Stitch Whisper

Flat tube purse idea

2012-01-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Being a girl, I am always searching for the perfect purse concept. For a while, I really liked an origami-style structure, starting with a flat piece that I folded and stitched into a tube, then added gussets and straps. The bottom of the purse was not as sturdy as I would like, though. Then I noticed that a number of interesting designs are basically some manipulation of a flat tube, or envelope.

I started with a sample with a kit for a felted purse. The yarn is worsted weight, and I used a 5mm hook.

Once I had a flat tube (stitched in a coil, in what I call bag stitch because it is sturdy and not stretchy, which also works for plackets on sweaters), I formed a base by seaming the bottom corners. This base is asymmetrical.

This left an open tube that was a bit goofy, so I basted that shut on the outside and inside before running it through the washer and dryer for felting.

I wanted to see how much the wool would shrink/felt, and the answer turned out to be, “A lot.” Now I know. But it is really sturdy and essentially waterproof.

Made a couple of flowers from the leftover yarn and added the zipper that came with the original kit, and the result is both useful in my everyday purse and also a meditation of what I want to try next.

For my next variation, I am using a DK weight yarn and a 4mm hook for an everyday purse.

A Great Online Resource

2011-12-24T21:52:00.000-08:00

I rarely keep yarn labels after I finish using the yarn they describe. Sometimes that leads to problems. Recently, I needed to wash a sweater, but I just could not remember whether the yarn was machine washable. Since I did remember the name and brand of the yarn, I Googled it. That's when I found Yarndex.

Yarndex is an online database of yarns, including discontinued lines, that allows you to search by name, brand, fiber content, color, or texture. When you find the yarn you are looking for, it gives you the label information, and, if available, a photograph of the yarn. Truly a wonderful resource, and well worth keeping bookmarked!

Making Variegated Yarn Work For Me

2011-12-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Many needleworkers have a love-hate relationship with multi-colored yarns. We love the interplay of colors. And it's nice having yarn that does the work of creating visual interest for you, rather than having to focus on a pattern stitch. At the same time, though we hate that the colors have a tendency to pool...

This is a hand-dyed ribbon from Mountain Colors.

Notice the splotch of navy blue around the center left.

...and stripe and that the pattern of the variegation changes as we change stitches or do shaping. Here's another hand-dyed yarn--worsted weight.
Notice how the even striping on the upper part (worked in the round)
is interrupted when I started doing shaping in rows.

Here are some ideas for making the most of variegation while avoiding its drawbacks:

Try stranding with another yarn (solid or tweed). Stranding a variegated yarn with a solid or tweed, especially if the solid is a little fuzzier than the variegated, is a good way to minimize striping and pooling. It draws attention away from the "stripy-ness" of colors and adds something consistent throughout the fabric to unify all the colors. It can also be used to emphasize your favorite color in the variegated yarn. If you use a strong solid color that is at least as thick as the variegated, it can make the whole thing look like a variegated tweed. Muted colors or bi-colored tweeds combined with bold variegateds make the variegation more subtle and muted.
This is the same variegated as the second one pictured above. This time, it's stranded with another worsted in solid red. You are looking at the top of a ribbed, baby-sized, watch-cap. The red worsted matches the red in the variegated perfectly, allowing the variegated to spiral, despite the decreases at the top.
On the left, you see a variegated from Missoni, knitted on its own, in seed stitch. Notice how high-contrast it is. The hat on the right, is the same yarn stranded with a Cascade 220 green and black tweed. The tweed really tones down the contrast.
Make the fabric compete with the colors. If the yarn is going to stripe horizontally, using a simple ribbing will create a strong vertical line to draw your eye in the opposite direction from the variegation. In knitting, the purl side of the fabric draws attention away from color and towards texture, so using a stitch with lots of purling can also break up the effect of variegation.

This sweater was knitted in Noro's Kochoran (a bulky) and Joe Galler's Peruvian Tweed (a DK).
Note how the vertical movement of the body's pattern stitch and the ribbing distracts the eye from the stripes of the Kochoran.
Nothing interrupts the stripes on the sleeves, which are in stockinette.

Try striping with a solid. Alternating between solid and variegated yarns is a great way to include the interest of variegation without allowing it to take over. Using thin stripes of a multi-colored yarn doesn't give that yarn enough space to establish a real pattern. Alternating thin stripes of variegated and solid can also mimic Fairisle work with a minimum of effort--especially in crochet.

Two sock yarns in alternating stripes.

Two Mountain Colors variegateds (including the one in the first photograph in this post) striped with four solids in crochet. Here, each yarn only gets one row per stripe.

In this crocheted sweater, the background color is done in double crochet, with stripes done in single crochet net (sc1 in the ch1 below, ch1, sk1).
The variegated yarns are the bright blue and the green (which is tone-on-tone).
The use of variegated yarn in this sweater works with the pattern stitches involved to mimic the effect of Fairisle knitting.

Variegated yarns can do a lot to add depth and interest to your work, whether in knitting or crochet, but you have to play with them to find techniques or combinations that are flattering both for the yarn and for your project.

Following up on PC's post...

2011-11-29T20:55:00.000-08:00

Practical Crocheter had some great ideas for handmade gifts this holiday season. The great thing is making your own can save money too! Here are a few more ideas:

A set of coasters (preferably cotton or wool). These are great for hostess gifts too, and they don't require you to know much about the recipient's tastes.
Going with the cup theme, you can make a sleeve for a travel mug. For extra insulation, make it a bit big, and then felt it. These are great for people who love having something warm in the morning, but don't want to burn their hands or put a bunch of paper in the trash!
To make something really special, but inexpensive, get a ball of thread and start making snowflakes! Little snowflakes can be attached to earring findings or made into necklace pendants. Several little snowflakes strung together can make a choker necklace or garland. Of course, larger snowflake are lovely on a tree or in a window. Just don't forget to starch them to make them look nice!

If you have young people in your life, they might not be so excited about receiving handmade gifts, but if you show them some neat things to make, they may be interested in the gift of your time! For children, consider making "gift certificates" for free needlework lessons. When combined with a treat at the local coffee shop, such a gift can make a tween feel very grown up.

If you want to make something for a young person, you may also consider having something other than what you make be the focal point. For example, the amulet bag to hold an iPod (as Practical Crocheter suggested) might be better received if it also contained a small gift card for downloads. It may seem silly, but giving handmade gifts alongside more mainstream gifts is a good introduction for people who don't know to care about things handmade.

Happy Stitching!

'Tis the season!

2011-11-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

Have you looked at the catalogs lately? With all the manufacturing gone overseas, we are living in a great time for handmade gifts! Flipping through some magazines and catalogs, I find myself muttering, “I could make that -- I could SO make that” a lot. If you have already hatted and scarfed everyone you know, have you tried slippers, wrist warmers, and washcloths? Flat little envelope purses, just big enough to carry your music and earbuds, with a strap to make it an amulet purse around your neck, are silly-easy to make and can help use up little bits of fabulous yarns in your stash.

The best way to have a fabulous stash is to buy only yarns in colors that speak well to you. If you buy only yarns you really like, your leftovers will be gorgeous.

Make sure the product is gift-worthy by paying attention to finishing details, like tucking in the loose ends.

Thoughts on Charity Projects

2011-10-31T01:19:00.001-07:00

Practical Crocheter talked a little about needlework and charity in her last post. There are some wonderful opportunities out there for knitters and crocheters to use their skills to benefit others, ranging from nonprofits that take donations of finished projects, to opportunities to teach, and beyond. So I thought I'd mention a few unorthodox ideas.

First, practical crocheter mentioned she had some "ugly afghans" that are too big to give to veterinary hospitals. Many animal clinics and especially shelters take donations of old blankets and towels, because the kennels the animals sleep in are too cold and hard without any kind of bedding. Since the bedding is likely to get messy and torn, and the animals don't really care what it looks like, you can donate things that you would never donate for human use. And when these blankets and towels become too worn to use as bedding, many shelters cut them into strips and transform them into tug-o-war toys for dogs.

For example, I have two baby blankets (both handmade...sigh) that had a tragic encounter with the dryer. They got caught in my dryer door, and the part that was caught shredded. It really isn't worth my time to repair them, so I've cut out the loose threads and opened the holes (don't want anything getting caught!). At some point, I will donate them to my local Humane Society shelter.

Practical Crocheter said her blankets are too big. However, a large blanket can always be cut down to a better size. It could also be used at its original size as a horse blanket. However, I would only cut down a blanket that has big holes in it. A blanket made from wool can be felted and cut down to make especially warm animal bedding.

For those who are a little more creative, old wool blankets, socks, and sweaters can be felted and transformed into stuffed animals. The resulting critters can make charming gifts for your own children, but they may do more good if donated to a women's shelter, police department, or children's hospital, where they can comfort children who are trying to cope with difficult situations.

When it comes to giving of one's time, Practical Crocheter mentioned groups that teach needlework to prisoners, the young, and the disabled. Here are a few more ideas. Starting a knitting/crocheting circle at a home for the elderly is another option. Not only does needlework help people in nursing homes keep their minds sharp and active, it gives them an opportunity for social engagement with each other. And those who already know how to knit can teach others who are interested. Learning can happen at any age.

Teaching the young reminded me of knitting circles that were created during World War II. They were often created as an extension of home ec classes as an opportunity for girls to hone their knitting skills as they contributed to the war effort by making socks and such for the troops. Creating a charity-focused knitting class for high school students could be a good way to spread a skill, help others, and provide an opportunity for students to meet their community service requirements at school. For children, it could help them earn badges in 4-H or Scout troops. Of course, anyone who offers classes like this would benefit from donations of materials.

In all of this, I thought I would mention again, that I have set aside a day every week (Saturday, for me) when I only work on charity projects. I put away anything I am making for my own family or friends and take out something that I am making to donate. It's been a really nice way to avoid boredom in my projects and make sure that I actually get a little charity work done. At this point, I have completed several baby blankets this way and am now working on an afghan to donate to Warm Up America. Once that's done, I think I'll work on some hats.

One of the really satisfying things about needlework is that it is fundamentally constructive--both physically and socially. It creates relationships when people come together in circles. It reinforces relationships when we produce items for others--especially items that are truly needed. Best of all, it puts us in a mindset of seeking needs to fill, and filling needs is a really important part of reinforcing community.

Do you do any charity knitting? What's your favorite organization? What are you working on now?

Comfort afghans

2011-10-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Thinking about yarns, I am looking at the blankets around me. Between the weather and hormones, I have 4 blankets/afghans on my bed: One is a color block afghan I made back in the early 1970’s out of acrylic yarn from Woolworths. (Gosh, that was 40 years ago!)

Warning: the others are distinctly scrap afghans, which are not for just anyone, and that is okay, too. Another layer is made from a fluffy bulky weight yarn called Charleston that was discontinued some time ago, worked in a log-cabin style, with one ball of yarn for each block, starting in the center. A friend had bought bunches of it and then moved on to preferring something else, so she passed that bit of stash on to me. After making sweaters and blankets out of most of it, this came from using up the last of it.

It can be very satisfying to make what I call ugly afghans: pulling together different yarns or combining collections of motifs that different people started. It is always surprising to see how the motley-est collection of yarns takes on a solid personality in the finished piece. Most of these afghans go to charity, if they look decent, but sometimes, well,

the third afghan on my bed is an ugly afghan made in a log cabin style with lots of different leftover acrylic yarns: starting with a block made from one ball of yarn, I added rows on one side with each new ball of yarn, rotating the piece so each new block is on a different side. I did not get the gauge quite right, so the whole thing does not lie square. It is too ugly to give away, and too big to give to a veterinary clinic for the animals to use, so it is on my bed, where it works just fine.

And finally, another ugly afghan made from blocks that are fast to make and joined in the last round. I was very naughty with this afghan, using up single skeins of different fiber content from my stash: the yarn ranges from acrylic to hand-wash wool, so it will be a challenge when the day comes to launder it. All these styles and yarns made me think about the price of yarn and what the money to buy yarn really represents.

With the economy these days, the price of yarn is tricky to understand. Some yarn is expensive because you are paying for all the marketing and advertising around it. Some yarn is expensive because it is made out of really rare stuff that is carefully manufactured. Some yarn is cheap because it is made to be sold cheaply. Some yarn is cheap because it is an out-dated color or texture. Some cheap yarns last and last, while some expensive yarns are delicate and wear out quickly -- but the opposite is also true, so the sturdiness of the yarn is not directly connected with the price.

And then, of course, different people simply prefer different yarns. I have heard some women explain that they never use animal fibers because it makes them break out in a rash, but I have also met a woman who cannot work with acrylic because it made her fingers bleed. But back to pricing: after all that, some yarn companies and yarn shops are raising or lowering the prices on yarns depending on how well or poorly they sell. Yarns that don’t sell well to the independent yarn shops sometimes end up in dollar stores. In general, I have been the most creative with yarns I get cheaply -- it gives me a sense of freedom. I do very simple things with the really expensive yarns, not wanting to mess up with a limited material.

And aside from what is available at yarn shops - both brick-and-mortar and virtual - the thrift stores can have a surprising variety of yarn. Sometimes they have some real treasures. I have favorite sweaters are made from yarn I got at the thrift store. Other times, if I can afford it, I snatch up a basketful to donate: there are people who teach knitting and crocheting to young people, to people with handicaps, and to people in jail. All those efforts need yarn and tools to keep going, and the generous ladies who maintain that inventory and do the teaching don‘t have time to keep an eye on all the local thrift stores. Of course, there are lots of charities out there, too, for finished pieces. There seems to be a place and a time for just about everything, and it feels really good to be able to pay attention to that.

Inspirations

2011-09-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

September is a great month to think about inspirations -- it is, after all, when fashion magazines publish their biggest issues, with the fall lineup, and when mail-order companies start rolling out their catalogs for the holiday season. But there are inspirations for knitting and crocheting all around. A tree has trunks and branches that suddenly looked like a crochet motif, with treble stitches on the bottom half and shell stitches filling in the top. Tire tracks in the dirt where I walk reminded me of rows of different pattern stitches, running lengthwise on an afghan. And then footprints on top of the tire tracks reminded me of Irish lace, where individual motifs are joined together on a netted background.
Even in a parking lot, there are lines and shapes that might be panels or color blocks or motifs or pattern stitches. Need to make thread samples to go with these thoughts.

The joys of Thread, especially #10 cotton

2011-08-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Think of thread and you usually think of lace and doilies and fancy delicate stuff. Traditionally, #10 cotton was used for heavy-duty stuff like bedspreads and potholders. Patterns for tablecloths often called for #20 thread, and you wouldn't waste your energy making fine lace and doilies out of anything chunkier than #30 thread.

A lot of patterns are very fancy, but I like fairly simple concepts -- they can feel like walking a labyrinth. Simple patterns (I do a lot with the basic granny square stitch) can have interesting optical effects.

At one point, I wondered if the number of loose ends on a small-scale motif project would drive me nuts:

Using the same thread, I could see the difference in gauge for different hooks on the same pattern:

I use it to try out new ideas, make prototypes, with a yarn that is small enough to be a purse project, and remarkably inexpensive. And since it is such an underrated material, you can get it even cheaper at the thrift store.

On top of that, because it is cotton thread, it isn’t fuzzy like a yarn, and it doesn’t split easily (unless you are using a hook that is too small). Having one sample of a motif can take the place of remembering where the written pattern is.

It works with knitting, too. This is #10 thread in knitted seed stitch on #6 / 4mm needles. I really like how it turned out and am considering it for a window covering, like a sheer. It looked a bit more clunky in the double crochet portion (to the right), stitched with a 4mm hook.

CGOA/TKGA conference in September

2011-07-03T00:12:00.000-07:00

The CGOA conference brochure (for Sept 21-25 in North Carolina) arrived the other day. Looking through the class descriptions, I was delighted to see the same old broad range of interests keeping active in the group: business-oriented sessions for people who want to design or to run shops; artistic/creative sessions about stitches, colors, and shapes; and classes for the concept-oriented crochet geek. It was heartwarming to see classes on crocheted socks and foundation stitches - two ideas I was promoting years ago - still making it into classes. Maybe we could yarn bomb the venue!

Toddler Tip

2011-05-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

Now that one of my little boys is a toddler, he wants to dress himself. But it takes a lot of practice, and the clothes don't always cooperate!

Naturally, I like to make him a lot of his clothes, especially his outerwear and socks. Turns out those hand-knitted socks are perfect for someone whose learning how to put on socks. Store-bought socks have elastic in the cuffs to keep them tight. While that's great for keeping socks from stretching out or slouching, the tight cuffs make it difficult for a toddler to get his foot into them! Handmade socks, on the other hand are much easier to put on.

That, and he likes having socks in his favorite colors.

Now, most of the time, when we need to go out, I can have my boy take care of putting on his socks and shoes while I get his brother ready to go. That saves me time and lets him feel like a big boy. That's good for Mom, and good for my boys! They might get outgrown quickly, but handmade socks for toddlers are well worth the effort to me!

Scarves for Kids

2011-03-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

We live above the snowline now, and my toddler needs a scarf to keep his neck warm while he plays in the snow. Problem? I have enough trouble keeping my scarf on, how is a toddler supposed to manage it? I could just see him taking off the scarf and leaving it someplace weird just because wearing it was inconvenient. Still, I had to try.

I decided to look for patterns on Ravelry for animal themed scarves. I'm not sure why, but two patterns came up (among others) in the search that were women's Aran neck cuffs. A warm, fuzzy, woolen light bulb went off above my head: Neck Gaiters.

In short order, I have made two scarves for my son--the first being a prototype. Both are about half the length of a normal scarf for a child that size (scarves are generally about the same length as the height of the person wearing them). They have buttons at one end and buttonholes at the other. They are short enough not to be in the way, but keep his neck nice and warm. The button closure helps keep the scarf on more securely and makes its removal a little more labor-intensive. I'm hopeful this idea will make bundling up my little guy a little easier for the rest of the winter.

Thus far, the second one has worked well. Mostly, this is because it has one button, while the first one has two. My son just can't stand still long enough for me to fasten both buttons. Here's my pattern:

Materials:
less than 100 yards bulky weight yarn (I used one strand worsted and one strand light-weight mohair)
US size 10.5 needles
Cable needle
one 3/4-inch button, and needle and thread with which to sew it on

CO 15, and k 6 rows even.

Pattern Row 1 and all odd numbered rows (WS): K3, p9, k3
Row 2 (RS): K3, sl 3 onto a cable needle and hold in front, k3, k3 from cable needle, k to end.
Rows 4 and 6: K
Row 8: K6, sl 3 onto a cable needle and hold in back, k3, k3 from cable needle, k to end.
Rows 10 and 12: K
Rep these twelve rows until piece is long enough to fit comfortably around an adult neck (plenty of room to grow!). The cable will look like a braid.
K 6 rows even, and bind off.

Attach a button to one end in the middle, just above the garter stitch border. Use a cable crossing on the other end as a button hole.

