Moving and Organizing

About a week and half ago, I bought another house. I was after a smaller footprint, less yard, less to clean and no extra rooms that we never use and yet collect dust, doggie hair and empty cups. It was a cute house and came with an outbuilding which would have made a great studio, which I didn't currently have. But the deal changed after the home inspection and we decided to not take on the problems that came with that house. We were disappointed and felt blue for a while until in the middle of the night I woke up with a great new plan. 

It involved changing just about every room in our current house to make my work easier and to give me the studio I wish I had. This required negotiating with Dave to put him in a smaller bedroom and then I could have the master for my sewing, painting, collage and polymer clay stuff. Plus I would get a big walk-in closet to store my yarn!!!

I have been wanting to find a better way to store my yarn and get it out of the bins that were wedged into a small closet. It's always the bin on the bottom that has the yarn I was seeking so lifting and moving the others was big hassle. 

I called on my pal and fellow knitter Patsy to come help me unload these into my new hanging yarn system. 

This idea came from several photos on Pinterest and I knew it would work for me. All of these  storage hangers came from Walmart.

I also have my quilts in this closet, hung on skirt hangers to avoid creases. Because of this organizing binge I can now find things when I need them. Hurray!

Full disclosure: I still have yarn in the garage, in plastic bags, and eventually all will find a home in this closet. Then came the work to make the rest of this master bedroom into a studio.

This is the 'Before' picture and even this is two days into the decluttering. There is a big en suite bathroom that had to be dealt with too, and I took it over just in the nick of time before it was hopeless. 

Here is the new studio with mostly everything that was stored or unreachable over the last two years.

I'm exhausted from all the furniture moving, cleaning and deciding what to toss and what to keep, and yet ecstatic to have a studio again, and such a bright and sunny one at that. The one bookcase is awaiting stuff that is up high in another closet. I'll get to it, maybe tomorrow... or after my nap.

The living room, dining room and hall bathroom got makeovers too, but this is the really good one, in my humble opinion. And of course, now I don't want to move.

By the way, Dave likes his new room and so does his canine companion, Tony.

Miteriffic Poncho Pattern V.2

 
A poncho designed in panels of mitered diamonds and triangles. Some experience with mitered diamonds is recommended. For detailed video instructions on making miters see: http://vimeo.com/6832500
For excellent miter written instructions see: http://megan.kiwi.gen.nz/MitresArticle/
For simplicity here the directions for individual miters are reduced to just the specifics.
Noro Kureyon or other worsted weight yarns:
Needles: US 10 for body and US 8 dpns or circular needle for collar
Note: Slip first stitch every row.
Sized Medium, for a wingspan of 60”. (For taller wearers increase the size of the larger diamonds by 10 stitches, or 70+1. Follow the math to increase the smaller diamonds to half or 35+1.)
Center panels back and front are knit the same: Cast on 60+1stitch to make mitered diamond #1. Knit every row, alternating two contrasting yarns.
For triangle #2 pick up 30+1 stitches on the edge of first diamond. Knit every row, alternating yarns, and at the end of the rows on the right side decrease K2tog, K1. After triangle is decreased to last stitch, break yarn. For triangle #3, pick up 30+1 stitches along other edge of diamond #1. Knit every row and alternate yarns. At the beginning of right side rows, K1, k2tog, k to end.
Diamond #4 is the same as #1 and the stitches are picked up from the previous three modules. #5 and #6 are the same as #2 and #3.
Neck Triangle #7: Pick up 30 stitches from between triangles #5 and #6. Make triangle: Right side only: K1,k2tog, knit to center three stitches, make decrease, knit to last three stitches, k2tog, k1.
Make back panel the same as front panel.
Join front and back panels with triangles made the same way as triangle #7.
Center Sleeve panel.

The center sleeve panel is based on a diamond of 30 +1 stitches and triangles of 16 stitches picked up on the edges of the diamonds. The diamonds # 1,4,and 7 are based on 31 stitches, while the triangles #2,3,5 and 6 are 16 stitches. The tiny triangles #8,9,10 and 11 also pick up16 stitches but have been decreased (k2tog) the beginning and ending of every front row.
The sleeve sides are then sewn to the center sleeve panel.
Sleeve side triangles
Pick up 57 stitches along edge of front or back panels. One or two extra stitches are OK, whatever makes it look like every edge stitch is included. Decrease on right sides by k1, k2tog on bottom edge to match the direction of the front or back panel bottom diamond. Carry up contrasting yarn on opposite side.
Make four sections, two on each side for sleeves. Sew sleeve sides to sleeve center panel.

