Happenings (blog)

July Showcase

Posted on July 24, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Monthly round up

Another month has come and almost gone. Where did it go? I swear it was just June a few days ago…
This month was challenging for me. So much to do in the shop, so many events, so many patterns to finalize. However, July was full of blessings and that’s the really important part. We kicked off Summer Specials & Customs, WeCrochet sent me a new test proposal, I put together a new blog post, and I’m one whole month ahead on pattern designing. I’m counting this month as a huge success, even if it did cause me to shed a few tears. The big picture looks bright, so let’s go with that!

Yarny Goodness

I crocheted myself a top using silk from DGY.

New cowl pattern for Treehouse Knits, coming soon.

Capelet made from a past KnitCrate in alpaca/Tencel — Capelet knit in a past Knitcrate in alpaca/Tencel

Patterns and Such

I released a free pattern this month for Dad’s Textured Scarf, and I bet you’re going to love making this! My dad has become a lover of yarn after spending so much time in my shop, and he always asks me to make him scarves. He will have a whole room full of them soon, haha. He picked this ball of Colorburst and I created a pattern for it, so now I am sharing it with you. I hope you enjoy it!

Y’all? Y’ALL!! This Knotions e-book is rolling along ahead of schedule and I am so happy about this!
If you haven’t been following along with this project, I was approached by Jody of Knotions to write four patterns for my VERY OWN E-BOOK!
I wanted my e-book to be special, something to really knock your socks off, so I wrote all of the patterns for the “drop & swap” technique, and they are all worked on the bias.
I haven’t been this excited in a long time. We’re set for an October 2021 release, and I will keep you all posted as things progress ♥

Sari Scarf product review

Posted on July 16, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

This stuff is DARN good!

I am bursting at the seams to share this product review with all of you! As an affiliate, I recently had the opportunity to test out a gorgeous Sari silk scarf from Darn Good Yarn. I wasn’t even all the way sure what I was signing up for, I just knew I was intrigued (try a new product for free? Yes please!).

Oh. My. Goodness. I knew as soon as I opened the package that this was going to be great. They sent me a gorgeous teal-tending-toward-forest-green scarf, and the color all by itself made me giddy. I took it out, and it flowed like water in my hands. It is so silky against my skin, but that’s not the best part. I present to you: the many ways I found to wear this scarf. Check out the gallery below.

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A little about the company

I’ve been purchasing yarn from DGY for years now. Their silk purses are one of the hottest items in my little yarn shop, and I even have a few of their gorgeous Sari skirts in my closet. This company is amazing for a lot of reasons. First, they are woman veteran owned. From their website:
“Darn Good Yarn was founded in 2008 by Nicole Snow. Our brand is built by special stories of hard work, love, and creativity. From the artisan to the person who packs our orders, we are inspired to deliver high-quality eco-friendly products.”
~ 600+ artisans employed around the globe ~ 1,200,000 pounds of waste materials saved from landfills ~ 4 partnered organizations ~ 400+ patterns designed by independent artists.
How could you not LOVE this company?! Be sure to click the affiliate links in the post to check them out. If you’re local, keep in mind that I have an account with them for my shop, so if there’s something you would like me to pick up for you in my next order, just ask!

Dad’s Textured Scarf

Posted on July 14, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Free Crochet Pattern

Sometimes it’s hard to crochet for a guy. My dad loves my work, and has become a lover of yarn as well (hanging out in a yarn shop will do that to ya, I hear.) He asks for scarves, but I don’t want to keep making the same one or two patterns over and over and over. So I’ve decided to write a few, just for him 🙂 This scarf turned out just right: textured for interest, but not lacy or full of shells or picots. Plain enough to be masculine, but still soft and beautiful, and fun to make! I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did, and wearing it as much as my dad does!

Want a printable .pdf of this pattern for just $1.99? Click here.

A little info first...

