Trying to catch up

I admit: I've been a terrible blogger so far this year.  I had great aspirations of writing something twice a week, sharing projects and patterns but I've dropped the ball.  It's tougher than I thought it would be, but I'm working like crazy to try to catch up to share everything I had planned to.

This was the sunrise in our backyard this morning after a snowstorm moved through yesterday afternoon and evening leaving a heavy, wet blanket of perfect snowman snow.  We haven't seen much of the fluffy white stuff this year, and with the weathermen forecasting mid 50's by Tuesday, this surely won't last long!  Loreli is so excited to get outside this morning and play!

I am working on some new spring dishcloth patterns.  A couple are charted, I just need to write out the patterns and test them.  I am hoping to get the first one out mid-March.  I am always one to look forward to the next season and I am really looking forward to spring this year, even after our mild winter.

I'm also working on a scarf pattern, my first ever!  It's coming along very nicely and I can't wait to share it with all of you!  It's a combination scarf, intricate yet not too tough for a beginner.  I L-O-V-E the yarn I've chosen, Stroll Tonal fingering weight by Knit Picks.  Its super soft and squishy and the color is divine!  I think the yarn is a big factor in how pretty the scarf is becoming.

Milwaukee Brewers Cloth - Go Brew Crew!

Baseball.  When I think of baseball, I think of spring, peanuts, Twizzlers, sunny skies, brats and beer.  We really can't wait for the 2012 season to begin! 

So grab your tailgating goods and knit up this cloth before heading out to Miller Park Stadium to root for the Milwaukee Brewers this season!

Brew Crew Dishcloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Lily Sugar n Cream yarn

US #3/3.25mm needles

Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 8" x 8")

Instructions:

Cast on 43 sts

Row 1 (and all odd rows): K

Row 2: K

Row 4: K

Row 6: K

Row 8: K7, P29, K7

Row 10: K6, P31, K6

Row 12: K5, P33, K5

Row 14: K4, P35, K4

Row 16: K3, P37, K3

Row 18: K3, P3, K5, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K3

Row 20: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P1, K4, P1, K4, P2, K3

Row 22: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 24: K3, P2, K2, P6, K6, P2, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 26: K3, P2, K2, P6, K7, P1, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 28: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P6, K2, P2, K1, P2, K2, P2, K3

Row 30: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 32: K3, P3, K5, P2, K6, P2, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 34: K3, P37, K3

Row 36: K3, P37, K3

Row 38: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K3

Row 40: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P1, K4, P1, K4, P2, K3

Row 42: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 44: K3, P2, K6, P2, K6, P2, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 46: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 48: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P6, K2, P2, K1, P2, K2, P2, K3

Row 50: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 52: K3, P2, K6, P2, K6, P2, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 54: K3, P37, K3

Row 56: K4, P35, K4

Row 58: K5, P33, K5

Row 60: K6, P31, K6

Row 62: K7, P29, K7

Row 64: K

Row 66: K

Row 68: K

　

Bind off.

Weave in ends and block, pushing down on stockinette stitches and leaving the purl stitches so they "pop".

All Things Girly Dishcloths

It's finally here....my first dishcloth set!  I had finished designing these cloths in December, but of course with Christmas, there was no way I could get these knit up and photographed before the new year.  I knew back then that I wanted to package these as a set because they all just go together so well!  But I also know that sometimes when I see a set, there are only one or two that I really REALLY want.  So I decided to offer two buying options.  You can purchase each dishcloth pattern separately for $1.50 each or you can purchase the set for $3.25.  I plan to use this same method for the upcoming dishcloth sets (to be unveiled soon!). 

So the All Things Girly set includes a perfume cloth, a makeup cloth and a purse cloth.  I really love how all of these turned out...so much I've knit a few sets for some of my very girly girlfriends!

Hope you enjoy these and as always, email me with any problems or questions.  Happy knitting everyone!  =)

Perfume Cloth

Makeup Cloth

Purse Cloth

All Things Girly Cloth Set (Includes Makeup, Perfume & Purse PDF files)

Mardi Gras Dishcloth

Every year at work we throw a big Fat Tuesday party with tons of bad-for-you-foods and an all day buffet.  With Fat Tuesday rapidly approaching (February 21st), I decided that a Mardi Gras themed cloth was needed.

Mardi Gras Mask Cloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Lily Sugar n Cream yarn
US #3/3.25mm needles
Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 8" x 8-1/2")

Instructions:

Cast on 41 sts

Rows 1-6: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Row 7 (and all odd rows): (K1, P1) x2, P to last 4 sts, (P1, K1) x2

Row 8: (K1, P1) x2, K33, (P1, K1) x2

Row 10: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 12: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 14: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 16: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K2, P1, K15, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 18: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K3, P1, K13, P1, K3, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 20: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K11, P1, K2, P1, K1, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 22: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K9, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 24: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K7, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 26: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K4, P1, K2, P1, K7, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 28: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K7, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 30: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K7, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 32: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K9, P1, K2, P1, K1, P1, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 34: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K11, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 36: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P3, K13, P3, K6, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 38: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P5, K11, P5, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 40: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P7, K9, P7, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 42: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P9, K7, P9, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 44: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P13, K1, P13, K2, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 46: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P8, K4, P5, K4, P8, K1, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 48: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P6, K7, P3, K7, P6, K1, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 50: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P5, K8, P3, K8, P7, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 52: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P4, K8, P5, K8, P4, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 54: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P5, K5, P9, K5, P5, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 56: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P14, K1, P14, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 58: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P12, K3, P12, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 60: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P11, K5, P11, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 62: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P9, K7, P9, K5, (P1, K1) x2

Row 64: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P6, K15, P6, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 66: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P6, K17, P6, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 68: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P4, K19, P4, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 70: (K1, P1) x2, K33, (P1, K1) x2

Rows 71-75: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Bind off in (K1, P1) pattern.


Weave in ends and block, pushing down on the stockinette stitches so the purl stitches "pop".

12 Sweaters in 2012

I joined a group on Ravelry this year called 12 Sweaters in 2012.  Crazy?  Perhaps.  But it is so much fun to pick which patterns I'll be trying this year!  Most of these have been in my queue for a year or two and I'm just now getting around to them.  If you aren't a member on Ravelry yet, I highly recommend joining!  It's free and there are so many patterns.  Free patterns, patterns to purchase, patterns from books and magazines....I really can't say enough about it!  I find it's a great way to preview patterns before purchasing a knitting book.  Here's a few I'll be taking on this year.  I've added the links in the pattern names:

Rusted Root

Emilien

Sorello

$5 In Paris

Anyone else taking on a knitting challenge this year?!?