Modified Extended Hemlock Ring Tablecloth

Suitable for cotton, acrylic and blends

The Hemlock Ring pattern creates a beautiful knitted item of heirloom quality. The original pattern has stood the test of time and continues to be a very popular project for thousands of knitters. The Original pattern can be found in several locations on the web. A few months ago, I jumped into the huge barrel of knitters of the Hemlock Ring via a KAL on Knittinghelp.com, which expanded my research to include sites and groups including Ravelry, Brooklyn Tweed and Yahoo. All of these sources have helpful tips and all of the other Hemlock Ring knitters will gladly help you with questions and problems. My first Hemlock Ring was made from the original pattern using Jared Flood's charted extensions and some extensions I added on my own. I completely knitted and bound off #1 and quickly discovered that it could not be blocked using the cotton blend yarn I had chosen.....TLC Cotton Blend is a worsted weight but lighter than most. My final project took about 1400 yards or 8 skeins. I let it sit for a few days, trying to figure out how to finish my project before deciding that it would only be done if I frogged it completely and modified the pattern to adjust to the lack of stretch in cotton, acrylics and blends. I cast on Hemlock Ring #2, leaving out the 4 plain knit rounds.....it still had those "hips" between the increase and decrease sections of the stitch pattern. #2 was frogged and at this point almost became one of those projects that you just discard and chalk up to a total mistake. DING!!! Woke up one morning, shortly thereafter and realized that in order for the "hips" to even out, there would have to be more stitch pattern repeats at cast on. Still skeptical, I cast on Hemlock Ring #3. IT WORKED!!!! So now, I've completed #3 and am proud to post photos of my completed Hemlock Ring #3 . This particular version of the pattern is based on the original located here: http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/KnitHemlockRing.html And using Jared Flood's charted extended version located here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68971937@N00/1161874254/ Remember that the bind off round described in the original pattern is now moved to the bottom of my modified extended instructions. The guage and size of your project will depend on size of needles, weight of yarn/thread fiber and how many rounds you complete. This wonderful, circular lace beauty will be added to the "Doily Revival" and I hope will be passed down further to other generations of knitters. The instructions for my Modified Extended Hemlock Ring version for cottons, acrylics and blends are available for $8.00 and can be instantly downloaded from PATTERNFISH.COM Purchasing from the blog with comment, pattern is available for $7.00. Just post and I'll send you an invoice via Paypal through my personal account. Be sure to note your correct email address on the invoice. Once the invoice is paid and I receive the notice from Paypal, the pattern will be sent via the email address you've provided as an attachment. Just click on the paperclip in the righthand corner of the email. Mary

Valentine Design Tablecloth

Just love this particular design! When I found the book, "First Book of Modern Lace Knitting", I spent hours pouring over the beautiful designs... Lots of large projects and very pretty but this one jumped out and said, "EXTEND ME" and as you know, I am the Extension Queen! An obsession of mine to see if I can do it and get the design to be my own to a certain point. The "Valentine" design is actually a nice, small doily pattern...wasted, I'm afraid. This makes a beautiful tablecloth with the extensions and what daughter or granddaughter wouldn't be proud to display it and brag on the loving, knitting-type mother or grandmother that gave it to them. So proudly, I present this gorgeous heirloom wannabe and hope you'll love it as I do and aspire to knit one for yourself or a loved one. This pattern is now available for download from patternfish.com for $8.00. Purchasing from the blog with comment, pattern is available for $7.00. Just post and I'll send you an invoice via Paypal through my personal account. Mary

Knit Doily Revival

Don'tcha just love doilies? This one is called, "Egeblad" and this particular doily pattern is one I wrote and knitted with extensions. The original pattern is available free from Yarnover.net and the extensions are located on my Ravelry project page-http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mwhite/egeblad This is another one done in a Rose "flavored" 3/2 100% Mercerized Cotton from Valley Yarns Valley Cotton collection. What wonderful people work at Yarn.com/WEBS! The attention to detail and your order are carefully packed and shipped with lightning speed. My personal "Doily Revival" all started with me joining a KAL on Knittinghelp.com for the Hemlock Ring. I still haven't completed my Hemlock Ring because I wanted to make it large enough to be a tablecloth and the yarn I used was just not suitable to the original pattern or Jared's(Brooklyn Tweed website)modified version. I further extended Jared's extensions up to round 147. I knitted and completed the entire piece with TLC Cotton Plus and size 6(US) needles. After it was off the needles and ready to be blocked, I realized that it would never lay out entirely flat and with the cotton/acrylic blend, would always have those "hips". Now, anyone who's knitted the Hemlock Ring pattern knows EXACTLY what I mean by hips. So, I am currently testing a modified version of the extended extension (what a mouthful), using the TLC Cotton Plus and will be posting progress and the end results as it is completed. I feel sure that anyone that loves cottons, blends, acrylics and other unstretchable fibers will appreciate my perseverance and quest to make this pattern more user friendly and open more fiber choice doors.