Tag Archives: MissNeriss

It’s Yarn Day!

I love it when yarn arrives.  It’s like Christmas.  All year round.  I get really upset if I miss the postie and there are no neighbours around to take in my packages and I have to trek to the post office the next afternoon to pick it up.  The anticipation is just too much for me to bear.

Here’s what’s arrived today.  More Scheepjes Cotton 8.  This time in blues instead of yellows.  Isn’t it beautiful?

The yarn matches my dress perfectly. #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #cotton8

I absolutely love this yarn.  It’s such a great cotton.  It’s soft and strong, and the perfect weight for baby projects.

Scheepjes cotton 8 waiting to be turned into something beautiful #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #cotton8

Scheepjes Cotton 8 #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #cotton8

So baby project it is!  But what?  You’ll just have to check back next week and see for yourself.  For now, the yarn has gone straight into my project box and to the top of the pile of my never-ending To Do list.

#Scheepjes #cotton8 yarn, straight into the project box.

Two Shawls in a Week?

I’m a bit late to the shawl game. I spent a long time making hats, scarves and amigurumis, and only really started making shawls a few months ago. Mainly because I just don’t have the patience for the big projects. But something has happened. Suddenly I finished two shawls within the space of a week! The first was a really quick project that I saw in a recent edition of Simply Crochet because I had some gorgeous Malabrigo Silky Merino that needed to become something, and the other was a Spring Shawl I promised to make my gran back in March!

Gran requested a shawl in blues and turquoise, and I found the perfect bamboo yarn by Turkish brand Alize. The yarn is so incredibly soft and light and the drape is perfection. The weight is just perfect. It won’t slip of Gran’s shoulders and will be perfect for the chilly evenings as summer approaches in South Australia.  I wonder if I can use Perfect in a sentence again..?

The Spring Shawl in turquoise and blue, using Bamboo Batik by Alize. Pattern: https://missneriss.com/2014/03/20/spring-scarf-pattern/
It’ll be lovely as a scarf too.

The Spring Shawl in turquoise and blue, using Bamboo Batik by Alize. Pattern: https://missneriss.com/2014/03/20/spring-scarf-pattern/

Isn’t the colour gorgeous? The only superficial complaint I would have is that perhaps the colour change is a bit too regular. I can see that it’s not hand dyed yarn, but I think the colour blend is beautiful.

I found the yarn at yarnstreet.com which has a huge selection of yarns from Turkey, and has fantastic prices. I used a 4.5mm hook and the yarn has loads of stretch, so when I blocked it the shawl almost doubled in size. I started it back in March, but so many other projects got in the way it took six months to complete!

I have this habit of buying yarn for the sake of having beautiful yarn, so when I saw a shawl in a recent Simply Crochet edition I decided to give it a go to actually use some of it.

Limpe Pickle shawl on missneriss.com

I love design that works is way through, and the silky merino is really my favourite shawl yarn. I used a 4.5mm hook, and two full skeins of the Silky Merino. Before blocking the shawl was very small because my stitches are always so tight, so I really had to stretch it out while blocking. Now it has a lovely lavender aroma from the Eucalan I used.

Limpe Pickle shawl on missneriss.com

I’m not too sure what to do with it though. I already have more scarves than I can possibly wear, so I might put this one in my Etsy store. It’s a bit too soft though, I don’t really want to part with it.

Pinspiration – Local Love

You know how much I love social media.  Facebook was my first love (well, I did have brief fling with Myspace back in the day), and now we’ve evolved into an old married couple, comfortable and predictable.  Twitter and I had a brief but intense relationship until one day I realised it just wasn’t for me and walked away.  These days I’m in love with Instagram.  I love the photos by people I’ve never met and I love the way it has brought some wonderful talented photographers into my life.  And the yarn porn!  OMG, it’s an addiction.

But through it all is Pinterest. Pinterest is my Great Love.  And Pinterest loves me too.  Over the last year, it has driven more traffic to my website than all other social media combined.  Isn’t that mad?  And now the analytics have improved, it’s incredible to see how far the reach actually goes.

