30am)



Discover Cables Class All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 21
March 21
April 25
April 27 (Saturday 9 – 11:30 am)
May 23
June 7

Beginner Crochet classes are next up.  These are held every Monday night unless otherwise noted.

Discover Single Crochet  All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm   


March 11
April 1
April 29
June 24
July 23


Discover the Tall Stitches of Crochet   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 11
March 11
April 8
May 6
June 3
July 29


Discover Granny Squares   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 18
March 18
April 22
May 13
June 10
July 31


Discover Textured Stitches   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 25
April 22
May 20
June 5

Advanced Knit classes are held Friday nights unless otherwise noted.

Discover Baby Knits Class   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


Kimono March 1
Blanket & Booties April 5
Kimono May 3
Blanket & Booties May 31
Kimono July 26




Discover Mitered Knitting Class   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


March 8
April 12
May 10



Discover Fair Isle Class/Learn to Fair Isle   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 15
March 15
April 19
May 17
June 28



Discover Time To Knit Classes    All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


March 22 Socks Toe Up
April 26 Double Knitting
May 24 Socks Top Down

Advanced Crochet classes are the final classes scheduled.

Discover Baby Crochet Class      All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


Rattle March 6
Hooded Blanket April 3
Rattle May 1
Hooded Blanket May 29
Rattle July 24



Discover Throws and Wraps in Crochet Class  All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


Lace Openwork Wrap February 13
One Piece Granny Throw March 13
Lace Openwork Wrap April 10
One Piece Granny Afghan May 8
Lace Openwork Wrap June 26



Discover Crochet Gifts Class      All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm


February 20
March 20
April 17
May 15



Discover Time to Crochet Classes   All Classes are 6 – 8:30 pm 


February 27 Tapestry Crochet
March 2 Knook
April 24 Broomstick Lace
May 22 Afghan Patterns

The last thing to note are yarn nights.  
Yarn Nights are times for you to get a question answered about a stitch, yarn or pattern question that doesn’t require a full class.  You can also sit and stitch with me at this time.  Times are 6 – 8:30 pm unless otherwise noted.


February 26
March 19
April 23
May 21
June 1 (Saturday, 1 – 4 pm)
July 30


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Getting ready for Open House

Open House  September 9
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Come meet the instructors!

As the knitting and crochet instructor, I know I will be there all 4 hours to talk to anyone and everyone who wants to discuss classes.  I know someone will be available to discuss the Wilton Cake Decorating, Grumbacher Art Painting classes, Bead Corner Design Academy classes, Paper Ed classes, Spotted Canary School, Martha Stewart classes, kid classes, birthday parties, and more.  Come check out what we have available.

My display will include projects from all available classes.  I start with the basics of knit and crochet and offer classes in some of the advanced techniques, such as loom knitting, sock knitting, double knitting, broomstick lace, intarsia, mosiac crochet, filet crochet, beaded crochet and knitting, and how to work with some of the newer novelty yarns.  If there is something you want to learn and don't see an offering for that class, let me know and I can tailor a class for you and any interested friends.  

My classes include individual attention and learning the basics of the stitches and pattern reading.  There is also a yarn department tour where a quick discussion about the variety of yarns and tools available take place.  We will also cover gauge and gauge swatches and their uses during classes.

Crochet Classes start with the basics of chaining and how to do the foundation stitches that all crochet is built on up to and including the common shells, clusters and granny square.  More advanced Crochet classes are available after the basics are learned and textural stitches, working in the round, natural folds, construction, reading charts and lace are tackled.  

Knit classes start with the basics of casting on and how to knit and purl and move through patterning and cables in the beginner classes.  The more advanced classes include learning more about shaping, working in the round, touching on fair isle, charted knitting and mitered knitting.

I even offer ideas to get you started on how to take the most basic pattern and change it so you have something completely different looking but still stay within your skill level.  Discussions can take place about trying new techniques you want to learn and how to incorporate them into something smaller to test.


Thursday, February 2, 2012

February Class Schedule

February 2012
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat



1
2
Discover Knit

3
Discover Baby Knit
4
5
6
Discover Tall Stitches
7

8
Discover Throws & Wraps
Crochet
9
Discover Purl
10
Discover Throws & Wraps
Knit
11
Demo
11 - 1

12

13
Discover Texture Stitches
14
Happy Valentine’s Day
15
Discover Gifts Crochet
16
Discover Pattern Stitches
17
Discover Gifts Knit
18

19
20
Discover Granny Squares
21
22
Discover Time to Crochet
Filet Crochet
23
Discover Cables
24
Discover Time to Knit Socks Pt. 2 Toes
25

26
27
Discover Single Crochet
28
29