Row counters

These are nice counters that you can leave on your needle. You can't accidentally put them on the wrong row and they count to 100. You can also use them to track repeats of 10 rows or less.

What you need
Chain (closed loops are best. I got mine at Michael's)
Beading wire (I like the nylon coated wire)
Crimp beads
Cutters (to cut the wire)
Pliers (to crimp the crimp beads)
Lobster claw clasps
Whatever beads you like

Break the chain into 10 ring segments
Make a dangle on the lobster claw clasp and add crimp bead to secure
Add a bead to the end chain ring. This marks the bottom of the counter.

GET CREATIVE! Make them however you want. Make matching stitch markers if you want.

How it works:
As a 1-100 as row counter:
The clip represents the 10's place. The clip in the bottom ring is 0, so this is where you start.

You hang it from the needle in the corasponding ring.
Clip on the 1st ring and the 4th ring on the needle =row 4
Clip on the 5th ring and the 2nd ring on the needle=42

Move up to the next ring on the needle at the start of each row. When you've got the top ring on the needle in the next row move back to the 1st ring and move the clip up one ring.

To use as a 1-10 pattern repeat counter:
Place the clip on the ring for the last row of your repeat. Move up one ring per row. When you reach the marker you know you're on your last row of the repeat and return to the 1st ring on the next row.

Easy cheap yarn sacks.

I do love my knitted yarn sacks. But let's face it, if I spend all my time knitting cozies for my yarn I won't have as much time to knit/crochet with all the yarn in knitted cozies!

So I went to the lingerie section of the store where they sell stockings and bought one of those big packs of knee high stockings. You get a bunch in a box and they're cheap.
Bonus is if you wear them, this is a great use for the ones that are either mismatched or have runs in them. You can also cut the feet off the full stockings you can't wear anymore.

You can then place your center pull cakes and skiens inside the stocking and it will help hold it together as you work and it gets floppy as the nylon will compress  the yarn. It's also great to protect those super soft and delicate yarns that can get nappy from being taken out and stufed back into your project bag. It also keeps it clean oif it falls on the floor.

Reduce, reuse recycle!

Sagataria shawl

This is a free pattern that is available on Ravelry. You can find it here

First I would like to stress this is not my pattern. I in no way wrote it. The charts I offer here reflect my mods. They do not give instruction to make the pattern. I suggest downloading the actual pattern than using these mods if you want to.

I am making this post because I did quite a few modifications to the pattern and also charted my bead placement. I thought it would be good to explain what I did.

1st. the body of the shawl.

Cast on:
This shawl starts with a 2 stitch garter tab. I have a post the shows how to do a garter tab so that you don't have to pick up any stitches when done. You can find it here (it's actually the post just below this one)

This was a traditional Shetland lace. the original has all the decreases leaning the same way so I mirrored them. this is the same stitch pattern used in Rock Island. The charts are mirrored on both sides so I eliminated the 2nd half of the chart so it would print larger. This is what I have for the body of the shawl. If you want to use lifelines in this portion of the pattern I would suggest inserting them on any double decrease row. these rows have the most stitches which makes it easier to pick up off the lifeline if needed.

Instead of the k3tog. I did a s1, k2tog, psso. this centers the decreases

this is the chart I made for chart 1

The edging:

Here I didn't really change the chart. I did change the decreases and used both s1, k2tog, psso and s2knitwise, k1, psso

for the most part I used the later so this created straight lines of stitches with a lined up stitch on top. I did use the 1st version at the tips of the arrows to allow them to come to a clear point. I also moved the decreases from the center of the arrow to the edge to better accent the lines of the arrow heads. Again, this chart is mirrored so you don't need the other side, this allows for larger printing.

I also changed the order of the charts on the page so better see how the pattern repeats lined up with each other. The highlighted stitches  are where I placed the beads I worked the stitch and than removed the loop and slipped a bead onto it before placing it back on the needle.

This bead placement does take a LOT of beads! But I think it's worth it as it really brings out the arrow pattern in the edging.

Here is my charts for the edging

The bind off:

I placed a bead at the tip of each point. I also worked the bind off in pattern. It calls for a stretchy bind off so I worked the one where you make 2 stitches and than knit them together. But I worked the 1st stitch in pattern.

So the bo on mine goes...
k2, slip back, k2tog (place bead on loop), yo, pass last stitch over the yo, *k1, slip back and k2tog* [repeat 4 times). ssk, slip back and k2tog, *k1, slip back and k2tog* [repeat 4 times]. yo pass last stitch over yo, k1, slip back and k2tog (place bead), yo, pass stitch over yo. Basically I worked the 1st stitch of the bo edge as though it were another pattern repeat than I bound it off with the last stitch I had on the needle.

