Traveling Double Diamonds Tree of Life Baby Throw - Pattern

DetroitKnitter's Traveling Double Diamonds Tree of Life Baby Throw
(updated 11-27-14)

Now available is my latest version of the beautiful miniature Tree of Life Afghan by Nicky Epstein.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! My Traveling Double Diamonds Tree of Life Baby Throw pattern is uploaded if anyone else wants to knit it this way. This link will take you directly the the PDF pattern which I have uploaded to my DropBox.  Browse through other Ravelry members Baby Tree of Life Throw projects.

UPDATE: CHART for the Double Diamonds can be viewed here DropBox

Twining Trees with new dividing pattern shown

So what’s different between this one and the LionBrand pattern? The most noticeable things are that the flower garden has been exchanged for a cable pattern I wrote, “Traveling Double Diamonds” and I used a seed stitch border with a chain edge again. I added a dividing pattern back in again, but changed it and I LOVE IT too!! The garter rows on the original just left something to be desired and not doing a dividing row like my previous blanket left it missing something. The dividing pattern is also my design and required a lot of “scrap” knitting before I got something I liked.

Is this hard to knit? While I hate to say it’s “difficult” it definitely requires some good knitting skills including ability to follow a pattern, reading stitches so you can KKPP and some solid knowledge of cabling - two of the cable stitches require the use of TWO cable needles for one stitch!

Personal notes follows:
Needles: I CO using Caron circs size 7 with int size 5. The Caron circs are too blunt for cabling. CO edge turned out good though.

After knitting TDD (traveling double diamonds) #1 and TDD #2, I only had a fist size ball of yarn left. TDD #2 may use a bit more yarn so to make two from one skein could possibly come up short.
Use pointier needles! Way to difficult to work 4st cables and nearly impossible to do the CDI with the stubby grey Caron needles.

My own design: Traveling Double Diamonds

The TDD takes forever to do, so don’t be in a hurry to finish!

The width is pretty consistent throughout. There is no noticeable distortion along the cable section. There is a very tiny bit of widening when starting the 2nd set of trees, which is most likely being caused by the dividing row and the trunk of the trees.

Consider writing pattern with just one border set instead of two for the TDD version. CO would be 113 and would therefore eliminate the inc/dec to 113 as is needed to begin/end the TDD pattern.

BO: 2 lengths of width of blanket was enough to do the sewn bind off. Using a moderate tug/tension during the BO kept the top edge from flaring out. Nice finish! Finish the last 2 sts of BO by sewing back 2 then 1 forward as usual then drop both sts of LHN instead of just the one. No need to do anything further with the last st. Weave to the left.

Slip Stitch Edges - The Video

I now have a video showing a few examples of how to knit a slip stitch edge. A slip stitched edge is often referred to as a chain edge.

Here's the video. See more videos on my youtube channel.



The direct video link at youtube is here.

Knitted Edges - The Chain Look

Today I obsessed over my knit edge technique. This was caused by a new upcoming video that I'm going to do about unknitting. Unknitting the Ks and Ps are simple really; it's the edges that cause all the problems. So I pondered once again, "How to knit a neater edge?"

A neater edge in most people's opinion is called a Slip Stitch Edge or an Open Slip Stitch Edge, which creates a cool looking chain effect on the edges rather than the bumps you get if you knit all stitches of garter stitch pattern and in stockinette where you knit all right side stitches and purl all wrong side stitches without consideration for what is happening to the edges.

The edge stitches are called the selvage. I've read that there are times when you actually want the bumps because it's easier to line up two pieces of knit fabric row for row; I suppose seaming would an appropriate time when this would be beneficial. But I'm not into making garments. So the edges of my knitting are just as important to me as what's in the middle. Briefly I will write out the numerous ways in which people claim to get the best edge effect without the bumps. I will tell you that some of these do not work for both stockinette and garter stitch patterns. At the end of all this gibberish I will give my two cents worth opinion on which I prefer, but first...

Some quick abbreviations to limit my typing.

