Manly Scarf

Manly Scarf

Hubby modeling the Manly Scarf.

Nephew wearing his Holiday gift.

Despite its name, I worried this scarf wasn’t manly enough. Maybe it was the yarn or maybe it was the stitch, but I wondered, “Does this scarf look masculine?” I wasn’t convinced until Hubby tried it on. Yay! It looked great, and was ready to be wrapped as a gift for my nephew.

Happy knitting, hon!

Manly Scarf

Stitches are cast on for the entire length of the scarf, which is knit from side to side on a circular needle. Tip: Place stitch markers every 20 stitches (or however many stitches you like). This makes keeping track of the total stitches much easier. 

Yarn: The yarn used in the pattern on Ravelry was Manos del Uruguay Handspun Semi Solids, skein of 100g: 138 yards/126 m

4-5 skeins of main color

1-2 skeins of contrast color

Needles:  One US 10 (6mm) circular needle (as long as possible). Change needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions:  Stitch markers. One yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge: 

In stockinette stitch, 10 cm/4 inches = 14-18 stitches

In pattern stitch, 10 cm/ 4 inches = 10-12 stitches

Pattern Stitch

Row 1:  Knit all stitches.

Row 2:  Knit 2 together to end.

Row 3:  Knit into front and back of every stitch.

Row 4:  Purl all stitches.

Directions:

Cast on 250 stitches. Work in pattern stitch until scarf has desired width. The stripe pattern is 3 pattern repeats in the main color, then one in the contrast color like this:

MC x 3

CC

MC x 3

CC

MC x 3

Cast off.

Notes:  Click the link under Source to see the original pattern, where the author of the pattern explains how to substitute the yarn. I used a different yarn than the one shown on Ravelry and since–gasp–I detest making swatches, I winged it, casting 250 sts and knitting to a width and length I thought looked good on a guy. (I know, very scientific!)

Source: Ravelry, pattern by Johanna K Sarten

 

Warm and Cozy Knit Infinity Scarf

Honey Cowl.

I made this Infinity Scarf, called a “Honey Cowl,” last year and wanted to knit it again. This time, I followed the pattern for the shorter version. The Simplicity yarn color “49 Shades of Gray” has a hint of mint green and is a Merino wool blend. It was a pleasure to work with.

Happy knitting, hon.

Infinity Scarf, Honeycomb Cowl

Finished Measurements:  22 inches in length by 12 inches in width for short version (44 inches in length by 12 inches in width for longer version)

Yarn:  55% Merino Superwash merino, 28% Acrylic, 17% Nylon, 140 yards (128 meters), 2 (4) skeins (double check amount of yarn needed depending on type of yarn and yardage.)

Needles:  One US 8 (5.0mm) 26″ (66 cm) circular needle for short version or One US 8 (5.0 mm) 36″ (91 cm) circular needle for longer version.  Change needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions:  One stitch marker for beginning of round. One yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge:  5 sts = 1 inch (10 cm) in honeycomb pattern.

Notes:  For an in-between size, 1 skein and 160 sts will create a 32 inch long by 8 inch wide cowl.  2 skeins at 160 sts will create a 32 inch long by 16 inch wide cowl.

Pattern Stitch:  Slip Stitch Honeycomb

Note:  When working rounds 2 and 4, slip as if to purl and keep yarn in front)

Round 1:  Knit

Round 2:  *Purl 1, slip 1 wyif* repeat across round

Round 3:  Knit

Round 4:  *Slip 1 wyif, Purl 1* repeat across round

Directions:

Cast on 110 (220) stitches.  Being careful not to twist stitches, place marker and join for working in the round.  Knit 4 rounds.

Repeat the 4 rounds of “Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern” above until work measures approximately 11 inches.  Make sure that you have enough yarn left over for the following:  Knit 3 rounds and bind off loosely.

Source:  Ravelry, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/honey-cowl/people

 

Easy Two Stitch Infinity Scarf

70 yards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Stitch Infinity Scarf

Sew Handy

I learned how to needlepoint and embroider in Girl Scouts when Girl Scout badges were earned by practicing “traditional girl activities.”  My mom taught me how to use a sewing machine and, in fifth grade, I learned how to knit. I’m not sorry about learning Victorian-age  skills, though, because they provide instant stress relief and a sense of accomplishment. Knitting, especially, has taught me…

It’s okay to make mistakes.

Miss a stitch? Rip out rows. Yarn’s knotted up? Untangle it. Don’t care for a pattern? Try a different one. Sometimes, I re-start a project several times and–guess what–I don’t yell non G-rated words (click here if you want to know when I do yell non G-rated words.)

