Adding Fringe with a Crochet Hook or a Yarn Needle

My SIL was making the Long Live the Queen hat and needed help adding the fringe.  I created the following video to help her out since it is hard to show the fabric up close on video chat.  The video demonstrates how you can add fringe either by using a crochet hook (which I find to be the easiest method) or with a yarn needle.  Enjoy!

The Craft of Lace Knitting

The Craft of Lace Knitting by Barbara G Walker

I'm not sure when this was published in relation to the treasury of knitting patterns, but many of these lace patterns are featured in the other two books.   However, it is nice to hae a volume solely dedicated to lace motifs and stitches.  

Besides some fantastic quotes from Barbara Walker, there is not a lot that I need to say about this book.  I do not know exactly how many lace patterns there are, but it certainly a nice selection.  I have seen some more recent books (although I unforunately forget the title) that have a larger variety of motifs, and that even include charts, but if you come across a copy of "The Craft of Lace Kntiting" it would be worth considering adding it to your personal collection.  

Here are my two favorite quotes from the introduction:

"Lace knitting is justly called the 'height of the knitter's art'"

"More than any other type of knitting, lace offers the greatest scope for individual ingenuity and creativity."  

Yarn Dyeing Gender Announcement

Sometimes things that you think are true turn out to be a little less true.   When I started dyeing yarn with food coloring I knew that you needed heat and acid to make the color set.  I thought that I could put together a clever video to reveal the gender of my baby by creating blue and pink dyebaths and withholding vinegar from one of them.  Theoretically, one miniskein should turn a color while the other remained white, thereby revealing the gender of the baby.   Watch the video to see what happens:

Unfortunately, I noticed something while I was taking pre-reveal photos (when no vinegar had been added to either bowl).  The miniskein of yarn that I had in the cool pink dyebath picked up a tinge of color that did not rinse out quickly.  I know from experience with space dyeing that red dyes take less time and require less acid to adhere to yarn, but at this point before even starting the experiment I had a feeling that we were doomed to failure.   (Of course, I also did not know the gender of my child yet. If the baby were a girl, things could still appear to have worked as planned.)

While setting up for this picture I first noticed that the experiment would not go as planned.  

So what happened?  Why did both skeins of yarn take up color?   We know that Easter Egg Dyeing Kits have enough acid to add color to yarn, but that the addition of acid early in the process allows the color to absorb much faster.  It turns out that both dyebaths were acidic (as measured by litmus paper), although I do not know at this point whether  it is due to the food coloring or the tap water used.   The dye was also fairly concentrated for the amount of yarn used, so this could have also affected the outcome.

Some further dyeing experiments:

• Repeat the above experiment but add vinegar to the pink dyebath and not the blue.  
• Vary the pH of the dyebath to see how it affects color uptake in side by side pots.  (Even make one sample basic.)  

Since the video didn't work out as expected, I had to "cheat" to create our gender announcement for facebook.

It's a boy!

A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns

A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker

This book has surprisingly little overlap from the first book, a Treasury of Knitting Patterns.  

The sections differ slightly from the first book:

• Knit-purl combinations
• slip-stitch patterns
• slip-stitch color patterns
• mosaic patterns
• fancy color patterns
• fancy texture patterns
• twist-stitch patterns
• cables
• cable-stitch patterns
• yarn-over patterns
• eyelets
• lace
• lace panels and insertions
• borders
• edgings

As you may see from just comparing the section titles, we are going more in depth into color and lace knitting here.  There is an increase in complexity in cables and other types of stitch patterns.  This book is not meant to replace the first Treasury, but supplement it.  Ideally you would add all four to your collection.

I would be much happier if these books included charts, and if they would be re-published as a multi-volume encyclopedia type series with like stitch patterns in the same section of the book.  Maybe I should write a letter to the editor...  

This popular series doesn't end at the second treasury of knitting patterns, it goes all the way up to four!  Check out the other two below.  (I have not seen them myself as my local library does not carry them.)  

A Search for Free Pokémon Crochet Patterns

Pokémon, you've gotta catch them all, right?  Why not crochet them all?  I started out looking for video game themed crochet patterns, and I had NO IDEA that I would come across so many Mario Themed Crochet patterns and Pokémon themed crochet patterns.  It is possible that I will end up with even more categories as I start searching for the characters of other popular games... but we will just have to see.  Enjoy these free Pokémon crochet patterns!

