HRYC

After taking a year off from crocheting blankets, I’m ready to embrace another crochet afghan CAL. This one will be similar to the one from 2015, (check out the album on our Facebook page!) with new patterns and a few twists. 

Although we’re not planning to start until January, I’m posting this description now to give you plenty of time to think about options and to plan your yarn. HRYC can order in more yarn specifically for your project (anything we typically stock), but options from overseas supplies like Cascade can take awhile to arrive, especially around the holidays, so it would be better to order them sooner rather than later.

I know the description below is long. The tl;dr version: Select and make 1–4 patterns per month from any of 4 categories, depending on your intended blanket size, interest, and time.

[UPDATE - links to each month's blog posts below]

• January squares
• February squares
• March squares

Choose Your Own Adventure CAL 
Jan 2018–Dec 2018

Choice #1: How big? 
Blanket size options run from 9 (3×3 baby blanket) up to 35 (5×7 bedspread) squares. Plan to make 9, 12, 16, 20, 24, 25, 30, or 35 squares. 
Depending on your selected size, you will aim to make 1–4 squares/month 
Although all suggested patterns were written for 10ply, yarn weights 4ply through 12ply can be used; just adjust the hook size to match 
12ply (6–6.5mm), 10ply (5–5.5mm), 8ply (4.5–5mm), 5ply (3.5–4mm), 4ply (3–3.5mm)

Choice #2: Colour, texture, or both? 
While any square can be made single-coloured or multi-coloured, some are better suited for one or the other. Pick all squares from the same suggested category or use ½ & ½ to form a checkerboard.

Choice #3: How challenging? 
Suggested patterns for the basic CAL will progress in difficulty over the months, starting with beginner-friendly options. Secondary “challenge” squares will also be included each month as additional options for more adventurous/advanced crocheters.

Planned progression:

• Each month, a selection of pattern options will be posted in each of 4 categories (Standard single colour, Standard multi-colour, Challenge single colour, Challenge multi-colour). These will include both free and for-purchase (“paid”) patterns.

• Any paid patterns must be purchased individually. However, sufficient free pattern options will be included in the Standard options such that a full blanket could be made from only free patterns.

• Each pattern list will specify whether individual patterns are paid or free options and will highlight patterns that include photo or video tutorials.

• The pattern lists will link to the Ravelry entry for each pattern. The patterns themselves will not be posted.

Notes about the pattern options

• Pattern options posted for earlier months will intentionally be composed of more patterns than later months because patterns from any previous month can be substituted as desired.

• A substantial portion of the pattern options will be designs by Polly Plum, both because her designs are gorgeous and because her patterns are well-written, often including photo and/or video tutorials.

• Patterns from the HRYC 2015 Afghan Square CAL will not be repeated in the official pattern options, but feel free to use them as additional options if you missed out last time.

• To participate, just follow along in the Ravelry Discussion Thread, posting photos, comments, and questions. Feel free to bring your squares along to “Knit” Night at HRYC on Thursdays if you’d like company or help.

Back in 2009, all the way back when I was working at Socktopus and discovering this delightful world of hand-dyed yarn, one of the regulars introduced me to Wollmeise. 

The word was said with hushed, urgent tones, communicating the precious nature of this yarn. Stories were shared of online carts being emptied before you could check out, of the delight of the intensely saturated colour. 

I didn't quite understand until I saw it for myself. Oh. My. Wool. Loving. Heart. 

Everything they said was true. 

On my travels I managed to get along to the Wollmeise store in Pfaffenhofen, outside Munich. The lovely man working was originally from Cambridge here in NZ (of course) and I ran into Mel, my NZ friend met through Socktopus who then ended up flatting with me above the Petone shop for a couple of years.

I bought a rainbow of yarn, some of which is still preciously kept in my stash to this day. 

Some has turned into socks. 

Dawlish socks by Rachel Coopey

Rosebud Socks by Wendy D Johnson

When I had this first inkling to open a yarn store, Wollmeise was number one on my mental yarn bucket list. I never thought it would happen. 

Here I am, today, writing to tell you that it is happening. Wollmeise is in Wellington. About to be on our shelves, in New Zealand for sale for the first time ever. The cult of Wollmeise is real, and if you don't know it, do come along and find out what all the fuss is about!

