Let There be Joy!

December 19th, 2009

Let There Be Joy Snowflake

Materials: No 10 crochet cotton, white

1.7mm crochet hook

Gauge: Snowflake measures 5.5 inches in diameter after blocking

Chain 6, slip into first chain to form a ring

Rnd 1: ch 6, * dc into next chain, ch 3 repeat from * around and join with sl st into 3rd chain of beg ch 8.

Rnd 2: ch 5, (dc into sl st, ch 2) twice, dc into sl st, ch 1, *(dc, ch 2, dc, ch2, dc, ch2, dc) into next sc, ch 1,  repeat from * 4 more times around, join with sl st, in 3rd ch of beg ch 5. (Summary of Rnd2: On top of each dc in the row below there will be 4 dc’s with 2ch between each, separated by a ch 3)

Rnd 3: sl st into the next ch, ch 3, dc into next dc, ch 5, dc into ch 2 sp, ch 3, * dc into next ch 2 sp, dc into top of next dc, ch 5, dc into top of next dc, dc into next ch2 sp, ch 4 . Repeat around ending with sl st in top of ch 3.

Rnd 4: sl st into top of dc, *ch 4, sl st into 3rd ch of ch 5 .  (Ch 9, sl st in 5th chain from hook - picot made) twice. (ch 4, sl st into same chain as last) twice, sl st down next 4 ch, sl st into sl stitch from first picot, ch 4, sl st into same sl st.  Sl st down next 4 ch, sl st into 3rd ch where the ch 9 started, (This makes peak “4a” in detail of picture) ch 4, sl st into next dc. Ch 8, sl st into 5th chain from hook, (ch 4, sl st into same ch as first picot) twice, ch 3, sk next dc, sl st into next dc. (This makes peak ‘4b’ in detail of picture) repeat from * around

Summary of Round 4: there will be one peak 4a in the center chain of each 5 ch, with a ch4 on either side of it. There will be one peak 4b starting on the dc’s on either side of the ch 5.)
Pin and block using your favorite methods.

Buying fewer magazines.

September 22nd, 2009

I have made the decision to buy fewer knitting magazines than I do.  Even though I don’t buy very many, over the years they do add up.  Besides, I can look at them at the public library.

I am limiting my magazine buying to 2 issues of Interweave Knits a year at the most, if even that.  But it’s a place to start when downsizing.  I mostly like the fall and winter issues,

I have rarely knit from Knitters since 2000, and I have never knit from Vogue Knitting.  I only have one issue of VK that has a sweater I want to knit. My queue is already long enough, and there are so many gorgeous patterns out there for free.  And I have collected enough.

Mystic Earth KAL

August 24th, 2008

I was pleased to go to Knit and Knag to see that she has opened up signups or the Mystic Earth Knit-along!  She is so far one of my favorite KAL designers, as I have so far completed two of her designs (Mystic Waters and Mystic Meadows).  It costs $5 CDN to join and the link is right here.

http://knitandknag.blogspot.com/2008/08/mystic-earth-kal.html

In progress from Victorian Lace Today

August 22nd, 2008

Victorian Lace Today has long been one of my favorite lace knitting books.  So I grabbed some Zephyr and started to knit!

The Secret of the Stole iii

August 12th, 2008

I found out about the knit-along in just enough days to scramble together some yarn.  It starts this Friday, and I am enjoying  being back to knitting.

Closeup of the swatch!