Basketweave Knit Stitch Pattern on Lollipop Oddball Blanket

The design I decided to knit on the Lollipop Oddball Blanket is sort of a loose basketweave design using just alternating groups of knit and purl stitches on the right side, and all purl stitches on the wrong side.

I think this pattern would be a suitable substitution for stockinette stitch in patterns such as a sweater or scarf, a full size afghan or baby blanket, or any other place where you want to add a little texture to an otherwise plain knit fabric. It does not pull in the stitches on the sides, nor does it draw them in from the top and bottom like some stitch patterns tend to do. You would still want to check your gauge if you are planning to use it for something that requires fitting, such as a piece of clothing. But for a scarf or blanket, that would not be necessary.

Take a look and see what you think...


I sort of made this up as I went along, and I really like how it turned out. There are dozens of basketweave patterns for knitting out there and I'm sure any one of them would look great in a blanket like this. But I just didn't feel like searching for a pattern so this is what came out of my needles! I'll share the written pattern for it below.


Here you can see the other five panels of this oddball blanket, each in a different color and stitch of the knitter's choice. That is what makes it an oddball!

I'll be crocheting a border in yellow around this Lollipop blanket before mailing it back to the person who will deliver it to the hospital for some sweet little new baby to enjoy. You can be sure that I'll share the border with you too, as soon as it is finished!

Here's the pattern for my version of a loose basketweave knit design...

Loose Basketweave Knit Pattern
Mary Grace McNamara of www.HookedOnNeedles.com

NOTE: This pattern is worked over a multiple of 8 stitches plus 8. The blanket pictured also has several rows of garter stitch at the bottom and top, and 4 knit stitches at the beginning and end of each row to make a garter stitch border, but I did not include those stitches in this pattern. You can begin and end your rows any way you like.

Using yarn of your choice and needles appropriately sized for the yarn, cast on a multiple of 8 stitches, plus 8 additional stitches.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2 and every wrong side row: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Rows 5 and 7: K2, (P4, K4) across the row until there are 6 stitches left, P4, K2

Row 9: Knit

Rows 11 and 13: K6, (P4, K4) across the row until there are 2 stitches left, K2

Repeat rows 3 through 13 until your piece is as big as you want it. Finish by working 1 row Purl, 1 row Knit, 1 row Purl, 1 row Knit, 1 row Purl. Bind off.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Revised Knit Patterns for 18 Inch Doll Sweater and Hat

Back in May, I posted information about an 18" Doll Sweater and Hat pattern that my husband's Aunt M generously gave me to offer to my readers.

Take a look at this darling little ensemble...


After knitting a few more of these sets, Aunt M realized that her written pattern was not quite accurate. So she revised it and emailed it to me so that I could share it with those of you who have already requested and received the patterns, and also to anyone else who might like the pattern in the future.

I was able to resend the pattern to a few people, but since my email deletes messages from the trash folder after 30 days, I was not able to resend to everyone who had requested the patterns. So if you received this pattern from me before today, please send me another email asking for the revised version. You can reach me at HookedOnNeedles (at) gmail (dot) com.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Triangle Lace Shawl project underway

During our recent vacation up north, I purchased a lace shawl pattern and some lovely Alpaca Lace yarn to make a Christmas gift for my mother. I was quite a bit nervous about starting this project since I usually stick to basic stockinette knitting with maybe a color change or two for interest. But I fell in love with this design, and the yarn was so scrumptious that I couldn't pass up the chance to step, or rather take a running leap, out of my comfort zone and just go for it.

But first I felt the need to practice on some scrap yarn, so here's what I've done...


As you can see, I didn't even take the time to lower my sewing machine into the cabinet and put my light blue background over the table! That's how anxious I was to get going on this!

After reading through the entire pattern several times trying to picture in my head what all the instructions and charts and abbreviations meant, I began. With my handy dandy magnetic board to help me keep track of the chart, my reading glasses, my circular needle whose nylon cable is bent and twisted so as to make me crazy trying to use it (this will have to be remedied before the good yarn comes out), my stitch markers, and my pattern, I started from the beginning and followed one instruction at a time. Working one row after another, I discovered that it really isn't all that complicated after all! What a revelation! What a relief!


