Last winter I got a tad obsessed with Pickles’ pattern for a Simple Luxury Scarf. I made about three of them and then started on another but didn’t get around to finishing it till this winter. It was the first one where I used totally different colors in the main yarn and the mohair. I used Cascade Yarn Cherub Aran and Cascade mohair.
I’ve been admiring a scarf we sell at work, the Zumi scarf by Prana.
I like how it’s make the long way instead of the short way, how most scarves are made.
I figured it would be easy enough to make and it surely was. It was a great winter Sunday project.
Materials:
One ball of soft worsted weight single-ply yarn. I used Universal Yarn Classic Shades in the blue.
One ball of mohair in a similar color. I used some donated yarn that had silver glitter thread in it.
A really long size 13 circular needle
A size J crochet hook
Directions:
Loosely CO 150 stitches. Knit in garter stitch till work is 4-6.5 inches long, whichever you prefer. Loosely bind off.
For the tassels: Using the crochet hook, single chain four pieces of cord 12 inches long. Tie knots at the ends of each cord. Loop two to each end of the scarf.
For the mittens I used the Magic Loop method of knitting. It really made the project go by fast. If you don’t have any really long size 7 circular needles, then just use double points. For the cuff, use size 5, but don’t forget to switch out. I had to undo half a mitten when I realized it was coming out smaller having forgotten to change to size 7.
CO 36 stitches on smaller needles. K1, P1 rib for 28 rows or until preferred length. M1 stitch four times evenly over the next row (40 st).
Change to bigger needles and other color if making bi-colored mitts. Knit 6 rounds even.
Thumb gusset:
Round 1: M1, K1, M1, knit to end of round
Round 2 and all even rounds: Knit
Round 3: M1, K3, M1, knit to end of round
Round 5: M1, K5, M1, knit to end of round
Round 7: M1, K7, M1, knit to end of round
Round 9: M1, K9, M1, knit to end of round
Round 11: M1, K11, M1, knit to end of round
Round 13: M1, K13, M1, knit to end of round
Knit 5 rounds
Thumb hole: Place the first 15 stitches onto a stitch holder or scrap piece of chunky yarn. CO one stitch and knit to end of round (40 st).
Knit in st st till the piece is 1/2 inch shorter than the top of your middle finger.
First decrease round: *K2, K2tog* repeat to end of round
K 2 rounds
Second decrease round: *K2tog, K1* repeat to end of round
K 1 round
Third decrease round: *K2tog*, repeat to end of round
Repeat the last round or you should have about 12 stitches.
Use the Kitchener stitch or just draw up the stitches and weave in ends.
For the thumb:
Place the 15 stitches onto two double points or on your long circular if doing magic loop.
Pick up and knit four stitches, knit to end of round.
On next round, decrease two stitches evenly.
Knit 4 rounds
Next round: K2tog, knit to end of round. You should have 16 stitches, but it’s ok if you don’t.
Knit in st st till it’s as long as your thumb.
Decrease round: *K2tog* till end of round. Draw up yarn and weave in all ends.
Now make one more so you have two mittens to warm both hands!
To make a lining:
Trace the outline of the mitten to a pice of flannel doubled over. Add two inches to the tracing and cut out. Sew double seams all around the flannel mitten. You must make sure you can easily put on the flannel mitten, especially in the wrist area. I had to try a couple of times to get a good fit. Make two and hand sew into the mitten inside-out because that way the raw seams will not be on the inside of the lining.
Dear Fellow Knitters,
If ever you find yourself knitting mittens, socks or booties, I highly recommend using the Magic Loop Method.
It eliminates unwieldy double pointed needles, knitting becomes quicker and you don’t have any pesky “ladders” as a result of improper tension between needles.
It takes some finesse to figure it out at first, but once you understand how to Magic Loop knit, it goes by quickly.
Here is a great video tutorial:
Now I’ve got to finish my second mitten. I already finished the first one I started this morning. Can’t wait to show y’all!
-Nat
I love Ugly Dolls. They crack me up. Also, they are cuddly.
In my quest for easy crochet patterns I came across this brilliant pin cushion pattern on Craftster.org:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=334739.0
This nutty bunny resembles Ugly Dolls and it looked relatively simple to create, so I got going. It only took a few hours to make and since I used a larger hook — J size — it turned out sort of stuffed animal sized. I opted for button eyes cause I thought he looked crazier that way.
In the past I’ve not admired crocheted objects. They looked icky to me. But during the past couple of years crochet has grown on me. It’s easier and more gratifying than knitting when you’re making blankets. And recently I’ve discovered baby booties go by more quickly on a hook than with needles.
