My First Pattern

The long awaited 'special project' for my brother-in-law. It has been confirmed that he doesn't read my blog therefore I am free to share this surprise with the world before he even knows about it.

My brother-in-law is into all things 'nerdy'. I am not here to define 'nerdy' just to try to give you an idea of the person this project is intended to surprise. His dream man cave involves a space invaders painted wall, a computer wall, a large table for role playing games, and lots of Star Wars stuff. This project is to be used in this 'dream cave'.

My sister text me asking if I could take the Star Wars logo and make coasters for the man cave. I said sure! First, I looked on ravelry thinking someone must've created these already. I could only find the rebel logo in a crochet pattern. I wanted to knit it for the intro to working with multiple colors. So I hit up the ol' google machine and downloaded a Rebel and Empire logo. Next I researched the typical size for a coaster - 3x3.5 to 4x4. These things are going to be used in a man cave so they need to be washable and durable. I figured the Red Heart Super Saver acrylic would be ideal. The guage on the label on size 8 needles is 17 stitches by 23 rows equals a 4 x 4 square. Perfect! My coasters will be 4 x4.

I resized my logos in Microsoft word to 3.5 inches and 3 inches across the widest part, printed them, and then traced them onto graph paper.

 

Initially I created a graph that directly copied the tracing. I counted each box as a stitch and realized I needed to do a bit of resizing (First Picture). So I played around with a couple of different sizing and patterns to attempt to get the logo as much like the original as possible (Second photo).  Then I created a final graph with a border which in my head was a simple seed stitch with the logo being in stockinete stitch (third photo).  

 The Empire's logo was a bit more complicated, it is extremely hard to get a good visualization of a round logo on square graph paper. I made a few attempts and then gave up. This logo is going to be crochet instead of knit so I can crochet it in a circle like a beanie and I'm going to write a pattern as I go. I need to do a few calculations to make sure everything is divisible in order to create the colored pattern, but I have not given up on this one.

This is what the Rebel coaster looks like at the moment. Keep in mind I have never worked with more than one color of yarn and that this is a self created pattern. It's actually coming out pretty good. The back looks like hell, but I can always sew fabric on the back to cover all that up. While typing this blog about my fantasic first pattern ever, I'm positive that this coaster is not going to be the dementions I intended. I wrote the pattern sideways, meaning my cast on row would be a side not the bottom or top. So I'm actually going to have 23 stitches 19 rows high. It's going to be a rectangle. Good thing this is the first one and if it isn't perfect, oh well. I've got to make a set so making one more isn't going to be that big of a deal. This is only about 30 mins/45 mins of work with me trying to work out how to carry yarn across the back. It should take a lot less time once I get it down.

I like it anyway. It's pretty cool that I created that! Once I get the pattern worked out I'll post it on ravelry.

 Also, I'm using some leftover grey yarn from the stash that is not Super Saver and was initially used doubled up. I'm going to neck it down to a single strand for the others cause it's really really thick, but it's how I had it and I was itching to get a test run going.
So, I'll be posting the changes as they come. Hopefully sooner rather than later! Ya'll have a great week!
-Em



Sleeves Progressing

I am working away on the sleeves. I admit: there's been a bit of lapse in knitting time over the past week or so. Bit of an issue with counting (surprised?!). I'm coming to the conclusion that lack of sleep seriously effects my counting abilities. Last week was a sucky week for sleep and the counting skills were MIA for multiple evenings.
So, here's a photo of the sleeves so far:

See the gathering at the top of the finished sleeve? Pretty excited about how that's going to turn out once everything is assembled. And trying to figure out where/how to block all these pieces. I'm knitting away at the second sleeve, as you see. Hopefully, it'll be finished by the end of this week. I know originally the goal was to have it completed by this past weekend, but that was a bit agressive and didn't so much work out for me.
Here's what we did instead of knitting: Friday a friend of ours came out to the house and we stayed up til 3am (way too old to be doing that) and we slept until about noon. Surprisingly neither of us overindulged in tasty beverages, we were just freaking tired. Sataurday we hit up a small gun show at the local KC hall and then drove up to New Braunfels to check out a motorcycle shop. Sunday was grocery shopping, house cleaning, and cooking.
I also did not cast on my super surprise for my brother-in-law. I have been thinking about how to create a circular crochet pattern for the second emblem that didn't work out in a square. I'm fairly positive I can create a pattern for it - at least I can see it in my head - that's half the battle right? I'm going to work on that a bit this week and since I've been informed he has no idea this blog exists - I can tell you guys all about it! And you get to see the process I'm following for this little creation.
I know you're all sitting on the edge of your seat, so I'll be following up soon! Have a great week!

Here I am!

This is just to check in - I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I just haven't had time to take photos of my progress. We were running a bit late this morning and I didn't even have time to snap quick photos like I usually do. So, tonight, I promise, I will take photos and post either tonight or tomorrow with progress photos!

