Glacier Bay Scarf

I designed the Glacier Bay Scarf for a family knit-along taking place during an Alaskan cruise.  With a combination of brand-new and seasoned knitters, the pattern needed to be super-easy, yet interesting, and provide fast visible progress.  This pattern  includes only knit, knit 2 together, and yarn over, and due to the open mesh sections knits up really quickly.  The design of the scarf is reminiscent of rippling waves interspersed with horizontal sea ice.

Glacier Bay Scarf

Materials:

Approx. 220 yards worsted weight yarn (or heavy worsted)

U.S. Size 10 straight or circular needles (or 10.5 if using heavy worsted)

Gauge is not important, though adjust needle size if resulting fabric is firmer or looser than you prefer (I like it pretty loose).

Abbreviations:

K - knit

K2tog - knit 2 together

YO - yarnover

Instructions:

Set up:

- Cast on 21 stitches using any cast-on technique you like (cast on 19 if using heavy worsted and larger needles).

- Knit 8 rows (hint - there will be 4 garter ridges on each side)

Begin slanted mesh section:

- Row 1 - *(K2tog, YO)* until 1 stitch remains, YO, K last stitch

- Row 2 - K across

Repeat rows 1-2 for a total of ten times, ending AFTER a row 2. (Hint - there will be 10 rows of holes that can be easily counted.)

Horizontal section:

Knit 7 rows

(until there are 4 ridges on each side).

That's it! Repeat these two sections until your scarf is long enough or you run short of yarn. Cast off at the end of a horizontal section.

If you are detail oriented, you can block the scarf, pinning to enhance the zigzag. Or not.

Happy knitting!

Kelp Bed Scarf Pattern

2012 has zipped by at a nearly supersonic speed.  It has included landmark events and wonderful small moments.  We laughed, we cried, etc.  Seriously though, it has been amazing.  Among the top adventure highlights were visiting Death Valley, taking a hot air balloon ride over the Tucson Mountains, and especially, rafting the Grand Canyon.  (I have so many photos that getting a few on the blog just hasn't happened. As yet.)  Choosing the right knitting project for the 7-day raft trip was tricky.  It needed to be relatively uncomplicated (social knitting), pack small, require few tools, be doable in hot, sweaty weather, and provide plenty of knitting time.  I settled on knitting a simple, lacy scarf with linen yarn.  I was able to knit in camp each night and even a little on the raft (without puncturing the raft as feared by some of my co-rafters).  The pattern is one I designed several years ago.

Kelp Bed Scarf (aka One-Row Pleated Scarf)

Materials: any yarn you would like to use. The crisper and/or stretchier the yarn is, the better it will retain its accordion pleating.  For the orange scarf shown I used "Fibra Natura Flax" linen in Tangerine.
Needles: Not too critical, but sized to knit your yarn somewhat loosely  (I used U.S. 7)

Cast on a multiple of 5 + 1 (For my orange scarf I cast on 31ss.)
EVERY ROW:   *K3, YO, P2tog* repeat to last stitch, K1
Continue until you reach desired length, get bored, or run out of yarn.   (Mine is fairly long at 80 inches.)
Cast off loosely.

Note: Do not stretch to block, unless you want to remove the pleats.

Yes, it is that easy!  The resulting fabric is self-pleating, giving a great drape when wrapped around the neck.  I am currently using the same stitch pattern to make a stole out of Kid Silk Haze.  It has a completely different look - entirely soft, light and floaty instead of the crisp pleating of the linen yarn.  I'll post a picture when I am further along.

I am super thrilled with the way this scarf feels and drapes.  Despite having a closet-full of scarves, this is now my favorite.

Happy knitting!!

Citron Shawl

I am pleased to announce a Finished Object.  Yes, another one!  This one is a Citron Shawl that I started eons ago, then let sit untouched on and off.  I finished it during Spindle Camp, then finally dyed it.

