A Christmas Table Runner

Here we are into November already! Now that the Halloween craze has passed us by, there is no excuse for knitting up gifts for all those on our Christmas lists.

Here is a pattern for a very pretty table runner. I always use a cotton yarn for anything for the kitchen; cotton washes easily and is very durable. Even rugs and curtains can be done up in mercerized cotton yarn; especially with all the color choices, you just can't go wrong!

I have given these away for gifts and have one, and very soon, another for my own kitchen. I tried several other patterns of my own, but could never come up with a runner that looked as nice as this one. Amy Stender does a really nice job with this pattern!

Later this week, look for my original pattern for a pretty neck scarf. The yarn is a dusky repeating pattern, and it knits up quickly.

In the coming weeks, look for more Christmas postings, as there is always something to be knitting while watching all those holiday movies on TCM!

October Ornaments

I took Piper for a walk down the road this afternoon in search of some mail. Instead, I got junk. The day is incredibly beautiful; the leaves are at peak in the small trees, with the large scenic trees still to turn. The sky is sapphire blue, there wasn't a car in sight, and little red dragonflies followed us all the way down and all the way back. How they love the sun's warmth!

The picture above is of the meetinghouse in Jaffrey NH taken in October of 2004. The colors of New England are like no place else. Not even here in northeast PA.

Autumn comes on us so quickly! Even though the sun is at a lower angle, it makes for delightful patterns on walls and floors, that you just don't see in summer. You know Christmas is coming closer day by day.

So here is a link to the pattern I used for a new Christmas Afghan I'm knitting. Use any worsted weight yarn, and size 8 needles. Simply repeat Rows 1 - 48 for your desired length. Then end with the same border you started with and bind off. I am doing five sections, 3 green and 2 red, or 2 green and 3 red, I haven't decided which yet! Either way it will be very festive.

Knitting Placemats, Victorian Style

Victorian houses have always fascinated me. I love the look of them; the etched, fancy filigree, the high ceilings within, and the pitched gabled roofs without. Rooms seem to have eccentric touches, such as dumbwaiters, or ornate built-in shelves. There are pocket doors, and heating grilles on the floors. Then there are always the back stairs from the kitchen or a secret door or passage out of the library.

Looking into the interior designs of Victorian houses, and you see ornate, strong colors. Throw rugs, large tasseled pillows, and brightly colored rooms only accentuate the more pronounced settees, and over-sized armoires and buffets. There is nothing small or simple about a Victorian home; the frillier the better, it seems.

That is why this placemat seems so appropriate. Not that I live in such a house. I would love to. Yet, certain design elements can be incorporated into any style home, and these Victorian placemats just go perfectly on anyone's kitchen table. Or in the dining room, if you prefer!

Use cotton yarn. The placemat is knit in two pieces; the main pattern, and the borders. You will knit two borders.

Main Pattern:

Approx. 11 x 16

Cast on 71 stitches.

Rows 1 & 3: (WS) Purl.

Row 2: K1, * yo, k3, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1; rep from *.

Row 4: P1, * k1, yo, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k1, p1; rep from *.

Row 5 & 7: K1, *p9, k1; rep from *.

Row 6: P1, *k2, yo, k1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k2, p1; rep from *.

Row 8: P1, *k3, yo, sl1, k2tog., psso, yo, k3, p1, rep from *.

Repeat Rows 1-8, 8 times. Bind off.

Border: (Make 2)

Cast on 10 sts.

Set up row: Knit.

Row 1: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k2, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (11 sts).

Row 2: K4, p1, k2, yo, p2tog, k2.

Row 3: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k3, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (12 sts)

Row 4: K4, p1, k3, yo, p2tog, k2.

Row 5: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k4, yo twice, k2tog, k2 (13 sts)

Row 6: K4, p1, k4, yo p2tog, k2.

Row 7: Sl1, k1, yo, p2tog, k9.

Row 8: BO 3, k5, yo, p2tog, k2 (10 sts)

Knit 9 "points" then Rows 1-4.

BO.

Make 2 or 4, if you like. White is a very classic Victorian color; yet any cotton yarn will do.

Enjoy!

Late Summer Longings

One more week until Labor Day! Out on the roads are lots of yellow school buses, whether practicing their runs or doing road tests, I don't know, yet there they are! They blend in with the goldenrod and ferns which are beginning to grow sere and lighten to a pale yellow.



Driving past the high schoool, there is the football team out practicing on the front grass, and everyone slows down to watch them. Next week or in two weeks, their season will be underway!



Last week I knitted a baby blanket for a co-worker's great-granddaughter. It was easy and quick and looks wonderful! So pretty in pink. Here's a picture, and next week I will post the pattern.

In this month's newsletter, I made mention of working a "yo" stitch. I will also post this picture, along with what a "ssk", and "psso" look like. Look for these no later than this coming weekend!

You know, the weekend before Labor Day! As always, enjoy your knitting and I am also looking to post Christmas patterns as fast as I find them!

Deep in Summer

Piper, (my husband Bob says we should have named her Pudgy, funny) and I walk most mornings down our gravel road to another connecting gravel road where homes are far from the road, either up hills or hidden by trees. Vales of ferns dot empty woods; empty of houses that is, and humans. Wildlife abounds, as I see almost daily.

