Baby Toys DUE JULY 15, New Patterns Announced!

How are your baby projects coming along? Please hook and knit away, as we get into the last week before the Baby Toys are due so that we can send them along to Baby Buggy! Remember, Baby Toys are due Friday, July 15th.

We will have three months to complete our next round of projects, so they are a bit more complex and rewarding. For July, August and September, we will be making cozy and beautiful wearables for women who are battling cancer while staying at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge New York City.

Next Meeting:
Friday, July 15th
12:00 - 2:00 PM
World Financial Center Courtyard (across from Starbucks)

KNIT PROJECTS:


Sunshine Shawl
4.5 mm circular needle (Size 7)


Lace Cowl
5mm circular needles (Size 8)


Angora Lace Scarf
5 mm needles (Size 8)

CROCHET PROJECTS:



Angora Tam Hat
I-9 Hook


South Bay Shawlette
I-9 Hook

This month's projects sponsored by

Crochet Instructions

If you're new to crochet, there are lots of video instructions online.

Here's a link to a really nice one: NexStitch
The creator is Amie Hirtes. Read about her in the Identity link on her website.

Coral Shapes Patterns

How to make crochet coral pieces

Here are the basic instructions for crocheting the basic coral reef hyperbolic shapes.

Reef Crochet General Guidelines

Any basic crochet stitch - single, half double, double or triple - can be used in the patterns. Feel free to alternate stitches within a pattern. Feel free to change yarns as it strikes your fancy. Try using different hook sizes to achieve different looks. Work with a single strand of yarn or a combination of yarns worked together with a large hook. As long as you increase at a steady rate, you will achieve a hyperbolic form! Experiment with a variety of materials including: cut up old t-shirts, cassetter or video tape, cut up plastic bags, cut up old sweaters, use collected/discarded twine, or cut up plastic beverage bottles.

RUFFLE
Make a chain to any length. Crochet any stitch (single, half double, double or triple) back along chain increasing at a steady rate – increase one in every third stitch (stitch one in the first stitch, one in the second stitch and two in the third stitch and so on) or every fourth stitch or every ninth stitch. Increasing more frequently will make it a ruffle or “crenellate” faster, increasing less frequently will take a while for the piece to start to ruffle, but you can make a much larger piece.

Turn work at the end of the row. Make more rows as desired, changing yarns and stitches as desired, and working increased stitches as desired to shape piece.

Experimentation is encouraged!

CIRCLE
Chain about 4. Join chain with a slip stitch to form a ring. Work stitch of choice into the ring until it’s filled up. Join your last stitch to the first stitch with a slip stitch. End off, or make more rounds as desired. Make increases on subsequent rounds to shape piece. Increase at a steady rate of increase to see the piece ruffle faster.

CYLINDER
Make a chain to any length. Join chain with a slip stitch to form a ring. Work a stitch into each chain; join your last stitch to the first with a slip stitch. Continue to work in rounds, changing stitches and yarns as desired. You can alter the shape of the cylinder by occasionally working an increase (making 2 or more stitches into the same stitch) or a decrease (working 1 or more less stitches on a round).

CORKSCREW
Make a chain to any length. Crochet any stitch (single, half double, double or triple) back along chain - working 2 or more sets in each chain to make it curl. When you reach the beginning of the chain, chain again to same or different length and repeat to make additional corkscrews!

Experiment with different and multiple kinds of yarns.

Patterns provided by Institute for Figuring for Workshops held at
New York University Department of Art and Art Professions

DO REAL MEN WEAR CROCHET CAPS?

When we began our projects for Christmas-at-Sea, a crocheted hat for men didn't seem likely until Celia found a pattern that gives crochet a masculine twist.

The Chunky Watch Cap is a free pattern included with Lion Brand Wool Ease yarn. What's especially interesting is that the ribbed part looks knitted, but is actually a series of chain, single crochet and double crochet added after the upper cap is completed.

