Cupcake Hat

I had the idea for this wavy hat for quite a long time - but it took me a while to actually do it (and I honestly don't know why :), and in my head I had the color distribution planned differently. But I am quite pleased with the result now.
I knitted this hat with leftover yarn (nearly one ball of each color) from a cowl (BFF Cowl designed by Ysolda Teague & tiny owl knits that I knitted back in 2012, a gorgeous Knitty.com pattern) and a pair of fingerless gloves (a DK version of my Short Wave Mitts). In the end, it was a game of yarn chicken, but fortunately I won :) (I would have frogged it and started it again with a shorter rim otherwise ...)

This hat is knitted sideways  with a chevron pattern and short rows. Starting with a provisional CO and ending with grafting gives it a seamless look.
The pattern is given in one size only, but there are explanations on how to adapt it to other sizes.

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






Materials

• 100 grams of DK weight yarn in two colors - 50 grams of each color
• 4mm knitting needles
• scrap yarn for provisional CO
• tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in end

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. 
• Grafting in stockinette stitch (also called Kitchener Stitch): a way to seamlessly join two rows of live stitches - as shown in this YouTube video by WEBS America's Yarn Store.

Size and Gauge
The hat measures 23 cm from rim to crown and about 49 cm in circumference (unstretched).
For me, 8 ridges (16 rows) in garter stitch gave 5 cm in height and 11 sts in garter stitch gave 5 cm in width.


How to Adapts to Other Sizes
Height: The rows consist of a rim and (for the waves) of short parts A and B (with A = "kfb, k3, ssk" and B = "k2tog, k3, kfb"). So to adapt the height you can either make the rim bigger or smaller - by casting on more or fewer stitches. Or you can do more waves, by adapting the number of A and B parts. But you have to make sure, that you use A and B alternately.
Circumference: At the rim, there are 160 rows - or 80 ridges (9 in garter stitch and 1 in stockinette per section).
Using your gauge, calculate the number of ridges you need and round to the next value that is divisible by 8. The number you get is the number of ridges per section. So you need to adapt the number of ridges as given in the pattern. Knitting fewer ridges means not knitting the last row(s) of a section (according to your calculations). Knitting more ridges means making the following ridges shorter by 2 stitches per ridge.

Instructions

The pattern is a repeat of chevrons - and these chevrons consist of two parts - one that starts with an increase and ends with a decrease (A) and one the other way round (B).
Therefore, the following abbreviations will be used.
A = kfb, k3, ssk
B = k2tog, k3, kfb

Rows are started on WS – that way you change yarns at the crown of the hat (very close to on another), so you don‘t have to carry your (currently) unused yarn up or cut your yarns.

Section 1 (in C1):
pCO60 – and leave a tail long enough for grafting (about 1 meter)
R1 (setup row, RS): k12, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6, pm, k6
Ri2: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, k4, w+t
Ri3: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, k2, w+t
Ri4: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, w+t
Ri5: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, k4, w+t
Ri6: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, k2, w+t
Ri7: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, w+t
Ri8: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, k4, w+t
Ri9: (WS) k to 12 bef end, w+t, (RS) [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, k2, w+t
Ri10: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, w+t
Ri11: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, B

Section 2 (in C2):
Ri12: (WS) sl1, p to last st, k1, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, k4, w+t
Ri13: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, k2, w+t
Ri14: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, w+t
Ri15: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, k4, w+t
Ri16: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, k2, w+t
Ri17: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, w+t
Ri18: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, k4, w+t
Ri19: (WS) k to 12 bef end, w+t, (RS) [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, k2, w+t
Ri20: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x2, A, sm, w+t
Ri21: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x2, k4, w+t
Ri22: (WS) k all, turn, (RS) sl1, k11, sm, [A, sm, B, sm]x3, A, sm, B

Repeat ridges 12 to 22 6 more times in alternating colors.
Now you have  a total of 8 sections, i.e. 4 sections of each color

Put the stitches from your provisional cast-on on a needle, hold both needles right sides together, holding the needle with the last knitted row (in C2) in front - see picture on the right.

