Archive for the 'Patterns' Category
Designing my own shawl … swatches
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
So, Now that I’ve picked out my stitch patterns for class, I’m swatching them to see how they flow…
Here’s a rectangular swatch:
Sometimes it helps to look at the swatch from an angle to see how the stitches really flow into each other:
Here’s how I swatch to see how things will look in the actual shawl:
Posted in Patterns, tips and tricks, Online classes | No Comments »
Soakers and a Tutorial (how to knit your own)
Sunday, January 10th, 2010
Two of the (Damask Rose) Malabrigo soakers:
I think I’m posting about this as a way to hold myself accountable, and also because my pregnant brain is telling me to focus hard on baby prep, even though realistically I’m pretty ready. My brain really wants to do serious baby prep crafting. Regardless of other work / deadlines. SO…maybe once my brain sees this post with pictures of my little knits it’ll calm down some.
I’ve finished 2 knit soakers, have yarn for a million more, and have one on the needles. I also have lots of eentsy fleece yoga pants, and ordered 3 of these wraps in NB and 4 small. So…I think we will be ok for the first 4 - 6 months soakerwise. I also have a few knits left over from Mazie. (Got it, Brain?? We’re prepped!)
A few people have asked me which is my favorite soaker pattern to knit. I knit a few pair of Picky Pants for Mazie, and they are the bomb, 
but I’m actually not that great about following patterns, I glance at the pattern occasionally but just knit them like I think they “should” be knit…so I developed my own, taking our climate into consideration.
We live where it’s HOT. It’ll be too hot for wool pants by March, so I like smaller soakers that just cover the diaper with some ribbing to keep messes inside. Here’s a couple that I did for Mazie:
A few people have asked me about these. Here’s the process:
Start out with one stitch, and, working in stockinette, increase one stitch each end of every other row until the top of the triangle measures a little bit bigger than your baby’s waist.
Change to 2×2 ribbing for about 1.5 - 2 inches. Bind off loosely.
Leaving about .5 inch at either end, pick up stitches along each side of the triangle and work in 2×2 ribbing for about the same distance you used for the waistband. (see above)
Fold in the points and seam.
For the ruffles, you just pick up stitches in a straight line across the back and knit for an inch or so. Do this 2 or 3 times to make a little row of them.
Posted in Patterns, baby | 5 Comments »
Newborn Knits!
Monday, January 4th, 2010
I’m working on a few little layette sets for New Baby! For Mazie, I knit a lot of 6-month things, but didn’t have anything for her to wear right away. So THIS time, I want to have at least a few things for her to wear when she gets home. It’ll be summery again in a few weeks, so our “Knits Window” is pretty small and closing.
Each set has a sweater, hat, and socks (or will when I’m finished, at least!)
Thanks to my knitting friend Stephanie for the heads up, I got in on a bunch of Lorna’s Laces Swirl DK at Jimmy Bean’s Wool for 50% off! I decided to use it to knit a few teeny baby sweater sets for my new little girl. (They still have lots of Lorna’s on sale, if you’re interested. I also recommend the Shepherd Sock, also on sale!)
I think I’ll order some more Swirl to make something for Big Sister, too.
The yarn is wonderfully soft and feels great in the hand. The knits are definitely next-to-the-skin (even baby skin) soft. I love that these colors aren’t typically “Baby Girl.”
I had a couple of emails in my inbox from concerned readers…I tweeted / facebooked (by phone) at one point last week about being stuck in a snowstorm with no internet. We survived! We were actually all holed up at Nathan’s parents’ house in IA. We were comfortable, but without internet and going really mad from cabin fever. They had 20.8 inches of snow over like 3 days. Everything was shut down.
Posted in Patterns, baby, gift knitting | 6 Comments »
New Knitty Pattern and a New online class to celebrate!
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Woo Hoo! It’s REALLY new Knitty day!!
AND… I have a pattern in this issue!
I’m so proud to be part of Knitty’s 30th issue!
Thank you to Lorna’s Laces for contributing the yarn that made this design possible (GreenLine Worsted in “Devon”) and to Knitpicks for supplying the needles (Options Interchangables.)
Knitty has planned LOTS of giveaways to celebrate this momentous occasion, check out the Knitty site and knittydotcom on twitter for details.
I decided to celebrate by offering a new online class! (And by giving away free tuition to any one of my classes to one lucky Knitty reader!)
Design Your Own Shawl Class
This class will teach YOU to be the designer!
First, you’ll choose your own shawl shape. Either a four-sectioned shawl like “frost diamonds” (in this issue of Knitty) and “Mirth” OR a simpler, two-sectioned (half-square) triangle like many others you’ve seen online.
Next, you choose one, two, three, or more stitch patterns that work and flow together to create the body of your shawl.
Then, you’ll see how to choose a border stitch pattern to tie the whole thing together.
Finally, you’ll write your own pattern! (You’ll need to find your own testers / tech editors after the pattern is written.)
By the end of the class, you’ll have a finished shawl pattern (even if you haven’t finished your knitting) that you can share with friends, publish yourself, or even submit to a magazine!
Interested?
Class will begin on January 18 and go through February 7, 2010.
The fee for this class is $65 and you can register now by clicking on the PayPal link below, or by visiting my Online Knitting Studio.
To read more about what you can expect from my online classes, click here.
Posted in Patterns, Online classes | No Comments »
Classic Elite newsletter: Free “Sprout” Child’s Tunic Pattern (with bonus Mazie photos!) :)
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Have you seen the new Classic Elite Yarns Newsletter? If you aren’t signed up, you’re missing out! Every issue has at least one free pattern, and in this issue…there’s a free pattern from ME!
