Support thread from Arts & Crafts for the blankets

[tribpot]

We've been talking quite a lot on the main thread about getting the stitches right for a particular square with a lovely heart design in it. You need to be registered on Ravelry to see it here or with the designer's website (also free) to see it here.

The race is on to see whether any of us can complete it without going completely insane at the difficulty of some of the patterns, so we are having a (supportive) 'heart-off' this weekend to try and get it done without flooding the main thread with messages about it.

On the cast list so far are: GleamingHeels, MinnieBar and me, but all are welcome - beware though, you have to supply your own valium.

I've just recharted it to get it down to a size that will knit out to (about) 6", so have chopped out 4 rows of border from the bottom, 2 stitches of border from the sides and 2 stitches of the plain bit between the outer and inner border. So I'm starting with 29 stitches. I'd prob prefer to have 3 rows of border and 3 side stitches of border too, but as the square is going to be put into a larger blanket (unless rejected by our Blanket Mistresses Pistey and Knotty) I thought a slightly scrappy border would probably be okay.

[GleamingHeels]

and I am knitting the original pattern from the original text..

I think there's a little error in the text on row 33, though am happy to be corrected

33rd row: (K1. P1) twice. K4. K2tog. yo. K2. P6. K1. P6. K2. K1. yo. ssk. K4. (P1. K1) twice.

I think the K1 in bold should be ignored as it stops the pattern being symmetrical and leaves you with one too few stitches for the K4, seed stitch4 at the end

[GleamingHeels]

The vertical internal border round the heart is annoying, if I was to knit this again I would ignore it....

[tribpot]

Gleaming - I didn't bother charting it up to row 33 yet but I'll do that now.

I liked the look of that internal border from the pics - you mean the one that directly surrounds the heart, after you've done the outer border and the 4 plain stitches?

[MinnieBar]

Hello all

I am in equal measures humiliated and relieved that my knitting attempts have inspired a new thread . You guys are amazing!

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!

I think, I think, I've done it. Not the whole square, but those troublesome rows 11-12. I have holes where they're meant to be, I have the same number of stitches I started with. Who knows where it'll end up, but so far so good .

Who knew knitting was so testing??! I've been blogging about it - knitting as therapy - and it's really highlighting how I approach things in life (giving up mostly ).

[GleamingHeels]

Minnie Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Well done you, that's brilliant - it get's a bit easier now - and you kind've get into the swing a bit... I am just approaching the top row of holes - coffee first I think - and some of that valium that Trib's offerring

Trib yes that's the bit I mean - formed by the K2togs and ssks and yos - it looks OK - but I am not in love with it... I'll see how it looks when I've finished

[GleamingHeels]

Oh, and don't be humiliated Minnie, I am having fun and have reminded myself how to do ssk - I'd forgotten - I have looked at this pattern before (my sister and I made blankets for her children for Christmas) and decided it was too complicated - though that time there were only two of us knitting huge blankets...

[tribpot]

Minnie - if you've got past rows 11 and 12 I think you are cooking with gas (at least until you get to the equivalent rows at the top that Gleaming is talking about). Keeping going - you can do this!

I must say in terms of knitting as therapy, it's been a lifeline for me over the past year, and this week was a particularly difficult one at work. Ironically I think I was so fired up that for once I didn't come home completely exhausted as I usually do, but that also meant I found it very difficult to wind down until I could get stuck into some knitting and sort of regulate my thoughts. I'm still really cross today - I think the heart pattern could be an ideal distraction!

I have discovered that I own the most a-may-zing book for showing you how to do the stitches, it's this one, although I am also very fond of my Knitting for Dummies book too.

[GleamingHeels]

Sorry you had such a rotten week trib - hope the heart pattern and the valium does it work

[tribpot]

Gleaming, I've charted it and you're right, on row 33 there is a mistake.

It says:

(K1. P1) twice. K4. K2tog. yo. K2. P6. K1. P6. K2. K1. yo. ssk. K4.
(P1. K1) twice.

