August

Hello all, and happy August!  Well, the summer is finally winding down, which I can only hope means life will get back into a bit of a rhythm.  Our summer has absolutely flown by, loaded with birthdays, weddings, a Marathon, kid camps, the Olympics (which I watched religiously- ps thank GB for a lovely time!),  and visits with out-of-town family and friends.

Congrats to my hubbs- "Marathon Man"  for completing  the San Francisco Marathon

As the dust has settled a bit, I've been thinking of the direction this blog is going.  Many of you have asked for some blocks and tutorials on the various color knitting techniques.  I have decided that in the new year we will start our "Study of Color" theme.  I'd like to include information on (but may not be limited to) knitting stripes and carrying yarn up along the side of our work; intarsia; mosaic/ slip stitch knitting; and fair isle.  We may even dabble with entrelac (depending on how brave I feel).  I hope that you're as excited about this as I am and I hope you'll knit along :)  Of course, along the way I'll continue to include some basic squares for those of you who are uninterested in the color squares. As we get closer to January, I'll talk a bit more about this.  Along with supplies, hopefully we'll have a bit more of a direct schedule.

On that note, let's talk a bit about the rest of this year.  How are the swatches coming?  Summer presents a bit of a challenge for me.  Aside from the business of the season, I'm not much of a summer knitter.  Perhaps its the heat or the sunshine, the draw of the garden or the lure of the pool.  I do have a pretty lace swatch for you this month though, that I think you'll enjoy.  September will bring another lacy swatch and October, November, and December will have cables. 

Now on to the knitting!

August's swatch is a lovely square named Ribbed Lace.  It's pretty simple, but make sure to pay attention to where the working yarn is around your yo's (since you're alternating between knits and purls you'll have to make sure the yarn is in the proper place after the yo to begin the next stitch).  Also, the border is slightly different than normal- the borders are 4 stitches each rather than 5.  Enjoy!

Ribbed Lace

by Lindsey Melvin

Cast on 46 stitches
Border Rows 1,3 5: K1, P1 across row
Border Rows 2, 4: P1, K1 across row

Pattern:
Row 1: (P, K, P, K) *K2, P1, YO, SSK, P1* repeat to last 6 sts K2 (P, K, P, K)
Row 2, 4: (K, P, K, P) *P2, K1* repeat to last 6 sts, P2 (K, P, K, P)
Row 3: (P, K, P, K) *K2, P1, K2tog, YO, P1* repeat to last 6 sts K2 (P, K, P, K)

Repeat these four rows until square measures approx 9 inches then knit the border rows.
Rows 1, 3, 5: P1, K1 across
Rows 2, 4: K1, P1 across

Close up!

I hope you enjoy this square and come back Labor Day Weekend (August 31 thru September 3rd) for a special bonus pattern!

~Happy knitting~
Lindsey