Purl-Twist Knot Stitch: Multiple of 4 Rounds 1 and 3: knit Round 2: *k2, p2tog and leave on needle, p first st again, then drop from needle Round 4: *p2tog and leave on needle, p first st again, then drop from needle, k2 Pattern: Cast on 152 sts, join to knit in the round and place marker Work 4 rounds k2 p2 rib Work 10 repeats of Purl-Twist Knot Stitch Work 4 rounds k2 p2 rib
Bind off, block, weave in ends. I made this fairly narrow with a large circumference so I could wear it wrapped twice. You can make the circumference smaller by casting on fewer stitches, making sure that you subtract by 4 (the stitch multiple). Depending on how much smaller you go, you may need to use a 16" circular. The cowl can be made taller by working additional repeats of the Purl-Twist Knot stitch. If you want a cowl even larger in circumference, cast on more stitches, being sure that you still have a multiple of four. Keep in mind any size adjustments may require more yarn. Feel free to sell finished items made using this pattern.
Here is the next project that I am doing for the beginners. If you have already done the garter stitch scarf, and would like to move on to something a little more advanced, give this scarf a try.
In addition to the knit stitch, you will be purling, knitting two stitches together, purling two stitches together, and finally knitting into the front and the back of a stitch.
Knit two together (K2tog) and Purl two together (P2tog) are decreases, and by knitting into the front and back of a stitch (KFB) you will be increasing.
This scarf starts out on forty stitches, and this is decreased down to twenty after ten rows. At the end of the scarf, we will increase back up to forty stitches, work for ten rows and then bind off.
You will need two balls of Cascade Cash Vero and US Size 9 needles to make this scarf or any yarn you like with the appropriate needle size for the yarn.
I have recently started redoing all of my old videos. Bobbles is one of those videos. It was long and extremely boring, on top of being pretty hard to see. This new video is still a tad on the long side, but at least now it is very clear! And instead of written instructions scrolling through the video, I am putting them up here. Hope everyone likes the new bobble video!
There are no set rules for bobbles, really. You can make as many as you want, big or small, different colors (as in the photo above), and they can be placed anywhere you like. If you are following a pattern, it will undoubtedly tell you where to place the bobbles, and how to make them.
Below are a few ways I know to make bobbles, and I am sure there are more methods floating around out there. They all have a slightly different look, but the method of making them is really the same : increase into the next stitch, turn and purl, turn and knit, decrease. And there is your bobble. The typical bobble is 5 stitches, but you are free to experiment. The video demonstrates stockinette fabric and bobbles, but you can really do anything with them. Maybe garter fabric with a stockinette bobble, or the other way around. Why not a seed stitch bobble? Use bobbles as buttons. Your only limitation is your imagination.
Decide where you want a bobble. Into the next stitch, increase using any of the following methods:
1) K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
2) K1, YO, K1, YO, K1
3) KFL, KBL, KFL, KBL, KFL (Knit front/back loop)
Then, turn your work and purl those same five stitches. Turn again and knit. You can stop here, or purl/knit again. The more times you do this, the puffier your bobble will be.
Now, you need to decrease back to one stitch, using any of the following methods:
1) Pass second stitch over first, pass third stitch over first, etc. until all extra stitches have been passed over the first
2) After you have purled and are ready to knit the stitches : K2tog, K1, K2tog, then pass the two remaining stitches over the first
3) Pass the second and third over the first together, then pass the fourth and fifth together over the first
4) Once you have purled/knit as many times as you like, continue knitting to the end of your row. You will make your decreases on the wrong side of the fabric. When you come to the bobble, simply purl all of the extra stitches together. Obviously, this could become difficult if you have chosen to use more than five stitches for your bobble. I wouldn't recommend this decrease for more than five stitches.
And of course, here is the video! Happy Knitting and Enjoy!
I decided to do a tutorial on yarn overs, since there can (and is) often times a lot of confusion on the topic. When I first began knitting, I was good with the YO - yarn over. But then I started seeing things like yon, yrn, yfwd... I didn't quite understand what I was supposed to do. I thought it was a yarn over, but then again, it seemed different. It must be different, otherwise the pattern would just say YO, right? As a result, I avoided anything that contained these goofy instructions. Somewhere along the way, I figured out that these were all yarn overs, and the only difference was yon, yrn, etc. were there to indicate how the yarn was treated, depending on whether the next stitch was a knit or purl. These days, whenever I see any of these directions, I just make a yarn over and don't even worry if I am going over the needle, around the needle or whatever. I know my working yarn has to be in the front when I purl, and in the back when I knit, and that my yarn will be going over the needle. So I just throw the yarn over my needle, place it in the correct position, and make my next stitch. It really is that simple.
