Diagonal Square pattern

Here's pattern for blanket square to knit, based on classic Red Cross pattern. The square produced is easy to join together. To increase, just knit into the front and back of the stitch.

 The pattern doesn't really require a gauge since you just keep knitting garter stitch rows with one-stitch increases per row till the side reaches five inches, then start decreasing.

INSTRUCTIONS
Cast on 1 stitch.
Row 1: k1, increase 1 in next stitch, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 until side edge measures 5 inches (around 20 ridges using Red Heart high bulk acrylic on 4.0mm/US 6 needles).
Next Row: k1, k2 together, knit to end of row. Repeat this row until 1 stitches remain, cast off.


 Note: Increases may be done on the last stitch of every row, until reaching desired size, then decreases done on last two stitches per row. Gauge is 6 sts/inch, so for a regular square, cast on 30 stitches with 4.0mm (US6) needle.

Thinking out loud: starting a hobby group that'll knit, crochet and/or sew acrylic squares to be assembled as blankets/mats for donation during times like these. We stockpile during sunny days and distribute when needed. Something to manifest soon...

 A square should be 5x5 inches or 10x10 inches made of high bulk/worsted weight acrylic.
I chose this size since one 15-gram acrylic ball, Red Heart, yields a five-inch square with extra yarn for joining together. Let's avoid white and pale colors but variegated ones with some white/pale colors are OK.

 We'll also eventually need volunteers who can sew/crochet these squares , after we collect enough squares.

Log cabin project in hibernation

Placemat in hibernation, a photo by Dreaming Knitter on Flickr.

A placemat experiment in log cabin knitting, suspended for now due to my current focus on charity hats and squares :-) acrylic yarn, garter stitch

Here's a close-up of FOUR log cabin modules (two in green, one in black, one in blue)



Log cabin knitting is a form of modular knitting, usually done in garter stitch only, and ideally done in well-matched colors. But this is also a way to use up scrap yarn.

As with most things involving knitting, I relied primarily on online research to learn log cabin knitting. I have yet to get THE bible on log cabin knitting, Mason-Dixon knitting.I adapted the concept to come up with a placemat in acrylic and a bathroom mat in cotton yarn.

Here are a few helpful links on log cabin knitting.

You'll have to scroll down a bit for the blog post, "This Old Log Cabin," by one of the authors of Mason-Dixon knitting.

A mathematical formula on making your own log cabin pattern: How to Build a Log Cabin

Pattern for a log cabin scrap blanket

There are also video tutorials on how to do the joins in log cabin knitting. I actually enjoy this part, as the garter stitch can get boring and the joining/changing to a new color gets your attention :-)

World Wide Knit In Public Day: June 17, 2012

Actually, it's a weeklong event, June 9 to 17, for knitters to knit publicly. Click HERE for more info.

Finding the time to stockpile

I'm currently inspired to stockpile my charity knitting projects, now that I have a chance to send them abroad to the intended recipients later this year. I'm making time for these projects, mostly squares and hats, some in wool, some in acrylic :-)

Moonlit musings

There's a possibility of someone coming in from the US for a visit, and I can ask her to bring knitted stuff when she goes back to the US! So I'm now focusing on my charity projects. I have enough charity squares, but still no hats or even one whole baby blanket.

After I finally wrap up my two current log cabin projects--a bathroom rug and a placemat--I'll then finish one acrylic baby blanket and at least one hat, both of which are already on the needles.

Then I'll do some more squares, and maybe a few woolen hats. I still have about three to five weeks, I think, before I send them off.

Trying out log cabin knitting

Well, I gave in... and delved into the world of log cabin knitting. So far, it's been interesting enough that I set aside my other projects and start at least two log cabin projects: an acrylic placemat and a cotton bathroom rug. I have yet to finish either of them though :-)

But I have my charity squares on needles, since they're so easy to bring along with me in transit, and i have figured out that one ball of 15-gram worsted acrylic produces a six-by-six square, but I get stumped when I encounter a knot, which is getting a bit too frequent for comfort. I tend to cut out the knot and restart the yarn, meaning I'll most likely not reach the six-inch size I want... more likely, I'd get a square of five or even four inches only.

I also have a few blanket squares done, in cotton... not enough to sew together though.