Notes from the Something

Love Socks for Kids! (I think)

A few people have mentioned making these for kids, so I made a few mods based on kids' sizes I found in other sock patterns (ages 4-8). I haven't tried this yet, but I imagine it will work!

Download the original pattern from Ravelry or in the post below, and apply these changes:

CO 52 sts. Do 3 rnds of each color for the stripes instead of 4, still do about 15 stripes (or however many you want, odd number). Or stick to 4 rows but do less stripes, up to you!

Next row: switch to MC, k13, m1, k1 (to center the heart)

Use this chart:

The heart is smaller and it's worked over 26 sts instead of 30.  

Next row: p13, p2tog, p to end

Heel turn: begin with - sl 1, k 13, ssk, k1, turn

Work heel turn and decreases as set, dec back down to 52 and working stripes til 1.5" before desired length. Work toe, decreasing to 14 or 16 sts. 

I'd love to hear how this works out if you try it!! 

Love Socks

So it would seem this blog has become a place to post my knitting designs :), which is ok with me. I bought some lovely Spud & Chloe Fine at the FABULOUS Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA, with plans to make striped socks. When I saw the Yarn Harlot's pattern Tiptoe Through the Tulips, I knew I had to try some intarsia!

I love how they came out so, so much! And a bunch of people on Rav liked them too, so I wrote up the pattern. The full pattern is available as a free pdf download here: Download Love Socks, but if you're already familiar with a basic cuff down, heel flap sock, then all you need is the chart! 

I CO 60 sts and work stripes every 4 rows. In the first row of the heel flap, inc 1 in the center (31 sts) so the heart will be centered and then decrease it back down on the last row before the heel turn. They are easily customized... just add plain stitches to either side of the heart.

Rows 4-9 are stranded and the rest is intarsia.

  

Happy Knitting!!  
 

Sleeveless Gloves

Baby Girl asked me to make her some "sleeveless gloves" for Christmas... how cute is that? She meant fingerless, of course. However, I didn't find any cute patterns for fingerless gloves for kids, so I whipped these up based on a few different patterns. The heart cable is from a sock pattern called "Hearts Afire" (Ravelry), and if you buy it in January, the proceeds go to Help for Haiti!

So here's the basic pattern -- if you want the heart cable, buy the sock pattern! This is my first time writing out a pattern... I hope you can understand it! Feel free to comment with any questions and I will help or make changes as needed!

Baby Girl's Sleeveless Gloves:

 

Size: Child - ribbing is VERY stretchy, so they should fit a wide age range! BG is 8 and I think they should fit her just fine.
Yarn: Rowan RYC Extra Fine Merino DK (50 g, 137 yd) - about 1/2 a skein

Needles: US 5/3.75 mm 40" circ for Magic Loop, or dpn's - whatever is your preferred method for small circumference knitting

Gauge: about 5.25/in in st st. 

Note: I like to over-explain and over complicate things. Here are some mods to make this pattern easier:

~Use a regular stretchy cast on and just rib the first 2 rnds before Set-Up Round

~Skip the thumb cable and just do whatever you'd like for the gusset

~Skip the heart entirely and just keep ribbing

Cables: They are all pretty easy to do without a cable needle, as well!

C2B = slip first 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn. 

C2F =slip first 2 stitches to cn and hold in front k2, k2 from cn.

Pattern:

CO 32 sts using the tubular cast-on and set up for 2x2 rib in the round. Ysolda has a great video for this!

Mark beginning before a k2.

Set-up round 1: *k2, M1L, [p2, k2] 3 times, p2* twice (34 sts)

Set-up round 2: *k2, M1L, k1,  [p2, k2] 3 times, p2* twice (36 sts)

Work 4 rnds in patt (knit the knits and purl the purls)

Cross round: *C2B, [p2,k2] 3 times, p2* twice

Work 5 rnds in pattern

Rep these 6 rnds twice more, then Cross Round again. Your glove should be approx 3.25" at this point.

Now we begin the thumb gusset and heart cable - the palm remains in plain rib the whole rest of the glove. Just to make it easy to keep track, the next set of directions are like this:

first cable, (back of hand heart cable)(thumb)(palm - rib to end)

The heart cable is done over 14 sts, as is the palm ribbing.

k4, (heart cable) (k1, kfb, m1p, k2), rib to end (I know this is a weird increase but it's the only time, I promise. You're splitting the cable on the thumb side and adding purls in between)

k4, (heart cable) (k2, p2, k2), rib to end

k4, (heart cable)(k1, kfb, p2, m1p, k2), rib to end

k4, (heart cable)(k2, p4, k2), rib to end

k4, (heart cable)(k2, M1L, p4, M1R, k2), rib to end

C2B, (heart cable){k2, M1L, k1, p4, k1, M1R, k2}, rib to end

k4, {heart cable}{k4, p4, k4}, rib to end - basically just working in patt

Rep this round once more, then back of hand portion again, Slip 12 thumb stitches to waste yarn, cast on 4 sts, and rib to end.

k4, {heart cable} {k4, rib to end}

k4, {heart cable} {k4, rib to end}

C2B, {heart cable} {C2B, rib to end}

k4, {heart cable}{k4, rib to end}

k4, {p14} {k4, rib to end}

Rep this rnd once more - now back to ribbing!

