Holiday Decompression

One of the best things about Xmas is the days AFTER.  Presents have been given and received and there is no more pressure to do last minute design corrections and last minute re-weaving/knitting/crocheting/tatting/spinning.

Additional benefits are the leftover bits and pieces -- the oddballs.  With oddballs comes the status of creating a personal piece, tied to the gifts given that year; a piece that can be worn by the maker.  

This year I'm making an Idiot Shawl which in a couple of years will be joined to next year's idiot shawl to make an afghan. 

Assemble the bits and pieces of wool left over from this year's projects and separate into groups.  Decide which color will be the main color throughout -- I usually choose the color that I have the most of in either spun or dyed roving/yarn .  If you don't have one color that stands out as the main, you can tie all the stripes of color together with a purchased or spun or dyed yarn.  Black is a good choice if your colors are bright and you like the illuminated/stained glass look.  White is excellent if your colors are pastel.  Something I learned recently while researching different Granny Square patterns, was that any darkish color can be used to crochet all the finished squares together as long as it works with the colors it abuts.  Using a color that isn't as harsh as black or as bright as white can make the same difference as, say, using fresh ground pepper instead of tobasco at the table.  The visual feast presented by that type of moderation is far more digestible.

The idiot shawl is based on the idiot washcloth pattern.  The only difference between the shawl and a washcloth is that you never decrease when knitting the shawl.  You will increase until you get a shawl the size you want or you get to the last odd ball. 

Pattern:

1.  Cast on 4 stitches
2.  Knit 2, increase by knitting in the front and back of the 3rd stitch, Knit stitch 4.
3.  Knit 2, Yarn Over, Knit to the end of the row.
4.  Repeat Row #3 until the shawl is as wide as you would like, or get to your last odd ball.
5.  Knit 2, Yarn Over, *K1, K2tog, YO*, repeating between * * until you get towards the end, finishing the row with a YO, K2.  Fudge if necessary.
6. & 7.  Knit.
8.  Bind off loosely, weave in ends.

Note here -- I join the balls together using Russian Join .  It gives you a little time to decide if the colors you're putting together actually belong side by side.  Alternately, you can overlap the old and the new yarns and knit with both for a a few stitches before dropping the old yarn and continuing on with the new.

Have a very happy New Year and see you soon!

P.S.:  I've been watching Lone Ranger re-runs while working on this blog post and the episode plaing now keeps mentioning a little western town called Colby.  Colby, Wisconsin is the birthplace of Colby cheese and I have a sudden, uncontrollable urge to run out and buy some ... and some fudge of course ... and maybe some pears.  Happy Happy!

Those little extra things ...

You may recall that this past year I've been learning tatting as an additional skill.  I've also used it this year as a way to enhance the holiday gifts I've been making.

There's always someone, though, a hair-dresser a health care worker or a co-worker, who should get a little more than a tip or a card.  Something that could be considered an enhanced holiday card and so not demanding a reciprocation, and finally something that lets that person know they are valued.  

It's even better if that extra something can be attached to the inside of the card in such a way as to make it easily re-gift-able.  Post-It-Notes serve that purpose by holding the earrings in place and also displaying them while making moving them to a new card easy.
 
After searching everywhere for a good, small snowflake, I designed this earring.  Designed is a strong word for what I did.  I kept trying various options until I finally happened on this and had the foresight to write down what I was doing while I was doing it.

Materials:

Size 5 tatting needle
DMC Blanc No. 20, Cebelia, white cotton
6/0 Czech Glass Beads

It took a lot of trial and error to devise this pattern and I learned two of three important answers.   

First, I initially planned on placing the beads on the tips of the snowflake but encountered two problems.  

1. Beading the ends of the picots caused the flakes to fold in on themselves -- not good.  
2. I was having difficulty maintaining the space between the bases of the six rings.

Using the beads as bumpers between each ring made the thread between each ring uniform in length.  It also created an equally weighted circle in the center of the motif. 

Second, I wanted all the picots, both those at the tips of the rings and those joining the rings, to be of equal length.  I found the best option was drawing a 3/8" line on my index finger in black ink, and then washing the finger so the stain wouldn't transfer to the thread.

Third, and this is the problem I've not yet solved, the final joining picot ends up twisted, no matter what I do.  There are plenty of tutorials online advising shuttle tatters how to avoid that twisted link, but I have yet to find one for tatting needle users.  I just placed the twisted picot where it seemed the least noticeable.  Here's the scribbling I did.  You can see how I was documenting my progress, then scratching out and trying something else.

And here is the finished pattern.

Prep:

String at least 6 beads on the thread.  You will need to use the tatting needle to do this as it must be able to slide through them.  If any bead won't slide over the needle, either discard it or set it aside for use with a #7 or #8 needle on a different project.  

R = Ring
- or p = picot
+ = join
3 or 2 = number of DS

First Ring.

3-2-2-3 Close. Tie.  Do not Reverse.
Slide a bead up in place at the base of the ring along the ball thread.  
Pass the tatting needle through the bead once more so the ball thread and needle thread are coming out of the bead, and laying parallel.

