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Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2015

Xmas Star Mitts

Hold a star in your hands with these beautiful fingerless gloves. They are knitted all in garter stitch with a star around your thumb.

Xmas Star Mitts - Free Knitting Pattern by Knitting and so on


The mitts are basically shaped like the Starburst Mitts I published a while ago, but with added colorwork to form a star around the thumbs.

Creative Commons License
This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.








Materials
  • a total of 35 to 40 grams of fingering weight yarn in two colors (about 25 grams of color 1, C1, beige in the photos and about 15 grams of color 2, C2, blue in the photos)
  • 3mm knitting needles
  • 3 stitch markers (2 of which safety pins of similar)
  • tapestry needle (for grafting and to weave in ends)

Gauge / Measurements

The finished mitts measure about 16 cm in circumference (around the wrists) and 18 cm high. (Gauge in garter stitch: 6 stitches and 14 rows/7ridges = 1 inch)


Techniques
  • Short Rows (t+p): Short rows are one of my favorite knitting techniques because they not only allow you to shape your knitting but also to created interesting graphical pattern. There are several techniques for short rows – and it’s a matter of taste which one you prefer. I’ve recently learned a technique called German short rows: when you turn, bring yarn to the front and pull it back so that a sort of double-stitch is created, then knit back as usual - when you have to knit the double-stitch, be careful to knit it as one stitch (see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6n561SMZXQ); this method has the advantage the no picking up of stitches is necessary. In the pattern, this stitch will be called t+p (turn and pull).
  • Provisional Cast-On: This method of cast-on usually uses some waste yarn that can be remove later to get live stitches, these stitches can either be used to continue knitting in the opposite direction or to graft these stitches to the rest of your piece. My favourite method is the one using a crochet hook (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeExgbgTOgs). The first time you use your working yarn, will be called setup row in this pattern.
    There are other methods as well. E.g. the one explained in knitty (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/FEATfall05TT.html). If you use this method, you don’t need to knit the setup row (14 sts of C2 and 9 sts of C1), because you already have your first row of stitches in working yarn.
  • Grafting: Grafting (also called kitchener stitch) is a great way to finish garments without a visible seam (If you want to know more about grafting – it’s different stitches and mechanics – you should read the “5 Grafting Myths”-series by Joni Coniglio on knittingdaily.com).
    To finish these mitts you need to be able to graft in garter stitch.
    • Grafting in garter stitch (and here’s a video from knittinghelp.com that shows the technique: www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/grafting-garter-kitchener-stitch):
      Set-up stitch:
      - front needle: insert purlwise and leave stitch on needle;
      - back needle: insert purlwise and leave stitch on needle;
      Then repeat the following actions:
      - front needle: insert knitwise needle into first and slide from needles (knit slip), insert needle purlwise into next stitch and leave on needle (purl leave)
      - back needle: insert knitwise needle into first and slide from needles (knit slip), insert needle purlwise into next stitch and leave on needle (purl leave)
  • Picking up stitches from the edge and joining as you go: to attach the first stitch of one row to the edge stitch of the row opposite, slip the last stitch and insert the right needle in a loop of the edge stitch from the opposite side, reinsert the left needle into the last 2 loops and knit them together (like doing a ssk); this will be called ssk+c (ssk and connect) in this pattern (see illustration photo 3 below) - a similar method is shown in this video: http://youtu.be/3zPXZ4cu66Q.
    Alternatively, you can just knit the last stitch of each row in section F and G and sew the two sides together afterwards.
Illustration photos


General Construction

The mitts are knitted flat in eight sections (from A to H).
The diagram shows how the sections form the complete mitt, how many stitches there are between the edge and M1 (inner blue circle), as well as how the stitch count changes.
It also shows where the mitt is to be folded and which parts are to be attached to which when finishing the mitts (or while you're knitting sections F and G).
Sections E, F, G, and H are mirror images of sections D, C, B, and A respectively, i.e. where there is an increase in A, there is an decrease in H - and the short row lenghts are mirrored as well.


Color Charts - How to Read Them

When I started this pattern, I drew charts on squared paper because I found this much easier to work with. That's why I'm including the charts here, too.

Here's how to read the charts (example chart for sections A and H).