Yarn department at the hardware store

2011-01-23T14:46:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when the lys seems just a bit too warm and fuzzy, I am drawn to the local hardware store, and their yarn department. There is twine, string, and rope. In the sporting goods section, there is also fishing line, but that is for another day. Twine is great for hats (hatband is a necktie from the thrift store; lining is a cotton handkerchief tacked in place) and faux loofahs (lower right). I have also tried it to make a floor mat, but it was a lot of work and still has kinks in the design. Thin rope was great for a basket to hold fresh fruits and veggies in the fridge -- easier to get to than the drawers, so more likely I will eat them before they go bad. The more yellow part on the bottom of the basket shows that dye lot really does matter: the first batch of rope was an old bit I bought at a thrift store eons ago. And nylon string (the pink thing on the lower left) makes a really sturdy, stretchy net bag for shopping. Just a few ideas from the hardware store.

Base Recipes

2010-08-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

My favorite kind of cookbook provides base recipes with recommendations for variations (a basic white sauce recipe, with tips for turning it into alfredo or bechamel, for example). The best patterns are similar. They teach you how to think about what you are making, rather than just about how to make it.

My current project involves making lace edgings from Rita Weiss's Traditional Edgings to Crochet, which is a compilation of patterns from several vintage pattern booklets. One of the patterns I've tried (shown below in size 10 thread with a US size 7 steel hook)taught me a basic lesson for mocking up a decent looking lace edging.

You make one or two repeats of some form of shell stitch. Turn.
Work net stitch about halfway across the previous row (*ch 5, sk 2, sc1 in next st, rep from *). Turn.
Work shell-type stitch(es) into first chain loop (or two if you have two shells).
Repeat steps 2 and 3 as desired.

The result is scalloped on both sides, although slightly more lacy on the side where you start the net stitch row, and the process is altogether simple and satisfying. What follows are instructions for three examples that I improvised (shown in size 8 thread worked on a US size 6 steel hook). They are simpler than the original pattern, but it would not be hard to come up with something more elaborate.

Edging #1

Ch 4
Row 1: In 4th ch from hook (dc1, ch1) twice, ending dc1, turn.
Row 2: *Ch5, sc1 in next ch1-sp, rep from * once, turn.
Row 3: Ch3, dc1 in last sc of prev row, in same sp (ch1, dc1) twice, turn.
Rep rows 2 and 3 for desired length.

Edging #2

Ch5, sl st in 5th ch from hook to form ring, turn.
Row 1: Working in ch5-sp, [*Ch1, sc1, (ch1, dc1) twice, rep from * once, ch1, sc1] turn.
Row 2: (Ch5, sc1 in next ch1 sp) 4 times, turn.
Rep these two rows as desired.

Edging #3

This edging is actually symmetrical, with the net stitch parts occuring on alternating sides.

Ch5, sl st in 5th ch from hook to form ring. Turn.

Row 1: Ch3 (counts as tr1), [tr1, (ch1, tr1) 4 times, tr1] in ch5-sp, turn.

Row 2: Ch3 (counts as dc1, ch1), sk1, (dc1, ch2) in next ch1-sp, *(yo, draw up loop, yo pull through 2) in same sp, yo draw up loop in next ch1-sp, (yo, pull through 2) 3 times, ch 2, rep from * twice more, dc in sam sp, ch1, sk1, dc1 in last st of prev row, turn.

Row 3: (Ch5, sc in next ch-sp) 4 times, turn.

Rep these three rows as desired.

The Missing Piece

2010-07-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes yarn labels can be less than helpful. Most yarn is not packaged in the United States, and most yarn companies are located in non-English speaking countries. Since their primary markets don't speak English as a primary language, many companies omit English language information from their labels. And some product lines hire marketing people who decide that a minimalist label design is the most attractive, meaning that important and useful information is omitted from the yarn label altogether! It can make yarn shopping a little bit like solving a mystery.

For those of us who sometimes buy secondhand yarn or who have extensive stashes, it's not uncommon to come across a naked skein or partial skein. No label and we don't remember or have any pertinent information about the yarn.

What to do?

For those international labels, here's a little chart of fiber translations:

Some labels include different Eastern European languages, but most of those also have either German or Greek.

If your yarn does not have any fiber content information, you can also do a burn test. Trim off a little piece of the yarn (a few inches long is good), and, holding it with tweezers, set it on fire. If the resulting smoke smells like burning hair, it's an animal fiber. If it melts, it's synthetic (nylon, polyester, microfiber, acrylic, etc.). If it burns quickly, it's cotton or some other plant fiber. Obviously, blends will do a combination of the above. While this test won't give you precise information, it is helpful for guessing how the fiber will wear and wash. And you may be able to narrow down the possibilities further. A very soft yarn that gives smoke that smells like burning hair is more likely to be alpaca or angora than wool, and if it sheds a lot or is kind of fuzzy, it probably has some angora in it, for example.

Making Darts

2010-06-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy crocheting garments in one piece from side to side (where each row has one end at the hem of the garment and the other end at the shoulder or neck). I find it convenient, in that it's really easy to avoid seams. Many crochet stitches have a very nice drape when turned sideways (shell stitch and "single crochet lite"--described below--are two of my favorites). Since many crochet stitches have a strong horizontal line, side to side garment construction can produce flattering results by creating vertical lines. It also allows for vertical stripes.

However, shaping can be problematic. Regardless of how a garment is constructed, doing shaping in crochet looks different from shaping in knitting. It doesn't have the same directionality and can look odd if done incorrectly or with certain pattern stitches. With side to side construction, this is even more the case. In knitting, side to side garments can be fitted with short rows (in which the knitter works only part of a row before turning her work, thus adding more fabric to one area and less to another). In crochet, because the stitches are self contained and bigger, short rows are difficult to accomplish in such a way that they do not create a hole in the fabric.

At the same time, making part of a row shorter than the rest of the row is also difficult. But one of the main flaws of side to side construction in crochet is that the row ends tend to get wider over time. If you don't do something to bring them in, they will fan out with wear. And attaching crocheted ribbing around the bottom edge of the garment does not help, because it lacks elasticity.

My solution has been to add crocheted "darts." I identify a few places around the garment where it would be attractive, and create little areas in which I use a shorter pattern stitch than the rest of the garment to bring in the waist. In the photo below, the garment is made from shell stitch and the darts from single crochet lite (*sc1, ch1, sk1, rep from * Single crochets go in single crochets of previous row ,and chains go over chains of previous row). The darts are located directly below the shoulders on the back.

In garments where I didn't want the appearance of darts, I've used a shorter stitch for occasional row ends throughout the garment (every fifth row, for example).

It takes a little experimentation and a little extra work with gauge, but I'm very pleased with the results.

Sock Oops!

2010-05-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

When I posted an update to the sock pattern with a new heel, I included notes for using a ch-2 net stitch instead of the sc/dc (brick) stitch pattern of the original sock published on the South Bay Crochet website ages ago.

Unfortunately, the instructions for the afterthought heel in net stitch makes a huge heel that is not appropriate. It is just plain wrong. Each ch2 space should be worked as 1sc for a heel the right size.

I am reworking the toe, too, so will post a new, shorter pattern. With any luck, it will work just fine.

String Markers in Crochet

2010-05-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is really handy to use a piece of string as a marker in crochet. Working in a coil, especially, you may want to remember where the beginning/end of the round is, and make sure it stays roughly the same place each round.

If you lay the string between the last stitch of one round and the first stitch of the next, that marks the point. When you get to that point after the next round, bring one end of the string back after the last stitch and before working the first stitch of the next round.

As you continue, notice how straight the dotted line is that the marker makes. That lets you know that the rounds are beginning/ending in line. If you were off on the shaping instructions, the line of the marker would get jagged and not look right.

As the piece gets bigger, just pull the string along, letting go of the earlier markings (because we know they are correct already), and it continues to mark the more recent progress.

If the notion of marking BETWEEN stitches is not appealing, you can just as easily include the marker in a specific stitch by laying it on the stitch as you insert your hook to make that stitch.

Either way, when you are done, it is easy to take out the marker by just pulling one end.

Speaking of Romanian Cord

2010-05-05T21:27:00.001-07:00

Sometime, you may be in a position where you need a pair of cufflinks. Nothing fancy, perhaps, but some cufflinks. Starting with a bit of Romanian cord, made perhaps from embroidery floss, which comes in lots of colors, you can tie a couple of decorative knots in it, about an inch apart.

I tried it with two different colors of floss, to see which I would like better on the blouse.

Once you do that for as many cufflinks as you need, snip the excess, undo enough of the cord to have loose ends to fasten the ends in between the knobs, and tuck in. It is good to start with a long bit of cord so you have enough to manipulate to make the decorative knot. I ended up with a pair of blue ones with a simple knot at each end that was still small enough to fit through the buttonholes.

Then I tried them on, and they seemed to work just fine. It was a simple project that worked out just fine. I may try it again with other knots. It is important for the knots to be a little loose -- not to tighten them too much, or they lose their personality.

My First Saturday Project!

2010-04-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

I posted here about making a point of doing charity knitting/crochet on one day every week--Saturdays, for me. Well, I finally finished my first project made this way, a baby blanket. While I didn't work on it every Saturday, I didn't work on any other needlework on Saturdays.

The blanket was made out of two skeins of Red Heart Super Saver my father-in-law sent to me. While that wouldn't have been my first choice of yarn and weren't my taste in color, they are perfect for charity work: low-maintenance, durable yarn is perfect for items given to children or the homeless. However, in crochet, Red Heart worsted really feels too thick for garments, but works well for blankets.

With two skeins of Super Saver (total 728 yards), I theoretically had enough for a baby blanket using a relatively open stitch and a size H of I hook. I started making traditional granny squares. At the end of the first skein I could tell how many squares I would end up with, but that number wasn't promising: 11.5. I needed to reserve some yarn to edge the blanket, too, so rather than 11.5 squares per skein totalling 23 squares, let's assume 18-20. In order to assure a generous edging, I went with 18, which does not tile well. A 3X6 square blanket is awfully long and narrow for a satisfying blanket.

By setting the squares diagonally, I got the most bang for my buck, creating a blanket with 18 squares approximately the same size I would have gotten from 20 squares. However, the resulting zig-zag edge can't be edged in a normal way, so I used chevron stitch (alternating rounds of single and double crochet) and finished it off with a round of light crab stitch (reverse single crochet, but worked [1rsc, 1ch]).

Until I have enough items to donate to my chosen charity (they take donations via pick-up, not drop-off), though, I have to store what I make. In this case, I'm letting my 15-month-old son play with the blanket, and the unusual shape has been a huge hit. He especially likes the corner squares, which he uses as a hood.

Using a diagonal arrangement of squares has been a really good choice. It's an economical use of yarn, adds visual interest, and is fun for children.

Next up? Toddler sweater. Stayed tuned.

Frog Picture

2010-04-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

I posted a while back about using frogs as closures on garments (here). Now that my computer problems have been resolve I can share a picture:

This is a sweater a I made for my son. The frogs are crocheted Romanian cord made from some leftover size 10 bedspread cotton.

I'm out of thread, now what?

2010-04-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

(found through Flickr, not my work, but the same pattern I used)

Recently, I crocheted a doily as a thank you gift for some friends. The pattern was from a designer whom I really like but whose work I had not yet tried. Moreover, the thread was an unmarked skein I had lying around. I thought it would have enough yardage for a doily of the size I was making, but I found out three quarters of the way through the project that I was very wrong. What was I to do?

First, I had already put a lot of work into the piece, so I was frustrated at the thought my efforts might be wasted. I put it aside for a few days (or a week) to let myself think. I didn't want to act out of emotion. Then I went back to it with fresh eyes.

I had stopped work when it became apparent that I had insufficient thread, rather than waiting until I actually ran out. So, looking at the pattern photo, I tried to visualize which rows (other than the final one) would make good stopping points.

I then looked at the pattern itself. Because the doily was round, it didn't have specific increase points. One row would involve a ridiculous amount of increasing and then be followed by several rows with no increases (until the piece went from ruffled to flat). Most lace patterns that are worked in the round provide information at the end of each round for the purposes of stitch counting. But because stitch counting can be difficult in crocheted lace, numbers are often provided in terms of "ch-3 loops per round," "shells per round," or some such.

I looked at the rounds in my pattern that I had not yet worked, and searched for numbers that were similar to the numbers for the last round I had completed. My last completed round included a lot of chain loops, so I looked for something with a comparable number of shells. I found a round about three rounds down in the pattern that fit the bill. I skipped to it, worked it, and then went around the whole piece in crab stitch. It worked beautifully, and I actually wound up with a few yards to spare.

The doily was smaller than I had planned, but definitely big enough to serve a purpose (about 12 inches across), and the recipients loved it. Being able to work with the unexpected is an important skill in needlework, but often involves working with numbers. However, learning that skill is incredibly satisfying and can produce surprisingly good results.

Oops!

2010-04-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Let others learn from my error:

When traveling, be sure to bring appropriate hooks/needles for your yarn. It's frustrating when you have yarn you can't use [sigh].

More on Charity Knitting

2010-03-02T01:17:00.000-08:00

I love needlework. And when times are rough financially, knitting and crocheting for charity is a great way to contribute to the greater good without going into penury!

But it's hard to remember to do it. I always have some other project going. Well, I've decided to make time for it. I'm setting aside one day every week (Saturday) to work on a charity project rather than my normal project. Not only does this assure that I actually get it done, but it keeps me refreshed and energized about my rest-of-the-week projects and looking forward to working on my alternate project on Saturdays!

This really works for me, and I'd like to encourage others who love needlework to join me in this commitment. Leave a comment to tell me what kind of charity knitting you do!

I Love Frogs

2010-02-22T02:17:00.000-08:00

Ribbit.

No. Not those frogs (although I do think they're really cool).

These frogs.

Frogs are a great alternative to buttons for so many reasons.

Cheaper than buttons
Just as easy to care for as you want them to be
You don't have to worry about making a buttonhole that works with your fabric
Not as much of a choking hazard as buttons are on children's clothing
Easy for small or arthritic hands to manipulate
Really cool looking
Easy to make
They stay buttoned

I recommend making frogs out of crocheted Romanian cord (see this link for a tutorial). Make one piece of cord that's long enough for the knotted side and another that's long enough for the loop. Sew the two pieces into the shape desired, and then sew the newly made frog onto your garment. I recently did this with a sweater for my little boy. It was so easy. I made one piece that was long enough for me to tie a double knot in with about an inch left over on either side. Then I made a piece of cored that was as long as the loop needed to be plus an inch on either side. The excess inches I sewed together side by side and then sewed to the sweater. It's not fancy, and it didn't take me long, but it looks really cool, it works, it stays buttoned, and it's just as easy to wash as the rest of the garment. I used size 10 crochet cotton, and I think that gauge and material came out looking really clean and sharp.

More on Socks

2010-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

Socks are a great portable project, and they have long tracts of knitting (or crocheting) in which their maker doesn't have to pay too close attention to the project. Both features make the lowly sock a perennial favorite. However, their overall simplicity and the fact that you have to make two of them can lead to project boredom. Luckily, there are many, many different sock patterns available for different yarns, purposes, pattern stitches, and shapes.

Once one has made a few socks, it becomes fairly easy to free oneself from the pattern. The parts where one has to think (heel and toe) are proportional to the original cast on number and very predictable. Good thing, too, because what if you want to make a pair of women's socks from a man's sock pattern, or vice versa? What if you like the pattern stitch on a pair made from DK, but want to use it with fingering weight sock yarn?

I'm currently working on just such a project. I'm making a pair of socks for my husband, and I know from previous experience how many stitches around his socks need to be at the gauge I want to use. However, the pattern stitch I want is in this pattern (a lovely free pattern I found through Ravelry). It's for a different sized person and a different gauge. I also want to use a different kind of heel and include a short cuff at the top of the sock to give the top a more finished look. Since socks all follow a similar formula, it is very easy for me to take just the elements of the pattern that I like and apply them to my project.

Quick Sock Tip

2010-02-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post (because I don't feel like getting out my camera).

If you are making socks (knitted or crocheted) and want to reinforce the heel and toe, try using matching polyester sewing thread. It comes in far more colors than reinforcing thread and won't change your gauge.

But when you do use that sewing thread, you will need to keep it contained in order to prevent nasty tangles with your yarn! Seal the spool in a zip lock bag and feed the thread out of a hole snipped in a bottom corner.

Revisiting a Basic Crocheted Sock

2010-01-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

Almost ten years ago, I wrote a basic sock pattern that got published on the South Bay Crochet site and was also a free pattern at The Knitting Room in San Jose. The pattern below starts with that pattern and uses a much easier heel construction so the whole pattern is easier.

At the same time, as much as I like to crochet socks and wear the ones I make, I need to point out that crocheted socks are not the same as knitted socks -- they are not for everyone. Knitting makes a lightweight, elastic fabric; crochet makes a sturdy, textured fabric. This makes a difference in socks. In addition, wool (even machine washable wool) does shrink a bit. So if you crochet socks from traditional sock yarn (70-80% wool, and the rest is nylon), you may find that they shrink a bit after a few wearings. I have several pairs of socks that look fine, but they shrank just a little over time so they don’t fit any more. In response to this, I have changed my new favorite stitch for crocheting socks, which I address at the end of the pattern with a note on adjusting the pattern for this other stitch.

If you make these socks with yarn that does not shrink (a cotton/elastic blend is good, or acrylic), you will not run into the shrinking problem. Unfortunately, other fibers may not wear as well as the wool/nylon blend and may get holes in them more quickly in spots (like the heel and toe).

Materials:
fingering or sport weight yarn, 100 grams/size E hook, or size needed for gauge: 5.5 sts/inch in patt,
OR
DK or light worsted weight yarn, 100-200 grams/size G hook, or size needed for gauge: 4.5 sts/inch in patt,
OR
heavy worsted or bulky weight yarn, 200 grams/size I hook, or size needed for gauge: 3.5 sts/inch in patt.
The gauges given here are suggested gauges to give you a sense of scale.

Note: The amounts of yarn given are for ankle socks to fit medium adult feet. For knee socks, you will need up to twice as much yarn. Also, socks for smaller feet will use less yarn than socks for larger feet.

2 markers

Instructions are given for fingering weight yarn, with changes for sport and worsted in ().

For better fit, measure:
length of the foot from toe to heel: _____, and
the size around at the instep/arch: _____.

Abbreviations (American):
Ch: Chain stitch
Sc: Single crochet
Dc: Double crochet
Sl OR sl st: slip stitch
Inc: Increase
Patt: Pattern stitch (as defined)
Sk: skip
Coil: work in rounds, but do not finish it at the end of each round, just continue on.

Pattern Stitch (worked in a coil, over an odd number of stitches): *Sc1, dc1. Repeat from * around.

Toe Increase: (dc1, sc1, dc1) all in next stitch.

To Begin: Starting at the toe, ch 10 (8, 6). Working into the bottom bump of each stitch, slip stitch in the 3rd chain from the hook and in each chain across, making the last sl st into the first chain. This reinforces the chain row at the beginning, giving a little extra strength. From here on, insert hook under both top loops of each stitch, as usual in crochet.