I continued on in this same fashion. It's not necessary to do this, but I liked carrying the decreases to the edge.

Beads... beads... this has a LOT of beads!

when working off your edging every other cluster will turn into a arrow. Of these arrows they will stagger and every other will be shorter. the short arrows take 15 beads each and the long arrow takes 17

for the body of my shawl I worked 7 repeats. this gave me 36 full arrows along the edge 576 beads than another 70 for the increase arrows that resulted from increasing on the points. The edging took 25 beads for a grand total of 671 beads.

My beads are small and I used a size 13 crochet hook to place them on. Another method is to string them onto a beading wire than fold the end of the wire. hook the loop of the stitch with the bend of the wire and put the tip of the wire back into the bead and push the bead down onto the stitch.

No pickup garter tab

I have combined a couple techniques that has resulted in a garter tab that you don't have to pick up a single stitch to make!

1st cast on using the provisional co for toe up socks. For this sample I'll be making a 3 stitch garter tab. So I have 3 stitches on each needle.

 Just pull the needle through the 3 you won't be knitting right now so they are further down the cable and out of the way.

With the 3 stitches that are on the needle
kfb, k2 turn
k3 turn
kfb, k2 turn

repeat these steps. the 1st stitch of the kfb will be the one that you would have to pick up later. Were just doing it right now. End on a kfb row. Do these steps untill you have enough stitches to equal what you would be picking up later.

You can see the 3 loops on the cabel thsn 5 stitches created by the kfb and the last 3 are the live stitches

Now pull your cable tight causing the 3 stitches from the co to pop back up to the tab. My tail is kinda in the way here, but I've moved the cable through so all the stitches atr together.

turn your work and knit across all stitches. this is the 3 live stitches, however many you have on the side (i have 5 in my sample) and the 3 from the co end.

you have just made a garter tab and didn't have to pick up a single stitch!
Here is the co to my current shawl that I used this technique for. This called for a 2 stitch garter tab and 5 stitches to pickup along the edge as well as another 2 stitches from the start.

New stitch pattern - Knitting

Clearly this isn't "new" if I reversed engineered it from an existing fabric. But I just worked this one out for someone on Rav who linked to a sweater and wanted to know how recreate the stitch pattern (I also happen to enjoy challenges as this). I thought I would share here as it's a rather pretty and simple stitch. Also it looks attractive on both sides.

This is a 3 color, 3 stitch, 9 row repeat

Use 3 color and work a different color each row. Trail the yarn instead of cutting if working in the round

 the stitch repeat is 3 stitches and 3 rows. but each set of 3 rows shifts 1 stitch so it takes 9 rows to complete.

this is the pattern written for working in the round

Cast on in multiples of 3

CO in multiples of 3

1. s1wyif, p, k
2. k, k, p
3. p, k, k

4. k, s1wyif, p
5. p, k, k
6. k, p, k ,

7. p, k, s1wyif
8. k, p, k
9. k. k. p

If you are working flat this is the written pattern

1. s1wyif, p, k
2. p, k, k
3. p, k, k

4. k, s1wyib, p
5. p, k, k
6. p, k, p

7. p, k, s1wyif
8. p, k, p
9. k. k. p

Here is a chart. I didn't number the rows and you can use it for flat or in the round. Bold is the pattern repeat. I wrote the slip stitch as keeping the yarn on the right side of the fabric in case anyone uses this for flat work. Keeps it from getting over complicated.

Designing tip

I mostly chart my stuff in Excel. I like it, it's easy and you can do some neat things with it. I'm making a shrug based on a stitch pattern in an old book. The pattern was written so I had to chart it. It's a busy pattern so charting it wasn't the easiest to transfer from flat  written to charted in the round.

This is a section of the chart i printed for decreasing.  Te center is the pattern repeat and the sides are the repeat sections I will be decreasing. I have shaded lines across the chart on the decrease rows and I changed the font for the sections I will decrease to a really light font. I printed this out and it allows me to see what the pattern repeats are supposed to do and I can adjust and over wright with a pen the changes I made as I decrease. I use a pencil and shade in "no stitch" areas as I get rid of sections and can easily decided when it's to narrow to continue in pattern. When I am done I will go back in and make the changes to the chart to reflect what it really needs to be.

The dark row at the bottom is an unaltered pattern repeat for reference to build off of.

