. . . hallerbos . . .

I was reknitting  the neckband on a beautiful sunny spring day in the garden. There were lots of bluebells under the three large trees and they were in full flower. When I saw that color, it was like a perfect match with the color of my yarn. That’s how it got its name. I adore that color. Wollmeise Pure – of course, who else –  in colorway ‘Taube’.

Hallerbos is famous for its fields of bluebells under the birch trees. People come in large numbers to see it when they are flowering in spring.

 

Hallerbos: a memory of bluebells in the spring, a cute stitch pattern, a special but very easy construction. It is the perfect little summer pullover for chilly mornings or evenings.

BTW Do you recognize this stitch pattern ?

It is the same one I used in the ‘never say never’ socks.

Hallerbos is worked seamlessly in pieces. First the front and back are worked bottom up with that cute stitch pattern. Then stitches are picked up & knit to work the sides sideways and back and forth. Increases and decreases shape the high-low hem and a few short rows are added for a perfect fit around the shoulders. The sides are closed using a 3 needle bind off and from here the sleeves are worked top down in the round. Finally stitches are picked up around the neck-line to work the neck band.

Instructions for short sleeves or 3/4 sleeves are included.

As with all my patterns lots of schematics and photos that illustrate all techniques used.

Sizes
XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
finished measurements: 30¾, 34½, 38½, 43, 46½, 50½ “ (78, 88, 98, 107, 118, 128 cm)

What you’ll need
± 950/1120/1250/1380/1520/1650 m (1050/1220/1370/1500/1670/1800 yards) fingering / 4ply weight

two 3 mm (US 2½) circular needles, or one 3 mm (US 2½) circular needle and one straight needle, 3 mm straight needles (optional)
2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle
4 markers

Gauge
26 sts and 40 rows stockinette stitch with the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”)
28 sts and 48 rows in stitch pattern with the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”)

Check it out here

. . . greenhouse knits #2 . . .

Here is # 2: a pair of socks in the most wonderful green* I know.

 * It is Wollmeise, of course … who else … Twin, colorway Grünfink.

It is the second pattern from the greenhouse knits e-book.

Greenhouse knits #2: a pair of socks with leaves growing along the leg. The socks are worked toe up with a heel flap. The heel is worked with short rows. There is an option to place the leaves at the left side, back or right side of the leg. The leaves are charted and fully written out.

 

Sizes
S / M / L to fit foot circumference: 19.5 / 22 / 24.5 cm (7.5 / 8.5 / 9.5 “)

Foot length: EUR 36 / 37, 38 / 39, 40 / 41
US 5 / 5.5, 6.5 / 7, 8 / 9
UK 3.5 / 4, 5 / 5.5, 6.5 / 7.5

Finished height = ± 22 cm / 8½”

What you’ll need
fingering / 4 ply: ± 300 to 330m / 330 to 360 yards

2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle
or 5 double pointed needles

tapestry needle

Check it out here, and the other greenhouse knits here and here

Next knit from the greenhouse will be a cardigan ….

. . . bloX and triX . . .

Today bloX and triX are out. Two large, reversible, extra soft and squishy shawls with a generous size and ‘syncopated’ brioche stitch patterns.

this is bloX

bloX is – as its name says – made of 2-color blocks. It is worked sideways and it has a triangular shape.

A schematic is included to play with color and bloX and make up your own bloX design.

The brioche stitch patterns are written out (no charts).

Size: as pictured with a sport weight yarn / 5 ply and 3.5 mm (US 3) needles: wingspan : ± 175 cm /69” and depth : ± 77 cm / 30”

What you’ll need
as pictured
sport / 5 ply
An equal amount of both colors (A and B)
each: ± 700 m / 770 yards
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle
3.5 mm (US 4) 2 double pointed needles for the I-cord cast on and bind off (optional)
tapestry needle
3 stitch markers

 

and this is triX

with triangular shapes. It is also worked sideways and it has a large V- or boomerang shape. The sample is knit with a DK weight but it can easily be knit in a lighter yarn weight with the same needle size or a smaller size. It will give a lightweight, summery and airy shawl, but it will be smaller. That should be no problem because one can add a motif or add stitches to the motifs to make them larger.

Size with DK weight and 4mm / US 6 needles at the given gauge, wingspan = ± 180 cm / 71”, depth: ± 50 cm / 9½”
With a lace weight or fingering weight it will be much smaller but it can easily be altered adding more stitches per motif or adding motifs.

