Monday, July 29, 2013

A Great Place for FREE Patterns

Many people are always looking for what they can get free. Well patterns are always one that I look for. I have so many on my computer that I don't think I will be able to knit them all up, but is always good to look at them.

Knitting pattern Central

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/

They are pretty well organized, yes there is many reposts but is still a good site. They also have http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com and http://www.tattingpatterncentral.com

Right now I have put down the needles, do to the frustration I am getting with it, but will be back probably soon (this afternoon) since I have to go to the laundrymat and is a good place to knit in public. So many kids will come and watch.

You can find my books (am putting them into the new computer since I spilled hot chocolate on the old one and fried it) at I do hope you enjoy it. There will be 5 books in the series and I am working on 2 more books. The first is a modern sweet romanance, the second is a vampire fantasy.

I will be starting a blog site for my books as well hope to have it up soon.

Happy crafting

Kait

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Throwing another pattern out

I have found that if I have to rip out a pattern more than 5 times the yarn doesn't want to be made into that particular patter. That is what I did with the Cable Scarf. Yes I love the pattern but the yarn didn't.

So at my knitting meeting tonight one of the ladies was doing the linen stitch. Yes it looks just like if I had woven it on the big loom. Love it.. so that is what I am making now. The baby blanket is giving me problems yet again as well so I will probably only do one for my grand daughter.


This is a pattern that was orally told to me at a doctors office. It is worked on the bias and if I can get a pattern written down for it I will share. I haven't found the true name of it so if any of you know it please share. I just call it the topsey turvey blanket. As you can see I will be making 4 different blocks in crochet. It works up quickly so I can get it finished before the baby is born.

Happy knitting!

Kait

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Life Lines, Row Counters and Stitch Markers

Do you know what a life line is? or a row counter? If you knit you should. There are many counters out there in the world some people just use a piece of paper with tack marks, some use one that hangs from the needle. I personally use one for my smart phone. It is called "county" and is free, there is a pay option as well that will allow you to do more than one project at a time. I am still using the free one, though I have bough the other and when I changed phones I haven't figured out how to get it on the new phone. There are more than that for the smart phone just check them out and find one that works for you. You will be amazed at what you find.

Now for life lines. If you have ever worked lace or and afghan with a lot of repeats, a life line is a must. No one likes frogging out a pattern and trying and then trying to make sure all the stitches are how they are supposed to be. I know that with the cable scarf that I am working on (see previous post) it is an 8 row repeat, Sounds simple, right. Oh I can remember where I am.... once you put it down, wrong.

I personally use a life line before starting every repeat. I just slip a sting onto a tatting needle and run it through all my stitches. That way if I screw up, and I know I will, I will only have to go back one repeat. I use crochet threat and it will stop the stitches from going any further and you can pick up the stitches again easily and start again.

Stitch markers are easy, some look like a little safety pin and other look like a small plastic circle. I make mine so they are just bits of yarn that is not the same color as my project. Sometimes I add beads to them as well so that the weight holds them down. For socks though I use the little safely pin type of markers. I do magic loop and only need one so that is nice ant they come in bright colors so that you won't miss it as you knit around.
Well I hope this is helpful in your knitting. Please feel free to post questions her.
Happy Knitting

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Gift for oldest son....maybe

My son called me last winter and wanted a scarf. So guess wouldn't hurt to make him one. After about 5 inches I put it down and forgot what one of the abbreviations was and when I went back it through me all off. Typical. So I started over this summer, and have found it a very pretty pattern once I didn't have so many stitches on the needles.
Here is the pattern. It can also be found as a free download on Ravelry or on my page on Ravelry.com
Cable Scarf
Designed by Melanie Smith
All Rights Reserved
Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate
Materials:
400 yards of DK or worsted weight yarn
Size 7 needle
Cable needle
Yarn needle

Gauge: When knitting a scarf gauge is not all the important. Start with size 7 needles after about 4 inches of knitting check to see if you like the feel. If so keep knitting, If not change to a larger needle if you want it more open and soft. Smaller if you would prefer to have it more firm. Change the needle size if you are not pleased with the feel of the knitted fabric.

Special stitches:
CBC3: Slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back. Knit the next 3 Sts, and then knit the 3 Sts from the cable needle.
SKP: slip next stitch, K1, pass slipped stitch over
SK2P: Slip next stitch, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over

Pattern:
Cast on 32
Knit 2 rows.
Row 1: K2, K6*YO, SKP, K1, K2tog, YO, K6, repeat to last 2 sts. K2.
Row 2: and all even rows: K2, purl to last 2 Sts, K2
Row 3: K2, K7 * YO, SK2P (remeber this is a double decrease slip one, knit 2 toghter and pass slip stitch over), YO, K8, YO, SK2P, YO, K7, K2
Row 5: repeat row 1
Row 7:K2, CBC3,K1,YO,SK2P,YO,K1,CB3,K1,YO,SK2P,YO,K1,CB3,K2
Repeat until desired length ending on Row 4.
Knit 2 rows
Bind off. Block lightly and enjoy.

The basket weave blanket I was making for my granddaugher fell through the loop so am making her the "Little Huggy Baby Blanket " It was going okay until I started the main part and found that I hadn't had enough casts (by 2 short I mean). Had to start over hope will have a picture for you next Time.

Happy Knitting
Kaitlan

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Baby Blanket

Since I am back into my knitting phase yet again I will be starting a baby blanket for my grand baby. She will be born on November 19 so not that long of a time to make a blanket. My grandmother before she passed away made a blanket for my first grandchild but really isn't in baby colors so I will be making a basket weave blanket in baby colors. You can follow what I am making on Ravelry.com under kaitlanroisendubh. I have a lot of WIP's going and I do work on them often. I am a person that gets bored and finds some other pattern to make. Usually it is something that I can make quickly like dish clothes, which will be the first class I post here, that only take a couple of hours to do and they are always well received and a great gift for anyone.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Hello

Hello my name is Kaitlan Blackrose and I live in Central Texas with my husband William and my youngest son KC. To keep my sanity, I knit and do other crafty things so I thought I would start this blog and make videos to keep busy. I hope you enjoy them. You can find me on ravelry.com under KaitlanRoisendubh, I have many of the patterns I will be using there. There will also be crocheting, tatting, cooking, and many other things that I am interested in. There may even be some complaining and some about my weight loss journey, which I am very proud of. I have lost 28 pounds so far. We will be grandparents to a little girl come November and we are very excited about, even though some people don't think we are. We are happy to be grandparents and can't wait to spoil her, I am sure my oldest son Sean and his wife Angel will just enjoy that. Isn't it every grandparents right to fill the grandkids with 7-Up and Cadbury eggs and they send them home...lol. Well hope to hear from you all. I will be posting videos soon as well as patterns and other things so keep a close watch. Night. Kaitlan