Author Archives: Coffee Tea Knits

Knitting a seed stitch mitered dishcloth

Posted in July 2020 by

A Seed Stitch Mitered Dishcloth



In between large and lingering knitting projects (blankets, sweaters etc.), I find knitting dishcloths both appealing and interesting. I can explore and learn different stitch patterns using a particular knitting technique without spending too much time to finish the project. Dishcloths, of course, are useful to have around the kitchen and they also make great gifts. During one such in between period I knit this seed stitch mitered dishcloth (see a previous blog post “To knit a mitered square” for more information about this knitting technique). Below with photos and text (for personal use only), is the knitting progression of this mitered dishcloth in a seed stitch pattern.


The seed stitch pattern:
Row 1 (RS): *K1, P1*; repeat from *…* to end of the row
Row 2 (WS): *P1, K1*; repeat  from *…* to end of the row
Knit in seed stitch pattern: Knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches

Yarn: PREMIER HOME® COTTON CONE YARN Colorway: Jelly Dots
Knitting Needles: US #10 and US #7
Crochet hook: US size 7 or 4.5 mm crochet hook
Gauge: Not needed for this project
Abbreviations:



  • K: Knit

  • P: Purl

  • K2tog: Knit two stitches together

  • ssk: slip slip knit (slip 2 stitches to right hand needle then insert the left needle in front of the two slipped stitches and knit them together.

  • rm: remove marker

  • sm: slip marker

  • wyif: with yarn in front

  • RS: right side

  • WS: wrong side


1. Cast on 64 stitches with US #10 size knitting needles and place a removable stitch marker after 32 stitches.



2. Switch to a US #7 needle and start knitting the dishcloth as follows:



  • Setup Row 1 (RS): K1, *K1, P1* (repeat from*…* 14 times), K1, K2tog, sm, ssk, *K1, P1* (repeat from *…*14 times), K1, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.




  • Setup Row 2 (WS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm, P1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.




  • Row 3 (RS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 2 stitches before maker, K2tog, sm, ssk, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.

  • Row 4 (WS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm, P1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.

  • Repeat the last 2 rows till 4 stitches are left on the needle.










  • Bind off row (RS): K2, pass the first stitch over the second stitch on the right hand needle, rm, *K1, pass the first stitch on the right hand needle over the second stitch*; repeat from *…* once more and one stitch is left on the needle.




  • Insert a 4.5 mm ( US 7) crochet hook into the remaining stitch and single crochet along the edge of the dishcloth.




  • To get a more curved corner edge on the two non mitered corners, single crochet twice into the same corner edge stitch.




  • Single crochet all around ending at the first bind off stitch. Crochet 15 chain stitches.




  • Slip stitch into the first single crochet stitch.




  • Weave in the ends, wash and block the dishcloth.




  • The finished dishcloth.




Enjoy! 

~coffeeteaknits.com

© Coffee Tea Knits. All text and images for personal use only. All Rights Reserved.

To knit a center out blanket

Posted in June 2020 by

A center out knit blanket



Yarn used: Lion Brand Pound of Love® Yarn


This garter stitch blanket is knit center out with two different colors of yarn I already had. Compared to the center out crochet blanket I posted about in February 2020 which was completed within two months, knitting this blanket has taken me longer than six months to complete. This is because as the blanket grew larger, I could only knit a few rounds in one sitting due to issues with hand fatigue. There were close to 800 stitches on the needle at bind off. 

The number of garter ridge stripes for are based on the Fibonacci sequence till the last stripe for both yarn colors. I did not have enough yarn left so the number of garter ridges for the last stripes are shorter than the next Fibonacci number in the sequence. The blanket was finished with a single crochet border and diagonal crochet duplicate stitches for the four corners. Although I like how the center out seamless knit blanket looks, I still find the process of crocheting a center out seamless blanket more appealing. 

~coffeeteaknits.com

© Coffee Tea Knits. All text and images for personal use only. All Rights Reserved.

To knit during a pandemic

Posted in May 2020 by

Four years ago my May 2016 blog post was about “The Simple Elegance of the Garter Stitch” and how with this stitch pattern we can create several beautiful and elegant knits. This year amidst the stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic, I would like to add that I’ve also found knitting with the garter stitch pattern both meditative and comforting.

A Garter Stitch Wrap

I used the Zaden Spring Shawl pattern by Staci Perry of Very Pink Knits as inspiration and also to learn the bias knitting technique for a wrap. I modified the pattern by using a different stitch count, sock yarn, and knit the wrap using just the garter stitch pattern. 

May knitting bring you comfort!

~coffeeteaknits.com

© Coffee Tea Knits. All text and images for personal use only. All Rights Reserved.

A knitted or crocheted border for a woven blanket

Posted in April 2020 by

I wove these two baby blankets using a rigid heddle loom. I didn’t want any fringes for these blankets so I added a knitted border to one blanket and a crocheted border to the other blanket using the warp yarn.

Woven baby blanket with knitted border
Woven baby blanket with crocheted border

The warp yarn for the blanket with the crocheted border was sport weight while the warp yarn for the blanket with the knitted border was worsted weight. The two different weft yarns used for both blankets were super bulky (yarn weight of 6). 

Both the knitted and crocheted borders work well in taking care of managing the fringes of the warp yarn but I found the crocheted border for the baby blanket easier to manage and less time consuming.

How do you take care of the fringes of the warp yarn in woven baby blankets?

~coffeeteaknits.com

© Coffee Tea Knits. All text and images for personal use only. All Rights Reserved.

 

When life gave me yarn

Posted in March 2020 by

When life gave me yarn, I became an avid knitter.
I started a knitting blog and embarked on a journey paved with intricate designs, colors, and textures.
Thoughts of becoming a fiber artist crossed my path several times.
On this path I also picked up the yarn related crafts of crocheting and weaving.
All throughout the journey recurring dreams of someday designing my own yarn related items beckoned me towards more and more yarn.
Now, despite my efforts to the contrary, the yarn in my life keeps growing and growing.
So tell me my friends is this yarn in my life just a temporary haven or is the yarn calling me?

A woven prayer shawl/wrap

Keep safe everyone from the coronavirus pandemic!

~coffeeteaknits.com

© Coffee Tea Knits. All text and images for personal use only. All Rights Reserved.