Category: Ode to Quilting
Ode to Quilting Afghan
I finished the last seam this afternoon. I think I let out a hoot. Jake was excited for me until he realized that we weren’t going outside to play and I didn’t have any treats for him.
Since I finished this afghan before the deadline to enter Lion Brand Yarn Slideshow Contest, I entered it. Vote for me! There are 400+ entries already, so I have no illusions of winning. Yet, this contest provided good motivation to complete the afghan early. Now I can take 6 zillion pictures before I have to mail it off early next month. It’s headed to the International Fiber Collaborative.
Although, I had originally planned to add a border around the whole afghan, I hesitate to add one now. I think it would detract from the blocks. What do you think?
On a side note, I can now boldly proclaim that I am a Master of Seaming. This project has taught me much about seaming.
As mentioned to both Knitsy Bitsy Spider and Mr. Puffy, I plan to compile all 9 block patterns into one downloadable PDF pattern. Please don’t expect to find it listed on my blog by tomorrow morning. It is going to take me some time to compile everything together. Additionally, I will be adding schematics, charts, and a seaming tutorial. Hopefully, I can pass some of my tips to you before you attempt to seam the blocks together.
One of my tips will be to not wait until the end to seam everything together. Jumping off a bridge will seem like a better idea. Ditto for weaving in your ends; the back side should Not look like a shag carpet.
OK, I’m going to shut up now and let the pictures say the rest.
The Back
Want more pictures? You can find the whole pictorial story from beginning to end in my Flickr album.
Scarf Applique Block, 9th and Last in Ode to Quilting Series
4. Color D = Pumpkin, 1 skein
5. Color E = Purple, 1 skein


What is Wrong with this Picture?

Even with the dark light (the weather consisted of cloudy skies, snow squalls and howling winds), I think my mistake is fairly obvious.
You see it, don’t you? At first, I thought I could leave it. Surely, nobody would notice. Who looks at a scarf to see if the pattern is the same on both sides? Then it occurred to me. I do that.
I never thought to invert the striped pattern at the halfway point. I was too busy patting my own back, giddy that the block was knitting up so quickly. What did the Yarn Harlot always quote in her first book? Pride goeth before a fall? Yes, that was it. Apparently, someone should sell those t-shirts.
Now that I am officially more humble than a week ago, allow me to present to you my final Ode to Quilting block.
I won’t tell you that I was so darn proud with the way this final block came out, because I am determined to stay humble. I will tell you that the free pattern will be published in tomorrow’s post.
After finishing this block, I pulled out the other 8 blocks and laid them on my dining room table. I shuffled and reshuffled the blocks. This was the final resting point for them.
What do you think?
Knitting it Again
It looks an awful lot like Jake, doesn’t it? Well, I thought I could fool you with his cuteness. It always works on me.
I made a stupid error while knitting the last block and didn’t notice it until I was piecing everything together. So, now I have to knit it over again. Since I wanted the block to be a surprise, I’m not even showing you a picture of my mistake. I’ll let you see Monday of next week what I did wrong. Dan noticed my error right away. I didn’t notice it until I had worked on it for over 2 days. I think I had my “I’m almost Finished” glasses on. They never see any errors.
Since Jake is now my Guest of Honor on the blog today, let me share with you his new trick that he learned. The past two times that Dan and I have poured ourselves a beer after dinner, I gave Jake a treat, thinking we’ll all have a treat. Yesterday, when we were pouring beers, Jake sat right in front of my feet, tail wagging, waiting for his treat. I laughed, patted him on the head and promptly went and got him his treat. Does that mean I trained him or he has trained me?
Log Cabin Block, 8th Block in Ode to Quilting Series
This block is perhaps the easiest of all the blocks in the Ode to Quilting series. Only Stocking Stitch is used to knit the squares and rectangles.
4. Color D = Cocoa, 1 skein
5. Color E = Ebony, 1 skein
Spiral Applique Block, 7th in Ode to Quilting Series
1. Color A = Pearl Grey, 1 skein
2. Color B = Pumpkin, 1 skein
3. Color C = Scarlet, 1 skein
Large blunt sewing needle
Safety pins
- In Color B, cast on 10 stitches.
- Work in Stocking Stitch till strip measures 8 inches.
- Bind off all stitches.
- Repeat instructions with color C, color D, and color E.
In color A, make 4 small corner squares.
- With color A, cast on 10 stitches.
