May Sale of the Month 34% off the "50 Loom Knit Stuffed Animal Patterns Book" Ravelry

34% OFF The "50 Loom Knit Stuffed Animal Patterns Book" Digital Copy on Raverly. 

Makes it $20 rather than $30

 

April Tip of the Month Reading Pictures

Reading Pictures?

Yup how to identify stitches and combos from an image. This will get you started, the trick is to be able to recognize what stitches and combos look like to a point you can make he pattern in your head. This is a great technique for wanting to make needle knit patterns on the loom but don't want the hassle of literally translating the pattern from needle to loom. So lets get started.

 

This is a pattern above I have never published. It is an Easter Baby Cloche. So lets break down some elements in the photo.

The circle on the lower left is a knit, the upper right is a purl. To figure out stitches count the similar knits or purls beside. To figure the rows count the knits and purls above and below.

This is a cable. If you see stitches crossing each other this is what a cable looks like. For instance you see 3 knit stitches crossing, it is an even cable which means it uses 6 stitches. The cable is crossing towards the right which makes it a right cable cross. This is also a rabbit cable motif, so look for references on these elements.

This is an eyelet, this means you have a combo of decreases, yarn overs, and knitting 2 stitches together. There are a multitude of ways to do this combo and it takes research to know what the combos look like to recreate the particular eyelet look.

This show a 2 piece section here. See how the seed stitch is going a different direction from the garter stitch. This means you either did the brim separate and was sewn on, or worked into the hat part after it was completed.

This is come basic visual, but to get more fluent at this, constantly research, research, research, this gets you more knowledgable about what things look like. This skill is also beneficial taking elements from say one picture and add to elements of another picture to create a completely new pattern. This is what I use often. This is a great skill to have as a designer. So take this start if you are interested to gain your skill in making your own creations through elements you like from an image. Have fun.

 

April Stitch Pattern of the Month Raspberry Rib Stitch

Raspberry Rib Stitch

A simple knit and purl stitch pattern, that the hardest part if figuring what loom might work for a hat for this pattern. As it uses 8 stitches and 12 rows for a single pattern. Below I will show the chart to guide by when working this pattern as well as how it is written for working flat and in the round. The video that is included shows working flat as there is more to keep up with than in the round. 

Flat

Row 1: K3, P1

Row 2: P1, K3

Row 3: K3, P2, K1, P2

Row 4: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K3

Row 5: K3, P2, K1, P1

Row 6: P1, K1, P1 K1, P1, K3

Row 7: K3, P1

Row 8: P1, K3

Row 9: P1, K1, P2, K3, P1

Row 10: P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 11: P1, K1, P2, K3, P1

Row 12: P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1  

In The Round

Row 1-2: P1, K3 

Row 3: P2, K1, P2, K3

Row 4: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K3

Row 5: P2, K1, P2, K3

Row 6: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K3

Row 7-8: P1, K3

Row 9: P1, K3, P2, K1, P1

Row 10: P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 11: P1, K3, P2, K1, P1

Row 12: P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1

 

April Sale of the Month 50% off Ravelry Bonnet Patterns

50% Off Bonnet Patterns

Lacey Easter Bonnet

Lacey Baby Bonnet

Loving Bonnet

Clover Bonnet

Bonnie Blue Bonnet

 Free Bonnet Pattern
Lace Faced Short Row Bonnet

March Yarn and Product Reviews

Patons Metallic Yarn

Cost: $6
Composition: 63% nylon, 28% acrylic and 9% wool
Weight Category: 4
Weight and Yardage: 3 oz/85 g; 252 yds/230 m

This yarn was great to work with on the loom, it doesn't have spring but has great drape. Feels like satin to work with. Loops like satin with the sheen it puts off. I would suggest using with a 3/8" gauge loom for projects. Not a bad price for the yardage you get. Divine stuff to knit with on texture alone, gently slips through the fingers and slides through the stitches beautifully, and well woven so it doesn't break apart when knitting with the hook. 

Red Heart Heads Up Yarn

Cost: $5
Weight category: 5
Composition: 80% acrylic/20% wool.
Weight and Yardage: 3.5oz/100g, 106yd/97m

While this yarn was soft, it drove me nuts. It is not tightly woven and likes to split apart a lot when tossing stitches over with the hook. They have vivid colors which is great. Works best with 1/2" to 5/8" gauge looms. It has spring to it, would look good with cabling. Just splits apart entirely too much for my taste. The price is okay, could be better for what you get. Wouldn't really suggest this yarn for anyone.