So now that I have come to the conclusion that I actually can do this, I scanned the charts and the abbreviation sections of the pattern and then printed them out as large as I could on one page each. If I were 20 years younger I wouldn't have to do this step, but being now closer to 50 than to 40, my eyes aren't what they used to be! So it's a necessary step and I hope the copyright holder will understand.

I have gotten some good advice from my good friend Merry, of Noah's Ark Blanket fame, to make use of my stitch markers and to also use lifelines while knitting this pattern. Using a lifeline in knitting is not something I have had to do before, but I will definitely be using this technique for this project. I'll share a video with you so you can see how and why lifelines are used in knitting intricate patterns.

So that is what I have been doing to keep myself occupied in my cool basement sewing room during what I am hoping will be a short spell of very hot and humid summer weather. You can be sure that I will show you this triangle lace shawl project once I have started on the real thing.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

18 inch Doll Knitted Sweater and Hat Patterns

My daughter has had the American Girl doll Samantha for quite a number of years now, along with some of her accessories and clothing. I even made a few little dresses for Samantha to match the dresses I made for Elizabeth. Very cute! But here's something she never had, up until now...


...a hand knit sweater and hat! Are those the cutest little things you ever saw? And guess what size needle these were knitted on...size 1! Yes, that's right, O N E, one! Oh my! And every stitch is perfect. Of course I would expect nothing less from my husband's Aunt M who knits every day of her life and has made some of the most beautiful knitted and quilted items you can imagine. This is an original pattern, and Aunt M gave it to me to offer right here on Hooked On Needles. Not only is she talented, she's generous as well!


She also sent me two sets for my girls to use for Samantha. This one is made with Bernat baby yarn in blue jacquard so it produces the striped pattern as you knit. Aunt M said that the sweater on the doll in the picture above which she sent me was made without considering the stripes on the left and right fronts of the sweater. But for this sweater that she mailed to me, she paid attention to where in the color pattern of the yarn each section started so that they would match up across the front. And she did the same with the sleeves. I think that makes such a difference when attention is paid to little details like that.


I love close-up pictures of anything. Here you can see the detail of the stitches and the patterns that the yarn creates on its own.


And here's the little pink set she sent me. Isn't that darling? So girlie!


On this close-up, you can see the seed stitch edge down the middle and the Knit 1 Purl 1 ribbing around the neckline, and all the perfect stockinette stitches on the body of the sweater.

If you would like the pattern for this hat and sweater, just send me an email and I'll forward the pattern. Please don't request the pattern in a comment. I just run into too many people who have their accounts set to no-reply. If you send an email, I will be able to simply reply and attach the pattern files. You can find my email address towards the top of my sidebar.

Thanks to Aunt M for sharing such a beautiful little doll clothes set!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Free Pattern -- Knitted Apple Dishcloth

Have you ever had an idea that seemed so simple at first, but then when you tried to execute it, you discovered that it was much more involved than you thought? That's exactly what happened when I decided the Tunisian Crochet Apple Dishcloth pattern was going to be the one I would convert to a knitting pattern.

This is how my final sample turned out, still not quite what I wanted, but certainly better than the first sample I made which is shown further on.

For the knitted design of this apple pattern, I included a garter stitch border knitted right into the pattern so I would not have to crochet a border on the cloth after the knitting was complete. To accomplish the garter stitch border, I simply knitted the first two rows to begin, then knitted two stitches at the beginning and end of every row. At the end I knitted the last two rows before binding off.

The apple part of this pattern was not quite so straight forward! Here's what my first attempt looked like, worked directly from the chart for the crocheted version:


It was clear pretty early on in the knitting process that the proportions would not be right using the crochet chart for the knitted cloth, but I had to finish the whole pattern anyway so I could see just how far off the measurements were and know how much adjustment was necessary. You can see here that the cloth only measures about 5 inches from top to bottom, not nearly enough for a nice cloth even with a generous border added. Besides the 'apple' looks more like a squished tomato! That would never do!

So after some measurements and figuring, it was determined that for every 3 rows of the crochet pattern, I had to add 2 more rows for the knitted pattern. I went back to my chart and reworked it, adding the appropriate number of new rows and filling in the design where necessary. I also added the garter stitch border to the final version after realizing on the 'tomato' version that it would be a nicer finish to the cloth. The apple dishcloth you see in the first picture is the result of those adjustments.

