Tag: warm

Knitting

How Summer Flies By and Part 5, The End

Iris Rose

Seems like I just posted yesterday and already it is Thursday again. Summer is just too fleeting! I wonder why I always comment about the weather. Could it be that I am a true Canadian? All kidding aside, I do love the seasons and the wonderful ideas and opportunities to create that they bring. Fall means shawls to me and that is what I have tunnel vision about right now.


I am still chugging away at the next shawl pattern as well as retesting the current one, this time in solid colours rather than a gradient. I am making the colour changes at each section but am running out of enough different shades in the stash yarn that I am using so may make it every two sections. Because I have more yardage, I may increase the number of repeats in the last two pattern designs as well to make the shawl a little larger. I will post photos and my modifications when it is complete. I am on section three and so far so good on the writing. I will keep you up to date on any corrections in the next few sections although I am confident that the directions are right.

Changing the subject, I have a shining example of the importance of maintaining gauge. I am knitting some topsy turvy dolls and thought that my midgauge machine might handle a Jean Greenhowes pattern. It worked out beautifully with a few mods for avoiding garter stitch. Except, and this is a big one, I made one side of the doll at tension dial 2 and the other at tension 2.5 as tension 2 seemed a little tight in the dk yarn I am using. Did I think about the size difference that .5 might make? Nope. Now I have to try and fix the skirt, the only obvious part, and I have already sewn it all up. I think it is time to break out the crochet hooks, trim the bottom edge with a pretty edging and call it a day. I really wanted to throw the whole mess against the wall but told my inner child to behave. I hope to finish them up this weekend and will show you my solution.

Big note to self: ALWAYS check your gauge whether machine knit, hand knit or crochet. ALWAYS!!!

Here is the final part of my latest shawl design, the edging. In this part you will still keep increasing at the border edges as before but you will remove the markers at the spine and keep going straight across.  Here you can see how much yarn I had left over.


Row 1: (right side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, P all stitches across to the last marker removing the centre spine markers as you go, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: (wrong side) Work border stitches, slip marker, K all stitches to last marker, slip marker, work border stitches as before.

Now we start the lace pattern which is version of Old Shale or Feather and Fan.
Row 1: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, K2tog twice, YO, K1 four times, (K2tog four times, YO, K1 four times), repeat the stitches between the ( ) across to the last four stitches, K2tog twice, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, P all stitches across, slip marker, Work border stitches as before.
Repeat these two rows three more times. You will have extra stitches at each end before the border stitches from your YO increases. Just work these stitches as knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side.

For the final edge:
Row 1: (right side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, P all stitches across to the last marker, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: (wrong side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, K all stitches to last marker, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 3: repeat row 1.

Cast off: Working from the wrong side, K2, slip these stitches back onto the left needle and knit them together. Knit the next stitch, slip the two stitches back onto the left needle and knit them together across to the end. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch to fasten off.  Weave in your ends and block yarn shawl to open up the lace.

I hope that you like my latest pattern and please contact me if you have any questions on this or any of my other patterns or if you just want to chat.

Have a great week and enjoy the remainder of summer with some crochet or knitting!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Coupon Code and Pattern Roundup

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!

  

A Wrap For Spring                     Delphinium Shoulder Scarf 

    

Gradient Cable Poncho               Knit and Sewn Kid’s Dress

  
Little Lovely Lacey Cardigan               Lovely Lacey Cardigan

  
Northern Rose Shawl          Pink Ice Cream Jumper

  

Simple Stripes Wrap                        Sweet Doll Bed

   

Toddlers Pretty Crocheted Cardigan     Twisted Stitches Scarf and Hat

Vine Lace Wrap

Roses and Lace Cardigan

Have a wonderful week with sunny days ahead (or at least cookies) and don’t forget 50OFF!

Knitting

Technology and Those Vest Sleeves

Iris Rose

I didn’t blog last week, sorry. I consider myself reasonably competent with the use of technology but, and here is where the competence is lacking, I don’t understand how website security works. I have one type of website security with my host and another, which I thought was a good thing, with an addon through my host. Nuhuh, not good at all.

