Minion Fingerless Mitts

When I saw the Minion Fingerless Mitts crochet pattern I was so excited to cast on (start hooking?  I'm not sure what you say for crochet... I'll stick with cast on I think.)

I pulled out my size H crochet hook and some KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in Semolina, Winter Night, White, Black and Mist.  This project used 2 g each of White and Mist (5 yards), 19 g (42 yards) Semolina, 8 g (18 yards) Winter Night, 4 g (9 yards) Coal KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in worsted weight.

I must have done the first chain a dozen times.  I wantd to make sure that it would be stretchy enough to fit over a hand.  I started with a 27 stitch chain rather than 25 st. 

Hmm... the top is much stretchier than the bottom.  I may decided to reverse the color of the rows, so the top of the fingerless mitt is the "cast on" chain and the bottom is where I fasten off.  This would lead to a better fit and then I could work with the stitch counts directed.  Yup.  I think this is exactly what I'm going to do. 

I chained 25, and then started with row 12.  I worked the rows backwards, and then at the end went around and SC'd around the top to make it neater (so making round 13 last). For consistency, I did my first 2 yellow rows of one mitt, and then the first two yellow rows of the second.  They look to be similarly shaped, right? 

It was really fun to see the stripes grow row by row. 

Since there was no additional shaping to these fingerless mitts (no thumb gusset or anything), I decided to just make two right glove bases.  Based on fit, I DC'd 22 sts, and then chained 5, making it an increase to 27 stitches for the rest of the glove. 

In general I don't love the gauge created with the H hook and worsted weight yarn.  It is so much looser than would be warm, but I think this is generally the case with DC stitches anyway, there are always some holes. 

I did end up adding the sc round at the top of the last round.  Wahoo!  I love how it looks.

Phew.  I thought this was going to be a much easier project then it turned out to be.  I would have fiddled with the gauge a bit, but really these are intended to be fun more than anything else.  Next time, I might increase the number of stitches and rows for the gloves themselves. 

The eyes and mouths ended up being a piece of cake.  I like sewing on a crochet chain much better than trying to embroider a smile.  I have a feeling that these will be a hit with my friend!

 

VIDEO: How to Purl through the Back Loop (p-tbl)

In my last post, I shared my video on how to knit through the back loop. Today I'm going to share the counterpart video, how to purl through the back loop (p-tbl).   Purling through the back loop doesn't look as different as normal purl stitches, but when you flip the fabric over you see that you are creating twisted stitches.  I frequently use these twisted stitches in 1x1 ribbing to make it look a little cleaner and in thin cables to make the stitches stand out a bit more off of a reverse stockinette background.  

What tutorials would you like me to create?  Sometimes if I am inspired enough and have the tools ready to go I might be able to film a video right away!  (More often than not I need to wait for a yarn order and then time when the baby is napping and I'm not in the middle of a move.  Boy do these younglings keep you hopping!)

VIDEO: How to Knit Through the Back Loop (K-tbl)

I have a long list of video tutorials that I want to create for the ChemKnits YouTube Channel.  Some of these ideas I came up with, but others are requests that I get pouring in from YOU, my readers and followers.  It brings me great joy that you guys come to me with questions and for help, so I like to try to help you out as much as I can.  

I recently got asked how to purl through the back loop (stay tuned for tomorrow's post), and while I was creating a swatch for the video I decided that I should also film how to knit through the back loop (k-tbl). 

The above swatch has two sections.  At the bottom there are a few rows of conventional stockinette (k across on the right side, p across on the wrong side.)  The top half of the swatch is knit and purled through the back loop (k-tbl on the right side, p-tbl on the wrong side.)  Watch the video to see more of the difference between "normal" stitches and creating twisted stitches by knitting and purling through the back loop.  

Not A Fiber Project - Egg Free Blueberry Banana Kale Mini Muffins Recipe

Back in the day I kept a blog for my cooking adventures, ChemEats.  I decided to focus my time on my first love, ChemKnits but thought it was worth sharing this modified recipe I made for Lucky.

When Lucky was almost 9 months old, he had an allergic reaction to egg.  I wanted to find an eggless muffin base that I could modify with different fruits and veggies.  I decided to try out the following strawberry banana muffin recipe with a few modifications.  I wanted a recipe that used yogurt since we always have plenty in our fridge.  I substituted coconut oil for butter, blueberries for strawberries in addition to a few minor changes (whole wheat flour).

Ingredients

• 1 cup pureed veggies + mashed banana (~3/4 banana and 1/4 veggies.  I used kale)
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup brown sugar. 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Full Fat Yogurt

I prepared the muffins according to the recipe directions.  I scooped them into a mini muffin tin and baked at 350 for 15 minutes or until browned on top.  I got over 3 dozen mini-muffins, that is a lot of breakfast food for a little boy! These were so good that it was hard to keep me and Keith from eating them and to save them for our solid food loving baby.  I froze a bunch and then will defrost them for 30 sec in the microwave to defrost and then let them cool completely before serving.

First look at a mini-muffin for Mr. Lucky ChemKnits Boy.

So hard to get his attention, these muffins are a fan favorite!

I think that I will be sharing more "not a fiber project(s)" in the future.  What things should I test out?

NEW Modeled Pics of Hermes Winged Baby Socks!

At around 6.5 months old, I was finally able to get a picture of a baby modeling my Hermes Winged Baby Socks.  This free Hermes baby booties knitting pattern is one of my favorite knitting designs.  Doesn't it look like he is about to levitate?

