Saturday 31 January 2009

FGF February Crochet-Along Free Pattern - HARLEQUIN

The Fingerless Gloves Fanatics group on Ravelry is having a monthly KAL/CAL featuring new patterns by group members & I was lucky enough to get the February crochet slot. This pattern was created especially for the CAL & will be available free here during the month of February (& possibly for longer).

I hope you have fun making these mitts & that you come back in June when my turn rolls around again :0)

Harlequin Mitts by Shirley MacDonald



Size: Ladies medium

1 50g ball of DK yarn in main colour (MC) - I used Patons Diploma Gold DK in red
1 50g ball DK yarn in contrast colour (CC) - I used Rowan Pure Wool DK in enamel
4mm hook*
4.5mm hook*
1 stitch marker

*Please note - I crochet tight so if you generally crochet quite loosely you may wish to use 3.5mm & 4mm instead.

These mitts use a very simple & easy to memorise 4-row pattern with 2 rows worked in each colour. The colours are not fastened off between rounds but are carried up the inside of the work - be sure to pull your new yarn tight (but not too tight!) at each colour change. Once finished the inside of the glove should look like this -




The stitch count remains the same throughout & shaping is achieved by changing hook sizes.

They begin with a double crochet foundation chain. This gives a nice stretchy foundation row. If preferred you can just start with a normal foundation chain & work a single row of double crochet first but this will be much less stretchy.

Please note that pattern uses US terminology.

Abbreviations:

ch - chain
DC - double crochet
sl st - slip stitch
FPDC - front post double crochet
BPDC - back post double crochet

Techniques:

Double crochet foundation chain -

Make a slip knot & chain 3 (counts as first stitch).
Step 1 - Yarn around hook, insert hook into ch furthest from hook & work 1 DC.
Step 2 - Yarn around hook, insert hook into bottom loop of first double crochet & work 1 DC.
Repeat step 2 until you have worked the required number of stitches.

Front post double crochet (FPDC) - yarn around hook, insert hook from front to back around the stem of the next stitch, yarn around hook & draw loop through, yarn around hook & draw through 2 loops, tarn around hook & draw through remaining 2 loops.

Back post double crochet (BPDC) - yarn around hook, insert hook from back to front around the stem of the next stitch, yarn around hook & draw loop through, yarn around hook & draw through 2 loops, yarn around hook & draw through remaining 2 loops.



First mitt (both mitts alike):

Using 4mm hook, main colour (MC) & double crochet foundation chain method make 36 stitches. Join with a slip stitch around the stem of the first stitch (beginning 3 chain), inserting hook from back to front between first & second stitches.

Rows 1-5 - Chain 3 (counts as first stitch), BPDC around next stitch, [FPDC around next stitch, BPDC around next stitch] to end of round. Join with a slip stitch around the stem of the first stitch, inserting hook from back to front between first & second stitches.

Row 6 - [3 ch, skip next 2 stitches, 1 DC into next stitch, 3 ch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch into next stitch] 5 times, 3 ch, skip next 2 stitches, 1 DC into next stitch, 3 ch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch into 1st of 3ch at beginning of round. Drop MC but do not break yarn.

Row 7 - Using contrast colour (CC), 4 ch (counts as 1 DC & 1 ch), 1 DC into first sl st, skip 3ch, sl st into next DC, [skip 3ch , {1DC, 1ch, 1DC, 1ch, DC} into next sl st, skip 3 ch, sl st into next DC] 5 times, 1DC into base of 4ch, ch 1, slip into 3rd ch of beginning 4ch.

Row 8 - Using CC, ch 6 (counts as 1 DC & 3ch), skip {1ch & 1DC}, sl st into next sl st, [3ch, skip 1DC & 1ch, 1 DC into next DC, 3ch, skip 1ch & 1DC, sl st into next sl st] 5 times, 3ch, sl st into the 3rd of beginning 6ch. Drop CC but do not break yarn.

Row 9 - Using MC, ch1, skip 3ch, [{1DC, 1ch, 1DC, 1ch, 1DC} into next sl st, skip 3ch, sl st into next DC] 6 times, working sl st of final repeat into the ch1 at beginning of round.

Row 10 - Using MC, [ch3, skip 1DC & 1ch, 1 DC into next DC, ch3, skip 1ch & 1 DC, sl st into next sl st] 6 times working sl st of final repeat into base of beginning ch3. Drop MC & pick up CC.

Rows 7-10 form the pattern.

Change to 4.5mm hook

Rows 11-14 - repeat rows 7-10

Rows 15 - 16 - repeat rows 7 - 8

Make thumb hole

Row 17 - Using MC, ch1, skip 3ch, [{1DC, 1ch, 1DC, 1ch, 1DC} into next sl st, skip 3ch, sl st into next DC] 2 times, place marker in sl st just worked, ch11, skip next [3ch, sl st, 3ch, 1 DC, 3ch, sl st, 3ch], sl st into next DC, [{1DC, 1ch, 1DC, 1ch, 1DC} into next sl st, skip 3ch, sl st into next DC] 2 times, working sl st of final repeat into the ch1 at beginning of round.

