Two-handed Fair Isle Knitting

Woohoo! I found a way to make Fair Isle that works for me!

I dreaded learning Fair Isle.

Anyway, yesterday I finally decided it was time for me to get over my dread and Googled Fair Isle knitting. I had heard of using both my left and right hand to control the tension on the yarns used and create whatever pattern is charted. I found this website with the help of my knittinghelp.com forum friends and I watched this video (viewable only in IE ): ). Once I saw how easy it was to strand the colors using the methods shown in the video, I made the Sampler Purse pattern. I only had a few colors to work with but I am extremely pleased with how it turned out. I bet it would be AWESOME if I'd actually had Philosopher's Wool to make it.

Completed purse with a US quarter for size.


Inside view of the stranding.


I now feel confident that I can tackle a Fair Isle sweater! :D

Meet Pedro the Panda!

Born December 22nd, 2007. Approximatetly 8" in height, Pedro is a member of the Amigurumi set.

I created Pedro using as my base a larger version of the head and body pattern from the "cutest little owl" pattern in the sept/oct 2007 Crochet Today magazine.

I made the arms, legs, ears, eyes and nose before I realized that the body should have been a tad less than half black! Ah well. I went ahead and assembled all the pieces, attaching the plastic eyes and nose piece along the way. Then I created a form-fitting vest that did the trick! :D Here's Pedro in all his glory!









Yes! Pandas have white tails! :D

Blessings all!

The Bantam Step-By-Step Book of Needle Craft

By Judy Brittain (assisted by Sally Harding)

I've owned this book since 1980. It is packed from cover to cover with information and patterns.

I learned how to crochet and knit using this awesome resource. Even though the book as a whole only touches on the basics of various needle crafts, there is enough depth of material to gain an excellent basic understanding of each. Thus, this book tends to be an outstanding resource to own when you are off the grid. (No internet? What do you mean no internet?!!!) If I had to choose only one crafting book to own, this is the one.

There are some minor errors in material that can easily be recognised by the experienced crafter. With time and perseverance, an inexperienced crafter can determine what the author was trying to convey. With that being said, it is a simple matter these days to simply query Google or other search engines to find the answer.

Contents include:

Knitting
Crochet
Knotted & Wovenwork (Subgroups: Knotting, Macramé, Netting, Tatting, Plaiting, Rugmaking, Weaving)
Embroidery
Needlepoint
Patchwork Quilting & Appliqué (Subgroups: Patchwork, Quilting, and Appliqué)
Basic Sewing

The Knitting chapter includes:

History
Needles and yarns
Casting on
Basic stitches and techniques
Knit and purl patterns
Cable patterns
Increasing and decreasing
Bobble and embossed patterns
Eyelet and lace patterns
Working with colour
Beaded knitting
Embroidery on knitting
Stitch gauging
Shaping
Finishing techniques
Knitting in the round
Lace edgings
Machine knitting
Washing

The Crochet chapter includes:

History
Basic techniques
Basic stitches
Basic stitch patterns
Textured stitches
Openwork stitches
Shaping
Finishing techniques
Working with colour
Medallions
Filet crochet
Tunisian crochet
Tubular crochet
Beads and sequins
Hairpin crochet
Embroidery on crochet
Broomstick crochet
Edgings and borders

The Knotted & Wovenwork chapter includes:

Knotting:

History
Basic knots
Projects

Macramé:

History and materials
Mounting
Basic techniques
Decorative knots
Working in the round
Fringes and tassels
Joining and finishing
Cavandoli
Angling
Projects

Netting:

History
Basic techniques
Increasing and decreasing
Working in the round
Hammock project

Tatting:

History
Basic techniques
Motifs
Edgings

Plaiting:

History
Basic techniques
Using fabric
Joining and finishing
Projects

Rugmaking:

History and materials
Straight and punch hook
Latch and locker hook
Rya and needletuft
Finishing techniques

Weaving:

History and materials
Card weaving
Frame weaving
Tabby loom weaving
Projects

The Embroidery chapter includes:

History
Frames and mounting
Fabrics and threads
Transferring designs
Stitch glossaries
Motifs
Couching and laidwork
Goldwork
Alphabets and monograms
Openwork
Needlepoint lace
Designing
Beads and sequins
Smocking
Braidwork
Shadow work
Care of embroidery

The Needlepoint chapter includes:

History
Needles and yarns
Ideas for needlepoint
Transferring designs
Stitch samples
Stitch glossaries
Florentine work
Backgrounds
Textures
Borders
Carpet motifs
Projects
Finishing techniques