Stitches: Ch, sc, dc, FpTreb (front post treble crochet)
Yarn: Worsted weight (#4) 640 yards
Shown in Universal Yarn’s Colorburst in Aurora Borealis
Hook: J10/6mm
Sizes: 10” wide, 60” long, blocked

Gauge: 8st x 6 rows = 2”

NOTES:
You can make this scarf narrower or wider by adding or subtracting chains. Just make sure you end up with an even number of chains so you’ll have an odd number of stitches.

Let's get textured!

Pattern:

Ch 36

1) Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. = 35 st

2) Ch 2 (does not count as a st, here and throughout,) dc across. Turn.

3) Ch 1, sc across. Turn.

4) Ch 2, *dc in next st, FpTreb in next st two rows below; rep from * across to last st, dc in last st. Turn.

5) Rep Row 3

6) Ch 2, dc in first st, *FpTreb in next st two rows below, dc in next st; rep from * across. Turn.

7) Rep Row 3

Repeat Rows 4-7 until scarf measures approx. 60” long.

Cut yarn, weave in ends. Block if desired.

Well now, wasn’t that fun? And not difficult, either! I’d love to see your Dad’s Textured Scarf. Just post on your favorite social media and tag @RowsAndRoses and #RowsAndRosesTexturedScarf so we can all see your creation! As always, if you need me, I’m only a click or two away.

Hand Wash Only

Posted on July 11, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

It’s not what you think…

When you see a yarn label that says “hand wash, lay flat to dry,” do you get scared? Do you quickly drop the skein like it’s hot, knowing that you are not dedicated enough for all that? Perhaps you’re envisioning having to “work” when washing the item you were going to make, but are definitely NOT making now?

Oh honey. No. Seriously, this is not even close to a good reason to put that gorgeous skein of yarn back. When it comes to handwashing knit- and crochet-wear, there is absolutely nothing to be scared about, I promise! Let me walk you through this…

No washboard necessary!

The very first myth to dispel here, I think, is the amount of work involved. There’s like….. zero.
You read that right.
Fill a bucket/basin/sink with warm water and a drop of something. Wool wash, or even liquid dish soap, both work well. I love Kookaburra wool wash and Eucalan, but I’ve been known to use any Palmolive or Dawn I had on hand in a pinch.
You want to make sure you have enough water to completely submerge your item. It may float up to the top again, and that’s okay, you just need to have enough.

When I hand wash, I like to put my hand-wash items in a lingerie bag. I got a whole set that zip from Amazon, and I love them! Push the bagged item into the water and submerge it. Gently press the air out of it (this may take two or three “pressings,”) and then…… just let it soak. I always let mine soak for at least an hour to get good and saturated but, if I can, I like to soak it overnight.

When you’re ready, dump it all into the washing machine for a spin cycle. This is SPIN ONLY- no agitation, no wash-and-rinse. Just spin the water out. If you do not have the kind of machine that will allow this, you can gently squeeze the water out of the whole bag, then wrap the bag in a towel (or two!) and step on it. This will squeeze most of the water out without stressing the garment itself and the friction and pressure will be on the bag. Then take the item out and lay flat to dry. I like to lay mine on the washer itself, on top of a towel. Flip it over the next day for a bit to make sure the back is also dry.

And you're done!

Like, completely. How easy was that? Did it feel like work? If so, you probably did it wrong 😉

A few extra tips for success:

~ Don’t wring, only squeeze.
~ Make sure the water is not hot, only warm.
~ Just a tiny bit of soap. If your water foams up a lot, it’s too much.
~ Never hang a wet garment! It will stretch out something awful. Either block it, or just lay it flat to dry if blocking isn’t necessary. Hanging it will cause massive regrets. Trust me.

I hope I was able to shed some light on the hand wash only issues if you had ever been under the impression that it was hard work. My wardrobe holds so many beloved sweaters, shawls, and accessories that I am happy to hand wash anytime they need it. I hope that you, too, will now feel this way. There are many many types of yarns and fibers that we would all be missing out on if we let our hand wash worries take the lead!
If you found value in this post, I would be thrilled if you shared it, left a comment, or added it to your fibery bookmarks. Thanks so much for reading!