I called the addon guys as I was told last time my website went down for lack of a security application, that the addon was the problem; it didn’t play well with my host’s security software. Man, you would have thought that I had insulted their family and everyone they knew! I was steered back to my web host with a snippy not our fault and they don’t know what they are talking about.

On to the web host then to get this solved because it was their fault, right? Nuhuh again. The kind lady on their chat line explained exactly what was wrong and why it was the fault of the addon. She promised to fix it right away and to disable the addon so that it doesn’t happen again. I tell ya’, sometimes I feel like I just need to send everyone to their room’s for a time out when I am dealing with technology.

      

Right side of the work is the first photo, the wrong side is the second.  Hard to choose, no?

Thanks for listening! I didn’t get very far with my sleeves for the pretty vest but, like a lot of us, I did start a few new projects. I keep getting sucked back into the machine knitting vortex! Anyway, I did work out a pattern for the sleeves and got started. I can’t decide which side I like the best as both are different looking and quite unique.

             

Here is what I have so far. I am going to push through and try to get both of the sleeves done for next (heard that before?) week and have them sewn in as well. If I don’t finish then I will show off my latest machine knit projects!

Happy crafting this week may all of your projects turn out just as you imagined they would. (That almost never happens for me so wish it back will you?)

Crochet, Knitting

New Pattern and Crocheted Edge for Last Week’s Freebie

Iris Rose

During the madness of my life (good madness not bad) this week, I have managed two things, well actually almost three. I have that crocheted edging pattern ready for you down below in the post that goes with the knitted cardigan pattern that I published last week. I have finished, but not written up, the cardigan knitted edging, can you say girly ruffles, and am very happy with it. The test knit is a size four and I am working on a two now before the pattern is complete.

      

Most importantly of all, I have, tada, finished the crocheted wrap that I have been teasing you with.  A Wrap for Spring is a paid pattern and is available for you to download on Ravelry in my store. If you act now (do I sound like an infomercial yet?) you can use the coupon code 50OFF at checkout to buy the pattern for half price until March 7th. That is a cool $2.50, such a deal!

I am still offering half off on my Gradient Cable Poncho and Northern Rose Shawl patterns as well. These are $2.50 with the same coupon code at checkout.


Now that I have given you my sales pitch, here is the promised edging for those of you who crochet as well as knit.

Crocheted Edge for Size 5/6 Cardigan:
This edging is crocheted all in one piece around all of the edges of the knit cardigan. Ideally you will only have the beginning and ending ends to weave in, my kind of project! As you will be switching from in the round to back and forth while you work, I have not broken the instructions down into rounds and rows. I will name the edges that are being crocheted on instead.

Tools: 5mm, US H/8 crochet hook, tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
Materials: 100m or 110 yds worsted weight yarn in the same colour as knitted cardigan or a contrasting colour.
Abbreviations:         sc = single crochet           dc = double crochet
ch = chain                         sl st + slip stitch

With right side facing you, at the bottom left corner, join your yarn.

Bottom: Work 28 sc along the edge of the left front, 56 sc across the back, 28 sc across the right front. Work 1 sc in the same place as the last sc on the right front to make the corner.

Right Front: You will now make the buttonhole band. Work 36 sc evenly up the right front to the neck edge, ch 1 and turn. If you sc into the knots at the row ends rather than the bars, you should have 1 sc in each knot. This will also result in a firmer edge.

Working back down the right front into the sc edge that you just completed, 1sc, ch2, skip the next sc, 4sc in each of the next 4 sc, ch2, skip the next sc, 4sc in each of the next 4 sc, ch2, sc into each of the remaining 24 sc to the end, ch1 and turn. Here you have made three buttonholes.

Working back up to the neck edge, work 1sc into each sc and 1sc into each ch2 space of the prior row. Do not turn.
The front band is finished except for the scalloped edging which is done later.

Neck Edge: ch1 into the same place as your last sc of the front band, work 2sc evenly across the top of the band, work 14sc evenly across the right front neck, 18 sc across the back neck and 14sc across the left front neck, sc in corner to begin the left front band.

