Santa Monica Museum of Art Workshops

Join me this Saturday, November 23rd at 10am for a beginning knitting workshop at the Santa Monica Museum of Art... already know how to knit then come on by December 3rd from 7-10pm for project knitting.

These workshops are in connection with a collaborative exhibit by artists Yutaka Sone & Benjamin Weissman. Check out the museum's website for a sneak peak or stop by tonight for the opening reception.

Hope to see you there!

Wild Oats Fingerless Mitts

These fingerless mitts I made for an Intro to Cables class we had at The Little Knittery.  But I'm liking it as a great project for Holiday knitting, certainly meets all my requirements for gift knitting: quick, pretty easy and doesn't require much yarn... gotta keep chipping away at my stash!

These used 1/2 a skein of Pediboo by Frog Tree, so 2 pairs from one skein!

Materials:
1 skein Pediboo Yarn (182yds/165m) A blend of 80% Machine Washable Merino and 20% Bamboo Viscose.
#9 (5.5mm) needles
Darning needle
Cable Needle
Gauge 4sts = 1" in Stockinette Stitch
Finished measurements: 6"x 4"
If any adjustments are made to the pattern in regards to the stitch count add or subtract in multiples of 4, the number of stitches between the *'s.

Glossary:
K: knit
P: purl
St(s): stitch(es)
Stockinette Stitch (St st): alternate rows of Knit and Purl.
Sl 1: Go into the stitch as if you were going to purl and slip it from the left to the right hand needle.
 * : repeat
CN: cable needle
LHN: left hand needle
BO: bind or cast off

Cast on 35 stitches.
Rows 1-7: K
Row 8: P
Work 4 sets of Wild Oats Pattern. 32 rows total.
On the last set of the Wild Oats Pattern Knit Row 8.
K 7 more rows. BO
Sew side seams leaving a hole for the thumb @2.25" from the top and 2" from the bottom or how best it fits your hand.

Wild Oats Pattern (multiples of 4 +3)
Rows 1 and 5: (RS) Sl 1, * K2, sl1, K1, rep from * to last 2sts, K2
Rows 2 and 6: Sl 1, P1, * P1, sl1, P2, rep from * to end, P1.
Row 3: Sl 1, * Slip next 2 sts onto CN and hold at back of work, K the slip st from the LHN, K2 from CN, K1, Rep from * to last st, K2.
Row 4: P
Row 7: Sl 1, K1, * K1, slip the slip st onto CN and hold at front of work, K2, K1 from CN, rep from * to end, K1.
Row 8: P
Rep these 8 rows.

Sporty

Sometimes I just want to cast on and start knitting without thinking about how it will translate into a pattern. I want a break from my knitting "work" and just knit for the love of it.

It started last month when I was trying to downsize my stash and found these 2 colors of Pastaza by Cascade that I had left over from when I owned the shop Knit 1 in Chicago. Whenever Cascade would discontinue a color of a yarn I liked I would buy a bag having no idea what I would do with it but knowing I would use it someday... too many of those bags laying around!
So when I was going through my yarn and saw these two colors together it made me think of a 60's ski sweater and I knew I had to make something sporty.

I'm happy with how it turned out although I really need to block it (I want the body & sleeves a little bit longer.) And while it looks pretty simple because of the garter stitch, the construction of it (the top) is involved and is a little bit more than I want to translate right now... even though I did take notes.
That being said I'm sure at some point I'll write the pattern (next year). If you're an experienced knitter who is comfortable with minimal instruction and would like to try making it email me, I'm more than happy to share my notes.

the Crochet Brioche Sweater

 After many months and promises of almost having it ready I'm happy to say the pattern for the Crochet Brioche Sweater is ready!

Having nothing to do with bread or the crochet brioche stitch the sweater is named after my knit version the Honeycomb Brioche Sweater. (pictured above)

Made using between 550-615 yards, 503-562m (4.5 skeins for S/M, 5 skeins for L) of Magnum by Cascade and Q/15.75mm hook this piece works up quickly and would be a good 1st sweater project for an advanced beginner to tackle. Nothing too complicated with this one... minimal increasing at the bottom waist section is probably the most complicated part. 

Pattern available as a PDF download. $6.50

Just in time for Fall...

