Crochet Felted Basket with Handles

This is a cute basket for those that crochet and want to felt a basket without having to knit. The first 2 photos are after felting and the last 2 are before felting (the colors in the felted one are correct since my flash decided to work then).

Materials:

100% wool yarn. I used Wool of the Andes from Knit Pics. Variegated would be nice too.

Size K crochet hook

Measurements: before felting 5” x 8”, after felting 4” x 6” (H x W)

Note: always join the end of a round to the beginning of a round by sl st in ch 1. Then ch 1 to begin next rnd. Sc 2 sts tog: draw up loop in next 2 sts, yo and draw through all lps on hook.

Ch 2.

Rnd 1: work 7 sc in 2^nd chain from hook.

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around.

Rnd 3: *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, rep * around.

Rnd 4: *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, rep from * around.

Rnd 5: *sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, rep from * around.

Rnd 6: Sc I next 2 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts) 6 times, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts.

Rnd 7: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, rep from * around.

Rnd 8: Sc in next 3 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts) around, sc in remaining 4 sc.

Rnd 9: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 10: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 16 sts, rep from * around.

Rnd 11: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 12: Sc in next 8 sts, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 17 sts, rep from * once, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 9 sts.

Rnd 13 - 21: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 22: Sc next 2 sts tog,

Rnd 23: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 24: Sc in next 8 sts, *sc next 2 sts tog, sc in next 16 sts, repeat from * once, sc next 2 sts tog, sc in next 8 sts.

Rnd 25: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 26: *sc in next 4 sts, sc next 2 sts tog, repeat from * around, sc in last 3 sts.

Rnd 27: Sc in each st around.

Handles:

Rnd 28: Ch 12, sk 7 sts, of row 27, sc in next 15 sc, ch 12, sk 7 sts, sc in remaining sts around.

Rnd 29: Sc in each st around. Join and fasten off. Weave in ends well.

Now you will felt your piece. I use the smallest fill cycle and hot water with a cold rinse; before the first hot cycle is done I start it again with a tea kettle or boiling water to reheat the water. Then allow it to finish wit the cold rinse. You can stretch it over a bowl if desired to dry. I liked the shape from the washer so sat tit to dry the way it was. The pic is of it still wet from the washer.

To make a larger basket you can do the same pattern but use 2 strands and an N hook, or 3 strands and a Q hook. If I did this I would do a few extra rounds between rnd 14 and 21 to give it a little height to help with the additional size.

Pandora's Mittens

Pandora's Two Needle Mittens

Pandora is my youngest granddaughter, and the recipient of this pair of mittens. They are incredibly easy to knit and seam.
This pattern fits a child age 3 - 5 years old. To make them to fit a child age 6 - 8, just add more rows of ribbing for the cuff, the stockinette rows after the cuff, and extra rows after the thumb. If the thumb needs to be longer, you can add more rows for the thumb.

Materials: Small amount of worsted weight yarn
Size 4 knitting needles
Yarn needle

*St st: Stockinette stitch - Knit 1 row, purl 1 row.
*Inc. - Knit in the front and back of the same stitch before slipping it off the needle)

Cast on 30 sts loosely.
Row 1 - 8: K1, P1.
Row 9 - 12: Stockinette stitch (K 1 row, P 1 row) ending with a purl row.

Beginning of thumb row. This will look a bit funny for a while but it will work.
Thumb Row 1: P 6, turn. (You will be working on these sts for the thumb. DO NOT FASTEN OFF)
Thumb Rows 2 - 9: St st, turn. (Ending with a purl row)
Thumb Row 10: K 2 tog across. Turn
Thumb Row 11: Purl across. Turn.
Thumb Row 12: Inc in each st across. Turn.
Thumb Rows 13 - 19: St st across. As you go across the last row in knit do not fasten off but continue across the row knitting the unworked stitches that were left when beginning the thumb.

<>Row 20: Knit across the stitches for the mitten and thumb you knitted in the last row and then also knit the stitches for the other side of the mitten. The mitten stitches are now all on one needle.
Rows 21 - 30: St st across each row. Turn.
This next set of rows will decrease the top stitches.
Row 31: K 2 tog, K 12, K 2 tog, K 12, K 2 tog. Turn.
Row 32: P2 tog, P11, P2 tog, P10, P2 tog. Turn.
Row 33: K 2 tog, K 9, K 2 tog, K 9, K 2 tog. Turn
Row 34: P2 tog, P8, P2 tog, P7, P2 tog. Turn.
Row 35: K 2 tog, K 6, K 2 tog, K 6, K 2 tog. Turn
Row 36: P2 tog, P5, P2 tog, P7, P4 tog.

Leaving the stitches on the needle, cut the yarn leaving a tail about 12" - 16" long. Thread the yarn in a yarn needle and weave it through the sts on the knitting needle. Pull the knitting needle out and pull the yarn tight. Now start seaming the side of the mitten with this yarn. When done, fasten off. Cut another piece of yarn and attach to the bottom of the thumb and seam one side, weave the yarn through the top of the thumb and seam down the other side. Fasten off and weave in ends. Now you can turn the mitten right side out and enjoy your creation.