I know a lot of knitters are very passionate about this topic. For me, as I said above, they are all yarn overs, and I don't get too particular what "kind" of yarn over it is. I just do it. I knit to relax, and really don't need to stress over a hole in my knitting.
Here is a printable reference guide on yarn overs, including what to do when you forget to make one and what to do when you make one you don't need. There is also a video which demonstrates everything on the sheet. I hope this helps anyone who may be as confused as I was. Happy Knitting!
This is just a little tutorial I put together to help you out if you would like to knit something in the round, but aren't sure how to get the stitch pattern to work out. I will be perfectly honest - this is not an easy thing for me! It does take me a little while before I "get it" with some stitch patterns. So, you are not alone if you aren't able to convert stitch patterns easily. I do get a thrill when I finally figure out some of the trickier ones, which is what makes me keep trying different patterns. Practice makes perfect - so don't get discouraged if something doesn't work out the first time. Keep trying!
Of course I did not come up with this information on my own. This all can be found in Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting, as well as various other places on the web. Also, Margaret Radcliffe has a new book due out in just a few short weeks, called Circular Knitting Workshop: Essential Techniques to Master Knitting in the Round. I pre-ordered this back in December and have been so anxious to get it, I keep checking to see if maybe it will be released sooner! This book is supposed to have information on converting stitch patterns for knitting in the round, which is the reason I want it.
Below are instructions along with a few stitches for you to try out to get your needles going if you have never converted flat to round knitting. You can print this tutorial out so you can have it in your hands - which I find is a lot easier than having to constantly looking at the computer. There is also a free hat pattern using Star Stitch for you to print out too. Last but not least, there is a video briefly going over the tutorial and I will show you the stitches given in the tutorial.
I hope this tutorial is helpful, and that you like the hat pattern. Happy Knitting and Enjoy!
There are many different types of ruffles that you can add to your knitting in many different ways. I'm just going to cover a few simple ruffles here. If you like ruffles, you may want to check out Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein
First up is the simplest and most basic ruffle. It is just a gentle ruffle - nothing too frilly or over the top.
All you have to do is cast on twice as many stitches as you plan to use for your main pattern. Knit a few rows - I like the look of a stockinette ruffle, but you can certainly use garter stitch if you like; or experiment with different stitches such as seed stitch. After a few rows, you will need to decrease. Just work a row of K2tog - or P2tog even. So for instance, if you plan to work with 10 stitches and you've cast on 20, you will be removing 10 stitches on the decrease row and be left with the 10 you need for your project.
Next is a more ruffly ruffle. This one simply expands on the above idea. Cast on three times as many stitches as you plan to use for your main pattern, work a few rows, then decrease. You can simply work a row of K3tog or P3tog as the decrease, or you can flex your knitting brain and calculate how to work the decreases over the next two rows instead of just one. Knitting or purling 3 together can be a little tight/tricky, so you may opt for spreading the decreases out over two rows. For instance, let's again say you want to work with 10 stitches. You have 30. You could work the decreases this way: Next row, *K1, K2tog* along the row. This should leave you with 20 stitches. Next row, K2tog across the row, and you should have left the 10 stitches for your main pattern.
Finally, you can pick up and knit along the edge of a finished piece to make the ruffle. You want to add the ruffle to a finished edge, not live stitches. Ruffles need a nice, firm edge to hold on to. If you add a ruffle to live stitches, the ruffle will spread the fabric out.
Say you are knitting a scarf and want to add a ruffle to each end after the fact. To make the picking up easier, you may want to use the crochet cast on so that the cast on stitches are clearly defined and easy to pick up. Your standard knitted bind off also created a nice edge easy for picking up and knitting. I'm sure there are other cast ons and bind offs that will give you a nice edge to pick up, but since I typically just use the ho-hum knitted bind off and crochet cast on or long tail, I couldn't give an example of any others.
In this particular sample, I picked up 14 stitches along my cast on edge, then knit a few rows in stockinette, then increased big time. I knit into the front and back of each stitch in the next row, as well as making a yarn over between each stitch, totaling 42 stitches. I next worked a plain row and then bound off. This gave me a very ruffly, eyelet edge.
You can knit the ruffle as long as you like, but the longer it is, it will turn to a flounce as opposed to a ruffle. It's really all a matter of personal taste. So get out your yarn and needles and start playing. You might like the same method of making a ruffle in one type of yarn but not another. Experimenting is part of the fun of knitting.
Here is a video of the ruffles in this post. Happy Knitting!
