Baby Caterpillar Toy

When I came across the free crochet Baby Caterpillar Toy, I knew that it was a genius baby design.  The body of the caterpillar has two rings around it, giving some interest in color and movement while still being completely soft.  I love it, and cannot wait to make it for my child.  

Yarn Consumption - I used a size G (4 mm) hook and Shine Sport in 5 colors.  

Yellow - 4 g consumed in ring 1

Pink- 3 g; 4 g consumed in ring 2

Teal -  5 g consumed in the caterpillar head

Purple - 2 g consumed for Caterpillar body middle.  

Blue -  2 g consumed in the caterpillar tail.  

The pattern started off by making the external rings (since these get attached to the body as you're crocheting it.)  I had a little trouble crocheting from a chain stitch to start the ring, and I had to rip it out to start again.  Somehow, the first time I got to almost the end with only 14 sts, not close to the 32 i needed!  I must have been skipping some chains. 

 

Once stuffed, the rings looked pretty good.  Now I just have to hope that they fit on the caterpillar well (i.e. not too tight.) 

 

As you know, I don't consider my embroidery to be that good.  Therefore, I used size 6 mm safety eyes.  I attached them when the instructions said to start stuffing.  Hopefully I will like the placement when I get to the end!  

I'm expecting the rings to be a little snug...  and they are snug, but can still be moved.  I'm not sure if a baby could easily move them, but it would be some entertainment!  They rotate around the middle much easier than they slide back and forth.  

When I reached the last two rows (to start decreasing) i realized that i had only increased to 16, not 18 for the "tail."  I'll just make sure to stuff it tightly so the rings won't slip off.  

Using some scraps of brown I crocheted on some antennae.  (5 chain for each antenna) 

This was such a great remnant project!  Unfortunately my left middle finger still hurts a bit after crocheting, but I think with time that will get better.  This may become my new go to baby shower gift!  Finished Size - 5" long, ~2.25" high.

Dyeing Experiment - Applying Dye with a Spray Bottle

I've been wanting to try different methods of applying dye to yarn.  I saw a beatiful shawl that was dyed after it was knit into a rainbow colorway.  The knitter used a spray bottle to apply the dye, and then sprayed on vinegar to set the color.  The final gradient was stunning.

I presoaked the mini-skein of yarn in a vinegar/water solution before spraying on some dye.  This would have worked better if I had more liquid in the spray bottle, but I didn't want to waste any food coloring.  I then wrapped the skein in seran and set the color in the microwave.

The final effect is handpainted/kettle dyed-esqe.  I was wondering if I would get a frosted color like in some Madelinetosh yarns, but I was dealing with a fingering weight yarn.  Using a spray bottle on bulky yarn may apply the color just to the outside giving the frosted effect I covet.   

I also think that this method would be easier with more liquid in the bottle.  As I mentioned at the end of the video, I have a spray bottle that is a LOT better.  I've learned a lot from this experiment.  So tell me, would you even give dyeing yarn with a spray bottle a try?  

EGCG Knitting Chart - A Molecule from Green Tea

There are a lot of Molecule Knitting Charts here on ChemKnits.  The charts that I've shared in recent years aren't ones that I've decided to chart on my own, but I've made at a reader's request. 

When I received the following comment, "Does green tea have it's own molecule?"  I knew that I was curious and did some research.  It turns out, the reader was right!  You're right! Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is an antioxidant in green tea that may have therapeutic uses.  This compound is a potent antioxidant found only in green tea, not black tea. I will add it to my list of molecule charts to create.

The structure of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)

EGCG Chart - 47 sts x 39 rows.  Red represents oxygens.

Do you have any molecules that you would like to see charted?  Let me know in the comments below! 

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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. © 2013 ChemKnits

Owl Earflap Hat - Take 2

Looking at the Owl Earflap Hat I shared with you in the previous post I started feeling concerned that it would be too small for Chirphead.  I therefore decided that it would be worth it to create a second one in the next size up. This way, one should fit Chirphead for his newborn photos.  The other can make a great shower gift or hat for a stuffed animal!  This time I selected the 3-6 month size.

Plans changed a bit as I do not have enough of the Lion Brand Wool to make a second small hat, let alone one that is slightly bigger.  (To be fair, there was a lot of waste for the braids etc in the previous version, but I would hate to start it and then not have any contrast for the braid.)  I will need to rethink the colors to make the larger version.  I therefore decided to hold Berroco Peruvia with a strand of KnitPicks Palette to give a similar stranded like effect.

This hat was also crocheted with a size H (5.0 mm) hook.  The beak and eyes were once again formed out of  KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in Daffodil (3 yards), White (18 yards) and Coal (3 yards).  I used Berroco Peruvia in colors 7104 Oat (39 yards) and 7152 (Brown 40 yards.)  I held the darker Brown Peruvia with a strand of KnitPicks Palette  (33 yards) to get a similar standed effect as was present in the first newborn hat.

The pattern starts out pretty differently for the larger hats, and the contrasting color stripe is larger.  I will do the dark brown through row 7 and then swap for the lighter brown (3 DC rows of the lighter color rathern than 4 as written.)

I noticed that the larger patterns have better instructions for the earflaps than the newborn pattern.  You count stitches along the front rather than along the seam, so you have the same RS/WS for both ears.  I sewed the two eyes together before attaching them to the hat to give make it easier for them to be connected (and to make the overall placement a bit easier.)  