Left Front: Work 36sc evenly down the left front edge (right side facing), ch1 and turn.  Work 1sc in each sc below, ch1 and turn.  Work 1sc in each sc below. Do not turn. You will be at the bottom edge where you started and the left front band is complete except for the scallops which come later.

Bottom: 1sc in same place as last sc to make the corner. Work 2sc evenly across the bottom of the band, then 1sc in each sc across the bottom to the right front, ch3 and turn.
The ch3 that you ended the last row with will represent a dc and ch1. Skip the first sc, (dc, ch1) in every second sc seven times, (dc, ch1) in the next sc. This will make an increase to ease the finished edging around the curve of the bottom. Skip next sc, (dc, ch1) in every second sc to the next outside curve, make the increase by working in the next sc and continue on with skip next sc, (dc, ch1) in every second sc to the next outside curve. Complete the row increasing at each outside curve (a total of four times), dc in last sc, ch1 and turn.  Working back across the bottom, sc in each dc and ch1 space. Do not turn.

You will now work the finished scalloped edge all around from the right front, across the neck, down the left front and across the bottom.

Right Front Scallops: skip the first sc on the right front, (5sc in next sc, skip the next sc, sl st into the next sc, skip the next sc). Repeat the instructions in the brackets eight more times. Work 5sc into the next sc, skip the next sc and sl st into the last sc.

Neck Edge: Work 1sc into each sc of the neck edge. Work 2sc evenly into the side of the left band at the end, sl st into the corner sc.

Left Front Scallops: Skip the first sc, 5sc into the next sc, skip the next sc, sl st into the next sc to the bottom. The last sl st should be in the bottom corner.

Bottom Scallops: Skip the first 2 sc in the row below, [(dc, ch1) four times, dc in the next sc, skip the next 2 sc, sl st into the next sc, skip the next 2 sc], repeat the instructions in the square brackets across to the end. Work the last repeat without the last skip 2 sc, just sl st into the last stitch on the bottom. Fasten off.

Sleeve Edge: Join yarn at the underarm seam and work 35 sc evenly into the sleeve edge.
Following the instructions for the Bottom Scallops, make six scallops around the sleeve edge. Fasten off. Repeat for the second sleeve.

Weave in your ends and block. Sew buttons on the left band to match the buttonholes on the right band.

Knitting

New Shawl But Not Yet So Here is Another One

Iris Rose

 

I have been working on a Shetland/Faroese shawl that I wanted to have finished by today.  Sadly, that is not going to happen.

I was working away at the final few rows and realized that I had made a mistake six or seven rows back on the longest part of the knitting.  Add to that, I am making the monster with a mohair blend yarn that is more than slightly fuzzy.  I also realized that writing a new pattern at the same time as knitting it and watching TV is a surefire recipe for disaster!

Once I recovered from my little temper tantrum and picked the shawl back up, I toyed with the idea of just ripping back the few stitches in question and reknitting them.  Simple, right?  I was wrong, oh so wrong to assume that this would be an easy fix.  I have done this before with cables and simple stitch patterns with great success but lace is a little more tricky than that.  All I have done is created a huge mess that I will have to rip all of the work back to and now I don’t love this shawl anymore.

Long story short, there will no new lace shawl pattern this week.  I do have photos of the work in progress so that you can see what to expect next week and also so that you can see my harebrained idea on how I should repair this oops the lazy way.

Just so that you don’t feel that I have let you down completely (although you didn’t know that the pattern was coming so I have not only not produced what I wanted to but now I have spoiled the surprise as well!) here is an alternative., my Textured Wrap pattern.

This wrap is knitted long ways and is a great way to use up those really lovely but single skeins of yarn that you (or at least I) buy just because they are too pretty to leave in the store but what the heck do you do with them now.  It has enough changes in pattern, simple pattern stitches, really, to keep the work interesting but you can still multitask a bit.  Pick out a palette of coordinating yarns and enjoy knitting this cozy wrap!

Textured Wrap

Size: 16 in x 76 in or 40 cm x 195cm

Gauge: 16 stitches x 24 rows = 4″ or 10cm, note: gauge is not critical for this piece but should be close to achieve the correct size.

