Simple Shawlette knit in 220 Superwash Paints

220 Superwash Paints has been in our line for a while, but I haven't had time to pay attention to it until recently.  I found a subtle color combination that would be lovely for spring and summer.  It was important to see what one skein would create, but I wanted it to be adaptable to be larger - so the Simple Shawlette was created. 

It is worked from 3 stitches from the center of the edge and can be made to whatever size the knitter desires.  One skein made a shawlette that is about 32" across the top and 14" deep at the point.  Two to three skeins would make quite a respectable sized shawl.

So here is the pattern:

Materials:

- 1 skein 220 Superwash Paints (shown in 9942)

- US 7 needles

- 2 stitch markers

Abbreviations:

- K - Knit

- YO - Yarn Over

- pm - Place Marker

- sm - Slip Marker

- K2Tog - Knit 2 Together

CO 3 stitches
Row 1 - K1, YO, [pm]K1 [pm] YO, K1
Row 2 - Knit
Row 3 - K1, YO,K1, YO [sm]K1 [sm] YO, K1, YO, K1
Row 4 - Knit

Start Pattern -
Row 1 - K1, YO, Knit to Marker, YO, [sm] K1 [sm] YO, K to last stitch, YO, K1
Row 2 - Knit
Do 5 times

Lacey rows
Row 1 - K1, YO, K1,YO, [K2Tog, YO] to marker [sm] K1 [sm] [YO, K2tog] to last 2 stitches, YO, K1, YO, K1
Row 2 - Knit
Do 2 times

Switch between 2 patterns until reach desired length

Bind off loosely

Ultra Pima Fine - ZigZag Lace Scarf/Wrap

Ultra Pima Fine is a light sport-weight cotton - the little sibling of Ultra Pima.  It is already available in 53 colors and is a joy to work - it is equally good for knitting and crocheting.  As usual, I was curious what I could create out of 1 skein.  In the ZigZag lace pattern, I was able to get an 8" x 30" scarf out of one skein and now I have 3 options -1, 2, or 4 skein - short scarf, long scarf, wrap.  Also, this is a great learning/teaching pattern - as you can see the bias created by both SSK and K2Tog.

Materials

-        1 – 4 skeins Ultra Pima Fine (100% Pima Cotton – 136.7 yds/50 g) – shown in 3706

-        Size US 5 needle

-        Yarn needle

Finished Measuments & Gauge

-        Gauge = 15 stitches = 4” in pattern stitch

-        1 skein = 8” x 30”

-        2 skeins = 8” x 60”

-        4 skeins = 16” x 60”

 

Abbreviations

-        K – Knit

-        YO – Yarn over

-        K2Tog – Knit 2 Together

-        SSK – Slip, slip, knit

-        P - Purl

 

Cast on 30 (60) stitches.

Row 1 (and all other odd numbered rows) – Purl

Row 2/4/6 – K1, *[YO, K2Tog] – repeat from *, end K1

Row 8/10/12 – K1, *[SSK, YO] – repeat from *, end K1

Continue until desired length.

Bind off loosely.

Weave in ends and block.

Casablanca Barred Scallop Cowl

I love new yarns.  They are so much fun to play with and explore.  Casablanca is a new yarn that we are adding that is a new direction for us.  There are 8 colors in each colorway and they repeat about 2 times in the 220 yards in each 100 g skein.  I'm also extremely proud of this yarn as it is the first time I have put together this many colors per colorway.

So I have a new simple small project offering - the Barred Scallop Cowl - a one skein cowl knit out of our beautiful new wool/silk/mohair blend.  Casablanca will be start to available in stores sometime in June.

