Do Over ~ Week 4 (Portable Projects with a Cause)

Yeah, yeah I know. It's actually week five. Don't get all caught up in that number thing! It's just been crazy around here. Busy, busy, busy and the weather has been so stinkin' hot that it's not even fun (not much) to even knit. Temps haven't been all that bad, but it's the humidity that gets me. Ugh. Some days all we do is lay around and read a book.  Hm...if I could get the kid to turn the pages for me I think I would be all set!! Right now it's 0646 am and the temp is only 75degrees! ONLY. The humidity however,  is 98%. Gonna be a real nice day. Yeah. Real nice.
Anyway..... it's week 4 of the project! Woot! Everyone is knitting up their blocks and learning some new things along the way! Miss N has already completed her first set of ALL 6 blocks and is heading off to make the second set. What an overachiever!  Miss T~ the crochet queen has been whipping hers out in between making some pretty fabulous monkeys & washcloths! AND she's also 'learning' knitting... more on that later!   Royal D admits that she didn't mind the color work block (#3) and has finished it, but also admits the yarn that was giving her fits.
 Even her kids laughed at her with her when she was done! **Please admire the block to your right... the tension is perfect, the color choice amazing.. yep! It's a nice block! It is a bit crunchy.. but D is right... the yarn stinks!   Such a snob! *me too!! 
 Me? Um... I'm waiting for the Princess' Mommy to finish her block and then I will move forward!  *That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!  Honestly? I really haven't been knitting.  Oh... I've got projects on the needles (multiples) but I keep getting distracted by just about anything else that comes along! Today I WILL make a block four! I will!  It's looking like rain this morning so I might as well settle in and knock it out!
Here's the pattern just to keep you all up to speed~ Once again using those size 8's and washable worsted weight yarn....
Bean Sprouts
*Multiple of 6 sts +5
With A: Cast on 41 sts
Row 1 (RS): With A, knit.
Row 2: With A, purl
Row 3: With B, k2 *sl 1 wyib, k1: repeat from * to last 3 sts, sl 1 wyib, k2
Row 4: With B, k2, sl 1 wyif, *k, sl 1 wyif, p1 sl 1 wyif, k1, sl 1 wyif; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2
Row 5: With A, k2, *k3, sl 1 wyib, k2; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3
Row 6: With A, p3, * p2, sl 1 wyif, p3; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2
Row 7 & Row 8: Repeat rows 5 and 6
Row 9 & Row 10: Repeat rows 1 and 2
Row 11: With C, *k1, sl 1 wyib; rep from* to last st, k1
Row 12: With C, k1, sl 1 wyif, p1, *[sl 1 wyif, k1] twice, sl 1 wyif, p1: rep from * to last 2 sts,
                sl 1 wyif, k1
Row 13: With A, k2, *sl 1 wyib, k5; rep from * to last 3 sts, sl 1 wyib, k2
Row 14:  With A, p2, sl 1 wyif, *p5, sl 1 wyif; rep from* to last 2 sts, p2
Row 15 and Row 16: Rep rows 13 and 14
Repeat rows 1-16 until piece measures 10" from beginning and end with Row 8 or Row 16
** Just make sure your block ends up being about the same size as the other 3 blocks you've made already**~ if you're doing the project with us!

See?! I've already started. Too bad this yarn is that 'crunchy' stuff.... needs to go into the washer!

Which btw is an experiment in the works and fodder for more posts!

Portable Projects with a Cause Take 2

Here is the plan kids! Once a week I will post a pattern for one of the six squares for the afghan project!  I know, I know... it hasn't been quite a week since I posted the idea last Friday (yeah, yeah...) here is the LINK for block #1 AND at the bottom of this page is the pattern for block #2.
Once you have the pattern, knit it up in ANY washable worsted weight yarn you wish *do try to make it washable because it is a charity project and who knows where it will end up! **I have yarn we can share**
I think it's a great idea and I'm hoping you do too! It fills a lot of my summer knitting needs... it's small, a little challenging (to keep me interested) but not so challenging I won't do it (a sweater) and small enough to take wherever I go! Portable Knitting with the added benefit of doing something for someone else!  When we have all the squares completed, and it's stitched and bordered together, off it will go to a charity we all agree on!
I'm really trying to hold myself back and not just whip through the whole thing because so far, block #1 and #2 have been pretty simple!  AND I'm super excited about learning some of the techniques in the following blocks!  I am going to wait for you all  catch up and will only knit the square that I've posted for that week!  I WILL! I promise!   Patience... yeah... not one of the strongest parts of me!
Because I'm so anxious and we did (I did anyway) start last week,  I've made block one (twice) and block two once, BUT because I don't want to get too far ahead, I'm working on another block one!  I promised I wouldn't work ahead so I'm just going to make more of the blocks for the week!  I will be posting block #3 next Wednesday!!

Big Bamboo aka Block #1

This is my block #1, Big Bamboo. They look completely different sizes and shape, but with a little blocking these should measure out to the right size...
 I just reached into a bag of yarn that I have and pulled out a ball.... no thought at all went into the color choice!
 Block 2 ~below~ is made out of the same stuff and  would totally be better with a solid color. Sigh... I have a week to make it as many solid colors as I can...  I wanted to use up the ball that I had and now that I've used it up, it's  back to the bag of randomly placed yarn I go! Woohoo!!

