No, not a bunch of old newspapers to cover up with, but a knitted baby blanket that Herbert Hoover's wife made famous. Personally, I think its name should be differentiated by calling it L. H. Hoover Blanket. Knitty deciphered her pattern and published it:
Hoover Blanket
I'm making one in RHSS Aran Fleck and a Sage green for the contrast panel. I'm making version 3. It isn't really hard to do if you don't mind carrying two colors along and you can do 1x1 ribbing. The end result will be a blanket with a wide border and a double knitted stockinette stitch center panel which will be reversible. I cast on 130 instead of 110 so that I would have an even hundred stitches for the center panels.
Personally, I don't see how she could knit 190 stitches using straight needles without constantly dropping stitches, unless straight needles in her era were longer than the straight needles we have now, because they likely didn't have circular needles back then.
Well, after some digging, I found that circular needles were around at that time, since they were invented post-WWI, so it is possible that Lou Henry Hoover had some for her baby blankets.
Pretty cool, huh?
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Triangular Striped Shawl
I was experimenting with some acrylic yarn I've had, like, forever, and using a typical diagonal dishcloth/baby blanket pattern-except, instead of increasing by using YO, I simply increased by KF&B of the second stitch of each row. Then I decided to try changing colors for stripes. I think I'm going to continue it out and make a shawl instead of making a great big square.
It should be very colorful by the time I'm done:
It should be very colorful by the time I'm done:
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Rambling on about socks
In this post I outlined the different ways to knit a pair of socks at the same time. I focused on DKing with DPNs because I was trying it and had posted about it at a community on LJ and got several negative responses touting it as grandstanding. Perhaps it is-but, as I also said-it's a perfectly valid option for the DPN lover who wants to make a basic pair of socks and doesn't like/can't use circulars.
Anyway-slow to finish things that I am, I've finally reached the heel. Now, rather than try to do the wrapped short row heel and do them both at the same time, I decided that, since I prefer the YO short row better, that I would get an extra needle, seperate the two heels and knit them seperately. This would really work if you had a five-needle set and only used four, saving the extra needle for the heel (and toe-I'm doing a short row toe as well). Me, I happen to have several four-needle sets in the size I'm using, so I just borrowed a needle from another set. I've finished the inside heel with one small unseen error and am working on the outside heel. I would already be done, but I've somehow made an error that I can't work around, so I frogged the heel all the way back, carefully put the stitches back on the needle and have started the heel over again.
Anyway, that error had nothing to do with DKing, it had to do with me not watching what I was doing.
It probably won't be the best pair of socks in the world since I'm practicing with some Bernat Soft Baby yarn but I'd rather practice my technique with cheap acrylic, then move on to nice sock yarn once I know what I'm doing.
Speaking of sock yarn, in this post I said my Mom asked me to knit her a pair of socks. Well, my LYS downtown had closed by the time I could afford to get any yarn, so I did the next best thing and went to KnitPicks and ordered some yarn for her socks, plus some circulars, and more yarn for me (so I could get free shipping). The order came out to almost the $60 I put on my son's prepaid credit card to be able to order, so I'll also be doing me some socks using the two on two circular method that I've also been practicing with some cheap yarn.
Anyway, that order should be coming in by Monday at the latest (Hopefully today) and I'll get to see if the good stuff I've been hearing about KnitPicks is true. If it is, I'll probably start ordering more yarn from them as I get extra money to. The prices are very reasonable for the yarn content compared with other well-known brands, and I'm one of those who likes to hang onto her money ;) (who doesn't?) and I just don't have the money to be able to try all those others that cost upwards of three times the price of KnitPicks for, what I can see, is the same yarn.
Anyway, I'll let you know when the order ges here. And if I can figure out the camera on this new phone, I might even include a picture.
Anyway-slow to finish things that I am, I've finally reached the heel. Now, rather than try to do the wrapped short row heel and do them both at the same time, I decided that, since I prefer the YO short row better, that I would get an extra needle, seperate the two heels and knit them seperately. This would really work if you had a five-needle set and only used four, saving the extra needle for the heel (and toe-I'm doing a short row toe as well). Me, I happen to have several four-needle sets in the size I'm using, so I just borrowed a needle from another set. I've finished the inside heel with one small unseen error and am working on the outside heel. I would already be done, but I've somehow made an error that I can't work around, so I frogged the heel all the way back, carefully put the stitches back on the needle and have started the heel over again.
