Tag: crocheting

WIP for June

June 18, 2014 kimberlee 4 Comments

WIP stands for work in progress and I have quite a few of those for this month. I typically have at least one crochet and one or two knitting projects going at all times but I got involved in a few extra this month and wanted to show what I have been working on lately.

I continue to work on my Noro garter and lace shawl that I started last summer and put aside. I really like this yarn and the project but it is like knitting with toothpicks on these tiny size 4 needles. I have a goal to get it done this summer though. I am a little more than halfway through with it now.

Below is a close up of the lace and garter rows. I now have over 250 stitches on my circular needles so it takes me at least 10 minutes to complete one row. I believe I will end up with over 375 stitches by the time it is finished.

My friend Karen and I decided to knit this advanced lace shawl called My Cat Stole My Heart. It is a pattern from Knit Picks. We usually meet and knit together at Starbucks twice a month and decided to do a KAL – Knit Along – together. She was planning to knit this for a friend and give it to her by September but the pattern is so long and very complex that she has changed her mind and will be knitting something a little easier for her friend.

The yarn I choose to knit this Cat Stole My Heart shawl is from Knit Picks – called Chroma fingering weight yarn. The color is called prism and I love it! The pattern called for lace weight yarn but I just couldn’t find one I really liked and decided to try it with this fingering weight. So far I am pleased with how it looks – this is my progress after about 10 days. I do not work on this every day because it is the type of knitting project that you have to really focus on and pay attention so you can not be talking to anyone or watching TV. I usually sit outside in the morning on my patio with my coffee after my workout and knit a few rows.

The below photo is a close up of the shawl – it is altering rows of a cat paw print and a lace heart design – the hearts go one way the paw print the other.

Around the same time I started the cat shawl I began a baby blanket for a gift for my neighbor who I just found out was pregnant and due any day. They are new neighbors and I had not seen them much the past few months and didn’t know she was having a baby. This is their first child and a little girl so of course I had to go through my stash and find a pretty pink yarn to knit a baby blanket. I never get to make pink things – other than for myself – since I have three sons. I am about halfway done with this little blanket. I am just using a simple diagonal knitting pattern (like for the dishcloths) that has a little openwork edge.

The dishcloths are a new obsession of mine lately since I participated in the May KAL with my facebook knitting group. I started another star pattern dishcloth in this red, white and blue stripe cotton yarn that I found at Joann last week. I like working on this for something simple that I can do while watching TV or talking to someone. Also, these dishcloths are very portable projects and easy to work on anywhere.

One of the other things I have started in the past few weeks is a crochet project using the Patons Glam stripe yarn I got on sale at Michaels back in May. I really like this yarn and I am designing a wrap and a shrug pattern with it. I have already knit a scarf with the yarn and I like how it looks and it is a nice yarn to work with.

I have also continued to watch some of my craftsy knitting class Lace Knitting Basics and Beyond with Eunny Jang. I am already familiar with knitting lace but I wanted to take this class to learn more about knitting lace patterns and reading charts. So far I am really pleased with the class and I like the instructor. She is easy to listen to and understand. You can click on the highlighted link to learn more about the class or click on the craftsy link in the right sidebar to learn more about their other knitting classes.

I would love to hear about your WIP – (work in progress) or any finished projects as well. Click on Leave a Reply to tell me about them.

Have a great day!

Kimberlee

Categories: Crochet Knitting

Tags: baby blanket, blanket, Crochet, crocheting, knitting, lace knitting, lace shawl, noro shawl, shawls, work in progress

Crochet Yoga-Pilates Strap

April 25, 2014 kimberlee 10 Comments

If you do yoga or pilates then you know that sometimes there is a need for a strap or belt for some of the poses or exercises. Basically this is a long piece of sturdy fabric. I have a really old purple canvas type of belt that I believe came with a yoga dvd I bought years ago. I decided it would be fun to crochet my own – this is what I came up with:

To make this strap you will need cotton yarn – 2 skeins, and a size US K crochet hook. I just used some leftover yarn from other projects so you will not need the whole 2 skeins – this is a great project to use up some yarn you have laying around. I have written up a pdf pattern that you can download with directions on how to. Click on the highlighted text to take you to the pattern. Crochet Yoga or Pilates Strap Pattern from Kimberlees Korner

I really like how this strap turned out and have used it a couple of times in the past week or two. It is super easy and fast to crochet. The cotton yarn makes this yoga strap nice and soft and washable, too. It would be a great gift for any person you know that does yoga or pilates. I have a few people in mind that I will be making some for as gifts.