If you'd like to make this Watch Cap, we'll have the yarn and the pattern at the next meetings.
You can also check out the Lion Brand website for free patterns. Here's another unisex crochet stocking cap Lion Brand free patterns. Order the yarn for this project from their website and you get 15% off.

CROCHETED PREEMIE CAP

THE SKEIN ATTRACTION’S CROCHETED PREEMIE CAP

We’ve included just the crocheted version here, but if you prefer to knit the cap, we have linked to the complete pattern on The Skein Attraction website.

YARN Valley Plymouth Yarns Encore wool/acrylic 100 yds
NEEDLE G hook
GUAGE
FINISHED SIZE TBD 4-7” tall

Chain 4 and join into ring with a slip stitch

ROUND 1 Work 6 sc into ring

ROUND 2 Work 2 dc into each sc from previous round (12 dc)

ROUND 3 (dc, 2 dc into next dc) rep to end of round (18 dc)

ROUND 4 (dc, dc, 2 dc into next dc) rep to end of round (24 dc)

ROUND 5 (dc, dc, dc, 2 dc into next dc) rep to end of round (30 dc)

ROUND 6 (dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc into next dc) rep to end of round (36 dc)

For a bigger head, continue working the increase rounds. Otherwise, work dc around cap until piece measures 4-7” from beginning. Fasten off. Fold back brim.

PATTERN USE All patterns on the In the Loop blog are for charitable crafting only. Knitting or crocheting this item for resale is prohibited.

GLOSSARY dc=double chain sc=single chain rep=repeat

KNITTED PREEMIE CAP

The Knitted Preemie Cap from Project Sunshine's Project Knit is easy, quick (it only takes an hour!) and oh so cute . . . Happy Knitting!

YARN Valley Yarns Longmeadow 60% cotton/40% microfiber 117 yards
NEEDLES (circular needle method) US 4 and US 5 12" circular needles
GUAGE 6 stitches equals 1 inch using US 5 needles in stockinette
FINISHED SIZE 8" circumference 4" tall

Using size US 4 circular needles, cast on 48 stitches. Knit one row. Then, place marker and knit in the round. Knit 5 rows. Change to US 5 circular needles and continue until hat (unrolled) measures 3” inches.

Begin decrease . . .
ROW 1 *K6, k2tog. Rep from * 5 times, 42 sts remain
KNIT ALL EVEN ROWS
ROW 3 *K5, k2tog. Re from * 5 times, 36 sts remain
CHANGE TO DPN
ROW 5 *K4, k2tog. Rep from * 5 times, 30 sts remain
ROW 7 *K3, k2tog. Rep from * 5 times, 24 sts remain
ROW 9 *K2, k2tog. Rep from * 5 imes, 18 sts remain
ROW 11 *K1, k2tog. Rep from * 5 times, 12 sts remain
ROW 13 *K2tog. Rep from * 5 times, 6 sts remain

Begin i-cord . . . Knit 5 rows, pushing stitches to other side of needle after each row.

Break yarn and leaving about 8–10 inches for sewing, thread through remaining stitches. Pull to close i-cord and sew back seam. Weave in ends. Done!

PATTERN USE All patterns on In the Loop blog for charitable crafting only. Knitting or crocheting any item for resale is prohibited.

NOTE We recommend the circular needle method, but if dpn's are your preferred method, you can download the complete pattern from the Project Sunshine website. We will provide color copies of this and other project patterns at all Socials events.

AUTHOR NOTE Gauge is not so important, as preemie heads come in many sizes. However, if you knit very tight, it's better to knit with the next needle size up. The roll brim is good because it is adjustable. If you are worried about the roll moving too much (or not rolling at all), tack it into place in the back with a simple whip stitch when weaving in your cast-on end (Anne-Marie Brule).

GLOSSARY dpn=double pointed needles K=knit P=purl k2tog=knit two together rep=repeat sts=stitches RS=right side WS=wrong side