One for Grandma

This one's for my mom, who loves blue.

Two more

Two more from the book, finished this week. So fun!

"Tricolor". Next I'm going to try it in blues and white.

"Dovre".

Pattern

 I won't post any patterns from the Arne and Carlos book, but I'll post some general directions and some of my patterns, in case anyone is interested. Here's the chart for the argyle ball.

I use size 2 DPNs, and fingering weight yarn. Cascade Heritage works well, and comes in some nice Christmas colors. Patons Grace is also nice to work with, and cooler for summer knitting, but will make a little bit larger ball. Also, it doesn't come in a Christmas green. Two colors are easier to work with. Three tend to get tangled more, and I spend a lot more time untwisting the yarn.

The basic pattern is really easy. Cast on 12 and divide onto 4 needles. Leave enough of a tail that you can draw up and close the hole when you are ready to stuff it. Join and knit one round. On the next round, (knit 2 and increase 1)  4 times, so you have 4 stitches on each needle. The book says to Make One Back, but I just knit front and back of the stitch. This chart shows 1/4 of the ball. You'll knit this chart four times for each round. After I increase the first time, I place a marker and knit the first stitch of the next round onto the same needle, so it won't fall off. I am too easily distracted to keep good track of where I am. Knit another round. On the next round, knit one, increase one (Make One Front or Knit Front and Back), knit to the last stitch on the needle and then Knit it Front and Back or Make One Back after the last stitch. Each increase row will be the same, until you have 16 stitches on each needle. Attach your colored yarn and work the pattern, being sure to twist the yarn in back with each color change, so you don't leave a hole. I try not to carry the yarn more than 3 or 4 stitches without twisting.  When you're finished with a color, clip it and weave in the end.

You decrease in the same order that you increased, until you have 3 stitches on each needle. Cut your yarn, leaving a long tail. Using a yarn needle, thread the yarn through all of the 12 remaining stitches. Stuff and draw up the ends. Crochet a hanging loop.

Here are some more charts:

The double charts are done the same way, except you just repeat twice.

 

And here's a blank one to try your own pattern:

Here is a link to some more free Christmas ball patterns! Like I said - I'm a bit obsessed!

Knitting

Arrggghhh- I can't believe the last time I posted was in December! I doubt that anyone even reads this anymore. But that's okay.

 I think I'm going to switch this over to my knitting blog. If I can post pictures from my iPad. I'm just too lazy to go to the basement and edit and post pictures on my desktop computer. Here goes. After Christmas last year I found this Amazon gift card lying around the house. Someone had gotten it for a gift, but nobody seemed to know whose it was, and since gift-giving was a little slack last Christmas (I had not gone out and bought myself anything and told Larry to wrap it and put it under the tree), I decided to get something I wanted.

The book arrived and I thumbed through it and looked online for ideas, too. I decided I'd make a couple knitted Christmas balls each month, so I'd have a bunch by next Christmas. I made 3, and then got obsessed with working jigsaw puzzles. Larry fixed me a tabletop that fit over our patio table, which we had moved into the sunroom for Christmas dinner. The table and puzzles were in there until it warmed up in late spring. I have to admit, I've missed it, but have accomplished a lot more with it gone! Fast forward to August. I had not knitted any more balls, so I made myself sit down and start again. Now I'm obsessed with knitting them. I can whip one out in about 4 1/2 hours. I've started graphing out my own designs. What fun! Here are pictures of a few of them.

 

Running reindeer from the book. Done in purple for Mia.

A reindeer chart I found online.

Snowflake I designed.

 Super fast and easy - two stitches of each color means no extra twists in back to carry the strands across wide spaces.

I copied a chart I found online for this argyle one. Cute, but 3 colors is so tangly, it takes a lot longer.

I found a chart of a Scottie, and modified it into a Westie.

Westies done in purple for Claire.

 

A snowflake from the book.

This was the first one I made. It's a little bigger because I used some Vanna sparkly yarn. I do like the sparkle.



 

Greek Cross from the book. I love this pattern.



Another Greek Cross.




  
Also from the book.