These little crocheted earrings are set off by tiny crystal beads and sterling silver fish hook findings. the crochet motifs are only 2 and 3 rounds each, so they go fast and are fun to give and wear. If you’re new to crocheting with thread, try making the motifs with yarn first to get a feel . . . → Read More: Lobes of Love Valentine Heart Earrings]]>

These little crocheted earrings are set off by tiny crystal beads and sterling silver fish hook findings. the crochet motifs are only 2 and 3 rounds each, so they go fast and are fun to give and wear. If you’re new to crocheting with thread, try making the motifs with yarn first to get a feel for the pattern. Then switch to thread.

Thanks to my friend Becca for the pattern name!

This pattern will be a FREE ravelry download only until Valentine’s day. (If you have a ravelry account and want to add the pattern to your library, use this link). After that it will be available for purchase. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The book is called, Crochet Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters. It came in the mail last night from the publisher, and I was immediately drawn in. It’s a book you can sit down and read and enjoy, not just flip through looking at pattern pictures. When I went to find the link . . . → Read More: A new book that got my fingers itching for a hook: Crochet Master Class]]>

The book is called, Crochet Master Class: Lessons and Projects from Today’s Top Crocheters. It came in the mail last night from the publisher, and I was immediately drawn in. It’s a book you can sit down and read and enjoy, not just flip through looking at pattern pictures. When I went to find the link on Amazon, I was surprised to find unfavorable reviews. Reading reviews by other readers, I decided that they might have been thrown by the title of this book. Crochet Master Class may give the idea that the authors are presenting very difficult patterns, or a course of study in advanced crochet. Instead I think the book might have been better titled, “Crochet by the Masters.”

This book is a fascinating for many reasons. It presents 18 crochet techniques. Many of them are unusual or underrepresented among crocheters and designers. In all my years crocheting I’d never seen Crocheted Bruges Lace, for instance. The fact that it is relatively easy to create does not degrade from it’s beauty or intricacy. In fact, I think it’s the technique I’d like to try first from the book.

The construction of the book is great. Each technique is presented by a “master.” The designer is profiled in a detailed biography. Then the technique is discussed in general terms, and pictures of items made using that technique are shown in a gallery. Finally, a pattern is presented for the reader using the technique. The patters are more of introductions to the techniques than the highest example of a particular technique. This makes perfect sense. If you’re showing something new, you want to make it accessible to everyone.

I enjoyed reading about little-known techniques, and I also enjoyed hearing about and from crochet designers from around the world. Irish Crochet is presented by an Irish crocheter. There are designers from Germany, Russia, Trinidad, Australia, and of course, The United States.

Oh, and I just discovered there’s a free pattern from the book for a double-ended crochet baby afghan on the Potter Craft web site.

I’ve always had a thing for sheepy yarns. You know the kind I mean. They smell earthy, feel a bit like lanolin. They maybe even have a bit of straw left in them (Spinners call this “VM” for “vegetable matter”). When I lived in Maryland I was surrounded, north and south, by . . . → Read More: Feeling Sheepy]]>
photo credit: JOE MARINARO

I’ve always had a thing for sheepy yarns. You know the kind I mean. They smell earthy, feel a bit like lanolin. They maybe even have a bit of straw left in them (Spinners call this “VM” for “vegetable matter”). When I lived in Maryland I was surrounded, north and south, by amazing fiber festivals. Now, here in Cordova, I’m not. I don’t get to make yearly expeditions to see and pet sheep and alpacas. In the absence of the festivals (like the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck that I just missed this past weekend), I’ve been knitting a lot with these artisanal yarns.

photo credit: Hav n Knit Lover

I love that they often have a story–the farm where the sheep were raised and the mill where the wool is prepared becomes part of the yarn’s entrancing qualities. Often, you’re buying these yarns directly from their maker at fairs and markets, so you cut out the waste of distribution, and you can hear the yarn’s story firsthand.

