. . . X-tee . . .

It all started with this very easy stitch pattern when I made a few little swatches to try out new patterns. I must admit that I rarely use stitch patterns from a book, I usually make them up myself…

Find out more and see more examples of X-tee here

With a yarn that has some sheen it gives the right but subtle contrast to show off the slipped stitch pattern. I used a cotton/bambou blend.

X-tee is a short sleeved tee or a pullover with drop shoulders and 3/4 sleeves. Both options are included.

I like to wear it over a shirt like this.

It features a subtle and very easy stitch pattern, a V-neck that follows the diagonal lines, and split hems. It is best to choose a yarn that has some sheen to enhance the effect of the diagonal lines.

First the back is worked top down and back and forth to the armpits. Then stitches are picked up to work the fronts to the armpits. From here the body is worked in the round in one piece. Stitches are picked up to work the 1/1 ribbing or to work longer sleeves using the same slipped stitch pattern.
Finally an applied I-cord can be added to finish the neckline – if desired.

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Sizes
XS / S / M / L / XL / XXL / XXXL
finished measurements chest: 31¾ / 35¼ / 40¼ / 43¼ / 46½ / 50½ / 53½ “ (80.5 / 89.5 / 102 / 110 / 118 / 128.5 / 136 cm)

Intended to be worn with 7 to 13 cm / 3 to 5” of positive ease.

What you’ll need
fingering weight / 4ply
short sleeved tee
± 730, 820, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300 m (800, 900, 990, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 yards)
with elbow sleeves
add 200 to 350 m / 220 to 380 yards

3 mm (US 2½) circular needle and straight needles (optional) or size to obtain gauge
2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle
3 mm (US 2½) double pointed needle for the I-cord finishing at the neck (optional)
6 markers
scrap yarn or stitch holders

Gauge
10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”) = 28 sts and 56 rows in slip stitch pattern with the 3 mm / US 2½ needle

Find out more and see more examples of X-tee here

. . . magic loops . . .

This is such a fun, little project 😀

A quick knit to work up all kind of little rests. It doesn’t take a lot of yarn or time and weighs almost nothing.

Usually these kind of chains are made by knitting strips and sewing them to form rings.

With this method there are no ugly seams to close the rings, they are worked seamlessly and in the round.

The pattern is written for magic loop, but it is possible to make them using double pointed needles, although I didn’t try that.

Make a bunch of them in all your favorite colors or knit a large garland to decorate a wall.

They also makes quick, great gifts to your loved ones.

The possibilities are endless.

Use any yarn weight you find. The samples use different colors in sport weight and fingering weight and a 2.5 mm / US 1½ needle. The diameter of a ring in the sample is about 4 cm (1½”) and it uses only 3.5 m / 5½ to 3.8 yards.

I made three necklaces in different lengths: the longest necklace measures 100 cm / 39½” and uses 31 rings, the medium one measures and uses 22 rings and the smallest one measures and uses 16 rings.

Size: that is up to you

Gauge: not important

What you’ll need
any yarn weight: little rests in one or different colors.
One element in fingering weight uses between 3 and 4 m / 3¼ and 4½ yards of yarn. A heavier yarn weight uses a little more.

Circular needle in a size to match your yarn.
Work light fingering weight with a 2 mm or 2.25 mm / US 0 or 1 needle,
sport weight with a 2.5 mm / US 1½ needle (as the samples)
DK weight with a 3 mm / US 2½ needle, …

tapestry needle to weave in ends

Read more here

. . . florally . . .

And this is the last pattern from 2018: florally: a beanie with stranded colorwork, knit bottom up and seamlessly in the round.

It starts with some corrugated ribbing in 2/1.

From wherever you look at it, it is never the same.

There are no repeats, in fact it is one large chart covering the whole circumference of the hat.

There is only one size due to the complexity of the colorwork, but it is easy to alter the stitch gauge to obtain other sizes. See the note about changing gauge and size below.

