When It All Goes Pear Shaped

In my part of the world it's getting colder and there's a definite feeling of autumn in the air. That's why I wanted to knit something with an "autumn theme". I had just baked a coconut-milk cake with pears, so I decided that a pea rshaped potholder would be a great idea. It took me about 4 attempts to get the shaping right, i.e. the way I liked it.
These pieces can be used as potholders, hotpads, washcloths or coasters. The construction is similar to my Pumpkin Potholders of last year. It's a combination of short rows and intarsia. Since it is a small piece of knitting, it's great to learn a new technique.

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






Materials

• about 30 grams of Aran weight yarn in two colors - the main color (MC) for the body of the pear and a contrast color (CC) for the contour and the stem
• 4 mm knitting needles
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Size and Gauge
The finished piece measures 14 cm at the widest point, 21 cm at the highest point (without the stem)
I counted about 9 stitches for 5 cm in width and about 10 ridges for 5 cm in height.

Techniques and Abbreviations

• Short rows with wrap and turn (w+t) - as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits.
• Intarsia: Changing colors with the intarsia technique - as shown in this YouTube video by knitwithpat; or this YouTube video by Francoise Danoy. This technique will be used only a few times in this pattern. But it helps to make sure that the WS looks OK as well - see picture below.

• Throughout the pattern, the following notation will be used: "CC (k2); MC (k13, t+p, k12); CC(k2)"   means "knit 2 sts with CC; change to MC and knit 13, do a turn an pull, knit 12 stitches with MC; change back to CC and knit the 2 stitches - i.e. before the brackets the yarn is defined and the instructions are given inside the brackets.
• Please note that for this pattern the last 2 stitches in CC of a row (when they are reached after using the MC - which only happens a few times) are knitted with the tail of that was left over by the long tail CO. That way,  it is not necessary to use a 2nd skein or bobbin in CC - and it also avoids two more ends to weave in :) See photo below. Here, e.g. CCtail (k2, turn, sl1, k1) means "with the tail of CC knit 2 stitches, turn, sl1 and k1". In order to avoid a second skein or bobbin (and two more ends to weave in). You're asked to leave a tail of your CO and knit with it. See photo below.

• Knitted Cast-On: See this Youtube-video by Very Pink Knits - used to craft the pumpkin's stem. 
• kfb: knit front & back - an increase
• ssk: slip slip knit - a left leaning decrease

Instructions

With CC and a long tail CO cast on 56 sts but leave a tail that is about 1m long. This tail called is CCtail and will be used to knit a few stitches at the bottom of the pear).
Knit 1 row in CC

[1] RS CC (sl1, k1), MC (k52, w+t,
   WS k36, w+t
[2] RS k1, ssk, k25, ssk, ssk, k2, w+t,
   WS k45, w+t
[3] RS k1, ssk, k13, ssk, k8, ssk, k11, ssk, k2, w+t,
   WS k37, w+t
[4] RS k1, ssk, k11, ssk, k13, ssk, ssk, k2, w+t,
   WS k18, w+t
[5] RS k1, ssk, k16, ssk, k2, w+t,
   WS k35, w+t
[6] RS k1, ssk, k13, ssk, k12, ssk, k2 w+t,
   WS k24, w+t
[7] RS k12, ssk, k7, ssk, k3) CCtail (k2, turn,
    WS sl1, k1), MC (k34), CC (k2)
[8] RS CC (sl1, k1), MC (k1, ssk, k16, ssk, k8, w+t,
   WS k27, w+t
[9] RS k1, ssk, k26, w+t,
   WS k27, w+t
[10] RS k1, ssk, k15, ssk, k8, w+t,
   WS k27), CC (k2, CO 8 with knitted cast on)
[11] RS CC(k3, kfb, k1, kfb, k2 ktbl, k1), MC (k22, w+t,
   WS k8, w+t
[12] RS k15, CCtail (k2, turn
   WS sl1, k1), MC (k29), CC (k16, kfb, k5)
[13] RS CC (BO11, k2), MC (k19, kfb, k2, w+t,
   WS k16, w+t
[14] RS k17, kfb, k2, w+t,
   WS k24, w+t
[15] RS k1, kfb, k18, k1, w+t,
   WS k17, w+t
[16] RS k2, kfb, k13, kfb, k3, w+t,
   WS k31, w+t