Collar. Pick up stitches around the square neck opening, using smaller dpns, or a circular needle #8 and a single yarn, join in a circle. For a cowl collar: Knit with a single yarn, alternating one row knit and one row purl. Bind off at desired height. If desired, the collar can be split and knit flat after then initial six rows are knit. To do this, knit six rounds, find center front stitch, turn and knit to end, slipping first stitch of each row. If buttonholes are desired, make a simple one with yo, k2tog.
 
Collar. Pick up stitches around the square neck opening, using smaller dpns, or a circular needle #8 and a single yarn, join in a circle. For a cowl collar: Knit with a single yarn, alternating one row knit and one row purl. Bind off at desired height. If desired, the collar can be split and knit flat after the initial six rows are knit. To do this, knit six rounds, find center front stitch, turn and knit to end, slipping first stitch of each row, alternating one row knit and one row purl. If buttonholes are desired, make a simple one with yo, k2tog.
Optional cuffs. Pick up stitches all around bottom of sleeve and join in a circle. Knit 1 row, Purl 1 row alternately for 12 rows or six ridges, bind off.
Blocking really helps this yarn lie flat and drape best.

Frosty Shawl

Frosty Shawl

Knit from Cascade Casablanca, 59% Wool, 24% Silk 17% Goat - Mohair  and Gedifra 100% Merino.

The pattern, which I actually followed (!) was the Weaver's Wool Mini Shawl. It's a great little wearable piece, that stays on the shoulders without tugging or adjusting. I think it will be a fave, and will provide a base for lots of variations. 

Available for purchase for $45 plus shipping. Email me.

Mitered Kerchief

 

 Mitered Kerchief 

 

Does anyone remember the kerchief style scarves from like 50 years ago? Gulp. It just came back to me in a flash. We all wore little cotton triangles either as hats or around our necks. This little knit reminds me of those. 

 

But this time I've made it smaller and started in the middle with a mitered diamond and knit outwards from either side of it. I used a crochet provisional cast on, because it is just so much easier to get proper tension and these are a lot of stitches to cast on (87) and because later I am going to want live stitches to knit from where I began.

Crochet a long chain of stitches and with the knitting needle pick up a stitch in the 'spine' of each chain. Later these can be unzipped and will provide live stitches. 

 

The orange yarn is the crochet part that I will undo and then put the exposed live stitches on my needle to continue to knit. 

Pattern: The mitered diamond in this case was 87 stitches, (42+3+42) using size 3 needles and lots of different colored sock weight yarns. I used a center decrease of k2tog, k1, k2tog, arranging my stitches before decreasing so that they face the correct way to achieve this look. Knit in garter stitch. To knit the sides, unzip the stitches on one side of the diamond, place on needle and join yarn. Decrease at the top edge, k2tog, one stitch in from the edge, every fourth row until 2 stitches remain, bind off. 

The mitered square alone is 8". If a larger, longer scarf is desired, increase the amount of stitches for the mitered square, by an uneven number.

 I'd much rather decrease than increase, which is why I decided to construct this scarf in this manner. One could just as easily start at one end of the scarf, increase until time to make the big mitered square center, and then pick up stitches from the other side of the square and decrease to the end. Whichever way makes you happiest, I always say.

Here it is with just one side knit off the square and the crochet yarn still attached.  

 

Any questions? Email me

Updated Truffle Shawl Pattern

Recently my pattern for this shawl was requested and before I sent off the link I reviewed what I had written and found it so complicated. What was I thinking? So instead of using that confusing and overlong pattern I decided to update the instructions to make them simple and easy to follow. 

Here's a silent but great video on how to knit a mitered square/diamond, also called a domino square. https://vimeo.com/6832500 

Yarn: Worsted or dk, in two colors. I used a size 7 needle because I knit loosely, but use the needle suggested by the yarn label. Yardage? Well, around 600 to 750 yds, depending on weight and needle etc.  Gauge is whatever your yarns produce. I suggest knitting a swatch. It couldn't hurt.

This diagram shows the order of knitting this shawl. Its unusual construction begins in the middle left with diamond #1. Garter stitch is used throughout.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Always begin by slipping the first stitch on every row, and end every row with a purl stitch. This will facilitate picking up stitches along the edge.

Diamond #1 Based on 24+3+24 = 51 stitches. 3 being your center decrease number. 

Cast on 51 stitches, using your fave cast on technique.

