The British Knitting Awards....I WON!

THANK YOU ALL

for voting for me and my first book

I WON

Best Crochet book 2016

I was so chuffed to be nominated but to win, i'm in shock, I really am,

 thank you all so much for taking the time to vote.

CONGRATULATIONS 

to everyone who has won one of the prestigious awards

Joining the Carousel bands together

Joining the bands together flat sides together first in pars and from the front of both pieces one red [first] and one white [second], straight sides together. 

Join in pairs first then join the pairs together using the angled sides  to make a circle of bands

As you are joining end on to end on, you are actually joining the bars of the dc [tr], together. 

Some bars will look like they have one sp, and some bars will look like they have two spaces.

About 25sts.

BEGIN:
Place a red and a cream band side by side, straight sides together and flat in front of you.

row 1: From the front. NOT FROM UNDERNEATH. Attach the joining yarn to the very bottom of the red band, sl st from the front into the very bottom st of the white band. 

It is important that it is the very bottom of the stitch so that there is no gap.

second st: sc [dc], into the first bar of the first row of the red band, sl st, into the front of the first bar of the first row, of the white band

ROW 2: this second row, picture below, looks like there are 2 holes, one has the hook in it and the other you can see clearly, so you do 2 pairs of stitches in the second row, sc [dc], then sl st into the second row of the white band.......

The picture below, the hook is in the bottom one and you can see the one above

ROW 3: picture below, my finger is behind the single bar of row 3, only one bar so I pair of sts....

continue with the 2sts, 1st, 2sts, 1st to end of joining st. weave in ends.


QUICK VIEW
ST at the very bottom
row 1: 1 pairs of sts
row 2: 2pairs od sts
row3: 1 pair of sts
row4: 2 pairs of sts
row 5: 1 pair of sts
row 6: 2 pairs of sts
row7: 1 pair of sts
row 8: 2 pairs of sts
row 9: 1 pair of sts
row 10: 2 pairs of sts
row 11:1 pair of sts
row 12: 2 pairs of sts
row 13: 1pair of sts
row 14: 2 pairs of sts
row 15: 1 pair of sts
row 16: 2 pairs of sts.
Finish with a pair of sts in the very top of the last st so you don't have a gap

TOTAL 25sts
pull yarn through the last sts and weave in ends top and bottom 



JOINING THE CENTRE INTO THE BANDING ROUND:
Attech yarn to the part one centre in a ch3 corner then do the sl st into the first sp, then back to the centre sc [dc], into next st, then back to the banding and work the sl sts in to the next sp.
SO the centre is worked from stitches on the centre motif to the spaces of the banding..the reason is because you are joining to the start chain and its not so easy or neat to do it into the stitch here.

Hope this helps with the band joining and the inset of the part 1 motif into the banding of part 2, this will help until we can get the video done for you all
  
VIDEO  Banding

VIDEO part 3 pentagon join

Afternoon Tea anyone? 4 days fun and a visit to Yarndale.

Afternoon tea anyone? Black Sheep wools on the 27th October

a few places left 

Click the link to see al the details 

Yarndale..

Wont be around for the next 4 days off to spend some time with friends for rest and relaxation, a trip to Skipton for 4 days and Yarndale for the next 2 days

Never been before so quite interested to see whats on offer

Meeting up with a few lovely friends old and new

Update on the Latest Extra Special Carousel

taking it with me and hope to complete part 2 on this Greengage Colourway

about half way with the banding so far

It's all coming together nicely....several of the Extra Special Carousels have been completed along side lots of the other packs

take a peek at some of them in a PINTERST FOLDER I've managed to slurp a few together..if you don't see yours then add it to Pinterest and when I see them I will include them in this folder for you.
fabulous work everyone   

CAROSUEL CAL PROJECTS 
click to see a selection so far 

I'm so impressed with all your fabulous creations so many wonderful colours ways
thanks for all the support on the Carousel group you're all amazing 

Carousel Extra Special

I am making the Greengage colour way along side you all and have been playing with the colours a little...

 original colour choice...if you use the Viola to join the bands together use this colour way

trying 4 colours for the banding......

 I tried using 4 colours...not working for me

I decided I wanted to replace the viola with the Atlantis for the last round of the part one and after playing with the banding have decided to use the Sandstone and Waterfall for the bands and join with the Atlantis...

Have you made different decisions if using the Extra Special packs?

Hope to have the banding almost completed today, but i am off to Yarndale for 4 days tomorrow morning so lots to do today so might not manage to complete this section of the pattern...crossing everything 

King Arthur's Round Table..

I completed the first 2 Carousel blankets and asked my son which he liked best...he loved the bright one, saying it was exactly too the brief and looked like a circus carousel.

The second Batik version he loved too and couldn't decide between them but added the Batik reminded him of King Arthur's round table......