Continue in a coil (right side facing): Ch1. Sc1 into the first chain. Dc1 in next stitch. Continue in pattern stitch to end of side, ending with sc1. Make a toe increase in the next stitch to turn corner. Place 1st marker in the middle sc of the increase. Continue in patt st to end of side, ending with dc1 in last slip st. Sc1 in the ch1 that started this round. Make a toe increase in the next sc. Place 2nd marker in the middle sc of the increase.

*Continue in patt to next marker. Inc. Move marker to middle sc of new inc just made.

Find your instep size on this chart, and repeat from * for a total of this many stitches:
Instep
size Total # of sts
5” 25 (19, 15) stitches around
6” 29 (23, 17)
7” 35 (27, 21)
8” 39 (31, 23)
9” 45 (35, 27)
10” 49 (39, 29)

Remove markers and set aside.

(If you are working the OTHER PATTERN STITCH -- see below -- start that stitch here.)

Continue in patt, without any more increases, until the piece measures about 2/3 the desired foot length. Lay the piece flat (even though you are working in the round, when you lay the piece with the starting toe edge flat, there will be two side edges/corners). Place a marker in the sc at each side corner. Continue in patt to first marker, ending with a dc in the marked stitch. Count how many stitches are between where you are and the next marker: _____ (Hint: this should be an odd number).

Afterthought Heel: This is an idea I first heard about from the knitter Elizabeth Zimmerman. She didn’t care much for crocheting, but that is ok. She still had a lot of great ideas.

Remove marker. Chain as many stitches as you counted.

Dc in the sc of the remaining marker. Remove that marker.

That is all for the heel right now. You will return to it later. Now, continue with the leg:

For a straight leg: Continue in patt in a coil until leg measures desired length (from the chain row that made the hole for the heel, about 2-3” for baby, 4-5” for child, or 6-7” for adult). After last stitch, finish off like this: Slip stitch in next 2 sts. Fasten off, tuck in loose ends. Make 2nd sock to match.

For a bit of character at the top edge: When the leg measures as long as you want, consider finishing the top edge with a little something. For an easy edge, (sc1, ch1) in each stitch around one time, then finish off.

Knee Sock Option (requires more yarn):
More measurements:
Calf at the biggest size around: _____
Length of leg from the floor to just under the knee (length of sock): _____

After making the heel opening, continue in patt for the ankle (1” for baby, 2” for child, 4” for adult size). Place marker in center back dc.

*Continue in patt to marked stitch. (sc1, ch1, sc1) all in marked st, to increase 2 stitches. Move marker to ch. Continue in patt for 2 more rounds with no increase. When you get to the ch in the next round, sc in it. Move marker to current stitch each time you make a stitch in the marked stitch.

Notice that if you increase in a dc, it takes 2 more rounds to have a dc in the same stitch again, so the increases are on a 3-round repeat.
Repeat from * until the sock measures desired size around. Note: It would be good if you ended with a total number of stitches close to a multiple of 6 if you want to make the Chevron Ribbing.
Continue in patt without any more increases until the sock measures desired length.

Chevron Ribbing for knee sock: End sock body with sc1. Work 1 round in shell stitch, like this: *Sk 2, 5dc in next st, sk 2, sc1 in next st. Repeat from * around one time. Since you aren’t starting with a multiple of 6 stitches, you will have to fudge a little, by skipping only 1 stitch instead of 2, just a few times. End with 1sc in first sc of round. Mark this sc.
Next round: *Sc1 in next 2 dc. (Sc1, ch1, sc1) all in next dc. Sc1 in next 2 dc. Skip next sc. Repeat from * around once.
Next round: *Sc1 in next 2 sc. (Sc1, ch1, sc1) all in next ch1 space. Sc1 in next 2 sc. Skip next 2 sc. Repeat from * around for a total of 6 rounds, or desired length of cuff. Slip stitch in next 2 sts. Fasten off.

Now, back to the Heel:
This is a mirror image of the toe shaping: DEcreasing at each side a lot like how you INcreased at the beginning of the toe.

Setup round: With the right side of the fabric facing, rejoin the yarn with a slip stitch in the side of the last dc before the chain stitches you made for the heel opening. Starting with sc in the next st, continue in pattern across the last row of the foot to the other side of the hole, ending with a sc in the last dc. Dc in the side of the next dc to turn so you can continue around. Place marker on this dc just made. Working into the spare loop on the underside of all those chain stitches, establish the pattern stitch along the bottom of the leg edge, ending up with a sc in the last chain. Notice how many stitches there are on each side: _____.

Set up one decrease point: Yarnover, draw up a loop in side of the dc you joined the yarn in. Yarnover, draw through 2 loops (2 loops remain on hook). Yarnover, draw up a loop in next sc, Yarnover, pull through 2 loops (3 loops remain on hook). Yarnover, pull through all 3 loops to decrease 1 stitch. Put marker on this stitch to mark one decrease point.

**Continue in patt to stitch before next marker.
Heel Decrease: (Yarnover, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, draw up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops) 3 times. Yarnover, pull through all 4 loops to decrease 2 stitches. The middle part of this decrease should be the marked stitch. Move marker to decrease just made.
Repeat from ** until only about 2/3 of the stitches have been decreased, and only 1/3 are left.
Fasten off, allowing a tail about 5 inches long to sew a seam. And that is the heel
Tuck in loose ends. Make 2nd sock to match.

About that other pattern stitch:
Start the sock as usual.
(The bit about reinforcing the starting chain is not absolutely necessary. I usually start with Foundation stitches, making a row about 1/6 as long as I want around. That means that for a sock 9-inch around, I make a foundation row that is about 1-1/2inches long, ending with a starting toe increase. If this is confusing, skip it.)

When the toe is the right size (the same instructions as before), switch to a ch-2 net stitch: Ending with a sc in a dc, (ch2, skip the next sc, sc in the next dc) around. From here on, (ch2, sc in next ch-2 space) around. That is the pattern stitch. This makes a slightly lacy fabric that has some ’give’ either long or wide, as needed. The over-all sock will have a baggier look, but I think it fits better over time.

To make the heel opening, chain and skip the same number of stitches. To set up the pattern stitch for the leg, work (sc, ch 2, skip 2) across the chain stitches.

Yes, you are replacing each dc with two ch sts. So where the pattern refers to a DC, read ‘ch-2 space.’

When you come back to make the heel, treat each ch-2 as one stitch. Work the heel in the sc/dc pattern stitch because it is sturdy, just like the toe. That means, to set up the heel, do (sc, dc) in each ch-2 space, and just skip the sc's.

It's Time...

2010-01-27T07:44:00.000-08:00

In today's tough times, many of us can't just go yarn shopping whenever we feel uninspired by our own stash. And I know I often find myself at a loss when I try to think of things to make for myself, my family, or my home. I already have stuff, and I don't need any more!

So I think this is a good year to recommit to charity knitting. There are so many great charities out there, with so many different needs, we should all be able to find something to do!

Have some luscious, left over, luxury yarns? Make a striped cap for chemo patients. Have some inexpensive, machine washable yarn you don't know what to do with? Make some baby things for a charity benefiting preemies or single moms. This is also a great way to try out those fun patterns that we bought, but don't have a purpose for at the moment. There's no more need to wait!

So here are a couple resources:

Interweave Knits has an extensive list of charities. Find one whose mission appeals to you or one that's local!

And if you want something a little more personalized, Craft Hope finds specific needs and asks people to fill them.

Let's all take this year to build communities and relationships.

Announcement!

2010-01-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

Stitchwhisper is on Twitter! You can keep an eye out there for new blogposts and other thoughts. Our screen name is Stitchwhisper.

While you're at it, this months issue of Knitty is kind of fun, this is an interesting thing to do with doilies, and this is fun too--but in a weird way.

Finally finishing!

2010-01-20T21:49:00.000-08:00

Here Harper has made a gorgous baby bonnet and really cute baby socks, and I'm finally finishing the blue cardigan in time to set it aside to wear in the spring or summer (it is a cotton/silk blend, and the fit is to go over a sleeveless top, not to go over long sleeves).

It looks a lot like a cardigan, which is a good thing because I want to be able to wear it to work in a grown-up office, and I am not making any kind of a craft statement about myself.

My next one will have pockets and be suited more for winter, with larger proportions to wear over long-sleeved shirts.

As Harper pointed out, as nice as it is to start new ideas, it is really nice to finish things, too.

Socks and Scrap Yarn

2010-01-19T12:44:00.000-08:00

My son needed new socks. He had outgrown the old ones. I had the better part of a skein of yellow sock yarn. That should be enough, right? Wrong. As I started on the second sock, my son hit a growth spurt. That yellow yarn wasn't nearly enough, and I had no more of it. What to do?

I took out the foot beyond the gusset in the first sock, and made thick stripes using the yellow sock yarn and some navy tweed leftover from a pair of socks I had just finished for myself. Then I copied the stripe pattern on the second sock. They fit my son with room to spare! Mission accomplished!

...almost

I have socks that fill the need that I had, but they don't look good. They looked like I set out making yellow socks and didn't have enough yarn. Now what?

I looked around at my stash and found a little ball of size 10, white crochet cotton. Hmmm. If you don't look too closely at the socks, they look like black and yellow stripes. Sounds like a bee to me, and bees need wings. So I ad libbed two pair of white bees' wings out of the cotton, sewed them onto the socks and added a smiley face and antennae to the toe of each sock. Now my son has bees on his feet. Even my husband thinks they are really cute! I could even imagine doing this with different colors to produce butterflies, lady bugs, and other critters.

And how did I make the wings?

Using #10 cotton and US size 2 knitting needles:
CO 10
Row 1: k
Row 2: k1, inc 1, k to last st, inc 1, k1.
Rep these two rows until you have a total of 18 sts. K 1 row, and then place the first 9 sts of that row on a holder.
Over the rem 9 sts, k 4 rows even.
Next row: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Next row: k
Rep these 2 rows until 5 sts rem. BO.
Rep for rem 9 sts on holder.
Make a total of 2 per sock.

The moral of the story? If you want to make a "scrap yarn project," but are afraid that the emphasis will wind up on the "scrap" end of it, find ways to embellish the project (either with add-ons or with interesting stitches/textures/shapes built in) that will draw the eye to something else.

An Interesting Stitch

2010-01-05T13:41:00.001-08:00

This is the other noteworthy stitch I used in the baby bonnet. It was taken from Traditional Edgings to Crochet (Dover Needlework Series), which is a collection of vintage edging patterns that are now out of print. I think it's a really handy book to have on hand.

This stitch is the basis for a lovely edging in Ms. Weiss' book (number 1809) worked in size 30-70 crochet cotton. Worked with number 10 bedspread cotton, the pattern makes an edging that is too large for my purposes and is clearly not as delicate as it ought to be. Using just the first row of the pattern topped with a row of single crochet interspersed with ch-3 picots worked very nicely. In any case, this stitch was a fun one. While it isn't really suitable for making a fabric, I think I will use it in edgings and beadings in the future.

Ch a multiple of 6 plus 1.

Work one row of single crochet. Ch4, turn.

Working in the first sc from the beg of the row, work 1 tr. Sk 2, make a 3-tr cluster in the next sc (work 3 tr in same st, holding back final loop of each, yo, pull through all loops on hook), ch5. In the same sc, make a 3-tr cluster, but do not finish it. Once the three trebles have been begun, sk 2 and work an additional tr in third sc from hook, yo, and pull through all loops on hook (joint cluster made). *Sk 2, 3-tr cluster in next sc, ch5, joint cluster in same sc, rep from * across.

Lacy Flower Motif

2010-01-05T13:24:00.001-08:00

This is the pattern for the motif I used on the back of this bonnet. I found it on Karen's Variety, but the pattern has since been removed from the website. Since it was posted there as a reprint of a vintage pattern and is no longer available on that website, I don't think there is any problem with my reposting the pattern here.

I think this is a wonderful pattern for the advanced beginner, because it uses just about every basic stitch you will come across in a crochet pattern and many common techniques.

Please note that I will be working through this pattern again in the next few days, as I believe I found a problem with it in the third or fourth round, but it was one easily solved by looking at the picture. For the baby bonnet, I only used the first four rounds.

Materials

For Tablecloth: No 20 crochet thread and No. 11 steel crochet hook

For Bedspread: String weight thread [no. 10 cotton] and No. 7 or 8 crochet hook

Size: Motif measures 3 1/4 inches square

Abbreviations

ch = chain
st = stitch
sl st = slip stitch
sp = space
rnd = round
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
tr = treble crochet
dtr cluster = double treble cluster (see below)
tr tr = treble treble [or triple treble depending on whom you ask] (see below)

MOTIF

Ch 8, join with a sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 7, dc in ring. * Ch 3, dc in ring, repeat from * 5 more times.Join last ch 3 to 4th st of ch 7 first made (8 spaces).

Round 2: Sl st into first sp. Ch 5, * make a 3-dtr cluster, ch 10, ** makea second petal with a 4-dtr cluster into next sp, ch 10, repeat from **until 8 petals have been made. Ch 2, tr tr in top of first petal, thusmaking a ch equal to the ch 10 between other petals, yet keeping hook inposition for next rnd.

Round 3: Ch 4, 3 dc in sp, ch 5, 4 dc in same sp to form a shell. * (Ch 5,4 dc) twice in next ch 10. Repeat from * around (8 shells); ch 5 and jointo first ch 4 with a sl st.

Round 4: Sl st in 3 dc and in 1 ch of ch 5. Ch 8, dc in same sp, ch 5, scin next ch 5. * Ch 5, dc in next ch 5. Ch 5, dc in same sp. Ch 5, sc innext ch 5. Repeat from * around. Join last ch 5 to third st in ch 8 first made.

Round 5: Sl st in sp. Ch 5, * tr in sp, ch 1, tr in same sp. Repeat from *7 more times. Ch 1, sc in ch 5, ch 1. Make a second scallop as the first.* Ch 10, make 2 more scallops. Repeat from * around. Join last ch 10 tothe fourth st in ch 5 first made.

Round 6: * Ch 8, sc in 5th tr, ch 6, sc in sc, ch 6, sc in last sc, ch 6,sc in last sc, sl st in first sc (3 picot cluster made). Ch 8, sl st in scbetween scallops, ch 8, sl st in dc. Make a 3 picot cluster as before. Ch8, sl st in last tr of scallop. Ch 16, sc in 4th ch from hook, hdc in nextch, 2 dc in each of next 2 chs, 2 tr in each of next 2 chs, 2 dtr in eachof next 2 chs, 2 tr tr in each of next 2 chs. Ch 3, sl st in first tr ofnext scallop. Repeat from * around.

TO JOIN MOTIFS: To make a tablecloth with a scalloped edge, join themotifs diagonally across. Crochet together at the corner points and thetwo middle picots of the clusters on the sides.

FINISHING EDGE: Fasten the thread to a corner point. Ch 6, sc in the point(picot). Ch 8, dc in middle of the side of the point, p. * Ch 6, dc at thecorner of the scallop, p. Ch 8, sc in the middle p of cluster, p, ch 8, dcin p between scallops. Ch 8, sc in the middle p of the second scallop, p.Ch 8, dc at the corner of scallop, p. Ch 6, dc in the middle of the sideof next point, p. Ch 6, sc at the intersection of 3 points (corners of 3motifs). Ch 6, dc in side of point, p. Repeat from * around.

NOTE

At alloutside points, use ch of 8 as at beginning and at intersection of 3points use ch of 6.

dtr cluster - thread over hook 3 times and work off 2 lps at a time,retaining last lp of each dtr on hook, thread over and pull through alllps on hook at once to form a cluster

tr tr - thread over hook four times and work off 2 lps at a time

A Note On Our Work

2009-12-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

In all the rush we needleworkers enjoy as we race to the finish line on our projects, it can be easy to look past the process. It's addictively satisfying to finish projects. I love the feeling of completion I experience as I tuck in those final loose ends, fold up my project, and set it on its course of usefullness outside of my work basket.

When I make things for others, especially children, there is also often a deadline involved. My son's sweaters need to be completed before he outgrows them. And everyone knows the rush of gift-making, whether for holidays or birthdays or other occasions. We have to finish by a certain date. It's like crossing things off a to-do list.

However, at this point in my life, I have limited resources with which to work and I need to make those resources last. I have rediscovered the joy of savoring my needlework. And the savoring is enhanced by the limitations placed on my time by my son. When I stop to stitch, I may only have a few minutes, and I make the most of them. It's like enjoying fine, expensive chocolates: they are too expensive to indulge in all at once, so they have to be enjoyed in small doses.

I highly recommend it.

Working With Motifs...Again

2009-12-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine is expecting her first child at the end of this month. Since she is expecting a girl, I took the opportunity in making her baby a gift to make something frilly and lace and completely inappropriate for my boy: a lace bonnet.

As indicated in my previous post, this project is another example of the versatility of motifs. The back of it is made out of this motif:

In order to make this motif an appropriate size, I only used the first four rounds of the pattern, which also made a better shape for the bonnet that the complete pattern would have.

For the side band, I used a pretty variation on crocheted net stitch:

Row 1: *[Sc1, ch 5, sk 5] twice, sc1, sk2, (dc2, ch1, dc2), shell made, in next st, sk 2, rep from * across, ending sc1, ch5, sk5, sc1. Turn.
Row 2: ch2 (counts as 1 dc), dc2 in last sc of prev row (counts as ½ shell), *sk 2, sc1in next ch5 space, [sc1, ch5, sk5] twice, sc1 in next ch5 space, sk2, (dc2, ch1, dc2) in next sc, rep from * across, ending with 3dc in final sc.
Rep these two rows for desired length.

After completing the band, I decided to put a ruffled edging on the bonnet for a brim and an edging around the neck to finish the bottom edge. I used a handkerchief edging from Traditional Edgings to Crochet, by Rita Weiss (another handy resource).

I’ll do a post soon on the pattern for the edging around the neck of the bonnet (also taken from Traditional Edgings to Crochet, as it features a really interesting stitch. Again, I only used part of the pattern and ignored the final row, as it didn’t look right with the rest of the project or in the gauge I used (size 10 crochet cotton with a US size 7 steel hook).

Finally, I single crocheted around the entire edge and tacked the brim back against the side band. Then I finished the project by threading a yard-long piece of pink gauze ribbon through the base of the brim.

More on Motifs

2009-11-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

***Update***
Unfortunately, the link to the pattern for the motif pictured below no longer works (I believe it has been removed from the website where I found it--Karen's Variety) I will provide instructions transcribed from that website in a future post.

This is a link for a beautiful little motif I've been playing with lately.

As you can see from the photo, it lends itself well to tablecloths and the like, but I'm using it for something very different. As I shared before, motifs are excellent for use as the basis of a project and very versatile. This one is also a perfect learning tool for the advanced beginner, because it uses every crochet stitch from chain to triple treble.

As soon as I have done the finishing work on my little item, I will post about it with photos!