Example: Chart for sections A and H
  • For the first section A you work from top to bottom. For the last section H you work from bottom to top - this is indicated by the big arrows on the side.
  • One row indicates on ridge, i.e. one RS row and one WS row.
  • White squares are knit-stitches in C1. Blue squares are knit-stitches in C2. The numbers in front of the row indicate how many stitches per color are in that row - the black number gives the number of stitches for C1 and the blue number the number of stitches for C2.
  • The first stitch in every RS row is slipped to get a nice edge that can be attached to the other side easily. However, it is counted in the charts, i.e. if the chart tells you that the row begings with 7 C1 stitches, you do sl1, k6.
  • When knitting the WS row, you knit each stitch in the color that they appear on your needles, i.e. any C1 stitch is knitted with C1 and any C2 stitch is knitted with C2.
  • The blue vertical line marks the start of the thumb, i.e. the placement of the marker M1. The gray vertical dashed lines are only there as a counting aid, there are placed every five stitches from the beginning of the first row.
  • The triangles mark that there is an increase or decrease. Both increases and decreases are made just before the last stitch of the WS row. That means for increases that you knit up to the 2nd stitch before the end and then do a kfb, k1. For decreases it means that you knit up to the last 3 stitches and then do an k2tog, k1. For sections A, B, C, and D I made the increases/decreases in the ridge with the triangle - for sections E, F, G and H in the ridge below; that way the stitch numbers work out.
These explanations and the charts below are sufficient to knit the mitts. Since some people don't like to work with charts, I spelled out all the sections below.

Xmas Star Mitts - Free Knitting Pattern by Knitting and so on


Instructions

Section A

Provisionally CO 23 stitches
Setup Row: with C2 k9, place marker (M1), k5; with C1 k9 - after you've done this, your piece should look similar to illustration photo 1.
Rigde 1: sl1, k6 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 2: sl1, k8 (C1), k5 (C2), t+p, k4 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k10 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 6: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 7: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 9: sl1, k12 (C1), k3 (C2), t+p, k2 (C2), k to last 2 sts (C1), kfb, k1
Ridge 10: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k11 (C1), k3 (C2), t+p, k2 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 12: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to last 2 sts (C1), kfb, k1
Ridge 13: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k10 (C1), k5 (C2), t+p, k4 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 15: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to last 2 sts (C1), kfb, k1
Ridge 16: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 17: sl1, k9 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to end (C1)


When you've finished section A, place marker (e.g. safety pin) in the first stitch on your needles ("marker A").


Section B

Ridge 1: sl1, k11 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, sl1, k13 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 2: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k13 (C1), k3 (C2), turn, sl1, k2 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 6: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 7: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k15 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last 2 sts (C1) kfb, k1
Rigde 9: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 10: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k14 (C1), k4 (C2), turn, sl1, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 12: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 13: sl1, k12 (C1), k5 (C2), turn, sl1, k4 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 15: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 16: sl1, k10 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to end (C1)


Chart B: Sections B and G

Section C

Ridge 1: sl1, k12 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, sl1, k13 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 2: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 6: sl1, k14 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k (C1) to last 2 sts, kfb, k1
Ridge 7: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 9: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 10: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k (C1) to last 2 sts, kfb, k1
Ridge 12: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 13: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k14 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 15: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 16: sl1, k16 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k (C1) to last 2 sts, kfb, k1
Ridge 17: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 18: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 19: sl1, k13 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 20: sl1, k15 (C1), k7 (C2), t+p, k6 (C2), k (C1) to last 2 sts, kfb, k1
Ridge 21: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 22: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 23: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 24: sl1, k14 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to end (C1)

When you've finished section C, place marker (e.g. safety pin) in the first stitch on your needles ("marker C")
Chart C: Sections C and F
When you've finished section C, place marker (e.g. safety pin) in the first stitch on your needles (marker C). Your piece should now look similar to the illustration photo 2.

Section D

Ridge 1: sl1, k16 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, k14 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 2: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 6: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last 3 sts (C1), ssk, k1
Ridge 7: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k19 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 9: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 10: sl1, k15 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 12: sl1, k15 (C1), t+p, k to last 3 sts (C1), ssk, k1
Ridge 13: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k14 (C1), k to end (C2), turn, k14 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 15: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 16: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 17: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 18: sl1, k12 (C1), k8 (C2), t+p, k7 (C2), k to end (C1)

Chart D: Sections D and E


Section E (i.e. section D backwards)

Ridge 1: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 2: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k14 (C1), k to end (C2), turn, k14 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to last 2 sts (C1), kfb, k1
Ridge 6: sl1, k15 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 7: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k15 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 9: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 10: sl1, k19 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to last 2 sts (C1), kfb, k1  
Ridge 12: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 13: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 15: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 16: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 17: sl1, k16 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, k14 (C2), k to end (C1)

Section F (i.e. section C backwards)

During sections F and G, you will attach the last stitch of each ridge with an edge stitch of section C and section B respectively. For this you need to fold the mitt along the folding line (right sides out) and attach the sides as you go along - as explained above in "Techniques" and abbreviated with ssk+c in the pattern. Picture 4 shows how the mitt looks after you have knitted a few rows of section F when you connect the halves as you go.