June Showcase

Posted on June 27, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Our monthly round-up

I’m kinda surprised it’s already time for another monthly showcase. If you blinked at all, you probably missed June. I’ve been super busy this month in the shop, and have been writing patterns for so many different companies! This round may have everything but the kitchen sink. Sometimes that’s a good thing, right? No boredom here!

All the Pretty Little Things!

So many things happened this month! I started learning hairpin lace, which I’ve been wanting to do for some time now. It’s much easier than I thought it would be, and very enjoyable. I’m also working on a new pattern for Universal Yarn, and my first crochet pattern for Treehouse Knits. Isn’t that “Lighthouse” to die for?

Besides learning new things and writing new patterns, I also finished up all the Pride stuff this month, crocheted two rainbow baby blankets for my friend Hattie, made a half-size Pineapply Market Bag for a workshop, and finally finished my fingering weight cabled sweater that I worked on for years. I can’t believe it’s finished! As soon as fall gets here, guess what I’ll be wearing?

Patterns and Such

This month I released a free pattern on my blog called Doily Plant Mat. I whipped one of these up off the top of my head back when I first opened my shop, and people have been asking me for a pattern ever since. Here ya go! I hope you all enjoy it ♥
(Samples shown in all WeCrochet yarn.) #WeCJune21

If you’ve been around for a while, you already know that I’m working with Knotions Crochet to release a pattern eBook this October. I finally finished the last pattern in June.
The samples have shipped out for photography and the patterns have all been sent to the tech editor! I seriously can’t wait for you all to see this book. I bet you’ll love it!

Thanks for looking. I hope you found some inspiration here. If you’ve enjoyed this showcase, why not consider sharing it, or leaving a comment? Every little thing you do helps this business to keep growing. And you know, if ever you need me, I’m only a click or two away.

Doily Plant Mat

Posted on June 20, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

FREE crochet pattern

Why should tables get all the fun and frill of doilies, when they’re so much fun to make? This summer, let’s let the plants have them! This doily plant mat is designed for any yarn and any hook so you can get some of your stash leftovers out of the way. Crocheted in simple stitches, these little beauties whip right up in no time.

Want a printable .pdf of this pattern for just $1.99? Click here.

Getting Started

Stitches: Ch, sl st, sdc (standing double crochet,) dc
Yarn: Any
Shown in WeCrochet’s Comfy Worsted (Zinnia,) Curio #3 (Blue,) and Lindy Chain (Linen)
Hook: Any
Shown in Zinnia (I9/5.5mm,) Blue (E4/3.5mm,) and Linen (US7/4.5mm)
Sizes: Depends on what you use!
Shown in Zinnia (10.5”) Blue (8”) and Linen (9”)

NOTES:
This pattern is written for any yarn and any hook. As long as you’re getting a fabric you love, you’re doing it right!

Let's Do It!

Pattern:

Ch 4, join with sl st to form ring.

1) Sdc, 11 dc in circle. Join.

2) Sdc, ch 1, *dc, ch 1; rep from * around. Join.

3) Sl st into ch-1 sp, (sdc, ch 1, dc) in first ch-1 sp, *(dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * around. Join.

4) Sl st into ch-1 sp, (sdc, ch 1, dc) in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, *(dc, ch 1, dc) into next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * around. Join.

5) Sl st into ch-1 sp, (sdc, dc, ch 1, 2dc) in first ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp, *(2dc, ch 1, 2dc) in ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp; rep from * around. Join.

6) Sl st over to ch-1 sp, (sdc, dc, ch 1, 2dc) into first ch-1 sp, ch 1, *(2dc, ch 1, 2dc) in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * around. Join.

7) Sl st over to ch-1 sp, (sdc, 2dc, ch 1 3dc) into first ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp, *(3dc, ch 1, 3dc) into next ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp; rep from * around. Join.

