Month: February 2017

I posted on facebook with photos of this loosely knit shawl and promised you the pattern.  I have made a few of these.  They are great to have on the back of your chair if your shoulders get cold and look like a pretty home décor item at the same time.  The small size, knit on 12mm needles, is 157cm x 53cm or 62” x 21” and the large, on 15mm needles, is 178cm x 74cm or 70” x 29” blocked.

You can knit one of these in about four hours or less.  I knit very fast on small needles but very, very slowly on the large single point needles that I use to make this shawl and still managed to make mine in four hours.

 

You will need bulky weight yarn, although I have made one of these with worsted weight.  As long as it has some texture or fuzziness or some other interesting feature (think boucle) the yarn will work beautifully for this pattern.  You can also hold two ends of the same or contrasting colours of worsted together to make up a bulky weight.  Use your imagination and whatever you have in your stash.  I tend to collect single skeins of unique yarn just because they are so pretty and this is a great project to use those up.

Materials:  135m or 150 yards of bulky yarn or the same amount of each if you are going to use two yarns held together for the 12mm or US 17 version and 150m or 170 yards for the 15mm or US 19 version.  If you are not sure of the length that you have, you can weigh your yarn and start to decrease when you have used up half.  I have done this a couple of times and this method works great.

 

Tools: one pair of 12mm, US 17 or 15mm, US 19 single point needles or a circular needle of the same size, one stitch marker big enough to fit over your large needle.  Use a tied loop of yarn if your markers are too small.

Abbreviations:          K = knit                        K2Tog = knit 2 stitches together

M1 = lift the bar between stitches, place it on the left needle and knit through the back.

Shawl: Note:  All rows are knit.

Cast on three stitches and knit two rows.

Row 1: K1, place marker, M1, K to end.

Row 2: K all stitches to marker, slip marker, K1.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have at least 40 stitches on your needle, ending with row 2.  If you haven’t yet used up half of your yarn and you want a bigger shawl, continue working Rows 1 and 2 until the shawl is the depth that you want it.  Don’t forget it will grow when you block it so allow for that.

Row 3: K1, slip marker, K2Tog through the back loop, K to end.

Row 4: K to marker, slip marker, K1.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until there are three stitches left on your needle.  Knit 2 rows and cast off.

Weave in your ends and block your shawl lightly if you want to retain the texture or aggressively if you want to smooth out the knitting.  The white and black shawls were both knit on 15mm, US 19 needles and lightly blocked to retain the rough look of the yarn.  The colourful shawl was knit with one skein of Lion Brand Landscape yarn on 12mm, US 17 needles and stretched out to block to show the pretty colour changes.

Winter isn’t over yet!  Our weather hasn’t been too bad this year but who knows what the next two months will bring.  I like winter, not for the cold but for the lovely, squishy and warm knits that it lets us work up.

I have made many cowls or short infinity scarfs using this very easy garter stitch pattern that came about by casting on and starting to knit.  Knit on big needles and using the popular chunky yarns, it is an inexpensive and quick knit that lets you be cozy and warm when the weather is cold.  This is a great quick gift for those knitworthy friends and family members.

Cowl or Infinity Scarf:

Tools: 12 to 15mm single point pair of needles or a circular needle of the same diameter.  The needle size is not crucial but will affect the depth of the garter stitch.  Use what you have; if the largest that you have is 6mm, work the cowl in dropped garter stitch with one yarn over wrap to make the stitch size close to what a larger needle produces.  There are great videos online that show how to make this easy stitch.

Materials: 90m chunky yarn or use two ends of worsted weight in the same or contrasting colours to make your own chunky weight.  I have mixed a textured and smooth yarn in the same colour or close to make a fabulous look.  Use up those this is too beautiful to resist sequin, loopy or what have you yarns that are hiding in your stash. Consult your great imagination and have fun!

Cast on 22 stitches with 12mm needles or 18 stitches with 15mm needles.

Knitting all rows, work 36 ridges (72 rows) with the 12mm needles and 30 ridges (60 rows) with the 15mm needles.

Join with cast off by picking up a loop at each live stitch (as you work the last row) from your cast on and three needle bind off with your live stitches.  If you don’t want to do this, cast off and neatly sew the two ends together to form a tube.  Lightly Block with steam to stretch your new lovely cowl out slightly and to soften the yarn a little.

If you want a longer cowl and, don’t forget you will need more yarn, keep knitting until you get to the length that you like when wrapped around your neck then finish there.

Easy, right?  Now you can go out and face winter in fashion and stay warm at the same time.

Have you ever done a CAL or KAL.  I haven’t but am taking the plunge this week with the “Hygge” shawl CAL from Scheepjes yarn. 

Robyn posted on my facebook page for me while I was away and one of her posts highlighted this lovely project.  It is a crocheted wrap that is embellished with embroidery and is so pretty and is designed by Kirsten Ballering of Haak Maar Raak.  Although I have done the tension swatch, I haven’t done the embroidery sample yet but I can’t wait to get started on the wrap itself! 

I will be posting about my reaction to the pattern and my WIP on my facebook page, Iris Rose Knits and Crochets.  If you haven’t had a look yet, please do and a big thanks to everyone who has liked my page. 