Alternatively, you can just knit the last stitch of each row of section F and G; and sew the two edges together afterwards.

Start connecting the last stitch of the first row to the stitch that is marked by marker C folding the mitt wrong sides out and work your way upwards.

Ridge 1: sl1, k14 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 2: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 3: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 4: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k (C1) to last 3 sts, ssk, ssk+c
Ridge 5: sl1, k15 (C1), k7 (C2), t+p, k6 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 6: sl1, k13 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 7: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 8: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k (C1) to last 3 sts, ssk, ssk+c 
Ridge 9: sl1, k16 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 10: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 11: sl1, k14 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 12: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 13: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k (C1) to last 3 sts, ssk, ssk+c   
Ridge 14: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c)
Ridge 15: sl1, k17 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 16: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 17: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 18: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k (C1) to last 3 sts, ssk, ssk+c 
Ridge 19: sl1, k14 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 20: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 21: sl1, k4 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 22: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 23: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 24: sl1, k12 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, sl1, k13 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c

Xmas Star Mitts - Free Knitting Pattern by Knitting and so on


Section G (i.e. section B backwards)

Ridge 1: sl1, k10 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 2: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 3: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 4: sl1, k12 (C1), k5 (C2), turn, sl1, k4 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 5: sl1, k10 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 6: sl1, k14 (C1), k4 (C2), turn, sl1, k3 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 7: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Rigde 8: sl1, k12 (C1), t+p, k to 3 sts before end (C1), ssk, ssk+c
Ridge 9: sl1, k15 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 10: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 11: sl1, k11 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 12: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 13: sl1, k13 (C1), k3 (C2), turn, sl1, k2 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 14: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 15: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c
Ridge 16: sl1, k11 (C1), k14 (C2), turn, sl1, k13 (C2), k to last stitch (C1), ssk+c

After connecting the edge stitches of sections F and G to the edge stitches of section C and B you should have reached marker A.

Xmas Star Mitts - Free Knitting Pattern by Knitting and so on


Section H (i.e. section A backwards)

Ridge 17: sl1, k9 (C1), k16 (C2), turn, sl1, k15 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 16: sl1, k7 (C1), t+p, k to last 3 sts (C1), ssk, k1
Ridge 15: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 14: sl1, k10 (C1), k5 (C2), t+p, k4 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 13: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to last 3 sts (C1), ssk, k1
Ridge 12: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 11: sl1, k11 (C1), k3 (C2), t+p, k2 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 10: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to last 3 sts (C1), ssk, k1
Ridge 9: sl1, k12 (C1), k3 (C2), t+p, k2 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 8: sl1, k9 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 7: sl1, k5 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 6: sl1, k8 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 5: sl1, k10 (C1), k4 (C2), t+p, k3 (C2), k to end (C1)
Ridge 4: sl1, k6 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)
Ridge 3: sl1, k3 (C1), t+p, k to end (C1)

Cut yarn both strands of yarn but leave tails of about 50 cm. Take out your scrap yarn of the provisional cast on and put the live stitches on a knitting needle. Graft in garter stitch: 9 stitches in C1 and the rest of the stitches in C2.

Weave in ends.
Make two.

Xmas Star Mitts - Free Knitting Pattern by Knitting and so on


This post was featured at Pinbellish Link Party No. 17.

Mittwoch, 2. Dezember 2015

Starry, Starry Mitts

I've never done anything with colorwork - and the attempt(s) I've made up to now are ...ehm ... well, let's say there is room for improvement. Basically, I couldn't knit colorwork to save my life ... :)

But I had this idea about a pair of fingerless gloves with a star around the thumb - knitted in the same direction as the Starburst Mitts. So I tried a few times and frogged a few times. However, the version I've got now seems to work, looks OK ... and the finished one even fits around may hand.


Samstag, 28. November 2015

Jolly Waves Cowl

With an eye-catching design and beautiful colors this cowl will keep your spirits up this winter. The gorgeous graphical effect is achieved by the combination of short rows with a feather and fan pattern.



Creative Commons License
This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.






