Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Knitting Cardigan with Lace pattern


Finally I finished making a long sleeve sweater for my 6 year old daughter. I asked her to choose which color that she likes for me to make her a sweater. She always said that she is feeling cold whenever she rides our car (air-conditioned). Especially during night time. So, there is also a reason for me to try and test out our new line of yarn, by making her a sweater. And, I also can shows this lacey sweater to my customers at our ship.

How long to finish it? Well, it took me about two weeks, not to mention, I made a wrong size for her, it was really big, like a 10 year old can fit it. So, I had to unravelled the yarn again and made it right for the second time. Fuhh... You really need to calculate your gauge properly. If not, this will happen. Like me. Never again I will let this happen.

Materials needed:


  • 1 1/2 balls of Lily Acrylic yarn - Orange Blossom
  • Ring stitch markers
  • Blunt Needles
  • Circular Knitting Needles size 6mm, 120cm long (so that I can knit and make magic loop)
  • Buttons
  • Sewing needle and some threa for sewing buttons
  • Scrap yarn (different color) so that you can keep live stitches for the arm section.


New experiences I learned when making this Cardigan Lace: 
a) Gauge is important, remember to calculate it properly before doing any projects that requires gauge
b) For lace pattern to be consistent, you really need to put a ring marker in between lace set pattern
c) Steam the finished sweater, I learned that acrylic is quite difficult to do blocking.
d) Learn to make button hole
e) Learn to do the edges of the cardigan, for every knit rows, pick up 3 out of every 4 stitches. For lace row, you can pick up each stitches.












Sunday, February 24, 2013

Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needle


Very colorful and easy to use. Suitable for knitters that need specific size for their many projects at hand...hehe. Cool isn't it. Sizes are from US2 (2.75mm) - US15 (10mm).

You can buy this at our shop. Ready stock at www.cottonhousestore.com




Cabled Baby Hat - Knitting

Cabled Baby Hat - Knitting





Love the outcome for the baby hat. I wanted to try doing cable and challenge myself to this easy pattern from the Lion Brand yarn website. The title is Chill In the Air Cap.

Materials: 
- Ivy Wool Cream 100gm
- Circular Knitting Needle 5.5mm, 120cm (take long enough to make it easier to use Magic Loop method)
- Cable Stitch Holder
- Stitch Marker
- Blunt Needle


I should have made a pompom to tie on top of the hat. It would make it a lot more cuter.

Cable technique requires lots of yarn even though you are making it for a baby sized hat. About a few grams left for the yarn. If you are making for an adult hat, maybe you need about 1 and half balls for the yarn. About 150gm of the yarns needed.

It took me about two days to finish it. I knitted the hat during my leisure time.

Knitting - Baby Doll Dress

Knitting - Baby Doll Dress



Baby doll dress knitted using Milk Cotton Series (MCS), 4.0mm knitting needle. I made a gauge swatch first to see whether it will fits perfectly with the baby doll.

Love the outcome. The color for the Milk Cotton Series MCS yarns are Light Pink and Magenta. 


Knitting - Hats

Knitting Hat

Knitted this hat for 5 year old size using 5.5mm knitting needle Peony Polyester yarn, Green Leaves.




Baby Hat for 6-12 months size using Milk Cotton Aran Yellow, using 6mm circular knitting needle 120cm. I used Magic Loop method. Easier and faster results. No need to use Double Pointed Needle anymore. I made this for my friend's little boy.






Swimming in the yarns

Swimming in the yarn

Lots of yarns ordered. Our kids swimming in the yarn. Hehe :)

You can buy yarns - cotton yarn, wool yarn, baby acrylic yarn, polyester yarn, microfiber yarn from thick to thin yarns all in our store www.cottonhousestore.com. We also sell crochet and kniting tools and accessories.



Cotton yarns....Lots of them







New Arrival : Aluminium Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needle in Set

13 sizes for your needs. 4 different cord lengths.




Thursday, June 21, 2012

Knitting Looms

Currently we are adding knitting looms set in our online store for customers to purchase. The looms are for those who do not know how to knit can achieve the same result as of knitting. It is also suitable for beginners. Things you can make from using the looms are hat, scarf, shawl, afghan and bag. Creativity is yours!
4 Pieces Round Knitting Loom Set
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4 Pieces Long Knitting Loom Set
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The instructions are in English..and the cd are just for props, to show how big the looms are compared to cd.
Some customers asking about the cd whether it is in English or Chinese, but, actually it is just for showing the size of the looms only.
The guidelines on how to use it, you can go and search knitting loom, or how to use knitting loom on youtube.. lots of videos showing how to knit using the looms clearly.
If you wish to purchase it, can directly go here, under crochet/knitting accessories section.
We can ship the items internationally as we also support payment using credit card.