Anyway, that error had nothing to do with DKing, it had to do with me not watching what I was doing.
It probably won't be the best pair of socks in the world since I'm practicing with some Bernat Soft Baby yarn but I'd rather practice my technique with cheap acrylic, then move on to nice sock yarn once I know what I'm doing.
Speaking of sock yarn, in this post I said my Mom asked me to knit her a pair of socks. Well, my LYS downtown had closed by the time I could afford to get any yarn, so I did the next best thing and went to KnitPicks and ordered some yarn for her socks, plus some circulars, and more yarn for me (so I could get free shipping). The order came out to almost the $60 I put on my son's prepaid credit card to be able to order, so I'll also be doing me some socks using the two on two circular method that I've also been practicing with some cheap yarn.
Anyway, that order should be coming in by Monday at the latest (Hopefully today) and I'll get to see if the good stuff I've been hearing about KnitPicks is true. If it is, I'll probably start ordering more yarn from them as I get extra money to. The prices are very reasonable for the yarn content compared with other well-known brands, and I'm one of those who likes to hang onto her money ;) (who doesn't?) and I just don't have the money to be able to try all those others that cost upwards of three times the price of KnitPicks for, what I can see, is the same yarn.
Anyway, I'll let you know when the order ges here. And if I can figure out the camera on this new phone, I might even include a picture.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I like the pattern
The one I made up as I went for the fingerless mitts knit flat. I'm now knitting myself a pair out of the same camo yarn, only adjusting it down some and tweaking it a bit.
I've also decided to try to see how adjustable the pattern is by using completely different yarn/needles-yesterday I found a partial ball of Cascade 220 superwash that I'd made a pair of Fetching fingerless gloves out of and I divided it roughly in half and cast on for a pair on a 16" #3 circ. If the circ is too short to do the thumbs with I have plenty of #3 dpns to use. I've cast on 44 sts for each mitt and we'll see if I've calculated the balls of yarn right and if I have enough to do the mitts with. If not, I'll put them aside until I finish the pair of socks I'm working on in another color of the 220-the two should look nice together if I need to redo cause I don't have enough of the one I'm using for the mitts.
I do think I'd recommend just using a circular to knit these with-you can drop the mitt you aren't working on to the cable, I'd just complete the rows for both mitts before putting your work down so you don't confuse yourself as to which mitt you're working one. It does go much faster when you work on both at once, and your mitts come out the same.
Anyway, one day fate may drop a camera in my lap and I can start taking pictures again. Until then, I'll just have to write about what I'm doing and you guys can use your imagination.
I've also decided to try to see how adjustable the pattern is by using completely different yarn/needles-yesterday I found a partial ball of Cascade 220 superwash that I'd made a pair of Fetching fingerless gloves out of and I divided it roughly in half and cast on for a pair on a 16" #3 circ. If the circ is too short to do the thumbs with I have plenty of #3 dpns to use. I've cast on 44 sts for each mitt and we'll see if I've calculated the balls of yarn right and if I have enough to do the mitts with. If not, I'll put them aside until I finish the pair of socks I'm working on in another color of the 220-the two should look nice together if I need to redo cause I don't have enough of the one I'm using for the mitts.
I do think I'd recommend just using a circular to knit these with-you can drop the mitt you aren't working on to the cable, I'd just complete the rows for both mitts before putting your work down so you don't confuse yourself as to which mitt you're working one. It does go much faster when you work on both at once, and your mitts come out the same.
Anyway, one day fate may drop a camera in my lap and I can start taking pictures again. Until then, I'll just have to write about what I'm doing and you guys can use your imagination.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Finished Already
I wish I had a camera. This pair of fingerless mitts are so nice! I used RHSS in camo and although I made a slight miscalculation when I did the first thumb, I was able to fix it without too much problem.
I'm going to try to write the pattern out-it really turned out nice-I've even cast on to do me a pair-although I think I'm going to do them slightly differently-do a few rows of stockinette before making the thumb gusset and making a few more rows after the thumb gusset before the final ribbing rows.
Anyway-I hope he likes them.
I'm going to try to write the pattern out-it really turned out nice-I've even cast on to do me a pair-although I think I'm going to do them slightly differently-do a few rows of stockinette before making the thumb gusset and making a few more rows after the thumb gusset before the final ribbing rows.