So, I love what these yarns are: rustic, earthy, sheepy.  I also like what they’re not: mass-produced, machine-washable, each skein identical. The lack of mass production and distribution leads to some design difficulties. My new designs come about in one of two ways. Either I consciously set out to create a new pattern for my line or for another publication, or, I’m making something for myself and decide later to turn that into a design. If I start out for publication, then the availability of the yarn is one of the first things I consider. Will people be able to find this yarn–is the color still being made? How much will it cost for someone to make a whole sweater out of this yarn?

photo credit: Hav n Knit Lover

Lately, I’ve been working on two sweaters. Both are knit in an artisanal wool that’s only available in the United States in one shop–it happens to be here, in tiny Cordova, Alaska. Dotty, who owns The Net Loft, our amazing little wool shop, has a 20+ year relationship with a small New Zealand farm and mill called The Little Wool Company. The yarns she buys from Anna Gratton, the fiber artist who creates them, are wonderful corriedale blends that are soft and long-wearing and make sweaters perfect for life in Alaska–or life in any winter climate.

So I need to make a decision. If I’m to release patterns for these sweaters, do I need to re-knit them in yarns that are more commercially available? I think that might defeat part of my purpose of using artisanal yarns in the first place. I want to encourage the use of yarns from small producers, not just promote some specific yarns.

I think I can compromise. I already write my patterns so that they’re not yarn-dependent, but that doesn’t mean that any yarn will work for any pattern. It was the qualities of the yarn in the first place that led me to these particular designs. However, if I swatch in various yarns that have similar qualities, and demonstrate how to adapt to them, you, as the knitter will feel comfortable adapting the pattern to different yarns, and choosing yarns that will work for you.

I’m thrilled that these types of yarns are getting more attention these days. Jared Flood’s new Shelter line and companies like the Imperial Stock Ranch, and even larger yarn manufacturers are extolling the virtues of supporting local farms and small mills. It seems like more and more knitters are attending fiber festivals and meeting the sheep, the farmers and the yarn makers. And why not? Our crafting materials deserve careful attention. Consider the number of hours put into crocheting or knitting a sweater. It doesn’t make sense to choose materials simply based on what someone else used.

It’s difficult to know what a yarn is like, and how it’s used in a garment, if you’re just looking at a picture on a screen. If you’ve never knit with something yourself, you don’t know how it’s going to work at a particular gauge or in a particular stitch pattern. All the more reason, I think, to use yarns you have access to, and can touch and feel rather than simply buying the yarn used in a pattern.

photo credit: Lori_NY

In order to make yarn substitutions intelligently, you need to know some things about the yarn. There are the things that are usually printed on a yarn label: fiber content, meters per gram, suggested needle size. This information only hints at what a yarn can be used for. Other details that might be helpful are: number of plies, method of spinning (worsted, so the yarn is smooth, dense, great for texture, or woolen, so the yarn is lofty, warm, matte).

The yarn I’m using from The Little Wool Company would probably be called “heavy worsted.” It’s got three plies, and the recommended gauge is 4.5 stitches per inch, which gives a solid “winter-weight” fabric. But, I found by swatching that this yarn puffs incredibly when blocked so it fills in any spaces around it. I tried knitting it on US10 needles, then 10.5, and finally ended up with size 11, knitting at 3 sts per inch. The bulky gauge finally gave me the soft drape and hand I was looking for, and I loved the fuzzy halo that appeared in the yarn after it was washed and blocked. There’s no standardized way to describe the quality of a yarn when it’s knitted. Gauge says nothing about drape–so If I said, try for a gauge of 3 sts/inch, then knitters would probably choose bulky yarns and end up with sweaters much heavier than the sample I’m creating.

I would much rather you choose the yarn you want to knit with, and choose what gauge you like with YOUR yarn. All this is a rather long-winded way of saying I want to continue writing patterns that are yarn-independent, but I also plan to provide more information about the qualities of the yarns I’m using that will help you decide what to use in your patterns. It might help if I knew what details would help you. I know sometimes you choose a pattern first, and sometimes you choose a yarn first, but what kind of information do you WISH you had when you are choosing or substituting yarns?