What you’ll need
as pictured: DK / 8 ply
An equal amount of both colors (A and B)
each: ± 550 m / 600 yards
4 mm (US 6) circular needle
4 mm (US 6) 2 double pointed needles for the I-cord cast on and bind off (optional)
6 to 12 markers
tapestry needle

Gauge: is not crucial but will affect the width and length of your shawl
gauge of the sample (unblocked)
18 sts and 22 rows (1 row is once worked in color A and once in color B) in brioche stitch = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Check bloX out here and triX here

. . . mont blanc . . .

Now that autumn is around the corner it is time to present a pattern to you that I made a while ago, but never showed. I called it ‘mont blanc’ as the colorway I used for it. The yarn is Wollmeise DK in the so called colorway.

The design grew as I was knitting it (top down, of course). The only element that I was sure of is the deep cabled V-neck that starts at the back.

A bad photo of the WIP, such a pity I didn’t take more photos of the construction. I got too carried away to see if it works, I guess. Here you see the start of the cables at the back neck. At the right you see the stitches that are picked up & knit to start work the back and right sleeve.

Cropped or longer ? I like it cropped as some kind of sleeveless vest, but making it a bit longer is maybe a better idea.

Sleeveless ?

or sleeves ? and what kind of sleeves ?

I opted for skinny ribbed sleeves. What do you think ?

A pic of the back 🙂

One could even make a cardigan of it (instructions included in the pattern) I don’t have pics to share. I am more of a pullover kind of ‘gal’.

Mont blanc is a sleeveless vest … or a pullover with fitted sleeves … or a cardigan … all with a large V-neck and a gentle A-line. The cable panel is first worked bottom up at the back. Then stitches are cast on to work the sleeve caps and from here on, mont blanc is worked top down …

Sizes
Available for size: XS, S/M, M/L, L/XL and XXL
finished measurements: 36½, 42, 46½, 50, 54 “ (93, 108, 118, 128, 137 cm)
Mont blanc is intended to be worn with lots of positive ease: 15 to 25 cm / 6 to 10”
Model is wearing the M/L size with 26 cm / 10 “ of positive ease.

What you’ll need
DK weight / 8ply
Yardage pullover without sleeves
± 900, 1000, 1100, 1250, 1450 m (990, 1100, 1200, 1360, 1600 yards)
Long sleeves
Add ± 200 to 300 m / 220 to 330 yards
If you make a cardigan you might need a little more.

4 mm (US 6) circular needle and straight needles or size to obtain gauge
3.5 mm (US 4 circular needle
8 markers

Gauge
20 sts and 30 rows stockinette with
the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Check it out here

. . . p’tits trous . . .

des p’tits trous, des p’tits trous, toujours des p’tits trous …

Do you recognize that song ?

P’tits trous is a shrug or cardigan. It is first worked sideways and back and forth starting in the middle of the back with a provisional cast on and a large hole (instructions included if you should want to omit the hole). Stitches are joined to work the sleeves top down in the round.

• Now it can become a shrug by adding ribbing all around.
• Or it can grow into a A-line cardigan with delicate eyelet lines that flare out and naturally flow in the lace border.

The cardigan is finished with an applied I-cord along the fronts and neckline.

P’tits trous est un boléro ou une veste. Commençant avec un montage provisoire au milieu du dos, le haut est travaillé en allers-retours et en travers. Puis les mailles sont jointes pour tricoter les manches en rond ‘top-down’ (du haut en bas).

Quand les manches sont faites, c’est le moment de choisir:

• un boléro fini par quelques tours de côtés 1/1.
• un gilet aux traits délicats formés par les jetés qui deviennent petit à petit plus grands et coulent naturellement dans le bord en dentelle.

La veste est finie avec un I-cord appliqué tout le long des devants et de l’encolure.

Sizes
XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
finished measurements: 32 / 35½ / 38½ / 43¾ / 48 / 52 “ (82 / 90 / 98 / 111 / 122 / 132 cm)

Intended to be worn with some positive ease (5 to 15 cm / 2 to 6 “)

What you’ll need
fingering / 4ply

shrug only
± 380, 420, 450, 500, 560, 620 m (420, 460, 500, 550, 620, 680 yards)

complete cardigan
± 1300, 1350, 1400, 1500, 1620, 1700m (1400, 1480, 1530, 1650, 1780, 1900 yards)

3 mm (US 2½) circular needle or double pointed needles and straight needles (optional)
2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle or double pointed needles and straight needles (optional)
stitchmarkers

Available in English and Français: The pattern is split in 2 pdfs per language: 1 pdf for the smaller sizes (XS-S-M-L) and another pdf for the larger sizes (XL-XXL). So you will find 4 pdfs: 2 in English and 2 in French. Make sure you use the right pattern.

Check it out here

. . . to be continued . . .

To be continued is a striped pullover with a cute little slipped stitch pattern at the bottom that refers to the buttons on the shoulder.

