Tag: small projects

Knitting

Back to Reality and a Gift For You.

Iris Rose

Is everyone back to normal after the midwinter Christmas and New Year’s break?  It takes some doing doesn’t it, to get back into the routine of everyday living.

I was away for much of December on a (for me) trip of a life time.  I spent three weeks travelling New Zealand and Southeast Australia, a bucket list destination.  We had a wonderful time and had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the airport to come home!

It is now time for reality again and back to cold winter and awesome crocheted and knit accessories and sweaters.  As promised, I have been working my tail off to finish (or rather refinish) the poncho that I started in the fall.  I am happy to say that it came off the needles yesterday and I completed the sewing up last night ready to block.  I am really, really happy with the resulting garment and will be posting the pattern in the next week.  In the meantime, here is a glimpse of the detail on the front and back and a picture of the yarn that I used, purchased at Stash Lounge in Calgary.

                            

I need to get to work next on that crocheted wrap that I promised you as well.  I had almost completed a sample in October but was unhappy with the look; it just wasn’t what I envisioned.  Too bad that you can’t take a picture from your brain and make it real.  Anyway, I have rethought the process and I think that I now have an idea of how I want to put it together.  Hopefully it will be a reality before the end of the month!

Crocheting was my first love and, even though knitting seems to have taken over, I enjoy the more three-dimensional process of hook and yarn.  I am using an ordinary acrylic (Loops and Threads) from Michaels to create something that, if my vision doesn’t get ahead of my craft again, will be extraordinary.  I am excited about this project!

This crocheted little kid’s cardigan is a paid pattern in my Ravelry store but, as it has been such a long time since I published my last new free pattern, here is gift for you:

Worked top down, this little cardigan is light and lacey.  It looks great on its own or with a long sleeved T underneath.  Pair it with leggings or jeans to make your little princess look dressed up while you know that she is comfortable.

Sizes: 12 months, 18/24 months, 2/3 years

Materials:

Red Heart Soft or equivalent worsted weight yarn: 175 m/195 yds white, 225 m/250 yds contrasting colour, 5mm crochet hook, four small buttons to match, large eyed needle for sewing in ends.

Abbreviations:    sc = single crochet               dc = double crochet

tc = treble crochet

 

Gauge: (Blocked) 4 sc or 4 dc = 2.5 cm or 1 inch, 2rows dc = 2.5 cm or 1 inch

Custer Stitch: wrap yarn around hook once to begin a double crochet, work into stitch below and draw up a loop, wrap yarn and pull through first two loops only.  Wrap yarn again and draw a loop through the same stitch, wrap yarn and pull through first two loops. Repeat this again and then wrap yarn and pull through all four loops on hook.

Begin cardigan at neck edge:

With white, ch 49, (61, 73)

Row 1: sc in each ch starting at 2nd ch from hook. 48, (60, 72) sc

Row 2: sc 7, (9, 11), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 6, (8, 10), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 16, (18, 20), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 6, (8, 10), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 7, (9, 11), ch 1 and turn. 56, (68, 80) sc

Row 3: sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn. Repeat this row for 2nd and 3rd size.

Row 4: sc 8, (10, 13), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 18, (20, 22), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), ch 2 and turn. 64, (76, 88) sc

Row 5: dc 9, (11, 13), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 20, (22, 24), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 9, (11, 13), ch 2 and turn. 72, (84, 96) dc

Row 6: dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 12, (14, 16), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 20, (24, 26), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 12, (14, 16), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), ch 2 and turn. 80, (92, 104) dc

Row 7: dc 11, (13, 15), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 14, (16, 18), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 24, (26, 28), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 14, (16, 18), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 11, (13, 15), ch 2 and turn. 88, (100, 112) dc

Row 8: Change to contrast colour, dc in 1st dc, * skip next dc, cluster st in next dc, ch 1*, repeat * to * working cluster and ch 1 in extra dc at sleeve increases to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc. 42, (50, 58) clusters

Row 9: Change to white, ch3, slip st in 1st chain 1 space, (ch3, slip st) in each ch1 space to end, ch3 and slip st to last dc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 10: dc 2 in each ch 3 space to end, dc in slip st, fasten off.  Bodice is complete.

