Pink Lemonade Scarf-Part 2

In Pink Lemonade Scarf- Part 1, I showcased my new scarf pattern that you can find on Ravelry, Craftsy, or my Knitting Designs page.  Today I wanted to share how I knit cable stitches.  I knit the stitches in order to create the twist, seen in the pictures below, without using a cable needle.  I'm not a fan of the cable needle, you have to keep track of the needle since once you are done using it for a particular row, you put it down and don't use it again for another several rows-I always lost mine.  Once I learned how to cable without the needleknitting cable stitches became so quick and easy.  I have to admit, the technique does require some practice, but once you master it, you'll never go back to knitting with a cable needle.  Try it!

Here are some examples of knitted cables

      

Knitting with a cable needle.  The knitting needles are in red, and the cable needle is in gold.

Gumperina, from grumperina.com, has a great tutorial on how to knit without a cable needle.

Domiknitrix, does a fantastic job of teaching you how to knit with a cable needle and how to knit without a cable needle. Check out her video tutorial..

Pink Lemonade Scarf-Part 1

Just wanted to share with you that my new pattern Pink Lemonade Scarf is published!  You can find it on Ravelry,  Craftsy,or just go to my KNITTING DESIGNS page.
I initially knit this cable stitch pattern as an infinity cowl for Madeline.  I used this yarn......but it wasn't stretchy enough or soft enough to wrap around and look scrunchy.  It just lay flat.  I found this yarn....., it contains 10% Nylon and when you squeeze it it's just soft and rebounds on itself.  Words can't describe how much I love this yarn.   The color is fantastic, the yarn has been  hand-dyed so it has a variegated look to it.  The yarn really took to the cable stitch pattern.  What I also love about this stitch pattern is that it looks just as pretty on the right side as it does on the wrong side.
Besides knitting lace, cables are one of my other favorite knitting stitches.  I get bored easily just knitting stockinette stitch (just knitting the knit stitches), that knitting something different becomes a mental excercise or a spark from the boredom of knitting just the knit stitches.
Knitting cables is just a matter of placing a certain number of stitches on a cable needle, knitting the stitches on the knitting needle, then placing the stitches from the cable needle back on the knitting needle, then knitting those stitches, thereby creating a sort of twist.
In my next post I will write about how I knit cable stitches....without a cable needle.  Once you get used it to it it's really not that hard...stay tuned.!

U:Unravel A-Z Challenge

U
Unravel, to rip up,  to undo.
There are many reasons why someone would unravel a knitted item.
Maybe you found a sweater made out of a great yarn. The sweater doesn't fit, but you have visions of  that wool cashmere blend being turned into a perfect hat and mittens set. Or, you're working on that great shawl and half way through you realize that the knitted lace pattern is way off and you can't stand looking at it anymore, so you unravel until the point where you made the mistake.
In the beginning I wouldn't dare unravel the knitting project I was working on....after all that work, I just couldn't bring myself to unravel it.  Now, I unravel away....unless it's only obvious to me and no one else...!

Have you ever had to undo or unravel a project?

N:Needles A-Z Challenge

N
Knitting and Crochet needles come in various sizes and are made from various materials.  There are aluminum,

 plastic, 

bamboo

and even square knitting needles.  Yes, square knitting needles!


I used to preferre plastic knitting needles, they were lighter in weight and the yarn would move with ease, then I found circular knitting needles

Circular knitting needles are great for any type of project, from socks to heavy blanket with many stitches.  With a circular needle, the needles or sticks are connected by a cable,  the stitches are distributed throughout the cable as opposed to one side with straight needles.
But let me get back to the square knitting needles, my favorite needles.  Several years ago I found that after knitting for several hours my hands and wrists would begin to ache.  Giving up my favorite past time was not an option!  A display at a yarn store intrigued me, and after purchasing a pair I took them home home and tried them out.  These needles are fantastic!  I can knit for hours and not have the ache in my hands and wrists that I experienced in the past.  The cable is firm, yet flexible, and they come in various sizes.
Do you have a favorite type of knitting/crochet needle?

M:Mohair-A-Z Challenge

M
Mohair
Mohair is a type of yarn made from the hair of an Angora goat. Mohair fiber will keep you cool in the summer because of its wicking properties and will also keep you warm in the winter.
Mohair grows in diameter as the goat grows in age. Te younger goat hair is used in clothing, while the older goat hair is used in carpets.
Mohair is a durable and resilient and produces a nice sheen and luster, because of these qualities it is used to blend with other fibers.

L:Lace-A-Z Challenge

Lace
Knitting lace is one of the easiest and my favorite 'types' of knitting. Lace is knitted by creating 'holes' or yarn overs in between solid stitches. Depending on the pattern the lace can be as simple as yarn overs knitted between a repeat of three stitches or as intricate as a repeating pattern with yarn overs and decreasing stitches that create a beautiful lace pattern. Beginners are intimidated by lace only because of the yarn overs, but yarn overs are easy. A yarn over is just an extra stitch that is made by wrapping the yarn over the needle.