Anyway-I hope he likes them.
Christmas gift
Now that I have my socks going the way they should be, I need to put them down because I have a gift to knit. I sometimes take my craft bag to church with me, and yesterday I had just finished a pair of purple fingerless mitts in crochet. A young teenage boy in our church saw them and told me I needed to make him a pair and I said I needed to measure his hand to do those mitts, and I didn't think he wanted to walk around with purple mitts either. This morning I decided that instead of crocheting him a pair, I would knit him a pair. I got out my #8 straights and two partial skeins of RHSS in camo and I've cast on for both mitts.
Yes, I'm knitting them flat and then sewing them up the side-no, I don't have a pattern, I'm making it up as I go along. I have a #8 circ to do the thumb with when I'm done so that won't be a problem. I only hope I can get the seam not to look wonky-and I've been slipping the first stitch of each row to make the edges more uniform and smooth, so hopefully the seam will also be uniform and smooth.
I just decided a pair of knit fingerless mitts in camo would be just the thing for a teenage boy-I just hope he likes them cause he probably already forgot he wanted me to crochet him a pair ;)
Yes, I'm knitting them flat and then sewing them up the side-no, I don't have a pattern, I'm making it up as I go along. I have a #8 circ to do the thumb with when I'm done so that won't be a problem. I only hope I can get the seam not to look wonky-and I've been slipping the first stitch of each row to make the edges more uniform and smooth, so hopefully the seam will also be uniform and smooth.
I just decided a pair of knit fingerless mitts in camo would be just the thing for a teenage boy-I just hope he likes them cause he probably already forgot he wanted me to crochet him a pair ;)
Update
I had to frog back the doubleknit socks-when I cross a stitch, I don't usually notice til l've gotten into another round, so it's actually a whole round of stitches that need to be fixed-which means I'd have to go all the way back around, which I wouldn't mind for one round or maybe two-but this one was several more rounds down.
Then after casting on again, things didn't want to line up properly and I had to keep trying and doing a lot of head scratching as to why it wasn't wanting to do right, when I finally got it right.
After I got started again, I still crossed yarns again, but only had to tink back about a round and a half to get back to it and straighten things out.
Now I'm back where I was before having to frog-about an inch of ribbing and starting on the leg.
I still managed to cross stitches after doing that-but only had to tink back one needle since I happened to think to look, then something told me to look back further and I'll be damned if I didn't have an extra YO on the previous needle. The explanation for that is twofold-trying to knit without having my morning coffee yet and going into a completely new rhythm with the yarn.
Now, what the devil did I mean by that last comment? Well, when you're double knitting and want to keep your two pieces separate, you have a certain rhythm that you knit with to keep the yarns from crossing-I was using one rhythm for the ribbing, so now I had to switch to an entirely different one with the stockinette leg. It's the same as if you were knitting something flat, like a sweater-you start off with ribbing, then when you move to the body your hands are so used to doing the ribbing that they still want to do ribbing while your brain is telling them no, it's time to do stockinette, and there's bound to be errors until your hands start listening to your brain.
Any knitter who is reading this will know exactly what I'm talking about here.
Then after casting on again, things didn't want to line up properly and I had to keep trying and doing a lot of head scratching as to why it wasn't wanting to do right, when I finally got it right.
After I got started again, I still crossed yarns again, but only had to tink back about a round and a half to get back to it and straighten things out.
Now I'm back where I was before having to frog-about an inch of ribbing and starting on the leg.
I still managed to cross stitches after doing that-but only had to tink back one needle since I happened to think to look, then something told me to look back further and I'll be damned if I didn't have an extra YO on the previous needle. The explanation for that is twofold-trying to knit without having my morning coffee yet and going into a completely new rhythm with the yarn.
Now, what the devil did I mean by that last comment? Well, when you're double knitting and want to keep your two pieces separate, you have a certain rhythm that you knit with to keep the yarns from crossing-I was using one rhythm for the ribbing, so now I had to switch to an entirely different one with the stockinette leg. It's the same as if you were knitting something flat, like a sweater-you start off with ribbing, then when you move to the body your hands are so used to doing the ribbing that they still want to do ribbing while your brain is telling them no, it's time to do stockinette, and there's bound to be errors until your hands start listening to your brain.