It is still quite hot, I understand, “down south,” (i.e. anywhere south of Alaska), so I’ll be bringing my Hemp Shawlette:

It’s soft, but not warm, like . . . → Read More: A shawl for late summer]]> I’m heading to Wisconsin and Kansas in a couple of weeks for a little vacation with the kids, and for my cousin Johanna‘s wedding to her fiancé Ryan. (Aren’t they cute?)

It is still quite hot, I understand, “down south,” (i.e. anywhere south of Alaska), so I’ll be bringing my Hemp Shawlette:

It’s soft, but not warm, like even a lacy shawl made in wool would be, and it covers the shoulders well. The shawl is crocheted top down in “raglan” style–meaning that there are four increase points. The shaping means that the shawl fits nicely on your shoulders.

I designed this shawl for Lana Knits using their lovely Allhemp6, a lightweight, soft hemp designed for garments. It works up quickly with treble v-stitches and a simple edging. I haven’t decided what I’m wearing at the wedding yet… but I do know I’ll wear the shawl. And now you can make one too, I’ve just listed the pattern for sale.

$6.00

I made this shawl last fall for the new Tension Magazine and it’s finally been released. This narrow shawl was worked in Filatura di Crosa Superior, a very fuzzy cashmere silk that was lovely to crochet. It’s a filet-crochet style pattern that shifts organically from triangles (hence the isoceles) to diamonds (double triangles) and back to . . . → Read More: New Pattern: Isoceles Shawl]]>

I made this shawl last fall for the new Tension Magazine and it’s finally been released. This narrow shawl was worked in Filatura di Crosa Superior, a very fuzzy cashmere silk that was lovely to crochet. It’s a filet-crochet style pattern that shifts organically from triangles (hence the isoceles) to diamonds (double triangles) and back to triangles at the end. It’s been a season of shawls. I have had three in the works for most of the winter, and now they’re all finally done and will be released in one form or another over the coming months.

Before I sent off my shawl, I got my friend Erica to model it for me. Here’s another one:

You can find all of this chilly photoshoot in the slideshow below. Luckily the Orca Books, where we finished up, has hot coffee!

If you haven’t been sucked into the world of vampire fiction, you can just consider my newest pattern something sweet for Valentine’s day and spring.

$4.00

This scarf celebrates my love of hearts and my love of vampire fiction–especially Charlaine Harris’ novels, The Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries. Sookie sometimes wears a little scarf around her neck the . . . → Read More: New Pattern: Sookie’s Scarf]]>

If you haven’t been sucked into the world of vampire fiction, you can just consider my newest pattern something sweet for Valentine’s day and spring.

$4.00

This scarf celebrates my love of hearts and my love of vampire fiction–especially Charlaine Harris’ novels, The Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries. Sookie sometimes wears a little scarf around her neck the morning after an encounter with her vampire-amour Bill. I thought, in February it’s even cold in Louisiana, and she might like something with a little warmth. I know I would. So this bandana-esque scarf was born.

Fold the scarf and wear the point in the front, side or back. Worn close around the neck, the scarf will keep you warm and hide any little “love bites.”

The scarf was made using center increases which gives it a nice diamond-y shape and the hearts are simple fillet-crochet designs, which can be easily memorized once you’ve tried the chart out once.

We’ve been in Anchorage for the weekend attending the Folk Festival there, we performed and jammed and generally had a good time making music. We got back last night and I’ve spent the day un-packing and re-packing because tomorrow I leave for Friday Harbor to attend Cat Bordhi’s Visionary Retreat. I’m excited to be returning and working more on self-publishing. There are going to be some great knitters and writers in attendance this year, some who I’ve met before and some who I only know online. I can’t wait to meet and work with everyone.

What is it about grannies that . . . → Read More: Designing for Grannies, Pt. 1]]> GRANNIES!!!!!!!!!! This is how Julie Holetz and I have felt lately talking about granny squares.  Julie and I are working on a new project: A small book of granny square and granny inspired projects that will have you running for your hooks and your scraps of yarn.

