FO: Wavy from Knitty

For Christmas, i knit the Wavy scarf for my brother-in-law. I used some Peruvian 100% wool for this - I only had 2 skeins and didn't know what to make with such a small amount. The scarf turned out a little shorter than the pattern said, but plenty long enough nonetheless. So, it seems like a perfect 'skeins leftover' project.

I hope the scarf will get some use - BIL is from Newcastle where people tend to walk around in T-shirts in the middle of winter, that's how hard they are! ;-)

I always add one of the wool labels to my hand made projects - this way the receipients will know what it is made of, and also whether it will need handwashing etc. This particular wool would fleece in the machine - it almost fleeced on the needles! So I am hoping SIL will read the label and heed the advice.

FO: Fetching from Knitty

I knit a pair of Fetching fingerless gloves for my sister-in-law for a Christmas present. I used up some left-over wool from a sweater project years back - the label is missing but it is a silk and polyamid mix, so it very very soft and quite shiny. The colour is a bit darker than the pictures shows.

Modifications were:

Knitted slightly longer in the hand

Simple bind-off as the picot bind-off was not noticable due to the yarn used.

I am hoping she likes it.

iBaby arrives!

Baby Tomas was born yesterday afternoon. I am awaiting modeled pictures of the custom sweater in the next few days or weeks.

Wheeeee!

Ugg Baby Boots (as seen in previous post)

The original "Knitty Gritty" pattern for these boots can be found on DIY network. I rewrote the pattern for a newborn baby as the original pattern only listed sizes from 3 months.






SIZE
0-3 months (length of foot approx 3.5 inches/ 9cm)

MATERIAL
Small amounts of main colour yarn, and contrast yarn.
DPNeedles 4mm and 5mm

GAUGE
21st x 28R = 10x10cm with needles 5mm

DIRECTIONS

This boot is knit all in one piece, with a seam along the back of the leg and down the middle of the sole of the foot. The sole is knit in garter stich (knit every row), the rest of the boot is knit in Stockinette stich (knit RS, purl WS).

CO 22 stiches with needles 4mm and CC, knit one row

With right side facing, begin to work the sole as follows:

R1: k1, yo, k9, yo, k2, yo, k9, yo, k1
R2 and all subsequent WS rows: knit all stiches, but knit the yo’s twisted, i.e. into the back of the yarn over
R3: k2, yo, k9, yo, k2, yo, k2, yo, k9, yo, k2
R5: k3, yo, k9, yo, k7, yo, k9, yo, k3
R7: k4, yo, k9, yo, k5, yo, k4, yo, k9, yo, k4
R9: k5, yo, k9, yo, k6, yo, k6, yo, k9, yo, k5

After row 10, change to larger needle size and MC and continue in stockinette stitch for 8 rows

Shape the instep as follows:
R1: k26, ssk, turn work (ignore the remaining stiches on the needle for now)
R2: sl1, p7, p2tog, turn work (again ignore any remaining stiches)
R3: sl1, k7, ssk, turn
R4: sl1, p7, p2tog, turn

Repeat R3 and R4 4 more times.

R13: sl1, k7, ssk, knit to end of row, turn
R14: p19, p2tog, p to end of row

Now, with RS facing, knit 5cm of stockinette across all stiches.

Change to CC, knit 2 rows (garter stich), then BO knitwise.

FINISHING
Sew back seam using mattress stitch (www.knittinghelp.com shows you how)

With CC, make a fake sewing stich line down the ‘side seams’ and across the instep, to imitate Ugg boots (if required).

iSweater for Baby

A friend of mine is having a baby around about now, and as he is a huge Mac fan (as am I), this has to be the most perfect baby shower present ever....

The pattern is my own, hope you like...



SIZE
0-3 months [3-6m, 6-12m]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 20[21, 22.5] inches
Length: 9[10, 11.5] inches
Arm Length from shoulder to wrist: 8[9, 10] inches
 
MATERIALS

[MC] Patons Supersoft [62.5% cotton, 37.5% acrylic; 120m per 50g skein]; colour: natural 4[4, 5] skeins.
[CC] ggh Samoa [50% cotton, 50%acrylic; ca 95m per 50g skein]; colour turquoise 505 1 skein
1 set[s] 4.5mm circular or straight needles, or size required to get gauge
1 set 4.5mm DPNs, or size required to get gauge
3 buttons
darning needle

GAUGE
19 sts/28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

DIRECTIONS

Back

CO 50[54, 58] stiches in CC and knit 3 rows in seed stich (k1, p1 across the row, p1 k1 on the return so that stiches do not line up)

Change to MC and knit 5.5[6.5, 7.5] inches in stockinette

With RS facing, start raglan decreases as follows:
R1: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
R2: p all stitches

Repeat these two rows 13 [15, 18] times until 22 stitches remain. Put remaining stitches on waste yarn.

