Duck Island Enterprises

Much excitement my friends! My first, actually completed and tech edited pattern is finally for sale!! It’s a simple, fluffy, super warm cowl. You can get it at <a href=" http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elizabeth-kramer-designs/499773 ">buy now</a> It really brought home to me how very complicated a polished, published pattern is. Although the pattern itself is only about 4 lines long, the amount of information I had to include made it hard to fit on a single page! I may have to revamp the way I write patterns. I’ve been so focused on getting the stitches in the right order and the charts correct before I do anything else. Right now it’s a very organic, disorganized and rather sloppy methodology that takes a lot of time to clean up. I know there has to be a better way, I just don’t know what way works best for me. As many books as I’ve read about process, and they still say, “it depends on the person.” Why can’t it be like math, and have an established pr...

Quick and dirty free pattern: I came up with this while my hands were twitchy at work. Stopped by my LYS, picked up some discount yarn and made a thing! If there's interest, I will make it look pretty and create a download on Ravelry. This version assumes you know a bit about knitting and reading patterns. Yarn: Merino Plus, by Mondial: 100 grams/125 meters Needles: 4.0mm (size 6 US) double points or use the magic loop method. The pattern is written assuming DPNs. Gauge: 5 sts/ inch or so, it's stretchy. Size: measures 3-1/4" laid flat across the fingers above the thumb gusset. It's stretchy, so it should fit most women's hands. Cast on 33 stitches using long tailed cast on. I actually used the alternating cast on, if you know what that is, it's pretty nifty variation of the long tailed cast on. Knit 12 rows garter stitch flat. This is the section that flips over your fingers. If you want more finger coverage, then knit more rows. Next row distrib...

The lovely ladies over at ModeKnit Yarns (http://www.modeknityarn.com) gave me a discount on some of their wonderful yarn for pattern creation. I have the Call Box Blue in ModeWerk Fingering. Now I just need to figure out what to do with it!

As you may have noticed, updates around here are rather more sporadic than might be desirable. Also, the pattern offering is awfully thin for someone who creates as much as I do. The problem is not my innovation or time to knit. Rather it is in actually FINISHING a written pattern. Then taking pictures of the finished item and putting it all together in an easily knittable form for you, my dear readers. Times, they are achangin! Thanks in large part to a new endeavor with my photographer Joanna Holland, which I will announce in due course, I have been inspired to give Duck Island Enterprises a facelift! I'm putting together an actual business plan and real goals (shocking as that may seem). I've discovered mind-mapping and a different way of tracking tasks, not to mention an easier way to translate the patterns from my head to the page. Follow me here or on my new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Duck-Island-Enterprises Thank you for reading! Elizabeth Kramer

Hello my Knitters! Today's pattern offering is a simple hat. I originally designed it for my day job, since I thought maybe, giving out hand knit hats for Christmas with our logo would make us stand out with valued customers and vendors. That little "homey" touch. The higher ups agreed it was a nice idea, so I got permission to test out how much time and cost it would take. Ultimately, they decided against the idea for this year at least. I had made the sample hat and pattern already, so... How the hat got the name: My dad had a birthday. I wore the hat to the celebration. Brother in law called it "Meg's Hat" after the hat Meg Griffen wears in the show Family Guy. It seems to fit, don't you think? Meg's Hat Yarn:  HiKoo CoBaSi DK, one skein (two skeins, 2 skeins) Contrasting color for Bind Off, can be any DK yarn that visually works with your main color Needles: set of 4 double point needles or circular needle 30" or...

