Actually, you don’t have to be Asian, a woman, or even happy. Just knit!!!!
I made a video demonstating grafting/weaving on the Mystery Swirl squares. Grafting/Weaving Your Mystery Swirl Squares
Thanks to all the HAWK ladies who contributed to this blanket. I really love the way it turned out. Our first Charity Baby Blanket for the year has been shipped off now, we’re almost done with the second one (a lovely aqua version of the Mystery Swirl), and just last Sunday we started our third blanket!
Last time, we casted on and knitted round 1 while dividing the stitches onto 4 needles.
Now we are ready for round 2. Round 2 and every even round is an increase round.
yo,k,yo, and then knit to the end of the needle
In the case of Round 2, knitting to the end of the needle involves knitting only one stitch. This is what it looks like after working the first needle.
This is what it looks like after working the second needle…
and the third…
and the fourth. Round 2 is now done and every needle has 2 additional stitches , 8 stitches total
Round 3 and all odd-numbered rounds are all knits, all the way around.
This is the way it looks when I’m working the double pointed needles. Stitches are worked counter-clockwise from the needle to the left of the working yarn onto the free needle.
Round 4 and all even numbered rounds are the increase rounds. They are worked yo, k, yo and then k until the end of the needle. Work each needle the same way until the end of the round.
After completing an increase round, there are 2 stitches more on each needle.
QUIZ( 2 questions + extra credit):
ANSWERS:
Hope you did well on the quiz! Here is what the square looks like after a few more rounds. The lacy swirl pattern has formed!
You can now switch to 16″ circular needle if desired. Remember to place ring markers in the space that is between the needles so that you would know when to do the increases.
After there are 96 stitches total, purl one round, then knit 4 rounds with no increase. Transfer the stitches onto 4 pieces of scrap yarn and pat yourself on the back!
Here is Jenny’s completed square with the stitches transferred onto scrap yarn.
Isn’t it gorgeous?
Next time: weaving them together!
At our H.A.W.K. meeting last Sunday, we started a new charity blanket, “Mystery Swirl”. It is based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Mystery Blanket except with swirls. The hardest part of the project for people to wrap their brains around is the very beginning of each the squares. Emily Ocker’s Circular Beginning is the method we used. There is are some excellent videos on YouTube demonstrating it.
The next step is to put the stitches onto 4 double pointed needles and then knit one round. For those who are not familiar with knitting on DPs, it might be confusing.
Here are some pictures I took while knitting the stitches onto the four needles. I think it might be a little easier than splitting them up and then knitting.
Here are the stitches on the first needle after the cast-on.
Pull on the tail to tighten up the loop and to bring the stitches together. Slide the stitches to the right end of the needle. Note that the first stitch that you casted on is on the far right and the last one is on the far left.
Now insert the second needle into the first stitch
and knit it onto the second needle.
Knit the 2nd stitch in the same way. You now have two stitches on needle 2.
Now take needle 3 and knit stitches 3 and 4 off of needle 1.
Then take needle 4 and knit stitches 5 and 6 off of needle 1.
Finally, take needle 5 and knit stitches 7 and 8 off of needle 1.
Now needle 1 is free. Tighten up the loop again by pulling on the tail. Notice how the working yarn is coming from the last stitch worked and all you stitches are going around in a circle, counter-clockwise.
You are now ready to work round 2 by working the stitches from needle 2 to the free needle, then needle 3, 4, and 5. It is a good idea to put a safety pin or a marker on the first stitch of your round , moving it up from time to time the piece gets larger.
Next time: Round 2
I was so inspired by Abigail’s FO mosaic I wanted to have my own. So here it is , 37 objects fiinished in 2009.
Everything, except the two cardigans, were started in 2009. I started Breezy Cables (top row ) back in 2006 using some beautiful yarn that I bought from Harrisville, NH during our cross-country drive. I knitted it in a KAL with Jenny to keep me motivated so that I can finish it and wear it to Stitches West 2007. I ended-up knitting a sample Millicent sock for Cookie and ran out of time. With a little encouragement in the beginning of Summer 2009, from Margit, I finished the cardigan by the end of Summer.
