Saturday, July 5, 2014

Adding pocket to purse

This blog post is about adding a pocket to a hand knit purse,
after finishing the knit of the purse but before felting the purse.
For this demo I am using a purse with a different color stripe to assist in the addition.

First, you need to find the middle 27 stitches (or the number you wish to use)
and mark with stitch markers.  If you mark to the right of the most right stitch and
to the left of the most left stitch you will have 28 stitches marked.

From the inside of the purse, using a crochet hook, pull the yarn through
a space one row up and 1/2 stitch toward the middle of the purse.

Pull about 24 inches of the yarn to the inside of the purse.

Go to the right side of the purse and directly below the
stitch marker you placed insert the crochet hook. 

Pull the yarn through to the outside of the purse.

Place the yarn on a double point needle,
the same size needle as your original project.

Continue in this manner.
As you continue be careful to move over a full stitch and not a half stitch.

After I have about 10 stitches on the double point
I transfer them to a 24 inch circular needle.

I continue until I have all 28 stitches on the knitting needle.
Notice the original pull through is above the row.

Turn the purse.

Purl the first row, and all the odd number rows.

Knit the even number rows to create stockinette.
40 to 50 rows is a good number of stockinette rows.
End with a WS knit row, RS knit row, and WS knit row.
Bind off knitwise.  Sew the pocket to the purse before felting.
Height of pocket before felting was 9 1/2 inches.

And the photo after felting.
This pocket I knitted 50 rows of stockinette;
ending with 3 rows of garter stitch.
Height of pocket after felting was 5 1/2 inches.

I do felt my items to the point of no stitch definition showing.
When I design felted items I use US10 (6.5mm) needles 
with one strand of yarn.
I used a H (5mm) crochet hook for this demonstration. 


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Sea the Waves Shawl

The inspiration for this shawl came from the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.  For my second knit of the shawl I used Three Irish Girls Congdon Merino Silk yarn, in the exclusive colorway of Gulf of Mexico only available at A Good Yarn - Sarasota; in Sarasota, Florida.  This colorway really is the color of the water on the Florida Gulf of Mexico coast.
(Modeled by Lindsey Harrell)
The bottom border is representative of the waves and the intricate lace section
is representative of the palm trees and shells along the shore.
My first knit of the shawl I used Peppino by Rhichard Devrieze.  With the color (Fondly) of this yarn the intricate lace portion of the shawl really reminds me of my favorite seashell (Vanhyning's Cockle), found along the shores of St Pete Beach.  Which, by the way, is my very favorite place to vacation.
Modeled by me.

Kelly Ramsey also was nice enough to model the shawl for me.
This shawl is now the store sample at A Good Yarn - Sarasota.
This is my 19 design to release in my Ravelry store.
Sea the Waves pattern is available  to purchase, and is
also available in my ETSY store. 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Smoky Mountain Moebius Cowl


I find the moebius cast on to be very addictive.  
When I knit a moebius cowl I want to knit another one.


As you can see I did knit this one several times,
even before I handed the design over to test knitters.
I designed this one with a simple eyelet that gives it 
a lacy design without much concentration while knitting.


 Some of my test knitters made more than one also.  
The ones here were all knit by me and 
are being modeled by my daughter-in-law, Lindsey.


The hardest part to learn about Moebius cast on is that the knitting is growing from the middle of the design out.  You are not knitting from one end or the other.  Another tip for the first time moebius knitter is to be absolutely sure you have gone around the moebius the full circle.  To assure this it is best to add a marker and until the marker is back at your needle tip you have not completed the design.  This was the hardest for me as a new moebius knitter.  I thought when I got back even with the marker, although it was on the cable below my knitting, I had completed a full repeat of the design.  After having to remove stitches ( a LOT of stitches) I didn't make that mistake again.   

I named this pattern, the Smoky Mountain Moebius, because I live so close to the Smoky Mountains.
The pattern is available in my Ravelry store.