Finito! Silk Moon Crescent Shawl/ette

Well this one was quick little piece of sunshine! It's the Silk Moon Crescent Shawl/ette (the pattern has 2 sizes) and it looks great!  

We used 5.5mm needles and 2 skeins of Noro Taiyo (colour 40). We didn't get to the end of the pattern, a third skein would have been required, and it's already larger than the pattern's finished size (probably because the Taiyo is blooming on the 5.5mm needles). Anyway, we worked to row 99 and cast off.  

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

Under Construction: Bermuda Scarf

I'm making progress on my Bermuda Shawl, although I had to slow down prior to the DKC Knitters Frolic (where I happened to have seen several of them in various colourways).  

I still maintain that it's a simple knit, it just requires a little attention. In addition to my trusty row counter,  I also have a pencil at the ready and do lots of checking off rows in the margins. The pattern is very straight-forward, but sometimes it says too repeat a couple of rows a bunch more times, and in order to keep track I write those out in the margins and check them off.  The pattern would definitely be a really good introduction to knitting short rows.

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

New Free Pattern - Frolic Shawl

New Pattern - Frolic Shawl

We introduced this pattern at the DKC Knitter's Frolic last weekend and now we are making it available for everyone! It's a quick & satisfying little spring knit, and only uses  2 skeins of yarn: 1 Noro Taiyo and 1 Berroco Remix. 

To see the projects go to the Ravelry Page, or download it directly from our website.

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

How to Crochet a Bike Cosy: Part 2 Engage the Audience

How to Crochet a Bike Cosy

Part 2: engage the audience

It's probably going to take you a little while to make your bike cosy. In the interim you can get the ball rolling with some temporary decorations. It's a great way to play with colours and textures and inspire yourself. Additionally, a bike cosy isn't just a fait accomplit, it's an experience and a process. A little bit of decoration will tip off your audience (the viewers) that something is happening. 

Make your embellishments quickies, you don't want to sink much time into them - save it for the actual cosy. I suggest using they same yarn you'll be making the cosy from, it'll create a continuity with the finished project. 


Speaking of which, it's time to buy some yarn. I suggest using a sturdy synthetic that can handle the elements. A chunky weight is ideal, or use 2 strands of a Sport weight yarn held together. 


Materials

• SMC Schachenmayr Bravo: neon yellow (8232), neon pink (8234), neon green (8233), and neon orange (8279) 
• Red Heart Super Saver: Light Grey OR  SMC Schachenmayr Bravo: silver (8205)
• 5.5mm crochet hook

Ideas

• Pompoms (mine are made with a Clover Pom-Pom Maker)
• Wrap yarn around parts of the bike
• Simple crochet flowers

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Finished: Super Easy (& Groovy) Baby Blanket

I finished up my Super Easy Baby Blanket. It looks great, feels great, and was fun to make. Very satisfied, a great mindless knit on large needles. 

I cast on 100 sts on 7mm needles and worked approximately 32 to 34 rows in each colour (depending on the yardage in the skein - it tended to vary from skein to skein). 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Finished: Arshile Remix Hoodie

Liane finished the Arshile baby/child pullover with Berroco Remix and I think it looks awesome. It's a pattern written specifically for the yarn (from Berroco #303) so I expected it would make good use of the yarn's inherent properties. I was surprised how tweedy it came out, the yarn doesn't have any wool, but it came out looking pretty close to a real tweed which is .... awesome - I like that aesthetic.  I've confirmed it to myself, it's a soft all season yarn that has some texture and interest, and it's machine washable = kid friendly!  :-)

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

How to Crochet a Bike Cosy: Part 1 Prime the Canvas

How to Crochet a Bike Cosy

Part 1: prime the canvas

Why paint the bike first? Because it's fun!  It's also much more inspiring, and you can put it on display immediately.

Materials

• 1 Bike at the end of it's life: rusty, old, immobile.
• 1 U bike lock (no cables, they are too easy to cut. Unless you live in Moncton NB, I hear people are really honest there.)
• 2 to 3 cans spray paint in main colour
• 1 can spray paint in colour that blends with the wall
• rubber gloves
• lots and lots of news paper
• painting clothes and shoes
• masking tape

Directions

1. Source a crappy bike.
2. Go to the hardware store and buy Neon paint. 2 cans for mediocre coverage, 3 good good coverage. 
3. Be sure to wear crappy painting clothes, especially pants and shoes that you don't care about. 
4. If your bike has a kick-stand feel free to paint it standing. If not, you'll have to do it one side at a time. 
5. Tape over any crucial working parts of the bike lock (like where the key goes).
6. To clean the nozzle of the paint can, hold it upside down and spray (do not hold in front of your face while you do this - big mistake)

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Bermuda Bound

Last week I started a Bermuda Scarf with Noro Silk Garden Sock. The pattern is not hard, but you need to pay attention and keep track of where you are. It also helps to have some experience with short rows.

This is my Bermuda. It is not very Caribbean looking, but that's ok by me.

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!