Riding the wave

October has always been a roller coaster month for me.  Some wonderful things have happened during October--my son's birth, the incredible changing of Nature's coat, the invigorating change in weather, and of course, Halloween, which I love.  Some terrible things have also happened; I won't name them, but suffice to say they're big events in my life.  Knowing this about October leads me to keep myself busy so I can get through the valleys of this roller coaster month, though I shall certainly stop to enjoy the heights as well. 

I am hard at work on the new designs.  

 

The test swatch has led to some changes and rearranging, but it's well on its way.  I'm looking forward to getting the whole item worked up and having a presentable pattern soon.  

I've also volunteered to test knit another designer's pattern, something I usually don't do, since time is short and I have so many of my own ideas to work up, but this one was just too lovely to pass up.  And we shall see how that comes along--I'm thinking purple!

Speaking of purple, check out Period of PURPLE Crying.  I've got a few hats made up to send off on my next trip to the post office, and I urge you all to help with this important work if you can.

Until next time, happy needling!

Really? Tomorrow's October?

My last entry spoke of summer's flying by, and today it's really gone.  Now it's time to gear up for fall:  colder nights, cooler, breezier days, and of course, new projects!  

I can't wait for pumpkin bread in the oven and stew in the slow cooker.  Yes, even though I adore summer, fall has its charms, too.  And, while I know it's leading up to winter (which I don't think I'll ever actually like), I don't think I could live in a place where fall doesn't happen at all.  And hey, now we can wear our shawls and warm socks and fantastic hats!

So what's on the agenda in this invigorating new season?  I can't reveal much just yet, but the new design so far is proving to be tremendous fun.  A few weeks ago at Bubonicon, I met Darien, the genius behind Custom Cranium (Home of the Snuff Stuffies).   Now, I realize this art isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for me, it's a cup of tea and a buttered scone to boot, and I want one.  Or two.  Or...you get the idea.

Anyhow, I mentioned to Darien that I knit, and she said, "You know, I've always wanted..." and I could immediately visualize what she described, so I ran with it, working for days afterward on the concept she'd described, pestering her with questions via email, coloring sketches, and knitting swatches.  So far, four different possible designs have emerged from that conversation, and one is now in the actual working stage; hopefully, the pattern will be up on Ravelry by the end of October or mid-November (I'll knit as fast as I can!).  Eventually, I want to have a crocheted version of it, too.

I love opportunities like this.

Meanwhile, I've put a new pattern up on Ravelry here.  It's a little different from my usual work, but it's also a hint at more to come from a new line I've been working on for quite some time.  I hope you like it, and I should be rolling out other more adventurous patterns soon!

Happy needling!

Summer's flying

I'm way behind.  This shouldn't surprise me, as I often have several projects backed up, and for some reason, I've just gone through a phase of being unmotivated and uninspired...this seems to be passing, though, thankfully, and over the last couple of days, my sketchbook has experienced activity at last.  So many things took up June & July that I've only now realized that summer is flying by, and soon enough, we'll need to pull out our long-sleeved shirts and accessories to keep us warm (yes, I know it's hard to believe right now, with so many people experiencing this heatwave nonsense, but trust me, that will end sooner than we think--it always does).  

So, I'm giving you all a pattern for arm warmers--quick and fairly simple--crocheted in sport weight yarn (and if you use cotton, you can probably wear them earlier in the season).  They're worked in the round to avoid seaming, and with two length options, you can be done sooner or later, depending on the look you want.  Here they are:

CROCHETED HAND WARMERS IN TWO SIZES

MATERIALS: 

 

Short Version:  1.2 oz sport weight yarn (Model worked in Baby Bee Pomp Naked)

Long version:  2.2 oz sport weight yarn (Model worked in Cotlin Nightfall)

Both versions:  size E crochet hook, yarn needle for weaving in ends

Gauge:  28 sts in treble pattern = 3 ½”; 7 rows in treble pattern = 4”

Begin!

Ch 56. 

Foundation row:  Work 5 tr in 8^th ch from hook (shell made).  *Skip next 3 ch, tr in next ch.  Skip 3 ch, 5-tr shell in next ch.  Repeat from * to end.  Bring beginning of row around to end, being careful not to twist work.  Sl st in top of beg ch to join (7 tr shells, 7 tr).

