Welcome to our little bit of knitterly Heaven- I'm so glad you found your way here!
Our goal is to teach beginning knitters some tricks of the trade as well as to work enough swatches to have a finished afghan by the end of the year! Join along with us as we learn about patterns, cables, lace, and some other handy techniques! A new pattern will become available each month ranging from newbie to adventurous. So stop on by, pick your pattern and knit along with us!

All patterns can be found here as well as on Ravelry.com!

Friday, July 1, 2011

July Swatches

This is our last month of lace, have you enjoyed it?  I think this month's patterns are great, because they take a look at some familiar patterns (the Horseshoe lace, for example, is a classic pattern that can be commonly found in lace motifs).  Later this month I will post a tutorial on blocking, so you'll really be able to see these patterns in their full glory.

In August we'll be taking a look at another technique, so enjoy this month and have your ''thinking caps'' ready!

As always, if you have any questions or want to share pictures my email is yearofswatches@gmail.com and all the patterns can be found on Ravelry.com so please make a pattern page and share your work! 
Just so you know, we've welcomed a new little knitter to the fold so if I am slow in responding, please be patient with me :)

Happy Knitting!

Beginner: Lacy Zigzag



Cast on 35 stitches.
Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows
Rows 1, 3, 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) *sl1 k1 psso, K2, yo, K2 repeat from * across to last 6 sts K1 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2 and all even rows: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) Purl (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Rows 7, 9, 11: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K3 *yo, K2, k2tog, K2 repeat from * across ending with a k2tog (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 12: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) Purl (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)


Repeat these 12 rows until square measures between 8 and 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat Border Rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches. 


Easy: Floral Rib


Cast on 35 stitches.
Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows
Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, k2tog, K1, yo, K1, yo, K1, sl1 k1 psso, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2 and all even rows: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P7, K2, P7, K2, P7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, k2tog, yo, K3, yo, sl1 k1 psso, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, K1, yo, sl1 k1 psso, K1, k2tog, yo, K1, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 7: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, K2, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, K2, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 8: Repeat row 2
 
Repeat these 8 rows until square measures 8 to 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat border rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches.

Intermediate: Horseshoe Lace


This pattern offers a slight challenge, as patterning is done on both the wrong side and right side of the work!
Cast on 35 stitches.

Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows:
Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K8, yo, K3, sl1 k2tog psso, K3, yo, K8 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 4: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K1, yo, K2, sl1 k2tog psso, K2, yo, K1, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 6: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K2, yo, K1, sl1 k2tog psso, K1, yo, K2, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 7: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 8: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K3, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, K3, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Repeat these 8 rows until square measures 8 to 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat border rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches.

4 comments:

  1. I knit lace years ago - just on babies cardigans and could do it, even with increasing/decreasing! These little blocks have been knit/un-knit a couple of times! Must be an age thing! Looking forward to knitting more though!

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  2. This month's lace is beautiful, looking forward to getting started -- >j<

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  3. I can't make row 2 on the Lazy Zigzag pattern add up to 35 stitches, I can only get 33. Am I missing something?

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure why it isn't working :(
      The decrease counts as one stitch in the pattern and each yarn-over is also a single stitch. My only suggestion is to make sure the yarn-overs stay on your needles from row one so they can be purled in row two.

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