crocheting – Into the West

Three Hours and Fifteen Hundred Stitches Later

I tied off and finished my second crochet project of 2011 this evening. I probably could have made the moebius scarf just a bit bigger, but it will do. When I drape it over my head and then double it around my neck, it snuggle covers my ears and keeps my throat toasty.

Moebius Scarf folded into a closed triangle

After taking a few final photographs of my new scarf, I immediately began a second scarf as a Valentine’s Day gift for my hubby. Using Lion Brand Yarn’s Wool-Ease (worsted weight in black), I started crocheting an extremely simple ribbed scarf pattern. I should easily be able to finish the scarf before next Monday.

I crocheted during WolfGuard‘s regularly scheduled Wednesday evening rehearsal, approximately three hours, and by my estimate crocheted over one thousand five hundred stitches on the third project of 2011. While they worked on some new cover songs during the first session(Aerials by System of a Down and Cumbersome by Seven Mary Three), the last half of practice included such classics as Rush’s Finding My Way; BOC’s Godzilla; Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls; and, the show-stopping, heart-pounding, easy-to-lose-count-of-your-stitch-in-time Iron Maiden’s The Trooper. If that doesn’t tangle your skein, nothing will.

Sunrises and Scarves

I got a call from my dad this morning, cluing me in to the fact that this morning’s sunrise broke among light clouds and appeared quite photogenic. I arrived a bit late to the party, but got a couple of nice shots from my daughter’s east facing bedroom:

I ventured out a couple of hours later to attend a pancake feed at a Crossroads UMC just down the hill from my house. Enjoyed the fresh pancakes the company. Since I remembered to bring my camera with me, I took a couple of shots of Lansing’s favorite sledding hill (unoccupied so early on a Saturday morning):

Perhaps the next time I’m out I’ll get a couple of shots of kids sledding.

I continue working on my new moebius scarf, which I’ll probably finish today or tomorrow. Here’s a picture of it after five or six times around:

Moebius Scarf Using Moss Stitch After 5-6 Rounds

And a close-up of the moss stitching, which I think is cool (and easy to crochet):

Second 2011 Crochet Project: Mossy Moebius Scarf for Myself

I’ve made several moebius scarves for myself over the last decade, but it’s been a couple of years since I crocheted a new one for myself. I’m ‘winging’ it as far as the pattern goes, and using my favorite scarf stitch, called, ironically, the moss stitch. I may refer back to the original pattern I stumbled upon years ago as a reference.

I’m using a six ounce skein of Caron Simply Soft Country Blue and another one of Grey Heather. I chained 225 using the Country Blue and will alternate every other row with the Grey Heather.

Here’s hoping it doesn’t take me very long to get through this project. I’d rather be reading, than crocheting, but I also want a nice, warm, soft scarf to keep my ears warm during this brutal cold spell.

Brimmed Cap Crochet Project Completion

Last Sunday I started my first crochet project of 2011 and this morning I finished the Brimmed Cap. Not without some stress and do-overs, especially on the brim. In fact, I may re-do this entire project again later in the month. The first time I do a pattern, I learn it and by the second or third time) I work all the kinks out of it.

Rachelle modeling Brimmed Cap and Ruffled Scarf

Three Wise Men and a Star

Happy Epiphany Everyone! Did you enjoy your Twelfth Night celebrations?

For some ideas on celebrating the Season of Epiphany, visit Wikipedia‘s ‘Local Customs‘ section in the Epiphany article.

This evening, we’ll de-trim the Christmas tree and pack it and the decorations away for another year. And perhaps today I’ll come home to a grouted tile entryway. Terry and Rachelle (well, mostly Rachelle) prepped and cleaned the tile surface, but could not locate the squeagy we bought over two years ago. So, this morning, they will venture out to Home Depot for another one.

The crochet project for Rachelle’s Brimmed Cap proceeds slowly. I’m at the halfway point so it should pick up steam on the downhill run and be finished by the weekend.

Algorithmic Crochet

I forgot in my last post on my crocheting technique, Back to Math Basics, to explain further how I use the following table and how I arrived at it’s contents:

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

I used some algebra (or possibly finite mathematics) to achieve the process for inserting the six additional stitches equadistant around the circumferences of the cap.

Let the row be represented by a; let the incremental stitches be represented by b; and, let the insertion position for the additional stitches be represented by P. Then,

P = ab-1

Using the table above, at the beginning of a round, I stitch a-1 stitches and insert the a stitch in the same stitch. For row 16, I started off with 15 stitches and put the 16th stitch in the same stitch as the 15th, then I continued counting 15 more stitches (or to the number 31, since that is ab-1 or (16×2)-1, and inserted the second additional stitch, which is also the 32nd stitch, in the same stitch as the 31st stitch. How many times can I type stitch in a sentence? 🙂

When I reach my safety pin which marks the end (or beginning) of the round, I should have reached the 96th stitch, after which I slip stitch into the first stitch of that round.

