Two More Reasons to Knit

Not that I need any reasons. Though, I will have to knit twice as fast now.  Pictured are my grandtwins wearing their side buttoned sweaters. A fast and easy knit.  The part that took the most time was sewing on the buttons.
 Since the weather is warming up and sweaters are not needed.  I knit two cotton sun hats.

 But not all my knitting has been baby sweaters.  I knit a hat for myself out of  Noro Silk Garden. Pattern is Curvy One-Ball Lace Hat by SweaterBabe.

And one for a friend using Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool.

Yes, I know, they are wool.  Wearing them will have to wait.

I Learned Something New

I just finished this vest.  Knit from the top down (the way I knit just about everything) in MadelineTosh Chunky - color Twig.  The pattern is called  Memory Vest by Vera Sanon and is modeled by  my mannequin.  It has an interesting waist stitch border above and below the slip stitch pattern - almost like a crochet chain.  It is sometimes called Estonian braid, lateral braid or braid horizontal. I didn't find it in any of my stitch dictionaries but there are online videos with good instructions.  The stitch was easy to learn but took a little practice to get the tension right. I think it would also look good on a hat band.

I also completed this scarf.  A pattern called "A Little Bit Bohemian".

A good start to 2013.

A Cowl and a Cunning Hat

 Not a lot of finished knitting lately.  I did knit two projects that I really liked the way they came out.

The pattern for the cowl is called Flurries.  An easy pattern with Stockinette and Brioche stitch.  I only changed the pattern a little bit. I added a garter stitch border on the button side.  Who knew I would even need a cowl?     I did wear it on a trip to  the mountains.  And then it was more of a fashion accessory.  What makes it great is the yarn I used, Mericash,  a merino and cashmere blend  (20% Cashmere).  Very soft!

Do you recognize the hat? This is what I had planned with the yarn you saw peeking out of the tote bag in the last post.

Featherweight Finally Finished

It took a while, and a lot of ripping and knitting, but I'm pleased with the result. The pattern is called Featherweight and is one of the more popular cardigans on Ravelry. I changed it a little bit by doing garter stitch on the cuffs and collar.

First holiday gift hat finished, also.  Another popular pattern called Capucine.  Do you see a trend here?
Again I changed the pattern a little bit by knitting garter stitch and skipping the tassel on the crown.  Not quite sure who will be the recipient.

And last of all, I made my Easy Stripes pattern in a solid color. It is a little small for a market bag, but just right for a project bag.  I have the yarn and pattern for my next gift hat. It's a pattern I have wanted to knit for a couple of years.  Can you guess?

Easy Stripes

Easy stripes because the yarn did the work.  It's too hot to knit with wool,  I wanted to knit a bag with  this cotton.  Does the pattern look familiar?  Lately I have been obsessed  with the chevron stitch.   This is the lace version,  instead of a make 1, the increase is done with a yarn over. Knit in the round.

 Zig-Zag Cotton Bag

Size: about 10" x 12" measured flat
Gauge: 4 stitches to 1" Not critical, but for this yarn each stripe is 3 rows
Materials:
2 balls Lilly Sugar 'n Cream Stripes - Natural Stripes
7 (4.5mm) needles & 8 (5mm) needles to work in the round (I used 16" circular)
stitch markers, waste yarn

Bag:
With size 7 needles, provisionally cast on 38 stitches using waste yarn.  Change to main yarn and working back and forth knit 2 rows. Next row slip first stitch with yarn in front, knit to end of row. Repeat this row 20 times.  Change to size 8 needles for working in the round.  Pick up 10 stitches through both loops on the first short side, 37 stitches from the cast on, (make sure you pick up all the loops), 11 stitches through both loops on the last side. 96 stitches. Place marker and knit 2 rounds.  This will be difficult, but will get easier after a few rounds.
Start chevron pattern: Place markers every 12 stitches & don't forget the last YO!
Round 1:  *K1, YO, K4, S2KP, K4, YO* repeat to end of round
Round 2:  K
Knit these 2 rounds 18 times, for a total of 36 rows.
Next round. K5, SK2P, K4
 With size 7 needle knit 6 rounds garter stitch (Knit 1 round, Purl 1 round)  Bind off.
Handle: With size 7 needle, pick up 10 stitches centered at the short side, k 2 rows, decrease to 8 stitches and k 100 rows, increase 2 stitches, k 2 rows.   Pick up 10 loops in the center of the remaining short side and knit a 3-needle bind off.  (Or just sew it together)
Note: You may have to cut out some yarn when joining the 2nd ball to make the stripes work.
Abbreviations: K-Knit, YO- Yarn over, SK2P-Slip 2 together as to knit, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitches over
This is a free pattern for personal use only

 © 2012 OC Knitter

Where Did April, May and June Go?