What I also love is that with Pinterest you can engage easily with beautiful images and projects from people all over the world; the concept of Six Degrees of Separation is alive and well on Pinterest.  Last week a friend told me about a project of mine that appeared on her Facebook feed via a friend that had pinned one of my images, all the way across the world in Melbourne!

But today, I want to share some Local Love.  Some designers that I’ve come across via the Internet, and since had the enormous pleasure of meeting in person.

Flower Stole by creJJtion

Flower Stole by creJJtion

I love everything that Maaike makes.  I love her style and I love her colour choices. I love her ethos and how her projects make me want to be a more conscious crocheter.

Win a Furls Yarn bowl on acreativebeing.com

Win a Furls Yarn bowl on acreativebeing.com

Wink is a blogger I discovered about a year ago via the tuts+ website.  I was looking to make a rug (which never eventuated), and she created a tutorial for one on the site.  I spent the rest of the day devouring her website.

Happy in Red's love affair with Istanbul's yarn district

Happy in Red’s love affair with Istanbul’s yarn district

Even though Esther is a crochet blogger, it wasn’t via crochet that I first came across her work – it was thanks to this bag that she designed.  I love it!

Haak Maar Raak's Vintage Ripple Blanket

Haak Maar Raak’s Vintage Ripple Blanket

I can’t get enough of this vintage ripple blanket.  Kirsten is a blogger that I only recently discovered while I was expanding my blog horizon into Dutch language blogs.  Both Kirsten and Esther write in Dutch and English, a feat I’m yet to attempt!

Canadutch's Lopi cardi

Canadutch’s Lopi cardi

You already know how much I love Tammy.  She knits as well as she crochets, and she’s just generally awesome.

Jasper V Pattern – All the Sizes!! (S, M, L, XL)

Here it is!  The biggest and most daunting crochet project I have ever undertaken, completely finished!

Here it is!  The Jasper V is available in sizes S through to XL, all Free!  #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed

I have to say, I’m a bit sad that it’s all over and I can move on to focus on the next big project, but I’m so relieved to have all the sizes worked out and ready to go.

What I have done for the smaller sizes is to update the diagram only.  I’m not re-writing the entire pattern; instead that can be used as a guide to get started, and the diagram has all the stitch and row counts, which is the clearest description.  The edging is so straight forward that I feel what is written in the original pattern will get you through.

Remember though, if you need any help at all, please just contact me.  I’ve added a contact form below so you can do it painlessly.

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Here we go!

The original pattern post with all the written instructions is found at this link.

The attachments with the different sizes are all attached to this post as pdf files.  You will need a program such as Adobe Reader (or similar) to be able to read this file.

Jasper V Size Small

Jasper V Size Medium

Jasper V Size Large

Jasper V Size XL

Please, please do note: the only size that has been tested by me is the XL – the smaller sizes have been created using mathematical magic and are not tested.  I’m relying on your help for that!  If you’re making the top and it feels like it will be a little tight, please don’t panic – the stitch has a lot of give; a good 5-10 cm! Think about the yardage of the smaller sizes, you won’t need as much as I did making the XL size (about 1100 metres).

I do value any and all feedback, but please don’t be mean.  And remember above all that this is a free pattern – together we can improve it.

This is an original design by Nerissa Muijs.  Please do not reproduce this pattern or sell this pattern as your own work.  Please share it on your social networks, linking it back to the original source.  Please also feel free to sell items made from this pattern and please credit me by linking my website: missneriss.com.  All images are the property of Nerissa Muijs, and if you would like to repost the originals, please send me a message to ask my permission before the fact.

Most importantly though, please share pictures of your work with me, by adding them to Ravelry or to my Facebook page, or even via an email.

Enjoy!

Need help, or want to ask a question, go for it here:

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Jasper V Pattern – XL

 

The Jasper V!  I loved all the ideas so much that everyone came up with, but one that stuck with me was the use of Jasper and V-Neck.  In the end it was simple and the Jasper V has been born!