Row 18 - Using MC, [ch3, skip 1DC & 1ch, 1 DC into next DC, ch3, skip 1ch & 1 DC, sl st into next sl st] 2 times, ch3, skip 2ch, 1DC in next ch, ch3, skip 2ch, sl st in next chain, ch3, skip 2ch, 1DC in next ch, ch3, skip 2ch, sl st into next sl st, [ch3, skip 1DC & 1ch, 1 DC into next DC, ch3, skip 1ch & 1 DC, sl st into next sl st] 2 times working sl st of final repeat into base of beginning ch3.

Rows 19 - 22 - repeat rows 7 - 10.

Rows 23 - 25 - repeat rows 7 - 9.

Row 26 - ch3 (counts as first st), work 1 DC in every DC, ch1 & sl st to end. Join with a slip stitch around the stem of the first stitch (beginning 3 chain), inserting hook from back to front between first & second stitches. 36 sts

Row 27 - ch3 (counts as 1st stitch), BPDC around next stitch, [FPDC around next stitch, BPDC around next stitch] to end of round. Join with a slip stitch to top of ch3.

Fasten off & weave in ends.

Thumb

Using MC & 4mm hook, rejoin yarn to marked stitch on row 17.

Row 1 - Skip 3ch, [1DC, 1ch, 1DC, 1ch, 1DC in next sl st, skip 3ch, sl st in next DC] twice.

Row 2 - Working along underside of 11ch [ch3, skip 2 ch, 1DC in next ch, skip 2ch, sl st in next ch] twice. Now working along Row 1 [ch3, skip 1DC & 1ch, 1 DC into next DC, ch3, skip 1ch & 1 DC, sl st into next sl st] twice.

Fasten off yarn & weave in ends.

Friday 2 January 2009

A bunch of loonies

So while we're on the subject of charity fund-raising . . .

New Year's Day 2008; my mum, her sister Holda & sister-in law Jodie took part in the annual Loony Dook - they ran into the River Forth to raise money for Rachel House, a children's hospice here in Fife. Despite the fact that it was Baltic (we are in Scotland after all) my mum was the first to sign up to do it again this year.

Fast forward to New Year's Day 2009; sadly mum didn't get the chance to dook again this time for Breakthrough Breast Cancer so to honour her (& because I'd had a wee dram & it seemed like a good idea at the time) I decided to do it for her. It's amazing what seems like a good idea when you've had a drink.

We were lucky with the weather - the forecast had been for temperatures of -2C & sleet & snow; the actual weather was clear blue skies & sunshine. We all gathered at the prom in Kirkcaldy, 21 nervous individuals in our t-shirts & sashes -

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Some of us (well okay, me) were having serious second thoughts -

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The tide was out so after what felt like a mile trek we turned for a salute to the crowd (there really was a crowd, all in hats & coats - ds went around them all with a collection bucket lol) -

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And we're off! -

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My feet were numb already -

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Yep, my auntie really had to hold me in the water -

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I lost my shoe! If you look at the bottom of the pic you'll see bare tootsies - my feet were totally numb & I never even felt it come off -

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That last one is me & my Aunt Jodie. My Auntie Holda (mum's sister) is in the background with her dh.

And yes - we're doing it again next year. It'll have to be unofficial tho' as this was the last official one & was done in mum's memory.

Brrrr!

Prizewinners!

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who made a donation on Laura's JustGiving page. In total kind ravellers donated £401 & with just a couple of hours to go before the prize draw ended at midnight on Sunday 21st Dec Laura reached her target of £1000!

The lucky prize-winners were;

1) 100g of Wensleydale roving, hand-dyed in shades of red & orange donated by Babylonglegs - Won by DutchOma

2) A $30 gift certificate for Spindlefrog on etsy donated by helix - Won by ladypole

3) A set of hand-made love-heart stitch markers donated by Wyndwitch - Won by quesselchen

4) 100g braid of blue superwash merino roving from Freyalyn on etsy donated by belaybunny - Won by Spinnerin

5) A custom-carded sparkly batt or 100g of custom-dyed sock yarn donated by vampy - Won by scottishf

6) A $30 gift certificate for Shunklies on etsy donated by Shunklies - Won by Gillydaffodil

7) ‘Flumps’ handspun yarn donated by kraftykoala - Won by AvaAdore

8) 100g of 70%BFL/30%Silk in ‘winter sky’ colourway - dark blue, mid-blue and grey donated by moggle - Won by panperoxide

9) A handmade spindle/project bag from andsewtoknit on etsy donated by andsewtoknit - Won by woolforbrains

10) A braid of hand-dyed spinning fibre donated by Artis-Anne of Mam a Mi on etsy - Won by MandaR & by msmelody

11) A braid of hand-dyed fibre or 2 sets of stitchmarkers donated by goldfishgirl of Wildcraft - won by jhottiescottie

12) Lornas Laces yarn donated by rdodo - Won by Cherubin

13) Lornas Laces limited edition yarn in ‘Irish Jig’ donated by katt94 - Won by maprice

14) A $25 gift certificate for Needle Bling on etsy donated by Beth123B - Won by muirtan

15) 100g of natural coloured bamboo spinning fibre donated by Otiva - Won by mehitabel

16) 100g of white bamboo tops donated by Na-Na - Won by purpleemma

17) A hand-made row counter pin & matching stitch markers in colours of your choice made by me - Won by fourweekids

18) 95g of BFL in Gathering Roses purchased from chrispindle on etsy - Won by knittingpixie

19) 100g of English wool tops KoolAid-dyed by me in colours chosen by the winner - Won by kaedekat

20) 85g of merino rovings donated by shellbean - Won by rainghirl