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 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.

 

 

March Sale of the Month Baby Outfits and Bundles 60% off

Baby Outfits and Baby Bundles on Ravelry 60% Off Bundle or Pattern

Snow Princess

 Mermaid Cocoon

 Fall Bundle In My Heart

 Cabled Baby Bundle

 Beginner Baby Bundle

 Cutie Pie Onesie

Braided Baby Cocoon

 

February Yarn and Product Review of the Month

New CinDwood Wedges 

I found that this product is made solid and have the ability to make loom knitting very versitile. It is easy to function with the washer and nut assembly, and moves fluidly inside the loom when in use. Soo much easier than the Knifty Knitter Clips. I would in fact suggest getting the loom and wedges for some of my older products that folks are finding the clips hard to get. Get the 90 peg 3/8" gauge with 2 wedges, in fact I am thinking about getting 2 more. Everything of my old stuff is possible with this combo. Patterns I have used the wedge with. The Mermaid link and the Snow Princess link

Loops and Threads Powdery

Cost: $4.00

Weight: Bulky (5)

Contents: 85% Acrylic / 15% Nylon

Skein Weight: 3.5 oz. / 100 g

Yardage: 126 yd. / 116 m

It was a simple yarn to work with, and works great with 1/2" gauge looms. The gradient is lovely, and I feel you get plenty of yarn. It has a moderate softness, but is stiff when worked into a garment. You get a decent amount of yardage for the price. You can only get it at Michael's which if you don't have one near you, you can order it. Otherwise it is a lovely yarn for making nice winter hats. I made a bonnet for my daughter.  Link for pattern Here. 

Premier Isaac Mizrahi Crafts Sutton

 

Cost: $7.00

Weight: Super Bulky (6)

Contents: 85% acrylic, 15% wool

Skein Weight: 4 oz. / 113 g

Yardage: 68 yd. / 62 m

This I felt was a pricey yarn, and you get very little yardage. I was barely able to make a full hat with the stuff. It is soft for a wool blend and has a wonderful gradience in color but I just wasn't happy with how little for the price. Don't plan to sew too much with this yarn it will fall apart if tugged on too hard. It fuzzes up a lot just wearing the garment. I honestly wouldn't suggest this yarn for anyone. It was rather a pain to work with because it wanted to fuzz a lot. If you do want to use it, it is best used on 1/2-5/8" gauge looms. You could use 3/4" gauge as well. I made a hat with it click here for the link for the pattern. 

February Stitch Pattern Checkard Heart Stitch

The Checkard Heart Stitch 

is an easy stitch pattern with knits and purls only.

 

You will have to do a traditional knit for the heart to really show up, keep that in mind. I am also including the 6 stitch patterning and the 10 stitch patterning. Please feel free to print the graphed images for quick reference on projects. The 10 stitch pattern has been incorporated with the "Loving Bonnet" pattern which you can purchase on Ravelry.

6 Stitch Pattern

Flat:

Row 1: P1 K1

Row 2: P3 K3

Row 3: K1 P1

Row 4: K3 P3

In the Round:

Row 1: P1 K1

Row 2: K3 P3

Row 3: K1 P1

Row 4: P3 K3

 

 

 

 

 10 Stitch Pattern

Flat: 

Row 1: P2, K1, P2, K2, P1, K2

Row 2: K1, P3, K1, P1, K3, P1

Row 3: K5, P5

Row 4: P2, K1, P2, K2, P1, K2

Row 5: K1, P3, K1, P1, K3, P1

Row 6: K5 P5 

 

In the Round:

Row 1: P2, K1, P2, K2, P1, K2

Row 2: P1, K3, P1, K1, P3, K1

Row 3: K5, P5

Row 4: K2, P1, K2, P2, K1, P2

Row 5: K1, P3, K1, P1, K3, P1

Row 6: P5, K5

 

Loving Bonnet

Ravelry Link

 

 

Any Loom, Any Hat, Anytime Loom Knitting Book

Ready on Amazon and Kindle in Paperback and Digital!!!  

The Book is Ready!!!! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/any-loom-any-hat-any-time/patternshttp://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/any-loom-any-hat-any-time/patterns

Right now I am in the process of testing out my theories on different hat styles and how to make them on virtually any loom you may possess. It will be using basic math skills to figure out how to go about making some basic styles of hats, like...... cloche, beanie, slouch, earflap, newsboy, ski mask, hood, cap, and beret.

So far I have the cloche, earflap, newsboy, slouch, and beret written up and videoed. I still need to go in and refine my ski mask, hood, and cap.

Hoping to have the book ready in a couple of months.

This will be a wonderful book to add to a reference collection that can help you go about making your own patterns using different stitches, and stitch patterns. So be keeping an eye out for this book.

Here are a few images of the hats I have been working on.

Loom Knit Cable Craze

Loom Knit Cable Craze!!!

So many loom knitters are really getting curious about the realm of loom knitting and cables. Well I love to loom knit cables, so if your interested in viewing some tutorials and some patterns to try take a look at the information below. They range from chunky cables, owl cables, cable braids, to heart cables. Also things you can wear on your head, feet, and body!!!

Video Tutorials

 

 Free Patterns

Christmas Stocking, Cabled Owl Hat, Cabled Santa Hat, Chunky Cabled Hat, Sandal. 

 Challenging Cable Patterns

9 Stitch Chunky Braided Hat, Arm or Leg Warmer, Cabled Hooded Cowl, Heart Cabled Hat, Multi Cabled Toddler Sweater, Leaf Poncho Cable Rabbit Booties, Cable Rabbit Hat, Interlace Heart Remembrance Hat, Braided Cable Socks.

 Owl Loving Cables
Owl Booties, Owl Gloves, Cabled Owl Hat 

Fake Them Cables With a Faux Cable
Lady Explorer Hat and Fingerless Gloves (patterns in progress), Spiral Chunky Faux Braid Hat, Garter Slip Chain Book includes 8 patterns.