Posts Tagged ‘pattern’

FO: Celtic Baby Jumper

Monday, March 8th, 2010

It was a very productive weekend.  Not only did I sing in a choir concert, but somehow time was also dedicated to this little sweater which is now just about completed!  It needs a few ends sewn in, and a good blocking, and it will be good to go.  I love the yarn Life DK; it feels like wool, but is a machine washable blend of 75% acrylic and 25% wool. In case you are wondering, this colour was 2346 “Mixtures Blue Haze”

This little sweater vest will fit a 2-3 year old, but in the mean time, it is long enough to be a sweater dress for a 6-9 month old.  I polled several mothers who agreed with my measurements and my logic.  Can’t you imagine a darling baby girl wearing this over tights?

I might just have to get another colour and test knit my pattern!  The entire sweater vest took less than 100g of yarn, and the pattern is only 90 rows, but each row is different from the last.

The pattern will be available later this spring.  If any patient knitter with an eye for detail would like to test knit the pattern, please contact me!

Another Milestone

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

The torch is lit again, and red mittens are on hands everywhere.

Paralympic red mittens are similar to the Olympic red mittens, but with the Paralympic logo on the back of the hand.  Did you know that it is impossible to purchase a pair of these mittens?  HBC isn’t selling them.    Why not knit a pair of 2010 mittens, with proceeds going to the Penguins Can Fly swim team for disabled children.  Maybe sometime in the future, there will be Penguins in the summer Paralympic games!

The torch relay is continuing until the Paralympics start on March 12th.  I hope to catch some of the sports on TV.  I’m intrigued to learn more about the sports, and various adaptations that are incorporated to allow a great variety of athletes to participate.

An update on the Red Mitten fundraising….

thanks mom for the pizza!

We’re at the $1600 mark.  Thanks to the generous knitters out there who are supporting some very amazing children, and helping them achieve great things.

Pattern Choice

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Thanks to all the twitter knitters out there for your great pattern suggestions.

The popular patterns were:

The Fae Folk Hat [Ravelink]

image source: ravelry.com

and Ishbel [Ravelink]

image source: ravelry.com

but….I am not in the mood for something fiddly like lace right now.  I seem to be in the mood for something totally different and fiddly in another way entirely.

image source: ravelry.com

This is a pattern called “Some Assembly Required” [Ravelink]

As soon as I read the pattern blurb, I knew it was PERFECT for me!

“Warning! Some Assembly Required is extreme knitting! This is not suitable for beginners. Please review the techniques list before purchase. The pattern may be hard, but it will be worth it.

Some Assembly Required is a pattern that will enable you to make an adorable toy that can be taken apart and put together again. The head, torso, and legs are independent pieces, so you could make multiple pieces in different colors and they would be interchangeable.”

I’m not sure WHEN I’ll get the chance to knit this….maybe a paralympic knitting project?  I am comforted by the fact that it is in smallish pieces, so I will feel the thrill of accomplishment many times as the project grows.

Thanks again to yarn piggy from flying pig knits for giving me the pattern!


What is your favourite pattern?

Friday, March 5th, 2010

If you could pick any knitting pattern to download, which one would it be?  There are so many to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start.  Would you start by choosing the technique you want to learn?  Would you start by choosing the kind of garment/project you want to knit?  Would you start by choosing a pattern that you could knit with your current stash yarn?

Today I found out that I was randomly chosen as a Team Canada Ravelympics prize winner for completing my projects (Ceilidh and Eirinn).  The prize (a ravelry downloadable pattern up to $6 US) was generously donated by yarnpiggy of flying pig knits

So, now the tough part….what pattern should I choose??

What is your favourite pattern and why?

Cables

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

I recently remembered something….

I love cable knitting!!  20 rows into this little sweater and I’m totally hooked.  Maybe it is the fact that each row is different so I will never get bored of it.  Maybe it is because I can work in convenient 4 row chunks between doing all the other things that need to get done.  Maybe it is because it has been a LONG time since I did a lot of cable knitting.

Have you knit cables before?