I used a lace pattern to create design element to the middle of the shawl. pictured to the right.

Don't be afraid of lace, try it out!

G: Gauge-A-Z Challenge

Gauge or tension is the number of stitches per inch (or centimeter).  Gauge isn't as important when knitting a scarf or blanket, but it is very important when knitting sweaters, socks, or hats.
Every knitters gauge is different.  If several of us sat down with the same yarn and needles, we would each get a different gauge   Why?  Some of us would be loose knitters and get a gauge of 6 stitches/inch, while others would knit much tighter and get 10 stitches/inch.  This is a great article describing gauge.
A pattern will state the gauge  needed to obtain in order to knit the item to the specified measurements.  For example, in my pattern Summer Leaves, the pattern states that the gauge is 20 stitches=4 inches in stockinette stitch, or 5 stitches=1 inch using a sock weight yarn and US 3 needles.  I was able to use a US size 3 needle to obtain the gauge of 5 stitches for inch.  Another knitter may need to move up or down a needle size in order to obtain the same gauge.
Before beginning the item, a knitter should make a gauge swatch (more on swatches at S). I say should because most of us don't, we are in a rush to begin our garment that once it is completed the garment doesn't fit.
Do you check your gauge before beginning a project?

F:Fiber Space-A Z Challenge

Today I'm going to tell you about my FAVORITE local yarn store...Fiber Space.  It's located in Old Town  Alexandria, Virginia and it's by far the BEST yarn store I've ever been to.

Top 5 reasons why I LOVE Fiber Space

1. Located in Old Town Alexandria.  After shopping for yarn goodies I can stroll the brick paved sidewalks and visit Alexandria Cupcake for a sweet treat or head down to the water and visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center which houses various artists and their wares.
2.  Friendly staff.  They will answer any knitting/crochet question,  show you how to do the technique, and and not charge you.  I know of another yarn store that charges you for answering questions.
3.  Large selection of yarn and supplies.  From fingering to bulky yarn, local hand dyed and many colors to choose from, needles in various sizes and types, books galore...Fiber Space has it all.
4.  Classes for the beginner to the advanced.
5.  Welcoming space.  I can pop in and knit, not purchase anything (which is really hard to do!), and sometimes I'm even offered a cup of tea!

Do you have a favorite yarn store?

E:Ease-A Z Challenge

Ease
What is ease when it relates to knitting?

Well, ease is the amount of extra 'room' built into a garment so that it fits and allows you to move in comfort.  If I sewed a skirt to my exact measurements that skirt would fit, but it would prevent me from walking or sitting down without the skirt riding up.

Knitting fabric is stretchy therefore when you knit a hat you would knit it with negative ease, or smaller than the head measurements in order for the hat to fit and stay on the head.

Positive ease is when a garment is larger than the body measurements.  A chunky, cabled sweater would flatter the figure if it was slightly larger than the body.  This is a great article describing the differences between negative and positive ease.


P.S. Sorry about the lack of photos or charts.....

D:Design-A Z Challenge

Never in a million years did I think I would consider myself a designer, but yes I am!!  Two years ago I took my first design class-design your own shawl with Stephanie Japel.  This class stretched my creative juices and I've been designing ever since.  Check out my Knitting Designs page.   Currently, I'm designing two shawls, one is a smaller shawlette, and the other is a larger shawl, both worked from the top-down with a lace center and edge.  I also have a scarf pattern being technically edited this week.  I'll post pictures and links to the patterns when they are available.
Sometimes I find a specific yarn that is calling for a specific pattern and design.  I found this luscious pink yarn with a blend of wool, cashmere and nylon, (from Neighborhood fiber company,) and it called to be knit into a chunky scarf.  Other times I need an item, for example a wrap that I can take when the weather turns cooler later in the day, hence the larger shawl that I'm in the middle of designing.  

C: Cast-on, Crochet-A-Z Challenge

Let's continue on our knitting/crochet journey.  Yesterday I wrote about the finishing or bind off in knitting. Today I'm writing about cast-on, the start of knitting/crochet projects.  As in bind off, there are many ways to cast on.
The most common, and easiest way to cast on is called the long tail cast on.  This cast on creates a firmer, elastic edge.  It's a bit hard to describe and better seen than read.  Below is an illustration, and a video on how to do the long tail cast on.


 




The cable cast on below, produces a firmer edging for the bottom edge of a sweater, for example.







C is also for crochet, the process of creating a fabric with yarn, thread, or strips of fabric using a hook, unlike knitting which uses two needles.  For the differences between crochet and knitting read this article.  Many of you are familiar with the look of crochet, your grandmother probably has a granny square blanket over her sofa.




Do you knit or crochet?