Today I’m sharing the pattern for the XL size with you.  This is the first garment pattern I’ve written and stay tuned for more sizes.  I just wanted to get this out to you as soon as I possibly could!

So without further ado, let’s get to it!  For any questions, please send me an email using the contact form and I’ll get back to you to assist, OK?  If you find mistakes, please do the same.  Because it’s a free pattern, I’m the only tester so I’m relying on your help – thanks in advance!!

You can also find a printer version right here:

Printer Friendly Version of the Jasper V

This pattern assumes that you know crochet basics, like Chain, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet and Double Crochet stitches.  You will also need to know how to do the Foundation Single Crochet stitch (FSC).  If you’ve never seen an FSC, you can find a great tutorial video here.  Alongside the FSC, you will also need to know how to do the Mesh Stitch, which is essentially Double Crochet, chain 1, skip 1, Double Crochet into the next stitch.

To keep a beautiful clean straight edge going up the sides, I use this brilliant technique that I found; I recommend you use it too.

All measurements are in centimetres and crochet terms are US based.

This is an original design by Nerissa Muijs.  Please do not reproduce this pattern or sell this pattern as your own work.  Please share it on your social networks, linking it back to the original source.  Please also feel free to sell items made from this pattern and please credit me by linking my website: missneriss.com.  All images are the property of Nerissa Muijs, and if you would like to repost the originals, please send me a message to ask my permission before the fact.

Jasper V - free pattern size XL on missneriss.com #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed #jasper

Written Instructions

Abbreviations

FSC:    Foundation Single Crochet
SC:      Single Crochet
HDC:   Half Double Crochet
DC:      Double Crochet
CH:      Chain
SK:      Skip 1 stitch
MS:     Mesh Stitch

Gauge

21 stitches across x 9 rows high = 10cm2

Materials

  • Scheepjeswol Stone Washed (or similar 4 ply/sock) yarn – 1080 metres
  • 5mm hook; or hook to obtain gauge. I crochet tightly, so consider this when making your gauge swatch, which you will need.
  • Tapestry needle to sew in ends and seams.
  • Stitch markers.
  • Measuring tape to ensure that the sizing is correct for your body.
  • Pins (either ordinary pins, or even stitch markers will do).

 Size

This pattern is for a size XL garment.  The finished circumference (bust/hip measurement) is 110cm (43 inches) around and the length from top to bottom is 68cm (27inches).

Instructions

Row 1:  FSC x 105 (55cm)
Row 2:  CH 3 (counts as first DC and chain), skip 1 stitch, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50, DC in the last.  Turn.
Row 3:  CH3, SK1, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50
Repeat row 3 until your work is 43 cm long (41 rows).

Begin the sleeves:
Chain 35 (18cm), tie off and cut the yarn.
Re-attach at the other side, chain 37.  DC into the 3rd CH, CH1, SK1, DC into the next.  Repeat across to the last stitch of the other sleeve (179 stitches, or about 90cm end to end).  Repeat this row for a total of 3 rows and then start the V-neck.

Mark the middle stitch and crochet to the 2nd DC before the marker.  This becomes the decrease.  CH3 and turn (this counts as DC and SK1).  DC into the next DC stitch.  Crochet across to the edge of the sleeve.  CH3, turn.  Repeat that row, always stopping at the top of the CH 3 from the previous row, for 24 rows (23cm).  Tie off and attach yarn to the other sleeve, repeating the action again.

Once the V is complete, do not tie off.  Instead, MS across to the centre edge of the V.  Chain 48, attach at the first stitch on the other sided of the V and MS to the far edge of the sleeve.  This is now the beginning of the back of the top.

Repeat the MS rows for 26 rows in total; essentially the reverse of the front without the V.  After 26 rows, tie off and re-attach the yarn 37 stitches in.  CH3, SK1, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50 for 105 stitches, turn and repeat for 41 rows (or 43cm).

Now the body of the top is complete and it is time to create the edging and sew it all together.  Lie the top flat, so that the front and back edges all line up, pin the top together and whip stitch it up both sides and under the sleeves.  Try it on and admire your reflection.  You look awesome.