Front

Work as back piece.

After switching to MC, knit 3 inches, then begin intarsia work as per the pattern, centering the pattern on the sweater.

Split the MC into two skeins after the first row (i.e. work the first row stranded likewise with row 18 of the pattern. The leaf at the top of the apple is worked stranded)

At the same time, having reached 5.5[6.5, 7.5] inches, begin raglan shaping as per the back.

Additionally, after 8.75 inches from beginning, begin neck shaping as follows:

Row 1: Knit to 6 stitches from centre of front piece, BO the next 12 stitches, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 2 [and all wrong side rows]: Purl.
Row 3: BO 2 sts, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 5: BO 1 st, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Continue purling WS rows, and repeat Row 5 1[ 2, 3] times-- 4 sts remain [all sizes].
Next row: K1, k2tog, k1.
Next row: Purl.
Next row: Sl 1, k2tog, psso, fasten off.

Rejoin yarn to the stitches remaining on the needle, starting with a WS row and row 3, and work neck shaping to match, reversing all shapings (purl where k is indicated, and k where purl is indicated).

Sleeves

Make 2 the same.

CO 37[ 39, 43] sts on dpns.
Row 1: *k1, p1 repeat from * across row.
Repeat this row 2 more times.
Next row : Knit.
Repeat until work measures 4.5[5, 6] inches.

Next row: BO 1, k to end, turn work (work will now be knit flat)
Next row: BO 1, p to end.
Next row: Knit.
Row 1[and all WS rows]: Purl.
Row 2: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 7[9, 11] sts remain.
Place these sts on holder.

Finishing Sweater

Sew all seams, except front left raglan seam for which only seam only 0.5 inches from armpit, using mattress stitch (see www.knittinghelp.com for tips on seaming)

Button row and neckband

With CC, pick up and knit 15 stitches from left raglan edge, turn work and knit 3 rows in seed stitch.
Make two button holes, using yo, k2tog, approx 1.5 and 3 inches from armpit, in the second seed stitch row.

BO all stitches in seed stitch fashion. Do not break yarn. Leaving last stitch on the needle, pick up 2 stitches from button band edge, then k across left sleeve , k tog last stitch of sleeve with first stitch of back, k across back stitches, k tog last stitch of back with 1st stitch of right sleeve, k across sleeve, k tog last stitch of sleeve with top point of the raglan, the continue to pick up and knit approx 22 stiches across front, ending at the top point of the raglan on the left side of the front.

Turn work, and work in seed stitch one row.
Turn work, p1, k1, yo, k2tog, continue in seed stitch across neckband, turn work once more and knit last row of seed stitch.

BO in seed stitch fashion.


Finish with sewing on three buttons of your choice, or make crochet buttons and sew on.

Weave in all ends and block.

Enjoy!

(For full sized intarsia pattern, right-click on the image and download to your computer)


Please notify me of any errors or omissions in the pattern - this is my first try at pattern writing. Thanks.

FO: Tubey from Knitty Winter 05

Here is my completed Tubey from Knitty's Winter 05 issue. This was finished in early summer, but with autumn now here I have already worn it a fair few times and love it.

I knit this in DK weight, Sirdar Country Style (Highlands and Islands), and had to redo all the gauge calculations.

Some modifications were also worked:

- Size: knitted enough back to fit my shoulders, basing the width on the circumference of my arms. No bunching, perfect fitting shrug. I also lengthened the body tube until I was happy with the length.
- I liked the stripes on the arms, but not across the belly, so I frogged back and knitted the body tube plain (but boy was that boring!!!)
- I also knitted more than one row of garter stich at the end of the sleeves as it curled too much for my liking

I LOVE the neckline - might have to take it in a bit as the jumper stretches with wear - I have to see.

Finally, a sweater which allows me to wear necklaces and such - which is great because I dont have the chance often enough.