Now that it is finished and I can get a good look at it, I have decided that the sides of the apple are too straight and the bottom half of the apple is too square. I did not have any more red cotton to knit yet another cloth, and I'm such a slow knitter that this would have had to wait another week for posting, so I have made what I think will be just the right adjustments to the chart below to produce a more rounded and properly shaped apple.


If you click on this chart, you will see a larger version of it which you can then print from your browser toolbar. You can see that I have included instructions at the bottom of the chart for the number of stitches to cast on and how to read the chart. This is the type of project where I find my magnetic board invaluable in keeping track of which row I am working at any given time. I have also marked the right side of the chart with the odd row numbers and the left side with the even row numbers. You will work each row from the side where its number is as indicated at the bottom of the chart.

If you decide to make a dishcloth from this chart, I would truly appreciate receiving a picture of it and your feedback about how you liked working the pattern from this chart. If I make this pattern with the updated chart, I will be sure to share it with you too.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Seaside Park Oddball Baby Blanket - Knitting Complete

It's another chilly dreary spring day here in New England, but the Oddball Baby Blanket I just finished knitting conjures up images of hot summer days sitting by the ocean. It's called Seaside Park and the knitters chose a blue, green or sandy color for each section.


My knit section is the green one on the top of the blanket. This shade of green reminds me of sea glass.


I worked my section in alternating groups of stockinette and reverse stockinette stitch. This is a fun pattern to use for a scarf or hat too because it forms a sort of horizontal ribbing and causes the fabric to have quite a bit of spring in it.

If you have signed up on the Lion Brand website, which by the way is free and a fabulous source of free knit and crochet patterns, you will be able to view this pattern for a knitted Cowl or Hood which uses a similar stitch pattern to the one I used on this blanket. The only difference is that the hood is knitted in the round on circular needles and the blanket was knitted flat so I had to alternate knit rows and purl rows to get the stockinette and reverse stockinette sections to come out correctly.

I actually made this Hood pattern years ago and have used it on many occasions to keep myself toasty warm while watching late fall band competitions or football games. It was fun and easy to knit and can be used in several different ways to keep warm. Try it for yourself and see!

I'll be crocheting the border on Seaside Park too, using the leftover Colonial Blue Vanna's Choice yarn from my Colorful Rings Tube Scarf that I entered in Vanna's recent contest. I'm still waiting to receive my phone call from Vanna telling me I've won. I know she's busy crocheting and turning letters and all, so I'll give her a little more time! Oh boy, I crack myself up!

This is post number 299 so the next post here at Hooked On Needles will be announcing the winner of my 300th post giveaway. Be sure to watch for it. Perhaps it will be you!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Circus Circus Oddball Baby Blanket - Stocking Heel Stitch

Every now and then, a package shows up on my doorstep from somewhere around the northeast. I always know what's in it, but it is still a surprise when I open the package. This time it was the knitted worsted weight oddball baby blanket called Circus Circus, in honor of Bridgeport, Connecticut's greatest showman, P.T. Barnum. The colors are fun and bright and I had a ball knitting my section onto it.


Have you ever seen a more cheerful collection of colors for a knitted baby blanket? You can just imagine all the clowns and jugglers and other entertainers doing their thing in one of the three rings under the big top. My section was the green one at that top. I'll be adding a crocheted border too.


The knit stitch I used is called Stocking Heel Stitch and is so easy to do. The first row is Knit 1, Slip 1 all the way across, ending with Knit 1. The second row is Purl all the way across. Repeat these two rows and you get what looks very similar to a standard knit ribbing, only it is much more sturdy and not quite as stretchy. It also is not reversible the way a regular knit one, purl one rib would be.

I think this stitch would be perfect for a sweater as it is very thick and warm. I have heard that it is used frequently for the heels of socks because of its ability to withstand heavy wear.

I'm in the process of crocheting the border onto this blanket in a very cheerful bright blue which I will definitely share with you when it is finished.

