Category: Knitting

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2 new free hat patterns

I’ve finished writing up the patterns for 2 new hats. They are both available free on Ravelry and I would LOVE to see pictures of your finished hats so please add your project to Ravelry or send me a picture when you’re done.

Simple Wreath HatThe first hat is the ‘Simple Wreath Hat‘, mine made in Malabrigo twist. You can make it in any worsted/aran weight yarn you like but Malabrigo is so soft, sqooshy and warm that I definitely recommend it for your snuggly winter hat!
Get the pattern here


Dan's Android HatThe second hat is the Android hat, a geeky hat made for my boyfriend and I’ve included written directions and a chart for the Android guy.
Get the pattern here

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Update on the sweater challenge

Hmm, ok so my even monthly updates don’t seem to have happened… where has the year gone? I have completed 2 of the sweaters over these past months but wasn’t able to keep up the pace I was hoping to. One sweater is actually near enough completed but I lost a bit of love for it over time and haven’t convinced myself to do the final touches and sew it together. Another sweater I started knitting for Mr.Lacuna was put on hold when summer fully kicked in as summer projects took over.
Here are the two I did finish:

In April:
April's sweater - Audrey In Unst
In May:
Vine Yoke Cardi



And the two that I have not finished yet:
Rosa
Mr.Lacuna's sweater



I’ve also recently re-discovered the world of sewing and have stolen what would have been knitting time to make up a couple skirts, a maxi dress, and am now mid-way through my first quilt. We have just moved so everything is packed in boxes at the moment but will be catching up on everything over the weekend and fingers crossed will have some photos of the quilt to show.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

12 Month Sweater Challenge: January

I’ve taken on a fairly daunting challenge… knit 12 sweaters in 12 months! But I’m not on my own, there is a group on Ravelry set out to do the same thing. If you aren’t signed up on Ravelry and want to see the other’s projects, they are being updated regularily on the Sweatshop Of Love website.

So here is my January sweater, at least I made it to 1/12 😀
I should mention this wasn’t started in January but I picked it up again in the new year and made sure I finished it at last!

January sweater in Tuareg Malabrigo Worsted

I followed the pattern pretty much to the word except I didn’t switch to horseshoe cables halfway down the arms and did a few extra inc/dec throughout. All of my notes are available on my Ravelry project page.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

First yarn dyeing attempt using Kool Aid!

So I’ve done it, I’ve just bought some undyed yarn and some kool aid online and both packages should be at my door before the end of next week! I saw so many peoples drool-worthy yarn made with kool aid that I couldn’t hold out any longer. It looks pretty straightforward and there are good tutorials out there for it, not to mention Ravelry and the dye-based groups on there.

So I should have started out simple, but no, I saw a yarn with such beautiful colours (pink, purple, light brown, a bit of grey and a bit of bluey-green) and so loaded up with 7 packages of kool aid and some lovely looking merino sock yarn.

Picture courtesy of Violet Green

Socrates Merino Sock Yarn from Violet Green

I bought the Socrates Merino Sock Yarn from Violet Green and the Kool Aid from KoolaidWorld. I ordered 2 of grape, ice blue raspberry, pink lemonade, and 1 of orange. I am a bit worried as (and it figures even after all the research I did) I just found another article that says to get a vibrant purple (which I want) it is better to use a red + blue instead of just grape… well it’s too late now, I’ve made my order so we’ll see what happens with the grape!

Now I just sit and wait for my deliveries!

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Fingerless Gloves

Really quick and easy fingerless gloves pattern

Fingerless Gloves pattern
Fingerless Gloves pattern
Fingerless Gloves pattern

Things you need:

– 100g DK weight yarn
– 4mm needles

Stitch Definitions

KFB (Knit in front and back)
– Good tutorial here: How to KFB

PFB (Purl in front and back)
– Good video on here (scroll down to PFB definition) How to PFB

C4F (4st Cable at front)
– Slip next 2 sts off left needle onto a cable needle at the front of the work, k2, knit 2 stitches from cable needle

C4B (4st Cable at back)
– Slip next 2 sts off left needle onto a cable needle at the back of the work, k2, knit 2 stitches from cable needle

