Free Knitting Pattern: A Geometric Basket

In all my excitement about posting free afghan patterns (here, here, and here), I forgot to post my latest free knitting pattern:  My Geometric Basket.

This decorative basket is about 5 inches tall (though you could knit it to be a little taller).  The base is 7 1/2 inches in diameter.  The sides featured a textured pattern and three knit-stitch vertical stripes.  The opening at the top is about 4 inches in diameter.

I love this little basket.  You can find the full pattern on my Hubpages!

Norah Gaughan's Vintage Blanket or Throw ~ Now a Free Pattern!

from Berroco.com

In case you didn't get the message, Berroco just sent out an email announcing that Norah Gaughan's Vintage Afghan pattern is now available for free on their website!  I love Norah's patterns, and I've been hunting around for my next knitting project.  This pattern might just be perfect!  The block designs in this blanket are so beautiful, and many feature Norah's trademark cables that I love so much.

Great timing because I've hit a bit of a knitting dry spell.  I've been working on a few new patterns (stay tuned), but also was looking for a project where I could just follow someone else's pattern and not have to think so much :)  And I've been looking for a blanket pattern to use as a bedspread in our guest room that would use some of my leftover yarn.  Just look at this blanket:

from Berroco.com

A couple of thoughts about this pattern:

1.  The pattern is easily resizeable by knitting fewer blocks and picking which block designs you choose to knit.  I like the pattern size as written to use on our guest bed, but I might opt out of some of the designs and just repeat others.

2.  The block designs can also be used to make matching pillow covers to go with this blanket.  I think the XOXO pattern that you can see in green in the upper right hand corner of the photo above would make a beautiful pillow cover all on its own.

3.  I will probably substitute a less expensive yarn (like Caron Simply Soft) to knit this.  The Caron has a bit more yardage per skein than the suggested Berroco Comfort and I can usually buy simply Soft on sale.

What a great way to start the new year - with a great new knitting project!

Upcoming Knitting ~ To Keep Myself Inspired and Organized

October 1st will soon be upon us and this time of the year always makes me a little anxious.  For knitters, this begins the final stretch for any and all projects we want to get done before the end of the year.  For me, this is a self-imposed deadline.  I'm not knitting any holiday gifts this year (well, maybe - see Christmas stockings below), but I still have knitting projects I'd like to finish by the end of the year.

So, I'm posting my knitting list here to keep myself engaged, inspired, and on schedule :)

1.  First up - My Sport Weight Lace Scarf:  I blogged about my search for a lace scarf pattern months ago.  In the end, I didn't choose any that I mentioned and instead I'm knitting the Three Sisters Scarves #2 by Monica Steinbauer.  I love the mix of chevron with lace, particularly in this teal yarn (see above - not finished and unblocked).  This should look great with my fall jacket, thus creating project #2 on my list:

2.  I'm going to try to create some matching fingerless mitts to go with this scarf.  Stay tuned for the pattern in the coming months (but probably not before December).

3.  I need/want to make a doily to go under my ceramic Christmas tree that I put out during the holidays.  I'm going to use Madeline Nelson's Pi Washcloth pattern as a starting point for my knit doily.  This should be a quick knit (I hope).  I don't need anything fancy for my doily and I'm just going to use some leftover white acrylic yarn to knit it.  I might add some beads or buttons around the edge when I'm done.

Standing Stones Cowl by Andee Fagan

4. I have 2 1/2 skeins of Berroco Vintage leftover from knitting my Vale cardigan.  As I mentioned before, I'm considering making the Standing Stones Cowl by Andee Fagan to wear as more of a poncho.  But honestly, I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of a poncho, so I like the flexibility to wear this as a cowl too.  I really love the lace pattern in this design.

Tis The Season Stocking by Katie Weston

5.  Last year when we were at my parents for Christmas, my mother mentioned wanting some knit stockings to display during the holidays.  I'm hoping she's forgotten about this, or changed her mind, but I've also searched out some free stocking patterns on Ravelry.  I love the Tis The Season Stocking by Katie Weston and I can use some stash dk to knit it.  I'd make two stockings for my parents (each different) and I think Katie Weston's pattern will look great matched with this Drops Design stocking.

6.  Lastly, I never finished this striped short-sleeve top I started last spring (ugh).  I still don't love it, so I either need to to finish it in a way I like, or take it apart and knit something else.  Right now, I'm waiting for some inspiration and direction to hit.

I plan to post about some of these projects, so you can watch my progress!

KAL & Sweater Update: Striped Sweater Knitting Project

Just when I needed it, Shannon announced her Spring/Summer Tops & Tees Knit-A-Long.  This KAL has given me just the push I needed to finally start my striped sweater project that I talked about here.  I've made good progress so far.  As you can see, I've knitted up past my little pocket that I've pinned closed for now.  The red yarn is holding the stitches for the front of my pocket so I can go back and put a ribbed rim on it.

So here's what I've done and where I'm headed:

1.  I started the front and back as separate pieces from the bottom with k2p2 ribbing.

2.  I made the ribbing on the front about 2 inches deep, and about 2 3/4 inches on the back for a longer tail.  Not sure why, but I want this top to have a (very) slight boxy look and I wanted a longer hem in the back.