Use the yarn tail (in C1) to graft together in stockinette stitch.

Weave in ends.

All Fingers and Thumbs

Sometimes small discussions on social media can lead to interesting ideas ... some time ago, under an Instagram-post by @berniblumentopf (Bernadette from Törtchens Blog) we talked about fingered gloves. E.g. that I had never tried to knit them and that it wouldn't be a preferred project for me anyway, since I don't like pieces where you have to cut yarn a few times in the middle of a project and consequently have to weave in more than two ends ... that got me thinking whether it would be possible to knit fingered gloves without cutting yarn - and it felt like a challenge :)
In the afternoon I started - beginning at the pinkie edge of the hand and knitting sideways, occasionally binding off and casting on stitches. The whole thing worked surprisingly well and I had to frog back fewer times than expected.
I was rather pleased with the result - a knitted fingered glove with only two ends to weave in. So here's the pattern!
Thanks for the idea, Bernadette!

This is a pattern for one size only, but there are explanations on how to adapt it to other sizes.

Dansk / Danish: A danish translation (by Marianne Holmen) can be found here.

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





Materials

• about 50 grams of fingering weight yarn, I used sock yarn bought at Aldi's for the green-blue ones (sorry, I don't know the colorway), and Colinette Jitterbug, colorway Jamboree for the pink-blue-orange-etc ones (here's the link to the yarn's Ravelry page)
• a 3mm circular knitting needle - with the cord long enough for Magic loop technique
• a third knitting needle for the 3-needle BO
• a crochet hook to help when picking up stitches from the gap
• 1 removable stitch marker - to mark the outside
• 2 stitch markers
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

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.
• Short rows with wrap and turn (w+t) - as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits.
• Three-Needle Bind-Off: https://youtu.be/Ph93jWSzTa0 - in this pattern the abbreviation 3NBO for this
• Figure-8 Cast-On: a technique to get a CO on two needles when you only have one string to work with. It's not as neat the the magic CO, but it was the best that I could find that works in the middle of a row. See this YouTube video by PostStitch. As opposed to the video, when knitting the stitches first, I made sure to have twisted stitches on both sides. I found that it made the new CO less visible - in the pattern the abbreviation f8CO will be used for this.
• Picking up stitches from a gap or ditch: After both three needle bind-offs there is one left over stitch which tends to have a distance to the stitches next to it. To avoid holes, I usually pick up one stitch from the gap and decrease over the new stitch in the following row (see also this YouTube video where it is shown on the example of a thumb gusset). 

Size and Gauge  
The gloves that I knitted measured: 22 cm in length (from top of middle finger to wrist), 17 cm in circumference at the wrist, 6 cm circumference at the fingers (except pinkie, where it is 5 cm)
I'd say that this is a ladies medium size.
After blocking, I had the following gauge: 23 sts = 10 cm in width, 12 ridges (24 rows) = 5 cm in height.


Some Ideas for Adapting to Other Sizes
For longer mitts, cast on more stitches, with my gauge about 2 stitches per centimeter. If you want your mitts a bit wider at the wrists, substitute some of the short rows (when knitting the thumb) for full length rows.
I'd advise you to try the gloves on while you're knitting them. If for example your fingers are more slender than mine, you could knit ridge 4 of ring, middle and index finger without the short rows, i.e. only knit them "k all" back and forth.


Construction
Back and forth, knitted flat in a U-shape from your wrist over the tops of your fingers and back.
You will be knitting similar to a magic loop method, except that at one end, you turn around and switch from knitting on the outside of your piece to the inside.
You start with a magic CO at the pinkie edge of the hand, then you knit back and forth (over the top of the pinkie) in a U-shape and finish this finger by a short 3 needle bind off at the top.
The ring finger is then started by a new cast on using the figure-8 CO - and ended with another 3-needle bind-off. Some shaping of the hand is done by short rows.
The same (figure 8 CO and 3 needle BO) is done for middle finger and index finger - however, the bind off at the index finger is a bit longer.
You will notice that the cast on of one finger is not always the same length than its (later) bind off - this is done on purpose to fit the shape of my hands.
The thumb also starts with a figure-8-CO, but it is done almost entirely in short rows to achieve the right shape.
Finally the the glove is finished with a 3-needle bind-off



Instructions

The row numbers contain the name of the finger (eg. Rp = row for pinkie) and start again after each finger.