Rib Round: {k4, *p2,k2* 3 times, p2} twice

Rep this round again

Cross Round as above

Rib Round 6 more times or desired length

BO in picot - *co 2 sts using knit on, then bo 4* rep to end - I used a smaller needle for this because the BO is VERY stretchy.

Thumb:

Place thumb stitches back on needle and pick up 4 along hand to close the gap. 

1: k4, p4, k4, p4

2: k4, p4, k4, p4

3: C2B, p4, C2F, p4

4: k4, p4, k4, p4

5: k4, p4, k4, p4

6: k4, p4, k4, p4

BO loosely

Voila!! 

Make the second glove exactly the same but opposite, so the thumb is on the left rather than the right - make it from the beginning of the round instead of the middle. In other words, just swap the directions for hand portion and thumb portion, leaving the palm the same.

Weave in ends and please, for the love of Bob, BLOCK!

ETA: I did modify the heart cable slightly - I did one extra row of twists to widen the heart, then crossed 2 over 1 in the last row to close up the heart tops. If you have the chart you should know what I'm talking about, but I'm happy to explain further if you leave a comment!

NaBloPoMo

... seems as good an excuse as any to start blogging again!!

I always have a million ideas and things I want to say, but never the patience or attention span to actually write it all out. I feel like it all has to be really exciting and dramatic!! but that's not true (especially since no one reads it anyway.... hahahahaha!)

So here it is, the first post. How about some knitting FO's? Eh, I'm on my other desktop, too much work! I'll just tell you about the 4 (AND ONLY 4!) things I like about fall.

1) No humidity - my curly hair loves this!

2) Pumpkin flavored things

3) New shows and new seasons - I am a bit of a TV show addict - thank Goodness for Hulu!

4) I can't remember... hmmm... I know there was another one... Bennys going home? Maybe? No, though I do like that. Oh well, guess there's just 3!

Speaking of my favorite TV shows, I am in LOVE with Glee, and I think Eastwick is adorable, and I am super bummed that Dollhouse is going to be cancelled. It's SUCH a great show! Castle, Nathan Filion or not, doesn't hold a candle to it. Sigh.

On a more positive note, I have been getting lots of doula work! There is still loads I need to learn, but no better way than hands-on, right? :)

Until tomorrow...

Working Girl

Squee!!! Today I am off to my VERY FIRST ever OFFICIAL doula job!! Where someone who doesn't know me from a hole in the wall is having me come help out with her 5 day old TWINS!! I am SO excited!! And she said I could take photos of the babies as well -- actually she said she'd love it!

Bugging my pregnant friends to "let" me doula for them has been effective, but not really the most textbook of doula experiences. Enlightening, for sure, but I have noticed (with this and other stuff) that when you offer to do something for someone they sort of act like they're doing YOU a favor! 

So it will be SO refreshing to really get a feeling for what being a postpartum doula is all about!!

And hopefully in a few days I'll have some fabulous photos to show off.... 

Winner!!

The winner of the necklace is....

MAURI!! A Gryffindor from the Hogwarts House Cup on Ravelry!

Thanks to everyone for your lovely comments! Definitely let me know when you start making some necklaces!! I can't wait to see them!

Jewelry Kick

I just whipped up these little beauties for my boss/housemate/friend Erika... she loves big dangly earrings, and I've been dying to try this pattern! I can't wear earrings, unfortunately, they make my ears CRAZY! I tried these on for literally 30 seconds (my holes are still going strong, lol) and my ears hurt all night :(

Anyway, they were supposed to be a quick, cheap, easy project, but due to trial and error on the wire and switching from silver to gold I ended up spending about $25 all together. The upside is I know have enough leftover materials to start an earring FACTORY (sigh) but it's cool! I'll just keep looking around for people who love big crazy earrings! The 30 ga Artistic Wire I used was absolutely lovely to knit with!!

Pattern is Bijouterie, from Knitty

I call them "Cherry & Unicorn" after my magic wand ~ they were my Herbology homework this month!! I love the House Cup so much (Ravelry link)!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Necklace Tutorial (and a prize!)

I have had a few requests to explain how I make the beaded crochet necklaces, and I have to admit I was reluctant! Because the work-to-impressiveness ratio is MINISCULE, and I don't want to reveal all my secrets ;) But it's time. Just promise me you'll still ooo and ahhh when I post one!

The technique is actually super simple and straightforward. The secret is in the materials! I should note here that I am in no way an expert beader/jewelry maker. This is pretty much the only thing I know how to do! It's that easy. So, materials needed:

1) Metallic thread - I like On the Surface New Metallics - you can buy it in a small 5 yard bobbin, which makes about three 3-strand necklaces, but I get the 100 yd spools here.

2) Teeny crochet hook - I use a 2.75 mm but any very small size works.

3) Glue - I don't love the one in the picture, I prefer the one below with the pinpoint precision tip. It makes it much easier to get it into tiny spaces.