Materials
  • about 220 grams of DK weight yarn in 3 colors, 100 grams of the main colors each (beige and maroon in the photos - called MC1 and MC2) and 20 grams of the contrast color (off-white in the photos - called CC) - this will yield a double length cowl, i.e. about 125 cm in circumference.
  • 3.75 mm knitting needles (straight or circular)
  • 6 stitch markers (2 stitch markers to mark the edges and 4 markers to mark the ends of the short rows - these 4 markers will be called M1 to M4)





Techniques

Short Row Sections

The pattern consists of different short row sections that are divided by a garter stitch ridge in the neutral color.


There are four types of section - as shown in the picture above.
  • Right Narrow Section
  • Left Narrow Section
  • Right Wide Section and
  • Left Wide Section.
The diagram below shows how the short rows stack up for each section type. Both the photo and the diagram show the RS of the cowl.


Basically, you knit 4 narrow sections (right-left-right-left) and 4 wide sections (also right-left-right-left) with a rigde in a neutral color inbetween. All "right"-sections (i.e. right narrow and right wide section) are knitted in color 1 (MC1), all "left"-sections (i.e. left narrow and left wide section) are knitted in color 2 (MC2) - and all contrast ridges are knitted with the contrast color CC.


Instructions

Provisionally CO 66 stitches and knit one row with CC - leaving a tail long enough to graft these 66 stitches in the end and placing the markers as follows: k3 pm (edge marker) k12 pm (=M1) k12 pm (=M2) k12 pm (=M3) k12 pm (=M4) k12 pm (edge marker) k3

Knit a right narrow section as follows:
With MC1
R1 (RS): k all stitches
R2 (WS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R3, R4 (RS, WS): k up to M1, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R5, R6 (RS, WS): k up to M2, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R7, R8 (RS, WS): k up to M3, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R9, R10 (RS, WS): k up to M4, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif

Knit a contrast ridge as follows
With CC
R1 (RS): k all stitches
R2 (WS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif

Knit a left narow section as follows
With MC2
R1 (RS): k all stitches
R2, R3 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb (you're now at M1), w+t, k all stitches
R4, R5 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M2, w+t, k all stitches
R6, R7 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M3, w+t, k all stitches
R8, R9 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M4, w+t, k all stitches
R10 (WS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif

Knit a contrast ridge.
Knit a right narrow section.
Knit a contrast ridge.
Knit a left narrow section.
Knit a contrast ridge.

Knit a right wide section as follows
With MC1
R1 (RS): k all stitches
R2 (WS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R3, R4 (RS, WS): k up to M1, k6, w+t, ssk ssk kfb kfb, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R5, R6 (RS, WS): k up to M1, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R7, R8 (RS, WS): k up to M2, k6, w+t,  ssk ssk kfb kfb, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R9, R10 (RS, WS): k up to M2, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R11, R12 (RS, WS): k up to M3, k6, w+t, ssk ssk kfb kfb,* kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R13, R14 (RS, WS): k up to M3, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R15, R16 (RS, WS): k up to M4, k6, w+t, ssk ssk kfb kfb, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R17, R18 (RS, WS): k up to M4, w+t, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif
R19, R20 (RS, WS), k3, k6, w+t, ssk ssk kfb kfb, sl3wyif

Knit a contrast ridge.

Knit a left wide section as follows
With MC2
R1 (RS): k all stitches
R2, R3 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, kfb kfb ssk ssk, w+t, k all stitches
R4, R5 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb (you're now at M1), w+t, k all stitches
R6, R7 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb (you're now at M1), kfb kfb ssk ssk, w+t, k all stitches
R8, R9 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M2, w+t, k all stitches
R10, R11 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M2, kfb kfb ssk ssk.  w+t, k all stitches
R12, R13 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M3, w+t, k all stitches
R14, R15 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M3, kfb kfb ssk ssk. w+t, k all stitches
R16, R17 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M4, w+t, k all stitches
R18, R19 (WS, RS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until you are at M4, kfb kfb ssk ssk.  w+t, k all stitches
R20 (WS): sl3wyif, * kfb kfb ssk ssk ssk ssk kfb kfb repeat from * until there are only 3 sts left, sl3wyif

Knit a contrast ridge.
Knit a right wide section.
Knit a contrast ridge
Knit a left wide section.

Repeat this series of sections (right narrow, left narrow, right narrow, left narrow and right wide, left wide, right wide, left wide) - always divided by a ridge in the neutral color - until the cowl is long enough for you. End with a left wide section.

Put the stitches from your provisional cast-on on a needle and graft both ends together - 3 sts in stockinette, then 60 sts in garter stitch and the last 3 again in stockinette stitch. (If you need more detailed instructions for the grafting part, it's the same that has been used for the Mixed Wave Cowl on this blog. Follow the link and you'll find detailed instructions written by Joni Coniglio.

