Troldmandens øje - Ojos de Bruja Scarf in Danish

Marianne Holmen from strikkeglad.dk has written another Danish translation of one of my free knitting patterns. This time for my Ojos de Bruja Scarf. Mange tak!

Here's the link to the Danish version.
And here's the original English version.

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

 

A list of all translated versions of my patterns can be found in this blogpost.

Windrose

If you have been following my blog or social media you may know that I love to experiment with with short rows to create shapes and motifs. A while ago, I published my Water Lily pattern - a semicircular potholder with a flower shape.

After finishing it, I started to think about changing in a way to make it a full circle. The most difficult bit was a find out how to start it in order to be able to easily graft it in the end - and it took me a few attempts to get it right. 

So here it is: a pattern for a potholder or doily in a flower shape. I called it windrose, because the petals look a bit like the points of a compass. It starts with a provisional CO, is knitted in short row parts and finished with grafting in garter stitch. 

This project uses yarn in two colours, short rows and is really fiddly in the beginning - so it is definitely NOT a beginner pattern.

The pattern  PDF is available at

• Ravelry 
• Loveknitting
• Payhip

The pattern PDF is 10 pages long and contains

• written row-by-row instructions for knitting this piece – including 19 illustration photos (total of 4 pages)
• short photo tutorials for the following techniques
• provisional CO with a crochet hook and how to undo it
• grafting in garter stitch
• short rows with wrap and turn and picking up the wraps 
• weaving in yarn while carrying it (backwards and forwards)
• crochet CO (at the edge of a knitted piece)

Knitting in DK weight, the piece measures about 30 cm in diameter (yes, it's a small cake on the picture above).  I also knitted the pieces in other yarn weights: The ones in fingering weight yarn, measure about 26 cm in diameter and the ones knitted in thread weight measure 23 cm in diameter.

To knit this you need the following materials

• about 90 – 100 metres of DK Cotton yarn in two colors
• MC - Main Color 32gr (about 55-60 metres)
• CC - Contour Color 14 (about 35-40 metres)
• 3mm knitting needles – I used dpns (just because they are short)
• a crochet hook of a similar size (I used a 3.5mm hook)
• scrap yarn for the provisional CO
• a tapestry needle – for grafting and to weave in ends

With my favorite Greek orange cake (link to the recipe in German)

Semiramis Summer Top

Currently, my knitting motivation is quite low. I don't know whether this is due to a general Covid19 weariness or to other reasons, but I haven't done much lately. Plus, there are about six or seven finished objects for which I haven't written the pattern - or for which there is a half-written pattern that I should finalize or proof-read ... but I just cannot bring myself to do it.

So, about a month ago I thought that I might just knit a simple top and not having to worry about writing a pattern. I always wanted to knit a lace top with thick yarn, so that's what I did  - using quite bulky cotton yarn, that was in my stash. (Actually, it was yarn from a project that I never finished - see this blogpost.)

I searched for interesting lace patterns on the internet and found some beautiful ones at Gannetdesign's blog String Geekery. For this top I used the stitch pattern called Semiramis.

I used about 9,5 skeins of Lang Yarns Cotone (i.e. about 660 metres of yarn) and 6.0mm knitting needles. Basically, I knitted four rectangles (back & front: 50cm by 65cm, and two sleeves: 42 cm by 20cm) and sewed them together. 

The actual knitted worked really well, even though knitting with 6mm needles always seems strange to me - I prefer knitting with 4-ply yarns and the appropriate needles. The sewing part took a bit longer ... :) However, I am rather pleased with the result - even though it is a bit bulky, it's a quite summery top.

Tulips

In my part of the world, spring has just started - so just in time for it, here's a suitable little knitting pattern ... knitted tulips.

I like to experiment with short rows to achieve organic shapes (see e.g. my Pumpkin Potholders or Pear Potholders patterns). And I really like the idea of knitting flower shapes (Daisy, Seven Petals Potholders). So a tulip shape was a natural thing to try. However, it proved to be far more difficult than I  had expected ... It took me a while to a) figure out which shape I wanted and b) how to achieve it. Nine tries to be precise (see my Ravelry project page for the "failed" attempts), but now I am happy with their looks. 

These pieces make lovely presents, e.g. to accompany a home made cake. But you can also use them as potholders, coasters or general table decoration. 

