I have recently endeavored on a dangerous knitting quest that is sure to make any one’s brain ache for days on end: Knitting in the round on single point, straight needles. If that doesn’t confuse you, which means you know how to do it already, I don’t know what will or what you don’t know in this realm. I’ve started a hat with this technique and will inform you later.
Finally finished the Orange Scarf … about a week ago, I guess. Only just now am I realizing that I never blogged about it. So, here it is, in all of its strangely shifting pattern. Basically, I started out doing every right-side row as Snakeskin*, which is what you see at the top of the picture. From there, I shifted to doing Chevrons**, and from Chevrons, did Reverse Chevrons for a couple of repeats (just read the pattern backwards), and then went to doing Horseshoes***. And, finally, finished up with a few more rows of Snakeskin.
Basically, this scarf was to play with the idea of lacemaking, and to see how well I could adapt. I’ve found that it’s OK, but does require more concentration than I’m used to. I’ve now started on Branching Out, but … well, I’ve done two repeats of the pattern & have found that it interferes with anything else, like talking, watching tv, or whatever I used to be able to do while knitting. It’s probably going to work out better when I’m more comfortable with the terminology, and stop having to look at my cheat sheet to figure out what the abbreviations mean. But, until then, it’s going to be a matter of concentration.
I’m also thinking that I need to organize the pattern a bit, ’cause there’re no handy stopping points: I can look about 5 stitches in my head, and lose it after that, so I need to organize the pattern in groups of 5 stitches or something. We’ll see. It at least needs to have a “middle” so that I don’t have to rip back a whole row at a time. Sigh.
*Snakeskin:
Odds: Sl1, K1, K2TogTBL, K3, YO, K1, YO, K3, K2Tog, K2 Even: Sl1, K1, K11, K2**Chevrons:
1: K2Tog TBL, K5, YO, K1, YO, K5, K2Tog 3: K2Tog TBL, K4, YO, K3, YO, K4, K2Tog 5: K2Tog TBL, K3, YO, K5, YO, K3, K2Tog 7: K2Tog TBL, K2, YO, K7, YO, K2, K2Tog 9: K2Tog TBL, K1, YO, K9, YO, K1, K2Tog 11: K2Tog TBL, , YO, K11, YO, , K2Tog Evens: Purl***Horseshoes:
1: Sl1, K2, YO, K3, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K3, YO, K3 3: Sl1, K3, YO, K2, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K4 5: Sl1, K4, YO, K1, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K5 7: Sl1, K5, YO, , Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, , YO, K6 Evens: Sl1, K1, P11, K2
One last thing: if you’ve got a Laser Level sitting around the house? When blocking out a scarf, it’s the perfect thing to keep those long edges straight! I’ve done two scarves with the laser level now, and it’s marvelous! I just set it on a book or something & aim it down the row of where I want to pin, and then everything works out. So long as the ends are relatively equally spaced (pin out both ends first, in other words, so you’ve got two equally spaced starting points), you’re good. Doesn’t help the middle to be straight, but it sure helps the edges, and to make sure you’ve somewhat even tension throughout the piece when it’s left to dry.
“There are one or two things too creepy to think about. One creepy thing is yarn and …personal areas.” – Mac
In the category of Just Wrong:
Noo Yawk knitter/book-blogger friend Bookshelves O’ Doom gave me the biggest chuckle of the day with this …creative use of knitwear. Due to Mr. Blinkey’s tender years, I won’t post the pictures, but OY, there are some things one doesn’t want to see happen with yarn. Just. Don’t. Want. To. (Shudder!)
In the category of Just So Cool:
Sumer Is Icumin In, so color rules the mood. Now is the time that the world flees in terror of my tights… this year I’ve decided to 
order “blanks,” which are, in the fabric arts world, black or white clothing to dye and embellish at will. Since I think I’ll be buying mostly cotton gauze, I will be buying regular dyes, but oh! knitters please take note: you can dye your own!
Did you know that Kool-Aid, that noxious drink, can be used as fabric dye? No, not just for great Goth hair. Any “animal” fiber will work – including lovely pure wool, no mordant needed, since Kool-Aid’s acidity is enough. Check out Knitty’s details on the how-to, and have a ball!
Sweet!
Today I read a comment from someone new! The very cool Canadian Kansas let me know that there is a freshly invented new ezine for loom knitters, its first issue was just posted this month. Who knew! And good GRIEF, look at the STUFF they can make! I am seriously all agog! Aside from their greatness, creative Kansas makes some wicked cool stove scrubbies among other things. Me and my glass-topped stove are suddenly feeling needy. Do check her out, and the Loom Circle folks as well.
