Quietish

a pattern by knit/hooker pal Mary Ellen Meath

Large Size:

Materials: Kitchen Cotton, less than 1 ball or use your leftovers!
Hook: 4.5 mm G/7, or size that gets you a gauge that you like

Beginning: ch 4, sl st to join

Round 1: ch3 (counts as first dc), dc, ch1, (2dc-ch1) 5 times, sl st in 3rd chain of turning chain to join

Round 2: ch 3, dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch space, (2dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp) around. sl st to join

Round 3: ch3, 2dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp, (4dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp) around, dc, sl st to join

Round 4: ch 3, 3dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp, (6dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp) around, 2dc, sl st to join

Round 5: ch 3, 4dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp, (8dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp) around, 3dc, sl st to join

Round 6: ch3, 5dc, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp, (10cd, dc-ch1-dc in ch sp) around, 4dc, sl st to join

Round 7: ch 1, sc, 8tc in next st, sc in ch sp, (skip 2, 8tc in next st, skip 2, sc in next st, skip 2, 8tc in next st, sc in ch sp) around, skip 2, 8tc in next st, sl st to join.

Break yarn, weave in ends. You’re done! :)

Small Size: about 6″ across

Materials: Kitchen Cotton…1 ball will get you about 3 dishcloths this size!
Hook: 4.5 mm G/7, or the size that gets you a gauge that you like

Special Stitches: Shell: dc-ch1-dc-ch1-dc-ch1-dc

Beginning: Use a magic adjustable ring…

Round 1: ch 3, dc, ch 1, (2dctog, ch 1) 5 times, sl st to join in 3rd chain

Round 2: sl st into ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc into same ch sp, ch 2, (3 dc, ch 2) into each ch sp around, sl st to join

Round 3: ch3, (dc in each dc, dc-ch 2-dc in each ch sp) around, sl st to join

Round 4-5: repeat round 3

Round 6: sl st, ch 1, sc in same st, skip 2 stitches, shell, skip 1 st, sc in ch sp, skip 2 st, shell, sk 1, sc in next st…keep going in this pattern all the way around, sl st to join.

Break yarn, weave in ends. You’re done! :)

Copyright Mary Ellen Meath, 2008.

I finally have my very own Chudley Cannons afghan, and I’m soooooo happy. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, Amber for this very special gift. I shall cherish it forever. <3 <3 <3

While I’m here I’ll share the reason I didn’t get much knitting done yesterday.

Proof that I am still alive. Finished 2 this weekend.

Cascade 220

Crocheted baby hat with an oddball of hand-dyed sock yarn that I should have an announcement about at some point… maybe in the new year? An announcement about yarn, not babies, btw.

Anyway, yeah. I’m alive. I spent a lot of time on the couch this weekend and didn’t even make it out to Hastings for knitting, but that is partially because I hurt my ankle on Wednesday night and it’s still not great to walk on.

In other news, Justin was able to come home for a few days before he needs to head back out for something on Wednesday. I’m hoping they’ll just reschedule the whole thing so I can continue sitting around when it’s convenient for me.

Here is what I’ve done in the last coupla days. I could make many, many more hats and probably not run out of yarn. The stuff just won’t go away!

And something fun: I received a lovely gift from fellow Crafty Witch Jenn today in the form of a crocheted baby dragon (pictured below) and a beaded dealthy hallows sign which unfortunately for you and fortunately for me is on my neck so I don’t have a picture. Hee!

It’s a weird day today, but I think that will turn out to be a good thing.

Jamie has a field trip, which meant I had to drop her off early today. I hope this means I can get some more things done. I have things heaping up and while they are not huge things, well, I get overwhelmed easily. So yeah. The promise of a little extra uninterrupted time has lifted my mood already.

I’m pleasantly surprised because as recently as last night while on my walk (dude, I really need to do a Rivendell update) I contemplated shutting down all of my various internet haunts and hiding at home with my yarn, guitar, and old German textbook. This is a typical urge for me when I am feeling the previously-mentioned overwhelmedness on top of even mild general depression. I feel alright though, because I am at least aware of The Crazy.

I’m also feeling happier because I finished my Crafty Witch Project ™ contribution last night. (Note: It is probably not a good sign that I’m viewing most of my knitting WIPs as burdens. I must explore this thought later.)

Tyrolean Stockings by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits Fall 2007, knit shorter than written, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca in “Cardinal”

I also recently did a quick crocheted beanie out of Berroco Comfort.