I'm hoping to flood this blog with a plethora of patterns for free and for sale. My Red Onion Sweater is finished! (Pic) I just need to write up the pattern all pretty. The pattern is written so that I can read it, but not so much anyone else. So I write it up and for different sizes, and then it will be for sale on my Ravelry page. I'm also re-writing my "Ribbed To Fit Boot Socks" pattern!! The girl wore through the original pair, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to improve the pattern. It will be knit in Vintage Worsted. I'm writing down "Jared's Flippy Mitts." His original mittens were wool, and then there was milk, and his roommates washed the things and dried them. In the Dryer. So he needs new mitts. Vintage Worsted this time, since I don't trust his roommates. Speaking of mitts, I've charted a pattern for Odin's Eagle's mosaic to turn into mitts that are made of fingering weight yarn. Ultra Alpaca, specific...

I am an avid follower of r/nosleep, which is a subreddit for original horror stories. One of my favorite authors, /u/iia, wrote the series Runner, which you can find here: https://unsettlingstories.com/index/ It's graphic and bloody and disgusting and glorious. I was cleaning up my craft room the other day and discovered I had some yarn that would make a lovely scarf! It's the same color and kind as: https://www.etsy.com/listing/210387956/tahki-stacy-charles-shale-3-pumpkin-gold?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_d-craft_supplies_and_tools-fiber_and_textile_art_supplies-yarn_and_roving&utm_custom1=606f097f-c654-4610-be92-b5efbc258b88&gclid=CjwKEAiAg5_CBRDo4o6e4o3NtG0SJAB-IatYYpQmxuPPXSZElip_DgmtCENKKMssg21_fkLD6uoZNxoC1h3w_wcB I will replace that link with a picture of actual yarn when I remember to take such a picture. One of my hanging shelves broke last night, thus yarn EVERYWHERE...and of course this happened when I was just ...

I have all kinds of socks and hats and scarves knit for Christmas-even a tree skirt! But I wanted to make a sweater. Between my classes and work, I don't have the time to design a sweater before the finger itch becomes unbearable. SO I started....something. It can be adapted into a sweater, or a cape, or a poncho, or...any number of things. I'll edit this post as I create it. I grabbed some worsted weight yarn that I've had stashed for years and a size 7 needle. Any gauge works, don't you dare knit a gauge swatch! You will get your gauge from the knitted back of the Mystery Object. To begin the back of the Mindless Mystery.... Cable cast on 9 stitches. Every Row: Slip 1, knit 2, yarn over, knit one, yarn over, knit one After that start, either knit the rest of the row or purl up to the last stitch, then knit that stitch. I'm starting out in Stockinette Stitch, but don't feel bound to one or the other. Switch in the middle of a row if you get bored, give...

Silly Papa's Warm Christmas Scarf Mother asked me to make my father a scarf for Christmas. He's always relied on his Santa Claus-esque beard to keep him warm and then complains to her that he's cold. Of course, I needed to design something. It needed to be simple, masculine, but complicated enough that he could tell his coworkers with pride, "My daughter made that! Isn't she clever?" So, for the Silly Papa! A Scarf! Needles: US 10 (can choose different size, depending on how dense you want the cable to be) Yarn: Aran weight, from a JoAnn's grab bag, about 100 grams. Gauge: Who cares? It's a scarf! Size: Around 12" wide, and as long as you like. Additional Tools: Cable Needle, Tapestry Needle NOTE: DO NOT SLIP THE FIRST STITCH!! If you slip the first stitch of the row, it makes the edge cable look wonkey. Key: k- knit p- purl 6RC- 6 Right Cross: Slip 3 stitches to cable needle, hold in back, k3, k3 from cable needle 6LC- 6 Left ...

Hello to all the people who find this after a WONDERFUL weekend at Vogue Knitting LIVE in Minneapolis! I took 2 classes and learned some fantastic things I will use in my designs. Also, I had enough interest in my designs that I'm going to publish more of them! I'm also going to publish my Summer of Weddings Shawl sooner rather than later, although the pattern won't be completely written. There was so much disappointment when I told people that it wasn't published yet. Look for 2 hats, an earwarmer/headband, and a scarf sometime in the next week! Unless my Macroeconomic homework overwhelms me. I am trying to be a good student, a good employee, a good girlfriend, a good designer, and a good person all at the same time. I hope it works!

