Technique Tuesday...

Today's post I dedicate to my friend Jodi.  Recently Jodi and I got together for two days so I could teach her how to knit and she could teach me how to spin yarn on a drop spindle.  I love teaching as much as I love learning new things, so it was the perfect experience.  Now I am hooked on spinning, but more on that later.

When I teach people how to knit, the first project I usually give them is a dishcloth, it is quick, easy and functional.  Also, you can make a dishcloth out of just about any knit and purl stitch combination so it is good practice for learning new stitches.  Today's technique is an easy stitch that works very well when making a dishcloth, it is the Double Basket Weave Stitch.  The video instruction is again brought to you by New Stitch a Day.

Double Basket Weave Stitch- Click Here!

Skill: Easy
Cast On: Multiples of 4 + 3
TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS STITCH:
K- knit
P- purl

Pattern Instructions:

Row 1 (RS): Knit
Row 2: *K3, p1; rep from * to last sts, k3
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: (row 2) *K3, p1, rep from * to last sts, k3
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: K1, *p1, k3; rep from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: (row 6) K1, *p1, k3; rep from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1
Repeat these 8 rows until you have reached your desired length.

Technique Tuesday...

Happy Tuesday!  Today I bring to you the Fauns Eyes Stitch as taught by New Stitch a Day.  This is a beautiful lace work stitch that would look pretty in a wide variety of projects especially shawls, scarves and cowls.  This is a intermediate stitch and you will need to know how to do the following: Knit, Purl, Purl 2 Together, Purl 2 Together through the back loop, Knit 2 Together and Slip Slip Knit.  Here we go...

 

Instructions

Row 1 (Right Side): k1, *ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, k1; rep from * to end.

Row 2: p1, * p2tog, p2, yo, p3, yo, p2, p2tog tbl, p1; rep from * to the end of the row. 

Row 3: k1, *ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog, k1; rep from * to the end of the row.

Row 4: p1, *yo, p2tog, p7, p2tog tbl, yo, p1; rep from * to the end of the row.

Row 5: k1, *yo, k3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3, yo, k1; rep from * to the end of the row.

Row 6: p2, *yo, p2, p2tog, p1, p2tog tbl, p2, yo, p3; rep from *, end last rep p2.

Row 7: k3, *yo, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, yo, k5; rep from *, end last rep k3.

Row 8: p4, *p2tog tbl, yo, p1, yo, p2tog, p7; rep from *, end last rep p4.

Repeat rows 1-8 until you have reached your desired length.

Free Knitting and Crochet Pattern Resources

Today I am bringing you a list of free knitting and crochet pattern resources that you can find on the web.  There are hundreds of pattern suppliers out there, but here are some of those that I have used the most.  These pattern sites are listed in no particular order, just as they spring into my head; I will let you know a little about each site.

• Ravelry (my all time favorite)- Hundreds of thousands of free and for purchase patterns.  Knitting, crocheting, machine knitting and loom knitting.  Set up an account so you can have your own knitting portfolio and store your patterns in a library for quick reference.  Join different groups of interest, be a part of forums and so much more that Ravelry has to offer.
• All Free Knitting - Must sign up with your email, which is annoying, but worth it for all of the free patterns and tutorials.  You could just click around this site all day.  They even have giveaways.  Emails can also get annoying after a while.
• Vogue Knitting - Must sign up.  Great trendy, free patterns, knitting and crochet basics and stitchonary.
• WEBS - Links you to patterns from different yarn suppliers.
• Drops Design - Tons of free patterns for both knitting and crochet.
• BERROCO - Trendy knitting and crochet patterns.
• Knitting Fever - Free patterns from your favorite yarn suppliers.
• Knitting Help - Free patterns for just about anything you can imagine along with knitting help videos.

I hope this information is useful to you and you can find many great projects.

Technique Tuesday...

The Large Horn Cable Stitch

Today's technique is a beautiful intermediate cable stitch that would be great for sweaters or blankets or even a big chunky cowl.  Before I learned how to knit cables I was very intimidated by them, they seemed quite scary to me.  I forced myself to learn the basic cable forward and cable back techniques and instantly was hooked, it was so easy and the work was beautiful.  If you haven't yet tried knitting cables, I urge you to try to today.

I have included a video for the Large Horn Cable Stitch by New Stitch a Day.  All of the videos on his site are very thorough and easy to follow along with.  If you go to New Stitch a Day, the written instructions are also included beneath the video for those of you that need to read them as well as watch.  I will include them here too.

TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS STITCH:

Knit Stitch- K
Purl Stitch- P
Cable Four Front (C4F) – Slip next 2 sts on needle onto a cable needle and hold in front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle.
Cable Four Back (C4B) – Slip next 2 sts on needle onto a cable needle and hold in back of work, k2, k2 from cable needle.
  
Cast on: worked over multiples of 16sts on a background of reverse stockinette stitch

Pattern Instructions

1. Row 1:  (right side) k4, C4B, C4F, k4.
2. Row 2:  P16.
3. Row 3:  k2, C4B, k4, C4F, k2.
4. Row 4:  P16.
5. Row 5:  C4B, k8, C4F.
6. Row 6:  P16.

Repeat rows 1-6 until you have reached your desired length.