• POKEMON DOLL PATTERNS by WolfDreamer - I think that all of WolfDreamer's Designs are fantastic, and the Pokemon collection caught my eye from the get go.  Many of these creations are  smallish stuffed animal size (not teeny-tiny amigurumi) but you should check out the pattern to see the fantastic pictures!  (Not to mention that they are in alphabetical order.)  The pokemon designs include:
• Aipom
• Ampharos
• Azumarill
• Bayleef
• Charmander
• Chikorita
• Cyndaquil
• Drifloon
• Eevee
• Electrode
• Emolga
• HootHoot
• Horsea
• JigglyPuff
• Lugia
• Meowth
• Mew
• Mijumaru
• Natu
• Oddish
• Oshawott
• Pachirisu
• Pichu
• Pikachu
• Plusle 
• PokeBall
• Poliwhirl
• Psyduck
• Raichu
• Shaymin
• Snorlax
• Spheal
• Squirtle
• Sunkern
• Torchic
• Umbreon
• Voltorb
• Wooper
• Other Pokemon Crochet Amigurumi - So many different pokemon crochet patterns!  Once again, I think the names are description enough.  There are variations between the different patterns.   (Sorry that these are not in alphabetical order like WolfDreamer's!)   Pokemon is the first video game that I ever played, so I actually know who many of these characters are... However there are definitely some I've never heard of before!  
• Blue Totoro Amigurumi 
• Charzard
• Espeon
• Bulbasaur
• Mudkip
• Pokemon Pikachu Look-alike Toy
• Lapras 
• Snorlax
• Celebi
• Pokemon Charizard Look Alike Crochet Pattern
• Whismur Pokemon
• Slowpoke Pokemon
• Snivy
• Pokabu-Tepig
• Digglet Pokemon
• Pokeball Set - Gotta catch them all, right?
• Chansey
• Castform Pokemon in Normal Form
• Bulbasaur Evolutions
• Teddiursa Crochet Pattern
• Cherubi Pokemon
• Chinchou Amigurumi
• Pokemon Torchic Look-Alike Toy
• Pok'emon Pikachu Doll
• Pokemon Mew Look-alike Toy
• Numel Pokemon
• Trapinch Pokemon
• Gloom
• Gulpin
• Exeggutor 
• Pokemon Jigglypuff Look-alike Toy
• Wigglytuf Pokemon
• Elekid 
• Vaporeon
• Ivysaur
• Crowbat
• Larvitar
• Caterpie
• Swablu
• Mini Pikachu Amigurumi - You will need to create a free Ravlery.com account to access this free crochet pattern.  
• Vaporeon
• Buizel
• Togepi
• Wobbuffet
• Marill Pokemon Crochet Pattern
• Haunter Pokemon
• Litwick/Hitomoshi
• Weezing
• Sneasel
• Vulpix
• Sunflora
• Pokemon Spoink Look-alike Toy
• Smeargle
• Pokemon Lucario Look Alike
• Marshtomp
• Agumon
• Quilava
• Rattata Plushie
• Axew
• Combee Pokemon
• Sentret Plushie
• Snubbull
• Pikachu
• Pokemon Ash Ketchum Look-Alike - Because we all need a good trainer!  
• Blaziken
• Pokemon Azurill Look-Alike Toy
• Magicarp
• Togekiss
• Sandshrew
• Hippopotas pokemon
• Vanillite
• Jumpluff
• Mareep
• Miniature Pokeballs
• MewTwo
• Nuzleaf
• Feraligatr
• Ledyba
• Pignite
• Breloom
• Cubchoo (Pokemon)
• Dewott
• Ditto - You will need to create a free Ravlery.com account to access this free crochet pattern.  

Which is your favorite Pokémon crochet pattern?  With hundreds of pokemon out there, is it really surprising that there are so many pokemon crochet amigurumi?  

2013 Midwest Fiber and Folk Fair

For our second anniversary, Keith once again took me to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Fair in Greyslake, IL.    He is such a good sport as I go around all of the booths at least twice handling fiber, snuggling angora rabbits and chatting up the venders.  

Before going to the fair, I meticulously combed my queue to see what yarn needs I had for this great shopping opportunity.  Are you surprised that I didn't really find anything?  I knew that I wanted to come away from this trip with some fiber to spin, as I loved what I picked up last year.  (PLUS I had spun or knit with everything that I purchased last year! What a good girl I am.)  I feel that this is part of the spirit of my long gone 2013 yarn diet to only get spinnable fiber rather than simply adding yarn to my crazy stash.  

I picked up 3 - 4 oz braids and one art bat of unknown fibers.  Oooo I am so excited to play with these!  The first braid is a Meddow Maggots blend for Susan's Fiber Shop of 55% BFL, 15% Black Diamond Bamboo, 15% Tussah Silk and 15% Tencel.  The fiber blend gives some great visual interest that I know will carry through to the yarn.  And who can beat a great combination of teal and pink?  It caught my eye immediately as I was walking around.   I didn't realize it until I looked at the website, but Susan's Fiber Shop is where I tried out my Kromski Spinning wheel for the first time last year!  It now feels even better to give them some business.  

Next I stopped back at the 365 Days on a Farm booth.  I picked up my first ever art batt of unknown fiber quantity.  It is a spooky colorway of black, purple and hints of a lime green.  I am very excited to play with it.  I also couldn't resist the Merino with silk Noil roving in beautiful green.  

Finally, I had to make another stop back at the Fiber Optic Yarns booth.  I LOVED the BFL/Silk fiber that was one of the first projects on my spinning wheel and I was hoping to get some more.   Unfortunately the only color in that blend was the same color that I've already spun!  I would have been happy to spin the same thing again to get more yardage, but since it has been so long since I've spun (not to mention a different color lot) I didn't want to repeat myself.  Instead, I picked up a 20% silk/80% merino blend in deep saturated greens purples and blues.  

I am so excited to start these new spinning projects, but I need to wait a bit longer.  I have a project in mind that requires some hand dyeing, hand spinning and knitting for my baby on the way.  My other finger candies will just have to wait!  

Dyeing Yarn with Kool-Aid on the Stove

Here is a look back on a classic dyeing tutorial that I created ages ago but never shared here on ChemKnits.  In this video you will learn the basics you need to dye yarn with food based dyes on the stove, focusing on Kool Aid.  (Tip, Don't like the Kool-Aid hues?  Add some drops of food coloring to alter the coloration.)  

In the last year, I started a new series on YouTube called Dyeing Experiments.  In this playlist I will dye yarn in different ways without knowing what outcome to expect.  Sometimes things work great, other times they completely flop.  Come join the journey by following ChemKnitsBlog on YouTube!