New Knitting Pattern

Those of you who know me know that I'm very active online. I can be found at the following places in addition to here at my blog:

http://www.KnittingGuru.com

http://www.BurryBabies.com

http://www.KnittingGuru.etsy.com

http://www.BurryBabies.etsy.com

http://www.KnittingGuru.artfire.com

http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru

http://www.twitter.com/KnittingGuru

http://www.twitter.com/BurryBabies

http://www.pinterest.com/KnittingGuru

http://www.flickr.com/KnittingGuru

http://www.flickr.com/BurryBabies

http://www.ravelry.com/TheKnittingGuru

So why am I so derelict in writing in my blog???

Today, I finally finished a new knitting pattern PDF and I thought I'd motivate my inner blogger by posting the pattern here. It's one of the many patterns for which I have photos and instructions written out, but which I haven't made into PDFs yet. My many friends at Facebook keep asking me to get this done, so it's their motivational messages that have gotten me to do this one and to blog about it -- a mere 1 year since my last blog entry!!!

The pattern is great for beginners since it's really just garter stitch, but with a delightful and lacy difference. This led me to name the pattern Heavenly Garter Lace Scarf. I haven't posted it on Etsy yet, but if you "like" me at Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru -- I'm having an introductory sale on the pattern this week. It will be $6.95, but I'm offering it on Facebook for $5. The pattern includes a tutorial on blocking lace and suggestions for ways to vary the stitch to make other scarves or even shawls. I hope you like it!

Thread Crochet Work in Progress

I love to make fiber jewelry using fine cotton threads and sometimes beads too. Each piece is one of a kind for the simple reason that writing out the pattern would be much too time consuming. Even more importantly, these works take shape as I crochet and having to stop to write down what I'm doing frequently would interrupt the creative process and the flow of my work.

Since this blog's reason for being is to take you on a trip inside the mind of a knitwear designer, I though it might be interesting to show a work in progress along with a picture of what inspired the piece.

This view from my window was taken this morning. We've had an awful lot of snow this winter, but I had a suspicion it wasn't over yet. I really hate the way it collects on the sidewalks and turns black and icy or mushy, but when the snow is fresh, and especially when it's on tree branches, I just love it. To me it looks like lace.

I'd been thinking about making a necklace to show this and had even started it. Today I began to put the snow on the branches that were previously crocheted. You'll notice that there are lots of threads hanging. These all need to be finished off and hidden securely. That's one of the reasons it takes so long to make thread crocheted jewelry. It's also the reason the snow is on both sides of the brances -- I couldn't deal with the profusion of thread ends if I only crocheted the snow on one side as it is in reality.

I'll post the finished necklace -- maybe in a few days or maybe longer depending on what other work intervenes. 

© KnittingGuru, 2011. All rights reserved. All images and finished designs, including the name and description, are the intellectual property of KnittingGuru.

Ask the Guru Q & A

On my website - http://www.KnittingGuru.com - I have a section called "Ask the Guru". People send me knitting/crochet questions and I answer try to help clarify things for them. I received an interesting question today and thought it might be interesting to show it and my answer.

Ask the Guru - Question

Hi,

I have this pattern for a knitted flower for a hat. The instructions are a little confusing

Co 79sts

1st row; Purl

2nd row; K2, *k1, slip this st back onto left needle, lift the next 8 sts on left needle over this st and off the needle, (yfwd) twice,

Then knit the first stitch again, k2. rep from * to end.

    ( This is where I am confused, I did the lift the next 8 sts on the left needle over this st and off the needle. I understand the yfwd twice, but the knit the first stitch again?? I wasn't sure what that meant. then k2.rep from * to end.?? I don't usually have a problem with patterns ,but for some reason, I can't get this. Can you help me?)

3rd row; K1,*P2tog (k1,k1 tbl) into the 2 yfwd sts, p1. Rep from * to last st, k1. 30 sts.d

4th row; Knit

5th row; (purl 2 tog) 15 times.

Break wool and thread through remaining 15sts. Fasten off.

Thanks so much. Joanne

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Ask the Guru - Answer

Hi Joann -

I'm assuming that you're sending this in response to my "Ask the Guru" column on my website - http://www.KnittingGuru.com - and I'll be happy to help.

I can understand your confusion. Knitting directions are often terribly unclear and mysterious. When I make my own patterns, I write out the directions without abbreviations and include charts for just that reason. We read and speak English, not "Knittish"!

Anyway, if you look at the stars that indicate a repeat of the pattern on Row 2, the answer becomes clear. After the first star it says k1, slip this st back onto left needle, lift the next 8 sts on left needle over this st and off the needle, (yfwd) twice, then knit the first stitch again, k2, rep from * to end.

The stitch that is referred to as the first stitch has to mean the knit 1 stitch that you put back on the left needle - the stitch you lifted 8 stitches over. That stitch is still on the left needle so it's now the first stitch after the star. Any pattern repeat is knit from * to *. So after you knit that stitch again you do 2 yarn overs or as this pattern calls it "(yfwd) twice". Then you k2 - knit 2 stitches and repeat from the star.

To repeat this a different way,

Row 2 -- Knit 2 stitches * knit 1 stitch and put it back on left needle, lift 8 stitches on the left needle over this stitch and drop them off the needle, yarn over twice, knit 2* Repeat from * to *.

Some of the confusion comes because the writer left out the second star which sets the repeat apart, making it hard to know which stitch is the "first stitch".