Make sure you sign up for my 300th post giveaway soon...#300 is fast approaching!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Knitted Oddball Care Shawl - Blue Skies

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know that I love making the Oddball Baby Blankets along with the other knitters from Knittinghelp.com. Well, there is another thread under Charity Knitting that I have just recently gotten involved in, and that is Oddball Care Shawls. Here's the first one I've worked on called Blue Skies...


The beginning of the shawl was done by Sandy, the very thoughtful and generous lady who came up with this idea of knitting Care Shawls for members of the knitting forum who might need a little encouragement or who are going through a hard time and need to know that people care.

Then I picked up where she left off, and added a skein of Patons Lacette yarn, which is a fine fluffy yarn with a little bit of mohair in it. I knitted my section and now I will mail it off to the next knitter along with the leftover yarn so it can be added into the fringe when the knitting is complete.


The pattern for these shawls just couldn't be easier. The first knitter casts on 3 stitches, and after that every row is the same: K1, yo, k to end. Each section is about 4 inches wide and each knitter chooses her own yarn from her stash or local yarn store. It's a great way to use up stash yarn and have a quick little project to work on when you can find a few minutes here and there to knit.

If you are looking for some nice people to get involved with, and a little project to work on now and then, pop over to www.knittinghelp.com and look into the Charity Knitting forum. Find something that would fit in with your skills and available time, and sign up. Besides helping other people, it will just make you feel good about yourself!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Top Down Knitted Baby Jacket

Way back in July while we were on vacation up north, I purchased a few new knitting patterns that I had had my eye on for some time. I wrote about that shopping expedition here, and I have recently started working on one of the patterns.

It's the Top Down Baby Jacket from Plymouth Yarn Company which can be purchased from Patternworks right online, or in their store if you happen to be up near Center Harbor, New Hampshire.


As I suspected, this pattern is knitting up pretty quickly since it uses worsted weight yarn and size 9 needles. It's also pretty easy if you are good at following a pattern. It uses simple increases and decreases and yarn overs to achieve the one-piece, eyelet row result.

If you purchase this pattern, you should be aware that there needs to be a few corrections made to it which I have not found listed anywhere online. First of all, if the pattern is knitted as in the instructions, there will be no line of purl stitches across the sweater right before the eyelet rows begin. Also, on the sleeves, there should be a Row 17: Knit and a Row 18: Purl before working a repeat of the pattern. In the pattern for the body, the row number after 17 should, naturally, be 18 instead of 12.

The piece begins at the neckline with garter stitch and an eyelet row and then the increasing begins for shaping the body of the sweater. The finished jacket appears to have raglan sleeves, which beginner knitters tend to shy away from, but these are knit all together with the rest of the sweater. Stitch holders are used to hold sections of the sweater that are not being knit while the sleeves are finished. Then all the stitches are returned to the needle and the body of the sweater below the sleeves is continued in one piece.

Since this pattern called for two skeins of yarn, I used the first skein to work the top and sleeves. When it was time to attach the yarn again to continue on the body, I started the second skein so that I will not have to add a new skein in the middle of the knitting. There will be no seams to hide tails neatly into, so this was my way of avoiding that altogether.


Once the knitting is complete, the only finishing that will be needed are the two sleeve seams. You can see in the above picture that I have left a generous length of yarn at the end of each sleeve which I tied into loose bundles. These tails will be used to sew the seams.

The stitches for the right front, back, and left front of the sweater below the armholes have now been returned to the needle and are ready to be worked in one piece to the bottom of the sweater.

I love this kind of pattern because there is so little finishing work to be done. I think I will weave a satin ribbon through the eyelets in the neckline as shown in the pattern picture.

This sweater is size 1 year and would make a lovely little jacket to wear for Easter. I will be offering this item for sale once it is finished, so if you are interested in purchasing it, please zip me an email or leave a comment with your email address.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Simple Knit - Garter Stitch Pattern and Reverse Single Crochet Border

One more Oddball Baby Blanket finished! This one is called Citrus Sunshine and the part I worked on is reminiscent of Pink Lemonade! Then I added a very Lemony Sunshine Yellow border. Along with all the other colors and patterns in this blanket, these make up a very cheerful and sunny baby blanket.