Rings 2 through 5

3+2-2-3 Close. Tie.  Do not Reverse.
Slide a bead up in place at the base of the ring along the ball thread.  
Pass the tatting needle through the bead.

Ring 6

3+2-2  
Fold motif in half vertically in order to join to the first side picot created on Ring 1.

+3  

Closing this ring can be tricky.  Before cinching it tight I re-arrange it gently so that the top picot lies to the outside of the ring and the two legs of the ring point to the center. Tie.  Do not Reverse. 

Slide the last bead up in place at the base of the ring along the ball thread. Pass the tatting needle through the bead then pass the needle through the base of the first ring, knot.  

Finishing: 

 Weave tails into the rings and clip short.  When a sufficient number of snowflakes are finished, get them wet and pin them out to dry a styrofoam block.  I like to spritz them with 3 sprays each of fabric stiffening spray and let them dry a couple of days before hanging them from an ear-wire.

If any of you know how to avoid twisting a picot while needle tatting, I'd love to know for next year. 

Now this particular pattern, in sport weight or worsted weight yarn, adorned with 2/0 beads would make excellent detachable tree ornaments for the front of a card for next year.  Have I tipped my hand there?   Happy Hollandaise!!!

Sandy's Ugly Xmas Caps

I am delighted to announce that one of my friends who also subscribes to this blog has graciously given me permission to post pictures of her Ugly Xmas Caps along with her pattern...

From Sandy Lewis of Wisconsin 

Last evening - in a fit of boredom...or Something...I knit an Ugly Christmas Hat.  REALLY UGLY....Knock your socks off....UGLY...Which I wore to work today, along with my Equally Ugly Christmas Scarf, which I knit last year as part of a costume for a Holiday Show I was Tap Dancing in...(Don't Ask!)

 

The hat is knit from - What Else??? - That nasty Red Heart Acrylic Red/White/Green yarn...with a wobbly pompom on top...same yarn...ALL my Pompoms are Wobbly.

 

(I use a #5 needle - loose knitter) Cast on 80 sts - 6" of K1/P1...then 3 rows K (red yarn) - K8 - K 2 tog around - K next row...repeat both rows 'til K2tog is left...Scoop remaining sts tog with needle, tail of yarn...Attach pompom made with red/white/green yarn and you have a Totally Ugly Christmas hat...but warm. 

 

Variations, if one wants variations...K2/P2 3 1/2" cuff - 4 1/2" K round...Approx 7 1/2 - 8" total - then decrease....etc. 

 

I was thinking of your Ugly Christmas Sweater....Hat could and was knit in a few hours...Sweater takes lots more time, and I have all those Methodist Caps to finish...More pompoms, etc...which I am Very Bad at making.  All mine are tacky looking...but what the heck...It's a pompom - Not stitchery for a museum quality garment....

 

Charlie Brown would love it....or not!

 

I bet you will come up with a Much Uglier Christmas Hat design...Which I will Love to knit!  I can donate mine to the Methodists!

 

Sandy then went on in another email to talk about her Braid Cap, in TEAL, and here is the pattern for that!!!

 

I don't think you can see the "hole" in the teal hat....I have to have something to pull my hair through as I have a rather heavy braid, and a hat without a hole doesn't fit.

 

After I do a cuff, I knit 3 or 4 rows...then K back and forth til the slit is about 1 1/2"...then K around for the rest of the hat....Easy to pull my hair through and the hat fits well....

 

I had planned to give the teal hat to the Methodist church (with all the others)...Added the bells, as I thought they would be Fun....THEN saw the "Hole"...realized it was a hat I knit last year - put away and forgot about...Thus the reason I Jingle!!!!

 

Any of these hats take about 3 -4 hours to knit, without the "decorations"....I have 5 to add buttons- pompoms - bells - Stuff to tops...then I'm DONE with the Hats already.

 

Thank you Sandy!!! 

 

And I think we all know that Methodists need all sorts of things to liven their lives up ... and who else is there to do just that?   Just us Heathens, I guess.

Ugly Xmas Sweater Part 4

Let's Talk Collars and Shawls and Sleeves

If you've decided to go ahead with the sweater I'll talk about a quick and dirty collar in a bit.  For now, though, let's talk about other ways to use these squares to ill-effect.  

Shawls

If you've already knitted 20 or so squares and absolutely hate the Ugly Sweater, do not despair. 

There are humane options here.  The top Rebozo type shawl takes 51 squares and measures a little less that 1 foot by a little more than 2 yards.  Add a single crochet edge and you have an ugly shawl.  Add a tatted edging and you have a VERY ugly shawl.

The more familiar Norte Americana Triangle Shawl will take fewer squares, and will require that you fill in the indentions with mitred triangles.  The simplest way to fill in is to pick up the 31 stitches of each indent and knit back and forth decreasing EVERY row.  And again, you can finish with a border of single crochet or tatting, depending on your Ugly Quotient.