Pinkie

Do a magic CO of 2x50, i.e. you have 50 stitches on both needles (see picture 1)
Turn back to front and upside down - so that you look at the garter ridge - twist working yarn and tail to secure the last stitch (see picture 2).

Rp1a (outside, OS): ktbl to 50 (now you have to change needles - the point where you have to change needles will be called "half" from now on and marked with a slash ("/")) / k to end
Rp1b (inside, IS): k15, place marker, k to 1 bef half, kfb / kfb, k to 15 bef end, place marker k to end
Mark the outside with a removable stitch marker.

Pictures 1 to 3

Rp2a (OS): k all
Rp2b (IS): k all

Rp3a: (OS) k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (IS) k to m, w+t,
    (OS) k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Rp3b (IS): k all
Now your piece should look similar to picture 3.

Rp4a (OS): k to 2 bef half, ssk / ssk, k to end
Rp4b (IS): k to half / hold outsides together and do a 3NBO of 12 stitches (see picture 4), put the remaining stitch on the front needle (see picture 5), and turn back right sides out, slip the first stitch (ie. left over from the 3NBO), make sure to draw this stitch tight (see picture 6), k to end

Pictures 4 to 6

Ring Finger

Rr1a (OS): k to half / you now have 1 st more on the front side than on the back side (the left-over stitch of the 3NBO, plus there is quite a gap to the next stitch (see picture 7), pickup 1 st (see picture 8), k to end
Rr1b (IS): k to half, do a f8CO of 2x16 stitches (i.e there are 16 stitches on each needle, see picture 9) / k16,  k to end
I made sure that my newly CO stitches were really tight. Plus, when knitting the stitches of the f8CO, I knitted them in a way that they were twisted after knitting - as you can see on picture 10, they lie on the needle so that I had to knit them through the front loop (as in a normal knit stitch to achieve that.

Pictures 7 to 9

Pictures 10 and 11

Rr2a (OS): k to half / ktbl16, pick up 1 (see picture 12 to 14), k to end
As you can see on picture 12 there is quite a big gap between the stitches of the f8CO and the following stitches. I picked up one by inserting a crochet hook into the bar below the bar below the bar below (picture 13) and draw the loop through - then I'd put that loop on th left hand needle (see picture 14) and knit this - so I had picked up a stitch two rows below :)
Rr2b (IS): k to 18 bef half, ssk, k to 1 bef half, kfb / kfb, k to end

Pictures 12 to 14

Rr3a (OS): k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (IS) k to m, w+t
    (OS) k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Rr3b (IS): k all

Rr4a (OS): k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to half, k to m, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Rr4b (IS): k to 2 bef half, ssk / ssk, k to end

Rr5a (OS): k all
Rp5b (IS): k to half / hold outsides together and do a 3NBO of 15 stitches, put the remaining stitch on the front needle, and turn back right sides out, slip the first stitch (ie. left over from the 3NBO), make sure to draw this stitch tight, k to end - this is done in the same way than the last row of the pinkie.


Middle Finger

Rm1a (OS): k to half / you now have 1 st more on the front side than on the back side (the left-over stitch of the 3NBO, plus there is quite a gap to the next stitch, pickup 1 st, k to end
Rm1b (IS): k to half, f8CO2x16 / k16,  k to end

Rm2a (OS): k to half / ktbl16, pick up 1, k to end
Rm2b (IS): k to 18 bef half, ssk, k to 1 bef half, kfb / kfb, k to end

Rm3a (OS): k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (IS) k to m, w+t
    (OS) k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Rm3b (IS): k all

Rm4a (OS): k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to half, k to m, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Rm4b (IS): k to 2 bef half, ssk / ssk, k to end