The Patchwork Quilting & Appliqué chapter includes:

Patchwork:

History
Fabrics and implements
Templates
Planning and design
Joining
Finishing
Colours and tones
Pattern Glossary
Border patterns
Crazy patchwork
Shell patchwork
Log cabin patchwork

Quilting:

History
Designs
Patterns
Mounting
Finishing off
Stitches and motifs
Raised quilting
Tied and buttoned quilting

Appliqué:

Modern and traditional
Surface appliqué
Decorative edges
Reverse appliqué
Counterchange appliqué

The Basic Sewing chapter includes:

Implements
Sewing machines
Measurements
Fabrics
Cutting and marking
Toiles
Alterations
Hand stitching
Seams
Shaping
Necklines
Collars
Sleeves
Cuffs
Pockets
Waistbands
Fastenings
Hems
Interfacing and linings
Making up garments
Cutting patterns
Tablecloths
Sheets and pillowcases
Bedspreads
Cushions
Curtains and blinds
Mending
Removing stains

And finally:

Index
Acknowledgments

Cradle Cap Shawl in Crochet Cotton No. 20

I recommend that you NEVER use crochet cotton size 20 to make this beauty. At last! I have finished it! I don't have any place to properly block it so I draped it gently over a plastic hanger to dry last night and then had DD model it for me tonight.

So It Turns Out I Own A Gold Mine....

I have started the process of organizing my old magazines and books that I've collected over the years when my interest in knitting and crochet first piqued. Right now, I only have the titles and years (with some articles that are divested of their original magazines). Eventually I hope to catalog the actual patterns within this treasure trove. What truly amazes me is how many of the patterns are truly contemporary to when they were presented as well as now! Surprise number two is the number of crocheted plushies that exist throughout my collection that are now popularized as AMIGURUMI!

Here's the initial list...

1001 Craft Ideas (February 1982)

1001 Craft Ideas (January 1982)

1001 Craft Ideas (May/June 1982)

1001 Craft Ideas (March 1982)

1001 Craft Ideas (Fall Issue 1982)

Annie's Attic #265B "Annie's Super Simple Mile-A-Minute Crochet Slippers" (1991)

"Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn Collection" Star Book No. 225 (Date Unknown)

Better Homes And Gardens "Crafts To Try Your Hand At" (Article only extracted from January 1983 issue)

Caron Book 531 "Learn To Crochet" (1978)

Coats & Clark Book No.251 "Baby Book" (1977)

Coats & Clark Book No. 210-A "Learn To Crochet" (1974)

Columbia-Minerva "Afghans By Columbia-Minerva" Book 742 (Rev 1/80)

Crochet Fantasy Number 47, Vol. 7, No. 7 (Oct 1988)

Crochet Fantasy Number 37, Vol. 6, No. 5 (Jul 1987)

Crochet Fantasy Number 23, Vol. 4, No. 7 (Oct 1985)

Crochet Fantasy Number 24, Vol. 4, No. 8 (Dec 1985)

Crochet Fantasy Number 25, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Jan 1986)

Family Circle Volume 95 Number 10 Article on page 94 "Fashion Extras! Great items to crochet, needlepoint, sew." (July 20, 1982)

Family Circle "Take a $5 Ball of Yarn ...And Look What You Can Make!" (Article extracted from Family Circle 1/25/83)

Family Circle Vol. 6, No. 12 "Christmas Helps 1980"

Heritage Afghan Design by Eldonna Ewers. Flier 1160F (Date Unknown)

"The Original KTEL International Knitter: A Revolutionary New Method Of Knitting And Crocheting With One Needle" (1970) I don't have the tool but one can actually learn this method from the instructions.

Leisure Arts Leaflet 99 "Odd'n Ends To Knit and Crochet" (1977)

Leisure Arts Leaflet 101 "Baby Afghans To Knit and Crochet 2" (1977)

Magic Crochet Number 37 (August 1985)

McCall's "Needlework & Crafts" (Jan/Feb 1984)

McCall's "Needlework & Crafts" (October 1984)

McCall's "Stitchery Vol. V for baby" 1/7701 (1977)

mon tricot "Knit & Crochet" (Aug. 79 MD 67)

"Olde Time Needlework: 1985 Special" (1985)

Oxmoor House "Crocheted Afghans" First Printing (1988)