Here is what it looks like in progress with notes over written. I take this back to the computer and update the chart.

And this is what I'm working on

Carving Starry Night

 

So this Halloween i decided to tackle Van Gogh's Starry Night. To do this I have some wood carving tools I picked up at Michael's craft store. Clay tools really aren't sharp enough. i also have a couple small loops for carving out.

I printed off the picture. To conserve ink I just printed it under the "draft" setting. Didn't need a really nice print, just to get the idea. I used a regular ball tip pen to transfer it to the pumpkin. I did this freehand. You can make a couple pricks through the print to get a few points for size reference.

To start carving i clipped my print to a board so I could have it to look at as I went. After gutting the pumpkin and thinning the walls I got one of the tap lights that are battery powered and put it inside. I put the light in a sandwich bag 1st so it didn't get pumpkin on it. I liked the light so much that we ended up using it instead of candles when we were done.

To get the walls a uniform thickness i have a needle probe in my set and poked it through teh wall in several spots to cofirm that it was all the same thickness. I scraped it to about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thickness.

 

 I used a small curved blade for most of the pumpkin. To get the crisp outlines I partially cut into the skin following the lines I made than used a flat chisel blade and cut towards the outline cuts and chipped out small bits to create the outlines.

Slowly carve in layers! You can't un-carve. I worked away at he moon with large and small curved blades. I used a hole punch for the stars (you can see the tools in the background... and the pumpkin all over me!)

 Pumpkins like this are in revese. The deeper you go the brighter the spots get. I used the edge of the angled chisel to scrape the deepest lines by the mountain and moon. the Moon is nearly cut through on the outer edge and I did cut through around the points and circle

For the buildings I poked in straight with a flat chisel than cut towards my 1st cut to chip out the flesh.

 This angle shows the moon well.

 When I'm done I wash the pumpkin inside and out to get any hanging bits. this really does make a huge difference in how clean the lines of a pumpkin look! i than went and checked for any areas that needed touch ups.

This was only the 2nd time I have done a shadow pumpkin. I really am happy with this. I think I could have had more depth around the stars, but this is pretty good!

Thse are pumpkins that my kids did.

My daughter Anja's pumpkin

 My youngest son, Michael's pumpkin. he will be 9 in January and he cut this by himself!

You can see the tap light in this one. They really do work great!

 And my older son, Robert's pumpkin.

Weaving in ends - knitting

I just came across this amazing post with excellent photos detailing many ways to weave in ends in your knitting and thought I would pass it on.

http://www.purlbee.com/knitting-tutorials-finishing/2011/7/14/weaving-in-your-ends.html

Lasagna

Posting my lasagna recipe.
1. because it's good
2. I thought i lost it when I lost my cooking program files but found a paper copy and don't want to loose it for real.

I actually double this when I make it

1 lb ground beef (I use Bob Evans Italian roll sausage)
1 can tomato sauce 
2 jars spaghetti sauce
I used my own sauce so don't add these ingredients, will post sauce recipe
 chopped onion to taste
chopped bell pepper to taste  
2 tbsp chopped parsley (to taste)
1 tbsp chopped oregano (to taste)
minced garlic (to taste

1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 container ricotta cheese 
1 egg
mozzarella cheese - shredded to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

combine parsley, ricotta, cottage cheese, oregano and egg

preheat oven to 350ºF

I do not fully cook the pasta, I just boil it till it's a little bit soft but still 

In pan coat bottom with sauce
layer with pasta, ricotta mix than mozzarella (save some mozzarella for end)
repeat layers ending with sauce.

cover and bake about 35 minutes

uncover and top with remainder of the mozzarella and Parmesan and return to oven uncovered for another 10 minutes.

For my spaghetti sauce I brown 1 lb roll Bob Evans Italian sausage I add the onions and bell pepper with the sausage. I combine that all into a pot with 1 28oz can tomato sauce and 1 14.5 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes. Add in what ever you like to sauce (mushrooms and such). I also add about 1 tbs honey (or brown sugar).

simmer down to desired consistency. 

Tunisian lattice throw

This throw is tunisian crochet on the bias and has a simple but elegant texture. For mine I used Caron Simply Soft in Heather Grey and it took about 5.25 skeins. This pattern is written and will allow you to make this as wide or long as you like. If you want to switch up the edging or add open spaces to it, it is easy to modify.

