A Lot of Knitting

February was a good month for knitting, because it was a slow month for working. I made lots of progress on my sock blank, and also completed two small projects - a pair of mittens, using my top-down pattern, and another Lily bath mitt.

 

I finally finished the SWS striped scarf. I alternated two colorways, Navy & Russet, inspired by Jared Flood's Noro Striped Scarf. Though it should've been a bore with endless 1x1 ribbing, the color changes continuously kept me interested. My honey likes it, too, although he has yet to wear it, but I'm not hurt, because I know he doesn't wear scarves. I was more interesting in knitting it than gifting it. Next winter, I'll make one for myself in more feminine colors.



I started an Ernie sweater for my nephew - a striped raglan, knit it pieces, so I can sew it up to perfectly match the stripes. It's based upon the construction of the pattern in Son of Stitch 'n Bitch, only much smaller. It's bigger than he is, though, and hopefully I can give it as a birthday gift, that he can wear when the weather turns cold in the fall.

For March, I will focus on finishing all UFO's before I start anything new, other than another small simple on-the-go-stuff-in-my-purse project. It keeps me sane whenever I'm out and about running errands and have to wait for something or someone.

One Skein Quick Crochet Scarves

Since the beginning of October, I've taught a few knitting and crochet classes. To the dozen or so new yarnies out there: Hello! I hope you're all enjoying winter's lure to stitch up warm things.

Also in October, I hooked up a couple of beginner scarves - the staple first project for my crochet classes. They also make nice quick gifts, under an hour if you're fast, and if you're a coupon-slinging shopper, it costs less than $5.

ONE SKEIN QUICK CROCHET SCARVES

Long & Skinny: 4" x 76" (10 x 190 cm)
Thick & Warm: 5" x 60" (13 x 152 cm)

You'll need:
1 Ball of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick-n-Quick for each scarf
Size P/16 (11.5mm) crochet hook, or size needed for gauge

Gauge: 5 DC x 4 Rows 4 x 4" (10 x 10 cm).

CH 98(78) very loosely, leaving tail as long as desired fringe.
Working into the back loop of each CH,
DC in 4th CH from the hook and in each CH across.
Including turning (skipped) CH's, you will have 96(76) DC's.

Turn. CH 3 (counts as 1st DC). Skipping first DC, DC in next and in each DC across, 96(76) DC's. Repeat this row 2(3) times more, for a total of 4(5) rows, then fasten off, leaving tail as long as fringe.

To make fringe, cut yarn into 20(24) equal strands, twice the length of desired fringe. Use 2 strands for each fringe point - at the beginning and end of the first and last rows, and in between each middle row.

DD's Scarves

I finished these quite some time ago....

 

This one was knit with Rowan's discontinued alternative line, R2 in Rag. There may be some left at The Handworks Gallery. It's a ribbon yarn, and this colorway is like a shredded oil stained work shirt - so punk rock!

I used 3 balls here for a 3" x 72" scarf, #17 needles, and dropped garter stitch - a great pattern for ribbon yarns:

• CO any # of sts (7 here)
  
• K 2 rows


• Next row, *YO, K1, rep from * till end of row


• Next row, *K, drop the YO, rep from * till end of row


• Rep these 4 rows, until desired lenth


• End with K2 rows and then BO

To keep the feel of the deconstructed look, I didn't bother to weave ends - just knotted & trimmed them, then added fringe.

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This scarf was knit with my birthday yarn that DD gave me. Only 1 ball was needed for a 5" x 90" scarf, with Red Heart Symphony on #8 needes. This bias garter stitch is pretty much the same as those simple diagonal dishcloths, but with a longer body in the middle. It helps to tie a marker or place a safely pin on the inc/dec side, so you know where you're at in the pattern.