Oxmoor House "Granny Squares, Nanny Squares: New Twists For Classic Crochet" The Vanessa-Ann Collection First Printing (1989)

Woman's Day Super Special "Granny Squares & Needlework: 50 Great Designs to Crochet, Knit, Stitch" (September 1983)

Woman's Day Super Special "101 Needlework & Sweater Ideas" (March 1983)

Woman's Day (Knitting patterns "Easy Sweaters To Knit in a Day" Page 42) (March 8, 1983)

Woman's Day Super Special "Woman's Day Granny Squares Number 6" (September-October 1978)

Woman's Day "The Blooming Afghans" (Article only extracted from February 12, 1980 issue)

Woman's Day "The Great Vest Revival" (Article only extracted from 2/8/83 issue)

I will add more later... :D

Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl

This lovely was started April 1^st. I purchased the pattern here. It's smaller than I expected but that could very well be due to the amazingly stretchy yarn I'm using -- Red Heart Color 680 Pastel Green "84% virgin orlon acrylic, 16% rayon" pompadour yarn. So I'm going to add five to ten more groups and see where that gets me... Luckily I have two more skeins to play with!




The yarn has been in my stash at least 20 years and was originally purchased to make an ensemble for a baby gift. I never could get into making baby stuff. So, the yarn has been resurrected into what will become a nice shoulder shawl for moi! Here it is in progress...

I think I will be looking for a cotton thread to make my next one!

Grandmother's Heirloom

I am thrilled to be able to share Sherry's Grandmother's Heirloom with the public.


I worked very hard to make the pattern as accurate as possible but I make no guarantees that the pattern is accurate. I welcome input for corrections.

Finished size is approximately 20" to 22".

Materials Required:

6” circle of cloth with edge pressed 1/8” - actual size should now be ~5-7/8" diameter

Coats & Clark, J.&P. Coats, Royale Extra Fine Crochet Thread, Size 30 100% mercerized cotton

Size 9 steel crochet hook. (1.4mm)

Tambour hook (optional)

Round 1: Sc 250 sts through the cloth to create first round. Try for approx 13 ½ sts per inch. (~27 sts every two inches) Join to first st with sl st. (If you have one or can get one, a tambour hook is perfect for this step.)

Round 2: Sc in same st as join, ch 7;
*sk next 2 sc, sc in next 3 sc, ch 7;
rep from * 49 times more;
sk next 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc;
join with sl st to first sc;
sl st to third ch of first lp.
50 ch-7 lps.

Round 3: Ch 9, tr; ch 2;
in ch-7 lp of rnd 2 *tr, ch 5, tr; ch 2;
rep from * 99 times more;
join with sl st to fourth ch of ch-9;
sl st to sixth ch of ch-9.
50 ch-5 lps.

Round 4: PICOT – Ch 3, sl st in first ch of ch 3.
PETAL – 3tr, PICOT, 5tr, PICOT, 3tr.

*In every other ch-5 lp of rnd 3 sc, ch 3, sc; ch 2;
in alternating ch-5 lps PETAL; ch 2;
rep from * 49 more times;
join with sl st to first sc.
25 petals, 25 ch-3 picots.

Round 5: *Sc in picot (formed by the sc,
ch 3, sc of the last round), ch 9;
in third tr of 5tr-group in petal
sc, ch 3, sc, ch 9; rep from * 49 times more;
join with sl st to first sc;
sl st to fifth ch of first ch-9.
50 ch-9 lps.

Round 6: Ch 9, *tr in same lp, 2 ch, picot, 2 ch,**
in next lp tr, ch 5;
rep from * 49 times more;
rep from * to ** one more time;
join with sl st to fourth ch of ch-9;
sl st to sixth ch of ch-9.
50 ch-5 lps.

Round 7: *Sc in ch-5 lps, ch 9; rep from *;
join with sl st to first sc of round;
sl st to fifth ch of first ch-9.
50 ch-9 lps.

Round 8: Ch 9 *tr in same lp; 2ch, picot, 2ch;
in next lp tr, ch 5, tr, ch 5;
rep from * 49 more times;
join with sl st to fourth ch of ch-9;
sl st to seventh ch of first ch-9.
50 “rabbit ears”.

Round 9: *Sc in ch-5, sk picot group, ch 9;
sc in next ch-5, ch 4, rep from * 49 more times;
join with sl st to first sc;
sl st to fourth ch of first ch-9.
(The ch-4 joins the tops of the “rabbit ears” together.)
50 ch-9 lps, 50 ch-4 lps.