Don’t be intimidated….they look very intense, but step by step, row by row, they are pretty easy to figure out.

I remember my very first cable knitting project.  Back in the early 90s boxy fishermen’s sweaters were pretty cool (in my middle-school mind anyway).  I was excited when my mom took me to Lewiscraft to buy more 50g balls of cream coloured acrylic yarn than I could hold in my arms.  Back then I was naive–I didn’t really know that there was anything but acrylic yarn.  This isn’t entirely my fault though since the ’80s thought acrylic was awesome!

My first cable sweater was knit in pieces then [badly] sewn together–these days I avoid sewing thing at all cost!  My first cable sweater took a lot of patience to get set up properly because I didn’t really understand  how the cables work.  I was counting stitches, and counting rows and checking things off step by step on the pattern. I remember being fascinated by how the cables worked, but frustrated because if I made a mistake I’d have to rip WAY back to fix it.

The second cable sweater (knit one year later) was more exciting to make because I knew what I was getting into.  I chose my pattern more carefully and could make more sense of the charts and instructions.  I remember knitting it during math class once my homework was done (yes…I was THAT kid!)

Since those two adventures in cables I’ve dabbled in cable socks, some were tame, others not so tame!  These socks are Rhiannon by Cookie A that I knit for a guy who wears kilts from time to time.

I am now enjoying the freedom of creating my own cable patterns.  The stress of pattern reading has been eliminated.  I simply have to remember what I want it to look like, and count rows in groups of 4.  (I hope I haven’t just jinxed myself!)

If you are interested in starting into the adventure of cable knitting, here’s an easy and quirky beginner cable project: the DNA scarf.

Image source (http://www.twosheep.com/helix/)

Make one for the geek in your life!

Pattern: Eirinn

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Knit in the round from crown to brim with two contrasting worsted weight yarns, this celtic inspired hat would be perfect to wear on St. Patrick’s day.

Buy Eirinn for $4.00 CAD

The Gaelic word Eirinn (pronounced air-en) is a poetic name for Ireland often used in songs.  The celtic patterning of the braid represents the continuum of life, love and faith, and the circle motif represents eternity.

As the final hours of the Ravelympics, knitting olympics and sporting olympics wind down, I am extremely proud to present a second pattern.  This is like an unexpected medal win for me as I thought it would be a big enough challenge to spin and knit and publish one pattern!  Watching all of the fantastic performances of our Canadian athletes I felt inspired to go for the double gold.

Skills: cast on, knitting in the round, purl, cables, kfb increase, stranded knitting, chart reading
Needles:   4 size 4.0mm DPNs, cable needle, darning needle
Yarn:  Worsted weight in 2 contrasting colours
Gauge:  4.5 sts per inch, 7 rows per inch in stockinette stitch

This pair of hat and mitts is perfect for someone interested in a little colourwork and a little bit of cable knitting.

If you like Eirinn, you may also like to knit Ceilidh mittens to match!

Download the .pdf pattern for Eirinn (hat) only  $4.00 CAD

Download the .pdf pattern for Ceilidh (mittens) only $4.00 CAD

Download the .pdf pattern for Eirinn and Ceilidh together for $6.00 CAD

Check out my other patterns here.

Pattern: Ceilidh

Friday, February 26th, 2010

$4.00 CAD

A ceilidh (pronounced Kaylee) is a traditional Gaelic social dance originating in Ireland and Scotland.  In days gone by, there were ceilidhs in most town and village halls on Friday or Saturday nights.  The cheerful and lively ceilidh music is provided by fiddles, flutes, tin whistles, accordions, and the bodhran drum.

This pattern is the results of my Ravelympic challenge: to design and publish a pattern during the Olympic games, and to knit a pair of mittens from sheep fleece that I carded, dyed and spun during the span of the games.

The green was inspired by my 4 leaf clover, and was created using orange and green kool-aid.  The fleece was spun and Navajo plied to form a worsted weight 3-ply yarn.

The celtic patterning of the braid represents the continuum of life, love and faith, and the circle motif represents eternity.

