KNITmuch | Issue 2 by A Needle Pulling Thread

KNITmuch

...to K, is to

Issue 2

ӬӬ 9 knitting projects ӬӬ 14 knitting tutorials ӬӬ 5 stitches to spice up your knitting ӬӬ practicing patterns in a swatch ӬӬ many knitting tips for your library

KNITmuch

...to knit, is to love

KNITmuch 6

...to K, is to yarn reviews

GRETNA GREEN SCARF

DA000 SIZES One Size FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Length: 60” Width: 10” MATERIALS Downton Abbey Lady Sybil by Premier Yarns (80% Acrylic, 10% Mohair, 10% Polyamide; 85gm/380 yds) • #DA4003-05 Jade Green – 2 balls Needle: US Size 6 (4 mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge Notions: Tapestry needle, crochet hook GAUGE 24 sts x 27 rows = 4” in Lacy Cables Save time, check your gauge.

KNITmuch | issue 2

KNITmuch

...to K, is to

KNITmuch

...to knit, is to love

KNITmuch ...to K, is to

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ART DIRECTOR Carla A. Canonico carla@KNITmuch.com ADVERTISING SALES John De Fusco john@KNITmuch.com PUBLISHER A Needle Pulling Thread PHOTOGRAPHERS John De Fusco, Carla A. Canonico, Alessia De Fusco BLOGGERS/CONTRIBUTORS Glenna Harris crazyknittinglady.wordpress.com Michelle Nguyen www.stitchesbeslippin.com Charles Voth www.charlesvothdesigns.ca GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN Carla A. Canonico Carla@KNITmuch.com Sondra Armas Sondra@KNITmuch.com SOCIAL MEDIA Chris Wokral Alessia De Fusco WEBSITE / BLOG : www.KNITmuch.com Like us on Facebook : KNITmuch Follow us on Twitter : @KNITmuchmag WHERE TO GET YOUR COPY KNITmuch is a quarterly eMagazine published by A Needle Pulling Thread. It is available free for personal use online at www.KNITmuch.com. A limited number of printed copies of KNITmuch are available for purchase at select yarn shops and specialty stores. Ask for it at your local shop. KNITmuch is not available by subscription. YARN SHOPS If you are interested in carrying KNITmuch in your store, please email john@KNITmuch.com.

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EDITORIAL Bloggers, designers and other contributors who would like to be considered for future issues please email Carla@KNITmuch.com with a brief description of your work and your proposed project.

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©2016 A Needle Pulling Thread. All rights reserved. Issue 2. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. All designs, patterns, and information in this magazine are for private, non-commercial use only, and are copyrighted material owned by their respective creators or owners.

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KNITmuch | issue 2

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KNITmuch

...to K, is to

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When a bobble isn't a bobble...

KNITmuch

Would you bind off in the middle of a knit row? 2 rarely used stitches to spice up your knitting

Don't get cross! Twist your stitches with panache How to knit the eyelash stitch ...to

knit, is to love

The benefits of knitting with Lady Sybil yarn Gretna Green Scarf

KNITmuch

Branson, Downton Abbey inspired yarn Mirrored Cables Scarf Drawing Room Pillow Boxing Day Cardigan

...to K, is to

2.5 tips on sharing washing instructions for knits 3 yarns perfect for baby 5 attributes of Red Heart's baby yarns 3 reasons to knit with baby yarn Details on knitting a toddler blanket Knit a hat to match Baby Lace Cardigan Knitting for the home with Uptown Worsted Swatching for your Uptown Worsted cushion cover Uptown Worsted: a new yarn to try Uptown Worsted yarn is ideal for a tea cozy

c o n t e n t s KNITmuch | issue 2

hooked on books

Making Clothes for Your Dog

Simple Chic Knits

Everyone loves their pooch, and with this inspiring collection of hand-sewn pet apparel, dog owners everywhere will be keen to invest some time in their canine's style. Featuring dozens of fun and funky designs, there's something here for every doggie personality. Making Clothes for Your Dog teaches how to pamper man's (and woman's) best friend with one-of-a-kind dog clothes and lovely designer outfits, including dresses, shirts, aprons, hats, hoodies, bandanas, capes, scarves, and even a wedding set. Readers will discover plenty of ideas for making both functional and fashionable pet clothing, with pages full of stunning dog photography and delightful color illustrations.

Karen Miller and Susan Ritchie, of online yarn store Mrs Moon, bring you stitch-by-stitch proof that it can be super-simple to create modern-casual knitted clothes, accessories, and homeware. There are quickto-knit pieces that you can make in a day, through to more ambitious projects that will take longer, and will introduce novice knitters to techniques such as cables, colorwork, and chunky lace.

