Perfect Points.

Perfect points really are the (dare I say it?) single most important element in a 'good' quilt.

I was working on a quilt today. Now this quilt is by no means my normal 'style'. It is very reminiscent of the 1930's quilting era. In fact the design is very similar to the "Shadow and Sunshine" design that was so loved in the '30's. The colours are not really my 'thing' either, they are not '30's repros but they do have that '30's feel to them. They are small prints, floral an the like... very '30's. So while I worked on this quilt who's design and fabric palette was not appealing to me... it made me smile. why? because perfect points give me inner peace!

Thinking about why I was so happy every time I opened out another freshly sewn seam, it was obvious. A quilt isn't made wonderful by using hideously expensive designer fabric, a beautiful piece of fabric is one that makes your heart sing and when you know it just has to come home and live with you. It doesn't matter who's name is on the selvage, we cut that bit off! A quilt isn't made wonderful by the expensive pattern, or by the intricate pattern. It wont matter if your quilt has thousands of minuscule pieces, not if they don't have perfect points! the simplest designs when pieced with perfection will outshine an uber expensive, million piece quilt if it is poorly pieced.

So this is why I smile when I open seams on this quilt. Not because of the expensive fabrics, because they aren't. They are run-of-the-mill, Spotlight quilt section cottons, but the person receiving this quilt will love them. I don't smile because I am working on a piece that is a triumph of patience... but because the simple, humble quilt I am making, I am making well.

Now I don't claim to be a master quilter.... not by a long shot.... But I am very particular about precision in quilting because this can make or break them. Some may call me OCD about this, and they are probably right, I don't care.. When I say perfect, I like perfect. I accept that there will be the odd seam that may be a few threads of the fabric out. I will allow these to exist, but with hesitance and annoyance. anything beyond that, and I am talking about a full stitch of your machine, so say 2mms out, and it is time to find the seam ripper. So, over 6 square metres in a queen size quilt, and I am going to stress about 2mms... YES. Yes I am. It all contributes to the final effect, and that 2mms here.. there... it adds up. It adds up to a sloppy and haphazard looking quilt, certainly not what your hours of work aims to achieve.

In short if you are going to do it people, do it well. It will make you smile. It will be your inner peace, and then you will realise that perfect points are chicken soup for the quilters soul.

ahhh nice....

Hmmm... not so nice..... Seam ripper, Stat!

Harry Potter Blanket Squares

These charts were made by myself using PMstitch creator 2.0,

The inspiration for this project came from Totallee's amazing works.

Click on each chart to enlarge, print, or save it etc.

I personally do not plan to make all these blocks myself. However I thought I would include as many characters as possible so people can pick and chose as the feel fit :D

There is not a 'guage' so to speak for these blocks, they can be knit (or crocketed for that matter) in and gauge yarn so long as you have

5 stitches across = 7 rows up

All the blocks are 80 stitches across by 111 rows, these figures include a single stitch/row all the way around as a selvedge stitch, shown in black.

The blocks require 5 colours

• Background colour of your choice
• White
• Light grey
• Medium grey
• Black

Quantities will vary depending on your yar weight and if you are knitting or chocheting

This pattern is listed on Ravelry HERE

I will most likely continue to add to these blocks.. so If you think of a charactor that I have missed, I would love you to tell me, I might add them in...

to be continued...

Middle Out Woolies - the pattern

NOTE: This pattern is a free pattern for personal use but is not to be sold or used to produce any item for monetry exchange!

Can be found on Ravelry here

So about the pattern.
This pattern is knit from the middle out, firstly we knit from the crotch up then from the legs down.

The sizes are
Small - 30cm waist and rise
medium - 40cm waist and rise
large - 50cm waist and rise
extra large - 60cm waist and rise

The pattern is avaliable with the following variations..
Waist - elastic, and rib
Legs / style - soaker, shorties and longies

Needs
4.5mm circs in 40cm and 30cm
4mm circs in 40cm and 30cm (needed only for ribbed waist and soaker)
Tapestry needle
Stitch holders, stitch holders and stitch markers
Crochet hook

100-200 grams of wool dependent on size and style chosen
non roll or button hole elastic for elastic waists
also a set of digital kitchen scales to weigh wool used would be great

Skills
knit
purl
seed/garter stitch where applicable
decreasing
increasing
short rows
kitchener stitch
crochet provisional cast on

Gauge
20 stitches and 26 rows to 4 inches/10cms

abbreviations:
PMY: place marker on yarn:
there will be four of these placed. they serve to marke the 4 sections when you recapture the stitches from the provisional cast on and split it for the legs and crotch.
Place a removable stitch marker OR piece of scrap yarn onto your working yarn and then continue as instructed keeping marker between the 2 stitches
PMN: place standard stitch marker on needle

CAST ON AND CROTCH
Using contrasting scrap yarn, and the crochet provisional cast on [92-112-132-152] stitches.