Now that I’ve been re-revved on the topic of loom knitting, I must tell you about my current project. Well, it’s a project that I didn’t choose, but it’s coming together… Now that so many people see Mac knitting, myriad people want to donate yarn. This would be so great if the majority of the donations weren’t:
a.) ancient, dusty yarn from the 60’s and 70’s, when everyone loved macramé
b.) mostly scratchy wool or plastic-y feeling synthetics
c.) mostly truly glarish colors (yes – garish + glaring = glarish.)
I’m learning something, though. First, just the idea that there are “people out there” still knitting encourages a host of people to KEEP their yarn. It’s actually really funny – a lot of people promise to bring their yard to me, and then weeks later say, “Well, you know, you’ve just got me thinking, so I picked up the needles again, and…” You know what, folks? More power to you!!! Power to the knitting people!!!
The second thing I’ve learned through all of this is that there’s not a whole lot of yarn that’s really awful once you knit it up and find a use for it. (Now, wait, before you panic, I DO read Ms. Stitchy McYarnpants –I know the evil that knitting can do. I meant a REAL use, not some awful fashion disaster, okay?) Example: I have some 100% woollen yarn in a baby poop-esque shade of greeny yellowish brown that I’m knitting up into the base of a bag. I will follow this horrific shade with a rich chocolate brown, then a cream, and another wide stripe of brown, and then I’ll felt it, and voilá and behold – a bag. Line it with dark material, attach a leather strap, and it’s something that will go well with autumn colors – boots, scrunching leaves, ponchos, an armload of books. I’m leaving the worst color on the bottom, so if the bag gets set down… well, the color can only improve, no?
And, since it’s all-wool, it will dye nicely, if need be, but really, I think it’ll turn out to be okay.
Every once in awhile, I got blog-hopping, and I click from one to another to another, and end up someplace radically different. Today hop-scotching from the loomfolk, I found Knit Unto Others. It’s a place where you can donate your knitware to charity. After disasters, warm, handknit clothing is a precious gift. There are organizations in frigid Mongolia that are always in need of hats and socks. So there’s your mitzpah for today – visit Knit Unto Others where you will find a host of places to donate your warmth. 
In looking at these board looms, rake looms, long looms and whatever other names they go by, I am reminded of those grade school projects with nails driven into a board, upon which we looped thread to create pictures… I can see I’m going to bankrupt myself trying out new looms. I’ll be homeless, but I’ll always have blankets…
Just an addendum: I’m not actually branching out quite yet, as I’m fiddling with a scarf still. Pattern below:
Horseshoes in 15 STS w/ 2St selvage on either side:
1: Sl1, K2, YO, K3, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K3, YO, K3 3: Sl1, K3, YO, K2, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K4 5: Sl1, K4, YO, K1, Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, K1, YO, K5 7: Sl1, K5, YO, , Sl1, K2Tog, PSSO, , YO, K6 Evens: Sl1, K1, P11, K2
So, for my first true lace piece, I’m going to attempt Branching Out, from Knitty. The pattern is copied below, with all of the abbreviations spelled out, so that I can print this & not have to come back to the computer when I forget what the heck a SSK is supposed to be.
Note, also, that the description of what SSK means was actually taken from Wool Works’ FAQ instead of Knitty’s, because Knitty’s description is pretty darned non-descriptive.
Also interesting to me in this pattern is that “Sl1” is done purlwise when in the “sl-k2tog-p2sso”. Strange to me, and I’m wondering if it’s always that way, or just for this pattern, or what.
Abbreviations:
- k3tog: knit three stitches together
- sl-k2tog-psso: slip one stitch purlwise, knit the next two stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over
- sl2-k1-p2sso: slip two stitches together knitwise (i.e., slip two stitches as if to knit them together), knit the next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over
- k2tog: knit two together
- SSK: slip one stitch as if you were going to knit it; slip the next stitch the same way; put both stitches back onto the left needle; and knit them together.
Beginning the Pattern:
- Loosely cast on 25 stitches.
- Work 5 rows in garter stitch (knit each row).
- Begin working lace pattern following either chart (and Pattern Notes) or written instructions below.
Do until you’re done in:
Row 1 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, k5, [yo, k1] 5 times, yo, k5, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts) Row 2 [WS]: k3, p25, k3 Row 3 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, [k2tog, yo] 2 times, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, [yo, ssk] 2 times, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts) Row 4 [WS]: k3, p25, k3 Row 5 [RS]: k3, ssk, yo, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k2tog, k3 (31 sts) Row 6 [WS]: k3, p25, k3 Row 7 [RS]: k3, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, k3 (27 sts) Row 8 [WS]: k3, p21, k3 Row 9 [RS]: k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k4 (25 sts) Row 10 [WS]: k3, p19, k3 Wrap up:
- Work 5 rows in garter stitch.
- BO all sts loosely.