These wings I designed came out so cute, I think they would look great on a little baby beanie, too!  

A Bowtie for a Lucky Boy

Another test run for the luckiest birthday of all (coming this October) - a bowtie for Lucky.   I used 12 g of a miscellaneous worsted weight blend with a size H (5.0 mm) crochet hook.

I think that for ONCE I made the starting chain loose enough.  After my first row of SC's it is almost difficult to tell which side is which.  (WAHOO!)

I was thinking about making Lucky's birthday set out of 100% acrylic so I could machine wash it, but on further consideration I might do wool so I can block easier.  Although now that I'm typing this, I remember that steam blocking wasn't so hard to do, so maybe acrylic is the right choice after all.

I'm really happy this bow tie is a triple layer.  I think it looks more polished and it will fit and wear better. Before folding, the bow tie measures approximately 9.5" long and is just over 2" wide at the widest point.   I easily whipped up the bow itself in a day.  I just had to finish up the band and tie the next morning.  

I wish the wrap was written in terms of # of rows.  (10 Sc rows for those that are interested.)  The wrap is a little long, but this will be easy enough to sew down in a way I'm happy.

Unstretcched the neck band is 7".  This doesn't seem anywhere NEAR close enough to the right size. Neckband 2.0 add 9 hdc's (so start with a 35 st chain.)   Of course, I made this second neckband without having tried the first on Lucky, so for all I know it will be too small, too.  I just estimated based on the neckband of one of his shirts in the dirty laundry.

The first one technically fit, but I'm much more comfortable with the loose fit (no stretching required) of the modified one.  

My button was too small.  the bowtie could be pulled off in a moment's notice (i.e. before I could even really take a picture).  I guess I"ll have to go ot the store to find some larger buttons.  Maybe a snap would work better, but then the neck wouldn't be adjustable.  (turns out, the smaller band would have worked fine.  This one had stretched out a bit by the time I was trying to put it on him.  

I removed the button and stitched the shorter short neck band to the other side of the bow.  Since this one is just a place holder, I can tie a knot in the back when putting it on Lucky.  If I like this enough, maybe I'd use this construction for the finished project.  (but with bands of equal size.)  

I'm planning on a chocolate cake with a bright blue icing.  What colors do you think would work well for his diaper set?  

Crochet Diaper Cover

I can't believe my little Lucky boy is 9.5 months old!  As his first birthday approaches, I feel okay admitting that I have been preparing for his first birthday party for a while now.  I decided to do a test knit of a diaper cover to see what I thought about using it as his outfit for his cake smash while Lucky was 7 months old.  I found a great pattern plus some fun modifications that I used in the following project.

Most of my crocheting has been in the round.  I've done very little turning and going back and forth, so I was a little apprehensive before starting.  I used a 5.0 mm (H) hook and 24 g of worsted weight blue and 5 grams of green (for the sc border.)

Notes from construction

• chained 46 sts.  
• chain 4 before doing the tr (trc?)  I'm assuming that Treble crochet is the same as triple crochet...
• turn, ch1, for sc's.  I guess you ch2 for HDC and ch3 for DC's.  This is someting I need to remind myself. 
• 11 sts over to attach yarn.  Ch3, DC1 in the same st, DC24 more.  10 sts remaining on other side.  Follow pattern as directed.   I made this slight change to make the two side edges even.  Otherwise there was an extra stitch on one side.  I'm never quite sure how to do this.  
• 15 sts remain after row 14.  
• I like symmetry, so on row 22 I increased on the first 2 and the last 2 stitches (17 sts total).  On row 23 I didn't increase at all.  

My 7 month old is a skinny guy.  He still wears size 2 diapers.  I like the way that these covers can be completely adjustable. 

So I didn't know which side is the right side (RS), so I connected the opposite color where I fastened off, turning the work to continue the SC all around.  

Boy oh boy does it look cute! 

This diaper cover is a little short for Lucky.  In fact, I have to tug it way up to even "cover" the diaper at all.  I think that next time I will try making the band twice as high with 2 rounds of TC's and then use 4 buttons to close it.   I would also make fewer SC's along the sides to cinch the leg holes closed a bit to make that fit better.  

Suspenders would also help a lot, they would keep it from riding down.  I'll whip up a pair and then try it on him again.  I would also place the buttons closer to the outside of the front flap.  And for an occasion I suppose I can fold the tip of the diaper down...  I think I will also make the longer flaps 

Changes to do from the first time 

• make straps the original size
• after first DC increase row, increase each additional inc row.  
• Single SC in each DC on the border around the entire thing.  
•  have buttons a little further apart.  

Of course, all of these modifications will change when I see how my little boy grows.  It is nice to have one cover as a starting off point so when I'm ready to try this again close to 12 months old I can see how many rows/stitches I think I need to add.  This project when quickly enough that the adjustments shouldn't take too long, even if I end up making two different ones!  

One leg cinched for a better fit?

It turns out cinching the leg isn't really necessary if you make the waist tighter when you put it on the baby.  Making that tighter fixed the leg gaps.  I still will make the straps longer so that it could go over both buttons well next time.  I removed the cinching I did. (This is why slip knots are for winners.)

I ended up folding the straps back over the buttons so it looked a bit neater on Lucky (just over 7 months - not shown)  If I made the straps longer to begin with then I would have been able to put both over both buttons.  

I have many other crafts planned for Lucky's birthday party and not all of them are knitting related.  I will share some of the things that work great (plus some of my flops!)  Do you have any suggestions for a first birthday party?