8) Sl st over to ch-1 sp, (sdc, 2dc, ch 1, 3dc) in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, *(3dc, ch 1, 3dc) into next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * around. Join.

9) Sl st over to ch-1 sp, (sdc, 3dc, ch 1, 4dc) in first ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp, *(4dc, ch 1, 4dc) in next ch-1 sp, sk next ch-1 sp; rep from * around. Join.

Cut yarn, weave in ends. Block.

Voila, you’re done! Now won’t your plants look smashing on their sweet little doilies? I bet you can’t wait to put them on your counter and in your window, huh? Just make sure you block them! If you need help with blocking, I have a whole post for that.
I’d love to see your doilies! Just post a pic to your favorite social media and tag @RowsAndRoses and #RowsAndRosesDoilyPlantMat so we can all be inspired by your creations. As always, if you need me, I’m just a click or two away.

Summer Skirt-along

Posted on June 10, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Join our CAL/KAL

May Showcase

Posted on May 27, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

May I show you?

We’ve had another super fun month here at Rows & Roses. I’d love to share with you the highlights from May with this May Showcase. I hope you enjoy it!

Posts & Patterns

Pride Week is coming to the LYS June 1-5. A different sale every day, a HUGE giveaway drawing, a special discount if you wear rainbow, and a free drop-in demo of the flatbed knitting machine on Saturday to wrap it all up. This is going to be our biggest event to date! Click the pic below for more info.

Ever wanted to design crochet patterns for yourself, but just aren’t sure how to get started? This post may help. Here I lay out my method of designing for personal crochet (not for publication; that takes grading and tech-editing, which is a whole other game.) Click the pic to read more.

Hey, how about a free pattern? If you were missing the freebies in April (what a wild month that was!) then I’ve got something for you. Kick off Pride Month with your very own Pride Bag. Pick your flag colors and get going, and you’ll have this whipped up in no time!

Just a little call to action...

I hope you’ve enjoyed this May Showcase. Honestly, I hope you enjoy everything that I work hard to bring you. I want to help educate and inspire, as well as offer free patterns, stitch-alongs, and a facebook community of like-minded friends and crafters. May I get super real for a minute and ask a small favor?
My little business relies an awful lot on word of mouth. Would you be willing to help put Rows & Roses “out there” just a little for me? Here are some small things you can do that have a HUGE impact:
~ If you use one of my patterns to make something, please create a project page for it in Ravelry. The more people see my patterns being made by others, the better they feel about buying them.
~ If you buy yarn from my shop and make something with it, please specify in the Rav project page WHERE you got the yarn. The more my little shop pops up in Ravelry, the more exposure it gets.
~ Do you like this May Showcase post? If so, share it! Pin it, share it to facebook or instagram, and leave a comment. This is all a much bigger deal for my business than you could ever know.
~ Share my facebook events. This one is HUGE!! Think Pride Week looks like fun? Please share it! Bought a ticket for a class? Please share the event! Anything you love about Rows & Roses, I would be ever so thankful for you to share with your friends.
~ Bring someone into the shop with you the next time you come! Doesn’t even have to be a yarnie: we have incense, bags, trinket dishes, buttons…. so much more than just yarn.
Thank you for being here, and for all that you do to help this little business grow. I am so super thankful for you, more than I can ever express ♥

Pride Week at Rows & Roses

Posted on May 20, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Sales, specials, and a rad drawing!

Oh my friends, do I have a wonderful surprise for you! As you all know by now, here at Rows & Roses we LOVE to hold special events and drawings. Giving things away is my very favorite ♥ So what better time than June to celebrate love and individuality in ALL forms and kick it off with the greatest week ever?!
Join us for Pride Week, the first week in June, for your chance to score some great deals, show your support for freedom and acceptance, and earn yourself some entries into the drawing for the great big gift basket! I can’t wait to show you all we have in store….