Now... if you've decided to gut it out, and go for the Gold Plate, let's add a collar to that Ugly Sweater.  There are 3 ways to add this mercifully blurry collar to your otherwise unmerciful garment.

A.   Knit Collar

1.  Using the long circular needle pick up stitches along the two squares of the top right front, a couple over the shoulder seam, across the top four back squares, two over the shoulder and along the top of the two squares on the left front.

2. Knit back.

3. Knit 1 Purl 1 Knit 1 Purl 1, place marker.  Knit to the last 4 stitches, place marker and Knit 1 Purl 1 Knit 1 Purl 1. 

4.  Purl the knit stitches and Knit the purl stitches up to the marker.  (This will be called Seed Stitch from now on.) Pass marker.  Purl to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch.

5.  Seed Stitch, pass marker.  Knit 2.  Cast off 3.  Loosely backwards-loop Cast-On 3 stitches. (be loose because you'll be purling back across these Cast-On stitches which are difficult to work in the best of knitting circumstances.)  Knit to the last 5 stitches before the marker, Cast off 3.  Backwards Loop Cast-On 3.  K2, pass marker and Seed Stitch. 

6.  Seed Stitch, pass marker.  Purl to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch. 

7.  Seed Stitch, drop marker.  Knit to the marker, drop marker and Seed Stitch.  

Rows 8 and 9 - Knit.

Cast off and weave in ends.

Alternate:  If you would prefer to use Xmas Broaches to hold the collar together knit as above EXCEPT for Row 5 which would read:

5.  Seed Stitch, pass marker.  Knit to the marker, pass marker and Seed Stitch.  (In this way you eliminate the button hole.)

B.  Crochet Collar

Using your Size 8/H Crochet Hook, 

1. Pull up a loop on a front top corner and proceed to single crochet around the top.

2. Chain 2 and Turn.  Double Crochet in the first 5 single crochets.  *Check your button to make sure it will pass between two double crochets.  If it will, continue on around the collar in Double Crotchet.  

      If NOT, rip back and beginning with a Chain 3, turn and Triple (Treble) Crochet 5 times. Again check the Button.  If it's still too large, get a smaller button and choose whichever Double or Treble will work with it.  If the alternate button is too small you can always whip the first two double crochets together a bit to tighten the opening.

3. Chain one and single crochet back and finish off.

C.  Tatted Collar.

Let's keep it simple and hideous with an Arch and Ring edging reminiscent of the sword and egg picture molding one might find near the ceiling in Victorian era house.  You might wish to place a finishing edge of single crochet around the collar, down the center front, around the bottom and back up the center front before commencing tatting.  And yes, you do not begin tatting.  You commence. 

If you wish to shuttle tatt instead of needle tat, you will want to do so and attach the edging after you are finished and do so with large and ugly stitches in a contrasting color.

Key:  A single number is the number of Double Stitches.  A hyphen ( - ) is a picot.

1.  Join yarn at top front corner.

2.  CH 6 - 6, Pull to arch and shoe-lace-trick. Lock join to appropriate stitch on the collar that doesn't stretch or compress the arch too much.

3.  R  6 - 6. Close.  Lock join to appropriate stitch on the collar that doesn't tilt the ring too much to one side or the other.

4.  Repeat 2 and 3 until you get to the end of the collar -- or if you want to go all the way around -- Yay!  You Go!  Hopefully you'll end up with a ring to abut the beginning Arched Chain, but if not.  Oh well. The first arch and the last arch will double as button loops.

The Sleeves.  

Use one of the Collar Treatments for each or either of the sleeves.  The crochet or tatted edging will produce a Sweater Vest -- or if you're ambitious, a Cap Sleeve.   

I suggest that if you choose to knit, you allot a single skein to each sleeve. Pick up stitches around the armhole, join to knit circular and then knit 'till you're bored mindless or run out of yarn.  

I'd also suggest that you bind off without providing any edging at the bottom of the sleeve to mimic that slipshod 3rd world curled edge that is so popular on sweaters sold to people who don't know they're being short-changed with shoddy goods.

However, if you would like to prove that USA made can be totally and correctly hideous, please, by all means combine all three collar finishing styles to Knit, Crochet and then Tatt the cuffs.  

I just teared up a little there.  Again.  It's kind of like reading the Necronomicon, isn't it.

If you'd like specific assistance, don't hesitate to comment. And ... Happy Holidays.
 

Ugly Xmas Sweater Part 3

The Sweater Layout

The Conundrum

We are all brave enough to wear an ugly sweater.  Few of us are foolish enough to wear a sweater that makes us ugly.

The Ugly Xmas Sweater is a simple box shaped garment guaranteed to be unflattering.  It also features drop-shoulder shaping -- as in no shaping at all -- just in case the world didn't already know you have pudgy upper arms.

Now don't take a look at the first layout below and start seaming like a maniac.  Just take a look for now.