This is a close-up of the border I crocheted for Citrus Sunshine. It's so simple, but finishes off the blanket nicely. First I worked one round of Single Crochet around the knitted blanket. Then I worked another round of Single Crochet, this time working into both loops. Then I worked one round in Reverse Single Crochet, which is what gives that rope-like effect on the outer edge. Reverse Single Crochet is one of my very favorite simple border patterns and I use it frequently on baby blankets and afghans.


The Pink Lemonade section that I knitted onto this blanket was worked in a very simple pattern of about an inch of Stockinette Stitch, then 3 rows of knit stitches, then another inch of Stockinette, always keeping the first and last 3 stitches of each row in knit stitch. The last 3 rows were knit to continue the garter stitch border. Working a few rows of garter stitch into a stockinette background is an easy way to add texture to any knitted piece, and looks great in a sweater, blanket, scarf or whatever you are knitting.


So this is Citrus Sunshine, all finished and ready to be mailed off to the person who will deliver it, along with all the other Preemie Blankets to a local hospital. Hopefully this bright and cheerful blanket will bring lots of love and warmth to a new little baby while he is waiting to get big enough to join the family at home.

If you would like to join in the fun of knitting these oddball baby blankets in your region, just go to the Knittinghelp.com forum and click on Charity Knitting. There is a thread for each region of the US and also some for other countries where you can see what projects are in progress and what projects still need knitters. These little projects are quick and fun, and can also be great stash busters if you sign up for projects where you can use up yarn you already have. It's also a great way to learn new stitches or practice old ones. And, of course, the best benefit is knowing you are doing something nice for someone else. Think about it!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Learn to Knit -- Farrow Rib Stitch

Here's another fun and easy knit stitch to add to your collection. It's called Farrow Rib and I used it recently on another Oddball Baby Blanket named Cotton Candy. When I show you the completed blanket, you'll see how it got that name. But that will have to wait until I give you the crocheted border pattern!


Here's what Farrow Rib looks like. Pretty, isn't it? It forms a very soft fabric that is the same on both sides, which is one reason I like it for a blanket.

I knitted the last section of Cotton Candy in the same Bernat Softee Baby Soft Lilac yarn with which I had crocheted the scallop border of Tutti Frutti. You've all seen purple cotton candy, haven't you?

Here is the pattern for the Farrow Rib Stitch so you can try it yourself in your next knitting project.

Farrow Rib Stitch

Works on multiples of three plus one stitches.

Row 1: (K2, P1) across the row to the last stitch, K1.
Row 2: P1, (K2, P1) across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for pattern.

I'll show you the completed Cotton Candy blanket soon along with close-ups of the border pattern I made up for it. Of course I'll share the pattern too so you can use it if you want to. I have begun knitting the last section of another blanket called Citrus Sunshine and I'll share that with you when it is complete. Then I will be taking a break from the oddball blankets for a little while so I can focus on finishing up some of my own projects like the wedding gift afghan and my Pay It Forward gifts. And of course I will be bringing you more Tunisian Crochet stitches shortly and a fun pattern for a dishcloth that you will be whipping up for yourself and for gifts all year long!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Vanna's Choice Contest Entry - Knitted Colorful Rings Tube Scarf

Those of you who are knitters or crocheters may already have heard of the contest that Lion Brand Yarn is sponsoring featuring Vanna's Choice yarns. I wrote about it here in early January, and I submitted my own entry well before the deadline. I had only heard about it myself just a short time before that, and was disappointed that I did not have more time to work up a few baby blankets or a full size afghan to submit. But I did what I could and I was pleased with the result. Let's hope the judges will be too!



You may recognize the pattern that I used. It's the same as my Dr. Seuss Special Olympics scarf that I knitted in Red Heart Delft Blue and White, except for this scarf has the rings spaced evenly from one end of the scarf to the other, the colors are different and I put big fluffy pom poms at each end!


Here's one of the pictures I submitted to the judges. My son laughed when he saw it. He said it looked like the scarf was a person sitting with crossed legs. I didn't have the heart to tell him that was exactly the point of putting it that way for the picture!


