October Knitting Update

I've been in completion mode these last few weeks and have been finishing projects left and right.  The only problem now is I'm not sure what to knit next.  It's time I start swatching and designing again.  This means a strict ravelry diet till I get my sketches and swatches done.  The above project is a simple cowl I've been knitting in my down time.  I'm almost done with it and can't wait as this yarn has tried to be two other things before I got it right on the third try.  

I also blocked the lace Abalone and am very pleased at how it turned out.  Now I just need to style it and get some use out of it.  The weather finally broke this weekend and it's back to feeling like fall again so I'm sure this will get worn.  

Here's the other sweater project I've been dragging ass on.  I started this back in June and then took a break to work on some Christmas gifts.  Now I'm in the home stretch.  

I was finishing the sleeve up the day I took this picture.  Two episodes of the daily show and back to the body of the sweater.  I stopped working on the body because I wanted to make sure I had enough yarn to make full length sleeves with thumb holes.  The plan was for a long sleeve hoodie with a pocket in the front, but I think I only have enough yarn for a long sleeve hoodie and no pocket. 

Stitch Guide: Old Shale II

Just like with feather and fan you can add a purl ridge into old shale.  This can add texture to your knit piece and can make the knitted fabric look very different.  This segment is short, but if you want more info on how purl ridges change the look of a knitted fabric check out my posts on Feather and Fan II and III.  A lot of the same principals apply to Old Shale; the stitch pattern is exactly the same as feather and fan you are only changing the method of increasing. 

Remember all our feather and fan and old shale stitch patterns are written for a multiple of 18 stitches.  

Old Shale With a Purl Ridge

Worked Flat

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (M1, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Purl All Stitches

R3: Purl All Stitches

R4: Purl All Stitches

Worked in the Round

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (M1, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Knit All Stitches

R3: Purl All Stitches

R4: Knit All Stitches

Feather and fan, Feather and Fan II, Feather and Fan III

Old Shale, Old Shale II

BSJ's for the Potter Twins

My best friend from back home just because a dad.  A dad to two tiny twin girls.  How awesome is that, two babies all in one shot.  I haven't heard much from him since the little ladies have been born, but I'm sure him and his wife have their hands full with two newborns.  To show him my love and support I knit him two of my favorite baby items for the girls.

Twin Baby Surprise Jackets for the little Potter ladies!

Sweater A

I knit them using two balls of different striping yarn and stripped them in alternating colors makeing two sister jackets.  My thought was these two bitty babies would be put in identical outfits for most of their early lives and I wanted to make them something that was the same, but different from each other.  The end result was two BSJs in the same colors, but with different alternating stripes.

Sweater B

These also came out a bit big for the girls, but I figured they would be able to wear them once the weather turned really bitter in Upstate New York.  The will keep cozy in these super soft, super warm, super wash wool BSJ's.

Stitch Guide: Old Shale

We've been knitting a lot of feather and fan lately and it's time to change it up.  This stitch is called Old Shale and it is the more masculine version of feather and fan.  To achieve this stitch pattern you are essential knitting feather and fan, but you are swapping yarn overs (YO) for make ones (M1).  

What's a make one?  A make one is an increase that allows you to maintain a solid fabric.  With old shale you still get the ripple effect with out the lacy look of feather and fan.  This is what makes it a great stitch for someone who isn't into eyelets. 

How does one execute a make one (M1).  It's really simple here's what you do:

Using your left hand needle pick up the bar that runs between the stitches in the row below from the back .

Knit into the bar on the left hand needle making sure that the bar twists into a new stitch. 

Ta Da! You just increased one stitch with a M1 increase.  Easy Peasy.   Now on to the stitch pattern!

Just a quick reminder all feather and fan stitch patterns are written for a multiple of 18 stitches.  The same goes for old shale.  

Old Shale (a more masculine lace)

Worked Flat

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (M1, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Purl All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Purl All Stitches

Worked in the Round

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (M1, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Knit All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Knit All Stitches

Don't forget our other F&F stitch Patterns

Feather and Fan, Feather and Fan II, And Feather and Fan III

September's Knitting Update

I have been knitting away this month and have lots of projects on the needles and off the needles.  Up first is my Carnaby Skirt.  I am almost done and am truly loving the construction of this knitted skirt.  Short rows are my new favorite thing to use for shaping. 