You'll want to check something first, preferably after you've finished either joining Row 1 or finishing knitting the 1st row of 10 squares (depending on whether you've done this a single square at a time or as a continuous row of squares). 

You're going to wrap this 1st row around you to see if it's about right for your size.  This first finished bottom row should fit comfortably around your body below your armpits and above your breasts.  Not around your waist or your belly or your hips.  Don't panic.  It's not going to end up under your armpits forever.  You're just seeing if it will fit around you, mostly, there, now.

If it doesn't quite meet you're going to have to add squares. You might add a single column of 5 squares between columns 6 and 5.

 If it's WAY TOO HUGE you're going to have to lose a column or two. Either 6 or 5 down the back, for instance ... or you can employ half squares.

Yes, you heard me.  Mitred 7x7 squares that begin with 15 stitches. It will take 10 to go from the top to the bottom down the center of the back if that's where you need the ease.  If you need it in the front you could run them down the center of the left and/or right front. 

Or you can leave the seam between columns 6 and 5 un-joined.  You can then pick-up stitches from top to bottom and add the ease you need.  Up to you.

If you can't handle the fact that this sweater will probably make you look fat, and I'm using the word "probably" very loosely here, you might want to stop the idea of piecing it together into a sweater-ISH shape and start thinking about the Ugly Shawl Option. 

Yes.  Excel is my friend.  So just to reiterate what the layout shows, the left front is made of 9 squares seemed (or knitted) together as one large square, and the right front is as well.  Neither the left or right front is attached to the back, but all three are attached to the bottom two rows.

Additionally, once you have this pieced together you only have two seams left to sew.  Row 5 Squares 8 and 7 will be seamed together across the top, and Row 5: Squares 4 and 3 will be seamed together across the top. I like the blanket stitch.  It's fast, safe, and hinge-like.

That, my darlings, is the end of the shoulder treatment.

In a couple of days, we'll be talking collars.   Comment or email if you need further direction on adding a little space in the back or the front with mitres or button bands etc.

Ugly Xmas Sweater Part 2 ...

 

The Mitred Square Makes the Sweater

No I'm not talking about the cap worn by Abbots and Bishops, I'm talking about a knitting technique that takes variegated yarns and makes them look marginally attractive. 

I was looking for a technique that would produce a sweater that was simultaneously too large and too small while appearing to be ornate and complex while actually being rather simple to execute and portable for those readers who have little time to complete the piece.  If you commute by train or bus, you can probably complete a single square per trip.  

The sweater is made up of 50 squares.  If you start tomorrow, and knit two squares a day - one to and one from work - you will have your squares finished in 5 weeks or less, depending on the speed of your knitting and the length of your commute.  This will bring you to the end of the first week of December with enough squares (and minimal finishing) to make a Truly Ugly Xmas Sweater Vest just in time for the Office Party.

If you knit each square in one type of yarn only, you will speed up the process and might be able to complete more than 2 squares a day.  If you use my technique for picking up from the edge of a finished square to start the next square, you'll significantly reduce finishing time without adding any additional knitting time.  Let's go over our materials and tools list again.

5 skeins of red/green/white variegated
2 skeins of an itchy sparkly synthetic angora red/green/white
1 skein of white
2 skeins of forest green. 

Or any collection of colors you desire.  You can buy one skein at a time if that suits, just try to keep to the same Brand/Weight/Fiber type.  My aim is not to violate craftsmanship rules.  It's to violate the laws of good taste.


Size 8 10" straight knitting needles.
Size 8  28-40" circular knitting needle suitable for magic-loop knitting
Size 8 (H) crochet hook
Darning needle for minimal seaming
Two 1-1/2" buttons 
Indomitable Will 
Cast-Iron Stomach
Yarn sized tatting needle

The First Square

On size 8 10" straight knitting needles cast on 31* stitches in your preferred method.  
(I prefer the long tail cast on because it makes my first row while I'm casting on. A knitted cast-on also creates the first row, but again any style cast-on you prefer is good.)

Row 1:  Knit to end - 31 Stitches. 
Row 2:  Knit 14 stitches.  Slip 1 as if to knit, Knit 2 together, Pass Slipped stitch Over. Knit 14.
( From now on the center decrease will be abbreviated to (Sl1K2TogPsso).  You can also Knit 3 Together (K3Tog)  or Knit 2 Together, slip 1, pass 1 over (K2TogSl1Psso).  Whatever you prefer to turn 3 stitches into 1 stitch is just fine.)

Row 3:  Knit to end, counting all the way -- Ho! Ho! Ho! 
(You should end up with an odd number of stitches that is smaller than 31.  You deleted two stitches in Row 2, so you should have 29 stitches - but crap happens.**)

Mental Calculation you can do at the end of every plain knit row to avoid having to actually keep track of where you are.  

Take the number of stitches you have, minus 3 and divide by 2.  In this case the calculation would be 29 - 3 / 2 = 13.  13 is your new number ....

Row 4:  Knit 13 Sl1K2TogPsso Knit 13

Row 5:  Knit to end, counting all the way -- Ho! Ho! Ho! 

