Cabled Cowl

The Cabled Cowl is finished and ready for wearing. Above are pictures. This is a relatively basic crochet cable pattern that repeats all the way around the cowl. The pattern will be available shortly on Ravelry.

I Forgot

Both patterns are available for download on Ravelry or at Knit Las Vegas 702-616-9050 and Anneke's Needleworks 305-665-6222, if you would like hard copies.

2 New Patterns

We have finished 2 new patterns recently and I wanted to upload the photos. Both are vests-one knit, one crochet. Both work up very quickly and would make great holiday gifts. I'm just saying. We also have a few other projects in the works right now that would make great gifts, so stay tuned.

Crazy Crochet Scarf

I was looking for mitered squares online but ended up finding a pattern for a really fun to make scarf that is easy and fast and would make a great Christmas gift. I have posted a picture of my final product. It is from the Bernat website and you have to join their website to find the pattern but it is definitely worth it.

V-Neck Party Sweater Complete

Finally, I have finished this sweater. It has been a long time in the making, having picked it up and put it down for the last several months. I think it turned out really well and the pattern is almost ready to post which is even better!

Non-Be Fri Projects

Even though we mostly focus on our own patterns, we have been known to indulge in following someone else's pattern from time to time. I found this pattern online at Drops by Garn Studio and, although did not like the yarn they used, the shape was really cute so I used it as a crochet-a-long in the knitting store where I work. Below is the finished product. I think it's pretty cute....

I will be wearing it as a bathing suit cover-up and did have to make a few modifications to the pattern but overall, it was a fast and fun project.

Minor Progess

Sometimes you just need to see some progress to buoy your spirits. I finally put together the shoulders of this sweater I have been working on for what seems like forever. The pattern is totally written up to this point, so it feels like I have accomplished something. Below are some pictures. Now for the sleeves and collar. Maybe by Monday.....

New Logo

We finally have gotten our act together and had a logo designed. Any comments?

Why Doesn't My Sweater Fit Me?

Working in a knitting store, I come into contact with lots of knitters. There are a few great knitters who make their own patterns and can create whatever they want when it comes to knitting. There are intermediate knitters who can follow a pattern and often can figure out when they have made a mistake, but really can't think outside the pattern, so to speak. And then there are the knitters who knit to pass the time, usually making scarves or very simple projects, unwilling or uninterested in investing the time to learn other techniques. This post is a plea to the beginning and intermediate knitters. Read on if you blindly follow a pattern totally ignoring all preliminary warnings that the garment you are making doesn't look like it is quite going to fit you .

Part of the reason we started this blog was that in the long term, we wanted to be able to help knitters learn to adapt patterns to fit their bodies. There are a handful of knitters who can already do that, but for those who can't, please take the following advice.

So, the question posed is "Why doesn't my sweater fit me?"

This is a very good question and there are two common answers.

The first part of the answer is......you didn't take time to check your gauge. Gauge is a very simple and often overlooked part of the knitting process because people want to rush through their project and get to the end result. But, the downside of rushing and not checking your gauge is that the outcome is an ill fitting garment. If the gauge says you should be getting 4 stitches to the inch and you are getting 5, your sweater is going to be snug and too short. If the gauge says 4 stitches to the inch, and you are getting 3, it's going to be a baggy mess. Check it. If you aren't getting the gauge the pattern calls for, try switching your needle size or if it's a basic pattern, do some simple yarn math-we will cover that in a future session. But do it, or your project is going to be a hot crafty mess.

Reason 2: You have totally ignored your body measurements in favor of doing EXACTLY what the pattern says. For example, if the pattern tells you to cast on and knit for 15 inches, then bind off at the armhole, that's great. Unless you have a long or short torso, and then you will either look like you are wearing an ill fitting tunic or like Kelly Kapowski (for those of you who don't know who that is, she was on the 80's television show and had a penchant for floral prints and midriff baring tops). You need to measure yourself and decide if the length of the sweater works for you, and if it doesn't, lengthen or shorten it to fit your body. In a basic sweater, that is not difficult. In a more complicated sweater, go to your local knit shop and ask for help. Someone there can help you. The same goes for sleeves-long an loose; not cute, short and tight; even worse. Measure your body-why put all that time into knitting something that looks like it belongs to someone else.

Back in the Saddle, so to Speak

It's been a long time since we have posted, and it's mostly my fault because I do most of the posting.  Things have been a little crazy the last few months.  There have been several airplane trips, a vacation, and a hospital stay, but now everything is back on track.  

We have a Facebook fan page, for starters.  It's Be Fri for those of you who want to join.  We have begun the process to sell patterns on Ravelry, and we are hoping that happens soon.  We have tons of new patterns to get out there.  Below are some pictures.   Tell us what you think.  All combine knit and crochet!

Megan

First Knitting Machine Projects

Yesterday was a very productive day in spite of the several hours that were dedicated to the new knitting machine.  I "made" 2 projects on the machine and these are the photos.  

The yellow square was the tester piece that I first knit, and as you can see, it is a work of art.  It is curling in the at the sides- those are not wiggly edges.  The second two pictures are a scarf that I made, and then dropped a bunch of the stitches, in a pattern.  It may be slightly longer than I anticipated, but it is still nice looking and after it's blocked it will look even better.  

I also began the hairpin lace shawl in Katia Jamaica, and it looks really nice.  I'm on the first strip of lace, and I'm trying to chart my progress on ravelry.  We'll see how that goes.  

Knitting Machine

Be Fri is now in possession of a knitting machine.  Well, the Megan half of Be Fri.  It's not a high tech machine by any stretch of the word.  In fact, the word machine might even be a stretch, but it was on sale at Joann Fabrics and I thought it might help us get through ribbing and stockinette faster.  So stay tuned.  Later I will be posting some pictures of the yellow acrylic scarf in stockinette that am in the process of doing.  It will be ugly, but it will be "machine" made.  

New Item on Etsy and Ravelry

The image at the left is a slouchy hat that will be available soon in both chunky and thin yarns.  The picture on the left is the chunky yarn.  I don't have a picture of the cap with thin yarn because it was a Christmas gift and I gave it away!  So I need to make another so I can photograph it before we put it up as a pattern.  

The photograph on the right is now available for purchase at http://www.befri.etsy.com  It can also be purchased at Knit Las Vegas.  Stay tuned for some more designs soon.