Sock Diagram

At times you need to see a diagram of a sock pattern. 

I decided to post one here for easy reference.

The sock shown was knit by Kathy Green.

The pattern is Joann Socks on Ravelry.

Picot Bind Off

I have designed several shawls with a Picot Bind Off.

So I decided it was time to assist others in using the Picot Bind Off.

I always use the next larger needle for the bind off.

For this example I am using the Audrey's Shawl.

It is a worsted shawl designed for a child.

The shawl is knit with a US8 (5 mm) and I used a US9 (5.5 mm) for the bind off.

Even when knitting a shawl with fingering weight yarn, 

I use one size larger needle for the bind off.

First you bind off 2 stitches as you normally would.

Then you slide the stitch from right hand needle to the left hand needle.

Insert the needle between the two right most stitches on your left needle. 

Pull the yarn through.

Place on the left hand needle, without twisting. 

Repeat to add the second cast on stitch. 

Should have 3 loops separated from the other stitches on the left hand needle.

Bind off 5 stitches. 

I give the picot a tug. 

Place the remaining stitch on the left hand needle,

repeat the process until you bind off all the stitches.

When I am sitting I am knitting.
I hope you will join me in the Ravelry Heirloom Goods
knitting group.

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.

Diamonds Cowl

My most recent design is the Diamonds Cowl, 

modeled here by Lindsey (my daughter-in-law).  

As with all my patterns, it is available through Ravelry.  

Scottsdale Faroese Shawl

 I began designing and knitting this shawl in October 2012.  About the time I completed the first design/knit I was diagnosed with cancer.  Over the next 5 months while having chemotherapy I changed the design and knit 4 shawls before I was totally happy with the design and handed the pattern to 5 great test knitters.  As usual they all did a great job of testing my pattern for me.  Both of these shawls are the 4th (and final) design.  The purple shawl is knit with Heritage Silk Paints by Cascade Yarns.  The shawl below is knit with part of 6 skeins of November Gradiance, called The Unique Sheep Green Sheep Fingering. I knew I would not use enough to get to the bottom colors if I used all of each skein, and I wanted to get some of all the colors in.  One of the test knitters called this shawl a celebration of life due to my design timing, and after chemotherapy and surgery I am now cancer free, so it was so perfect that she said that about my design.

This shawl is designed with shoulder shaping (hence the name Faroese), so the shawl just sits on your shoulders.  Although my husband designs shawl pins I never use one with this shawl design.  I don't need it.

I am happy to say this pattern has been my most popular pattern so far.  Hard copies are currently available in 2 local East Tennessee yarn stores, and it is also available through Ravelry, here.

Never worn a shawl, now is the time to try it.  You will be amazed how much you will enjoy wearing, and the compliments just keep coming.

Don't knit?  I take custom orders to hand knit items.

Handmade Adventures in Pigeon Forge, TN

 The only store my items are being sold in is Handmade Adventures in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  The hats and purses are shown here together, but they do not have to be purchased as a set.

 They have an ever changing selection of my hand knit, felted and needled felted items.

 Their inventory is constantly changing because all needle felt items are truly "One of a Kind".  The needle felt designs are applied by hand after I knit and felt the item.  I do look at photographs as I needle felt, but there are no patterns.  The needle felt process consist of 'pulling' roving and actually applying the roving with a single barbed needle.  This is a very time consuming process, even when the design appears to be simple.

 They also offer a variety of my felted bowls.  These are used as home decorations.

And they have several pairs of the fingerless gloves I have designed.  There are 3 different lace designs, all knit with different yarns. 

They also carry a limited supply of my original photograph greeting cards.

If you are in the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area please check them out.  They are located in the Old Mill Village.  This Saturday (September 22, 2012) there will be all kinds of activity going on because it is the 9th Annual Old Mill Heritage Day.  I will be demonstrating needle felting at the festival.

October new shawl design

My latest design, a shawl.
This shawl is knit with 2 very different strands of yarn.
One a very thin acrylic, and one a mohair blend.

This design has a fairly fast increase,
with 10 stitch increase every right side row.

And ends with a lace border, and picot bind off.