Clara's sweater

Hot off the needles is the Inca-Dincadoo Cotton Baby Cardigan from Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders. I made this one from Manos del Uruguay cotton (somewhere between one and two skeins, though I lost track because it broke a couple times while I was winding it.) This is a simple piece to work up and does not even require purling. It is knit in garter stitch, all in one piece from the back hem up and over to the front hem. Once it's knit you just fold it in half and sew up the sides/arms. My camera batteries died before I could get a close-up of the buttons but they have adorable little drawings of boys and girls on them.

This piece will go in the mail next week for little Clara Grace, the latest in a long line of babies born to friends. I think this sweater is going to be perfect for momma's little girl!

Edited because, while Knitting Little Luxuries is a great book it is not the book this pattern came from. Oops!

Free Pattern - Hands-Free Beverage Carrying Device

It may not call your mom from your car for you or play music on command, but with this amazing new device you can carry a beverage WITHOUT USING YOUR HANDS! Amazing, I know.

Okay, this beverage carrier may not be revolutionary but if you're like me and bring a bottle of water with you everywhere it's useful and convenient. Also, the amazing natural properties of wool mean this carrier not only insulates your drink, but also absorbs any condensation.

This project provides nearly instant knitting satisfaction. I whipped the first one out in less than 2 hours and it's definitely easy enough for a beginner. In fact, it might make a perfect intro to knitting on double pointed needles in the round!

Here's the skinny:

Yarn- Less than one ball of Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print (it comes 93 yd/ball.) I loooove this yarn! It comes is such vivid colors and the little bits of variegation add interest without any extra work. Also, the single-ply, coarse texture mean it felts easily.

Needles- Sz 8 US double pointed needles.

Gauge- about 4 stitches per inch (approximate is okay for this project)

This carrier is made for a 18-oz Nalgene bottle and will also fit a 16.9 oz commercial water bottle or standard 24 oz soda bottle.

Instructions:

Cast on 36 stitches. Divide evenly over 3 double pointed needles. Join for working in the round. The cast on edge will be the top of your bottle carrier. You will want about an 8-inch tail remaining when you cast on, this will be used when you begin the strap.

Knit in stockinette (knit all stitches) until you have a tube about 6 inches in length.

Decrease as follows:
1st round- Knit 7, Knit 2 together - 4 times (32 stitches remain)
2nd round- K6, K2tog - 4 times (28 stitches remain)
3rd round- K5, K2tog- 4 times (24 stitches remain)
4th round- K4, K2tog- 4 times (20 stitches remain)
5th round- K3, K2tog- 4 times (16 stitches remain)
6th round- K2, K2tog- 4 times (12 stitches remain)

Cut yarn, leaving about an 8 in tail. Thread end of yarn onto a needle, draw through remaining stitches, and pull tight. Weave in end.

Now for the strap!

Using one double pointed needle pick up the first 5 stitches of the cast on edge, those directly to the left of your "tail". Using the tail yarn, knit the 5 picked-up stitches. This is a set up row for joining the strap later. Leave this needle in place for now and move to the other side to begin the strap.

Moving clockwise around the cast on edge pick up stitches 19-23 (stitch 1 was the first picked-up stitch closest to the "tail").

Row 1- Knit
Row 2- Purl
Row 3 (right side)- K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 4 (wrong side)- P1, K1, P1, K1, P1

Continue in K1, P1 rib (repeating rows 3 and 4) until strap reaches approximately 40 inches in length, ending with a right side row. Strap length can be adjusted as desired, just remember that the strap will have a tendency to stretch with use. I made this one to be worn comfortably across the body or on one shoulder.

Join strap edge to the other side (remember those other 5 stitches on that other needle?) using Kitchener Stitch ... if you are a beginning knitter don't worry, Kitchener stitch is really NOT as complicated as people make it sound! :) For an excellent tutorial on Kitchener stitch see this Knitty article.

You've now completed the construction of your Hands-free Beverage Carrying Device! One last step: a little felting!