Rm5a (OS): k all
Rm5b (IS): k to half / hold outsides together and do a 3NBO of 16 stitches, put the remaining stitch on the front needle, and turn back right sides out, slip the first stitch (ie. left over from the 3NBO), make sure to draw this stitch tight, k to end

Index Finger

Ri1a (OS): k to half / you now have 1 st more on the front side than on the back side (the left-over stitch of the 3NBO, plus there is quite a gap to the next stitch, pickup 1 st, k to end
Ri1b (IS): k to half, f8CO2x16 / k16,  k to end

Ri2a (OS): k to half / ktbl16, pick up 1, k to end
Ri2b (IS): k to 18 bef half, ssk, k to 1 bef half, kfb / kfb, k to end

Ri3a (OS): k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (IS) k to m, w+t,
    (OS) k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to 6 bef half, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Ri3b (IS): k all

Ri4a (OS): k to half / k to m, w+t,
    (IS) k to half, k to m, w+t,
    (OS) k to end
Ri4b (IS): k to 2 bef half, ssk / ssk, k to end

Ri5a (OS): k all
Ri5b (IS): k to half / hold outsides together and do a 3NBO of 27 stitches, put the remaining stitch on the front needle, and turn back right sides out, slip the first stitch (ie. left over from the 3NBO), make sure to draw this stitch tight, k to end


Thumb

Rt1a (OS): k to half / you now have 1 st more on the front side than on the back side (the left-over stitch of the 3NBO, plus there is quite a gap to the next stitch, pickup 1 st, k to end
Rt1b: (IS) k to half, f8CO2x13 / k13,  k7, w+t,
    (OS): k to half / ktbl13, pickup 1, k7, w+t,
    (IS): k6, ssk, k to 1 bef half, kfb / kfb, k22, w+t,
    (OS): k to half / k24, w+t
    (IS): k to half / k27, w+t
    (OS): k to half / k27, w+t
    (IS): k to half / k29, w+t
    (OS): k to 2 bef half, ssk / ssk, k27, w+t
    (IS): k to half / k18, w+t
    (OS): k to half / k18, w+t
    (IS): k to 1 bef half, ssk / ssk, k to end

Rt2a: k all
Rt2b: k all

Put the outsides together and do a 3NBO of all stitches.
Turn the glove right sides out. Finished :)

Weave in ends.
Make two.

Herzchen

Next week is St. Valentine's Day <3
So why not knit a few of these lovely little hearts to decorate your home, presents etc. I found that they could be quite addictive and once I started, I couldn't stop knitting them.
Even though these hearts are 3-dimensional they are knitted back and forth. They are constructed of short rows and knitted all in garter stitch. They come in three different sizes.
These little garter stitch hearts may also be a lovely way to practice your knitting skills – especially magic CO and grafting in garter stitch.
As to the name, "Herzchen" is the German word for little heart.

This pattern is available:

• via Ravelry,
• via Loveknitting,
• via Payhip, and
• via Gumroad.

The PDF of the pattern is 10 pages long and contains:

• an explanation of the general construction
• six explanatory photos
• row-by-row patterns for these hearts in 3 sizes
• charts for hearts in 2 sizes

Materials

• yarn – basically leftovers - I different kinds of yarn – and self-striping fingering weight yarn)
• knitting needles – I used straight knitting needles, 2 mm for fingering weight yarn, i.e. always smaller needles than the yarn called for – in order to get a tight texture
• stuffing - I used the yarn ends and fabric scraps that I had saved from previous knitting or sewing projects
• a tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in ends
• one removable stitch marker

Skills
In order to knit such a three-dimensional heart, you need the following knitting skills

• Magic CO
• Short rows - with wrap and turn
• Grafting in garter stitch
• Basic increases and decreases (ssk and kfb)

Luftbläschen Brioche and Lace Scarf

This year my Mum wanted a new scarf for her birthday. So I took her to the yarn store and asked her to select whatever yarn she wanted. She choose a beautiful purple wool/silk mix in Lace weight. I wanted to knit something with a bit of structure, but I soon found that the yarn didn't lend itself to this and was better suited to a lacy pattern. In the end I settled for a combination of brioche and lace stitches – and I am very pleased with it.

