Super Dooper Looper

I'm taking a quick breather from all those quirky hats...

In my Ravelry group this month, we're looking at ideas for STASH BUSTING your leftovers...

You know all those little bits and bobs you end up with at the end of other projects? Not the super short tiny ends... but those quarter balls... not big enough for another project, but not small enough to throw away?

I promised that I would share some ideas with my friends there... and if you're a Ravelry member, you can check out the discussion here.

But here's the details for those of you not on Ravelry.

My all-time favourite knitting stitch for stashbusting:

I call it MOSS STITCH… but depending on where you hail from, you might know it as SEED STITCH.

It’s a simple stitch - but hugely effective.

You just K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1… over and over again… then on the next row or round, you do the opposite - and K all of your P stitches, and P all of your K ones.

But what I love is the way that it weaves your colours in together. You don’t end up with clearly defined rows or stripes, but instead have more of an overall meshing of colours… Which is an excellent way to blend your scraps together.



In this project, I’ve used an assortment of browns and creams… but don’t be afraid to throw together completely contrasting colours… IT STILL WORKS UP A TREAT.

Take a look at this cushion cover I made a few years back:

It uses a bunch of different colours - from greys to greens, reds to purples, and whites to blues…

There was NO PLAN with those colours, and NO DISCRIMINATION… I just grabbed what was lying around, and started knitting.

But this time I’ve made myself a SUPER DOOPER LOOPER...

 Pattern available as a free download: download now

Basically it’s a long looped scarf.

Mine can be loosely looped twice around the neck, or can be wrapped three times for a more snug scarf on those chillier days.

 
I wanted quite a bit of drape in the scarf, so I’ve gone up to a larger needle size.

My scraps are mostly 8 ply/DK weight - and I would generally knit those with 4mm needles. So for the scarf I’ve gone up and used 6mm needles.

I wanted a loop 185cm (73 inches) around. I did a quick swatch and learned that I had 11 sts per 10 cm. So I cast on 203 sts.

If you cast on an ODD number of stitches - then you will just need to K1, P1 eternally - and don’t need to pay any attention to where each round begins or ends.

Then I worked in the round for 36 rows (13 cm or 5 inches) before casting off loosely in moss/seed stitch.

(PS. One day I'd LOVE to make a blanket using this method... I don't have the time right now... but maybe you'd like to try one?)

But here’s the trick to keeping those colours moving: Don’t let your colours meet!

What do I mean by that???

Always change colours before you get to the end of the round, so that you don’t work one stitch on top of the other in the same yarn.

In fact, I like to stop about 10 stitches before my colours overlap.

Then I introduce the next colour…

Not all of my yarn scraps were long enough to work an entire round in - so I just added new colours as I needed or wanted to.

Here’s the trick for colour changes without pesky weaving in: 

  

Introduce your new colour before you finish with the old one.
Work with the two yarns together for the next 6 - 8 stitches, then snip the old yarn and continue with the new one.

That’s it. You’ve just woven in your ends!

When the project is finished, and you have washed and blocked it (if that’s part of your plan) then you just snip off all those loose tails. BUT NOT THE STARTING AND FINISHING TAILS. They will need to be woven in separately.

When you snip the tails, don’t cut them too close to the stitches. Leave about 3mm so that they don’t pull out of the stitch immediately, but they don’t stick out either.

Because of the loose stitches in this scarf, the odd tail might slip out. They do keep in place better when your gauge is tighter.

But don’t stress it! Just leave them out - or poke them back into place with your fingertip. Life’s too short to stress about that stuff…

And if you want a really scrappy look to your work - leave those tails at about 25 - 50mm (1 - 2 inches) and make them a feature.

 Pattern available as a free download: download now

Are You Still Collecting Tea Bag Strings?

"Are you still collecting tea bag strings?" is a question I've been asked quite a bit lately...

And the answer is YES.

You betcha I am!

So I love it when I get mail like this...

Actually, when the kids brought the mail in this time, I knew what was inside before I even touched the envelope... there were tell-tale ends peeking out of the seal!

If you're new to the blog, then you're probably wondering why on earth I want people to send me tea bag strings. Which is a reasonable question really...

Well.

I've been saving them.

And knotting them together...

Until they look something like this:

And then I've been crocheting with them - just as if it were yarn.

It works up surprisingly well. I mean, it's slow going with all those little knots to bypass, but the overall finish is rather special. The hook I'm using is around a 7.0 mm and the stitch is a dc, ch 1 mesh. It results in an amazingly lightweight fabric...

And what am I making with those strings?

My first project was an infinity scarf - as shown, it is wrapped three times...

I'm so pleased with the way that this one worked up, that I've started another. This one won't be an infinity scarf, just a regular long thin scarf which can be wrapped any way you like.

Onarum Wrap

So you might remember that I run a Monthly Challenge over in my Ravelry Group. Each month I release a new pattern for the group to work on together. The pattern is FREE for that month only, and then the fully tested version is available for sale after that.