(You should have 27 stitches. Mental Calculation 27 - 3 = 24/2 = 12)

Continue rows 4 and 5 until you have 3 stitches left at the end of a decrease row.

Using different yarns in one square.

Final Even Row :  a. Sl1K2TogPsso or K3Tog. Cut yarn and pull through loop to finish off.  This is the technique you will use if you plan to mix and match and seam together later.

Keep knitting squares until you have completed 50.

OR   

Final Even Row :  b. Sl1K2TogPsso or K3Tog.  Leaving that last loop on the Right Needle, start picking up stitches down the left hand edge of the square.  You will Pick Up*** 15 to 16 stitches, included the first one, total. 

Then, using your preferred Cast On style (at this point I prefer Knitted Cast-On), create 15 to 16 stitches -- whichever you need to end up with 31 stitches. 

Start with Row 2 -- knit even across, and continue on in the Mitre pattern.  Repeat until you've completed 10 squares in your first bottom row. 

In pictures that would be:

Second Row of 10 (pictured below):  Cast on 15 stitches in your preferred method.  Pick up one stitch at the top right corner of your first row of squares.  Continue picking up 15 more stitches from the top of the rightmost square so that you end up having 31 stitches on your right needle.  Turn and knit back all 31 stitches ... you've now completed Row 2 of the Mitred Square.  Continue on, adding squares to the left until you reach the end of the row and have 20 Squares in two rows, total.  In pictures ...

If you have managed to complete 20 squares before I post again, you maniac, stop!!!   Comment!!!  Alert me that you need further instruction and I will instruct further.  Unless you've figured out what to do with the other 30 squares.  In that case go for it and send me pictures.

The Footnotes:

* 31 Stitches.  This is totally arbitrary.  If a square 15 x 15 stitches is too small you can start with 61 stitches.  You can start with 27, if that bakes your cookies.  It just has to be odd and easy for you to keep track of.  I like the size of the 31 stitch because it's about a bus-ride long and easy to jam in the purse.  It's also an easy size to pull out while waiting in line, or finishing off a lunch break, or sneaking under the desk.

**Crap Happens.  If you've finished a knit only row and you end up with an even number of stitches, stop and take a deep breath.  Don't panic.  Check to make sure you've not dropped a stitch or have started knitting back and forth mindlessly.  This happens when you talk or try to read and knit or drive and knit at the same time.  If it's only a single mistke row and you don't feel like ripping back to the last good row, you can unknit back to the center of the even row, Knit 2 Together to create an odd number of stitches and continue knitting to the end.  I've even discovered the mistake in the middle of a decrease row and decided to K2Tog, K2Tog, Psso.  Again, feed the OCD if necessary and fudge if possible.  It's not art.  It's ugly.

***Picking Up Stitches.  I like slipping the first stitch of every row.  This creates nice wide two row stitches running across the "top" and the "left hand side" of the square.  Nice, wide two row stitches make picking up stitches easier and is one of those gems contributed to the knitting community by Knitter's Saint E. Zimmerman.  When I first started I would use my crochet hook to pull loops of yarn through the nice wide stitches and place them on the knitting needle.  Now I just stick the knitting needle through the edge stitch and pull the yarn through that way.

Have fun!  Post comments if you're lost.  See you in a few days!!

Ugly Xmas Sweater Part 1

And A Very Ugly Xmas to You!

I'm sure you've seen sites devoted to selling truly Ugly Christmas Sweaters.  A simple Google search of those three dreadful words will open a terrifyingly enormous number (about 575,000  links). If you haven't taken a good, long look at the holiday horror that has been unleashed upon the faddish over the last few years, then it is time for you to get a good strong whatever and sit down to take a look at this assault on good taste and visual accuity.

A closer look at these abominations will chill your blood when you realize something truly heinous.  The majority of these sweaters were not made in the USA.

Now I don't know about you, but I, for one, am capable of creating an Xmas sweater that doesn't just break one or two fashion rules.  I, a devoted american consumer, have all the skills necessary to haphazardly design a sweater that is not only a crime against god and man, but one that the great Cthulhu himself would deem unthinkable, unknowable and terrifyingly undesireable.  

I issue this challenge to every fiber artist/crafts-person reading this.  I now dare you to whomp up your own beyond-ugly sweater.  I'm here to help.  Really.


Whether you like it or not, I'm about to share with you, in a series of Happy Holidays Blog posts, how I am constructing mine.  

Gird your loins, put on your sunglasses, grit your teeth and locate the strongest anesthia you allow yourself because here we go.

Garage Sale Find -- Vintage Yarn

Materials:

Yarns:

I was extremely lucky to locate some vintage 100% Orlon Acrylic Christmas Yarn at a garage sale.  And yes, that Orlon Acrylic was made by DuPont in the U.S.A.
The yarn was manufactured by Yarn Industries, Inc. of Pageland, South Carolina  which at one time held 5 trademarks besides -- Softelle (D. 1986), Remembrance (D. 1986), Lainelle (D. 1982), Sun.Spun (D. 1982), and Carrousel (D. 1981).  Apparently there was a dreadful lawsuit between Yarn and Krupps in 1983 and since many of these trademarks seem to have expired shortly thereafter, I'm assuming that the litigation was deadly.  Lesson to us all, when meeting a subsidiary of a multi-national corporation either to sign a contract or to settle a dispute in court, be sure to take a lawyer with you.  

