Sunday, July 26, 2015

Crochet A Light Shade


A very cheap alternative to buying a light shade.
Make one yourself with a small amount of yarn, old beads and an existing light shade.
I chose some woolen yarn and began with a single crochet foundation row
I kept placing it around the light shade until if fit, then joined it into a circle.
To get the round to stay in a circular shape I had to make sure the stitch count was dividable by the number 6.
I did a couple of rounds of sc, then placed a shell st into 6 places.
My stitch count for this was 54, 6 x 9 = 54, so every 9th stitch had a shell st placed into it.
The next round consisted of a sc on each side of the shell st and chains replaced the remaining sc stitches.
My pattern went like this.
1 sc, ch 6, skip 6 sc, 1 sc, make a shell in next st, repeat all the way around then join the round.
The following rounds went like this
1 sc, ch 6, 1 sc, make a shell, repeat all the way around, then join.
The very first thing I did was clean the light shade, then began making the new shade.
I had to block it so it would sit nice, I just used the good old iron.
Then I added some beads from an old necklace, they had their own rings which I hooked through a crochet stitch.

My granddaughter loved it once the beads were added, she now has her own type of chandelier in her bedroom.
Now I know I can do it, I can get more daring and make another even more spectacular!

Sunday, June 7, 2015

DROP STITCH KNITTED, HAT AND HEAD BAND



I am really enjoying dropping knitted stitches for that lovely braided effect.
You may have seen my previous post with the dropped and found wrap, I used the very same technique to make a head band and a hat!
Woo Hoo, I'm rockin with the knitting in between caring for my grand kids.
The head band was a no brainer as it was just straight knitting with the garter stitch, I dropped the middle 3 stitches, then braided them with the crochet hook, sewed the ends together and it was perfect!


The hat was more intense, I had to plan it out from beginning to end.
I decided on 4 sets of the dropped st to work evenly around the hat, I knew I had to make the hat on straight needles, I chose to make a baby sized hat and allowed for extra st's that would eventually be dropped.
The 3x3 ribbed edge was the perfect way to begin and I love the look of the braid against the garter stitch.
My original plan was to take the braid all the way to the top of the hat and I was on my way there until I realized that the decreasing would interfere with the dropping of the stitches!
I still believe that the braid can be taken all the way to the top by making the correct calculations
I was not quite sure what the bottom of the band would look like and I was prepared to make adjustments, but once it all came together it looked great!
Then it was onto the finish, decreasing for the crown and sewing it together.
Ta Da!
What do you think?
I love it and it will fit my youngest grandchild called Myles who is 3 months old.
I hope you have found my knitted drop stitch informative and that you may be able to use some of this information for your self.


Saturday, May 30, 2015

Knit The Dropped and Found Wrap




Wow what a clever idea.
This wrap looks awesome!
I'm seriously wondering if I made a hat too big, I could drop the stitches then do this technique to make the hat smaller and give it this lovely look!
dropped stitch technique
Please visit the designer for the free knit pattern which includes a video.

Free Knit Pattern
Easy Skill Level
Designed by Jessie Rayot

free knitting pattern for dropped and found wrap

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Knit Log Cabin Blanket and 10 Stitch Blanket In One!


Using Up My Scrap Yarn
 

log cabin knit blanket
 
Ooh, don't ya feel cozy when it's cold out side and you are making a blanket along with the satisfaction that the yarn you are using is scrap yarn or discontinued yarn or just yarn that you would never have used.
That yarn is going to keep one of the family members nice and toasty this winter.
 
log cabin to 10 stitch blanket

 
This is my first time using the Log Cabin Style in a blanket and I wanted to make it all in one piece, but the larger it got the more pain I felt in my shoulders having to hold up all of those stitches.
So I changed the style to a Log Cabin come 10 Stitch blanket and it is working out fine!

All I did was begin a corner (just after the log cabin cast off) make that corner, then do the 10 st row join into each cast off stitch.

My very first 10 stitch blanket has been well used.
 

10 stitch knitted well used blanket

 
I even made a 15 stitch blanket. 
 
15 stitch blanket using same construction as the knit 10 stitch


I must give credit to Very Pink Knits for her wonderful video tutorials, that taught me how to make both of these styles of knitted blankets.

 Log Cabin Video Tutorial
 

 
10 Stitch Blanket Video Tutorial