But that K1 between the K2 and the yo is wrong, there's no stitch there.

[GleamingHeels]

That's good - I can trust my instinct then! Will you share your chart for a six inch version when you finish? I'd love to have it in my folder if you're willing.

Minnie is the row 33 thing clear enough for you? Shout if you're confused or anything - essentially you just need to scribble out the K1, so row 33 correct version is:

33rd row: (K1. P1) twice. K4. K2tog. yo. K2. P6. K1. P6. K2. yo. ssk. K4. (P1. K1) twice.

[tribpot]

Yup, will do Gleaming. I have no idea how you write a chart properly but at the very least I can write down my instructions when I get to the end. You're on Ravelry I'm sure? My username is the same there too and I'll put the instructions on my profile.

Right then, ladies - cover me, I'm going in. IT'S ROW ELEVEN TIME.

[GleamingHeels]

Good Luck trib

yes I am on Ravelry also with the same name - though I've only ever looked at other people's stuff, never put up anything of my own. I also write charts to my own design rather than what I imagine to be a 'proper' way so I am sure I will understand what you mean - thanks

[chipmonkey]

I am also going to give it a go.

[chipmonkey]

Not right now, I am in work right now and not supposed to be on MN. But later!

[GleamingHeels]

Hurray! chipmonkey has joined the madness...

[GleamingHeels]

OK, Hurray! chipmonkey will be joining the madness later...

[DonkeyTeapot]

Have already sent off my blanket squares, and really have enough projects on the go, but I really like this square and am tempted to have a go as I saw something on the main thread about double yarn-overs, is that right? I've never done them so wouldn't mind having a crack at it whilst there is hand-holding available :)

[tribpot]

Right. I'm out the other side.

That was tough. On row 11 it's very difficult to ensure that you don't let the yarn over end up on the wrong side of the slipped stitch, so you end up pulling the wrong one off the needle, I can totally see where Minnie was coming from now.

On row 12, it's not so much 'purl through the back of the loop' as 'look at a useless bit of yarn and work out how the hell to turn it into something approaching a stitch'. I've done some pics to illustrate the point - no idea if I've done 'em the way they are meant to be done but what the hell. They're done. Pics to follow.

[GleamingHeels]

Hi, DonkeyTeapot, yes - double yarn overs - join us if you dare!

[DonkeyTeapot]

Right. Have got some nice pink cotton yarn so am going to do it as a facecloth - that way when it's finished I've got an item to chuck in my "Random Christmas Gifts" box. Have just put DD down for a nap, so here goes, casting on now!

[MinnieBar]

Don't think me mean but I'm glad others are finding it tricky - I did actually call myself 'intermediate' in terms of skill to a beginner friend recently (I've done a hat, bootees, and a top for DD1 although I keep finding excuses to avoid sewing it up as I find that part extra boring ). Having said that, I've not done a YO before, let alone a double?

[GleamingHeels]

Mine's on my profile - I knit the original Ravelry pattern, with 3 3/4 needles and standard DK wool and it came out almost exactly 6' square.. I think I am going to try it again with the last bit of the 'proper' wool that I have left (after I have ripped out the boring square that I'd started) and hope I have enough - it would be nice to have all of our hearts in Mrs Kwazii's blanket

[tribpot]

Donkey, chipmonkey - collectively to be known as chipdonkey - do it.

Double yarn overs ... it was brutal, man. BRUTAL.

Right, here are some pics.

The set.

YO, sl1, k2tog - looks like this

Pick up the middle stitch to pass over the k2tog

Row 12 - WTF am I meant to do with this to make a purl through the back of the loop?

Some kind of ptbl has happened

This is how it looks on the right side after rows 11 & 12.

Apols, the images are bit large as I did some of them high def on my iPhone. I can do some more when I next hit this row further up.

[tribpot]

Minnie, embrace the ways of circular knitting and avoid (most) sewing up forever more! However, let's get out of the square alive first! :)

[GleamingHeels]

cool pix Trib