Norah's Vintage Afghan: Block #8 REPAIR

Uh oh!

I was nearly done with block #8 of Norah's Vintage Afghan when I discovered I had made a mistake in a cable.  I did not have the presence of mind to take a photo of the mistake; I just ripped down about four rows (only over the six stitches in the cable) and tried to fix it.  It still was not right; I needed to go down maybe four rows deeper. So I set it aside, determined to try again in the morning.

As you can see in the photo above, I am just dealing with the six stitches in the cable portion. Once I figured out where I was in the pattern, it was not that difficult to fix the cable. I just isolated those stitches and followed the chart and reworked the stitches row by row. The hardest thing was moving the cable needle from the back of the work to the front of the work, with all those loose strands of yarn in the way, so that I could knit off the cable needle.

Ta Dah!  All fixed.  I was pleased I did not have to rip out those eight or ten rows.  I do love knitting these blocks, but when I am nearing the end of the block, I grow a wee bit tired of it and I want to be done and move on to the next. 

This block will be finished soon. I'll be sure to post a photo when it's all done.

Norah's Vintage Afghan: Block #7

Block #7

Hello!  Here's another update on Norah's Vintage Afghan.  This is block #7 and the color is "Black Currant" (Yarn: Berroco Vintage Worsted Weight yarn).  I just love this yarn and I love this color.  This block was pretty straight forward; oodles of cables.

I have grown accustomed to cables in knitting being done a certain way; specifically, I am used to cables being flanked by purl stitches to the right and to the left of the cables so the cables really "pop" or stand out.  In this pattern, as in this block, there are cables which are flanked or surrounded by knit stitches so the cables are a little flatter (if that makes sense).  It just gives the cables a different look and it is making me look at cables a bit differently.  I really enjoyed this block.  I find that I am excited to cast on the very next block just as soon as I finish a block. 

Norah's Vintage Afghan: Block #6

Block #6

Hello!  Here's another post to update you on my progress on Norah's Vintage Afghan.  This is my first block made in black; the color is actually called "Cast Iron" (Yarn: Berroco Vintage Worsted Weight).  I was rather nervous to knit with the black. I was concerned the pattern details would not show up and I was concerned it might be difficult to knit with such a dark color.  These old eyes struggle!  It was hard to photograph the completed black square but I did not finding knitting with the black yarn to be too terribly difficult. I also feel the details show up just fine.  This square was very challenging at the beginning. I actually had to enlarge the chart so I could read it (again...these old eyes).  The first several rows (1 through 11 on the chart) were challenging because there was so much going on.  You can see that portion below at the bottom of the photo.  It's a triangular portion with a lot of texture.  After that, the rest of the block was much simpler.  So if you start this block and find the first part of the chart to be a real struggle... don't give up... it gets way easier after row 11.  You will only complete rows 1 through 11 of the chart one time. Phew!

Sorry these photos are not the greatest.  My iPhone camera has a mind of it's own when photographing certain colors in certain light.

Norah's Vintage Afghan: Block #5

Block #5

In this post, I've added a few photos of block #5 in various stages of completion so you can see the great texture and detail in different light.

I been working on Norah's Vintage Afghan in earnest in the past several weeks; I've just not taken time to take photos and chat about it all.  This is block #5.  This block, like all the blocks in Norah's afghan pattern, has oodles of cables but it also has "knots".  There is not a lot of instruction in the pattern about how to make the knots but I muddled through.  A gal named Meg, who is also making this project, contacted me and asked about the knots. I figured that since the knots were a stumbling block for both me and Meg, then others might like a little more description of how to make the knots so I will share here what I shared with Meg.

Meg: I'd be happy to help you with that. So you are stuck on the knot? I was stuck on that too. Here's what I did (it's like making a bobble but you don't have to repeatedly turn your work). 

First, in the stitch where there is a red box, you knit into the front of the stitch then you knit into the back of the stitch and then you knit into the front of the stitch. You are creating three stitches where there was just one and you don't take the stitches off the left hand needle and put them on the right hand needle until you've created the three stitches. Then you move the three stitches you've created back to the left hand needle and then knit these three stitches. Leave these stitches on the right hand needle. Now you need to reduce these three stitches back to just one stitch. Looking at the three stitches on your right hand needle... call them A, B, and C from left to right. Using the tip of your left hand needle, slip B over A, and then slip C over A and B, leaving just one stitch. Wow, it's hard to describe. A video would have been easier. Lol. If this doesn't work, send me an email. 

