Suzies Stuff

Condo knitting was popular in the late 1970s. I expect some of you are too young to have participated in the fad lo those many years ago. Others of us haven’t thought about knitting that way in a very long time.

Condo knitting is a technique that uses two needles of different diameters. You knit rows alternately with one large and one small needle. For this pattern (more of a technique explained) you will use bulky yarn and one size 11 and one size 35 needle. With this combination you will have a warm and soft scarf in a couple hours.

I used Bernat Solo (86 yards), that makes a scarf 6 inch X 64 inch with 12 stitch cast on or 7
inch X 58 inch with 14 stitch cast on. With Lion Brand Homespun use US size 11 and 17 needles and cast on 16 or 18.

Materials:
Bulky yarn about 85-100 yards
Pair of size US 11 (8mm) knitting needles
1 size US 35 (19mm) knitting needle
Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Instructions:
With the size 11 needle cast on 12-14 stitches
Row 1: K across with size 11 needle.
Row 2: K across with size 35 needle.

Repeat these two rows until about 36 inches of yarn remainins.

Knit one row with size 11 needle.

Bind off with size 11 needles.

Note: After knitting each row give a tug on the scarf. This isn’t absolutely necessary but it will assist in aligning the stitches properly.

At one of the bazaars, I was selling at this year, I saw a scrubbie made holding netting and worsted weight cotton yarn together. Darn, I didn’t get a good look. But it wasn’t hard to figure one out. I knit a couple dishcloths as a Christmas gift and will include the scrubbies in the package. Thought I’d share the idea with y’all for a last minute gift.

Suzie’s Stuff Scrubbie

Materials:
Worsted weight cotton yarn, about 6 yards
Nylon netting, cut into 2 inch strips, about 6 yards (3 widths of 72 inch netting)
Size N crochet hook
Needle with large eye for weaving in ends

Scrubbie is worked throughout holding cotton yarn and netting together, enclosing the cotton in the net by folding around.

Ch 4, join into a ring by slipstitching in first ch.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), working over beginning tails, 11 dc in ring. Join in top of ch 3 with slipstitch. (12 dc)

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), hdc in same stitch as joining. 2 hdc in each stitch around. Hdc in slipstitch of the previous round. Join with slipstitch in top of ch 2. (25 hdc)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Today I baked cookies. Dog cookies.


Teddy, the Pomeranian, gives them a two paws up rating.


Dog Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups wheat germ
3 (2.5 ounce) jars strained chicken baby food
1 tablespoon water or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease well.

In a medium bowl, mix the wheat germ, baby food, and water together. Add more water if necessary to form a dough.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork dipped in water.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven.

Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

I had several requests for a knit scarf pattern, so that knitters could participate in the "contest".

What I came up with is a sampler scarf. It is a combination of garter stitch and rib stitch pattern bands. So I will amend the contest rules to include making this pattern and posting it's completion in the comments below the pattern.

This pattern is suitable for any skill level knitter.

My Rib Stitch Sampler Scarf

Size: 5X60 inches

Materials:
Light worsted weight yarn, sample in Wool-Ease Loden 4 oz
Size US 9 straight or circular needles

Gauge: Unimportant, but my gauge is 14 st = 4 inches
30 rows garter st = 4 inches

First end:
Cast on 24 (for wider scarf co 36)
Rows 1-8: Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 8 rows.

Rows 9-22: Work in Rib Pattern 1 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 1
Row 1: *K3, P3* repeat across
Row 2: *K1, P1* repeat across

Rows 23-30: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 31-44: Work in Rib Pattern 2 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 2
Row 1: *K1, P1* repeat across
Row 2: Knit across

Rows 45-52: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 53-65: Work in Rib Pattern 3 for 14 rows. Ending with the K2 P2 rows
Rib Pattern 3
Rows 1 and 2: *K2, P2* repeat across
Rows 3 and 4: Knit across

Rows 67-74: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 75-88: Rib Pattern 4 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 4
Row 1: *K2 P2* across
Row 2: P1, *K2 P2* to the last stitch, P1

Work 36 inches of garter stitch (knit every row). Scarf should measure a total of 48 inches. See note at end of pattern.

Second end:
Rows 1-14: Work in Rib Pattern 4 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 4
Row 1: *K2 P2* across
Row 2: P1, *K2 P2* to the last stitch, P1

Rows 15-22: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 23-36: Work in Rib Pattern 3 for 14 rows. Ending with the K2 P2 rows
Rib Pattern 3
Rows 1 and 2: *K2, P2* repeat across
Rows 3 and 4: Knit across

Rows 37-44: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 45-58: Work in Rib Pattern 2 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 2
Row 1: *K1, P1* repeat across
Row 2: Knit across

Rows 59-66: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Rows 67-80: Work in Rib Pattern 1 for 14 rows.
Rib Pattern 1
Row 1: *K3, P3* repeat across
Row 2: *K1, P1* repeat across

Rows 81-88: Knit every row for 8 rows.

Bind off. Weave in ends.

Note: If that’s too much garter stitch for you:
Repeat Rows 1-88 twice, work 8 rows of garter stitch and work Second end rows 1-88 three times.

