September 21, 2011

Yarn: Berocco Vintage, 50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon worsted weight yarn, in Cerulean

Hook: 4 mm / US 6-G

Gauge: umm...

Stitch Pattern: Crocheted flower

Source: this is a hybrid of this flower and the flowers used in this pattern.

Comments: I was making these to embellish the hat, but the instructions weren't as clear, so I started looking at online versions for more suggestions.  The petal numbers are closer to the garnstudio version, but the actual stitches in each petal are the same as in the hat pattern.  I think I could do a lot with these things....

August 25, 2011

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, 100% Worsted Weight Wool in White, and King Cole Merino Blend 100% Superwash Wool in Avocado and Wine.

Needles: 4 mm / 6 US

Gauge: 4.5 stitches and 5.5 rows per inch 

Stitch Pattern: Three Flowers

Source: BW2, p. 111.

Comments: How cute is this pattern?!  Ms. Walker suggests repeating it in horizontal bands, alternating between light and dark backgrounds, but I like it just in one band on its own - maybe at the bottom edge of a little girl's cardigan or purse or something?  The flowers are little bobbles, and I love the way the top stitch is twisted, making these look like tulips.  You do have to watch the slipped stitches though - the centre flower stem tends to pull upward, and is only partially fixed with blocking.  :)

June 26, 2011

Yarn: KnitPicks Essential Kettle Dyed 4-ply, 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon, in Spruce

Needles: 3.25 mm / 3 US

Gauge: 6.75 stitches and 9 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Stockinette, with some random embroidery

Source: N/A

Comments: After several hours of trying to convince myself not to buy a very fun sock yarn at work today (I think it would make the cutest kids' sweater!), I came home and dug out some sock yarn from my stash, which was also purchased with kids' clothes in mind.  If I make this one up quickly enough, maybe that other yarn will still be there when I'm done, and I can buy it then! :)  (yarn Karma is a powerful - and very useful - thing!).  I have some ideas for how I want this one to look, I'm just not sure if I'm on the right track yet.

May 17, 2011

Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Sport, 100% wool in Heathered Grey, plus some remnants of Karisma Superwash DK Wool in Black, King Cole (Superwash) Merino Blend DK in Raspberry and Olive, and Wendy Fusion Bulky wool/acrylic in Saffron

Needles: 3.75 mm / 5 US

Gauge: 6 stitches and 8 rows per inch, in the grey-only section

Stitch Pattern: Plain stockinette with duplicate stitch and french knot embellishments

Source: This is a portion of the Paisleys Block, from p. 78 of Knitting Block by Block

Comments: Don't you hate it when you catch yourself behaving in a way that is exactly how someone you know (in this case, a family member) often behaves, and when they behave that way it really pisses you off?  That's how I felt making this swatch at first - as I was picking out colours I had an irritating sense of my having pushed a (stupid) joke to the point where it was no longer funny, and I was now just being obnoxious.  A certain sibling of mine is notorious for such behaviour, and realizing that I do it too was not a pleasant discovery!  Anyway, this swatch stems from a discussion about whether or not one could actually knit paisley, and after arguing for the side that says "absolutely, it just takes a little colourwork", I happened to remember seeing this block in KBB, and then I couldn't not make it, even though the joke was very much over and done with (does the [not very PC!] expression "kicking a dead horse" sound familiar?!).  But of course now that I'm burning through all my stash making these swatches, I have only small amounts of random colours left, so I only had enough to make one paisley!  :)