Yarn, Knitting and Crochet Archives - Page 9 of 11

I seem to be on a trend lately. I have acquired a number of gradient yarns and have a couple of more cakes on the way. I found a new online vendor, Hobbii, on Facebook and decided to give them a go. The yarn has not yet arrived but I am expecting it this week and will review it next post for you. They are a Danish company and seem to have customer service top of mind. The yarns appear to be good quality with fair prices and free shipping to Canada if the order is over $74.00 USD and only $6.50 if under that amount. Anyway, I ordered some (okay four) of the cotton/acrylic gradient cakes that they had on sale and one of the gradient cotton cakes. If they are anything like Scheepjes Whirl, I will be a happy woman.

Okay, now the pressure is on to design and write patterns for the gradients that are piling up in my stash but I think that I am up to it. I am on a shawl trend lately too; I have started a new one that is knit from Caron Cotton Cakes (a gift from DD1), not a gradient but close enough. I hope to include crochet in this one too. I am in the mulling stage but will get there eventually I am sure. It is very pretty so far; maybe photos will follow in the next couple of weeks.

Anyway, I bet that you are wondering when I will get to Shawl Part 4. Here it is.

Row1: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, (K3, S2K1PSSO, K3, YO, K1, YO) to 3 stitches remaining, K3, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, K3, (YO, K1, YO, K3, S2K1PSSO, K3) to next marker, YO, slip marker, worker border stitches as before.

Row 2 and all wrong side rows: Work border stitches as before, P all stitches to last marker, slipping markers at centre spine, slip marker, work border stitches as before.

Row 3: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, K1, YO, (K2, S2K1PSSO, K2, YO, K3, YO) to last 4 stitches, K2, K2tog, K1, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, K1, K2tog, K2, (YO, K3, YO, K2, S2K1PSSO, K2) to end, YO, K1, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.

Row 5: Work border stitches as before, YO, K2, YO, (K1, S2K1PSSO, K1, YO, K5, YO) to last 5 stitches, K1, S2K1PSSO, K1, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, K1, S2K1PSSO, K1, (YO, K5, YO, K1, S2K1PSSO, K1) to end, YO, K2, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.

Row 7: Work border stitches as before, YO, K3, YO, (S2K1PSSO, YO, K7, YO) to last 5 stitches, S2K1PSSO, YO, K1, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, K1, YO, S2K1PSSO, (YO, K7, YO, S2K1PSSO,)to end, YO, K3, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.

This is one repeat of the lace pattern for this part. Work these 8 rows once again working another repeat of the lace in after and before the markers as you can. If this is difficult for you, just work these extra stitches in stocking stitch but don’t forget your YO at the beginning and end of each lace section between the markers.

And there you have it, Part 4 which is a simple horseshoe lace. As always, if you find any errors or need help, contact me here or on Ravelry. Next week we have the border, the last section of the shawl. My finished and blocked shawl turned out to be 160cm x 56cm or 62” x 22”. I used the full skein with very little left!

Here is a sneak peak of the finished shawl. Have a happy week full of yarny goodness!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

New Shawl, Free Pattern in Parts

July 19, 2018 Iris Rose

This week has been a finish before you are allowed to start anything else week. I made a deal with myself to get the stack of WIP’s finished even though I was dying to start something new. You all know how that goes, I am sure.

I did break that pact with myself (what can I say, I am weak, just weak!) and started a new shawl. I will post the pattern is parts starting below with the first section and continuing over the next few weeks. I had a cake of gradient yarn that was crying very loudly to be used and here is the beginning of what I hope will be something lovely.

I did manage to get caught up on the WIP’s; all are done except one and that one is close to finished. Anyhow, here is the beginning part to the shawl, a triangular one with a wider than normal spine.

Materials: 380m or 435 yds of sock weight gradient yarn. If you don’t have a gradient, go ahead and use any sock weight yarn that appeals to you. I was panting to use up this cake that I had in front of me since I bought it. Like this one only a different colour as you can see above.

Tools: 4mm or US 6 circular needle, 60cm or 24” or longer, 4 stitch markers.

Note: you will start every row, once the garter tab is done, with slip one with the yarn in front and carry the yarn over to knit the next stitch. There will be a 4 stitch garter border on each side. The slipped stitch is knitted together with the yarn over on the return row to make a pretty braid look edge. If you want, you can simply knit 4 at the beginning and end of each row.

Start the shawl with a garter tab, that is cast on 4 stitches and knit 1 row. You will make the slip, yarn over only on one side for this part.
Row 2: Slip 1, yarn over and knit 3.
Row 3: Knit 4 (slipped stitch and yarn over knit together make the last stitch).
Repeat these two rows 4 more times, work Row 1 once more.
Pick up and knit 5 stitches along the side of the rows without the slipped stitches. Pick up and knit 4 stitches along the beginning edge. Your garter tab is done.

Start the main part of the shawl from here.
Row 1: Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, YO, K3, place marker, P5, place marker, K4, don’t forget to work the last stitch together with the yarn over.
Row 2: Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, YO, K3, slip marker, YO, place marker, K5, place marker, YO, slip marker, K4.
Row 3: Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, YO, K3, slip marker, P1, slip marker, P5, slip marker, P1, slip marker, K4.
Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, YO, K3, slip marker, YO, K1, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, K1, YO, slip marker, K4.
Row 5: Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, YO, K3, slip marker, P3, slip marker, P5, slip marker, P3, slip marker, K4.