Today I stopped in at Carol's Needleworks, in Bridgeville Pa. A bit out of my way, but I have been wanting to check it out for a while now. It is a small store, but has a nice selection of yarn, notions and patterns. The store is neat and organized. I also had the pleasure of being waited on by Carol herself. Carol is absolutely lovely! Probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. I was greeted by her as soon as I walked in, which is not something you always get upon entering a store these days. Whenever I go to a yarn store, I always ask if they carry any Lorna's Laces; I've been lusting over Helen's Lace for quite some time, but really didn't want to shell out the bucks before fondling it to make sure I felt it was worth the money. (For the record, no store I have been in has ever had Helen's Lace, and Carol was the only one who ever offered to order some for me.) Carol does not carry any Lorna's, but when I told her what I was interested in, she pulled out a color/sample card which had a few strands. Honestly, it wasn't quite as nice as it looks in the pictures on Jimmy Beans.... sorry. I was glad I hadn't decided to buy any! She also suggested a similar yarn by Abstract Fiber called Hepburn, which is 1,000 yards of exquisite merino and silk (80 and 20%, respectively). The color.... Tequila Sunrise. How could I resist? I had to get it. I also fell in love with Audrey from Schaefer Yarn. The color I chose is called The Brontes, after the Bronte sisters of course. Audrey is a scrumptious blend of 50% merino, 50% cultivated silk. I cannot wait to get this stuff on my needles!! And, to satisfy my chunky yarn cravings I have been having, I picked up a nice hank of Elaine, also from Schaefer. Elaine is 99% merino, 1% nylon. I am not sure what the color is called, that tag must have fallen off. I don't care what it's name is -- it is fabulous!
If you are in the area, I do highly recommend stopping in at Carol's Needleworks. She definitely knows her stuff, is extremely nice and eager to please all of her customers. Excellent customer service! Below are some pictures of the shop, the yarn I got, and one of Carol herself. She let me take the picture since she was having a good hair day! Again, very nice lady and I can't wait to see her again!
I have long loved adding beads to my knitting. I have two small beaded bags that I use for going out, just for money, phone, etc. when I don't want to carry a larger bag; I also have a couple of scarves with beads.
If you have never tried knitting with beads, I hope this will encourage you to do so! It isn't as hard as you may think.
Beads come in many sizes, shapes, colors, and are made from different types of materials. You can find them in craft stores such as Joannes and Michaels; your local yarn store may even carry beads. There are also plenty of places online to find beads.
One thing to consider when choosing your beads, is whether or not they will fit onto the yarn you want to use. If you are in love with a particular bead, but your yarn is too thick to fit through the hole, you can use a thinner yarn to put the beads on, and knit with both strands. Choose a complimentary color, or a contrasting color - the choice is yours. If you only want a few beads here and there, sewing them on afterward is also an option. Something else you may want to consider is how much weight the beads will add to your finished item. Using lots of big, glass beads for example may make your scarf uncomfortable to wear.
There are probably as many ways to add beads to your knitting as there are knitters. The most common is stringing the beads onto your yarn before you begin knitting, or adding the beads one at a time as you go along with a crochet hook. The second method is the one I prefer. My problems with stringing the beads on beforehand are: A) If the yarn is a fine, thin yarn the weight of the beads may break the yarn B) The moving of beads up and down the yarn can cause a bit of fuzziness or pills on the yarn. If you are using a fine, delicate yarn and prefer to pre-string your beads, just do a few at a time. When you run out of beads, break the yarn, add more beads, and continue. This will also leave you with extra ends to weave in, which can be a pain.
As I said, I prefer adding the beads one at a time with a crochet hook. This method is the fastest and easiest for me, and the beads appear equally well on both sides of the fabric. There is no worry that a bead may be stubborn and want to show itself on the wrong side of your fabric! To add beads this way, you will need a crochet hook that is small enough to fit through the hole in your bead. I use a US Size 11 hook, which is teeny tiny. Since it is so small, it tends to snag on thicker yarns sometimes as you pull the yarn through the bead. If that happens, all you have to do is pull the rest of the plies through the bead, and it will be fine once the stitch is back on the needle and you have knit it.
The holiday season starts with Thanksgiving - and turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and more turkey just when you think you can't possibly eat one more bite. And then the pumpkin pie!
Before you eat yourself into a tryptophan coma, here are a few cute Thanksgiving/Fall themed patterns for you to knit up.
Sunday Afternoon Dish Cloth - Get the pattern below!
Experienced knitters may not think much about how to do a simple project, like a dish or wash cloth. New knitters, however, probably don't know where to start. I know I didn't. So, if you are a new knitter, here is a tutorial for you. If you aren't a new knitter, then here is a quick and easy project if you need a little instant gratification.