Weave in ends and block.



Oombawka Design

Montag, 9. November 2015

Octavo Fingerless Gloves

These stylish fingerless gloves will help help to keep your hands warm this fall. With their swirly design they are the perfect eye-catcher and great to show off your variegated yarn.

These mitts are called Octavo because of the eight-shape (octavo meaning one eighth in Spanish), because they are the crochet version of my Pieces of Eight mitts that I published nearly two years ago (both Pieces of Eight and  referring to coins) and - last but not least, because I like the name since the Octavo as a grimoire also plays a role in the library of Unseen University on Terry Pratchett's Discworld.




Creative Commons License
This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




An Italian version of this pattern is available here.


Materials
  • about 40 to 45 grams of fingering weight yarn
  • a 3mm crochet hook
  • 4 removable stitch markers
  • a tapestry needle to weave in ends


Stitches and Techniques

Size and Possible Adjustments

The finished mitts are about 18 cm high and between 19 cm (at the widest point) and 16 cm in circumference.

  • The width of the circumference is easily changed by crocheting a few rows more or less in part 3.
  • If the thumb is too small for you, you can
    a) crochet it with a bigger crochet hook and change back to a 3mm hook when starting part 2,
    b) make it a few stitches wider but then adjust the number of increases in row 1 on part 2 that you end up with 31 stitches or
    c) do a thumb construction as explained in the Kreisel Fingerless Gloves and pick up 24 sts around it (or adjust the number of increases in row 1 on part 2 that you end up with 31 stitches).


General Construction

These fingerless gloves are worked in three parts as shown in the picture on the right hand side.

Part 1 (the thumb) is crocheted in the round. Then a longer chain is added to prepare for the eight-shape crocheted in part 2 - during this part increases are made around the thumb and decreases are made with the newly chained stitches. This part is crocheted back and forth.
During part 3 the part that covers the back of your hands is done - also back and forth. In the end, the upper edge of this part is connected to the other side of the glove.


Instructions

The pattern starts with a foundation chain because it’s stretchier than a normal crochet chain – alternatively you can start with a normal chain and a bigger hook just for the chain row.

Part 1: Thumb

Do 14 foundation chain sts and join in round with slip stitch
Round 1: sc all stitches - then go on (as in amigurumi – no connections with slip stitch etc.)
Repeat this round  5 more times
R6: sc 4, inc, sc 4, inc, sc4
R7 : sc all stitches
R8 : sc 2, inc, sc 10, inc, sc 2
R9 : sc all stitches
R10 : [sc, inc, sc] 6 times
Close with slip stitch and place a marker in this slip stitch (this marker will be called Middle Marker or MM for short - and it should always be put in the current row)

Part 2: Eight-Shape

Chain 70 + 1 turning chain and place markers in the 30th and 52nd chain. (These markers can stay there until the end of part 2, i.e. don’t move them up your rows, but just leave them where they are – they will not be used in part 2) - your piece should now look similar to the one in picture 1.

NOTE 1: all increase and decrease stitches in this part are crocheted through the back loop of the underlying stitch only.

NOTE 2: Please note that the sequences in brackets don't always match the number of stitches left (e.g. it might say [dec, sctbl 5], but there are only 4 stitches left) - that's OK. Just continue with the sequence and stop when you run out of stitches (in case of the example above, just make one decrease and sctbl the 3 stitches to the end)