I hesitated a long time if I wanted sleeves or not, what kind of sleeves if so ?

Sleeveless

With ‘elbow sleeves’

They look equally good, but in the end I think I prefer it with the sleeves.

It has little pockets.

The hems are double knit and quite cleverly cast off. The cast edge off lies very flat and falls just at the inside of the hem and is therefore invisible.

On the left you see the right side: what you see at the bottom of the hem is a cute slip stitch row that makes the folding ridge. And on the right you see the wrong side with the cast-off edge at the bottom.

The pattern starts with a provisional cast on, the back is first worked bottom up and back and forth. Stitches are left on hold for the back neck and new stitches are cast on for the front neck. The front is worked top down. When reaching the armpits the body is worked further down in the round. It is finished with pockets and double knit hems.

A tutorial to cover the buttons with knitted fabric to refer to the dots of the slipped stitch pattern is included as well as a lot of schematics and illustrations of all techniques used.

The sleeves are worked top down and finished with a double knit cuff.

I made a second one in cool linen. It is now my favorite summer tee.

I switched the main color and contrast color when separating for sleeves and body because I had more of the dark color but I wanted the periwinkle at the top.

Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
finished measurements: 31½ / 35½ / 39½ / 43½ / 47½ / 51 “ (80 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 / 130 cm)
Intended to be worn with 7 to 13 cm / 3 to 5” of positive ease

What you’ll need

fingering weight / 4ply
sleeveless tee
MC (main color): ± 730, 820, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200 m (800, 900, 990, 1100, 1200, 1300 yards)
CC (contrasting color): ± 180, 200, 220, 250, 280, 300 m (200, 220, 240, 280, 310, 330 yards)
CC2: a small quantity ± 50 m (55 yards)

with elbow sleeves
add 250 to 400 m / 270 to 440 yards of MC
and 60 m / 66 yards of CC

3,25 mm (US 3) circular needle and straight needles or size to obtain gauge
2.5 mm (US 1½) circular needle
3 mm (US 2½) circular needle and straight needles (optional)
4 markers
3 buttons in CC2 color + 1/1/2/2/2/3 buttons in MC

Gauge
27 sts and 41 rows stockinette with
the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

 

Check it out here

. . . Stripeology . . .

Today a collection of 2 large shawls has been published.

Stripeology is a collection of 2 large garter shawls with a generous size … and jazzy feel. As a jazz player would pick a ‘Jazz standard’ and improvise on the melody, this modular shawl gives you the fun and opportunity to play with rhythm (the stripes) and improvise the colors.

Stripeology #1 has a circular spiral shape (diameter ± 90 cm / 35½” and a depth going from ± 32 to 44 cm / 12½ to 17¼”.
It is a very easy and fun project, ideal for mindless TV or travel knitting and a great way to use up stash yarns and combine colors. All the fun comes from choosing the next color and striping sequence. Completely worked in garter stitch with an incorporated I-cord edging worked at the same time. Only 5 purl stitches ^^ The first section is shaped using kfb increases. The next sections are worked using the easiest way of wrap and turn (no picking up any wraps)

 

Size of the sample
at the given gauge, diameter = ± 90 cm / 35½”
and a depth going from ± 32 to 44 cm / 12½ to 17¼”

 

Stripeology #2 has a crescent shape with a wingspan of ± 130 cm / 51” and it involves more techniques than stripeology #1: stitches will be picked up & knitted along an I-cord and it also makes use of a 3 needle bind off. Completely worked in garter stitch with an incorporated I-cord edging worked at the same time. Only 5 purl stitches ^^ The first section is shaped using kfb increases. The second section involves picking up stitches from the I-cord and the following sections are worked using the easiest way of wrap and turn (no picking up any wraps). Finally the shawl is bound off using a 3 needle bind off.

Size of the sample
at the given gauge, wingspan = ± 130 cm / 51”
depth ± 62 cm / 24½

What you’ll need per shawl
fingering / 4 ply
Different colors of single skeins and rests
Total yardage (as pictured)
± 1400 m / 1550 yards

3.5 mm (US 4) straight needles
3.5 mm (US 4) double pointed needles for the cast on
tapestry needle

Gauge
The gauge is not important but will affect the width of your shawl
gauge of the sample
24 sts and 26 ridges (or 52 rows) in garter stitch unblocked
= 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

 

Stripeology #1 and Stripeology #2 are bundled in one e-book: Stripeology

Check them out here and here

. . . embossed alu . . .

I am so terribly behind … Never showed my latest ! patterns.

Embossed alu is a pullover with a large boatneck and some positive ease but with fitted sleeves. It has a lace mesh pattern on the sleeves and peplum.