144 Pages, ISBN 978-1-57421-610-3 Fox Chapel Publishing www.thomasallen.ca

130 Pages, ISBN 978-1-78249-310-5 Cico Books www.thomasallen.ca

by Tingk Lee

Karen and Susanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful business and constant interaction with knitters of all levels of skill and all kinds of tastes, have given them a wonderful insight in to the types of projects knitters crave, and Simple Chic Knits is filled with items that will have fingers itching to knit.

Increase Decrease

99 Step-by-Step Methods by Judith Durant Increase, Decrease is a comprehensive guide to 99 different methods for increasing and decreasing knitting stitches. Each method is clearly described and includes step-by-step how-to photographs, swatches showing the look of the featured stitch, and a list of best uses. You'll find the best technique for every situation, whether you want to increase from the centre, shape sleeves and necklines, work shaped lace, or decrease for the top of a hat. 256 Pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-331-8 Storey Publishing www.thomasallen.ca

Yarn Happy

Baby & Me Knits

Knitting Loves Crochet

The dramatic icy colors and shapes of beautiful Rosendal, Norway and a Scandinavian antique sock pattern are the inspiration for Yarn Happy. Turid Lindeland gives traditional patterns a modern twist by using non-traditional color palettes, the cool shades of ice and the vibrant colors of summertime. In Yarn Happy, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find more than 30 knit and crochet projects that represent the beautiful, simple, clean designs that Scandinavia is famous for. Easy to follow charts will inspire a beginning or accomplished knitter to explore the beautiful world of Scandinavian color work.

If you like large-scale knits or you appreciate the bigger stitches and open texture you can achieve by knitting with your arms or fingers, then you will find plenty of inspiration in Arm and Finger Knitting. Breaking free from the constraints of normal needle sizes, Laura Strutt demonstrates how to do all the usual stitches and techniques using just your arms and hands, from plain garter stitch to moss stitch, increasing and decreasing, and knitting with two or more strands of yarn at a time. To make the best use of the unique texture and scale of no-needle knitting, she has designed 35 stylish projects for you to make, for the home and to wear.

Soft, shapely knitting meets pretty, crocheted edgings and flowers in this delightfully hybrid collection. Candi Jensen offers clear instructions for 22 fun and easy projects designed to introduce the knitting crowd to the pleasures of crochet. Even seasoned knitters will be amazed and inspired by the stylish flair that touches of crochet can add to sweaters, scarves, placemats, and scores of other projects. Expand your crafting repertoire and embellish your fiber projects in endlessly creative ways.

by Turid Lindeland

128 Pages, ISBN 978-1-4162-4563-6 www.sellerspublishing.com

by Karen Miller and Susan Ritchie

KNITmuch | issue 2

by Celeste Young

112 Pages, ISBN 978-1-4162-4541-4 www.sellerspublishing.com

by Candi Jensen

194 Pages, ISBN 978-1-58017-842-6 Storey Publishing www.thomasallen.ca

editor's letter The beauty of knitting is you can knit pretty much

Knitting doesn't make any noise, it doesn't take up any space, and it doesn't offend anyone. It makes waiting for an appointment bearable, actually great, because I get to knit. It takes me from dull-drum to a happy place. But what about when the happy feeling of knitting is taken to a different level? I know that feeling, and you probably do too. For one, it's the feeling of knitting at the end of a busy day, with a cup of tea on the end table and a movie. That's the perfect ending to a full day! Then there's the great sense of belonging when knitting as a group. There's the kind where we get together at someone's house, knit all afternoon, and have a pot-luck dinner together - sweet. Sharing comments on projects, and stories about the yarns, and the mishaps or the accomplishments after a long-standing UFO is finally completed. It's a lot of excitement under one roof! There's also charity knitting, bringing people of any given community together to knit for the worthy cause helping those in need. It's a useful feeling all around, knowing one's capabilities contribute to someone else's need. We can readily find online groups that achieve the same thing. And then there's yarn bombing, a real blast of fun. There's another form of escaping our daily life for a brief period to engage with like-minded knitters - the knitting retreats! How happy does that get?! These usually last about 5 - 7 days, including workshops and seminars with knitting experts, and enjoying the usually very serene and lovely premises, the kind you'd never want to leave, and you'd wish to call it home. There's a lot to be gained from these, a sense of belonging paired with learning and knitting a project, a little trifecta happening.

For me the ultimate knitting experience would be taking a trip back to my parent's hometown of Aosta, in the Aosta Valley, Italy. Memories of my youth are enchanted stories of summers spent in there, hiking up a small portion the mountains of Courmayeur, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, and Gran Paradiso, just to name a few. I had an uncle who was experienced at climbing mountains and glaciers and knew all the spots. Although I didn't knit then, I can get drunk on the thought of being there now, with my knitting in tow. I imagine hiking, then knitting a spell when stopping for a bite and absorbing the scene. I call it BLISS. Nowhere can I find a spiritual connection greater than in Aosta Valley, feeling so little yet so loved. No words or thoughts are necessary, nor any come to mind, than just simply being. Today, travelling tours have made it possible for us to experience this kind of bliss to all crafters and in the company of like-minded people. It's up to us to decide to take the leap from the ever yday routine to blissfulness. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d LOVE to experience a knitting tour of Irelandâ&#x20AC;Ś I imagine it to be a thoroughly enchanting experience. The thought of knitting in the land of rolling green hills (and perhaps come across sheep crowding the road) heightens the experience of knitting.