Any knitter who is reading this will know exactly what I'm talking about here.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Several projects on the go
I'm working on a couple pairs of socks-one on dpns and one using Magic Loop. I really should have a circ longer than 16", but since it's a sock, I think I'll manage since I don't have the money to go buy a circ.
I'm also working on a couple of cowls. they'll double as hoods as well. a lot of people also call them wimples, but I like cowl better. I'm using a generic-type one I found on Knitting Pattern Central. Just go to the scarves, and the *Neckwarmer/Wimple. It is in PDF format, so you have to have Adobe Acrobat, or another PDF reader to see it. I doubt I make the increases for the shoulder, I'll see how it fits when I get down there. I'm using some discontinued Bernat Frenzy Yarn I've been trying to find a use for, and a 24" #10-1/2 circ. I CO 100 sts and am just doing st st. I like the way the hood rolled back with the first few rows, and I hope I can find a couple more balls of it stashed away somewhere since I won't be able to purchase any more. If not, I'll probably find something else to use with it.
The next one is going to be one I'm making up-I'll call it Twisted Rib, since that's what I'm doing-twisting the ribs in the 2x1 rib pattern every four rnds. since I'm using RHSS and a 24" #9 circ, I CO 141, and it will still fit pretty snug. I'm liking it already-the twisted ribs give it a really interesting texture.
Lastly, I'm making Dot's Double Crossed Hat. However-working with three strands of WW cotton yarn with a K hook is a bit daunting-and I don't have that much cotton yarn anyway-so I'm using two strands of WW acrylic and an I hook. Yes, I'm having to adjust the pattern a bit, but it's one that seems to be pretty adjustable, so I've added one more inc rnd before starting the crossed sts, and I'm going to add one more rnd of crossed sts before working on the brim. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm using a bright blue RHSS and a burnt orange acrylic that's unlabeled, so I'm not sure if it's also RH or not-but the two look really nice together. Yes, that means I'm working with a dozen more sts than the pattern calls for, but I think it would hurt my hands even more to be working with three strands of cotton held together and using a K hook.
Edit: When I got to the brim/band, I had to figure some math, since I had quite a few more sts than her 72 (I worked it out so I had 99sts), and came up with 25 sl sts on each side of the brim, 7 sc on each side of the hdcs and 25 hdcs-that seemed to work out pretty right, and it fits my large head pretty well, too.
PS: I almost forgot, I'm doing the Magic Scarf from Crazy Aunt Purl, only I'm using some RH Plush in taupe and #10-1/2 straight needles. It isn't going to be a scarf though-it's going to be a wrap-I CO 60 sts and each section is 10 sts x 10 rows. It's still going pretty fast and is going to be really soft and plushy.
Anyway, back to crocheting-if my achey hands will let me.
I'm also working on a couple of cowls. they'll double as hoods as well. a lot of people also call them wimples, but I like cowl better. I'm using a generic-type one I found on Knitting Pattern Central. Just go to the scarves, and the *Neckwarmer/Wimple. It is in PDF format, so you have to have Adobe Acrobat, or another PDF reader to see it. I doubt I make the increases for the shoulder, I'll see how it fits when I get down there. I'm using some discontinued Bernat Frenzy Yarn I've been trying to find a use for, and a 24" #10-1/2 circ. I CO 100 sts and am just doing st st. I like the way the hood rolled back with the first few rows, and I hope I can find a couple more balls of it stashed away somewhere since I won't be able to purchase any more. If not, I'll probably find something else to use with it.
The next one is going to be one I'm making up-I'll call it Twisted Rib, since that's what I'm doing-twisting the ribs in the 2x1 rib pattern every four rnds. since I'm using RHSS and a 24" #9 circ, I CO 141, and it will still fit pretty snug. I'm liking it already-the twisted ribs give it a really interesting texture.
Lastly, I'm making Dot's Double Crossed Hat. However-working with three strands of WW cotton yarn with a K hook is a bit daunting-and I don't have that much cotton yarn anyway-so I'm using two strands of WW acrylic and an I hook. Yes, I'm having to adjust the pattern a bit, but it's one that seems to be pretty adjustable, so I've added one more inc rnd before starting the crossed sts, and I'm going to add one more rnd of crossed sts before working on the brim. I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm using a bright blue RHSS and a burnt orange acrylic that's unlabeled, so I'm not sure if it's also RH or not-but the two look really nice together. Yes, that means I'm working with a dozen more sts than the pattern calls for, but I think it would hurt my hands even more to be working with three strands of cotton held together and using a K hook.