Materials

-        1 skein Casablanca(Wool/Silk/Mohair – 220 yds/100 g) – shown in 07

-        Size US 9 – 16” circular needle

Gauge & Finished Measurements

-        22” circumference and 17” long

-        Approx 4 ½ sts = 1” in pattern

Abbreviations

-        K – Knit

-        YO – Yarn over

-        K2Tog – Knit 2 Together

-        SSK – Slip, slip, knit

-        P – Purl

-        SL1 – Slip 1

-        PSSO – Passed slipped stitch over

Cast on 98 stitches.  Join to knit in the round (be careful not to twist stitches).  Place marker at the beginning of the round.

Row 1/3/5/7/9 – Knit

Row 2/4/6/8/10 – [YO, K3, SSK, YO, SL1-K2Tog-PSSO, YO, K2Tog, K3, YO, K1] – repeat until end of round

Row 11 – Knit

Row 12 - Purl

Repeat until desired length.

Bind off loosely.

Weave in ends and block.

David's Cabled Hat

April in National Autism Awareness Month.  It seemed appropriate to share this hat this month.  My son David picked out the color and wanted me to make him something.  Some of you have had the pleasure of meeting him and some are aware that he is high-functioning autistic.  He is an amazing individual and early intervention has made a huge difference in his life.  The hat works up quickly and is made in a machine-washable and -dryable acrylic/superwash merino blend.

Materials

-        1 skein Pacific Chunky Multi (60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool  – 120 yds/100 g) – shown in 603

-        Size US 10 (6.0 mm) 16” circular needle

-        Size US 10.5 (6.5 mm) 16” circular needle

-        Size US 10.5 (6.5 mm) double point needles

 Abbreviations

-        K – Knit

-        P – Purl

-        K2Tog – Knit 2 Together

-        KFB – Knit into the front and back of one stitch (increase 1)

-        K2P2 – Knit 2, Purl 2

-        C3B – Slip 3 stitches to a cable needle and hold in back.  Knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.

-        C2B3 - Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in back.  Knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.

-        P2Tog – Purl 2 Together

 Cast on 64 stitches with the 16” circular needle.  Join to knit in the round – be careful not to twist stitches.  Place marker at the beginning of the round. 

Work K2P2 (2 x 2 ribbing) for 6 rounds.

Change to US 10.5 circular needle.

Increase row – [K7, KFB]* - repeat 8 times

Begin pattern:

-        Row 1 - [K2, P2, C3B, P2] – repeat until end of round

-        Row 2 – K2, P2, K6, P2

-        Row 3 – K2, P2, K6, P2

-        Row 4 – K2, P2, K6, P2

 Repeat until hat measures about 6.5” from cast on edge

Start decreases:

-        Row 1 – [K2Tog, P2, C3B, P2] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 66 stitches remain)

-        Row 2 – [K1, P2tog, K6, P2] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 60 stitches remain)

-        Row 3 – [K1, P1, K6, P2Tog] – repeat until end of round (6 times -  54 stitches remain)

-        Row 4 – [K1, P1, K2Tog, K4, P1] – repeat until end of round  (6 times – 48 stitches remain)

-        Row 5 – [K2Tog, C2B3, P1]– repeat until end of round (6 times – 42 stitches remain)

-        Row 6 – [K4, K2Tog, P1] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 36 stitches remain)

-        Row 7 – [K3, K2Tog, P1] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 30 stitches remain)

-        Row 8 – [K2, K2Tog, P1] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 24 stitches remain)

-        Row 9 – [K1, K2Tog, P1] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 18 stitches remain)

-        Row 10 – [K2Tog, P1] – repeat until end of round (6 times – 12 stitches remain)

-        Row 11 – K2Tog – repeat until end of round – 6 stitches remain.

 Cut yarn – thread through remaining 8 stitches (using tapestry needle).  Weave in ends.



Light & Lacy Cowl

Kid Seta Noir is a fabulous lightweight mohair blend that offers just enough sparkle.  One of the wonderful traits of kid mohair is the warmth relative to the weight of the garment. 