So what do you think? A prize winner? My older daughter and I are already making plans for the prize money, and of course looking forward to the trip to Hollywood to schmooze with Vanna on the set of Wheel of Fortune! Wouldn't that be just a boatload of FUN? I know not to get my hopes too high though, because I've seen some of the other entries for this contest. Lots of beautiful afghans and sweaters and other handmade things have been sent in to the judges. What struck me most about the entries I have seen is how nice the color combinations are. But when you have such nice colors as Vanna's Choice yarns to choose from, it's not that hard to come up with some great combinations.

Here's my original pattern for the Knitted Colorful Rings Tube Scarf:

Colorful Rings Tube Scarf
Original design by Mary Grace McNamara
Copyright 2009

Finished size: 76 inches by 4 inches

Materials:

• Vanna's Choice worsted weight yarn: 4.5 oz white, 2 oz each magenta, fern, terracotta, colonial blue
• Size 10 1/2 straight or circular knitting needles
• Blunt point darning needle

NOTE: Leave a tail about 10 inches long at each color change. This tail will be used later to sew the seam.

With white, cast on 22.

Beginning with a Knit row, work 12 rows in stockinette stitch.

* Change to next color.
K 1 row even.
K in front and back of each stitch across, doubling the number of stitches. (44 stitches)
Beginning with Purl row, work 6 rows reverse stockinette stitch, ending with K row.

Change to white.
K2tog across. (22 stitches)
Beginning with P row, work 13 rows stockinette stitch, ending with P row.*

Continue working from * to *, in the color pattern of your choice, until 16 colorful rings have been knit.

For last white section, K2tog across. (22 stitches)
Beginning with P row, work 11 rows stockinette stitch. Bind off knitwise.

Using the darning needle and the tails from each color change, stitch the two long raw edges together using mattress stitch. Weave in ends after each section is sewn together.

Make two pom poms from all colors of yarn in the scarf and attach them to each end of the scarf.

I think this scarf pattern would look great in any color combination. Using neon colors for the rings and black for the tube would make quite a statement, or soft pastels with off white, or even a simple two color combination...any of these would make a fun and funky scarf! If you decide to knit one up, please send me a picture. I would love to see what You come up with!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Learn to Knit - Not Quite Farrow Rib Stitch

I just can't seem to get enough of these oddball blankets lately! Here's the next one I finished. It's called Pumpkin Delight.


As you can see in the picture, it was knit in fall/pumpkin/pie colors and the middle 'pie crust' section was done in a woven cable stitch to mimic the look of pie crust. Very clever!

These are not my favorite colors for a baby blanket, but I guess since babies like high contrast color combinations, this should be just right for some lucky little guy. Notice how the section worked in a cable design pulls the work in towards the middle. This is the nature of certain types of stitches in knitting and should be considered when choosing the pattern for a particular piece. This blanket will be washed and blocked which will hopefully stretch out that section a bit and even up the edges. But even if the blanket retains its hour glass shape, it will still be warm and cozy and hopefully the family who receives it will know it was made with lots of love.

The top green section and the border are my handiwork on this one. I loved the look of a stitch I had seen on other blankets so I asked for the pattern and thought I would use it on this blanket. Once I had finished several rows, I realized it wasn't working out quite right, even though I was following the pattern as it was given to me. I continued anyway since the stitch I was using looked fine and actually I thought it was a bit different.


Here is a corner of the blanket where you can see my knitted section in the lighter green in a stitch I am now calling 'Not Quite Farrow Rib'. The rib part is noticeable in among the garter stitch, but overall it appears a little too similar to plain old seed stitch, which is what the orange section before this was worked in. I'll share the stitch pattern here in case you would like to use it yourself. It's quite simple.

Not Quite Farrow Rib Stitch

Row 1: K2, P1 across
Row 2: P1, K2 across

This stitch would make a nice lightweight blanket if used throughout. It would also be a good stitch for a sweater. It is the same on the front and the back so it could also be used for a scarf. It does not have much stretch to it and lies rather flat, but it has nice texture with all the little bumps all over it.

The dark green border was simply crocheted by working two rounds of single crochet, working 3 stitches in each corner so the work would remain flat, and then ending with a slip stitch and weaving in the ends.

