Penelope Cobblestone Scarf

At last, I have written up my first pattern. I hope you enjoy knitting this scarf as much as I did ~ Happy Holidays!

Penelope Cobblestone Scarf by Jennifer Moretti

Inspired by the  2006 movie Penelope starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy. My niece requested a scarf like Penelope's to make her Halloween costume complete last year and a really cute, cozy scarf was born.  This is my first pattern write up ever, it has not been test knit, gentle input is greatly appreciated.

• Size: 8 inches wide and just over 60 inches long - shown in movie approx 80 inches long
• Yarn: Lion Brand Baby Soft Solid (60% Acrylic/40% Nylon; 459yd/141g) in 2 colors: [MC1] Pistachio and [MC2] Violet.  Red Heart Ltd Designer Sport  (100% Acrylic; 270 yr/85g) [CC] Black Note: I used approx three quarters of each of all three skeins for a scarf just over 60 inches - approx 345 yds of each MC, and approx 210 yards of CC.
• Needle: US 5 [3.75mm] 16" circular needle or double pointed needles (magic loop would work too)
• Gauge: oops, lost my notes - I did go down one needle size than recommended on yarn label to get a slightly denser fabric.
• Notions: tapestry needle
• Stitch pattern:

Cobblestone Stitch [Multiple of 8 sts] (revised 11/13/10)

Row 1: With CC, knit.

Rows 2-9: With MC1, knit every row

Row 10: With CC, * k7, drop next stitch off needle and unravel 8 rows down, picking up CC from row 1 below; insert needle into this stitch and under the 8 loose strands of MC1, and knit, catching the loose strands behind stitch; * repeat for round.

Row 11: With CC, knit

Rows 12-19: With MC2, knit every row.

Row 20: With CC, knit 3, *drop next st, unravel, and knit CC st from 9th row below as in Row 10; k7 * repeat for round; last repeat end k4.

Repeat Rows 1-20

(adapted from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns Blister Check, or Coin Stitch pg 69)

Scarf Pattern:

Begin with CC, CO 80 sts, join to work in round careful not to twist. 

Work 3 - 7 rounds stockinette stitch (or desired length for rolled edge). 

Continue in Cobblestone Stitch pattern for desired length.

Then, with CC, work 3 - 7 rounds in stockinette stitch (or desired length for rolled edge). 

To finish, knot off or weave in ends inside tube, may sew tube closed or leave open.

A pictorial tutorial for the Cobblestone Stitch pattern Row 10:

A look at the back

You are welcome to print this pattern, teach this pattern, and sell items made with this pattern to your hearts desire, all I ask is that you please give me credit where credit is due and not represent as your own. Thank you!

A sunshine day!

The baby is teething/not sleeping/needing constant contact with me and that greatly reduces the number of things I can do in a day. Plus, it's really hard to type with an 11 month old on your lap - oooh! buttons!!!Yep, I took a vacation on you and I'm blaming the baby.

The sun decided to shine for us today and I'm loving the crystal blue sky.

I finished the dog sweater and did not take a picture before I sent it off. Hopefully mom will share one of Delila modeling and that will be more fun than a lumpy piece of knitting laid out anyway.

But I did upgrade Jessa to a booster seat - it's Pink and totally Jessa.

.

AND I cleaned out the car (too cold to vacuum, but got all the junk out)!
Now of course Gracie is jealous of the beautiful pink booster seat so I need to

• ignore her til she gets over it  --or--
  

• make/buy her a replacement cover  --or--
  

• buy her the cute one with flowers and save the boring black one in the attic for Jack

On the knitting front I am now working on a Twirly Skirt [found under Free Patterns] for Gracie. She and I are hoping it is ready for her Valentines Party at school, if not, it will still be a fun skirt. I was making the Lil Sister Dress [see side bar], but I had to take it back a few rows and disaster struck and I ended up at the very beginning. The yarn was not a great match for this pattern anyway - it looks much better already as the skirt.

I'm also about to start Jack's birthday hat - I cant believe he's nearly one! This year has FLOWN by!

So close!

Miss Delila's sweater is nearly ready to fly home. Just a few ends to weave in and some hook and loop tape to sew on and we are finished! I hope she likes it (it's a bit brighter than I anticipated).

