Christmas Oven Mitts

I crocheted these in double-stranded kitchen cotton for my future Mother-in-Law.

Knitting and Crochet

Here's a few things I've finished here and there: An Easter-like basket, a bath mitt & cloth set for my dishcloth exchange partner, another of my ubiquitous bath mitts again, and the baby blanket us Knit Niters finally finished for Laura's baby boy. All projects are in some form on Lily Sugar'n Cream - perfect for lazy summer knitting.

     


My favorite WIP of all, is this Master Upstream Socks from Cat Bordhi's book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I'm loosely following the Dove pattern, just for the decorative increases. Since my socks are at a tighter gauge (36 sts = 10cm on 2.0mm) the diamond pattern stops just a few inches after the heel, so I'm mirroring the pattern all the way up the leg.

The socks began on the magic loop, both at once, but after the heel, I put them onto DPN's. For one, I got tired of untangling the yarn, and two, I knit faster on DPN's. Still, the magic loop is great for insuring that both socks will be identical without too much counting and measuring.

Unlike the feet, I can easily work the legs identically without measuring, because one, the stitch pattern itself creates a built-in self-measuring feature, and two, I'm using the identical balls of yarn from the same sock blank, and will knit until I run out.

Once I got a few inches into the leg, I switched to 2.25mm DPN's so the socks won't cut off my circulation. So far, then fit perfectly. I look forward to happy, warm, and cheerfully bright feet this winter.

Modular Knits Garter Squres Dishcloth

I worked this multidirectional dishcloth a little differently than the instructions in the book, but I think it looks ok, is a little easier and faster to me, and considering it's a dishcloth, perfection is not the forte. Anyway this is with something like "Faded Demim" in Sugar 'n Cream yarn, and obviously, one of my favorite dishcloth patterns. It was sent to a lucky exchange receipient, in addition to some of my handpainted cotton and some stationary goodies from Michaels.

In return, she sent me a lovely white butterfly lace dishcloth, a ball-band stitch soap-sack, some handmade lavender soap, sandalwood & rose bath bombs, and some lavender-scented clothespins for drawer & closet freshening. If y'all are interested in joining the exchange, it is totally fun, and the group is "dishclothexchange" on http://groups.yahoo.com.

Another Crochet Oven Mitt

This time, I worked the one one the right in the round from the top, much like the format for my mittens-from-the-top pattern.

Since I didn't add extra stitches to account for the seams, the seamless version ended up larger, but still very wearable, even for a man's hands. Pattern will soon follow....

Revised Oven Mitt

This time, instead of working them flat from the bottom, I'm crocheting them in the round starting from the top. Using the principles from my mittens-from-the-top, I hope I can get past the thumb join sucessfully. If so, I will write a pattern for all to enjoy, and hopefully can be easily converted into mittens with some appropriate yarn.

Crocheted Oven Mitt

I followed the schematics for the bath mitt, and tried to make a crocheted one, but in single crochet stitches, the fabric was so stiff and dense that I deemed it an oven mitt before it was all said and done. In retrospect, I should've either used double crochet stitches or a bigger hook. Also I wish I'd crocheted this in the round, but still, I enjoyed the practice of seaming crochet. At first, I tried the whipstitch, but didn't really like that look, so then I used the equivalent of the mattress stitch in knitting (is it called the same thing in crochet?) and was very pleased with the seamless look. It took exactly one ball of Peaches-n-Creme, and with the other ball left over, I may just make a twin.

Knot More Dishcloths!

I've been busy making other knots as well. I finally finished those friendship bracelets, and when my swapmates receive them, I'll post the photos.

I love this knot stitch. Any worsted 100% cotton'll do. White for A, my own handpainted for B, 4.5mm needles & crochet hook.

CO an odd # of sts with color A (I think mine is 45)
K 1 row
Row 1: (RS) with B, K all
Row 2: K1, *P2tog and K2tog in the next 2 sts, rep from *
Row 3: with A, K all
Row 4: *P2tog and K2tog in the next 2 sts, rep from * to last st, K1

Rep these 4 rows, carrying new color loosely up the side. End with row 3, BO in A, then add a crochet border with A to beautify it even more. Yes, that's all there is to it. Now go make yourself something snazzy.

Note: P2tog and K2tog in the next 2 sts is a lot like an increase Kf&b, or knitting into the front and back of a stitch. Except in this case, you P2tog, then without dropping the sts on the left needle, you K2tog those same 2 stitches again. The stitch count never changes.