Busted Out the Knitting Needles for WIP Wednesday

I woke early and while going about my morning ablutions, out of the blue I felt the urge to knit something.  Now I don't knit often, so it was a strange feeling for me.  I attribute it to working on re-writing a couple of knitted dishcloth patterns and posting them to this blog in the last few days (you can find them by clicking here on knitting patterns, or the tab at the top of the page).

So rather than fight it, I decided to embrace that call to knit.  One problem ... I don't have any knitting needles here at the hotel.

I had to wait for dog #2 to wake up before I could remedy that, but after tea, toast, gathering laundry, and walking both dogs (second walk for dog #1), I walked over to Walmart to pick up some knitting needles, and was back home before 8am.

So today's WIP Wednesday will be knitting a dishcloth from another pattern that I wrote, so that I can publish it later too.  This one will (hopefully) have a 'picture' in the raised stitching.  Watch for that (and maybe even one more) to be added to the free knitting patterns page in the very near future.

So ... what're you working on?  Link up below!

~ Marie Anne

To link up with WIP Wednesday, make a blog post about something that you're working on - any type of craft, DIY, renovation project, landscaping - even that novel you're writing.  Link your blog post by clicking on 'click here to enter' below.  Make sure to link back to me in your blog post too!  (You can also link up with your Pinterest or  Instagram post).

Free Yarn Giveaway from Yarn Crush

Yarn_Crush.com

Who doesn't want free yarn?  I haven't been crocheting as much lately because I'm still displaced from Hurricane Florence and don't have most of my supplies with me, so I'd love to win some!  Yarn Crush is having a contest to give away over $300 worth of yarn and other free goodies and I've got my entry in, and you can enter too by clicking Yarn Crush Woolentine's Day Giveaway.

Make sure to visit Yarn Crush to subscribe to their newsletter, or sign up for a subscription of their yummy yarns to be delivered right to your door, or to give as a gift to a favorite person in your life who knits or crochets.  Each box will contain some hand-dyed yarn, the current issue of their magazine with free patterns, and one other fiber art-related goodie.  Everyone likes to get fun surprise boxes in the mail, right?

Have you ever dyed your own yarn?   I'm not that brave, but I do drool over some of the beautiful yarns that others have dyed.  Once I learn more about it, maybe I'll try it one day.

~ Marie Anne

P.S.  When you sign up for the newsletter, you'll receive a code for $12 off your first box!

LIckety-Split Knit Dishcloth - Free Pattern

The Lickety Split knit dishcloth pattern was originally available for free on Associated Content/Yahoo and when that folded, I published it on Examiner.  When they closed down also, I listed it for a few pennies on Craftsy, but now that is changing too, so I'm giving up and posting it here again for free on my blog.

This knit dishcloth pattern doesn't require a lot of counting and the pattern repeat is easy to follow, so anyone who knows how to cast on, work a simple knit and purl stitch, and bind off should be able to work this up lickety-split.

Finished size is approximately 8 1/2" square

Materials needed:

Size 6 knitting needles
Large yarn needle to weave in ends
Kitchen cotton yarn (Requires approx. 1.2 oz per cloth.  You should be able to get two cloths from a 2.5 oz ball of yarn)

Tip #1:  I've written the pattern to slip stitch the first stitch and purl the last stitch of every row.  Doing this keeps the finished piece from curling, and gives it a nice, straight edge.  If you'd rather not do that, simply knit the first and last stitches in each row.

Tip #2:  To make it easier to follow and know which row you're working on, I've included a cheat sheet of numbered rows at the end of the pattern so that you can cross off each row you've worked and never lose your place.  If you slip the pattern into a plastic document protector sleeve and use a grease pencil to mark off each row as you've finished it, you can re-use the same sheet over and again.  No scraps of paper and stitch counters needed!