Join us for Wollmeise day, the first time you'll be able to see it in the wool, on our shelves. With special appearances by Circus Tonic Handmade Revelry Sock and Knitsch Yarns Staple Worsted. Plus cupcakes!

Wollmeise Day

Saturday 6 May

10am - 4pm

Sweet Bakery cupcakes, Wollmeise, Circus Tonic Handmade and Knitsch. Plus some delightful company and giveways!

 Here's a sneak peek of what we have waiting for you...

Delightful Wollmeise Twin 

Circus Tonic Handmade Revelry Sock

and more like this!

Terms and conditions: No online sales, sorry, we will take phone orders from 12pm on Saturday. Maximum 4 skeins of Wollmeise per customer (we'll remove this limit for future stockings). No holds or laybys. 

 During April, our friends at Little Sprouts are running a longies knit-along, and what better excuse than to share some pattern ideas and look at some adorable babies while we're at it. We're sponsoring a spot prize - a Symfonie Deluxe needle set from Knit Pro, oooh la la!

All you need to do is knit (or crochet) a pair of longies, post a picture in the Little Sprouts event on Facebook  and you're in with the chance to win! And remember you can always drop items off to us in the shop and we'll pass them on for you. 

As an added bonus - comment on this post before Friday 14 April and one commenter will be gifted one of these paid patterns (pdf, via Ravelry). Hooray!

Toasty Waffle Pants by Kate Oates - in 10ply / worsted

Lamby Leggings by Sarah Lehto in 10ply / worsted weight

Starrypants by Tina Hauglund (how adorable is that star butt?!) in 8ply / DK

Tiny Bird Soaker Pants by Jenny Rasmussen - in 4ply / fingering (free pattern)

Rocky by Tincanknits in 4ply / fingering

Balloon Baby Pants by Ingrid Aarten Bøe in 4ply / Fingering

The call of Outlaw Queen Bee was much too enticing to resist, and I always seemed to be knitting it on days when the sun was hiding. So here we have the Golden Days blanket - if you sat down and focussed, you could knit it up in a couple of evenings. Big needles, chunky yarn, a super smooshy blanket.

I held the cable stitches on my fingers as it was the quickest and easiest way with such big stitches.

25mm needles

6 skeins Outlaw Queen Bee in colour Arabella

Finished size: 117cm wide x 131cm tall (approx)
Gauge: 10 sts and 13.5 rows = 30cm

CO 48 stitches

Row one: K6, p10, k16, p10, k6
Row two: Knit

Repeat these two rows twice more

Work cable row, then continue in pattern.

Repeat cable row every 14th row until 6 cables completed..

Cable row: k6, c10b, k16, c10f, k6

Work in pattern for 5 more rows

Cast off loosely and weave in ends.

Abbreviations:

k - knit
p - purl
c5b - slip 5 sts onto cable needle, hold to back, k5 sts, k sts from cable needle
c5f - slip 5 sts onto cable needle, hold to front, k5 sts, k sts from cable needle

© Tash Barneveld 2017 for personal use only

A variation on our much-loved Jackson Blanket, we're pleased to bring you the Jackson Scarf! 

Yarn: 1 ball of Outlaw Yarn Bohemia Sport in Tarnished, Absinthe, Gaslight, Fog and Old Beau

Needles: 3.50mm

Blocked measurements: 26cm wide, 1.9m long (approx)

Cast on 79 stitches

Set up rows:

Row 1 (pattern row): k2, *k2tog, k10, m1r, k1, m1l, k10, ssk, repeat from * to

           last 2 sts, k2

Row 2 (wrong side): knit

Repeat rows 1 and 2 twice more

Main body rows:

Row 1 (right side): work pattern row as above

Row 2 (wrong side): k2, p to last 2 sts, k2

Repeat rows 1 & 2 11 more times (24 rows total)

Change colour

Repeat main body row instructions 18 more times - four stripes per colour.

Final colour: work main body rows 9 times, then work set up row instructions 3 times.

Cast off, weave in ends and block.

Abbreviations:

k - knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit two together
ssk - slip ,slip, knit two slipped stitches together
m1r - insert left-hand needle, back to front, under strand of yarn between stitch just worked and next stitch on the left-hand needle. knit through the front loop
m1l - insert left-hand needle, front to back, under strand of yarn between stitch just worked and next stitch on the left-hand needle, knit through the back loop

© Tash Barneveld 2017 for personal use only