I don't have the time right now due to work I must finish for my knitting business or I'd knit this to double check, but I'm pretty sure that the instructions call for you to knit that stitch again to firm up the area with all the stitches passed over. If you didn't knit it again, you'd have to slip it to the right needle and it would be quite stretched out.

I understand that Row 2 is probably where you stopped. However, I want to caution you about Row 3. The directions call for you to knit 3 stitches into each of the yarn over stitches. This will be a little tricky, especially if your needles don't have narrow pointed ends. Be careful that the second yarn over doesn't slip off while you're knitting those 3 stitches into the first yarn over! Also note the repeat from * to *. After you have done all the repeats, you should have one stitch left which you will knit.

I hope that this helps and that all is now clear to you. Good luck with the flower! I'd love to see a picture when you finish it!

Warm Wishes and Happy Knitting!

Veena (aka the KnittingGuru)

http://www.KnittingGuru.com

http://www.KnittingGuru.etsy.com

http://www.KnittingGuru.artfire.com

http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru (please join me there if you're on Facebook)

http://www.twitter.com/KnittingGuru

I'm also on Ravelry as TheKnittingGuru.

My patterns are available at Etsy, Artfire and Ravelry.

With all of this activity, I haven't yet updated my website and put the pattern on there - part of my goals for 2011!

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If I can carve out a few minutes today, I'll try to knit this flower and see how it looks. I'll post a picture if there's anything worth seeing here. Right now it looks like more trouble than it's worth, but who knows? It might be lovely.

Happy Valentine's Day

The holiday season was a really busy time for me and seemed to extend from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day. I'm looking forward to a brief respite and to working on Late Winter/Early Spring clothing and accessories. I've been spending a lot of time on Facebook and hope my readers will follow me there at http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru and at my Profile page which is http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru Fiberart.


In the meantime, here's a little Romance for you --

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale

I have over 200 pieces in my Etsy shop and they are all discounted by 10% from today, Black Friday until Cyber Monday  at midnight. For some of my more ambitious pieces in luxurious fibers, 10% makes a big difference in price. For my smaller items such as thread crocheted rings, the price becomes so low that it's in the Stocking Stuffer range! As a special inducement to my blog readers, please make a comment here and use coupon code KGBLOG10 in your notes to seller. Wait for a revised invoice with an Extra 5% off making your discount 15%.


Here are some of the categories of things you'll see in the sale...

 Saturday Night Shrug

 

White Knitted and Crocheted Merino Lace Shawl

Jewel Tone Slouch Hat with Free Flower Clip

 

Chunky Gray Fringed Wool Cowl

 

Femme Fatale Alpaca and Merino Victorian Capelet

 

 Red Berries Scarf Cowl Wrap 

 White Crocheted Merino Lace Heart Gloves

 

 Three Flower Thread Crocheted Necklace

Reminder:  To get an additional 5% off the already reduced prices please do two things:

1-  Comment here about one or all of these pieces

2 - Use coupon code KGBLOG10 in your notes to seller and wait for a revised invoice. 

These pictures are only samples. there are about 230 items in my shop from which to choose.

ONE A DAY HOLIDAY SALE

I've been having a One a Day Holiday Sale at my Etsy shop. Each day until January 1st, I'm having a sale on one item until midnight of that day.


If you go to my Facebook fan page -- http://www.facebook.com/KnittingGuru -- you'll see what's been on sale so far.


Today I'm featuring the irresistible, opulent, velvety Audrey Hepburn Cowl. It's crocheted with washable faux suede and although it may not make you look like Audrey, you will look gorgeous! The cowl is 25% off until midnight tonight.

I magnified the last picture to try to give you some idea of how incredibly sumptuous this piece is.

More Autumn - My Favorite Season

Here in the Northeast November always means that Autumn in almost over. We have Thanksgiving -- the quintessential Autumn holiday to look forward to -- but soon the gorgeous leaves will be gone and we'll have to face the long winter. Turning the clocks back this weekend emphasized that. It's only 4pm and it's already starting to get dark.


So... here are some more Autumnal things that can be worn even when winter comes to liven up the cold weather. I may sound a little nostalgic and sad, but that's just because I always long for Autumn. In fact though, as a knitter, I also look forward to cold weather so I can wear my woolens and offer them for sale in my online shops. This is also a good time to inform or remind everyone that fine quality woolens are Never Itchy. It's cheap wools that are itchy. I spend a lot of time on this subject because I deplore the use of acrylics and other synthetics that are made from petroleum! We don't need to use petroleum to make yarn that isn't even warm, pills excessively, and contributes to destroying the planet. Try wool. You'll like it!

Merino Curlicue Cowl in Shades of Red

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37752208/merino-curlicue-cowl-in-shades-of-red

Woodland Forest Foliage Wrap with Flower Brooch

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57718818/woodland-forest-foliage-handknit-wrap

Poison Mushroom Crocheted Wrap

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44699047/poison-mushroom-crocheted-scarf

Marigold Shrug in Hand Painted Wool

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37217354/marigold-shrug-hand-painted-knitted-wool

 

Falling Leaves Lariat

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57659207/falling-leaves-lariat-earth-friendly

I have more Autumn pieces to show, but since it's almost dark out, I'd better end here and go start some warming Autumn dinner. Another nice thing about Autumn is cooking and savoring the delicious bean stews I love to make.