The No-Edge-Vest

My little boy is turning into a fashionista.
He can be quite fussy about what he wears - at the moment it's either Thomas the Tank Engine or Toy story.

A while ago I made him a vest that had crochet round the neck and arm holes but no band on the bottom, when I wanted to make him another vest as the previous one was sitting above his belly button, he held it up to me and said 'like this Mama' and rolled up the bottom. He didn't want a rib edge. In fact when I queried him he didn't want an edge on any of it.

So he picked out the yarn at the shop by rubbing it under his chin to make sure it was soft and the colours were what he liked - he wanted green in it as well but I couldn't come at mixing olive green in here... it's not my colour.

So we got some zhivago (or imitation zhivago) and I started.

If you look closely the red and blue stripes are actually exactly the same size, crossing over in the middle. That maths took a while but I like the effect.
It does look like there's more blue though.

And here's the cheeky little monkey modelling. It was pretty hot the day I asked him to put it on so he was not too impressed and happens to have pyjama bottoms on and a singlet.
Prince Charming.
Doing some fancy model shots.

Showing off.


The pattern? Well I just winged it.

Braving the 2ply

My daughter's Year 1 teacher retired in the middle of last year.
I wanted to give her a nice thank you present as she'd been wonderful for my daughter and we really missed her.
The year before I made her a project bag that had cats on the outside and was purple on the inside (she collects cats and purple is her favourite colour). This year I wanted it to be an extra little bit special so I decided I'd make a shawl.

I hunted for about 2 weeks for just the right pattern. I didn't want to do a triangle shawl as I felt they were a bit 'granny' like and didn't want her to feel that was the message I was sending seeing as she'd just retired. I wanted a shawl that she could wear out that was almost scarf like but not really, for when she just needed something round her neck/shoulders.

In the end I settled on Annis. The next hard part was the yarn.
I ordered some Classic Elite Silky Alpaca in Plum. 2ply!!!! yikes.
Anyway I started.
This pattern also has nupps in it. These are little bumpy things in the pattern. I have heard they are a knitter's nightmare, but I found a tutorial on doing them with a crochet hook. Nupps - not a problem.

So in the end I finished and blocked it in time to give it to the teacher.
I'm not sure if she liked it, she didn't open it in front of me, but she is craft minded herself so I'm sure she appreciated it. (I'll try and find out this year if she liked it, but DD is changing schools so it won't be easy!)

Anyway, here are some photos. I'd happily make this pattern again. I think I might try in some yarn I've hand dyed.







Once blocked.




I love it in 2ply but I'm not sure I could knit it again. The yarn was definitely gorgeous.

Magic Yarn Ball for Christmas

In my Ravelry Swap Group we did a Magic Yarn Ball (MYB) for Christmas.
Here's mine -

• the yarn is Araucania Itata Solid in Melon

• the idea of a myb is that you fill the ball of yarn with presents that drop out as you knit. To do this you need to unwind your skein (or ball) and then wind around all your goodies

• this results in a ball of yarn in an unusual shape. (Even my DH really liked the idea of the myb)

The insides -

• right in the middle I had some hand dyed wool silk roving
  
• some of the almond biscuits I'd been making for the kids
• a Christmas sheep that pooed jelly beans
• a notepad
• some handmade stitch markers in a little purse
• a sample pack of dyes to try and a little thing of soak
• some buttons, a wraps per inch measure
• a project bag I'd made from two fat quarters + a small pair of scissors, needles and tape measure to go in it
  

• bag and buttons

Less time at the computer = more time sewing!

I have actually been doing a lot of sewing lately. And by a lot anything more than the nothing I had been doing seems like a lot.

I found some patterns in a second hand store and have been giving them a whirl.
The good thing about this is that they cost next to nothing (one even cost 10cents and had the best twirly skirt in it) and often the pieces are already cut out (I hate that job). They are patterns from the 70's and 80's but the shape is still good and I was happy to give them a whirl.

Getting photos of the made objects has been hard.
I decided this day to get one subject in his natural habitat - on Sodor Island**
These weren't supposed to be Christmas pants as such, but they work well for this time of year.

The first pair I made in this pattern were a size 6 and they comfortably fit his older sister and she's wearing size 7. (I made a size 6 because I thought a little growing room wouldn't matter.)
Little Mister still wears them (he picked the material for those, they have dog paws and dog bones all over them) they just look nice and spacious.



I love this pattern because it has front pockets and they are easy to do.
I'm not so fond of the attached waistband but it's what you have to do because of the pockets.