 I am currently working on Block #8.  In the next few days, I'll post photos of Block #6 and Block #7.  I am finding this pattern very enjoyable.

Definitely Diagonal Shawl

Definitely Diagonal Shawl

Knit in Berroco "Remix"

 

I signed up to get daily emails from "Knit Picky Patterns from All Free Knitting".  It's a little overwhelming to get so many patterns each day but I found this pattern and decided to make this with a ball of Berroco "Remix" in my stash of yarn.  The pattern link is here:
 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/definitely-diagonal-scarf

I did NOT check the yarn requirements very closely and it turned out that I did not have enough yarn. I did not complete the recommended number of lace pattern repeats and I ended up adding an eyelet border at the end.  The shawl is knit from the bottom of the triangle and you start with just a few stitches. Then, every so often, you cast on five stitches at the beginning of the row.  This results in a scalloped sort of edge along the sides.  My yarn is rather "tweedy" and I like the look but I think a little of the design is lost since the yarn is so heavily textured.  This was a super fun and quick knit. I had a hard time putting it down.  The pattern designer has a lot of free designs and I look forward to trying more.  Here's the LINK to the designer's blog. 

Little Coffee Bean Sweater: For Grant's Baby Boy

Not too long ago, a guy at work (Grant) saw me giving my friend, DeeDee, a hat for her little girl, Emma.  It was a small version of my Alternating Cables Cap in Berroco Comfort DK in "rosebud". Sweet!

Grant looked at me sort of longingly and said... "You know, I have a little girl too and my wife and I are having a baby boy in May..."

So I made this sweet little cardigan for Grant's baby boy.  I already have a hat made for Grant's little girl, who I understand is about 3 years old. 

The pattern I used for Grant's baby boy is "Little Coffee Bean"; a FREE pattern I have been wanting to make for quite some time.  It's a bit more work than some of the other "knit from the top down" baby sweaters I've made, yet it's knitting up rather quickly since the pattern calls for worsted weight yarn. 

I am used Berroco Comfort in tan and blue.  I love this cozy color combination. 

This pattern can be made for a boy or a girl.... with or without stripes. Endless possibilities really.  There are over 2,000 Little Coffee Bean sweaters on Ravelry... so many cute sweaters!  I love the inspiration I get from Ravely.

The pattern can be found HERE on Ravelry.  I like a lot of designs by this young designer, Elizabeth Smith.  Her design shop is called "The Brown Stitch Designs".  Here's a LINK to all of her patterns on Ravelry.  

Lavender Leaves: A sweet sweater for Baby Grace Anne

I bought enough of this lovely lavender yarn (Cascade 220 Superwash) to make a sweater for myself a few years back but I am not much of a sweater knitter. I actually started to make a sweater called Pismo but frogged it. The shaping made me fret and the notion of sewing all the pieces together in the end made me sweat... and knitting is supposed to be FUN... so I am using this pretty yarn for other smaller projects.

I have been eyeing this pretty baby girl sweater pattern called "Autumn Leaves" for awhile now.  The pattern can be found HERE on a blog called What to Knit When You're Expecting.  I was about to cast it on the other day but found another version which was a modified version of the original.  The modified version can be found HERE on a blog called Natural State Knitting.  I liked the modified version just a tad better for a few reasons.

• I liked that the modified version called for only two buttons at the neck of the sweater instead of a long row of buttons all the way down the the waist area of the sweater.  Sweaters knit from the top down tend to want to swing open at the bottom and if you put buttons all the way down, sometimes it just tugs and looks unattractive.  I think three buttons would also be very nice; I kind of wish my sweater had a third button. 
• With the original version, I saw a number of comments (on Ravelry) about folks feeling the need to alter the sleeves (perhaps there were not enough stitches?) and from what I could tell, the lady at Natural State Knitting had altered the sleeves a bit which took the guess work out for me.
• Also, the modified version eliminates some of the seed or purl stitches around the tips of the leaves and I think the modified version has a nice, clean, crisp look as a result.

I am very glad I tried the modified version.  I think it's a very sweet looking sweater.  I actually made this sweater because I found a cute hat pattern with a leaf/flower petal motif and I wanted to make a sweater to match the hat!  Now... I just need to make the hat... (see pattern HERE).