Next time I'll share with you a little more Baby looking blanket and the real Farrow Rib Stitch which turned out quite nicely and will be added to my list of stitches to use in the future.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Learn to Knit -- Hurdle Stitch

The Cherry Berry Preemie Oddball blanket is now complete and George the mailman picked it up today to deliver it to the generous lady who will wash, block and deliver all the Preemie Oddball blankets. You may be wondering why I have been spending so much time lately on these oddball blankets. Well, here's how it happened...I read in the charity knitting forum a while back that a few more blankets were being started, so I volunteered myself to be the last knitter and also to crochet the borders on some of the new blankets. Little did I know that they would all be coming my way at just about the same time! Each knitter is given two weeks to work on a blanket before it should be forwarded on to the next knitter, so it actually makes sense that they would all be ready for me at just about the same time as each other. That thought never occurred to me! Brilliant! But that's ok because I rather enjoy working on these blankets and it gives me the opportunity to try out some new stitches and make up some new border designs.

The other day you saw the completed Tutti Frutti blanket along with a video of how to do the scallop border. So now on to Cherry Berry.


Here it is after all the knitting was complete. Don't you just love the variety of pink yarns used in this blanket? Not one yarn is the same as another. The yarn used in the middle section actually has some red in it and you'll see in a future post that the border is also in red. The knitted section that I did is at the top of the picture. I used the same pink yarn for this as for my section on Tutti Frutti which was Bernat Softee Baby in Pink Marls.


The stitch I used is called Hurdle Stitch which I first saw in another oddball blanket. I asked the knitter for the instructions on the stitch and I also found it online. I'll share it with you below. The above picture shows what nice texture the stitch has, and the next picture shows what a pretty design it makes.


I have always had a preference for crocheted blankets over knitted, but this stitch is one that I might consider for a knitted blanket. It is thick and soft, almost like a double layer of stitching. It also seems to be more substantial than other knit stitches, not loose and stretchy. I really enjoyed knitting my section of Cherry Berry with the Hurdle Stitch and I know it will be a stitch I will use often on future blankets.

Here's the stitch pattern if you would like to try it yourself:

Hurdle Stitch

Work over an even number of stitches.
Rows 1 and 2: Knit
Rows 3 and 4: (K1, P1) across
Repeat rows 1 - 4.

I just don't think it could be any easier to get such a pretty design with such nice texture in a knit stitch! Try it and see what you think! I'll show the border I crocheted on this blanket shortly along with a video of how to work it.

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Knitted Jumbo Mittens Pattern Available!

This post is for anyone who took a fancy to my Knitted Jumbo Mittens that were displayed on my mantel this past Christmas. Do I have some good news for you!


Here's a close-up so you can see just what I'm talking about, in case you missed their first showing at Christmas time. Aren't they just FUN, and such a clever alternative to the traditional stocking? I just love them.


Here's all 5 of ours hanging by the fireplace, just waiting for Santa to pop in and fill them up. They are quite stretchy so they hold an awful lot of little Christmas treasures!

So here's the good news...I contacted Mary Maxim, which you know is one of my favorite mail order and catalog outlets for yarn and crafts and such, and I asked if the pattern for these mittens might still available. I know that it hasn't been offered in their catalog or on their website for a number of years now. Just this week, I got a very nice email from their customer service department telling me how this pattern can be ordered, and now I'm sharing that information with you so you can order it and start knitting these colorful mittens for everyone in your family in time for next Christmas!

Here's what Mary Maxim said, and I quote:

I'm very sorry for the delay in getting back to you--our new catalog has been keeping us very busy! You can let others know that Mary Maxim sells our discontinued patterns (when they have been discontinued for over one year), patterns only, for $3.00 each. This was pattern #1432. Anyone can call us at 800-962-9504 and ask for Customer Service, and we will be glad to take the order.

Customer Service
Mary Maxim, Inc.

So there you have it! Since it is only the pattern that you can order now, and no longer the kit they used to offer which made two mittens, here are the yarn and needle requirements so you can order enough of their Titan yarn at the same time as you order the pattern to make as many mittens as you want:

* 1 skein Natural (enough for 2 mittens)
* 1 skein color of your choice (enough for 1 mitten)
* Knitting needles size 10 1/2 (metric size 6.50)
* Crochet hook size K-10 1/2 (metric size 6.50) (only used to make the hanging loop.)

If you make these mittens, I would love to see a picture of them hanging on your mantel come Christmas time!

Happy Stitching!

Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com