The yarn is Filatura Di Crosa Golder Line Superior, 70% cashmere/30% silk, and is gorgeously soft and so light it feels as if it is floating in your hand.  (Happily it was also on sale.) Its only drawback to work with was its color.  Fuzzy laceweight mushroom tan yarn becomes almost invisible in anything but very bright light.  I look pretty hideous in that color, too, so after it was complete I mixed up a pot of dark purple dye.  I was shooting for a little lighter color, but the cashmere sucked up the dye in record time.  Happily the dress I will be wearing it with has darker purple accents to match.

The Citron pattern is really designed as more of a neck scarf.  I added a few extra sections to make it much larger.  I don't think I would have had the staying power to add a ninth ruched section - that's a LOT of stitches per row!

Silver-Button Mitts

As a holiday gift to my loyal readers, here is a pattern I have created for fitted mitts that button at the wrists. The cuffs are knitted sideways in garter stitch.

Silver-Button Mitts

Size: Woman's medium (to adjust size you can add extra rows above thumb and/or adjust needle size for slightly different gauge)

Tools:
Gauge: 5ss per inch (or slightly less if very stretchy yarn)
Needles: U.S. size 7 double points
Crochet hook required for button loops
stitch holder or scrap yarn for parking thumb stitches
safety pins to mark button loop locations

Yarn:Approximately 170 yards worsted weight. You can use any yarn that will get the gauge, but make sure it has some stretch (linen would be a bad choice). For my pair I used a strand each of Mirasol Nuna (40% wool/40% silk/20% bamboo) and Punta Yarns Kid Mohair Hand Paint, held together.

Four 3/4inch buttons


Abbreviations:
ss = stitches
k = knit
M1 = Make One increase
ktbl = knit through back loop
ssk = slip slip knit
k2tog = knit two together
p = purl

Pattern:

Cuff:
- cast on 15 stitches
- knit every row until fabric has 30 garter ridges
- cast off all but last stitch

Wrist:
- using the remaining stitch as the first stitch, pick up (along the long edge of the cuff) 1 stitch in each garter ridge. (total 31ss)
- divide stitches across double-pointed needles and join
- Knit 5 rounds

Thumb gusset:
- k1, M1, k13, M1, k3, M1, k13, M1, k1 (35ss)
- knit 2 rounds
- k15, M1, k5, M1, k15 (37ss)
- knit 2 rounds
- k15, M1, k7, M1, k15 (39ss)
- knit 12 rounds

Separate for thumb:
- k16, put 7ss on holder, cast on 3, k16 (35ss)

Palm:
- k16, ktbl 3, k16
- knit 4 rounds
- k14, ssk, k3, k2tog, k14 (33ss)
- knit 1 round
- k1, k2tog, k27, ssk, k1 (31ss)
- k13, ssk, k1, k2tog, k13 (29ss)
- Knit 1 round
- k2tog, k to end (28ss)
- switch to k1,p1 rib and continue for 8 rounds
- cast off in rib (not too tight)

Thumb:

- put stitches from holder onto 2 double-pointed needles
- using a 3rd needle and leaving a 6 inch yarn tail, pick up 5ss along inside of thumb (12ss)
- knit 3 rounds
- change to k1,p1 rib and continue for 8 rounds
- cast off in rib
- use yarn tail to close any gaps appearing at base of thumb

Weave in all ends.

Make a second mitt just like the first.

Now the tricky bit:


Important: The button loops on the left mitt will be attached to the left side of the cuff opening and the loops on the right mitt will be attached to the right side of the cuff opening. (Try on the mitts and this will become apparent.)

- Mark locations along cuff opening for 2 loops using safety pins - 3/4 inch from top and 3/4 inch from bottom of opening.
- starting at bottom of opening, single crochet into edge stitches until you reach the first pin
- make 2 inch single-crochet chain, then attach back to last edge stitch crocheted into (forming button loop), and crochet into edge stitches up to next pin
- make a second 2 inch crochet chain and attach as before. Single crochet up to top of opening
- weave in ends
- Sew on buttons opposite from button loops, 1 inch in from edge of cuff opening.