Round 1:  Ch 4 (counts as one tr); turn.  4 tr in same st, skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.  *Skip 2 tr, 5-tr shell in next tr, skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.  Repeat from * to end.  Sl st in top of turning ch to join round.

Rounds 2-3:  Repeat round 1.

Round 4 (make thumb hole):  Ch 4 (counts as one tr), turn.  4 tr in same st.  Ch 3, skip 5 tr, 5-tr shell in next tr, skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.  *Skip 2 tr, 5-tr shell in next tr, skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.  Repeat from * to end.  Sl st in top of ch-4 to join round.

Round 5:  Ch 4 (counts as one tr), turn.  4 tr in same tr.  *Skip 2 tr, tr in next tr, skip 2 tr, 5-tr shell in next tr.  Repeat from * 4 times.  Skip 2 tr, tr in next tr, 5-tr shell in ch-3 sp.  Skip 2 tr, tr in next tr.  Sl st in top of turning ch to join round.

Round 6:  Ch 3 (counts as one dc), turn.  4 dc in same st.  Skip 2 sts, dc in next st.  *Skip 2 sts, 5 dc-shell in next st.  Skip 2 sts, dc in next st.  Repeat from * to end.  Sl st in top of turning ch to join round.

Rounds 7-10 (7-16 for longer version):  Repeat round 6 4 (10) times.

Round 11 (17):  Ch 3, turn.  Sc in next st.  *Ch 3, sc in next st.  Repeat from * to end.  (42 ch-3 loops and 42 sc)

Fasten off.

Top edging (worked in beginning ch):  Join yarn in bottom of first shell. 

Round 1:  Ch 1, sc in same st.  *Ch 2, skip next 3 ch spaces, sc in bottom of tr.  Ch 2, skip next 3 ch spaces, sc in bottom of shell.  Repeat from * to last shell.  Ch 2, sl st in beginning of round (13 sc).

Round 2:  *Ch 3, sc in next sc.  Ch 3, sc in next ch-3 space.  Repeat from * to end.  Sl st in first sc to join round, ch 1 (25 sc).  Fasten off.

Weave in all ends.

flame hat/armwarmers pattern

FLAME HAT

Materials:  size 7 double pointed needles and/or 16” circular; 100 yds (2 oz.) cotton light worsted weight yarn (Model shown made in Red Heart Eco-Cotton, Candy Marl); stitch marker, yarn needle

Gauge:  22 sts and 28 rows in pattern = 4”

Finished size:  adult hat  

Abbreviations:  Kfb:  Knit one st into the front of designated st; do not slide off left needle; knit one st into the back of designated st; slide yarn off left needle (one increase made).

Make crown:

With dpn, cast on 8 sts. Join into round and knit one round (8 sts).

Increase rounds:

Round 1:  *Kfb.  Repeat from * around. (16 sts)

Round 2 & all even rounds:  Knit.

Round 3:  *K1, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (24 sts)

Round 5:  *K2, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (32 sts)

Round 7:  *K3, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (40 sts)

Round 9:  *K4, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (48 sts)

Round 11:  *K5, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (56 sts)

Round 13:  *K6, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (64 sts)

Round 15:  *K7, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (72 sts)

Round 17:  *K8, kfb.  Repeat from * around. (80 sts)

Round 18:  *K9, kfb.  Repeat from * 6 times; k last 10 sts (skip last dec). (87 sts)

Round 20:  Knit.

Begin pattern:

Round 21:  K3, *k2tog, k5, m1 (lift bar between sts onto left needle and knit as a regular st).  Repeat from * around.

Round 22 and all even numbered rounds:  Knit all sts.

Round 23:  K3, *k2tog, k4, m1, k1. Repeat from * around.

Round 25:  K3, *k2tog, k3, m1, k2.  Repeat from * around.

Round 27:  K3, *k2tog, k2, m1, k3.  Repeat from * around.

Round 29:  K3, *k2tog, k1, m1, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 31:  K3, *k2tog, m1, k5.  Repeat from * around.

Round 33:  *M1, k5, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 35:  *K1, m1, k4, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 37:  *K2, m1, k3, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 39:  *K3, m1, k2, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 41:  *K4,m1, k1, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 43:  *K5, m1, k2tog.  Repeat from * to last 3 sts; k3.

Round 44:  Knit.

Round 45:  Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog (86 sts).