For the edging, Attach the yarn at the join on one side of the bottom of the top and HDC all the way round (210 in total).  Join, CH2 and repeat.  The final row will be a SC row, just to firm it up and prevent excessive stretch.

The sleeves follow much the same rule.  Join at the seam and HDC around. HDC in the side of each stitch, and also in each space between rows.  Repeat the HDC row, then complete a SC row to finish it off. Do the same for the other sleeve.

With the edging, be sure that you keep your tension to be consistent with the shape of the top.  If the edging is too loose, crochet a little tighter or considering going down a hook size.  Same for if it is too tight.  Blocking will help, but can only do so much if the edging is too tight.

The final piece is the V. there should be 2 DC posts each side of your centre stitch marker.  Attach your yarn to the top of the DC furthest from the centre (this will replicate a CH1 and bring the two edges together) and SC into the first stitch of the V.  SC all the way up the side, crocheting into each stitch and into each gap, ensuring you stitch into the stitches, not around them.  The final stitch should be a Slip Stitch into the top of the DC stitch on the body of the top.  Turn, SC into each stitch around, with the final stitch being a Slip Stitch into the next DC space on the body of the top. Turn and repeat for a total of 5 rows.  Tie off and whip stitch the V together for two or three stitches, to keep the rows at the bottom of the V straight while wearing the top.

Making sure the V sits just right... #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet

Tie off, sew in all the ends as securely as possible, soak in Eucalan for a couple of hours then block until dry.  Because it is two layers, allow for a long drying time.

On the blocking board, using my new Knit Pro blocking wires - what a cool idea! #scheepjes #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet #scheepjeswol

Jasper V Diagram - Front

Jasper V - Back

Don’t forget to parade around in front of your friends in your new top, you look amazing!

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The Big Reveal!

 

 

The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missneriss

This has been one almighty labour of love and a huge learning curve.  It’s the first time that I’ve designed something that I can wear that’s not a hat or a shawl.  Can you tell how proud I am?The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missnerissThe first thing that really strikes me is how warm it is!  When I first started rolling the idea around in my head I thought perhaps it could be something for the beach, but no!  This is really something for chilly mornings or late summer evening BBQs.  I’m sitting at my laptop in my garden wearing it this morning while there’s still a slight chill in the air and it’s perfect.

I love the wide open V-neck and how versatile it will be.  I already wore it walking the dog this morning, and I also plan to wear it when I go out for dinner next, paired with my favourite jeans and a white top.  For the first time I have an outfit ready!

I’m so happy that I chose the Scheepjeswol Stone Washed for this project.  I love the Red Jasper, but I have to be honest, I chose this colour  when it first came available and if I had to choose now, I don’t know what I would do as the collection has since doubled in size, with so many amazing colour choices!

Here are a few more photos for you to get an idea of the texture and how the colour-play works together.

The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missneriss The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missneriss

Isn’t the V-Neck just fantastic?The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missneriss

It didn’t stay hanging over that chair for long this morning, believe me!The Big Reveal!  The labour of love that has been my #stonewashed top is finally ready!  Pattern is coming soon! #Scheepjes #Scheepjeswol #missneriss

And now comes the almighty task of putting the pattern together!  I’ll have to dig though pages and pages of notes to make it more concise for you to be able to follow, and I’ll be figuring out a few sizes while I’m at it.

But first, I need your help!  This design does not have a name yet and I have no idea what I should call it.  What do you think?

If you want to get your hands on the Stone Washed there are loads of options within the Netherlands.  Scheepjeswol has a list of stockists on their website and for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to live in Holland, you can pick it up via Deramores!

 

 

An Ever Evolving Love Affair with Stone Washed

Last week I shared the beautiful Scheepjes Stone Washed that arrived in time to start my next project and today I’m showing you how beautiful it is as a garment.

But first, look at the texture.  The colour is just beautiful and the way the stone washed effect works is just ingenious.  The colour is wound around a white core and it really needs to be used in a project where texture is the hero.