Edit: When I got to the brim/band, I had to figure some math, since I had quite a few more sts than her 72 (I worked it out so I had 99sts), and came up with 25 sl sts on each side of the brim, 7 sc on each side of the hdcs and 25 hdcs-that seemed to work out pretty right, and it fits my large head pretty well, too.
PS: I almost forgot, I'm doing the Magic Scarf from Crazy Aunt Purl, only I'm using some RH Plush in taupe and #10-1/2 straight needles. It isn't going to be a scarf though-it's going to be a wrap-I CO 60 sts and each section is 10 sts x 10 rows. It's still going pretty fast and is going to be really soft and plushy.
Anyway, back to crocheting-if my achey hands will let me.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Dog Hoodie
Dog Hoodie
I'm making this for my miniature Basset Hound. There are some things I'm doing/going to do different with this pattern though.
I'm using a circular needle in a size 9 or 10 (I think-there is no place on them that indicates size-they're the Boye circular)
I'm using RHSS yarn in Linen-a medium beige color.
I've reversed the order of the decreases in the hood-the left-slanting SSK is supposed to go on the right side of your work and the right-slanting K2TOG is supposed to go on the left side of your work.
Also, where she stops (just after the ribcage) leaves half a dog uncovered-that won't do-so I'm going to dec some sts (not sure yet how many) and simply work in K1P1 ribbing until it reaches her tail and put it together up to where her back legs are. For a male, you would want to put it together and leave a space for his wee ;)
Depending on how many sts are on my needles, I might get to work some of this in the round since I'm using a circular needle-I'll see. Anyway, I'll keep you updated on the progress-it's a nice little basic doggie sweater, it just needs a few mods. I'm also debating just putting some ribbing around the leg openings instead of sleeves-and I can do that with magic loop-so I don't have to go out and buy any DPNs that I might not use again.
I'm making this for my miniature Basset Hound. There are some things I'm doing/going to do different with this pattern though.
I'm using a circular needle in a size 9 or 10 (I think-there is no place on them that indicates size-they're the Boye circular)
I'm using RHSS yarn in Linen-a medium beige color.
I've reversed the order of the decreases in the hood-the left-slanting SSK is supposed to go on the right side of your work and the right-slanting K2TOG is supposed to go on the left side of your work.
Also, where she stops (just after the ribcage) leaves half a dog uncovered-that won't do-so I'm going to dec some sts (not sure yet how many) and simply work in K1P1 ribbing until it reaches her tail and put it together up to where her back legs are. For a male, you would want to put it together and leave a space for his wee ;)
Depending on how many sts are on my needles, I might get to work some of this in the round since I'm using a circular needle-I'll see. Anyway, I'll keep you updated on the progress-it's a nice little basic doggie sweater, it just needs a few mods. I'm also debating just putting some ribbing around the leg openings instead of sleeves-and I can do that with magic loop-so I don't have to go out and buy any DPNs that I might not use again.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
I can finish my socks now!
Maybe I should clarify, I don't know if I posted anything about this here but I dyed a ball of Lion Wool a couple of weeks ago just to see how hard it was-it wasn't hard at all and I got some really pretty varigated yarn to play with. I decided to do some socks but I ran out when I turned the heel of my second sock. Determined not to leave that first sock lonely I dyed my other ball of wool yesterday the same colors as the first, I even remembered the order of the dye. I just finished balling it up, making sure I balled it so that the colors came out in the same order as the first ball, and now I can finish my socks and probably have enough left over to do a hat or a scarf or something to match.
See here
This was the first ball I did, and the first sock. As I experiment with short rows I should be able to make them better, I left the mistakes and ugly rows to remind me of what not to do. Since they're for my feet I figured I could do that.
I'm definitely making more socks, they're very comfy.
See here
This was the first ball I did, and the first sock. As I experiment with short rows I should be able to make them better, I left the mistakes and ugly rows to remind me of what not to do. Since they're for my feet I figured I could do that.
I'm definitely making more socks, they're very comfy.
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