Sunday, February 24, 2008

Knex Yarn Swift *new and improved!*

This is my fourth version of the knex yarn swift. My favorite so far. Also this one took up nearly all my pieces.

The first and second versions are located here.

For the third version I used the Ferris wheel instructions from that came with my knex set. Worked great, really big and impressive. But not so good to hold skeins that weren't originally wound on it.



So for version 4 I give you the adjustable knex yarn swift. (I'm sorry the pictures kinda suck, because I reinforced it like crazy, there are alot of pieces and it makes it hard to tell whats going on.)













Sunday, February 17, 2008

Pattern: Diamond Scarf

This was inspired by a post on Craftster a couple years ago. Someone posted a link to a scarf at alloy.com

Someone else found the link to the stitch pattern, but when I go there now the site is shutdown. ETA: I found the cached version at web.archive.org - http://web.archive.org/web/20051118132858/http://www.obgidge.com/lesson32.html
I HATE making scarves, but this one is so cool looking, that I don't mind it.

Diamond Scarf- crochet

DSCF0145

Above(from left to right):
Black- Red heart bulky craft yarn(2 skeins) and Spice - Lion brand bulky (3 skeins)
Blue and Red- Red Heart 1 skein of each
Pink and Black- Lion Brand wool-ease 2 Black 3 Pink


Hook size I or J- go down a hook size or so if it seems to big/loose
Yarn- any really, I've used bulky and worsted

Stitches:
UDC (unfinished dc): YO, insert hook, draw up lp, YO, draw lp through 2 loop

Directions:
With main color-
For a width of 2 square(bulky yarn) - Ch 14
For a width of 3 squares- Ch 20
For a width of 4 squares- Ch 26

Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, work sc across, ch 1, turn
Row 2: *Sc in first sc, sk 2 sc, 7 dc in next sc, sk 2sc* repeat between *'s, end with 2 sc, SWITCH TO CC ch3 turn


Row 3: Work UDC in next 3 dc,
YO, draw lp through all 4 lps on hook,
* ch 4,
sc in next dc,
ch3,
UDC in next 3 dc,
UDC in sc,
unifinished dc in next 3 dc,
YO,
draw p through all 8 loops on hook*
repeat between *'s across,
end with a half star= UDC in last 3 dc, UDC in lst sc, YO, draw lp through all 5 lps on hook,ch 3, turn.
(WHOO! thats a doozy, you'll get it! -if not contact me and I'll see if we can work though it)

Row 4: 3 dc in st closing last 4-dc group on prev row, * sc in sc, 7 dc in st closing 7-dc group *; repeat between *'s across, end with 4 dc in st closing last half star on prev row, SWITCH TO MC ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Sc in first dc, ch 3, * UDC in next 3 dc, UDC in sc, UDC in next 3 dc, YO, draw l through all 8 lps on hook, ch 4, sc in next dc, ch 3 * repeat between *'s across, end with sc in last dc, ch 1, turn.

Row 6: sc in first sc, * 7 dc in closing st of 7-dc group on prev row, sc in sc*; repeat between *'s across, end with sc, SWITCH TO CC ch 3, turn.

Repeat rows 3-6 until you have the length you like (I like my scarfs to be as tall a the person is so around 5 or 6 ft is good)

crochet a sc border around the scarf in MC

*Please let me know if there are errors

Pattern: Chevron

This is more of a guideline than a hat, I'll outline what I did and how to adjust for different sizes. If you have individual questions or are having problems with the pattern, I would love to help you! Just send me an email (feistyroseATgmailDOTcom) or on ravelry (WouldKnitBeNice).


DSCF0057

Pattern: Chevron
Specs: Hat in tunisian crochet using Chevron stitch (slanted 3x3 rib), crocheted sideways and then seamed.

Materials:
J afghan hook (IF you do not have a afghan hook, take a regular hook and put a rubber band on the end, it will work fine(crochet hooks are 6+ inches long and hats are around 7 inches high), I've done it before with no problems)

Worsted weight yarn (130 yds ish)

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Stitches:
Tunisian Purl Stitch(P): bring yarn to front of work, insert hook in next bar, yo, draw up loop

Basic Afghan Stitch (BAS)

Stitch Pattern:

Row1: *BAS in first 3 sts, P next 3 sts* repeat between stars till end

Row2: P 1 st, *BAS next 3 sts, P next 3 sts* repeat between stars till end

Row3: P 2 sts*BAS 3 sts, P 3 sts* repeat between stars till end

Row4: P 3 sts *BAS 3 sts, P 3 sts* repeat between stars till end

Row5: BAS 1 *P 3 sts, BAS 3 sts* repeat between stars till end

Row6: BAS 2 *P 3 sts, BAS 3 sts* repeat between stars till end


Chain 32 (or more or less for shorter/longer hat)
Row 1: BAS (this is the foundation row)

Rows 2-11: begin stitch pattern, ending each row with one stitch unworked

Row 12: work to end of row then pick up each of the unworked stitches. Section made.

Repeat rows 2-12 4-5 times or until it fits around your head. Make sure you end on Row 6 of the pattern stitch so you ends match. its ok to do half of a section or end a section with out doing the full 10 rows.

seam up side(I always have ugly seams, so I won't tell you how to do it) and then pull yarn through stitches at top to close.

Experitment with different stitch patterns.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

I'm sorry I'm a bad blogger

I love blogs. I obsessively check the blogs i follow for updates. i love ready about what other people share with me about there life. I like hearing about there knitting, there families, and anything remotely funny. If bloggers updated everyday, it still wouldn't be enough for me. I use to have a Xanga where I would check to see if people commented on my posts dozens of times a day. And I would only post once to twice a week. Seriously, I was on there at least once an hour and would not post. What is wrong with me? Its not like I have nothing to write about, I compose blog entries in my head everyday. I just sit there and look absent to the world as I visual my posts and work out the wording in my head. Sometimes while I am in my head happily composing stories about unimportant things, Nik will look at me and go "what!?"
"huh babe? did you need something?"
"Do you need something? You're staring at me."
"Am not"
"What were you thinking about?"
And then I'll tell him about how I was wondering how hard it would be to convert a sock pattern using sock yarn into a wrist warmer pattern using worsted weight yarn and if it would still give me a good stitch definition or would the stitch number repeats not work out...
And he will be sorry he asked. Actually, he has stopped asking. He'll usually only ask if he thinks I'm feeling neglected to seem interested. Sweet boy, really.

I also love long posts. I could ramble on forever. Because once I get going I can usually lead into about 2 full typed pages of nonsense before I lose interest with myself.

Knitting!
I'm on Ravelry. I heart is a lot. I also love the story and coding behind ravelry and it makes the nerd in me happy. ok, and jealous of his mad skills.

I finished the giant man sweater! YAY!(note: NikHATES that I call it the giant man sweater, but a large sweater is a lot of knitting) And I need to redo the zipper. BOO. I f'ed it up real good.

Next post: a pattern! yay! For my spiral hat done in Tunisian crochet. super amazing. After looking at it, it is almost exactly like Odessa from Knitty.com without the beads. I amaze myself.
To do list: fix this site with pattern links and make it better represent my mad graphic web programmer skills
(graphic web programmer?? what the hell is that. Its the made up word for someone who major is to confusing to explain so they invented a word that mildly less confusing to the random person or relative. You probably guessed, my major was half computer science, 1/4 graphic design(art), and 1/4 media. Kind of handy stuff to know.)