Tag: jumper

Knitting

Machine Knitting and a Crochet Teaser.

Iris Rose

Wow, the week sure has flown by!  I have been busy with my knitting machine this week. 

These were made with self striping sock yarn with a little sacrificed cause I love matchy, matchy.

I have a bunch, okay a ton, no actually about a few hundred skeins of yarn from an ebay binge that I went on a couple of years ago.  You may have recognized the labels from my hat post two weeks ago.  I have to seriously purge my stash before it takes over the house and, as most of the yarn that I bought is sport or finer, the machine just called out to me!

The hat is lined for warmth!

I have had some problems in the past with static that these yarns hold.  I am not sure why but they are way more electric than any other yarn I have used.  It doesn’t seem to matter about the type of fibre.  I normally rewind the skeins into a cake for machine knitting to suss out any knots or imperfections before they hit the tension mast or the carriage and cause a major patterning fail.  Plus, it hurts like crazy when the weights hit your feet as the knitting drops off the needles!  I held a damp wash cloth in my hand and let the yarn run through it while tensioning and, voila, no static!  Why didn’t I think of this years ago??

I am working on a pattern for a toddler’s cardigan, machine knit, with a hand crocheted edge.  The sample turned out really cute, so I am experimenting with sizing now.  I always like to offer a pattern in multiple sizes and, although I know how to do the math from gauge for hand knits and crochet, machine knitting is a little different.  As the samples are quick to knit and can be added to my sales inventory, I am making one in each size to ensure that the pattern is correct.  It will be written out and on sale next week.

Samples ready for blocking and finishing.

I am also working on a hand knit version in worsted weight as I liked the machine knit one so much.  That pattern is going to take just a little bit longer.

I am also working on a crochet pattern for you.  I have a vision of a shawl that I have been cooking in my brain for the last ten months.  I made a sample over the summer but didn’t like it enough to finish it.  I have been mulling over the best stitch pattern to achieve the look that I want and have arrived at a winner I think.  I will let you know how it goes!  Here is a teaser.

Don’t forget about my half price offer on the Gradient Cable Poncho and Northern Rose Shawl patterns, coupon code 50OFF in my Ravelry store!

Knitting

Pink Ice Cream For Summer

Iris Rose

It is almost summer, yay!  I love this time of the year the best.  It is a time of promise, watching new plants grow, dreaming of the fruit and berries to come.  Do you think I like food?  It is also a time to look forward to swimming at the lake, walking in the park and just generally enjoying the outdoors.

This brings me, of course, to outdoor crafting.  When you are working in the heat, it is nice to have something small to knit or crochet.  If, like me, you have grandkids to spoil or maybe your own babies to create for, this is a good time to work on the little clothes that are such fun to make and look so cute.

I designed this little jumper (or tunic dress) for our oldest granddaughter a few years ago and didn’t take any pictures at the time so I have recreated it to include multiple sizes and what I hope are clear instructions.

I am including it here now as a gift to you for reading my blog.  It will be on Ravelry next week as a paid pattern.

It is kind of mindless knitting but sometimes, especially this time of the year, that’s okay.  I hope that you enjoy my latest pattern and that you will share a photo of your finished jumper with me.

Pink Ice Cream Jumper

This pretty little jumper is knit from the bottom up in the round starting with the ruffle.  The buttons are sewn onto the straps with the buttonholes in the bodice which allow you to easily move the buttons to make the jumper grow a little bit with your kidlet.  The bodice is designed to fit snuggly with a stretchy fabric.

You can make the ruffle in a different colour from the body and add a third colour at the bodice.  I have made this pattern in a self striping yarn as well and it was very cute worn over a coordinating Tshirt.

 

Sizes: 6 months, 1, 1 ½, 2, 3.  Chest is designed with negative ease of 1.25cm or ½”.

Gauge: 24 stitches x 31 rows = 10cm or 4″

Materials:  300 to 350m or 330 to 390 yds of baby or sport weight yarn, two buttons.

Tools: 4mm (US6), 60cm (24″) circular needle, stitch holder, stitch marker.

Abbreviations:           k = knit

p = purl

k2tog = knit 2 stitches together

 

To begin: Cast on 260 (264, 276, 280, 292) stitches and join being careful not to twist stitches. I used a long tail cast on but a cable cast on is pretty too.  If you have trouble joining in the round with this many stitches, work the garter rows back and forth and join after that so that you can see if your work is twisted.  You can use your cast on tail to sew the garter piece closed and no one will know the difference.  Place a marker at the join to mark the beginning of your rounds.

 

Ruffle:

Rounds 1 to 4: Garter stitch (in the round, knit 1 row, purl 1 row).

Rounds 5 to 14: Stocking stitch (in the round, knit every row).

Round 15: k2tog around. 130 (132, 138, 140, 146) stitches remain).

Skirt:

Work in stocking stitch until the body piece measures 15.25, (20.25, 25, 30.5, 35.5) cm or 6 (8, 10, 12, 14)” total including the ruffle.  This measurement is a guide only.  Stop when you think that the skirt is long enough for your child.

Bodice:

All stitches will be worked as k1, p1 rib for the remainder of the jumper.

Round 1: k1, p1, repeat from marker to marker.

Repeat Round 1: 7 (9, 11, 15, 17) more times.

Next Round: Cast off 10 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches st, work 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches in k1, p1 rib, cast off 10 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches, work 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches in k1, p1 rib.  Remove marker.

You will be working back and forth from here on.

Place the first 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches (back piece) on a holder as you will now be working back and forth over the last 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) (front piece) stitches.  You can leave the first batch of stitches on the needle and just work back and forth on the front stitches if you don’t want to move them to a stitch holder.

Rows 1 to 10: k2tog through the back loop, k1, p1 to last two stitches, k2tog.  You are decreasing 1 stitch each end and will have a total of 30 (32, 34, 34, 36) stitches remaining on Row 10.

Rows 11 to 15: k1, p1 to end of the row.

Row 16: Make buttonholes: Maintaining k1, p1 rib, work 4 stitches, k2tog, yo, k1, p1 for 18 (20, 22, 22, 24) stitches, yo, k2tog, k1, p1 over remaining 4 stitches.

Row 17 to 21: k1, p1 to end of row.

Cast off tightly to keep top edge from stretching.

Transfer the second (back) set of 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches from the holder to your working needle.

Rows 1 to 10: k2tog through the back loop, k1, p1 to last two stitches, k2tog.  You are decreasing 1 stitch each end and will have a total of 30 (32, 34, 34, 36) stitches remaining on Row 10.

Rows 11 to 21: k1, p1 to end of row.

Row 22: Work the first 8 stitches in k1, p1 rib, cast off next 14 (16, 18, 18, 20) stitches (tightly to minimize stretch), work the last 8 stitches in k1, p1 rib.

Place the first 8 stitches on the stitch holder or leave it on your needle if you are comfortable working on the second 8 stitches with the first hanging.

 

Straps:

Rows 1 to 49: k1, p1 to end of row.  If you want a shorter strap, cast off when you reach the length that looks good to you.  I made mine extra long so that the buttons could be moved for grow room.

Cast off.  Transfer the remaining 8 stitches from the stitch holder and repeat Rows 1 to 49, cast off.  Block lightly, weave in ends and sew buttons to ends of straps to fit snugly to shoulders.