I got the idea for the thumb from a pattern sent to me for a Dulaan mitten but wanted to make them on 2 needles instead of 4 and wanted the thumb to not be quite so wide.

Crochet Felted Bowl/Pot

I love felting with knit so decided to use some scrap wool yarn to crochet a felted bowl. Here are the pics before and after along with the pattern.

Materials:
Scraps of 100% wool yarn
K crochet hook
Jar to stretch it over when done for shaping

Note: The first sc done at the beginning of each row is done in the joining sc.

Ch 3 and join in the first ch to form a ring. Ch 1.
Rnd 1: Do 10 sc in ring. Join in first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 2: Sc in each sc around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 3: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 4: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next 2sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 5: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next 3sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 6: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next 4sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 7: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next 5sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 8: 2 sc in sc, 1 sc in next 6sc, repeat around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.

Note: To make the base wider, continue around in the manner shown above just by increasing the number of stitches in between the 2 sc in each round.

First Side Round: Sc in the back loop of each sc around(done only on this round) Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
SR2: Sc in each sc around. Join in the first sc. Ch 1.
Repeat SR2 until you have the desired number of round needed for the desired height. I did 10 rnds for the one shown (not counting the first round).

Now you can edge your bowl. I used a shell stitch across the top. A reverse sc edge would be nice too or a picot edge. Whatever suits your fancy. The shell edge was worked with sc in 1 sc, sk 1 sc, 4 dc in next sc, sk 1 sc. Repeat around and fudge a little if needed as it will not show in the felting.

I threw it into the washer on the smallest load setting with hot water and a few old dark towels and a small amount of soap. Ran it the full cycle with the rinse being on cold. When done I stretch it over the shape needed. It fit over a drinking glass. Let air dry and your creation is finished. Make a little smaller and you can have a can cozy, a little larger and it will fit a 2 liter bottle. I plan on using this at work to hold wrapped hard candies on my desk.

The colors I used are an olive green and orange (all I had). The colors look dark in the photo but turned out to be rather nice. Boy do I need more wool yarn.

Green Cable Scarf

I finally finished the cable scarf I was knitting. I used light celery by Red Heart to knit it. There are times that you have just got to love doing cables as simple as these. One great big cable up the center. This one is long enough to reach my waist after looping around my neck once.
Addition (11-21-07): I finally found the pattern again for this scarf and plan on making one with a peach yarn. Here is the link.

Cable Scarf Pattern

Olympic Gold

I have won Olympic Gold and created a medal since I haven't sen one yet. If anyone else finished the Knitting or Crochet Olympics before the last day and earned Olympic gold, feel free to post a copy of this medal on your site (no need to give me credit). You earned it. My reward was being able to start a new project and finish another. I added a few more rows to a poncho I made earlier and needed a little more length in the back. I also started knitting a vest. I have a few ideas for dishcloths but we will see what happens with that. I also edited a pattern for a baby sweater on my site. Needed to sit with a calculator and sketch pad to fix it. Now onto writing more papers for my class (yuck).

Olympic Scarf Finished !!!

I finally finished my multidirectional scarf on Wednesday but my IE was giving me problems until now. I did 10 triangles with 6" of yarn left at the end. After the first 3 triangles the pattern was no longer the challenge. The challenge changed from the pattern to working on this project and ONLY on this project for two weeks. I always have a minimum of 4 - 5 projects going on at one time and work on all of them almost every night. It was difficult to work on this project alone. By the end I was glad to have it done and didn't enjoy it as much as if I had time to work on it and other projects at the same time. Right now I have socks on the needles, an afghan on the circular and planning on working on a baggy sweater just posted to Lion Brand Yarn website in crochet. I have a mint green yarn I want to use and need to see if I have enough.

Day 9 - Olympic Knitting

Well today is day 9 and I haven't given up yet. I am in the middle of my 7th triangle with a few more to go. I plan on knitting until I either run out of yarn or the flame goes out and I have to do the final triangle for the scarf. I will add the fringe afterwards as an added touch. Between all of this and work I have also typed several papers for my class I am taking leaving very little time for anything else. I have 7 classes (including this one) until I am finished.

Right now I am trying to cheer myself up since I am a little depressed missing my granddaughter since my last call to her was a sad one with her wanting to come back and live with me. She wants me to get enough money to come and get her. She really has not acclimated to her new surroundings and is used to being around the only family she has ever know other than her Mother. I'm praying that things will get better but it hasn't so far so I push myself into my work, my classes and my knitting to keep my mind on other things. I have designed a spring dress in crochet that will fit a 2 - 3 year old. It has butterflies around the middle using the ones designed by Chris Simon in the square she designed. The rest is my design and will be posted as soon as I can get it typed in. Right now it is written in a notebook on my sofa. Hoping to get it on here instead of my website very soon.

