. . . last minute gifts . . .

I finally made it 😀

This cute little pattern was in my to-do-list for yeeaars… Never found the time to make it…

Well, it’s not that one needs a lot of time. A couple of hours, some scrap yarn and two beads for the eyes is all it takes.

You could just embroider the eyes if you don’t have suitable beads around.

Here you can find the pattern for these cuties: flat rat pattern

I made a whole bunch of them 😀

For the eyes I used black beads (4 mm diameter)

One ‘rat’ measures about 10 cm / 4″ without the tail.

I gently soaked the bodies (not the heads) in water and pinned them out to dry flat.

Once dry I stapled books on them to flatten their bodies more.

The ‘flat rats’ in action…

Bookmarks … Funny. Isn’t it ?

So, if you are in need of some inspiration for last minute gifts …

Find the pattern here

. . . 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

. . . traces . . .

Traces is kind of a pullover …
or a poncho with sleeves …

It started as an experiment in the center with a circular cast on like this:

4.5 mm / US 7 needle and Aran weight and steadily growing.

First it is worked in the round with large celtic cables. When a sufficient length is reached, the panels are worked back and forth to shape the neckline.

I had to perform some major surgery. The first panel I knit was too loose at the center creating some kind of bump in the middle. So, I snipped a stitch and undid one round.

I ripped back the center and reknit it changing the charts a little and using a smaller needle size. Then I joined the two pieces using kitchener stitch.

Front and back are joined at the shoulders knitting stitches together, but leaving the cables unjoined.

They are grafted later, giving the effect of the cables laying on top of the join.

A few short rows are added at the beginning of the sleeves for a better fit. They are worked top down in the round.

Choice between two neck finishes: a small rolled neckband or a large turtle neck.

A few more photos of the FO…

What you’ll need
Aran weight
± 1100, 1200, 1350 m
(1200, 1320, 1480 yards)
If you make it with a turtle neck, you will need an additional 120 to 150 m / 130 to 160 yards.
one long 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needle (minimum length 100 cm / 40”)
or three 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needles
two 4 mm (US 6) circular needles
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle
cable needle
8 markers
crochet hook
scrap yarn

Gauge
stockinette stitch: 18 sts x 28 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”) with the larger needle

At this moment (february 26) the pattern contains only size M/L. S-petite and XL-tall are being testknit right now and will be added later (end of March 2020).

Check it out here to see more versions from the testknitters.

. . . sock – ô – mousse . . .

Happy New Year…

Happy New Socks…

This is my first pattern of 2020.

Sock ô mousse is worked toe up with a short row heel and heel flap.

The leg features a fun colorwork with randomly placed bubbles. The colorwork is charted only. Don’t worry if you make mistakes in this part, nobody will see it 😀

The blue bubbles on the foot and heel flap are added using duplicate stitch.Sizes
S/M/L to fit foot circumference: 20 / 22 / 24.5 cm (8 / 8½ / 9.5 “ )
Length of foot and leg is adjustable.
Finished height as pictured = ± 23 cm / 9”.

What you’ll need
fingering / 4 ply
color A (white in the sample): ± 250 to 300 m / 275 to 330 yards
color B (blue in the sample): ± 70 to 100 m / 77 to 110 yards
2 mm (US 0) circular needle or 5 double pointed needles or size to obtain gauge
2.25 mm (US 1) circular needle or double pointed needles for the colorwork
tapestry needle

Gauge
fingering / 4 ply
32 sts and 48 rows in stockinette stitch = 10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”)

Read more here

Looking forward what 2020 will bring. Hopefully it will be as bubbling and sparkling ;-D as the socks …

. . . 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 …

. . . Celtic hoodie . . .

More cabling … I am getting the taste of it …

Two squares, two triangles and two tubes. Throw some cable patterns and some Celtic knots in and you get: a Celtic hoodie constructed in a special manner.

It is worked top down and is completely seamless. First the hood is worked flat in one piece. When it is long enough stitches are cast on for the body which is basically a rectangle with a cabled texture.

The top of the body is folded to the front to form the shoulders. Next, the sleeves are worked in the round. Like this …

This photo is without the hood because I started with a provisional cast on and added the hood later. But the pattern starts with the hood first.

Stitches are picked up along the hood and body to work a cabled edge that fluently flows in the Celtic knots at the fronts.

 

It has been some kind of a puzzle to draw these Celtic knots continuously without a beginning and an end …

Well, there are two ends, I must admit, so it is more Celtic bits and ends, haha.

The cables and celtic knits are charted and fully written out.
There are some special increases that are more rounded than usual: a photo tutorial for these special increases and decreases is included.

Lots of illustrations and schematics are added, everything you need is right there while you’re working. There is no need to search on the www.

Sizes
S-M / L-XL / XXL
finished measurements chest: 46½ / 52 / 56“ (120 / 132 / 144 cm)
Intended to be worn with lots of positive ease (20 to 50 cm / 8 to 20”). The sample is size S-M worn with 30 cm / 12” of positive ease.

