Monday, February 27, 2017
Stash Appreciation, Part 2
How is a large stash affordable, you might ask. Some of the ways were answered in the last stash appreciation post.
More ways to afford yarn include using coupons at the stores, yard sales, estate sales, getting a job at a craft store.
The coupons can be mailed to you, found on an app on your cell phone, they can be found in newspapers and emails. Coupons can be sometimes used in conjunction with sales, but most often not. Check your stores for their policies.
Yard sales, garage sales, boot sales, flea markets and estate sales are pretty much the same thing. Someone with too much stuff or in need of money hauls all their unwanted stuff out to the yard or garage or packs up a car or truck and goes to a location where other like minded individuals have assembled. Set up tables or blankets and lay out the stuff that needs to go. Some will have a small amount of yarn, needles/hooks or pattern books. Sometimes a whole neighborhood will get together on specific day to hold yard sales. If this is an opportunity you want to pursue, go early and with cash. You might also want to go towards the end of the day and make an offer on remaining items you want.
Getting a job at a craft store might seem strange but hear me out. The pay can go to support your habit. You are surrounded by the stuff you love. You can talk knitting and crocheting with people, usually customers. You get the early scoop on sales.
Once upon a time i worked at a craft store. One of the managers made me an offer i did refuse due to space limitations. The skeins of yarn that were without labels were unable to be sold. There was an enormous bin of them. I was offered this yarn to take home. I don't know if this is a practice still going on.
One of the other questions I get frequently, does your husband know how much you have? To an extent, yes. An actual count, no. Not even i have that at this point. Do i want him to know? For me it doesn't matter. He has his hobbies and the associated tools, hardware, raw materials. I have mine. If a purchase is going to be beyond a certain limit, we discuss it.
For those who feel a need to be covert about purchases, I'm sorry to hear that. You can sneak a few skeins in with other "more legitimate" purchases. Wait until your other half is at work, away from home or asleep before bringing in the large purchase.
Where can it all be kept to keep someone from knowing the truth about stash? Again, if this is your reality, I'm sorry. Some places to keep yarn, besides out in the open such as bookcases and armoires or plastic storage bins stacked up, might include behind the furniture in the living room, under the bed, in the closet in old purses, in drawers that are less than full. You might try down coat sleeves in the off season, the drawer under the oven for pan storage (wrap in zip top bags). A more controversial idea that i have employed is above a dropped ceiling. Put skeins in zip top bags with or without the air removal port. Use small bags. Tuck them up on top of a ceiling tile away from electric lines, light fixtures and the wires that hold up the groundwork. You don't want the section to fall because of yarn. Floppy tiles can safely hold 5 pounds spread out on each tile. Hard tiles can safely hold between 10 and 20 pounds spread out. Make a map so you can find quickly what you want. This is not an attempt to be covert on my part. It's more a way to keep yarn I don't want to get rid of yet safe for future use and out of site. Yes I have a map to keep it mostly organized.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
A year of stitches
Sadly I will have to revise my year of stitches for knitting and crocheting. I severely over estimated the time available to me. I will do a stitch a week from here on out. The reasons are short but enormous. Weddings are in my near future. Babies are in my present. Classes are on-going.
I had asked my sister who is one of a few brides for this year if she wanted a shawl for her wedding. I may have dodged a bullet when she said no. I thought it would be nice to do, but it's doubtful I could have done it for her and her matron of honor (me) without serious crazy making. Had she said yes, I would have done my very best for her. She declared the weather to be too hot for the need at the time of the wedding. She might be right.
I had a couple of patterns to steer her to, if she had said yes. These were my choices. Colors would have been ivory and a light blue.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Circular shawls
This is the last installment on my shawl shape series. They all stemmed from a conversation with my daughter in law last year when she asked me about how to create a triangle shawl. It sparked my thoughts as I washed dishes. It commanded time in my dreams during the time of not quite asleep yet not quite awake. It's amazing what you can come up with during that time.