Lickety Split Knit Dishcloth Pattern

With size 6 knitting needles, cast on 42

Rows 1-5, slip stitch first stitch, (SS), knit remainder of row to last stitch, P1

Pattern Rows:

Row 6: SS, K3 (P4, K2, P4) to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Row 7:  SS, knit remainder of row to last stitch, P1

Row 8:  SS, K3 (P4, K2, P4) to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Row 9:  SS, knit remainder of row to last stitch, P1

Row 10:  SS, K3, purl across to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Row 11:  SS, knit across to last stitch, P1

Row 12:  SS, K3, purl across to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Row 13:  SS, knit across to last stitch, P1

Rows 14-45:   Repeat pattern rows 6-13 four times

Row 46-48:  Repeat rows 6-8

Rows 49-53:   SS, knit remainder of row to last stitch, P1

Bind off, weave in ends.

This pattern may be used to make items to sell, but you may not sell the pattern itself.  If you'd like to share it with friends, please share the link to this blog post, and don't just copy or print the directions for them. While this is a simple pattern, it does take time to knit the cloths and translate to written directions, include the row guide that you can mark off, transfer to .pdf form so that you may read/print it easily without advertisements, take photographs, etc., and ultimately publish the pattern   I enjoy providing free, easy patterns for others, but please respect my efforts - thanks!

Close-up of Lickety Split Knit Dishcloth

Close up of folded Lickety Split Knit Dishcloth

Lickety-Split Knit Dishcloth Cheat Sheet 

Rows 1, 6, and 10 are the only rows you need to remember. All other rows are repeats of those three.

Row 1: SS, knit remainder of row to last stitch, P1

Row 6: SS, K3 (P4, K2, P4) to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Row 10: SS, K3, purl across to last 4 sts, K3, P1

Instead of trying to follow the longer written pattern earlier in this post, use the list below to follow the sequence of rows directly above this, and mark them off as you go along.

1       1 1       1 1

6       1 6       1 10 1      10 1

6       1 6       1 10 1       10 1

6       1 6       1 10 1       10 1

6       1 6       1 10 1       10 1

6       1 6       1 10 1       10 1

6       1 6            

1       1 1       1 1

P.S.  If you'd like a clean copy without advertising and wonky formatting, you can find it available in my Etsy shop, The Crooked Yarn.   And don't forget to check out the rest of my free knitting patterns.

Enjoy!

~ Marie Anne

Newest Knit Dishcloth/Washcloth, Almost Lost

I was poking around on Pinterest last night and saw this neat knit dishcloth that looked easy, and thought I'd give it a try.  I normally don't like to knit as much as I do crochet, but I really like the feel of certain knitted dishcloths as they're more pliable than crochet, in my opinion.  I like the old standard diagonal cloth because I think it has more 'give' than a straight stitch, but this one, called "Almost Lost", is more of a circle, so the stitches aren't straight back and forth either, which is what piqued my interest. She actually labels it as a washcloth, but I will use mine as a dishcloth, and honestly, I find that the two are pretty much interchangeable.

The pattern calls for a size 8 knitting needle , which I didn't have (or couldn't find), so I started off with a size 9, and thought that was way too big and the stitches extremely loose.  The next closest size I could find a matching pair of was size 5, so I grabbed those next.  I actually did like the slightly tighter weave I got with the size 5 needles, but of course it came out much smaller than I anticipated.  I think I might move up to a size 6 needle and see if I can adapt the pattern to make it larger.

The pattern itself was pretty quick to work up, as long as I didn't lose my place.  It's the first time I ever knitted in this fashion, where you knit part of a row, then turn and knit back the way you just came, leaving the remainder of the stitches from the previous row on the needle without knitting them on that row.  It's not a hard concept to grasp at all, just have to make sure you finish the row before setting it down or you might get confused and think you're in the middle of a row rather than the beginning.  Sounds confusing, but it's explained pretty clearly in the pattern instructions.

