The Hemlock Ring Blanket is done. I just need to block and that blocking will require a purchase of lace wires from KnitPicks.
I blocked it with some pins to show the pattern and make myself feel good that I did it right.
This is the only project I have started and finished in 2019. I’m working on finishing up others that I started before I laid down my needles four years ago – what I thought was forever.
This is my first pure continental knit. Since it was circular it was rather easy and I never had to purl. Well that changed with my next project, named Clapotis #2 and I quickly learned that purling via continental didn’t suit me. I ended up in agony and it didn’t feel fluid. I’m sure if I had been more patient I could have struggled through, but why?
So I’m doing the hybrid approach. Continental on the right side and English on the wrong. Who says that you have to choose just one style?
5 Yarn Over Drops
It is very difficult to knit with the yarn, it is slippery. I’m still using metal needles despite this because while yarn sticks to wood it also makes it harder for the yarn to move from one needle to the other.
I also stopped using all the stitch markers but two; one to start the continuous repeat of 6 stitches and the other to end it. I chant:
One, two, three, four, five, six…
So I always know where I am. kbl, knit, kbl, (one, two, three) followed by knit, knit, knit (four, five, six). I can go faster without moving a marker every 6 stitches and as long as I stop at 6 every time I will never lose my place.
At the writing of this post I am on the 12th row of the 6th repeat. Just 7 repeats to go on the straight rows before I start the decrease section. I had planned my yarn perfectly, but having started this project so many years ago I don’t recall the math. I hope the pattern as written with the yarn at hand will suffice. It is gorgeous. It will be mine.
So I have already made my first mistake. By mistake I mean I should have added the lifeline I thought to after the initial stockinette rows before the feather and fan pattern started.
How did I get confused? Because I did this at night after my brain had already shut down from work. I read the pattern incorrectly. Where it identified the stitches per repeat I saw row #’s. So instead of going with my gut and following the line #s on the grid I went with tired brain.
Those are NOT row #’s brain.
So now I must unravel a few rounds of knitting. After adding a lifeline. To accomplish this I used a lighter colored skein of yarn for this project and a tapestry needle. I may have take a three year hiatus but you don’t forget how to read knitting. That is the easy part.
No, the hard part is picking this stitches back up from the lifeline to continue knitting. I’m leaving this lifeline in too, until I add the next. Not going to skip it this time.
So now I’m a few rows behind but the pattern is easy to memorize so I anticipate that I’ll be back where I was within the hour. We’ll call this my humbling moment.
Do you have a time when you were perhaps a bit too cocky and realized you messed up and had to go back and eat some humble pie? Tell us about it in the comments.
I stopped knitting over three years ago because I physically could not do it anymore. A car accident left me unable to hold the needles without instant numbness followed by pain. At the time I attempted continental knitting; however my muscle memory was too long and recent to adapt easily.
So I put my needles down. I tried to crochet a bit but it was never my passion. I have always been fond of the fabric appearance of knitting. So instead of knitting I went back to gaming. If you’re interested in that you can check out my other blog https://purlshq.blog or watch the team in action at https://youtube.com/purlshq. Or don’t 🙂
A coworker announced she was pregnant and that she is due mid 2019. It made me want to pick up my needles again. So I did. I selected a pattern I’ve done before and not overly intricate but covered most of the common stitches. This time around continental knitting was much easier. It is second nature to me now. All I needed was time.
Just started feather and fan section.
I selected yarn I had in stock and the yellow center is because it is her favorite color and I only had a partial skein. It went further as the center. Hopefully the colors and presentation of them will be appealing. I already regret using brown after yellow; however I organized what color based on quantity for the most part. I know I’ll need more as I get to the outer ring.
Have any of you taken a hiatus from knitting – or another hobby? What is your story?
I originally started a tutorial for this blanket on September 21, 2013. Someone commented on a previous post on this blanket with questions on how to knit it. Now you don’t know me well enough to know that I love posting tutorials for things. They are fun but time consuming. I never managed to find the time to finish after the first part.