The pattern is written

Tools:
Tools 6mm / J extended tunisian/afghan hook (or long straight hook). 6 skeins 1500 yards / 852 grams Caron Simply Soft Heather Grey

I have 3 downloads for this pattern.
Tunisian Lattice Throw- mirror. This pattern includes photo instructions on how to create the tunisian stitches and they are left handed.
Tunisian Lattice Throw - standard - This is the same print but I have went and flipped all the images so they appear right handed.
Tunisian Lattice Throw - Chart (left hand) - This is a chart for this pattern. It is a left hand chart ( read left to right) if you are right handed and read patterns right to left you will want to either go into your advanced printers settings and print this as a mirror image so that you will be able to read it right to left. Or just read the printed chart left to right. This chart does not have detailed stitch directions so use it along with the instructions on the written patterns.


The 1st pages are just bare bones with 2 images. I than follow with photos on separate pages to show how to do the various tunisian stitches required for this pattern. This will allow you to just print the pattern or print the photos and tutorials.

I think this blanket works best with a medium shade yarn. Nothing to bright or dark or the texture will be harder to see. Also I chose a solid grey but Tunisian tends to play well with variegated yarn.

This would make a lovely large blanket, just be cautious to make sure you purchase enough yarn as this does consume a LOT of yarn!

This is also on Ravelry

I don't know why these pictures are showing up sideways, 

2013 Cookie party!

This is a stock photo of what the cookie cutters can make. The set is no longer made but you can  purchase it on E-bay. It is The Williams-Sonoma Holliday Storybook Cookie Cutters set. For reference, the trees are actually about 4-5" tall



This is my post for my 2013 cookie party! I have started a tradition for family and friends that every year I throw a cookie party. This year will be 3D Christmas scene involving sleigh, reindeer, trees and snowman. I will add to this post as the event evolves. I am making the sleigh and reindeer out of gingerbread cookies and the trees and snowman out of sugar cookie dough. I will pre-color the tree dough green.

This is the gingerbread recipe that I am using. It is included in the cookie set.

Gingerbread cookies

(This recipe states it's lighter than those used for houses so suitable for small cookies. See my cookie party 2012 post for a gingerbread house recipe.

Have ingredients at room temperature before starting

Combine and sift together than set aside

5 c. flour
½ t. Baking soda
1T. Ground ginger
4t. Ground cinnamon
¾ t. ground cloves
1t. Nutmeg
1t. Allspice
1 ½ t. salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using flat beater, beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale yellow (4-6 minutes)

                2 sticks (1 cup) butter

Add and beat for 1 minute

                ½ c. firmly packed brown sugar
                ½ c. granulated sugar

Reduce speed to low and beat in, until well combined (about 1 minute)

                1 c. molasses

Add and beat until well combined

                1 egg

Add the flour mixture in 4 portions, beating in each addition before adding more. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl occasionally.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and with floured hands divide into 4 sections. Shape each section into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap, parchment paper or other material and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven t o400ºF (200ºC)

Remove dough 1 disc at a time and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out to ¼ “- 3/8” thickness and cut.

Bake cookies until lightly browned on the bottom (4-5 minutes for smaller cookies 6-7 minutes for larger cookies). 

Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before removing and placing on cooling rack. Trim cookies while warm as needed

12-22-13
Cookie party was a success (as it usually is). I found some silicone molds for $1.99 at our grocery store (Meijer's) so I melted Jolly rancher candies into them. the gingerbread men and snowflakes took 1 candy. and I used 3 for the presents to fill the bow space.

 And as for the cookies.... it was FUN! We had lots of candy to decorate with and a room full of creative people who have unique senses of humor is always a good thing.

 This one belonged to a friend of mine. Her and her husband love to do cookie stuff.

 This is my niece with her decked out tree

 

 Another friend has their sleigh running over some poor gummy bears!

 And my daughter made a full on cookie crime scene!

 

 For the candy decorations we had...

• colored sugar
• candy corn
• mints
• gummy bears
• gummy worms
• sour gummy worms
• chocolate covered raises
• spice drops
• pull and peel twizlers
• peppermint candies
• mini M&M's
• mini reses cups
• smarties
• candy pearls (in assorted colors and sizes)
• jelly beans
• icing
• buttercream frosting
• royal frosting

We may have had more, but that is what i can think of for now.

My daughter is going on a learning trip to Europe!

My Daughter Anja is now officially accepted into the People to People Student Ambassador program. We have created a FB page that she will update with her experiences through this whole process at.

Trip of a Lifetime

We would appreciate it if you would like the FB page to help get it seen.

Also the actual fundraiser site is.

Help me experience a trip of a lifetime!