Row 1 k 

Row 2 slipping first stitch counting it as 1 (as mentioned in red above) k to the 24th stitch. place marker, knit 3, place marker, knit 23 stitches to one stitch before the end, purling last stitch.

Row 3 Add second color yarn. k to marker, sl 1, k2tog, psso, which is your center double decrease, also referred to as cdd. Drop the markers as you will recognize the look of your decreases and anticipate when you will work the cdd.

Row 4 k

Row 5 with first color yarn,  k 23 and cdd over the three center stitches. K 23

Row 6 k

Continue to switching yarns every two rows, and decrease on all uneven numbered rows and knit until 3 stitches remain. K cdd and cut yarn, pulling end through the final stitch.

Diamond #2

Cast on 26 stitches and then pick up 25 stitches along the top right edge of diamond #1. Knit diamond as for Diamond #1.

Triangle #3. Along the bottom left edge of Diamond #1 pick up 26 and knit to the end of the row, p. This is row 1.

Row 2 K

Row 3 K Add second color yarn, knit to 3 stitches before the end of the row, k2tog, p last stitch as usual.

Continue to decrease on the left edge of the front side, alternating yarn colors every two rows, until 2 stitches remain, k2tog, cut yarn and pull through the final stitch.

Set aside the diamonds and triangle.

Diamond #4

Knit as for Diamond #1. Do not cut yarn at the end.

Diamond #5

Pick up 25 stitches along the top left edge of Diamond #4 and cast on 26. This is row 1.

Row 2 k

Row 3 Add second color yarn and cdd in center 3 stitches. 

Continue as for previous diamonds. Cut yarn at the end and pull through last stitch.

Triangle #6 not pictured above, but see diagram or picture below.

Pick up 26 stitches along right bottom edge of diamond #4

Row 2 k

Row 3 add second color yarn, knit first stitch with the second color, then k2tog and k to the end of the row, p last stitch. 

Row 4 k

Row 5, using first color yarn, slip first stitch as usual, then k2tog to the end of the row, p last stitch.

Continue as for previous triangle. Cut yarn at the end and pull through last stitch.

Diamond #7

This diamond joins the two sets of your work.

Pick up 25 stitches along the top left edge of diamond #2 and 26 stitches along the top right edge of diamond #5. Knit this diamond as before.

Triangle #8 

Note: this triangle has decreases on each edge, as well as cdd in the middle. 

Joining the diamonds on their bottom edges, pick up 51 stitches along the bottom edge of diamonds #1 and #2 and then 50 stitches along the bottom edges of #5 and #4. 101 stitches. Or pick up 50 along each edge and when you meet in the center, pick up one stitch from diamond #7.  Either way works.

Row 1 is the picked up row.

Row 2 k

Row 3 Add color two, k the first stitch, k2tog, knit to the center three stitches and work a cdd, k to the last three stitches, k2tog, p.

Row 4 k

Row 5 and following rows, decrease at both edges and center until 5 stitches remain. Bind off on the wrong side and cut yarn.

Borders. Here the shawl is folded in half to show the border along the right side of finished diamonds and bottom triangle. 

Right Border

Stitches are picked up along the edge with 26 stitches for each of the diamonds and the bottom triangle. 104 stitches. Increases (kfb) are made only on the front edge of the border, one stitch in from the edge, as usual. The left edge is knit without decreases. If that is confusing, the picture shows the edge where the increases are made.

Counting two rows as a ridge, knit 25 ridges to complete the border.

 At the end of both borders, a triangle will be added to join the borders with stitches picked up again from both edges. 

Here is the folded shawl showing the left border. 

The end is near!

Left border stitches are picked up as for right border, 104 stitches and 25 ridges are knit. Increases are made on the left side edge, second to last stitch,  kfb, p. 

After both borders are knit the last triangle or diamond ( your choice) is knit.

In this version above, the bottom triangle is knit as in Triangle #8, but in this case with 25 stitches along one border, 1 stitch picked up in the center and 25 along the next border. 

Alternately, a 51 stitch diamond can be knit to form a pointed bottom. Decreases are one stitch in from each edge and a cdd in the center three stitches.

Also you may note that I used a different center decrease, which is quite fiddly (slipping 2 stitches off the right needle, rearranging them, and putting them back and then knitting the next stitch, passing those first two stitches over the 3rd so the one stitch sits on top. Arrgghh!) and hard to figure out how to write it in the pattern. You may use any variation of a center double decrease that suits you.

Weave in ends and block. Wear with pride.