- Row 1(right side of work): Purl all stitches.
- Row 2: K1, P2, K4, P2, K1.
- Row 3: P1, K2, P4, K2, P1.
- Row 4: Knit all stitches.
- Row 5: Purl all stitches.
- Row 6: K4, P2, K4.
- Row 7: P4, K2, P4.
- Row 8: Knit all stitches.
- Repeat rows 1-4.
- Bind off all stitches.
- Repeat instructions 3 more times.
- With color A, cast on 34 stitches.
- Row 1(right side of work): Purl all stitches.
- Row 2: K1, P2, (K4, P2) 5 times, K1.
- Row 3: P1, (K2, P4) 5 times, K2, P1.
- Row 4: Knit all stitches.
- Row 5: Purl all stitches.
- Row 6: K4, (P2, K4) 5 times.
- Row 7: (P4, K2) 5 times, P4.
- Row 8: Knit all stitches.
- Repeat rows 1-8 five more times. (Total rows = 48)
- Bind off all stitches.
- Block to measurements (8 inches by 8 inches).
Finishing Instructions:
- Place one color A corner square on either side of the color B strip.
- Using safety pins, secure squares to strip.
- Using a mattress stitch, seam the corner squares to either side of the strip.
- Repeat instructions with the remaining two corner squares and color C strip.
- Place the color E strip on the right side of the color A center square. Secure with safety pins. Seam together with a mattress stitch.
- Place the final strip, color D, on the left side of the color A center square. Secure with safety pins. Seam together with a mattress stitch.
Make 1 i-cord.
- With color B and two double pointed needles, cast on 2 stitches.
- Knit these two stitches on row 1.
- Do not turn the work.
- Instead slide the work to the beginning of the left-hand needle. Wrap the yarn across the back of the work. Knit the two stitches of row 2.
- Continue in this fashion until i-cord measures 10 inches.
- Join in a ball of color E. (Note: When cutting the yarn from color B, leave a long string, measuring approximately 20 inches.
- Work the i-cord in color E until it measures 10 inches from where color E was joined in.
- Join in a ball of color C. (Again, leave a long 20-inch string of color E).
- Work the i-cord in color C until it measures 10 inches from where color C was joined in.
- Join in a ball of color D. (Again, leave a long 20-inch string of color C).
- Work the i-cord in color D until it measures 10 inches from where color D was joined in.
- Bind off all stitches.
- Leave a long 20-inch string of color D.
- Do not weave in the ends yet.
Placement of i-cord
- Arrange i-cord in a spiral on top of the color A center square. Be sure to stay within the borders of the center square. Also, lay the i-cord down so that the right side faces up toward you at all times.
- Secure the i -cord with safety pins.
- Using a blunt sewing needle, thread in the long, unwoven string of color D.
- Hand tack down the color D section with the unwoven end using a running stitch.
- Once the color D section is fully tacked down, pull the remaining string to the back of the work. Weave in the color D ends.
- Repeat the last three instructions for each colored section.
Hourglass Block, 6th in Ode to Quilt series
In Color B, make 4 ribbed squares.
- Cast on 18 sts.
- Row 1 (Right side of work): K2, (P2, K4) twice, P2, K2.
- Row 2: P1, (K2, P4) twice, K2, P3.
- Row 3: (K4, P2) thrice.
- Row 4: K1, (P4, K2) twice, P4, K1.
- Row 5: (P2, K4) thrice.
- Row 6: P3, (K2, P4) twice, K2, P1.
- Repeat rows 1-6 three more times.
- Repeat rows 1-4 once more. Total rows = 28.
- Bind off all stitches.
- Do NOT block.
- Repeat these instruction three more times to make a total of 4 squares.
In Color A, make 1 square.
- Cast on 18 stitches.
- Work in Stocking stitch for 24 rows.
- Bind off all stitches.
In Color A, make 2 right-angled triangles.
- Cast on 18 sts.
- Row 1 (Right side of work): K all stitches.
- Rows 2-3: Work in Stocking stitch.
- Row 4 (Wrong side of work): P to last three stitches, P3tog.
- Rows 5-6: Work in Stocking stitch.
- Row 7: K3tog, K to end.
- Repeat Rows 2-7 two more times.
- Rows 20-21: Work in Stocking stitch.
- Row 22: P to last three stitches, P3tog.
- Row 23: K all stitches.
- Row 24: P2, P2tog.
