Thursday, December 25, 2008

Happy yule

Oddly I was up first today. Then the daughter. Probably cuz neither of us can breathe. The daughter is getting worse, she hasn't hit the bad part yet but it's coming. I can tell. She's already gone back to bed.

She planned on making pancake puffs (using the pancake puff pan she got from Kim on her birthday) but I think she's too sick to do that today. Poor baby girl.

Everyone seemed to like their gifts. I worried as I just wasn't up to shopping like a mad woman.

The son got a tune up for his bike and a new adjustable helmet and thought he'd ride over to Target. Til I reminded him it wasn't open today because of Christmas. LOL.

It looks like a big storm is coming in, that will keep everyone pretty much indoors today.

I got 2 knitting books that are hard. They've got patterns with codes like: Ktog, ssk, * *, CA, CB, cdd, k tbl aka K1 tbl, K1b. Are you shaking your head yet? I am. I have no idea what they mean unless I flip back and forth thru an online glossary. I might be ready for these in 5 yrs, but for now they are pretty to look at. Or if I can figure out how to turn rectangles (which I am very good at knitting) into socks and sweaters I might be in business.

Now I think I'll go grab one of those books, take a gander and nap when I get frustrated.

Merry holiday.

2 comments:

VO said...

Lookit:
Knitting Abbreviations Every Knitter Needs to Know
The most important knitting abbreviations you can't knit without!

There are actually hundreds of knitting abbreviations, but many of them you can live without unless you are a really well experienced knitter. There are some knitting abbreviations, however, that even novice knitters need to know! Here they are:


" - inch(es)
( ) - work instructions within parentheses as written
* - repeat instructions following the single asterisk as written
** - repeat instructions following the asterisks as written
[ ] - work instructions within brackets however many times are written
Alt - alternate
Beg - begin/beginning
Bet - between
BO - bind off
CA - color A (main color)
CB - color B (secondary color)
CC - contrasting color
Cm - centimeter(s)
Cn - cable needle
CO - cast on
Cont - continue
Dec - decrease/decreases/decreasing
Dpn - double pointed needle(s)
foll - follow/follows/following
g - gram -
inc - increase/increases/increasing
k or K - knit
k1, s1, psso knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over
k2tog - knit 2 stitches together
k2tog tbl knit 2 stitches together through the back of the loop
kfb - knit into front and back of stitch
kwise - knitwise
LH - left hand
lp(s) - loop(s)
M1 p-st make one purl stitch
M1 - make one stitch
MC - main color
mm - millimeter(s)
oz - ounce(s)
p or P - purl
p2tog - purl 2 stitches together
pat(s) or patt pattern(s)
pfb - purl into front and back of stitch
Pm - place marker
Psso - pass slipped stitch over
Pwise - purlwise
Rem - remain/remaining
Rep - repeat(s)
rev St st reverse stockinette stitch
RH - right hand
rnd(s) - round(s)
RS - right side
Sk - skip
sk2p - slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 together;
Skp - slip, knit, pass stitch over — one stitch decreased
sl st - slip stitch(es)
Sl - slip
sl1k - slip 1 knitwise
sl1p - slip 1 purlwise
ssk - slip, slip, knit these 2 stiches together—a decrease
sssk - slip, slip, slip, knit 3 stitches together
St st - stockinette stitch/stocking stitch
st(s) - stitch(es)
Tbl - through back loop
tog - together
WS - wrong side
Wyib - with yarn in back
Wyif - with yarn in front
yd(s) - yard(s)
yfwd - yarn forward
yo - yarn over
yon - yarn over needle
yrn - yarn around needle

If you print this knitting abbreviations list out and keep it with your patterns or pattern books, you'll have a ready reference.

VO said...

Here's a pattern to show you the foreign language:

Directions for Dewdrop FernLace Cardigan
Designed by Judy Lamb:

Body: (sweater is worked in one piece to armholes)
With smaller needles, cast on 146 sts. Work ribbing as follows:
Row1: *k2, p2, Tw2R, p2, rep from * across.
Row2: (k2, p2) across.
Repeat these two rows 8 times. Work row 2 once more. Change to larger needles.
Increase row: Inc 1 st in each k2, and in each tw2. (183 sts)

Begin Lace Arches Pattern.

Lace Arches Pattern:
Rows 1, 3, 5: k3, *p7, k3; rep from *.
Row 2, 4, and 6: p3, *k7, p3; rep from *.
Row 7: k2, *yo, ssk, p5, k2 tog, yo, k1; rep from *, end k1.
Row 8: p4, *k5, p5; rep from *, end last rep p4.
Row 9: k3, *yo, ssk, p3, k2 tog, yo, k3: rep from *.
Row 10: p5, *k3, p7; rep from *, end last rep p5.
Row 11: k2, *(yo, ssk) twice, p1, (k2 tog, yo) twice, k1; rep from *, end k1.
Row 12: p6, *k1, p9; rep from *, end last rep p6.
Row 13: k3, *yo, ssk, yo, sl 1-k2 tog-psso, yo, k2 tog, yo, k3; rep from *.
Row 14, 16, and 18: purl.
Row 15: k4, *yo, ssk, k1, k2 tog, yo, k5; rep from *, end last rep k4.
Row 17: k5, *yo, sl 1-k2 tog-psso, yo, k7; rep from *, end last rep k5. Row 19: k3, * k3, (k1, p1, k1, p1, k1)in next st, then pass the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th sts on right-hand needle separately over the last st made; k6; rep from *. Row 20: purl.

