Gauge

"I'm still waiting for that pullover pattern...."

I've been working on getting the Bunny Yoke Child/Baby Pullover pattern ready for publication.


Lace Cable Rib Pullover

Pattern now available!  This top-down pullov


That's What You Get

I usually try to suggest several alternative yarn choices for each of my patterns.


Sometimes swatches lie

I decided to knit myself a Plaited Tam, but I want


My own Leaf Yoke Top

I really hated to give up the sample I knitted in Tahki Nova for my


Leaf Yoke Top

One of my patterns is in the new Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Knit.1!&


Hat craze

I've never been a sock knitter; my small projects of preference are hats and baby knits. And fall, of course, is a fine time to think about hat knitting (and thus for designers, a fine time to think about creating some hat patterns). I had noted the stitch pattern at left (from the Japanese book Knitting Patterns Book 250) back in the spring, and it struck me as something that could be adapted into an interesting hat. I went so far as to work on adapting the leaf motif to fit within the limited number of rows possible on a hat (deciding on a sport weight yarn to get a few more rows in) and charting the crown decreases, and then shelved that project over the summer to work on other things. Non sono stata mai una maglierista dei calzini; i miei progetti piccoli preferiti sono i cappelli e le maglie dei bambini. Certo che l'autunno e un bel periodo per pensare di lavorare a maglia dei cappelli! Ho visto quello disegno (dal libro giapponese Knitting Patterns Book 250) nella primavera, e pensavo di usarlo per un cappello. I went back to that hat project last week, but after a bit of swatching, I wasn't happy with the result, and returned to my Japanese stitch pattern books for more inspiration. I found the second stitch pattern in the same book as the first, and the final one in the book Knitting Patterns Book 300. I imagined using the second one in a top-down design, so I then started figuring out a series of crown increases that would segue nicely into the main stitch pattern. Sono ritornata la settimana scorsa a quello progetto del cappello; pero', dopo un po' di swatching, non ero contenta, e sono tornata ai miei libri di modelli giapponesi per l'inspirazione. Ho trovato il disegno secondo nello stesso libro come il primo, e l'ultimo nel libro Knitting Patterns Book 300. Ho immaginato di usare il secondo in un modello top-down, quindi ho cominciato di calcolare gli aumenti, i quali progredirebbero nel disegno proprio. This turned out to be a several-days-long process! More on that later.Diventava un processo di parecchi giorni! Piu a piu tardi.

Yarn substitutions for Aran Wrap

I've had several questions on this topic, so I've decided to list a number of yarn substitutions for the Trendsetter Journey yarn which was used for my Aran Wrap in Vogue Knitting Fall 2008.   This is a lovely, 100%


Seaside Gloves

If you’re like many knitters, during the height of summer you may find yourself impatient for the brisk days of fall and even winter, when you can pull out those woollen items created with long hours of pleasant labor.  And yet-- human nature being what it is-- during those wintry periods, even knitters may find themselves remembering with longing those lazy hours on the beach in July or August:  the penetrating heat of the sand, the glints of light off the water, the cooling salt spray flying off the crests of the waves.  That’s why these gloves are a perfect anytime project:  during the warmer months, they’ll augur frosty days to come, and once those days arrive, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal and crystal bead droplets will remind you of those carefree seaside afternoons. SizesWomen’s S-M (M-L)Circumference (unstretched):  7”/18 cm (8”/20.5 cm); to fit hand circumference of 7-8”/18-20.5 cm (8-9”/20.5-23 cm)Length:  10”/25.5 cm (11”/28 cm)DifficultyIntermediate knitter/beginning beader; skills required include reading chart and working in the round. MaterialsAlchemy Yarns Synchronicity (50% silk, 50% wool; 118 yds/108 m per 50 g skein); 30W: Spruce; 2 (2) skeins.Size S-M:  1 set US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gaugeSize M-L:  1 set US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gaugetapestry needle; waste yarn or stitch holdersbead needle for threading beads (I used The Big “Eye”) Clear glass beads, size 6/0 (4 mm), 52Suggested Yarn SubstitutesBrown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Superwash or Karabella Aurora 8 GaugeSize S-M:  24 sts/ 32 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch (st st)Size M-L:  21 sts/ 28 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in st st Pattern NotesSee attached charts.  The original stitch pattern (“Seaweed” from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns) is used for the left glove only, while the pattern for the right glove is its mirror image. Both left and right gloves are fully charted to show the position of beads and construction of thumb gusset and fingers.  Directions are the same for S-M and M-L; altering gauge by using different size needles results in two finished sizes.  Follow written directions as well as charts!  Picked up and knit on stitches for upper hand and fingers are not shown on charts, but are worked following chart for stitches adjacent to each part.    Thread beads onto yarn before casting on, pushing beads down along yarn until they are needed.  Beads actually sit between 2 purl stitches; to place bead, purl first stitch, push bead into place, and purl second stitch.Click here to purchase pattern pdf ($3.50)!  Includes written directions, photos and full charts for both hands.  By the way, if your fingertips prefer to be covered, instead of binding off each glove finger, just continue the stitch pattern as established until each finger is slightly longer than your own, and then do not bind off:  instead break the yarn, thread it through all stitches, pull to close, and then fasten on the inside of the finger.