Dragon-riffic!

I've got a doozy of a pattern coming up soon! A dragon scales mini jacket! It's gonna be awesome.

Pockets and Purls Scarf Pattern

This is a very basic scarf with an elegant twist thanks to the crochet edging. I worked it in three pieces, but if you don't want to do a lot of finishing, you could always work it as one longer scarf and fold the ends up to make the pockets.

I used Lion brand Jiffy yarn, which is nice, since it's thick and wind-blocking and also knits up pretty quick, but feel free to substitute any bulky yarn, since gauge isn't important in this project.

Main Body (make 1)
Using size 10 (8.0 mm) straight needles, Cast On 30 stitches of your main color.

Rows 1-3: *Knit 3, Purl 3* repeat to end
Rows 4-6: *Purl 3, Knit 3* repeat to end

Repeat rows 1-6 until scarf is desired length, about five feet to put the ends at hand length.

Pockets (make 2)
Using size 10 (8 mm) needles, cast on 30 stitches of your main color.

Rows 1-3: *K3, P3* repeat to end
Rows 4-6: *P3, K3* repeat to end
Repeat in that pattern until the end of row 29. (yes, this is one row before the completion of a row of 3x3 blocks.)
At the beginning of row 30, switch to your contrasting color. *P3, K3* to end.
Repeat rows 1-6 in the CC.
Bind off.

Finishing
Pin pockets to both ends of the scarf (on the same side) using safety pins.
Using size K 10.5 (6.6 mm) crochet hook, single crochet around the border of the scarf, hooking through both the body and the pocket when applicable.

This is the point when you really get the chance to be creative with this pattern. If you have a favorite edging, add it. If you want fringe or tassels, stick em on now. Beads or duplicate stitch? Go for it. It's pretty much a blank canvas. I kept mine simple, since the recipient of this scarf is a minimalist and fan of simple, square lines, but by all means, exercise your creativity here!

Congratulations, you've got a toasty warm portable set of pockets! Also handy for stashing a credit card or chapstick when you can't get to your pants or purse.

Super Quick Chenille Scarf Pattern

This is a super duper quick crochet project. It took me only a couple of hours from start to finish, and a skein and a half of Lion brand Chenille Thick and Quick yarn.

Using a size 11 (8mm) crochet hook, chain 12. Start double crochet in the 3rd loop from your hook and continue to the end of the row. (9 st) Double crochet until the scarf is your desired length. Then, to finish, work single crochet all the way around the scarf twice, and add fringe or tassels if desired. Super quick, super warm, and super classy. Enjoy for yourself or give away as a gift!

Softly Striped Cozy Throw Pattern

This blanket was made using Jo-Ann's Rainbow Boucle yarn, available in all sorts of colors at any Jo-Ann's store. It was a super easy project for my first throw blanket, and still so cozy and fluffy! I would recommend this pattern to any beginner who wants to try their hand at making a throw blanket. Beware, though, if you have trouble knitting with boucle or other novelty yarn, or have never tried, as it can be difficult to see what you are working on.

Basically, if you know how to cast on, bind off, knit, and purl, you can throw this throw together fairly easily, although it did take me a long time to complete. It's blocks of garter and stockinette stitch, knit up diagonally to give it those lovely stripes.

Use two balls of yarn at once, but make sure you match up the color variegations so that your stripes will come out right. You might have to trim quite a bit of yarn off in order to get this.

Use size 11 (8.0 mm) needles. I recommend starting this project on straight needles, then switching to circular when it gets unruly, but I really dislike circular needles. If you like working with them, then by all means, work it on circular needles all the way through.

A notion that I found extremely helpful was a row counter. Unless you like counting over and over again to find out what row you're on, I would highly recommend picking one of these handy dandies up. Stitch markers also help save you the headaches of counting stitches. Since you're knitting in blocks, just use them to help remind you when to knit and when to purl. If you don't have any large enough to fit the needles, just use a loop of yarn in a different color.

Cast On 12 stitches
Rows 1-23: Knit

Row 24: Knit to end, Place Marker, then CO 12 st
Row 25: K 12, Purl 12, PM, CO12
Row 26 & all even rows unless otherwise noted: K
Odd rows 27-47: K12, P12, K12

Row 48: K to end, PM, CO 12
Row 49: K12, P12, K12, P12, PM, CO 12
Odd rows 51-71: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

Row 72: K to end, PM, CO12
Row 73: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, PM, CO12
Odd rows 75-95: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

Row 96: K to end, PM, CO12
Row 97: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, PM, CO12
Odd rows 99-119: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

Row 120: K to end, PM, CO12
Row 121: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, PM, CO12
Odd rows 123-143: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12


Row 144: Bind Off 12, K to end
Row 145: BO12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12
Odd rows 147-167: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

Row 168: BO12, K to end
Row 169: BO12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12
Odd rows 171-191: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

R0w 192: BO12, K to end
Row 193: BO12, K12, P12, K12, P12, K12
Odd rows 195-215: K12, P12, K12, P12, K12

Row 216: BO12, K to end
Row 217: BO12, K12, P12, K12
Odd rows 219-239: K12, P12, K12

Row 240: BO12, K to end
Row 241: BO12, K to end
All rows 242-283: K
Row 284: Bind off all stitches

Finishing: Weave in yarn tails

Congratulations! You now have a neato diagonally striped throw blanket!

I'm a liar.

Winter break is here, and so are old friends! Spent the last couple days chillin' with my old friends who are back in town for the holidays. Unfortunately, that means minimal progress on the WIPs. I have, however, managed to finish another present! Chochet, hooray!

Hello, Ravelry!

I recently got my invite to Ravelry, and if you don't have an account yet, go and request one. Now. Shoo!

WIPs are moving along, with a couple newer ones added to the pot for good luck. After Wednesday, expect more posts, since that's my first day of Winter vacation! Also, expect less whining and more click clicking of the needles!

Mmk, gotta cram now. One test down, two to go...

Uh, yeah

So how about all that stuff in life that just makes you want to scream? Have you tried ignoring it yet? It's great. Until now. When you actually have to pay attention to them and realize that you've already sucked in a lungful of water and are now proceeding to drown quietly.

On the bright side, though, I got X-mas present number 1 completed! Oh, and I picked up my crochet hook for the first time in years! Or maybe that's not such a bright side, as it contributed to my current lungful of water situation...