Calculating the Circumference or Diameter of a Circle

Good morning. This post was inspired by a conversation we had with a customer in our Etsy store.

As you may know, many of the old old old patterns do not include gauge or tension swatches or finished sizes in the patterns. It's a bit challenging to make a project without knowing what the final size of your project will be.

I found this radius, diameter and circumference calculator while working on a project last year. But I have found that it works great and comes in handy when working hats from the top down (with or without a pattern). You just need to click on the site, and enter the circumference measurement of your head, then click the "get the other values" button to see what diameter measurement you need to make the hat fit your head.

Because I don't always follow a pattern the way it was written, I find that I end up using the calculator to make a hat that fits my big noggin.

Click here to Calculate the circumference, diameter or radius of a circle.

This site is really useful for sewing and art projects and helping kids with their homework, too.

Free Monthly Pattern Downloads

We have started a new page: Free Monthly Pattern Downloads, where we will be posting free patterns to download - knitting, crochet & occasionally sewing patterns. 

The pattern for January is a Ribbed Skirt pattern. Click on this link to "Monthly Pattern Downloads" under "Pages" to access the pattern download.

Happy Knitting from eStitches!

Spinning Wheel Afghan - Update

 In making up the first set of diamonds to measure sizes, the finished dimensions turned out to be 7 1/2 inches square. Michele calculated the final size of the afghan to be very close to the final size shown on the pattern.

Michele crocheted a row of single crochets around every single block. She crocheted a specific number of stitches on each side of the diamond. The row of single crochets gave her a way to line up each side of the diamond with the corresponding side of the next diamond.

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Finished size of afghan from pattern: 68 x 46 inches.

Finished size of afghan using Simply Soft yarn: approximately 67 1/2 x 48 inches.

Each row is made up of either 8 or 9 blocks. (Michele created a layout guide to make life easier for herself.)

Paper template for diamond blocking.

Michele spent quite a bit of time laying out the blocks, and sewing blocks and rows together, and found that the diamonds needed to be blocked prior to being sewn together. The diamonds are bubbly and bunched before blocking. After blocking they lay flat and are easily sewn together. (pic of blocked & unblocked diamonds)

Each of the diamonds was finished, then steam blocked to an exact size. We didn’t have any template material that would not melt under the hot steam, so Michele used a piece of paper with the exact measurements of the diamond marked on it. (pic) Be careful with the steam blocking—the iron should not touch the block—doing so can melt the acrylic yarn.

Unblocked vs blocked diamonds.

Once the diamonds were blocked, Michele sewed the diamonds into three-diamond blocks. The blocks were then sewn into strips and the strips were then sewn together.

Michele put her heart and soul into this project. The math on this project would have completely overwhelmed me. 

2 strips of blocks sewn together. We are well on our way to finishing the afghan.

New Project Started - It's a Poncho

Happy New Year!

Granny Square Poncho

We have a new project started. The Granny Square Poncho is in the works. I started it while visiting family over the Christmas break.

We are using 100% acrylic weight yarn - as the pattern called for.  The yarn seems to be a little heavier than the original, so to make it have a little more body, and not be too floppy, we are using a crochet hook one size smaller than called for on the skeins.

The process has been a little weird as I am teaching myself how to hold a crochet hook differently than how I originally learned.
I learned to crochet by holding the hook like a pencil. Working on this poncho was making my wrist click and pop like nobody's business. I decided that I couldn't live with the noise and started holding my hook in the palm of my hand - more of a gripping of the hook than a holding of it.

The color palette-Granny Square Poncho

Slowly I am getting faster with my new grip on the hook. My wrist doesn't click and pop like it did before, and I'm not as sore when I finish up several rows of crochet. It is getting easier.

Like the pattern? You can find it in our etsy store: Granny Square Poncho listing.