K = knit  ;   P = Purl
SL = slip one stitch. You do not actually work the yarn through the loop you are slipping.
1st = the first stitch to be worked of the row
last = the last stitch to be worked of the row
st(s)= stitch(es)
KW = knitwise or "as if to knit" Bring yarn to back as if to K , insert needle as if to K
PW = purlwise or "as if to purl". Bring yarn to the front as if to purl, insert needle as if to purl.
TBL = the needle is inserted through the back loop; rather than through the front loop (or leg).
RS = right side (the knit side of stockinette pattern)
WS = wrong side (the purl side of stockinette also called reverse stockinette)

These are examples that I've found:

• SL 1st st & last st KW for all RS rows and P all sts for all WS rows
• SL 1st st KW and K last st for every row
• SL 1st st KW on RS rows and SL 1st st PW for all WS rows
• SL 1st st PW and K last st TBL for every row
• SL 1st st PW and K last st for every row
• SL 1st st KW and P last st for every row
• K 1st st TBL and SL last st PW for every row
• SL 1st PW and P last st for every row

That might be it. So what does all this mean and how can you apply it to your knitting? Well, personally I don't like any of the directions where I have to do one thing on the RS row and something else on the WS row. Why? Because I forget which row I'm on and wind up creating a bump in the middle of my pretty chained edge! YIKES, then I have to unknit the edge and twist them the right way. Not worth it IMO. And besides you get just as nice of a look with others that are good for both RS, WS, stockinette and garter.

There is something that I learned with all this, and believe me I have a huge pile of little skinny samples I've been doing. And that is that every time I knit something there is always a border edge or a selvage which is usually seed st or garter stitch. Other than straight stockinette there is no time that I can recall the first stitch of a row being a purl. Why is this important you may wonder. Well that means to do a sample I need to knit something with a garter stitch border; or just knit garter stitch. Small steps, but I do learn some things with all this experimentation.

So what you really want to know is which one of that list above to use. IMO there were 3 choices by the finished look. They are pictured at the top of this post:

1. SL 1st st PW and K last st TBL for every row
2. SL 1st st PW and K last st for every row
3. SL 1st KW and P last st for every row

1. Creates an open chain edge in which the yarn is not crossed at all in the chain for both stockinette and garter. While I like this because it keeps the sts perfectly on the sides, I don't like it because the edge looks too loose.
 
2. This one creates a twisted chain which I like better than the open chain because it is tighter. It also works for both stockinette and garter pattern. The problem with this one is that when you knit the last stitch, the stitch is twisted and is tight to knit into. Several times my needle came flying out due to the tension and I was left wondering how to put the stitch back on the right needle to knit it. This looks exactly like...
 
3. This also creates the twisted chain look, it works on both garter and stockinette, it looks exactly like #2 but there is no tight twisted stitch to knit into. IMO this is the best bet.
 
I did investigate into the mystery of the chain edge once a long time ago and much to my delight I havebeen slipping the the first stitch knitwise and purling the last, which is exactly what I've just suggested. Yeah!
 
Now you wonder, what do you do if your pattern if it doesn't already tell you to slip stitches? Ah this is easy. Simply cast on 2 more stitches than the pattern tells you to cast on. You will SL your first stitch KW, work the pattern in full for that row, then P the last stitch. Simple as pie.
 
Let me know if you found this helpful. I do appreciate feedback. :)

Intarsia Knitting

I recently made a set of heart cloths to sell on my Etsy site. Of course in the process it came to me how simple this really is to do but how scary it can be to a new knitter or even a relatively experienced knitter that has never tried any type of color-work knitting. And so it was created, a brand new video explaining the basics of intarsia, a type of color-work knitting.

The video can be viewed on YouTube or right here. You can get the pattern, Intarsia Heart Dishcloth, for free; I do appreciate that sharing the pattern be done via the link I've provided.

Neck Strap Beer Can Holder

Since I'm on crutches and was heading out to the hash, I needed something tol hold my beer while I hobbled around. I came up with this little number. I referred to several different patterns on the net most of which were knitted from the top down; I wanted mine to be from the bottom up. As I knitted and made this up I wrote it down as this...

Material: size 5 dpns
Yarn: A small amount of two colors of sugar and cream cotton.
dpns - double pointed needles; size 5
crochet hook - Size G
Fabric Tac or needle and thread matching (SC)

Abbreviations:
st(s) - stitch(es)
K - Knit
KFB - Knit into the front st then before slipping st off knit into the back of the same stitch.
(MC) - main color
(SC) - stripe color

Cast on 6 sts in (MC). Divide the sts so there are 2 sts on each needle

Row 1: K

Row 2: KFB in each st (12 sts)

Rows 3-5: K

Row 6: KFB (24 sts)

Rows 7-10: K

Row 8: *K1, KFB* repeat to end (36 sts)

Rows 9 - 13 K

Rows 14 - 18: K with (SC)

Rows 19 - 30: K with (MC)

Rows 31 - 35: K with (SC)
Rows 36 - 38: K with (MC)

BO - I used a double crochet bind-off. For a regular BO I would K one more row before BO.

