So yesterday, TheTwistedYarn passed the happy milestone of 100 000 views. I’m sure that a few of these were folks landing here accidentally and scurrying rapidly through the labyrinthine corridors of the ‘Yarn on their way in search of a site about molecular biology or how to mend vacuum cleaners. And that’s OK: we’re inclusive here, though not very informative about molecular biology. But hopefully, the vast, vast majority of these hits were by colour-loving yarn-wielders, and I really hope that some people have been convinced that with sticks/hooks and string, you really can make pretty much anything (as long as you practise new techniques on scrappy spare yarn first).
Anyway, a heartfelt THANK YOU to every reader and commenter. If it wasn’t too early in the day for drinking, I’d be raising a glass to y’all.
And now, a thought about circles. I’m working on crocheting the garden of the big crazy house project, and I decided to include a little round fishpond. The water is knitted, in order to give a smoother surface than I could manage with crochet. But how to knit a circle? Just in case you ever need to know the answer, I found a solution on catchloops.com’s blog: the formula for calculating the number of stitches on each row, as you work across the circle. It’s based on a combination of the formula for calculating the chord of a circle combined with calculating number of stitches based on gauge. Clever, huh?
So I got knitting…
And sixty rows of increasing then decreasing length later, I had myself a perfect circle! Wa-hey!
One pond! Now it needs some water-lilies and some goldfish, don’t you think? Here’s a start:-
I made up the lilly design. Using embroidery thread and a 2mm hook, I worked 5 loops each consisting of 5 chain stitches, with an anchoring slip stitch into the fabric below in between each loop. 
Then I worked up one side and down the other of each petal loop. I started at the bottom and chained 3, then worked a further 4 double crochets (US terminology, so trebles if you’re in the UK) to get to the tip of the petal. Then I chained 1 before working 5 double crochets down the other side of the petal. Finally I worked a slip stitch into the centre of the flower before moving on to the next petal. And so on:-
And finally I sewed a few last stitches to anchor the petals in a sticking-up position. Done! Here’s a diagram:-
And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m all about the goldfish…
That’s great, I love seeing all these little peeps at progress 🙂
Thank you. It is rather s-l-o-w progress though, I fear.
Loving the knitted circle. If I hadn’t just started so ethi g this morning I would be downing needles to give this a try.
It’s a useful technique to have up your sleeve. A circular dishcloth whilst you’re in Norway, maybe??
Hello from the southern hills of Tennessee, USA. I have to say congratulations on the page view milestone and probably should admit that the last 10,000 or so were mine, lurking and loving the the yarns, especially the verbal ones. O.O
I’m intrigued by your housing project, especially the pond calculations.
p.s. And, being a Southerner, I’m mightily impressed that you spelled y’all correctly. Good show.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Ha ha to the last 10 000. That’s fine by me!
(I do worry that I’ve built this house project up so much that the reality of the finished project will be a massive disappointment. But thank you for your interest, anyway.)
And is there another way of spelling y’all??
Funny you should mention molecular biology!……:-) Love the pond and lily, and yes to goldfish, looking forward to seeing goldfish.
Well I can try and include more molecular biology, but I’m not sure it would be with very much expertise………..
I am always so impressed with your ability not only to IMAGINE everything ……. but then to turn it into exactly what you imagined. I don’t want your head to swell – but that’s a true gift. Can’t wait to see more.
Thank you for a very kind comment, although I’m not at all convinced that it’s deserved. I just like doing silly things.
But you do them so well!
I just pinned you for posterity Ms Twisted. It’s not every day that you find out how to knit a perfect circle when you can’t even knit. I know how to crochet a perfect circle using (most probably) a similarly overtly mathematical equation but thank goodness for me, they keep that mathematical equation tucked nicely away where I can’t see it and just give me the pattern to work on. Loving the creativity and the tenacious aspect of this project. I feel like Mr Grace from “Are you being served” when I say “Keep up the good work, you’ve all done VERY well”.
Well you never know. One day I’ll tempt you over to the dark side with needles….
Its my bday soon and as part of my annual pilgrimage to hedonism, I have actually asked for some of those pointy needles with wire in the middle as I want to have a go at knitting some socks. I dare say my exploration will probably short and the opposite of sweet but you never know now do you?
Twisted, perfect pond! I want to see the top half of a goldfish popping itself out of the pond waters now with just the hint of a friendly smile on its little face 🙂 But looking at the size of the pond a question occurs to me, just how big is this bag? Could I perhaps pop my kitchen sink into it?
Nah, it’s not a bag. It involves a large piece of furniture…
I think I needed your help as consultant on the goldfish front. My first fish looks a bit of a blob. This may need more work.
Wow a perfect circle! Loving this!
It works! 🙂 (But I can’t take any credit for the idea.)
This is wonderful. I love your lily pad. Perhaps there is a frog somewhere? If not, it doesn’t matter since the whole thing is mind-blowingly amazingly clever and creative and artistic and skilled (with the hooks and needles and such). Wow. I’m waiting for more!
I think the words ‘ridiculous’ and ‘bonkers’ would be more appropriate, but thank you as always for your kind words.
Very cute!
Muchly thank you.
Congratulations on your happy milestone.
Thank you! It’s been a long time coming.
I think this may be the most perfect perfect knitted circle I’ve ever seen!
Congratulations on the milestone! It’s amazing the reach you can have the internet. I’m sure anyone who stays to read will be back for more.
As for your little pond and lily pad, I’m completely smitten. You make it all look so easy. Delightful post. So glad I could pop in.
Congratulations on 100,000 views! If only I had so many 😛
Your pond is coming out lovely! I’m getting excited to see what the finished product will look like when you finally reveal what the secret project is. 😀
Hey, I’m also from Tennessee! Isn’t it fun to have readers from all over? Your little pond and fish are so cute they hurt my heart! But I can’t stop admiring them!