It results in an elegant and squishy scarf with a reversible lace pattern that looks the same from both sides.

As to the name, Luftbläschen is the German word for little air bubbles.

The pattern PDF is available via

• Ravelry and 
• Loveknitting
• Payhip and
• Gumroad.

This pattern pdf is 5 pages long and contains:

• the complete written patterns to knit this scarf
• photo tutorials for the stitches and stitch combinations that are used in this pattern 
• yarn over between brioche stitches and how to knit it
• a left-leaning decrease in brioche

Skills you need to knit this pattern:

• knitting brioche (in one color)
• a certain stamina while knitting - this is knitted in lace weight yarn and brioche, i.e. it grows extremely slow

To knit this you need the following materials 

• about 160 grams of Lace weight yarn (around 1300 meters) - for the piece in the pictures I used West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace (here's a link to the yarn's Ravelry page)
• 3mm knitting needles
• 4 stitch markers plus 1 removable stitch markers
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Pixel Star

After publishing the Stella potholders pattern, I thought it might be a good idea to do an 8-pointed star within a knitted square. I had done similar constructions before (e.g. Tannenbäumchen potholders) - i.e. something within a square, using short rows combined with intarsia.
In the end, it didn't look exactly the way I wanted - more like a pixelized star :) But I realized that this was something more or less built in with this kind of construction - and so I didn't change it.
So here it is. Enjoy!

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






Materials

• a total of about 30 grams of DK weight cotton yarn in two colors (C1 = background color, C2 = color of star)
• 3 mm needles - if you use yarn of a different weight, use a needle that is one size below the size that the yarn calls for
• scrap yarn for provisional CO
• a tapestry needle for grafting and to weave in ends

Techniques and Notation

• 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.
  Note: in some rows the wrap has to be made just at the color change in the row below, e.g. Ridge B11 where you knit 11 sts in C1 and the 12 stitch that is to be wrapped was knitted in C2. In this case, it's advisable to change the color (as if to knit the next stitch in the new color), wrap and turn in the new color, and then to change back. This gives nicer color edges.
• Grafting in Garter Stitch: A technique to get an invisible (knitted) seam - this technique is shown in this YouTube Video by knittinghelp.com.
• Intarsia: Changing colors with the intarsia technique - as shown in this YouTube video by knitwithpat; or this YouTube video by Francoise Danoy. That way you don't have to carry long strands on the WS. The picture below shows the RS and WS of the piece.
  Throughout the pattern, the following notation is used:  C1 (k4), C2 (k10, w+t, k10), C1 (k to end) means, knit 4 stitches in C1, change to C2 and knit 10 sts, do a wrap and turn, knit 10 stitches and then change back to C1 and k to end. I.e. color is indicated before the knitting instructions for that yarn and the knitting instructions for that yarn are given in brackets after the color. 

Construction

This potholder is knitted in 4 parts. It starts with a provisional CO. Then each row is a stitch shorter than the last one, One part ends,

• when the row is only 1 stitch (plus 1 w+t) long - then the next part begins and each row is one stitch longer than the last one until all stitches are knitted and we've sucessfully knitted around a corner - or
• when the row length is knitted to the end and after a normal turn (as opposed to a w+t) starts with a slip stitch; then the row  length is getting shorter as you approach the next corner.

After knitting around four corners, the two sides (CO and last row) are grafted in garter stitch.
The photo on the right shows the piece, just before taking out the stitches of the provisional CO and grafting this to the last row.

Size
Knitted in DK yarn, the piece measures about 15 cm x 15 cm.