- Repeat for second mitt, being careful to put the button loops on the opposite edge of the cuff opening (for opposite hand).

Enjoy your toasty-warm mitts and have a happy 2011!

Cabled Baby Hat to go with the Pembroke Baby Vest

I had extra yarn so I invented a hat to match the Pembroke Baby Vest. It turned out lovely and stretchy in the cotton, so I tried the same pattern (to test my written directions) in fuzzy handspun thick-and-thin alpaca. Very different look, much less definition of the cable twists, but still stretchy. I like them both. Hopefully the future owners will enjoy them and have toasty warm noggins.

PATTERN: Cabled Baby Hat

Light worsted (or thereabouts) yarn. Sorry, but I do not know specific yardage needed, but it is not much. The red yarn in the picture is "Cotton Supreme" by Universal Yarn Inc. The green is handspun alpaca at approx 11-12wpi.

Sized to fit an approx 14in head (0-6mos, so I hear)

Gauge: 10ss = 2" across cable pattern repeat on U.S. size 7 needles, but don't worry about it. Babies grow and the hat is likely to fit at some point (hopefully not mid-summer). I did not knit a gauge swatch and don't see why anyone else should have to either.

Needles: U.S. size 5 and 7 double points, plus a cable needle.
Also: safety pin to mark rows (optional, but very helpful)

Note: "*" on each end of a set of instructions means repeat these stitches until end of round.

Instructions:

Using smaller needles, cast on 70ss loosely using your stretchy cast-on of choice. (I used a long-tail cast-on.)
Join into round.
Rounds 1-8: *K1, P1*
Change to larger needles

Cable Pattern:
row 1 - *P2, K4, P2, K2*
row 2 - *P2, put 2 stitches on cable needle held to front, K2, K2 from cable needle, P2, K2*
rows 3 and 4 - same as row 1

Work 4-row Cable Pattern 5 times, ending with row 3. (Use the safety pin to mark the last stitch of each twist-stitch round (pattern row 2). This will make it easy to keep track of when the next twist-stitch round is due.)

Narrow for crown:
Round 1: *P2, K1, K2tog, K1, P2, K2*
Round 2: *P2, K2tog, K1, P2, K2*
Round 3: *P2, K2*
Round 4: *P1, K2tog, K, P2, K2*
Round 5: *P1, K1, SSK, P1, K2*
Round 6: *P1, K2tog*
Round 7: *K2tog*
Round 8: *K*
Round 9: *K2tog*
Pull yarn through remaining stitches and tighten.

Weave in ends. Give to baby.

Michelin Man Mitts

Gauge: 18 stitches per 4 inches (4.5 ss/in)
Needles: U.S. size 7 double-points or size to meet gauge. (Either 4 or 5 needles, whichever is most comfortable), stitch holder or scrap yarn to hold thumb stitches

Yarn: I used softly handspun alpaca at 11 wpi. Any soft, fuzzy yarn that is pleasantly squishy at the gauge should work.

Size: One size fits most, since the mitts are very stretchy. Unstretched, mitts measure 8 inches in length and approximately 8 inches around palm. Adjustments can be made by casting on fewer or more stitches for a child's or man's hands, and adjusting the number of pattern repeats for length. I was able to try on the mitts for size as I knit them.

Abbreviation: LI = Lifted Increase: pick up the strand between stitches in the row below with the tip of the left needle (front to back) and knit through the back to twist the new stitch.