As late as 2010 Caron (headquartered in Ontario) held the Wintuk name, but even that brand is no longer available for purchase, to my knowledge.

There's a bonus Christmas Sock pattern on the inside of the skein's paper label sleeve. Are you Christmas Tree Green with envy yet?

Don't grieve.  You can still purchase Christmas yarn in the various colors and variegates that you will need to make your sweater.  I know.  I've seen the fresh-off-the-cargo-ship-from-Pakistan-self-display-boxes at the stores.  I just urge you to try to find yarn that is made somewhere in this hemisphere and, like my 25+ year old yarn, will remain bright and festive in a landfill for the next 2 to 3 hundred years.

This vintage yarn has such an ugly choice of color and dreadful repeat length in the variegation and such a scratchy unpleasant hand, that I couldn't resist spending 50 cents a skein.  I got:

5 skeins of red/green/white variegated
2 skeins of an itchy sparkly synthetic angora red/green/white
1 skein of white
2 skeins of forest green. 

I won't need all of this yarn, but there's always the matching mittens and Newsboy cap, right?

Needles & Other Supplies:

My Pattern - follows over the next two weeks.
Size 8 10" straight knitting needles.
Size 8  28-40" circular knitting needle suitable for magic-loop knitting
Size 8 (H) crochet hook
Yarn sized tatting needle 

Darning needle for minimal seaming
Two 1-1/2" buttons 
Indomitable Will 
Cast-Iron Stomach
Yarn sized tatting needle

Now you don't need to run out and buy anything shown here that you don't have.  As long as you have knitting needles size 7, 8 or 9, a crochet hook in size G, H or I, and yarn, you can make something god-awful.  I'll give alternate options along the way.

The first part of the pattern will arrive in a couple of hours, and we'll go from there in an irregular and sporadic fashion.  Please, feel free to leave comments here or via email.

I'd like to leave you with this one small word of encouragement.  Mwahahaha!

Brooks Bouquet

That's pretty much all I've got to say today. 

I can say that thickNthin and coil yarns should not be wasted on even-weave.  Hand-spun novelty yarns should be saved for pieces that are knit, crocheted or for over-shot/float weaving. 

On the other hand, yarns that are naturally slightly irregular, like the majority of my hand spun, do shine in plain-weave.  They introduce a mild irregularity that produces a textural tremolo to a piece.  Like a fine singer's voice trembles around a note, so hand dyed and hand spun yarns tremble around a hue and grist producing a sense of depth and intensity that cannot be manufactured by mass production machinery.

Murphy's Textile Law 0001

There is no clothing item so hideous that the judicious application of tatting and puffpaint can't make it uglier.


On the bright and yet still garish side, these house socks will not end up on anyone other than their owner.  No color-blind, over-worked laundress can do anything to these bed-socks to make them LESS attractive.  And finally, though fractions of pennies went into pockets overseas for the manufacture of the yarns and paints, no one but the recipient will profit from their construction.

The sox are knit in acrylic (or other machine washable yarn); toe up with a short row heel.  Once the toe increases are completed I start the K1, P1 ribbing on the top (arch) side of the socks.  It makes them more elastic and form fitting to compensate for faulty foot measurement and lack of gauge swatches.  Ribbing at the ankle is shorter than a normal sock -- about half the length as a fold-down crew sock.  These socks only need to stay on in bed and so there is no danger that they will fall down.  Disappear in the bed-clothes - yes.  Fall down - no.

Since the sole decoration is puff paint, it also serves as a form of non-slip tread.  If the recipient of your bed socks is actually going to walk in them, though, a more conventional sew on non-slip tread is recommended and puff-paint should go on the top of the socks where it will do the most esthetic damage.

If you're interested in a link to a generic toe up sock pattern, or to the tatted lace edging pattern, let me know and I will add links. 

And Another Craft

Ra ta Tat Tat

Yes I understand that's hardly clever, but I'm not feeling all that glib today.  I just wanted to leave a brief note that I've taken up yet another fiber technique.  That would be tatting.  

My first exposure to tatting was while sitting with my Grossmutter in her forest-green Studebaker outside of the local High school.  We were waiting for my Aunt and I was incredibly bored. Watching Grossie add an ugly variegated pink and white lace border to an otherwise unimpressive cloth handkerchief eased the ennui.  Slightly.  I recall that I asked her what she was doing and if she would teach me, and the answers were "tatting" and "no."