Somehow it's ended up looking like a fluorescent pink bumblebee...Mom said to not spend too much and please make it girly. Hee hee, I think girly is definitely covered here.

Love,

Jen

Progress...

Miss Delila's sweater is at that lovely point where I knit and knit and measure to discover I have only gained an inch.

It is very pink, no?

There will be no question that Delila is a lassie at doggy playgroup.

Happy Weekend, Hope you are having a good one!

Knock my socks off.

This is my on-the-go project. I figure it's about time I have a few more pairs of socks - for me or possibly for gifts throughout the year. My hope is to knock out a pair a month, my realistic goal is 10 pairs for 2010.

I'm rather impressed with this Heart & Sole by Red Heart - it is made of 70% superwash wool (30% Nylon), and the added Aloe makes it very nice to handle. I cannot wait to see how these feel on my feet.

And the Toasted Almond colorway is working up very nicely. My diaper bag is hiding at the moment or I'd show my progress. Since this is a work a few stitches as I can sock,  I'm following A Good, Plain Sock Recipe from Knitting Rules!

Powerful Pink

Delila's Sweater looks a bit different today. The prior model was double stranded and, well, stiff. So this is the new and improved version and it's really growing on me.

• Early mods: double stranding on US 10 1/2 needles in [k1, p1] rib. I could have gone up in needle size for more drape but this method was gobbling up yarn and I would have had to buy more to finish 

• New mods: alternating bright and light pink every 2 rows in garter stitch on US 8 needles. Because pattern was written for k1, p1 the garter stitch spreads out and is giving more coverage without needing to alter number of stitches given for size Large.
• I'm at approx 13" now, about 10" more to go before dividing for neck and working straps.
  

 

We had a busy day around here, we had two friends over today so there was lots of games and giggles. They were being particularly cute at one point so I grabbed my camera, turned it on and it promptly turned itself back off! So no photos of girls having fun...I was almost scrambling to get a picture up for today until I rubbed my last two awake brain cells together and borrowed from another device while I figure out where my camera's rechargeable batteries have found a new home. [I've been using a set of lithium batteries since Jack's delivery day - they almost made it a year!]

It was fitting that I had a pink project to share today as my uncle just shared a YouTube video that deserves further sharing:

Please spread this video as you feel moved, it's for a good cause - and entertaining :)

Love,

Jen & fam

Bon Appetit!

Baby, it's cold outside today! I am so thankful John put up that storm door - I cannot believe how much money we've likely flushed under that door up until a few months ago...

So I'm thankful to be inside.

Cozy on my couch, knitting and watching Julie & Julia.

On my lap you spy my mom's dog's new sweater in progress (my mom and sister let me do Christmas late for them because they love me). I'd love to tell you more about it, but a certain little boy is on my lap trying to start a competition for who is the best typist and

Jessa says it's time to read stories for bedtime!

Love,
Jen & Co.

Crossing the Finish Line

Phew, all the ponchos are done! Well, I've got to weave in a few ends and attempt to block them. I say attempt because of course these were made of Homespun, but from what I've been seeing as I continue to work with acrylic I feel that anything that was knit needs a good soak to show it's true beauty and work out some of the wonks.

I'm halfway through the wing on MS3. I'm a bit bummed I didnt get it finished before Mystic Waters KAL launched. I've been a busy girl. At least I'm not in a funk :)

I have a favor to ask of anyone stopping by, please take a minute to pray/send good thoughts toward my hometown - San Diego. My sister, an uncle & his fam, an aunt & her dh, and too many friends have been evacuated. So far their homes are all still standing - but they were good and are following orders. The aunt and uncle plus their respective families are all at my dad's so I'm sure things are interesting over there. And my sister is staying with friends and thankfully she's in an area that doesnt have much of the smoke/debris fallout (her asthma was acting up). I'm also very thankful that my mom's place is next to an evacuation center so I can easily check on her safety without calling her all day ;) And a super big thank you to the local ABC station out there for streaming live news on http://www.10news.com/ The Santa Ana winds will hopefully break Wednesday and finally give everyone some relief!

I love you guys!

