Just a Little Thing

It hasn't been much of a summer for sun hats. But I wore my 'new' one on the weekend and realized I STILL hadn't blogged about it! I had it finished back in May!


It's from the old Family Circle Easy Knitting and Crochet, Summer 2005. I had tried it back then, but just couldn't seem to get it to work out. Blame it on pregnancy brain.

I just could not get a nice picture!

I don't really like the two shades of beige. Looked better in my dim living room than outside.

I made mine pretty much perfect on the first try. It was a little big on Meg, so I made her one, had a few attempts, but it ended up too small. Try to make one for Lucy and it ended up too big (fits me, but it's purple and pink).
It's a nice enough hat, but I don't care for the construction of it. You have to start with a chain of about 95 sts, then work the shell sts upwards, and then the decreases to the top. Then go back to the chain and work the brim downwards. The increases in the brim are offset on each row so it was harder to keep track of where to put them. I think I'll stick with my other pattern that just starts at the top and goes down, all in one pattern. I couldn't find it this spring, but I've found it now.

Oooohhh My Brain

Math....graphing...geometry...don't know where this falls in. Figuring out a lace knitting chart.

I can read charts. I can knit lace; I can knit lace from charts. I don't create my own lace, but I have taken lace from stitch dictionaries to use in items like socks and even a fancy baby blanket or two.

But this? Trying to figure out someone else's lace chart for a shawl. Many knitters on Ravelry have said the original chart is misleading and hard to read. Some provided their own solutions. Nothing was 'clicking' for me. I got up to row 33 and just could not figure out what to do next. The repeat is 33 rows, but a new repeat starts on row 17 as well. That wasn't hard the first time, but trying to start the new repeat once the first one ends? That's where the chart leaves off.

I printed out some knitting graph paper, got some coloured pens, and got to work. Drew in the first 33 row repeat, then the off-set one on either side. Now, I had to go fill in the second repeat above the first full one. It ended with a YO, K3tog, YO, which results in 3 sts. The repeat starts with a YO. But there was something cryptic in the instructions about only the first and the edge repeats starting with the YO. And, according to my chart, I'd start a new repeat on the outer edge on row 17 of the off-set one, but the 'inside' repeat (the next one to start over the original full repeat) still wasn't finished.
Coupled with this the designer's instruction to repeat rows 3-33.....

Then I realized it! At the top of the first repeat, don't do the YO (not quite sure of this, have to see how it fits in with the repeat to the sides), which leaves one stitch (the K3tog)....which is technically the same as the outer repeat starting with row 1 which is a YO. Basically row 33 of the first, and central repeats, IS row 1 of the next motif heading north!

Just got to see about those YOs, they might be needed for the dec on the edges of the edge motifs. Just like the designer says, it's only the outer repeats that start row 1 with a YO, basically, once in the interior, you just start again at row 3.

Now, if only I could knit it like intarsia, each repeat a different colour like my chart, LOL.


And Marie, to add to my last post....the second group "In Waiting" are the things hidden in the bottom drawer, in the basement, etc. I still know they're there....and there's probably a few things I've forgotten...I have good intentions, especially regarding sewing on buttons and purse handles...but I'd just rather knit most of the time, LOL!

Song Sung Blue...

...weeping like a willow...

Can't get that out of my head these days. I seem to be in a blue streak lately. One of my current 'projects' is re-knitting the foot of an old pair of blue socks that I love. I originally knit them around the time of Huey's birth. They were still in the early days of my sock knitting, and they were knit perhaps a tad too small and too tight of gauge. I replaced the foot on one a while ago, and knit it slightly different than the original, LOL. Now it's its mate's turn. I was halfway down the foot when I decided last night that it was too tight. So I ripped. I also went up a needle size. Might as well be happy!

I also have a felted slipper in the works that a blue/green striping yarn. And I've got some blue fingering weight yarn that I really want to work up, maybe into a loose sweater.

I really want to start a shawl, but I don't think this is a good time for it. Too much going on.

Right now, on the needles:
1) "Fixation" socks; two at a time, toe up, on one circular. Not to the heel yet.
2) Old blue sock foot re-knit
3) Felted slippers
4) Chenille teddy bear
5) Fiddlesticks "Enchanting" shirt

Is that it? Also waiting:
1) tree skirt
2) mohair sweater--likely going to get ripped
3) assorted squares for bunny assembly
4) three purses needing handles; some are older than Meg
5) Mom's Whirling Stars cardigan that needs a style overhaul
6) several BSJ that need sewing/buttons

And now, the "want" list:
1) shawl. Actually, about 3-5 shawls
2) dishcloths (machine knit)
3) Noro/Peace Fleece Sweater
4) a couple more Celestine star balls
5) some Cookie A. socks
6) afghan for a gift
7) crocheted hoody
8) crocheted cardi
9) crocheted pullover

I did finish a cardigan in Patons Divine that I'm not totally thrilled with. It still needs some sort of closure, but I think it's too close fitting for such a textured yarn. My shoulders look huge! LOL. I'm sure there's other things for these lists that I'm forgetting. Did I post about the sun hats I crocheted? Oh yeah, a couple more things for the 'want' list....

Rolling Right Along...

Back to the Blues, LOL.


I'm trying to finish up projects as my project drawer was getting a little full (okay, there's a few things in there that are older than Meg...).

Back awhile ago, someone on a blog I read posted a picture of items she got in a swap. Included was a card with a picture of a really neat knitted many-pointed star. Immediately I knew I had to knit it! The first place I looked for a pattern was the website of a childhood schoolmate. I didn't see it there, so I sent her a message on Ravelry. Indeed, she knew what it was, and was even working on one at that very moment! LOL.

The Ravelry link, and the actual source. According to my Ravelry message book, I had already started by April 28. I used some Bernat Lollipop and Bernat Baby Sparkle from my stash--leftovers from Huey's baby blanket!! At first I thought I'd alternate each point, one light, one dark, blue...but there's 5 points going around a center point. So, alternating doesn't exactly work.

I did the first point fine. The second point was fine. But the third point? The instructions tell you to cast on X sts, then pick up along the left side of point 2. Well, these are five sided shapes. How can there be a single left side? There's a top left, and a bottom left....finally, with the help of my old friends at about.com I was able to figure it out and keep on going. Till I got to the 6th point. I am certain there is an error in the pattern. I tried what they said, and it created a very odd shape. I tried it my way, making the 6th point fill in the 5th side of the ring going around the center point, and it worked. But, then I got working on other things as I set it aside to wait for me to read how to make the second half. LOL.

Had a hiccup on the second half when I wasn't paying attention. But, got this half finished quickly. It takes me about an hour to make one point. So, 12 hours for the knitting. Then, I used the yarn tails and tightened up the corners where the points meet. I didn't weave any ends in--it's a stuffed toy! LOL. The kids loved it, and don't want it to go in the gift box. I whipped up the ball, alternating the two blues, so it looked intentional, LOL. I might make another shaped toy or two, to make it a more substantial gift--but as there are no babies expected in my family/friends, I'm not in a rush :)