Instructions
With scrap yarn provisionally CO 17 stitches

Part A:
Setup row (WS): C2 (k14), C1 (k3)
Ridge 1: C1 (k5), C2 (k11, w+t, k11), C1 (k5)
Ridge 2: C1 (k7), C2 (k8, w+t, k8), C1 (k7)
Ridge 3: C1 (k9), C2 (k5, w+t, k5), C1 (k9)
Ridge 4: C1 (k10), C2 (k3, w+t, k3), C1 (k10)
Ridge 5: C1 (k9), C2 (k3, w+t, k3), C1 (k9)
Ridge 6: C1 (k9), C2 (k2, w+t, k2), C1 (k9)
Ridge 7: C1 (k8), C2 (k2, w+t, k2), C1 (k8)
Ridge 8: C1 (k8), C2 (k1, w+t, k1), C1 (k8)
Ridge 9: C1 (k7), C2 (k1, w+t, k1), C1 (k7)
Ridge 10: C1 (k6), C2 (k1, w+t, k1), C1 (k6)
Ridge 11: C1 (k6), C2 (w+t), C1 (k6)
Ridge 12: C1 (k5, w+t, k5)
Ridge 13: C1 (k4, w+t, k4)
Ridge 14: C1 (k3, w+t, k3)
Ridge 15: C1 (k2, w+t, k2)
Ridge 16: C1 (k1, w+t, k1)

Ridge 17 = Ridge 16
Ridge 18 = Ridge 15
Ridge 19 = Ridge 14
Ridge 20 = Ridge 13
Ridge 21 = Ridge 12
Ridge 22 = Ridge 11
Ridge 23 = Ridge 10
Ridge 24 = Ridge 9
Ridge 25 = Ridge 8
Ridge 26 = Ridge 7
Ridge 27 = Ridge 6
Ridge 28 = Ridge 5
Ridge 29 = Ridge 4
Ridge 30 = Ridge 3
Ridge 31 = Ridge 2
Ridge 32 = Ridge 1
Ridge 33:  C1 (k3), C2 (k14, turn, sl1, k13), C1 (k3)

That's the first part finished.

Now repeat this (ridges 1 to 33) two more times (parts 2 and 3) - and then once again ridges 1 to 32 (part 4).

Take out your scrap yarn of the provisional cast on and put the live stitches on a knitting needle. Cut your yarns but leave tails long enough for grafting.
Graft in garter stitch: 3 sts in C1 and 14 sts in C2.

After grafting there is still a small hole in the middle of the piece - you can sew this closed with your C2 yarn tail. Sew in ends afterwards.


Chart
The chart below shows one forth of the potholder. The numbers indicate the number of stitches per color of each ridge. The orange number gives the stitches in C2 and the black number the stitches in C1.

Stella - Star-Shaped Potholders

Christmas is the time to decorate the space around you with pretty things. And as a knitter, in the run-up to Christmas I like to knit decorations. And if these decorations are also useful, it's even better. These 8-pointed stars can be used as hotpads, doilies or coasters.
They are knitted in one piece and all in garter stithc– starting with a provisional CO, then point by point around the center. Grafting the first and last rows together gives it a seamless look. The construction uses short rows and basic increases and decreases.
So, if you want a quick knit to get you into a Christmas mood – and maybe learning a couple of new techniques along the way – this pattern is for you.

The pattern is available for purchase 

• via Ravelry,
• via Loveknitting,
• and on Payhip.

The pattern PDF 14 pages long and contains:

• the complete written patterns for stars in two sizes including charts
• a general pattern how to knit stars in other sizes – containing also a photo tutorial
• three further variations of this pattern (see photos below)
• a lacy variation of this star – written pattern and a chart
• a pattern for a two-colour variation – written pattern, a chart and detailed instructions how to undo the provisional CO in two colours and how to do the grafting in two colours
• a three-colour variation – chart only 
• short photo tutorials for the following techniques
• provisional cast on with a crochet hook and how to undo it
• grafting in garter stitch
• intarsia

Skills you need to knit this pattern:

• provisional CO
• short rows with wrap and turn
• grafting in garter stich
• basic increases (kfb) and decreases (ssk and k2tog)

Materials

• yarn – I used cotton yarns, for the off white ones in Aran weight (15 grams for the small star, 30 grams for the bigger star) and Sports weight yarn for the orange lacy star (about 40 grams)
• knitting needles that are smaller than what the yarn calls for – I used 2.5mm needles
• scrap yarn and a crochet hook for a provisional CO
• a tapestry needle for grafting

Sizes

The bigger star in Aran weight measures 24 cm from tip to tip, the smaller one 16 cm.