Knit in the round with two contrasting worsted weight yarns, these celtic inspired mittens would be perfect to wear to a St. Patrick’s day ceilidh.

Skills: cast on, knitting in the round, purl, cables, M1 increase, decrease (ssk and k2tog), stranded knitting, chart reading, kitchener stitch
Needles:   4 size 4mm DPN, cable needle, darning needle
Yarn:  Worsted weight in 2 contrasting colours
Gauge:  4.5 sts per inch, 7 rows per inch in stockinette stitch

These mittens would be great for a beginner who is ready to try cable knitting and colourwork in small doses.

EDIT:  Ceilidh now has a matching hat called Eirinn.

Download the .pdf pattern for Celildh (mittens) only for $4.00 CAD

Download the .pdf pattern for Ceilidh & Eirinn for $6.00 CAD

If you like these patterns, check out my others!

KnitPicks Inspiration in the Mail

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

It seems robot knitting is ALL the rage these days!  I got the Knitpicks catalogue in the mail today and saw this on the back cover.

I’m a bit tempted to make something similar….but have to focus on robot hats first.

I have to say that I am very impressed with this month’s catalogue.  There is such variation.  Gorgeous socks…I particularly like the “boyfriend socks” [Ravelink] by Mary Jane Mucklestone found in “The Joy of Sox”

image from Ravelry.com

There are great kilt socks in kit form, and a set of Japanese inspired socks and leggings textured with lace and cables from “Knitted Socks East and West” by Judy Summer.

There are some whimsical purses on a fruit and veggie theme that incorporate beaded knitting, stranded colourwork, and a whole lot of fun.  I’m not sure if I could pull off using one of these, but I bet they would be a hit among some hip teenagers somewhere!

What really got me was the next section of Amigurumi Knits based on the book by Hansi Singh [Ravelink]

Knitted insects (ants, praying mantis, spiders) hermit crabs and even a jackalope!  Check them out if you have an urge to knit something unconventional.

image from Ravelry.com

image from Ravelry.com

And….for those of you with little ones to knit for, the Barnyard Buddies kits look adorable!  It wouldn’t be a far stretch to adapt other bonnet and shorties/longies patterns to create more animals for your baby.

There’s a cute piggy pattern with a curlicue tail…so adorable!

Good job Knitpicks on the great package of inspiration.  Usually I get upset by paper catalogues in my mailbox, but the one this month is not a disappointment!

Pattern: Robot Hats

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

To celebrate the completion of the FIRST robotics build season (meet the team! see our blog!) I have charted and written up the pattern for our unique and delightful robot hats.

Download the hat pattern in .pdf form (full colour charts, photos and instructions)

We wear these hats to competitions, and other events, and they are also regular winter hats to some.  They help unite us as a team, and show our Canadian spirit when we are competing in the USA.  The first hats were knit on the way to the International competition in Atlanta Georgia, on our 22 hour bus ride.

The pattern is based on the Robot Hat pattern that I found on Ravelry last year.  It is knit with any worsted weight acrylic yarn, and 5.0mm needles.  My pattern is fully customizable to fit large and small heads alike based on a small swatch.

Our hats are each unique; the variations have included different stripes, different colours of robots, having a rolled up brim, having pompoms, curlicues, or horns.  We’ve even made headbands too!  Our team challenges each other to come up with more wild and wacky hat ideas, and figure out how to make them.  Each hat has robots on it, and is made from our team colours, and has 2809 (our team number) on it.

Some Math:  We recognize that team members, and mentors and younger supporters all have different sized heads.  It is a good idea to do a gauge swatch and a bit of math to make sure your hat will fit.

Measure the circumference of the head:________________inches.

Make a swatch in stockinette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) that is at least 2 inches x 2 inches.

Lay the swatch out flat (but do not stretch it), put a ruler on top of it and count how many stitches fit in one inch.  It may be easier to count how many stitches fit in two inches, then divide by 2.

Stitch gauge: ______________stitches per inch.

Generally hats stretch to fit around your head.  Subtract about an inch from the head circumference so the hat will stretch to fit around the head.

