Friday, January 15, 2010

calm waters cowl errata

(1/3/10) button hole section should repeat direction three times not twice as stated.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

New Pattern!

Hey guys! New year, time for a new pattern! The calm waters cowl is an easy knit; nothing more difficult than twisted ribbing. It uses about 100 yards of worsted weight yarn, so it's good for using up stray balls of luxury yarn. Can be closed with buttons or a short shawl pin.
P1040058 P1040055

Sunday, May 17, 2009

free pattern: escalator socks!

Man socks! These socks are large enough to fit most men, but the stretchy pattern means they comfortably fit my feet, too. To modify for smaller womens' feet, I would recommend removing one 8-stitch repeat and making the heel flap on 50% of the stitches. To make these socks with an 8-inch cuff and 10-inch foot, I used nearly all of the 400 meter skein. If you wish to make your socks larger, plan accordingly.

Materials:
1 skein Cascade Yarns Heritage Paints (400 meters per 100 g)
2.25 mm (US 1) dpns or circular(s) for preferred sock method. (I used two short circulars)
yarn needle for grafting
stitch markers

Rib and Welt Diagonals Stitch Pattern: (by Barbara Walker, adapted by Sarah Fama)
Round 1: *k1, p1, k1, p5, repeat from * to end.
Round 2 and all even-numbered rounds: repeat previous round.
Round 3: k1, p1, *k5, p1, k1, p1, repeat from *, ending k5, p1
Round 5: k1, *p5, k1, p1, k1, repeat from *, ending p5, k1, p1.
Round 7: *k5, p1, k1, p1, repeat from * to end.
Round 9: p4, *k1, p1, k1, p5, repeat from *, ending k1, p1, k1, p1.
Round 11: k3, *p1, k1, p1, k5, repeat from *, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
Round 13: p2, *k1, p1, k1, p5, repeat from *, ending k1, p1, k1, p3.
Round 15: k1, *p1, k1, p1, k5, repeat from *, ending p1, k1, p1, k4.
Round 16: repeat previous round as for round 2

Directions:

Leg:
Cast on 72 sts by the long-tailed method, join in a round and work in K1 P1 ribbing for 5 cm (2 in).
Establish Rib and Welt Diagonals pattern beginning with round 1.
Continue in pattern until work reaches approximately 20 cm (8 inches) from CO edge, ending with round 16 of pattern. This will ensure that the heel flap flows from the sitch pattern.

Heel Flap:
Arrange work so that there are 32 sts for heel flap.
Row 1: slip 1, *(p1, k1) to end, ending with p1.
Repeat this row until heel flap reaches 6 cm (2.5 inches) or desired length, ending with a WS row.

Turn heel:
Row 1: K 18, K2 tog, K 1, turn.
Row 2: Slip 1, P 5, P 2tog, p 1, turn.
Row 3: Slip 1, K to one st before gap created (by turning) on previous row, K 2 tog, K 1, turn.
Row 4: Slip 1, P
to one st before gap created (by turning) on previous row, P 2 tog, P 1, turn.
Continue in this manner until all sts are consumed; if necessary, K across to left side of heel.

Gusset:
Pick up and knit one stitch for each slipped stitch along the first side of the heel flap, plus one in the gusset corner to prevent gapping. Twist this stitch to close the hole.
Knit in pattern across the instep, beginning with round 1 of Rib and Welt Diagonal pattern.
Pick up one stitch in the second gusset corner and knit twisted.
Pick up and knit one stitch for each slipped stitch along the second side of the heel flap

Gusset Decreases:
Rearrange sts so that the instep (patterned section) is on one needle (or section of magic loop). Depending on your sock-making method, the remaining sts should be divided on two dpns meeting at the middle of the heel, on the other circular needle, or the other half of the magic loop. (phew!)
Knit to center of heel section. This will now be considered the beginning of the round and you may wish to use a stitch marker to indicate it.

Be careful, it's easy to start working the zigzags in the other direction. Keep the sole in st st.

Round 1: Knit to three stitches before the instep section. K 2tog, K1. Knit instep section in pattern as established. K 1, ssk. K to end of round.
Round 2: Knit all sts on the sole, work all instep sts in pattern as established.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 72 sts or desired number of sts remain.

Foot:
Continue working instep in pattern as established, keeping sole in st st.
Work in this manner until foot measures 20 cm (8 inches) from back of heel or 2 inches less than desired length.

Toe:
sole: K to 3 sts before end of first needle, ssk, K1.
Instep: K 1, K2 tog, K to 3 sts before end of needle, ssk, K1.
sole: K2, K2 tog, K to end of needle/round. 4 sts decreased.
K 1 round plain.
Continue alternating decrease rounds and plain rounds until 24 sts total remain.
If using dpns, use the 3rd needle to K to end of 1st needle. All sts will be on 2 needles.
If using magic loop or two circulars, K to end of needle.
Graft toe closed.
Sew in all ends.

