Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Yarn Stash/ Blanket Pattern (Lemonade Stitch)

Augh! I looks like a craft store threw up in my house! I have yarn everywhere. I need to find a fun project that will use all my bits and bods up. I was thinking of either making a chain mail blanket, a multicolor granny square blanket, or making a gazillion hats. I dunno...
I just got ten skeins of teal TLC in, which I'm totally excited about. I'm going to try my hand at some Irish Crochet and make a scarf for my mema. I'm also making a hat for Grandma Swan and a shrug for my Etsy. It's a cute little dance shrug that I really like.
You all know I can't resist giving another pattern, so I'll share a secret with you all that has been my success at every baby shower I've ever attended. Wow your friends and make the neighbors jealous, I call it the lemonade stitch.

Pattern Notes:
The pictures I'll show are for lefties. Sorry righties, but I can't use my right hand for anything. If it really bothers you, copy and paste it into paint and flip it.
This pattern starts at the corner and works diagonally to make a diamond.
Also, I'm only going to make a small version to show, because I don't need to make anything right now.

Materials:
Baby Blankey- 20oz. of baby yarn, US size H/5mm hook
Adult Blankey- 65oz. of medium worsted yarn, US size H/5mm hook

Gauge:
No gauge, but make sure your stitches are even.

Pattern:
Row 1- Ch 6, dc in fourth ch from hook and in next two chs. 3dc, 1 ch 3 sp.
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Row 2- Ch 6, turn. Dc in fourth ch from hook and in next two chs. Sl st in ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp.(Makes a heart shape, also makes three blocks total)
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Row 3- Ch 6, turn. Dc in fourth ch from hook and in next two chs. *Sl st in ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp.* twice.
Rows 4-Desired Width- Continue with stitch, adding the extra block until the side is the desired width of the piece.
Creating a rectangular shape:
Row 1- Instead of chaining 6, turn and sl st in the tops of the second and third dc and into the ch 3.(We'll call this a Dec) Continue pattern as before, increasing at opposite end until desired length. When you reach the end where you've dec, sl st in the ch 3 sp, then turn and sl st in the tops of the dcs as before.
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Decreasing:
Instead of increasing at one end and decreasing at the other, you will decrease on each end until you reach the last block. Cut yarn, weave in ends.
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You can also make scarves and shawls with this pattern. For a shawl, you will just end when you have reached the desired width without all the bother of making the length.
Here's a blankey I finished last night for a girl I work with:
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17 comments:

Unknown said...

this pattern is called "diagonal block stitch square" created by Susan Ann Smith
look at www.geocities.com/mooncat48/patterns/squares/diagonalstsq/diagonal_block_stit
or for a tutorial
mysite.verizon/vze8mnnp/diag.html by Lauri Bolland
It is for right handers.
hope this helps Fay Gieg

Through the Storm said...

So glad that there are other lefties who have the same trouble with a right hand that is stupid. LOL In a right handed world we are usually able to turn things around in our head, but it is sure nice to finally see something done just for us lefties!! Thank you!! Beautiful stitch.

shumaila said...

@Fay Gieg, the links you have mentioned are no more available!

Teri Z. said...

This comment is for Fay Gieg...Fay, the 2 links you provided do not work for me. One was for the diagonal block stitch and the other was for the tutorial by Lauri Bolland for this stitch for right-handers. I was hoping to see at least one of them, but both websites say the page is no longer available or was moved. Is there anywhere else I can find this?

Thanks for any help. :-)

Jacomina Rizzardi said...

To the other commentors, Geocities closed down their webpage hosting quite some time ago. My suggestion for anyone trying to access a Geocities page (or any other website that is no longer available) when you know what the address was is to see if it was archived by "The Internet Wayback Machine" available at: http://web.archive.org

I'm on my Blackberry, so I can't check if these pages in specific were archived...but I hope the info is helpful to someone! :)

Todd said...

Try this link on you tube. I think that it is the stich. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atWgB88WDjw&p=E105DBFCCB5DF6D4&playnext=1&index=37
Todd

Carol said...

a pictorial tutorial

http://www.crochetcabana.com/stitches/diag-box-st.htm

I learned the stitch from Darla Fanton, but here is also a pamphlet out by Delma Myers called "Delma's Diagonal Stitch" by Annie's Attic.

Hope this helps.

Todd said...

Look what I found; a pattern using this stitch on ... "Talking Crochet"! http://promotions.drgnetwork.com/newsletters/talkingcrochet/pages/TCNL2507_patt.html
Enjoy!
Todd

Todd said...

I'll try that again...
http://promotions.drgnetwork.com/
newsletters/talkingcrochet/pages/
TCNL2507_patt.html

'THAT CROCHET GUY!!' said...

Here's what I found:

http://web.archive.org/web/20011212163057/crochetbox.topcities.com/LemonadeAfghan.htm

Teri Z. said...

Thanks so much Carol and Todd! Very helpful. :-)

Suzi said...

I have made many rugs with this stitch, in my crochet book it is called Wee Irish Chain, Suzi

CJ Watson~Handmade said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CJ Watson~Handmade said...

Hi everyone,
I have been using this design for years. I designed a blanket and Coats and Clark published it. Please copy and paste this link to see it.

http://www.coatsandclark.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=76&page_id=3671808&query=catherine+watson&hiword=catherine+watson+


Please visit my etsy store www.catssoftstitches.etsy.com If you need tutorial photos of the pattern, please convo me through etsy.com and I will send them to you. Smiles

Unknown said...

the lemonade stitch, as my sheet states, tells me to chain 100, count back to the third stitch and dbl crochet three times in the same hole, then count three more chains, dbl crochet three in the same hole, and so on and so on...but this stitch is quite unique and am thinking about giving it a try.

NoIdleHandsWithYarn said...

Kate: Do Not chain 100 to begin with, chain 6. This is my sister blog so I'm the author of this too. This stitch is very quick and fun.

scrappinmagic said...

The original name of this stitch is the Lemonade stitch. It has been out there for many, many years. I was doing this stitch back in the 70's, early 80's. There are a few crocheters out there that are younger than this stitch, believing that they are the one's who originally designed it. That is not so! This is an old design.