Cerise 3/4 sleeve lace sweater

Knit with Vintage Yarn Bellmans Wonder 4-ply crepe, 80% Wool,. 20% Nylon, ca. 190m/50g
I used just shy of 6 skeins.

This is not a pattern, but a step-by-step walkthrough for making this sweater:

1. read the tutorial on top down raglan sweaters given at the end of this post, and take notes of the percentages required (construction notes: very simple top down raglan - cast on number of stitches needed for neck circumference, place markers to split stitches 15%/ 35%/ 15%/ 35%. increase each side of markers every other round until it fits under arms, knit arms and body in round, shaping as needed.)
2. do a swatch in the intended yarn and count stitches and rows
3. take measurements: round your arm, round your chest, round the belly, length of shoulder to under boob, width across shoulders, from neck to armpit
4. check your notes again, get out the calculator and figure out how many stiches to CO, how many to increase, and how to work the increases. also work out (based on your lace pattern and your belly circumference) how many stitches you want for the body, so the lace pattern repeat works and the size is right. you might need to decrease stitches at the transition.

generally speaking, you should be looking to do raglan increases on every second round. you can stretch this a bit as you get closer to the armpit - you might need more length but already have enough/almost enough stiches for your chest size. simply knit straight or change the increase regime to every 4th round or so.

for the increases, i wanted a holey raglan increase, to go with the feel of the lace sweater, so my raglan increase would read 'knit to last but one stitch before marker, *yo, knit last stich before marker, slip marker, knit first stitch after marker, yo*'

the marker was thus in between the two straight stitches, and the increases symmetrical about the marker. this went for all four increases per round. on the following round, you knit all stitches. don't knit the yo's twisted - they will turn into a lacey hole if knitted straight as they come.

for the neckline, i simply CO the number of stitches calculated, minus an inch's worth of stitches at the front, knitted for about an inch whilst doing raglan increases, the CO the remaining stitches and joining to knit in the round.

knit until you have enough to meet under your armpits.

divide the work (put the sleeve stitches onto waste yarn), join the body stitches and continue working in the round. i kept trying on the work to ensure a good fit throughout.
once you have gone past the boob, determine whether you need to decrease your stitches for the body - this would be advisable if you have a large chest and a tiny waist. i am pretty flat-ish so didn't decrease, as the lace pattern i chose forms lose ribbing and hence tightens the body tube slightly anyways.

i used an edging - one round of *k2tog, yo* followed by a plain knit round - this gives a holey edge just before your lace pattern starts. if you needed to decrease, you could replace the *k2tog* with a *sl1, k2tog, pull slipped stitch over* - this will effectively decrease your number of stitches by one every time you do this (when combined with the yo). if you have 80 stitches before, and needed to decrease 8 stitches, you would do this every 5th repeat, i.e. so *k2tog, yo* four times, then do *sl1, k2tog, ssl, yo* once.

after the holey transition rows, i then started in lace pattern. follow the pattern - i find this quite easy but some people have trouble with lace, so i would recommend inserting life lines after every full repeat just in case. www.knittinghelp.co m has tutorials on how to do lifelines.

i then knit until the body was the length i wanted, again frequently trying the sweater on.
bind off (or do an edging of your choice, then bind off)

pick up sleeve stitches and work in the round, plain knit, until you have knitted the same distance from armpit to transition row as on the body. do the transition row, switch to lace (again having checked that your stitch number will work with the lace pattern!!). knit lace pattern until you like the length.

bind off, but dont cut the yarn. use a crochet hook to crochet one round around the sleeve, in the following manner: crochet one single stitch, make two loops, insert crochet hook into the next but one stitch (skipping one stitch basically) and make a simple crochet stitch. you are basically making little arches all around the sleeve.
if you want a different type of finish, go for it. you could do a couple of rounds of a knitted ribbed pattern instead.

at the end, pick up stitches around the neckline, starting and finishing at the gap in the front, knit a rib pattern, decrease for the raglan lines, but increase with *yo, knit, yo* on the external corners of the gap that you are knitting out off, knit stitches as they appear on the return row. this is not knitted in the round, but open. knit about an inch or so, bind off, and sew the two short edges into the gap so they overlap.

hope the above is clear. it's actually not scary designing your own sweater! just a little bit of measuring, counting and calculating to do - but all easy enough!

First published on Craftster in September 2006


Links:

Top down raglan construction notes from The Incredible, Custom-fit Raglan Sweater by Pamela Costello

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