Ta Da! New Patterns!

I finally finished up some pattern design work this week. Some of these have been a really long time coming. I am glad to have them finished and hope people will like the patterns. You can find them all for sale on my web site www.denisesneedleworks.com along with lots of other great patterns, needles and some fun notions. I am working on adding more products to the site so keep it bookmarked and check back to see what's new!

Jessie's Blanket $5.00




Tutti Fruity Socks $6.00




Magic Family Socks $6.00-- This is the first of a group of "Denise's Favorites" patterns that I plan to do. They will be easy to follow patterns for some of the things that I have knit repeatedly and often teach others how to make.

First Grandbaby on the way!

I love to knit. You all know that by now! My knitting enthusiasm had dipped a lot though this spring and I wasn't sure what to knit any more. Then my daughter, Jessie, announced that there was a baby on the way and when were her blankets coming! Ha! She knows me well!

I started a blanket, of course but it got a bit off course somewhere. I think I was mathematically challenged. I started making a round blanket and calculated how many stitches I needed to have the lace edging come out right. I kept knitting and knitting. I had to go back to the store for yarn twice! You would think that would have given me a clue, don't you? But I kept knitting, all the time thinking that it was getting awfully large.

It suddenly dawned on me that I was using the number of stitches in each section instead of the entire number of stitches to calculate and I could have stopped in at least 2 places already. So the blanket is almost 5 feet across! Jessie and the baby will be able to snuggle up together under this one!

I can't seem to get the colors to come out right in the photos. It is a dark teal and purple.

Feather and Fan border for Pinwheel Blanket

Several people have asked me how I did the border on this blanket so I thought it might be helpful to post it here.

The only thing you need to add this border is to have the right number of stitches. I was thinking wrong at first. I counted the k2tog six times and the yo, k1 six times and thought I needed a multiple of 12--oops! You have to have a multiple of 18. I did a row of yo, k2
and then a plain row of knit first to make an eyelet row for a ribbon or string. Then it can be used as a bag later or it can just be decorative. After this round I didn't do any more increases.

Round 1: I started at the beginning of the round with (k2tog) six times, (yo, k1) six times
Round 2: purl
Round 3: knit
Round 4: knit

Repeat these rounds twice or as desired ending with a round 1 then purl a round, knit a round, purl a round and bind off loosely in knit. I used a needle 2 sizes larger for this.

I did find that when you come around to the beginning you have to start the next round 1 with k2tog three times instead of 6.

I hope that helps. Let me know if anything is still unclear. I love to help people with their knitting!