Thanks to Ravelry, I get many views on this incomplete post and others commenting for more. This post is for you.
I put my existing Ten Stitch Zigzag blanket on a stitch holder, stole the needle, and pulled out a white skein of yarn reserved for the blanket.
First things first, go check out the pattern, Ten Stitch Zigzag by Frankie Brown. If you like this pattern-stitch style, check out the other Ten Stitch Patterns using this method. I am not paid nor affiliated in any way with this pattern or author, other than knitting the patterns. This page is not an advertisement, though the pattern is free. I’m here just to provide some help to others who have struggled as I did to learn the intricacies of this pattern and others like it.
Once you get it, it is fun and easy mindless knitting. Here are a few important things to know before you start. These are rules never broken.
Zigs increase at the start of the row on the right-side of the work.
Zags decrease at the start of the row on the right-side of the work.
Start with ten stitches. Use any cast-on method you prefer. This is the only cast-on you can choose the entire blanket. I use Long-Tail Cast-On personally for most my knits. I always leave long tails for all starts and joins.
Long-Tail Cast-on (Howcast – Video) – This is the method I use and prefer.
Long-Tail Cast-on (VeryPink Knits – YouTube Video) – I’ve added this one because it shows this cast-on in a different way.
You will be knitting the same thing over and over again. It is the order in which you knit that makes the zig and zag. Here are the stitches you need to learn. Don’t worry they will be linked throughout as well.
You will always knit two rows back-to-back as you switch from a zig to a zag and back to a zig. This causes the pattern to switch the side of the work (left and right) that increases and decreases.
You will increase with the first stitch, knit to the last two stitches, and then decrease those two into one. This causes the right side of the right-side to zig or look like the right side of a V. You will also always end up with ten stitches.
Regarding the increase stitch, KFB is recommended by the pattern writer and I agree. It is simple and effective for the beginning of a row. If you have another favorite that you like, I don’t see why you cannot. A YO increase will cause holes but if that is the look you’re going for then by all means, but the holes will change sides.
On the wrong side you will knit.
Strip One Zig Row One: KFB, K7, K2Tog Strip One Zig Row Two: Knit
Repeat until you have completed Row One a total of ten times. Your marker should be on the tenth ridge on the right-side of the work. Top
Zag Decrease
This is what makes the pattern so interesting and yet so easy to memorize. You will knit the Zig rows as you did for the Zag rows, except you will invert them. Knit on the right-side of the work instead of on the wrong-side. On the wrong-side of the work you will increase with the first stitch, knit to the last two stitches, and then decrease those two into one. This causes the right side of the right-side to zag or look like the left side of a V. You will also always end up with ten stitches as before.
Strip One Zag Row One: Knit Strip One Zag Row Two: KFB, K7, K2Tog
Repeat until you have completed Row One a total of ten times. Your markers should be on the tenth ridge on the right-side of the work.
Ending Strip One
The key to ending Strip One and starting Strip Two is NINE.
The images below will show you how your bind-off row should look. You will only do NINE repeats of the pattern. Choose a zig or a zag, up to you. I’m binding-off at a zag.
Again, it doesn’t matter if this is a row you’re supposed to increase or decrease on, you will knit it. You should be on the Right Side of the work.
On the Wrong Side of the work, you will bind-off NINE stitches. Use any method you like. Keep binding-off until you have one stitch left.
Situate your work so it looks like the picture below.
Next we will need to cast-on NINE stitches. Use any method you prefer, where long-tail is out. If you like the long-tail cast-on as me, you might appreciate the backwards loop cast-on. I always use this when casting-on like this.
Flip the work so it is Right Side up. Your needle is at the bottom right of the work and the strip you just completed is to your left.
Strip Two and On
Each strip after the first will be completed in this method. In fact the rows you learned on the first strip don’t change here either. The only difference is now you’ll knit into the strip you’ve already completed. Fun stuff, really.