[17] RS k1, kfb, k8, kfb, k13, kfb, k2, w+t,
   WS k32), CC (k2)
[18] RS CC (sl1, k1), MC (k2, kfb, k12, kfb, k10, kfb, k1, w+t,
   WS k16, w+t
[19] RS k2, kfb, k14, kfb, k1, w+t,
   WS k33, w+t
[20] RS k1, kfb, k14, kfb, k16, kfb, k7), CCtail (k2, turn
   WS sl1, k1), MC (k45, w+t
[21] RS k2, kfb, k32, kfb, w+t,
   WS k19, w+t
[22] RS k2, kfb, k17, kfb, kfb, w+t,
   WS k39, w+t
[23] RS k1, kfb, k41, w+t,
   WS k50), CC (k2)
[24] RS CC (sl1, k all
   WS sl1, k all
Bind off in CC.

Once you've finished your pear there will be a small indentation at the bottom of the pear. This can be sewn closed with the tail end of your yarn before weaving in the end.

Socks with Mini-Cables ...

... or "It Is Important to Choose the Right Yarn"

I wanted to knit a pair of socks with some sock yarn (slightly variegated) that I had bought a few years ago. My pattern "requirements" were simply that I wanted an easy pattern, but not too boring. So I decided on a pattern of mini cables - C2B cables to be precise.
When I had knitted a few of the pattern repeats I noticed that the cabling was barely visible :/ Nevertheless, I finished because ... well ... I wanted a sock that fitted me and I didn't mind too much about the pattern. But I learned (again) that it is quite important to choose a yarn that fits the stitch pattern you're using. The yarn that I used was a bit too wild in color (and probably too dark), so that the stitch pattern didn't really show.
But anyway, I've got a new pair of socks - knitted toe up with an afterthought heel.
Below (in section "Stitch Pattern) you find a photo of the same pattern knitted in yarn with a solid color.

This is NOT a complete knitting pattern, but just a sketch or rather a stitch pattern (over 8 stitches and 12 rows) that can be used for socks. It only works for socks with a number of stitches that is a multiple of 8.
For socks there are many general instructions and tutorials around, I have linked to some in the Techniques section of this post.


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




Materials

• about 60 to 80 grams of fingering weight yarn
• 2.5 mm needles, e.g. dpns
• a tapestry needle (for grafting and weaving in ends)
• scrap yarn (for afterthought heel)

Techniques

• Judy's Magic Cast-On is a technique that gives you live stitches on both sides of your needle - it is generally used for toe-up socks (e.g. in this pattern), but it can be used for other purposes as well. Here's a written description (from Knitty) and here's a YouTube-video by Cat Bordhi and another YouTube-video by Very Pink Knits.
• C2B cables without a cable needle - as shown in this video by Purl Avenue 
• Afterthought heel: A great overview how to do an afterthought heel can be found here at dummies.com. Knit Purl Hunter has a series of three YouTube videos where the steps to knit an afterthought heel are shown.
  - placing the scrap yarn
  - removing the scrap yarn
  - knitting the heel.
• And knitting an afterthought heel includes kitchener stitch: e.g. as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits (even though she uses it to graft the toe of a cuff-down sock :) 
• Cutting a sock template of your feet: To make the finished piece fit your feet, it is useful to measure your feet and to cut out a card template. Here's a blogpost at knitbettersocks.blogspot.com that explains the idea. For the heel as knitted here, make a mark at 5 cm from the end of the heel.
  If you want to knit a pair for someone else and cannot get a template, here are standard shoe size templates.  

Stitch Pattern
The stitch pattern consists of a repeat of 8 stitches and 12 rounds.
Round 1: * p1 C2B p1 k2 p1 repeat from *
Round 2 and all even rounds: * p1 k2 p1 repeat from *
Round 3 = Round 1
Round 5 = Round 1
Round 7: * p1 k2 p1 C2B  p1 repeat from *
Round 9 = Round 7
Round 11 = Round 7
Below you can find a chart as well as a photo of this stitch pattern in a solid color yarn.

Instructions

Toe

With the magic CO cast on 2x10 stitches

To get a rounded toe, my usual toe is:

• 4 x increases in every row
• 2 x increases in every 2nd row
• 2 x increases in every 3rd row
• then increases every 4th row ... until wide enough

This means:

Round 1: Knit all - while placing stitch markers after 10 sts and at the end of the round - alternatively divide the stitches on your needles in such a way that you know exacly where one half of your stitches are.