That left the the Fall to finish a couple of Cardigan for Arwen sweaters that Margit and I started in our two-person but infrequent KAL in 2007. Now that Breezy Cables was done, the plan was to work on Arwen once a week at lunchtime and again at BobaKnit so that they will be done by Halloween, allowing us to greet trick or treaters in our elfin garb. Margit finished hers a few days ahead of schedule and I finished mine on Halloween.
As long as I can remember, I’ve always want to weave. I made a scarf(lower right), a table runner(lower left), and a placemat(center right) with my rigid heddle loom. Last year, I read everything I can about weaving. The vocabulary, the equipment, the yarn was all foreign to me. After a year of reading books and several issues of Handwoven I can read a draft and can read through an article without looking up a word. Maybe 2010 is the year I get into weaving with a 4 harness loom! Or, I can spend a little more time exploring the intricacies of rigid heddle weaving.
I’ve been wanting to make a Baby Surprise Jacket for a long time and I found some yarn that was perfect for it!
Yarn: Loops and Threads Impeccable Ombre – Fresh Lilac and Vanna’s Choice – Dusty Purple
Needles: US Size 6
I gave it to 14 month old Akemi, who just happens to be the perfect size for it!
Last December I made my grandson a Turn A Square hat but every time it was placed on his head, he would rip it right off. A few days ago, for some unknown reason, he decided that it is now OK to wear a hat.
Here he is at the zoo with his hat to keep his sweet head warm!
Looking a black alligator (or is it crocodile?)
Looking for the next exhibit
Something to keep in mind: Knitting hats for a toddler can be a risky proposition. They may or may not ever be worn. But if they ever do wear them, it makes it all worthwhile! Sigh…
Pattern: Turn A Square by Jared Flood
Size: scaled down to toddler size – 15 inches in diameter and 7 inches tall.
Yarn: I didn’t have any worsted self striping yarn so I used three different colors of Knitpicks Swish Worsted – black, gray, and squirrel
Needles: US size 6 circular.
Now that the weather is getting a little cooler… even in sunny southern California, I made some socks for Emmett from some leftover Fiberfiend corn yarn( from which I am making a pair of Velma socks) . The pattern is a modified version of SpinalCat’s Rudy sock. The yarn is made from the corn husk, the part of the corn that usually goes to waste.
It’s so quick and fun to make toddler socks!
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Cast On: 48 stiches.
Last Friday I made a pair of booties for Conan and Lori’s baby who will be arriving December!
Garter Stitch Booties
Yarn: Reynolds – Saucy Sport – 100% Mercerized Cotton
Needles: US 5 DPs
Pattern: My own, based on Great Grandma Vera’s “Guaranteed Not To Fall Off” booties.
Since last August, I’ve been tracking the number of unfinished objects in hopes of gradually decreasing or at least maintaining the UFO count at the end of each month. I’ve been pretty successful so far except I had to fudge it a little by moving the end of the month a few days into the following month.
So, here are my UFOs as of April 3 (which is the end of March, according to my twisted rules). The official UFO count is 8. The goal is to maintain or decrease the count at the end of each month.
Since April 3, I’ve casted on BMFA Sock Club Leafling socks . I should be done with these soon.
And I joined the Mystery Lace Knit Along. Here’s Clue 1 completed.
So, I have about a week to finish 2 objects, either one of the new ones or something from the UFO list, in order to reach my monotonically decreasing ( my inner math geek is coming through ) UFO count goal. It’ll likely be the Butterfly Baby Cardigan and the Leafling Socks. The Mystery Lace won’t be done for at least 6 weeks.
On the FO sightings front, here’s Emmett wearing his new Baby Leafling socks! We will soon have matching socks.
I got my March Rockin’ Sock Club yarn in the mail last week. I was never much of a fan of this color until now. It is so cheerful and soothing to look at. Elaine was over and took this picture of the yarn because the sun was shining through the window just right:
Nate mentioned that Emmett was outgrowing all his socks so I couldn’t resist making a pair of baby socks out of the Leafling pattern that came with the yarn. I usually have plenty of yarn leftover when I make socks for myself anyway.
Pattern: Baby sock adaptation of Leafling by JC Briar – Rockin’ Sock Club
size: Cast on 32 stitches
Needles: size 2
Yarn: medium weight Socks that rock – Lucky colorway
Started: March 28 2008
Finished March 29 2008