Oh my a BSJ!  What does that mean?  It means that a lot of my friends and family are having little ones.  My bestie from back home is going to be a dad to twin girls.  That's the prefect excuse to knit one of my favorite Elizabeth Zimmerman patterns in some fun stripping sock yarn I've been wanting to try.  The girls are due very soon so I better get knitting

This is my lace weight Abalone.  I started this a about two weeks ago and I'm about 2/3 of the way done.  The yarn is a merino lace weight in a heather taupe color.  There are flecks of red and blue, yellow and pink. It gives the finished project a lot of interest and depth of color with out being garish. 

Now on to some FOs! Finished objects are always exciting.  This is the Prim scarf all blocked and buttoned.  This pattern was great to knit and it's simple with out being boring.  The button that is sewn on is from my friend Antea's shop the Ceramery.  She has some really lovely items, but I'm a sucker for buttons.

And finally my Boneyard is blocked.  I tried a picot bind off to give my edge some interest, to learn something new, and to make my scarf a bit more feminine   

Stitch Guide: Feather and Fan III

In our last installment of the feather and fan stitch we added a purl ridge to our stitch pattern.  Today we are going to add a purl ridge every 7th row.  This breaks up the pattern into an eight row repeat instead of a four row repeat, and gives the stitch pattern a whole new look.  Lets take a look at version II and Version III next to each other.

Version II on left, version III on right.

Spacing the purl ridge out over 8 rows instead of 4 gives the pattern a whole new look and feel.  There are more rows of stockinette between the purl ridge which makes the ripples look wider.  It also makes the swatch look longer because there is more space between each purl ridge.  The fabric created also has more drape than in version II which is constricted by the purl rows and has less stockinette.  

Now on to the stitch pattern.  Remember feather and fan is worked over a multiple of 18 stitches. 

Worked Flat

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Purl All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Purl All Stitches

R5: Repeat Row 1

R6-R8: Purl All stitches

Worked in the Round

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Knit All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Knit All Stitches

R5: Knit Row 1

R6: Knit all Stitches

R7: Purl all Stitches

R8: Knit all Stitches

Feather and Fan, Feather and Fan II, Feather and Fan III

Stitch Guide: Feather and Fan II

There are many was to knit Feather and fan as well as many different variations on this lace stitch.  The one we will be discussing today has a purl ridge in the stitch pattern.  One small change can have a big impact on the look of the stitch and can gives that pattern a whole different feel.  Unlike the plain ol' feather and fan stitch this one has texture.  The purl ridge is accomplished by changing one row in the pattern.  The lace row is the same, it's the third row that changes.  

Note: Like previously mentioned all Feather and Fan stitch patterns are written for a multiple of 18 stitches

Feather and Fan with a Purl Ridge

Worked Flat

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Purl All Stitches

R3: Purl All Stitches

R4: Purl All Stitches

Worked in the Round

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Knit All Stitches

R3: Purl All Stitches

R4: Knit All Stitches

Other Feather and Fan posts:

Stitch Guide: Feather and Fan

Holiday Knitting: Pattern Favorites

Getting a jump on your holiday knitting can be satisfying and practical.  Part of the fun is looking for new and interesting patterns that would make the recipient of your gift ooh and ahh at there new hand knit item.  I've scoured Ravelry and my list of favorites and I've come up with a list of great patterns that are all free either as Ravelry downloads or hosted on other blogs.  What a perfect excuse to go yarn shopping and start a new project

Favorite Free Patterns 

doublepointed, River Run

Scarves and Shawls

Wingspan, Maylin Tri'Coterie Designs

Purl Ridge Scarf, Stephen West

Prim's Scarf, Julia Carlis

Riverrun, Erin McNellis

Boneyard Shawl, Stephen West

Maluka, Bea Schmidt

Brainfork Blog, Crenellated Hat

Hats

Turn a Square, Jared Flood

Crenellated Hat, J. Wilson

Regina, Carina Spencer

The Purl Bee, Color Block Hand Warmers

Hands and Legs

Cimidar, Melanie Berg

Urban Rustic Gloves, Sarah Sutherland

Color Block Handwarmers, Purl SoHo

Dashing, Cheryl Niamath

Brooklyn Tweed, Hemlock Ring Blanket 

Larger Projects

Abalone, Beata Jezek

Hemlock Ring Blanket, Jared Flood

Just Crafty Enough, Grumpasaurus

Wee Projects

Saarjte's Bootees, Saarjte de Bruijn

Garter Stitch Baby Kimono, Joji Locatelli

Grumpasaurus, Kat Lewinski

Blue Betty Blog, Lace Legs

Free Blue Betty Patterns

Sea Glass Cowl

Lace Legs

Easy Peasy Beanie

Easy As Pie Tam

Put a Bow On It

Give a Hoot Beanie

Looking to the Fall

It's still summer, but have you been noticing all the "back to school" items and sales and commercials that have started popping up now that it's August?  This means that fall is right around the corner.  I find fall an exciting time of year, I always have.  Growing up fall meant the start to a new school year, fresh notebooks, new jeans, and sweaters.  Now my adult self sees fall as the start the theatre season, new jobs, fresh apples, and of course sweaters.

Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite season is I usually can't decided, but in growing older I think I have come to favor fall.  Not only is my birthday in October but I see fall as a time of newness.  My theory is  because we start a new school year in the fall I have been conditioned in my 16 years of schooling to think that fall is exactly the right time of year to start something fresh.  I am all for this.  I feel that sweater weather is the perfect time to pull on your favorite pullover and start a new project; that could be a new knitting project, a new job, a new skill you want to acquire, really anything that gets you excited.

I maybe getting ahead of myself.  It is only half way through August; there is still plenty of nice warm summery weather still left in the next few weeks.  But I love looking ahead to the fall.  I do every year.  In the spirit of "back to school" and all that junk I am planing some new sewing projects for the fall and maybe a new sweater or two.  

I have been obsessed with lace, especially in the form of a dress and in bright jewel tones.

Green Dress and White Dress, Burda Style

Teal Dress, ModCloth

I found this awesome lace for just such a project:

Anda Burda Style

Lately I've been looking at the Anda again, and thinking that I want to make one or two in a more flowing fabric than the lavender one I made this spring.

This beautiful gold rayon blend that I found in the dollar bin at my favorite fabric store will make a gorgeous Anda, or even this deep red rayon blend that is in my stash.  Maybe I will make two.

Anita Jeans

I want to make another pair of jeans for the fall, maybe in a darker wash.  These jeans fit so well I can't justify buying any unless it's from the thrift store and they are to wear while building or painting.

I am also planing another two sorbettos. One in white with a high low hemline and one in a sheer tomato red.  Thankfully a lot of the fabric I need for these sewing projects is in my fabric stash.

Now on to the knitting.

Carnaby Skirt, Knitty.com 

I know, I know I've sworn off skirts, but I just have to knit this warm wool skirt.  Something is compelling me to knit this.  I plan on knitting it in a dark heather grey so that I can get a lot of use out of it.  It will be perfect for the fall and the winter and the early spring, so I will have no real excuse not to wear the darn thing.  

Elbow Patch Cardigan, A. Butta

I am also considering this cute cable and elbow patch cardigan.  I think it would be a great piece to have for the winter along with my knit hoddie that is in progress as I type.  

Aidez, Cirilia Rose

I've also had my eye on this sweater for awhile, but I'm not sure I want to commit to a project like this until all of my gift knitting is completed.  It is however knit with bulky yarn on size US 10 1/2 needles.  This could be a quick knit.  

Abalone, Beata Jezek

If anything elas I will knit myself another abalone out of some yummy wool blend yarn to wear all winter.  Ambitious plans for someone who will have less time to sew than usual, but I think I'll be able to make what I want.  I still have my Sundays to myself.  The perfect sewing project day.  

Stitch Guide: Feather and Fan

Feather and Fan, it’s one of those old stand by knitting stitches, a great introduction to lace knitting, and it looks impressive with out making a knitters eyes go crosswise looking at charts.  Why is it that this lace stitch is the gate way drug of lace knitting?  Is it because of the easy to remember row repeat, or the simplicity of the decrease and increase, or is it because it only has one lace row and three “easy” rows?  Could it be that the increase and decreases are set up in such a manner that you can easily grasp the concept of how a lace stitch moves and is built?  Yes, it’s all of these reasons.  This stitch pattern is one of the first lace stitches that many knitters learn, because of its ease.  You can be a beginner and pick up this stitch with just a few projects under your belt and it will make your scarves, hats and anything else you make look like you labored for hours and hours with a difficult lace pattern.  (And lets be honest who doesn’t want their friends, family and perfect strangers oogling their hand knit items.)

In the next few installments of Stitch Guide here on Blue Betty we will be looking at Feather and Fan along with some of its variations.  Lets start with the skills a knitter needs to accomplish this stitch.  First off you need to know how to knit and purl, check.  Secondly you need to know how to decrease by knitting two stitches together (K2tog), knitting two together is as easy as it sounds instead of knitting one stitch you knit to at the same time decreasing from two stitches down to one.  Thirdly, you need to know how to increase with either a yarn over (YO) or by making one (M1). Yarn overs are accomplished by wrapping your yarn over your right hand needle.  That’s it, done, complete, you just increased one stitch.  Yarn overs make pretty eyelets in your knitting and are very feminine.  We will get back to make one (M1) in a few weeks.  