I might tailor the pattern to give it a different leg shape so they aren't quite so baggy, but this pattern will stay in the repertoire for quite a while I think.
I have also made some circle skirts for DD but haven't photographed them.
I turned one circle skirt pattern into a wrap around skirt and it looks really nice so I thought I'd give the wrap around skirt in one of the patterns a whirl.

This is cut to a size 7.
(This is also the day before her front tooth fell out so she is sucking it back in her mouth to look like she's got a gap.)
I love the material. It's drill and when I grabbed it I didn't realise the little red spots on it made hearts. DD likes hearts so it worked out well.


Cheeky little monkeys aren't they?
DD has voiced clearly that she doesn't want me to make her any more shorts unless they are soft (ie tshirt material) and tiny. hrmph. She has said I can make dresses and skirts though - thank you Your Highness.

She does get a little bit jealous of DS's shorts though.

Definitely more sewing going to happen this summer, especially for DD. Have you noticed that when girls clothes get to size 7/8 they automatically become more trashy? What happened to the sweet girls clothes? I am combating the chain stores by making age appropriate clothing this year - which just means Spotlight will get my money and not Target. :o)



** Sodor Island is where Thomas the Tank Engine and friends live.

Last Birthday Swap

This is my last birthday swap for the year.
I made this little bag and I love the material in it - lucky I made a similar one for me then. :o)

I put a bit of fancy work on the pocket. I haven't done that before and I like that it made the pocket stand out.


and I filled it up with goodies.A little notebook and needle gauge, some white yarn (100% silk I think) and a dyeing kit.
There might have been something else... I can't quite remember.


I hope she liked it.

Kata - free crochet square pattern

Kata

File has been modified - version 5 here.

This pattern is a flower – created by crocheting clusters. Although the instructions are long, once you master a cluster it will all seem easy.

American terminology used.

12’ square

Worsted weight yarn

5.50mm hook

Gauge – Round 1 = 2”

9 ½’ square

DK yarn

4.0mm hook

Gauge – Round 1 = 1 3/8”

Abbreviations:

Ch - chain

Sc – single crochet

Dc – double crochet

HDc –half double crochet

Tc – treble crochet

Lp(s) – loop/loops

Sp(s) – space/spaces

St(s) – stitch/stitches

Yo – yarn over

Special Stitches

These stitches are all variations on clusters. Be aware that one cluster (trc) is split across 2 spaces.

Beg 3dc cl*- First 3 double crochet cluster

Chain 3

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (4lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all three loops on hook.

3dc cl - 3 double crochet cluster

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (4lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (5lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (4lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all four loops on hook.

Beg 4dc cl* -First 4 double crochet cluster

Chain 3

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook),{yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (4lps on hook),yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (5lps on hook),yo and pull through 2 lps (4lps stay on hook)

Yo and pull through all four loops on hook.

4dc cl - 4 double crochet cluster

Yo, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (4lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (5lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (4lps on hook)

Yo, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (6lps on hook),{yo and pull through 2 lps (5lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all five loops on hook.

Beg trc cl -First treble crochet cluster (5trc spread across 2 spaces)

Chain 4

Yo twice, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (4lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}two times (2lps stay on hook)

Yo twice, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (5lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (3lps on hook)

Yo twice, and insert hook into NEXT sp, yo, pull through (6lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (4lps on hook)

Yo twice, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (7lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (5lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all loops on hook.

trc cl - treble crochet cluster (5trc spread across two spaces)

Yo twice times, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (4lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (2lps stay on hook)

Yo twice times, insert hook in sp, yo, pull through space (5lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (3lps stay on hook)

Yo twice, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (6lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (4lps on hook)

Yo twice, and insert hook into NEXT sp, yo, pull through (7lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (5lps on hook)

Yo twice, insert hook into same sp, yo, pull through (8lps on hook), {yo and pull through 2 lps}twice (6lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all six loops on hook

Beg outside cl-First outer cluster (3dc cluster)

Chain 3

Yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook),{yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through space (4lps on hook),yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps stay on hook)

Yo and pull through all three loops on hook.

outside cl - outside cluster (3dc cluster)

Yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through space (3lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (2lps stay on hook)

Yo, insert hook into next st, yo, pull through (4lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (3lps on hook)

Yo, insert hook into next st, yo, pull through (5lps on hook), yo and pull through 2 lps (4lps on hook)

Yo and pull through all four loops on hook.

You can change colour at any point in the square by finishing off and joining a new colour at your finish point then continuing with instructions.