Random stitches

2009-10-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

The cardigan has been waiting for weeks to be finished -- I am 100 grams away from the end, plus buttons. All I need to do is lengthen the sleeves (now that I know there is enough yarn), and edge the whole thing, adding buttonholes, tuck in the loose ends, and sew on the buttons.

But three other projects got in the way. There were 6 skeins of black Cotton Classic that suddenly needed to be a rib knit top to go under this cardigan. The idea of this piece is to start at the bottom, rib up to the underarms, cast on the armhole stitches, decrease them down, do a little neck shaping, and there you are. I didn't make the body long enough because I was afraid of running out of yarn. So the leftover yarn got split into a 2-ply (Cotton Classic is 5 plies thick) and crocheted in ch-2 net stitch with a 4mm hook around the bottom. It was a satisfying project, but I prefer the freedom of top-down crocheting better.

That was one project. The second is the Snowflake Project: Annie's Attic came out with a wonderful leaflet some years ago called TEENY TINY SNOWFLAKES TO CROCHET. It is apparently out of print now, but is really good (when I googled the title, one site listed it for sale for $30). Only a few typos in the instructions, and once you have made a few of the snowflakes, you can catch them easily enough. Made 2 or 3 of each of the 24 designs -- they will become a mobile 'flurry' to hang above a winter holiday scene. The snowflakes are done, loose ends are almost all tucked in. Next will come washing, starching, and constructing the mobile.

Years ago, I would start a project just for the sake of exploring an idea. Once the idea either made sense or didn't, the project would get set aside for the next idea. Now, I am trying to discipline myself to finish one project at a time. Finishing things is very satisfying -- I just have to do it.

The third project is a round shawl. Something light I can work on while on the stepper and watching TV. There is something magical about a round shawl to fold and wrap different ways. With a center pattern stitch for a while, then a band of another pattern stitch, then ending with a third, just for the last bit. A combination of pattern stitches is really magical. The center portion is the basic Granny Square-type stitch, but starting with a triangle, then doubling the number of pattern stitches as needed -- that makes it round. After that will be a 2- or 3-stitch net stitch. Then most likely a shell stitch on the outside. Simple, fairly brainless, but interesting to look at and with a good drape. And how far does 100 grams of laceweight go, using a 00 (or E) hook? The merino/silk blend feels really good.

So the blue cardigan will be finished soon. I want to wear it. But there is only so much time in a day. The snowflakes have a deadline. The shawl is good for exercise time (the cardigan is too heavy/big for that). Hey ho. It will get done.

Finishing the yoke and then some

2009-10-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is a lot of writing for a pattern, but it is the idea of the thing that is exciting. Now that you can see how the increases line up in each row of the yoke, there is more shaping to do:

Since I started the front parts after having worked a while on the back, there are a few rows where I add to the sleeves instead of the back (because the back is wide enough), but still adding to the fronts. So, once the back is the right width, start increasing to the sleeve caps, and not to the back, like this:

Start the row and work to the first increase point. Increase in the LAST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the front), then
Continue to the next increase point, and increase in the LAST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap), then
Continue to the third increase point, and increase in the FIRST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap again -- no increases to the back), and finally
Continue to the last increase point, and increase in the FIRST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the front).

Repeat this row for a while, until the fronts have about the same number of stitches together as the back. Then it is time to increase only to the sleeve caps:

Start the row and work to the first increase point. Increase in the FIRST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap), then
Continue to the next increase point, and increase in the LAST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap), then
Continue to the third increase point, and increase in the FIRST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap again -- no increases to the back), and finally
Continue to the last increase point, and increase in the LAST sc of the increase in the previous row (to increase to the sleeve cap).

Repeat that row to grow the sleeve cap. What is interesting here is that when the sleeve cap is about as wide as I want the upper arm to be around (for me that would be about 14 inches), it will turn out that the armhole depth will also be just about right, too. Amazing how that works.

To finish off the yoke, for a few rows, increase only to the fronts and back, and not to the sleeves. The rows are getting really long by now. It should look about like this:

Then, in the last row, set up the body like this: work across the front to the the first increase point, chain a few stitches (about 2 inches for an adult size; make sure it is an odd number so the pattern stitch will work), skip the sleeve stitches and sc to the next increase point. Stitch across to the third increase point on the other side of the back, chain the same number of stitches as before, skip the other sleeve stitches, sc in the last increase point, and finish off the row. There is a question here: Do you sc in the first or second sc of the increase point? That depends. You can go either way (but you want to be consistent). Often, it turns out that either the sleeve or the body is a tiny bit on the small side or almost too big. That clue tells me which side I want that last set of increases to go to. Once you get to that point, you will see what I mean.

From here on, work back and forth in rows, no more increases, for the body of the sweater. When it is long enough, finish off.

For sleeves: Rejoin the yarn at the underarm with the wrong side of the last sleeve edge row facing. Keeping in pattern, start on the sleeve: stitch along the underarm, along the sleeve cap edge, and finish off the row at the underarm again, joining with a slip stitch to the beginning of the row. I count my stitches after the first row to make sure the other sleeve has the same number -- it is good for sleeves to match. Now even though I’m working back and forth in rows for this stitch, there is no reason not to join the end of the row to the beginning and work the seam as I go. That way there is no seam to sew at the end. I like my sleeves to be fitted, so I decrease 1 stitch at each end of every 4th row. This makes a centered seam line and tapers the sleeve so it fits at my wrist.

You can decide your own tapering: By this time, you’ve stitched enough to have a really good gauge swatch -- the body of the sweater. Figure out how long you want your sleeve to be. How many rows is that, based on your gauge? How big do you want your wrist to be? You can figure that number of stitches from your gauge information, too. Knowing how many stitches you worked in your first row (A) and how many you want to end up with (B), along with how many rows you want to work (D), figure how many stitches you need to decrease and how often to decrease: (A-B)/D. Now this number has to be a whole number because you simply cannot decrease a fractional stitch. Usually, it works out to 1 stitch every 2 rows for a single crochet-type pattern stitch. To have a centered seam line, you need to decrease at both ends of the row, so that would be decreasing 2 stitches every 4 rows. Your numbers may differ, but you have all the information to decide for yourself.

It is amazing how many words it takes to describe the concept behind a shape that makes so much sense. But it really works.　

Growing the yoke

2009-10-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Part 3:

So far, all there is is the back and the shoulder bits of the sleeves -- there are no fronts yet. The next step is to start the fronts. The increases at the 4 increase points have nothing to do with the neck edge increases from here on out. For a cardigan that comes together at the center front, increase to the neck edge as many stitches at there were on the back in the very first row. I started with 19 stitches across the back in the foundation stitch row, so I want to increase 9 stitches on each neck edge. That leaves a little gap, which will be filled in later with the button band.

So here is what to do for the next set of rows:
1. For a V-shaped neck edge, add 1 stitch at the end of the next 18 rows (that adds 1 stitch to each side of the neck edge every two rows).

2. AT THE SAME TIME, start the next row and stitch to the first increase point --
a. Increase in the LAST stitch of the increase of the previous row (to increase to the front)
b. Increase in the FIRST stitch of the next increase point (to increase to the back)
c. Increase in the LAST stitch of the next increase point (to increase to the back)
d. Increase in the FIRST stitch of the next increase point (to increase to the front)
e. Continue to the end of the row, and sc 1 more in the last stitch to add to the neckline for a total of 9 times on each side of the front. (This is the same as step 1 (above). Once these stitches have been added, skip this step and just work even on the row ends.)

Repeat step 2 for quite a while.

For this section, you will add 2 patt stitches to the back in each row and 1 patt stitch to each front side and 1 stitch to the front neckline in each row. The number of stitches in the shoulder/sleeve bits will stay the same for this time.

When the back is as wide as you want it to be, it is time for the next step. You can tell by measuring between the increase points on the back. Not including the increases, the distance should measure what you want across the shoulders. So for me, for example, the distance across the back, between the increase points, will be about 15 inches.

Since the neck shaping is not related to the over-all increasing going on for the yoke, if you don’t finish your neck shaping before you reach the end of increasing to the back, that is ok. But in this case, I finished the neck shaping first, so the instructions above worked as written.

Here's about what your work should look like now.

The next phase will be finishing adding to the front and starting the sleeve caps.

Colorwork: part II

2009-09-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

As I described in a previous post, simple stitches in crochet worked in stripes of different colors can produce many pleasing, and often complicated-looking results.

By having many colors going at the same time can prevent the eye from detecting a regular pattern. So it is easy to work in new colors a old ones run out, producing a gradual, shaded effect.

Conversely, one can also create an obviously and intentionally striped effect.

A combination of stitches may also be used to increase the illusion of fairisle. For example, interrupting stripes of (sc1, ch1) with a row of double crochet can be very pleasing and improve the drape of the fabric.

One may also create vertical stripes using (sc1, ch1). When working in the round, verticle stripes will result if the single crochets are worked around the chains of the previous round. You use two colors and change them every round.

Starting the top-down sweater

2009-09-14T20:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of my sweater so far. My measurements are about a size 12. Since I am using sc-lite, a pattern stitch that is a 2-stitch repeat, each row has an ODD number of stitches -- that way every row begins and ends with a single crochet.

You may wonder why I don't use straight single crochet or straight double crochet. If you experiment with different stitches in crochet, you will see that each has strengths and weaknesses. Single crochet by itself makes a really stiff fabric if you work it at a firm gauge, and it stretches out of shape a lot if you use a loose gauge. I wanted something that would hold its shape and have a nice drape. I like the look of this stitch better than the look of straight double crochet for this type of thing.

WARNING: If you are not used to seeing your stitches, this may be tricky. If you don't want to be bothered and it seems like too much work, that is just fine. There is plenty of room in the world for all kinds of folks, and this technique is most likely not for everyone.

When you start at the center of something and work outward, you need to increase. Since the yoke of a sweater is a lot like a doily or a motif with the center cut out of it, I think about how many stitches to increase to make something that lays flat. For a single-crochet-type stitch, I need to increase about 6 stitches in each row for the piece to lay flat. Since I have 4 increase points for the yoke of a sweater, I will choose to increase 8 stitches per row. If I wanted to get tricky, I could increase for 3 rows (3x8=24) and then work without increases for 1 row -- that way, I would increase an average of 6 stitches per row over 4 rows.

Unfortunately, I would also have to think more: I would have to remember to count rows. I would have to look more closely at my fabric to make sure that on the row AFTER the row without increases I restarted the increases in the right place. I don't feel like thinking that much, and the net result -- for me, right now -- isn't worth the effort. So I am increasing 8 stitches per row, or one pattern stitch at each increase point.

Looking at the picture, you can see a visual seamline from the neck out along the shoulder, then down a bit of the armhole, then out again to the underarm. Kind of like a saddle shoulder design.

Now, there is actually one more bit of the line.

Row 1 actually starts at the neck back, so the little bits of the neckline that are up-and-down at the shoulder are also part of the visual seamline of increases.

And here is how I got there:

I like my neck-back edge to be about 5 inches across. Using foundation stitch for the first row, chain 2. (Sc, ch1) 3 times in the 2nd chain from the hook. This represents the point where 2 increase points come together, so it is a double increase. The chain that those single crochets went into is the Base Chain for those stitches.

For foundation sc-lite, do this: *Yarnover, insert hook in base chain of the last single crochet. Yarnover. Draw up a loop -- 3 lps on hook. Yarnover, pull through 2 loops -- what you just did represents the ch-1 space between two single crochets. Yarnover, pull through 1 loop -- this makes the Base Chain for your next pattern stitch (trust me). Make a note of that chain stitch you just made. Two loops remain on the hook. Yarnover and pull through those two loops -- just like finishing a single crochet, which is what you just did. Chain 1, like normal.**

To make the next foundation single crochet, repeat from * to **. Repeat until the piece measures (in my case) about 5 inches long. To end the row, (sc1, ch1, sc1) into the last base chain made -- for another double increase. You survived. It is all good. Just for the heck of it, count the number of single crochets across the back (not including the double increase stitches.

At this point, you have no way of knowing whether these increases were made to the front, sleeves or back. That gets decided in the next row.

RULES: For this pattern stitch, in every row, work sc into sc and ch over ch. That is the rule. Always ch1 to turn. To make an increase, (ch1, sc1 into the same sc) to add one patt stitch.

So here we go:

Row 2: Ch1, turn, sc1 into last sc made. (ch1, sc1 into same st) to increase. Ch1, sc into next sc. Ch1, sc into next sc. Ch1, sc1 into same sc to increase 1 patt st. (Notice that you have increased into the first and last sc of the double increase in the previous row.) (Ch1, sc1 in next sc) all the way across until you reach the double increase at the other end of the row. Increase into the first of that three-some. Work even for one patt stitch. Then finish off with an increase into the last sc.

Wow. Now look at your work. Doesn't look like much, but here's what you should have:

An increase
A little bit of shoulder edge
Another increase
A stretch across the back
A third increase
Another little bit of shoulder edge
And a final increase at the end of the row.

For the next few rows, continue this way: Begin with an increase. Work even to the nexe increase point. Increase on the first stitch of the next increase point. Work even across the back. Increase in the Last stitch of the next increase point. Then work even to the next increase point, and finish off with an increase in the last stitch. In this way, you will add 1 patt st to the sleeve bits and 2 patt sts to the back in each row. After about 2-1/2 inches (half the width of the back edge), it will be time to shift the line and start creating the front.

What you have now should look something like this

Top-down crocheted sweater

2009-09-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

You can almost always tell a top-down sweater because it has raglan sleeve shaping. Almost always.

Thing is, you get a raglan line because the increases (from the neck down) are centered over each other. If you don't center the increases -- make the increase in one row at the beginning or at the end of the increase in a previous row -- you create a visual seamline in any shape you want by increasing 'to the sleeve' or 'to the fronts' or 'to the back'.

I am starting a cardigan at the back of the neck, and it will have a saddle shoulder visual seamline, which looks more dressy than a casual raglan line. The advantages to top down include:

1. I have a limited amount of yarn and want a sweater from it. Dealing with the important stuff first, I can handle shorter sleeves or a shorter length and still have a sweater I like at the end. This way, I use as much of the yarn as possible and have virtually none left over. And even if I have plenty of yarn, working in one piece from the top down means I can make the sweater as long as I want, without any angst about running out.

2. Using a tape measure, gauge isn't the most important information to start with. In crochet, what you measure is pretty much what you get, since your stitches aren't restricted on needles. So my approach deals a lot with numbers and measuring. Some people don't like this; I am one of those who find this comforting.

The yarn I am using here is called Crespo, a cotton/silk/nylon blend in a light worsted weight (recommends #6 needle and 5.25 sts per inch for knitting). I have 8 balls of it, at 125 m per 50 gram ball -- about 1000 meters in all -- and I want to make a size 12-ish cardigan. I am using a size H hook. My pattern stitch of choice: I call it sweater stitch or single crochet lite --

Over an odd number of stitches, sc1, (ch1, sk1, sc1) across. Row 2 for pattern: Ch1 to turn. Sc1 in last sc, (ch over ch, sc1 in next sc) across.

I will have pictures in a few days.

Pricing handmade

2009-08-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

The straight calculation of handmade in terms of time and materials starts making sense in terms of entertainment, but there are other aspects, or ways of thinking about it:

Skill level can be a factor. The more your skill level lets you be in tune with the process of what you are making, the more cost-effective your time will be.

Professional attitude. To sell things professionally, you need a certain attitude. That can involve things like understanding and identifying your market and exploring new ways to market your product.

If you are stitching as a way to cope with stress in your life, that can get in the way of thinking professionally.

I really enjoy stitching as a problemsolving methodology, so I would much rather teach people how to knit or crochet than make things to sell.

There is a balancing act between complete mass production and complete individual production. I know very few people who do much of anything truly 'from scratch.' I certainly don't grow the cotton that I crochet with, for example. As we have more choices every day for how we meet our needs, it can be a comfort to know that we can just go to a store and buy what we need. But it is also a wonderful thing that we can indulge in a process that connects us with the past, with the future, and with our environment.

The Value of Hand Made

2009-08-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

I have frequently heard other needleworkers, and spoken myself, about how you can't sell most handmade things for a price that covers the expenses of both materials and time. The price winds up being too far above the cost of ready made items to be able to compete. And that's even when the customer is aware of superior quality in workmanship and materials. We just can't compete.

This line of thinking leads many, especially those who do not do needlework, to wonder why we bother. It recently occured to me that we've been going about it the wrong way. You can't tally the costs of making things by hand the same way you would account for production costs in a factory or overhead in an office.

Say I want to make a sweater, for whom doesn't matter. We'll be conservative and say the materials cost me $60. I don't need to buy a pattern or needles/hook. Let's also say that the sweater takes me a grand total of 40 hours of work. Those 40 hours may be spread out over a month, but we only need to look at the hours I actually work on it.

According to the way of thinking about cost outlined above and assuming my work is worth the minimum wage in my state (California: $8/hr), the total cost of this sweater is $380. Why should I make that sweater when I can even buy a good quality sweater for under $100?

Making the sweater is still worth while because I have not accounted for my time properly. Those 40 hours were not spent slaving in some sweat shop trying to make a living for my family. They were spent passing the time, socializing with friends and family, and keeping my hands busy while I watched television or sat in the car.

The work was a form of entertainment. As such, the cost of materials was the price I paid to participate in the activity. My total cost was $60, and those $60 paid for 40 hours of entertainment. If I spent $60 going to a movie theater, that would only cover about six tickets, amounting to about 12 hours of entertainment. I could have one dinner with my husband at a fancy restaurant, or three at a cheap one--a maximum of four hours. I could buy one or two tickets to certain amusement parks, buying in the process no more than 16 hours of entertainment. The cost to make the sweater is a far better deal.

Of course, all this is small comfort for those who wish to make some money from their needlework, but it is an excellent explanation to give to husbands ; P

Snowflakes

2009-08-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've posted before about using motifs for purposes other than those intended by the pattern in which one finds them. A great example is the crocheted snowflake. Usually, snowflakes are portrayed as stand-alone ornaments: tree decorations, bookmarks, earrings (when done on a small scale), appliques, and so on.

However, most snowflake patterns mimic nature in that they are hexagonal. Hexagons tile nicely. That means you can join them along the sides and not have any weird gaps or holes where another hexagon will not fit. So snowflakes are a good option for making curtains (your own personal flurry in the summer), doilies, tablecloths, lace garments, or any other lace fabric.

I think the best part is that snowflake patterns are often much more interesting looking than other motif patterns.

Alternate edging for wrist warmers

2009-07-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

If you are using bigger yarn -- like worsted weight, with a 5mm hook -- this version of shell stitch may make finger holes that are too big. In this case, use: (2dc, ch1, 2dc) for the shell stitch. To join on the last edge, use (2dc, sc1 in ch space of shell on opposite side, 2dc) to join.

