Tag: knit

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Buying More Gradients, Oh No! and Shawl Part 4

Iris Rose

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!

Knitting

Shawl Part 3, Easy Peasy

Iris Rose

Wow, August! Why does the summer go by so fast and the winter so slowly? I guess that there is so much more activity in our part of the world when the air is warm than there is when it is cold. There must be at least five festivals every weekend (or so it seems) and it is nice just to relax outside.  I baked this banana cream pie last night for DH’s birthday today.  You might want to have a slice before you listen to my complaining.

Banana Cream Pie

I still find time to craft amidst all of the activity and have been working on a few new patterns. I have kind of been taking a break from publishing. While I don’t mind constructive criticism and am always, always happy to help, sometimes the negative remarks sting, especially on the free stuff which is way more popular than the paid. I guess that is an unfortunate part of the internet culture, where it is okay to be rude and nasty and hide behind the anonymity.

Okay then, my rant is over and I hope that I didn’t offend anyone. I really do appreciate your support.

 

On to the subject of this blog post, Part 3 of my Shawl in Parts pattern. I am going to change the name when it is done but am waiting to see how pretty it is before I decide on the best name for this lovely shawl. Carry on and have fun!

Shawl Part 3:

You will be working the borders and the centre five stitch spine throughout this part in the same way that you did for Parts 1 and 2. You are going to notice that the stitch used in this part, double moss, tends to pull the work in from the relaxed lace stitch. Remember the miracle of blocking and don’t worry; your shawl will be lovely when finished and blocked.

Row 1: Work your border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, (K1, P1) across to last stitch, K1, YO, slip marker, K5, slip marker, YO, (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1, YO, slip marker and work the border as before.

Row 2: Work your border stitches as before, slip marker, P1, (P1, K1) across to last stitch, P2, slip marker, P5, slip marker, P1, (P1, K1) to last stitch, P2, slip marker and work the border as before.

Work Rows 1 and 2 until you have 115 stitches between the border markers and the centre markers on each side.

That was easy, wasn’t it? Next week we are back to a bit of lace and then we will be on to the final border which I am still conflicted about. I am sure that I will have my inner argument settled and the shawl ready by then.  Have a happy week!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

New Shawl, Free Pattern in Parts

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!

Knitting

Swonchos and the Nation’s Capital

Iris Rose

I hope that you all enjoyed the biscotti recipe that I posted last week and are already imagining some great combinations for next time that you make them. I confess that I put mine in the freezer so that I wouldn’t have to buy bigger pants. I do love cookies.

DH and I went to our nation’s capital this weekend for a music festival. I have never been that far east in our country so was quite excited to see all of the sights. I particularly wanted to see where our government meets, and all of the big decisions are made or at least argued about. I feel very lucky to live in Canada, in my opinion one of the best countries in the world, at this time, to be a citizen of.

  

Needless to say, I did not get much done in the way of crocheting or knitting this week. I have been working on some little popover swonchos for the small folk. I found a photo of what I wanted to create and experimented from there. Both are made with dk weight yarn on a midgauge machine with hand knit or crocheted finishing and still need a bit of blocking.

This little peach one was my first attempt and, although I thought that it was too long at the time I knit it up on the machine, I am now really liking the almost finished piece. I am on the last cuff and need to complete the bottom crocheted edging with a row of crab stitch to match the collar trim. I think that I will stitch the collar up a little too so that it holds it shape a little better. No button band on the shoulder of this one as the neck is a little wider, maybe too wide. I worked six rows of two by two ribbing by hand to bring the neck in and still leave some stretch before grafting the collar on. It was a little more work than I needed to do but I didn’t leave the shoulder open for a placket so there you are.

The green one (teal?) is the second one that I made. I knit the body on a midgauge machine and hand knit the edging, cuffs and collar. I created a shoulder placket to make it easier to get on as the neck is smaller than the peach one.  I just need to finish sewing up the last seam, add the shoulder buttons and we are done. All in all I am quite happy with the almost finished swonchos.  I think I feel a new pattern coming on.

My yoke sweater is in time out as I just can’t get inspired to work on it. I really want to start something new again, that chronic problem that I and, I am sure, millions of others have.

I’ve got other ideas cooking that I will share with you next week so until then, have a wonderful week full of yarny delight!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Cardigan Yoke Do Over

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!