Monthly Archives: February 2011

1.

Cut the yarn three times the length of the ribbing. Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the first (knit) stitch. Pull the yarn through.

2.

With the yarn needle behind the two knit stitches, insert it knitwise into the first purl stitch. Pull the yarn through.

3.

With the yarn needle, slip the first knit stitch knitwise.

4.

Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the second knit stitch. Pull the yarn through.

5.

Take the yarn needle behind the knit stitch; insert it purlwise into the first purl stitch

6.

and knitwise into the second purl stitch. Pull the yarn through.

7.

With the yarn needle, slip the first knit stitch knitwise.

8.

Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the next knit stitch. Drop the first purl stitch from the left needle. Pull the yarn through.

9.

Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the first purl stitch. Pull the yarn through. Drop the stitch from the needle.

10.

Take the yarn needle behind the next two knit stitches. Insert it knitwise into the next purl stitch. Pull the yarn through.

Repeat from 3 to 10 across the ribbing.

I created this baby hat to coordinate with the crocheted baby blanket Downy-Soft Zig Zags by Carole Prior published in Leisure Arts #2853, Our Best Baby Afghans. It features elongated stitches to mimic the elongated double crochets in the blanket.

This is approximately a twelve month old sized hat.  The hat is 16″ around and 8″ long.

Gauge:
20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Yarn:
Red Heart Designer Sport Yarn
Color A – Latte, .6 oz
Color B – Dutch Blue , .11 oz
Color C – Pistachio, .11 oz

Materials:
Size 7 (4.5mm) 40″ circular or 5 double pointed needles
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
inc – Increase: knit and purl in same stitch
k – knit
m – make stitch: with left needle, insert needle from front to back under the yarn between the previous and next stitch; knit into the back loop
kw2w – knit with two wraps: insert right needle to knit, but wrap yarn twice and pull through
kw4w – knit with four wraps: insert right needle to knit, but wrap yarn four times and pull through
dws – drop with slip: slip the stitch with the extra wraps purlwise, dropping the extra wraps. There will be a single elongated stitch.
spw – slip purlwise
* – indicates the sections that should be repeated for the round
sts – stitches

Directions:
Cast on 4 and set up to work in the round. I recommend the Magic Cast-On for Toe-Up Socks for the most seamless look.

I continued by using a 40″ circular needle beginning with 2 stitches on each needle, but the hat can also be made by moving each stitch to a double pointed needle. This is a good tutorial for knitting in-the-round on a long circular needle.

Rnd 1: inc in each (8 sts)
Rnd 2: k
Rnd 3: inc in each (16 sts)
Rnd 4: k
Rnd 5: *k, m, k2, m, k* (24 sts)
Rnd 6: k
Rnd 7: *k, m, k4, m, k* (32 sts)
Rnd 8: k
Rnd 9: *k, m, k6, m, k* (40 sts)
Rnd 10:k
Rnd 11: *k, m, k8, m, k* (48 sts)
Rnd 12: k
Rnd 13: *k, m, k10, m, k* (56 sts)
Rnd 14: k
Rnd 15: *k, m, k12, m, k* (64 sts)
Rnd 16: k
Rnd 17: *k, m, k14, m, k* (72 sts)
Rnd 18: k
Rnd 19: *k, m, k16, m, k* (80 sts)
Rnd 20: k
Rnd 21: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 22: color b *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 23: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 24: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 25: repeat 24
Rnd 26: k
Rnd 27: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 28: color c *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 29: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 30: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 31: repeat 30
Rnd 32: k
Rnd 33: *k2, kw2w, k4, kw4w, k2*
Rnd 34: color a *k2, dws, k2*
Rnd 35: *k2, spw, k2*
Rnd 36: *k7, spw, k2*
Rnd 37: repeat 36
Rnd 38: k

Knit 6 additional rounds.

Complete 12 rounds of k2, p2 ribbing.

Cast off.  I recommend using a yarn needle with the knit-two-purl-two-ribbing cast off method for the neatest looking finish.

Edits:
12/17/15 – replaced a broken link for Magic Loop method

My friend that coordinates the hospice projects came by yesterday, so I went ahead and gave her what I’d finished for her March batch.  I have thirteen so far!

I made this thick and quick blanket using a stash of bulky yarn.  The pattern is Christmas Cover-up by Melissa Leapman published in Leisure Arts Afghans For All Seasons Book Two.

This one is made from Caron Simply Soft yarn.  This is from my own pattern Knitted Carnival Afghan.

This one is super soft, made from plush yarn.  The pattern is Sweetheart Ripple by Kim Guzman published in Annie’s Attic Reversible Ripple Afghans.

While digging through my many tubs of yarn I found a half-made sweater from this yarn.  I knew I would never finish it, so unraveled it and made this blanket using two strands at once for a quick and thick lap blanket.  The pattern is Weekend Afghan by Melissa Leapman.

I made three more of Lyn’s Round Ripple Blankets.

I have tons of cotton thread.  I have no idea what I bought it for, but decided that lap blankets from it would be fine. This is just a basic ripple.

This is another from my own In-the-round Square Navajo Lap Blanket.

This was another unfinished sweater I found.  I just raveled out the shoulders and collar and continued the pattern to make a blanket.