Here is an alternate edging where it does not matter whether you have an even or odd number of rows in the square:

Ruffled edging: Ch5, sc in the middle of the block, **ch5, sc between this block and the next block, ch5, sc in the middle of the next block, repeat from ** to the corner, ending with ch5, sc in the corner. Repeat this side for 3 sides. Do pretty much the same thing on the 4th side, EXCEPT: instead of ch5, do (ch2, sc in middle of corresponding loop on opposite side, ch2).

Then finish off.

For a dressier look, try using a smaller yarn/hook, like fingering weight (baby or sock weight)and a size E hook or so. You would still be making a 6-inch square (maybe 6-1/2 inches) then edging it. The thing is that the holes created at the end by joining the shell stitches will be smaller.

Crazy Stitch, two ways

2009-07-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

This is a stitch I first learned from Victorian Crochet by Weldon and Company, with a new introduction by Forence Weinstein, published by Dover in 1974. The entire Weldon series has since been bought by Interweave Press, the publishers of Knits magazine.

The stitch caught my eye because I remembered a shawl made using a checker-board-type stitch in the “Anne of Green Gables” series on TV (wonderful series). At first I thought the stitch was a two row repeat: [ch3 (counts as 1dc), turn, dc1, ch1, sk 1, (3dc, ch1, sk 1) across, and ending with 2dc], followed by a row of [ch1, turn, sc, ch1, (sc in the ch1 space and ch3 over the 3dc) across, ending with ch3, sc1, ch1, sc1].

That makes a nice enough fabric, but it is a two-row repeat, which involves more thinking than a one-row repeat.

Then I saw this stitch, and realized that a somewhat loose fabric in this stitch would look similar from a distance. And it is a one-row repeat. Not only that, it is easy to vary depending on the yarn you are using and on what kind of fabric you want to end up with -- lacier or thicker. Plus it works great on the diagonal, which is really good when you have a limited amount of yarn and you don’t want leftovers. And who wouldn't want to try a stitch they called 'crazy' over a hundred years ago?

What this stitch does is make a row of little blocks, kind of like micro-entrelac. Here is one way to do it, on the diagonal:

First Way - On the diagonal -- this is the stitch for the Wrist Warmers recently posted.

R1: Ch4, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook, leaving a ch-2 space. The two dc make a little block.
R2: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make another block. Sl st in ch-2 space from previous row -- this anchors the corner of the current block. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make another block. At this point it looks like a little heart, or like three little blocks.
R3: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make a new block. Sl st in last ch-2 space from previous row to anchor the block. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block.
Pattern Row: R4: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make a new block. Sl st in last ch-2 space from previous row to anchor the block. (Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor) across. End with ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block -- there is no place to anchor this, so this is the end of the row.

Repeat R4 until the piece is as big as you want. Makes a great triangle. Notice that the two short edges of the triangle are really straight.

If you are making an afghan on the diagonal, you can make a rectangle by keeping increasing on one side and starting to decrease on the other. If that sounds too much like math, just make a square and start decreasing when you are halfway through your yarn.

Here is how to decrease:
R1: Ch1, turn. Sl st between the 2 dc and in the ch-2 space to get to the corner of the little block. (Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor) across. Repeat this row until only 1 block is left. Finish off, or edge as desired.

What is crazy about this stitch is that if you look at the fabric, half the stitches seem to be going one way (left to right), and the other half are going the other way (up and down).

Second Way - Rows: This way has a more traditional feel to it. You make a long chain, make each row as a bunch of blocks, each anchored with a slip stitch, and each row has the same number of little blocks. This makes a zigzag edge along all edges.

Here’s how: Loosely chain a length as long as you want the piece to be, plus about 20 percent -- the pattern stitch draws in a bit. For afghans, I usually do not count stitches, let alone chain stitches. Too easy to miscount, too easy to be off in the first row by not skipping the right number of chains at one point or another. But if you want to count, that is just fine, too. This pattern as given here is worked over a multiple of 5 stitches.

Setup row: Row 1: Dc1 in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make 1 block. Skip 2 ch, sl st 1 in next ch to anchor this block. *Ch2. Dc1 in next 2 ch. Skip 2 ch, sl st in next ch to anchor this block.* Repeat from * to * across the chain, ending with a sl st to anchor the last block. Trim any excess chains, leaving a tail of a few inches so you can tuck in the loose end.

You may want to count how many blocks (repeats) you have in this first row, just to get oriented. That way, if things look a bit off later on, you can count repeats and see if that is the problem.

Pattern row: Row 2: Ch 4, turn. Dc2 starting in the 3rd ch from the hook to make 1 block. Sl st in the ch space of the last block of the previous row to anchor the corner of this block. *Ch2, dc2 in same ch space. Sl st in next ch space.* Repeat from * to * across, ending with sl st in last ch space. Repeat this row for the pattern.
　
Variations:
1. For a more open pattern, do SC1 instead of Slip Stitch to anchor each block.
2. If DC2 seems a bit skimpy, do DC3 instead. Working in Rows, that makes it a 7-stitch repeat and you would ch3 at the start of each block. It makes a more open fabric if you chain 3. You can also chain 2 but work 3 dc into each space. Your choice.

Wrist warmers to crochet

2009-07-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

The stitch for this is a variation on Crazy Stitch from Victorian Crochet, published by Dover in 1974, with an introduction by Florence Weinstein. It is a handy stitch.

Wrist warmers - a basic pattern

Suggested yarn/hook: dk yarn with 4mm hook

The idea is to make a square about 6 inches on each side, then edge it in shell stitch, joining two opposite sides to make holes for fingers, and for decoration. There are different ways to wear this. But to get started:

R1: Ch4, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook, leaving a ch-2 space. This makes a little block.
R2: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make another block. Sl st in ch-2 space from prev row -- this anchors the corner of the current block. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make another block. At this point it looks like a little heart, or like three little blocks.
R3: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make a new block. Sl st in last ch-2 space from prev row to anchor the block. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor. Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block.
R4: Ch4, turn, dc in 3rd and 4th ch from hook to make a new block. Sl st in last ch-2 space from prev row to anchor the block. (Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor) across. End with ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block -- there is no place to anchor this, so this is the end of the row.

Repeat R4 until the piece measures about 6 inches on each side edge, ending with an even number of rows.

This size fits a lot of hands, but if you want it larger or smaller, this is where you make that decision. Make more rows if you want it bigger; fewer rows to make it smaller. Remember that the edging will add about 2 inches to the width around, so you want the square to be too small to fit around the hand.

Now start decreasing:
R1: Ch1, turn. Sl st between the 2 dc and in the ch-2 space to get to the corner. (Ch2, dc2 in same ch-2 space to make a new block. Sl st in next ch-2 space to anchor) across. Repeat this row until only 1 block is left. Do not finish off.

Edging:
Now make a round of shell stitch around 3 sides of the outside edge. Each shell stitch spans 2 rows -- the reason for the even number of rows. The edging on the 4th side is joined to the edging on the 2nd side to make the holes.

Here is how to work this round:
A slightly different shell stitch: Starting at the point where you finished the square, and working along the outside edge of the piece, *(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the next space between two blocks. Sc1 in the next space between two blocks to anchor the end of the shell. You should end up ready to make a sc in the corner, but don‘t. Then actually increase at the corner by making (sc, ch1, sc) in the corner. Then repeat from * until 3 sides are done, ending with an increase on the 3rd corner.

On the 4th side, do pretty much the same thing, EXCEPT: do a different shell to join this side to the opposite side: do (2dc, ch1, sc1 in ch space of shell on opposite side, ch1, 2dc) across. End with a sc in the last corner and slip stitch into the top of the first dc of the round. Finish off. Make 2nd the same.

Nothing to do with needlework

2009-07-07T13:07:00.001-07:00

I just found this blog through Blogger. It's a craft blog, which normally doesn't interest me, but this one has some really interesting stuff. I especially like the soda pop tab bracelet an the cd photo album.

Color: part 1

2009-07-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

I like working with color, especially in crochet. There are so many different ways in crochet to achieve an interesting color design without resorting to fancy techniques. My favorite is striping many colors to achieve an imitation of fairisle in knitting.

Because crocheted stitches dip into the previous row, they don't exactly make straight stripes, meaning that you can achieve the look of colorwork without doing anything other than striping yarns. If you use colors that are of a similar intensity or quality, the resulting stripes mimic fairisle. This is especially so when you use at least four colors, because of the possibilities that become available for color frequency.

In the case of the sample pictured above, I used what Practical Crocheter and I call "sweater stitch" because it makes a nice garment fabric. It consists of (sc 1, ch1, sk1) across in every row over an odd number of stitches (or an even number if worked in the round). In each row the singles are worked in the singles and the chains are worked over the chains. The only drawback is that it stretches significantly over time. In stripes, the rows almost make a ric rac shape.

The sample above was worked in the round, so the right side of the singles is always facing out. When this stitch is worked in stripes in rows, the right and wrong side singles change direction in each row and the wrong side singles show the row below through the stitch.

I think this way of doing it almost looks like a hounds tooth pattern. It also allows for better blending of colors if you want a graded look, because the transitions between colors are less distinct.

process vs. product

2009-07-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

The posting about process and product brings back memories. Someone once described how, in county fairs back in the 1950's needlework was judged by how well the product matched the original idea. A stitcher would actually lose points for adding beads or being more creative, presumably on the idea that adding fanciness was a traditional tactic to compensate for mediocre workmanship. The point of the process was to make something specific that had a place in the larger context of the world, so the quality of workmanship is really what mattered.

Then there was a cultural shift, and the products of the past just didn't hit the mark anymore. No one cared how well you made something that no one wanted or appreciated. The answers of the past did not address the questions of the present. So we started experimenting, and the process became the product ('the medium is the message' is an underlying key of the times).

So we have gone through a generation (or two) of disconnection between the process of making stuff for its own sake and the idea of making stuff with a place in the larger context of the world. (This may be a definition of hobby as opposed to craft or art, but that is subjective.) We ran the significant risk of having people look at the stuff we made and saying, "Ew, why would anyone want to do THAT?" rather than "Ooh, that's a cool concept. I wonder how I can do that better for the stuff I want to make."

And here we are, come full cycle perhaps, starting to look again at the bigger picture, connecting the dots. The knitting and crochet magazines over the past few years seem to pay more attention to techniques. Not every pattern is written for the beginner. We have played with lots of ideas over the last bunch of years, and now we are looking at results. This is a cool time.

Should I care?

2009-06-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

In needlework, especially in knitting and crocheting, one often encounters two kinds of individuals: those who are perfectionists and those who aren't. These individuals are often more intellectually and euphemistically referred to as "product" and "process" knitters and crocheters.

In the first case, the individual sets out in a project to produce a certain product, and that product is the priority. Either the process of making te product is viewed as unimportant or no effort is too great to make theresult perfect. The ends justify the means.

But in the second case, the needleworker simply wishes to enjoy the activity. The fact that the activity produces something is either unimportant or an added benefit. Such needleworkers rarely concern themselves with technique more than they absolutely have to.

I tend to fall somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I'm goal oriented, and other times I just want to keep my hands busy or play with beautiful colors.

Both types of needleworkers often produce beautiful work, with the perfectionists making the most intricate lace, complex textures, and visally satisfying patterns, and process knitters producing expressionistic work that satisfies the eyes and hands on an organic level. But in "real life" howmuch perfection is necessary?

Quick Tip

2009-06-04T01:53:00.000-07:00

Knit-alongs are a great way to tie contrasting colors together, but they can also be expensive or draw too much attention away from the primary yarn. One thing I like to do is use size 10 crochet cotton along with my primary yarns. this gives a tweed effect to the fabric without detracting from the other colors and textures I'm using. It also avoids changing the gauge too much.

Another benefit to a neutral or coordinating knit-along is that it broadens your color choices for the primary yarn. Suddenly colors that seem to make too bold a contrast can be tied together to create a unified and intentional look. This is a great way to save money on yarn: if you can make diverse yarns in your stash go together, then you can rely more on your stash for larger projects, rather than having to buy new. Now, granted, buying new is a whole lot of fun, but it can be hard on the pocket book and time consuming when you have something particular in mind. It's also not terribly practical when you just have to start that new project at three a.m. on a Friday night. And even if you end up buying the cotton, it's one of the cheapest yarns out there.

And that's my two cents.

Yes, "making do"

2009-05-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

No negative connotation intended. I was referring to the World War II adage "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Historically, the needle arts have helped with that kind of thinking significantly. Of course, if you make your own clothing, you are more inclined to repair it when it gets threadbare. People have also been known to unravel old items and reuse the yarn (it's recommended that you wind the yarn into a hank and let it hang in a steamy room for a little while to straighten it out before reworking it, btw). Lace edgings have frequently been used to cover threadbare fabric and worn shelf edges. And in the world of sewing, people have long cut up old garments and such so they can reuse the remaining good fabric (see this post for an example).

Other modern examples can be found through a brief search of the Internet, or better, Ravelry. For example, people make scrubbing pads by crocheting cut up plastic grocery bags. In the absence of an appropriate yarn, Practical Crocheter has found a better material by using hardware store nylon twine to make net shopping bags.

Repurposing things that would normally go to waste is not only economical and environmentally friendly, it's incredibly satisfying and has a long and proud place in American history that's worth identifying with.

Making Do?

2009-05-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Your process for making a rattle sounds perfect: using what you have in just a few minutes to make something you can use. There are lots of connections there, connecting you with your environment (resources), needs, abilities, and time available. A project with a beginning, middle, and end that goes out into the world with a purpose. How very satisfying! While your baby may not even notice the rattle, he may spend a small corner of his mind wondering forever what the 'hidden meaning' was behind the choice of colors and patterns in that rattle.

I vaguely recall wondering very seriously what the plot was in a little book I had as a small child: "ABC with Ant and Bee." Every page seemed disconnected from the one before -- the plot was very esoteric.

The title "Making Do" implies all kinds of negative stuff -- but maybe that is just me.

FAO Schwartz (among others) seems to be capitalizing on the ugly critter phase (probably started by that delightful book of "Stupid Sock Creatures" by John Murphy). Going from there to the Museum of Natural History in New York reminded me more that crocheting critters (or knitting them or sewing or whatever) may be a meditation on really cool shapes: some kind of shape for a body (maybe), adding fins, flippers, tails, ears, mouth (with or without teeth/tongue), nose, and legs/arms that keep dividing into smaller bits like toes/fingers. How delicious.... And then applying those ideas to the natural shapes suggested by specific stitches makes it more fun.

And it makes you look clever, too.

Making Do

2009-05-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

Baby toys. They need to be simple, safe, and sturdy. Bright colors are preferable so that baby will notice them, but not necessary. And how it looks isn't too important to the baby, just to the parents. At the same time, baby toys can cost an arm and a leg, and recent studies can put a new parent ill at ease about plastic toys certain to find their way into baby's mouth. So I make do.

My little one is just at the age that he's starting to enjoy toys. I wanted him to have a rattle. Unrelated to my baby, I also wanted to use up little bits and pieces of leftover sock yarn. I put a few dry black beans in an empty prescription bottle, closed the lid, and crocheted a cover around it in single crochet. I started with a hexagon just a little bigger than the diameter of the lid. Then I worked without increasing in a tube for the length of the bottle. Finally, I decreased six per round around the bottom of the bottle, trapping the bottle in the cover.

After making the cover, I did not finish of the project. I made a chain the length of the bottle and attached it with a slip stitch to the other end. I finished off after working a row of single crochet. The result, while not the most aesthetically pleasing rattle, but it does what it's supposed to do and the handle fits securely around my baby's wrist, so he won't drop it easily.

One skein of lace weight merino ...

2009-04-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

A lady once came into the yarn shop and hunted for laceweight merino wool. Not only is it soft and lovely, it is incredibly cost effective: you get about 1200-1600 yards for $10-20. (That yardage in worsted weight makes an adult sweater; in sock weight, it makes 3-4 pairs of socks) It is also small, so it can be a purse project to keep you busy for a really long time. For those of us with limited budgets and only little snippets of time to stitch, a hank of laceweight may be the methadone of yarn addiction (and I mean that in a good way).

So not more than 6 months ago, I started working on a small shawl project from a single hank of laceweight merino from my stash, with a size 00 hook. Suddenly, I couldn't think of any of my other projects and ideas. Finally, I finished the project. My new favorite stitch: ch-2 net stitch. Firm enough to be a subtle lace pattern, stretchy enough to make all kinds of things from afghans to socks to shawls. More on that in another post.

Looking back over previous posts:

A neat addition to a bookmark, of course, is a paperclip at one end to attach to the book itself (a cover of a paperback or an inside page or spine of a hardcover) so the bookmark does not disappear.
Motifs can be really fun -- fancy ones just for themselves, but I am exploring some simple ones that can be blocked into different shapes for completely different looks.
Also, there is the idea that stuff that looks great in thread for lace can be equally useful in heavier yarn for afghans -- the mile-a-minute concept being a traditional case in point.

Now I am off to my next pair of socks. It is really nice to start a new project.

Design Elements

2009-04-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

It's a common joke among needle workers that there are no mistakes only design elements. There are a lot of short cuts, too. Often, if you don't know how to do something, you can find a way around it.

Socks are a great example. If you don't want to use double pointed needles, there are ways to use circulars. If you don't want to do short rows, you can make tube socks or use the "afterthought heel."

Once, I was working on some baby socks for a friend and I didn't have a darning needle to close up the toe when I was done. I figured out that Kitchener is not absolutely necessary--you can work around it. If you decrease the toe just like you would the top of a hat and gather the remaining stitches, it works just fine. In that case, it came out cuter than originally planned, because I only decreased three stitches in each round, making a pointed toe.

Quick Gift

2009-03-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know, broomstick lace got a bad rap in the 1970's, when it was combined with worsted weight acrylic in garish colors. For example:

But it doesn't have to be that way. Broomstick lace, when used with crochet cotton makes a quick, easy, and lovely lace:

It also makes a simple, sort of Art Deco edging. As a quick and easy gift, it makes an excellent bookmark.

Use size 5 crochet cotton and a hook to match, and make a chain that's about 7 inches long and a multiple of 5 (60 or 65 work well). Work one row of single crochet. Then, using a size 13 knitting needle, draw up a loop in each stitch across. Inserting your hook into 3 loops at a time, work 5 single crochets into each set of loops across. You'll end up with the same number of stitches you started with. Then work in crab stitch around the whole thing. To make the bookmark look really finished, weave a piece of half-inch ribbon through the lace.

Baby socks

2009-03-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

Baby feet get cold really easily, so it's important to keep them covered. Besides baby socks are a really easy and inexpensive gift that's also stinkin' cute. Unfortunately, babies excel at kicking them off--usually within five minutes of having had them put on. But I have two pairs of socks I made for my little guy that stay on pretty reliably, and they both have cuffs.

The trick is to have a cuff that folds over the ribbing to prevent it from stretching out of shape. The easiest thing to do is to start the sock with the ribbing, follow it with a round of purling to create a crease where the cuff will fold, and then do stockinette for the same number of rounds as the ribbing. Once the sock is complete, fold the ribbing down into the cuff and tack it in place.