(Late SPS, lol.)

The Quick Hat will probably be the theme of my knitting and crochet for the next month or 2. I am needing lots of instant gratification. And hugs too, really.

Leaving town again. Not bringing computer. May check email on cell phone. Those in or near Little Rock should call me. Those not should text me. Will return Friday night.

Pictures for the meantime.

Kitten

Knitting

Waiting to pick up Jamie

Crochet

A couple of weeks ago I had a sudden desire to make a ridiculously big hat. I was at the yarn store and fell in love with a bigass hank of hypersoft yarn, despite the heat and despite being warned that it would pill like mad, I got it.

This is very simple and has likely been done many times before, but I’ll share my “pattern” anyway. (And I’m totally claiming early SPS points, as I’ll be busy all weekend again.)

Big Hat
A thick and quite large crocheted hat with a rolled brim. Fits loosely on an average adult.

Yarn: Twinkle Handknits Soft Chunky Shown in 18 French Grey
Hook: 6mm / J
Gauge: 7.5 stitches and 3.75 rounds = 4 inches

Please do check your gauge; The Soft Chunky yarn I used is VERY thick and it really will take more than 2 strands of worsted to get the same ridiculous size I did.

Chain 3, slip stitch in 1st ch to make ring.
Round 1: Ch 3, dc 11.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc right below chain 3, *dc 2 in each stitch* around to end. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next st *dc 2 in next st, dc 1 in next 2 sts* around, dc 2. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next 2 sts, *dc 2 in next st, dc 1 in next 3 sts* around, dc 1 in next 2 st. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Rounds 5-9: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, *dc 1 in each st* around to end. Sl st in 3rd ch to join.
Round 10: Ch 3, dc 1 right below, dc 1 in next 2 sts, *dc decrease in next 2 sts, dc 1 in next 3 sts* around, dc 1 in leftover stitches to end.
Weave in ends. Roll up brim. (If you don’t, it will surpass so-ugly-it’s-cute and go straight to friggin’-ugly.)

This week has been completely crazy. Kindergarten really is an effective monkey wrench in a homebody’s schedule. I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much time out of the house in one week.

I have managed to finish a few things though.

Scarf

Yarn:
Opal Rainforest Chameleon
Pattern:
Multi-Directional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer
Comments:
I hate knitting scarves. I yawn the entire time. But they do generally come out nicely when you bother to stick with them. Several local folks have been seen knitting this pattern using sock yarn. I love the variations one can get.

Crocheted bag. The one that won me my sanity the other day when I couldn’t work on my afghan.

No pattern. Leftover Schaefer Lola (which Ravelry keeps insisting on calling Little Lola for whatever reason). Sewed in a lining. I love crochet; it’s quick.

I’m so tired. I think I will sleep for some hours this afternoon. This will also serve to keep me from rushing off to the bead store or a quilt store, like I’ve been itching to do all week.

As countless other knit/crochetbloggers have reported, Ravelry has proven to be quite a time-eater. I am not complaining. Ravelry is completely awesome.

However, I’ve also noticed that keeping track of my projects and finishes on there makes me a little less punctual about actually posting them here. For instance, last week I remembered my sister-in-law’s birthday was coming up a little too quickly. So I made her a bag. Then I finished it. In like, a day. I promptly posted it on Ravelry.

Sarah called me yesterday to thank me for it, and I remembered that I had a blog in which to show off such items.

Pattern:
Larger than Life Bag by Cecily Keim, Interweave Crochet - Spring 2007 (scroll down for pic)
Yarn:
Random wool leftovers. Mission Falls 1824 and some Dalegarn I think.
Comments:
I’ve been eying this pattern for awhile, but haven’t picked a yarn for it or anything. Since it was on the brain when I needed a small project, I made 2 of the squares, constructed a small purse and made a lining. Tada! I love it.

Edit. Surely you want to see the inside!

Reason #845033 I can’t wait for Ravelry to go live: I can link directly to pattern information on that site rather than dig up an obscure picture when I can’t find an official page or website.

Help me. I can’t stop. making. owls.

No really. I can’t. I have at least 11 more of these to make. Although I bet I won’t stop there.

Evidenced by the fact that I took a break from fabric owls today by crocheting an owl.

pattern by Ana

On a mostly unrelated note: If Cox doesn’t get my internet connection moving any faster, I might have to eat my keyboard. Crunch, crunch. That is all.