Sunday, September 17, 2006

Something Out of the Blue



Time is just a-flyin' as usual. With all the soggy weather we have had of late, my most creative thoughts & whims have stagnated terribly.

In another couple of months I will be joining in a craft fair, (don't you just LOVE these!) at my church, St. Patrick's in Milford, PA. It will be on November 11, so if you are close by, please stop in. This will be my first craft fair at St. P's; we have not been parishioners that long, but I love to get involved in those things which are dear to my heart. And with Christmas on the way.....
ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of what I will have for sale are baby items: washcloths, bottle cozies, and a few hand-knit blankies. Also, some pocket scarves and ribbon bracelets. As much as I can get knitted, really! And you will also be able to pick up a real copy of my ebook, "Ready Or Knit...Here I Come!", which will be in bound form for the very reasonable price of $19.97. Of course, if you mention you found me on my blog, there is a 25% discount!

I wanted to post this thing, well, actually, a neck warmer or small scarf, if you will. I put a few patterns together, and am very happy with the outcome.

I knitted this up in a beautiful yarn, not too costly, called "Cool Crochet" (get out!) by Bernat. I used the Denim color, and I'm not too fond of denim in general, but they really should have named this color something else, as it does not look like denim at all!

It knitted up beautifully, and you can make it as long as you like. I thought it looked so pretty, something you saw on clothes from the Victorian era, so I named it my "Victorian scarf."

So, until next time, I will leave you with the pattern: Enjoy!

Victorian Scarf
Size 4 needles.
CO 30 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Row 1 (RS): K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K11, yo twice, K2.
Row 2: K2, (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) into "yo twice", P7, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2,
repeat from * to end.
Row 3: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K13.
Row 4: K2, P11, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 5: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K5, (YO, K1) 5 times, YO, K2.
Row 6: K2, P16, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 7: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K17.
Row 8: K2, P15, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 9: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, K3, SSK, K3, (YO, K2tog) 6 times, K1.
Row 10: K2, P14, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 11: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, K15.
Row 12: K2, P13, K4, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 13: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2 K3, SSK, (YO, K2 tog) 6 times, yo, K2.
Row 14: K 19, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end
Row 15: K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, Knit to end.
Row 16: BO 6 sts., K12, P2, *K1, P1, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.

Knit rows 1 - 16 for 16 "points" or desired lengths. Bind off. Weave in the ends.



















Friday, September 01, 2006

*5* Most Popular Knitting Stitch Types!

Welcome to the wonderful world of knitting! Even if you've been here for a while, there is always something new about this most fascinating craft!
Let me start by introducing you to the five stitch types that I believe are at the very heart of knitting!
Learning to knit, you know, is nothing more than learning different knitting stitch types.
Wherever I roam on the Web, many of the same questions arise. Over and over again, I come across forums and discussions with the same types of concerns.
In this article, I will attempt to explain some of the basic knitting stitches and everything they encompass.
I will talk about 'the knit stitch', 'the purl stitch', 'knit 2 together', 'yarn-over', and 'stockinette stitch'.
These five stitches, I believe, form the very foundation of knitting. Learn, and perfect, each one of these, and you will be well on your way to becoming an expert in knitting!
All other patterns emerge from these few stitches. So, let's begin!
'The Knit Stitch'. Have you ever looked at something knitted? I mean, really looked? If you have, you will see one side of the knitting looks different from the other.
Knitting follows structures. The knit stitch is formed by making loops which interweave with one another; one after another.
The knit stitch will resemble little "v" patterns when viewed from the knit side of a pattern.
To form a "knit stitch" you use one needle to pull a loop of yarn through the existing stitch on the other needle. (You can knit with more than two needles, but that's a discussion for another day.)
Holding both needles in your hands, insert the right needle, from"front to back" into the first stitch on the left needle.Keeping the yarn at the back, bring it "over" the tip of the needle, counterclockwise. Pull the yarn down, and catch it with the right needle.
Slip the "old" stitch off the left needle and you have a new stitch on the right needle! A knit stitch!
Sometimes, a pattern will say that the knit side is the right side or RS of your work. Other times, it will tell you it is the wrong side or WS.
Either way, it is good to know those two abbreviations.
'The Purl Stitch'. The purl stitch will resemble what looks like"brick-face" when viewed from the purl side of a pattern.
Unlike the knit stitch, with the purl stitch, you hold the yarn to the "front" of your knitting.
Insert the right needle from "back to front" into the first stitch on the left needle. With your right index finger, wrap yarn counterclockwise around and down the right needle.
Draw the right needle and yarn backwards through the "old"stitch. Slip off the old stitch. A new stitch forms. A purl stitch!
'Knit 2 Together.' Now, this is easy! Just knit two together! Insert the right needle into the second stitch from the tip of the left needle, making sure to "catch" the first stitch with it.
Bring your yarn over and up, then down, catch your yarn, slip the old stitches off, and you have a new stitch in their place.
You will have only one new stitch from two. Knitting two together is often used to decrease stitches or to create an open-work pattern.
'Yarn-over'. Adding a yarn-over, or YO, is also used when creating open-work designs. To do a yarn-over after a knit stitch, just bring your yarn across your work from the back to the front. Then, knit the next stitch.
You will see an extra "stitch" on the row. When you come to that stitch in your next row of knitting, it will not look anchored like the others. That's because you put it there, all of itself.
Knit it like you would knit any stitch. As you go, you will see that yarn-overs create "holes" or openwork designs in yourknitting.
'Stockinette Stitch'. This stitch is knitting's most common. All it consists of is knitting one row, then purling the next, and so on, and so on.
The stockinette stitch is exactly where every knitter should begin. And stick with until you know your stitches well!
So there you have it! *5* most popular knitting stitch types!
Get knitting!

For more info on knitting, (and purling, knitting 2 tog., yarn-overs, and stockinette stitches) plus a whole lot more, just click on over to The Knit Stitch! See you there.

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