I'm Back

Well summer didn't see me knitting or crocheting much at all. Instead I bought a house! I have spent since October 2011 until now polyfilling, sanding, ripping up carpet and lino, painting, tiling and being a general female tradie (read that as Jill of all trades, master of none).

that was after I attacked the bathroom!
My house has gone from being the worst on the street to one of the nicest. I have a brand new kitchen and bathroom and fresh paint and tiles ... all the way I want it and so comfy and cosy.

Yay - freshly painted and tiled bathroom LOL
Now that the rainy season has started it's time to get the yarn and needles/hooks out - I can't wait to share my creations with you all.

Knitted Bunny Draft Stopper

This is my latest project. Isn't he just the cutest?
PDF file available here
I hope you enjoy making him as much as I did inventing him. Any questions, message me :-)

Soon to come: Bunny Bag Lady (for all those plastic supermarket bags)

Earflap hat with or without Panda ears

Supplies:

Size 6mm 16" circular needles and dpns (double pointed needles)

Stitch Marker

bulky wool of your choice (I have used a strand of 8 ply in 2 different colours to achieve the desired thickness for these hats - so 2 strands knitted as one)

Crochet hook (optional)

Earflaps:

CO 5 sts onto one dpn.

Row 1: *increase into first stitch, k until last stitch, increase into last stitch*

Row 2: knit all stitches

Repeat these two rows until there are 13 stitches on the needle. Continue in garter stitch (knitting all stitches) for 12 rows

Cut yarn leaving a 10cm tail.

Repeat for second earflap.

Hat:

Slip stitches from one earflap onto circular needles. Attach yarn and cast on 19 stitches (loosely!) Knit on second earflap. CO 14 sts and place marker for the beginning of the round. Join in the round (being careful not to twist) And work garter stitch border (k1 row, p1 row) for 4 rows (Or to taste)

Work stockinette stitch (knit every row)until your work measures 15cm

Decreases:

Round 1:*K7, K2tog* around.

Round 2:*K6, K2tog* around.

Round 3: *K5, k2tog* around.

Round 4: *K4, k2tog* around.

Round 5: *K3, k2tog* around. Here you will need to change to double pointed needles.

Round 6: *K2, K2tog* around.

Round 7: *K1, K2tog* around.

Round 8: *K2tog* around.

Cut yarn leaving a six inch tail, thread through remaining stitches. Weave in ends.

(optional: single crochet border around edge of hat in contrasting color.)

Braids: 

Cut 6 pieces of 28" long yarn. thread through the end of the earflap until folded in half. Divide into three sections and braid until 5cm of unbraided yarn remain. Tie knot and trim edges. Repeat on other side.

Ears (make 2 in secondary color):

I use a size 5mm crochet hook and one strand of whatever colour I want the ears to be.

Start with a magic ring.

R1: sc 5 into ring

R2: 2hdc in each st (10)

R3: 2hdc in each st (20)

R4: *hdc, 2hdc in next st, repeat from * (30)

R5-R6: hdc around

R7: *hdc, hdc2tog, repeat from * around (20)

R8: hdc2tog around (10)

Fold the ear in half and slip stitch the bottom together, then tie off. Leave a long tail for sewing. Attach where you see fit.

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.

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!

Mock Cable Booties

Size: prem, 0, 3mo

Materials:

4ply yarn 25g

size 3.25mm needles

Abbreviations:

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

Method:

Make 2 - begin at the ankle.

Using 3.25mm needles cast on 46, 50, 50 sts and begin pattern

1st row: P2, *K2, P2, repeat from * to end

2nd row: K2, *P2, K2, repeat from * to end

3rd row: P2, *TW2, P2, repeat from * to end

4th row: as 2nd row

these 4 rows form the "mock" cable pattern

Work a further 20, 20, 24 rows pattern (decrease 14, 16, 14 sts evenly along last row) 32, 34, 36 sts

Shape instep:

Work in stocking stitch for remainder of bootie (knit one row, purl one row)

Next row: K20, 21, 22 turn

P8

turn

Continue on center 8 stitches for 14, 16, 18 rows stocking stitch (There should be 12, 13, 14 stitches on either side)

Turn, break yarn and leave these 8 sts on left hand needle

Shape sides:

With right side facing, rejoin yarn to the first group of 12, 13, 14 sts at right edge. Knit up 10, 13, 13 sts evenly along first side of instep, knit across 8 sts of instep then knit 10, 13, 13 sts evenly along other side of instep, then knit across remaining 12, 13, 14 sts to end.

Work 7, 9, 9 rows stocking stitch beginning with a purl row

Shape heel and toe:

1st row: K2 tog, K 22, 26, 27, K2 tog, K2 tog, K 22, 26, 27, K2 tog

2nd and alt rows: Purl

3rd row: K2 tog, K 20, 24, 25, K2 tog, K2 tog, K 20, 24, 25, K2 tog

5th row: K2 tog, K18, 22, 23, K2 tog, K2 tog, K 18, 22, 23, K2 tog

6th row: Purl

Cast off loosely and join seams.