Rounds 46-50:  *K1, p1.  Repeat from * to end.

Bind off all sts loosely.

FLAME PATTERN ARMWARMERS

MATERIALS:  Size 4 circular needle, 9” or 11” or dpns; DK/sport weight or light worsted yarn (model stitched in Caron Simply Soft Violet); stitch markers, one of color A and one of color B

Cast on 36 sts; being careful not to twist work, join into round and place marker for end of round.

Round 1 and odd numbered rows:  Knit.

Round 2:  *k4, k2tog, k5, m1 (lift bar between sts onto left needle and knit), k1.  Repeat from * around.

Round 4:  *k4, k2tog, k4, m1, k2.  Repeat from * around.

Round 6:  *k4, k2tog, k3, m1, k3.  Repeat from * around.

Round 8:  *k4, k2tog,k2, m1, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 10:  *k4, k2tog, k1, m1, k5.  Repeat from * around.

Round 12:  *k4, k2tog, m1, k6.  Repeat from * around.

Round 14:  *k1, m1, k5, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 16:  *k2, m1, k4, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 18:  *k3, m1, k3, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 20:  *k4, m1, k2, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 22:  *k5, m1, k1, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 24:  *k6, m1, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 25:  Knit.

Rounds 26-49:  Repeat rounds 2-25.

Shape thumb:

Round 50:  M1, place marker of color B, *k4, k2tog, k5, m1 (lift bar between sts onto left needle and knit), k1.  Repeat from * around.

Round 51 and odd numbered rounds:  Knit, slipping markers as needed.

Round 52:  M1, k1, m1, sl marker, *k4, k2tog, k4, m1, k2.  Repeat from * around.

Round 54:  M1, k3, m1, sl marker, *k4, k2tog, k3, m1, k3.  Repeat from * around.

Round 56:  M1, k5, m1, sl marker, *k4, k2tog,k2, m1, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 58:  M1, k7, m1, sl marker, *k4, k2tog, k1, m1, k5.  Repeat from * around.

Round 60:  M1, k9, m1, sl marker, *k4, k2tog, m1, k6.  Repeat from * around.

Round 62:  M1, k11, m1, sl marker, *k1, m1, k5, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 64:  M1, k13, m1, sl marker, *k2, m1, k4, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 66:  M1, k15, m1, sl marker, *k3, m1, k3, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 68:  K1, p15, k1, sl marker, *k4, m1, k2, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 70:  K1, p15, k1, sl marker, *k5, m1, k1, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 71:  K1, bind off 15 sts (remove second marker), knit to end.

Round 72:  Push gap closed to make a round; k first two sts together.  *k6, m1, k2tog, k4.  Repeat from * around.

Round 73:  K2tog, k to end (36 sts).

Round 74:  *k4, k2tog, k5, m1 (lift bar between sts onto left needle and knit), k1.  Repeat from * around.

Round 75:  Knit.

Round 76:  Purl.

Round 77:  Knit.

Round 78:  Purl.

Bind off loosely.  Weave in ends.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this pattern.  If you should find an error or have questions, please contact sorlenna@yahoo.com.  We love to hear your feedback!

©2010 L.C. Price for Sorlenna’s Studio

Dual colors

Last Saturday, I checked out a couple of thrift stores with my daughter.  We love thrift stores, for their quirkiness and, of course, great prices.  Because she's an artist, too, we're always looking for things we can recycle and reuse, so we browse through the area where patterns, fabric, yarns, etc. are packaged up and put out for sale.  On this particular trip, I was thrilled to discover a bag with two skeins of sport weight yarn that looked very soft, and upon investigating the tags (thank you, whoever donated it, for leaving those on!), I discovered that one skein was 50/50 alpaca/silk and the other was wool/rayon.  Ooooh...the softness!  The price?  $3.99 for both skeins was too good to pass up.  So, even though I've set myself a "rule" (no going to the yarn store until my stash is mostly used up), I had to have it.  And technically, I didn't "go to the yarn store."  (We knitters/crocheters can justify anything when it comes to yearning for yarn!)

Of course, once I opened it up and felt it, I had to wind it and use it.  They were short skeins, so I knew I'd have to make something small.  This hat was born.