Easy Two-Stitch Infinity Scarf Directions

1. Using a size 10 1/2 inch circular needle, cast on 60 stitches. Place a stitch counter to mark the end of the round. Gauge doesn’t matter.
2. K2 P2 for 4 rows.
3. Knit in the round until yarn is almost finished, but leaving enough to rib until the end.
4. K2 P2 for 4 rows.
5. Bind off loosely, Weave in loose ends.

Finished scarf–mine measures 9 inches wide.

Show -n- Tell (more projects)

I recently finished needlepoints for my niece and nephew. Here they are made into pillows.

 

 

 

Infinity Scarf, Honey Cowl

Honeycomb patterned cowl.

Beautiful yarn.

 

 

 

 

 

If you want something warm for winter or a pretty gift to give, this was an easy, enjoyable pattern. I made this as a gift for my sister-in-law (shout out to Kim).

Infinity Scarf, Honeycomb Cowl

Finished Measurements:  22 inches in length by 12 inches in width for short version (44 inches in length by 12 inches in width for longer version)

Yarn:  100% superwash merino wool, 225 yards (206 meters), 1 (2) skeins

Needles:  One US 8 (5.0mm) 26″ (66 cm) circular needle for short version or One US 8 (5.0 mm) 36″ (91 cm) circular needle for longer version.  Change needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions:  One stitch marker for beginning of round. One yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge:  5 sts = 1 inch (10 cm) in honeycomb pattern.

Notes:  For an in-between size, 1 skein and 160 sts will create a 32 inch long by 8 inch wide cowl.  2 skeins at 160 sts will create a 32 inch long by 16 inch wide cowl.

Pattern Stitch:  Slip Stitch Honeycomb

Note:  When working rounds 2 and 4, slip as if to purl and keep yarn in front)

Round 1:  Knit

Round 2:  *Purl 1, slip 1 wyif* repeat across round

Round 3:  Knit.

Round 4:  *Slip 1 wyif, Purl 1* repeat across round

Directions:

Cast on 110 (220) stitches.  Being careful not to twist stitches, place marker and join for working in the round.  Knit 4 rounds.

Repeat the 4 rounds of “Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern” above until work measures approximately 11 inches.  Make sure that you have enough yarn left over for the following:  Knit 3 rounds and bind off loosely.

Source:

Ravelry, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/honey-cowl/people

 

Chunky Knit Scarves, Cowl Within a Cowl

Bon Voyage!

Cowl Within a Cowl, Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern. Stay warm in Florence!

Another way to wear this scarf.  

Sample + Sale = Inspiration!

My knitting store displayed a Cowl Within a Cowl and I was itching to knit something with the rich garnet and grey yarn I’d found marked down. I thought my college-aged daughters would love these interlocking infinity scarves.

Above, “Liquid Copper” (aka Baby A of the triplets) and, below, “Curly Girl” (aka Baby C) model their scarves, knit with the same yarn but made up of different stitches. There’s nothing like a deadline to complete a project.  I finished Curly Girl’s scarf right before the new semester at Pratt Institute started. Liquid Copper is in Florence for this semester (lucky girl!). I finished her scarf a couple of days before she left.  Whew!

Happy knitting, hon!

Cowl Within a Cowl, Seed Stitch Pattern.  Stay warm in Brooklyn!

Cowl Within a Cowl, Honeycomb Pattern (as worn by Liquid Copper)

Finished Measurements

22 inches in length by 12 inches wide

Yarn

2 skeins of 100% Superwash Merino wool, approximately 200 yards each

Needles

1 US size 8 (5 mm) 26″ circular needle

Gauge

5 sts = 1 inch (10 cm) in honeycomb pattern

Notions

–stitch markers to mark beginning of round (I used stitch markers to keep track of overall sts)

–1 yarn needle for weaving in ends

Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern:

Note:  When working rounds 2 and 4, slip as if to purl and keep yarn in front.

Round 1:  Knit.

Round 2:  *Purl 1, Slip 1 wyif” repeat across round.

Round 3:  Knit.

Round 4:  *Slip 1 wyif, Purl 1* repeat across round.

Directions:

Cast on 110 stitches.  Being careful not to twist, place marker and join for working in the round.  Knit 4 rounds.

Repeat the 4 rounds of Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern until work measures approximately 11,” making sure you have enough yarn for the following:  Knit 3 rounds and bind off loosely.

