novamade

the coolest thing i've ever made?

You were expecting a white couch in my front yard, perhaps?

There is something so very deeply satisfying about crochet.  You can ask different crafters and get different answers; but, quite frankly, time-wise, you get a lot of bang for your buck.  I made Babette in a month.  That's how long it took me to make Ruby.  It took me longer to weave loose ends and write the pattern.  It also took me a while to decide whether I would release the pattern or not.  After searching the internets and countless on-line library catalogs (or OPACs for you library types) for a traditional granny hexagon pattern and coming up empty-handed, I made one up.  You can reverse engineer it, or, you can just use my pattern and save your time for working up your color combinations.

So, here she is.  This is, yet another, blanket that is not destined to cozy up my home, it was made for a really artistic friend who loves bright colors.  I think she will be pleased. I, too, am pleased, which means I will likely be making another one for my own abode...maybe two.

My friend wanted something that was "granny" but "not granny".  I knew what she meant.  I like hexagons, and I like to think of crocheted blankets as an opportunity to play with color, because these bright colors would never really occur to me on a normal occasion, I don't think.  And I like squares, but they are so...square, and hexagons are... awesome.

I worked on this blanket quite a bit traveling to Kansas City for the funeral of Special K's grandmother, Ruby, who was a pretty amazing crocheter, so the name seemed pretty appropriate.  When I finally finished this blanket, Special K said that it's "the coolest thing [I've] ever made."  Really?  Maybe.  Yes, okay.  I think so, too.

Pattern is up in Ravelry (probably the best place to download it).  Or you can download it here (it make take a while to download, there are a few pages).

This is my first crochet pattern.  In terms of skill, I am a much better knitter than I am a crocheter; but, I had some friends (thank you knitbloggers and flickr friends: Maryse, Bertha, Lauren, Anne and Emily) test the hexagon motif for me to ensure that my directions could, indeed, be duplicated.  The description for the edging is long-winded with (what I think are helpful) photos because, quite frankly, if I was doing it for the first time, I would want to be walked through it.  The edging is actually something I figured out after I finished the blanket.   Oh, decreases in the corner joins, of course!  I have listed the yarn and colors that I used; but, I have provided no color chart, because you should come up with your own combinations (that is really the *best* part of this project).  You are smart fiber folk, I am sure your will come up with all sorts of fabulousness.

There will likely be ways that the pattern could be made better, if you have constructive criticism, please let me know and I will update the pattern to reflect constructive user feedback.  So again, this is my first crochet pattern that I am putting out there for the masses, it is free, Happy January.  Be nice.  Have fun.

on birthdays and giving

On my birthday this year, I found myself writing a pattern and knitting it up.  I needed to knit a cowl for a new friend.  Hopefully it has found its way to her.  I liked knitting this cowl, and the pattern is a pretty easy one.  Also, I think anything knit in Malabrigo is pretty much destined to be awesome, because, let's be honest here, it's Malabrigo, people.

 

Spending my birthday doing something for someone else made me feel all cheery and cozy, kind of like I am hoping the cowl will make the recipient feel.

I get cheery about knits and all, but you know, there is also that pie thing, and it's Wednesday...

I made another recipe from Sweety Pies.  Rice pie.  I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.  I shared it with my co-workers and they all thought it was pretty amazing.  Rice, it's a celebratory thing, right?

So my birthday celebration is all wrapped up. I had fun celebrating, of course.  I love gift-getting and everything, but I think gift-giving may be even better.  So for my birthday, I am giving you a gift (if you want it).  I am putting up the pattern for the cowl so you too can keep cozy when it's cool (which may not be at this particular moment depending on your location, but there you are).  Or maybe you just want to be cool, since "cowl is the new scarf" and everything.  Join the bandwagon!

It's my first pattern ever, so be nice!

Download birthday_cowl.pdf

ETA: I got word that some may have difficulty downloading the pdf, so here is the write-up:

 

Finished Size: 9.5” x 21”

 

Gauge: 5 stitches = 1” in the stitch pattern.

 

Yarn:  Malabrigo is suggested (though anyworsted-weight yarn should work; but try and select

something soft and cozy.  The colorway shown here is Bobby Blue.

 

Needles: US 8/5 mm, 16” circular

 

Extra notions: Tapestry needle, Place marker

 

Stitch Pattern: The stitch pattern is a bias rib called Barley Sugar.  The pattern is an eleven stitch repeat worked in 2 rounds:

Round1: *sl1, k1, psso, k6, yo, k3* repeat to the the end of the round.

Round 2: k (till the end of the round).

             

            sl = slip

            k = knit

            psso = pass slipped stitch over

            yo = yarnover

 

Instructions:

Cast on 99 stitches. Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.  Join and work 3 rounds of garter stitch (purl the first row, knit the second, purl the the third).  Begin working the Barley Sugar pattern until your cowl measures 9 inches (for a shorter scarf, knit to 6” for longer go to 10-12”).  Work three rounds of garter stitch as youdid at the beginning (p, k, p).  Bind off loosely.  Weave in your ends (there should only be two). Block your cowl.  Celebrate!