I  posted the picture on my knitting forum (www.knittingparadise.com) and got such a warm response and so many requests for the pattern that I've decided to make it free and post it here.  It's a bit "loose" (24" in circumference), and I tend to make a lot of hats that way since I want them to fit most everyone, and if I'm wearing it, I have to compensate for lots of poofy hair!  As always, I had a lot of fun with it and am getting more comfortable with writing crochet instructions.  Though I've crocheted for about three times as long as I've knitted, I find that I don't design much crochet--perhaps that will change now!

If you do make the hat, please give me feedback on it, so I know if I'm going in the right direction.  I'd love to see pictures, too, for color choices.  I plan to make a "scrappy" version as well (still busting that stash!), and I'll post the color scheme for that with pictures once it's done.  Now, without further ado, here's the pattern--enjoy!

Dual Color Crochet Hat

By Sorlenna’s Studio

Materials:  Fingering or sport weight yarn, approximately 110 yards of color A and 85 yards color B (Model stitched with Blue Sky Alpaca/Silk [50/50], slate and Berroco Softwist [59% rayon/41% wool], Kale); size G hook or size needed for gaug, stitch marker if desired for end of round

Gauge:  16 sc and 19 rows = 4”

Finished size:  7 ¼” high and 24” circumference (hat will be a bit loose for smaller heads; if you want it a bit smaller, use a hook the next sizesmaller)

Hat is worked in rounds.  Ch 1 at beginning of round does not count as first stitch of round; other chs do count as one stitch in increase rounds.  When round instructions indicate one color, continue working in that color until pattern notes to change.

Round 1:  With color A, ch 2 loosely.  Work 8 sc in first ch.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 2:  Work 2 hdc in each sc around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (16 sts)

Round 3:  Hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  *Hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (24 sts)

Round 4:  *Hdc, ch 1, skip next st, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 5:  With color B, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 6:  With color A, *hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (40 sts)

Round 7:  With color B, *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] twice, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 8:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 9:  With color B, *hdc in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (56 sts)

Round 10:  *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] 3 times, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 11:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 12:  *Hdc in next 7 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (72 sts)

Round 13:  *Hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 14:  With color B, *Hdc, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 15:  With color A, *[sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain)] 4 times, sc in next stitch, 2 dc in hdc one row below.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (88 sts)

Round 16:  With color B, hdc in each stitch around.  (88 sts)

 

Round 17:  With color A, *hdc in next 10 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch (96 sts).

Round 18:  With color B, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 19:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 20:  With color A, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 21:  With color B, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Rounds 22-25:  Repeat rounds 18-21.

Round 26:  With color A, repeat round 18.  

Round 27:  With color B, repeat round 19.

Rounds 28-31:  Repeat rounds 26 and 27 twice.

Round 32:  With color A, sc in each stitch around.

Round 33:  With color B, sc in each stitch around.

Round 34:  Repeat round 32.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Update!  The scrappy version is done, and the color scheme is what I used, though you can feel free to do your own thing!

Scrap Version (Stained Glass effect)

Work color scheme using one main color and various colors as follows (CC denotes contrasting color):

Round 1:  With MC, ch 2 loosely.  Work 8 sc in first ch.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 2:  Work 2 hdc in each sc around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (16 sts)

Round 3:  Hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  *Hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (24 sts)

Round 4:  *Hdc, ch 1, skip next st, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 5:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 6:  With MC, *hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (40 sts)

Round 7:  With CC, *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] twice, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 8:  With MC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 9:  *hdc in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (56 sts)

Round 10:  *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] 3 times, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 11:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 12:  With MC, *Hdc in next 7 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (72 sts)

Round 13:  *Hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 14:  With CC, *Hdc, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 15:  With CC, *[sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain)] 4 times, sc in next stitch, 2 dc in hdc one row below.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (88 sts)

Round 16:  With CC, hdc in each stitch around.  (88 sts)

Round 17:  With MC, *hdc in next 10 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch (96 sts).

Round 18:  *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 19:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 20:  With MC, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 21:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Rounds 22-25:  Repeat rounds 18-21, varying colors or order of CC as desired.

Round 26:  With MC, repeat round 18. 

Round 27:  With CC, repeat round 19.

Rounds 28-31:  Repeat rounds 26 and 27 twice.

Round 32:  With MC, sc in each stitch around.

Round 33:  With CC, sc in each stitch around.

Round 34:  Repeat round 32.

Fasten off and weave in ends.