Summer - Gentle Waves

[karenarp]

All finished!
Whoot! I love this feeling of finishing projects!
This sucker is long! My hubby made sure of that! I did a db crochet border on each side then I did a shell stitch edge on all four sides. I had a lot of fun (or was it trouble?) doing the shell stitch on the two wavy edges. Sure made for an interesting time of it. Instead of the five stitches I used in the long sides for the shell I used six on the waves

[ladycath]

Absolutely gorgeous. I love the colors, they blend beautifully together.

[lialab]

congrats, very beautiful your border blends well with the rest. Love the color!!

[mittenmaker]

Truly lovely! A thing of beauty is such a joy!

[Shandeh]

Oh, so pretty! And it looks very snuggly as well.

[karenarp]

Aww thank you!
Now I am going to finish up a bunch of other projects I have hanging around. One project may have to be frogged, my gauge changed and nothing I have tried has worked so I could continue the pattern. At least with afghans it isn't as finicky that my gauge has changed - I just work a few stitches in different hooks and find the one that most closely resembles earlier stitches. This feeling of completing projects is so nice I really wanna get them done. Plus would make for nice Christmas gifts for the kids to choose from! We have 5, so if I can finish up 10 afghans that would give them a variety to find their favourite. I now have 4 completed, and two more nearly done and three more about half done.

[karenarp]

Before finishing up other projects I felt I should finish off some skeins that were pretty small and make this little guy using dpn's for my first time ever.
I had a very hard time picking back up my stitches so I could make the bottom close and it shows. Any tips on how to pick up stitches in the future would be appreciated.
My Monster Chunk

[mittenmaker]

karenarp-- I just LOVE Love love your Monster Chunk! What a cutie! Is he an original design of yours?
Excellent for using DPNs for 1st (or zillionth) time!
About making the bottom close, maybe pulling needle & yarn thru live stitches and pulling tight, like making a toque or mitten thumb, perhaps that would work?
P.S. Is that Tim Horton's hot chocolate can in background?

[karenarp]

karenarp-- I just LOVE Love love your Monster Chunk! What a cutie! Is he an original design of yours?

Found him on ravelry, under same name. I have made a few more of him since I posted too and am no longer joining part way through, I start right from the bottom and work my way to the close. Amazing how easy I am finding I can modify knit patterns when I am still so new to it.

Excellent for using DPNs for 1st (or zillionth) time!
About making the bottom close, maybe pulling needle & yarn thru live stitches and pulling tight, like making a toque or mitten thumb, perhaps that would work?

Was my first but not my last. I now love dpns! My knitting is so much faster and smoother! I have never made a mitten so no idea how that would even work! I hardly have any trouble when I pull the item off my needles with gaps from the previous rows. I have also learned the magic loop since I posted this. OMG!! Does that ever make dpn knitting a hundred times easier!
I did discover something about needles. I wanted a smaller needle than my Addi set has so I walked over to Michael's and bought a Boye circular (for magic loop) and tried to use it, was it awful! the needle split my yarn, the cable would not bend nicely and my little guy came out all wrong. But at least it was smaller! teehee So my husband told me to order a smaller Addi needle! Going to try their Addi Crochet Swing hook while I am at it. I am having a hard time deciding which size to get.

P.S. Is that Tim Horton's hot chocolate can in background?

It is most def a Tim Hortons hot chocolate! The only home hot chocolate I love! I tried them all too.

[mittenmaker]

HI karenarp!!
Wow, that is great info! I want to learn Magic Loop too--is that where you knit using 2 circular needles? It looks complicated! I can really see how it makes DPN knitting much easier--no more sts falling off needles!
I want to start making mittens on DPNs to avoid having to seam. I do a fine mattress stitch, why not just not have to seam in first place! I just have to be vigilant about watching out for Laddering.
Oh, and you are within walking distance to Michael's!! How fortunate! I am about a 2 min or so drive from Jo-Ann in Lapeer, but it's a small Jo-Ann, not the Super Store. But that's all right. . .it is only yarn/craft store of that type, we have in Lapeer.

You got me fired up to try the Magic Loop!
Could use a hot choc here today--weather is chilly and rainy! (and a Honey Creuller to go with the hot choc would be yum-o, too!)