2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches – Week 16 Pike Stitch

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Pike Stitch

Well, what a lovely week. Been rather sad that my little lady has gone back to school, but she has settled back in really well, so that’s good. I’ve had a mega busy week with crocheting. Feel like I have got one hundred and one jobs on the go at the minute and they all seem to be needing to finished very soon!! I seem to have made a serious amount of slipper socks this week. They seem to be coming out of my ears!!

I’ve put the finishing touches on the children’s pattern, so will be posting that soon. Seems funny publishing it with the weather being so nice this week. But I think some of you might want to get ahead with presents and the oncoming Christmas craziness.

All my slipper socks have been made up in the fabulous West Yorkshire Spinners yarn! It’s so lovely to work with and the colour mixes are mega! Look at this one!!

The children’s pattern is for 4 different sizes, so hopefully you will find a size you need. I have borrowed a few children’s feet for drawing around, to work out sizes and scales of patterns, so big thank you to all the little bods! Very much appreciated!! I love making the children’s ones as they are ridiculously quick to make up.

I have also started a new shawl for a present. Really chuffed with how it’s going. Sadly I have had to lay done my own two shawls as this one is needed for the middle of May! Ekk! That birthday is fast approaching, but hopefully I will do it in time. I’m going to use my seaside shawl pattern, so it will be nice to see the finished product in a different yarn and colour. This one is from Araucania and it’s the Botany Lace range it’s extra fine merino wool so I am using a 3.5mm hook. I bought this from the fabulous shop at Curborough called The Knitting Corner. Another little haven of yarn that I like to visit!! They were so helpful when I wasn’t sure what to get for the shawl and what colours! My son had a lovely time babbling to the knit and natter group they have there! Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!

As it’s my birthday next week, I managed a sneaky trip to a new shop called Sitting Knitting in Mere Green yesterday. I have been longing to go there ever since I was told about it. My girl and I were dropped off for a quick nip in, while the boys stayed in the car. So I knew I only had a little time, but gosh it was worth it. Wow! They have some beautiful yarns in there and they even dye their own yarn which is incredible. Can’t wait to go back and explore some more. As it was my birthday I bought these three to make another shawl for myself. I know I might not get to make it for a while, but will be lovely to when I do. It’s a mix of mulberry silk, baby alpaca and extra fine merino wool and it’s from the Mirasolperu company, Sulka Legato from Peru. It is a rather luxurious yarn from the Peruvian Highlands. So pretty mega. Can’t wait to get stuck into it. We did end up buying some buttons too, as my daughter has been collecting them since she was about two!!

So onto this weeks stitch. It’s a fab one called the Pike Stitch. It creates quite a loose weave, which would be wonderful for a throw or a blanket.

It uses quite an unusual stitch called the extended double crochet, which basically means that it is going to be taller than the chains from the previous row. I really hope you like it. I can definitely see me using it in a blanket one day.

Supplies –

Right so this week I have chosen a wonderful dusty pink yarn. This time of year the trees are usually full of the beautiful pink and white blossom. Today I walked back home and found our beautiful tree in front of the house covered in little pink buds!! Yey!! Here comes spring. Can’t wait to see it in full bloom.

The yarn is from the wonderful Wendy range of 100% merino wool bought from our lovely local wool shop, Knitique. It’s a lovely little shop in Tudor row. They have the full range in there. I used this wool for my husband’s scarf that I made for him for Christmas. It’s ever so warm and soft. They also have my all time favourite yarn, Sublime, with every colour you can imagine! So it’s always a firm favourite place to visit when i’m in town. So as usual I have used about 30g of this DK yarn, but you can use any kind of DK yarn you wish. You will need your 4mm hook, scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle.

Stitches –

Chain stitch (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Double Crochet (dc) – Right so insert your hook into your stitch, yarn over your hook and pull back through. (2 loops) Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops on your hook.

Extended Double Crochet (exdc) – Ok so insert you hook through the stitch, wrap your yarn around your hook and pull through the stitch, now yarn around your hook and pull through the first loop only. (2 loops) Now wrap your yarn around your hook and pull it through both the loops. So you now have 1 loop left on your hook.

Ok so here we go …

1 – Ok so we are starting on the right side again. Attach your new yarn and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the same stitch. Then chain 1, miss a stitch and work 1 extended double crochet in the next stitch. (exdc) Ok so to crochet a exdc, insert your hook into the stitch and yarn over hook, pull through (2 loops) then yarn over your hook again and pull through 1 loop (2 loops). Then yarn over your hook again and pull through both loops. This completes your first exdc.

Now *chain 1, miss a stitch and work 1 exdc* and repeat ** across the row. (200)

2 – Ok so turn your blanket and chain 1 and work 1exdc into the same stitch. Now chain 1 and miss a (1 exdc & 1ch) stitch.

Ok so now work *1exdc into the next exdc stitch, chain 1 and miss 1 chain.* Repeat ** to the end of your row ending with 1exdc second chain 3. (200)

3 – So you are going to repeat row 2. So turn your blanket and chain 1 and work 1exdc into the same stitch. Now chain 1 and miss a (1 exdc & 1ch) stitch. Ok so now work *1exdc into the next exdc stitch, chain 1 and miss 1 chain.* Repeat ** to the end of your row ending with 1exdc second chain 3. (200)

4 – And once again you are going to repeat row 2. turn your blanket and chain 1 and work 1exdc into the same stitch. Now chain 1 and miss a (1 exdc & 1ch) stitch. Ok so now work *1exdc into the next exdc stitch, chain 1 and miss 1 chain.* Repeat ** to the end of your row ending with 1exdc second chain 3. (200)

And there you have it – the pike stitch. It’s a beauty isn’t it! Can’t wait to try it out on a blanket. I reckon it would be lovely in different coloured rows.