Continue increasing by repeating Rows 4 and 5 with the number of stitches between the first and second markers growing by 2 on each side of the centre spine on each right side row.
Work in this pattern until you have 65 stitches between the first and second then third and fourth markers in each side on the five stitch spine.

If you have questions, you can contact me here or on Ravelry as Bluechicken.

Next week we will start on the first lace pattern section. Until then, have fun with this very easy shawl and have a happy week!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Cardigan Yoke Do Over

June 28, 2018 Iris Rose

Well, this was some busy week, wasn’t it? I was sure it was Friday yesterday but no dice, I still had to slog through Thursday and am anxiously awaiting the real appearance of the last work day of the week.

I am working on finishing up the significant heap of almost done projects. I always think that it is a good idea to knit or crochet production style. That is, make everything to the point of finishing (all of the pieces) and then finish them all at once. I don’t know why I keep falling for the same old trick that my brain plays on me, but I do. Maybe I just like to start new things and, like almost everyone else, get bored before I finish.

One of the projects I was working on finishing is a fairisle yoke cardigan. I had machine knit the basic pieces and joined them to hand knit a yoke. I should have done a little more swatching and actually followed a pattern but, as I like a challenge, I decided to wing it. It turned out to be a major fail in fit and looks. Let that be a lesson to me, figure out what you need to do before you actually do it.

In any case, I did like the basic idea and decided, after the cardigan spent a few weeks in the time out for bad projects pile, to try to rescue the work. I needed to do two things. I needed to upsize the needle that I used as the yoke gathered the bottom pieces in a little even though the colour work was not puckered. I also needed to make the yoke about twice as long. In my rush to be finished, I decreased too often and cast off too soon resulting in a yoke that pulled the sweater up painfully under my arms and strangled me at the neck edge.

I used a circular needle one size up from the original and picked up all of the stitches around the top of the plain pieces. I crossed my fingers and clipped the yarn of first row of the yoke at each end of the work and pulled. The yoke separated from the bottom and I was ready to start again. I actually did a little math this time and, even though I am still winging the pattern, I think that it will work out. I am really happy with the look and anxious to get this one finished. I will still need to add some ribbing at the bottom and sleeves.

In an attempt to decrease my ever increasing stash, I am using up an assortment of colours of the same yarn. I bought the yarn on ebay one ball at a time and didn’t end up with enough to make a whole cardi in the same colour, but I think that this will work to make a very pretty sweater. I am going to leave out the red and just go with black and light grey this time. I am aiming for next week but don’t hold your breath.

Cooking will be up next week; I will share my awesome biscotti recipe. Even if you don’t like dry cookies, you are gonna love these. Have a great week and Happy Canada Day!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Now a Jacket Not a Vest

June 21, 2018 Iris Rose

You are likely as tired of my vest rehab as I am at this point. However, great news, I am done!

I wrote about the second syndrome and found that, once I have finished slogging through the first sleeve and it fit, I was highly, and I mean highly, motivated to finish. I knit that thing up in an evening.

All that was left then was a light block and to sew it all together. I decided on the “wrong” side of the garter rib for the right side of the sleeves. I just found that the vertical ribs and all garter stitch added a wow factor to the finished jacket (no longer a vest!) that really appealed to me. After mattress stitching the sleeve seams, I pinned the sleeve cap in to place with safety pins and got to stitching. I used plain sewing thread as the fabric of the vest is tightly woven and using matching yarn would be struggle to sew with.

The original vest had a tape trim on the armholes. I did not want to start a major reconstruction so I opted to leave it in place and sew my sleeve under the edge of the trim in a flat seam. By that I mean that I laid the vest armhole over the sleeve cap, finished right side lapped over finished right side instead of creating a regular seam. This way the tape trim is overlaying the right side of the knitting. I am probably not explaining myself very well but hopefully the photos will help you out with understanding how the seams were made. A little hand sewing with very small stitches and, voila, done!

I am very happy with the finished jacket and look forward to wearing it on a cool evening.

I am working on another clothing rescue for next week. This time I am deconstructing a yoked cardigan that I made but hated the fit and look of. The yarn is too nice to toss and the basic sweater is fine, just that darned yoke!

Have an exceptionally crafty week with happy needles and hooks!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Coupon Code and Pattern Roundup

June 14, 2018 Iris Rose

It is raining and cold outside. I am feeling whiny and a little bit like I need a batch of cookies. I haven’t thought about posting all week so I am still stuck on what to offer you today.

I know, how about a 50% off coupon code for all of the paid patterns that I have on Ravelry? Does that make you (and me) feel better or do we still need to break out the butter and get to work on those cookies? Tell you what, you knit or crochet and I’ll take care of the cookies for you. I might even make you a nice cup of coffee or tea to go with them!

Here is run down of the patterns with links to my Ravelry store. The coupon code is 50OFF that you will need to enter on the checkout page. Have fun!