Thursday 11 August 2011

Newborn Matinee Jacket

Well, whodathunk it was so hard to find a matinee jacket pattern on the internet? I found a few but they weren't what I wanted (wrong size or wool weight). I also figured that what my mother and her generation call a matinee jacket for a baby isnt what this generation calls them. I always liked this style of cardigan/jacket for my babies, you can throw it on over a onesie or stretch 'n' grow for extra warmth and it's got nice wide sleeve holes so no contorting your new baby into it.
So, I had to 'invent' a pattern ....

Ingredients
Size 3.25 needles
1 x 100g 4ply baby wool
3 medium buttons


 
Abbreviations
k – knit, p – purl, st – stitch, st st – stocking stitch, g st – garter stitch, alt – alternate, beg – beginning, inc – increase, dec – decrease, rep – repeat, tog – together, sl – slip, sl1 – slip one, psso – pass slip stitch over, pat – pattern, yon – yarn over needle, m1 – make one
er, pat – pattern, yon – yarn over needle, m1 – make one
TW2: knit into front of 2nd st on left hand needle then knit into front of the first st, slipping both st off the needle at the same time



Using 3.25 needles cast on 176sts 

1st row: K3, *P2,K2, P2, repeat from * to  last 3 stitches, K3
2nd row: K5, *P2, K2, repeat from * to last 5 sts, K5 end
3rd row: K3, *P2,TW2, P2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, K3
4th row: as 2nd row
these 4 rows form the "mock" cable pattern. The 3 stitches on either side of your work are the front band, knitted in garter stitch ...
Repeat these 4 rows 10 times - 44 rows in total, 11 mock cable rows 


From now on you are knitting in stocking stitch - knit one row, purl one row.

Dec row: K3, (k2tog) 3 times, * k1, (k2tog) twice, k2, (k2tog) twice, rep from * to last 3 sts, K3 (119sts)
Divide for armholes
K3,P21 for left front, cast off 12sts, p42 (includes the stitch already on needle) for back, cast off 12sts, purl to last 3 sts, K3
 
Right Front
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl to last 3 stiches, K3
Rep the last 2 rows until armhole measures 5.5cm/ 2 ¼ inches ending after a purl row
Shape neck
Next row: K3, slip these onto a safety pin for later use. Cast off 4sts, knit to end (17sts)
Continue in st st, dec 1 st at neck edge on every row until 11sts remain
Continue without anymore dec until armhole measures 8.75 cm/3 ½ ins, cast off
 
Back
With right side facing, rejoin yarn to centre 42sts
Starting on a knit row continue in st st until back measures same as left front 8.75 cm/3 ½ ins ending on a purl row,
Shape shoulders
Cast off 11sts, at beg of next 2 rows, slip remaining sts on a holder for collar, break of yarn, (20sts)
 
Left front
With right side facing, rejoin yarn to remaining 24sts
Starting with a knit row, continue in st st.
On the 2nd row make a buttonhole: K2,YO, K1, P to end. K6 rows and repeat the buttonhole row.
Complete right front to match left front, remember the 3 sts that make up your front border to be knitted in garter stitch.
 
Make up
Sew shoulder seams

Collar
Using main colour with right side facing
With right side facing you, pick up the 3 sts from the safety pin, knit and pick up from right side of neck 15sts, then 20sts of holder on back, the 15sts down left side of neck and the remaining 3 sts from the other safety pin (56sts)
Knit 2 rows, On the 3rd row make a buttonhold, K2 rows, cast off

Sleeves
Using contrast 1 cast on 58sts
1st row: K3, *P2,K2, P2, repeat from * to  last 3 stitches, K3
2nd row: K5, *P2, K2, repeat from * to last 5 sts, K5 end
3rd row: K3, *P2,TW2, P2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, K3
4th row: as 2nd row
Repeat these 4 rows 10 times (11 mock cable patterns in total)
Cast off loosely, sew in threads
Sew sleeve seam. sew sleeve into jacket, sew buttons on to correspond with buttonholes 

Please let me know if there are any mistakes in this pattern.

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Shawl for Angus

THIS shawl has taken me over 2 months to make - working full time on the ward and trying to find time to make this in time for Angus's arrival drove me crazy but it is now finished. The pattern is copied from an old 60's pattern book and it confused the hell out of me so my shawl isnt exactly like the picture in the book. When I get a bit of time I'll type up the pattern and maybe some bright spark will figure it out.
I love the corners of this shawl and the basket-weave stitch makes the 4ply appear thicker than it really is.


Mini Muks

I found the pattern for these a while ago but have had so many other things to make that I've only now found time to create them.
The link for the pattern can be found here http://windrosefiberstudio.blogspot.com/2010/04/mini-muk-luks-crochet-along-part-i.html - this tutorial is the best ever. 
For Aussies and kiwis - I used a 6.5mm hook and DOUBLED my 8 ply to give me the correct thickness of yarn ie: used 2 strands of 8ply together. I tried 12 ply with the 6.5 hook but it was too 'breezey' across the top of my foot. I also had to do 4 rounds of the squares because 3 as per the pattern wasn't big enough. As long as you make 2 squares that meet when you wrap them around your calf you'll be fine. These are soooo warm!