What is it about grannies that are so appealing? Maybe it’s because they’re small, self-contained and take only a few minutes to make each one. They allow you to play with color.

“Grantastic” by ChocolateGirl64 on Flickr CC, some rights reserved.

We’ve been brainstorming and coming up with ideas and trying to limit ourselves because the possibilities are endless. So I’ve been thinking a lot about how granny squares are designed and I thought I’d share a bit of my process here.

First the important bit: Granny Squares are not *really* squares. When you’re making a granny square, you’re working in the round and your artfully placed chain spaces determine the ultimate shape of the thing. (Note in the photo above, that the first two rounds are, indeed, round, but the ultimate motif is square).

You can design your own granny squares! You just need to be consistent. Just like when you’re working a hat in the round, making a granny square involves using a consistent number of increases. In a traditional granny square, like the one in the chart below, there are 20 new stitches per round.

So, if you wanted to play around with the look of the square–you could alter the arrangement of the stitches and chain spaces as long as you kept the number of stitches and the rate of increase consistent.

A first round like this one:

Establishes the corners right away, but one like this:

Would work just as well. Sort of like this one:

The way they get to square is by concentrating the increases in the corners in the final few rounds.

I love how this one by KnittyCent turns the square on its side, then back again.

Julie is working on a great post about planning the arrangement of your squares in a project. Stay tuned to the Skamama blog to see it.

]]> http://www.thehookandi.com/2010/01/19/designing-for-grannies-pt-1/feed/ 6 http://www.thehookandi.com/2009/12/17/tis-the-season-for-snow-and-gifts/ http://www.thehookandi.com/2009/12/17/tis-the-season-for-snow-and-gifts/#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:38:40 +0000 Amy http://www.thehookandi.com/?p=1057 Yesterday we got a huge dump of wet, wet snow, the city almost shut down which is saying a lot for Cordova. The snow removal machines (And James who seems to be constantly shoveling our BIG driveway) have had a very hard time keeping up. Snow keeps falling off the roof (roofalanche!) and piling up in . . . → Read More: Tis the Season for snow, and gifts!]]> Yesterday we got a huge dump of wet, wet snow, the city almost shut down which is saying a lot for Cordova. The snow removal machines (And James who seems to be constantly shoveling our BIG driveway) have had a very hard time keeping up. Snow keeps falling off the roof (roofalanche!) and piling up in front of our windows,  so we get a lot less light in the house during our short days, but the view outside is very pretty now that its gotten a little colder and the snow has slowed. I’m just hoping everything is cleaned up by the time we fly out on Sunday.

Meanwhile, even in the thick of the snowstorm people were out in droves walking through the foot-deep slush in town shopping and generally having a good time. The Net Loft was busy yesterday and several friends stopped by and we did some exchanging of gifts. I gave my friend Angela a little Noro scarflette like the one I made myself back in May.

Angela gave ME this adorable little handmade doll by an Alaskan artisan. The doll is a weaver and has a little in progress basket in her hands. She’s also wearing a Kuspuk which is a traditional native Alaskan garment.

I haven’t mailed this little scarf yet, and the recipient may or may not be reading this blog post, (I hope she likes it when she gets it!) but Colleen was kind enough to model it for me. The scarf is made using the snowflake garland pattern from Red Heart, I made it with Brown Sheep Bulky and a USM hook, and added the tassels at the end.

Finally, I re-discovered this custom colorway of Three Irish Girls Gallenas at The Net Loft on Wednesday, and had to get it to make some small ornaments for gifts. This is the heart from simplebeans.

I hope you’re all finding a little time to crochet during these busy weeks. I’ve been saving this skein of handspun from Blonde Chicken Boutique since I bought it last spring. I’m thinking of making my Elsinore Woods Scarf [Ravelry Link] with it this evening if I get the chance. The scarf pattern is in the latest issue of Inside Crochet (issue #5).