Give them to some man you love!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

My Mom!

Look how cute she is!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

who?

It's a hat with owls! Yay!


This is for my brother, whose mangyle will never be done. Certainly not for christmas. He always sends me pictures of owls, so i figured he'd appreciate it. Anyway, just for PoorLuci, here's what I did:


Who?

Materials:
1 ball Nashua Creative Focus (I used half)
size 6 circular needle and dpns (or however you want to do it)
stitch marker
4 small buttons for eyes (optional, you can use more, less, or none at all)

sewing needle and thread

Sizes:
infant (child, adult) Note about sizing: I've only tested the adult size, please let me know about any problems with the smaller size and I'll be happy to fix them.

Abbreviations:
C4F: slip two sts onto cable needle and hold in front, k2, k2 from cable neeedle
C4B: slip two sts onto cable needle and hold in back, k2, k2 from cable needle

Owl Cable pattern:
(multiple of 11 sts)
Rounds 1-3: *p3, k8, repeat from * to end
Round 4: *p3, C4B, C4f, repeat from * to end
Rounds 5-11: same as round 1
Round 12: same as round 4
Round 13: same as round 1
Rounds 14-15: *p3, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1. repeat from * to end
Round 16-17: same as round 1
Round 18: same as round 4
Round 19: same as round 1

Directions:
Cast on 92 (100, 112) sts, join in round and work in 2x2 ribbing for 1 inch.
Switch to stockinette and work for 5 rounds, decreasing 4(1,2) sts evenly spaced in row 3. 88(99, 110) sts.

Work 19 rows of owl cable pattern over all sts.
Knit 1 or more rows and increase 0(5,2) sts. 88 (104, 112) sts.

Continue in stockinette stitch until work measures 4.5 (5, 6) inches including ribbing or to desired length.

Decrease as follows: (nothing mysterious here, just like a regular hat)
*K 9(11, 12) k2tog, repeat from * to end.
K1 round plain.
K 8(10, 11), k2tog.
K1 plain.
Continue decreasing in this manner until 40 (56, 64) sts remain.
Then decrease every round (no plain rounds) until 8 sts remain. Cut yarn and pass through remaining sts to fasten off.

Weave in all ends and block.

Sew buttons over the purl sections within the cable pattern that form the owl's eyes. I only did 2 owls, but you could do as many as you want. To be sure that the thread doesn't pull through, tie a nice big knot.

Pattern and photos © Sara Amoroso, 2008-2009. Permission is given for personal use only. This pattern or items made from it may not be sold.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Since I made the video...


P1030259
Originally uploaded by eudyptula48
This is how i do a long-tail cast on. I made it to help a friend, but what she really needed was a video on continental knitting. perhaps someday.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Swampfield Cowl: free pattern!

Though my mister is notoriously hard to knit for (he already has a hat, why on earth would he want another?) my Dad is fantastic and loves everything I make for him, even funny looking hats. Since he already has a few of them and a pair of fingerless gloves, I wanted to make something different this year without the stress and time investment of something like a sweater. Nor is he the kind of dude to wear a scarf. Enter the Swampfield Cowl, named after the former name of the town he lives in, and because i like to say "Swampfield." It's very fast, easy, and cheap, requiring just one ball of yarn; all ideal with the holidays coming up. And when you weave the ends in carefully, it will be fully reversible.

Swampfield Cowl
Yarn: 1 ball Cascade 109 Tweed LE
Needles: US 10.5 (6.5 mm) 16 or 20 inch circular needle
Notions: cable needle, stitch marker, yarn needle for weaving ends

Stitch Guide
C8F: Slip next 4 sts onto cable needle and hold in front. Work next 4 sts in k1p1 rib as established, then work 4 sts from cable needle, also in k1p1 rib as established.

CO 80 sts and join in round. For the love of mike make sure not to twist! Place marker to indicate beginning of round.

Rounds 1-4: *k1p1, repeat from * to end
Round 5: *C8F, (making sure to keep all sts in k1p1 rib) work 8 sts in k1p1 rib. Repeat 5 times from * to end of round.
Rounds 6-9: as for rounds 1-4
Round 10: *work 8 sts in k1p1 ribbing, C8F. Repeat 5 times from * to end of round.

Repeat rounds 1-10 once more, then repeat rounds 1-7 once more.

Bind of loosely in pattern, weave in ends, and hey presto!

Pattern and photos © Sara Amoroso, 2008-2009. Permission is given for personal use only. This pattern or items made from it may not be sold.