Mariannes Motifs

Designing A Hat is Not Rocket Science

not_rocket_science_hat
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

Here is my latest knitted piece. I am proud of this one because I designed it from scratch using charts from the Alice Starmore Book of Fair Isle Knitting.

Jin laughed at me buying this book, which for the most part is made up up a bunch of knitting charts that look like black and white dots and squares. But it really did spark my creativity. I love that she has the charts organized by how many rows you have to work with, but then you have to figure out how many stitches across each one is. I used a bunch of sticky notes to isolate the chart and line I was working on for each row of knitting.

Took this pic on the MacBook camera so sorry it looks so bad!

Here is the book I used for the fair isle charts:

Cat Bordhi Personal Footprints Sock Knitting Class

My fun today was getting to spend all day in a sock knitting seminar.  This was a class taught by famously creative knitting designer and author Cat Bordhi.  She has designed an entirely new way to knit socks that avoids some of the things that people (like me) find difficult about sock knitting. 

In this method there is:

• No wraps and turns
• No Picking up Stitches
• 100% knit in the round
• A custom fit for each person

I was pretty confused at the beginning of the day and had trouble with the Judy's Magic Cast on, but after Cat helped me with that part I got going pretty well.  I got almost all the way to the heel and I am looking forward to finishing my "discovery sock" tomorrow.

I got my book signed, and I also got a picture of me with Cat Bordhi.  Yay!

I attended the class at the fabulous yarn store "The Whole Nine Yarns."  This is such a gorgeous store and of course they had the receipt printer going all day as knitters came in to shop the great yarns.  Cat Bordhi will be signing books tomorrow at 11:00 at the Whole Nine Yarns in Woodstock, GA.

Fake Isle Hat

Here's my first fair isle knitting, where you knit with 2 colors and carry both colors together.  I learned how to knit with one color of yarn in each hand, and also how to follow a chart.  Fun!  The pattern is available here from Spunky Eclectic.

 

Revving up for the Fake Isle Hat

I've not yet done any stranded knitting, fair isle or intarsia.  Heck, I don't even really understand what's different about fair isle vs. intarsia.  Except I guess I get that Fair Isle you are carrying both colors of yarn with you all through the row. Intarsia is just a mystery to me at this point.  One thing at a time.

I picked up Noro Kuryon and some Dream in Color Smooshy for my Fake Isle hat.  This pattern uses the color changes in the Noro to make the design look more complicated than it really is.  Many people suggest this for a first Fair Isle pattern to try.  This is also my first try to knit from a chart.  Good times.

I have seen people alter this pattern by using their own knitting motif instead of the ones in the pattern.  I would love to try that as well.  I want this book - 1000 Great Knitting Motifs. Maybe if a few more people take advantage of the cheapest deal on K-Cups, I will be able to get a nice Amazon gift card and buy this book.

Beret In Action

beret
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

Here's another pic of the beret in action. The hubster said I look "chic" in it. I admit to wearing it all day even thought it is August in Atlanta. I am a nerd.

Next in line - a pair of fingerless mitts in the pattern "Fetching" in the same yarn. I am going to be warm and stylish this winter.

I have noticed that a lot of companies are getting very hi tech when it comes to notification systems.  I heard about a service called amgalerts.com that helps companies put together a plan for emergency alert systems.   Considering winter is coming with weather closings, H1N1 flu and other types of contagious illnesses, etc. it seems like an interesting business plan.  Comanies can do this stuff themselves for free with services like Twitter, IP telephony, group voicemail blasts, etc.

I have a friend who told me she has a Twitter account solely because her kids school told her to set one up for their alert system.  Twitter is down do ofter though...  I am not sure it would be reliable enough in a real emergency.

Finished Object - Slouchy Beret

slouchy_beret
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

This is the first hat I have made on DPNs. It went very fast - I am so glad I finally got the hang of working with the double pointed needles. What a great thing to have made a hat in a matter of a few hours. It took me just 3 days. I love short projects!

I did not turn this inside out, I found I prefer the stockinette side for some reason. Perhaps because this is a nice smooth heathered yarn rather than the suggested yarn which is a bit more bulky I think.

Last Minute "Purled" Beret
Pattern by Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic

Free Felted Bag Pattern from Designer of Dumpling Bag

Sharon Dreyfuss, the designer of the Dumpling Bag, has a free felted bag pattern on her blog.  Its a very cute bag called "Bunnies Got Back."  It is a perfect small size for a teenager with a cute intarsia bunny tail.  

The instructions are great because she goes into detail about how to do the intarisa (2 color knitting) and has step by step instructions for using double pointed needles to start the bag and work in the round.

Baby blanket buddy

Baby blanket buddy
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

Here is the knitted bunny I made for the kid's daycare director who is expecting in August.

This is a really easy pattern, and its neat how the head actually uses double knitting so you are making both the front and back at the same time. Clever. Even though this is blue it is for a girl. I gave it a pink face so hopefully that makes it girly enough.

Pattern found here

Handmade Knitted Swiffer Cover

DSC05275
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

How's this for eco-friendly? A hand knitted swiffer cover. I was actually surprised at how well it picked up dirt, pollen, hair, and all the random crud on my kitchen floor. Then throw it in the wash with the dishrags, etc, and bob's your uncle.

From the Lily (Sugar and Cream yarn) web site:

crochet version
knit version

Farrow Rib Scarf

Farrow Rib Scarf
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

4th Try Is a Charm for this yarn.  I had started three other scarves and ripped them out because they just didn't look good or weren't a simple knitting pattern I could zone out with. I needed something easy to knit and this pattern is repetitive and I can totally zen out while knitting.

Cast on 21
K3 P1 end with a K1

repeat until you are done.

It’s finished and I love it. I used one whole skein and a little bit of a second skein that I had left over from a dumpling bag. It is long enough - squishy, warm and fuzzy. LOVE!

The pattern is called Farrow Rib Scarf by Melissa Matthay and Sheryl Thies from the "Little Box of Scarves" book.  I used  US  size 10½ straight needles.  These were one size I did not have in my huge grandma needle stash so I bought some cheapy Boye needles on sale at Joann.  I actually find I prefer the cheap metal needles over bamboo, circulars, and other fancier ones.  I don't clack when I knit.  I do hold the needles perpendicular to each other and the right needle in my waist.  Thus I prefer straights.

The yarn is a lovely chunky weight with long color changes.  It is designed by Kaffe Fasset and called Rowan Colourscape Chunky.  I used about 1.2 skeins = 210.0 yards (192.0m) and it was purchased last year at Cast-On Cottage & Needlepoint Garden in Roswell, Georgia.

It is long enough - squishy, warm and fuzzy. LOVE!