Day 2 - MD Olympic Knitting Scarf

Well, here is Day 2 on my multidirectional scarf. I am working on day three right now. I figure that each day I will do 1 or more triangles and see how many I have done at the end or when I run out of yarn since I have 2 super saver skeins to use. I have never gotten further than the first 2 triangles so I am now going into uncharted territory (for me). I did have a bit of a damper and would be further but I smashed my middle finger on my left hand Friday twice (long story).




If you are queasy you won't want to read further.


I finally had to relieve the pressure since the nail was deep red and the area around was swelling and turning dark red. I had to use a needle to rough up the spot I was to poke the hole. I have a jeweler's drill that is hand held with very tiny bits. I put this off until today (coward) and the pain was to the point that I wanted it done. I just held the drill and turned it back and forth a little, not around. I just wanted to break the surface. The pressure was such that the surface was broke and sprayed before I hit anything that hurt. Boy does my finger feel better. It is also a better color, though I will loose the entire nail in a week or two. I just didn't want anything to snag on my yarn and really hurt. At least it isn't a finger I really need to knit or crochet with. It just makes it fun to type with.

2006 Knitting Olympics

I am now showing my case of temporary insanity. I am working full-time, taking college classes again full-time, and have joined the 2006 Knitting Olympics. I am using Red Heart Super Saver in Aurora Print with needles size 8 or larger (haven't decided yet). I am knitting a multidirectional scarf that looks like a challenge but will also be quite fun. If I finish I will try another project but want to try this one first.

I have been trying various gauges to see what size I want to do. I will probably use a circular from a set my Mother gave me from a kit she bought years ago. It has all the different needles, cables and joiners. Need a few more cables and joiners as I am also knitting a round afghan and will eventually run out with my 36" circular. I figure that if I join enough of them together I can have a really big afghan.

I will try to post a photo of my olympic yarn and needles and show my progress as I go.

Maybe next year I'll join the Crochet Olympics.

Breaking All The Rules Hat - finished

I finished my hat and have started on another smaller version to fit a child. My hat uses 90 sts but could have used 80 instead for a better fit. The one for a child's head is 60 sts. When you start the decreasing you use k8, k2 tog and continue in the pattern. This is a great way to use up extra little balls of yarn. I plan on making a bunch for my charity, Steven's Comfy Toes. A scarf can be done the same way by just casting on 20 - 25 sts and knitting back and forth on the rows until the desired length is done. You can see the pattern (pdf) on the following page: Breaking All The Rules Hat. I plan on doing some with the I-Cord top knot, a tassel or a pom pom.

Spiderman Afghan

My Grandson, Brody, enjoyed the Superman socks I knitted him and the Spiderman slippers my Mother made him the year before for Christmas, but he mentioned that Spiderman has "WEBS" on him. That's when I realized he noticed the lack in both projects. I started his present for next year to make up for it. He is getting a Spiderman Afghan. I am using Red Heart Hot Red and True Blue to make squares using the 12" Dream Catcher square from Heartmade Blessings. Each square has a dream catcher, which is a spider web, in the center. I am making half the squares in red and the other half in blue. This way he will have an afghan that Spiderman would use. I have the red squares finished and need to get my blue yarn to do the blue. I did all 6 red squares using one Super Saver skein. Then I will get a shade of darker blue to join and edge them. I think he will like this afghan. Maybe that's what I will do for them all. Good thing I'm starting now.

I'm also working on a felted knitting bag I saw on the Berroco website this month. I have a bunch of odd skeins of 100% wool yarn from my mother and am grafting them together at odd points to make my own varigated yarn for this project. I've decided that I love felting and can't wait to see how it will work out. My booga bag turned out wonderful and I can't wait to make more. I felted my older grandson, Justin, a belt holder for his gameboy. Felted really nice and fits perfectly.

I'll try to post pics as I can.

New Year Projects

Well, I finished everything I had planned to make for Christmas gifts before Christmas. I had to start in August to do it though. I made socks for almost all of my family. My son got socks in Chicago bears colors. His son Brody received Superman socks. the others received socks but these two pair were in special colors and patterns. Brody asked early on for colors of Superman to go with his Spiderman slippers my mother knitted for him last year. Of course he now wants Spiderman ones with the webs knitted in. A new thing to learn. I learned to knit and crochet balaclava's this last year and made one for my son and one for my Step-father. I knit and crocheted socks, sweaters, mittens, hats, scarves, dishclothes, ponchos, squares, wooden hanger covers and so much more. The sad part is that I was in such a hurry to get everything wrapped that I forgot to take photos of my creations to post. This time I am going to get some pics taken first while I remember and am starting early this year, in January. I have so far crocheted a 12" square (Chris Simon's Cygnus www.geocities.com/cdjsimon ) that will be put with others for afghans, a knitted Edgar scarf www.knitty.com that looks like diamonds using red heart circus print, and a knitted Quaker Ribbed Bottom Hat www.frugalhaus.com/homepage/quakerhat.htm .
I'm hoping to post more pics of what I have done and the link to the pattern if possible.