I realize that a lot of what I do is a direct reaction to the word no.  I'm not sure that is a good thing.  I do know that when it comes to learning, saying no to me doesn't actually work. In this case though, over 50 years passed before I actually did something about that initial refusal.   Frankly, if Grossie had attempted to teach me, I would have dropped tatting like a hot potato and never looked back.  Instead, I headed down the fiber road and have been inflicting hand made items on my relatives ever since.

While I picked up a tatting shuttle here and there between that "no" and now, I never actually took the time to learn how to manipulate the shuttle to tie those types of knots.  The picture directions one finds in quaint pamphlets on how to make your hands dance with shuttles and strings are less than informative.  The directions of how to make rings and chains and picots, how many and in what order are cryptic.  So I've been stymied until I learned about needle tatting. 

Isn't YouTube a wonderful thing?  I didn't want to expend any money for tatting needles since they are not cheap, and I admit there are quite a few things that I've picked up for a minute or two before dropping:  Skiing, biking, painting, sculpting, to name a few.  Some of those things cost good money that was never recouped.

After watching a couple of YouTube videos and realizing that a locker hook and heavy kitchen cotton yarn were precisely what I needed and precisely what I had on hand.  Voila ... a small tatted motif, becomes a kitchen  trivet.  The beauty of using a locker hook is that it's the perfect size for heavy kitchen cotton, and if you don't find tatting to be compelling you can always use it to hook rugs or add a string tail to make it a very long Tunisian crochet hook.  Three separate crafts to try and discard, for the price of one.

Actually, I am going to be using Tatting as an edging when I don't want to use the k1p1 ribbing, seed, moss or garter stitch to keep a piece from curling.  So I've not gone completely over the edge, but yes, I do have tatting needles now.

Start Knitting Lace BEFORE August

Because of the alpaca content even lace scarves are warm. 

Christmas 2012 is Right Around The Corner!

I learned my lesson.  Deciding to knit lace scarves in August, even a simple lace like Old Shale, is insane.  Immediately after I received the 50% Wool 50% Alpaca lace weight yarn my hours at work were shifted.  An hour was carved off the slow end of the day and an extra half day every other week was tacked on so that I had much less time at home for falderol. What with an hour slashed here and an hour excised there, I ended up knitting into the wee hours just days before the 25th.

While Old Shale is simple enough, These are projects that are best started today and so ... this post.

I started with American Size #8 (UK 6, Metric 5.0 mm) knitting needles and Alpacaware Yarn. I've used Alpacaware for many things since I first discovered the brand on eBay and I rationalize using their yarn because it's manufactured in this hemisphere by people who are actually descended from the ones who originally bred and spun this camelid fiber -- Peruvians.  

The yarn makes great socks as long as you knit the toes and heels in a different hard wearing sock yarn. While most of the socks that I have knitted from Alpacaware have been pitched because of large holes in the toes and heels, the ones with toes and heels of acrylic / super wash / nylon sock blends are still being worn a year and several machine washes later.  And they are incredibly warm and incredibly soft.


Of their yarns, If you're happy with the colors they offer, I recommend the Alpaca/Acrylic/Wool blends.  Not only is it much softer and fuzzier, it goes through the washer and dryer well if there's a mistake on laundry day.

But, I wanted to be able to dye the yarn different colors for each of my step-sisters so I opted for the Alpaca/Wool blend in white.  When I received the yarn it was much stringy-er and rougher than the yarns I'd received from Alpacaware before. But the yarn was long spun - so to speak - and time was short.

Since the only preference I heard back from the sisters was "off-white" I at least cut out the step of hand dying the wool.  I did have to add the step of using human hair conditioner on the scarves at the last minute to make them soft enough to wear next to the skin.  The pattern I whomped up is:

A closer look at the Old Shale.

Old Shale Beaded Lace Scarflet.

Tools and Materials:

American Size #8 (UK 6, Metric 5.0 mm) STRAIGHT knitting needles

American Size #6 (UK 8, Metric 4.0 mm) MAGIC LOOP Circular knitting needle

 

American Size #H (UK 6, Metric 5.0 mm) Crochet Hook

American Size #11 (1.10 mm) Steel Crochet Hook

Seed Beads 6 mm in a complimentary color

Lace or Sock Weight Yarn - 1 to 2 skeins.

Cast On:

Multiple of 18 stitches plus 4.  

(These scarves were 58 stitches (18 x 3 + 4).)  

Garter Stitch Set Up:

Knit one row.

Knit two stitches, place marker, knit to last two stitches, place marker, knit 2.   Turn, place a crochet marker or safety pin on the side facing you to mark it as the Right Side.

(You've just completed two rows of garter stitch for the bottom of the scarf and placed markers for the garter stitch edging to help hold the knitting flat.)  

Knit the body of the scarf :


Row 1. K2, pass marker, Old Shale Pattern Row (see below), pass marker, K2 .
Row 2. K2, pass marker, Purl to marker, pass marker, K2
Row 3. Knit
Row 4. Knit
Repeat

Old Shale Pattern Row:

(Knit 2 tog) x 3, *(YO, K1) x 6, (K2tog) x 6)*, work * to * to last 6 stitches before the marker then  (Knit 2 tog) x 3.