Row 11: Change to contrast colour, ch 2, dc in each dc across front to sleeve corner = 16, (18, 20) dc, ch 5, dc in each dc across back to sleeve corner = 28, (30, 32) dc, ch 5, dc in each dc across front = 16, (18, 20) dc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 12: dc in each dc across front, dc in each of 5 ch, dc in each dc across back, dc in each of 5 ch, dc in each dc across front, ch 2 and turn.

Row 13: dc 18, (20, 22), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of ch 5, dc 32, (34, 36), 3 dc in ext dc, centre dc of ch 5, dc 18, (20, 22), ch 2 and turn.

Row 14: dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 15: dc 19, (21, 23) 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 34, (36, 38), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 19, (21, 23) ch2 and turn.

Row 16: dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 17: dc 20, (22, 24), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 36, (38, 40), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 20, (22, 24), ch2 and turn.

Row 18: (2nd and 3rd size only) dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 19: (2nd and 3rd size only) dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 20: Change to white, dc in 1st dc, * skip next dc, cluster st in next dc, ch 1*, repeat * to * to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc.

Row 21: ch 3, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 3 repeat * to * to last st, sc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 22: dc in 1st dc, * cluster st in next ch3 space, ch 1*, repeat * to * to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc.

Row 23: Change to contrast colour, ch 2 and dc in 1st st, 3 dc in each ch 1 space across to last 2 dc, dc in each st, ch 3 and turn.

Row 24: tc in next dc, 2 tc in next dc repeat from * to * to end, ch3 and turn.

Row 25: tc in each tc across, ch 1 and turn.

Row 26: sc in 1st st, skip next 2 tc, (dc, ch 1 four times, dc into next tc), skip next 2 tc, sc in next tc, repeat * to * to end, sc in last st. Do not fasten off.

Right front edge:

Row 1: sc 44 evenly along right front edge, ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: sc in first sc, *ch 2, skip 1 sc, sc in next 5 sc *, repeat * to * 3 times more, (this makes your buttonholes) sc in each remaining sc, ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: sc in each sc working 1 sc in each ch 2 space. Fasten off.

Left front edge:

Row 1: join contrast colour at neck edge of right side and work 44 sc evenly along edge, ch1 and turn.

Row 2: sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: sc in each sc, fasten off.

Neck edge:

Row 1: join white at edge of front band, ch 1 and sc in first st, sc in each sc to sleeve start, skip 1 sc and sc across sleeve to corner, skip 1 sc and continue across, skipping 1 sc at each edge of second sleeve, ch 1 but do not turn.

Row 2: crab st or backwards sc across, skipping 1 sc at sleeve corners, fasten off.

Sleeve edge:

Row 1: join white at right side edge of white, sc across, ch1 but do not turn.

Row 2: crab st or backwards sc across, fasten off.

Repeat these two rows on second sleeve edge.

Weave in ends and block lightly.

Sew buttons to left front edge to match buttonholes on right.

Knitting

The 3F’s of Project Mangement

Iris Rose

Every couple of months (okay six months, okay, okay, every year or two) I find myself surrounded by unfinished projects that I have started, in some cases, who knows why, and really have the urge to clean up.  This usually happens when I can’t find a single available 5mm needle when I know that I have several or when I can’t see my table top.  Sometimes the avalanche when I open the closet door is an incentive as well.

When any of these things happen, and sometimes all of them happen at once, I have a 3F day or maybe two days, okay a week.  Finish, frog, or fro out.  I know that fro is not used this way but I like the rhyme.  It also reminds me of two year olds cleaning up and right before the tantrum which describes me to a tee on 3F day.