4) Clasp -  2 clamshell doohickeys (the technical term), a hook, and a figure-8 thingy. The hook and eye are unimportant, you can use any sort of clasp, but the clamshells are vital!

5) Beading needle - big eye in the middle

6) Beads (not pictured) - you can use pretty much anything within a size range. I don't like to go smaller than a 6/0 seed bead (the larger ones), and if you go too big the necklace will be weighted funny, but you can go pretty big. It's imprecise, but they are extremely cheap and quick to make, so you can play around! I generally use about 75 per necklace, for a standard 16-18" length.

I like to use a mix of stand-out beads, filler beads, Swarovski crystals, and sometimes charms!

7) Crimping pliers - I got the Mighty Crimper at Michael's after the Gestapo at the Dublin Airport threw mine away. Sigh. 

The glue I prefer - just bought a new tube!

Close-up of the clasp bits

Step 1: Thread the beads (approx. 24) onto the metallic thread in the order you want them. DO NOT CUT THE THREAD!

Step 2: Make a slipknot in the thread and put the crochet hook through. Begin chain stitch - video here, but it's SO easy to do!! You just pull the thread through the loop to make a new loop. Chain 12-15 to get started, then bring up your first bead. Snug it up right next to the hook and chain another stitch, securing the bead in place. (Like most knitting/crochet things, this might sound confusing, but will become abundantly clear when you DO it).

Step 3: Chain 4-6 stitches, then bring up another bead (I usually do larger spaces between larger beads, smaller between smaller). Continue in this way until the last bead, then chain 12-15 (however many you started with). Before cutting the thread, try the chain around your neck and see how it looks/feels. If it is your second or third chain, compare it to the other one(s) and make sure they are similar in length. When the length is satisfactory, cut the thread leaving a 3 inch tail, and thread the end through the last stitch to secure.

Step 4: Make 3 chains in the same manner. I like to do one bead difference on each, eg 24, 25, 26, so they are slightly different lengths, but if you are doing different sized beads, use your judgment. They should be close in length but not exact, so they will lie together nicely. Try holding them up to your neck all together and making sure they look right.

Step 5: The clamshell doohickey - Thread the three ends through the hole in one of the clamshells. I just use the beading needle and do them all at once, but you don't have to. It can help to trim the ends so they're all neat and the same length. Pull the ends through so the clamshell is snug against the ends of your chains. Holding the three together, tie a knot as close to the clamshell as possible. I use the crochet hook to tie around and get the knot really low. Knot it again over the same one. This takes a little practice but is pretty easy to get the hang of! Pull very tight, and cut your ends close to the knot.

Step 6: Put a bit of glue into the clamshell (this is where the precision tip comes in handy!) and use the crimper to close it up tight. I usually give it a good firm squeeze and hold it a few seconds to help set the glue. Tip: It helps if you close the clamshell a bit before doing the glue - sometimes they are wide open and you make a gluey mess trying to get it closed! If any glue oozes out or gets on your tool, not to worry! It comes right off when it's dry. Repeat with the other end of the chains.

(Forgive the extremely bad photo! It's hard to photograph yourself squeezing pliers.)

Step 7: Put your claspy bits on the hooks at the end of the clamshell and use the crimper to bend the hook closed. Make sure it's secure!

Voila! You're done! Start to finish it takes me about 30 minutes to make one of these bad boys. If you'd like, you can block it when you're done by hanging it over a doorknob (dry! No need to get it wet) for a few hours or overnight.

Notes:

~ 16-18" is a nice length for someone with an average sized neck. The necklaces look best as a loose choker, IMO. Too long and they don't lie right because of how lightweight the thread is.

~If you want to add a charm in the center, put the charm in the middle of the first chain, and then thread it in the middle of the second and third chains as well, with the previous chains attached so all three are crocheted onto the center charm - make sure your lengths work on both ends!

~If you're using some larger or more dramatic beads, make sure to space them out on the three chains so they appear staggered - you don't want them stacked on top of each other in the finished piece! Unless you do.

~It is MUCH easier to take beads off than to add them on, so if you're unsure of the length, add a few extra onto the thread at the beginning. It's very easy to try on as you go! 

~See some of the ones I've made here in my Flickr album

~Feel free to play with more or less strands! I just like 3 cause it's the magic number. 

And to celebrate the fact that I finally did this tutorial, I am doing a GIVEAWAY!! Win a necklace in your choice of colors!

 Leave a comment in this post and I will choose a winner at random next Saturday, August 1st! 

Hope you enjoyed the explanation, and feel free to ask me any questions you might have!! 

Luna's Summer Camp Game #5

Part 1:

1. Animagus

2.  Daily Prophet

3.Bowtruckle

4.  Extendable Ear

5. Radish Earrings

6.  Forbidden Forest

7.  Golden cherub

8. Thestral

9. High Inquisitor

10. Educational Decree

Part 2 in the works!

Science Tip of the Day

When you eat Caprese in your bedroom at night and leave the plate, covered in tomato remnants and vinegar drippings, on your dresser, do not wonder why your room smells like ketchup.