I haven’t had much time for designing lately but finally have finished putting the pattern together for my latest scarf and hat set knit in Lion Brand Scarfie.  It is a very soft eyelet and twisted stitch pattern that runs lengthwise on the scarf and around the hat.  A very easy pattern to do with a little practice on the twisted stitches, the set will use just over two skeins of Scarfie.  You will have enough left over for a pair of mitts as well.

Twisted Stitches Scarf and Hat

I took advantage of the long and gradual colour changes of Scarfie yarn to make this scarf and hat set.  You could use any worsted weight yarn to make your own set in colours that suit you.  The knitting is easy with enough changes in the pattern to keep it interesting.

 

Size: Scarf is 21cm x 164cm or 8.25” x 64” and the hat is 50cm to 60cm or 20” to 24”.

Tools: a 6.5mm or US 10.5 circular needle, 60cm or 24” or longer for the scarf to hold all stitches, a 6.00mm or US 10 circular needle, 32cm or 16” for knitting the hat in the round or a set of DPN’s in the same size, two stitch markers, a tapestry needle for weaving in the ends.

Materials: Lion Brand Scarfie or equivalent weight yarn, 335m or 370 yds.  The ball band shows this to be a 5 or bulky yarn.

 

Seed Stitch: Row 1: Knit 1, purl 1 over an even number of stitches.

                      Row 2: Purl 1, knit 1.

Stocking Stitch: Right side: knit all stitches

                            Wrong side: purl all stitches

Twisted Stitches: Knit into the back of the second stitch on the left hand needle, leave it on the needle and knit into the front of the first stitch on the left hand needle.  Slide the two stitches off to the right hand needle together.  You will use this stitch pattern throughout the scarf and hat and, as it feels a little awkward if you have never done this stitch before, a little practice is worth the time before you start.

Abbreviations:        K = knit

                                    P = purl

                                    K2Tog = knit 2 stitches together

                                    P2Tog = purl 2 stitches together

                                    YO = yarn over

Scarf:

With 6.5, US 10.5 needle, cast on 202 stitches.  You can make the scarf longer or shorter by casting on more or less stitches in even numbers but remember you will need more yarn.  You can make the scarf wider by increasing the number of pattern repeats.

Note: Odd numbered rows are right side rows.

Rows 1 to 4: Work 4 rows of seed stitch.

Row 5: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, place marker, working stocking stitch to last four stitches, place marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 6 to 8: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, slip marker, working stocking stitch to last four stitches, slip marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Row 9: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, slip marker, work twisted stitches to the next marker, slip marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 10 and 11: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, place marker, working stocking stitch to last four stitches, place marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Row 12: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, slip marker, P3, *(YO, P2Tog, P2)*. Repeat * to * to last three stitches before marker, work YO, P2Tog, P1, slip marker, work the last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 13 and 14: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, place marker, working stocking stitch to last four stitches, place marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 9 to 14 form the pattern for the body of the scarf.  Work rows 9 to 14 three more times for a total of four repeats of the pattern.

Row 33: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, slip marker, work twisted stitches to the next marker, slip marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 34 to 37: Work first four stitches in seed stitch, slip marker, working stocking stitch to last four stitches, slip marker, work last four stitches in seed stitch.

Rows 38 to 41: Work 4 rows of seed stitch.

You will end on the purl or wrong side but you will need to cast off loosely knitwise for a neat edge.

Block your scarf and weave in the ends.

 

Hat:

With 6mm, US 10 circular needle or DPN’s, cast on 84 stitches and, taking care not to twist the stitches, join for knitting in the round. Place a marker at the join to mark the join and slip it at the start of each round.

Rounds 1 to 12: Work K2, P2 ribbing.

Rounds 13 to 16: Knit all stitches.

Round 17: Work a round of twisted stitches.

Round 18 and 19: Knit.

Round 20: K2, *(YO, K2Tog, K2)* repeat around to last two stitches, K2Tog.

Round 21 and 22: Knit.

Repeat rounds 17 to 22 three more times.

Round 41: Work a round of twisted stitches.

Rounds 42: begin decrease, *(K12, K2Tog)* repeat * to * around. 78 st

Round 43: Knit.

Round 44: *(k11, K2Tog)* repeat * to * around. 72 st.

Round 45: Knit.

Round 46: *(Knit 10, K2Tog)* repeat * to * around. 66 st.

Repeat Rounds 41 to 46 three more times, decreasing with one less in the count (i.e.: Knit 9 on the next decrease round, next Knit 8, etc.), to end up with 12 stitches.  Cut an long end and take off the remaining stitches with a tapestry needle.  Pull the top of the hat closed and fasten off on the inside.

Weave in your ends and lightly block the hat without blocking the ribbing.

 

 

Did you ever make a sweater that you were absolutely in love with, both the yarn and the pattern and, when you were sewing it together, discovered a mistake so enormous that you could not ignore it?