There are really no rules for knitting a dish or wash cloth - you can use whatever stitch pattern you like, any size needles, make it big or small, it's all up to you. You don't even need to make a gauge swatch or block the finished cloth. I like to make dish cloths to get familiar with new stitch patterns, or just make it up as I go.
There are many yarns to choose from: Lily Sugar and Cream, Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Bernat Cotton Tots, Lion Brand Baby's First, Patons Grace to name a few. If you are just going to be using your cloth to do dishes, I recommend using a cheaper cotton such as the Sugar and Cream. You can use the same for a wash cloth, of course, but if you'd like to pamper yourself then use perhaps the Patons Grace or another nicer cotton yarn.
I usually use the needle size called for on the ball band; if you would like a denser, tighter fabric then try a smaller needle, and a larger needle if you'd like a less dense fabric. Of course, you can always do a small swatch in the yarn you like with different needle sizes to see what results each gives you.
Now, pick a stitch pattern. There are many to be found on the web, or if you happen to have stitch pattern books, grab a cup of tea ( or something stronger ), sit back, and spend time looking through them. Maybe there is a stitch you like but have been afraid to try - now is the perfect time to give it a whirl! Since cloths are so small, there won't be much wasted time if you end up not liking it and can easily frog it and try something else.
Once you have your stitch pattern, you are ready to cast on. Use any cast on you like. I like to add borders on my cloths - you do not need one, but if you are going to do a stocking stitch fabric, a border will keep the edges from curling. I usually like to knit the first 2-4 rows in seed stitch, and then keep a 4 stitch border on each side in seed stitch. A simple garter stitch border will also do nicely. Depending on which yarn and needle size you choose, the number of stitches cast on will vary. In the Sugar and Cream yarn, 40-45 stitches gives me a large sized cloth; 30-35 makes a cloth that is a bit smaller and is just a tad bigger than my hand and feels most comfortable to me. I cast on depending on what mood I am in that day.
When the cloth is as long as you want it to be, bind off. If you have added a border, knit as many rows on the top as you did along the bottom edge and then bind off. You can use any bind off you like, and then weave in the ends. You can also make a loop to hang the cloth if you wish. Just cut an extra long tail, about 6 inches or so (better to have too much than not enough), and then single crochet to the end of the tail and attach it to the corner of the cloth.
I made the cloth in the picture in about an hour, on a Sunday afternoon, so that is the name I chose for it. This is a smallish cloth - I find it easier to do dishes with something that is relatively the same size as my hand, as opposed to having a lot of extra cloth flopping around. You can view and download a PDF the pattern for the cloth I make in the video here:
There are oodles of other patterns out there, just Google or Bing away and you will find them.
Also, I will once again be watching my favorite Halloween movie several times between now and Halloween.
This is a favorite of my sister and I - for some reason we just love it and must watch every October. It's fun and something you can watch with the kiddies, if you have any.
I think I mentioned last year, I have some black and orange Sugar n Cream floating around in my stash somewhere. I never was able to track that down, otherwise I would have my own pattern posted here. I will have to check again and if I find it see if I can come up with something quick.
I've been making an effort to finish up my UFO's that are lying around. If you follow me on facebook, you may know that I finally joined the sleeves to my sweater a couple weekends ago! Yay! It was a lot less scary and much easier than I anticipated. So, I now only have about 8 inches or so and it will be done! I am a little apprehensive about doing the collar for some reason, but I am sure that will be like the sleeve fear - easier than expected!
I've also been thinking about breaking out the Kool-Aid and dying some yarn. I have some Lion Brand Fisherman Wool that I'd like to dye some autumn colors - maybe brown, dark orange and orange-red. I'd like to do that this coming weekend, if I have time. I may need to do a Kool-Aid run to make sure I have enough of the flavors I need to get these colors. I would like to try and get some deeper, richer colors this time than I have in the past. I've heard coffee or tea will make a nice brown - I may have to do that in conjunction with the Kool-Aid. Either way, I am excited - I love dying yarn!!
Well, fellow knitters, I am going to go and do some work on that sweater! Here are a few pictures of where I am. I will certainly be posting pictures once it's complete. Hopefully by the end of this month!
This is the quite the order I wanted the pictures posted, but blogger is not cooperating and letting me arrange them how I'd like. Until next time, Happy Knitting!
Sleeves with the underarm stitches on waste yarn to be seamed with the body later
Close up of the sleeve and body joined, with the reserved stitches waiting to be seamed up later
Here is the body, with a portion of stitches reserved to be seamed with the underarm of the sleeves later
This is just a close up of the body with the reserved stitches
This is a few rows after the sleeves have been joined
