Looking at sales on patterns

Vogue knitting sent me an email stating that they are having sales on their patterns.

Meh. Their stuff is too expensive to buy directly from them. I heartily say check out ebay or amazon for their patterns. Heck, I was SO lucky, I got the Vogue knitting book, normally 38 dollars, for 5 dollars at the thrift store. The thrift store is mecca for off brand mori kei, dolly kei, and lolita accessories and clothes, btw. Though, don't expect much in the way of finding cutesy girly stuff if you're larger than a size L.

I've been into mori kei lately. It is one of those styles that can use a lot of lolita stuff. Mori kei is about looking like you're a forest wanderer, a free spirit. Dolly kei is similar, but its purpose is to make you look as if you came from a european fairy tale. I love both of those styles, but lately I've been making dresses for Lolita. I have one pale blue dress that I am making out of a Mc Calls pattern. Will post pics when I can, am exhausted, just came off of a shift working at Walmart.

Whoooo. This is the book I have. I am getting quite the store of knitting/crocheting/sewing books.


As for tips for accessories to make for any of these styles... I suggest joining ravelry.
The following patterns are from my queue on ravelry.
A pattern that would be great for...

Mori Kei: A Maiden's Glory, http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/beltane06/maidensglory.htm , a circlet made of crocheted flowers and leaves. Very beautiful. I tried to make this before I properly knew about gauge. Didn't go well. Am going to try again though.

Dolly Kei: Two measures of joy, https://www.elann.com/Commerce.Web/Product_freePatternsDetail.aspx?id=118832, A felted purse knit in the round. It has the first couple of notes of Ode to Joy knit and embroidered onto it, so its kinda nerdy, but goes along with the very romantic look of dolly kei.

Lolita: The Grown Up bonnet, http://www.lhoffman.com/grown-up-bonnet, a bonnet knitted on size 5 straight needles. I am in the process of making it but I put it aside so that I can knit christmas gifts.


Anyway, all of these patterns can also be found on Ravelry, if you wanted.

Am going to continue drawing and posting some things up here, when I'm not tired. Farewell for now.


-MNR

Simple Charity Adult Mitten pattern

Simple Charity Adult Mitten pattern

Because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted without customizing heavily, I decided to make my own worsted weight mitten pattern. I've searched Ravelry for simple charity mittens in a basic style. I like the thumb gusset  coming out of the side of the mitten, but couldn't find mittens for my exact specifications. Thus, these mittens were created.


Red heart worsted/aran weight yarn, size 7 dpns, sewing needle, stitch markers. Scrap yarn or stitch holder.
optional: size 5 dpns, or circular needles.

For adult woman size L or adult man's size S/M

CO 36 stitches. Distribute your stitches how you want, they are easily rearranged later. I usually do 12/12/12.  If you want a design for the top you can do 20/8/8 or some variation.
Do a 2x2 rib with either size 7 needles or size 5 needles. Or, do a 1x1 rib. Do this for 2 inches or till desired length for cuff. For me, beginning of round is shown by the tail of the yarn.

Knit one row plain.
Increase for  wrist by doing so: *K6, m1* till end of row. 6 stitches increased.

Knit plain for 2 inches. You may start designs here.

At beginning of round, m1, m1, place marker. You have 4 stitches for the start of your thumb gusset. Knit one round plain.
Repeat these last two rows until you have 13 stitches between your beginning of round and that marker. Place those 13 stitches on a stitch holder or scrap yarn, and continue knitting in the round. Pull yarn tight to close up the hole when you come to the thumb gusset in subsequent rounds. The hole should close on its own.

If you haven't placed designs and you want to, now is a good time to place designs.
My design was 2 red stripes, separated by black. How I did it: my colors were black (mc) and red (cc). I continued in black for  3 more rows. Then I did 3 rows red. Then another 3 rows black. Then another 3 rows red. Then I cut red and went back to black. There will be a bit of 'stripe jogging', so I placed the jogging stripes at the beginning of round, where my thumb hole resides. It is not quite noticeable.

Continue knitting for 4 more inches. This is usually where the pinky finger ends.

Begin decreases to close the mitten.
*K8, k2tog* till the end of row.
Knit one round plain.
*K7, k2tog* till end of row.
Knit one round plain.
*K6, k2tog* till end of row.
Knit one round plain.

Continue in this manner, until you finish row *k2, k2tog*.
After that row, just k2tog. You should  be left with 6 stitches. Cut yarn and leave a tail 12 inches or longer. Weave through remaining stitches and tie off.

Thumb:
Pick up the stitches left earlier. You should have 13. Pick one up where the hole is, and then you should have a total of 14 stitches.
Knit in the round, tightening  where the hole is. Knit for 2.5 inches. Begin decreases.
*k1, k2tog* till the end of row.
Knit one round plain.
*k2tog* till the end of row.
Leave a tail of 8 inches, draw through remaining stitches and tie off.

At this point, I crocheted around the cuff with my contrasting color. I crocheted 32 stitches evenly around the opening, to tighten the cuff. This is optional.


Make second mitten in this manner, reversing the top hand pattern, by distributing stitches like so: 8/8/20, where 20 is where you put the design.

rudiments of a new sock design

So I'm working on a new sock design for my sister's boyfriend. I just don't like the several hundred different sock patterns I have on my Ravelry waiting list. =P

If these are successful, I will post my pattern on ravelry. 

Most of them are fingering weight. I don't have the luxury of using sockweight yarn.

I'm using a yarn called shepard's classic, 100% worsted weight wool yarn. Using size 4 needles.
He has thick calves, so I must work within those parameters. Last year, I miscalculated and made socks.... for his 6 and 10 year old kids. Ugh! Not like it wasn't good they got nice socks though. I just wish that they had fit his feet.

These are the same needles I used last year. But I've gotten wise. Instead of 48 stitches, I"m casting on 64!, the size I usually cast on with size 1 or 2 needles.

Knit the first row.
I rib for half an inch,so the socks stay up.
I wanted some visual interest,but I'm also a lazy knitter, so I did a cable rib, so every other set of even stitches on the row, there's a k2, and every other set of 6 knit stitches, there's a cable.
I can illustrate what i mean when i finish the cuff.
These are going to be simple top down socks, with a gusset heel, since I haven't done heel flaps in a while. I don't want to forget! Plus, I want to try the reinforced heel.

I think I might continue the cable rib pattern down the top of the foot. The toe is going to be a regular square toe, with the kitchener stitch. But that will be some time off, since he has really big feet.

I really want to finish in time for christmas. Cheer for me?

-MNR

Abstract Castle Ramparts

This is what it looks like to me. I didn't know what else to call it, so here it is.

I was doodling in class, and I came up with several ideas for more different types of geometric patterns, as I love geometric patterns. Anyway, here it is. The yellow part is
the part that repeats.

Crown Chart (knitting or crochet)

I want to start designing patterns for Ravelry and such. I've created this crown chart, and I want to share it.

This chart/afghan block can be knit with any size needles and any yarn, and near any gauge. I wouldn't suggest a very loose gauge, because then the pattern can't be seen.