Ensuring no twists in the cast on, changing to main colour, begin working in round, in stockingette stitch unless otherwise stated.

ROW1: k1, PMY, PMN, k12, PMY, PMN, k[34-44-54-64], PMY, PMN, k12, PMY, PMN, k[17-22-27-32], PMN. This becomes the start and finish of the rows, there will remain [16-21-27-31] stitches not knit for this round, that is correct.

ROW2 (all even rows): knit till end, slipping all markers on needles.

ROW3: k[17-22-27-32] slip marker, k2tog, k8, sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[34-44-54-64], slip marker, k2tog, k8, sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[17-22-27-32]

ROW5: k[17-22-27-32] slip marker, k2tog, k6 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[34-44-54-64], slip marker, k2tog, k6 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[17-22-27-32]

ROW7: k[17-22-27-32] slip marker, k2tog, k4 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[34-44-54-64], slip marker, k2tog, k4 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[17-22-27-32]

ROW9: k[17-22-27-32] slip marker, k2tog, k2 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[34-44-54-64], slip marker, k2tog, k2 sl1, k1, psso, slip marker, k[17-22-27-32]

ROW11: k[17-22-27-32] remove marker, k2tog, place marker(centre front), sl1, k1, psso, remove marker, k[34-44-54-64], remove marker, k2tog, place marker(centre back), sl1, k1, psso, remove marker, k[17-22-27-32] leave the marker inplace that has indicated the start and finish of rows, this will continue to be same for the entire body.

leaving [72-92-112-132] stitches.


BODY
This section will knit to the where we start the waist.

All sizes have 5 rows where the shaping is worked. decreases across the front and short rows across the back, I have not written any detail regarding shortrow methods but instead will allow you to just do your own.
The centre front/back markers are not essential but handy when doing shaping to check where you are up to, back more so.

ok lets go..

work [1-2-3-4] rounds

First shaping round:
k[6-9-12-15], k2tog, k[20-24-28-32] sl1,k1, psso, k[29-39-48-58], turn p[10-14-16-20], turn, k to end


work [3-5-7-9] rounds

Second shaping round:
k[6-9-12-15], k2tog, k[18-22-26-30] sl1,k1, psso, k[34-45-56-68], turn p[20-26-32-40], turn, k to end

work [3-5-7-9] rounds

Third shaping round:
k[6-9-12-15], k2tog, k[16-20-24-28] sl1,k1, psso, k[39-52-65-78], turn p[30-40-50-60], turn, k to end

work [3-5-7-9] rounds

Forth shaping round:
k[6-9-12-15], k2tog, k[14-18-22-26] sl1,k1, psso, k[34-45-56-68], turn p[20-26-32-40], turn, k to end

work [3-5-7-9] rounds

Fifth shaping round:
k[6-9-12-15], k2tog, k[12-16-20-24] sl1,k1, psso, k[29-39-48-58], turn p[10-14-16-20], turn, k to end

work [2-3-4-5] rounds


WAIST BAND

ELASTIC WAIST

knit 8 rows
purl 1 row
knit 8 rows

Bind off loosly and whip stitch the band closed, leaving a 1 inch section open for insterting elastic of your choosing.

Alternativily, and my prefered method. when completing the last row, stop 4 stitches prior to the end of the row, cast off 8 stitches, kitchener stitch the lives stitches of the waist band to the inside of the body, This gives a much stetchier finish.

RIB WAIST

for sizes medium and Extra large only
k2tog,k[39-59], k2tog, k to end

change down needle size to 4.0mm or appropriate size

for all sizes.
row 1: *k2,p2* repeat to end

repeat row 1, 4 times

row 9: *k2, yfwd, k2tog* repeat to end

Repeat row 1, 5 more times.

bind off in your prefered stretchy method, double yarn or sewn bind off work well

using your prefered method, create a cord [60-70-80-90] cm long and weave through the waist band


FINISHING THE CROTCH

looking between the start and finish of the provisional cast on, you will see the end of your yarn (not the waste yarn) is looped through the first stitch, pull it out.

the stitches need to captured in 4 different lots, so recapture the stitches grouping them as such

place The 13 stitches between and including the yarn marked stitches(markers were placed in the first row) which are at the centre back of the body on a stitch holder, the 13 at the front on working needles. (both these lots will become gusset stitches)

place the remaining [33-43-53-63] stitches either side (these will become the leg stitches later) on seperate holders (placing them on waste yarn works best).