- Bind off the 3 remaining stitches.
- Repeat instructions once more to make 2 triangles.
In Color C, make 2 ribbed squares.
- Cast on 18 stitches.
- Row 1 (Right side of work): K2, (P2, K4) twice, P2, K2.
- Row 2: P3, (K2, P4) twice, K2, P1.
- Row 3: (P2, K4), thrice.
- Row 4: K1, (P4, K2) twice, P4, K1.
- Row 5: (K4, P2) thrice.
- Row 6: P1, (K2, P4) twice, K2, P3.
- Repeat Rows 1-6 three more times.
- Repeat Rows 1-4 once more. Total rows = 28.
- Bind off all stitches.
- Repeat instructions once more to make 2 squares.
In Color C, make 2 ribbed triangles.
- Cast on 18 stitches.
- Row 1 (Right side of work): K2, (P2, K4) twice, P2, K2.
- Row 2: P3, (K2, P4) twice, K1, K2tog.
- Row 3: P1, K4, (P2, K4) twice.
- Row 4: K1, (P4, K2) twice, P2, P2tog.
- Row 5: K2, (P2, K4) twice, P2.
- Row 6: P1, (K2, P4) twice, K1, K2tog.
- Row 7: P1, (K4, P2) twice, K2.
- Row 8: P3, K2, P4, K2, P2, P2tog.
- Row 9: K2, (P2, K4) twice.
- Row 10: K1, P4, K2, P4, K1, K2tog.
- Row 11: P1, (K4, P2) twice.
- Row 12: P1, K2, P4, K2, P2, P2tog.
- Row 13: K2, P2, K4, P2, K2.
- Row 14: P3, K2, P4, K1, K2tog.
- Row 15: P1, K4, P2, K4.
- Row 16: K1, P4, K2, P2, P2tog.
- Row 17: K2, P2, K4, P2.
- Row 18: P1, K2, P4, K1, K2tog.
- Row 19: P1, K4, P2, K2.
- Row 20: P2, K2, P2, P2tog.
- Row 21: K2, P2, K4.
- Row 22: K1, P4, K1, K2tog.
- Row 23: P1, K4, P2.
- Row 24: P1, K2, P2, P2tog.
- Row 25: K2, P2, K2.
- Row 26: P3, K1, K2tog.
- Row 27: P1, K4.
- Row 28: P2, P3tog.
- Bind off remaining 3 stitches.
- Do NOT block.
- Repeat instructions once more to make 2 triangles.
Finishing Instructions:
- Take one Color A triangle and one Color C triangle. With right sid
es facing up, line the diagonal edges of the triangles together. The points of the triangles should meet. Secure with several safety pins. Using a mattress stitch, sew the triangles together. Remove pins.
- Repeat these instructions.
- Lay out all the squares on a
table. Move them around until you have obtained the Hourglass design (the Color A square should be in the center with the two Color A triangles meeting at the top right and bottom left of the Color A square).
- Using mattress stitch, seam the squares into three columns.
- Then, seam the columns into one block, taking care to match the seams up.
- Weave in any loose ends.
International Fiber Collaborative
Angled Nesting Squares Block, 5th in Ode to Quilting series
Pattern for Angled Nesting Squares Block:
Recommended Knitting skill level: Easy
Yarn: Lion’s Wool by Lion Brand or substitute any wool yarn from your stash that meets the below gauge specifications.
1. Color A = Rose
2. Color B = Autumn Sunset, divided into 2 balls
3. Color C = Sage
Needles: Lion’s Wool recommends size 8 (I used size 5)
Gauge: 4 stitches and 6 rows is 1 inch in Stocking Stitch
Stocking Stitch Pattern: Knit all stitches on the RS; Purl all stitches on the WS
Knitting Instructions:
In Color A, cast on 19 sts.
Row 1 (RS): K3, (P1, K1) 6 times, P1, K3.
Row 2 (WS) and all even rows: Knit the K stitches and Purl the P stitches.
Row 3: K4, (P1, K1) 5 times, P1, K4.
Row 5: K5, (P1, K1) 4 times, P1, K5.
Row 7: K6, (P1, K1) 3 times, P1, K6.
Row 9: K7, (P1, K1) 2 times, P1, K7.
Row 11: K8, P1, K1, P1, K8.
Row 13: K9, P1, K9.
Row 15: Repeat row 11.
Row 17: Repeat row 9.
Row 19: Repeat row 7.