Feather and fan and all its variations are knit with a multiple of 18 stitches.  The feather and fan pattern can be worked in different multiples to fit your needs though, and makes this pattern vary versatile.  For example you could use a multiple of 12, your pattern row would have 4 decreases and 4 increases, but for the sake of simplicity all the stitch patterns written out here for the feather and fan stitch pattern family will be written for a multiple of 18. 

Good Ol’ Feather and Fan

Worked Flat

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Purl All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Purl All Stitches

Worked in the Round

R1: *(K2tog) 3x, (YO, K1) 6x, (K2tog) 3x*

R2: Knit All Stitches

R3: Knit All Stitches

R4: Knit All Stitches

Knitting Update

I've been knitting and knitting.  Although that's not unusual, my schedule has been a bit wacky with the new jobs so there is some getting use to the time frames and such.  This scarf has been completed for about a week and put me right on target for the Christmas gift knitting.  I love the dyed job on this yarn and am tempted to keep it.  I mean I won't, but I'm tempted. 

I finished this lovely Wingspan in record time and with the completion of this item I am ahead of my gift knitting time line.  This was knit with some of my hand spun and it turned out even better than I had expected.  The Wingspan is a great pattern for hand spun yarn, and gift knitting.

This is my current gift knitting project.  I've used this yarn before and was looking for an excuse to use it again.  This is a little shawl scarf I found on Revelry.com.  It's super simple to knit and the primrose edging makes the knitting interesting and adds a feminine touch.  The pattern is called Prim's Scarf and is Hunger Game themed, although other than the edging and the name of the pattern I feel it's a stretch.  The pattern however is great and I might make a second one of these. 

I am still knitting away on my hoodie.  Look I'm almost done with one sleeve.  The plan is to have this completed right before the fall so that when the weather turns chilly I have a cozy hooded sweater to wear around the city. 

Gift Knitting: The Plan

I have been making great head way on my holiday knitting and have five gifts completed and have started a 6th.  I don't remember if I ever laid out my gift knitting strategie, so here it is.

Hats: knit 4, all for boys. Complete!
Scarves/Shawls/Cowls: Knit 5 all for ladies, 1 complete 4 more to go.  These are the next items to get knocked over.  I hope to have them all finished by the end of the summer.
Sweaters: Knit 1 for a very special recipient, still have to purchase yarn.  This project is slated for September, it's a simple cardi that I've made before, so it shouldn't take me too long.
Toys: Knit 2 sheep for the babies, This will be late in the fall probably around October/November.

My plan for the summer was to knit two gifts each month.  So far I've been able to complete this with no problem.  I may actually finish a third this month which would put me ahead of schedule.  Next on the list of gift knits, two items from the scarves/shawls/cowls category.  (The above pic is one of those items, but I'm not going to say who it's for.) Oh, and ordering that yarn for that special sweater.

I may add a few extra bits, in the way of dish cloths and tea towels, to the list just in case I forgot someone or need an extra gift.

New Pattern: Fishermen's Net Shawl

My first shawl pattern is ready and released!  You can check it out in my Etsy Shop or over on Ravelry.  This shawl has been a long time in the making.  I knit a version of this last summer, but wasn't quite pleased with how it cam out.  After a few tweaks and a lot of charting I am excited and pleased with how this pattern has turned out.

This pattern uses about 400 yards of DK weight yarn and a US 8 needle.  While this is an easy lace pattern it is charted and the knitter should be familiar with basic increases and decreases as well as an applied I-cord bind off. 

Stitch Guide: Little Shell

The little shell stitch is a super cute stitch that is simple to execute and adds some visual interest to any project. Like most lace stitches this one has a right side and a wrong side so keep that in mind when deciding to use this stitch.  What is also nice about this stitch is that there is only one pattern row and three "easy" rows making this pattern easy to memorize.

Little Shell (Worked Flat)
Multi of 7 plus 2
R1: Knit all Sts
R2: Purl all Sts
R3: K2 * YO, P1, P3tog, P1, YO, K2*
R4: Purl all Sts

Little Shell (Worked in the Round)
Multi of 7

R1&2: Knit all Sts
R3: K2 * YO, P1, P3tog, P1, YO, K2*
R4: Knit all Sts