First, the sales

I mean, don’t we need some sales? A chance to snag some awesome items at amazing prices? Of course we do!
I will be putting one thing on sale each day of the week.
SATURDAY we have Colorburst at 20% off! This couldn’t have come at a better time, seeing as how Michelle is giving us a demo of the knitting machine today AND Colorburst is her favorite R&R yarn. Come check out this gorgeous gradient, with 660 yards to a single ball!

TUESDAY, June 1: Bamboo Pop

WEDNESDAY, June 2: Montague

THURSDAY, June 3: Mantra

FRIDAY, June 4: Chai

SATURDAY, June 5: Colorburst

Second, the GIVEAWAY!

You know I do love a good giveaway, and this time I’m pulling out all the stops. This giveaway basket contains almost $100 worth of gorgeous items put together with a rainbow color theme! Every $20 you spend in-store during Pride Week will earn you an entry into the drawing for ALL THIS! I will be holding the drawing live on the Facebook page on Saturday, June 5 at 6pm. You do not have to be on Facebook to win, I just like to do my drawings live because it’s more fun that way 😉
Let’s see what’s in it!

RED Bamboo Pop (DK bamboo/cotton)
ORANGE Chai (Sport/DK linen/silk)
YELLOW Mantra (DK 100% silk)
GREEN Valley Superwash (worsted 100% superwash Merino)
DARK GREEN Vintage (worsted superwash wool/acrylic/nylon)
LIGHT BLUE Bella Cash (sport superwash Merino/nylon/cashmere)
INDIGO Montague (light worsted 100% organic cotton)
VIOLET Java (DK 100% hemp)
RAINBOW Darn Good Yarn Silk (worsted 100% silk)
RAINBOW Chakra Lava Rock bracelet

But wait, there's more...

As if all this fun wasn’t enough of a reason to move into the yarn store for the week, I’m throwing in a little extra deal for you. Wearing rainbow into the shop gets you 10% off your purchase (excluding items that are already on sale.)
It can be a rainbow hat, a rainbow shirt, or if you wanna go all out and wear rainbow make-up and dye your hair, I won’t even try to stop you. Tell you what, I’ll even count it as wearing rainbow if you make yourself a Pride Bag and carry it into the shop. Let’s turn this shop into the most fabulous place to be!

Added to all this amazingness is a FREE demo of the knitting machine, offered by Michelle Goodhand, on Saturday, June 5. She will be setting up in the back room with her machine and is happy to show you all how knitting machines work, what you can use them for, and how you can BLAZE through your project. I seriously can’t wait for this. I know it’s going to be educational as well as amazing to see. If you fall in love with machine knitting, we’re going to set it up so you can pre-order your own machine! How cool is that?

So bring your current project and enjoy our sitting area while you work, pour yourself a cup of coffee- it’s free (there is a tip jar if you feel so inclined,) and wind your yarn at our free winding station. In fact, while you’re at it, why not bring a yarny friend with you? It’s always so much more fun that way!
Click here for the facebook event so you’ll get a reminder notification. You definitely don’t want to miss all the fun!

Designing 101

Posted on May 16, 2021January 18, 2024 by Sati <3

Just go for it!

Have you ever gone looking for the perfect pattern, knowing exactly what you want to do with “this yarn,” only to discover that your perfect pattern doesn’t seem to exist?
Maybe you bought the yarn on a whim because you just had to have it (*raises hand*) and you knew that it needed to be cowl for next Fall. You have just the thing in mind: a textured stitch, at a tight gauge, with a rolled edge, and just long enough to double up snuggly, but no longer than that. However, all the cowl patterns for the correct yarn weight, and that are anywhere close to the yardage you have, just…… aren’t what you want.
Hey, welcome to my yarny life, haha! Seems like every time I find the perfect yarn, and plan for it to be the perfect thing, I can’t find a pattern anywhere that even comes close. So what do you do when this happens? Do you “make do” with a pattern you don’t love? Do you pet your yarn one last time and then drop it in the stash? WHAT ARE YOU, CRAZY?!
Why not just design yourself the perfect cowl? It’s not as hard as you think…

Getting started

First and foremost, when you pull out that glorious yarn and start trying to figure things out, please oh please, do at least a couple (ideally, more) gauge swatches.