Second Cowl:

Cast on 110 stitches as for first cowl, looping needle through first cowl.  Join, being careful not to twist stitches. Follow pattern for first cowl.

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Cowl Within a Cowl, Seed Stitch Pattern (as worn by Curly Girl)

Same yarn, needle and notions as above.

Finished Measurements

24 inches in length by 8 1/2 inches wide, gauge is not important

First Cowl Directions

Cast on 101 stitches and join, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Row 1:  *K 1, P1* Repeat from * — * to end of round.

Row 2:  *P1, K1*, Repeat from * — * to end of round.

These 2 rows form the pattern.  Continue until desired length.  Bind off loosely in patterm.

Second Cowl:

Cast on 101 stitches as for first cowl, looping needle through first cowl.  Join, being careful not to twist the stitches.  Follow pattern for first cowl.

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Sources:

Slip Stitch Honeycomb Pattern on Ravelry by Antonia Shankland

Yarn Shop–The Stitching Bee–Shout out to the yarn shop in Chatham, New Jersey 

Curly Girl and Lucy.

Hmm, maybe Lucy needs a scarf, too?  She looks good in red!

Sweet Cheeks Baby Blanket

Sweet Cheeks!

What a pretty baby girl.

Knit with love.

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Cheeks, indeed!

Baby Blanket.

Hon, have you ever heard me say I was born in the wrong century? If this was the 19th century (hmm, my house was built in 1882), then my interest in knitting and needlepoint (and a little sewing) wouldn’t seem so old-fashioned. When one of my college daughters needlepoints at school, her friends call her “Bubbe.”  But, if I think about the–ahem–common thread that ties these interests together, it’s really quite modern.  I love to create something out of nothing.  Which relates to my passion for writing.  See? It all ties together!

A new baby + restless hands + scrumptiously soft yarn = a baby blanket where every stitch radiates love.

Baby Blanket

Finished Size:  36″ x 45″ (91.5 cm x 114.5cm)

Materials:

Medium Weight Yarn 36 ounces, 2,100 yards (1,020 grams, 1.920 meters)

29″ (73.5 cm) Circular knitting needle, size 10 1/2 (6.5 mm) or size needed for gauge

Afghan is worked holding two strands of yarn together.

Gauge:

In pattern, 15 sts and 21 rows = 4 1/2″ (11.5 cm)

Pattern:

Cast on 113 sts.

Row 1-5:  Knit across.

Row 6:  (Right side): K7,P3, (K3, P3) across to last 7 sts, K7.

Row 7:  K4, P3, (K3, P3) across to last 4 sts, K4.

Row 8:  K7, P3 (K3, P3) across to last 7 sts, K7.

Row 9 and 10:  K4, P3, (K3, P3) across to last 4 sts, K4.

Row 11:  K7, P3, (K3, P3) across to last 7 sts, K7.

Row 12:  K4, P3, (K3, P3) across to last 4 sts, K4.

Rows 13 and 14:  K7, P3, (K3, P3) across to last 7 sts, K7.

Repeat Rows 7-14 for pattern until blanket measures approximately 44″ (112 cm) from cast on edge, ending by working Row 9 or Row 13.

Last 5 Rows:  Knit across.

Bind off all sts in knit.

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Sources:

Knitting Book–Leisure Arts “Our Best Baby Afghans, Book 2”

Pattern by Carole Prior

Yarn Shop–The Stitching Bee–Shout out to the yarn shop in Chatham, New Jersey

Happy knitting, Hon!

Keep Calm and Carry Yarn/ Potato Chip Scarf Pattern

Texture + Color = Possibilities

I love yarn shops!  Vivid colors and scrumptious textures call out from the bins and shelves. (“Pick me, pick me!”).  I might walk in with a project in mind, or I might let the yarn decide what it wants to be.  I give it creative license!

Gorgeous Ella Rae Lace Merino Chunky blue/aqua and purple/berry variegated yarn caught my eye this fall.  I had recently finished a Potato Chip Scarf (so called because it’s ruffled) for me and wanted to knit another with chunkier yarn.  One teen daughter got a Potato Chip scarf and one got an  Infinity scarf.

Potato Chip Scarf knit with chunky merino wool.

Potato Chip Scarf knit with finer wool, strands doubled.

Infinity Scarf knit with chunky merino wool.

Infinity Scarf knit with chunky merino wool.

Petit Point pillow that may have caused me to need reading glasses!