It works well for me, because I get lots of you testing my patterns for me. It means that the kinks are all ironed out before the pattern goes on sale. It also means that there are lots of completed projects up on Ravelry for everyone to be inspired by. Maybe people don't like the yarn I've used in the sample - well, they can peruse all the other projects to see how the pattern works in different yarns - the ones that you guys have used...

It works well for you guys, because you get a FREE pattern. Plus, it's always fun to work at the pattern at the same time as a bunch of others. You can encourage one another and bounce ideas around. You'll be inspired by what everyone else is working up, and receive wonderful feedback too.

The really cool part is that I choose my favourite finished item each month... and if you're the "winner" then you suggest what I should design for the next challenge. How FABULOUS is that? You tell me what to create!

This month I was asked to design a wrap using only one skein of yarn... I've used Murano from Bendigo Woollen Mills, and those long stretches of colour have really worked up a treat. Best of all, it only uses one ball of yarn - so there's hardly any ends to weave in when you're finishing off! Gotta love that...

If you like what you see here, and want to join in the Crochet Challenge this month - come on over to my Ravelry Group for more details.

It doesn't take long to make either... I emailed some patterns out earlier today, and one lady has ALREADY posted photos of her finished project. Juanita - you are a STAR!

And if you wouldn't wear a wrap, it works well as a scarf instead...

Maybe you know someone who'd love one for Christmas?

The only 2 ply lace scarf I will ever make!

I can't imagine that I will ever crochet another 2 ply lace scarf...

The stitches are wonderfully delicate... and I love the way they look...

But they're a little bit too "fly away" if you know what I mean...

It's as though there's not enough weight in the scarf to allow it to drape...

But it does look gorgeous...

BUT it was pretty fiddly to make...

So...

NO!

Not again.

Christmas Eve Blocking...

Every Christmas I end up in a last-minute-muddle

and vow that I will be more organized the following year!

And here we are yet again...

It's Christmas Eve, and I'm busy finishing off gifts.

At least it's not the wee small hours of Christmas Day....

It's 5 pm on Christmas Eve - and the final gift is all pinned out and blocking as we speak. This time I'm using an arrangement of polystyrene foam boards, and about a squillion pins...

Hopefully I'll remember to take photos before I wrap it in the morning - but just in case I don't - here's some close ups of the stitch pattern:

And a reminder of how it looked before blocking:

And again after:

(well during really)

It looks like a completely different scarf, doesn't it?

Laceweight Ziggy

Yes. 

I'm obsessed with "The Zigmeister".

It's yet another Ziggy Lace Scarf.

This time it's a LACE WEIGHT yarn... 

That's a 2 ply yarn...

And Yes. It IS a Christmas gift! Hopefully.

It's surprisingly fiddly. 

Somewhere in my naive mind, I thought that a 2 ply yarn worked on a 4.0 mm hook would actually work up quite quickly - but I couldn't have been more wrong...

This is really, really slow work!

It Blocked Beautifully...

How about that?




The Ziggy Lace Scarf blocked up beautifully - and is now the perfect length - YIPPEE!



I do need to organize some blocking wires for myself though...

Is it too late to send a letter to Santa?

I fiddled about and used a bunch of straight knitting needles - but it really wasn't ideal...

And just to refresh your memory about how the stitches looked BEFORE blocking:



And here they are AFTER:



Pretty cool, huh?

Moving On.

Working my way through the Christmas list...

Checking off item number one - the snails are done!

Item number two is the red Ziggy Lace Scarf.

Free online pattern available here.

I'd have liked to make it a few inches longer, but I ran out of yarn. 

So I'm hoping to be able to add a little to the length during the blocking process.

The scarf is off having a quick soak, then I'll pin her out for a bit of a stretch.

Really looking forward to seeing how the lace blocks up.

Here's a before shot of the stitch pattern for you:

Ziggy Lace...

Well, it suddenly dawns on me that I'd better get a few gifts made!

I was fussing about the other day looking for a simple lace crochet scarf pattern - when I remembered about the Ziggy Lace Scarf. I've made a few of these before, and I find the pattern easy to follow and quick to work up... Particularly important - since it's already December.

I'm working it up in a 4ply fingering weight yarn - it's this hand-dyed Moseley Park yarn, from the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show:



Just getting started, and I'm thinking about making the scarf a bit wider than the pattern.

Best to make my mind up sooner rather than later!

While I decide, here's the Ziggys I've made in the past:

This one here was made for a swap:



I didn't blog about this other one when I made it. Not sure why not, but here's a few photos now:

Asymmetrical Elegance

Finally finished my hairpin lace piece.

I’m calling it Asymmetrical Elegance…

I started with a length of hairpin lace loops, and it kind of evolved from there!

An old pendant has been recycled into a button to secure the scarf closed.

Freeform Scarf

Free and Easy...

Twisty and Twirly...

Softly Falling...

I love this scarf.

And here's a little peek at some of the stitch detail...

(you'll have to excuse the questionable lighting in these ones)