I'm Free!!!!

Slytherin is done! It looks great, and it was certainly not a difficult project, but boy did it take a while. I'm quite proud of it and it is even quite warm, and I wouldn't mind keeping it (or possibly making another such scarf in the future--- did I really say that). Overall it was a great project, but you know how those long ones are when you're in the middle of them.

The graph really did help. It was nice to have a specific goal of 20 rows a day. It was enough to see progress, but not feel like I had to devote my whole life to the scarf, though it did take about an hour and a half to knit 20 rows, but really what else am I going to do while watching TV after I put my daughter to bed? I might as well eat and keep my fingers too busy for snacking.



Final Graph


Of course now I see that had I been knitting like this the whole time, I would have finished the whole things in like three weeks, but wow that's a lot of knitting in three weeks. Though definitely something I should keep in mind for the fall when I embark on the Dr. Who scarf...

If anyone is interested in the pattern, I used Caron Simply Soft in Dark Sage (Main Color) and Light Gray (Contrasting Color) on 16" circular size 7's. I just cast on until I could knit comfortably, it ended up being about 95 stitches or so...
Then I knit 36 rows in MC, 4 in CC, 12 in MC, and 4 in CC. I repeated this 6 times and then added in another 36 rows in the MC.
For the fringe, I threaded a strand of yarn through each stitch, then tied off three, switched colors and repeated.

It was a very simple and easy scarf to knit, it was just a bit large, but I'm quite proud of the results!

Knitting for the Birds: Charity Project

My weekly knitting group is starting up a charity project that is just so cute and fast that everybody should hear about it. It's called "Knitting is for the (baby) Birds" and involves knitting very quick and easy little bird nests. It is hosted, I guess that is the term, by The Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County, CA.

Here is a shot of one that was done last year.

Senor Birdnest

 This, I would imagine, is a large size. I haven't knit the pattern before, but apparently, they are super quick and very easy. The pattern only requires knitting, purling, knitting to together, and working on double pointed needles. It isn't a brand new beginning project, but it could be good for anyone who has a few projects under their belt and a desire to help some orphaned birds.

Here are two different patterns:

The original from the Bird Rescue Center, it's a pdf just so you know.

Another version with crochet patterns as well.

It's a good cause that I had to share with you. Hopefully, next week I'll have the time and energy to fill you all in on my Kaleidoscope sweater, my new skein of hand-spun (spoiler- it was chain plied!), and my new commission/request from my brother-in-law, and possibly a few more shots of the bird nests. I hope your projects are going just as well for you!

Post Festival- Alpaca Batt

 In for installment two of Fiber Festival Recap. Today I'm going to talk about the Alpaca/Faux Cashmere/Angelina batt I got.

It's 0.7 ounces of fiber. I wanted to try spinning a batt and liked the colors and amount of this choice. I got a small batt because I didn't want to get stuck with a bunch of something I didn't like spinning from.

I started by unwrapping it and pulling off a section, but that left me with a lot of shedding Angelina and having to connect sections of fiber more than I wanted to. So about half way through the batt, I just started spinning from the entire batt. It wasn't really any different, I just had more in my lap.

I spun the whole batt as one single and then made a center-pull ball to ply it back on itself. I really need a ball winder, because every time I do my own center pull balls, I end up with a bunch of knots (but a swift is on my to buy list first).

I think I got between 50 and 75 yards of two ply that I have been knitting into a phone cozy on size 1 needles.


Phone Cozy
Materials
50 Yards of sock weight yarn
Size 1 dpns
1 markers
darning needle

Body
Use Judy's Magic Cast on to cast on enough stitches to span the width of your phone and placing markers at ends. (My Samsung Glide took about 25-30)
Knit 3 rows.
Knit 1 and increase 1 tbl, K to end of needle, K until last 2 stitches, Knit front and back, K 1, repeat on other needles
Knit length of your phone.
Cast off front half of stitches.
Continue st st across remaining stitches, ssk first stitch on all RS rows until three stitches remain.
Continue in I-cord for 5-6 inches.
Bind off these stitches.

Flower "Button"
Cast on 40 stitches.
Work in st st for 4-6 rows ending on a WS row.
K2tog to end (20 stitches).
P2tog to end (10 stitches).
K2tog to end (5 stitches).
 Cut a long tail. Using darning needle, thread tail through the remaining 5 stitches and pull tight. This will curl your flower into a spiral.
Use rest of tail to sew flower onto desired location of cozy.

Weave in ends.
Block if desired.


Wrap I-cord around flower to secure cozy.

Pattern Issues

Lately, I've been trying to design various patterns. I have many ideas in my head, but getting them on paper seems a bit difficult.

I guess the problem comes from not having knit many things from patterns. I've been knitting for 8 years, but until about 18 months ago I only knit variations of rectangles. Since then I have made a kid's cardigan, a pair of gloves, and some socks.

While these have given me a bit more experience with patterns and garment construction, I don't think I'm ready for sleeve or neckline shaping.

Anyway, I was able to knit a friend a pair of socks of my own design. I took a chance on pattern writing. They aren't complicated socks, just knee-length cable socks, but it's a start.

Feel free to try the pattern and let me know what you think of it! Enjoy!