Wild turkeys preening and parading their feathers, shy momma deer with their white-dotted babies growing bigger every day, frogs, turtles, squirrels, dragonflies, hummingbirds, warblers, robins, crows, woodpeckers, chipmunks, grasshoppers, spiders, crickets, eagles, hawks, to name a few, and even this guy crossing under my car a few days ago. The picture is a bit blurred, but he really is a snail, slugging along at a snails pace! About half an hour after I took this picture, I went out to check on where the snail was, and he was gone into the grass beside my house. Invisible to me!

But, the days are slow in late July, for we truly are deep in summer. Everything is lush and green, with no indication of rot, or shrivel. The only thing that is changed is now it's dark at 8:30 instead of 9:00 or later. And mornings are not as bright at 5 a.m.; in fact, they're downright dark! The seasons have their seasons, and so it goes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In my July newsletter, there is an article about an introduction to lace knitting. My favorite knitting. You can create pretty, lacy things, such as this christening blanket.

Looks a lot like the real thing, Queen Anne's lace. Right now, they are in abundance all over the place, and will be until the first hard frost. Here are my third set of placemats, which I knitted in Sugar n Cream Hot Green. A very pretty color. I used 2 skeins, and size 5 needles. This picture is not as nice as I'd like, but when you knit your own, you'll see how nice they really are! The pattern follows.

Hot Green Diamond Placemats

for the border:

Row1: Sl 1, k4, p4, k3, (main pattern), k3, p4, k5.

Row 2: Sl 1, k1, p10, (main pattern), p10, k2.

Alternate these 2 rows for the entire pattern. I will refer to these as B12 (border 12).

Main Pattern:

CO 97 sts.

Row 1: (RS) B12, p1, k1, p1, *(k3, p1) twice, k1, p1; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 2: B12, p1, k1, *p3, k1, p1, k1, p3, k1; rep from * end p1, B12.

Row 3: B12, k4, *(p1, k1) twice, p1, k5; rep from * to end last rep k4, B12.

Row 4: B12, p3, *(k1, p1) 3 times, k1, p3; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 5: Rep row 3.

Row 6: Rep row 2.

Row 7: Rep row 1.

Row 8: B12, p1, k1, p1, *k1, p5, (k1, p1) twice; rep from * to end, B12.

Row 9: B12, (p1, k1) twice, * p1, k3, (p1, k1) 3 times; rep from * end last rep (p1 k1) twice,

p1, B12.

Row 10: Rep row 8.

Repeat Rows 1- 10 until placemat measures approx. 12" from cast on edge. Bind off and weave in all stitches. Block.

I love making placemats, dishcloths, scarves, afghans, and curtains, to give as Christmas gifts. Now is the time to start thinking about that!

Sunday is August.

It's the dog days. Time to rest up!

Is it Spring yet?

I am NOT a fan of Winter. Unless you count sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, teacup in hand, with my knitting in my lap and a good book close by. That I like! All this snow and ice and freezing winds in my face, that can go. Now. Even yesterday. I always say the warm weather is better; even if it is broiling hot, you can always get cooler. But in Winter, there is never getting warm enough.

Now this is a not-too-good picture of a pocket scarf. It is very easy to make and just something else to keep you warm! Nothing like it in these months, I say!

Use any worsted weight or combination thereof.
Finished size approx. 7" x 64"
6 oz. of your favorite color
Size 10 needles

Special abbreviations
Wyf = with yarn in front of work
Wyb = with yarn in back of work
pwise = slip as if purling

Scarf
Cast on 25 sts.
Row 1: P3, (k3, p1) 4 times; k3; wyf sl last 3 sts pwise.
Row 2: (RS) K3, (p3, k1) 4 times; p3; wyb sl last 3 sts pwise.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until work measures desired length; bind off.
Weave in all ends.

Pocket (make 2)
Cast on 19 sts.
Row 1: K1, p17, k1.
Row 2: (RS) Knit.
Row 3-23: Rep Rows 1 and 2 ending with a Row 1.
Row 24: (RS) *K1, p1; rep from * across; end k1.
Row 25: *P1, k1; rep from * across; end p1.
Row 26: Rep Row 24.
Row 27: Rep Row 25.
Bind off in pat.

Steam block all pieces and let dry. Sew pockets in place at end of Scarf. Finish off with fringe or pom-poms or leave as is.
In any event, wear and enjoy!

In the meantime, I'll be cozy and warm, waiting for Spring.

Once in a Blue Moon . . . .

I am sitting here at my computer, while the wind blows. And huffs and puffs. And howls. And starts behind my house, behind the hill, off to the left, and slowly and stealthily, and horrendously, rip-roars down through the trees, slamming into the house, running over the roof, then continuing on to all the trees beyond. All day it's done this. Frigid. Frightful. Late December.

Come Thursday there will be a blue moon. In case you've forgotten, that's when we get two full moons in one month. And Thursday, December 31 is still December, and just makes it. I'm hoping the moon looks blue like this one does. Maybe by then, the wind will cease.

Blue is my favorite color. It's always been my favorite color; whichever shade or hue of blue you choose. It's just me. Just like my Victorian scarf or neck-warmer here. It's one of my very favorite things to knit. Put it in a dazzling box with some silver tissue paper and a beautiful ribbon and you have the best gift!

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.

Let me know what you think!

In the meantime, I will be looking at the blue moon and thinking of all I have to be thankful for in the New Year.