She has set the goal at $3000 but the total trip is close to $7000. She will be doing work and other activities to raise funds along with any donations we are able to collect.

This is a 19 day long trip and is full of experienes that she just would not be able to get any other way. IF you would like to see the itinary for her trip you can see it here

Celtic Cultures

Knitted decreases... how do they work?

This description is directed at mirror knitters and the mirrored version of decreases.
Mirror knitters swap the meanings for the decreases we use because we approach the stitches from the other direction.

I am posting this here. I have shared this on a board on Ravelry and thought i would add it here for refrence.

Below is a swatch I made showing various decreases with explanations of how/why they work. This description is of the decreases from the top section down.

These descriptions refer to stitches mounted so that the leading leg is in front. Due to your personal style of knitting the stitches on the needles may not be mounted leading leg in front and require extra slipping for correct placement to avoid twisting your finished stitches. I am a combined knitter so I have to manipulate stitches a bit more than some.

Patterns are written assuming you have your leading leg in front so that is what based these descriptions on.

block 1:
on the left are  ssk’s  - the line of decrease slants to the right (right leaning) the stitches to the right are ending at the line of decrease
on the right are the k2tog - the line of decrease slants to the left (left leaning) the stitches to the left are ending at the line of decrease
at the top where they join is s1 k2tog psso (you can see both lines of decrease end at this point and the point sits on top and the center stitch under sort of disappears into the point.
the last decrease directly on top is a sl2tog k1 psso you can see the center line stays on top and the side stitches end into and behind it.
block 2:
these are all s1 k2tog psso - when stacked this creates a choppy line because the side stitches are being pulled over the center stitch and covering it.
block 3:
sl2tog k1 psso - you can see the center line stays on top and the stitches that are being reduced are “disappearing” behind the center line.
this stitch is not used nearly as much as the s1 k2tog psso decrease.

on the bottom 2 samples I placed an extra row between the 1st and 2nd decreases to sort of show them better. on the top sets of decreases I worked them directly on top of each other
*you can click to enlarge the image for a better view.

 

when working decreases on the wrong side that will be seen on the knit side you need to switch decreases to get the desired result on the right side of the fabric.

To demonstrate why this is, take a small piece of paper and make a diagonal line from the lower left to the upper right corner, this line represents a right leaning decrease. When you turn the paper over that line is now left leaning.
 
ssp = left leaning decrease on the right side
p2tog = right leaning decrease on the right side

If you are decreasing in a field of purls and the purl side is the right side it doesn’t matter which decrease you use because lean cannot be seen on the purl side. use whichever one is easier for you.

Fixing an accidental short row

 So you are knitting and you find that you have this strange hole. You don't know exactly what it is, but you don't want a hole in your knitting.

You figure it's not to bad, only 1 stitch, so you ladder down to fix it.

 When you get down to the hole you find a loop

 This loop means you set your knitting down mid row and when you picked it back up you accidentally turned your work creating a short row.

 To fix this you actually need to drop 2 columns of stitches. Here I dropped the stitches to the right of the loop. You want to drop the stitches on the other side of the loop. My loop is on my left so I dropped another column on the right. You want to drop just to the stitches directly below the loop.

 Here I have placed the 2 stitches onto a crochet hook. Crochet hooks are very handy for this sort of thing.

 Holding the loop I am grabbing both legs and will draw them through the 1st loop on the hook to create a stitch. Don't pull all the way through. .

 Leave the loop end hanging out. you can stick a stitch marker in it if you are worried about loosing the loop. I used a knitting needle and stuck that through the loop. Here my stitch is on the hook and the loop is on the needle above it.

 place the stitch you just made onto a needle or something to keep it and don't loose the loop sticking out.

 Now your next stitch you want to drop just 1 more stitch down from where you are

 Here my hook is through my stitch and the bar above it that I just dropped

 And hook the loop

 Pull both the loop and the bar through the stitch on the hook.

Transfer the stitch you just made to your needle. You now have 2 stitches that are 2 strands thick on the needle

 Now just work your way back up to the top knitting with the bars from the stitches you just dropped and treating the 2 strand stitches as though they were just one strand thick.

Personally I prefer to work with my needles. I knit my 2 stitches, transfer them back to the other side needle and knit them with the next bar and repeat till I'm back at the top.

 Once you worked back up you now have fixed the hole. There is a slight thickness where you fixed it form the 2 stitches that are double thick. Also you have 1 more row on one side than the other from accidentally turning your work. But this won't really be a problem unless you do this to often. This fix disguises the problem area and closes the hole created by the short row.