Knit these 4 rows until the scarf will fit around your throat comfortably, plus about 6 to 8 inches.

Beads placed on every other knit stitch every other row.

Start ribbing 
Change to Magic Loop Needle and

Knit 2, (drop marker) K1, P2
*K2, P2* until about 17 stitches are on the Magic Loop needle ending with a P2.  Pull needle to make your first Magic Loop Butterfly Wing.

Work K2P2 ribbing for 24 stitches ending in a P2.  Magic Loop, pull your second butterfly wing. 

K2P2 to last 3 stitches.  

Join your knitting here by P2 , place a marker, and slip last stitch from your straight needle to your right Magic Loop Point, then slipping it back to the new left Magic Loop Point and knitting two together. 

If you have 2 knitted  stitches on your left ML needle, knit them together so that you end up with K2P2 as the first stitches after the marker.  *(You will have only one marker in the magic loop method, and that marker will show the back center seam as a reference for finishing)


If you prefer working flat:  Slip the first stitch, K2P2 and place the knit marker after St. 17 which would be your second purl stitch of that K2P2 ribbing group. K2P2 for 24 stitches and place a second knit marker after St. 41.  K2P2 the last 17 stitches ending Purl 3.  You will have 3 knit stitches at the beginning of each row -- first stitch slipped -- and 3 Purl stitches at the end of each row.)

Work one round/row in K2P2 ribbing.

Beads that have been slipped over stitches.

Basically you're going to make a ribbed loop through which to pull the tail end of the scarf AND you are only going to bead the front side. 

If you want to make it blingy as I did, then I direct you to this wonderful article Seduced by Beads by Sivia Harding  which explains how to place beads onto your needle using a crochet hook.

On the front (non marker) 24 stitches of the magic loop

I staggered the beads every other row.  Magic loop that would be -- rounds:

1.  On the Right Side only -- Place a bead on the first stitch of each K2 ribbing
2. No beading, just K2P2 ribbing for one round
3.On the Right Side only -- Place a bead on the second stitch of each k2
4. No beading, just K2P2 ribbing for one round. 

Flat Knitting, you would place the beads on the right side only, between the markers only, staggering them between the first and second knit stitch of each k2 of the ribbing.

In this way the beads were staggered and all of them were placed away from the skin to avoid any discomfort.  After all no use placing a bead on the purling as it would be swallowed up by the ribbing and not seen.


Work the K2P2 beaded ribbing for about 4 inches, then Purl a row for a turn marking row.  Put your beads away and K2P2 for another 4 inches.

Magic Loop: with the joining stitches Marker in the center of the back and the beading facing front, work a 3 Needle Bind-Off to close the tube you've knitted and join the front to the back in a flat bound off seam. Leave a very long tail for attaching the bound off edge to the back of the beginning of the ribbing. The Purl Row you did halfway through the ribbing will be a great guide to show you about where the ribbing should be folded over.


Straight Needles:  Bind-off leaving a very long tail.  Using Blanket stitch or your preferred way of joining, Sew the first slipped stitches on both sides of the ribbing together down to the beginning of the ribbing.  With the seam position down the center back, sew the top of the ribbing closed, flat, then folding down along the purl row, sew that flat seam to the beginning of the ribbing, easing as necessary.

Close-up of beaded picot edging.

Additional beading at the bottom of the scarf.  


I then added a Crochet Picot edge to the bottom of these scarves using the size H crochet hook.  


Join Yarn and Single crochet along the cast on end of the lace.

Chain One, Turn.

Single crochet 2, chain 2 (place bead on 2nd chain with tiny 1.10 crochet hook and replace on H hook)chain one to complete the 3 chain picot. Slip Stitch into the next stitch and repeat across row.  

Scarf pulled through the ribbing loop.

You will end up with an extra single crochet at the end of the row.  If this endangers the space-time continuum in your particular part of the universe, then by all means after working your foundation row of Single crochet, do the math to make it even by increasing or decreasing a single crochet in the center of the row.

Work in ends. 

Hand wash gently in Dish washing detergent to get the smell of sweaty terror out of the scarf, and then give it a rinse with a drop or two of Human Hair Conditioner.  

Gently squeeze out the excess water.  I roll them up into a cylinder in a Terry Bath Towel and then step on the toweling to squish most of the water out.  It's kind of like treading on grapes to make wine, except there's a towel in between and no one drinks alpaca.

Unroll and lay the scarf out on a towel, or better yet an acrylic granny square afghan. Stretch the scarflet sideways and lengthwise just a bit to open up the lace and let it dry.  


Hopefully, if you start now, you'll have a beaded lace scarf completed before summer and you can decide if you're going to make more for your friends and relatives or just keep it for yourself and call it a learning experience.  You can also decide if you would prefer JUST lace or JUST beading or None Of The Above and go for a scarflet with a ribbed loop only.  That's three different types of scarves you can pull from this one pattern.


Happy New Year!!!