Alternating Cables Cap (Free Pattern)

Alternating Cables Cap

I improvised this hat design and typed up the pattern over a year ago. The hat looked great on my wig/hat stand "Miss Wiggy," but the hat was a tad short on a person.  I finally got around to knitting up the hat one more time and inserted a few rows, here and there, to make the hat long enough.  The hat is rather loose fitting but I am really happy with it.  I think a hat like this, with ribbing and cables, is really flexible for sizing since it's so very stretchy.  As is, this cap will fit lots of folks. My son tried it on and I think it fit him pretty well, too (he's over 6'1" and is almost 16 years old).  Soon I plan to knit another one of these caps in pink and I plan to go down a needle size to see how that works.  I think it will work just fine.  This hat is knit in Berroco Comfor DK and used nearly the entire ball of yarn.

The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry; for the Ravelry link click HERE.

It is also available as a PDF download by clicking HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

Mini-Mitten Ornament: Free Pattern

New pattern: Mini-Mitten Ornament

I've decided making up my own knitting patterns is my NEW favorite thing.

I'll put it here so it's official... my goal for 2013 is to be creative and make up my own knitting patterns. Folks on Ravelry have been so nice each time I have uploaded a pattern. It's fun!



We had a White Christmas! My first EVER. Can you tell I took this photo on fluffy, beautiful snowflakes?

I enjoy making miniature ornaments each year for my Christmas tree. This year, I made miniature mittens following a number of patterns I found on Ravelry. The tiny size of the mittens and the length of my double pointed needles made me feel I was "all thumbs" while knitting, especially the mitten’s tiny thumbs. Ironic! I actually went so far as try to knit on wooden tooth picks and it seriously would have worked if it weren’t for the fact the tooth picks splintered easily. I learned bits and pieces from each pattern I tried and I incorporated what I’ve learned from making full-sized mittens in order to come up with my own pattern which is quick and easy to knit.

The pattern is offered for free on Ravelry and the pattern link is HERE.
You can also download a PDF file HERE.

Here are the other mitten ornaments I made this week, while trying various patterns and while trying to make up my own pattern.  As you can see, I also made two mini-stockings and one mini-sweater. The mini-sweaters sure are time consuming but I can whip out the mittens in no time at all.  It's funny using left-over tidbits of yarn for these ornaments. I think of the original project... the pattern, who received the item, or what was going on in my life while working on the project.  A little walk down memory lane.

Simple Scarf for Him (a free pattern)

Simple Scarf for Him

On November 29th... just before Christmas… I announced to my husband, "… you know, I was thinking of making a pair of mittens for Pam for Christmas!" (Pam being my husband’s dad’s wife). My husband said, "Well, if you are going to do that, could you knit my Dad a red scarf for Christmas?!" I couldn’t believe my husband was actually encouraging me to go to my local shop and buy yarn! How could I say "No!" to that?

At the yarn shop, I found some suitable, easy-care yarn in a nice deep red. I cast on a pattern I had in mind but soon realized I would never get the scarf done in time for Christmas; turns out the pattern was primarily ribbing and ribbing is too cumbersome and slow for me to knit. I decided to wing it and came up with this pattern. I have used this stitch pattern before in cotton dishcloths. It’s a nice pattern because you don’t really have to refer to the pattern at all; you simply have to "read" your knitting. The pattern is fun for the knitter since it’s not just plain stockinette stitch and the texture created by the diagonal columns of purl stitches could be used in a project for a guy or a gal... young or old. Why, this pattern could even be used for a baby blanket.

I got the scarf knit in time to mail to my father-in-law for Christmas.  I was thinking typing the pattern up and putting it on Ravelry might be fun, so I did. The pattern link is HERE; it's offered for free.  You can also download a PDF file by clicking HERE.

I have only put a pattern on Ravely one other time. A little over a year ago, I uploaded a pattern for a hat called Ribbons of Hope.

Both times I have put patterns on Ravely, I have had such heart warming experiences.  After adding the scarf pattern, I was contacted on Ravely by a lady who lives in Western Australia. She told me she thought it was such "good karma" to share patterns with others; she offered me two free patterns.   Apparently she collaborates on patterns with another gal on Ravely; the other woman lives in Arizona.  A short while later, a woman from Canada contacted me to let me know she was using my pattern to make a comfort item for a first responder to the shooting in Connecticut.  Very nice.