Neck Strap

Cast on 110 in (SC)
Row 1 -2: SC to end

I used Fabric Tac to secure the neck strap to the body. You could also sew it on.

IF I were to make another, I would spread out the increases for the bottom of the can to avoid a pucker; otherwise I'm pretty darn happy with it!

Russian Join

I just finished a new knitting video on how to join yarn using a technique called the Russian Join. I use this one exclusively when adding a new ball of yarn in the middle of a project. There are many other ways to add more yarn, but I like this the best because once I make the join, I'm done with it and don't have to go back later and fiddle with weaving in ends. Plus this join is super strong!

Check it out...

Harriet - Bear #8

Harriet Bear #8
Originally uploaded by Marni-

Here's my latest bear, Harriet. She is bear #8 and yes her head looks bit. I think that's because she isn't wearing a scaf.

I’ve inside out double knit several of them now. I do not use the slip stitch method rather knit both sides at once. I use two strands of yarn and cast on using an alternating long tail cast on so I cast on with both strands at once. The only thing you have to remember is to twist the two yarns over each other before beginning the next row otherwise you’ll have a whole.

When I’m working the tube for the garter stitch inside out and I want my first row on the inside to be a purl I’ll knit my first stitch with both yarns in back then purl the next stitch with both yarns in front so when I see it from the outside I’m looking at my first row as being purl on both sides, but the inside (which is what you’ll see when you flip it right side out will begin with purls). The real trick when knitting the method just described is to keep to work the correct yarn because if you accidentally purl a front stitch with the yarn you’ve been using to knit the back sts the tube will not open and you’ll be plagued with a necessary frog; this is why I constantly pull the tube apart while on the needles to insure that if I did accidentally mix the yarns up I won’t have to rip back too far to correct the problem. Ok, now how to knit both sides inside out so that purl sts are facing out and knit sts are facing in… Simple as pie and actually so much easier than the regular double knitting with knit side out. After crossing your strands to avoid holes, you begin with a purl stitch using the yarn that you worked your last stitch with before turning but you will this time keep your knitting strand at the back of your work. So basically you have one strand on each side of the needle (one front, one back). I like to use my knuckle to straddle the yarns between front and back. Then you purl with the yarn in front then knit with the yarn in back and repeat but never ever move your yarns from that position! The front stays in front and works all the purls and the back stays in the back and only does knit sts! It’s almost brilliant!

When working from the legs up after you’ve gotten the desired length of the first leg you’ll cut both yarns leaving enough to close the crotch and hold the left leg either on the needles or on waste yarn (your preference).Then cast on and work the second leg. Once the second leg is the same length as the first you will join the two legs by putting the first leg back on the needles if necessary and work the next row right across the second leg into the first leg. When you come to the arm holes you will need to switch to working the chest across rather in than in the round/dk; I suppose its a matter of choice if you flip it at this point and knit or leave it inside out and purl. Rejoin after the 8 rows for the arms and work the head. I flip my work, and work the chest between the arms then flip it inside out again and finish up the head using inside out DK. The arms can be worked anyway you prefer I suppose. I usually just dpn the arms since there’s not that much to do.

Hopefully that all made sense.