This photo shows an un-felted carrier on the left, and the lightly-felted finished product on the right. It's a subtle difference but really firms up the fabric, making it more durable and insular.

I opted to felt this project by hand so I could really control the effect. It was actually really cool and satisfying to felt a project this way, you can actually see and feel the fabric changing in your hands.

Fill a sink with as hot of water as you can stand and add a tiny drop of dish-soap or detergent. Immerse your project in the water and begin swishing it around. I sort of rubbed it together between my hands and quickly squished water through it (all those things you're NEVER supposed to do to a hand-knit). This will slosh some water around so have a towel handy! Keep an empty bottle nearby so you can check your progress. When it's felted enough for your taste rinse it well, roll it up in a towel to remove excess water, and put it over your empty bottle to dry for a couple days. Voila!!

Now grab a cold one and get outside, summer will be over before you know it!

On The Fly Ear Wamer - Free Pattern!

(Me, before coffee ... this is real bravery folks...)

It seems my ears are always getting cold here in Buffalo. The spring breeze can carry quite a chill and it makes my ears ache even when the rest of me is plenty warm. Somehow over the winter I lost my polar fleece ear warmer so I thought this was the perfect occasion to knit myself a new one and make it my first free pattern post!

This is a super simple, super fast knit: I designed and completed it in its entirety on a flight from Indianapolis to Buffalo (via Newark), hence the "On The Fly" title.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Quatro

Yardage: I'm guessing a bit but less than or equal to 50 yds (great for using up the last little bit of something!)

Needle size: US 8

Gauge: Again, I'm guessing (what kind of slacker pattern is this anyway...) but the finished object measures 3 1/2" wide by 22 1/2" in circumference (this used to say diameter ... it has been a while since 10th grade geometry) after blocking.

Begin by casting on 15 stitches.
Knit 8 rows in garter stitch (knit right and wrong side rows). I like to do this because it adds a little extra elasticity to the band.

Begin in pattern as follows:
Row 1- sl1, k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, yo, ssk, k1, sl1
Row 2- purl all stitches
Row 3 - sl1, k2, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k2, sl1
Row 4- purl all stitches


Repeat rows 1-4 twenty two times
Repeat rows 1 and 2 once

Knit 8 rows in garter stitch.
Bind off.
Stitch ends together using mattress stitch.


I suppose it would be more elegant to use a provisional cast on and then join the two ends using kitchener stitch but, honestly, I was on a plane and it just goes under your hair so I didn't worry too much about it. :)

This pattern should be easy to adjust to different sizes, just measure your head and knit until the band is within 1 to 1/2 inch of that length. Remember the piece will grow a little in blocking.

I've included a chart and as soon as I figure out how to link to a download-able pdf I'll post that too.

Happy knitting! If anyone actually makes this be sure to leave a comment!

Thank you dear reader for pointing out my error in row three: the decrease should be ssk and the chart was correct. Text is now corrected to match.

New FO and progress reports

(That's Finished Object for you non-knitting types...)

I really love how this piece came out. As seen in an earlier post this is my take on Interweave Knits Montego Bay scarf. It is knit is Southwest Trading Company Bamboo.


The drape is really wonderful and the pattern looks so much more complicated than it is (it's just a K1,Yo repeat on the front and purl on the back). I thought the tiny braid fringe was going to make me CRAZY but I am glad I did it, it looks good.

I decided I really didn't like the way the manly leg warmers were going so I started over. Why did I think I would be satisfied with something knit in acrylic anyway? The microfiber was in my stash (leftover from another time I thought I wanted to use it but decided not to ... I see a pattern developing...) so no harm, no foul, but I just didn't like the way the project turned out.

Luckily I remembered I also had some Regia sock yarn in my stash from the time I thought I wanted to make socks. I realized later I have no desire WHATSOEVER to make socks (I thumb my nose at the knitters who are scoffing at me for this statement!!) but that is a story for another day.