I am so excited, I've started the wing on MS3! It gets more beautiful every row I add and I'm so glad I'm sticking with it :)

I have yet to cast on for my new mystery lace partly because

• I've been busy running around - my BIL is a HS Football coach and a trip to see his game this morning turned into an all day play with the cousins event - also, it was 90 (f) today in CHICAGO! in OCTOBER!!! we are all slightly sunburnt and sun fatigued but it felt great to get our bones warm one more time ;)
• I've picked up another commisioned project - my MIL wants me to knit capes for her DIL and Grand-daughter and she's knitting her son a scarf because...
• I just taught my MIL and her best friend to knit! (that was really fun)
• technical difficulties...I've discovered the yarn I bought for Chrysopolis is not very evenly spun. Since this is a "mystery" I dont know how well that will work for this project, so I will just have to repurpose it. So I placed an order with Knit Picks, and it came in the mail today - I got my Campfire!

Ok, well back to work
sorry for no pics, too busy...

Sweet, sleeping babies

Thank goodness, my kiddos are sleeping - at the same time! Hooray!!!

I just got to spend an unheard of amount of time on Ravelry - how do I love thee.

Just thought I'd pop in - since they are still asleep - before I get a few rows in on the library book bag and share the progress photo:



Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day Weekend!

Roadtrip!

We had a little roadtrip today so I got much more knitting done than I would have otherwise. I've nearly finished the back side of the Princess Tote. Yes, I've promised a pattern for a project that I have yet to complete. As I was nearing the end of the back side, I was reconsidering what I've done for the front. The stitch pattern on the front is not the problem as much as the yarn I chose.

I picked cotton-tots for this project (in Grape Berry). It's from my stash, from a binge at Joann's during a clearance sale - the yarn was half off the clearance price! I used cotton-tots to make my dishwashing apron and I really like it there because my apron is like a large dishcloth and I like that. But I'm not sure how well the texture of this yarn is fitting the pattern I chose.

The front panel right now features the gingerbread castle from Barbara Walkers 2nd Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Which is lovely (and honestly kind of fun) to work, but I'm just not as thrilled with the "finished" look so far - maybe I need to *gasp* block it? Yes, I think I will block it before it eats flies in the frog pond.

I'm off to bed for a fresh start tomorrow :)

Black Cavern Knitting

So I'm working on the Cavern cardigan right now, and I'm loving it! Thank you so much Lisa for mentioning this pattern! I see a few of them in my future. This is a top-down seamless raglan in worsted weight, I'm using Caron's Simply Soft in Black.
Here's where I am so far (3/4 through raglan shaping):

And a keen(e) eye may notice her stitch markers in action...Thank You!!! I love them, and I get to think about you whenever I knit now :D I'm going to have a hard time going back to my hack plastic markers ;) And I think you have repaid my getting you into knitting by getting me into making stitch markers - that has just soared to the top of my "I'm gonna..." list.

I also have a finished object that I managed to capture before gifting:
Pattern:Creative Knitting Magazine (Nov 2005), Precious Baby Jacket, p 46
~beware check the website there is an important revision on the front(s) shaping.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Bright Ombre and Bernat Softee Baby in White
Needle: Size 6 (4mm)
Time: Honestly I was in such a holidaze and Gracie was in rare form for most of the month so my best guess is 4-5 sittings at approx 2 hrs each so not much more than 10 hrs and it would have been quicker if I'd checked the website before I started and if I didnt have a toddler who tried to throw her schedule out the window ;)
Notes: Other than the revision in the pattern this was a great knit, the pattern is interesting enough to not be boring, but I was still able to watch TV/movies throughout. I love baby knits, quick, simple and oh so cute! DH wants me to make one for Gracie :)

As well as one of my lovely Christmas gifts from my in-laws:

That is Lion Brand Jiffy in El Paso and a pattern book from Leisure Arts Touchable Knits.
I think I like the cardigan on the front, and the shell on the back cover, but I really feel this yarn is destined for Hot Lava unless I get a few more skeins and make the ballet wrap cardigan on the cover of the current Interweave Knits (Winter 2005).
But that project will have to wait as I am madly finishing 2 more gifts (this was planned to be late, I promise!) before I head to CA Jan 21 :)