Pom Pom Maker Guide–Step by Step

 

As promised, here are the steps to make simple pom pom out of pom pom maker. Easy, just takes a couple of minutes to do it Smile

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Things you need :
1) Pom pom maker (I am using the largest one 9cm diameter)
2) Sharp small scissor
3) Yarn of your choice

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Step 1a :
Arrange the pom pom maker like in the picture. Next put the one in the front on top of the one in the back. See the next image of how to assemble the first step.

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Step 1b :
First step assembly.. notice how they stack on top of each other.

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Step 1c :
Prepare for winding

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Step 2a :
Wind the yarn around one part of the pom pom from left to right and right to left till its fullest. The thicker your winding will results in a fluffier pom pom.

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Step 2b :
Picture shows how after several round of winding turns out to be. You can make it thicker than this. Depends on you.

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Step 2c :
After satisfied with the thickness, cut the yarn. We are going to do the next part of the pom pom maker.

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Step 3 :
Wind the next part of the pom pom maker. Note, you can use a different yarn color if you like for two tone color. Your choice :)

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Step 4a :
After cutting the yarn like step 2c, close the pom pom maker like in the picture. Note, there are two lock/notch (white color) in the front and back to close and hold the pom pom maker together.

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Step 4b :
Close the lock from both sides into the pom pom maker to hold both parts together.

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Step 5a :
After securing the lock on both sides, using a sharp scissors, cut through all the yarns along the middle line.

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Step 5b :
Picture shown cutting through all the yarns along the line.

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Step 6a :
To secure the pom pom.
Take about 10" length of the yarn and cut it. Insert the yarn as shown through the middle part of both parts of the pom pom maker.

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Step 6b :
Tie several knots tightly to secure the pom pom.

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Step 7 :
Open the lock and take out the pom pom as picture on both sides.

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Step 8:
Cut the extra length of yarn for a cleaner and make it into a round and tidier look.

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The finished pom pom !!..
You can make several of these. I am addicted to making this pom pom and have made several for my children to play with.

Ideas:
You can stack one small pom pom and one big pom pom with a glue gun and glue the eyes and nose for a quick toys for your children to play.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Pom Pom Maker Guide

 

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I will put a guide in making pom pom using the Pom Pom Maker that we have in our store. My children love it so much with the pom pom that I made them. It is easy and fast to make. And, I think that pom pom dolls suits well with anyone who loves to make a quick gifts to anyone, especially children.

Why I made a guide, it is because, the written instructions in in Chinese, that is why, it will be so much help to those who bought it.

Stay tuned!

Knitted Hat using Thickish yarn

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I would say I love the look of the hat, using 2x2 ribbed pattern, purl 2, knit 2. Why I love it, because it looks like cable pattern, but only use simple knit and purl. The pattern was taken from Lion Brand yarn website under Solstice Hat name. Easy to make, it only takes 5 hours for me to make. It seems a long time for someone who is an expert. But, for a beginner, this is considered fast to make. Hehe.. Winking smile
And of course, you only need ONE ball of Thickish yarn, which after finished making the hat, I have still some yarn left, can be made into pom pom balls, or pom pom dolls. I used 8mm Circular Needle 50cm and also 8mm Double Pointed Needle. The pattern suggests using 9mm, but I do not have it with me. I only got 8mm and 10mm sizes, but after calculating the gauge, I think I better use the 8mm, but increase a few more stitches to achieve the right gauge as stated in the pattern.
Here is how I do it.
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What you need = materials:
1 ball of Thickish yarn
8mm circular knitting needle 40cm or 50cm
8mm Double pointed knitting needle (DPN)
measurement tape
a few stitch markers
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Cast on how many stitches as to the gauge, with this, I make 56 cast on stitches (I learned that for every stitch increase, you make sure it is divisible by 8 for making hat). And mark the first stitch when knitting in the round. So you may not get confuse with the first stitch and last stitch of the row.
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This is how it should looks like, knit 2, purl 2. You are making like a long tube. Before doing decreasing for the hat,, you need to measure the stitches like the one below about 10”.
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After getting the 10” stitch height for the hat, transfer the stitches evenly on the DPN, I used 5 of my DPN, and use together with the circular needle to knit. Some of you can also divide with four DPN and knit using the 5th DPN needle.
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Do a decreasing like in the instructions, and then do knot and weave the ends.
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Tadaa!! The final product. My husband took the amazing pictures!