I knit myself a really lovely cardigan in a beautiful yarn this last couple of weeks.  I joined the shoulders with a three needle bind off, knit the band around the front and neck and sewed in the sleeves.  I pinned the sides together for seaming and, much to my great distress and using every curse word that I know, I found that I had repeated the first lace pattern at the beginning (bottom) of the back piece twice and only once on the fronts.  I got ready to toss it into the garbage or at least a corner to gather dust but I just liked it too much to not try to repair it.

I have removed the bottom of a sweater before and reknit it down to increase the length but only in stocking stitch and never with this pretty a yarn.  I gathered my courage and here’s what I did.  I left the sweater sewn as far as I had gone because who wants to undo hand sewn sweater seams.  That almost never works out for me.

I used a contrast colour in a pale yellow so that I could still see it but not have any bright or dark fibres left when I removed it and, picking up one side of every stitch, threaded a life line through my knit stitches two rows above the last lace repeat that I wanted to keep.  I then place two life lines one row apart on the two rows below the first row of garter stitch that bordered the lace pattern.

Next, I took a very deep breath and cut between the life lines.  Yes, I cut the bottom of the back off.  Working on the bottom piece, I picked out all of the little bits from cutting and, carefully ripped back to a couple of rows above my life line.  I picked up the stitches with a circular needle, made sure that my count was correct and unknit back to the last knit row that ended the one lace repeat that I should have stopped at the first time around.  I used a contrast waste yarn and worked two rows in stocking stitch then cast off to hold all of the stitches securely.

Putting that piece aside, I then used my circular needle and picked up one side of the bottom loop of each stitch between the two life lines on the top piece of the back.  I used two life lines here as I wasn’t sure how the loops would hold when I picked up the bottom of each stitch.  I then ripped back to the needle, used waste yarn and worked the same two rows of stocking stitch and cast off.

Now, to put the two pieces back together, I worked from the wrong side with a really long length of yarn (because I didn’t want to have to try to join in the middle) and grafted the loops from the bottom to the loops from the top piece.  I checked to make sure that all of the stitches were included and ripped out the waste yarn from both pieces.

Success!  My lovely sweater knit with the lovely yarn was now repaired and the fronts matched the back.

I am sure that you have seen the very popular Caron Cake yarn that was released earlier last year.  If you haven’t, it is a very long print worsted yarn made of 80% acrylic and 20% wool that is put up in a cake form of 383 yds or 350m.  There are a few patterns that work for this style of yarn but I thought that the world could use one more so I bought one cake and made a very long (think almost super, 82” x 11.5” or 210cm x 30cm) scarf.

I wanted something light but warm that would go with a winter coat or work as a light wrap if needed.  I also wanted to take advantage of the long colour changes so decided to work the scarf lengthwise rather than crosswise.  I do that often with long scarfs or wraps as I would rather work a long cast on and off than many, many, many rows.  Maybe it is just me (it is just me) but the work seems to go faster with fewer rows even though the number of stitches is likely close to the same.  The scarf took about fourteen hours for me to knit and I knit at a medium fast speed.

The colour I bought was Boston Cream, a mixture of cream to taupe that reminded me of Saturday afternoon lattes, my favourite treat.  You could make the scarf with any worsted weight yarn and still have a lovely accessory for winter.

The scarf is bordered with seed stitch for a no roll edge and the main section is a simple lace mesh that is just interesting enough to not be boring and still lets you knit and watch television or read.  The pattern is posted on Ravelry and is linked above or through my pattern page and is free, the best price of all; the lace is both written and charted.

I hope that you take advantage of knitting a scarf without any joins to weave in and that you like my pattern.  Let me know what you think and please, if you do take on this lovely project, post photos to your project page on Ravelry!

Size: 29cm x 208cm or 11.5” x 82”

Materials: one cake of Caron Cakes (350m or 383 yds) or the equivalent in any worsted weight yarn.

Tools: one circular 6.5mm or US 10.5 knitting needle, two stitch markers, and tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge: 14 stitches x 22 rows = 10cm or 4”.  Gauge is important only if you vary widely from this as your scarf may end up much bigger or smaller.  Close (2 stitches and rows) will be fine.

Note: if you wish a larger or smaller scarf, increase or decrease stitches and rows in even numbers to maintain the pattern.

Lace Pattern:

Row 1: YO, K2tog to end.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 3: K2tog, YO to end.

Row 4: Purl.

Seed Stitch:

Row 1: K1, P1 to end.

Row 2: P1, K1 to end.

Instructions:

Cast on 210 stitches; I used a cable cast on but any stretchy one will do.

Rows 1 to 3: Work 3 rows of seed stitch.

Rows 4 to 59: Working 5 stitches in seed stitch at the beginning and end of each row, work the 4 rows of the lace pattern 14 times.

Rows 60 and 61: Working 5 seed stitches at the beginning and end of each row, work rows 1 and 2 of the lace pattern.

Rows 62 to 64: Work 3 rows of seed stitch.

Cast off loosely!  Weave in your ends and block your new scarf.

 

All even numbered rows are wrong side.  Purl all even numbered rows.

4

O

∕

O

∕

3

2

∕

O

∕

O

1

∕

K2tog

O

Yarn Over