So it turns out that one of the benefits of working at a yarn store is when a customer accidentally leaves a paper printed pattern behind and tells us just to throw it away, I then have the opportunity of rescuing it from the garbage. This is quite an opportunity here in VA where recycling is a joke and all of our trash at work is just thrown in the dumpster regardless of whether or not it's actually recyclable. Don't even get me started on composting. They don't do where I work or where I live. I do it myself in my backyard when it's warm enough but I do miss the giant bins we had collected on a weekly basis from the city back in SF.
Monday, March 18, 2024
Knit Big Chain Top by Hinterm Stein
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Ritual Dyes x TL Yarn Crafts Crochet Timber Duo Earwarmer and Cowl
In preparation for our upcoming Ritual Dyes trunk show at DWW, I crocheted the Ritual Dyes x TL Yarn Crafts Timber Duo Earwarmer and Cowl Set from the Ritual Dyes 2023 Winter Solstice offering.
I am going to be teaching a 3 hour long workshop at DWW to learn how to crochet this set this month. You can register for the class HERE.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
A last minute crochet commission = FREE Granny Square Blanket Pattern and a Knit Pair of Tin Can Knits Rye Light Socks
A few weeks ago one of my best friends from NYC, Todd from Ridgewood, Queens, asked me if I would crochet a blanket to be auctioned off to raise money for Gottscheer Hall. My friends frequently DJ and chill there. I rarely have the time or energy for commissions these days but I am willing to make exceptions for very special people and places.
Pattern and yarn Requirements:
- Size E or G crochet hook
- 6 different color skeins of Berroco Vintage DK yarn [52%
Acrylic/ 40% Wool/ 8% Nylon, 288 yds (263m)/100g (3.5 oz)/skein] or a
total of approximately 1,728 yds of DK weight yarn
- ring marker(s)
- scissors
Kimberlee’s sample used the following 6 skeins
of Berroco Vintage DK:
Color A
2110 Fondant Color A _________________________________
Color B
2192 Chana Dal Color
B _________________________________
Color C
2179 Chocolate Color
C _________________________________
Color D
2176 Pumpkin Color D _________________________________
Color E
21197 Bright Blue Color
E _________________________________
Color F
2102 Buttercream Color
F _________________________________
Pattern:
Round 1: With color A, make
a slip knot, ch 4 and ss into the first ch (next to the slip knot) to form a
ring or make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as first double crochet), 11 dc around
(magic) ring, close ring by joining with a ss in the top of the starting
ch-3. Break yarn leaving an 8”
tail. Weave in ends.
Round 2: Join color B, 5 ch, 3 dc into same space, *1 ch, skip 3 dc, (3 dc, 2 ch,
3 dc) into next sp, * rep from * to * twice more, 1 ch, skip 3 dc, 2 dc into
same sp as 5 ch at beg of round. Ss into
next chain sp. Break yarn leaving an 8” tail.
Weave in ends.
NOTE: Every time you (3 dc,
2 ch, 3 dc) you are in the corner of your granny square. The cluster of these 8 stitches creates the 4
square edges/corners of your blanket.
Round 3:Join color C, 5 ch, 3 dc into same space, *1 ch, skip 3 dc, 3 dc into
next sp, 1 ch, skip 3 dc, **(3 dc, 2ch, 3dc) into next spc, * rep from * to *
twice more, then from * to ** once more, 2 dc into same sp as 5 ch, ss into 3rd
st of 5 ch. Ss into next ch sp. Break yarn leaving an 8” tail. Weave in ends.
Round 4: Join color D, 5 ch, 3 dc into same space, *(1 ch, skip 3 dc, 3 dc into
next sp) twice, 1 ch, skip 3 dc, **
(3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc) into next sp, * rep from * to * twice more, then from * to
** once more, 2 dc into same sp as 5 ch, ss into 3rd st of 5
ch. Ss into next ch sp. Break yarn leaving an 8” tail. Weave in ends.
Round 5: Join color E, 5 ch, 3 dc into same space,*(1 ch, skip 3 dc, 3 dc into
next sp) 3 times, 1 ch, skip 3 dc,
**(3dc, 2ch, 3 dc) into next sp, * rep from * to * twice more, then from * to
** once more, 2 dc into same sp as 5 ch, ss into 3rd st of 5
ch. Ss into next ch sp. Break yarn leaving an 8” tail. Weave in ends.
Round 6: Join color F, 5 ch, 3 dc into same space,*(1 ch, skip 3 dc, 3 dc into
next sp) 4 times, 1 ch, skip 3 dc,
**(3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc) into next sp, * rep from * to * twice more, then from * to
** once more, 2 dc into same sp as 5, ss into 3rd st of 5 ch. Ss into next ch sp. Break yarn leaving an 8” tail. Weave in ends.
These
rows set the square pattern. Working 1
more repeat in each side edge, continue until you run out of yarn or the
blanket measures your desired size. Leave
at least 38gm of yarn for the border if desired.
Joining
new yarn: When you need to join a new ball of yarn (of
the same color), when there is only 6-8” remaining of your working yarn, tie
the new yarn in a double knot to your ball of working yarn. Continue working until you get to the knot
and then hold your working yarn and both tails (of the new and old yarn)
together and work over all strands until the tails are “hidden” (or woven in as
you go).
Border round: 5 ch, 4 dc in same sp, *(dc
in each of the next 3 dc, dc in the sp).
Repeat between ( and ) until you reach the corner. **(3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc) into the corner
sp.* Repeat from * to * twice more, then
from * to ** once more. 2 dc into same
spa s 5 ch, ss into 3rd st of 5 ch.
Ss into next ch sp. Break yarn
leaving an 8” tail. Weave in ends.
Steam or
wet block with a wool wash and pin edges into a square if necessary. Air dry laying flat.
Monday, February 5, 2024
Knit Hotdish Cardigan Designed by Larkspur Knits in Little Fox Vixen Yarn and VKL in NYC
I enjoyed knitting the Hotdish Cardigan designed by Larkspur Knits aka Lindsey Fowler so much, I went in for a second serving. This time I used some local yarn, from Little Fox that I bought on sale at DWW. I used Aimee's Vixen base which is 400 luxurious yards of 80% SWM/20% silk fingering weight yarn. The pattern is designed for marling so I held the yarn double. The MC is the "well that's ranunculus" colorway and the CC's are "Lemon Squeezy" and "Raven's Wing".
When I'm working a top down raglan, before I put my sleeves on hold, I always try my garment on naked(!), especially if I'm knitting a cardigan. The reason I do this is because I hate bras. This might be TMI but I frequently wear cardigans indoors and braless. I like my cardigans to be cozy and not too constricting. A good fit check always re-energizes me and makes me excited to finish my pattern.