Love This Yarn!

This is Sensations - It's A Wrap yarn.  I am loving this stuff.  It's color-wrapped plies with a touch of wool.  It's a #5 bulky yarn that is so very soft and luxurious.  I am making a Christmas gift with it right now and I'm totally addicted to the way this yarn is just so cuddly in my hands!

FREE PATTERN! Basketweave Baby Blanket

_BASKET WEAVE BABY BLANKET_

Finished size -
8 Skeins of Caron Simply Soft WW yarn (I'm half-way done and I've used 4 skeins so I'm estimating a total of 8)
Size 6 knitting needles 30" if using circular
Gauge - 32 rows/32 sts = 4" in garter stitch.
Yarn needle

Cast on 144 stitches using cable cast on.
IMPORTANT! Slip all first stitches as if to knit on every row.
Rows 1-16 K.  You should have 8 ridges of garter stitch.
Begin pattern as follows:
Row 17 - K across.
Row 18 - K7 (*K6, P4 ) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 19 - K7 (*K4, P6) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 20 - K7 (*K6, P4) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 21 - K7 (*K4, P6) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 22 - K7 (*K6, P4) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 23 - K across.
Row 24 - K7 (*P4, K6) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 25 - K7 (*P6, K4) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 26 - K7 (*P4, K6) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 27 - K7 (*P6, K4) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Row 28 - K7 (*P4, K6) repeat from * across to last 7 stitches. K7.
Repeat pattern rows for a total of 18 repeats. (216 rows total)
K last 16 rows in garter stitch to create 8 ridges.
Bind off. Weave in ends.

FREE PATTERN: Mickey's Market Bag!

 

ERRATA: Rnd 1: pm, k1, m2, k to last 2 sts of 1st side, m2, k1, pm. Repeat on second half. Rnd 2: k around Rnd 3: k2, m2, k to last 3 sts of 1st side, m2, k2. Repeat on second half. Rnd 4: k around Rnd 5: k3, m2, k to last 4 sts of 1st side, m2, k2. Repeat on second half. Rnd 6: k around Rnd 7: k4, m2, k to last 5 sts of 1st side, m2, k4. Repeat on second half. Rnd 8: k around Continue stepping over 1 st on all odd numbered rounds so that you are doing the m2 on the middle stitch of the last group of m2 in the previous increase round until you have 128 sts. (Should be a total of 10 increase rows)

Measure 12.5 inches from start of mesh (not from cast-on)

Join Yarn Invisibly - Picture Tutorial

By: Marie Anne St. Jean
I use this method w/knitting also.  It's the best join ever!

Free Pattern - Knitting an Oval Shape

KNITTING AN OVAL SHAPE

Using a 32" - 40" (preferred) circular needle, using a figure-8 cast-on half the number of desired stitches.  For example, if your pattern calls for 40 stitches, cast-on 20. Knit through back loops to establish the base.
If you leave 3x as much yarn as cast on stitches. Then you can use that long tail (after knitting a few rows) to weave through the center stitches for extra support.

pm = place marker
m2 = k front, back, front in same stitch

Rnd 1: pm, k1, m2, k to last 2 sts, m2, k1
Rnd 2: k around
Rnd 3: k2, m2, k to last 3 sts, m2, k2
Rnd 4: k around
Rnd 5: k3, m2, k to last 4 sts, m2, k2
Rnd 6: k around
Rnd 7: k4, m2, k to last 5 sts, m2, k4
Rnd 8: k around

Continue stepping over 1 st on all odd numbered rounds so that you are doing the m2 on the middle stitch of the last group of m2 in the previous increase round until you have the desired length for your oval.

Free Pattern - Sleep Sox!

I adapted this pattern from a WW1 pattern from the Red Cross.  I added a cuff section and a toe section to the original tube sock pattern.

Caron worsted
Gauge 8sts = 1in in 1x1 rib
2-24" size 6 circular needles

For women's socks:
Cast on 48 sts using long tail method.
For men's socks cast on 56 for each sock. 
Children's socks, cast on 40 for each sock.
(To adjust size, cast on any number of stitches in multiples of 4)

Begin by casting on ALL the stitches for BOTH socks.
Divide onto 2 circular needles as per [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4iD77aJCAw&feature=related]

Knit 2" k1, p1 ribbing
(children's size 1" k1, p1 ribbing)
(men's size 3" k1, p1 ribbing)
1 row k across
10" k2, p2 ribbing
(children's size 8" k1, p1 ribbing)
(men's size 12" k2, p2 ribbing)
Dec. for toe as follows: (same method for all size socks)
Toe will be knit in stockinette stitch.
Knit one row across to begin.
Row 1: k1, ssk, knit to the last three stitches on first half, k2tog, kl. Repeat on second half
Row 2: k across
Continue until you have 8 sts remaining on each half, finishing on row 2. (16 total)
You should have eight stitches remaining on each section of both socks. Work 2 more decrease rounds, with no even rows between. You should now have 4 stitches remaining in each section of both socks, a total of 8 stitches on each sock.
(For Men's - Continue until you have 16 sts remaining on each half - 32 total. After working last 4 decrease rounds you should have 8 sts left on each half. Cut yarn, close toe with kitchener's stitch)
Work Kitchener Stitch on each toe separately. To begin, cut the yarn, leaving a tail 10" (25.5 cm) long, and thread this tail onto a darning needle to begin the graft.
Weave in all ends

Sock Loom

Yesterday, I got my Christmas present early.  Dwain bought me a sock loom. (from www.knittinglooms.com) So far I'm having a lot of fun with it. 

I have carpel tunnel pretty bad in both hands and it's very hard to knit even with regular needles.  I even have to use circulars just so I don't drop them when my fingers go numb.  But, I'll never give up knitting because I love it so much!  I knew without a doubt that working with teeny-tiny double-pointed needles to make socks would practically be impossible for me. Hence, the sock loom!

Many of you know that I knit for charity and that most if not all of my yarn has been donated.  Well, I ended up with enough sock yarn to make at least a dozen pairs of socks.  I really, really wanted to make socks, too.  The CT problems were really getting in the way though.

I'm really glad I got the sock loom.  I've only been working with it for a couple hours so far and I've all ready found a rhythm.  There is a small learning curve if you want to learn how to really knit and purl on the device and keeping track of where you are is also a small annoyance.  But, both of those are easily remedied.  Doing a couple rows of each stitch on some scrap yarn helps you to learn the stitches lickety-split and a piece of first-aid tape marked with some pen lines really helps you remember which stitches are knit or purled.

My only gripe about this wonderful device is trying to knit or purl on these inside pegs.  They are extremely difficult to get to, in my opinion.  Just as I'm really getting into working around the loom, I end up on those inside pegs and come to a screeching halt!  They take me twice as long to get the pick between them and not drop the loops.  I really don't know of any kind of solution to this other than actually having a different loom for each different size of sock as opposed to the adjustable one.  I guess for economy's sake and storage, this is the only real option for sock looming at this time.  I'll just have to deal with it. :-)