Saturday, January 28, 2017

January Yarn Reviews



Bernat Softee Baby Colors
DK Weight (3)
$4-$6
310 yds
100% Arcylic
I think it has great color options, and the colors work up lovely. Easy to get from about every where, and reasonable in price for the yardage you get. Best used on 3/8" gauge looms. It doesn't was up well, if you are using for socks it will leave fuzzy ends after washing. Has nice spring to it, and is soft as it states. I would suggest this yarn to anyone.


 Ravelry Link For Pattern










Patons Silk Bamboo
DK Weight (3)
$6-$9
102 yds
70% Bamboo 30% Silk
Beautiful color options, and works up lovely as well. Very soft, but not quite as soft as the bamboo cotton blend I have gotten in the past. I think it is thicker than a typical DK weight, feels more like a worsted weight. Little pricey but you are getting natural fibers. It is typically found online, I haven't seen it in stores. It has some spring, but a beautiful drape because it has some weight to it. A great yarn for summer projects, for the natural fibers are breathing fibers. There is a enough to make a hat, or some baby items, but you would have to order more skeins if you want to make something larger. I would most likely buy more of this yarn as I really enjoyed looming with it. It also does best on a 3/8" gauge loom.
 Ravelry Link For Pattern

























Premier Isaac Mizrahi Crafts Little Red
DK Weight (3)
$4-$7
232 yds
100% Acrylic
The gradient in color worked up nicely and has a soft but firm feel to it. The price is not bad either, but I would say not easily found. I got mine at Michael's, and that is the only place I have seen it so far. It washes up really well, I have washed a pair of socks a couple of times and still looks awesome. It has good spring, and a nice drape. It is a true DK weight in my opinion, and works best on 3/8" gauge looms. I would suggest this yarn to anyone making items they intend to wash a lot.
 Ravelry Link For Pattern

January Tutorial of the Month Seamless Baby Mittens



Seamless Baby Mittens


Items
24 or 28 peg 3/8" gauge loom
looming hook
Dk or Worsted Yarn (great use of scrap yarn)

Terms:
KCO: Kitchener Cast On
K: Knit
P: Purl
WT: Wrap and Turn
K2tog: Knit 2 Stitches Together
MBO: Modified Bind Off

28 pegs: circular:
KCO 28 pegs
Row 1: K
Row 2: K13 WT, K12 WT, K11 WT, K10 WT, K9 WT, K8 WT, K7 WT, K6 WT, K6, K6 K2tog, K7 K2tog, K8 K2tog, K9 K2tog, K10 K2tog, K11 K2tog, K12 K2tog, K13 K2tog K14
Row 3-9: K
Row 10-16: K2, P2
MBO
Make 2
Tighten Your Cast on

24 pegs: circular:
KCO 24 pegs
Row 1: K
Row 2: K11 WT, K10 WT, K9 WT, K8 WT, K7 WT, K6 WT, K6, K6 K2tog, K7 K2tog, K8 K2tog, K9 K2tog, K10 K2tog, K11 K2tog K12
Row 3-9: K
Row 10-16: K2, P2
MBO
Make 2
Tighten Your Cast on

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Januarys Stitch of the Month the Honeycomb Brioche Stitch

On a Facebook forum someone was wanting to know what this stitch was, I researched it and found the name and how it was done on needles. I was able to translate it to the loom To enjoy this tutorial on how to do the Honeycomb Brioche Stitch in the round and flat.
Terms:
K: Flat Knit
P2tog: Purl 2 Stitches Together
K/SL: Knit the Slip stitch only, there is the yarn over and a slip stitch on the peg, only knit the slipped stitch.
SL/YO: Slip and yarn over the peg basically means you yarn over the peg with a stitch on it.

Cast On
Knit the first row after cast on

In the Round


Row 1: SL/YO, K
Row 2: K/SL, K
Row 3: K/SL, K just before last peg in the row.
Row 4: SL/YO, P2tog
Row 5-6: K/SL, K
Row 7: SL/YO, P2tog
Row 8: K/SL, K
Row 9: K/SL, K just before last peg in the row.
Row 10: SL/YO, P2tog
Row 11-12: K/SL, K
Continue to repeat rows 4-12 over and over. 

Flat

EW CO
Row 1: K
Row 2: K1, *SL/YO, K repeat**, K1
Row 3: K1, *K1, K/SL repeat**, K1
Row 4: K1, *K/SL, K1 repeat**, K1
Row 5: K1, *SL/YO, P2tog repeat**, K1
Row 6: K1, *K1, K/SL repeat**, K1
Row 7: K1, *K/SL, K1 repeat**, K1
Row 8: K1, *SL/YO, P2tog repeat**, K1
Repeat rows 3-8 over and over

Snow Princess

Ravlery Link


Laced with Hugs and Kisses Socks

Ravelry Link


Honeycomb Rainbow Hat

Ravelry Link


Januarys Tip of The Month How to Spread Out Your Ruffle Yarn Using Lace Techniques


 For Pattern Above Link Here

In my research of ruffle yarn I noticed you use a lot of it and for a very small area and way too bulky. I wanted to have the ruffles spread out a lot more, better spacing. This is where I thought to add a lacing technique between rows of using the ruffle yarn.

I provide a video explaining visually how I do this. It works lovely and have a nice spacing and uses less ruffle yarn to do so, while thinning it out.

Ruffle yarn is lovely but I think is a wonderful accent like the fur yarn is. I intend on using the ruffle yarn in a variety of projects this year as an accent or panel. So keep a look out for projects using this technique.

Here is the video and below are the terms and written of what I am doing in the video.





When using the ruffle yarn place every 3 whole onto the peg. 
Also keep in mind your ruffle yarn is worked on the inside of the loom and your base yarn is worked on the outside of the loom. 
Terms:
K: Flat Knit
YO: Yarn Over (lay the working yarn over the empty peg)
K<-: Knit the stitch and decrease to the left
K/D: Knit the Decrease (take the bottom loop and toss over the top loop)
P: Purl
CY: Change Yarn
R: Ruffle
B: Base Color 


Cast On using the ruffle yarn. 
Row 1-2: CY B: K
Row 3: K1, *K<-, K/D** (repeat star area to other side), K1
Row 4: K1, *YO, K1**(repeat star area to the other side), K1
Row 5: K1, *K1, P1** (repeat star area to the other side), K1
Row 6-9: Repeat rows 2-5
Row 10: CY R K

Repeat this 10 rows process over and over until desired length.