Circles are the last shape I will be tackling. 5+ sides are better suited to motifs rather than whole shawls. My mind has come up with 3 ways to create a circle. One is possible on paper but not in practical knitting or crocheting and so won't be mentioned except here. Start with 3 - 5 sts and in rows keep increasing out so you create rounded edges on the "sides". Work 3 - 5 rows straight then follow the amount of increases back down to the same beginning 3 - 5 sts. In practice this doesn't work. It cups horrendously because of the rapid rate of increases/decreases. Cupping will be worse depending on the stitch used.
Method 1 Start with either a magic circle and 8 or 12 sts worked into the circle in crochet or 2 dpns and 12 sts evenly distributed. When knitting, follow Pythagorus' rule and every time you double the number of rounds, double the number of sts on the needles. An example of this is rd 1, k, rd 2 kfb around, rd 3 k, rd 4, kfb around, rd 5-7 k, rd 8, kfb, rd 16 kfb, rd 32 kfb. Keep this increasing pattern until you have the diameter you wish. Any increase can be used. YO, k1 can be used instead to add to the lace effect or to give a very definite line of demarcation. Any stitch can be worked in the solid bands between the increase rds with the exception of things that cause waves such as feather and fan pattern stitch. These don't fare well without extensive planning due to the changing stitch count every increase round.
When working with crochet, double the number of sts on rd 2, work 1 single stitch and a pair of sts all the way around on rd 3, work 2 singles and a pair all the way around on rd 4, 3 singles and a pair on rd 5 and continue in this fashion until you are large enough. Pythagorus doesn't work as well for crochet due to the less flexible nature of the fabric created. This is in my experience.
This is fabulous for adding a border and edging due to all live stitches on the edge. You will also have a really ;nice "bag" to hold your ball of yarn and needles once you get onto a large circular needle.
Method 2 Starts at the outside edge and works into the center. Follow the same pattern for increasing here except decreases will be substituted. Again be mindful of the stitch patterns you choose. The first rds will be extremely long but once you start the decreasing, they happen quicker and quicker as you go. This can work great as long as your edge is not too tight. You also don't have to worry about having an ever increasing number of live stitches to drop.
Method 3 uses motifs. Pick one major motif and a secondary smaller motif for filling in during the joining up phase. These can be very elegant but not necessarily easy to wear.
There are no pictures this time. We all know what a circle looks like and with this few methods, I didn't deem it necessary.
Go forth and knit or crochet. Have you chosen your shape? How about a stitch pattern? Many of the stitches I'm sharing here during the #yearofcrochetstitches and #yearofknitstitches can be used successfully for almost any shawl shape.
Circles are the last shape I will be tackling. 5+ sides are better suited to motifs rather than whole shawls. My mind has come up with 3 ways to create a circle. One is possible on paper but not in practical knitting or crocheting and so won't be mentioned except here. Start with 3 - 5 sts and in rows keep increasing out so you create rounded edges on the "sides". Work 3 - 5 rows straight then follow the amount of increases back down to the same beginning 3 - 5 sts. In practice this doesn't work. It cups horrendously because of the rapid rate of increases/decreases. Cupping will be worse depending on the stitch used.
Method 1 Start with either a magic circle and 8 or 12 sts worked into the circle in crochet or 2 dpns and 12 sts evenly distributed. When knitting, follow Pythagorus' rule and every time you double the number of rounds, double the number of sts on the needles. An example of this is rd 1, k, rd 2 kfb around, rd 3 k, rd 4, kfb around, rd 5-7 k, rd 8, kfb, rd 16 kfb, rd 32 kfb. Keep this increasing pattern until you have the diameter you wish. Any increase can be used. YO, k1 can be used instead to add to the lace effect or to give a very definite line of demarcation. Any stitch can be worked in the solid bands between the increase rds with the exception of things that cause waves such as feather and fan pattern stitch. These don't fare well without extensive planning due to the changing stitch count every increase round.