St Patty's Day Hat

Lions Brand Amazing Yarn

Cost: $5
Weight Catagory: 4 
Composition: 53% Wool/47% Acrylic
Weight and Yardage: 135 m/ 147 yds

This yarn they swear is soft, but I found if rough and feels typical of wool. It is very fuzzy in and while it may be a 4 weight if feels like a 3, probably some where in between. Works with 3/8" gauge best. The color gradience in beautiful but I wouldn't suggest it for small projects, it is going to be best for larger projects as it has a very slow gradience in color. The color I got has a heavy lavender base to it. Not bad to work with but wouldn't be easy to make something for my family as they want soft yarn only. The cost isn't bad for the natural fiber % just keep in mind this isn't the soft wool it is rougher.

 Checkard Heart Socks

March Stitch Pattern of the Month Clover Stitch

Clover Stitch

 

 Terms

CO: Cast On

K: Knit

P: Purl

D: Decrease

YO: Yarn Over

K2tog: Knit 2 Stitches Together

P2tog: Purl 2 Stitches Together

SL/YO: Slip Yarn Over 

K/SL: Knit the Slip

LSBP: Lift Stitch, and Skip Behind Peg Place Stitch Back on Peg.

Flat: 

EWCO 13 (Flat, requires a knit 2 on both sides of the design. You will need to add 2 to the 11 stitch pattern for working flat.)

Knit the first row after cast on.

Row 1: K2, P1, LSBP, SL/YO, LSBP, P1, K2

Row 2: K

Row 3: K2, P2, K1, K/SL, K1, P2, K2

Row 4: K2, P3, P2tog, P3, K2

Row 5: K2, P2, K1, P1, K1, P1, K2

Row 6: K4, P3, K4

Row 7: K2, D-> YO K2tog, K1, P3, K1, D<-K2tog YO, K2

Repeat rows 1-7 over and over

If you would like a separation of the clovers more do a row 8 and Knit straight across.

Circular:

EWCO 11 (Ciruclar you don't need the extra 2 on the end like flat, you are calculating for the 11 stitches.)

Row 1: K2, P1, LSBP, SL/YO, LSBP, P1

Row 2: K

Row 3: K2, P2, K1, K/SL, K1, P2

Row 4: K2, P3, P2tog, P3

Row 5: K2, P2, K1, P1, K1, P1

Row 6: K4, P3, K2

Row 7: K2, D-> YO K2tog, K1, P3, K1, D<-K2tog YO

If you like the stitch pattern please check out this bonnet pattern I made using the stitch on Ravelry: 

March Tutorial of the Month St Patty's Day Hat

St Patty's Day Hat

I will give you the formula to allow you to figure out how to make this hat in any size you would like. It is a fun hat to enjoy the St Patrick's Day Fun!!!!

Items:

loom to fit your head size

looming hook

yarn to work with the gauge of the loom

black yarn

green yarn

Terms:

EW CO: E-Wrap Cast On

WCO: Weave In Cast On

K: Flat Knit

P: Purl

WT: Wrap and Turn

K2tog: Knit 2 Stitches Together

BO: Bind Off

DSBO: Drawstring Bind Off

FGDSBO: Fine Gauge Drawstring Bind Off

Formula

#pegsX2=#A

#A-8=#B

#B/4=#C

#pegs/5=#D

#pegs/2=#E

#E+#D=#F

A is the number of rows you will need to do total for the brim. 

B is the number of rows you will do that aren't corners. 

C is the number of rows you will do between your corners

D is the number of rows you will do in black for your band at the base.  Also the number of pegs you will use for the brim.

E is the number of rows you will do after the band area at the base.

F is the number of rows you will do total for the top of the hat. 

Ex: for 36 peg loom

36 x 2= 72

72-8=64

64/4=16

36/6=6

36/2=18

18+6=24

Lets write up our pattern. 

Note: Always skip the first peg when coming back from the even number rows. Unless you are wrapping and turning then you will need to work the peg. So it will be skip1 purl5. 

Brim First: Flat: 6 pegs: 

EWCO 6

Row 1: K

Row 2: P

Row 3-16: Repeat rows 1 and 2

Row 17: K5, WT

Row 18: P5

Row 19: K4, WT

Row 20: P4

Row 21: K3, WT

Row 22: P3

Row 23: K2, WT

Row 24: P2

Row 25: K1, WT

Row 26: P1

Row 27: K1, K2tog

Row 28: P2

Row 29: K2, K2tog

Row 30: P3

Row 31: K3, K2tog

Row 32: P4

Row 33: K4, K2tog

Row 34: P5

Row 35: K5, K2tog

Row 36: P6

Row 37-52: repeat rows 1-16

Row 53-72: repeat rows 17-36

Row 73-88: repeat rows 1-16

Row 89-108: repeat rows 17-36

Row 109-124: repeat rows 1-16

Row 125-144: repeat rows 17-36

BO 

sew ends together

Weave In Cast On the 36 pegs from the brim

Row 1-6: Black K

Row 7-24:  Greeen K

DSBO or FGDSBO

weave in the tails and you're done!!!

See video for help understanding all this.