R1: [sc5, dec, sc 5] until you reach MM. For the 1st mitt go on crocheting while looking at the inside of the thumb, for the second mitt go on looking at the outside of the thumb - that way you set up one mitt mirror-inverted to the other). [sc2, inc]*7 times, sc to the end. Now make a slip stitch into the underside of the first stitch of the chain of the last row, and then another slip stitch in the underside of the next chain (see picture 3). Start the next row into the last sc.
R2: [sctbl 1, inc, sctbl 3] to MM, [sctbl 8, dec, sctbl 1] to end, 1 turning-chain
R3: [sctbl 3, dec, sctbl 5] to MM, [sctbl 3, inc, sctbl 2] to the end, connect with 2 sl st into the underside of the 2 next chains stitches and start the next row into the last sc (this is how you'll end all odd-numbered rows in this part - it will be referred to as "connect with 2 sl st")
R4: [sctbl 2, inc, sctbl 4] to MM, [dec, sctbl 7] to end, sctbl to end, 1 turning-chain
Now your piece should look similar to the one in picture 2.
R5: [sctbl 1, dec, sctbl 5] to MM, sctbl 2, [sctbl 3, inc, sctbl 4] to end, connect with 2 sl st
R6: [sctbl 8, inc] to 2 sts before to MM, sctbl 4, [dec, sctbl 5] to end, 1 turning-chain
R7: [sctbl 3, dec, sctbl 1] to 2 sts before MM, sctbl 4, [sctbl 9, inc] to end, connect with 2 sl st
R8: [sctbl 10, inc] to 3 sts before MM. sctbl 6, [sctbl 3, dec] to end, 1 turning-chain
R9: [sctbl 2, dec] to 3 sts before MM, sctbl 6, [sctbl 6, inc, sctbl 5] to end, connect with 2 sl st
R10: [sctbl 7, inc, sctbl 5] to 3 sts before MM, sctbl 6, [dec, sctbl 1] to end, 1 turning-chain
R11: [dec] to 3 sts before MM, sctbl 6,  [sctbl 9, inc, sctbl 4] to end, connect with 2 sl st
R12: [sctbl 7, inc, sctbl 7] to 4 sts before MM, sctbl 8, [dec] to end
R13: turn your piece to the wrong side and connect the edge below the current stitch to the curve above (see picture 4) - you should use about 12 to 14 stitches to do this.

When you look at your piece from the front, you see an 8 shape with the upper curve bigger than the
lower one. For the first mitt your current stitch will be on the left-hand side, for the second mitt it will be on the right hand side.
Count your stitches on the upper curve (i.e. from your current stitch to the end of the row, see black curve on the picture to the right). Your stitch count should be somewhere about 76 to 78 (a few stitches really don't matter here).

To calculate where to put your stitch markers, substract 22 from your stitch count, and devide the resulting number by 2.

I had 76 sts (76 - 22 = 54; 54 / 2 = 27). You can see that your current stitch is a bit lower than the end stitch of the curve on the other side. Therefore the part on the side of your current stitch should be a bit longer than the part on the other side, i.e. add 2 to the number for the longer part and substract 2 for the number on the shorter part. (In my example 27 - 2 = 25 (shorter part), 27 + 2 = 29 (longer part). Place your stitch markers according to the picture.

Part 3: Widening the Wrists
Now go on crocheting upwards (towards the marker you just put in)
R1: sctbl 29 (you should have reached the new marker), 1 turning-chain
R2: sctbl 29, sctbl 18 (now you should have reached a marker you put in when beginning part 2), 1 turning-chain
R3: sctbl to end, 1 turning-chain
R4: sctbl to end, 1 turning-chain
R5: sctbl18, sl st and turn, sctbl to end, 1 turning-chain, turn, sctbl to end (don't forget to stitch into the sl st from the short row below), 1 turning-chain
R6, sctbl to end, 1 turning-chain

Repeat rows 3 to 6 until the mitt fits around your hand. For me this was the case after working rows 3 to 6 a total of 3 times. Now your piece should look like picture 6.

Fold the mitt (right sides together) and connect the last row to the stitches between the stitch markers on the other side (see picture 6). Turn your mitts back right sides out and remove your stitch markers.

Weave in ends. Make two.



This pattern was featured at the Link and Share Wednesday Link Party hosted by Oombawka Design and on the Fiber Tuesdays Link Party hosted by Oui Crochet. It was also  feaured at Crafting Along #119 at Be a Crafter.

Oombawka Design

Sonntag, 8. November 2015

Pieces of Eight Mitts in Crochet

I never thought that it'd be fun to "rewrite" some of my knitting patterns to a crochet version - but it was. After publishing a crochet version for my Circle Mitts - called Kreisel Fingerless Gloves, I thought I might as well try the same thing with my Pieces of Eight Mitts. It worked better than I had thought and I really like the colors.


Samstag, 31. Oktober 2015

Kreisel Fingerless Gloves

Keep your hands warm this winter with these stylish and unique fingerless gloves. They are crocheted around the thumb which allows you to show off your variegated yarn to the best effect.

These mitts are the crochet version of my knitted Circle Mitts.
Kreisel is the german word for (spinning) top.




Creative Commons License
This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.



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Materials
  • about 40 to 45 grams of fingering weight yarn
  • 3mm crochet hook
  • 4 removable stitch marker (e.g. safety pins)
  • tapestry needle to weave in ends


Stitches and Abbreviations

General Construction

When crocheting in the round, the structure of the finished piece looks different than when crocheting back and forth. Since in the original (knitted) Circle Mitts are knitted in the round (parts 1 and 2), back and forth (part 3) and then in the round again (part 4), I needed to change the pattern in a way that a change like that wouldn't occur - at least for parts 2 to 4.