Share the love of knitting. Own the obsession.

anywhere.

Of this Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ver y sure. Get your ticket, experience blissful knitting!

follow me

KNITmuch | issue 2

When a bobble a

isn't

bobble ... Charles Voth

Bobble swatch

In this issue, I’m excited to be exploring textures in knitting. We'll look at a variety of ways to make the surface of your knitting have something that draws in the eye to a particular point or area of interest. We'll start with bobbles and continue with mid-row bind off textures, twisted stitches, knots and bumps, and lastly a texture technique called the eyelash stitch. It's a spin-off of the tuck stitch. Many knitters love to hate on bobbles but a few really do like them. In my 38 years of knitting I haven’t met many of the latter. People dislike bobbles because they’ve never really learned how to make them and they seem ‘hard’ to do. Or they dislike them because they’ve been forced to wear sweaters with bobbles with rather unfortunate

placements in the design. Still, others dislike bobbles because they take so long to make, what with the stop and increase, and turn, and purl, and turn, and knit, and turn, and decrease. It really feels like your flow across the row is interrupted. When I work on color work or cables, the next stripe or fairisle motif or cable crossing are a little like dangling carrots, the motivation to slog through the rows of stockinette or moss stitch. I want to get to them and work those design features to see how they make the piece I’m working on complete. But when it comes to bobbles, and it’s a bobble row, all of a sudden that sink full of dishes or that unwound hank of yarn beckons to set my knitting down and leave those bobbles for a later time. Do you ever feel like that? Like bobbles are an inconvenience? Photos by Charles Voth

KNITmuch | issue 2

I’ve found a very nice alternative to the knit bobble that makes knitting bobbles a pleasure instead of a headache. Purists would say that these happy little bumps aren't bobbles at all, because, well, they’re not worked with your knitting needles. They are worked ingeniously with a crochet hook. So, technically speaking, they aren't bobbles at all and if you look at the accompanying picture of my swatch (see bobble swatch photo), they look a little less bulky, and slightly more subtle. So I'm naming them “rosettes” instead.

Yarn over hook

If you look at these rosettes, you don't even have to squint or really stretch your imagination at all to see that they do resemble little roses. I've placed these inside diamonds made with twisted stitches to give them a little nest of their own, but they look equally lovely on a background of reverse stockinette. To work the rosette in the indicated stitch, you place that stitch on your crochet hook (it should be the same diameter as your knitting needles or one size smaller). With the hook, you make a yarn over the hook counter-clockwise, in other words bringing the yarn from the back of the work up and over the hook and return it to the back of the work (see yarn over hook photo) and draw that yarn over through the stitch on the hook. In crochet, that’s called a chain. You work 2 more of these chains (see 2 chains photo). Then you do the following set of moves twice: yarn over, insert hook in first stitch—the one at the base of the chains—yarn over and draw up a loop (see 5 strands photo).

Two chains

5 strands on hook

Third, you do one more yarn over and draw through all the loops on the hook, chain one more and place the stitch back on the right needle (see right needle photo). Now you can proceed across the row. Writing it out, reading it, and trying it may seem like a long chore, but these will soon be very quick to make with a little practice, and easier than knitting bobbles like usual. If the bobble seems to want to poke its way to the back of the fabric, you can simply push it through to the right side, pull on it a bit, fluff it up and it’ll stay. Blocking always helps too. For this swatch I used Bernat’s worsted weight Canadiana in Aran and I just dunked the swatch in a bowl of justboiled water for a two-minute soak, and then I gently absorbed the extra moisture with a towel and pinned it out to dry.

Returned to right needle

Crocheting rosettes is a quick and simple solution when you want to have a slightly less pronounced version of the traditional knit bobble. I hope seeing a bobble coming up in the next row of your knitting will motivate you to press on and work it quickly with this technique. KNITmuch | issue 2

Would

you

bind off in the middle of knitting a row Charles Voth

? For many knitters, binding off, or casting off as most Commonwealth country knitters call it, is one of the favorite parts of the project. Not all of us love binding off itself though, particularly when it seems to pucker the top edge, or cause it to flare, because one’s tension has to be “just so”. But we do like binding off because it signals that we're almost done the project! What would you think about binding off mid row though? So a while back, I was thinking about how to incorporate crochet in my knitting, I like to do some “lateral thinking,” it really helps my design process, and the result was these horizontal ridges across the fabric. Generally speaking, one doesn’t see horizontal chains across the middle of knit fabric. Diagonals yes, easily achieved with decreases or crossed stitches, and vertical chains are simply flanked by purl stitches, or slipped or twisted to make them stand out a bit more.

