One Year Later- A Prisoner of Azkaban Hat

     Today, it has been a year since I wrote my first blog post! Hooray! Who's ready to party?!

     In other news, I finished a hat yesterday of my own design. It is based off of (and I just know that you are going to be SUPER surprised when I say this) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

     My lovely model is Victoria, my new sister!

     If you would like to make this pattern, you can get it for free at One Year Later pattern by Katherine Westerman

Stashbuster Blanket

     This is the story of how I procrastinated (putting something off is always a good way to begin a story).

     I had started this blanket on November 16, 2013 because I had a lot of small skeins of stash yarn (donated to me by my loving sisters). The original pattern only called for twenty squares, so I thought, "This is going to be fast and easy!"

     I was so wrong about the fast part.

     I didn't realize that I didn't have enough small skeins to actually finish very many squares. I had other, entirely unused, skeins, but there was obviously no way that I would use those. So I decided that I would make other projects, and then use the leftover yarn for more squares!

     Long story short, I made a lot of projects and eventually the number of squares reached twenty.

     Looking at it all laid out made me think, "Hmmm... It looks kind of... Small."

     So I got to work making THIRTY more squares.

     Once I got to about forty squares, I started crocheting them together in rows so I wouldn't have to remember what order they were in. After I reached fifty squares, I finally completed the blanket by crocheting a navy blue border around the entire thing.

     This is what the blanket looks like on a twin size bed.

     This is what it looks like on a full size bed.

     If you would like to make a blanket similar to this, you can get the pattern for free at Four Strand Knit Blanket pattern by Smitha Katti

How to Crochet Entrelac

     Crocheted Entrelac, made with the Tunisian Simple Stitch, is used primarily for making afghans and baby blankets. It is a bit tricky at first to understand, but after you memorize how it works, it becomes second nature.

     To begin, chain two more stitches than the amount of rows you want (example: if you want 10 rows, you'll chain 12).

     I chained eight stitches and the instructions are written as if you did the same.

Row 1:

     Turn the chain upside down and pick up seven stitches from the bottom loop.

     You'll now have eight stitches on your hook.

     Complete a total of six forward and return passes.

     Bind off all of the stitches. You have now made the center square of your Entrelac.

     If you want to change colors now, you can cut your yarn and join  your new color at any of the sides. If you want to keep using your current color, slip stitch down the side of your square.

Row 2:

      Now that your yarn is in the corner, chain 7.

      Pick up six stitches in your chain from the bottom loop, as you did before. You will now have seven loops on your hook.

      Pick up one stitch from the side of your square.

     You will now have eight stitches on your hook.

      Complete a return pass.

     Make a forward pass, but don't pick up the final stitch. You'll have seven loops on your hook.

     Pick up the stitch on the side of the square again and you'll have eight loops on your hook.

     In this manner, complete six rows.

     Bind off all of the stitches.

     Repeat the square making process a total of four times.

     If you want to change colors, you can cut your yarn and join the new color in the top left corner of one of the squares. If you want to keep using the same color, just slip stitch up the right side of the next square and across the top.

Row 3:

     1) Pick up six stitches on the left side of the square.

     Now pick up a stitch on the right side of the next square.

     You will now have eight stitches on your hook.

     Complete a return pass and make all forward passes as before. Bind off when you have made six rows.

     2) Chain seven stitches and pick up six from the bottom loop. Make six rows (making all forward and return passes as before) and bind off.

     Repeat steps 1) and 2) all the way around the swatch. Your work should now look like this.

     If you want to keep making more rows, all you have to do is slip up the right side of the next square (or if you are joining a new yarn, join in the top right corner) and repeat the necessary steps.

     If you need a little bit extra help, I found a really good video by The Crochet Crowd.

How to: Short Rows

     Short rows are often used for shaping the heels of socks and the busts of sweaters. It's very helpful to know how to make it and, once you get the hang of it, is pretty fun! However, short rows are probably one of the most feared aspects of knitting. I'm fairly certain that this is because of the term "wrap and turn" (abbreviated w&t). What does that even mean? Well, I'll show you.

Instructions:

     Cast on any number of stitches, preferably one divisible by two. I did twelve. Work in the desired pattern until you have reached the row you wish to make short rows on (for simplicity's sake, I'm going to stick with Stockinette).

     Knit the amount of stitches called for in your pattern. For me, this is ten stitches.

     Now comes the wrap and turn (w&t). Move your yarn from the back of your work to the front.

     Slip the next stitch off of your left-hand needle and onto your right-hand needle.

     Move your yarn to the back of your work.

     Turn your work so that the wrong side is facing you.

     Slip the stitch from on your left-hand needle to your right-hand needle.

     If you are going to knit the next few stitches, simply move your yarn to the back of your work and LOOSELY knit the next stitch. Knit each stitch after that the way you normally would.

     If you, like me, are going to purl the next few stitches, purl the first stitch LOOSELY (see below) and then purl the next stitches as you normally would.

     If you're making my swatch, purl eight. If not, ignore me. :)     

     Here comes the wrap and turn on the purl side! Move your yarn to the back of the work.

     Slip the next stitch from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle.

     Move the yarn from the back of the work to the front and slip the stitch back onto the left-hand needle.

     Turn the work.

     Now, I'm going to show you how to pick up the wrapped stitches you have made.

How to Pick Up Stitches: RS

     Knit up to the wrapped stitch.

     Slip the stitch from your left-hand needle onto your right-hand needle.

     Pick up the wrap with your left-hand needle, and place it onto your right-hand needle.

     Slip both the wrap and the stitch back onto your left-hand needle and knit them together.

     Knit to the end of the row.

How to Pick Up Stitches: WS

     Purl up to the wrapped stitch.

     This next part is best explained by picture on the right side of the work. Do you see that wrap around the stitch?

     You are going to pick that up with your right-hand needle.

     And then you can slip the stitch onto your right-hand needle.

     Slip both the wrap and the stitch back onto the left-hand needle.

     Purl the wrap and the stitch together, and purl to the end of the row.

     Your swatch should now look slightly curved. If you keep doing more short rows, the curve will become more pronounced.

     If you would like some help with this technique, here is a video on how to wrap and turn and here is one on how to pick up wraps.