Therefore, these mitts are constructed as follows: it starts with the thumb (part 1) which is finished by connecting the edges and creating a small tube (the thumb). Part 2 starts with crocheting around one edge of this tube and increases in circles. However after each "round" direction is changed (i.e. the round closed by a slip stitch and the piece is turned).


How to Crochet a Flat Circle
Start with a ring of 5 chains or a magic ring. Into this ring do a set-up row consisting 8 single crochets, close round with slip stitch.
In all following rounds, the stitch count should be increased by 8, i.e. in the first round every stitch, the 2nd row increase every 2nd stitch, in the 3rd row every 3rd, in the 4th row every 4th and so on ...
To avoid an octagon pattern, the increases should be made at different points, so the first rows may be
Round 0: sc to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (-> 8 stitches)
Round 1: inc into every st, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every stitch was increase, now there are 16 stitches)
Round 2: [sc, inc] repeat to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every 2nd stitch was increased, now there are 24 stitches)
Round 3: [inc, sc 2] repeat to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every 3rd stitch was increased, now there are 32 stitches)
Round 4: [sc2, inc, sc1] repeat to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every 4th stitch was increased, now there are 40 stitches)
Round 5: [sc4, inc] repeat to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every 5th stitch was increased, now there are 48 stitches)
Round 6: [sc2, inc, sc3] repeat to end, sl st into first sc, ch1 (every 6th stitch was increase, now there are 56 stitches)
For this pattern the above recipe will be applied.


Gauge or What to Measure
If you're knitting for your own hands, you just have to try it on a few times before finishing. If you're knitting for somebody else, you'll need the following measurements:
  • thumb circumference, 
  • hand circumference at wrist height
  • hand circumference at base of thumb
  • hand circumference at knuckle height
As with many of my patterns, it is written in a way that you can adjust it to your hand size. If you're uncomfortable with instructions like that, the pattern might not be for you.



Instructions

Part 1 (Thumb)
Row 0: ch 10 and 1 turning-chain
Row 1: sc 10; 1 turning-chain
Row 2: sctbl 10; 1 turning-chain
Row 3: sctbl 8, dec; 1 turning-chain
Row 4: sctbl 9; 1 turning-chain
Row 5: sctbl 7, dec; 1 turning-chain
Row 6: sctbl 8; 1 turning-chain
Row 7: sctbl 6, dec; 1 turning-chain

(Your piece should now be as high as half of your thumb circumference. If it's too small for that you can add an even number of "sctbl all, 1 turning-chain"-rounds.)

Row 8: sctbl 7; 1 turning-chain
Row 9: sctbl 6, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 10: sctbl 8; 1 turning-chain
Row 11: sctbl 7, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 12: stbl 9; 1 turning-chain
Row 13: sctbl 8, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 14: sctbl 10; 1 turning-chain

Now your piece should look like in picture 1.

Fold the edges together (chain edge and your last row) and connect.



Part 2:
Setup Round: Chain 1, and stitch about 20 sc's into the rim of the thumb in the round (while you're doing this you're looking to the inside of the thumb), after about 20 stitches you should be back at the beginning. close with a slip stitch. Chain 1 and turn.

For the next rounds, do the circle crochet recipe from above, but crochet sctbl stitches. Don't forget to change crochet direction (ie. turn) after every round.
If you had to crochet a few rounds more during part 1, there may be more stitches. If you have between less than or excatly 24 stitches in the round, you the next round should be increasing every 3rd stitch. If you made the thumb bigger and have more than 25 stitches start with increasing every 4th stitch. After a few rounds your piece should look as like picture 2.

Continue until the distance between the thumb and the upper edge is high enough for you. Make sure to end on an outside row.
For me this was the case after 13 rows.

To get you started here are the first few rounds spelled out
Round 1 (outside, ie. while crocheting you're looking at the outside of your piece): [sctbl 2, inc] repeat to end (or until there are less than 3 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 3rd stitch)
Round 2 (inside, ie. while crocheting you're looking at the intside of your piece):[sctbl, inc, sctbl 2] repeat to end (or until there are less than 4 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 4th stitch)
Round 3 (outside): [sctbl 4, inc] repeat to end (or until there are less than 5 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 5th stitch)
Round 4 (inside): [sctbl 2, inc, sctbl 3] repeat to end (or until there are less than 6 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 6th stitch)
Round 5 (outside): [sctbl 5, inc, sctbl 1] repeat to end (or until there are less than 7 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 7th stitch)
Round 6 (intside): [sctbl 2, inc, sctbl 5] repeat to end (or until there are less than 8 stitches, sctbl to end), chain 1 and turn (i.e. increase every 8th stitch)
... and so on ...