Why, hello!

Why, hello my new friend pinterest.com - you are becoming my newest obsession! I love it! You can 'pin' anything you want to this site and create little project boards - super helpful when you're trying to put together colors and things for household remodeling/decorating projects. Love that I can see the things side-by-side that I have put together in my head.
I also just discovered this site called polyvore.com today - a clothing/fashion website where you can put together outfits and such. Inside I am really a clothing diva without the diva-ish bank account. Not as excited about this website, but it's a good 'future interest' type thing.
And so I haven't gotten much done in the way of knitting because....well....I'm not real sure why not, but I'm sure its a good reason. I'm making it my goal to get the sleeves done at the very least this weekend. We are picking grapes for future jelly and wine making. They are going into the freezer immediately after picking because we lost track of time and need to pick them now. But we're not ready to make jelly and wine so into the freezer they go. I cannot WAIT to have homemade jelly!
My sister usually does the jelly making and last year wasn't a very big batch but we got enough to last us most of the year. This year Jamie and I are bound and determined to get more grapes for more jelly! Plus, I'm helping in the jelly making and four hands are better than two! Pretty excited about that.
Also, picked up some yarn for my brother-in-law's 'secret' project and got one design graphed out. I really want to do the second design but I'm going to have to play with creating a circular diagram for it and it will probably be crochet. I was thinking about knitting the other design. I wanted to get that started this weekend.
So two crafty projects to get going on. I'll keep ya'll posted on how it works out Monday!
Happy Friday and have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!

Progress!!!

Happy belated Fourth of July! I hope you all had a great weekend!
Oh, yeah! What does four days off work give you? Clean laundry, video games, and knitting progress! Lots of knitting progress!!!
See? This is the body portion - complete! Yep, complete I said!

 And here is sleeve #1 - about 2 inches from being complete!

Look at me all productive and stuff!
I'm excited! Can you tell??? I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am super freaking excited!
I'm learning about casting on methods during this project. I taught myself the knitting cast on method and have been using that exclusively for my projects. I attempted a provisional cast on for this sleeve, but the pictures/instructions are not as clear as I would like to know that I'm performing it correctly and not screwing up the sleeve, so I didn't use it. The provisional is also called the invisible cast on and gives a really clean line and is stretchy (as far as I understand). There is also a continental or long-tail cast on method and I can't really figure it out. I'm going to have to watch a video to see how continental is worked. Anyway, I'm looking at different casting on methods and plan on attempting them even if it's just for a swatch.
Speaking of swatching - I have gotten away with doing projects in a very similar or exactly the same yarn the patterns are written and my guage is very close to the pattern guage and have not had to swatch at all. Yes, I'm going to knitter hell, but I said it to the world - I do not swatch. Seriously, I do check my guage, but I have not swatched and I think it seems like a waste of yarn. I managed to do two semi-swatches for the sweater project after thinking that my guage might not be close enough, but it was and I just dived in. I know I said I was going to swatch, but once I saw the yarn all plain and in a sad little square I couldn't leave it like that - I frogged it and it's being worked into my sweater. I acknowledge I will at some point need to swatch for a project if I write my own pattern or switch up the yarn significantly. I cannot justify a waste of yarn for swatching. I've been thinking about this a long time - attempting to justify this necessary swatching and I believe I've come up with a good idea for all those bits of fabric: patchwork blanket from them. Since I have a craft room to hold onto all those swatches it shouldn't be a problem to hold onto them until I get enough of the swatches to piece together. Problem solved!

And I'm looking at other projects to move onto. I am going to be doing a special project for my brother-in-law that is a surprise! I'm not sure if he's aware of the this blog's existance so I'm going to be vague about this project and maybe just give tidbits on the progress of it until I find out he doesn't know about my blog and then ya'll will be included in all the fantastic details. For now, I've found the graphics I need and sized them. I need to graph them to create a custom color chart for knitting said graphic. This is going to be my first multi-color project and I'm thinking will be my gateway into fair isle knitting because I really want to knit something awesome in fair isle. Maybe like this?
 
And even further into the future some argyle socks would be super fun! I was going to insert a picture of said argyle socks, but all the photos I found of argyle socks are ugly...so just imagine something pretty and in soft colors.

Before all that hard fun stuff, I've got to start working on the list of stuff to make this year beginning with my brother-in-law's helmet liner. I think I have the yarn to do this. It needs to be easy to wash, durable, and I would like it to be comfortable. I'm thinking a soft acrylic. It would be great to do it in a superwash merino, but considering he'll only be wearing it like once a year for their annual trip to the Renaissance Festival I think it's going to make more sense for it to be of acrylic.

So I just listed enough to keep me busy for quite awhile. :)

I also saw my godsons and their parents this weekend so I gave them the beanies and they will most definately fit come fall/winter! Whoohoo! They may even be big and fit for a couple of winters!

That's my progress so far! Ya'll have a good week!