New Sock patterns

I've added a couple of new sock patterns to my etsy shop and ravelry page.

A Walk through the Cedars and Kindred Spirits are both knit toe up and TAAT (Two at a time).


I find knitting both socks at the same time keeps tension even and eliminates counting rows for the second sock.


Both of these patterns include charts and written instructions to complete.  Grab some of your favorite fingering yarn and knit up a pair or two!

Wow, It has been a long time!  Sometimes life just takes over and leaves no time for what we really want to do.

So now I am back and plan on reopening my etsy shop and Ravelry with updated knitting patterns.  Good things to come, so stay tuned.

Pine Tree Raglan

Another exercise to practice stranded knitting. 

 

 

This one is my own design and knit for my middle grandson, Gavin, who is 4 years old.  Intended for his 2015 Christmas sweater and hoping he won't grow too much before December.  But, if he does, his little brother will have it and I will knit another one bigger for the G-Man.

Using a simple top down raglan design, I added a band of trees near the bottom and added a third color in purl stitches above and below the design. 


This came out to be about a child size 6-8 and is worked top down.

Needles: Size 6     Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch

Cast on 76 joining to work in round. Knit K1 P1 rib for about 3 inches. Fold over and knit cast on stitch with working row to create double thick fisherman neck. Begin increasing for raglan with stitch marker dividers as 14 for each sleeve and 33 each for front and back.  Keep increasing to measure 7 inches from top of neck to under arm. I had 66 stitches for each front and back and 46 for each sleeve.

Place sleeves on holder, cast on 6 stitches underarm, continue to work in round about 5 inches.  Knit one row alternate color, then 2 rows purl and then knit one more row. Change to white for the back ground and knit one row.  Knit the tree pattern and one more row white at the end.  Do the alternate color purl 4 row combo again (knit one row, purl two rows, knit one row).

I also did a second purl bump 4 row combo in green underneath the tan one.  Knit a few rows, then switch to K2, P2 rib and bind off. 

Knit each sleeve separately by picking up the stitches on the needle and pick up 6 stitches from the under arm.  Knit straight to about 3 inches prior to end. Knit an alternate color purl bump 4 row combo. Knit 2 rounds, decreasing 10 stitches to 36.  K2, P2 rib for about 2.5 inches, bind off. 

Block if needed.

Super easy if you like working top down raglans!



I still need to get the tension right with my right hand.  You can see there is discrepancy between the trees when tucking the floats. But in this case, it almost enhances the design and actually looks like snow falling within the tree line.  And for a boy who will be playing in the snow I think it came out just fine and will serve the purpose of keeping him warm.

Zuni Cardigan

I learn something new with nearly every project I knit, which is something that I think is amazing, since knitting really is only 2 stitches... Knit and Purl.

But there are so many, many ways to put them together that the end results are endless.  And the techniques in putting them together seam endless as well.

 

 

I knew when I started the Zuni Cardigan (pattern is in the 2015 Winter Issue of Interweave Knits) that I would learn a lot during this one.  Mainly seaming.  This sweater is knit in pieces, then knit together using the mattress stitch.  Now, this mattress stitch is not so hard, in fact it is quite easy to do and creates a nearly invisible join in pieces.  Well, that is true when sewing straight up the sides.  I had a bit of fiddling along the shoulders and arm openings.  I guess I need more practice at these points! But overall, it came out well and it won't be falling apart at the seams.

 

So, I've never done pockets before and I'm pretty sure that with this project I've learned how not to do them.  These are picked up along the bottom, knit straight up, then sewn on the top.  I think there is a way to do them from the inside, which I think would have been a lot neater.  I will definitely try a different method with my next project that requires pockets.

 

 

And of course, I am trying to master fair isle or stranded knitting.  This project was great for that as it just has some here and there. The trick is keeping track of every row so they line up properly.  (another reason I am determined to try STEEKING in the future, but that is another story altogether)

The shawl collar was fun with over 400 stitches to pick up.  This was not hard, just took along time.  I would put a stitch marker every 20 stitches so I didn't have to recount each time I lost track.



Anyway, it came out acceptable, could have been better, but I'm sure Sara will love it.  And I love the fact that I have 3 Christmas gifts done and it is only March!