When working with crochet, double the number of sts on rd 2, work 1 single stitch and a pair of sts all the way around on rd 3, work 2 singles and a pair all the way around on rd 4, 3 singles and a pair on rd 5 and continue in this fashion until you are large enough. Pythagorus doesn't work as well for crochet due to the less flexible nature of the fabric created. This is in my experience.
This is fabulous for adding a border and edging due to all live stitches on the edge. You will also have a really ;nice "bag" to hold your ball of yarn and needles once you get onto a large circular needle.
Method 2 Starts at the outside edge and works into the center. Follow the same pattern for increasing here except decreases will be substituted. Again be mindful of the stitch patterns you choose. The first rds will be extremely long but once you start the decreasing, they happen quicker and quicker as you go. This can work great as long as your edge is not too tight. You also don't have to worry about having an ever increasing number of live stitches to drop.
Method 3 uses motifs. Pick one major motif and a secondary smaller motif for filling in during the joining up phase. These can be very elegant but not necessarily easy to wear.
There are no pictures this time. We all know what a circle looks like and with this few methods, I didn't deem it necessary.
Go forth and knit or crochet. Have you chosen your shape? How about a stitch pattern? Many of the stitches I'm sharing here during the #yearofcrochetstitches and #yearofknitstitches can be used successfully for almost any shawl shape.
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Day 32 A Year of Stitches
Today's stitches will be
Cat's Paw Lace and Crowns Lace
Cat's Paw Lace
Multiple of 7 sts
Crown Lace
With this stitch pattern we can feel like a princess.
Cat's Paw Lace and Crowns Lace
Cat's Paw Lace
Multiple of 7 sts
Row 1: Purl to the end of row.
Row 2: K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, S1, K1, PSSO, K1, repeat across to end of row.
Row 3: Purl to end of row.
Row 4: K2tog, YO, K3, YO, S1, K1, PSSO, repeat across to the end of row
Row 5: Purl to the end of row.
Row 6: K2, YO, S1, K2tog, PSSO, YO, K2 repeat across to the end of row.
Rep R1 - 6 until you have a square, ending R5.Row 2: K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, S1, K1, PSSO, K1, repeat across to end of row.
Row 3: Purl to end of row.
Row 4: K2tog, YO, K3, YO, S1, K1, PSSO, repeat across to the end of row
Row 5: Purl to the end of row.
Row 6: K2, YO, S1, K2tog, PSSO, YO, K2 repeat across to the end of row.
Crown Lace
With this stitch pattern we can feel like a princess.
Day 31 a Year of Stitches
Today's stitches will be
Openwork Leaf Pattern and Leaf Stitch
Openwork Leaf Pattern
This is a close relative of the openwork diamonds from 2 days ago. Both are fabulous. This one reminds me of the leaves of the greenery sometimes included with roses one sometimes gets for Valentine's day, birthdays or Mother's day.
Multiple of 8 + 1
R1: (WS) and all other wrong side rows - P
R2: k1, * yo, k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k1. Rep from *
R4: k1, * k1, yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k2. Rep from *
R6: k1, * k2, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k3. Rep from *
R8: k2tog, * k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso.
R10: k2tog, * k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso
R12: k2tog, * yo k5, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso.
Leaf Block
Leaf (make 4 worsted weight or 8 sport or fingering weight)
Ch 6.
Rd1: Working around the chain, sc in 2nd and 3rd ch, 2 hdc in next 2 ch, 3 dc in last ch, 3 dc in same ch as 3 dc, 2 hdc in next 2 ch sc in last 2 ch. Join with sl st.
Rd2: ch 4, dc, hdc, sc in first sc, 2 hdc, dc, tr in next sc, dc, 3 hdc, dc in first hdc, hdc, dc, tr, in hdc, dtr, tr, dc, hdc in dc, hdc, sc in dc, ch 4, sl st in each ch, work back to the tip following the reverse of the first side.
Join the tips of the leaves to form a "snowflake" shape.
Block: Ch 23
R1: Dc in 4th ch and each remaining ch. Ch 3, turn.
R2: Dc in 2nd st and each remaining st, dc in top of turning chain.
