Experimenting with Pattern Creation

As I said in the last post, I've been having trouble concentrating on patterns, ending up frogging repeatedly until I give up. I have tried favorite patterns and that helped a little, but not a lot.

So I decided to try inventing a pattern of my own. I figure if something goes wrong, since I'm the creator, I can just say it's not a mistake...it's something creative and avant-garde and I planned it that way! This in turn makes me a little less stressed as I'm not constantly on the lookout for mistakes.

I chose to make a hat. I don't have many as I don't wear them much, but it seemed it would be fairly simple. Although I knit more than I crochet, I chose to crochet as I thought it would be easier to do in the round than knitting. I chained a reasonable amount of stitches, then started on a crochet ribbing that would go sideways around the rim of the hat. Measuring frequently, and ripping back or adding more, I eventually got what seemed the right amount of stitches.

For the cap part, I started out with a shell pattern, but it was too complex for me to figure out how to decrease properly, so I went back and pulled out all the rows of shells except the first one. Then I just did DC but regularly decreased to the top, where I was down to a few stitches. I threaded the yarn on a tapestry needle, pulled it through the last few stitches and fastened off. Tried it on:

Didn't like the look of that. It needed something else. I tried to make a pompom and failed miserably. So I decided on a flower with a decorative button in the center. Here's what I came up with:

I think it looks better, though I'll never be a hat person.

Anyway, then I decided to make a matching scarf. As I was working, it occurred to me I have 3 other buttons that match the one on the hat, so I plan to make buttonholes at one end and sew the 3 buttons on the other end. That way it can be a cowl or a scarf. What do you think so far?

I'm not a genius, but I am enjoying creating my own patterns. If you haven't tried it yourself, check it out! You'll have fun too.

Favorite Patterns

Does this sound familiar? You go to a yarn store or a wool festival, and come home with skein upon skein of gorgeous yarn. When you get home, you go through your patterns and choose one for the new fiber.

The first few rows are great. The yarn is deliciously soft, the color is perfect, and you're in knitting heaven.

Then, something happens. Maybe you make a mistake or two and have to take out a row. Maybe the yarn splits when you knit, or the points on your knitting needles are too rounded to do a K2tog easily. Soon, you find yourself putting the project in the "Corner of Shame" where all the unfinished projects reside.

But you have finished SOME projects, right? They're in a drawer, in your closet, or living with some other person whom you gifted with one of your completed projects. That's proof you can actually finish something. 😁 Then you study your finished items and realize there are a few patterns you go to time and time again, and you never have any problems finishing them.

So you ask yourself, what is it about this particular pattern that keeps you working, not getting bored, not anxious to finish it so you can move on?

I'd love to tell you I have the answer to that...the perfect pattern, perfect needles, perfect yarn...but I don't have any clue.

How about you? Do you have a favorite item you make over and over, and if so, do you know why? Enquiring minds want to know!

One of my favorites

Knitting for Superheroes

I came across an article recently about New York designer Josh Bennett, a knitter who is busy creating hand-knit sweaters for Marvel superheroes in the upcoming movie, "Thor: Ragnarok." Check out his work here:

http://nyp.st/2wHd01O

I especially love the Loki sweater with the Celtic designs.

I know how much effort goes into knitting a sweater, since I just finished one for my husband. But creating  the pattern itself adds an extra layer of complexity. And when the sweater is finished, an extra feeling of pride!

Looking forward to seeing the sweaters in the movie when it's released in November. 

Extreme Knitting

For those of you (and me) who don't feel quite up to extreme sports, here's something we can all get into: Extreme Knitting. Check it out!

http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/breakfast/extreme-knitting/8536804

Imagine what you could create with knitting needles the size of broomsticks...the size of baseball bats...the size of logs?

It boggles the mind.

Dog Blanket

Lately my dog, Gypsy, has decided when she sleeps on the couch, she needs to scratch and paw at it to get it comfortable enough for her. But as you can imagine, enough scratching and the fabric begins to fray and tear.

We are already using an old afghan to cover the seat cushions for protection from her. Currently it's a scrap afghan made from leftover bits of dozens of yarns that I started in high school and finished in college.

Here's a picture taken as I worked on it, though it's in black and white so you can't see all the wild colors:

So when I decided to make another afghan for the couch, this one to cover the back cushions, of course it had to be another scrap ripple afghan. Here's a picture of some of it:

At least I'm using up some of my voluminous stash! And doing a good thing at the same time.

What do you do with your scrap yarn?