So here's my first attempt at the "Almost Lost" knit washcloth.  I also think that variegated yarns look prettier in most knit  patterns than they do crochet, so that was a plus since I don't think I had a full ball of a solid cotton yarn in my stash.

My first attempt at the "Almost Lost" knit dishcloth

I'll definitely be making more of these knit dishcloths to list for sale in my Etsy shop.  They'll still take a little longer to knit than crochet, but I think this pattern will work up faster than the few other knitted dishcloth patterns I've tried, so I'm going to give it a go.

~ Marie Anne

Rag quilts, table runners, knitting, and more!

I sure haven't been posting here on the blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping my hands busy with one project or another.  I've been posting my antics on Facebook, but then had a 'duh' moment ... why am I not posting it all on my blog too?

I heard about rag quilting a couple of weeks ago and found that it's a lot more forgiving than 'regular' patchwork quilting (which I'll never be able to master), so decided to give it a try.  I love it!  I've finished two baby/lap size quilts and a couple of table runners, and have plans to keep going with a lot more of them and will hopefully get them added to my Etsy shop soon.

Here are a couple of photos of what I've done so far -

My very first rag quilt! Some of the seams aren't perfectly lined
 up, but you can't tell from the front.  Rag quilts are very forgiving!

Made this table runner for my narrow sofa table.  The lighting
wasn't the best, but it's perfect for this space - I love it!

Another rag quilt table runner that I thought
would work for fall/Thanksgiving time of year.

My second baby/lap sized rag quilt.  The colors in this
one didn't come out quite as nice as I expected, but it'll do.

I also stumbled on a cute knit dishcloth pattern that works up fairly quickly, so dusted off my knitting needles and made one last night, and I'll be adding those to the list of things I want to put up for sale in my Etsy store too. MA needs money for the heating bill this winter!  (I'll be posting photos and the link to the knit dishcloth pattern in a separate post).

So .. what have the rest of you been up to?

~ Marie Anne

How to get free yarn, or for cheap

Some of my yarn stash
© Marie Anne St. Jean

Having a stash of yarn on hand for your knit or crochet projects doesn't have to be expensive. There are frugal ways to get yarn cheaper or in many cases, free!

Where to Get Free Yarn

Make sure everyone in your network of family and friends knows that you knit or crochet and would welcome any free yarn. They might have a stash of their own that they won't use since they've given up the craft, or maybe they've cleaned out under Grandma's bed and found some that she left behind. Don't assume everyone knows that you'd like to have their leftover yarn - tell them!

Where to Buy Yarn on the Cheap

I rarely pay full price for a skein or ball of yarn. If you watch for sales and use coupons, check  eBay, and visit yard sales and thrift stores, you won't either.

Most every town has Facebook groups where people post freebies or sell things cheap, like an online yard sale.   Subscribe to the posts from your local area and watch for people who have yarn to get rid of at a good price.  You can also post in those groups that you are looking for yarn, and prompt your neighbors to clean out their own stash while adding to yours at bargain prices.

Other than individual groups, you can also search Facebook Marketplace.  It's a great way to find things for sale (or free) in your area without having to subscribe to specific groups to monitor.  Just pop over to marketplace and browse by category (most people would put yarn under the 'Hobbies/Arts & Crafts' category), or use particular search terms for whatever you're looking for.  You can filter to see ads that are just within your town, or widen the search to other areas.

After yards sales and thrift stores, Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores are my favorite places to find yarn rather inexpensively. Sign up at HobbyLobby.com and Jo-Ann.com to receive email alerts for upcoming sales. Hobby lobby provides a weekly coupon to print and it is often for one item at 40% off regular price., and Jo-Ann has frequent coupons for anywhere from 20-60% off one item that’s not currently on sale.   Both stores also have an app where you can access the sales and coupons right on your smartphone.  Oh, and Jo-Ann does price matching of coupons, so you can use your Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon at Jo-Ann's.  