I hope you have enjoyed this week Year of the Stitches Instalment. Please let me know if you need any help with anything.

Happy hooking everyone.

🌈Xx

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2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches – Week 11 Spot Stitch

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Spot Stitch 

Well what a strange week I have had and now it’s snowing again!! I’ve have managed nearly the whole week without going out of the door due to a rather stupid knee injury! Not what you need with a little one year old running around. Luckily for me my wonderful family and friends have stepped in and helped with the school runs and running around after the little guy. It’s been so strange not doing the normal routine!! And being a busy bumbling bee zooming around the place after everyone. I’m used to walking everywhere and getting out and about. I can safely say I have started talking to the furniture  & even putting things in different places to change things about. Makes you realise how lucky you are to have that freedom normally and to not take it for granted!!

One thing I have been able to do is wind wool!! And yes it is attached to my son’s toy!! Whoops!!

On the plus side I have been able to do a bit more crocheting. I’ve even managed to finish a few projects off. The two I am rather happy with are my Easter ducks – Henry and Penny. Quite chuffed with these ones. I was going to make them into super ducks, but I think they are rather nice as they are. I’ve followed the wonderful Toft duck pattern, but used two strands of dk wool to produce a bigger duck. I’m chuffed with Henry’s wings as I’ve mixed a beautiful gradiated silk yarn with the Toft dk wool to create a silky speckled effect. Hopefully they will be well received when found on the Easter egg hunt!

I have also embarked on a new avenue with the world of shawls. I have always wanted to design and create my own and have loved the idea of making intricate shawls for loved ones with their favourite colours. I started one with just simple Grannie square stitch which was nice. But definitely wanted something a bit different, so I’ve opted for the Lost in Time Shawl by Johanna Lindahl. So thought it was time to use my sublime yarn cake.

It’s from the dk Eden range which is a mix of cotton and wool yarn. You use the threads end from the beginning and work your way out. It’s nice not having a massive bag to carry around with you. Hopefully it will turn out well.

I’ve also started another shawl with some magnificent Louisa Harding 4ply merino wool. It’s truly divine, I can’t really describe how soft it is. Not really following a pattern with this one, just having a go. It’s great having all the stitches from the blanket at my finger tips to use.

So onto the blanket. Seriously loving this weeks stitch!! It’s mega!! Loving the look and texture it gives!! Would be great to add to the edges of a jumper, just to give a little extra texture. It isn’t a special stitch, you just need to know how to treble and double crochet. So it’s all good!!

Supplies –

So again you need to choose a double knit yarn of any kind. You roughly need about 30g. This week I have chosen a beautiful pale mauve yarn from once again the mega sublime range!! I think the colour represents my very strange week that I have had, rather well. Don’t forget your scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle. And of course your 4mm crochet hook.

Stitches –

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Treble 5 Together (tr5tog) – A tr5tog is working 5 trebles together. Firstly yarn over your hook, insert through stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops. Now *yarn over your hook, insert through stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through stitch. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops.* Repeat ** 3 more times. You should now have 6 loops on your hook. Now yarn over your hook and pull through all 6 loops. This completes your tr5tog.

Treble (tr) – To make a treble crochet, firstly yarn over your hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops, yarn over hook and pull through the last two loops.

 

Ok so here goes … 

1 – This week you are starting on the right side, so the popcorn stitch little blobs should be facing you. First of all attach your yarn by inserting your hook and pulling the yarn through. Then chain 1 and work 1dc into the same stitch. Then work 1dc into the rest of the stitches. (210)

2 – Now turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc into the same stitch.

Now work 1dc into the next 2 stitches. So you are now ready to work your tr5tog into the next stitch. Now I assure you it isn’t as tricky as it sounds. So a tr5tog is basically working 5 trebles together to create only one stitch, to do this you don’t finish the last yarn over hook part of each of the trebles. So here goes, firstly yarn over your hook and insert through the stitch then yarn over and pull back through the stitch, then as usual yarn over your hook and pull through 2 loops. You now have 2 loops left like the picture below. You are going to leave the loop on the hook and start working the next treble.

*So yarn over your hook, insert through stitch, yarn over and pull back through, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops.* You now should have 3 loops on your hook. Repeat this process ** 3 more times till you have 6 loops on your hook. Here’s what mine looked like at this stage.

Now for the final part of the tr5tog you need to put your yarn over your hook and pull through all 6 loops on your hook. This creates the spot stitch.

Now you need to work 1dc into the next 3 stitches. You can see here that my hook is going into the first of the 3 stitches.

So here you have your 3dc stitches.

Repeat *tr5tog then 1dc in the next 3 stitches* across the row. In the last 2 stitches, work a tr5tog and then 1dc in the last stitch. This completes your first row. (210)

3 – Right so for the last row this week, you are going to turn your work, chain 1 and work 1 dc in the same stitch. Then work 1 dc in each stitch across the row. Here you can fasten off your yarn and see in your ends. (210)

If you really liked this stitch, you could repeat rows 2 and 3.

I really hope you have enjoyed this weeks instalment of Year of the Stitches. I’m hoping I am back on my feet next week.

Don’t forget to give us a shout if you need any help.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

 

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