For the Graphic People:, check out Knitty’s Chart
I’m the new contributor DaviMack was talking about almost two weeks ago. I’m new at this, and not the best blogger ever. I’m young and inexperienced at this, and quite a fast knitter, in my kind of projects. I’m English and German, so what can I help knitting English the way I was taught. I’ll work on getting some pics for some projects, but don’t use a camera much, and all of them are pretty small insignificant ones, but they can make me some money, like hats, nothing fancy. I better work on some worth showing. TTFN
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Blue Hat, Purl Side |
At long last, the hat and scarf pair are finished! Instead of doing a series of 10 single increases, as I’d done with the yellow hats, I went with 5 double-increases. I used a simple yarn-over, so that it’d come out lacy like this, and then broke the line when I was close to the width I needed, adding a series spaced out in the middle of the open spaces, to give me a butterfly-like effect towards the edges. I followed this up with about 10 rows of herringbone, and finished with a single row of plain knit & a single bindoff.
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Blue Hat, Knit Side |
As you can see from the knit side, the last row of knit & then the bindoff gives a bit of a frill to the edge … not what was intended, but it works well enough, and is fairly subtle. I’m going to have to find a different bindoff for herringbone, as it’d be nice to have a plain bindoff option for those things which don’t really need the lettuce-edged effect.
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Scarf, closeup |
To go with the hat, I knit up a scarf. I used a two stitch selvage, coupled with paired decreases & a double-increase, to keep with the pattern of the hat. You get a good idea of how narrow the scarf is when you see it up close; it was knit on US size 6 needles.
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Scarf, zoomed out a bit. |
This’s after I’ve pulled the pins out, so the edges have pulled in quite a bit. I maybe should’ve gone with a different selvage for the edges, as they really want to curl, even after blocking. But, the edges aren’t what it’s about, so I suppose it doesn’t matter all that much.
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Scarf, way out, no end in sight! |
And, it just keeps going and going and going…. It’s about 6 feet long, to make up for some of the narrowness. The pattern is:
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Hat and Scarf, finished |
The finished pair! The scarf took longer, by far, for some reason. I guess that, yes, it does have more stitches … but it just seems so much smaller when you look at it!
The set’s being worn right now … with the purl side out, as is her propensity. Sigh. The request was for a hat which didn’t have frills, and would simply hug her head.
Sometimes I think that we need to move to a colder clime, simply so that the knitting will have a longer wear time. Speaking of which, I’m told that the Anemone Hat has settled in happily with our little friend in Portland, and is being dragged around as a clutch-purse when other hats need to be worn … and when it can’t be worn on top of or beneath said other hats.
One of my fellow knitters-in-church wrote me to say that he’d like to have someplace to write about his knitting things:
I would like to try a herringbone stitch hat, and I’ve seen that Mongolian thing, but I don’t quite understand the stitch. In a couple of weeks can you show me, and possibly make a pattern for that greenish one you showed me when you were working on it. I like that, minus the frilly bottom. See you soon, and that Mongolian hat thingy is pretty cool. If you want me to post some pictures of things I have made, I could get pictures for them, it would look cool on your blog, having a kid do these projects. I finished one of those slippers I was working on over the weekend. Adios amigos, or what ever that is in spanish. =)
So, I’ve invited him to join our little society here (he’s not yet into baking, but there’s still time). We’ll see if he ends up doing the posts himself, or if we end up doing them for him, but I’m thinking he’s savvy enough to be able to manage. If so, welcome! He hasn’t chosen a screen name yet, so … we’ll wait and see how this works out.
He’s currently reading two books by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Knitting Without Tears and Knitters Almanac), knits without looking what he’s doing, and has finally taken to heart Elizabeth’s admonition to Knit Loosely! He still knits “English Style” but he’ll work on that at some point, too, as Elizabeth suggests.
* I added the links to the pieces he was talking about
Another yellow hat. The first one was just right, except that I made the band too tight for an adult to wear, so I had to redo it … because, yes, this is for an adult. See the fringe? We wonder at her sanity.
The variation in this one was that I added a lace inset – just a simple “take the yarn around the needle twice” for a whole row. That made the break for where the “side” of the hat is, even though I continued to increase for another 4 rows or so, and then decreased the same number, so that there’re actually 10 little points along the side.
The fringe was done by knitting 2×2 rib, then by knitting through the front & back for the knit stitches, and just purling the purls, for two rows. This meant that each 2-stitch wide knit section turned into 8 stitches, while the purls remained 2 stitches wide. This worked out well, as now the fringe doesn’t want to curl inward when the hat’s worn with the knit side out. It gives some shape to the fringe, keeping it away from the face & head.
Apologies for the blurriness in these pictures – they were taken with my cheapy digital camera – a VuPoint something-or-other. Cost $40, and I’m getting what I paid for.
I really must follow TeaAndCakes‘ advice and get a Fuji Finepix F10. Some day. When the remodel’s done with.