Zig Increase
Strip Two Zig Row One: KFB, K8, slip st, pickup and K1, PSSO
If you’re new to knitting, these instructions can be confusing. Looking them all up can be time-consuming. Usually a knitter learns these methods as they go; however even if you’re a beginner I guarantee you’ll be knitting this blanket like a pro by then end of this post.
Since you already learned KFB and the knit stitch we’ll skip those and move right on to “slip stitch”. A slip stitch is just that, a stitch you slip off the needle as to knit or purl, but you don’t knit or purl it. The video explains how to slip as to knit and as to purl.
For this pattern, you will slip as to knit.
The next stitch is “pickup one and knit”. This is part of the binder stitches that attaches the strip you’re currently working on to the strip you completed before. In simple terms, you are going to insert your needle into the bump of the last strip you knit. Then you wrap your yarn around the needle and pull it through the bump. Instant new stitch.
On a side note, there is a HUGE difference between picking up a stitch and picking up a stitch and knitting a stitch. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka Yarn Harlot talks about this on her blog with Pick-up Lines.
The video below will show you the technique of picking up and knitting one stitch. Before you watch the video and try this out on your blanket I want you to see the stitch I personally pickup and knit from. I’ve used my stitch marker and various views to give you an idea. Honestly, it doesn’t matter where you pickup and knit so long as you’re consistent throughout the entire blanket.
The next stitch, and the last part of the binding stitch, is PSSO. This stands for, pass slipped stitch over. In layman’s terms, you are going to insert your left-hand needle into the stitch you slipped from left to right. You will then lift this stitch up and over the one you just picked up and knitted. It is somewhat like binding-off.
You will have ELEVEN stitches on your needle after completing Row One.
Strip Two Zig Row Two: P2Tog, K9
Now you flip your work over, purl 2 together (the last knit stitch and the one you picked up and knitted), and knit to the end.
You will have TEN stitches on your needle after completing Row Two.
Knit Row One and Row Two ten times until you get to your marker on the previous strip or have counted ten ridges.
Row One of a Zag is simliar to Row One of a Zig, except you will not increase or decrease at all on this row.
Strip Two Zag Row One: K9, slip st, pickup and K1, PSSO
You will have TEN stitches on your needle after completing Row One
Strip Two Zag Row Two: P1, KFB, K6, K2Tog
You will have TEN stitches on your needle after completing Row Two
Repeat Row One and Row Two until you have ten ridges or have reached your next marker.
Repeat the instructions for Row Two Zig and Zag until you have reached the last zig or zag of the strip.
The pictures below are of the sample I knit for this tutorial. Your strips should look similar. The first is a view of the Right Side and the last is a view of the Wrong Side.
The key to ending Strip Two and starting Strip Three is NINE. This will apply to the end of every strip.
You will only do NINE repeats of the pattern. Choose a zig or a zag, up to you. I’m binding-off at a zag.
Row Ten: K9, pickup and K1, PSSO
Again, it doesn’t matter if this is a row you’re supposed to increase or decrease on, you will knit it. You should be on the Right Side of the work.
On the Wrong Side of the work, you will bind-off NINE stitches. I recommend purling the first stitch, as in patterning, and knitting all others as you bind-off. Use any method you like. Keep binding-off until you have one stitch left.
Next we will need to cast-on NINE stitches. Use any method you prefer, for continuity you should use the same cast-on as you did at the end of Strip Two.
Repeat Strip Two for ALL Strips
When you have made your blanket as big as you wish, cast-off all TEN stitches instead of just NINE.
I had my tubes tied on Thursday. The official name is tubal ligation. I’ve actually seen it done, live in person. I was sixteen. I volunteered at in post-op at a same-day surgery center at a local hospital. They allowed me to sit in the OR and watch whatever I wanted. I saw many common procedures and some not so common.
I was sure that I would be a surgeon when I grew up. Blood doesn’t bother me and I’m fascinated by the human body. I still do wish it were my profession but I have no regrets. I love my life and career and wouldn’t go back and change it even if you swore that time machine you were working on actually worked.
