3 Steps to an Invisible Join

If you are like me (a bit of a perfectionist and slightly OCD), then you will love this technique for creating an invisible join when working in the round. The invisible join mimics the "V" look of a regular stitch so that it blends in and you can't see the beginning or end of a round. I use this on all of my hats and amigurumi pieces. 

I'll teach you how to do it in three easy steps!

This replaces the slip stitch normally done at the end of your project.

Step 1 - Cut the yarn tail

Cut the yarn and pull the final loop so that the tail comes completely through. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle so that it looks like the picture below. The length of your tail will be based on the pattern. If the pattern says leave a long tail for sewing, then cut a long tail. If the instructions are to weave in ends, then you can leave a shorter tail.

Step 2 - Mimicking the Front Half of the V-Stitch 

Insert the yarn needle (front to back) through the first stitch in the round. This is the stitch where you would have normally completed the slip stitch.

This step creates the front loop of the Invisible Join.

Step 3 - Mimicking the Back Half of the V-Stitch

Insert the yarn needle from front-to-back into the final stitch of the round. You will go down through the middle space and go under the back loop.

This step creates the back loop of the Invisible Join.

And this is what it looks like:

When to Use This Technique

I use this technique for every edge piece. I used it is here on the tiny coins for my pot of gold. Don't those gold coins look perfect? 

I also use this technique on hats, beanies and photography props so that there isn't an obvious end to the project. I like the edges to be uniform.

What Is Your Favorite Part of Your Daily Routine?

I attended my first MOPS meeting this week and this was my ice breaker question. My shallow answer was that my favorite part is collapsing into bed at the end of the day. While it's true that I am thankful when evening finally comes and I finally get to rest, it isn't true that this is my favorite part of my day.

My real favorite part of my day involves my sweet little four year old.

A rare photo of Vance asleep in my arms. (Forgive the low-quality cell pic.)

A Beginner's Guide to Interlock Crochet

If you are ready for a challenging crochet project, then this is it! I am a quick learner who loves a challenge! Rarely do I find a project or technique that makes me feel like giving up. Is it really worth it to stick it out and conquer this thing? YES! My goal here is to save you all the beginner's mistakes and teach you everything you'll need to know to complete your first Interlocking Crochet project.

What is Interlocking Crochet?

Interlocking Crochet is a method of crocheting two layers of filet-style mesh sheets in such a way that the two layers are woven together to create a single, reversible fabric. Depending on the stitch used, it can create the same pattern on the front and back or two completely separate designs on the front and back.

Making the Easy Peasy Sock - In Progress

One of my goals for 2013 is to knit my first pair of socks using DPNS. I cast on Sunday night using the Easy Peasy Socks for First-Timers pattern. I knew about this pattern because I follow the designer (FreshStitches). But, there are a lot of reasons why I chose this one:

1. It uses worsted weight yarn, so that means the project moves along quicker than a traditional sock/fingering-weight yarn.
2. The pattern guides and explains each section you will complete. 
3. There are helpful tips on every page.
4. A note toward the beginning says that this is more like a written class on sock-making with Stacey than it is a pattern.

I am still working on my first sock, but I really wanted to share the progress!

I cast on Sunday night for this sock. Then, I got to this point where the pattern says:

Put up a do-not-disturb sign, and let your loved ones fend for themselves. It's heel-turning time, and you mustn't be bothered.

I love little notes like that! It's sort of saying, "Hey first-timer! Yeah, You! Pay extra attention that you don't get lost in this section! Capiche?"

With that, I left my sock in this state Sunday night:

Turning the Heel

I spent my lunch break Monday turning the heel and setting up my knitting needles for the next section of the pattern. I adjusted my stitches to have an equal number on the left/right needles and the remaining needle was left as it had been all along. When I did this, a little sailboat emerged.

Sailing, Sailing on...Sailing, sailing on...

I finished the gusset yesterday. Don't know what a gusset is? Guess what?! This pattern explains all those terms! Like I said, it's more than a pattern. And, I bet when I move on to a "real" sock pattern, I will probably keep referring back to this pattern for all the helpful tips.

On the 4th Day of Sock-Working...

My needles brought to me: the mindless part of knitting! < I hope you were singing the 12 days of Christmas there. If not, go back and read it again, but this time sing. Maybe in your head if your coworkers might give you funny glances.

At this point, I am finally knitting around and around. I will continue in this manner until I try it on and it reaches my big toe. Then, the pattern has more fun things planned. 

In case you can't tell, I am having a lot of fun in this new knitting adventure! If you want to make a pair of socks, this pattern is a great starting point! You will learn all the basics of making your first sock and all those little questions you have are already answered in the helpful tips scattered throughout the pattern. If you have never made a sock, I hope this pushes you just a little closer to trying it.

If you want to watch the continuing saga of my little sock, check out his project page. 

Expanding My Skillset in the Next 12 Months - 4KCBWDAY7

Day Seven (Sunday April 28th): Looking ForwardOne year from now, when the 5th Knitting & Crochet Blog Week rolls around, where do you hope your crafting will have taken you to? What new skills, projects and experiences do you hope you might have conquered or tried?

Turn Drawings Into Plushies!

I sat down with my kids last week and I finally got a few good drawings from them! I plan on designing my first original amigurumi based on my kid's drawings thanks to the Design Your Own Monster class on Craftsy. I think this is going to be loads of fun! I get bored completing the same pattern over and over...sometimes just making a second one is unbearable. This has the potential of becoming a new path of crochet for me that I am super excited about!

This is my oldest with his drawing of Mr. Moon

This is the drawing I got from my youngest.

My younger son is only three. I started him out with a teardrop shape. He drew 3 black dots for eyes. I drew the circle around the eyes. Then, he added that stack of yellow stuff on top. Then, he added a smile and mustache (the mustache is that green line going across the middle). And, he drew the three legs. I thought the picture was finished, but then he needed just a little blue, so now we have some wacky hair action! This will be so much fun to turn into yarn art!

I couldn't let my kids have all the fun though. I came up with my own drawing for a dude who is so happy that his smile is bigger than his head.

My Drawing of Happy, Smiley Dude

Other Crochet Plans

I want to master the loop stitch this year! It makes an appearance in a few FreshStitches patterns: Sherwin the Alpaca and Murray the Squirrel. She also has a microbe and macrobe that use loop stitch. My plan is to complete Sherwin the Alpaca. He's so cute and comes from the Crocheted Softies book.

Expanding My Knitting Skills

In the next 12 months (hopefully before Christmas), I plan to make my first pair of socks using DPNs. The struggle here is that I have a fear of pairs. Something happens with my gauge between completing one and moving on to a second one. The second one never comes out the same. I really need to conquer that fear of pairs!

After knitting my first pair of socks, I want to attempt knitting two-at-a-time. If I get super daring, I may just do this from the get-go to solve that fear of pairs problem. They should come out identical if I make both socks at the same time, right?

I want to complete my first Enterlac project this year, too. I have completed the first section like 5 times and frog it every time. I really hope to conquer that one quickly because enterlac creates such a beautiful fabric.

Pattern Designing Plans

I want to design 4 new items this year. I want them to be things that do not already exist and I want to have a lot of fun with it. I already have a few ideas lined up, but haven't started working on them yet. I might venture out into finally selling some of them instead of giving away everything for free. I promise that my paid patterns will offer much more than the free ones I post here.