Short Row Shawl with mid-row bind off stitches

Photos by Charles Voth

KNITmuch | issue 2

Horizontal Chain created by half-double crochet stitches.

Close up of mid-row bind off

How does a mid-row bind off connect at all to crochet? If you know any crochet stitches, the halfdouble stitch (or half treble in UK terms) consists of an extra yarn over added to the stitch which helps create a horizontal chain across the fabric (see half-double crochet photo above).

To pick up and knit stitches in these strands, you need to look over the bound-off stitches as if you were looking over a banister. Then just under the ridge on the wrong side you’ll see a horizontal strand in which to insert the right needle, transfer the strand to the left needle and knit.

To achieve this in knit fabric, the technique is quite similar. To make the chain ridge appear on the right side of the fabric, the mid-row bind off is worked on the wrong side. The first stage is to wrap the yarn around the needle ending with the yarn forward. Then the next stitch is purled. And finally the yarn over and the previous stitch are passed over the just purled stitch. I was thoroughly pleased to discover that my mid-row bind off is actually a purl-side version of Jenny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. The next problem I needed to solve with the mid-row bind off was to figure out how to get the stitches back on the needles. I fiddled around with several different approaches, but settled with picking up stitches in the extra strands formed by those yarn overs worked in the bind off.

My first design with the mid-row bind off was the short row shawl pattern published in the 2015 edition of Noro Lace, (see short row shawl photo). I worked the bind off across the different sections of the shawl to enhance the boundaries between the lace panels and the stockinette sections. I’ve continued to play around with the mid row bind off to see what other textured knit fabric would result. The stair-step pattern is pictured in this feature as well as a lacy version.The stair-step pattern is created by working stacked mid-row bind offs and every other column is offset by half the number of rows between motifs. This would be a fun texture for a cowl or even a sweater. The lacy versions involve yarn overs and picking up some of the extra strands in the back of the bound off stitches.

KNITmuch | issue 2

The chart is for the stair-step textured knit. If you use a yarn that helps textured stitches stand out you'll be the happiest, so fuzzy yarns are out. This swatch is worked in Bernat’s Canadiana in Aran and its sheen and twist help the mid-row bind off stitches pop.

Stair-Step pattern with mid-row bind off stitches

These are the text instructions for the same start-step textured knit (refer to the stitch key for an explanation of the abbreviations). Cast on a multiple of 3 sts.

Chart for Stair-Step mid row bind off stitch pattern

Row 1: Knit. Row 2: P1, [p3, sspbo 3 times] across to last 2 sts, p2. Row 3: [K2, s1, pkxstr 3 times] across to last 3 sts, k3. Row 4: Purl. Row 5: K8, [s1, k5] across to last st, k1. Row 6: P7, [sspbo 3 times, p3] across to last 2 sts, p2. Row 7: K3, [k2, s1, pkxstr 3 times] across to last 6 sts, k6. Row 8: Purl Row 9: [K5, s1] across to last 9 sts, k9. Rep Rows 2–9 for pattern.

The lace motif is a bit “raw” yet. Once I've had time to polish it up a bit, I'll be writing a shawl pattern with it, but I need to come up with a better name for it than the “Mid-row Bind-off Lace Shawl”. Maybe “Cat Paws”? Mid-row bind off and lace stitches

KNITmuch | issue 2

Two Knitting Tours, Multiple Departure Dates!

Choose to discover knitting & craft in the North & Northwest of Ireland or the South and West of Ireland. Both tours include workshops and craft based sightseeing as well as general sightseeing.

www.irishtourism.com/knitting Toll free 1877 298 7205 Local | Flexible | Trustworthy

KNITmuch | issue 2

rarely used stitches to spice up your knitting Charles Voth

Okay, so you've used garter stitch a lot and graduated to stockinette, or reverse stockinette, and maybe you've tried combinations of knit and purl to create texture, or even cables, but 10 to 1 you haven't tried using wrapped stitches or the knot stitch in your knitting. To spice up your knitting with new textures, try these 2 stitches that follow. Let's start with the knot stitch. I know what you're thinking: “Why would you want to add knots to your knitting?” Well the knot stitch is actually not a knot (say that out loud 10 times quickly), but it does raise the surface of your knit fabric by adding a bump. Now, if you put enough of these bumps in the right places, and with a little planning, you get a very unique look to your fabric. For those of you who don’t want bobbles or even rosettes (like the ones we looked at a few days ago), the