Rep R2 until you have a square. Make 1 or as many as needed to finish your project. Tack the leaves to the block at the outward and inward points plus the tip of the stem.
Openwork Leaf Pattern and Leaf Stitch
Openwork Leaf Pattern
This is a close relative of the openwork diamonds from 2 days ago. Both are fabulous. This one reminds me of the leaves of the greenery sometimes included with roses one sometimes gets for Valentine's day, birthdays or Mother's day.
Multiple of 8 + 1
R1: (WS) and all other wrong side rows - P
R2: k1, * yo, k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k1. Rep from *
R4: k1, * k1, yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k2. Rep from *
R6: k1, * k2, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k3. Rep from *
R8: k2tog, * k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso.
R10: k2tog, * k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso
R12: k2tog, * yo k5, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * ending last rep ssk instead of sl 1, k2tog, psso.
Leaf Block
Leaf (make 4 worsted weight or 8 sport or fingering weight)
Ch 6.
Rd1: Working around the chain, sc in 2nd and 3rd ch, 2 hdc in next 2 ch, 3 dc in last ch, 3 dc in same ch as 3 dc, 2 hdc in next 2 ch sc in last 2 ch. Join with sl st.
Rd2: ch 4, dc, hdc, sc in first sc, 2 hdc, dc, tr in next sc, dc, 3 hdc, dc in first hdc, hdc, dc, tr, in hdc, dtr, tr, dc, hdc in dc, hdc, sc in dc, ch 4, sl st in each ch, work back to the tip following the reverse of the first side.
Join the tips of the leaves to form a "snowflake" shape.
Block: Ch 23
R1: Dc in 4th ch and each remaining ch. Ch 3, turn.
R2: Dc in 2nd st and each remaining st, dc in top of turning chain.
Rep R2 until you have a square. Make 1 or as many as needed to finish your project. Tack the leaves to the block at the outward and inward points plus the tip of the stem.
This is a great scrap square. Make each leaf either a different shade of green or different autumnal colors. Join and border with either browns or greens.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Day 30 A Year of Stitches
Today's stitches will be
English Mesh and V stitch
English Mesh
Popular, Pretty, what more could we ask for?
Multiple of 6 plus 1
R1: (wrong side) and all other wrong side rows - P
R2: k1, * yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *
R4: k1, * yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from *
R6: k1, * k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; rep from *
R8: k2, * (k1, yo) 2x, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * to last 5 sts, end (k1, yo) 2x, k1, ssk
Rep R1 - 8 until you have a square or you have reached the desired length
V-stitch
V is for Valentine's Day, V is for Victory. Sometimes these are viewed as the same thing.
Multiple of 3 plus 4
Ch the desired number of sts
R1: in 5th ch from hook, dc, (ch4 counts as dc and ch 1), * sk 2 ch, (dc, ch1, dc) in next ch. Rep from *
R2: sl st into ch 1 sp, ch 4, dc in same ch 1 sp, * in next ch1 sp, (dc, ch1, dc). Rep from *
Rep R2 until you have a square or desired length
English Mesh and V stitch
English Mesh
Popular, Pretty, what more could we ask for?
Multiple of 6 plus 1
R1: (wrong side) and all other wrong side rows - P
R2: k1, * yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *
R4: k1, * yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from *
R6: k1, * k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; rep from *
R8: k2, * (k1, yo) 2x, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso; rep from * to last 5 sts, end (k1, yo) 2x, k1, ssk
Rep R1 - 8 until you have a square or you have reached the desired length
V-stitch
V is for Valentine's Day, V is for Victory. Sometimes these are viewed as the same thing.
Multiple of 3 plus 4
Ch the desired number of sts
R1: in 5th ch from hook, dc, (ch4 counts as dc and ch 1), * sk 2 ch, (dc, ch1, dc) in next ch. Rep from *
R2: sl st into ch 1 sp, ch 4, dc in same ch 1 sp, * in next ch1 sp, (dc, ch1, dc). Rep from *
Rep R2 until you have a square or desired length
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