That mesh pattern is a happy mistake. I found a pattern in an old knitting book. It had no picture and I was trying to work it in the round.
I have to admit that I definitely can’t make the difference between wrong from right side or knit and purl, haha … 🤣
This ‘wrong’ mesh stitch reminds me a lot of the embossed plates used in scale models. Combined with the name of the yarn I used : Wollmeise Twin, colorway 13 Al, it gave me the name of the pattern: embossed alu.

It is worked top down and seamlessly in the round. The neck and sleeves are finished with a special edging… a very small folded hem, but there is no sewing involved.

A A photo tutorial is included to work the edging.

Sizes
XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL: finished measurements: 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52 “ (82, 92, 102, 112, 122, 132 cm)

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

What you’ll need
MC: ± 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 m (990, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500 yards)
CC a few left overs ± 100 to 170 m (110 to 180 yards)

3,5 mm (US 4) circular needle or size to obtain gauge
3 mm (US 3) circular needle
4 markers

Gauge
25 sts and 37 rows stockinette with the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Find more examples here

. . . zebraaaa . . .

Published a while ago: Zebra tee …

IT is a striped (!) – I do love stripes – pullover worked top down and seamlessly in the round. It starts in quite a special way by working the neckline at the back and front at the same time. Cleverly placed increases and decreases shape the yoke.

Doesn’t it look like a Zebra ?

Stitches are picked up to start the sleevecap. Sleeves, back and front are worked using a variation of the contiguous sleeve inset developed by Susie Myers.
After separating body and sleeves, the body is worked top down with extra ‘wedges’ at the sides. The sleeves are also worked top down and in the round.

Sizes
XXS/XS, S, M, M2, L, XL
finished measurements (chest): 27.5 / 31 / 34.5 / 38 / 41 / 45 ” (70 / 78 / 88 / 96 / 104 / 114 cm)
Intended to be worn with some negative ease or no ease. Choose the size closest to your high bust measurement (under the armpits)

What you’ll need
total yardage: ± 950, 1050, 1150, 1260, 1360, 1500m (1050, 1150, 1260, 1380, 1500, 1650 yards) of fingering weight / 4 ply
• the black / off white sample: 3/5 of MC (black) and 2/5 CC (off white)
• grey-brown-blue sample: uses 50% of MC and 50% of CC

3,5 mm (US 4) circular needle or size to obtain gauge
3 mm (US 2 1/2) circular needle
crochet hook for the provisional cast-on

2 different kinds of markers
– 8 markers to mark the stitch patterns
– 4 markers for the sleevecap shaping

Gauge
23,5 sts and 38 rows stockinette stitch with the larger needle = 10 x 10 cm (4”x4”)

Check it out here

… golfjes a skirt …

Are you also tempted when you see these gorgeous colors all together in one multicolored skein ? I am.

I love them and I can’t keep myself from buying them. I have a lot of those single, unique skeins … but what to make out of them ?

They are gorgeous in the skein… but I don’t like how they look knitted up and I certainly don’t like the pooling in most cases.

Trying to find something easy that would break up the pooling, I came up with this simple stitch pattern. It is really, really simple even if it looks very complicated.

The multicolored skein in the sample above is Wollmeise twin (birkenrinde: black and white with a pink shine). Some random 2 round-stripes (black) and 1-round-stripes (orange) are added to let the stitch pattern swing.

It is ideal to work with multicolored skeins, but would also look great in solid colors.

And I made a skirt with this stitch pattern !!!

Golfjes – a skirt is worked top down, seamlessly in the round. It starts with a provisional cast on to make the best use of your special skein. Because the waistband is added at the end you can adjust its size easily and also decide on the colors later. You can make the skirt as long or short as you want. It is randomly striped so you will need at least 2 colors or as many as you like.

The stitch pattern is charted and written. The written instructions are right next to the charts.

The pattern is written for fingering weight yarn, but a ‘recipe’ is included for other sizes or other yarn weights with a different gauge

What you’ll need
Yardage depends on length of skirt.
As pictured (± 44 cm / 17.25”): total yardage
± 650, 700, 750, 850, 950, 1050m
(700, 770, 820, 930, 1050, 1150 yards) of fingering / 4 ply

3 mm (US 2 1/2) circular needle
2.5 mm (US 1 1/2) circular needle crochet hook for the provisional cast-on
elastic band
tapestry needle
11 markers for the smaller sizes, 12 markers for the larger sizes

Gauge
29 sts in pattern with the larger needle = 10 cm (4”)

A big thanks to all the testers who made their skirt in something very special. Go check them out for inspiration here.

And the stitch pattern also looks good in a cowl 😉