Huge wink for that title since I'm clearly a season behind! Has summer officially ended though? If it has you couldn't tell by the weather here in LA. September has been like a blast from a furnace so there's still some mileage for these pieces.

Stargazer Stripes:

The Knit Collage yarn Stargazer Silk, a 100% silk yarn that is threaded with silver colored brass sequins is a perfect yarn for this reversible A line tank. The weight of the yarn from the combination of the sequins and the silk makes it feel quite luxurious and adds a lot of drama to a simple striped top.

Worked from the top down with simple increases, easy color changes and an i-cord for the straps this would be a good top for an advanced beginner to tackle. Sizes: S/M, L

Yarn: 3(4) skeins of Color A (black) & 2 skeins of Color B (white)

Stargazer Silk by Knit Collage

Needle: US 10.5

Available as a PDF download. $6.50

a Simple Tank

This simple tank I designed for The Little Knittery as a shop sample. Made from the bottom up (a rarity for me) with a minimum of shaping and again i-cord straps, it's another one that would be good for an advanced beginner to try. I grafted the straps to make them seamless though these could be sewn. This top has deep armholes making it a good layering piece for cooler weather.

Yarn: 3 balls of Job-Life (L302) by On Line 

Needle: US #19 24" circular.

Available as a PDF download. $6.50

Simple Girl's Top

Another simple top made for The Little Knittery. This sweet little number is a great intro to top down knitting. Raglan sleeves, a minimum of side shaping with a cute picot hem. My girls love it!

Yarn: 1 skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino

Needle: US #6 24"

Pattern available as a PDF download. $6.50

If you made it this far... 

My next pattern coming mid September will be the crochet sweater if I can bear touching it in this heat!

the Scrappy Triangle Scarf

I was asked months ago to design a triangle scarf/shawl using super chunky yarn and I finally got around to making it. It took about 4-5 hours total to work up... don't know what took me so long!

I kept it pretty simple using garter stitch while giving it a little interest with an eyelet row every few rows. The finished measurements for my scarf:
70"/178cm across & 28"/71cm from top to point.
Gauge: isn't too important but I had a gauge of @4sts = 4"/10cm

Trying to use up scrap yarn from my stash (hence the name) I used about 180yd/165m of Magnum by Cascade, a 60"/152cm long #19/15mm needle and 2 markers to mark either side of the center stitch.

Glossary:
K: knit
K2tog: knit 2 stitches together
pm: place marker
sl m: slip marker from one needle to the next
* : repeat

Here goes:

Cast on 5sts.
Row 1: [K1, yo] 2x's, pm, K1, pm, [yo, K1] 2x's
9sts
Row 2 & all even rows: K
Row 3: K1, yo, K to marker, yo, sl m, K1, sl m, yo, K to 1 stitch before the end of row, yo, K1.
13sts
Row5: K1, yo, K1 * yo, K2tog * to marker, yo, sl m, K1, sl m, yo, *K2tog, yo * to last 2sts, K1, yo, K1.
17sts
Row 6: K

Repeat below sequence to desired length:
Work Rows 3&4 [2x's]
Work Rows 5&6 once

I cast off when I had 97sts.
4 increases are made on each odd numbered row. If changing colors do so on a Row 5.
Instead of keeping track of my rows I kept track of my number of stitches for when I should work a Row 5, so when I had 13sts I worked a Row 5; 21sts work a Row 5, 29sts and so on... when the stitch count has increased by 8sts work the eyelet row.

Patterns coming up in the next couple of months:

 





I used a bulky cotton tape for this tank.

This is made with Knit Collage's "Stargazer Silk & Sequins."
LOVE this yarn!

#6's & Ella Rae's Lace Merino for this cute little top.

I've been asked a lot about the pattern for this one. I should have it by the end of August, beginning of September.





I know I'm missing a couple of promised ones as well, just not enough hours in the day!

the Swing Coat

My latest design is a piece for The BagSmith to show at TNNA. Made with 2 (125yds/115m each) of their new merino bumbs and a #50(25mm) needle. This oversized coat is knit cuff to cuff and from the top down. The hardest techniques involved are an invisible cast on, short row shaping and either grafting or a 3 needle bind off. I would have to rate this for an intermediate knitter. S/M/L sizes available.

This is a piece I would wear everyday in the winter, the merino feels so good and I love the oversized fit.

Pattern available as a PDF download. $6.50