Thursday 24 June 2010

Hmmm...

I see that The Knitter is running a competition to design a hat for Mencap.

You have to design one with a celebrity in mind. I'm not sure who I would design for but I have spent the afternoon knitting swatches. I do have a rough idea in mind but I'm not sure how I'm going to implement it, so I'm going to give it a go and see how it comes out.

I had a pattern book for my birthday and it's already proving to be invaluable, giving me an idea for a blanket made from scraps of yarn left over from other projects, but we shall see. I already have a blanket on the go!

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Flossie's Cabled Gloves

I am very pleased to announce that I am ready to publish my glove pattern.







Introduction

I came up with this pattern after experimenting with cables for a blanket square and wondering what it would look like in the round. I liked the results so much that I decided that I wanted to turn it into a garment rather than a blanket square (although it would be quite cool as a blanket square too), so the long cabled gloves were born.

I added a couple of bobbles either side of the cable, in between a purl border to frame the cable. There's no cuffs at the top or fingers because I thought it detracted from the pattern.

I love the yarn I chose for this pattern. I had some set aside for a blanket but loved the way the cables and bobbles stood out. As the gloves are knit from the top down, you can adjust the length, which is great if you have a smaller amount of really sumptuous yarn. You can substitute any DK weight yarn too so these gloves are a great stash buster.

If you don't like bobbles or want a plainer glove, substitute the Bobble stitch for a knit stitch.

The pattern is named after the knitted sheep I threw at Adrian Edmonson's band, The Bad Shepherds. He had commented that they were bad shepherds because they had no sheep. The next time I saw them at a concert, I felt that I had to provide them with a sheep, who I named Flossie.

Many thanks to Amy for helping out with pattern testing.

Materials needed:

Yarn: 2 x 50g balls of Rowan Purelife Organic Wool (100% Wool) 125m / 137yards
1 set of stitch markers
1 set of 4 4mm double pointed needles
Stitch holder or scrap yarn to hold stitches
1 cable needle

Gauge:

22 sts and 30 rows = 10cm on 4mm needles

Pattern notes:

C6L
Slip 3 stitches onto the cable needle and hold to the front of your work, k3 stitches, then k3 from the cable needle

C6R
Slip 3 stitches onto the cable needle and hold to the back of your work, k3 stitches, then k3 from the cable needle.

Bobble
(k,p,k,p,k) into the same stitch without dropping it off the needle, turn work to the wrong side, p5, turn work back to the right side, slip one stitch knitwise, (k2tog) twice, psso, pass second stitch on right hand needle over first stitch as if to bind off. 1 stitch remains.

PM
Place marker

SM
Slip marker

M1
Increase by inserting your left hand needle from back to front in the strand between stitches and then knit through the front of the stitch

Pattern:

Right and left glove:
Using long tail / continental cast on, CO 48 sts, dividing the stitches between 3 double pointed needles. Join in the round.

Round 1: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 2: As Round 1
Round 3: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Rounds 4 – 6 inclusive: As Round 1
Round 7: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times
Round 8: As round 1

Repeat these 8 rows 7 more times.

Left hand and thumb gusset:

Round 1: k3, p1, PM, (k1, M1 3 times) PM, p1, (k3, p1 twice), p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (51 sts – 3 sts increased)
Round 2: k3, p1, SM, k6, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (51 sts)
Round 3: k3, p1, SM, k1, M1, k4, M1, k1, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (53 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 4: k3, p1, SM, k8, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (53 sts)
Round 5: k3, p1, SM, k1, M1, k6, M1, k1, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (55 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 6: k3, p1, SM, k10, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (55 sts)
Round 7: k3, p1, SM, k1, M1, k8, M1, k1, SM, p1, k3, p1, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times (57 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 8: k3, p1, SM, k12, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (57 sts)
Round 9: k3, p1, SM, k1, M1, k10, M1, k1, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1,k3) 4 times (59 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 10: k3, p1, SM, k14, SM, p1, (k3, p1) twice, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (59 sts)
Round 11: k3, p1, remove markers and place 14 thumb sts on holder or waste yarn, CO 3 sts, p1, k3, p1, k3, p3, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times (48 sts on needles, 14 sts on holder / scrap yarn)
Round 12: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 13 and 14: As Round 12
Round 15: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times
Round 16: As Round 12
Round 17: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 18: As Round 17
Round 19: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 20 to 22 inclusive: As Round 17
Round 23: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times
Round 24: As Round 17

Bind off all sts.

Thumb

Transfer 14 thumb gusset stitches to a needle then divide stitches evenly between 3 needles. Rejoin yarn, leaving a 15cm tail and knit 6 rounds. Bind off all stitches.

