Op. 7

Hi Knitters,

Hat Op. 7 is done!  This is my first hat pattern.  With the basic concept of circular knitting in mind, skills required for this projects are few:

Cast On
Knit
Purl
Slipping stitch
Make One
Bind off

Easy enough?  Just like Op. 6, I always like to design with minimum skills to reach maximum result.  It's very nice to seem how the outcome can be so cute. Pattern now available on Ravelry and Etsy.

Most response from Instagram are positive feedback on the nice color team up for this hat.  It fits both boy and girl.  The size available is for kid aged 5-10.

Again, thank you for all the support from Instagram. 

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Store on Divisadero

Hi Knitters,

Curious as usual, I wandered in the city and found another local yarn store in San Francisco.  Hahaha.  Aterlier it is called.

Compared to the one in Castro district, Aterlier is a rather tiny store.  The yarn collection is selective but all in good quality.   Although the store is not in a great size, they do carry needles in more than 3 brands and knitting accessories in an abundant amount.   

As a customer-friendly store, they even have needles in the counter and let their potential customers try to knit with them.  If I wasn't have something on my mind already, I would probably buy a pair of  Lantern Moon.  Maybe next time.

I understand that Aterlier, like many other local yarn store, offers knitting classes.  Residents in Bay Area, you may find this helpful:  http://atelieryarns.com
Anyway,

Happy Knitting



  

Op. 6 Scarf Pattern

Hi knitters

I'm glad to announce that scarf Op. 6 is done and the pattern is now available for free.

Op. 6 is a three-section scarf.  Though it's knitted with a combo of three different yarns in terms of color and texture, with three different stitch patterns for each sect, hand making  Op. 6 is in no mean technically difficult.  It's not for total beginner. Yet, it's fun to knitting for whom wants to do something more than just knit and purl.  I believe Op. 6 is good as a step stone to the intermediate level.

If anyone ever finish this scarf, can you be kind to add to your project on Ravelry.  Your compliment and referral would be my best comfort and encouragement.  

Happy Knitting

So here it is. 
Op. 6.

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Material:

Yarn A:      3/4 skein of Stitch Nation's Full O'Sheep color Aquamarine

Yarn B:      2 skeins of  SMC Select Brioletto color Natural/Undyed

Yarn C:     1 skein of Alpine Wool color Chili

Tool: 

US #9 (5.5mm) Needles

US #10 1/2 (6.5mm)Needles

Length:

204cm =             37cm + 118cm + 49cm  

Width:               A-17cm/B-22cm/C-14cm

Gauges:             Sect B 10cm X 10cm = 12 stitches X 22 rows (garter stitch)

Abbreviations:

K                            = Knit

P                            = Purl

Sl 2 WYIF            =     Slip 2 stitches purl-wise with yarn in front.  

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

Overall Structure:

Cast on 34 stitches with Yarn A with US #9 needles

Section A  X 43

Change to Yarn B with US #10 1/2 needles

Purl 1 row.

Section B X 264

Change to Yarn C with US #9 needles

Purl 1 row.

Section C X 45

Bind Off all 34 stitches.

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

Pattern:

Section A

Row 1:          <K2, P2>                                     X8 , K2

Row 2:          <P2, Sl2 WYIF>                            X8,  P2

Section B

Every Row:    Knit

Section C

Row 1:          <K2, P2>                                     X8, K2

Row 2:          <P2, K2>                                     X8, P2

 

P.S. Upsetting news: I just found out that Stitch Nation's Full O'Sheep yarn has been discontinued.  

Copyright 2013 by  eatinglemonknitknitknit.blogspot.com

Variation may not be a good idea

Hi knitters,

I designed a hat pattern which requires only simple techniques like knit, purl and slipping.  What I tried to do was to create something beautiful and simple.  So I tried to make a complicated pattern with the knitting skills mentioned above.  

I was wrong.  The pattern looked weird to me.  It was pretty but...something was just WRONG.  The first 2/3 was fine.  I made some variation for the last 1/3 and expected an interesting pattern would show.  Hm....Disappointment fell to me.  So I undid the last part of it and continue the same pattern until the end.

Sometimes, it's better to keep things simple and neat than complicated the matter and keep the faith that "change must be good".  Sometimes it doesn't work that way.

Anyhow, thanks to the help of those makers from Clover, I have my hat done.  I used those as stitch markers and row markers.  They worked great with size #8 needles.   It wouldn't work well for laces.  May buy something smaller for tiny projects in the future.  

Pattern for this hat will be available soon.  Thanks for reading and

HAPPY KNITTING

Bamboo Ewe

Hi Knitters,

Here is the yarn I think is gorgerous to work with and it's a very good deal to purchase one.  It's Stitch Nation's Bamboo Ewe.  I usually buy my Stitch Nation yarn from Beverly's.  They have great collection of budget yarn.  One thing I found disappointing is that Beverly's no longer offers Full o'Sheep.  Does anybody know why?  Anyhow, Bamboo Ewe contains 55% viscose from bamboo and 45% wool.  Made in Turkey.  

Bamboo Ewe's reasonable cost does not stop it from being a great yarn to knit with.  It's very widely used to knit items for babies.  The sheen on its surface brings out a unique appearance to the knitted items while its silky touch texture makes the knits perfect to be worn on sensitive skins.  (for people who are sensitive to 100% wool, it's a good news)

This is headband Op. 5.  The edge is knitted with Bamboo Ewe with needles US #7.  And it"s worn by my friend Teddy Lemon.  Pattern available in Ravelry as well as in Etsy.

This history of knitting bamboo is rather short compared to the one of bamboo's other usage:  making musical instrument, chopsticks, food, home building.... etc. etc. Anyhow in recently years, the development of bamboo yarn progresses in a rather quick pace.  

Wool is not the only material is goes along well with bamboo.  Bamboo does very well blended with silk, cotton, nylon, as well as others.  I sincerely hope that the usage of plants for yarn making will be the trend of this generation.  It is eco-friendly.  It opens up more possibility of the art of knitting.  Can't really think of any negative impact of developing bamboo yarn in more varieties.  Anyhow,

HAPPY KNITTING

P.S. Yesterday I bought two skeins of  the Bamboo Ewe in two other colors: pink and grey.  Something new will come up soon.  Please stay tuned.