What you’ll need
worsted weight / 10ply
Total yardage: ± 1350, 1500, 1650 m (1500, 1650, 1800 yards)

5 mm (US 8) circular needle or size to obtain gauge
4.5 mm (US 7) circular needle
cable needle
5 markers

Gauge
19 sts and 26 rows in stitch pattern with the larger needle and blocked = 10 x 10 cm (4”x 4”)

Find out more here

Bye, bye…

I think I will be using those Celtic cables again for something else … Stay tuned …

. . . summer . . .

Linen is the perfect yarn for summer clothes. It is a bit hard to the hands to knit it up, but it gets softer with every soak. And it has a lovely shine and drape – although drape is not really necessary in the second project, on the contrary …

1. Linne #2 See the blog post here and the pattern here
   I bought some lovely linen in 2 nice colors: aqua blue-green and a very, very dark  blue, nearly black.
   I will try to make a gradient of these 2 colors. And I will use ‘helix knitting’ to make it. If I can find out how…
   

   

   

   

   

   And I did 🙂 It is not difficult at all. It is surprisingly easy, just knitting in the round and picking up the other color at the start of each round, no twisting of yarns, no pulling on the yarn ! That is very important …
   
   I pulled a little too hard, even though I didn’t get the feeling I pulled at all. So it is really important to work very loosely when switching yarns.

   I started the ‘helix’ like this: slip half of the just worked stitches back to the left needle and knit them again with the 2nd color. When you come to the other color, just pick up that color (don’t twist both yarns) and knit a round. And so on, and so on … Super easy peasy. When my first color was nearly finished I ended in the same way. I knit half of the stitches with color 1, slipped them back to the left needle and knit them again with color 2. The bottom is worked in color 2 only.

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
   

   

   

    

2. And then there is #2: a linen hat
   It is inspired by a free pattern available  on Ravelry: windansea
   But I made it top down and I also wanted another shape.
   Starting with a cast on in the round of 8 sts: just turn the yarn twice around a finger and k1, p1 four times in the circle. After having knit the 8 sts in the first round, you can pull on the tail and close the round …
   
   I also wanted another shape like the one I was wearing with my second linne tee (see above). I love that shape, but it was not mine. Had to return it.
   I added short rows to shape the brim so that it is larger at the front.When it was finished I crocheted a wire at the edge and sewed a large elastic at the bottom of the crown to shape the hat.
   I found the perfect moulding form (an old basket)…
   
   and applied fabric stiffener and left it to dry …

   A ribbon and tada 🙂

   

   

   

   

   Happy summer

. . . 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

. . . wild roses . . .

At this moment, my new design: wild rose cardigan is being testknit here

It features delicate branches with some spring flowers on the sleeves. It is not that easy because as you can see there are three colors per round in the colorwork. There are several techniques to solve that problem and they will be explained in the pattern.

But then, I made a swatch with the same flowers in only two colors to show the effect to my testers…

I don’t like swatching, it feels like a waste of time. The best swatch one can make is a hat, isn’t it ? Never enough hats.

I used three different rests of green yarn from my stash… From a dark bottle green to a fresh yellowish green. And to make the gradient between the two colors I alternated the them in every round … Oh, I love the colors of that hat. The main color is the softest yarn ever. It is Misty Mina form the Natural Collection: 70% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere goat…

And then I got kinda carried away, haha …

A hat, a pair of fingerless mitts and a doubled cowl: wild roses collection

Added a crocheted pompom on the hat like this

The four patterns will be collected in an e-book: wild roses. The cardigan will be added when the testknit is finished at the end of the month. Included are  tips on colorwork and fair isle, a tutorial on how to use Jenny’s cast on as a provisional cast on and on how to graft in a separate pdf: **Wild rose tips**.

The e-book is already available now at a discounted price.

Read more about them here, here and here.

. . . spirale . . .

This was great fun to design …

Spirale is a hat worked back and forth at a very tight gauge. It starts at the top with only four stitches gradually getting wider and forming a strip.

The strip is spiraling down joining as you go with a special technique. It can be worn as is – a long hat – or the brim can be folded back and the top spirals pushed down.

It is a a very fun and addictive project.

I made four of them and some of the testers made several too. It has been known that finished hats often disappear…

Sizes
S, M and L: head circumference: 52-56 / 55-59 / 58-63 cm (20½-22” / 21½-23¼” / 23-25”)
finished measurements (brim): 50.5 / 52.5 / 55 cm (19¾” / 20½” / 22”)

What you’ll need
The heavier the yarn weight, the better it keeps its shape.
minimum aran weight / 10 ply (200 m / 220 yards per 100 gr)
to bulky weight (120 m / 130 yards per 100 gr)
± 165 to 230 m / 180 to 250 yards
3 mm (US 2½) circular needle (60 or 80 cm / 24 to 31½ “)
4 removable markers
tapestry needle
Don’t try to make this hat in a DK-weight yarn, unless you pair it with a fingering weight held together – sport or DK weight held double should also work. It really should be a very dense and stiff fabric to keep its shape.

Gauge
23 sts and 22 ridges (= 44 rows) in garter stitch, unblocked
= 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Check it out here