Start with a magic loop

R1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 15 dc into magic loop, close with a sl st to the 3rd ch of beginning ch 3 [16DC] (2 inches in 10ply) (1.5 inches in DK)

R2: Starting in any Dc (or continuing from the stitch you finished in) Ch 4 (counts as dc ch 1), dc ch 1 into each of the next 15 dc. Join with sl st to 3^rd ch of beginning ch 4 [16Dc 16 Ch1Sp]

R3: Sl st to next ch1 sp (or start new colour in ch1 sp) Beg 3dc cluster*(see special stitch instructions) ch2, {3dc cl ch2} into each of the next 15 ch1 sps. Join with a sl st to top of first cl. [16 3dc cl, 16 ch2 sps]

R4: Sl st to next ch sp, Beg 4dc cluster* ch 3, {4dc cl ch 3} into each of the next 15 ch sps. Join with a sl st to top of the first cl [16 4dc cl, 16 ch sps]

R5: Sl st twice into chain space, Beg trc cluster* ch4, start next trc cl in the same space you finished last tr cl {trc cl ch4} into each of the next 15 ch sps. [Note that trc cluster is done across 2 spaces] You should finish the last trc cl in the space you started the first. Join the last trc cl to the first in the top loop.

R6:Sl st to ch 4 space or Join new colour starting in any ch 4 space, ch 1 **5 sc ch 1 in first ch 4 space, (1 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc) ch 1 in next ch 4 space, (2 dc, 2 trc, ch 2, 2 trc, 2 dc) ch 1 in next ch 4 space, (2 dc, 2 hdc, 1 sc) ch 1 in next ch 4 space,** repeat 3 more times. Slip stitch to first sc.

R7: ch 1, sc into the next 5 sc, sc in ch 1 sp, sc into next 5 stitches, hdc into ch 1 sp, hdc in next 4 stitches, (2dc ch2 2dc) in corner space, hdc in next 4 stitches, hdc into ch 1 sp, sc in next 5 stitches, sc in ch 1 sp, *{sc into the next 5 stiches, sc in ch 1 sp, sc into next 5 stitches, hdc into ch 1 sp, hdc in next 4 stitches, (2dc ch2 2dc) in corner space, hdc in next 4 stitches, hdc into ch 1 sp, sc in next 5 stitches, sc in ch 1 sp, }* repeat this* until square is complete and slip st to first stitch

R8: sl st in next 2 st Ch 3 (counts as DC) 2 dc in same stitch , {skip 3 st, 3dc in next stitch} 3 times to corner, (3 dc ch2 3 dc) in corner, sk 3 st 3dc,{ skip 3 st, 3dc in next stitch} to corner (3 dc ch2 3 dc) in corner. Join with a slip stitch to third chain of first ch3.

R9: sl st in next 3 st, Beg outside cl, ch2, {outside cl ch 2} repeat to corner, in corner (2dc ch 2 2 dc ch 2). Join with a slip stitch to third chain of first ch 3.

R10: 2sc in each ch2 space, sc at the top of each cluster, at corner sc in each dc, 2sc in ch 2 space, sc in each dc (you can replace the sc with hdc or dc if your square needs to be bigger) Join with slip stitch to first sc. If you are continuing in the same colour - At start of round sc at top of cl, then 2sc in ch2, continue with sc at top of each cluster, 2sc in each ch 2 space and at corners sc in each dc, 2sc in ch 2 space, sc in each dc and join with a slip stitch to first sc at end of round.

(Many thanks to Cathy for helping to edit this pattern.)

More Testing - Big Brother Explorer Vest

I put my hand up to test this pattern in Ravelry and originally Miss6 said she'd like a vest and wear it, but after a few days of discussion she decided she wouldn't wear a vest.

We compromised and decided I could make it in her size (for the point of the test) but in colours for her brother so that he could wear it, because he will.

She did agree she'd put it on for photos though, but when it came down to it this afternoon she was pretty grumpy about it!
The colours are nice and they came from using food colouring when we dyed the crepe wool.


I asked Master3 if he'd try it on for me and he was only too happy too, especially if he got to see the photos afterwards.
He's been watching the progress keenly - although he did mention to me that it should have red in it too. Maybe the next one.
He knows what he wants.
I asked him to turn round so I could photograph the back - how cute is this?
It's a bit big, with plenty of length at the moment so it should fit him for *many* more years to come - the best kind of knitting.
He's cute isn't he?
At least someone appreciates the knitting! :o)