I made two of them in a different color range. The first on above in a very contrasting black and white, and the second one in more harmonising colors. So much harder to photograph.

The colorwork is charted only. Tips to successfully knit stranded colorwork are included.

One size
to fit head circumference: 54 – 58 cm / 21¼ – 22¾“
finished measurement at the brim: ± 51 cm / 20”
brim slightly stretched: ± 54.5 cm / 21½”
finished height: ± 21 cm / 8¼”

A note on gauge and size
• For a larger head circumference you will need larger needles and DK weight at a gauge of 25 sts and 30 rows.
The finished measurement at the brim is 54 cm / 21½” and fits a head of 57 to 61 cm / 22½” to 24”
• For a smaller head circumference you will need smaller needles and fingering weight at a gauge of 28.5 sts and 34 rows.
The finished measurement at the brim will be 48 cm / 19” and fits a head of 50 to 54 cm / 19½” to 21¼”

What you’ll need
sport / 5 ply
MC (main color): dark blue ± 100 m / 110 yards
CC contrasting color: (violet in first sample and white in second sample) ± 80 m / 90 yards
2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle
3 mm (US 2½) circular needle
4 markers
tapestry needle

Gauge
27 sts and 32 rows in stranded colorwork with the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”)

Check it out here

I added a few curls on the black/white beanie from this post.

and a crocheted pompom from the same post on the purple/black one.

This was 2018 … Up to 2019 in next posts …

. . . linne tee . . .

Summer is coming, the sun is shining … It is time for skirts and light summer tops …

Hello yellow, my latest pattern has been published yesterday…

Linne tee: a simple, summery tee with an easy lace pattern at the top and bottom. Knit in linen or linen / cotton blend, it is perfect for sunny summer days.

It is worked seamlessly starting at the top lace section at the back.
Both sleeve caps and the back are worked bottom up at the same time. The edges of the sleeve are worked at the same time in a slip stitch pattern. It slightly pulls in the sleeve caps preventing them from flaring out too much.

Stitches are put on hold for the back neck and increases are made to shape the V-neck at the front. Once the sleeve caps are finished, the body is worked top down. But first, a few short rows are worked at front and back for a better fit / shape. Then the body is knit in the round and finished with the lace edge at the bottom.

Sizes
XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
finished measurements (chest): 31½, 35½, 39½, 43¼, 47¼, 51¼ “ (80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130 cm)

Intended to be worn with some positive ease or no ease.

What you’ll need
linen ( or cotton or cotton/linen blend)
in sport weight / 5 ply
the yardage is an estimate (the yardage of linen is difficult to calculate: the testers all came out with a different yardage). This is an average:
± 600, 700, 770, 850, 930, 1000 m (660, 770, 850, 930, 1020, 1100 yards)

3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle
3.5 mm (US 4) straight needles (optional)
4 mm (US 6) circular needle

crochet hook for the provisional cast-on

6 markers

Gauge (with the smaller needle and blocked)
21 sts and 32 rows in stockinette stitch = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Check it out here

… miss boule …

Miss boule is here. I wrote about her here

Miss boule is a seamless pullover worked from the top down in 1 piece. Starting with shaping the back and shoulders, I picked up stitches for the front and sleeves and those are worked following the contiguous sleeve method, developed by Susie Myers.

The ‘boules’ are worked as intarsia color blocks ‘in the round’. It is much easier than it sounds, really. I found an easy way to work do it.

I knitted the hems and cuffs in corrugated ribbing and I added a separation knitting an ‘estonian braid’

… amande and amandine …

A nutty, crazy idea that popped up, kind of an accidental coincidence. I was working on another idea: a different way to work short rows. And I came up with this weird, crazy idea …

Starting at the shoulder top and working down and sideways … Am I nuts???

It involved a lot of testing, ripping, frogging, trying again, testing again, … making a 2nd Amandine*.

And I’m making a 3rd Amandine, now in greenish colors. More pictures to come …

I just want this to be perfect 😀

* Amande is French for Almond