SKPO (Slip 1, knit 1, pass slip stitch over)
– Slip next stitch onto right hand needle, k1, pass slipped st over knit st

Left Cable Pattern
Row 1: k7, p2, k8, p2, k25
Row 2: p25, k2, p8, k2, p7
Repeat rows 1 & 2 once
Row 5: k7, p2, c4f, c4b, p2, k25
Repeat row 2
Repeat row 1 and 2 again

Right Cable Pattern
Row 1: k25, p2, k8, p2, k7
Row 2: p7, k2, p8, k2, p25
Repeat rows 1 & 2 once
Row 5: k25, p2, C4F, C4B, p2, k7
Repeat row 2
Repeat row 1 and 2 again

Instructions

Left Thumb

CO 22 sts

Row 1: K2 * p2, k2 * (Repeat from *-* to end)
Row 2: P2 * k2, p2 * (Repeat from *-* to end)

Repeat Row 1 once more

Row 4: Rib 14 sts, cast off 8 sts, put the 14 remaining sts on a holder

Put sts on a holder for later
_____

Left glove

CO 42 sts

Row 1: K2 * p2, k2 * Repeat from *-* until end
Row 2: P2 * k2, p2 * Repeat from *-* until end

Repeat Row 1 once more

Row 4: Rib 29 sts, pfb, rib 2, pfb, rib until end (44 sts)

Rows 5 – 12: Knit one full round of the left cable pattern

Row 13: Left cable pattern for 22 sts, cast of 6 sts, knit to end

Row 14: Purl 16 sts, purl across 14 thumb sts from stitch holder, continue in cable pattern until end (52 sts)

Row 15: Left cable pattern for 22 sts, skpo, k10, k2tog, knit to end

Row 16: Cable pattern

Row 17: Cable pattern 22 sts, skpo, k8, k2tog, knit to end

Row 18: Cable pattern

Row 19: Cable pattern 22 sts, skpo, k6, k2tog, knit to end

Row 20: Cable pattern

Row 21: Cable pattern 1 st, skpo, k4, k2tog, knit to end

Row 22: Cable pattern

Continue pattern until it reaches just past the bottom of your palm with RS facing

Knit 1 row

* k2, p2 * Repeat from *-* to end
* p2, k2 * Repeat from *-* to end
Repeat last two rows 4 more times

Cast off loosely. Done one glove!

_____

Right Thumb

CO 22 sts

Row 1: K2 * p2, k2 * (Repeat from *-* to end)
Row 2: P2 * k2, p2 * (Repeat from *-* to end)

Repeat Row 1 once more

Row 4: Cast off 8 sts, rib to end, put the 14 remaining sts on a holder

Right glove

CO 42 sts

Row 1: K2 * p2, k2 * Repeat from *-* until end
Row 2: P2 * k2, p2 * Repeat from *-* until end

Repeat Row 1 once more

Row 4: Rib 11 sts, kfb, rib 2, kfb, rib until end (44 sts)

Rows 5 – 12: Knit one full round of the right cable pattern

Row 13: K16, cast off 6 sts, continue in pattern until end

Row 14: Cable pattern for 22 sts, purl across 14 thumb sts from stitch holder, purl until end (52 sts)

Row 15: Knit 16 sts, skpo, k10, k2tog, cable pattern to end

Row 16: Cable pattern until end

Row 17: Knit 16 sts, skpo, k8, k2tog, cable pattern to end

Row 18: Cable pattern until end

Row 19: Knit 16 sts, skpo, k6, k2tog, cable pattern to end

Row 20: Cable pattern until end

Row 21: Knit 16 st, skpo, k4, k2tog, cable pattern to end

Row 22: Cable pattern until end

Continue pattern until it reaches just past the bottom of your palm with RS facing

Knit 1 row

* k2, p2 * Repeat from *-* to end
* p2, k2 * Repeat from *-* to end
Repeat last two rows 4 more times

Cast off loosely, two sides done!

_______

Join cast off sts of thumb to cast off sts of main glove pieces.

You’re done!