The newborn hat was 6" across and 4.25" deep (to front edge.)  The 3-6 month hat is 6.75" across and 5.25" deep.  One of these should fit a newborn chirphead!  

Owl Earflap Hat

Now that I know I'm having a little boy, I'm really excited to start making specific items for his newborn photo shoot.  When I saw the Newborn Crochet Owl Hat Pattern I knew that it was something I wanted to create for Chirphead.  Plus this is a project I should be able to create entirely out of my current stash.
The pattern calls for a size H (5.0 mm) crochet hook and three colors of worsted weight yarn.  I used Wool of the Andes Camel Heather for the earflaps (27 yards), Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool 201 for the top of the hat (33 yards), White WotA (16 yards), and scraps of WotA in Coal and Daffodil.  Since I don't have big cute buttons, I will use black for the interior of the owl eyes.

I was a little worried about the hat size.  When I hit 40 sts after row 4 it only measured about 4" wide.  But with each successive row, the hat got a little wider and wider.  After row 5 - 5" and after row 6 - 5.5".  Plus, with such a big hook there is some stretch to the hat.  I'm no longer worried!  

Row 4 (left) and row 6 (right).  

When the instructions told me to count 9 sts away from the seam, this meant that I started the second earflap on a WS row.  I suppose I could have gone in the other direction, but I wanted the CH seam to be in the back of the hat (more narrow portion) rather than the front.  I therefore did not turn after my CH1 so I would SC around the RS edge, rather than WS edge.  

This hat is already so cute, and it doesn't even have the pieces on it!  Note that for the eyes only round 1 is done in the accent color, rounds 2-3 should be white.  

The beak was crocheted sideways.  I love how simple it was and you can take advantage of the different stitches for a triangle.  

This hat is so adorable!  I honestly think it is one of the cutest items I've ever crafted.  I sure hope that it will fit well on Chriphead's head.  

If you don't crochet, don't dispair!  There are many adorable free owl hat knitting patterns out there!  

Univeristy of Texas (UT) Sweater Ornament

Go Longhorns!  My In-Laws and close family friends all went to UT for their undergraduate degrees, and I thought it would be fun to design as sweater ornament for them.  I thought that I would just put "UT" on a sweater much like my Boston University Sweater Ornament, but I quickly discovered that UT combines the letters much like the Indiana University logo I grew up with.  I think that what I came up with is pretty cute!

Materials

• Knitting Needles: Size 1 (2.25 mm)
• Yarn: ~20 yards total Fingering weight KnitPicks Palette Yarn in two colors, Orange* (3-4 g; ~20 yards) and White (1g; ~5 yards) (*I dyed the orange yarn for this project myself.) 
• Gauge: Not important for the completed project
• Misc: yarn needle.

The Pattern
1. Cast on 16 sts in MC
2. (WS) Knit across
3. K across (RS)
Rows 4-6. Knit in stockinette (Knitting on RS rows, Purling on WS rows.)
Rows 7-15. Begin the UT lettering (see below), following the chart. Continue to K RS and P WS rows.
16. P16 (finishing the top of the UT chart), cast on 8 stitches with the backwards loop cast on method. (24 sts)
17. K 24 in MC, CO 8 sts using backwards loop cast on method (32 sts)
18. Purl across
19. K across
20. P 13, bind off 6 sts, P13. (26 sts.)
21. K13, cast on 6 sts using backwards loop method, K 13 (32 sts)
22. P across
23. K across
24. P across working chart as directed (the top of the second set of lettering begins here.)
25. Bind off 8 sts, K 24 working chart as directed (24 sts)
26. Bind off 8 sts, P 16
Rows 27-38. Work in stockinette, following chart where applicable. (Even rows purl, odd rows knit.)
Row 39: (RS) bind off purlwise.

The UT Sweater Knitting Chart  - The following chart follows the written directions above to help with placement of the colorwork logo in with the rest of the design.  Odd, RS rows are read right to left.  Even, WS rows are read left to right.

Odd rows are RS, Even rows are WS. Read chart right to left on RS, left to right on WS.

Finishing
This isn't a project whre blocking is necessary, but it may make the sweaing a bit easier.  To sew the sweater together, turn the sweater in half at the neck with the right sides facing.  With loose ends, sew up the side seams and under the arms.  Weave in any remaining loose ends and turn the sweater ornament right side out.  Attach an orament hook and hang on your tree (or wrap to give as a gift.)  

University of Texas Logo by Itself:

10 rows x 9 columns

Feel free to use the UT logo on your other knitting projects.  I just ask that you give ChemKnits credit for the design!  (And feel free to show me pictures of your finished project in the ChemKnits Designs Ravelry Group.

Go Longhorns!

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Abbreviations Used in this pattern:
Kfb - increase by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch.
M1 (Make 1)- increase stitch by picking up yarn between two stitches, twisting and knitting.K - knit
P - purl
I-cord - knit stitches on dpn's without ever turning the needle (effectively knitting in the round with a small number of stitches.)
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 knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to distribute or sell this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2013 ChemKnits

Dyeing Yarn in the Microwave with Food Coloring

Today I am happy to share another classic ChemKnits YouTube video with you!  If you have been following my videos, the tips in this video will be a bit redundant, but it is great if you want to learn the basics of dyeing yarn in your kitchen.

I prefer to do most of my dyeing on the stove top, but occasionally the microwave is handier.  Compare the basics of this video with the Dyeing Yarn with Kool Aid on the Stove and you will have the basics covered for dyeing yarn at home with food based dyes.