I designed a child’s tunic sweater using their Sprout organic cotton yarn, and Mazie is the model. This sweater is great for both boys and girls, and has a very classic feel, in that it’s not sugary-sweet.
There’s also a great review of Glam Knits: 25 Designs For Luxe Yarns
This was a GREAT experience, loved working with the people at Classic Elite, loved the yarn, and am so happy to have this little pattern to share with you all! (Ravelry link to FREE pattern download.)
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My baby is a big girl now!
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
I took Mazie to the park today. The last time we went, I had to go down the slide with her, and hold her hand while she walked around the jungle gym.
But THIS time…my brave girl did it all by herself!!
I am a proud Mommy! 
Mazie is growing up so fast that I was *also* encouraged to finish up the pattern for my Vestvember vest, Violet: a vest that grows with your child
Statistics:
Yarn:
2(2, 3) hanks Berocco Vintage: (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon; 3.5 oz / 100 g; 217 yds / 198 m; Machine wash. Lay flat to dry) Color: Lilacs # 5183
Gauge:
4.5 sts = 1″; 18 sts & 24 rows = 4″ (10cm)
Needle:
7 (US) / 4.5 mm (or size to obtain gauge) 16” circular needle, and either DPN, long needle for magic loop, or 2 circs for working neckline in the round.
Sizes: 12 mo.(2,4) / 16-20(20-24, 24-28)” chest measurement
Notes
This sweater is worked in the round from the top down with no seaming. Front and back are worked separately for a few inches after the sleeve caps are bound off.
The sweater is designed to grow with your child. As she grows, remove one or more of the under arm button bands to create a deeper armhole. Unhem l purl ridge at a time as you need more length at the bottom of the sweater.
The longer you knit the sweater, the more hem you have to play with, and the more your child can grow and still wear this garment. Be sure to cast on loosely so that the neckline will be stretchy enough to accommodate a growing head circumference, too! (Sizes 12 mo.(2, 4) will accommodate up to 21(23,23)” head circumference.)
The pattern can be purchased for $5 from my Ravelry shop.
Posted in Patterns, baby, gift knitting | No Comments »
We are just THRILLED that it is VESTVEMBER!
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
So…after talking several times with both Yahaira and Karen in recent days, I decided to cast on for a Vestvember project! (There are both Ravelry and Flickr groups for Vestvember…be sure to check them out!)
I was at Unravel the other day, because I heard a rumor that they had ordered some Lorna’s Laces yarn and wanted to see that for myself. They didn’t have any Lorna’s, but they did have this interesting yarn from Berroco. I used to shy away from yarns with high acrylic content, but after successfully using Berroco’s Comfort for a big project for myself a few years ago:
(it has held up GREAT!) I decided to give the Vintage a try.
It feels so nice in the hand, it’s soft, lofty, but still has that Cascade 220 (another fave of mine) feel of like, “ok, this is just plain, simple, old-fashioned YARN.” I *like* fluffy fancy high-end wools, but sometimes my knitting history calls from deep down inside and I just want YARN. BUT…this is more than “just yarn” … it’s MACHINE WASHABLE. And it feels GOOD! And the colors are FABULOUS! And…And…I knit my Vestvember project in TWO DAYS.
I decided to make a little vest for my Mazie.
Yahaira is doing a turtle / cowl, so I totally copied that. Well, let it sink into my brain until my brain said, “Hey! How about a turtle / cowl?” And I said, “Well, that would be GREAT! I wonder if Yahaira would think that would be cute?” (wink) Here is the start of my turtleneck on top of the cabinets that Nathan is refacing. (little peek into life at the New House.)
THEN…I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could make this sweater for Mazie one year and have it still fit the NEXT year?” SO…I lengthened the armholes (in a decorative way) with the plan of adding little tabs at the side that I can move down as she gets bigger.
I also did a little deco thing at the hem, so that I could fold the hem at any of the purl ridges and hem it…then LET IT DOWN as she needs more length!! I didn’t hem this one, but I *could.*
Mazie likes it…I think.
Posted in yarn reviews, Patterns, baby, gift knitting | 2 Comments »
UPcycled Tshirt Yarn patterns are LIVE on Ravelry
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
I have now formatted and uploaded all four of the new Tshirt yarn patterns to Ravelry. They range in price from $2 to $3. CHEAP. My contribution to encourage people to recycle or, even better, UPcycle!
In case you missed it, you can watch my “how to make Tshirt Yarn video” here. And, if you are really inspired, you can sign up for the next offering of the class.
PS: I’m designing a kids’ Tshirt yarn pattern for the winter issue of Petite Purls.
Posted in Patterns, gift knitting, Online classes | No Comments »
Aaw! Mazie in the pinky version of her sweater…
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Posted in Patterns, baby | 1 Comment »
Sprout
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
The last few days have been great! I’ve gotten so much checked off my To Do list, I can’t believe it!
One of the yarns I’ve been working with this week is Classic Elite Sprout.
This 100% organic yarn is so soft and lofty. It’s going to make a lovely sweater for Mazie!
Maybe you can tell from the “winder” picture, we’re getting more and more moved in. As we finish painting one room, we can fill it up and shuffle things around and eventually, everything will be unpacked. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself.
Here’s a sneak peek of a shawl that I just finished, to be released as a pattern in a new Stitch CoOp Shawls / Scarves booklet that we’re working on. Knit in Cascade 220 Superwash Paints.
I’m in a blue phase. Blue is so calming.