HRYC
Crochet Blanket Addicts (anonymous): the first
The first meet-up of CBA(a) was on Saturday - so perfect timing then that I finally settled on the pattern i'm going to get stuck into.
It's a super simple Granny Stripe Blanket from The Purl Bee.A whole pile of Knitsch Sock seconds are bound to be this blanket. That means an epic chain of 302 to start. What have I got myself into?
There have been some great planning discussions around the shop and the thread on Ravelry about everyone's projects - and don't forget that you are more than welcome to join in online if you can't make it to the shop for a session.
This blanket? One person's goal. Much puzzling has been done over the hexagon pattern.
And inspired some deep discussion.
Fancy joining us? You can bring your crochet along to any Saturday Sit & Knit from 11am - 1pm every week. The next official session of Crochet Blanket Addicts is Saturday 23 March. Hooray!
Dream Mitts - Free pattern!
Dream Mitts
I dreamed this mitt. Seriously. And when I started knitting it, I was all concerned that I wouldn't do the stripes justice. (I still feel that I haven't, really). Also, Blue Sky Alpaca Sport is a dream yarn - 100% baby alpaca is beyond words.
Feel free to freestyle the stripes: starting them after the thumbhole will make life easier, and allow for nice big chunks of the two colours at opposite ends.
The mitts are designed so you can either hide your thumb inside the mitt on super cold days, pulling the mitt up and scrunching it around your wrist, or wear them the usual way, so you have full dexterity for important things such as carrying your coffee on a brisk morning walk to work.
Yarn:
Blue Sky Alpaca Sport 100% baby alpaca
100m / 50g
1 skein nat light grey
1 skein citron
or
124m / 40g
1 ball Majesty colour 14/4
1 ball Papura colour 06/4
Needle: 2.75mm 80cm fixed circular (for magic loop)
Gauge: 25 sts x 36 rows = 10cm
Abbreviations:
K – knit
P – purl
Kfb – knit into the stitch as normal, without taking the stitch off the left hand needle. Knit into the back of the same stitch, slide stitch off needle
Pattern:
CO 52 sts
Join in round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at beginning of round. Work using the magic loop method.
Next row: *k2 p2 repeat from * to end
Work in rib pattern for 2.5cm
Next row: knit for 3.5 cm
Next 2 rows: p2, k 46, p2
From here you will be working the mitt as if it were flat - turning your work when you reach the end of the row. When the thumbhole is completed, you will join your work in the round again.
Work back and forth for the next 12 rows
row 1: k2, p 46 to last 2 sts, k2
row 2: k all sts
repeat rows 1 & 2 four times more (12 rows)
next row: knit to last 2 sts, p2
re-join in round, p2, k to end
next row: k to last 2 sts, p2
next row: p2, k to end
Knit 14cm in stripe pattern (carry ends to you don’t have to weave lots in).
Continue stripe pattern, and:
k1, kfb, k to last st, kfb, k1 (54sts)
repeat increase row every 4th row four more times (62 sts)
Knit until the arm is as long as you'd like (the mitt I knit is 21cm from the last row of the thumb hole to the beginning of the ribbing)
Next row: *k2, p2 repeat from * to end
Continue in rib pattern for 2.5cm
Cast off using a stretchy bind off - I like Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off.
Here are the stripe patterns we used, however feel free to have fun with them J
|
First stripe pattern: |
second stripe pattern: |
|
after thumbhole 1 row grey 1 row citron, 5 rows grey x 2 2 rows citron, 4 rows grey x 2 3 rows citron, 3 rows grey x 2 4 rows citron, 2 rows grey x 2 5 rows citron, 1 x grey x 2 continue in citron |
after thumbhole 4 rows grey 1 row citron, 1 row grey x 4 1 row citron 2 rows grey, 2 rows citron x 3 2 rows grey 3 rows citron, 2 rows grey x 3 4 rows citron, 2 rows grey x 2 5 rows citron, 2 rows grey continue in citron |
Thanks to all our pattern testers as well! xx
Happy birthday to us!
It's our birthday times two!
Saturday marks two years of Holland Road Yarn Company. It's such a joy for us to share the love of great yarn with you.
This week is also the third birthday of Knitsch Yarns - the little hand dyed sock yarn company I decided to start while sitting in a gorgeous yarn shop in London. It's pretty amazing to think that 3.5 years after that moment, both dreams are now part of my everyday life.
How are we celebrating?
Well! It's Knit Night tonight and there shall be cake!
Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake, to be precise.
There will also be a few specials and other treats in store. See you tonight from 7!
Crochet Blanket Addicts (anonymous)
The badge says it all! Join our brand shiny new club!
Crochet Blanket Addicts (Anonymous) is a monthly meet up for those addicted to, struggling with, or desirous of creating a crochet blanket. An oftentimes tedious, yet rewarding task, this is an occupation that needs regular support.
Our resident crochet teacher Sofia will be present for technical, and the group is free to attend. We'll provide tea, coffee and sugary treats to keep your crochet-rate up.
The dates:
Saturday 23 February, 11am - 1pm
Saturday 23 March, 11am - 1pm
Saturday 13 April, 11am - 1pm
Saturday 18 May, 11am - pm
More dates to be confirmed soon.
To secure your spot, you can book in online (I find it's a great way to commit yourself to going. Like booking myself into 6am hot yoga class in advance, it removes the element of choice!), or just turn up on the day.
We'll set up a thread on the Holland Road Yarn Co group forum for cheerleading and moral support, with the odd giveaway and prize for effort, diligence and completed projects. Hooray!
If you can't yet crochet, we recommend you book in for our Beginner Crochet classes, and join the club after you're happily hooking.
Crochet Workshops: all lined up!
It's a real pleasure to have Sofia back to teach crochet! Here's our class line up for the first half of this year:
Amigurumi
Saturday 23 February 2013
1pm - 3.30pm
$30 - includes tea, coffee and treats
Learn the skills to make all the cute (and scary!) Amigurumi creatures you've seen online. You will need to know how to crochet at a beginner level for this class.
- a 3 or 3.5mm crochet hook
- and DK / 8ply yarn in two colours
Beginner Crochet
Saturday 6 and 13 April
1pm - 3.30pm
Learn the basics of crochet during the first session, moving onto tips for working in rounds and reading patterns – you’ll be hooking in no time.
- a 4 or 4.5mm crochet hook
- and DK / 8ply yarn in a light colour.
Next Steps Crochet
Saturday 18 May
1pm - 3.30pm
For those that know how to hold their hook and yarn but would like to move beyond simply edging their knitting. Covering reading patterns and charts, invisible decreases, foundation single crochet and joining squares.
