FO – Friday – Page 5 – polka-dots & sparkles

It’s a cowl – kind of. (FO)

Posted on March 9, 2012March 1, 2012 by bekswhoknits

What defines a cowl?

This gorgeous darling is knitted in the round, around and around, and then sewn up to make a tube.

It’s almost a cross between a collar and a cowl.

It was knitted on a 7mm 80cm round loop, which is kinda small. It’s only long enough to loop it around once. I cast on as many stitches as would fit on the loop, and then continued in stockinette until I was almost out of yarn. Then I sewed the cast on edge to bind off edge.
So when I sewed it up I gathered it a little. And now it’s a little tight to get around the head. But it looks a little like a collar. A cozy knitted collar.

It’s the Moda Vera Harmony which I used on my mittens. It’s like knitting with fairy floss. It looks sweet but can be a pain as it separates all the time.

It is a sweet colour though.
And will be really cozy come winter.

See that and my curly hair! I had a hair cut (which was actually really enjoyable. Massage chairs plus a scalp and neck massage = win!) and she styles it in curls. I can never curl my own hair well.
I love it.

A sock addiction

Posted on February 24, 2012February 22, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I’m still working my way through the Scylla socks. I’ve completed one and am not quite at the heel of the second.
The first one doesn’t really fit on my foot though.

So I’m adapting the second one to make it a little bit bigger.

Maths to the rescue!

FO – Sockhead

Posted on February 17, 2012February 14, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I have one more hat in my collection now.
Its a .
It’s too cute.

The warns us that there is a lot of sockinette (a lot), but I didn’t mind that as much as the rib. I don’t know if there’s a technique that I need to learn, but rib takes me ages. Maybe if I switch to continental it would be easier? I don’t know. I should do some research.
But everytime I do research on knitting I end up getting distracted by pretty colours, or pretty patterns. And end up forgetting what I was researching in the first place.

Anyway, I love this hat, and can see many more in my future. Even just because it was the perfect project to take on the road.
This hat has seen a few awesome bands () and was .
Now for the weather to get a little colder. It’s going to be perfect to put my hair up into, it has plenty of room in the back.

Slouch away!

Guest Post – Her Name Was Greta

Posted on January 27, 2012January 27, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I am so happy today, to bring you a guest post by the lovely Miss Stina.

It’s inspired me to get out my crochet hooks and learn a new skill. Thanks so much!

~~~~~
Hi!
My name is Stina and I have a blog called Her Name Was Greta. Beks made a great guest post at my blog during the xmas craze, which was a total blessing, and now I got the chance to give back a little. I’m very excited to be sharing my wrist warmer pattern with you, the readers of Polka-dots & Sparkles. The pattern is pretty basic and can easily be adapted to your personal taste. It’s not too hard to figure out if you’re a beginner and only uses two different stitches. I hope you’ll like the pattern and if you make a pair, or 20, please share links or photos! I’d love to see your take on it!

Materials needed:
1-2 skeins of DK yarn
a thin yarn in your colour of choice
4 mm hook
needle

If you are new to crochet, here are some videos to get you started:
how to start
how to chain
how to single crochet

Wrist Warmers Pattern

Chain 35

Join to a ring, be careful not to twist!

Single crochet around and around and around, until the tube is long enough to reach to your thumb.

To make sure your tube is wide enough to fit your wrist comfortably, test is after a few rows. If it’s too tight, start over and chain a few more stitches, if it’s too loose, chain a few less.

Chain 7, skip 7 stitches and continue single crochet for 6 rows.

Cut the yarn and fasten.
Single crochet 1 row with the scrap yarn.
Chain 3, skip 1 stitch, sc 1. repeat all the way around.
Cut the yarn and fasten.

Crochet another one!

This is what mine look like in this fake action shot. Yes, that is water in my teacup.

FO- Toe up socks.

Posted on January 6, 2012January 6, 2012 by bekswhoknits

So, toe up socks are awesome.

These waterfall socks were recommended to me by knitting on circular needles when I was having a twitter conversation regarding socks. Now I don’t think I’ll go back. I learnt the turkish cast on for a trio of baby socks for my nephew (I’ll have to show you those, they are adorable), and then went chasing patterns for grown-up toe up socks.

And I love these socks. Albeit they don’t quite match as it took me a while to read the pattern properly. But it won’t take me long to knit up another one. Maybe in a different colour, just for something different (I love odd socks).
And the beauty of toe-up socks is they eliminate one of (what I find) the most annoying parts of a cuff-down sock and that’s picking up all the stiches after you finish turning the heel.
All the information I’ve read about cuff-down socks is that turning the heel is the tricky part, and the rest is straightforward. Well it’s a lie I tell you… Picking up those pesky stiches is very annoying, and it’s always looks like the most unfinished section of my socks.

So toe-up socks is the answer.

The yarn is Moda Vera Noir, in blue. And they’re going to remind me of Christmas, Wuthering Hights, and holidays.