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Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.
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This Week's Question: Does your crafting change with the seasons, certain crafts at certain times of the year?
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At the moment there are 24 bees per bag, and one bag has 28, so I'll do the rest of the bees for that bag first. For the last two colours, I'll probably do another shade of orange, and a pale yellow.
I also ordered a fresh bag of stuffing last night because I'm running low. That should be here on Wednesday I hope.
no subject
(couldn't resist!)
Yay more bees! I missed what you are making them for, though? I'm assuming gifts of some sort.
Done!
Today I'm planting lots of things. I enjoy color-matching flowers. :D
Re: Done!
Planting is always good.
new project
I started running into problems immediately.
1. There's no instruction on HOW to work the two colored squares side by side without needing to sew a seam later, and no mention of NEEDING to sew a seam later. The original pattern makes two 20-stitch squares on the needles at the same time, then swaps the colors to work the other two atop the first.
2. The size is too big to be portable for long, so I decided, like an overeager fool, to try to work the same pattern using one center square. In a quilt, it would be closest to the square within a square block, with each successive step on point to the one before. (NOT that ridiculous window frame variation!)
3. With both problems, the MATH for the number of rows just doesn't WORK.
But being me, I dived in anyway. I can only knit about three rows total before I start having trouble with my hands--dexterity issues rather than arthritis, which is when I found the next problem:
4. The edges kept looking like KNOTs, and nothing I tried preserved both the garter stitch AND an edge that didn't look like a crime scene.
So, after taking three days to knit thirty rows of garter stitch, I ripped it all out.
I added two stitches to the count, intending to slip the first and purl the last to make a smooth edge for later picking up. I have no plans to block-- I've spent DAYS trying to block acrylic and, well, it won. So, I'll note the number of rows when the piece measures the same vertically as horizontally and write it down. Then I'll try to follow the two decrease per row (which I think is TOO STEEP) for the first triangle, and when I get that worked out, write IT down. I'll have to recalculate for the next round of triangles, but this way I can at least have something in a much smaller scale that will remain portable for longer. If I don't like the look of the fourth round of triangles, I can rip it out early, then make several blocks and join those to make a baby quilt or lap throw.
If I can ever finish it.
Re: new project
I wish you luck and hope you can get the pattern to work for you!
Re: new project
The square within a square quilt block has a center square, then four triangles of similar hues and tint. That makes a larger square. Rotate 45 degrees, and sew on four triangles to the new square's raw edges. Make the triangles similar to each other but either much lighter or much darker in tint than the previous row. The raw edges of that square are parallel to the original center square's edges. Most blocks are only three sets of triangles around the center. Joining the blocks can be done with a neutral border along the outer edges (sashing), or with blocks touching, which creates a different overall pattern.
The original lap throw pattern uses two very close colorways from the same company, so the contrast is low. It simply uses four smaller squares to form the center.
Does that clear things up, or am I explaining the wrong part?
Re: new project
How are you doing the center square? My thought is that if you do it from the center out in rounds, you'd end up with four live edges of stitches that you can then build the triangles off of. That would cut down on the need to sew. It's been a while since I've done a square center out, but I think there are two increases for each of the corners? Not sure. But then, this might not give you the look you're going for, as there will be obvious lines along the diagonals of the center square where you increased for the corners.
If I get bored, I might do a search on Ravelry to find suitable patterns... I love pattern searching.
Re: new project
Additionally, I plan to use the 'broken dishes' color patterning where two opposite triangles are color A and the other two are color B. Picking up stitches is easier than keeping live stitches at the edge of the square, because I can't imagine how to keep live stitches on the sides of the triangle as one works that from the edge number touching the square down to literally one stitch to get the right shape. So, it's working off stitches and cutting the yarn each time for each side attached to the previous row, whether it's the square or later, the triangles forming a longer side of the new square shape.
no subject
I had stupidly started the cable stripe without doing a proper swatch. I thought "well, she lists dimensions of the stripe, so if that doesn't come out, I can just restart with a different needle". Nope. This time I'm gonna do a nice big swatch.
So, the stripe is supposed to be 25 inches long when finished, so each half should be 12.5 inches. My first half is 11 inches. Obviously something wrong there. Might be a gauge issue, might be...
Okay, so one edge of stripe (where the back of the neck opening is) has built-in icord which she calls "double stockinette". K1, sl 1 WYIF, K1 on one side. Sl 1 wyif, K1, sl 1 wyif on the other. The problem I am having is that this side is TIGHTER than the other edge. It's really pulling it out of shape and the other edge looks rumpled and frumpy in comparison. I'm not sure what the fix is here, other than to try to be looser. I can possibly use a bigger DPN for just those stitches? Might try that. All I know is that I don't like what I have so far, and I thought I could fudge things but I think I'd be better to do a proper gauge and try again.
Larger DPN
There are gorgeous patterns using one size needle in the left hand and a different one in the right--the rows end up tighter-lacier in predictable ways, using very simple stitches (usually just stockinette sometimes garter) but it doesn't LOOK that way.
One thing that a proper swatch will probably tell you is that the ROW count for the gauge is out of whack.
That's not on you, it's most often because you're not using EXACTLY the yarn used in drafting the pattern.
My condolences on the frogging, but may the next swatch be everything that you're hoping for, because the design sounds lovely!
Introducing myself and checking in!
Hello, crafty folks! I am a knitter all year, but what I knit tends to change in the spring and fall. This past weekend I started knitting a lacy vest/coverup out of cotton-linen yarn, and this is the kind of thing I'll want to make--light, drapey things, tees, tank tops--over the summer, until the crispness comes back to the air and I am ready for cozy sweaters and shawls.
I have not gotten the hang of socks at all. My socks have turned out more like slippers, with too much ease, or have ended up too bulky for my boots. I'd be interested in any recommendations experienced sock knitters might have for favorite yarns and patterns that are good for beginners and comfortable inside shoes!
Other seasonal crafts I do are really dependent on the seasons--gardening, canning & preserving--and some are just occasional or things I can't take out of the house (mosaic tiles, sewing). Glad to be here & looking forward to reading & seeing what you all are making :)