Fleegle Socks

I've always knit socks top down on double pointed needles with a heel flap, but I thought I would try something new.

Toe up with 2 at a time (definitely not the magic loop - no matter how many attempts I make, my brain just cannot set these up!), using 3 16 inch circular needles.

I was looking for a good heel and tried the short rows, which are ok, but then I ran across the Fleegle Heel design and I am definitely sold.  If you are on ravely, just search for Fleegle Heel socks. And here is a link to a free pattern!

I love these as there is basically no keeping track of rows, no picking up stitches and no sewing up the toes with Kitchner stitch.

The math is easy.  Just increase the toes to the stitch count you need to the start of the heel (top of the foot to where the ankle starts).  Start increasing for the heel (one  half of the stitches) one stitch on each side every other row until the heel stitch count equals the total number of sock stitches.  Then turn the heel until the heel stitch count is back to one half the total sock stitches.   Then knit up the leg.

Easy peasy!

My first pair of socks are knit with Deborah Norville premier yarn on size 0 needles.  Total Stitch count to 72 and very pointy toes (needed for Mom)

The formula works so well, and by working them toe up, it is very easy to try them on as you go to ensure a perfect fit!

Fair Isle Hat

I've been trying my hand at fair isle or stranded knitting, but really had no instruction or visual aids to go by.  I was going by something I heard years ago about always having the yarn go under the color change so there won't be a hole.

By putting the yarn under each other, it required physically changing the position of the yarn after each stitch, which not only slows down the knitting process, but gets old very fast.

So I did some research on line and came across this wonderful video showing how to knit stranded work without tangling or changing position!  I feel like a silly goat that the items I've knit with color change so far have been knit completely wrong, not to mention the hard way.

If you are new to stranded work, take a moment to view this video from the Philosopher's Wool Company.  She calmingly walks you through the two handed technique.

This brings us to right or left handed knitting.  I have always held the yarn in my left hand.  This technique requires holding yarn in both, one color in the left, one color in the right.

I have found that I am completely uncoordinated using the right, but I'm sure with some practice I can master this. 

I started out with a simple hat, using scraps that I had laying around. 

Knitting this was SO MUCH FUN!  I love working with colors and using the technique from the video, it goes super fast. 

I'll send this hat out to my grandson, Warren who loves skiing and sledding.  With the stranded work, it is like a double knit and sure to be an extra warm hat!

Stranded: Fair Isle Knitting

One of the new techniques I have on my 2015 list to learn and master is stranded fair isle knitting.

I don't mean just changing colors, I mean mastering it with consistent tension, great color combos and no holes!   I've spent a lot of years avoiding this and just knitting solid colors and simple stripes, simply because, frankly, color changes scared me. But in 2015, I plan to tackle my fears and work hard to master fair isle.

My first project is a sweet little sweater for my youngest grandson.  (He is the tester because, well, he is the smallest!).   So I picked this lovely pattern that is available on Ravelry, titled Anders  by Sorren Kerr. I fell in love with the pattern and it is extremely well written.  Easy to follow, top down, in the round, no seaming, and easy charts for the color work.

The project came out lovely and the sweater is tucked away for Christmas.  Not to mention little Nolan's birthday is Christmas Eve, so this sweater is just perfect for him!

 

As you can see, the tension is pretty good for the snow fall near the top, but I have some work to do to get the tension better near the bottom of the trees.  For my first one, I'm ok with that for now, but will definitely work on improvements with future projects.

 I found that when changing colors, each change requires me to 'flip' my incoming yarn so that with each change the new yarn goes under the old yarn.  Unless I flipped the yarn, I would end up with a tangled mess.  This slows the knitting process down, quite a bit, but I just love the end result.

 

I've already cast on an adult sweater for my daughter Sara that has some fair isle work. So far it is coming out well, so stay tuned for that update in another month or so.. (it is a big sweater that requires SEAMING.. another technique on my 2015 list!.

 

 

 

 

2015 Challenge: Finding New Techniques

I've spent 2014 knitting up a storm.  I have gotten pretty darn good at top down raglans, basic top down socks and various shawls.  For 2015 I have decided to choose projects that would incorporate learning new techniques to expand my knitting knowledge.