When the distance between the thumb and the upper edge is high enough, move to part 3.

Don't do a chain and don't turn after the last round.



Part 3:
Count your stitches, place stitchmarkers at the beginning of the round, the middle of the round, and around 5 stitches before the middle marker and 5 stitches after the mittle marker. These last two markers mark the ends of the rows in part 3.

Don't turn but go on crocheting in the same direction, but now with slip stitches into the back loop until you have reached the marker that is placed 5 stitches before the middle marker.
The point of these slip stitches and the subsequent stitches into the stitch below, is to get an even texture on the outside - the slip stitches will be hidden behind the next row.
Your piece should now look as in picture 3.

Chain 1 and turn.
Row 1: dec, then sctbl into the stitch below and continue the circle increases (e.g. if you increased every 15th stitch in the last round of part 2, in this row you have to increase every 16th stitch) - for the first half (until the "beginning marker") stitch into the stitch below the slip stitches you just did; for the second half do normal sctbl's - until you are two stitches away from the other marker that is placed 5 stitches away from the middle marker, dec, chain 1 and turn
Row 2: dec, sctbl 9, turn, sctbl to last 2 stitches, dec; chain 1 and turn;  dec, sctbl to last 2 stitches (while doing the circle increases) to the last 2 stitches, dec - this row with a short row is needed to widen the upper edge - your piece should now look similar to picture 4.
Row 3 = Row 2
Row 4: dec, sctbl (with circle increases) to last 2 stitches, dec

Repeat Row 4 until the the piece fits around your hand (or until the upper edge equals the hand circumference at the knuckles and the widest part equals the hand circumference at the base of the thumb) - see picture 5. If you want to widen the upper edge more, you can do one or more repeats of row 2 (i.e. using short rows).

Part 4:
After you have finished, count your stitches again. Devide the number of stitches by 4 and add 2 or 3. This is the number of stitches that you're going to connect to the other side of the mitt.
I had 99 stitches - devided by 4 makes a bit less than 25, plus 2 makes 27.

Hold the right sides of the mitt together and connect the number of stitches that you just calculated.
Your piece should now look like in picture 6.
Turn the mitt back right sides out (be sure to secure your last loop while you're doing this) and put a stitch marker in the current stitch.
(You can remove all other stitch markers at this point).

For an even texture you need again to hide the next few slip stitches before continuing.
If the last row you knitted in part 3 was an even numbered-row, you need to do slip stitches up the right hand side as seen from the current stitch, if it was an even numbered row, you need need to do the following slip stitches towards the left.

In my case, I had crocheted 7 rows in part 3, so I did my slip stitches up the left side (see picture 7).

Setup Row: sl st 14 on the inside of the mitt, turn

Now you can start to work on the little triangle on top of the joined stitches as follows (see picture 8). These are short rows, so you don't crochet a turning-chain but start with the second stitch.

Row 1: sctbl 11 (into the stitches below the slip stitches you just made), dec, (now you should be back at the marker), dec, sctbl 14, sl st 1, turn
Row 2: sctbl 11, dec (now you should be back at the marker), dec sctbl 8, sl st 1, turn
Row 3: sctbl 5, dec (marker) dec, sctbl 8, sl st, turn
Row 4: sctbl 5, dec (marker) dec, sctbl 2, sl st, turn
Row 5: dec (marker) and close with slip stitch, chain 1

Now do several more rounds of sctbl's until the shaft of the mitt is as long as you want it, i.e.
Round: sctbl to end, sl st into first stitch, chain 1, turn

Make sure to end each round with a slip stitch, chain 1 and turn - to keep up the regular stitch pattern.

Try your mitts on for size (or measure the circumference, it should equal your wrist circumference). If the shaft is too wide you can do some decreasing rounds as well, i.e.
Decreasing round: dec, sctbl to last 2 stitches, dec, sl st into first stitch, chain 1, turn

Weave in ends.
Make two.


This pattern was featured as most clicked at the Hookin on Hump Day Link Party 107. It was also featured in the Stash-buster Link Party on Linda's Crafty Corner in December 2015, on the Crafting Along Link Party #120 at Be a Crafter and at Yarn Fanstastic Party #54 at EyeLoveKnots.

EyeLoveKnots