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






Materials

• about 20 to 25 grams of Worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors - called CC (contour color) and MC (main color): 7 gr CC, 18 gr MC - of course you can use other yarn weights as well
• 3 mm knitting needles - in case you use other yarn weights, use needles that are slightly smaller than the yarn calls for; that way you get a tighter fabric
• (possibly) a stitch marker
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Techniques

• Short rows with wrap and turn (w+t) - as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits. Since this washcloth is knit in garter stitch, you don't have to pick up your wraps - except in two rows, i.e. the rows where the wrapping color is different from the color of the wrapped stitch. These rows are indicated in the pattern. Here's a YouTube video that shows how to pick up your wraps (also by Very Pink Knits).
• Knitted Cast-On: See this Youtube-video by Very Pink Knits.
  A tutorial for the knitted cast-on that uses one of my older patterns as an example (Water Lily) has been written by Christina Garza-Brown and can be found here at knitfarious.com
• Weaving in yarn while knitting - carrying it towards the end of the row: This technique (and the next) are used to avoid a long float that runs parallel to your knitting - and to avoid cutting your yarn. When starting with the contour color yarn (lilac in the photos) before knitting a stitch you put the main coloryarn (white in the photos) over the contour color yarn (see illustration 1 below), then you knit the stitch. Before knitting the next stitch you twist the yarns again (see illustration 2). If you repeat these steps you can carry the yarn over a chosen number of stitches- so that it looks neat on WS (see illustration 3 below).
  A similar technique (to weave in ends) is shown in this YouTube video by So, I make stuff. 

• Weaving in yarn while knitting - towards the beginning of a row: This technique is similar to the one explained before and it serves the same purpose. You draw a long loop of the "new" yarn to the point where you want to knit it (picture 1). This gives you a really long float. Knit the first stitch. Before knitting the second stitch, catch the float by put the left hand needle under the float (picture 2) and then knit the stitch with your working yarn as usual. If you catch the float every second stitch, the WS will look as shown in picture 3. (This is a bit like catching floats in stranded knitting as shown in this YouTube video by Knit Purl Hunter.)

In case the last two techniques are too fiddly, you can alternatively cut the yarn of the main color after each petal and weave in the ends.


Size
Knitted in worsted weight yarn, one tulip measures about 20 cm in height and 14 cm in width (at its widest point).



Construction
These tulip are constructed in petals of short rows and contour lines in a contrast color. It is knitted sideways and consists of three petals, one right petal, a small middle one, and a left petal.

After each petal - when knitting the contour lines, you carry the MC yarn forward a bit and you bind off 9 stitches. Then you cast them on again. After doing this, you should carry the main color yarn first back to the beginning of the row.
The picture below shows how the WS of this piece looks. You can see the carried yarn at the tips of the petals.

It may be helpful to place a stitch marker after the 10th stitch. This means when binding off, you don't have to count but the 9 stitches to BO, but only have to BO up to the stitch before the marker.
I knitted the first some without a stitch marker and sometimes left track of how many stitches I had already bound off. So I used a stitch marker which worked well with regards to counting. But while knitting the petals the stitch marker got in the way, so I took it out again.

Instructions

CO48 in CC
Setup Row: k all

When knitting the petals, you slip the first two stitches (they are knitted only in CC to achieve a contour).

Right Petal

in MC
Ridge 1: (RS) sl2 k44, w+t,
    (WS) k42, w+t,
Ridge 2: (RS) k21, ssk, k7, w+t,
    (WS) k9, w+t,
Ridge 3: (RS) k4, ssk, k5, w+t,
    (WS) k12, w+t,
Ridge 4: (RS) k9, ssk, k3, w+t,
    (WS) k15, w+t,
Ridge 5: (RS) k6, ssk k9, w+t,
    (WS) k18, w+t,
Ridge 6: (RS) k20, ssk, w+t,
    (WS) k33, w+t,
Ridge 7: (RS) k27, ssk, k5, w+t,
    (WS) k24, w+t,
Ridge 8: (RS) k13, ssk, k1, w+t,
     (WS) k18, w+t,
Ridge 9: (RS) k16, w+t,
    (WS) k11, w+t,
Ridge 10: (RS) k1, ssk, k5, kfb, k8 ssk, w+t,
    (WS) k21, w+t,
Ridge 11: (RS) k6, kfb, k9, w+t,
    (WS) k12, w+t,
Ridge 12: (RS) k10, kfb, k6, ssk, w+t,
    (WS) k17, w+t,
Ridge 13: (RS) k12, w+t,
    (WS) k10, w+t,
Ridge 14: (RS) k2, kfb, k8, ssk, w+t,
    (WS) k23, w+t,
Ridge 15: (RS) k8, kfb, k9, w+t,
    (WS) k24, w+t,
Ridge 16: (RS) k17, kfb, k4, w+t,
    (WS) k10, w+t,
Ridge 17: (RS) k17, ssk, k1, w+t,
    (WS) k38, sl2

