new pattern: Frilly Little Thing

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Frilly Little Thing

By Anastacia Zittel / anastaciaknits on Ravelry

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/anastacia-knits-designs

Materials: bulky yarn, such as Woolease Chunky or Knit Picks Full Circle Bulky (approximately 75-110 yards) & a size K (6.5 mm) crochet hook

Gauge: Â 5 dc=2â€. Exact gauge doesnâ€™t matter, but finished scarf will vary slightly in size

Abbreviations (pattern uses US terms):

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

ea: each

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

dc: double crochet

tr: treble crochet

picot: ch 3, sl st into 3^rd ch from hook (bottom bump of chain)

Pattern:

Ch 114 loosely (add multiples of 8 for a longer scarf).

Row 1: 2 sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in ea ch in bottom bumps of starting ch, 2 sc in last ch:Â 115 sc made.

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1^st dc), turn. Dc in same sc as turning, dc in next sc, * 2 dc in next sc. dc in next 2 dc. Rep from * across row, 2 dc in last st: 149 dc made.

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Sc in 1^st dc. * Ch 4, sk 3 dc, sc in next dc. Rep from * across row: 37 ch 4 sp made.

Row 4: Ch 7, turn. Sl st into 3^rd ch from hook (1^st tr & picot made).Â (Tr, picot) 2 more times in ch 4 sp, tr in ch 4 sp (4 tr & 3 picots made). * Sc in next ch 4 sp, [(tr, picot) 3 times, tr] in next ch 4 sp. Rep from * across row until last 2 ch 4 sp. Sc in next ch 4 sp. (Tr, picot) 3 times in last ch 4 sp, tr in last sc.

End off. Weave in ends, block, and wear with pride!

Thanks to Shano, troubleagain, CollieGrl64, & donkyl06 for their test crocheting skills!! This pattern would not have been possible without all of you.

Feel free to make as many of these as you like for local craft fairs/auctions/raffles/bazaars, but pleaseÂ do not sell finished items online. If making for charity, please let me know the name of the charity & include my contact info with the item (http://anastaciaknits.net / anastaciaknits on Ravelry).

If you have any questions or comments or just want to join like-minded souls, please join my Ravelry group at http://www.ravelry.com/groups/anastacia-knits-designs. Thanks!

jess’s baby blanket

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Now that my cousin has had her baby & has now received her baby blanket, I can share photos! I worked on this in Oct & Nov of last year (that still sounds funny, saying last year)

I used basic granny squares & made them each either 2, 4, 6, or 8 rounds – I made 2 of the largest size, 3 of the 6 round size, & mainly 4 round squares, & the little 2 rounders filled in the gaps. I had no set plan, really; I made a bunch of squares with various bright colors (I really didn’t think she’d go for the traditional baby colors), & joined as I went, putting squares of various sizes wherever I thought they looked good, babette style.

I did a basic shell border, I couldn’t think of any border patterns off hand & really didn’t want anything super fancy or complicated, I wanted something simple that wouldn’t overcrowd the already crazy color scheme.

And a sneak peak at something I’ve been working on…

And for something totally different & wildly unexpected from me…

it’s my first ever thread doily!! I have never been fond of thread, but love doilies & love doily patterns… so I finally made this as part of the doilie head cal on Ravelry. It wasn’t that hard once I learned how to crochet all over again! the thread is a bright orange thread, mystery brand, that I picked up at a yard sale ’cause hello… it’s orange… I love me my orange… it’s obviously not blocked yet (must reread how to block doilies) & I’ll show off a nicer photo then.

wed wip

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

I know – I know – I’ve been really bad, & I haven’t been keeping you up to date with what I’m working on. I’ve been mainly cranking out squares – lots & lots of squares – and I finish them most of the time in one evening so I don’t really have a chance to do a wip photo – and what’s the point, really, of showing off a wip when it’ll be done before Friday? Especially if it’s a square that is going to go into an afghan which will be photographed extensively later on? Anyways… I digress… (I’m good like that)

That being said… first up, wip number one…

The pattern is Brahm’s Lullaby by Margaret MacInnis, a lovely log cabin throw I’m making through the Ravelry group Vanna’s Choice fan – the general theme is log cabins, & this was one of the choices. I’m making this in various scrap acrylics, trying to stick with blues as much as I can – I think I don’t make a lot of things in guy colors so this is my attempt at something manly for the nursing home. I’m actually thinking of donating my next pile to a different nursing home, but we’ll see when the time comes. There I go again getting off subject…

I also started a Scrunchable Scarf

as you can see, it’s so not wide enough… this measures 3.5″ wide. So I took this apart & cast on an extra 6 stitches… still a skinny scarf (I don’t have a lot of this yarn), but much better & it’ll be much warmer too, I’m sure. It’s my current work break / in the car project, and will get donated.