• Place slipknot on needle


• Kf&b, (1 inc's made)


• K 2


• Kf&b, Kf&b (2 inc's made)


• K 4


• K1, Kf&b, Kf&b, K1 (2 inc's made)


• K 6


• K1, Kf&b, K across to last 2 sts, Kf&b, K1 (2 inc's made)


• K all


• Rep the last 2 rows until desired width (32 sts here)

• K1, Kf&b, K across to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1


• K all


• Rep the last 2 rows until scarf is desired lenth

• K1, K2tog, K across to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1


• K all


• Rep the last 2 rows until 6 sts left


• K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1


• K 4


• K2tog, K2tog


• K 2


• K2tog


• K 1


• Cut yarn and pull through last st to fasten off


• Weave ends & add fringe if desired

Seedy Boucle Scarf

I'm just now getting around to posting this FO of long ago -- just in time for spring, lol. It was originally intended for one of DD's teachers, but I soon discovered this was too ambitious of a project to finish a week before Christmas.

This is a very long scarf, a little over 90" (225cm) knit lengthwise. If you want to knit it too, here ya go....

I used (A) Bernat Soft Boucle and (B) Lion Brand Homespum, 1 skein each. I don't have color labels, so you'll just have to guess. They were relatively the same color, but you can use different ones for a stripey effect. I used 6.5mm circs, 100 cm long. Gauge = 11sts/10cm in seed stitch (on an odd num of sts, *k1, p1, rep from * till end of row). You can easily shorten or lengthen this scarf by CO'ing fewer or more sts.

With A, CO 249 sts.

Rows 1 & 2: With A
Rows 3 & 4: With B

Rep till desired width (20cm here), ending w/ Row 2. Bo loosely with A.

Voila! Mega-sized scarf!

Yarn Plans

Yes that's me, proudly wearing my first encounter with yarn - a loomed Fun Fur scarf. Nowadays, I'm more interested in needles and hooks. Buried in piles of yarn, my space needs a knit and crochet efficiency facelift. I separated my yarn into color groups, and arranged them some skeins into a dresser drawer. I still need lots more space, so the rest is in suitcases and beach bags. I'm considering selling whatever I can, to make room and money for my dream yarn lounge - a leather sectional, a fresh cedar chest, huge coffee & end tables with a bookshelves, and creative lighting. I'm brainstorming on how to make a living out of my new obsession too. You know they say, "Do what you love, and you'll be successful." Just who are they anyway? Maybe someday I'll create a book or a DVD. I fantasize about opening a yarn cafe, where I can sell yarn, books, coffee, tea, sandwiches, pastries, and knitting lessons. If I could find a crafty old lady to invest, I could run the place, double her money, buy her out, and live happily ever after. I also made my first yarn-buddy. We haven't met in person yet, only online. Gina's got a great blog at KnittingSolo. I can't wait to hang out and just knit on and on.... I've also listed my needles on Ebay. So far I've been lucky selling my stuff - I've made over $100, in a week! A few of these auctions will end soon, so I've got to run....

Coney Island Scarf from Stitch 'n Bitch

I just love Deb Stoller's book. I realize that knitting has been around for centuries, but along with other skills, handcrafted work has been fading since the industrial revolution. Now I feel like I'm in the middle a DIY surge in America. I went to the Internet to find any inkling of knitting resources, and was I shocked! Other knitters are out there - in the MILLIONS!

I searched and found a local Stitch 'n Bitch club, and went to my first meeting this past Sunday. I met about 20 very nice ladies, who all were knitting something amazing. It was the most relaxing fun I've ever had! I cast on this scarf there, now it's finished! I can't wait to start something new, but what? I guess it doesn't matter what I make. I just love to knit!

My First Scarf!

I've made enough swatches to convince myself that I know how to knit. As you can see, my first project is developing quite nicely. I picked the Moss Stitch (looks easy enough) at 15 across. I'm going to knit myself a super-long scarf.

Two balls match, but one is a little different, so I will knit the oddball in the middle, and stripe it for a few rows before changing. I guess those two numbers on the label "LOT #3407" and "LOT 1012" mean they are dyed in different batches?