Hat circumference = Head circumference – 1.

Hat circumference =_____________

Cast on = Hat circumference  x  stitch gauge

Cast on = ___________________

Cast On the appropriate number of stitches for your hat. Join in the round being careful not to twist.
Work an inch or two in K2, P2 ribbing (more if you are going to flip the brim over)

Change colours as desired.

Knit an inch or two before starting the robot and team number motif.

It is highly recommended to use a spreadsheet or several pieces of graph paper to chart out the entire hat to be sure that everything is centered, and that the robots and team number can all be incorporated.  You can graph out team logos and other different robots if you’d like.

TEAM NUMBER

ROBOTS (source)  click for larger image

Try on the hat from time to time to be sure that it is long enough before you start decreasing.  Knit until the hat is long enough.

Decreases: Divide the number of stitches by 4, place markers at each division.  Each round, decrease by knitting together the two stitches that precede the marker.  Each round the total number of stitches will decrease by 4.  Continue until there are about 8 stitches left.  Cut the yarn, draw the yarn through the remaining stitches and pull tight.

Headband Option – Knit in the round.
Round 3 start robots leaving space for team numbers
Round 7 start team logo close to the top
Knit 1 round after robot complete then purl one round, then knit the lining for the headband (same number of rows that you knit for the outside.
Cast off.  Fold headband along purl line.  Sew Cast On and Cast Off edge together

Toppings:

Antenna–instead of decreasing so rapidly, decrease every 3 rows or so, to create a spike at the back of the hat.

Pompom–cut out two circles from cardboard.  Cut out a circle (1 inch diameter) in the centre of each circle.  Hold the two circles together, and wrap yarn around through the middle and around the outside over and over again.  When the circle is full, cut around the outside edge and separate the two cardboard circles a little.  Tie a long piece of yarn around and fasten it tightly around the middle bundle of strings.  Remove the cardboard, and trim the pompom.

Curlicues (source)
Cast on 20 stitches. (The final length of your curlicue will be the same as the length of your cast on row.)  Knit into the front and back of each stitch loosely, ending up with 40 stitches. Bind off purlwise. Here you see the curlicue already curling on the bind off row.  Take your finished curlicue and twist it in the direction it is already curling.

Horns and other structural knitting
Knit with wool and one strand of copper from a copper scrubbie (which is actually knit, so you can unravel it really easily).  You are limited only by your imagination.

Count Down To Cast On

Friday, February 12th, 2010

I’d like to thank all the fantastic, generous knitters out there who have purchased the pattern for 2010 mittens.

As of today, $800 has been raised for the Penguins Can Fly Swim Team at my local YMCA.  It is a swim team for disabled youth, and their siblings that encourages active participation, hard work, and personal growth.

There’s still time to cast on and knit yourself a pair during the Olympics!

100% of the purchase price ($5.00 CAD) is donated to the Penguins

As for my own Olympic knitting projects, this is the before picture…..

A bag of washed fleece (from Serbian sheep of unknown breed), and my trusted spinning wheel.

Statement of Goals

At 7:00PM on Feb.12th I will begin to card this fleece while watching the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics!

I’ll experiment with microwave kool-aid and food colouring as dyes on the weekend, and start spinning when the fleece is dry.

My goal is to knit a pair of socks from my handspun before the torch is extinguished.

I’m competing in several categories for the Ravelympics (team Canada of course), and also in the Knitting Olympics  hosted by our very famous Canadian Knitter, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee the Yarn Harlot.

I know that a pair of socks is not a “Epic” project, but because I’m starting from scratch, and that I am working full time and volunteering so much (helping kids build robots), I think it will be a challenge to complete this project in the 17 days allowed.

This whole process is bringing back memories of  the 2008 summer ravelympics when I started from fleece, and made a hat and mittens.  Back then I wasn’t working though, so I was fully devoted to my event.

You can bet that I’ll be blogging my progress this time round so check back frequently for updates!

What Knitting Olympic event are you participating in?  I’m eager to follow your blogs, leave info in the comments.