Materials:

Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice 2 Balls

Size 5 Double Pointed Needles

Stitch Markers

Toe Shaping

• Use a Figure 8 cast-on to CO 10 stitches.
• Knit once around all stitches dividing evenly between four needles, leaving 5 stitches on each. Place markers after the first stitch on your first  and third needles and before the last stitch on your second and fourth needles.
• *Knit 1, kfb, knit rest of needle. Knit to 1 stitch before marker, kfb, knit 1. Knit 1, kfb, knit rest of needle. Knit to 1 stitch before marker, kfb, knit 1.
• Knit 1 round.*
• Repeat * to * until there are ten stitches on each needle.

Foot Pattern

• #Purl 2, cable 3 left, p 4, cable 3 left, p2, k 20
• P2, K 6, P 4, K 6, P 2, K 20-- seven rounds#
• Repeat # to # until foot measures 1 inch smaller than length of your longest toe to heel

Heel Shaping

• Begin on your sole (or the K 20 stitches) and K 19, W&T
• P 18, W&T
• K 17, W&T
• P 16, W&T
• K 15, W&T
• P 14, W&T
• K 13, W&T
• P 12, W&T
• K 11, W&T
• P 10, W&T

Here you will begin to make increases in the heel again. You will be creating double wraps, and have two strands of yarn to knit when you pick up your short rows. Just make sure you get both of them and it will work as a normal short row pick up.

• K 11, W&T
• P 12, W&T
• K 13, W&T
• P 14, W&T
• P 15, W&T
• K 16, W&T
• P 17, W&T
• K 18, W&T
• P 19, W&T

Begin the leg pattern. You will still have one W&T to deal with on your next round, but just knit or purl it into the next stitch and it will end up fine.

Leg Shaping and Pattern

The leg pattern is basically the same as the foot pattern, but around the entire leg. I also chose to make the increases on the same row as the cables so I would have one row to really focus on, also it helps to counter the suction of the cabling. I have only one increase per cable so the increases will be a bit asymmetrical, but this is not noticeable.

It also helped me to keep each cable on one needle, though I got fewer ladders if I had two cables on a needle leaving me with three dpns total (or this would also be the effect of a magic loop). If you prefer to use dpns, I colored the directions to correspond to each needle, it does involve splitting some of the purling.

• Purl 1, make 1, p 1, cable 3 left, P4, C3L, P1, M1, P3, cable 3 left, P4, C3L, P2
• P3, K6, P4, K6, P5, K6, P4, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P3, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P3, C3L, P4, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P3, C3L, P2
• P3, K6, P5, K6, P5, K6, P5, K6, P2- seven rounds

This is the basic pattern, increasing on each cable row. Repeat until there are 10 stitches between cables, then repeat without increases until you’ve reached desired length, about 13 inches.

• Purl 1, make 1, P2, cable 3 left, P5, C3L, P1, M1, P4, cable 3 left, P5, C3L, P2
• P4, K6, P5, K6, P6, K6, P5, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P4, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P4, C3L, P6, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P4, C3L, P2
• P4, K6, P6, K6, P6, K6, P6, K6, P2- seven rounds
• Purl 1, make 1, P3, cable 3 left, P6, C3L, P1, M1, P5, cable 3 left, P6, C3L, P2
• P5, K6, P6, K6, P7, K6, P6, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P5, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P5, C3L, P7, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P5, C3L, P2
• P5, K6, P7, K6, P7, K6, P7, K6, P2- seven rounds
• Purl 1, make 1, P4, cable 3 left, P7, C3L, P1, M1, P6, cable 3 left, P7, C3L, P2
• P6, K6, P7, K6, P8, K6, P7, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P6, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P6, C3L, P8, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P6, C3L, P2
• P6, K6, P8, K6, P8, K6, P8, K6, P2- seven rounds
• Purl 1, make 1, P5, cable 3 left, P8, C3L, P1, M1, P7, cable 3 left, P8, C3L, P2
• P7, K6, P8, K6, P9, K6, P8, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P7, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P7, C3L, P9, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P7, C3L, P2
• P7, K6, P9, K6, P9, K6, P9, K6, P2- seven rounds
• Purl 1, make 1, P6, cable 3 left, P9, C3L, P1, M1, P8, cable 3 left, P9, C3L, P2
• P8, K6, P9, K6, P10, K6, P9, K6, P2- seven rounds
• P8, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P8, C3L, P10, cable 3 left, P1, M1, P8, C3L, P2
• P8, K6, P10, K6, P10, K6, P10, K6, P2- seven rounds

This is the end of the increases.

• P8, C3L, P10, C3L, P10, C3L, P10, C3L, P2
• P8, K6, P10, K6, P10, K6, P10, K6, P2- seven rounds

Repeat these eight rounds until you have reached about 13 inches, or two inches short of your desired length ending after the seven rounds or ribbing.

Cuff

• K2, P2, K2, P2, C3L, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, C3L, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, C3L, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, C3L, P2
• K2, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K6, P2- seven rounds

Repeat these eight rounds for about two inches ending after the first round of the repeat. Bind off with any stretchy bind-off; I used the knit 2 together through the back.