My first project in 2015 was to design a pull over sweater for my grandson without using a pattern that was full of cables.  My thought was to have a fisherman type sweater for warmth, durability and wash ability for an 8 year old boy who loves to play outside.

I decided to do  a bottom up so I could have more control over the cabling designs.  I used Lion Brand Wool Ease so it could be washable without any shrinkage.

The sizing came out a bit big for him, but if I hang on to it for Christmas, he may grow by then for a perfect fit.

 

 

I started at the bottom, Cast on 200 stitches on size 5 needles. (This ended up being a bit large for his narrow body, but I think it is nice for boys to have roomy sweaters to allow play!)

 

100 stitches for front, and 100 stitches for the back.  2X2 rib for a couple inches.

 

Centering the cable design and separating each design with purl 2, I used honeycomb for the center, surrounded by claw on each side and then surrounded by a chain design on each side of that.

 

Knitting up to the length desired to under arms, I did a stockinette stitch sleeves, casting on 36 stitches increasing 6 stitches on the first row after the 2 x 2 rib, then increasing 2 stitches every 6 rounds.

 

I then added the sleeves to the body and began the raglan decrease to the neck, keeping as best I could to the cable patterns as they decreased.

 

The neck is 2 x 2 rib for about 4 inches, then folded over and sewn down on the inside, to make a double thick collar.

 

 

Cable Patterns:

 

Chain: (7 stitches worked over 8 rows)

 

1) Sl 1 PW, K5, S1 PW

2) Sl 1 PW, K5, S1 PW

3) C3L, K1, C3R

4) Knit

5) K2, S1 PW, K1, S1 PW, K2

6) K2, S1 PW, K1, S1 PW, K2

7) C3R, K1, C3L

8) Knit

 

Claw: (9 stitches worked over 4 rows)

 

1) Knit

2) Knit

3) C4R, K1, C4L

4) Knit

 

Honeycomb: (32 stitches worked over 8 rows)

 

1) C4B, C4F

2) Knit

3) Knit

4) Knit

5) C4F, C4B

6) Knit

7) Knit

8) Knit

 

 

Guide:

Sl 1 PW (slip one stitch Purl Wise)

C3L: (Cable 3 left: slip next stitch onto cable needle and hold in FRONT of work. Knit next 2 stitches from left needle, then knit stitch from cable needle)

C3R: Cable 3 right: slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in BACK of work. Knit next  stitch from left needle, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle)

C4R: (Cross 4 Right: slip next 3 stitches onto cable needle and leave at BACK of work, knit next stitch from left needle, then knit 3 stitches from cable needle)

C4L: (Cross 4 Left:  slip next stitch onto cable needle and leave at FRONT of work, knit next 3 stitches from left needle, then knit stitch from cable needle)

C4B: (Cable 4 Back: slip next 2 stitches  onto a cable needle and hold in BACK of work, knit next 2 stitches from left needled, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle)

C4F: (Cable 4 Front: slip next 2 stitches  onto a cable needle and hold in FRONT of work, knit next 2 stitches from left needled, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle)

 

For my first sweater knit without using a pattern, I think it came out pretty good.  Warren loves my hand made sweaters and wears them all the time.  This one, though, is an original and made especially for him!

 

 



Cardigan Sweater, Boot Slippers, Pinwheel Pouch and an Owl

Christmas is coming FAST and projects are everywhere in my house.

Right now I have a poncho, a sweater, a pair of socks and a shawl all on the needles.

This week I was able to finish up a few, including this great cardigan sweater.  I originally intended this one was for my Mom, but the sizing came out a bit small.  I will need to order yarn and start over 2 sizes bigger, but the pattern is super easy and it is a quick knit. This pattern is available on ravelry here for $5.00 by Megan Goodacre.  The pattern is well written and a very quick knit, well worth $5..
Just make sure you check your gauge and select the right size.
This one will go to my very petite friend!

 

 

 

These house boot slippers were super fun to make and are for daughter Erin.  In lieu of chunky yarn, I used double strands of worsted.  The pattern can be found here and is FREE!

 

I did some modifications to the pattern itself, but mine came out very similar:



This cute, cute mini pouch is perfect for my neighbor girl.. Plan to put a bit of cash in there for her!
The pattern can be found here and is also FREE

And lastly, another free pattern for this fun fun fun owl.  Knit up with scraps and left over buttons, this is for my son's girlfriend who really likes owls... Total project time for this one was about an hour.  Can't beat that!