I rarely will work off a pattern that isn't mine. Even working off my own pattern, I rarely write it down first. Deep breath. I figured out a really cool crown for a hat!! I think my way of increasing is original. I think. I certainly came up with it! Then again, I may not be the first to do so. This is top-down. Please notice, this can be done with 7 stitches to start if you want to make a dome-shaped crown. It just so happens the pattern I'm designing works better with a circular crown. Using disappearing loop cast on, CO 8 sts. Join in the round.  Rnd 1: K all Rnd 2: kfb all Rnd 3: K all Rnd 4: k1, kfb, rep 8 times Rnd 5: k1, p1, k1, rep 8 times Now here comes the basic rule: What you're doing is a seed stitch between knit ribs. ALWAYS knit the first stitch, then do seed stitch to the end of the increase section, kfb on increase rounds, and keep going until you have the desired number of stitchs. I will illustrate. Rnd 6: k2, kfb, ...

So I declared on Reddit that I figured out how to do a 9 stitch braided cable without dropping stitches off the needle. And I did! So I sat down to keep doing the thing and eventually come up with a tutorial and post it here the same day, I even told readers how to navigate to this blog. Readers...I have failed you. I tried and tried to replicate what I did that worked and...it didn't. I am so sorry. I retract all bragging rights. I feel shame.

Huh, I have to crop it before I put the photo in here. Who knew? (Using mobile app to type this) My sister, as previously stated, is getting married in August 2016. Now, I don't know that I will get this done in time for the wedding, but since it's for my mother, that hardly matters. Also, it might be a doily. Or a centerpiece. The size is not yet set. However, the beginning is! I'm using Aunt Lydia's cotton #10 and size 0 (2 mm) needles. Starting out I am using 5 double points, but am ordering one that has a 60" cord for magic loop to final dimensions.  Cast On 8 stitches on one dpn using disappearing loop cast on. I'm going to post a video of how I do it, which is adapted from something else, if I can figure out how to do the thing.  Snug the stitches so they are even, but make sure you can still get a needle in to knit. Cotton is not stretchy. Using a second dpn, k4 in such a way as to join the stitches in the round. Using a third, k4.  ...

Silver Tencel yarn for the famous shawl. I also have the biggest part of the body designed. And there will be beads!! I may end up going to a bead store for the right ones. I bought some from JoAnn Fabric and Crafts, but perhaps there better ones out there. Because the yarn is so fine, I am using size 3 needles. I also want the edge to be beaded, to give it a little weight. I still need to decide on exactly what edging or border to use. I'm so excited!!!! On to the Sister's Wedding news. Well, she decided on Burlap and Lace for her reception. Yet, she doesn't want her baby sister, who is, let me remind you, totally obsessed with lace, to make anything. I shall have my revenge... I've been wanting for years to knit a lacy table cloth of crochet thread and tiny needles. Well, now I am going to, in a design and color perfect for her wedding. But not for her, oh no. For my mother, who is having her house taken over for wedding activities, and who actually VALUES the work I ...

I am going to create a collection, to be bundled and sold eventually, called "Mindless Knits". I give them individually free on this blog. If you have any idea how many I should put in the bundle before I charge for such simple things, please leave a comment!  These patterns are all super simple, and good for knitting while thinking, or in meetings, or driving somewhere. They are for when your hands start twitching and you just want to knit something but you can't pay attention to your work in order to track the yarn overs and stitch counts. Also, none of these matter as to gauge unless you want to get EXACTLY the size I did. Just taking as many steps out of the process as possible! First Up: The Mindless Washcloth: Yarn: Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn, such as Lily'n Cream. One small package will do nicely. My finished project weighed 26 grams. Needles: US Size 7 (4.5mm). That's just what I had on hand and it's a good size for a pretty tight fabric. H...

