The Sampler Afghan - Three Years in the Making

History of the Afghan:

• Thanksgiving 2006. Purchase the book 60 Easy-To-Knit Pattern Stitches Combine to Create Sampler Afghans, Leaflet 932.
  
• Fall 2006. Purchased multiple (30-40, I cannot even remember at this point... WAY more than I needed) balls of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted Weight Yarn (Color: Fisherman).
  
• Cast on Christmas 2006. I was afraid of cables, and wanted a project to teach myself more complex stitch patterns. I started out making one square a day. I learned that cables were easy... but a complex multi-cable and bobble square was so time consuming (>5 min a row) and requred a lot of attentiont hte pattern that I stalled.
  
• January 2009. I break out the afghan, realize I am so close to 20 squares... and abandon the 30 square idea.
• April. Square 18 completed.
  
• June. 19 squraes done... one left
• July. Replaced a square that I determined had a too large gauge. one more to go (again).
• August. Moving. Should not work on afghan, I should work on packing/unpacking.
• September-November. Start the knit-a-thon. Didn't want to make squares for myself when I could be helping the homeless.
• November 2009. Finished the 20th square. Constructed the afghan!

As every knitter knows, when you make a flat piece that has stockinette borders, the work will curl up. If you are working with 100% wool, this is easy to block with steam or water. It does not work as well in a wool blend, and this wool-ease is only 20% wool. Therefore, when arranging the squares, I wanted to ensure that curled edges ended up in the interior or the afghan.

When assembling the afghan, I started seeming the outer edges, and only tacking the corners of the inner pieces. I wanted there to be some structure when I tried to deal with the curled edges.

To ensure that edges were flush during seaming, and that there would be minimal puckering in the final blanket, I used safety pins to facilitate the seaming on the curled edges.

Pinned squares (right) and finished stitched squares (left)

Thankfully these curled pieces stitched up without any trouble:

The squares are all stitched together, now to just weave in those loose ends.
All of those 40+ loose ends...

When doing the charity afghan, I wove in my ends as I made the squares, and then used a long piece of yarn to stitch them together. I still ended up with a lot of loose ends to weave in at the end. Since I was initially going to crochet a boarder around each square (fail), I had purposefully left long tails on each square. I did not weave in any ends in any of the 20 squares. I ended up using these ends to stitch the blanket together, doing all of my weaving in at the end. I did not need to use any additional yarn to stitch the blanket together.

The removed loose ends.

My new afghan is so cozy! I am itching to start another one (stupidly). This is the second time an afghan has taken me about 3 years to complete. I just get bored in the middle of the construction. I am so happy with the final product that I am willing to risk boredom again!

Now I need to use up all of this leftover fisherman's wool...

#20

Okay... this is finally (cross your fingers now) the LAST piece of my sampler afghan. I wanted a pattern that I could complete quickly, so I decided on this diagonal rib.

Unfortunately for my afghan (but not for the pine street inn!), I decided to take part in the 3rd annual knit-a-thon for the Boston homeless shelter, and I would have felt strange working on a square for myself when I was trying to make as many squares as possible for the homeless shelter.

Now I just have to piece it together... hopefully I do not need to redo any more squares.....

The Color Purple

I have made two previous attempts to dye wool purple using Wilton's food coloring paste. The first used vinegar as the acid source, and the second used KoolAid Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade. The first attempt resulted in purple, while the second did not (deep blue). I was curious if the vinegar made the difference for the color, so I decided to set up some purple tests.

2 drops of NEON blue is the same as Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade according to a knitty article. So if I divide one packet of KoolAid into two, then I should add one NEON drop to the only vinegar sample. I added 3 mL (~16 drops/mL) + 4 drops of concentrated purple solution to each of the following:

1. 1/2 C KoolAid, 1/2C water, 1/2T water
2. 1/2 C KoolAid, 1/2C water, 1/2T White Vinegar
3. 1C water, 1/2T Vinegar, 1 drop NEON Blue
   
4. 1C water, 1/2T Vinegar

Samples 1-4, from left to right.

Dyeing:

• Soak ~13 yard skeins of wool in water until saturated
• Add to dye solution, Microwave on High for 2 minutes (Or until the solution is boiling)
  
• Allow to cool and absorb the rest of the dye
• Examine the colors!
  

I had thoughts of bringing home some pH paper to test the solutions if the colors ended up different, however I discovered from samples 2-4 that the single drop of Neon Blue was enough to change the purple to a deep vibrant blue. The type of acid has a very limited effect on the color, the liquid food coloring drops must be much more concentrated than the paste I used. Once they dried, there are slight differences in the tone of #2 and#3, but this could be the result of the "dye lot" and not the acid.

To see if I could switch the blue back to purple, I added 1 drop of Neon Pink food coloring to sample #1. Success! I achieved purple again!

My samples after dyeing. #1 bottom right, #2 bottom left, #3 top right, #4 top left.

In the end, it is nice to know that the acid source (Kool Aid or vinegar) does not have much of an effect on the dyed color. I am sure that if I were to push the concentration of vinegar higher I could affect some changes with colors, but I will save that experiment for another day.

Is the Jester in the house?

It always amazes me how baby knitters do not like to do things in the round. I picked up the book 50 Baby Bootees to Knit to make something for my friend's niece/nephew-on-the-way, and most of the patterns involve making a flat piece and then stitching it up. Now, the pattern that I selected (Harlequin Bootees) is easier knit flat to deal with the two colors.