Block #2 aka Horseshoe Cable

Honest! I didn't choose any of the colors that went into the bag! It was a bag that was given to me by a friend of a friend (Thanks DB!)  and although I did make sure it was all worsted weight... I DID NOT plan the color scheme!

Block #2 is the Horseshoe Cable. I did mine in a worsted weight, verigated yarn using size 8 needles. Next one is going to be done in a solid color so I can actually see all the work I put into the cables!

It's a bit more advanced... it has cables but really it isn't that bad! *If you don't have a cable needle, just use another needle of the same/similiar size.... a dpn will work great!

HORSESHOE CABLE

Multiple of 18 sts +6

*Special Sts*    6-st RC (3 over 3 right cross) Slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold in back, k3 then k3 from cable needle

6-st LC (3 over 3 left cross) Slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold in front, k3 then k3 from cable needle.

*************

Cast on 42 stitches

Knit 2 rows

Row 1 (RS): P6, *k12, p6; repeat from * across.

Row 2: k6,  *p12, k6; repeat from * across

Row 3: p6, *6-st RC, 6-st LC, p6; repeat from * across

Row 4: k6, *p12, k6; repeat from * across

Row 5-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 twice

Repeat Rows 1-8 until piece measures 10"/25.5cm from beginning, end with a WS row

Knit 2 rows.

Bind off.

This is going to be a great way for all of us to work together on a project for a good cause and learn some new stuff along the way! There is some intarsia, color-work and even an eyelet lace coming up!

(HERE is link for the block from last week!)

 ~HAPPY KNITTING ~

Portable Projects with a Cause!

It's been so hot and humid here that it feels like we are in mid August and not June.  We've had temps in the high 90's and triple digits, with humidity percentages climbing right up there too! That means we are miserable.  Hot, sweaty, miserable. Ugh.   Helloooo Mother Nature!?  Did someone forget to set their clock?  Summer has just started and already it's icky and drippy!   It's even been too hot to knit.
Yeah. You heard me right.  It's been too hot to work on my current project, stupid big wad of yarn  the Wallaby sweater for Boy Wonder.  I'm still working on it, but I can't take it outside, I can't take it anywhere!  It's too hot!
I've been racking my brain since I posted  'Trip Knitting' way back in May and I think I've finally came up with something that not only will keep me interested, BUT it should help my friends and I do a project together! How about a portable project?  A portable project for a cause? Sounds like fun right?   I needed something small, not feltable (for poolside of course) and just enough of a challenge to keep even me interested? AND something that would be useful to someone at the end. Yeah.. that's a tough order to fill I know, but I think I found it!
I found a pattern on the  Knit and Crochet Now website.  *it was a public television program that doesn't seem to be on anymore*.  It's an afghan made up of  12 squares, 2 different patterns (2 of each pattern)that is approximately 30x40" when it's completed. Perfect for a baby.   Each square is knit individually *where my friends come in* and then seamed together and finished with an I-cord border! Peaking your interest yet?  Don't worry crochet friends..... you can make some 10inch squares in your favorite worsted weight yarn too!
It's made with #4 yarn (worsted weight) *thanks to my friend V  I've even got some extra worsted weight yarn if you're interested...........
This little afghan could of course be made by one person but what's the fun in that? I've got a group of friends in mind who I'm hoping can be convinced to make one little square (c'mon it's 10 inches!) and together we can knit it up and give it to a local charity. How about one of the many local crisis pregnancy centers? We'll see.... for now... let's get moving!
I'm totally assuming you are interested......... The afghan was part of a square of the week program.  Each week a different pattern would be demonstrated all the way up until it was time for the I-cord edging.  It looks pretty simple, but also has some patterns that require just a bit of extra effort... cables, some color work and a lace.
How about it folks?  Anyone up for a challenge?  A small, easily portable project that we can all pitch in and work together?  I've got a particular charity in mind, but am open to taking suggestions!
Like I said before... I've even got some yarn you can use....
Here is the first pattern..........
Size 8 needles
Worsted Weight (4) yarn
Gauge 16 1/2 sts =4inches/10cm over patterns
*each square may vary slightly but that's okay!
BIG BAMBOO
multiple of 12 sts + 4
Cast on 40 sts
Row 1 (right side) : K2, *P2, K4; repeat from * to last 2 sts, K2
Row 2: K2, *P4, K2; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2
Rows 3 & 4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2
Row 5:  K2, *K8, P4; repeat from *to last 2 sts, K2
Row 6: K2, *P4, K8; repeat from * to last 2 sts, K2
Row 7-10: Repeat Rows 1-4
Row 11: K2, P2, K4, *P8, k4; repeat from * to last 8 sts, P6, K2
Row 12: K8, P4, *K8, P4, repeat from last 4 sts, K4.
Repeat Rows 1-12 until piece measures 10inches (25.5 cm) from beginning, bind off

If you ARE interested, I have the whole pattern and will copy it for you! You can go to the website link above and check it all out too!  I also have that extra yarn I'm willing to share!  Once you make one (or two, or several) squares you can send them to me!
Look out Fort Belvoir Knitting and Crochet Club because I'm hitting you all up next!