The texture, I love it! #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet

Originally, it was my goal to make a hoodie for myself, then to write down and share the pattern with you, for free. As the top has evolved, it became very clear to me that a hoodie is not the way to go this time.  I definitely think that it’s worth exploring in th future, but the Scheepjes was just telling me that it needs to become a classy v-neck, not a summer hoodie.

I made the top all in one piece, starting at the bottom of the front, then working up, over the shoulders, and then down the back.  It makes for a great, almost seamless effect and I’m really happy with it.

Having said that, it wasn’t all roses – there was also a lot of frogging involved trying to get everything just right!  The Stone Washed isn’t the best for frogging either.  Luckily it’s nice and strong, so bears up nicely, but because it’s nice and fluffy sometimes the yarn gets stuck.  But that’s a common problem, not anything particular to the Stone Washed.

Soaking in Eucalan, waiting to be blocked #scheepjes #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet

I think I’ve finally finished the bulk of the work; the edging looks great.  Here it is, soaking in Eucalan and smelling wonderful – I’m on the home stretch!

Right now the top is all pinned out on the blocking board.  I managed to score a set of Knit Pro Blocking Wires last week when I visited the Scheepjeswol HQ so I’ve used them for the first time on this project.  They could not have arrived at a better time to be honest.  I could just thread the wire through the edges of the top and lock it in place with the blocking pins instead of using about ten thousand pins around the outside.On the blocking board, using my new Knit Pro blocking wires - what a cool idea! #scheepjes #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet #scheepjeswol

Making sure the V sits just right... #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed #missneriss #crochetAnd the beautiful V-neck, which has become my favourite feature of the top.Wasn't this supposed to be a hoodie? Not any more! #scheepjes #scheepjeswol #stonewashed #missneriss #crochet #freepatternNow I expect this to take a couple of days to dry properly, considering the weather outside is dark, grey and wet (welcome to summer in the Netherlands) so stay tuned for the big reveal next week (if it’s dry)!

A Productive Weekend

Hello production line!

Well, not really a production line, but a productive couple of days.  It started on Friday when I decided to tidy the huge cabinet that houses our TV, recipe books, some glasses, and just a plethora of crap.  I emptied two drawers of rubbish, tidied Raina’s books and put loads aside to pass on to other kids and then started on my “miscellaneous crochet stuff” draw.  This drawer housed all my printed patterns and old half finished projects from before Raina was even born!

I managed to chuck the projects – they had all been made using the wrong hook – and sorted out all the patterns.  On that mission I came across the pattern I’d bought ages ago from Etsy for a cute little teddy bear:  crochet teddy bear pattern from Magic with Hook and Needles

Now, because Friday saw the beginning of the Dutch campaign to takeover the world win the World Cup I had an entire evening to crochet to my heart’s content. and here was the result:

I only just noticed right now that I used almost the same backdrop as the original designer, how strange!

I used Drops Paris with a 3.5mm hook, and 6mm safety eyes.  I also made the scarf, but my daughter immediately ripped it off.  What is it with toddlers and their need to rip all and any clothes of dolls and stuffed toys?

So while I was feeling productive, and considering there was even more football on TV, I whipped up one of these Zpagetti hanging baskets that I’ve been seeing for the last few weeks on my Facebook feed.

It’s not quite the same as the original as the yarn I used was slightly lighter in weight than the Hoooked Zpagetti that the pattern calls for, so I made it a bit taller and not as much of a ball in shape.  I think it might well be a great way to store my winter accessories in the hall cupboard, and was an easy project that can be done in an evening on the couch while pretending that the World Cup isn’t happening.

FYI: Holland flogged Spain in their opening match, and Robin van Persie scored what is probably the Goal of the Series.  Check this cool re-creation:

 

I saw This on Pinterest Today

I want one (all) of these so badly!
Candy Shop Crochet Hooks: Choose from Sizes F, G, H, I, J, K and L

I saw This on Pinterest Today

I absolutely love these. Am so making some #crochet #garlands to go in my display cabinet thingimajig.