The pattern called for a dk wool, but I decided to use my favorite baby yarn that I happened to have sitting in my knitting cupboard. I followed the pattern with two exceptions. 1) I did not buy a pom-pom to put on the tip of the booties, and 2) I gathered the teal top a bit to make the boot more curved (see below). The overall effect is subtle, but I think that it enhances the playfulness of the booties.

Before (left) and after (right)

This was a fun project! I almost forgot to invert the colors when I started the second bootie. I hope my pal enjoys them!

Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me!

I'm starting to understand how to create shapes with my knitting. I bring you, my first knit toy.... a Fly. Maybe a Drosophila, I do have fond memories of the geneticists who name mutants by silly names.

Materials

• Knitting Needles: 4 dpn Size 1, (2.5 mm)
• Yarn: Remnants of KnitPicks Palette Yarn (Fingering weight) in Black and Marble Heather (grey)
• Gauge: Not important for the completed project, but you want to knit tight enough that you will not see the polyester stuffing.
• Misc: Toy stuffing, yarn needle.
• Finished Size: 2.5 inch wingspan.
  

Body:
(Starting at the tip of the head.)
1. CO 6 sts. Join to knit in the round and knit one row.
2. Kfb across - 12 sts
3. K across
4. Kfb across - 24 sts
5. K across
6. K across
7. *K6, K2tog* repeat 3 times - 21 sts
8. K across
9. K2, K2tog, K5, K2tog, K5, K2tog, K3 - 18 sts
10. K across
11. *K1, K2tog* across- 12 sts
12. K across
Now starting the body of the fly.
13. Kfb across - 24 sts
14. K across
15. K1, Kfb, K8, Kfb, K2, Kfb, K8, kfb, K1 - 28 sts
16. K across
17. K1, Kfb, K10, Kfb, K2, Kfb, K10, kfb, K1 - 32 sts
Rows 18-20. K across
21. K1, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K1 - 28 sts
22. K across
23. K1, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K1 - 24 sts
24. K across
25. *K2, K2tog* across, 18 sts
26. K across
27. *K1, K2tog* across, 12 sts
Stuff the head and body with polyester stuffing.
28. K2tog across, 6 sts
Pull yarn through the remaining 6 sts, weave in loose ends.

Wings (make 2)
1. With grey, cast on 8. purl one row - 8 sts
2. Kfb, K6, Kfb - 10 sts
3. P across
4. Kfb, K8, Kfb - 12 sts
5. P across
6. SSK, K8, K2tog - 10 sts
7. P across
8. SSK, K6, K2tog - 8 sts
9. P across
10. SSK, K4, K2tog - 6 sts
11. P across
12. SSK, K2, K2tog - 4 sts
13. P across
14. SSK, K2tog - 2 sts
15. P2tog - 1 st, pull end through and weave in the end to the wing.
Weave some yarn through the edge of the wing, and gather slightly so the wing curl (like fly wings, not curl like stockinette stitches curl). Tie to keep the gather. Gather the cast-on edge and sew wings to the back of the fly body.

Diagram for gathering the wings.


Wings and body before attachment

CyO is a dominant curly wing mutation often used as a marker, which is how the wings will appear when you sew them directly onto the back. However, I give you the ability to make the wings straighter. Behold:

WT (wild type, or without the mutation; left), CyO (right). Change the status of your fly by bending the curly wings outwards.

Legs (make 6)
CO 3 sts in black. Work as Icord for 8 rounds. Sew ends together into loop. Attach three to each side of the body.

Legs before (left) and after (right) forming the loops

Underside of the Fly for leg placement.

Eyes (make 2)
CO 3 sts of grey. Work in Icord for 4 rounds. Tie into a circle. Sew onto the head of the fly.

ENJOY!
Buzz your little fly around your house. Annoy your brother (or sister). Place it in your fruit bowl. Make them multiple so you have an "infestation." I hope that this pattern made you smile!

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Abbreviations Used in this pattern:
Kfb - increase by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch.
K - knit
P - purl
SSK - decrease by slipping two stitches then knitting them together. Alternatively, you could slip one stitch, knit one stitch and pass slipped stitch over.
K2tog - decrease by knitting two stitches together.
This this pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. This pattern is not to be replicated, sold or redistributed without permission from ChemKnits. © 2009 ChemKnits

Pine Street Inn Knit-a-Thon

My knit donation

Today was the Pine Street Inn's 3rd Annual Knit-a-Thon. The knit squares collected will be incorporated into afghans for the the Supportive Housing Program, a program which provides permanent housing for the Boston homeless. Today I brought over my blanket and squares to the other volunteers. I was awed and inspired to see how many people had made squares for this event.

This is my last plea (of the year) to join me in supporting the Pine Street Inn by making a donation.

My finished blanket (bottom row on the left) joins dozens of others as volunteers work to stitch the thousands of squares into more.

I am proud to have made a contribution to this worthy cause. Thank you all for you support. I have been assured that there will be a 4th annual knit-a-thon, so in between projects I may start assembling squares for next year!

Knit-A-Thon Tally

WE DID IT! The Knit-a-thon is tomorrow, and I've sewn a whole blanket at home! Plus I have 8 (9 with Jenn's) square to bring to the knit-a-thon!

Thank you everyone for your love and support. I am so proud of my new knitters Jenn, Caroline and Keith. I know that you are ready for a bigger project, and I am more than willing to help you out!

Keith's (left) and Caroline's (right) Squares in the blanket

My last 8 squares


Jenn's Square (I still have to cast off)

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I am knitting for the 3rd annual Pine Street Inn Knit-a-Thon on November 8, 2009. Please show your support with a donation.