Hoping you all have your holiday projects going in full swing and are closer to completion that I am!
Happy Knitting

Getting ready for the Holiday Season, Weddings and Babies...

I'm starting to panic about this holiday season.  It seems that my knitting list is getting longer with each completed project rather than shorter.

So many babies are making their debut this year, my niece is getting married in November and of course, I had made a commitment to myself that all the kids would get a sweater this year.

I did manage to get Lisa's wedding shawl completed and sent to her last week for her 11/2/2013 wedding.  And it came out lovely, if I do say so myself.  I used JaggerSpun 50/50 wool/silk in lace weight and used Heirloom Knitting book for a guide.  The center diamond pattern picks up on the design in her dress and the lace edging is an Irish stitch, used to remind her of her high school days when she played Irish jigs on her viola.

My son-in-laws Christmas sweater is completed, which is knit with a washable wool.  I think it will work just fine for him as he works outside in the New England winters...  It is a top down Henley with some great stitch design!

I had a custom request from my daughter's friend for her new baby girl.  A dress, sweater, booties and hat, and what a fun knit these were!  Of course, I only have grandsons, so working on little girl items are always a JOY!

And I was actually able to get a bit of spinning done this month...

However productive this seems to be, I have a LONG list to get done before the holidays.  I know I always seem to put this pressure on my self each year and I need to learn to stop doing that.  I'm off to work on Mom's Christmas sweater now... the knitting must get done!

A Couple Hats

I always tend to over buy yarn for projects and usually have quite a bit left over.  So when I purchased yarn for my current project, I did the math and ordered just what they called for. Well, this time I am running SHORT! 

Don't you just want to cry when that happens?  No only will I not get the same dye lot, but now the yarn is no longer on sale and I have to pay full price for 2 balls of yarn.  Woe is me! Well, the order is in and should be shipped soon.

Here are a couple of hats that I made with left overs from previous projects:

This one is my own design, knit for my son who has a huge  head, using left overs from a sweater knit for my daughter:





This one is knit from a pattern I found on Ravelry by Susan Moskwa called Joey.  This one was knit for my son in law with left over yarn from a sweater knit for my grandson.  This was a super fun pattern and it is FREE! 

What do you do with your left over yarn?

Reversible Cables

Using some left over yarn from a sweater, I thought I would try to do a scarf with reversible cables.

After searching Ravelry, I found a nice pattern called Braid Cable Reversible Hiking Scarf  by Jeanna Quinones.  I made it a bit longer than the pattern indicates, which requires more yarn, but I just kept knitting until I ran out.

This is the first time I did  a reversible cable, and it is actually quite easy.  The concept is that the pattern is done in rib (knit one, purl one) and when the cables are made, it is the same on the back as it is on the front.  Incredible... just like magic!

If you are a cable lover, most definitely give this technique a try!

Knit Mouse

Picture a dentist office. 

Ok, now that you have your vision in your head, picture this:

Hardwood floors, nice fireplace, beautiful scenic paintings on the walls and lovely decorative items on the fireplace mantel.  In the center of the room, a dentist chair, complete with a back massaging option.  Along one wall a high tech computer showing larger than life size xrays and along the other a huge bay window with a view of city traffic. 

At closer look at the fireplace there are tiny cast iron black mice peeking around photo frames, popping out of the fire logs and hidden here and there through out the room.

Not your typical dentist office, but then my dentist is not typical.  He is one of the most friendly people I know who is super considerate (LOVE the massage chair!).

Because his nick name is Mickey, people bring him mice that he displays in his office. So of course, I just had to add to his collection.

I found a great knit mouse pattern on ravelry by Dooley and Spud called Jingle Mouse - Cat Toy.  The pattern is actually a cat toy with a bell in the body, but I just stuffed mine as it won't be used for a toy.  And I also used little black buttons for the eyes rather than embroidery.

It knit up in a flash and I think it will fit in nicely with his collection. So, the next time I go to the dentist, I will give him a little thank you for installing the massage chair. 

Handknit Hug

While daughter Sara is managing well through the ups and downs of life, recently she had several downs in a row.  It is hopeful that this little trend is just blip and things will start going up soon.  But until that happens, she just needed a hug to get her through. 