Nope, I’m extremely happy with my life and the fact that all my decisions good and bad lead me to this point.
I’ve wanted be permanently sterilized before I gave birth to my son. Him I do not regret, but I knew then that he was all I would ever want. I felt cheated out of the entire birth experience as I was pushed into a c-section. He was too big they said. I’d have to have an emergency c-section when he was stuck they said. Even my husband at the time agreed it was best as his first child had complications at birth.
I have the perfect pelvis for pushing out babies and I was really looking forward to the natural birth experience I had planned. The only reason I agreed to not sterilize myself immediately was due to the fact that I wanted to experience birth. Pain I can handle; other women have without issue since the first baby was born.
Children are an amazing blessing, but we have both been there and done that. My son just turned nine and his just turned eighteen. He also has a non-adopted daughter he raised with an ex for many years. She is his daughter in every way even though they share no blood and he has no legal obligations towards her.
We love our life without children. Don’t get me wrong, children are great! If we had managed to slip up on birth control and I became pregnant we would have been overjoyed. The issue is I don’t do well on BC and I also tend to be horrible with pills. This means a lot of abstinence when I miss a pill.
I’m a married woman and sex is supposed to be an amazing gift between husband and wife. It is hard to have spontaneity and enjoy when you’re constantly worried about being pregnant. It was the one thing we agreed on before we wed, no children in our future. We like getting up late on the weekends and not having to be responsible for feeding and clothing another person.
He could have just gotten a little snip-snip but he is overweight and his doctor told him during the consultation that it would be a tough recovery as a result of it. So we skipped that. I reviewed my other options. Implants are a big thing but they are made to be removable and are not permanent.
There is also the Essure product my OB recommended, but after reading the pamphlet I knew it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t repeat the pain and discomfort when they took a biopsy of my cervix less than a year ago. Sure the recovery would be better but I knew that I would be nervous and unable to relax. Plus it can take almost a year before you’re sterilized and you still need to take BC until you get confirmation from your OB that you’re good.
So I opted for the good old tubal ligation. I knew what it entailed from my visits to the OR as a teenager to see the procedure and therefore I wasn’t scared or nervous. The OB tried to talk me out of it as it would leave a scar and have a longer recovery time. I didn’t care, I’ve had a c-section and survived so this would be a breeze. Plus once I’m healed everything is good to go!
For those thinking about having the procedure, let me tell you about the recovery. I slept on my back the first night an crawled into bed freezing. I couldn’t get back out of bed to get a blanket because the pain was bad enough to prevent it. I had to wait for DH to get done with the bathroom and by then I wasn’t cold anymore but he brought me a blanket anyway. I woke up in the same position I had fallen asleep in. Getting up was okay.
Walking around the second day wasn’t easy, the same as the day of. Since I had my procedure first thing in the morning on Thursday; waking up on Friday was 24 hours later. I had to hold my tummy as I walked around as jiggles didn’t feel good. I’ve lost fifty pounds in the past year, but I still don’t have the flat tummy and I’m not concerned if I never do.
Sitting down and getting up required assistance. Not because of pain but because I didn’t want to use my abs and cause pain. So I used my legs and braced myself with my hands on a surface.
Going to bed the second night was pleasant. I could roll over on my side and sleep on my tummy. I like to fall asleep on my tummy and sleep on my back. I usually end up how you’re supposed to sleep; flat on my back with no pillow. I just cannot fall asleep without Mrs. Pillow.
Waking up today was easy and I slipped right out of bed. I had to be careful but it was totally easy. I’ve been able to walk around and managed to do some laundry. I refuse to pick anything up of the floor or lift anything heavier than my 34 oz Bubba cup filled with coffee goodness. I also didn’t take any of the Tylenol with Codeine that was popping like candy the first two days. Good thing too because it makes me feel sick without food and I haven’t had much of an appetite.