BOOTIE (make 2) Sole Ch 5 (7, 9, 9). Foundation Row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across – 4 (6, 8, 8) sc. Next 5 (6, 7, 9) Rows: Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across. Next Row: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each sc to last sc, 2 sc in last sc – 6 (8, 10, 10) sc. Next 4 (7, 10, 12) Rows: Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across. Place marker in last st worked. Move marker up as work progresses. Sides Rnd 1: Do not turn, work 10 (14, 18, 22) sc evenly spaced down side of sole; work 4 (6, 8, 8) sc along opposite side of foundation ch (this is the heel); work 10 (14, 18, 22) sc evenly spaced along other side of sole; work 6 (8, 10, 10) sc across to marker – 30 (42, 54, 62) sc. Next 2 (3, 4, 5) Rnds: Working in front loops only, sc in each sc around. Top of Foot Note: When working top of foot, do not ch 1 at the beginning of rows. Row 1: Sc in next 1 (1, 2, 2) sc, sl st in next sc, turn, sk sl st, working in front loops only, sc in next 6 (8, 10, 10) sc; working in both loops, sl st in next 2 sc; leave remaining sts unworked. Next 4 (8, 12, 14) Rows: Turn, sk first 2 sl sts, working in front loops only, sc in next 6 (8, 10, 10) sc across top of foot; working in both loops, sl st in next 2 sc along side of Bootie. Next Row: Turn, sk first 2 sl sts, working in front loops only, sc in next 6 (8, 10, 10) sc across top of foot; working in both loops, sl st in next sc along side of Bootie. Cuff Rnd 1: Turn, sk first sl st, working through both loops, sc in each sc around entire Bootie opening; do not join – 18 (22, 26, 30) sc. Note: If you would like cuff to be a little tighter, when working Rnd 2, work 3 decreases evenly spaced around as follows: draw up a loop in each of next 2 sts, yarnover and draw through all 3 loops on hook. Rnd 2: Sc in each sc around. Rep last rnd until cuff measures 1 1/2 (2, 3, 4) in. (4 (5, 7.5, 10) cm). Fasten off. FINISHING Weave in ends. |
My friend Laura had her son five weeks early. A few days after he was born she asked me if I would make him a Steelers hat (even though I know she’s a Colts fan, but I guess he’s daddy’s boy in the sports department).
I made the little guy the littlest hat. I couldn’t imagine this hat fitting a person, but it looks like it fits him just fine and with lots of room to grow.
I made the hat using the magic loop method because it was so small that I would have had to use double points from the get-go. A normal circular needle would have been too long. Magic loop uses an extra long circular needle and you work half the stitches at a time while the other half rests on the bendy part of the circular. This sounds confusing, but once you get the hang of it it can be much faster than using double points. Just remember, every knitting technique I know I’ve had to learn backwards since I’m left handed, so if I can do it, you can do it!
Preemie Steelers Hat
Materials:
Worsted baby yarn in yellow, black and white
At least a 32-inch long size 8 circular needle or one set of size 8 double points
Tapestry needle
Directions:
Cast on 56 stitches of the white yarn either using the magic loop method or divided onto three double pointed needles.
Join your work, making sure the yarn isn’t twisted. Place a marker if needed.
k1, p1 rib for five rounds.
Knit eight rounds in stockinette stitch. Switch to black. Knit three rounds. Switch to yellow. Knit four rounds. Switch to black and knit three rounds. Switch back to white and knit eight rounds.
Decrease as follows:
At stitch marker, *k2tog, k6* Repeat * till end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k5*, repeat * till end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k4*, repeat * till end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k 3*, repeat * till end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k 2*, repeat * till end of round
K one round
*K2tog, k1*, repeat * till end of round
*K2tog*, repeat * till end of round.
Cut yarn leaving an 8-inch tail. Using a darning needle, weave in all ends.
For pom-pom:
Using something small, like a matchbook, wrap yarn around and around a ton of times. Remove the matchbook and tie a 12-inch piece of yarn around the middle of the yarn loops. Cut the loops. Trim pom pom to preferred size.
“All the hotties at the party feeling naughty shake your boobies, yeah
Who likes to rock the party? Who likes to rock the party?
All the ladies with their babies make their babies shake their booties, yeah”
Ok, that’s always what I think of when I think about knitting booties. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Google it. It’s funny.
I’ve never been a big fan of bootie making. I guess it’s cause they are tiny and you have to make two of them and I really dislike knitting things flat and then stitching them up at the end. I am a knit-in-the-round type of gal.
After downloading the Red Heart Yarn app the other day, I did some bootie searching and found a pattern I actually liked. I went so far as to use the exact yarn in the pattern. They turned out just like the pattern picture!
Don’t tell my husband, but I stole spare buttons off one of his dress shirts. It was a really quick knit. I made one during an episode of Law and Order, so it must have taken two hours to make both. The pattern is free and can be accessed Here. Now I need to give them to a baby so I can see them in action.
Alaska Knit Nat 