So the King Arthurs blanket was born

Research gave me this picture, from WINCHESTER GREAT HALL link  more pictures to see on the site

 

My version of the table....

Compared to one of the Special bright Original Carousel

KING A, CENTRE Part 1 colours: old gold, biscuit, cream, cherry, olive, indigo, cherry, cream, biscuit, cherry

KING ARTHUR'S ROUND TABLE

KING A, Part 2 colours: olive, cream, joined together with old gold.

MORE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE BATIK IN OLIVE AND CREAM BANDS

ABOVE: Cream, old gold, heather, pistachio, olive, old gold, biscuit, cream, biscuit, heather.

  variations on the Batik with olive and cream bands

 Raspberry, heather, old gold, coral, cherry, olive, biscuit, cream, biscuit, olive

TIPS ON JOINING:
Joining stitch TIP: because of the way you turn and the ends are alternate ways....some ends have what looks like 2 spaces and some ends of rows look like they only have one space try looking closely for that set up...so it will be different every other end you join..alternate hope that helps 

It does work but you need to look carefully and go slowly to start with get the feel of the alternate number of joining stitches it should work out about 25/26 pairs of stitches sc [dc] sl st as a pair 



TOMORROW: The Extra Special Carousel..added at a late date in response to not being able to use wool and wanting a smaller pack....more on the banding for the Greengage Version i am making along side you all. 

CAROUSEL PASTELS

The Pastel version of the Carousel has been very popular, pretty and fits in with lots of home decor i guess, and perfect for that new baby too...i did 3 part 1 variations.......

LAVENDER
PASTEL LAVENDER SPECIAL DK:
Parma Violet, Stone, Cream, Duck Egg, Pistachio, Stone, Parchment, Parma Violet, Parma Violet, Lavender.

BLUE
PASTEL CLOUD BLUE SPECIAL DK: 
Cloud Blue, Camel, Cream, Pistachio, Duck Egg, Sherbet, Cloud Blue, Parchment, Parchment, Duck Egg. 

 PINK. 
PASTEL PINK SPECIAL DK: Clematis, Stone, Cream, Pistachio, Duck Egg, Stone, Camel, Pale Rose, Clematis.

I'm sure you will also create lots more variation using this selection of colours

As part 2 of the Carousel was released yesterday, hope you are all still enjoying the CAL?

i decided to make a complete pastel Carousel along side you all, along with the new Extra Special version.....life got in the way yesterday afternoon and evening but i did manage to complete the 16 pastel bands needed for a pastel Carousel. 17 colours altogether  

I've not joined them together yet I'm using the parchment to join but these are the 17 colours and they will work with all 3 of the pastel centres shown above.

1:cream

2:duck egg

3:sherbet

4:cloud blue

5:parma violet

6:Lavender

7:wisteria

8:clematis

9:pale rose 

10:candy floss

11:apricot

12:stone

13:camel

14:lemon

15:pistachio

16:spring green

17:parchment 

one or two pastel variations with mustard added to the list...all pretty variations

Here ia the rainbow of the above colours and you can see that they go well with all 3 Carousel centres

HAVE FUN XX
afternoon update: Part 2 complete

Extra Special Carousel part 2: Carousel banding

The Carousel Part 2 is POSTED TODAY

and made up of 16 carousel pieces, 8 cream and 8 red, joined together with a decorative rib stitch

PART 2 PATTERN CAN BE FOUND HERE

With the Extra Special the banding has 2 options 

NEW EXTRA SPECIAL PACK: 
Option 1:Extra Special marl yarn in Viola/peony

Part 1: Carnation, Sandstone,Viola, Greengage, Waterfall, Charcoal, Peony, Carnation, Viola, Charcoal.

Banding: Peony and Sandstone and can be joined with either the Atlantis or with Viola

Option 2: Extra Special marl yarn in Greengage/waterfall (this is the option i am going to make along side you al)

Part 1: Charcoal, Atlantis, Greengage, Sandstone, Waterfall, Charcoal, Atlantis, Waterfall, Sandstone, Viola

Banding: Charcoal and Waterfall, joined with either sandstone or Viola

Each band takes me about 20minutes to make so about 5hours 20minutes to make the 16 pieces..but i never made them all in one go....And you will use most of the 2 balls, and then allow joining time. 

PASTELS...

I will be making one of these the second option along side you over the next 2 weeks and hopefully a pastel version too... still to decide which centre to use though

KING ARTHUR'S ROUND TABLE

I'm also making a King Arthurs Round Table version too...blog post on its own for this one 

HAVE FUN ALL XX

UPDATE 22ND SEPTEMBER ON EXTRA SPECIAL GREENGAGE: I'm making the Greengage version of this version along side you and have decided to make a couple of changes removing the VIOLA from the centre part one last round and use 4 colours, Sandstone, Charcoal, Waterfall and Atlantis for the banding.

All the other colours will be used in the final rounds though