Here are some of the exercises you can do with this strap:

There are lots of other exercises you can do, these are just a few to give you an idea. This strap is also a great stretching and flexibility tool which is what I was using it for in the photos as I did this after doing a cardio and ab workout. I normally do yoga or pilates without my shoes on.

I hope you enjoy the pattern. I am currently working on a couple of new knitting patterns that I will be sharing soon. What projects are you working on?

Have a great day!

Kimberlee

Categories: Crafts Crochet Exercise

Tags: Crochet Pattern, crochet pilates strap, crochet project, crochet yoga strap, crocheting, flexibility, free crochet pattern, free pattern, pilates strap, stretch belt

Red Crochet Tunic

February 14, 2014 kimberlee 3 Comments

This week has been filled with crochet projects. I recently finished this crochet tunic design and figured today was a great day to share it since it is red and today is Valentines Day!

This project took me a while to complete. I think it was because I made it quite long and you have to crochet a front and a back. The one side I got crocheted pretty fast but I kept putting the other side in my UFO (unfinished objects) pile and would work on other designs and ideas. Once I finally finished both sides they sat there for a week waiting to be sewn together. That is one of the things about making a garment – you have completed all the crochet or knitting and then you still have to sew the pieces together…

Well, I finally got the pieces sewn together and even wore it the other day to church with the black leggings I made a couple of months ago. I really like how it looks with leggings or with jeans. I am also thinking it will look good with a tank top or camisole underneath it for spring and summer.

I will eventually have this pattern available in my etsy shop and on craftsy. I was so happy to get it finished I wanted to share it on my blog first.

What crochet or knitting projects have you recently completed? Click on Leave a Reply and tell me about them.

Have a Happy Valentines Day!

Kimberlee

Categories: Crochet

Tags: Crochet, crochet tunic, crocheting, red crochet tunic, red tunic, tunic

Crochet Cape Project

November 26, 2013 kimberlee 2 Comments

Recently, I finished this crochet cape project. I made this cape for my grandmother for a gift for her this Christmas. She is in her 90’s and somewhat sedentary these days since she suffered a stroke and broken hip back in April. My mother mentioned to me that she was going to need some things to wear around her to keep her warm this winter as she lives in Michigan, where it is cold in the winter.

I crocheted this cape using Homespun yarn from Lion brand in the color spice. I love the colors of the Homespun as well as how soft and warm it is. I really like to crochet and knit with this yarn in the winter months. The lower edge of the cape features a ruffle yarn as the trim. The yarn is from Patons and called Pirouette. I like how some of the ruffle yarns coordinate with the Homespun yarn so well. I have also made a crochet scarf using the ruffle yarn as just an edging and knit a wrap using the ruffle yarn just on the edge and the Homespun yarn as the base of the wrap.

This pattern is something I designed on my own. I do have the pattern available in my etsy shop if you are interested in crocheting one yourself. Click on the highlighted word etsy to take you to that link.

I made my grandmother a lap throw several years ago that I crocheted in different colors to go with her couch. She says she loves it and uses it all the time. I am hoping she will like this cape, too. It is always nice to hear when people are using the things you made for them.

What gifts are you crocheting or knitting for people this Christmas? Click on Leave a Reply and tell me about them.

Have a great day!

Categories: Crafts Crochet

Tags: Crochet, crochet cape, crochet patterns, crochet project, crocheting, homespun yarn, pirouette ruffle yarn