Big Lots and various dollar-type stores often have yarn in their inventory for a low price. Be careful when purchasing from such places that buy discontinued items, though. If you can, buy enough to finish your project because that particular yarn may not be available later.   Sometimes, though, the price is so good that you can’t pass it up, even if it’s just a single skein or ball of yarn or thread that you have no idea what to do with just yet.

When shopping at yard sales or thrift stores, in addition to looking for yarn, keep an eye out for crochet or knit items that are in good shape that you could easily unravel and use for another project. What you see as an ugly color or pattern for that afghan migh be the perfect shade to re-purpose into a matching scarf, hat and mitten set.

If you shop for yarn on eBay or other online auctions or stores, be watchful of additional costs. That wonderful deal that you just made may not seem so good once $10 or more shipping and handling fee is tacked onto the final price. Before check-out, search online for coupons and free shipping codes.

Purchasing yarn to support your craft of knit or crochet can be expensive, but as you can see, it doesn't have to be.

Have you ever got an incredibly great deal on yarn, something that you couldn't pass up, no matter how overgrown your current stash was?  Feel free to share in the comments!

~Marie Anne

July 4th Sale at Jo-Ann's

I love the bargains I can find at Jo-Ann's with their great sales and coupons that pop up all the time. I'm on a strict budget and rely on these deals to be able to afford yarn and other crochet and crafty stuff.

Jo-Ann's is having an Independence Day Sale with $1.99 shipping on all online orders, or free shipping if your order totals $75 or more.  That shipping special ends today, July 4th 2016, and there's also a coupon for 60% off an item in store only that expires today as well.  

If you missed today's offer, you can still save the rest of this week with a coupon for 40% off any one regular priced item.  That coupon at Joann's expires on Saturday, July 9th.

Don't forget that Jo-Ann's also offers price matching!

~ Marie Anne

Russian Join Method of Joining Yarn Published at New Location

©Marie Anne St. Jean

A lot of people found my photo tutorial of the Russian join method very helpful, but it was lost when the YCN site closed down.  Fortunately, I was able to save all the photos and recreated it on Examiner and published it this morning.

This method of joining yarn is hard to explain in words, but very easy to do once you know how.  Follow my photo tutorial of the Russian join method and you'll be mastering the process in just a few minutes.  This method works best when joining two balls or skeins of yarn of the same color.

I have another method of joining yarn that I like that works equally well when joining either one color of yarn or two, and will be posting that one shortly.

Enjoy!

~ Marie Anne

Crocheting or Knitting Outside of Your Comfort Zone

If you knit or crochet, you probably have your favorite patterns that you turn to frequently, or like to make certain items, regardless of pattern.  I love to crochet baby blankets and sometimes start with one pattern, then adapt it some to make it my own.  Dishcloths are another favorite, and I've come up with a few simple crochet and knit patterns of my own.

I've made some lovely baby blankets and afghans, and friends love my dishcloths, but I'm in a rut and want to step out of my creative comfort zone.  I love to play with color and each blanket or afghan looks different, but I want to expand my horizons.  I want to learn to do amigurumi (that will be a tough task, for sure), and I also want to make hats, particularly baby hats.

The issue for me with hats is determining correct sizing.  I know there are charts and tutorials all over the internet, but I can't get past the sizing hurdle.  What if I make a hat and list it for sale as fitting X, when it's much too large or small and really would fit Z?  I have no little ones here to model anything.  My only grandchild is several states away, so she's not much help in the short term.

I've heard of people blowing up balloons to represent different sizes, but, while round, a balloon is still not the same shape as a child or baby's head.  I know, I know, I'm being anal about it, and I need to get over it and just DO it.

(click photo to enlarge)

Catie Alice needs a sunhat, don't you think?

Is there something that you'd love to learn how to make, but there's something holding you back?  Here's the challenge ... pick one thing that you've never done and do it.

I'm going to do a baby sunhat to send to my granddaughter.  I have plenty of cotton yarn here, and there are a bazillion free patterns out there, so no excuses.  Anyone with me?