I'm in New York and she is in Vermont, so what else could a Mom do, but knit her a hug and send it in the mail?

I had some gorgeous wool, linen, silk blend DK weight yarn that is so very, very soft and smooth. I searched ravelry for a pattern for a short sleeve sweater pattern and fell in love with Tappan Zee the moment I saw it.  The construction is top down and incorporates a fun lace pattern in the yoke that is simple and yet fun to knit.  

It only took a week to knit up and it came out lovely.  I shipped it off to Vermont with a little note to Sara who responded on Facebook: "My mother is an incredible human being!. Thank you so much for the wonderful knit hug!"  

This little sweater brightened both our lives and not only brought smiles and warmth during the giving and receiving process, but will keep Sara snuggled in hugs for a long time to come. 

If you know someone going through some rough times, break out the needles and knit them up a hand knit hug to snuggle in and  you will both feel the love! 

 

Mom's Socks

I just finished a pair of basic socks for Mom's 84th birthday.  The design is just a plain old pair of socks, nothing fancy.  Mom is old school... not old, mind you, just old school. 

Things in her life need to be functional and simple.  So, I knit her some plain crew socks in this gorgeous hand dyed yarn from a shop on etsy.  I think the rich color brings a little class to this old school, plain Jane pair of crews. 

Little Man Sweaters

I'm always looking for fun knits for my grandsons and I recently found this really fantastic pattern on Ravelry for wee ones.  Of course it is a unisex design, but boy oh boy, it sure fits the bill for a little man's sweater. 

The pattern is Abate by Alicia Plummer. It is so well written that I didn't ever.. not once.. question what I was doing on each and every step. It is knit top down in the round so there is very little seaming. And it has the best underarm attachment that I have done to date.

I would definitely recommend this pattern if you need to make a sweater for kids. 

I knit up this one for my Grandson Gavin that just turned 3 last June.  I used Vanna's Choice Acrylic and it came out soft and snuggly, just like Gavin.

I liked the pattern so much, I did another for my other Grandson Warren, who just turned 7 this past May.  I did a little modification and added some textured design around the chest. For this one, I used (GASP!!) Red Heart with Love acrylic.  Now, I am a huge yarn snob and usually won't allow Red Heart in my house, much less knit with it.  But, after constant complaining from the mothers about the inability to wash and wear, I caved and bought some.  I am actually quite surprised that it didn't squeak on the needles and it is much softer than the regular Red Heart.

Anyway,  the pattern is FANTASTIC and I will probably make it again with some modifications. Definitely a great skeleton pattern to build your creativity!

Keep your needles clicking ♥

Perfect Knit Socks

I am pretty much old school when it comes to knitting socks.  I am a die hard DPN girl and no matter how many times I try the magic loop sock method, I always give up mid way through.

Because I work each sock one at a time, I usually end up with one sock slightly different than the other due to missing a row or two. But, when I am diligent in keeping track of the rows, the pair will end up perfect.

The pair below is a basic stockinette sock.  I let the yarn give the pizzaz to keep the knitting simple.

Here are the tools that I use:

Double Pointed Needles
Fingering Weight Sock yarn
Note Pad
Sock Blockers
(not shown: darning needle)

I am totally in love with these DPNs that are named Darrn Pretty Needles, made in Vermont.  They are wooden and have the sharpest points and feel like glass.  These are size 2 and I prefer the 4 inch length for socks. 

 

 

I have found that if I diligently mark off each row when working each foot, the socks come out perfectly.  I use a notebook with grid lines, but any paper will do.  I like the note book as I can look back to previous socks and make sure I have the right size and stitch count for all my family members. As you can see, I have two sections for right and left foot:

 

 



I don't actually use a pattern, but I adhere to the 50/50 method (using half of the stitches for the heel and gusset).

 

Once they are done, don't forget to block them for that added look of professional knitting!

 

 

I knit this pair for my oldest daughter, Erin, who loves the outdoors. She goes hiking, trekking, snowboarding, skiing... and who needs to keep her feet warm! 

 

 

 

 

 

I know that the magic loop is very popular now and to knit both socks at once seems to be very gratifying, but there are still those of us that prefer the DPN method.