I spent the entire first two days organizing my file and pictures. I merged everything into Google Drive and backed that up with OneDrive. Most of my blogging pictures are on Flickr already but I setup an automatic uploader on my phone so Flickr gets everything once my phone is charging and connected to WiFi.
I organized my Flickr with appropriate file names and descriptions and made sure all pictures of people were flagged as private. I don’t share my image online or those of my family unless it is specifically chosen and done with purpose. I’m a private person, even my Facebook has just 52 friends and no public access.
I also signed up for Offce 365 as this increased my OneDrive to 1TB and gives me MS Office on my laptop, computer, tablet, and phone. DH can also have it on his desktop, laptop, and phone. We’re set. I’m just waiting on my Windows 10 to be ready to install. I have been on the reservation list for months. He registers and the next day is able to download. I’m quite upset over his luck.
I haven’t ceased knitting and I’m working on updating my Zigzag blanket tutorial which has much demand. Here’s a picture just to get you excited if you’re waiting on me to finish.
I have been a member of The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) since January 15, 2015. Almost seven months later and I have yet to start.
I mean I’ve started but each was frogged. I’ve had the worst time figuring out how to increase by five stitches evenly after a k2p2 rib. Something so simple has thrown me for a loop (pun intended) for at least five attempts.
Today is going to be the last. I’m going to post my journey in this post and those who already follow me on Twitter @CrazyPurls with live updates #TKGAMHK.
I’ve previously mastered the long-tail cast on method, however my friend Polly who writes Knit Me For a Loop has told me she thought she knew too but perhaps wasn’t doing it the way TKGA would want. So I’ll post links here in case they help someone else on the journey. As usual, I’ll update my How to Knit page too.
Fair warning, the data below is live knitting data and therefore I cannot know for certain if my tips and tricks had their intended effects. I might come back and update this post after I submit to TKGA but don’t count on that.
Speaking of that, here is the reference for my long tail cast-on method. Long-Tail Cast-on (Howcast – Video).
Long Tail Cast On
For the ribbing I recommend K2P2 (Tricksy Knitter – Blog) to learn the stitch.
My biggest issue on this stitch is keeping a nice even tension on the edges. What I do is knit the first stitch (in pattern) and then insert my needle to pull a loop through as to knit again; however you do not let the parent stitch fall off as normal. First you pull your working yarn taunt. Not too tight, a quick light tug will do. Let the parent stitch fall off and then bring your yarn towards you for the p2.
K2P2 Ribbing
Now time for the decreases. For this I just Googled my question. I’m not the first person to have attempted this and I’m certain that someone else will have solved this problem. You see I’m on the gray line between perfectionism and OCD. So it must be even. How to add five stitches evenly to RIBBING is not a problem I’ve encountered previously.
I started at Stockinette Increase (TECHknitting – Blog). While that was a good demonstration it wasn’t what I needed. Increasing in Ribbing (Knit Witch – Blog) had just the thing, even though it refers to 3×3 instead of 2×2. I think the same theories should apply and therefore I’m going for her method.
I’m still driving myself crazy with the whole “increase evenly” thing. Go from 20 to 25 stitches evenly in the same row. I never end up with 25 is the problem. I mapped this out and it seems like a good choice. It compliments my perfectionism without being perfect. I can live with that.
I started with this, just instructions for the row without increases. (warning I did something wrong here; will update in new post)
I’m worried on how it will look so I’ve modified the stitches so that they match the stitch they are with. So I’ve written down the instructions as I knit for accuracy. Hopefully it helps someone else who is struggling the same as me.
The m1 I’m doing can be found in detail on Stockinette Increase (TECHknitting – Blog). I won’t borrow someone else’s images, so you must review this post to understand anything I say below. For ALL increases, insert the head of the right needle into the red stitch and put the red stitch onto the needle exactly as shown in TECHknitting’s blog post.
k2
p2
pull up and knit into front loop of red stitch
k2
p1
pull up and purl into the back loop of red stitch,
p1
k2
pull up and purl into the back loop of red stitch
p2
k1
pull up and knit into front loop of red stitch (I’m sure this is where I messed up. I will try the backloop next time)
k1
p2
pull up and knit into front loop of red stitch
k2
p2
Count up and make sure you have 25 stitches before you move on! Here is what I ended up with.