~ Marie Anne

Free Yarn Contest from Red Heart and AllFreeKnitting on Pinterest

Red Heart is joining up with AllFreeKnitting and sponsoring a contest to give away a prize package full of yarn, knitting needles, tote bag, and a slew of other goodies.  To enter, create a board on Pinterest for free knit patterns from Red Heart, then repin at least 10 patterns that Red Heart has on their board, and fill out the short entry form on the contest page.

 One entry per person and must be at least 18 years old to enter.  Contest ends at midnight on May 8, 2013 so get your entry in, then share with all of your crafty friends.

Even if you don't win, you're bound to find some cool new patterns to try.  I saw several pretty knitted shawl  patterns, and while I don't knit as much as I crochet,  I might just have to break out the knitting needles and see what I can whip up.  

~ Marie Anne

Free Knitting eBook, How to Cast on and Bind Off

I crochet more than I knit, but I've known how to do the basics of both since I was a child, and even after all these years (we won't say how many), I never realized there was more than one way to cast on and bind off in knitting.

(Photo by elitatt)

Knitting Daily is offering a free eBook on the various ways to cast on and bind off, so head on over and grab it so you'll have it handy when you pick up your needles for your next project.  Since I'm pretty set in my ways, I'll probably continue to cast on and bind off the way I've always done it, but I'm going to download this ebook for the sake of curiosity, if nothing else.

~ Marie Anne

Quick Poll About Dishcloths

I don't know anyone who doesn't love their handmade knit and crochet dishcloths, but I wonder what colors are favored? I'm making a boatload of dishcloths for a craft fair coming up (both knit and crochet), and wondering what I should make most of. Take this quick poll and help me out!

For handmade knit and crochet dishcloths, which do you prefer?

Any bright, vibrant colors to add splash to my kitchen

Neutral colors that will go with anything

White

I don't care, as long as they work

Create your own poll

If you have a particular color dishcloth that you like, please tell me in a comment below.

~ Marie Anne

Free Yarn of the Month Giveaway

Red Hearts sponsors a yarn of the month giveaway and during the month of October,  they're giving away Celebration, an acrylic yarn with just a bit of metallic thread woven in to give it a festive look.  Red Heart Celebration yarn comes in several bright and cheery colors that should be fun to knit or crochet with.

The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on November 1, 2012.  This giveaway is valued at $60, so head on over now to enter before the month gets away from you.

The contest rules say you'll get an email from Red Heart and must fill out a survey to complete your entry.  It's not a long survey that asks for personal information; it simply asks how much money you spend on yarn.  Easy peasy!

~ Marie Anne

Yarn Giveaway Sponsored by Bernat

Free is always good, but free yarn for a knitter or crocheter is even better!

Bernat is giving away three free skeins of Envy, one of their beautiful colors in their Mosaic yarn line.  It's a self striping yarn and the gorgeous shades of green, brown and gold are perfect for fall projects that might be on your to-do list.

Contest ends on October 10, 2102, but what're you waiting for?  Enter the giveway now before you forget.

~ Marie Anne

Fiber Funnies

If you knit or crochet you've probably got some whacky definitions of your own, but here's one to get your funny bone tickling:

Pattern: A set of written instructions that may or may not result in creating the object in the picture. Most patterns include a list of supplies, but this is for your amusement only. After all, Amazonian Rhesus yarn in smoky turquoise does not exist, and cannot be obtained. Patterns also have fun-to-do math problems, such as 1 dc in next 7 dc (34 dc made)…?!

Hop on over to Annie's Attic to read more Hooks & Humor. Can you add to the list?

Cotton Natural Striping Yarn Project

I've used variegated yarns off and on, but have never tried any of the striping yarn, at least not in the cotton for dishcloths.  I told myself I wasn't buying any more cotton yarn until I used up some of what I had at the house, but I wanted to get more listed on Etsy in a variety of colors, so figured two little balls of something different wouldn't hurt.