I also, finally, finished a petit point canvas and had it made into a pillow.  Petit point is comprised of smaller stitches than needlepoint.  The stitches were so small, I needed a magnifying light to see what I was doing!

I found this easy Potato Chip scarf pattern on Ravelry.

Potato Chip Scarf Pattern:

Yarn weight:  Aran/ 10 ply (8 wpi)

Needle size:  US 8  (5.0 mm)

Yardage:  300-310 yards (274 – 283 m)

Cast on 20 stitches.

Row 1:  knit 8, turn, knit back to beginning.

Row 2:  knit 6, turn, knit back to beginning.

Row 3:  Knit 4, turn, knit back to beginning.

Knit across all 20 stitches.

Repeat these rows until desired length is reaches.  Bind off.

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Infinity Scarf Post–Infinity scarf pattern.

Ravelry-The pattern I used is by Connor Thompson.

The Stitching Bee–Shout out to the yarn shop in Chatham, New Jersey

Happy knitting, Hon!

Infinity Scarf

Here I am wearing my Infinity Scarf. So comfy!

Infinity Scarf laid out.

Knit and purl sides are visible.

Hon, I found only one skein of this gorgeous, hand painted Schaefer yarn/ Elaine, color Nellie Bly (99% Merino Wool, 1% Nylon), and the idea of an Infinity Scarf was born.  I had knit a bunch of hats and mittens for my kids (I’m still working on another hat) and decided I could use a little warmth this winter.

I started knitting the scarf working in seed stitch (K1, P1) but then the slubs of the yarn were hidden.  So, I unraveled the seed stitches and started over.  I knit every round instead.  Both the knit side and purl side are visible when the scarf is worn.  This is an easy way to show off beautiful color and texture.

Pattern:

Using size 11 circular needles (or whatever size the gauge of your yarn calls for), cast on 131 stitches.

Join in the round.

Knit each round until scarf measures about 15 inches.  In this case, I used up the ball of yarn.

Bind off and weave in the ends.

Blocking and Setting the Color:

Pour 1/4 cup of white vinegar in a sink with filled with cold water.

Let the scarf sit for a bit.

Rinse the scarf out.

Lay flat to dry, pinning the edges to a towel with straight pins.  Blocking this way flattenens the edges somewhat.  I wanted some curl since the edges aren’t ribbed, but at the same time, they were curling too much.

When only slightly damp, I fluffed the scarf in my dryer on “Air Only” for about 15 minutes.

With the yarn softened and color set, the scarf was ready to wear.

Knit Hat with Garter Stitch Bands

Knit hat with garter stitch band is so stretchy that it can fit an older child or adult.

Hon, this post could also be called:  From Kim to Kim.  Here’s why.

A basket of sale yarn called out to me and I discovered a bunch of gorgeous, soft, Jasper yarn.  I’ve been knitting since high school but had never knit a hat.  My college friend, Kim, passed on this pattern and I knit it for my sister-in-law, Kim. See? All the ends tie together (pun intended).

Click on Beesquare Japanese Hat to find the easy-to-follow pattern on Ravelry.  (If you love to knit or crochet, you will love all project ideas on Ravelry.) Thanks Beesquare, thanks Kim for sharing the pattern with me, and thanks to my youngest daughter for modeling.

Knit Ribbed Hats and Fingerless Mittens

knit ribbed hats and fingerless mittens

yarn used for hats and mittens: Jasper 100 % Merino wool

knit ribbed hat

My knitting needles fought a duel with my tapestry needles and won.  Hon, I’ve been (slightly) obsessed with knitting scarves, hats and fingerless mittens ever since.

My eighteen year-old triplets modeled the ribbed hats and fingerless mitts I knit for them.  I wanted my son’s ears completely covered since he a freshman at a university in Vermont and a cadet in the Army ROTC and has crack-of-dawn fitness training.  I knit the hat an inch or so longer than the pattern calls for and in army green colored yarn. I decreased the amount of stitches cast on for my daughters’ hats.  Check out the easy-to-follow and fun-to-knit pattern from Stephanie Likes To Knit.   

Knitting the fingerless mittens was a challenge. Not only are they knit using double-pointed needles, I lengthened the cuffs and made the mitts two different sizes so they would fit each daughter’s hands. I was happy with the results.  They match the girls’ hats, are soft and comfy and allow the girls some warmth while maintaining EIA  (Extremely Important Access) to their cell phones (text much?).  Check out the pattern at Life in Cleveland.

Coming to Bmore Energy soon:  other recent projects include a baby blanket and another hat.

Not Knit Yet:  an infinity scarf for me!