I had this Lion’s Brand Homespun yarn left over from a blanket I made for charity a while back. By a complete fluke, I ended up using the same pattern to make this lap blanket, but on 10.5 size needles instead of size 15 like I used before. The pattern is Assuring by Carole Prior, published in Leisure Arts Big Book of Quick Knit Afghans.

This was a really quick one to make using two worsted weight strands and a N crochet hook.  The pattern is Winter White by Linda Luder, published in Leisure Arts Quick Crochet Afghans Book Three.

Last but not least is a new pattern I have written Crocheted Textured Reversible Lap Blanket.

I am so excited that my knitting patterns are now featured on All Free Knitting.  The site has my Knitted Carnival Afghan and Stained Glass Ripple Afghan patterns.

Making lap blankets for the elderly and infirmed is an amazing way for stitchers to contribute charitably in an enjoyable and fulfilling way.  Charitable lap blankets are usually designed to fit in the lap of the wheelchair bound.  Since they are so much smaller than a full throw, they are quick to make.

This blanket is reversible. The sample is 32 inches square and made from 100% Acrylic worsted weight yarn with a Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook. The sample took approximately 17 ounces or 760 yards of yarn. The pattern can be worked in a single color, or if desired, color changes can be made between sections.

The pattern can be easily modified to make any size blanket.  Begin with a multiple of six plus three chain stitches.

Gauge:
14 stitches and 11 rows = 4 inches in single crochet

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sc = single crochet
tr = triple (treble) crochet

Directions:

Chain 111.

Ridges

Row 1: Sc in second chain and in each of the following chains to the end (110 sc). ch1, turn.

Row 2: Sc in the back loop of the first sc.  sc in the back loop of each of the following sc. (110 sc). ch1, turn.

Rows 3-8: Repeat row 2 six times.

Diamond knobs

Row 9: (Now working in front loops) sc in first sc and in each stitch across row (110 sc). Ch1, turn.

Row 10: Repeat row 9.

Row 11: Sc in first two sc.  (Tr in the next sc and push the middle of the stitch to the back of the work, sc in next two sc, tr in next sc and push the middle of the stitch to the front of the work, sc in next two sc) across to the end of the row (36 tr, 74 sc). Ch1, turn.

Rows 12 and 13: Repeat row 9 twice.

Row 14: Sc in first two sc.  (Tr in the next sc and push the middle of the stitch to the front of the work, sc in next two sc, tr in next sc and push the middle of the stitch to the back of the work, sc in next two sc) across to the end of the row (36 tr, 74 sc).  The tr stitches will go to the opposite side of the tr stitches on the row three rows below. Ch1, turn.

Rows 15 and 16: Repeat row 9 twice.

Rows 17-22: Repeat rows 11-16.

Ridges

Rows 23-29: Repeat row 2 seven times.

Row 30: Sc in the back loop of the first sc.  sc in the back loop of each of the following sc (110 sc). Ch3, turn.

Clusters

Row 31: (Now working in front loops) in second sc work cluster as follows: (yo, insert hook and draw up loop) three times, yo and pull through 6 loops, yo and pull through remaining 2 loops. (Ch1, skip sc, cluster in next sc) across to end of row (55 clusters). Ch3, turn.

Row 32: In first ch1 space work cluster, ch1, (cluster in next ch1 space, ch1) across to end of row. Cluster in turning chain (55 clusters). Ch3, turn.

Row 33: Repeat row 32.

Row 34: In first ch1 space work cluster, ch1, (cluster in next ch1 space, ch1) across to end of row. Cluster in turning chain (55 clusters). Ch1, turn.

Ridges

Row 35: Sc in the back loop of the first cluster.  sc in the back loop of each of the following chains and clusters to end of row. sc in turning chain. (110 sc). ch1, turn.

Rows 36-42: Repeat row 2 seven times.

Crossed doubles

Row 43: Now working in the front loops, in the second and third sc work a crossed stitch as follows: skip a sc, dc in next sc, yo, go behind that dc, insert needle through front loop of skipped sc and then complete a dc.  Make crossed stitches across the row and dc in last sc  (54 crossed stitches). Ch1, turn.

Row 44: Working in front loops, sc in first stitch and in each stitch across row, sc in turning chain (110 sc). Ch3, turn.

Rows 45-52: Repeat rows 43 and 44 four times.

Row 53: Repeat row 43.

Row 54: Working in front loops, sc in first stitch and in each stitch across row, sc in turning chain (110 sc). Ch1, turn.

Ridges

Rows 55-61: Repeat row 2 seven times.

Row 62: Repeat row 30.

Clusters

Rows 63-66: Repeat rows 31-34.

Ridges

Rows 67-74: Repeat rows 35-42.

Diamond knobs

Rows 75-88: Repeat rows 9-22.

Ridges

Rows 89-95: Repeat row 2 seven times.

Row 96: Sc in the back loop of the first sc.  sc in the back loop of each of the following sc. (110 sc). Finish off and weave in end.

Edits:
4/13/15 – changed sc to stitch in row 9 so that it works for when it is repeated later.
4/24/17 – corrected row 42 to repeat row 2 instead of row 30.