Row 21: Repeat row 5.
Row 23: Repeat row 3.
Row 25: Repeat row 1.
Row 27: Bind off.
In Color B, cast on 36 sts. Work in stocking stitch for 14 rows. Row 15 (RS): K10. Join new ball of yarn. Holding both strands of yarn (from the new and old balls), K1. With the strand from the new ball of yarn, bind off 14 sts. K11. Working both sides at once, continue in stocking stitch until 40 rows have been completed since the beginning. Row 41 (RS): K11. Cast on 14 sts at beginning of left-hand side of block. Holding both strands of yarn together, K the 1st of the cast-on sts. Switch to only one strand of yarn, K the remaining cast-on stitches. K11. Work in stocking stitch for 13 more rows (54 rows since beginning). Bind off all sts.
In Color C, make two triangles.
Triangles: Cast on 26 stitches. Knit three rows in stocking stitch.
Row 4(WS): P3tog, Purl to end.
Knit two more rows in stocking stitch.
Row 7(RS): K5, P12, K4, SK2P.
Row 8: Knit the K stitches and Purl the P stitches.
Row 9: K5, P11, K6.
Row 10: P3tog, P4, K10, P5.
Row 11: K5, P10, K5.
Row 12: P6, K9, P5.
Row 13: K5, P8, K4, SK2P.
Row 14: P5, K8, P5.
Row 15: K5, P7, K6.
Row 16: P3tog, P4, K6, P5.
Row 17: K5, P6, K5.
Row 18: P6, K5, P5.
Row 19: K5, P4, K4, SK2P.
Row 20: P5, K4, P5.
Row 21: K5, P3, K6.
Row 22: P3tog, P4, K2, P5.
Row 23: K5, P2, K5.
Row 24: P6, K1, P5.
Row 25: K9, SK2P.
Row 26-27: StSt the 10 stitches.
Row 28: P3tog, P to end.
Row 29-30: StSt the 8 stitches.
Row 31: K5, SK2P.
Row 32-33: StSt the 6 stitches.
Row 34: P3tog, P to end.
Row 35-36: StSt the 4 stitches.
Bind off.
In Color C, make two mirror-image triangles.
Mirror Image: Cast on 26 stitches. Knit three rows in stocking stitch.
Row 4(WS): P23, P3tog.
Knit two more rows in stocking stitch.
Row 7: K3tog, K4, P12, K5.
Row 8: Knit the K stitches and Purl the P stitches.
Row 9: K6, P11, K5.
Row 10: P5, K10, P4, P3tog.
Row 11: K5, P10, K5.
Row 12: P5, K9, P6.
Row 13: K3tog, K4, P8, K5.
Row 14: P5, K8, P5.
Row 15: K6, P7, K5.
Row 16: P5, K6, P4, P3tog.
Row 17: K5, P6, K5.
Row 18: P5, K5, P6.
Row 19: K3tog, K4, P4, K5.
Row 20: P5, K4, P5.
Row 21: K6, P3, K5.
Row 22: P5, K2, P4, P3tog.
Row 23: K5, P2, K5.
Row 24: P5, K1, P6.
Row 25: K3tog, K to end.
Row 26-27: StSt the 10 sts.
Row 28: P7, P3tog.
Row 29-30: StSt the 8 sts.
Row 31: K3tog, K to end.
Row 32-33: StSt the 6 sts.
Row 34: P3, P3tog.
Row 35-36: StSt the 4 sts.
Bind off.
Abbreviations:
P3tog: Purl 3 stitches together
SK2P: Slide 1 stitch. K2 together. Pass slipped stitch over K2tog stitch.
K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together.
K3tog: Knit 3 stitches together.
StSt: Knit in Stocking Stitch pattern
Finishing Instructions:
Place the Color A square inside the Color B square. Using safety pins, match the corners of the Color A square with the inside corners of the Color B square. Starting on the right side and using the mattress stitch, weave the two sides together. Next, weave the top of the A square to the cast-on row of the B square. Continue around in this fashion until the entire A square is weaved together with the B square.
Turn the AB square 90 degrees. Place the triangles on each side of the AB square. Be sure that the triangles are situated so that the stocking stitch runs parallel to the outside of the block. In other words, your block should look similar to the picture on the left.
Use safety pins to hold the triangles in place while you seam the them to the AB square.
Finally, seams the points of the triangles together.
Weave in any loose ends.