You can also start with the stockinette tube (or any other pattern stitch, for that matter), do a round of purling, and then do the ribbing. This way you don't have to sew anything, because the cuff folds out. You just have to do the cuff inside out.

Stitches West

2009-03-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

Practical Crocheter and I went to the Stitches West market on the 28th. While we didn't get there until the afternoon, it was nice to walk around the market, see vendors we look forward to seeing every year and a few new faces as well.

We always enjoy looking at the unusual offerings of Habu. I particularly enjoy working with their Silk and Steel blend. It adds a beautiful, if subtle, texture to lace weight mohair, and gives thin yarns some substance and weight. While a lot of Habu's yarns are just silk, they also specialize in unusual fibers, such as kenaf and pineapple. It's always fun to see what new things they are experimenting with this year.

We also make a point of going to the Newton's Yarn Country booth. They carry mill ends of a wide variety of yarns, so one can always find a good deal.

But what really makes stitches fun is seeing all of the hand dye companies. The colors are almost overwhelming, and you get to see small companies represented that you don't usually find at your lys.

Motifs

2009-02-15T01:49:00.000-08:00

In making clothes for my new baby I wanted to make something special, dare I say heirloom-worthy, for him. I chose to make a receiving dress: white, long, lace bodice. However, I find crocheted lace worked in rows feels like it takes forever, so I chose to use motifs. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a pattern for the sort of thing I wanted to make, which leads us to the inherent versatility of motif work.

My solution was to use motifs from a table runner pattern I have (from Captivating Crochet). (click on photos to enlarge)

(taken from Captivating Crochet)

The motifs were simple, and the matter was made even easier by the fact that the pattern called for the same guage I wanted to use. So I made the motifs and connected them in the shape of a bodice, using measurements from the Knitters Companion. I even tiled the motifs differently than suggested in the original pattern. Low and behold, it worked!

Because the motifs were an irregular shape, I had to smooth out the neckline a bit, so I added an edging from a Dover book I have, attaching it to the bodice by the scalloped edge rather than the chain edge originall intended for that purpose. Then I went around all the openings of the bodice in crab stitch to finish the piece. I'm very pleased with the results:

The moral of the story is that motif work makes knitting and crocheting a matter of assembly rather than design. I recommend that people look at motif patterns for the motifs themselves, rather than for the finished object. An interesting motif may be lovely as a table cloth, but it can also be used for a garment, or in a different guage for an afghan, or by itself as the back of a baby bonnet. They can be tiled in different ways or even combined with other motifs. Many motifs can be disassembled into different motifs if you use a different number of rounds. It's like playing with blocks--once you have the pieces, you can make anything.

The paradox of crocheted socks

2009-01-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Knitting makes a lightweight and elastic fabric, compared to crocheting. Crocheting makes a textured and sturdy fabric, compared to knitting.

Given such a cut and dry comparison, it seems a no-brainer that socks are generally knitted, and not crocheted.

As true as this comparison may be, it is not complete. There is a lot of overlap between what knitting can do and what crocheting can do. Theoretically, then, if you can knit socks, you should be able to crochet them. So there’s the puzzle. Where in the intersection of knitting and crocheting can socks fit?

Socks need to be thin enough to wear with shoes -- though I know people who buy a size bigger shoe to wear with handmade socks. The fabric needs to conform to the leg and not be too baggy. The sock needs to be easy to put on and take off. And the pattern to crochet the socks needs to be easy enough that it can become a fairly brainless project -- just as basic knit sock patterns are. And like a basic knit sock pattern, a pattern for crocheted socks needs to work with different gauges and be fairly universal -- it certainly cannot be tied to a specific brand of yarn.

I crochet socks from the toe up because I don’t want to run out of yarn, but I also don’t want the socks to be too short and have leftover yarn. This means I don’t have yarn set aside for mending, but that hasn’t been an issue. For sensible socks, I'm not willing to go smaller than fingering/sock weight yarn. DK weight yarn works up quickly and is only a bit thicker. Worsted weight socks are good for around the house or wearing with boots.

Knee highs often have leg shaping, but shorter socks usually do not. Shaping means more instructions. I want to make the shorter kind for a basic pattern, so I want a stitch that can be pulled in different directions.

The challenge is to find the right stitch: Knit socks often have one pattern for the toe, another for the heel, plain stockinette for the foot, and perhaps a decorative stitch for the leg. So I'm allowed to use different stitches for different parts of the sock. But each stitch has to make sense for where it is.

Originally, I worked the heel in, but now I do an ‘afterthought heel’ (term coined by Elizabeth Zimmerman), which makes life much easier but has the drawback of being a bit less fitted than the heel flap construction -- this problem is in knitting, too, so it’s not just a crochet thing.

Because it is still an evolving meditation, I crochet socks mainly for myself, not for others -- although I did crochet a pair of bed socks out of a dk alpaca/silk blend for my mother once. When they wore out, I knitted a replacement pair -- She appreciated both pairs.

So, how is the pattern evolving?

Gift tip

2009-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

As indicated in my previous post, I am expecting a new addition to my family this month. Not surprisingly, I've been making lots of clothes for the little guy, and it's reminded me of a common problem I encountered when I work in a yarn store.

Ladies would come in needing to make something for a baby shower, but the expectant mother had elected not to learn the baby's sex in advance. It's become expected in this culture that the mother will learn the baby's sex via ultrasound, allowing her loved ones to buy/make gender specific gifts. In fact, many of the women I encountered were actually angry at the expectant mother for not learning the baby's sex.

I have opted not to find out my baby's sex until it is born, which can pose some difficulties in making things for the baby. So here are some tips for gender-neutral gifts:

White, green, and yellow are traditional gender neutral baby colors.

Primary colors and "adult" colors (colors that are traditionally too dark for babies) can also be gender neutral.

Stuffed animals are gender neutral.

Rather than choosing a sweater pattern that is a cardigan, choose a boat neck pattern that buttons over one or both shoulders, so that you don't have to guess which side of the placket the buttons go on. These sweaters can also be easier to put on baby.

Hope this helps.

Why?

2008-12-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

After Practical Crocheter's somewhat philosophical post, a little introspection seemed appropriate for this time of year. With all of the economic turmoil so many of us face this year, many are having to cut back on what we do, prioritize, choose. In my case, I'm also expecting a new addition to the family in short order, and the things I physically can do are limited. How could all this possibly apply to needlework, you ask?

Of course, it's easy to go into a yarn store and drop a small fortune on luxury and novelty fibers, and that's not necessarily possible anymore. But it's a little deeper than that. "Why" is part of the learning process. It's hard to learn something that has no purpose, as most high school math students complain at one point or another. Needlework is the same way.

I taught a friend to knit recently. She needed something to keep her hands busy and to distract her mind as she struggles through a difficult divorce. In my experience working at yarn stores, I explained that I'd only work with her on stuff she was actually going to use in her projects. I wasn't going to be a stickler for technique or insist that she learn things she didn't plan on using. From what I've seen, putting pressure on someone about the thing they're using for stress relief isn't helpful, and they won't learn very well. My friend has done a lot of knitting in the last couple months, and the things I didn't correct her about early on have ironed themselves out as her projects have demanded increasing levels of proficiency.

As we approach new projects, it is important for us to think about why we are doing that project at that time. Is it for stress relief, to stay occupied, because we need the finished project? If I need stress relief, I'm not going to choose a complicated project, because I want a break from thinking; but if I need to be occupied, I might choose something a little more demanding so that my mind is amused as much as my hands. Currently, I'm making things that I actually need for the baby. Why should I buy ready made things, when I've already paid for all the materials? And I've generally chosen simple designs, because I'm working on a deadline.

In the coming year, it may make needlework more satisfying to be more thoughtful about it. As you begin a project, ask yourself why you want to make it and if the thing itself is in line with your needs at the time. As we all cut back and prioritize, let's make the things we choose more deeply enjoyable.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2008-12-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is about the time of year I start planning next year’s Christmas gifts -- because I sure didn’t have time to finish the ones for this year.

This is a time of contrasts: Some things, I can do; other things, I can’t. Peace is in knowing the difference -- I keep having to learn that lesson. Some years I look at how much money I spend and how much effort I make, see how little joy it brings, and wonder what the point is. There is a balance between the effort I make and what I see in response. When the season feels like a competition, there’s something not quite right.

The last time I went to a Christmas Eve service, it seemed like only a handful of folks in a full church were singing out loud. I felt embarrassed to be one of them -- but what is the point of mumbling through “Joy to the World”? It is going to be a while before I have the energy to try that again.

And then, I am lucky to have a friend who still bakes and gives cookies for the season -- even through the economic hardships going on in her life.

I listened to some music yesterday: a CD made by the music group at my old school. It brought tears to my eyes as my heart felt back home for a minute. Then I remember that it’s not about what I do, it’s about why I do it. If I spend all my energy paying attention to all the stuff going on around me, I cannot possibly know why I am doing anything. So this is a time to cut back: Don’t do what I cannot afford to do. Don’t do things I don’t understand why I am doing it. Appreciate what I have. And share.

That sharing is in the socks for my sweetie. He will get them just a little late, but that’s ok.

Amusement

2008-12-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes reading a pattern can be frustrating. All of the acronyms and abbreviated ways of saying things make it seem like a whole different language.

That frustration has been put in delightful terms over at Little House in the Suburbs

Have a click over, and enjoy.

Fringe as you stitch? Corded Fringe

2008-11-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a neat trick I first saw briefly in a pattern book for baby blankets, Leisure Arts #288, Fisherman Crochet for Babies, by Anne Rabunough, 1983, which is discontinued.

Useful on ends of scarves as well as on afghans. You make it in one row of single crochet. Get out a bit of yarn -- just some worsted weight is fine -- and a hook so you can try it yourself. Make an edge of 10 stitches or so that the fringe will go on. The piece will be easier to handle if your swatch has a few rows in it already.

In the next row, ch1 and turn. Sc1 in the next stitch. *Now, pull the loop on your hook out until it is twice as long as you want the fringe to be. About 12 inches is a nice length. Pull gently, pinching the single crochet so it doesn’t get all tightened up. Keeping the hook at the far end of the loop away from the row, and holding the loop taut, twist the loop many times -- about 20 or 30. As you carefully fold the twisted loop in half, back on itself, it makes a short cord. Insert hook back into the last single crochet, as if to work the last yarnover and pull through to finish the stitch (as shown in the picture). Yarn over and pull through to refinish the stitch. ** Sc1 in the next stitch, and repeat from * as desired.

This is great for fringe using smooth yarns. Of course, you can experiment with how it will work up with novelty or other yarns like mohair -- traditionalists may think such yarns are completely unsuitable for this technique. You don’t have to make the fringe with only one stitch between them; you can put them wherever you want. You can even make several in one stitch, repeating from * to **. Shorter corded fringe could be appropriate for a baby’s blanket because it is so sturdy.

Uh-oh...

2008-11-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

For many of us the passing of Halloween, followed by the election marks the iminent arrival of the holidays. And most of us who enjoy handcrafts also enjoy producing gifts with our own two hands. All too often, however, that means making mind-numbingly boring projects over and over again, or embarking on a series of projects that are entirely too amibitious for the time available in which to make them.

Chances are some of your handmade gifts will be scarves, but how to escape the boring without making something too complicated or garish? Invest in a stitch dictionary. A scarf is nothing more than a long rectangle. So find a stitch you like that goes well with the yarn you have in mind, and make a REALLY long swatch of it with a garter or seed stitch border around the edges.

In selecting a stitch, decide whether you want it to be reversible. If the instructions say purl every other row, chances are it is not reversible. I'd also suggest not using a cable pattern: they're bulky for a scarf and look odd on the back because of how the cables twist the fabric. Lace patterns can be a good idea, especially the more open ones, because the holes distract the eye from the differences between sides.

When the scarf is done, it might need a little something more. One of my favorite ideas, especially for women's scarves, is to fringe the scarf in contrasting yarn. For a really chic look, use a chenille, ribbon, or other smooth novelty yarn in the same color as the scarf for the fringe. For a less formal look, choose a plain yarn in a contrasting color for the fringe. Black works pretty well for most colors. In either case, the fringe continues the fluid look of the scarf while the contrast of texture or color frames and sets of the pattern stitch or texture of the rest of the scarf.

kitchen fabric

2008-11-07T00:36:00.001-08:00

Practical Crocheter wrote last time about a good pattern stitch for making dish cloths, so I thought I'd write a little about dish cloths in general.

Dish cloths and potholders are great small projects. They're portable, versatile, and really useful. And once you've worn one out in the kitchen, it can still be used as a rag for yuckier messes than you would normally use a dish cloth for. I save my old ones for washing the car, for example--which is a lot more discreet than using your worn out underwear.

Anyway, in either knitting or crochet, kitchen fabric is an excellent way to test out new pattern stitches. And this way, those squares get some use rather than collecting in your yarn closet. As long as the stitch is at least somewhat solid, it can be used for a dish cloth. Potholders need to be thicker, so they are best made out of solid stitches, thick yarns, or both.

Practical crocheter made the point that dish cloths are best made out of cotton for its absorbancy, but you can also use corn fiber (if you have some lying around), which seems to soak things up pretty well too. Unfortunately, when cotton gets wet initially it swells up a little, so it is not very good for scrubbing things. For that, I prefer linen (the rough kind), hemp, or really cheap acrylic, the last of which doesn't absorb water at all.

On that note, acrylic is a form of plastic. All synthetic fibers ultimately are. So you can also make a good scrub pad out of strips of plastic grocery bag. And I've heard of people using the tape from cassettes or VHS tapes, but those will degrade faster than other forms of plastic.

Potholders, on the other hand, don't need to be absorbant. They just need to insulate. They are best made out of wool, cotton, and other natural fibers, because plastic can melt. This is especially an issue if you use a gas range and are going to use these things near the oven or stovetop. It's a lot more pleasant to put out a burning potholder than to scrub plastic goo off your stovetop.

That said, I prefer wool for potholders, specifically the kind that can't go in the washing machine. That's because when I want a potholder, I usually opt to crochet it in order to get a thicker fabric. Unfortunately, though, crochet has bigger holes between stitches than knitting does. So I make potholders out of wool and then felt them in the washing machine. It closes up the holes, thickens the fabric, and increases the fabric's ability to insulate. And any animal fiber other than silk will do .

I also think that kitchen fabric is a great way to use up those little scraps of yarn that accumulate from finished projects. I try to keep mine sorted according to fiber, and then use several to make what I need. As long as the fibers are of a similar thickness and behave similarly in the wash, there's no problem with mixing them.

Kitchen cloth in heavy single crochet

2008-10-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

The handiest thing I like in a kitchen is a small bit of fabric that can pass for a dishcloth, light potholder, or sponge. Not too big -- about 8 inches across means it is small enough to squeeze out with one hand but also big enough and solid enough to use for just about anything, even a light hot mat or coaster for under my teapot. It needs to be made out of cotton, to be absorbent.

But the real trick is the pattern stitch.

Single crochet by itself will stretch out of shape and become all lacy over time. Any bigger stitch will have bigger spaces between the stitches. I want a solid fabric. But I don’t want it to be too thick and solid -- I’m not trying to make wall board.

This is where heavy single crochet can come into play: This is like a fabric of single crochet with chain stitches thrown in. The chain stitch keeps the single crochet from stretching out of shape -- chain stitch is often used to lock in a stitch (like in Cluster stitch).

This can work over any number of stitches, but for the sake of these instructions, start with an even number. Here is the base row: Ch1 to turn, *sc1 in next two stitches, ch1. Repeat from * across, ending with 2 sc.

As usual in crochet, this stitch has you inserting the hook under the top two loops of the stitches in the previous row.

In the next row, ch1 to turn. *Sc1, ch1 but do NOT skip 1, sc1 in the very next sc, skip the ch of the pr r. Repeat from * across, ending with ch1, sc1.

Notice that you are making a ch in between the 2sc of the previous row and skipping the ch1‘s.

In the next row, ch1 to turn. *Sc1, skip the ch of the pr r, sc1, ch1 but do not skip 1. Repeat from * across, ending with sc1, sk the ch, sc1.

Notice that the chain stitches are squished between the single crochets, adding bulk, and it’s all basically a single crochet fabric. And yet, if you stretch it, the single crochet stitches hold their shape very nicely.

Repeat the last two rows for the pattern stitch. The number of stitches should stay the same in every row. This makes a satisfying fabric for a dishcloth. For the sample pictured here, I used a worsted weight cotton (like Sugar and Cream) and a size I/5.5 mm hook. My gauge came out to about 3 stitches per inch -- so starting with Ch24 works well.

Re-orienting a bit

2008-10-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Time flies when stuff happens. Job, moving, more moving, and barely time to knit or crochet at all, let alone write about it. And suddenly it's been a month and a half since the last entry.

It is really a comfort to settle into a place where I can see how much yarn I really have -- this may be frightening to those around me, but they get used to it ... eventually.

With the turmoil in the economy, let alone the environment, I feel extra incentive to focus on my stitching. Low tech has so many advantages:

as a way to make useful things without using fossil fuels (aside from having driven to the store some years ago to buy the yarn),
as a way of slowing down long enough to relax a bit and think about stuff,
as a way of keeping my hands busy long enough so my mouth can think about what it's saying,
as a way of focusing my brain on a single, solvable puzzle to de-fuzz my thinking.

So much of what I see around me is crisis-oriented. True, we may be living in a time of crisis (between regional conflicts, the economy, and the environment), but I wonder how much of the crisis mentality has to be promoted by the media in order to get market share. So I turn the tv off and stitch in another room.

As I head into the holiday season (already!?) I feel resolved to step away from the whirlwind so I can get a few things done and have something real to offer.

Absolutely Fabulous

2008-09-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

A friend was concerned about her AbFab kit. She had bought it at half price, and the colors ran pretty much the full range of primaries and secondaries, with just a touch of neutrals. She had changed the pattern stitch a bit (a variation of Feather and Fan), and she was having doubts, about a foot or two into the project. She spread the work out on the table and wanted to know what to do.

So we talked about it: This particular color way has a rich range of colors and intensities -- there isn‘t any unifying intensity or color to comfort you in the process with a sense of stability. By definition, there is a rich range of textures (it’s a Colinette AbFab kit). If you want it to look like the picture, you have to follow every single step of the instructions. If you change even one detail, it will look different from the picture. Because of the richness of all the parts, you won’t be able to predict how your changes will affect the outcome. By the same token, and for the same reason, the finished product will look precisely like itself -- and whether you like it or not is kind of up to you. Because of the richness of the pattern stitch, you won’t actually see the effect until you block the finished piece. If you take apart what you have already done, you will never know how it would have ended up. In the process, you will also weaken some of the yarns (like mohair and chenille) that don’t like to be fussed with too much. So you have to trust the kit, make your choices, and enjoy the process.

Kind of like life, she smiled. Yup.

