2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 5

Hello,

Tonight at midnight, the State of Washington, my great state, will begin issuing marriage licenses to all couples "without regard to gender."  Congratulations to all of my lgbt friends and all people in Washington wanting to live in committed loving marriage.  I love my husband of almost 30 years, and wish the same chance for such a relationship for all of Washingtonians,  ok, all people, but let's celebrate one state at a time.

My daughter, Moogie, is home.  Clouds are chasing across the sky.  It's 7:40 am and my stitching group meets tonight.  Also, my new washer/dryer will arrive and be installed sometime today.  I need to get to work on my Scarf.  I have laundry piling up.

Scarf comes first, of course.

It is about 1:40 pm and I have finished my scarf, eaten both breakfast and lunch, and knit and photographed a bit of a tutorial/exploration of 4 different decreases for 3 stitches.  And my new washing machine and dryer are NOT here.  Ugh. 

First, the scarf.

Very easy pattern again today.  At first it seems a bit cumbersome because the repeats are pretty long, but they make sense, so are not that hard to memorize.  I am not sure if I have written this yet, but I usually don't print out my patterns.  Instead, I just bring them up on my computer, and then enlarge them so they are really easy for my near-sighted eyes to see.  Then I keep open a partial window that frames the pattern.  I scroll as I go, with the row I am currently on always the bottom row.  I often keep a Word Document up as well, very small and on the side, for taking notes.  Usually, my notes are about when and if I have to take a break so I always know where I left off.  I have not tried highlighting parts of the patterns, but usually, they are simple enough that I haven't felt that was necessary. 

One thing about today's pattern though, on the final row, there was a 3 stitch decrease.  Kirsten, the designer, used the symbol ∆.  Interesting thing though, she did this same decrease on Day 1 but used a different symbol, X:   That's just in case anyone got confused.  (I did a bit, obviously since I went back and checked).

So, here is today's section:

And here is what my scarf/shawl looks like now:

Now I am going to talk a bit about those 3 stitch decreases.

There are 3 different 3 stitch decreases that Kirsten has used so far:

K3Tog  =  :X  (/₃) Knit 3 stitches together

Sl1 k2tog psso =  X: (₃\) slip 1 stitch as if to knit  knit 3 together pass the first slipped stitch back over the knit stitches

sl2 k psso = Ʌ (↑ ok, this isn't the real Craft Yarn Council symbol, theirs is an inverted triangle with a center leg) slip 2 stitches together as if to knit knit the next stitch pass the 2 slipped stitches together over the knit stitch.

Today she used a new symbol, ∆ for sl1 k2tog psso, instead of X:.  I double checked with the Craft Yarn Council site, and they use sl1k2togpsso and sssk (slip slip slip knit) interchangably.

So here are brief photo tutorials of all three (four including the sssk) decreases and what they look like.

k3tog  = Knit 3 stitches together :X or /₃

insert the needle into three stitches at the same time just like a regular knit 

knit the stitches 

this decrease leans to the right

sl1 k2tog psso = slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together, pass the first slipped stitch back over the 2 knit stitches  X:  ₃\

slip the first stitch as if to knit

knit 2 stitches together 

pick up the slipped stitch

 

pass it back over the k2tog 

This decrease leans to the left 43, 44

sl2kpsso = slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit, pass the slipped stitches together back over the knit stitch Ʌ  ↑

slip 2 stitches together knitwise 

knit 1 stitch 

pick up the two slipped stitches with the left needle

and pass them back over the knit stitch 

This decrease does not lean. It is sometimes called a Centered Decrease.  

This next decrease can be used interchangably with sl1k2togpsso, Kristen does not use it.

sssk = slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip all 3 stitches back to the left needle, knit 3 stitches together through the back loop  ₃\

slip 3 stitches knitwise one at a time:

slip 1 stitch knitwise 

slip 1 stitch knitwise

slip 1 stitch knitwise

slip 3 stitches back to the left needle (they will be seated differently on the needle)

knit 3 together through the back loop 

the stitches lean to the left

Here are all 4 decreases knit in a row with YO on either side of them to help you see them:

from left to right:

sl2kpsso, s1k2togpsso, sssk, k3tog

Ok, that's all for now.  The men are here to finally install my new machines, and tonight is Stitch Night at Crossroads Mall with the Eastside Stitchers.  I will be back on after that with an update of what everyone is working on.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with Day 5.