This Sandstone Stripes by Peaches & Creme won and I couldn't wait to try it.  The orange-y color isn't quite pumpkin or tangerine, but mixed with the warm mocha and  beige, it reminds me of a sweet potato in the produce section.  Very earthy tones, and the orange isn't too bright so will still look nice in a kitchen or bathroom done in natural colors.

Dishcloths made with striping yarn - Sandstone Stripes

I got two done yesterday and finished the third this morning using my favorite dishcloth pattern and the Etsy listing is up.  I might buy more to see how the stripes look with knitting, perhaps with this knit dishcloth pattern.  I think this color will be a hit, and I wish I could get it on the larger cone rather than the small balls that are more expensive.

Here's what it looks like in the ball.

Sandstone Stripes

Have you made anything with striping yarn?  Were you pleased with the results?

Etsy Contest - Vote for My Dishcloths!

My vibrantly colored dishcloths are featured in today's Etsy Contest!

Items of similar value are pitted against each other and readers vote for which item they like the best.  Scroll through the items in the Etsy Contest until you get to my neon knitted dishcloths and click to give them a vote!

Here's what you're looking for

Don't click the photo here .. click one of the links above to vote.  Look there to see how you can get an item from your Etsy shop featured too!

Oops!  Just found a link that will take you directly to my dishcloths to vote.  Silly me, I wish I had known that earlier this morning.

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Knit Spa Cloths and a Secret Preview

This week I'm working on getting the spa cloths done that were part of the giveaway that ended the other day.  Linda Ann chose her cloths to be knit out of a pretty variegated cotton yarn in various shades of olive green and ecru, with a touch of teal thrown in.

Knit Spa Cloths for the Bath Giveaway

I love the dishcloths that I knit and crochet and I have some that I use for the bath too.  I decided to do a plain garter stitch cloth in a bit larger size than I usually make my dishcloths and will making more to list in my Etsy store as spa cloths, for the face or bath/shower.

I finished one in pale yellow that I used the other day and oh my, I love the feel on my face.  So soft, yet still strong and sturdy if you want to do some scrubbing.  Before listing them for sale, I'm offering two cloths plus some hand blended natural soap and lotion from a friend as a Spa Giveaway.

Welcome, 2012!

First WIP of the New Year - welcome 2012!

I've been working on more dishcloths and trying to get them listed to sell.  I've had a lot of fun playing with new colors to break up the monotony of the tried and true colors that I always go back to. Here are some of them I've worked on the last week or so, some of which I've already listed on Etsy, and some I still need to list.  I've got several more done and need to finish up other colors to make sets, so that's my WIP this week.

Blue and white crochet

Knitted sage, ecru and a new variegated that has teal in it!

Knit vibrant colors - looks like skittles!

How have you started off the New Year?

P.S.  I've also started a new theme that I'm calling Treasury Tuesday.  If you have an Etsy store, make sure that you have me in your circle and favorites and leave your link on one of my blog posts so that I can feature your crafts too!


To play along on Work-in-Progress Wednesday, make your blog post for Wednesday be about something you're working on - some type of craft, renovation project, landscaping, even that novel you're writing. You can play along even if it’s not Wednesday; I leave each WIP up until the following week. Copy the code below Rosie's picture and paste it into your blog post so that others can follow too, and see the rest of the projects that are posted here.

<br /> <a href="http://crookedyarn.com/" target="_top"> <img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/Ldyjarhead/Crochet/WIPWed.jpg" /> </a>

Make sure to click 'You are next' below to add your link here so my readers can follow it to your blog post.

Note ** Several of you are signing up at the bottom but you’re not putting the WIP Wednesday link on your own blog. If you don’t, your readers won’t be led back here to see what others are doing and what WIP Wednesday is all about. It’s not hard, just copy the code beneath the photo above and paste it into your blog post. If you’re having trouble, please let me know and I’ll try to walk you through it.