I’m also putting together a granny square lapghan

(again, charity)

and look… at long, long last… I knit a square, one lone square, for my sock yarn pillowcase (I was too lazy to dig out the blanket)

vintage craft goodies

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Happy birthday, darling Jon – I love you

Little Doll Baby – take on the cabbage patch kids (I have some heads floating around somewhere, too)

dye sticks

I picked this up years ago, thinking I’d use it to dye up some yarn, but never did anything with it

vintage belt buckle kit

again, I bought this thinking I’d do something with it – and of course, never have

anyone know anything about this gem?

it’s obviously an older embroidery hoop, but

do you know who makes it, or how old it is?

an old needlepoint kit

i’ll make it someday!

i love this old gem

nothing like classic wooden beads & a handle

Book Review: Knits for Nerds

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects for Fans of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Comic Books

I acquired a review copy of this book through netgalley.com. This book is due out in a month, & since I consider myself pretty nerdy, it was a definite request! The author of the book also writes a blogÂ which I invite you to check out! A recent nerdy knitty photo she just posted a couple of weeks ago

You definitely have to be a geek to appreciate this book. Patterns include:
* Lieutenant Uhura’s sexy Star Trek minidress
* Hobbit feet slippers
* Firefly-inspired scarf, socks, hat, and jacket
* Tank Girl socks
* Hermione Granger’s secret beaded bag
* Manga-inspired leg warmers
* The Big Bang Theory-inspired his and hers sweater-vests
* Lord of the Rings-inspired shrug

But as you can see from the list, there’s really something for any fan! I love the fact that they include a mix of old & new nerddoms, like Star Trek & Harry Potter! There’s a baby elf beanie pattern in here that’s so cute, I want to upsize it for ME! There’s also Dr. Horrible’s gloves (you know, from Joss Whedon’s Dr Horrible’s Singalong Blog). Cool beans

Friday FO: squares

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Yup, still on a square kick & really enjoying how fast they are to work up. Still using scrap worsted weight acrylic in shades of blues, & an H (5 mm) crochet hook, we have the following 12″ squares (either as written, or I added extra rows to make them 12″):

for the baby bam cal

woolly’s snowflake square (the color is really off in this square; it’s actually a blue gray center & a light blue outside)

for the crochet bam cal

pretty petal’s square

next up we have the drop in the bucket square, also for the crochet bam group

for the afghans & blankets Ravelry group

week two
Star Overlay

why yes, I didn’t know how to follow directions.. and why yes, I did forget what I was doing halfway through the star overlay section, thanks for noticing

for my belated B project for the Stashdown A to Z group, I did the Bright & Cheery Square… twice…

and

and just for fun, Smooth Fox’s Tea for Two square pattern, made with extra rows (version 1)

pinterest love

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

the crochet edition, once again while not doing what I should be doing

Source: neograndma.com via Mabel on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via clutterbug on Pinterest

Source: meme-rose.blogspot.com via clutterbug on Pinterest

Source: bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com via clutterbug on Pinterest

Source: simplebeans.blogspot.com via clutterbug on Pinterest

Source: creativeyarn.blogspot.com via clutterbug on Pinterest

and not crochet, but simply because the sentiment is awesome….

Source: themanyadventuresofsarah.blogspot.com via Lizzie on Pinterest

vintage craft goodies

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Today I want to show off one of the oldest items in my collection. It’s in bad shape, but it’s over 100 years old.

It may look like a bride book, and it is, but it goes along with a vintage sewing machine & talks about features of the sewing machine & how to use it to make items for the bride. It’s really nifty, actually, to read through this.

and a page from the booklet

Some of my favorite old buttons

more buttons, on cards

and an old tassel maker

Have you been interested in this series? Are you interested in seeing more?

Friday FO: squares

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

So far this month, I’ve been mainly enjoying working on squares as part of various cals. So I thought I’d spend today showing off what I am working. I am using up scrap blues, I love blue & tend to always buy blue so I always end up with lots & lots of scraps.

For the Stash Down A to Z group my C project was the Chain Link Square, one of my favorite go to squares. (I never did get to B but I am hoping to this month)

For the 2012 crochet block a month group, my 6″ block was 16 Squares, that I enlarged to 12 inches by adding another round of circles

For the Afghans & Blankets square a week cal, we did the Spring Fling 12″ square by April Moreland

pinterest love

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

I’m in the middle of trying to write out a new shawl design, whose directions are kicking my butt: it’s such a simple, elegant, so easy to crochet design, but man, the direction-writing is seriously just taxing my poor brain right now! So while procrastinating, here’s some crochet things I’ve spotted recently on pinterest….