Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Tubular Cast-On (a copy)

I love this cast on, now that I 'know' how to do it. This is so I can have my 'cheat sheet' at hand.

From the Blog "My Fashionable Life" without pictures.

1. Using waste yarn (the same weight as your main yarn), cast on half the number of stitches called for in the pattern. If your pattern calls for an odd number of stitches, add 1 and half that number. Change to your main yarn and purl 1 row, knit 1 row. Repeat last two rows.

2. With WS facing, purl the first stitch. The arrow is pointing to the first stitch of your work, held on waste yarn.

3. Pick this stitch up on your left needle.

4. Knit into the back loop of the picked-up stitch.

5. Purl 1 stitch from left needle. The next stitch to pick up and ktbl is shown with an arrow.

6. And here it is picked up. Ktbl as per step 4. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to last stitch.

7. Purl last stitch. There is one more stitch to pick up and ktbl. It hardly looks like a stitch, just a wrap of yarn around the very end of the row. Don’t worry about it too much: as long as you get your needle into that knot, you should be OK.

8. Ktbl into picked up stitch

9. Carefully unpick waste yarn to reveal your beautiful tubular cast on. You have your reward.


Then you just cross over the stitches for a 2x2 rib!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Time Flies

I'm trying to work steadily on Christmas gifts. I got side-tracked by a Cowl from my grandmother in law, and a pair of fingerless mitts for my sister in law - both birthday presents for October.

The project for my brother has stalled out a little due to the snoozy pattern that doesn't seem to go very quickly. I hope to be able to make more progress (as in, knit on it) soon.

My father's project is moving along pretty well. I'm still on the back, but making pretty good progress. Every time I knit with the Cascade Eco Wool I'm amazed at how soft it is. I wouldn't mind stocking up on it - but I haven't gotten back to where I could get it for a great price.

I still need to block my mom's gift, as long as I decide to give it to her. I have another option, including having the yarn in my possession, already picked out, but I'm not casting on yet.

I finally FINALLY found a bulky adult-sized glove pattern so that I can make the gloves for my co-worker. It's only been a year. Now I just need to find the rest of the yarn I bought for the project and cast on.

I started a scarf out of the Cascade Lana d'Oro that my mom got me some time ago and I love that yarn. I was able to find someone selling a sweater's worth on Ravelry, and think I'll probably make the Nantucket jacket out of it. I think it's more suited than the Brooks Farm Willow. Which frees that up for something else.

I also just scored some hemp/wool mix in several different colors. I'm so excited about that. I might make my brother some more socks. I just have to finish his first pair from last year. My dad has 2 pair, I have 1, my mom has 0 (she's next), Dan has 0, but I don't know if he's wear them.

I got some 'mystery' yarn in a swap. I know nobody reads this, but if someone happens upon it, and knows what RN 16825 crewel paterna really is... It weighs about 100 grams, is 2 ply and probably fingering weight though I haven't done a WPI because I didn't want to unwrap it.

Back to the real world.