As you can see in the swatch above, the knotted stitch makes the ribbing almost look like a cable, but there’s no cabling involved, so some may be inclined to call it a mock cable.Food for thought. At any rate, to make the knot stitch you have a four step process: Knit the 2 stitches you want “knotted”; wrap the yarn from back to front of work by bringing it over the right needle and return it to the back between the needles; pass the first of the 2 knit stitches over the second and the wrapped yarn; wrap the yarn again in the same manner; pass the second knit stitch over both wraps—which become 2 stitches. There’s the knot.

knot stitch is a simple alternative to making your knitting have some interest. To make the knot stitch, you can use any two stitches on the left needle. In the swatch I made, I chose to knit a [k2, p1] ribbing, and the columns made by the k2 were the perfect location for the knot stitches to be added. I thought of 3 different positions for the knotted stitch (see pencil sketches above). But I chose to swatch the first one so that there would be lots of knot stitches and we would be able to see the way the ribbing would really take on a new life of its own with the added texture. There’s nothing wrong with arranging the knotted stitches more sparsely or even in a mock argyle motif.

KNITmuch | issue 2

The second technique I’d like to show you to add texture to your knit fabric is the wrapped stitch. I put these 2 techniques together because to a degree, in both cases, you're choking stitches with yarn. Okay, that’s not a nice image, although we all know that sometimes our knitting issues make us feel like throttling our yarn. Photos by Charles Voth

So let’s go for a gentler word…these two techniques involve swaddling our stitches with yarn…hmmm, maybe you have a better term for this.

see if your stress is showing or whether you’ve just come from your yoga class and the wrapped stitches are too loosey-goosey.

To wrap stitches you want to establish which ones ahead of time. With this lace and texture combination, I chose to wrap the 3 center stitches of the diamond motif. When you're at the spot where you want to wrap the stitches, you place them on a cable needle.

The next thing to be aware of is whether or not you're going to knit or purl the first stitch after the wrapped ones. In this case I'm going to purl it, so I need to wrap the yarn around the stitches on the cable needle in a counter-clockwise manner so that after the third wrap the yarn ends up forward, to the front of the work. If I were to knit the first stitch after the wrap, I would wrap the stitches on the cable needle in a clockwise manner and the yarn would end up at the back of the work.

If you look at the stitch diagram stitch key, you'll notice that the symbol for wrapped stitches look ingeniously like a single wrap. You may want to see what it would look like with one strand, but in general 2 or 3 times around produces the nicest results. Most charts will indicate the number of wraps the designer intended, as you can see here.

Chart for Wrapped Stitch Lace texture pattern.

Once you’ve wrapped the stitches, you can pass them from the cable needle to the right needle and continue knitting. You may wonder how tight to wrap the stitches. That depends entirely on your taste, but mostly on your stress levels at the time and whether or not you have too much family over for the holidays. To maintain an even wrap consistency from spot to spot where you wrap your stitches, you need to wrap and then set your work down and compare to other wrapped stitches so that you can

Wrapped stitches and knot stitches really do add a beautiful look to the surface of your knitting. Ombre or variegated yarns look really good when the wraps are a different color than the wrapped stitches. I’d like to encourage you to try these stitches on the cuffs of sweaters or mittens, or in a cowl or a scarf. I hope these rarely used textured stitches won’t be rarely used any more.

And as my son, who is studying film production, would say “That’s a wrap!” KNITmuch | issue 2

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get cross!

wist T

your stitches with

panache ! Charles Voth

In early lessons, most knitters are shown how to avoid twisting stitches. We work hard at figuring out which is the front leg and which is the back leg of the stitch. If we are pickers (or continental knitters) and we work our purls so that the first leg of a stitch is at the back on the knit side, we have to knit into the back leg so that our stitches don't twist. Combination knitters are really good at figuring this out! If we are throwers (or we knit English), then our first stitch legs are usually also the front legs and we need to knit into the back leg to twist the stitch. It all becomes a muddle of legs and fronts and backs and nexts and behinds, but somehow, with practice, we come out on top, breathing easily, and with our stitches all aligned just so, all this without our knickers in a knot! In this feature, we're going to break all the rules and we're going to deliberately twist stitches to add texture to our knitting.

Why would anyone want to twist knit stitches on purpose? If you look at this photo, you can see that the lines of stitches that zigzag back and forth to create these diamonds really pop to the forefront of the panel of reverse stockinette. Twisted stitches are responsible for these well-defined mini-braids travelling through the swatch.

For the tightest of braids, you'll want to twist the stitches on both the knit side and the purl side. Work the stitches to the one that needs to be twisted. Now look how the stitch lays on the left needle, does the strand of yarn that's at the front of the work lean to the left? If so, you’ll need to knit into the back strand, or leg, to twist the stitch, as pictured below. If the front strand of the next st lays leaning right, then you can knit into the front leg. When you approach the stitch on the wrong side of the work you'll need to purl into the back strand as pictured below. That's it! That’s the twisted stitch. If you’d like to only twist on the knit side and just purl the wrong side as usual, you'll get another interesting look. Give that a whirl and see what you think.