Contour

in CC
Row 1: (RS) sl1, k to end (carrying MC over 11 sts), 
Row 2: (WS) k to last st, sl1
Row 3: (RS) BO9, w+t, 
Row 4: (WS) k1, kCO9
Row 5: (RS) sl1wyib, ktbl, k7, ktbl, k1, w+t, 
Row 6: (WS) k to end

Middle Petal

in MC
Ridge 1: (RS) sl2, k16 (while carrying MC from the 11th stitch back to the 2nd stitch), w+t,
    (WS) k9, w+t,
Ridge 2: (RS) k4, w+t,
    (WS) k6, w+t,
Ridge 3: (RS) k8, w+t,
    (WS) k10, w+t,
Ridge 4: (RS) k12, w+t,
    (WS) k14, w+t,
Ridge 5: (RS) k12, w+t,
    (WS) k10, w+t,
Ridge 6: (RS) k8, w+t,
    (WS) k6, w+t,
Ridge 7: (RS) k5, w+t,
    (WS) k3, w+t,
Ridge 8: (RS) k9, w+t,
    (WS) k16, sl2

Contour

in CC
Row 1: (RS) sl1, k18 (carrying MC over 11 sts), 
Row 2: (WS) k to last st, sl1
Row 3: (RS) BO9, w+t, 
Row 4: (WS) k1, kCO9
Row 5: (RS) sl1wyib, ktbl, k7, ktbl, k1, w+t, 
Row 6: (WS) k to end

Left Petal

in MC
Ridge 1: (RS) sl2, k38 (while carrying MC from the 11th stitch back to the 2nd stitch), w+t,
    (WS) k21, w+t,
Ridge 2: (RS) k2, w+t,
    (WS) k4, w+t,
Ridge 3: (RS) k6, w+t,
    (WS) k8, w+t,
Ridge 4: (RS) k10, w+t,
    (WS) k11, w+t,
Ridge 5: (RS) k13, kfb, k3, w+t,
    (WS) k24, w+t,
Ridge 6: (RS) k26, w+t,
    (WS) k11, w+t,
Ridge 7: (RS) k1, kfb, k11, w+t,
    (WS) k16, w+t,
Ridge 8: (RS) k18, w+t,
    (WS) k33, w+t,
Ridge 9: (RS) k31, w+t,
    (WS) k17, w+t,
Ridge 10: (RS) k14, w+t,
    (WS) k11, w+t,
Ridge 11: (RS) k7, kfb, k2, w+t,
    (WS) k15, w+t,
Ridge 12: (RS) k5, kfb, k14, w+t,
    (WS) k36, w+t,
Ridge 13: (RS) k23, kfb, k2, w+t,
    (WS) k8, w+t,
Ridge 14: (RS) k21, w+t,
    (WS) k42, sl2

Contour

CC
Row 1: (RS) sl1 k to end, 
Row2: (WS) sl1 k to last, sl1
BO all

Cut yarns, weave in ends.
If there is still a small distance between the left and right petal, use the CC tail to sew it closed. 

Zaunkönig

I love brioche knitting because it creates a wonderfully fluffy fabric. In two colors it can  also get gorgeous geometric patterns. I especially love the stitch used here because it creates a gorgeous lattice or fence effect. And that effect is where the name comes from – Zaunkönig (the German name of the eurasian wren) literally means king of the fence. Here, it has been used to create a mixture of a cowl and a poncho.

The color combination is far out of my comfort zone - and was coincidental. I had ordered a lovely royal blue lace weight yarn from Wollmeise and needed something as a contrast color. Because of Covid, I only went once into one local yarn store (and that was in high summer when incidents were low and everybody worked with open doors and windows) and had to decide there and then with "only" the yarn that was there to choose from. I guess without that "pressure" I wouldn't have bought the Wasabi green. Now - that I've knitted this piece (and started another project with the same yarns - see Ravelry project page here) - I absolutely love the color combination and I am quite happy that I was "forced" (by myself if at all) to buy this yarn. 