I've been mulling over what shape to make my "summer of weddings" shawl, and it burst upon me: triangular!! I've always thought triangles or crescents the classiest of shawls. For color: silver, maybe light and dark both?  Unfortunately, I also am inspired to design several other shawls with some of the yarn I have on hand.  I have one in mind that is reminiscent of fish net, one that had a trinity stitch pattern and I'll be writing up the pattern for the "Rejected Wedding" cowl or poncho or whatever it will be called. It's based off a mohair bias loop, but with lace.  Settling on what to do first when I want to do it all at once is proving paralyzing. Plus what yarn to play "test the pattern!"game. I finished one shawl! I will type up the pattern soon, but for those of you who want to get the materials (if anyone reads this) it's done with 3 skeins of "Mecha" from Malibrigo, 2 in a green and one in a different color. Picture ...

I'm trying to design a crescent shawl (never having knitted one before, so I may be making obvious mistakes) that has short rows of different stitch patterns in a kind of swinging pattern.something kind of like: Hopefully you get the basic idea. Well, this is what I've done: The stitch patterns are totally different gauges on my sample, so that's gotta be fixed. I'm having fun with increasing and decreasing stitch numbers while maintaining patterns.  That's all for now, happy stitching!

I'm working on a wedding shawl for my best friend's wedding, and designed a spiffy number out of Mecha in a triangle (pics of both to come) and have been playing with Shawl Shaping, as I am designing a "Summer of Weddings" shawl! I have at least 4 weddings to attend this summer, and I am actually in 2 of them! I also had a bunch of my stuff photographed, (without props, so they look kind of odd) so I'll make a post with those pictures too! Right now, I'm thinking about making a recent shaped shawl shaped by making 4 yarn overs at the end of the right side row x times, followed by x number of 4 yarn overs at the beginning of the right side row. I hope to make a kind of series of recents within the crescent this way. I'm having trouble picking the yarn I want to use (in case it's a disaster) and the stitch patterns (in case it's a success and I finish it). Plus, I need to work on a paper about international ethics problems, guess which task I...

I am quite clever, I am happy to say. I'm going to dash down some notes about some flip-back mittens I'm knitting for a coworker. It's made out of 100% worsted weight wool on dpns 7 and 8. CO 36 sts on size 7 needles k2p2 for 15 rnds k1p1 for 3 rnds switch to size 8 k3p1 for patt beg thumb, using m1 ala dragonskin inc thumb to 13 sts, after the increase to 13, before you knit the stitches you just made, slide 13 sts to wy. co 1 st. cont in patt for 3 rnds. Switch needles from 3 to 2 holding live stitches, 19 sts and 17 sts, making sure the 19 sts begin and end with a k st. Here's the clever part. kfb ONLY THE KNIT STITCHES until you get to end of needle 1. then knit palm in patt. DOUBLE KNIT the sts on needle one for 3 rnds, knitting palm sts as usual. Place palm sts on wy, transfer double stitched stitches to another needle, then place it on waste yarn, Cable Cast On 19 sts on new needle, and k2tog at corners to restore stitch count. k2p2 moss stitch ...

Edit: Thank you for your marvelous feedback! I am re-writing this pattern with that in mind, using Vintage worsted weight. The original socks are now full of holes in the heel. Very loved. Stay tuned, and I will add a link when that's finished! These socks came about from high-quality, inexpensive yarn local to Prince Edward Island, in Canada. This is just a quick draft, but an experienced knitter should be able to make sense of most of it...I hope. In point of fact, I'm not totally done with the first one yet. Here she is so far! Materials: 2 colors, 1 skein each worsted-heavy worsted weight yarn (I used MacAusland's 3 ply, but I think Cascade 220 would be a readily available equivalent) makes 4 socks or 2 pairs set of 5 double point needles, size 8 Gauge: about 4 sts = 1", but it's not vital to the pattern. Provisionally cast on 4 sts with yarn A, using yarn B as a stitch holder. K 6 rows St st, end after a knit row. PU 4 sts on needle 2. Slide cast...