Let’s look at the steps you should take if you want to twist your stitches on purpose, and then we'll look at how to cross twisted stitches.

Twisted knit stitches

Knitting into the back leg of the stitch to twist it.

Purling into the back leg of the stitch to twist it. Photos by Charles Voth

KNITmuch | issue 2

The next step to making this lovely bobble and braid pattern is learning to both twist and cross stitches at the same time. The easiest way is to twist the stitches as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already tried above, and to use a cable needle to assist with the crossed stitches, but it's possible to do this without a cable needle.

Twisting and crossing stitches to the left.

When you want to cross the stitches so the front braid leans left you work up to the 2 stitches that will be crossed. Then you follow the 5 steps pictured above: 1. Bring yarn forward, insert the right needle from behind between the next 2 sts. 2. Insert the needle into the front leg of the 2nd stitch as if to knit and tug it out into plain view. 3. Pinch the base of the loop and remove the needle. 4. Re-insert the needle from the back of the loop you're pinching. 5. Purl into this loop. When you want to cross the stitches so that the front braid leans to the right, you work up to the 2 stitches that will be crossed. In this pattern the first one will be a purl stitch. Then proceed as follows (not pictured):

Chart for bobble and braid pattern stitch

1. Take yarn to the back, insert the right needle from the front between the next 2 sts. 2. Insert the needle into the front leg of the 2nd stitch as if to purl and tug it out into plain view. 3. Pinch the base of the loop and remove the needle. 4. Re-insert the needle into the front of the pinched loop. 5. Knit this loop. So now you will be able to complete the braid and bobble swatch pictured at the top of this post. The chart and text instructions are available below including the instructions to make a scarf. I just thought of one last thing to suggest for you to try next time you work on a project with 1x1 ribbing. On the right side of the work, twist only the knit stitches, but not the purls, and on the wrong side of the work, twist only the purl stitches and not the knit. You'll really like how the right side of the ribbing looks and it gives the ribbing a little extra springiness.

KNITmuch | issue 2

Bobble and braid pattern STITCH

Bobble & Braid Scarf

abbreviations Please check abbreviations accompanying chart.

materials •• 200g / 440yds approximately of worsted weight yarn •• Size US8 [5mm] 32" circular needle. (size US9 [5.5mm] circular needle for cast-on and bind-off ) •• 2 cable needles

1/1/1 LPtwC: With cable needle slip next st and hold at front of work; with 2nd cable needle, slip next st and hold at back of work, k1 twisted, purl st off back cable needle, k1 twisted off front cable needle. make bobble (mb): See 'When a bobble isn't a bobble'. Worked over a multiple of 22 stitches plus three (not including selvage stitches). Row 1: K3, *p3, k3, LtwC, p3, RtwC, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 2: P3, *k2, [k1, p1] twice, k1, p1 twisted, k3, p1 twisted, [k1, p1] twice, k3, p3; rep from * across. Row 3: K3, *p3, k3, p1, LtwC, p1, RtwC, p1, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 4: P3, *k3, [p1, k1] twice, k1, p1 twised, k1, p1 twisted, k2, [p1, k1] twice, k2, p3; rep from * across. Row 5: K3, *p3, k3, p2, 1/1/1 LPtwC, p2, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 6: Rep Row 4. Row 7: K3, *p3, k3, p1, RtwC, mb, LtwC, p1, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 8: Rep Row 2. Row 9: K3, *p3, k3, p1, LtwC, p1, RtwC, p1, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 10: Rep Row 4. Row 11: K3, *p3, k3, p2, 1/1/1 LPtwC, p2, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 12: Rep Row 4. Row 13: K3, *p3, k3, p1, RtwC, p1, LtwC, p1, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 14: Rep Row 2. Row 15: K3, *p3, k3, RtwC, p3, LtwC, k3, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 16: P3, *k2, [k1, p1] twice, p1 twisted, k5, p1 twisted, [p1, k1] twice, k2, p3. Rep Rows 1–16 for pattern.

Photos by Charles Voth

gauge In Bobble and Braid st pattern 22sts = 4" [10cm]. Exact gauge isn't essential for this pattern. Scarf With larger needle, long-tail cast on 267 sts, change to smaller needle. Row 1: K3, *p3, k4, p5, k4, p3, k3; rep from * across. Row 2: P3, *k3, p1, k1, p2, k5, p2, k1, p1, k3, p3; rep from* across. Rows 3 & 4: Rep Rows 1 & 2. Next 48 rows: Work Rows 1–16 of Bobble and Braid motif 3 times. Next 4 rows: Rep rows 1 & 2. With larger needle, bind off loosely in pattern.