The big lacy star in Sports weight yarn measures about 36 cm.

Autumn is Coming Bandana Cowl

Even though summer stayed for quite a long time here, it is getting colder. That's why I like to wear something "woolly" around my neck - but rather than a heavy bulky scarf, something smaller and lighter. A bandana cowl fits this brief beautifully - since it basically covers your neck and (my preferred) V-neckline :)
I used a light yarn and an easy lace pattern
This cowl is adaptable to your size of neck and to other yarn weights as well - since it's starting small and growing. So by the time you actually would need a swatch, you already have a small knitted piece :)

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






Materials

• a little more than 50 grams of DK weight yarn (I used Rico Design Essentials Merino DK - here's a link to the yarn's Ravelry page)
• 4 mm knitting needles (circulars)
• a stitch marker
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Techniques and Abbreviations

• Knitted Cast-On: See this Youtube-video by Very Pink Knits.
• kfb - knit into front and back of one stitch (increase)
• k2tog - knit 2 stitches together (right leaning decrease)
• ssk - slip slip knit (left leaning decrease)
• yo - yarn over

Gauge and Measurements
The cowl that I knitted measures 50 cm in circumference, 31 cm in height at its highest point (front) and 14 cm at its lowest point (back).
Knitted in pattern and (gently) blocked, 32 rows neasure 10 cm in height and 20 sts measure 10 cm in width.

Construction

The bandana cowl is started at the tip of the triangle - knitted flat - grows with increases. Once you've reached a certain width, you use a knitted CO and join in round.

Instructions

Part 1 (knitted flat)

CO4

Row 1 (WS) and all uneven rows in part 1: kfb, p to last st, kfb

Row 2 (RS, start with 6 sts): k all

Row 4 (RS, 8 sts): k1, k2tog, yo, k2 yo, ssk, k1 

Row 6 (RS, 10 sts): k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k2 

Row 8 (RS, 12 sts): k3, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k3 

Row 10 (RS, 14 sts): k4, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k4
Row 12 (RS, 16 sts): k1, yo ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k1
Row 14 (RS, 18 sts): k2, * k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk k2 repeat from * to end
Row 16 (RS, 20 sts): k1, * k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog yo repeat from * until there are 3 sts left, k3
Row 18 (RS, 22 sts): k2, * k2, k2tog, yo k2, yo, ssk repeat from * until there are 4 sts left, k4

The chart below shows the first 26 rows and also (in red) one repeat of the stitch pattern that is used throughout.

Row 20 (RS): k1, * k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k2 repeat from * until there are 7 sts left, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1
Row 22 (RS): k2, * yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo k2 repeat from * to end
Row 24 (RS): k1, * k2, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk repeat from * until there are 3 sts left, k3
Row 26 (RS): k2, * k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo repeat from * until there are 4 sts left, k4

Repeat rows 12 to 27 once more. Then knit rows 12 to 19 once more.
Now you should have 56 sts on your needles.

If you use yarn of a different weight or want other measurements, now is the moment to use the triangle you have just knitted as a swatch:

• to make sure that the triangle covers a bit more than front part of your neck - if it doesn't you can adjust the number of repeats of rows 20 to 27 accordingly, and
• to calculate the number of stitches that you have to cast on now. Please make sure to cast on a number of stitches that is divisible by 8.

Knit row 20 once more and after finishing knit do a knitted CO of 40 sts (or the number of stitches that you calculated) and join in round. Place a marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Part 2 (knitted in the round)

Round 1: k all
Round 2: * k1, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k1 repeat from * to end
Round 3: k all
Round 4: * k1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1 repeat from * to end
Knit rounds 1 to 4 a total of 10 times - or until you're about 2.5cm short of the desired height.

Then knit the follwing sequence once
Round 1: * p1, k2, p1 repeat from * to end
Round 2: * k1, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k1 repeat from * to end
Round 3: * p1, k2, p1 repeat from * to end
Round 4: * k1, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k1 repeat from * to end
Bind off in ribbing (p1k2p1)-pattern

Weave in ends and block gently.