The pattern PDF is available on

• Ravelry
• Loveknitting 
• Payhip

It is 8 pages long and contains:

• row-by-row knitting instructions for this piece in one size (height 43 cm, circumference top 58 cm, circumference bottom edge 116 cm, you can change the circumference by chanigng the number of stitches to cast on, but if you follow the pattern the piece will we twice as wide at the bottom than at the top)
• charts
• photo tutorials of the brioche stitches that you need to knit this cowl
• brkX - the brioche stitch that gives the lattice effect
• brk2inc - a brioche increase by 2 stitches (in a brk-row)
• brp2inc - a brioche increase by 2 stitches (in a brp-row)

To knit this, you need the following materials

• a total of about 800 metres of Lace weight yarn in two colours
  I used two solid colors 
• the dark blue is Wollmeise Lace (colourway "Kornblume")
• the bright green is Holst Garn Titicaca (colourway "Wasabi")
• 3mm circular knitting needles

Slightly Slanted Fingerless Gloves

I like fingerless gloves – and I like knitting  them a bit different from the standard loom-style construction. This usually leads to special patterns that are particularly attractive when used with  some self-striping yarn. Plus it may lead to mitts, where you only have to weave in  two ends per mitt – one of my personal obsessions :)  

This is the case with these fingerless gloves. They are knitted in one piece – starting with a garter stitch ribbing knitted sideways and continued with a main part that is knitted (slightly) on the bias. The upper ribbing is also in garter stitch to level the bias, and finally the thumb part is added. These gloves are (nearly) knitted in knit stitch only –  the only exception are a few increases and decreases for the thumb gusset and k1p1-ribbing at the thumb.

You can buy the pattern PDF via

• Ravelry
• Loveknitting 
• Payhip

The pattern PDF is 10 pages long and contains

• a schematic how the mitts are constructed
• written row-by-row instructions for knitting these fingerless gloves in one size  – including 9 in-process photos of the gloves in different stages
• explanations how to adapt the pattern to other sizes
• short photo tutorials of the following techniques: 
• provisional cast-on and how to undo it, 
• three-needle bind-off, 
• picking up and knitting stitches from the slanted edge of your knitting, 
• picking up stitches from gaps (e.g. necessary after changes in direction)

Size

The mitts are 19 cm high and have a circumference of 17 cm at the wrist edge and of 16 cm at the fingers

To knit this pattern the following techniques are used

• provisional CO and undoing it
• three needle BO
• picking up stitches from the edge of a knitted piece
• picking up stitches from a gap (e.g. when doing a thumb gusset)

For all these techniques/skills, the pattern PDF contains photo tutorials. 

Materials

The following materials are necessary to knit these fingerless gloves:

• about 35 grams of fingering weight yarn, I used 
• Lang Yarn Twin Soxx, colorway 909 (title photo) - here's a link to the yarn's Ravelry page
• Lana Grossa Meilenweit Konfetti, colorway 2508 (other photos) - link to the yarn's Ravelry page 
• 3mm needles, for fingerless gloves such as these, I tend to switch between dpns and circulars, but it's possible to use either of them
• one surplus knitting needle (in a similar size, preferably also 3mm) 
• a stitch holder for the thumb stitches (scrap yarn works well, too)
• 5 stitch markers - one of them removable
• scrap yarn and a crochet hook (about 3mm) for the provisional COs
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Crossings Shawl

I've always wanted to created a half-circle(-ish) shawl in brioche, but it took me a while to think of a pattern with the appropriate number of increases. 

In general,  Two-colour brioche is a marvellous technique. It creates a lovely, squishy texture that is comforable to wear and it can be used to create quite intricate geometric patterns. 

This shawl is started with only a few stitches at the top center and knitted (and increased) outward. That way the size is easily adaptable - and the pattern can also be used for a different yarn weight.

The pattern PDF is available on

• Ravelry
• Loveknitting 

The pattern PDF is 8 pages long and contains:

• row-by-row pattern instructions
• photo tutorials for the brioche increases and decreases you need for this piece:
• brk2inc – a brioche increase
• brkX – brioche stitch that creates the lattice effect

If you want to knit this pattern you should know how to knit flat two-colour brioche.

To knit this shawl you need the following materials: 

• a total of 360 grams (or 1550 metres) of fingering weight yarn – in two (semi-)solid colours:
  I used Zwerger Opal Uni Solid – in the following colourways  
• DY: 5192 dunkelbraun (dark brown) 
• LY: 9932 himmelblau (light blue)
• You can use a different yarn weight – the only thing that you have to adapt is the needle size (slightly bigger than the yarn calls for)
• 3.75 mm knitting needles – preferably long circulars 
• 4 stitch markers
• a tapestry needle for weaving in ends

This gave me a shawls that measures about 62 cm in depth  and about 170 cm in width (measured from tip to tip).

WS of Crossings Shawl