Sew in all ends and sew the hole at the thumb using the 15cm tail.

Right hand and thumb gusset

Round 1: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, PM, (k1, M1 3 times), PM, p1, k3 (51 sts – 3 sts increased)
Round 2: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k6, SM, p1, k3 (51 sts)
Round 3: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k1, M1, k4, M1, k1, SM, p1, k3 (53 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 4: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k8, SM, p1, k3 (53 sts)
Round 5: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k1, M1, k6, M1, k1, SM, p1, k3 (55 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 6: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k10, SM, p1, k3 (55 sts)
Round 7: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, K1, p1, k3, p1, SM, k1, M1, k8, M1, k1, SM, p1, k3 (57sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 8: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k12, SM, p1, k3 (57 sts)
Round 9: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k1, M1, k10, M1, k1, SM, p1, k3 (59 sts – 2 sts increased)
Round 10: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, SM, k14, SM, p1, k3 (59 sts)
Round 11: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) twice, p1, remove markers and place 14 thumb sts on holder or waste yarn, CO 3 sts, p1, k3 (48 sts on needles, 14 sts on holder / scrap yarn)
Round 12: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 13 and 14: As Round 12
Round 15: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times
Round 16: As Round 12
Round 17: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, k12, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 18: As Round 17
Round 19: (k3, p1) 4 times, p2, (C6L) twice, p2, (p1, k3) 4 times
Round 20 to 22 inclusive: As Round 17
Round 23: (k3, p1) 3 times, k1, Bobble, k1, p3, k3, C6R, k3, p3, k1, Bobble, k1, (p1, k3) 3 times
Round 24: As Round 17

Bind off all sts.

Thumb

Transfer 14 thumb gusset stitches to a needle then divide stitches evenly between 3 needles. Rejoin yarn, leaving a 15cm tail and knit 6 rounds. Bind off all stitches.

Sew in all ends and sew the hole at the thumb using the 15cm tail.

Edit: Charts for this pattern are available here.

© Jennifer Higgins, 2010. No reproduction without prior consent. For personal use only. Not to be used to produce items for commercial purposes. Thank you.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Pattern testing

Pattern testing for the gloves is complete (one small mistake found)!

I will have the pattern up soon, but I need to take some pictures of the gloves. I'm getting shown how to take better pictures by my partner who happens to have a) a photography degree and b) the patience of a saint!

I'm a very visual learner and prefer to be shown how to do things, which is why I took to knitting through the use of books, videos and practise.

I will get the pattern up as soon as possible - within the next week anyway. I'm thinking that it could be fun to do a hat or maybe a pair of socks next, but we'll see :)

On the needles at the moment: a pair of plain toe up socks in Regia yarn and a pair of Sweet Chicory socks from Issue 17 of The Knitter in some hand painted yarn with 2% silver in it.

Jewellery plans at the moment are for more stitch marker brooches.

Friday 4 June 2010

A preview....

I have to go and get ready to drive to Birmingham now, but I have listed a few things in the shop as a preview of the goodies to come.

Here it is!

Here's what I've listed so far...







I've got more stitch markers, bookmarks, a necklace, some charm bracelets and perhaps some earrings to come.

Right

Got my Folksy shop done, now it's time to list some beauties! I will update when I'm done with listing my goodies.

Managed to get some brooches with little hand painted Russian dolls on them, which I will be turning into stitch marker brooches.

It's warm and I have to work over the weekend - sods law that the weather is always good when I have to work at ye olde Tesco store. Still, I get to look at photos of my pretties and am sitting here with some cherries, a gentle breeze and Natalie Merchant on Spotify (which you don't need an invite for any more!).

Could do with these tunes on my iPhone to listen to while I drive to see my man in Birmingham later.

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Finished

I have finished the pattern to the gloves! Hooray!

I have someone doing a test knit for me at the moment, because I want the pattern to be as readable as possible. One of my bugbears is badly written patterns and I wouldn't like a badly written pattern to put people off knitting it. I can't spot any mistakes yet, but sometimes it's hard to see the wood for the trees!

Also, having realised that not everyone likes bobbles, I was thinking that they can be left out (and the stitch just knit) or substituted with a bead. As long as the bead can be thread onto DK yarn, then I'd say it's good. You'd need 44 suitably sized beads in total.

I also need a name for the pattern. I have to be careful because I have a penchant for odd names. I developed a fondness for the name Doris after watching Gavin and Stacey!

In other news, I've decided to move my etsy shop to folksy and undergo a bit of a name change. I've yet to sort through the jewellery I want to put on there yet, so today I will be going through a few bits and bobs and then taking some good photographs. Once I've got the shop up and running with some actual stock, I'll post again with an update.