May 1, 2013

So here are some more blocks...

Square 21
Florentine Frieze

 Florentine Frieze is a handsome pattern for sweaters. It looks pretty when worked in more than two colors, by changing to a new color on each first and eleventh row.

Square 22
Diagonal Weave

 This handsome pattern demonstrates that slip-stitches (made on Rows 1, 2, 5, and 6 in this case) may be moved over, a couple stitches to the left or to the right, when they are being picked up for re-knitting. This technique is not difficult, and it does create some striking effects.

Square 23
Honeycomb

This is one of many Honeycombs, an especially firm, close one that makes nice jackets, pillows and hats. This square is much thicker and heavier than the others. Reminds me of double-knit pieces.

Well, I am almost finished with Square 24, the Cottage Check pattern. It will complete Section III. Then I will be off and knitting with Section IV - Twist-Stitch Patterns.

I received a very nice email from one of the ladies in the knitting group from Jessica Knits & Crochets in Scottsdale, AZ. She gave me an update of what's happening with the group and inquired as to how I was doing. I explained how I started my new group here in the RV resort. I told her about the knit shop "The Spinster" in Kingman, AZ and some of the activities that are planned for the summer there, including the Mystery Project that will start next week. I shared how the ladies here in Bullhead City, AZ finally contacted me and asked me to join their group which meets monthly. I agreed and we are all going together to Kingman to begin the Mystery Project at the same time. I am real excited about meeting these neighbors of mine and making new friendships with them, my fellow knitters.

With all of these knitting groups and the quilting guild, I should be busy with lots of projects this summer. If nothing else, I will be able to complete the ones started. Do you really believe that? I expect I will complete my blocks because the winter projects depend upon those being finished. But with Mystery Projects and new Guild quilts planned for this summer, I suppose I will be busy enough and maybe without the necessary time to complete projects already begun. But there are only a few of those anyway. Some quilting I still want to do that I hope to finish for gift-giving at Christmas and my "in-progress project" the vest I am designing. With Steve gone most of the summer, I really have hopes that I will finish them all and be totally ready to start the winter season when the snow birds return with a clean slate ready to be filled with more "new projects". The never-ending story.....

Okay now, I just finished the last square for Section III

Square 24
Cottage Check

This square demonstrates a class of patterns in which one strand of color chases the other strand in the same direction, so there are 2 right-side rows at once, then 2 wrong-side rows, etc. In this case the first of each pair of rows is worked with Color D, the second with Color A, so the turns come only after A rows. Naturally one cannot work this way on single-pointed needles, so it must be done on a circular needle or a pair of dpns.