Free Tutorial/Pattern: Knitting Tartan

Using my new knitting machine I thought I would try and knit up some tartan something like this ...

The idea was to use a mixture of knitting & weaving in long threads to make up the pattern in a simple manner and also use up some left over yarn that has been sitting around in my work space for far too long.

I think this can be knitted by hand or with a machine and the concept could be used with any color/size of yarn.

This is what I did.

Cast on: 130 stitches
k6 rows of dark pink
k4 rows of medium pink
k2 rows of light pink
k2 rows of white
k2 rows of light pink
(20 rows)

Repeat until you have 160 rows.
k further 6 rows of dark pink. Total 166 rows.

You should have an approximate square. (I usually work out squares by multiplying the number of stitches my 1.3 to find out the number of rows I need to knit.

While you are casting off (still in the dark pink) drop the 7th stitch and then every 13th stitch. You should have 10 dropped stitches.  (Don't panic while you are dropping those stitches it seemed everything I shouldn't be doing to me too!)

(Apologies for the light/quality of the next 3 photos - they were snapped on my iPhone.)

I weaved into my dropped stitches 8 strands of yarn - 1 dark pink, 1 white, 1 medium pink, 2 medium pink, 1 medium pink, 1 white, 1 dark pink. You can see the pattern below.  

Once you have finished filling in the dropped stitches with weaving in strands of yarn you can add strands of yarn into the knitting horizontally as well. I put a white strand in every 2nd and 5th stitch of the dark pink yarn. You can see how I wove in yarn below.

Once you have finished weaving you should have something that looks like this.

I didn't add a border to my blanket I just added a 3" fringe. To get a 3" fringe cut 6.5" strips and trim once all the tassels have been attached. 

Here is my finished blanket. Perfect for a baby/stroller blanket.

I used some Debbie Bliss yarn that I have had lying about for way too long (a mixture of Cashmerino DK, Cashmerino Aran.) Debbie Bliss yarn gets mixed reviews - but the feeling of it is delicious - perfect for little people and babies. It is so soft and I find it knits very easily.

Perfect for keeping little toes warm.

Well this little blanket is all ready to get wrapped off to keep a little person warm for this coming Winter.

Valentine Quilt

It has taken a while but I have finally finished my Valentine Quilt which is a design from a this book by Elizabeth Hartman. I really like the book - I must go back and visit its patterns and ideas again.

I'm very pleased with the quilt. The top of the quilt has been sewn together for quite sometime (pre bunny #3) but I just hadn't got around to putting all the layers together and quilting the beast.

This quilt it pretty much all made up by fabric scraps from my scrap bin - which is now mysteriously full again - how does that happen?

I used a swirly whirly pattern during the free motion quilting. The same sort of pattern I used on the Mother's Day Cushions.

I even used up the last few strips of scrap fabric left over on the back of the quilt.

You also might remember I used some of the same left over scraps to make this quilt for baby Flora. 

Getting projects finished feels good - with the three little ones constantly underfoot and demanding my attention - finishing these kind of projects feels like a monumental achievement!

Blissful Knitted Squares

My step brother's baby is due today. So far there is no sign of the little one making a prompt exit! I knitted this very quick blanket for the little one (my own pattern - which I will try and write down soon.) I like the simple patchwork effect.I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK Yarn which is so soft and lovely to knit with.

When I first started knitting rabbits (which seems like the longest time ago ...) I was using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky. The yarn was just as lovely, soft and easy to knit with - it seemed utterly perfect for cuddly toys ... but proved too expensive for the multitude of bunnies that then followed.

I'm currently knitting a little cable hooded cardigan for my friend's newborn - in the same DK yarn but in navy blue. Quite shocking of me to actually use a color as I seem to have become a bit obsessed with working in these off-white/cream yarns ... and I could bang on about my minimalist obsession with people like Robert Ryman or Agnes Martin ... but then you might all truly go to sleep!

Crochet your cares away

I've been struggling to motivate myself with my continuous cable border exploration. I find that that long stretch of time needed to really concentrate and make notes is just not available to me! Baby bunny (who is now nearly 11 months old - can you believe it?) is into everything - cupboards, toilets, bags, kitchen trashcan, drawers - anything and everything is of great interest and needs to be explored and explored now!

So I've put down my concentration-needy knitting and picked up my crochet hook. I found this idea on Ravelry and decided to take it on a bit further for the border of a blanket.
The petals are scattered at random on one corner. This method allows you to crochet the flowers as you go - so no messy strands or sewing flowers onto the blanket.

The trickiest bit of the border was working out how many crochet stitches were needed for the sides of the blanket.I used the same sized crochet hook as my knitting needles. For the starter row used 1 crochet stitch for every knitted stitch at the ends of the blanket ("sc into knitted st, skip next knitted st and ch1" repeat to end) ...
... and 7 crochet stitches for every 9 knitted stitches for the sides of the blanket: ("sc into knitted st, skip next knitted st and ch1, sc into next knitted st, skip next two knitted sts and ch1, sc into next knitted st, skip next two knitted st" repeat to end). The corners are made by sc 3 times into same stitch. I hope my scrappy diagram above explains it a little clearer. Once the starter row is complete just keep sc into every st - 3 sc at the corners - adding the flowers as and when you please. I crocheted 4 complete rounds of the blanket - adding flowers on rounds 2 and 4.

Sewing Scraps into something Soft and Simple

I'm trying - really trying - to use up my fabric stash while everything is still in storage (when will I see it all again is a question I am beginning to ask myself ...) A couple of years ago - when I first discovered the City Quilter - but before I began Rachael Rabbit - I brought a pre-cut stack of pretty cotton quarters. I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember the make/designer of the cotton - but I remember seeing it and my greedy eyes grew wide - and that was that. I never had a particular project in mind when I grabbed the stack ... and over time I have used the quarters to make cute gift bags for knitted softies ...
... and some adorable summer picnic napkins ...
... but there were still some bits left over ... and the question has lingered what to do with them?

The most delicious thing about this fabric is how soft it is. I wish you could touch it through the screen and feel it for yourself. And with the new little bunny on the way (I've heard having the odd blanket/soft mat lying around can be useful) I decided to sew the remaining bits into a soft and super simple baby blanket. You really can't get more simple than this blanket. It is made from 9 squares of cotton sewn together - I didn't quilt it at all - I just tied the layers together with little knots. The whole project took a couple of hours tops.
When my husband came home I said 'look what I have made' ... he looked unimpressed by the lack of complexity ... but then when I said 'ahhh but feel how soft it is - don't you just want to live under it?' ... he felt the blanket and his eyes lit up 'can't you make it bigger so we can use it? It is SO soft.' Have I mentioned yet how soft and cushy this little blanket is?

Big bunny asked me to practice my swaddling skills so he could feel the soft warmth and cosyness too ...
... 'oooh it is so soft' Big Bunny said ...
And I have to mention how easy quilt bindings have become since I learnt what I really should be doing from the amazingly talented Kellie at Don't Look Now!