Round 10: In ch-9 lp ch 9, *tr; ch 2;
in ch-4 lp PETAL; ch 2;
in next ch-9 lp tr, ch 5, tr;
sk next ch-4 lp, ch 2, picot, ch 2;
in next ch-9 lp tr, ch 5; rep from * 49 more times;
join with sl st to third ch of ch-9;
sl st to fifth ch of ch-9.
50 ch-4 loops, 25 petals.

Round 11: *In next ch-5 lp sc, ch 3, sc; ch 7;
in third tr of 5-tr group in petal sc, ch 3, sc; ch 7;
In next ch-5 lp sc, ch 3, sc; ch 7; sk picot lp;
rep from * 24 more times;
join with sl st to first sc.
REVERSE work and sl st to fourth ch of last ch 7.
RETURN WORK TO RIGHT SIDE.
The last sl st should now be in the fourth ch of last ch 7.
75 ch-7 lps.

Round 12: In ch-7 lp ch 9, *tr; sk ch-3 lp; 2 sc, picot, 2 sc;
in next ch-7 lp tr, ch 5;
rep from * 74 more times;
join with sl st to fourth ch of ch-9; sl st to sixth ch.
75 ch-5 lps.

Round 13: *In ch-5 lp sc, ch 3, sc; ch 7;
sk picot lp; rep from * 74 more times;
join with sl st to first sc.
REVERSE work and sl st to fifth ch of last ch 7.
RETURN WORK TO RIGHT SIDE.
The last sl st should now be in the third ch of last ch 7.
75 ch-5 lps.

Round 14: Round 14 requires special attention. The entire pattern to this point has been done in 25-count groups. Round 14 sets up the loops for building the 20 pineapples.

In first ch-7 lp ch-8 (subsequent reps will be *in next ch-7 lp tr, ch4,) tr, sk ch 3 lp, ch4; tr, ch4, tr, ch 2, picot, ch 2;**
rep from * to ** 6 more times;
in next ch 7 lp [tr, ch 4] 3 times, tr; sk ch 3 lp; ch 2, picot, ch 2;***
rep from * to *** four more times;
join with sl st to fourth ch of ch-8.
Round 14 should now contain 40 groups of three 5-ch lps plus one picot lp.

Round 15: Group 1 – In first ch-5 lp ch 4, 5 tr (subsequent reps will be *in first ch-5 lp 6 tr; )
in second lp 5 tr; in third lp 6 tr;
sk picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
in fourth lp 5-ch lp [tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;]
rep [ ]for fifth and sixth 5-ch lps; sk picot lp;**
rep both groups from * to ** 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr.

(17 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 16 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 14 (subsequent reps *tr in each of next 15) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 4] 2 times; Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2; rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(15 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 17 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 12 (subsequent reps *tr in each of next 13) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;] 3 times; rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(13 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 18 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 10 (subsequent reps *tr in each of next 11) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;
in next tr – [tr; ch 4, tr;] ch 2, picot, ch 2;
tr in next tr; ch 2, picot, ch 2;
rep from * 19 more times; join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(11 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 19 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 8
(subsequent reps *tr in each of next 9) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2]
2 times; in ch-4 lp tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;
[tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2] 2 times;
rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(9 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 20 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 6
(subsequent reps *tr in each of next 7) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2]
2 times;
in next tr – [tr; ch 4, tr;] ch 2, picot, ch 2;
[tr in next tr; ch 2, picot, ch 2] 2 times;
rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(7 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 21 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 4 (subsequent reps *tr in each of next 5) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2]
3 times; in ch-4 lp tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;
[tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2] 3 times;
rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to first tr (NOT the ch-4!)
(5 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 22 - Group 1 – Ch 4, tr in each of next 2 (subsequent reps *tr in each of next 3) tr;
sk last tr and picot lp, ch 2, picot, ch2;
Group 2 – [Tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2]
3 times; in next tr – [tr; ch 4, tr;] ch 2, picot, ch 2;
[tr in next tr; ch 2, picot, ch 2] 3 times;
rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to center tr of first 3-tr group.
(3 treble in group 1) 20 times.

Round 23 - Ch 2, picot, ch2; [tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2]
4 times; in ch-4 lp tr; ch 2, picot, ch2;
[tr in tr; ch 2, picot, ch2] 4 times;
sl st to center tr of 3-tr group;
rep from * 19 more times;
join with sl st to original tr of 3-tr group.

Bind off. Block and starch. Voila!