3.  Then I switched to my stripes.  After the first stripe, I joined the front and the back and will knit the rest in the round to the armpits.

4.  I've made my stripes wider than I initially planned.  My wide stripe is 9 rounds, and my two thinner stripes are 3 rounds. 

5.  I laid out my color progression before I started, but have been making tweaks as I go.  I will probably have a lot fewer colors left by the time I get past the chest, so the upper part may be a solid color.  And the sleeves may only have a couple of stripes.  I'm okay with this.  We'll just have to see what I have to work with.

6.  Still planning to make this top short-sleeved, but haven't worked out the details yet.  Should be at the armpits by next week and will share what my plan is for the sleeves then. 

Wish me luck!

The Perfect Knitting Project for Travel - And for a Good Cause, Too!

from http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=babybirdnest_howcanIhelp

My husband and I have been making some trips to see my in-laws as they have been having some health problems.  And I've been looking for a good knitting project to fill the travel time in the car: a small project, something with a pattern that's easy to memorize, and doesn't take too much attention or concentration.

I happened upon Wildcare's call for knitted nest on the Knitty blog.  Wildcare is looking for knitted and felted nests for raising and feeding orphan birds.  They need nests made in three different sizes, out of either wool, cotton, or acrylic yarn.  The knitting pattern and all the particulars are on their website.

In addition to being a great travel project, I think these bird nests will be a wonderful way to use some of my leftover heavy worsted yarn from previous projects.  A charitable project and a stashbuster - win, win!

If you want more information about the knitted nest project, please visit Wildcare's website.

Starting Out: Striped Sweater Knitting Pattern

Probably like a lot of knitters, I have a big pile of random skeins of yarn left over from other knitting projects.  I've decided to pull together my skeins of dk yarn and design a striped sweater to use up some (most? all?) of my leftovers (I have more than what's pictured above).  My plan is:

1.  To design a short-sleeved striped sweater.

2.  I'm going to start the bottom as two pieces (front and back) to create slits on the sides, then join it and knit it in the round to the armpits.

3.  The stripes are going to be varied, as I have different amounts of each color, but I'll follow the pattern of one wider stripe then two thinner ones (6 rounds for the thicker stripe, two rounds for the thinner ones).

4.  I'm going to include a little pocket on the front (I think), because I've never done a pocket before.

5.  I want to incorporate these cute buttons in the sweater,  I plan to use one as a closure on my pocket, and one as a little detail on the collar.

6.  I haven't exactly figured out the sleeves yet, but they'll just be your basic short sleeve with a rib edge.

I hope blogging about this project as I go will make me start this sweater and stop just thinking about it :)  For some reason, I just can't get motivated to start.  Wish me luck!

Having a Ball: Christmas Ornaments Made with Yarn

Yes, it's getting to be that time of year - when most knitters turn their creative minds to holiday knitting.  For me, the first project to tackle is my decoration for my knitting group's annual ornament exchange.

This year, I started playing around with yarn - layering it inside Christmas balls, wrapping it around Christmas balls, and turning Christmas balls into yarn balls.  I came up with four different designs, and I'm not sure which one to use for my ornament exchange:

Want to make your own yarn ornaments?  Check out my Hubpages for the directions for all four designs!

For the Birds: Getting Ready

In celebration of the beginning of Spring, as promised, I pulled together my scrap yarn and put it out for the birds to use to build nests.

I had planned to buy a suet cage like Susan uses for her scrap yarn, but then I remembered that the previous owners of our house had left an old deer corn feeder behind.  I thought it might work for my scrap yarn too!

I had been holding on to bits and pieces of yarn in a little pouch to use to tie on tags, etc.  I tried to pick the most colorful yarn to put out for the birds, so I could see it if they used it in their nests.  Any long pieces of yarn, I cut down to 5 to 8 inches in length.

My scrap yarn has been out in our yard since last Friday.  So far, there's been little activity around it.  I'm not sure that our feeder is going to work well for the birds, since it doesn't really have anywhere for them to land on to access the feeder.  I also might have packed the yarn too tight for the birds to pull and get out of the holder.

I'm going to keep it out for a couple more weeks, then I might upgrade to a suet cage :)

New Project: Great Spring Idea for Scrap Yarn

Photo from Susan at Juniper Moon Farm at
http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/03/the-first-day-of-spring

If you read this blog, you know I'm a HUGE fan of projects that use scrap yarn.  We knitters all have a tone of it, and are always looking for ways to use it.  Well, Susan at Juniper Moon Farm has a great Spring idea for scrap yarn.

She filled a suet feeder with her scraps and put it out for birds to use for building their nests!  I really love this idea!  Get all the info on her site here.  

I'm definitely going to do this.  We might be a little late, because I've seen some birds busy in our trees building their nests.  But I'm going to put out a collection of scraps and see what happens.  I'm going to be semi-scientific about this and document the process to see whether I find any scraps of yarn incorporated in nests nearby.  Stay tuned :)