Algebra doesn’t always lends itself seamlessly to application in crochet, but an algorithm works perfectly. For example (using no particular programming language, but rather just generic easily understood syntax):

Row = 16
MaxRow = 22
IncreaseBy = 6
Stitch=1
AddStitch=1

While Row < = MaxRow
While AddStitch <= IncreaseBy
While Stitch < Row
Stitch=Stitch+1
EndWhile
AddStitch=AddStitch+1
EndWhile
Stitch=1
AddStitch=1
Row=Row+1
EndWhile

I think that algorithm works, however clumsy it may appear. I’m sure I could do it with less loops and/or recursively, but I’m too far removed from my programming days to dredge up those memories. I may research a bit to remind myself of some more aesthetic algorithmic techniques and revisit this in a later posting.

Still, I find it fascinating to confuse what otherwise could be a boring bit of crocheting. Besides, I always love to tout all the math my fellow students complained about in high school, whining that they would never use algebra or geometry or trigonometry, etc. in the ‘real’ world.

Ha!

Back to Math Basics

Sunday afternoon became more distracting as it approached evening. Aside from the numbness and tingling which reasserts itself every few minutes, I find it difficult to count stitches and determine multiples of double digit numbers in my head while remembering the end goal of max stitches for that row all while the rest of the family watches a movie or taunts the Rotts into playing boisterously.

At row fifteen, I stopped and took a break for a bit. I read a few pages in Grand Conspiracy. I then found a piece of paper to write out the next seven rows numerical stitch pattern. For example, until row twenty-two, I need to increase each row by adding six stitches evenly spaced around the round. I wrote the following quick chart to aid in my stitch counting:

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

I made it to row eighteen last night before retiring to bed.

Part of the reason I enjoy crocheting, or music (which is tangential I know) has to do with all the finite math involved with the patterns. And the best part of all, at least when working a circular crochet pattern is the chance to use my favorite mathematical constant. Stretch your memory back to the days of algebra and geometry and remember the simple formula for determining the circumference of a circle:

Can’t remember? Well, let me remind you using the photo above. If the diameter of a circle is 10.25 inches, the circumference is the diameter multiplied by the constant pi:

C = dπ

Or, as illustrated above:

C = 10.25 * 3.14159

C = 32.2

I have four more rows of increasing before I crochet a band of a half dozen single crochets (with no increases in stitches). After that, I start decreasing. The pattern reduces to a head band circumference of 18.25 inches, which is too small for Rachelle’s inflated ego, er I mean head. Her cranium has a circumference of over 22 inches. So I’ll have to do yet more math to determine the proper stopping point during the reduction.

I’ve decided not to take this Brimmed Cap project with me to work today, even though with the vanpool I have over an hour I could be crocheting to and from work. Mondays (and Fridays) I usually have to tote quite a few things with me (like a week’s worth of lunches and a laptop). If I don’t finish the cap this evening, I’ll probably take it with me on the commute Tuesday.

Ten Rounds Later … a Six Inch Circle

Brief post in update to the Brimmed Cap crochet project: I’ve finished the first ten rounds (more successfully than my attempts last week). Marking my rounds definitely helps me keep track of the correct number of stitches.

Ten Rounds or Sixty Stitches in Circumference

And lastly, I needed to check my gauge:

Checking My Guage — Six Inches in Diameter after Ten rounds

I’m taking a break for a few minutes to give my wrists a break. Ten years as a legal secretary in the mid to late 80s left me with some symptoms of carpal tunnel – including tingling and numbness. But I’ll be back to this project in no time.

First Crochet Project of 2011: Brimmed Cap

My first attempt, last year (or more accurately last week) ended in a tangled confusion of what round am I really on and how many stitches are left on this round?

So, this afternoon, I unraveled the chaos, found a safety pin to mark my rounds, and started over again with this Brimmed Cap pattern my daughter, Rachelle, selected as a belated Christmas gift. Last year I made her a Ruffle Scarf using Lion Brand Yarn‘s Homespun yarn in Wild Fire color. Using the same color, I’m crocheting the cap. I’ll post pictures once I have a bit more done.

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132

Row	x2	x3	x4	x5	x6
16	32	48	64	80	96
17	34	51	68	85	102
18	36	54	72	90	108
19	38	57	76	95	114
20	40	60	80	100	120
21	42	63	84	105	126
22	44	66	88	110	132