Friday, August 29, 2008

Shawls: Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor Day -- shawl and knitting
In the comment section for yesterday's post on my home-school blog about Tasha Tudor Day, Carmie mentions that the instructions for the TT Shawl look pretty un-mindless to her. I thought I'd post what the pattern is basically -- you start with 3 stitches, and purposely add holes and increase a stitch every row until the shawl is wide enough.

This is the mindless part as you do the first 4 stitches each row the same way; all those other stitches are just knit stitches.Here are some pictures and explanations of those first 4 sts:

The first stitch -- and you do this EVERY ROW -- is simply wrapping the yarn around the needle to "make a stitch". This is the second stitch -- knit the first two stitches on the left-hand needle together as if they are just one stitch. You will now have 2 stitches on the right-hand needle. For the third stitch, bring the yarn forward between the two needles as if you were going to purl a stitch. Instead, wrap the yarn around the needle and you'll knit the next stitch. Here are the first four stitches on the right-hand needle.[NOTE: The first two rows don't have you do the k2tog, just the wrap at the beginning of the row.]

Again, this is the mindless part ... and takes a while as the finished shawl is 60" wide. You can stop at any time and make this shawl a doll shawl or one for a child (should be approximately the length from wrist to wrist when arms are straight out). This is the nice thing about this pattern as you can stop when you're tired.

Once I get to a suitable length, I will post close-ups of how to do the lace border/bind-off. If the lace part scares you, you can always leave the shawl without the lace edging, binding-off the top as a normal bind-off. It's a very elegantly simple shawl either way.

Oh, and as far as circulars go ... they're easier to use than straights as you don't have the knobs that catch on your clothes, pulling out the stitches you've worked so hard to put on the needles (this has happened a bit too often for me so I almost always use circs). They take a bit of getting used to and I'd recommend a 16" or 20" to start out.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Baby Knitting: Knitted Blanket

Here's a blanket I just finished the other day for a friend. It's a fun design that I've played with before ... but I particularly like the edging on this one.
Spread out, the heart bands make a cross -- which is a very cool motif!
This was made on 10s using 2 skeins of TLC Heathers. You start at the center and work your way out ... so it's pretty fun knitting. Also, since I've charted it, I can change the edging by the time I get that far!
Here's another version of the same blanket ... this time done for a boy in "Blue Moon" (a TLC Heather color) and on 11s (so it's a bit drapier than the one above). Here you can see the cross made by the hearts.
This pattern is charted and tons of fun to do!


Wednesday, August 06, 2008

By Hand, With Heart ... and DAUGHTERS?

Check out what 17yod, Kotch, designed for String Bean's "Molly" doll -- hoodie, mailbag, mittens and cap! String Bean today made a matching scarf to complete the ensemble! Guess I should bring 'em into the business, huh?

I'm going to the Fair ...


I've volunteered to hang out in the Home Arts Building on Sunday, August 10th from 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Any guesses what I'll be doing?

KNITTING for two and one-half hours!
And talking about it and trying to get others charged up about knitting.
What more could a gal want or need?

So if you're anywhere near Manassas, VA on Sunday ... stop on by Building "P" and chat, and knit, and chat somemore, and knit some more!

Friday, August 01, 2008

Too cool to miss ....

Sheep made all from telephone parts by Jean-Luc Cornec at the Museum for Post and Telecommunications in Frankfurt, Germany ....
ht: Uncle Matt