Working with the 13 stitches (front gusset stitches) on the working needles, join yarn and work 5 rows in stockingette stitch, begining and ending with purl rows

taking the 13 stithces from the back gusset, using kitchener stitch, join these together, end yarn.

LEGS

SOAKER

Place the held stitches from one side onto a 30cm circular or DPNs in size 4mm. pick up 5 stitches along the side of the gusset, placing a stitch marker after the first 3, this will become the start and finish of your rounds.

work 1 row in stocking stitch.

row 2: k2,p2 to end

repeat row 2 another 11 times

cast off loosly

repeat for second leg.

SHORTIES

Place the held stitches from one side onto a 30cm circular or DPNs in size. pick up 6 stitches along the side of the gusset, placing a stitch marker after the first 3, this will become the start and finish of your rounds.

work in stocking stitch continue till the work measures [5-8-11-14]cm (or personal deisred length of shorties less aprox 3cm)

Begin cuff.

cuff row 1 - k1 *p1, k1* to end
cuff row 2 - *p1, k1* to end

repeat rows 1 and 2, 4 times

cast of loosely.


LONGIES

Place the held stitches from one side onto a 30cm circular or DPNs in size. pick up 6 stitches along the side of the gusset, placing a stitch marker after the first 3, this will become the start and finish of your rounds.

work in stocking stitch continue till the work measures [15-20-25-30]cm (or personal desired length of shorties less aprox 3cm)

Begin cuff.

cuff row 1 - k1 *p1, k1* to end
cuff row 2 - *p1, k1* to end

repeat rows 1 and 2, 4 times

cast of loosely.


FINISHING

run in all threads, add elasstic and cording where needed and wash,block and lanolise.

February lady SOCK - Pattern

This is the pattern for the sock/s I have made from the lace pattern used here.

please note, I am most defiantely NOT a pattern writter, just doing my best here :S

Supplies

4mm DPNs
4mm 30cm circulars

Darning needle

stitch markers

Yarn

I have used Knittery 8ply superwash

Gauge

22 stitches by 30 rows

Pattern

Using your prefered stretchy cast on, co 42 stitches onto the DPNs, place stitch marker.

Rib

working in circular,work either a k1,p1, or k2,p1 rib (which ever you prefer) for 4-5cm, or what ever length you like. change to 30cm circluars

Lace pattern
round 1: k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1. Repeat around.
rounds 2 & 4: knit
round 3: k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk. Repeat around.

Work lace pattern for 6 inches, or what ever length you wish the ankle of your sock to be finishing at the end of round 4

Heel flap

working over 21 stitches(3 pattern repeats) knit the following..

1. (s1, k1) 10 times, k1, turn

2. s1, p20 turn

repeat these rows 10@ (11 times in total)

Heel short rows

1. s1, k12, ssk, k1, turn

2. s1 purlwise, p6, p2tog, p1, turn

3. s1, k7, ssk, k1, turn

4. s1 purlwise, p8, p2tog, p1, turn

5. s1, k9, ssk, k1, turn

6. s1 purlwise, p10, p2tog, p1, turn

7. s1, k13

picking up heel stitches.

Along the edge of the heel flap pick up 11 stitches, place stitch marker (marker 1).

knit the next 21 stitches in the lace pattern starting at round 1, (oringal marker, should be here, this will become marker2). you will continue to knit these 21 stitches in the lace pattern.

pick up another 11 stitches along the 2 side of the heel flap. and knit to marker 1.

stitches should now be,

21 stitches across the top of the foot (lace pattern)

37 across sole and heel.

heel gusset

1. work lace pattern to marker2, k2, k2tog, k to 4 stitches before marker1, ssk, k2.

2. work lace pattern to marker2, k to marker1

repeat these rounds untill 40 stitches remain in total, 21 on the top of the foot and 19 on the sole.

foot

continue working in the lace pattern on top and stocking stitch on the sole until the length is 2 inches shorter then that of your foot, finishing on row 4 of the lace pattern

toe.

change stitches from 30cm circs back onto DPNs, with stitch markers still inplace at each end of the lace pattern begin toe decreases, starting from marker 1 (end of lace pattern)

1. k1, k2tog, k to 3 stitches before marker2, ssk, k1, slip marker, k2tog, k to 2 stitches before marker1, ssk.

2. k all stitches.

repeat these rows untill there are only 8 stitches between markers (16 total)

Finish

Using darning needle close toe usin kitchener stitch, run all threads in and block... repeat if not too distracted by other patterns :D

please lmk if there are any errors