Finish is, of course, the best action for an almost complete project.  Projects do not go in the finish pile if: they are ugly and will never fit anyone and that’s why they are not finished, they are so old that the style has already come and gone a second time so waiting another forty years is just foolish, or I just plain hate working with the yarn in question.  Anything that is not in one of the categories above is placed into a bin.  Every time I want to start a new project (which is every minute of every day) I force myself to finish one from the bin.  This method works most of time although once in a while I change the finish status of the UFO to frog just so that I can start something new!  The only one who really cares is me and I like crafting too much to work on something I hate.

Frog is next on the to do list.  All of the projects that I can’t bring myself to finish are set aside so that I can rip out, rewind and reuse the yarn.  This goes for the too old if the yarn is still nice, the ugly and will never fit anyone, again if the yarn is still nice and the I hate working with the yarn if it is because the yarn didn’t suit the pattern.  Maybe it just needs a larger or smaller needle or hook or to be paired with a contrast to dilute the impact.  I usually set aside an evening or two to accomplish restashing these never to be finished projects.

Fro is a hard one.  I, like any yarnie worth their salt, hate to throw away “good yarn” but have learned the hard way (remember I mentioned an avalanche?) that you just can’t keep everything.  Try throwing away a truly unlikeable project that you know you will never finish made with yarn that you will never like.  It is freeing in a way that you can’t imagine!  I have reached the point now where, when I look through my stash and wonder why I ever kept all of those ten metre or less pieces or even those part skeins of so-so yarn, I can gather them up and put them in the garbage can.  Yes, (and I can hear the response to wasting yarn) it is great to donate to charity groups but, if the yarn is too old or really awful to work with, why inflict it on someone else to work with or wear.

Get over the guilt and try your own purge and you will find that you may have some really lovely finished things, some really lovely recycled yarn and a great big space where all of the uglies lived!

New pattern alert: I have published a paid cardigan pattern on Ravelry this week.  It is lace and stocking stitch in multiple sizes.  Have a look!   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/roses-and-lace-cardigan

Knitting

Beat the Heat

Iris Rose

Okay, I know that it is hot but there is still time in the day to knit or crochet or both.  This time of the year, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, it is nice to have a list of simple small projects to work on.  I tend to make toys, hats and cowls or other small items this time of the year to keep the project from becoming a blanket on my lap.  Kids or baby sweaters are also good summer needle arts projects.

Are you like me and in a bit of a panic to have enough stock for craft sales this fall?  I have a few free and paid patterns on Ravelry here that are great for sale stock.  They are quick to make, don’t take a lot of yarn and sell really well.  They are also great for charity knitting which is another great way to spend your summer crafting time.  These items are always welcome, especially the toys, in the winter months.

I have being looking through project pages and other sites to see what other projects will fit into the it’s too hot to knit a blanket weather and still keep that I have to craft urge satisfied.  I found a surprising number of small things to work on.

Socks, socks and more socks seem to be the most popular item to make with hats, mittens, and cowls the next.  I did come across crocheted jewelry, an art that I always forget about.  I was given a crocheted pearl ring and choker set by my DH when we first started dating.  I knew right then that he was a keeper and still have that pretty jewelry.

There a number of patterns for crocheted bracelets that have beads or not and look really lovely.  I have a couple of them on the project list to try while I am sitting on the patio.  They will make pretty gifts for the granddaughters.

Crocheted or knitted squares are another great small project.  They can be all the same or a variety of stitch patterns.  I usually opt for a variety as I am easily bored with the style of the same pattern repeated.  I made this little lap blanket from a Bernat booklet some years ago to learn cable knitting.  I fell in love with the style of since progressed to Aran sweaters.

Learning a new style or skill is another great reason to work on small projects during the hot months.  I learned to make hairpin lace last May and still have the project sitting in a bag.  It will be placed front and centre in my UFO basket as it is light and airy enough to work on without discomfort.

Have a look through your patterns, pick a cool yarn and get busy!  There really is a way to beat the heat and keep on crafting.

Spoiler Alert: New Shawl Pattern Next Week!