Books and Big Gauges, Part 2

2008-08-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

While bulky yarns are great for learning how to see your stitches, that is a double edged sword in and of itself. If you could see your mistakes in these yarns when you first learned to knit, so can everyone else now. Moreover, if every stitch or two makes up a whole inch, it quickly becomes very important that you make no mistakes in your shaping. On a size 19 (15mm) needle, being off by one stitch on one shoulder will be noticeable in the finished product.

Ultimately, variety is a good thing. Knitting involves very repetitive movements in the hands, wrists, and arms. In the post-industrial work environment, most of us have enough of that just from work, so its really important for knitters to keep their habits healthy to avoid injury. More so than smaller needles, big needles require a lot of movement to manipulate successfully, just because of their size. If you don’t believe me, write something with a standard Bic pen and then switch to a jumbo sized permanent marker. It takes a lot more effort to achieve a similar degree of control.

In all fairness, it’s good for knitters who prefer smaller gauges to work on large ones from time to time. I know that when I spend a lot of time on smaller needles, I tend to concentrate all of my movement into my hands and away from my wrists and arms. Using a large needle reminds me and retrains me to make knitting closer to a whole body experience.

If you learned to knit on large needles and always felt a little intimidated by needles smaller than an 11 or 13 (7 and 9 mm respectively), it’s great if you are learning new techniques and have found a way to do so on familiar territory. But let me encourage you, if you want longer lasting more forgiving garments, to experiment with a slightly smaller gauge from time to time. You may very well impress yourself.

In the Thick -- and Thin -- of it

2008-08-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Harper and I seem to be on a track about thick and thin yarns -- she working from the thick yarn angle, and I, from the thin yarn side. Like she says, there’s been a lot of interest in really thick yarn and working up projects quickly. It can be a good thing if you’re a beginner and want to see quick results. It is tempting to be satisfied with that.

But that isn’t always the best way to go. Big yarn makes big, clunky stitches and big, clunky fabrics that may not drape well. Thick yarns are more expensive than thin yarns, per ounce or gram. It also gets used up much faster, so it doesn’t give you as much play time for the buck. After a while, you may get bored with big yarns because, in the long run, it may not be that satisfying. If you try exploring different pattern stitches in thicker yarns, you may be dissatisfied with how the fabric turns out because the focus is on the yarn, not on the stitches.

Thin yarns keep you busy a lot longer for much less cost. Thin yarns are much more portable, so you’re not carrying around a big project. Pattern stitches usually come out much more classy-looking and exciting in a thin yarn or thread than in a thick one because you see the pattern that it makes rather than just the yarn.

You may need a path to get from using big stuff to little stuff. Number 10 cotton is a good thread to play with to explore thin stuff. There’s a lot of thinner stuff out there, but #10 is a great place to start. It comes in a lot of colors. It also comes in different qualities, with some very nice stuff and some that is really inexpensive. You can knit with it (just plain knit on 4mm needles makes a nice lacy fabric) or crochet with it (a much more common idea). You can start with a big needle/hook and make a really open fabric (think about big rectangles to make lacy window curtains or table coverings). And then you can work your way down to smaller needles/hooks and really appreciate the elegant, crisp fabric that comes from a firm gauge. Doilies and other table coverings can be a lot of fun to make, and their patterns can be anything from really simple to really complicated.

Looking at a simple rectangle in double crochet using a size G hook isn't so exciting (see right side of picture). But a small net stitch can look much better. One example I call Single Crochet Lite is a chain-1 net stitch: over a base of an even number of stitches, chain 2 to turn. (Skip 1 st, sc1 in next st) across, ending with sc1 in the last stitch. Repeating this row, you end up making sc1 in each ch-space, and chain over each sc. For a more open look, do ch-2 instead of chain 1. The neat thing about the chain stitches is that they keep the single crochets from stretching out of shape.

You can knit the same idea using a #6 or larger needle and just knit back and forth. In the sample above, half is just garter stitch, the other half is seed stitch. They look so much alike, I'm not sure it's worth the effort to do anything more than just straight knit.

The trick to using yarn that is much thinner than the hook/needle is that you need to let the tool define the shape of the stitch -- don’t tighten it because it feels too loose. It IS too loose -- that is the point of the exercise -- and it can come out very nicely. Notice that the stitches aren’t all uniform. Some are bigger, some are smaller. That’s just fine.

I think I will use the garter stitch on 6's to make some sheer curtains for my apartment.

Books and Big Gauges, part 1

2008-07-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

Enter your local Barnes and Noble (at least in my area), and you will find, displayed prominently for a knitting book one or two books of the Twinkle Knits line (designed by Wenlan Chia). A cursory review of the pictures reveals trendy shapes made in super chunky yarns on waif-like models, reminiscent of the Italian runways. In fact, the author’s designs have been featured there.

Chia's designs feature far more shaping and textural interest than are usually to be found in such large gauges, and detailed descriptions of how to think about gauge when working with large yarns, altering a pattern from flat pieces to working in the round, and the use of “English shoulder shaping” (in which the shoulder seams are actually located on the upper back, to produce a more tailored, streamlined effect). Considering how hefty seams are in these large yarns, such attention to detail really can pay off.

However, there are some things good tailoring and design just can’t counter. The generation of knitters that learned to knit in the last five to ten years generally started with big yarn and large needles in pursuit of instant and eclectic results. When I worked in yarn retail, the only yarns we possibly sold more of than highly textured novelty yarns were super chunky wools, acrylics, and such. It was impossible to keep 16” circular, size 15 needles in stock (for anyone outside the US, that’s 10 mm, 40 cm). That’s exactly the market to which Twinkle Knits caters. Between the two books I have seen thus far, I have yet to find a pattern that calls for a needle smaller than 13 (9mm).

In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with this. It is certainly true that bigger gauges work up faster over fewer stitches, and that bigger stitches are easier to see and understand.
The problem is not with the designs. It is with the yarn. Gauges that loose grow. I have heard many “old school” knitters complain of this problem with projects calling for such modest needles as 8 and 9 (5 and 5.5 mm respectively). This growth is much more noticeable on larger needles, and has a much more significant impact on fit than on smaller ones. Every knit stitch traces a shape with the yarn. Between stitches are gaps in the fabric. As the garment is worn and subjected to gravity, those shapes and spaces adjust themselves, just like houses settle into the ground and stop being perfectly level as they age. On the gauges in question in the Twinkle series, that growing can mean extra inches on your garment. That fitted, waist length jacket will turn into a hip length “boyfriend sweater” with cuffs you will need to roll up. And your lacy tunic will eventually become your summer bathrobe.

These patterns also will not wear well. If super chunky yarns were spun as tightly as their lighter weight counterparts, they would feel like rope. Looser spinning means weaker yarn. Weaker yarn means shedding and pills. The beautiful cabled jacket that you made to cover up your little black dress will eventually become the expensive sweater you only wear on laundry day.

Continuous Granny, part 2

2008-06-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

The beginning of the continuous granny looked like a weird mutation in the last blog, but that was just a beginning. As you can see from the picture on the right, it still looks a bit weird after a few rounds.

An asymmetric version of something that is normally symmetrical always takes a bit of getting used to.

Now, the point of this exercise is to make a whole afghan from one granny square, so I would normally be going around and around for a really long time -- about an afghan's worth. So stopping after just a few rounds to show what it looks like rather defeats the purpose. But I wanted to address how to end the thing. What I do is finish off after turning a corner and making a few slip stitches to blend the end into the current row line.

Then, to finish the edge, work a round of some edging -- like a shell stitch, as shown above.

Now, I've known some people who really liked this idea, but at the same time, it may seem really strange to other people. It seemed worth sharing.

In praise of coils and afghans

2008-06-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

There are lots of very clever and fancy afghan and throw patterns out there, but sometimes I want a throw (or a blanket for my bed) that is simple, brainless to make, and focusing more on the yarn than on fancy stitchwork. One easy solution is to cast on or chain as many stitches as appropriate, choose a stitch, and just work back and forth until the piece is either big enough or I run out of yarn, whichever comes first.

This can be a problem if I have a set amount of yarn and don't want to end up with something too short for how wide it is. In this case, it feels better to start small and make a big square. I could work in rounds, where each layer of stitches has a beginning and an end, but there may be two minor disadvantages: (1) there is a visual line where the row ends line up, and (2) I have to remember when I get to the end of the round. Case in point is the granny square in crochet. The nice thing about the traditional granny square is that you are always working into spaces, never into an actual stitch. That means you don’t have to watch things so carefully.

Rather than fussing with lots of little squares and having to join them all together, why not just make one big granny square for the whole afghan? It can work out very nicely. If, however, your brain is watching a fun movie while your hands are zipping along on the square, you may find at some point that you are going in a coil -- the end of the round has disappeared. Not necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, you could start out in a coil as if you did it on purpose. Here’s one way: Chain 5, slip stitch in the last chain from the hook to make a ring. Chain 4. Double crochet 3 in the chain-5 ring. (Chain 3, double crochet 3 in the same ring) 3 more times to make the 4 sides. Then start the coil: Chain 1. Make a corner (double crochet 3, chain 3, double crochet 3) -- all in the chain 4 space. *Chain 1. Make another corner in the next chain 3 space. Repeat from * around until you hit a chain-1 space. From here on, there are only 3 things to do: make 3 double crochets into a chain-1 space, chain 1 as you skip over a 3 double crochet group, or make a corner.

As you can see from the picture above, it looks like a mutation at first. But after a few rounds, it smooths out and is just like a granny square -- only without that place where the round ends.

Rules: Always make a corner into the chain-3 space of a previous corner. Always make 3 double crochets into a chain-1 space. Always chain 1 as you skip over a 3 double crochet group. And if it turns out that you skipped a chain 1, pretend that you didn’t. And if it turns out that you chained 1 when you should have chained 3, pretend that the 3 chains are there and work accordingly.

Once you get the hang of the thing, it is really remarkably satisfying -- unless you were really looking for a pattern that involved lots of counting and colors and thinking..

More Notes on Gauge

2008-06-06T01:12:00.000-07:00

Gauge can be a difficult subject for the beginning needle worker. First of all, it is counter intuitive: the smaller the gauge the more stitches per inch, and the larger the gauge the fewer stitches per inch. For many, this sounds backwards, because more is usually, well, more. But if you look at a swatch with a ruler, it quickly makes more sense--if the stitches are smaller, more of them will fit into an inch (or centimeter, if you go by the metric system). The same applies to rows per inch.

The other thing that can be difficult about gauge is how to make the swatch. Until you have a real feel for how your knitting or crocheting is, it's important to make a nice, big gauge swatch. Often people work more loosely or tightly at the very beginning of a project than they do further in, sort of like how hand writing becomes a little sloppy after the first page or so. If your gauge swatch is of your starting gauge, it may not give any good information about how your project is going to work.

If your project is going to be worked in the round, make your gauge swatch in the round; and if it is going to be made of flat pieces, make the gauge swatch in flat pieces. In knitting, most people purl at a different gauge than they knit, and working in the round or flat will usually determine how frequently you do each. Some people have such different gauges in knitting than in purling that they use different needle sizes to make their knitting look even. In crochet, all the stitches lean in one direction, so working in rows corrects for that slant. Working in rounds, however, makes all the stitches face the same direction, not only does this give the stitch a different look, but it reinforces the slant of the stitches. While this may not seem relevant to gauge, it does change the drape of the fabric, which is the point of finding a good gauge.

Finally, new needle workers are often very careful about following patterns to the letter, not realizing that every person handles the yarn and needles a little differently. The gauge and needle size recommended in any given pattern are suggestions. If the gauge cannot be achieved by using the suggested needle size, do not choose the recommended needle size over the prescribed gauge. Play around with needle size until you get the right gauge. It might not be exactly what the pattern says, but it will make the pattern work.

In the end, the purpose of measuring gauge and making a gauge swatch is to make the best possible fabric in your project and to make sure that project fits whatever dimensions it needs to. And how you knit or crochet is just as unique as your fingerprint. Happy knitting!

2008-06-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

The first most important thing about a project is that it come out right in the end. In order for this to happen, gauge can be really important or completely irrelevant.

Harper’s situation shows how funny gauge can be. Even though almost all of her project makes a nice fabric on one needle, the little bit that is the important design detail insisted on a larger needle. This is not a democracy. In order for that part to work out, the whole thing should be done on the larger needle, and the rest of the fabric would come out just fine.

In another situation where gauge made a difference, a large woman wanted to knit a simple sweater on large needles. She had a pattern she liked, but it was too small for her and worked at a smaller gauge (about 3 or 3½ stitches per inch). She wanted to work on 15’s at about 2 stitches per inch. So she picked out some yarn (a double strand of worsted weight), and we figured out that the pattern should work for her if she followed the instructions for the petite size and kept an eye on how long she wanted the pieces to be. By golly, it worked. So gauge information can be useful for something.

Quick Tip

2008-05-23T00:27:00.001-07:00

I love cables. Cables are one of the reasons I started knitting in the first place. However, they pose certain challenges. Specifically, they can cause gauge problems.

When you make a cable it twists the fabric, making the gauge of the cable tighter than the rest of the fabric. They also shorten your row gauge, because the stitches in the cable are pulled diagonally.

Where am I going with all of this?

I started a sweater. Most of it is in 2x2 ribbing, with a cable panel in the center front, and maybe along the sleeves when I get that far. I did a gauge swatch with multiple needle sizes and of all of the stitches I planned to use. All seemed well, until I actually started the sweater. The problem was that I chose the needle size that worked best with the ribbing. It's going to make up the bulk of the sweater, right?

After working through the first eight inches of sweater, I discovered that the perfect ribbing gauge was way too tight for the cable pattern, which was coming out very stiff--it could stand up by itself. There was only one thing for it: I tore it all out and started over on a larger needle size.

Bottom line: If you are make a project with a cable pattern, use the gauge that is best for the cable, not the ground pattern.

Stripes and Crochet

2008-05-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Finally, that colorwork post I promised...

My favorite way to use color is with stripes in crochet. Of course I love fairisle knitting, but I don't always want to cart a chart around and worry about whether I put the Post-it/row marker in the right spot the last time I set it down. I also like working on things I don't have to think about, and stripes are a great way to make a larger object out of the 50 gazillion single skeins I bought "just to pet" that all happen to go together because I really like blue.

Why crochet, you ask? Because, unlike knitting, each stitch is its own unit and dips down a little into the previous row (kind of like what happens when you make stripes in garter stitch, if you're a knitter). Also, a lot of crochet pattern stitches can be done one row at a time, rather than taking several rows per repeat. This means that it's a lot easier to get different looks with different rows. If you mix pattern stitches and stripe, you can end up with something that actually looks kind of like fairisle from a distance and still looks really good close up.

How to put the colors together? I like to have at least three colors going at once (one row a piece). This way, you never have two consecutive rows of the same thing. Keeping the stripe pattern to one row each keeps the final look from being too stripy.

I start by making a pile of all the little bits and pieces that I think might go together. Then I line them up so that I think they shade nicely from one to the next. It's also good to make sure that each consecutive grouping of yarns looks ok together (as many yarns in a group as you plan to use in a repeat).

For this example, my theme was blue, and when I lined them all up, they shaded from blue and brown earthtones through sky blues. Most likely you will end up with one or two yarns that you have more of than you do of the others, and that's a good thing, it will help with unity. Try to make sure all the yarns have roughly the same thickness--if your working primarily with worsteds, a dk or two is ok but avoid fingering, that kind of thing.

What do different combinations do? Like I said, try to keep the weights somewhat uniform. Don't worry too much about fiber content or texture unless their are allergies or washing instructions to consider. Really, though, this is something to do with all those onesies and scraps in your stash. That said, having all the yarns be about the same shade or of similar colors gives a really subtle, but rich look, as demonstrated in the first photo. Having similar colors with one bright or contrasting color really reinforces the fairisle concept, like so:

Of course, several contrasting yarns will look like stripes:

In the case of the sample that these photos came from, I was working in the round with groups of four colors. If I had worked in rows, a pattern would have emerged with the stripes, where some yarns would have repeated closer together than others, which can be a very nice effect. When working in rows, I like to combine that effect with different groupings of single crochet-oriented rows and double crochet-oriented rows. When working in the round, the side that is normally the wrong side can change the interplay of the colors in interesting ways, giving you something else to play with.

What all of this means is that it's really good to swatch before starting the project to figure out what combinations of stitches, number of colors, and which side of the work looks best.

In praise of the Feather & Fan -- and Stitch Markers

2008-04-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

This traditional knitting pattern is probably my favorite afghan pattern. It looks good in thin or thick yarn, makes a good scarf, stole, or throw. It's the simplest complicated-looking pattern ever. For all its wavy, lacy effects, every row has the same number of stitches. The pattern is only a 4-row repeat, and 3 of those rows are simply knitting or purling across! Doing the pattern in a single yarn focuses on the contrast between lacy and solid sections. If you change colors after each repeat, the focus is on the wavy texture (good for an ocean/water theme).

Even the one thinking row isn't hard at all, just increasing and decreasing across. It is good to have a row where you have to think: this is the row where you can tell quickly if there are any problems. If things aren’t lining up properly, you will see it on the pattern row.

This is also the introduction to the miracle of stitch markers for many new knitters. If you haven’t used markers in your knitting, you may think they are just one more silly gadget the yarn shop folks are trying to foist on you to get your money. Considering that markers cost only a buck or two (or a whopping 5 dollars for more sturdy ones), that is hardly an effective tool for yarn shops to get more of your money, but I know it may feel that way.

If you feel you don’t need markers and just start working a feather and fan blanket, you will spend more time counting (up to 150 or however many stitches) than enjoying your knitting. And it's really easy for the pattern not to work. The pattern won't look like the picture... and how come the circular needle isn't long enough -- and how did you get 500 stitches on there? It happens.

Out of exasperation, you may break down and buy some markers. Then, once you start placing a marker after each repeat of the pattern, you will know the joy of having to count only to 18 (or 17 if you are using some variations of the pattern) -- a much, much smaller number. More experienced knitters may count to 3 (for the first set of decreases), to 6 (for the increases), and then look ahead to make sure there are 6 stitches to the next marker for the last set of decreases. Life becomes so much simpler and pleasant that you laugh out loud! And you will appreciate the order and joy that these little rings bring to your life when they aren’t busy disappearing into the sofa cushions.

And on the rows where you just knit or purl across, simply slip each marker to the other needle when you come to it. That way, they're waiting for you when it matters.

Just a satisfying pattern.

And Finally...

2008-04-18T02:07:00.001-07:00

So, about those foundation stitches, I thought I'd provide some photos. For trying out foundation double crochet, I would recommend opening the link to the instructions (below) in a new window, and then adjusting both that window and this so that they may be viewed side by side. That way, you can use this page as a reference as you work.

If you want to start a project with foundation double crochet, start with 3 chain stitches, and begin with step two on this page, except that you insert your hook in the third chain from the hook:

http://members.aol.com/Sbaycgoa/foundatn.htm

Following these instructions, your work should look like this at the end of step four:

The loop right above the head of the hook (that the double crochet seems to be coming out of) is the chain stitch made in step three. It is where you will insert your hook to make the next stitch. It's hard to keep an eye on if you aren't used to it, so stretch it out a little and hold on to it while you finish the double crochet.