Materials:10 50gr balls of worsted or dk weight yarn (90 to 140 yds or 80 to 125 m per ball,  I used 2 black, 2 dark brown, 2 blue tweed, 1 variegated, 1 heather, 1 light rust tweed, 1 multicoloured mini pompom).

Tools: One US 9 or 5.5 mm circular needle.  Shawl is knit back and forth but you will need a circular needle to hold all of the stitches and to allow you join yarn at opposite end of the work from the last colour worked.

Bobbles: Large bobbles are made in one stitch as follows:

In the same stitch k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, turn, p5, turn, k5, turn, p2tog, p1, p2tog, turn, k3tog.

Small bobbles are made as follows:

In the same stitch, k1, yo, k1, turn, p3, turn, k3tog.

With black yarn cast on 280 stitches and work 4 rows of garter stitch.

Change to mini pompom yarn and work 5 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to dark brown yarn on the wrong side and work 7 rows of stocking stitch.

Next row (right side): k11, make large bobble in 12th st, k11 repeat * to * to end.

Purl 1 row.

Change to blue tweed yarn and k5, make a large bobble, k11, repeat * to * to 6 st remaining, make a large bobble, k5.

Work 8 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to black yarn on the wrong side and k 1 row.

Change to variegated yarn and work 5 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to heather yarn on the wrong side and k 1 row.

Change to blue yarn on the wrong side and knit 1 row.

Change to heather yarn on the wrong side and k 1 row.

Change to blue yarn on the wrong side and knit 1 row.

Change to heather yarn on the wrong side and k 1 row

Work 2 rows of stocking stitch.

Work 6 rows of basket weave stitch in a 2 x 2 pattern:

Row 1: k2, p2

Row 2: p2, k2

Row 3: p2, k2

Row 4: k2, p2

Row 5: k2, p2

Row 6: p2, k2

Work 3 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to black on the wrong side and work 3 rows of reverse stocking stitch, (knit 1 row on wrong side, purl 1 row on right side and knit 1 row on wrong side).

Change to light brown tweed yarn on the wrong side and purl 1 row.

Next right side row, k4, make a small bobble, k9 repeat * to * to 5 stitches remaining, make a small bobble and k4.

Purl 1 row.

Change to black on the wrong side and work 3 rows of reverse stocking stitch as above.

Change to variegated yarn on the right side and work 3 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to dark brown yarn on the right side and work 4 rows of stocking stitch.

Next right side row, k8, slip crochet hook into last stitch on right hand needle and pull off, ch6, slip st into the back loop of the 2nd ch from hook, slip st into back loop of remaining 4 ch, slip loop on hook back onto right hand needle, k8, repeat * to * until 8 st remain, k8.

Work 3 row of stocking stitch.

Next right side row, k4, repeat * to * as above until 5 stitches remain, work crochet and k4.

Work 3 rows stocking stitch,

Change to mini pompom yarn and work 4 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to black yarn and work 2 rows of reverse stocking stitch.

Change to blue tweed yarn and work 4 rows of stocking stitch.

Next right side row, k9, make a large bobble, k19 repeat to * to * until 11 stitches remain, make a large bobble and k10.

Purl 1 row on wrong side.

Next right side row, k19, make a large bobble, k19 repeat * to * to end.

Work 4 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to heather yarn on the right side and work 2 rows of stocking stitch.

Change to black yarn and work 4 rows of garter stitch.

Cast off loosely.

Finish Ends: finish the short sides to match the border on the long sides.  With blue tweed yarn on the right side and starting at the edge of the first colour after the black border, pick up and knit 52 stitches along the edge ending before the last black border. Knit 1 row back on wrong side.

With black yarn, pick up and knit 3 stitches on the edge of the black border, k52 blue stitches and pick up and knit 3 stitches on the black border.

Work 3 rows of garter stitch and cast off loosely.

Repeat this work at the opposite short side to finish the wrap.

Weave in all those pesky ends and block lightly.  I pressed mine rather than stretching it to maintain the texture and weight.

Abbreviations:

Knitting:                      k = knit

p = purl

yo = yarn over

k2tog = knit 2 st together

p2tog = purl 2 st together

k3tog = knit 3 st together

Crochet:                      ch = chain

slip st = slip stitch