Haphazard explanation of Bear #6 - double knitting

Not that it matters, but I started by casting on one foot and double knit (DK) both the front and backs at the same time which basically creates a tube so long as you twist your yarns on the ends. Normally when you DK you will move both yarns forward and knit with the "front" yarn then move both yarns back and purl the "back" yarn so basically you make stockinette on each side. However, that's a lot of moving the yarn so if you hold just one yarn to the front and one yarn to the back and begin with a purl stitch then a knit stitch essentially you are doing inside out stockinette so when I look at my hands I'm working 40 stitches on two needles that make up the 20 stitches for the front and the 20 stitches for the back and they alternate every other stitch; there are two working yarns that straddle my working needle- one yarn for the front and one yarn for the back. It's kind of the same as double knitting by using the knit one slip one method, but much faster cause you don't waste your time slipping stitches. For the feet I had to alternate every other row with so purls were facing out; oh I'm making this too confusing. Basically I double knit a tube inside out then flipped the darn thing right side and slip the stitches to dpns to work the sweater then "flattened" the circle and slipped one st from the front and one from the back onto the circular needles again to knit the head. I then picked up and knit the arms, stuffed him, grafted the head closed, sewed up the ears and embroidered the face. Every bear gets a scarf too! Perhaps I'll do a video showing the double knit inside out thing. ;-P

Double Knitting - Edges

I made up a sample swatch of a few different edges for two color double knitting and have decided that I like the following for the edges. At least for now!

1. Slip the first stitch purlwise with yarn in front (2 loops are acting as one)
2. work across to last stitch
3. Knit the last stitch (2 loops are acting as one)

When doing this though, make sure that as you knit that last stitch that the yarn is coming up on the right needle in the same alternating color pattern. In other words if your piece is being worked in red and white and the last purl stitch worked was red then the the 2 loops that you add to the right needle need to come up white then red (the red being the closest to the end of the needle).

Alternating 2 color long tail cast on

A good cast on method for 2 color double knitting.

Figure 8 Cast-On

Here's my video demo of doing the figure 8 cast-on for knitting.

Video: Column of Leave's scarf

There are several videos that make up the below video. The playlist is here on YouTube.

Glittens - The Stitches and the Pattern

So I've figured it out! I think I was doing the weaving wrong. Something didn't quite look right on the inside so I carefully watched that video again on weaving and think I got it. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong....

Basically it's when knitting more than 2 stitches from the right hand more than two stitches the first stitch is regular then it alternates with the woven stitch. I'm still not sure if it's 2 plus more or just more than 2, but I'll keep an eye on those stitches in the back and see if one makes more sense than the other.

For the LEFT hand anything more than 1 stitch needs to be a "pretend stitch" but again the first stitch on the left hand is a regular stitch. I was doing them all as "pretend" stitches.

You'll have to watch the video link above to know what a pretend stitch and woven stitch are. Are there actually real names for those stitch maneuvers?

Ok, I just frogged back to my life line and I'm going to start again with the color change. See, now you know why I put that in there?

The pattern for the top side of the glitten is on the right. The palm pattern I'm using is the one that was posted online. (see glitten pattern link)

Glittens - A video KAL!

Oh, I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, but I've decided to do a video KAL. Kal being an acronymn for "knit-a-long" just in case there's anyone out there oddly watching this blog. :D

I'm going to need a new pair of gloves for my job and these will be just perfect. Oh yeah, did I mention that my independent evaluation showed up Next Day Air today stating I'm fit to return to my regular job. Funny... I don't really feel all that fit. I hope it goes well!

SOOOOOOO, without further delay I've decided to knit the "Glittens" that Melinda (aka WildMountainHoney) was nice enough to post pictures of her fabulous and quite colorful glittens. You can view her Glitten posting here. The pattern that Melinda used and that I'll be using can be found on this blog over on the side bar.

To be more specific the Glitten pattern is here and a pictoral page here.

Here are the first 4 videos of my "Glitten KAL Playlist " to kick off this video KAL.

I'll add other's helpful videos as I work this KAL too. So far I'll mention that KnittingHelp.com has a great selection of videos suited for this Kal such as:

1. The Long-Tail Cast-On
2. The Knit Stitch
3. Joining new yarn for a single strand of yarn
4. Fixing mistakes (without ripping out)
5. Small Diameter Circular Knitting: Double Pointed Needles
6. Knitting 2 Colors at a Time: Stranding Method

Before we can knit 2 colors we need to know how to add the other color! Weaving or wrapping as demonstrated here is how I'll add my second color.

The Two-handed Fair Isle Technique - This is a great video for 2 color knitting in the round but if that seems a little daunting you can always use Amy's Stranding video above.

Ok that's enough information for one post and a bit a head of my knitting!

I put together a video of this project basically step by step. Here's the Glitten YouTube playlist.

Knit Lace sample video - Column of Leaves Scarf

In this photo my scarf is being blocked. Click on the above picture for a small sample of lace knitting showing skp and yo.