K2 P2 Increase Row
Now on to work in garter stitch for some time, that should be easy. This just means I get to knit each row until I have the prescribed length. For help with garter stitch, see Garter Stitch (Dummies.com – Website) or Garter Stitch (New Stitch a Day – YouTube Video).
I couldn’t resist taking pictures in progress. I think the increases I did will work but I had to knit a few rows before I felt more confident in that. Thoughts?
RS Garter after Increases
LS Garter after Increase
I won’t know for sure until I block. Now just to knit in garter for a bit to get the below.
TKGA Swatch 1 before Bind Off
I will have to reknit this and update this post with the proper increases. It was definitely one I had wrong and I’ll need to review my notes in this post and correspond with the loose stitch. since this is for grading, it has to be perfect. I’d ignore such an error in a sweater.
The flu wiped out my department at work for a week just a month ago. This week some head cold replaced it and it has taken us down one by one. I went home at noon on Friday. It was month-end and I had an AM conference call so I put in an appearance, having worked the two days before just as miserably. My nose hurt from all the blowing and it was really hard to concentrate.
Having extra time on my hands for the first time in months, I started “Project Organization”. This projected involved (notice the past tense) redoing our fail filing system so I can not only find what I need but get the paper clutter under control. I had piles strewn throughout the house. I also wanted to start a home and budget binder.
I went to Office Depot and bought lots of goodies. I should never be left unattended at a yarn or office supply store. I tried to stall when DH asked me later how much I spent. Let me say that every dime was worth it. I made our files easy to move, since we will buy a house this year (if I state it as a fact it must come true). So I bough multicolored hanging folders, binders, a labeler, paper, and other misc items for the chores ahead.
Our files are now in two file boxes, divided into color zones. I will go into details of that in a later post. I have a few sources I’ll share then to help anyone looking for a simular system. I didn’t follow just one program and kinda made up my own with inspiration from others. I also put together my buget binder and a household binder. I have already advised DH that I’m tracking our finances and he has agreed to provide me the receipts I need.
You see, we have a joint checking and savings account we both contribute to, but we also have personal checking accounts that we use however we please. This means no fights over the same pool of money. It works for us and everything is paid upon receipt or is auto-paid out of the joint accounts. We contribute almost equally and share any surplus. We are a team, but lately we have been extravagant and I want to protect our nest egg before we do it any more harm. It will after all fund our new house and renovations.
So a budget we will have! I had to swallow my perfection and skip over January completely. I started with February. I plan on going back to January before the year is over if I find the time. I will share my binders and the printanles I used and created for each. As I go I will make modifications and plan on sharing perfected documents instead untested drafts. I found that many existing printables don’t work well for our house and I had to make those used for my budget needs.
I also started on my TKGA Master Hand Knitting Level 1 project. I read the directions for the second time and took notes, because I have to make a binder for that too. I sketched out the sections and printables I will have to make for that. By next week I hope to have started Swatch #1 research and attempt a cast-on for it.
The first few swatches are really easy, but I want to do this right. I was telling Polwygle at Knit Me For a Loop what I hope to get from this endeavor and I am now sharing that with you. Obviously being one of the few to achieve the pin is an honor it itself, but I also have long-term goals for my future in knitting. I want to design patterns and teach classes. The TKGA program will do this by teaching me the basics in the way I learn best (self-teaching) by giving me a structured learning plan to complete at my pace. There are no quizzes or tests, just swatches and projects that require research and detailed reports. If what I submit passes, I move on. Otherwise I correct my mistakes, lessons learned, and try again. It will be a journey, but I’m lookong forward to it.
