April's Book

It's occured to me, that I forgot to let you know about April's book.  So here you go...

April's book is: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.
Here is a review found on amazon.com:

From Publishers Weekly

The letters comprising this small charming novel begin in 1946, when single, 30-something author Juliet Ashton (nom de plume Izzy Bickerstaff) writes to her publisher to say she is tired of covering the sunny side of war and its aftermath. When Guernsey farmer Dawsey Adams finds Juliet's name in a used book and invites articulate—and not-so-articulate—neighbors to write Juliet with their stories, the book's epistolary circle widens, putting Juliet back in the path of war stories. The occasionally contrived letters jump from incident to incident—including the formation of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society while Guernsey was under German occupation—and person to person in a manner that feels disjointed. But Juliet's quips are so clever, the Guernsey inhabitants so enchanting and the small acts of heroism so vivid and moving that one forgives the authors (Shaffer died earlier this year) for not being able to settle on a single person or plot. Juliet finds in the letters not just inspiration for her next work, but also for her life—as will readers. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

April Swatches

April is our first technique month and it's all about Bobbles!  
This can be an intimidating technique to learn, but if you take your time you'll be making these knitted ''bubbles'' in no time!  First I've written a "Bobble Tutorial".  Please make sure to take a look at it before you dive into the patterns.  It can even be a good idea to practice on a scrap piece of knitting (make a small swatch by casting on 10 stitches alternating rows of knit and purl until you have about an inch of knitting, then work through the bobble steps) until you are comfortable with the steps behind this technique.  Like always, if you have any questions you can email me at yearofswatches@gmail.com and I will try my best to answer your questions.  Happy knitting!


How To Make a Bobble:

Here is the basic ''recipe'' for making a bobble.  There are many different ways to make a bobble, just follow the directions your specific pattern calls for.  Both the "Easy" and "Intermediate" patterns use this recipe.  The biggest thing to remember is you will be working the bobble into one stitch at a time, once that bobble is completed you may continue along the row you started in  Enjoy!

1: Follow your pattern until you get to the stitch you are supposed to make a bobble in:

2: Knit 5 stitches into this stitch. Do this by alternating knitting into the front of the stitch (without dropping the yarn off your needle):

3: Then knit into the back of this same stitch. Alternate these two actions until you have made 5 stitches out of one (5 stitches total):

4: Turn your work (you will be working over these 5 stitches to create the bobble).  Purl these 5 stitches:

5: Turn your work. Knit these 5 stitches

6: Repeat is for a total of 4 rows

(purl across the 5 stitches, turn, knit across the 5 stitches, turn, purl across the 5 stitches, turn, knit across the 5 stitches)

7: Finally, with the tip of the left hand needle, pass the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th stitches over (one at a time) the first stitch on the right hand needle

You've completed one bobble!  Sometimes you need to ''pop'' the bobble to the front of the work. Just push it forward with your finger until it resembles the shape above.  Now you can continue along the row you started in.

Now onto the patterns!

BEGINNER:

Spaced Knots

Note: Don't count your stitches after row 5 or 11, they won't match your cast on number!

Cast on 45 stitches

Border rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern rows:

Row 1, 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) knit to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 2, 4: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K5, * (K1 into the front of the stitch, without dropping the yarn off the needle K1 into the back of the same stitch) two times (making 4 total stitches out of 1), K5 repeat from * to last 5 stitches (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) {Refer to steps 2 and 3 in the Bobble Tutorial above)

Row 6: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P5 *slip the next 3 stitches, move yarn to the back K1, pass the 3 slipped stitches, one at a time, over the last knit stitch (knot completed), P5 repeat from * to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 7, 9: Repeat Pattern Row 1

Row 8, 10: Repeat Pattern Row 2

Row 11: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K2, * (K1 into the front of the stitch, without dropping the yarn off the needle K1 into the back of the same stitch) two times (making 4 total stitches out of 1), K5 repeat from * ending with a K2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 12: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P2, *slip the next 3 stitches, K1, pass the 3 slipped stitches, one at a time, over the last knit stitch (knot completed), P5 repeat from * ending with a P2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Repeat these 12 rows until swatch measures approximately 9 inches from cast on edge ending with either row 4 or 10.

Repeat border rows 1-5.

Bind off loosely (so edge isn't too tight).

EASY:

Bobble Stitch

Making this bobble:

Follow the pattern until you get to the stitch you are supposed to make a bobble in.  Increase 5 stitches in this one by knitting into the front, back, front, back, and front of the same stitch.  Turn work, purl across these 5 stitches.  Turn work, knit across these 5 stitches.  Turn work, purl across these 5 stitches.  Turn work, knit across these 5 stitches.  Finally, slip the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th stitches over the first stitch on the right hand needle. 

Cast on 45 stitches

Border rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern rows:

Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) knit to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 2: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K5 * make bobble (see instructions and tutorial above), K11 repeat from * ending with a K5 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)  3 Bobbles made

Rows 4, 6, 8: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Rows 5, 7: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) knit to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 9: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K11 * make bobble, K11 repeat from * to last 5 stitches (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) 2 Bobbles made

Rows 10, 12: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 11: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) knit to last 5 sts (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)  

Repeat these 12 rows until swatch measures approximately 9 inches from cast on edge.

Repeat Border Rows 1-5

Bind off loosely (so edge isn't too tight)

INTERMEDIATE:

BOBBLE STRIPE

Making this bobble:

The bobble for this swatch is slightly smaller than the one in the Tutorial.  You can follow the steps above, substituting the different amounts.  First, follow the pattern until you get to the stitch you'll be making the bobble in.  Increase in this stitch by knitting into the front, back, front, and into the back of the same stitch (increase to 4 stitches).  Turn work, purl across these four stitches. Turn work, knit across these four stitches. One at a time, pass the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stitches over the first stitch on the right hand needle.  Continue in pattern.

 

Cast on 45 stitches

Border rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows:

Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P2, K1 *P4, K1 repeat from * ending with a P2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 2: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K2, P1 *K4, P1 repeat from * ending with a K2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P2 * make bobble (see instructions above), P4, K1, P4 repeat from * ending with a P2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Row 4: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K2, P1 *K4, P1 repeat from * ending with a K2 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Repeat these 4 rows until swatch measures approximately 9 inches from cast on ending with Row 1.

Repeat border rows 1-5

Bind off loosely (so edge isn't too tight)