B:Bind off-A-Z challenge

Bind off, the point where every knitter finishes the garment or accessory they are working on by decreasing stitches and taking the loops off the needle creating a finished edge.
There are several ways to bind off:



Three-needle bind off is used when you don't want to sew a seam, for example when finishing a hat.












Regular bind off is most often used, two stitches are continually decreased until one stitch is left, then remaining yarn is loped through the remaining stitch and you are done.
 

Decorative bind off, like a picot bind off creates a decorative edge to a scarf or blanket.

And there are even more ways to work the above bind off.

A great book with several types of  ways to 'cast on' (C for tomorrow) and bind off is titled Cast On Bind Off by Leslie Ann Bestor.

Do you have a favorite bind off technique?

A: Amigurumi-A-Z Challenge

A-Z Challenge starts today.   Come join me as we travel through the alphabet learning all there is about knitting and crochet.

           

A
Ami (ah mee): Japanese for knitting or crochet; nugurumi (noo ee goo roo mee) Japanese for stuffed doll. (source)  

Amigurumi: The art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals or anthropomorphic creatures.
The blue monster is my favorite.  Have I knitted an amigurumi?  No, not yet, they are on my list of 'must knit items'!

Interested in creating these adorable creatures?  Try this website.  It has a great tutorial on types of yarn to use, stuffing, embellishments and helpful book to get you started on the road to amigurumi!

P.S.  Thanks Arlee Bird for starting the A-Z challenge!!

I AM a knitting designer!

If I'm going to be a designer I need to start calling myself a designer.  So here goes:  I am a knitting designer!
Here are several of the patterns I've published and put up for sale on Ravelry and Craftsy.  What do I like about designing?  Finding a stitch pattern that I like and then coming up with the final product, while doing the research involved in figuring out how to put the particular stitch pattern onto paper as I'm knitting the new shawl/scarf, etc.   I'm partial to scarves, especially triangular shawls.  They are small enough to fit in my purse and take out when  I get cold during a summer movie, and it layers nicely over a jean jacket in the fall and spring.
What is my design process?  Firs,t I look through the stitch pattern dictionaries that I have looking for a stitch pattern.  Then I swatch the stitch pattern and jot down notes in this
 handy notebook and then write the pattern as I knit.  Writing as I knit can be a good thing and a bad thing.  Good because I'm knitting as I'm designing the pattern, bad thing because if I jot down notes and then loose those notes it's a little tricky trying to figure out what I knit.  A good friend suggested that I dictate as I  knit, which I think is a fabulous idea.  Guess what? The new iPad has that feature...lucky me.  (I'll let you know how it works out the next time I'm designing a pattern)
After I've written the pattern by hand, I type it up and add pictures.  Normally I edit the pattern myself.  This time I decided to utilize a knitting technical editor.  On Ravelry, I went to the tech editor section of the Indy Pattern Designers' Resource forum.  I tried one tech editor but she sent me an email that she couldn't take on any new work at this time. Scrolling through the tech editor thread I found Holly from sillylittlelady.  Her extensive knitting background and her love of math and the fact that she was just starting out as a tech editor stood out and made me want to give her a try.  After emailing her with my request and sending her the pattern, I hear from her right away stating her availability.  The process was easy.  In less than a couple of hours she had sent back her corrections.  And after communicating back on forth several times with questions, and corrections, the pattern was done!  The best part is that until August 10 she is offering a special.  Check out her Sillylittlelady's Space for more information.
The pattern is now with the pattern testers and should be ready for publishing by mid August.
Why hadn't I used a tech editor before?  I thought I was good enough to check any typos and mistakes, Holly caught some pretty obvious typos that I missed.  I also thought that I had the math correct, it turns out that I was missing a total of 8 stitches, thanks to Holly she caught that huge mistake and helped me write the missing 'row' in a more concise manner.
Thank you Holly, for future patterns, you are my tech editor!

Remember this little piece that I was working on? 

 I finished it a couple of months ago and to be honest I'm not in love with it!  

I used Neighborhood Fiber Co. which is one of my favorite yarns, locally dyed and sold in Marlyand.

The colors are so vibrant and rich, it's my 'go to' yarn for projects I want to knit.  This particular yarn is called Maisonette DK (50% Merino and 50% Tussah Silk).  It a gorgeous yarn, but lesson learned, not a good fit for this particular project. The stitch pattern combined with the yarn made the infinity scarf too stiff, bulky and didn't give it enough stretch or body.  It just lays flat.  

All is not lost, I'm not giving up!

    Lesson learned when knitting this piece.  

1.  Swatch a much larger segment in order to get a good feel for how the fabric will stretch
2. Use a yarn with some 'give' to it.
3. Go back to the drawing board
4. Don't give up!

This particular stitch pattern is challenging, but since it repeats itself, it's easy to memorize and I know that others will find it interesting and will want to knit it as well.  Stay tuned!!