Knitting a Technicolor Checks Blanket

Hello my lovely followers!  I have completed my Knitting In Technicolor series with the final blanket and I've added a hat!  I have so enjoyed designing these bright and colorful blankets.  After the huge success of the Crochet in Technicolor series, and many emails, I've designed three blanket knitting patterns and a coordinating hat to the line.

Knitting Checks in Technicolor is a super easy, 6 row repeat, pattern.  I've added fringe to two sides (directions are included in the pattern), but you can add any border you like.  If you crochet, a simple single crochet edge would be lovely.  Or a shell stitch!  Seventeen skeins or worsted weight (4) yarn will knit up all three blankets and a matching hat.  

This hat is perfect for the beginner just starting out with circular needles.  No double point needles needed as there are no decreases!  A couple tassels instead of a bow for the boys would be cute, to match the fringe of the blanket!

Bright, cheerful and so much fun to knit with all these colors!  I get so many compliments at baby showers when I gift something from my Technicolor series.  It really makes me feel so warm inside.  

Would it be too much if I did a pastel series?  I think I will.  How cute would that be for spring time?  Maybe something in all blue pastels for boys and pink for girls!  A gender neutral blanket in shades of creams, soft greys and turquoise!  My mind is churning right now!  I'll have to jot that down and get to a yarn shop!

I've put together a bundle pattern set of all three blankets and the hat.  You can knit all of these with the 17 skeins of yarn and still have some left over!  The patterns, sold separately, are $5.00 each.  The bundle is $15.00.  That saves you $5.00!  Each pattern is very easy and perfect for the beginner who is ready to move on from scarves!  The bundle is only available in my Etsy shop.  

I know when you hear "seventeen skeins" you think about the cost, however, four blankets and a hat comes out to less than $18.00 a project.

I also have one hat kit available in my Etsy shop for $12.00.

Everything you need to complete your own knitted Technicolor Hat! 

You get:
*Enough acrylic yarn to complete the newborn or 0-6 months size hat
*One printed pattern 
*One red bow
*One project card
*One stitch marker

Well, there you have it!  If you would like to purchase any of my patterns in the Technicolor series, knitting or crochet, you can find them:

In my Etsy shop

My Ravelry shop

My Craftsy shop

or click on any of my shops at the top of this post!

Have a great week,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Knitted Arm Warmers Kit

Spring kit

It's the end of spring in the USA and we are heading into summer, my favorite time of year!  Yay!  Vegetables from the garden await, the smell of fresh cut grass in the air and wooly knitting and crochet.  I know, not too much fun in the heat of summer, but this is the time of year I get my knitting and crochet kits together.

Fall kit

The first of which is knitted arm warmers.  After all, my friends on the other side of the world are heading into their winter!  

You can knit them in the round or on straight needles.  Instructions are given for both.  No thumb holes!  

I've put three kits together....Spring (the top photo), Fall (above photo) and

Winter kit  

Whether you are petite, like my daughter, or "fluffy" like me, they will fit!  You can make them shorter and get two pair or knit them longer for one pair. 

You get everything you need to complete your own arm warmers:

*Two skeins of machine wash yarn

*One printed pattern

*A coupon for your next order

*A surprise gift

Find the kits in my etsy shop

I've also got some new fabrics in my etsy shop  

below are just two

and 

a Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket Kit there too

Thank you for all your kind words of sympathy and encouragement last week.  It was very much appreciated!

Have a great week!

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Here's a tip from Knit Daily on weaving in your ends!

Off The Hook...Summer Shawl

I'm a bit tardy in my posting.  Things come up in ones life that cannot be helped.  Sometimes they are happy things and sometimes they are truly heartbreaking.  Hooking up a comforting shawl is very good medicine for many and I am no different.  We lost a boy in our neighborhood to a fatal car accident.  He was speeding, lost control and crashed into a tree, then a pole.  He was alone and no other cars were involved.   

I live in one of those rare neighborhoods that can change ones life.  Over 25 children live in just a one block area of our house.  I'm hooking away as I recall......they go to school together, have Easter egg hunts, July 4th parades and picnic, Halloween trick or treating.  We all belong to the same neighborhood swimming pool.  They have gone to elementary, middle and high schools together.  They go to homecomings and proms together.  The hug each other as they go off to college and regroup when they return.  When each child turned 16, I told them....."put our phone number in your cel phone.  If you get into trouble, drink too much, need a ride late at night or whatever, call us.  We won't tattle.  You won't be in trouble".  When one is gone, it's devastating.  I wish David had called.

I also just turned 55 (hooking faster now).  I can hardly believe it.  Saying it sounds so old to me.  I can choose to love it or choose to hate it.  I choose to love it!  I have been through much in my 55 years.  I have had many a malady growing up.  I was a widow before I was 30 (that's another blog post) had three miscarriages before I was 40.  I'm overweight, I have bowel issues, and fibromyalgia can reek havoc!  

But I'm here, in all my glory!  I have a wonderful husband of 22 years and we have a lovely 21 year old daughter that has been a joy.  I have two brothers and two great sisters in law that take good care of them.  My parents are still living and I see them every week.  I have traveled my whole life all over this continent and across the pond and continue to do so.  I tell people that I'm 61......and they always say....."damn you look good"!  I'm keeping my weight on as it pushes out my wrinkles and keeps a chicken neck from forming!

I can't wait to finish my summer shawl.  It has been very soothing, much like the summer beach colors that run throughout.  Life is a rocket.  Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!

The Summer Shawl yarn was brought to you by Mary Maxim Seasons in Summer.  I'm using a size G/4.0mm hook.

The pattern is Augusta Shawl by Andrea Mules.  You can find her FREE pattern here! 

Best,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Leave your scissors at home when traveling by plane.  Take your dental floss container to cut your yarn!

Knitting Waves in Technicolor

 For those of you who are following my Technicolor series, here is the second of four Knitting In Technicolor patterns.  Seventeen colors in machine wash worsted weight yarn.

A four row repeat (only one purl row....yay!) makes it an easy project.  You can get up to 4 blankets out of these seventeen skeins.  Circular needles are used to handle the weight of the blanket, but you will be knitting back and forth as you would on straight needles.

If you have my Technicolor Crocheted Blanket patterns, this is a knitted version of the Technicolor Crocheted Waves Blanket.  I have had so much fun translating one to the other.  

I love the colorful waves in this knitted version.  It would be just as beautiful in more muted tones or different shades of the same color.

I am working on a knitted "granny" pattern and should have it ready in the next couple weeks.

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Etsy shop

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Craftsy shop

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Ravelry shop

you can also find all four of the 

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Etsy shop

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Craftsy shop

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Ravelry shop

Have a great week,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

When casting on a large number of stitches, place a stitch marker after every 20 to make your counting easier.  Remove them when you knit your first row.