And July is halfway gone.  Yes, I have slacked off in my posting.  I don't remember much about April.  May was spent knitting and ripping. A vacation in June left little time for knitting. It did not help that I lost my knitting notions case at a motel outside Yosemite. I am still lamenting the loss of my gold stork scissors, beaded markers, cable needles and more.

I was fortunate to be able to visit the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon.That's where the photo above was taken.

Now that I am back home, I have finished what I would have knitted while on vacation.

An Oregon Duck Sweater.  The O was improvised.  Apparently the Duck store doesn't sell O's.  Top Down Teddy Bear Sweater pattern from May 2008.

 An easy cotton market bag,

and a mini shawl.

I Felt Like Knitting a Bag

Zig Zag Bag

A friend gave me a box of 100% wool of questionable origin.    I think it was from a kit, but no patterns or pictures were with it.  Not good enough for an article of clothing but perfect for felting!  I wanted to make a bag using as many colors as I could. I decided on the chevron stitch knit in the round. This is my pithy pattern (subject to editing at a later date).

Starting with the base, cast on 48 stitches with  10.5 (6.5mm) circular needles 29" long.  Knit every row for until there are 24 ridges. Place a marker and pick up 24 stitches along one side, 48 stitches along cast on edge, and 24 stitches on remaining side. Join to knit in the round. There should be 144 stitches.  Knit every round  for 2 inches. Start the Chevron pattern. Put a marker every 12 stitches, if you like.

Chevron Pattern
Round 1: Knit 1, M1, Knit 4, S2KP, Knit 4, M1
Round 2: Knit

Knit 8 rounds of each color.  I used 9 different colors, but I think 8 would have been better.  At the top of the bag, knit 1 round decreasing, but not increasing. Finish with several rounds in garter stitch. Handle is 5 stitch i-cord 18" long.
Felt in washing machine.

M1 = pick up a loop in the strand between last stitch and next stitch and knit through the back (increase)
S2KP = Slip 2 stitches together as if to knit, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitches over the knit stitch
         (centered double decrease)

I have no idea how much yarn was used, but each round took about 5 yards.  The pattern is a multiple of 12, so you could make a different size bag.  And you don't have to make a base, you could just seam the bottom.  In fact, that's exactly what I am going to do, because I have yarn left over!

I Was Right

I finished the top down sweater.  But, just as I thought I don't like it.  I'm super critical about my work. It always happens when I knit sweaters for myself.

On the other hand, I am very happy about this shawl. All garter stitch, faroese style, knit from the top down.  I had only 3 skeins of the Manos del Uruguay wool yarn and used every bit of it.

And just for fun, I knit this shawl. Faroese style also.

What's Next on My Knitting Agenda

I've finished my blanket. It was hard to stick to just one project, but it is done. 

What next?  I have signed up for a mystery knit-a-long (KAL) on Ravelry.  Everyone in the group will make the same pullover sweater.  My usual problem knitting sweaters is that I get half-way along and get dissatisfied in some way and either rip it out or store it away in a closet.  Perhaps working with  a group I will finish.  I am using Avignon, a cotton silk blend by Classic Elite  that has been in my stash for many years.

On a sad note..
My sister's miniature dachshund Maddy died last week after a short illness. I had recently knit this blanket for her. She will be missed.

Did you notice that all these projects are beige?  Just a coincidence.

Here I Go Again...

starting the New Year with determination and resolve to work down my stash. The fastest way I know how is to knit a blanket with big needles and double yarn.  My first project of 2012  is a basketweave pattern on 91 stitches with US 15 (10mm) needles. I'm already halfway done using Caron's One Pound in Lace and Red Heart Fiesta in Buff together. It should make a nice wheelchair size throw to donate to the Veterans Hospital.  The idea is to use up this bit of acrylic yarn before I move on to my next project. That's likely not going to happen.