Have you heard about the Red Scarf Project?

To get you started there are three crocheted and one knitted scarf patterns free on my blog.

My Cross Stitch Scarf

My Ruffles Scarf

My Chevron Scarf

My Rib Stitch Sampler Scarf

My Condo Knit Scarf


I challenge you to crochet or knit just one during the month of January and send it to the Orphan Foundation. As a little extra incentive, everyone who crochets or knits one of my scarves, sends it and enters a comment under the pattern they used, will be entered in a drawing for a prize. A yarnie prize of course.

When you enter your comment be sure to enter a way for me to notify you if you are the winner.

Red Scarf Project

Have you heard about the Red Scarf Project? The Orphan Foundation needs thousands of scarves to go in their Valentine’s Day care packages. Here’s a link that tells all about it.

http://www.orphan.org/docs/OFARedScarfFlyerFinal.pdf

I’m going to send scarves made from My Cross Stitch Scarf, My Chevron Scarf and My Ruffles Scarf patterns. See links on sidebar.

Won’t you consider sending at least one?

MY CROSS STITCH SCARF

Materials:
Soft worsted weight yarn about 5 ounces, Simply Soft, Woolease
I (5.5mm) Hook

Gauge: 11 dc = 4 inches

Size: 5.25 inches X 66 inches

Special stitches:

Foundation stitch = Ch 3, yarn over, insert hook in first ch and *pull up a loop. Yarn over, and pull through one loop (chain). Yarn over and pull through two loops twice (dc). You now have two foundation stitches. Yarn over and insert hook in ch of stitch just made. Repeat from * until you have desired number of stitches.

Dc Cross Stitch = Dc cross stitch = Skip one stitch, double crochet in next stitch. From behind, dc in skipped stitch.

Row 1: Work 180 (or any multiple of 2) double crochet foundation stitches. Ch 2 turn.

Note: Turning chains don’t count as dc throughout.

Row 2: Dc in each stitch. Ch 2 turn.

Row 3: Work dc cross stitches across. Ch 2 turn.



Row 4: Dc in each stitch. Ch 2 turn.

Row 5-6: Repeat row 3 and 4.

Row 7: Repeat row 3.

Row 8- 9: Repeat row 4. Do not fasten off.

Edging:
Row 1: Do not turn ch 1, 17 sc evenly across narrow edge. Ch 1 turn.

Row 2-3: Sc in each sc, ch 1 turn.

Repeat edging on opposite end.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

My Ruffles Scarf

Materials:
Worsted weight soft yarn about 3.5 ounces (200 yards), or 2 oz Mohair blend (200 yards)
K hook
(Use whatever yarn you like. If you use another weight of yarn you might want to use a different size hook.)

Size: Approximately 3.5 inches wide, 45 inches long.

Instructions:

Chain 91
Row 1. Sc in second stitch from hook and every remaining chain. (90 sc)

Row 2. Chain 4 turn, *dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1* in first sc. Repeat from * in each sc across.


Row 3. Ch 4 turn, *dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1 in each ch 1 space of row 2. Ending by dc, ch 1, dc, in the chain 4 loop of row 2. Fasten off and weave in ends.

For a longer scarf chain a longer chain before starting your sc row.

Note: A 6 ounces skein Simply Soft made a pair of Double Ruffled Wristlets and Ruffled Scarf with 101 starting chain.

SNOWMAN TOOTSIE POP COVER/FINGER PUPPET

Materials:
½ ounce of white worsted weight yarn
Small amount (about 8 inches) of orange worsted weight yarn for nose
Piece of fabric 3/4” by 12”, or fluffy yarn for scarf
2 5mm pom poms for eyes
Size F crochet hook (you may want to use a smaller hook if you crochet loosely)
Tapestry needle
White glue, I used “Tacky”
Blush (optional)
Tootsie Roll Pop

Gauge: 4 dc = 1 inch (not important, close counts)

HEAD:
Round 1: Ch 4; 11 dc in 4th chain from hook. Join with a slip st in 4th chain of beg ch 4. (12 dc)
Round 2: Ch 3, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, repeat from * twice. Join with a slip st in ch 3. (16 dc)
Round 3: Ch 3; * dc in next dc, repeat from * around. Join with a slip st in ch 3. (16 dc)
Round 4: (eyelet round) Ch 4, skip next dc; * dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc; repeat from * around; join with a slip st to 3rd chain of beg ch. (8 dc and 8 ch 1 sps)
Round 5: Ch 3, *2 dc in ch 1 space, dc in next dc, repeat from * around. Join with a slip st in ch 3. (24 dc)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

NOSE:
With orange yarn, leaving about a 1.5” tail, chain 2, slipstitch in 2nd chain from hook. Cut yarn about 1.5 inch from hook, pull both tails through loop on hook and pull tight.

Finishing:
Pull tails of nose through a stitch at base of round 3, secure with a drop of glue on inside. Glue eyes to face. When glue is dry, place cover over pop and weave fabric or yarn through round 4, tie at the side. Put a small amount of blush on each of the snowman.