Manly leg warmers: take 2. This is unblocked but already so much more cozy and user-friendly to knit. It's got a swirled rib body section with K2,p2 ribbing top and bottom. And because it's superwash wool we've preserved the ease of care I was originally going for.

The visit to Milwaukee went well and I met some fellow knitters/crocheters in the prop shop there. I have a trip to Indianapolis for another interview this week so send some good travel mojo my way!

Knitjenious: the unemployment edition!

So, with my new-found free time I've been knitting away. Here's a photo of the Boat Neck Sweater from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits For Beginners I whipped up for a friend's baby ... too bad she's not due until September. How many times will I change my mind and make something else for her? Knowing myself I'm betting on 3.

This was a pretty easy pattern, 2 rectangles for the front and back, a little basic shaping on the sleeves. The seaming was a real pain and I do wish I'd read the Ravelry comments about the pattern first: many people seemed to say the pattern instructions result in a sweater that is proportionally too wide for its length and I'm afraid that might be true of this sweater too. I guess I'll get to find out in about 6 and a half months!

And, at long last, here are a few photos of my Kathmandu DK shrug.

It looks pretty funny all laid out like this but it's nice and cozy when you put it on! Should come in handy for those chilly spring and fall evenings. I like it, even if Fabulous Boyfriend's response was "where's the rest of it?" :)

Next week on Knitjenious: Join Jen as she travels back to Texas for a few weeks to work as an artisan at the Alley Theatre. Margaritas, Mexican food, and mayhem!

One Skein baby bolero

My latest tiny creation. I LOVE this pattern. It is pretty easy (I made my first one after only a month or so of knitting), uses very little yarn (about 150 yards total), and is fast to knit because it's so tiny.

You can find the pattern in One Skein by Leigh Radford. This is one of my favorite knitting books. If you'd like to check it out you can link to it on Amazon through the library section on my sidebar.

This particular sweater is knit in stripes of Big Easy cotton and King Tut cotton (leftovers). I can't wait to ship it off to my brother and his wife for the yet-unborn Katalina, soon to be their third little girl.

The second Wabenschal is on the needles and I'm well into a very simple shrug for myself that should see some action during tech next week. Unfortunately knitting in the dark is not very conducive to lace knitting so the shawl will probably go on hiatus for a while.
That's all for now folks!

Christmas knitting part 2

So, I am still waiting for photos of these items as modeled by the recipients (ahem, mom and Michelle) but since I know you are all waiting with baited breath here are some photos I took before sending the packages off to their new homes.

Here is the winter set I made for my sister, Michelle. She's a transplant to California so I figured the fingerless mitts and ear-warmer would take the edge off the few cooler days. The scarf pattern is straight from One Skein and I cabled the other two pieces to match. All in all this set took about 1.5 skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca, a yarn I would definitely recommend.


And now, the sweater I knit for my mom (modeled by yours truly ... hopefully the photo will soon be replaced with one of my mom in the sweater). It is my first adult-size sweater and I couldn't be happier with how it came out! It took about 16 balls of Cashmere Luxury Chunky by Knitting Fever (45% Merino, 49% microfiber, 6% Cashmere ... and oh so soft!) I think this yarn may be discontinued as I can no longer find it in the product line on the company website. Good think I hoarded it when I had the chance!

Happy New Year everyone! My Knit-Year's resolution: write a pattern for and create this really cool project I have in my head right now and submit it to knitty! What's the idea? That will have to be a secret for now ... though it just might involve the lovely, golden alpaca silk I bought last week.

What are your Knit-Year's resolutions for 2008? Feel free to share them in the comment section, I'd love to know if anyone actually reads this thing! :)

That's all for this year folks! Peace, health, and happiness to you and your loved ones, today and always.

Christmas knitting part 1

Shawl for Katie

This was knit with about 2.25 balls of Berger du Nord Charmant (50% wool, 50% silk) that I got at Tuesday Morning of all places. It was great to work with, blocked beautifully, and the colors flow wonderfully. This was my first time working from a chart and, man, am I a believer!