Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Which Stitch Neck Warmer



 Which Stitch Neck Warmer


 What's with the name?
Which Stitch.
Well this stitch has more than one name.
The UP and DOWN st.
The GRIDDLE st.
The LEMON PEEL st.
 And maybe even more.

I prefer the Up and Down stitch as it makes sense to me.
Once the first pattern row is established which is
1 sc, 1 dc, repeat the last 2 stitches to the end.
The up and down bit becomes clear on the next and every alternative row.
1 sc worked into a dc stitch, 1 dc worked into a sc stitch, worded this way it's really the down and up stitch.

 The benefits of this st is that it works up very quickly and gives a closed piece of work (no holes) which is perfectly suited for a neck warmer.

 Well what about the button holes that are needed?
The button holes are worked into row 3, better to do it at the beginning of the neck warmer rather than the end.
It will take 2 rows to complete the button holes.
Placement can be up to you, but closer to the edges are better for when you wear it.
 Button hole row:
Work 1 sc, 1 dc, 1sc, 1dc, STOP and don't work the next 1 sc into the next dc stitch (that's the space for the button hole), do 1 chain instead and skip that dc, then work 1 dc straight into the next sc, do the same about 5st's in from the end.
When you work on the next row you will place a dc into the ch 1 space, button hole made! To make sure you do not miss making this stitch, talk your way through this row as it can be easily over looked.

Now doesn't the neck warmer look odd in the above picture?
But because it wraps around the neck and over laps this is how it looks finished.
Try seeing the left (button holes) winding to you and then back over the buttons.
The one below is not closed but moving the right direction.
How wide will you make it?
How many chains needed to begin?
This is a personal choice, if you make them a little wider than I would make mine, you may feel restricted, choked up by the neck warmer, not that they will be too tight, but a little claustrophobic even.
It depends on the individual.
I make mine 14 chains plus 1 chain.
I did make one for myself 16 chains plus 1 chain and I found that too high and annoying.
 I always make them up over an even number of st's.
The rows always begin with a sc and end with a dc.
Each and every row, now it's becoming clearer that this will be an easy and repetitive pattern to make once you pass the button hole rows.
This also makes for nice even edges.
Now lets talk about hook size and yarn thickness.
I live in Australia a warmer climate, but it still gets cold in winter, our most used yarn ply is 8 ply which is the same as US 4 ply.
The hook suitable for AU 8 ply is a 4 or 5mm hook, which is a US G/6, 8/H hook.
Using a thicker ply is fine, but don't forget to use the appropriate hook size for that ply.
I suggest you start out with no more than 14 chain plus 1 chain for the thicker yarn.
Tension not required!

How long will I make it?
You will need about 17.5 inches in length, but in saying that, measure as you go, your neck may be smaller or larger than mine, I'd be an average size neck.
                    
You can copy and paste the instructions onto a word document for ease of use.
Now it's time to write the pattern which begins at the button hole end and is worked in one long piece.

A quick explanation:
Why do I refer to 14 chains plus 1 chain?
The 14 chains are for the amount of st's that will be used, the 1 chain is for the first turning chain, a turning chain only not counted as a stitch in this pattern. 

 Pattern
Materials needed: Hook, yarn, sewing needle, 2 buttons, tape measure and some scissors.
US terms used:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
Level = beginner to expert.
  
To begin, chain 15:

Row;1, Work 1 sc into second ch from hook, work 1 dc into next chain, *work 1 sc into next chain, work 1 dc into next chain*, repeat from * to*  to end, ch 1 and turn (14 st's)

Row;2, *work 1 dc into a sc, work 1 sc into a dc*, repeat from * to*  to end,  ch 1 and turn (14 st's)

Row;3, Button hole row, work 1 dc into the sc, work 1 sc into the dc, work 1 dc into the sc, STOP, we are about to make the button hole. Chain 1, do not work into the next stitch, just skip that stitch, now work 1 dc into the sc, work 1 sc into the dc, until you get to with in 5 stitches of the end of the row, work the dc into the sc, STOP, we are about to make the second button hole. Chain 1, do not work into the next stitch, just skip that stitch, now work 1 dc into the sc, (you should have only 2 st's left), now work the sc into the dc and the dc into the sc, make 1 chain for turning, then turn work (12 st's and 2 ch 1 spaces)

Row;4, Working across this row we must place a dc into the chain 1 place, it's easy to get lost here, so lets talk it through.In order we start, a single into a double, a double into a single, a single into a double, a double into that chain 1 space, a single into a double, a double into a single, a single into a double, until we get to that next chain 1 space, now go ahead and do a double into the chain 1 space, (2 st's left) a single into the double, a double into the single, make 1 chain for turning, then turn work (14 st's)

Row 5 makes up the rest of the pattern, just repeat this row until you have the desired length, approx 17.5 inches.
 
Row;5, *Work 1 dc into a sc, work 1 sc into a dc*, repeat  from *to* to end, 
ch 1 and turn

 At the end of your last row break off yarn long enough to sew in that end.


Sew in ends, check button size before attaching buttons, attach buttons.

Of course you can dress this style up with a few fancy st's or embellishments.

Here's a few more I made. Free Matching Hat Pattern Here

   

You may also like this neck warmer, free crochet cable neckwarmer
 
  Good luck with your project, I’d love to hear your feed back. Please do not sell this pattern, please link back to me if you use this pattern, I’d love to see this used for charity, and you can make and sell items from this pattern too. TO PRINT OUT THE PATTERN, COPY AND PASTE TO A WORD DOCUMENT ON YOUR COMPUTER.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Crochet Pattern Bonanza

 This is a free pattern site you may want to have a look at.
They are currently getting around 16,000 visitors per week.
What are the highlights of this new site?
Pictured icons lead you to the free pattern.
I love this idea.

You can also link to this site which in return will link back to you.

I have submitted my Tezzie hat pattern.

 This was also a talking point at Craft Gossip it's nice to hear positive things regarding you work.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

What's On My Hook?

Not A Thing!

For the past year and a bit I have been learning how to weave with beads and shaping artistic wire to use for jewelry making.
My major learning tool has been watching you tube tutorials.
As a child, I had a passion for both seed beads and crochet.
Now I know how to make items from both.
I took a few pictures to show you what I have been doing, so here they are just a small sample of some of my creations and some from the tutorials that I have watched.

I am really proud of my dream catcher necklaces and matching ear rings.
They are made from wire and beads.


  



 


 I went from dream catchers to wire beaded spiders, I learned the technique from a you tube tutorial.
 

I took the spider one more step and placed him in a web hanging on a neck lace.
 

I didn't stop there. Why not butterfly's?
So this is what I came up with.
Once again wire and beads.


Quite some time before the wire and beading, I was weaving on a home made bead loom and found plenty of inspiring designs on the internet.
 Can you see the Cat name bracelet below?

Lots of these went out for Christmas presents.

 Below is a herringbone wire wrapped bead and all of the links were made by me too, some more you tube tutorials.



I hope you like my little write up about my beading journey and I do hope to get back to some crochet soon, I have some new ideas brewing.
Cheers now, from Cat XX00 


 

Monday, July 30, 2012

Grandchild number 12, arrived safely!

There is always room for one more to love and adore! Lovely little Savannah arrived safely on the 28th of June, almost a year exactly away from her cousin Cindy's arrival. It's so surprising how one can manage to share themselves with so many loved one's, but not so surprising is how much one loves them all so dearly! 

Savannah's first picture
 Savannah looks like both her mum and dad!

She looks like one of those baby dolls here.

This is Cindy, now 1 year old.
Thanks for looking!