8-Round Stitch pattern:
Rounds 1-4: Knit
Rounds 5-8: Purl

CUFF:
- Cast on 32 stitches (loosely) and join in round, distributing stitches evenly between needles.
- complete 4 repeats of the 8-round stitch pattern (resulting in 4 purl welts)

INCREASE FOR THUMB GUSSET:
- Knit 2 rounds
- K1, LI, knit to last stitch, LI, K1
- Knit 1 round
- Purl 4 rounds
- knit 1 round
- k2, LI, knit to last 2 stitches, LI, k2
- Knit 1 round
- k3, LI, knit to last 3 stitches, LI, k3
- purl 4 rounds
- knit 4 rounds
- purl 4 rounds
- knit 1 round
- knit to last 5 stitches, put 5 stitches on holder, cast on 2 stitches to tip of right needle (I used 2 backward loops)
- add first 5 stitches to holder (total 10 stitches on holder), knit to end

PALM:
- Purl 4 rounds
- repeat 8-round pattern 4 times (total of 12 purl welts from very beginning of mitt)
- Knit 4 rounds
- bind off loosely

THUMB:
- put the 10 stitches from the holder onto 3 needles
- leaving a 5-inch yarn tail, knit 1 round picking up 3 more stitches from the gap at inside of thumb
- knit 1 round
- purl 4 rounds
- knit 4 rounds
- purl 4 rounds
- knit 4 rounds
- bind off loosely
- use the 5-inch tail to sew closed any gaps that remain around the base of the thumb.
- weave in remaining yarn tails.

NOW MAKE ANOTHER ONE.

Enjoy!

One-Skein Bamboo Neck Pillow

I am very pleased with how well my neck-pillow-for-migraine-sufferers came out so I thought I would write up the instructions. It is very easy and can be made by anyone who can knit in the round on double points. Gauge is not particularly important. It could be scaled up to make an ice-filled lumbar cushion or it could be stuffed with ordinary stuffing to make a travel pillow.

So here goes my first try at publishing a pattern:

BAMBOO NECK PILLOW FOR MIGRAINE SUFFERERS

Materials:
- 1 skein of Southwest Trading Company 100% Bamboo (or any other non-itchy yarn that suits your fancy)
- 1.5 yards ribbon or other material to make ties (twisted cords made of the Bamboo would be just fine)

Tools:
- one set of four or five size 4 (3.5mm) double points (or size to suit your yarn)

Gauge:
- Mine was 7ss/inch, but anything close will work.



DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 60ss (using whatever cast on you prefer) and join into round.

SECTION 1:
Rounds 1-2: *(P1,K1)* repeat to end of round
Round 3: *(K2tog, YO)* repeat to end of round (be sure to remember the final YO)
Rounds 4-5: *(P1,K1)* repeat to end of round

SECTION 2 (the boring part):
Knit straight for 9 inches
(You could add a color pattern to make it more interesting, but avoid adding texture unless you want to emboss it into your neck.)

Section 3:
Rounds 1-2: *(P1,K1)* repeat to end of round
Round 3: *(K2tog, YO)* repeat to end of round (be sure to remember the final YO)
Rounds 4-5: *(P1,K1)* repeat to end of round
Bind off all stitches fairly loosely.

END RUFFLE:
(Note - you could substitute any lace pattern that works over 60ss)
Pick up 60ss around one end of tube. Distribute onto 3 or 4 needles as desired.
Round 1: K
Round 2: *(K1, YO)* Repeat to end
Round 3: K
Round 4: P
Round 5: K

SIDEWAYS GARTER EDGING:
Increase 4 stitches on first needle as follows:
Knit 1st stitch, but do not remove from left needle. Instead put loop from right needle onto left. Now knit that loop and put it also on left needle. Continue 2 more times to make a total increase of 4 stitches.
Row 1: K3, K2tog, turn
Row 2: K4 (to end of needle), turn
Repeat these two rows until all stitches are consumed.
Graft last 4ss to first 4 increase stitches by either Kitchner or simply binding off and sewing together.

REPEAT END RUFFLE AND SIDEWAYS GARTER EDGING ON OTHER END.

Weave in any loose ends. Weave ribbon or other cord through the eyelet holes made in SECTION 1 and 3.

To use: put ice in a small zip-top bag and roll bag in a wash cloth. Put roll in neck pillow and cinch ends. Enjoy!