I don't often knit with laceweight yarns as I worry that I will never get to finishing the project and mohair is not the easiest to frog (especially on a plane).  I've been tempted to make something out of Kid Seta Noir for a while, but have not had it speak to me until recently.  This cowl is actually a wonderful travel project - it is lightweight (just one skein) and a simple 2 row pattern, so if you have to pause it is not too hard to figure out where you are.

Light & Lacy Cowl

Designed by Shannon Dunbabin

Cast on 91 stitches on a US 8 (16" circular needle).  Join in the round, careful not to twist.  Place marker.

Begin pattern -

Row 1 - Knit

Row 2 - K1 *[YO, S1P, K2, PSSO] - repeat from *

Continue until reaches desired length.

Knit one more row.

Bind off very loosely.  Weave in ends.

Abbreviations: K - Knit, P - Purl, YO - Yarn Over, S1P - Slip 1 stitch purlwise, PSSO - Pass Slipped Stitch Over

Ribbed Cowl

Ribbed Cowl - Designed by Shannon Dunbabin

So, I found myself in a situation where I had to sit for an entire day and needed something to keep my hands busy, but I had to be involved in conversation the entire day.  Around this same point in time, I realized that we didn't have any cowls knit in Pure Alpaca which is perfect for a cowl and I had great intentions to do a few rows of ribbing with a simple lace pattern.  Well, I suddenly realized that I had several inches of ribbing and it was squishy, soft, and warm.  So, I made the best of it and just continued in 2 x 2 rib.  I picked 2 denimy heathers, but it would look great in a variety of other color combinations.

The pattern is quite simple - cast on 88 stitches using size 9 needles.  Join in the round.  Do K2, P2 until reach desired length.  Bind off.  Weave in ends.  Enjoy.

Feather and Fan Wrap

The Wrap that almost wasnt....

So, we decided to do a secret Santa at the office this year and I pulled a person that is always cold and loves purple.  Normally with the craziness of life (especially going into the holidays), I would've picked something quick that I wouldn't stress about finishing, but I ended up going on a last minute international trip. 

I came up with the great idea of stranding 2 shades of Venezia Worsted using a feather and fan pattern, thinking I would have at least 18-20 hours of knitting between the flight there and back.  That worked great on the way there.  On the return trip (in which everything that possibly could go wrong, went wrong) my knitting was confiscated on the flight because knitting needles were not allowed on that airline on international flights.  Obviously the stewardess was not a knitter and didn't have any knitter friends or she would've known that I stay much calmer while knitting.  I was able to get the project back as I left the plane to find out I would not be making my connection.

I did not finish this project in time for the secret Santa at the office (instead I stranded Baby Alpaca Chunky, Lana d'Oro, and Kid Seta Noir in a quick cowl that was also quite warm).  The good news is her birthday is tomorrow and I finished it last night.  The other good news is I have the pattern.  It is pretty easy to modify - add or subtract multiples of 18 stitches to make it wider or narrower.  2 skeins and only casting on 20 stitches would make a lovely scarf.

Feather & Fan Wrap

Designed by Shannon Dunbabin

Contrasting colors in a luscious merino/silk blend makes a beautiful yet warm wrap (that can also work as a lap blanket).  The pattern can easily be converted into a scarf by only casting on 20 stitches and using 1 skein per color.

Materials

-        4 skeins Venezia Worsted (70% Merino Wool/30% Mulberry Silk  – 218 yds/100 g) (2 per color – shown in 156 & 107)
-        Size US 10.5 needle (used a 30” circular)

Abbreviations

-        K – Knit
-        K2Tog – Knit 2 Together
-        YO – Yarn Over

 Cast on 56 stitches.

 
Pattern (odd rows are right side):
Row 1:  Knit
Row 2:  Purl
Row 3:  K1, *[K2tog] 3 times, [YO, K1] 6 times, [K2tog] 3 times, repeat from *, end K1.
Row 4:  Knit.

Knit until almost desired length.  For last time through pattern, do rows 1-3 and bind off.  Weave in ends, block if desired.