Little Green Dress

When I got back from Seattle (and Vogue Knitting!), Maria had a list of little knits to be done.
      You're probably thinking -  I've seen this dress before and you would be right! I posted about the Girly Dress from Lana Hames before. Two years ago, I knit 2 little, white dresses for Maria for her granddaughters.
        Apparently, the girls love to wear them! Now that they have grown, Maria wanted to get them new ones and have a couple made for the new granddaughters.

Zongpai - A Dropped Stitch Slouch

Last Tuesday, Hengpai - A Drop Stitch Slouch came out as part of the Malabrigo Quickies program! As promised I'm releasing the sister hat to it today. I was so inspired by Hengpai and drop stitches that I just knew I had to create another hat using that technique! (And there just might be 6 more ideas along the same lines bouncing their way through my head! Don't be too surprised to see, next fall, a delightful assortment of drop stitch items - both accessory and garment.)

Here's a recap from last week: 

 

As I was knitting Hengpai and Zongpai, I was thinking about how both of the hats are very similar in their stitch pattern but yet a little different as one is knit vertically and one is knit horizontally.

In Chinese writing, one can write horizontally which is known as hengpai and one can write vertically which is known as zongpai. After reading about hengpai and zongpai, I knew my hats had their namesake."

Here are the details:        

                                 

* Malabrigo Worsted -1 Skein, Color Shown is # 37 Lettuce

         - approx. 145-165 yards

* 5mm / US8 Straight Knitting Needles

* 5mm / US8 16" Circular Needle

*Tapestry Needle
 

 

Enjoy!

 

A pic to help visualize the decreasing at the top of the hat.

Malabrigo Quickie: Hengpai - A Drop Stitch Slouch

As part of the Malabrigo Quickies Series, I present to you, Hengpai - A Drop Stitch Slouch. I've been wanting to knit something out of the Malabrigo Worsted  in Taureg since the moment I saw it. The color is just the most amazing teal-y blue; very rich and wonderfully semi-solid. Huge thanks to Malabrigo for their yarn support!

As I was knitting Clapo-Ktus, I just knew I was going to design something with a drop stitch pattern to it. I loved how easy it was and yet so effective.

The first of the hats I designed was Hengpai. This hat is knit sideways in stocking stitch using short rows to create the round shaping for the crown. Once all the short row sections are worked, the hat is cast off and the stitches are dropped to create the dropped stitch openwork pattern. Once the seam is sewn, stitches are then picked up and knit for the brim. I used a grafting technique to sew the seam for the back of the hat.


The second hat was Zongpai. This is a vertically worked drop stitch pattern knit out of Malabrigo Worsted in Lettuce. It will be released next week here and on Ravelry.

As I was knitting Hengpai and Zongpai, I was thinking about how both of the hats are very similar in their stitch pattern but yet a little different as one is knit vertically and one is knit horizontally.

In Chinese writing, one can write horizontally which is known as hengpai and one can write vertically which is known as zongpai. After reading about hengpai and zongpai, I knew my hats had their namesake.

Here are the details:                                         

* Malabrigo Worsted -1 Skein, Color Shown is #98 Tuareg

         - approx. 145-165 yards

* 5mm / US8 Straight Knitting Needles

* 5mm / US8 16" Circular Needle

*Tapestry Needle

Enjoy!

See you next Tuesday, when I will release Zongpai. I can't wait - it is quite the beauty!

A Little Milo

David and I are leaving in a little over 2 weeks to go to Seattle for a vacation and Vogue Knitting Live! I am still way too excited about this little endeavor. Until . . I realized I still hadn't finished a present for Lizzie, David's two year old cousin, for whom I was knitting for before she was born! Yikes how time flies!

So, last night (1:30am) I jumped onto Ravelry and began immediately looking for super cute but quick patterns I could knit up just in time for our Seattle trip. I found 2 really cute patterns and realized I couldn't make up my mind as to which sweater I wanted to knit - as to whether it was because they were both just too cute or because it was now 2:00am I'm not so sure . . probably the cute thing! I decided to start with the vest pattern and I will work on the sweater if I still have time before we leave.

This cute vest,  Milo, is from designer, Georgie Hallam. I omitted the cable on this little vest because I felt that it wouldn't show up the way I would like with the self striping yarn. The yarn is Riot DK from King Cole - Color #401 Cool. I can't wait to make another Milo. The pattern is easy to follow and quick to make. Love!

A Wee Bit of Love

I wanted to make something little and cute for David this Valentine's Day,  so I decided to make him a wee heart filled with love! 