After step six, your work will look like this:

Again, the top of the hook is touching the loop where you insert the hook for the next stitch. Once you have these first couple stitches done, it gets much easier to see what you are doing. After several stitches, your work will look like this:

As you can see, it looks exactly like a row of double crochet, and that's how you treat it. And you treat the initial three chains like a turning chain.

I hope that helps. Next up for harper (that's me): color work.

Getting Stranded can be a good thing

2008-04-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

Just noticed that all the color stuff I wrote before was about using only one strand of yarn at a time. Holding multiple strands can also be a powerful way to use color, especially since thin yarns are often much more cost-effective than thick ones.

If you hold two strands together, the relative colors of the strands matters. If the two colors are similar, you end up with a fabric of a third color that is not quite one color or the other color -- so holding a pink and an orange of similar intensity will give you a peach colored fabric. If the two colors contrast a lot, you end up with a tweed fabric, like holding an off-white with brown or navy. Either way, the fabric is more interesting than just using a single color by itself.

If one of the strands is multi-colored, even better.

Then there are also thin strands of texture: thin mohairs, boucle yarns, and furry things. These kinds of yarns may not show up in normal yarn shops (because they don't sell very well), but they do sometimes show up in thrift stores, as well as in stores for weaving supplies.

If you have a number of yarns that almost go together, but not quite, holding a single strand of a coordinating textured yarn (like mohair) can really help pull it all together. A single strand of mohair is also really useful because it lets you stitch with a much bigger needle/hook. The fuzziness of the mohair likes a looser gauge to make a fabric with a softer drape. The yarn you hold with the mohair gives it more body, another good thing.

Color Blind

2008-03-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

Speaking of jumping in with both feet, my biggest challenge with stitching has always been COLOR. Gorgeous projects calling for a million colors would blithely start out by telling me simply to take all my leftover yarns to end up with what they had pictured. Right. Clearly, they had never seen my collection of leftover yarns.

Then, eventually, I did just jump in. I started making what I call my ugly afghans. Afghans made from such a scattered range of colors that you could never have a worse hair day than these creations looked. No matter how bad your day, you could curl up in one of these afghans and take comfort that your day was better than they looked. Spilling cocoa (by accident, of course) on one couldn't make it look worse. You get the picture.

And a funny thing happened: I had my first epiphany. As long as the pattern was simple and consistent, each afghan turned out looking like it was meant to look like that -- a lot like the new generation of stuffed toys coming out these days. For example, the traditional granny square afghan is made up of all kinds of leftover scraps, but the last round of each square is the same color. That unifying rule adds stability. Having additional rules, like how you arrange the squares, also adds stability.

I also learned two other rules that made life so much easier: Kaffe Fassett (and others, I'm sure, but he's one who got the most attention) pointed out that when you gather up your stray bits of yarn, organize them in color order (lining them up in a row) before winding them up in two big balls. Two balls because you start winding the bits from one end of the line to the middle of the line, and the second ball from the middle of the line to the other end. That way, when you use two colors in a row of stitching, there will be the most contrast. Duh -- why didn't I think of that? Just that amount of organizing creates wonderful stability in how the colors end up.

The last rule is a basic mantra from the fashion world: Light, Bright, and Dark. If you don't want all the energy of ten million colors, remember that 3 is really plenty. And for any three that you choose, choose a trio where one is clearly Light, another one is clearly Bright, and the third is clearly Dark -- all compared to each other. You could even use this idea in sorting your odd bits of yarn (see above).

These three rules have made my crocheting and knitting make much more enjoyable, and they make me look remarkably clever with very little effort, which is always a good thing.

Thoughts

2008-03-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Maybe I lack in brain cells, but the whole clockwise vs. counter-clockwise thing baffled me for the longest time. Then I realized it only works if you watch the yarn over by pointing the hook or needles towards your face. That simple, if awkward, act changed my understanding of needlework.

If you are new to knitting or crochet, perhaps the most difficult thing to remember is not to think. I kid you not--if you try to focus your brain on what you are trying to accomplish, you will start having a hard time learning. You just have to jump in with both feet.

Building on the good news

2008-03-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

It may seem difficult to learn the basics of knit and crochet because you have to coordinate your thinking with your seeing and with what your hands are doing. Funny thing is, both crafts are just combinations of the same elements.

The basics of both crafts grow out of some combination of Insert, Yarnover, and Pull though. That's all there is to it. Really. And for each, there is a normal way to do it, and doing it differently makes a difference in the fabric.

A slip knot, to start at a starting point, is 2 yarnovers, 1 pull through, another yarnover, and a pull through.

Now, in crochet (for right-handed folk) the yarnovers are always clockwise around the hook. For lefties, the yarnovers are always counter clockwise. Either way, the hook is grabbing the yarn from underneath.

Some people grab the yarn from on top for the first yarnover after they insert the hook into the stitch, but that twists the stitch just a bit, and makes a visual effect.

In knitting, the normal yarnovers are always counterclockwise. This seems confusing sometimes because you also have to swing the yarn forward or backward to switch between knits and purls -- but that is not wrapping the yarn around the needle. If you wrap clockwise, you make a twisted stitch -- which you may want, or not. Normally, you insert your right needle into the leading edge (the side closer to the point) of the stitch on the left needle. Knitting into the back -- or non-leading edge -- of the stitch also twists the stitch.

In crochet, a stitch is everything that happens from the time there is one loop on your hook until the next time there is one loop on your hook. A lot can happen there, so there are lots of possibilities in crochet stitches.

In knitting, a stitch is everything that happens between the time a stitch is on the left needle and when it gets moved over to the right needle. Usually, all that happens is that you put a new loop through the old loop, but fancier stitches involve putting more loops in, adding yarnovers, or moving the old loop to a temporary needle to make cables.

Thinking of sttiches in terms of these elements makes it easier to communicate. Lots of stitchers run into problems when they are just shown how to do something and don't know what anything is called. Building that literacy is really empowering.

There's good news, and there's bad news...

2008-02-28T22:57:00.000-08:00

The bad news:

The beginning of any project in knitting or crochet is usually the hardest part. So is learning almost any technique, or even learning to knit or crochet in the first place. In knitting, casting on is the most awkward part, and one usually needs to learn how several times before it sticks. The first row is also usually difficult to work into. Joining in the round, especially when double pointed needles are involved, is also a pain to learn, especially if the yarn is slippery. In crochet, the basic movements that make up the entire craft are involved in the foundation chain, making it perhaps the most important thing to learn. And it often takes a lot of practice to learn how to do that loosely and evenly enough for the first row to work nicely.

Whenever one works in the round or learns a new pattern stitch, it takes several rows before the work looks like anything recognizable in either craft. The line between project and tangle is thin, indeed.

As has been discussed in the recent interest in foundation stitches in crochet, they too are difficult to learn, and for the same reason. It is difficult, in the beginning, to see whether the work looks like a mess because it is right or because it is wrong. I will make a post on that in a few days.

The good news:

In this culture, we often start learning new things with easy stuff. Once the easy stuff is mastered, we learn things that are progressively more difficult. Needle arts are not like that. Once the basic concepts are mastered, the apparently hard stuff turns out to be variations on the original theme. In other words, if you can figure out the hard stuff in the beginning, you can do almost anything.

So, if you knit, and you want to learn how to make lace or cables, don't let the appearance of the finished product intimidate you. Yes, they are more awkward than just knitting or just purling. And, yes, it is difficult to keep track of your rows. But they are just variations on knitting and purling. The former makes increases and decreases in a specific pattern, so if you've made a hat with decreases at the top and something else that involves increases, lace won't be that hard. The latter, despite the extra needle, is exactly the same as knitting, it just knits the stitches out of order.

If you crochet, the major hurdle is learning how to look at your work and see where one stitch begins and ends. Once you are comfortable with identifying a double crochet versus a single crochet and each stitch as its own thing, you can do anything. In the case of foundation double crochet, to use the recent topic of interest, if you are really comfortable with chain stitch and what that looks like, and really comfortable with double crochet and what that looks like, then it's not so hard to combine the two in a useful way.

You've pedaled all the way up the hill, now you can coast.

More about Foundation Stitches

2008-02-18T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'm seeing more interest in the idea of foundation stitches, which is very cool. A description, including pictures for foundation double crochet, is at

http://members.aol.com/Sbaycgoa/foundatn.htm

This was put up by my friend Mary Cahill, who also thought up the name Slam Dunk Slippers for the slipper pattern a few posts ago. Some of the information there, including the pictures, are scanned from the Learn How Book, put out by Coats and Clark -- my copy is dated 1959, and the pictures are on page 11. Not every edition of the Learn How Book (and there are lots of editions) have this technical tidbit. Earlier crochet books refer to any stitch used to begin a project other than chain stitch as a Foundation Stitch.

Some people are so excited when they learn about foundation stitches that they ask, "Why don't they teach you this stuff at the very beginning?" I hesitate to teach this concept until the crocheter is advanced enough to see the structure of the stitches. If a stitcher doesn't know what s/he's looking at, being specific about where and how to insert the hook can just be really confusing.

More visual aids for this technique, including how to do it with stitches other than double crochet, are on the DVD Crocheters' Guide, put out by Victorian Video.

The article in Interweave Crochet a few issues ago was interesting because it compared foundation double crochet with extended double crochet, also known as the Elmore Stitch. The only difference between the two is where you insert your hook. With extended double crochet, you are stitching into a row that is already there. With foundation stitches, you are making new stitches. While this may not seem like much, it makes all the difference in the world. Kind of like the difference between a winch and a wench, even though there's only one letter different.

Most important, with foundation stitches, you want to keep an eye on that chain stitch you're adding at the base of the stitch. You want to mush the stitch around a little so that chain is at the base of the stitch you end up with.

The posting on the South Bay Crochet site has been useful for a number of people -- it helps if you have some yarn and a hook in hand to try it yourself as you read. That way you can see what you are doing and compare it with the description and the pictures.

The Purse

2008-02-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of two versions of the Spot Purse:

The one on the right is a prototype after felting -- that is the one with the flower on the flap. It used two skeins of yarn and has only one flap that goes from the top of one side over the purse opening. The one on the left hasn't been felted yet. You have seen this one in process all along.

I will be felting this one this weekend to see how it turns out. They both look big in the pictures, but the felted one is about 10 inches wide, and the unfelted one is about 13 inches wide and about 9-1/2 inches deep -- it will be smaller after washing. By having a flap on both sides, I used a good part of a 3rd skein of yarn.

This is a good sized purse for me, and I really enjoyed the process and how it turned out.

Wrapping up the Spot Purse

2008-02-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

The last post about this purse described the gusset and handles. Here is a picture of how that turns out. The other end looks just the same.

Just before the handle starts, the edge has a corner (near where the yarn is wandering away). There are 4 of these corners.

The next step is to fold the whole thing in half so the handles are next to each other, and stitch the side seams from those corners down to the bottom edge.

The handles right now are flat. Slip stitch the long edges together to make a tube for each handle, and it felts nicely into a rounded handle.

I'll have pictures of the finished item in the next post, with any luck.

Felting, part 2

2008-02-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

It takes me a while to transfer photos onto my computer. Better late than never, right?

So, felting.

When you want to felt something, it can be difficult to estimate what the size of the finished product will be based on the item before it is washed. What I like to do is figure out from the number of stitches and the finished measurements (either those I plan to use if I am making it up, or those given in the pattern otherwise) what my finished guage will be. This is the part where you do lots of swatching. Remember that how something felts depends not only on the fiber, but on the brand, color, and your washing machine as well.

The two green swatches are actually identical-one is felted, the other not. Your swatch does not have to be big, as felting is far from exact. In this case, the standard sized business card on the right shows the scale.

With this particular project, I used sport weight wool. I like using lighter weight yarns for felting, because it keeps the finished product from being to bulky or stiff. A good guage for sport weight yarn, in general, is about six stitches per inch, and I would have gotten that guage with this yarn on a size 5 needle (US). Because it was a felting project, I wanted the finished product to measure about that guage, so I used a size 8 needle (US) to get about 4.5 stitches per inch, and felted it until it measured 5.5 stitches per inch (close enough).

While I did not try to get any specific row guage, it is also important to note that I kept track of both my before and after measurements for the row guage as well.

Using my stitch guage and row guage information, I was able to figure out how many stitches I needed to cast on, how many inches I needed to work, and how many times I needed to wash the item to get the finished product. In this particular case, I was making a hat:

The math told me to make the hat about twelve inches long before decreasing for the crown, so it looked really long before I felted it. The finished product looked like this when I put my husband under it:

A perfect fit!

Oops!

2008-01-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

How silly of me! I just realized that the name of the yarn store in Fort Smith is Stringtown, not Stringtime. I've gone through and corrected my posts, but I also wanted to apologize for any inconvenience or confusion my error may have caused.

Happy knitting!

Calling all comments!

2008-01-15T23:30:00.000-08:00

Do any of you, dear readers, have any products or stores you really like?

We'd love to hear about them.

If you have a product that you would like to see reviewed, we'd also love to hear from you!

Product Review

2008-01-14T23:52:00.000-08:00

When I went to Stringtown in Fort Smith, AR, I had to buy needles for my project, specifically, one 16-inch circular, US size seven (4.5mm)needle, and matching dpns. The brand Stringtown carries is Chiao Goo, which makes surprisingly inexpensive bamboo needles. The double points are pretty standard glove needles (short dpns). The were very easy to work with: no snags, easy to handle, dull points (but that's to be expected in bamboo).

However, I was less impressed with the circulars. They are constructed in a similar fashion to Crystal Palace bamboo circulars: narrow nylon cable, smooth bamboo needle, with a metal casing connecting the two. Like the larger sizes of Crystal Palace circulars, the needles would squeak a little as the metal and bamboo rubbed against each other, but my real complaint was that the join between the cable and the needle was less than smooth. I am a fairly loose knitter (partially because I knit continental-that is with the yarn in my left hand), so I was surprised that I had to force the stitches over the join in every round of the hat I was making. It was like every row was the cast-on row.

Now, that hat that I bought the needles for was out of a cashmerino blend. By the time I finished the hat, I had some cotton bought from Angelhair in Nashville that also required size seven needles. Despite the fact that the cast-on row in the cotton was also horrible (largely because the cotton tried to untwist itself in the knitted cast-on), the rest of the project was fine. The Chiao Goo circulars worked just fine with the cotton, and I plan to use them again.

So, my review: If you have the option of buying Chiao Goo bamboo needles, don't think twice about buying their double points. They're a great frugal purchase. I plan to buy more of these as I need them.

The circulars on the other hand, require a little more consideration. I do not recomend them for animal fibers or novelty yarns (ribbon, eyelash, and the like). They would probably work fine for mohair, though. If you are going to use a plant fiber, especially one that does not split easily, they will work just fine.

But whether you plan to use plant or animal fibers, only by the circulars if you don't mind a little squeaking now and then. If you are using plant fibers, and you don't mind a little squeaking, then these circulars will likewise be a good buy.

No longer from the road

2008-01-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

After a long, two-week drive cross-country, I covered 7400 miles, 18 state and DC, and a lot of knitting (and a little crocheting too). As I posted previously, I visited a wonderful shop in Fort Smith, AR. While there, I bought some lovely yarn in the clearance section (to play with) and some red cashmerino (for a hat for my brother-in-law). Of course, I also bought needles for the hat, as I wanted to finish the hat before we made it back to Fort Smith, so I could give it to hime directly rather than have to mail it. Leave it to me to forget yarn needles for tucking in the loose ends!

Of course, that doesn't matter much while the hat is still on the needles, but by the time we had worked our way to Columbus, OH, the loose ends were all that stood in the way of being done. When we spent the following night in Nashville, TN, I looked up yarn stores in the Yellowpages. There were three, so we went to the one closest to our hotel: Angelhair Yarn Co.

It was a really nice place. They had a wide variety of yarn, patterns, and supplies; good service; great lighting; and were well organized. In addition to the yarn needles I needed, I bought some cotton and a skein of Aloo, by Himalaya Yarns. Aloo is a fiber made from a kind of palm frond from a tree also called aloo. The skein I have is coarse, kind of like a cross between hemp and linen.

Speaking of linen, they also carry a brand of linen that is both soft and machine washable. I had never seen that before, and it was really nice. Unfortunately, it was a little outside my budget as well.

Anyway, more later.

A Post From the Road

2007-12-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

For a little over a week now, I've been on vacation driving cross-country. While I was in Fort Smith, Arkansas, I happened to visit a lovely little yarn shop, and I thought I'd post about it.

It's called Stringtown Yarns, and is located in the historic downtown area in a beautiful brick storefront. Stringtime has only been open since June, so it's still getting up and running, with the owner getting a feel for the market, the landlord making the downstairs area usable for workshops, and inventory being bought when possible. Even though the store's selection is far from vast, the owner seems to make a point of having a little of everything in a good selection of colors. She also plans to sell dyeing, felting, and spinning supplies, and has started carrying a little in those areas.

Of course, the important part is the sale section. The owner is currently closing out a few Rowan Yarns, along with a few other things, and has marked them down by 60%!

I had a wonderful time visiting Stringtime and chatting with the owner, and I hope this post eventually leads someone else to share that experience.

Happy New Year!

Pixie Slipper -- or the slam dunk

2007-12-19T16:10:00.000-08:00

And speaking of gifts and last minutes, here is an idea for a little bootie that you can work in a lot of different ways. It works great in knitting (just plain old garter stitch, knit every row). I have done it a lot in crochet, too, using single crochet in the back loop only.

Basically, you make a square, but don't cut the yarn when you're done. To make the square easier to stitch together, knit as many ridges (on one side) as there are stitches. If you crochet, single crochet (in the back loop only) as many rows as you have stitches. The gauge will work out.

Then, fold the square so it is a triangle, so the yarn is hanging down at one end of the fold.

From that corner, stitch two folded sides together -- that is the sole of the bootie. Then turn the corner and stitch about a third or halfway up the other side. The point where the crochet hook goes through the edge in the photo is about how far up to stitch. Now fasten off and tuck in the loose ends.

Fold down the top flap that didn't get stitched, and you've got a cool goofy Pixie Bootie.

If you stitch tightly, it makes more of a slipper and doesn't stretch much. This is good with very sensible sturdy yarns.

If you stitch loosely, it is really stretchy and is more of a bedsock, for those of us with cold feet. This is nice for soft cozy yarns, even chenille (which was never made for the ages)

About sizing: Everyone is different, but here is a general guideline of how many stitches to start with, whether you knit or crochet:

Stitches per inch >>> 3 4 5 6
3" square
(ornament) 9 12 15 18 (good for holding little gifts, too)

5" square
baby bootie 15 20 25 30

7" square
kid size 21 28 35 42

9" square
lady's medium 27 36 45 54

11" square
large 33 44 55 66

It is always safer to make it a bit bigger than not big enough. If it turns out that the square is a tad too small, consider single crocheting around the square one time to add just a bit more before stitching the seams.