To some, this may seem like a waste of time, but let me tell you why you want to do this. Swatching will do two things for you:
First, it will let you figure out what size needles/hook you need for the fabric you want to have.

Do you want a dense, tight fabric, great for keeping warm? Do you want a looser fabric to show drape and sheen of shiny yarn, such as silk or bamboo? Are you unsure of the stitch pattern you want to use, and therefore need to try a few to compare? This is the biggest reason why you need to start with a swatch! As long as your yarn is froggable (can be undone) then it’s not a waste; you can always unravel your swatch if you start running out of yarn on your project.
The second reason you need to swatch is for math. Yeah, I said it. Don’t you just LOVE math?! Well…. some people do, but I’m not one of them. I will tell you this though, if you’re making anything with shaping, or that needs to fit properly (like, not a scarf but maybe a top,) then you’re going to need to do a little math. It can’t be helped. You do want to be able to wear your finished item, don’t you?

Math: Don't be scared!

The thing about math in designing, is that if you’re only designing for yourself (i.e.- not to sell a pattern,) you only need your own body. This makes things super simple! You’ll need to measure yourself wherever the finished item is going to go (if you’re making a top, you’ll need your bust measurement, length of where you want the hem to hit, and perhaps a measurement from your underarm to top of shoulder for armhole.)
Now take your favorite swatch. You know, the one that is exactly the stitch pattern and fabric you want to use. Measure your gauge: take a ruler and measure across 2″ and count your stitches. Let’s say you have 12 stitches. This makes your stitch gauge 6 stitches per inch. Now measure 2″ up and down. Let’s say you have 8 rows. That makes your row gauge 4 rows per inch.
See how easy that is?

Now we get to do our little bit of math. You need to multiply the measurements you want your finished item to be by the number of stitches/rows in your swatch.
If you’re working top-down, and you want your top to be 20″ long, you would multiply 20 by 4 (because you have 4 rows to an inch, right?) This gives you 80. You’re going to need about 80 rows in this top to reach the desired length.
Now do the same for the stitches. Let’s say you have a 36″ bust and you want this top to fit you exactly (not loosely, and not squeezy.) You’re going to multiply 36 by 6 (because you have 6 stitches to an inch.) This gives you 216. You will need 216 inches all the way around, at your bust, for this top to fit you.
Now do the same for your hips. Let’s say you’re at 32″ for your hips. 32 * 6 = 192. So after you’ve finished working the bust, you’re going to need to decrease your 216 stitches to 192. This means you’ll need to lose 24 stitches. Figure out how to evenly space your decreases at a rate that won’t cause your top to pinch in. Maybe decrease 4 stitches every 4 rows, six times. This will give you your 192!

Practice practice practice

If there is a fast and true math method that works every single time without fail, I am unaware of it. The way I’ve gotten so much better at designing for myself is simply because I’ve done it so many times by now. Your first design probably won’t be perfect, and that’s okay! Just keep going, and every time you design something new, you’ll be just a little better at it.

I want to leave you with my best advice yet: BLOCK YOUR PROJECT!!! For the love of all things holy, block it. If you don’t know what that means or how to do it, here’s what you need to know. A good blocking makes all the difference between “homemade” and “hand crafted.” If you want your finished garment to look like a million bucks, do yourself a favor and block it one good time before you wear it. If you’re local and need help with your first blocking, come into the shop and I’ll show you how it’s done. Bring your own blocking mats and pins because mine are often already in use.
Anytime you need to block something and don’t have the room, bring it by the shop. We have a blocking platform there that is especially for customers’ blocking!

I hope you have gotten some value from this post. If so, please consider sharing. Every little action to you take, here and on the facebook page, helps gain this little business some visibility. Thank you for all that you do ♥