After completing the 20 rows of the pattern, purl 4 more rows, increasing 10 sts evenly on last row.
Work 4 rows stockinette stitch.
Purl 4 rows.
Begin Fern and Diamond Pattern: (one stitch at each end is to be knitted on each row for a seam stitch and is not included in the pattern below)
Row 1: k3, *k2 tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k5: rep from *, end last rep k3.
Row 2 (and all other wrong side rows): purl.
Row 3: k2, *k2 tog, (k1, yo) twice, k1, ssk, k3; rep from *, end last rep k2.
Row 5: k1, *k2 tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1; rep from *.
Row 7: k2 tog, *k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sl 1-k2 tog-psso; rep from *, to last 9 sts, end k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk.
Row 9: k1, * yo, ssk, k5, k2 tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 11: k1, *yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2 tog, k1, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 13: k1, *yo, k2, ssk, k1, k2 tog, k2, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 15: k1, *yo, k3, sl 1-k2tog-psso, k3, yo, k1; rep from *.

Repeat rows 1-16 for pattern.

Continue in Fern and Diamond Pattern until piece measures approximately 13 inches from beginning, ending with row 6.
Working row 7, work across first 46 sts. Turn (leaving rem sts on needle to be worked later)
Shape Right Front Raglan Seam:
(Note: This is where you start to add the beads. To add beads on the knit stitch between the yo's at the top of each leaf, take a very small metal crochet hook (size 9 or 10) and pull the stitch through the bead and place it back on the left hand needle. Knit the st, and continue with pattern.)
Bind off 4 sts at beginning of next row. Keeping in pattern, dec 1 st at armhole edge on next 5 right side rows. **Bind off 2 sts on next right side row, then dec 1 st at armhole edge on next 3 right side rows. Repeat from ** 4 more times.
AT THE SAME TIME, when there are 17 sts on needle, Shape Neck:
On next row, bind off 6 sts at neck edge, then dec 1 st at neck edge every other row.
When 3 sts rem on next right side row, sl 1-k2tog-psso. Break yarn.

Back:
Attach yarn to remaining sts on needle. Keeping in pattern, bind off 5 sts, work across next 96 sts. Turn. Leave rem sts on needle.
Bind off 5 sts. Work to end (91 sts).
(Remember to begin adding beads again).
Keeping in pattern, dec 1 st at armhole edge on next 5 right side rows. **Bind off 2 sts on next right side row, then dec 1 st at armhole edge on next 3 right side rows. Repeat from ** 5 more times. Bind off remaining sts.

Left Front:
Attach yarn to remaining sts on needle. Bind off 4 sts. Work to end. Shape same as Right Front, reversing shaping.

Right Sleeve:
With smaller needles, cast on 42 sts. Work in rib same as for body.
Change to larger needles. Make increases same as body on next row.
Begin Lace Arches pattern, and follow same pattern layout as for body of sweater, while increasing 1 st each side every 6 rows. Work new sts into patterns.
Be sure to center Fern and Diamond pattern on sts. (Sorry, but it's been years since I made this sweater, but I think you start the row with k1, ssk, k5, k2 tog, etc..... I hope that helps a little. The pattern needs to be centered for the raglan seams to work out right)
When there are 79 sts on needle, work even until piece measures about 16 1/12 to17 inches, ending with row 6.
Start armhole shaping (and don't forget the beads again).
Bind off 5 sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Work Raglan decrease same as for Back, repeating between **'s 4 times.
Shape Neck portion of sleeve. (I think you should be on row 7 at this point):
Bind off 7 sts. Work to end, keeping raglan shaping as before on opposite side.
Dec 1 st at neck edge on every right side row while continuing raglan shaping on opposite side of next 3 rs rows.
Bind off remaining sts.

Left Sleeve:
Work same as Right sleeve, reversing neck shaping.

Sew sleeve seams. Sew sleeves onto body, matching raglan seams.

Button Band:
With smaller needles Pick up 105 sts along front edge of Left Front.
Knit 3 rows.
Work in stockinette stitch for 4 rows.
Knit 3 rows.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 8 rows. Bind off in ribbing.

Buttonhole Band:
With smaller needles, pick up 105 sts along front edge of Right Front.
Work same as button band to ribbing.
Rib three rows, then make 7 buttonholes evenly spaced along band on next row.
Rib 4 rows. Bind off.

Neck Band:
With smaller needles, pick up 98 sts along neck edge. Work ribbing same as for body of sweater for 8 rows. Bind off.