Round 2 (increase round): * k1, kfb, k to one before marker, kfb, k1, slip marker repeat from *

Rounds 3 to 5 = increase rounds

Round 6 (neutral round): k all 

Round 7 = increase round
Round 8 = neutral round
Round 9 = increase round
Rounds 10 to 11 = neutral round
Round 12 = increase round
Rounds 13 to 14 = neutral round
Round 15 = increase round
Rounds 16 to 18 = neutral round
Round 19 = increase round
Repeat rounds 16 to 19 until the sock is wide enough and your stitch count is a multiple of 8.

Remove the marker that marks the middle of the round, but leave the one that marks the beginning of the round.

Foot
Knit the front part in pattern (I knitted 3.5 repeats - in width) and the back (sole) part in plain stockinette.

Continue until the piece is long enough to start the heel.

Heel Preparation
Slip the front stitches and knit the stitches of the sole with scrap yarn.

Cuff
Like foot, but with pattern on front and back

Ribbing
Knit 9 rows of p1k2p1-ribbing (i.e. k2p2 ribbing with an offset of 1 purl stitch) and bind off in pattern.

Finish heel.

Weave in ends.
Make two.

Dreieck - Triangular Garter Stitch Coasters

I seem to have lost my knitting mojo ... somehow all ideas for bigger items (such as scarfs) don't work the way I'd like. Plus, it's quite hot over here - too hot for holding a bigger project. So I decided to knit small geometric shapes from cotton yarn.
I started with an oblong rectangle ... and here's a free knitting pattern for an equilateral triangle - constructed with short rows and all in garter stitch.
The finished pieces can be used as coasters, doily or potholders.
As to the name, "Dreieck" is the German word for triangle.

Eine deutsche Version dieser Anleitung findet sich hier.
There is also a german version of this pattern - available here.



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






Materials

• yarn - for the small one I used about 8 grams, for the bigger one 13 grams of Schachenmayr yarn (Catania Color, if I remember correctly)
• appropriate knitting needles (I used 2.5 mm needles)
• scrap yarn and a crochet hook for the provisional cast on
• tapestry needle for grafting and to weave in ends

Techniques

• Provisional CO: My favorite method for a provision CO is the crochet provisional CO - it is shown in this Youtube video by New Stitch a Day.
• Short rows with wrap and turn (w+t) - as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits.
• Picking up and knit stitches from the side: Insert the needle into the front leg of the edge stitch from back to front and draw your working yarn through. In case of this pattern you only need to pick up one stitch at a time.
• Grafting in Garter Stitch: A technique to get an invisible (knitted) seam - this technique is shown in this YouTube Video by knittinghelp.com.

Construction

When knitting this piece you start with a provisional CO. During the first part, the rows are getting shorter (1 stitch every 2nd rigde) - and getting longer again during part 2 (also by 1 stitch every 2nd row). This is repeated three times - and then the piece is finished by grafting in garter stitch.


Size
The pattern is written in a way that it can be adapted to different sizes. The length of your cast on is about one forth of the height of the triagle.

For the smaller one, I did a CO of 10 sts - its height is about 13 cm, each side measures about 16 cm.
For the bigger one, I CO 13 sts, its height measures a bit more than 16 cm and each side 19 cm.


Instructions

Do a provisional CO of the calculated number of stitches (e.g. 10 sts) and knit the first row.

Part 1
Ridge 1: k up to last st, w+t, k to end
Ridge 2: k up to last wrapped st, turn (without wrapping), sl1, k to end
Ridge 3: k up to 1 st before the last wrapped stitch, w+t, k to end
Repeat ridges 2 and 3 until the last knitted row consists of 1 st and the w+t.

Part 2
Ridge 1: k1, w+t, k1
Ridge 2: k up to and including first wrap, pick up one st from the side, turn (without wrapping), ssk, k to end
Ridge 3: k up to and including ssk from last row, w+t, k to end
Repeat ridges 2 and 3 until you've wrapped the last st of the row.

Inbetween Ridge: k to end, turn, sl1, k to end

Part 3 = Part 1
Part 4 = Part 2

Inbetween Ridge: k to end, turn, sl1, k to end

Part 5 = Part 1
Part 6 = Part 2

Finishing
Put the stitches from the provisional CO on the second needle - cut your yarn, but leave a tail long enough for grafting.
Graft in garter stitch.
If there is a small hole in the middle of the piece, use the end to sew it closed.
Weave in ends.