Here's the pattern:

 

A Wee Bit of Love

Materials:

Katia Espiga – 1 Ball 50 % Cotton, 50% Acrylic, 121 meters/ 50 gram Ball

Or: Any Double Knit Cotton – 15 yards

3.5mm/US4 80 cm Circular Knitting Needle (for working magic loop)

Gauge: 24 sts = 4"/10cm

Size: 1.5" tall x 2" wide

                      

Instructions:

Cast on 4 sts. Join evenly in the round making sure not to twist stitches.
Round 1: Knit.

Round 2 (Increase Row): *K1, M1, knit to end of 1st needle.M1, K1. Repeat from * for second needle.

Round 3: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rows until there are 32 sts total.

Next Row (Dividing Row): Knit 8 sts. Slide the next 16 sts onto waste yarn. Knit remaining last 8 sts. When working magic loop, each needle will have 8 sts.

Next Round: Knit.

Top of Right Heart Shaping:

Round 1: Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, K2tog, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, K2tog.

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Round 1 & 2, once more.

Using the kitchener stitch, fasten off.

Stuff heart with filling before starting to knit other side.

Top of Left Heart Shaping: 

Redistribute 16 stitches from waste yarn onto needles. When working magic loop, each needle will have 8 sts.

Next Round: Knit.

Round 1: Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, K2tog, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2, K2tog.

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Round 1 & 2, once more.

Using the kitchener stitch, fasten off.

Make these cute hearts to share with the people you love!

Enjoy!

Grace - A Top Down Slouch

Model is wearing the size Large.

Grace is a top down slouchy hat with simplicity and style.

I love the look of faux cables - and the ease of knitting too! Grace is knit in stocking stitch for the main body and then the brim adorned with faux cables.

Grace can be knit in the round using double point needles or using the magic loop method. I used the magic loop method as it is my favorite!

A Close Up on Detail

Grace was designed for my Top Down Hats class. I wanted to use a medium weight yarn, so that the students would be able to get quite a bit of knitting done during the class. As soon as I saw Malabrigo Rios in Sand Bark, I knew that was the perfect yarn to use! Grace only takes one ball of any worsted weight yarn. The sample is made from Malabrigo Rios because it’s washable and the colors are amazing!

I've posted more picture below for a good look at the detail and all the angles! The slouchy look is pretty universally flattering even for self-professed non-hat wearers.

Here are the details:

* Malabrigo Rios -1 Skein, Color Shown is # 131 Sand Bark

Or:

210 yards of any worsted weight yarn

* Knitting Needles: 

             If using the Magic Loop Method:

                                                           5mm/8US 40" Circular Needle

                                                           4.5mm / 7US 40" Circular Needle 

            If knitting in the Round:

                                                           5mm/8US Double Point Needles

                                                           5mm/8US 16" Circular Needles

                                                           4.5mm/7US 16" Circular Needles

The main body is worked on a 5mm / US8 and the brim is knit on 4.5mm/US7.

Enjoy!

PS. Look who was out in the courtyard today! And his colors have changed since we saw him last time!

Cold Haven - Infinity Cowl, Scarf & Wrap

The snow is falling and it's a tad chilly - by a tad I mean -9°C. l Which really isn't that bad considering it's been -20°C lately! 

I've been wanting to create a multi-wear / multi-use, 
cozy, squishy thing to cuddle up in, when the weather
isn't cooperating.

One of the lovely ladies in my Pick Your Project
class on Wednesday nights was looking for
such a thing. So I took a pieve of paper, wrote
out a pattern and gave it to her. Once she had
finished the first one, everyone in the class
wanted to make one! Then, the ladies wanted
to make a a few of them and I knew we had
something great!

At this point I thought, I should make this into a pattern - especially since there had been a few requests to have one once ladies in the store saw what that class was making!

As we were preparing for the Gina Brown's Day After Boxing Day sale, I asked Diana if she wanted to use the pattern to create kits for the sale. We made up a ton of kits and everyone loved them! I was so excited. Then I knew I had to share with you!

The delightful part of this accessories is that you can wear it 3 ways. On the left hand side there is a picture showing each way.

1) As a Shoulder Cover/Cowl/Capelet!
2) As a Pull-through scarf!
3) As a Vest!

And I'm sure that with a shawl pin, you could do a lot more!

The pattern comes with a schematic with measurements to show you where to sew on buttons if you decide to wear Cold Haven as a vest.

Here are the details:

* Sirdar Persia Chunky - 5 Skeins, Color Shown is #

Or:

425 yards of any standard chunky weight

*Knitting Needles: 9mm/13US

*5 Buttons - these should be small enough to fit through the work so that
buttonholes don't have to be made.

Enjoy!