KNITmuch | issue 2

How to knit the

eyelash stitch Charles Voth

This feature has been all about adding texture to your knits. We've explored rosettes, which are petite versions of bobbles. We’ve tried wrapping stitches and twisting stitches and crossing stitches as well. We’ve even bound off stitches in the middle of the row, only to pick them up on the way back. Today we're going to learn how to knit the eyelash stitch, which is actually a variation on the tuck stitch.

As you can see in the photo below, the eyelash stitch gets its name quite literally from the appearance it has in the finished fabric. A panel of eyelash stitches would be a fun design element to place along the edge of a V-neck sweater, or as the cuffs or waist band, too. It can be easily incorporated into a scarf or cowl or the cuff of a sock. The eyelash stitch shows up the best on a background of reverse stockinette. So for your practice swatch, you’ll need a panel of an odd number of stitches to make the motif. The central 7 stitches will be where you will knit the eyelash stitch, so you may want to set them apart with stitch markers.

Photos by Charles Voth

KNITmuch | issue 2

Work 5 rows in plain reverse stockinette stitch. The first row of the motif is the 6th row which is a wrong-side row. Work to the center 7 sts, knit 3, yarn over, ssk, knit 2, and continue the rest of the row. Then work 4 more rows plain.

If you study the right-side of the work you’ll see 2 sts between each tuck stitch loop (green arrows) and from the wrong side the strands down to the eyelet appear to be a half-stitch off, but there are still 2 stitches between the gaps (pink arrows).

The tuck stitch

Working the eyelet

Now working across the wrong side of the fabric, come to the center 7 stitches, [k1, purl the loop and the next st together], repeat between [ ] twice more, and then knit the last of the 7 sts, and continue across.

Knit eyelet stitch, knit to the end of the row.

Identifying the tuck stitches and neighboring purl stitches.

Work 3 more rows plain and you're ready to make another eyelash stitch.

Eyelet in reverse stockinette stitch

The next right-side row is where all the fun happens. Here's where we work the tuck stitch. Work to the center 7 sts, purl 2 sts, insert the right needle into the eyelet 4 rows below and bring up a loop of yarn quite loosely. The loop should be pulled up past the height of the current row. See the photo for an idea of what it should look like. If the loop is too tight the fabric will pucker. Then, purl 2 sts, repeat the tuck stitch and pull up the loop to the same height as the other. Then purl 2 sts and repeat the tuck stitch once more; purl 1, and continue across.

Completed eyelash stitch

And that’s all there is to this cute stitch motif. I hope you enjoy knitting the eyelash stitch. The next time I design something, I’m going to try this with a yarn dyed in a long colorway to see if the eyelashes contrast well against the stitches behind them.

KNITmuch | issue 2

The

benefits of knitting with

L ady

ybil S

Michelle Nguyen

yarn

In KNITmuch Issue 1, we reviewed new yarns, Lady Mary and Matthew, from the thrilling Downton Abbey Yarn Collection by Premier Yarns. In this issue we'll take a look at the other beautiful husband and wife character theme, Lady Sybil and Branson. Ladies always first, so we'll start with the benefits of knitting with Lady Sybil yarn. Lady Sybil yarn is a fine weight two ply yarn made with 80% acrylic 20% mohair 10% polyamide. I was really surprised to see mohair as part of the fiber content for this yarn. Most of the mohair Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen is a strand of mohair on its own, looking incredibly fluffy, or part of an art yarn. Not to say these are the only kind of yarn with mohair, but it isn't very common to see it mixed into an acrylic and polyamide blend.

This fiber composition is hand wash only, which is not really surprising considering the mohair. If you've ever knit with a single strand of mohair, you'll know the fine fibers stick together while simply knitting with it. If you tried to put that in a washer, it would felt. Mind you this yarn has only 20% mohair so it doesn't stick together while knitting with it. It's just as easy to frog it as knit it the first time. Trust me, I tested it. I may or may not have let my attention wander while knitting my first swatch. The polyamide creates an angora effect, so there's a slight halo around this yarn as it's knit up. This makes your garment look incredibly cozy, even if the yarn is a lighter weight. Many people are put off by light weight yarn, but knitting with a lighter weight yarn is very rewarding. Garments generally have a more flattering fit and you can create finer details with finer yarn.

The addition of mohair Lady Sybil in colors Pearl Pink, makes this yarn so very Gull Grey and Stone Blue soft, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that feeling like you might accidentally tear the strand apart if you Lady Sybil is a ver y refined yarn, just like put too much tension on it. The synthetic fibers it's name-sake, great for making fine add the durability you can feel as you knit detail garments. It will really bring out with it. A layer of delicate softness with an the patterns it is knit into. underlying strength; as any lady must have.

Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

Making a

swatch

L ady Sybilyarn

with

Making a swatch with Lady Sybil yarn is important, as it is with every new yarn you come across. The acrylic in this blend ensures the fabric wouldn't stretch once you've knit your garment. Pure mohair has a tendency to lengthen with exposure to time and gravity, but the synthetic aspects will help this yarn keep its shape. If there's any wiggle room in respect to the garment changing shape it would have to be in the blocking process. As with any garment you're knitting, I would highly suggest making a swatch first and washing it, this is the only sure-fire way to see how the yarn is going to react to getting wet. I'm also a great fan of blocking all knitted work. It polishes everything up nicely and makes your tension look very close to perfect! Here's the perfect project for the season knit up with Lady Sybil yarn. 4 adjectives inspired by this yarn: soft, airy, light and warm. Another great project recommendation is a shawl. Whenever I see lighter weight yarns I think of shawls. Even though I have knit relatively few. The way the color is set in the yarn, a really interesting stitch pattern would look really lovely in Lady Sybil. If you were looking for an opportunity to try out a new stitch pattern, check out our September posts on exploring a weeklong of stitch patterns with Glenna Harris on KNITmuch.

A soft halo around the yarn, makes Lady Sybil yarn so very soft.

While the yarn does have a halo, it wouldn't diminish an intricate lace pattern or obscure any interesting stitches. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind the hand washing process you can always go for bigger game and attempt a sweater. With Lady Sybil, anything worn close to the skin will be a treat; the fluffy softness of the yarn will keep you warm without forfeiting the fashionable aspects of hand knit garments. KNITmuch | issue 2

GRETNA GREEN SCARF DA00009 SIZES One Size FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Length: 60” Width: 10” MATERIALS Downton Abbey Lady Sybil by Premier Yarns (80% Acrylic, 10% Mohair, 10% Polyamide; 85gm/380 yds) • #DA4003-05 Jade Green – 2 balls Needle: US Size 6 (4 mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge Notions: Tapestry needle, crochet hook GAUGE 24 sts x 27 rows = 4” in Lacy Cables Save time, check your gauge.

KNITmuch | issue 2

GRETNA GREEN SCARF STITCH GUIDE Lacy Cables (Multiple of 11 sts +10) Row 1 and 5 (RS): K1, p1, K 6, *yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k6; rep from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1. Row 2 and all even numbered rows: P1, k1, purl to last 2 ss, k1, p1. Row 3: *C6B, k1, yo, s2kp, yo, k1; rep from * to last 8 sts, C6B, p1, k1. Row 7: K1, p1, *k7, yo, s2kp, yo, k1; rep from * to last 8 sts, k6, p1, k1. Rep Rows 1-8 for patt.

Abbreviations k knit k2tog knit 2 sts together (1 st dec’d) rep repeat(ing) sl slip s2kp slip two sts together knitwise, knit the next st, pass two slipped stitches over – 2 sts dec’d st(s) stitch(es) patt pattern psso pass the slipped stitch over yo yarn over

C6B – Cable 6 Back - Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold to back, k3, knit 3 from cable needle. Scarf Cast on 65 sts. Work in Lacy Cables patt until piece meas 60”. Bind off. FINISHING Weave in ends. Cut 14” lengths of fringe. Holding five lengths together as one, fold in half forming a loop on one end. Insert crochet hook into bottom edge of Scarf from back to front pull the looped end of fringe partially through the edge. Pass the loose ends through the loop being sure to keep ends even. Pull taut. Repeat across both short edges of Scarf. Block lightly.

For more free patterns from the Downton Abbey Yarn Collection, visit www.premieryarns.com/DowntonAbbey © 2015 Premier® Yarns All rights reserved. This pattern may not be reproduced for business, trade or sale.

KNITmuch | issue 2

Branson

Downton Abbey inspired yarn Michelle Nguyen Branson is the next yarn in the line up; a thicker yarn that comes in quite a few manly colors. Branson is classified as a bulky yarn. It’s going to work up quickly and be very lush once complete. That 'cushiony', soft bounce always makes your garment drape beautifully. This weight is a really solid go-to yarn for a lot of projects, it can handle anything from blankets to winter accessories to sweaters. Branson, Downton Abbey Inspired Yarn, is a most versatile yarn. The colors Branson comes in are very rich deep hues that complement a winter wardrobe and most men would not be able to find objectionable. Any of the men I have knit for have always had a list of criteria for the colors I used. Nothing too bright, nothing brown, nothing too dark, nothing heathered, no tweed-y colors. The dark green and blue are my favorites, but the Claret Red is beautiful as well. I mean… not beautiful! It's a solid, rugged color. This yarn comes in enough colors and neutrals to make color work an attractive option as well as any stitch patterns. In a true solid color there's no variation in tone to obscure any cables or small details. This can be reliably knit up into a wide range of patterns.

The fibre composition is 80% acrylic and 20% wool, this means it's also machine washable! Branson yarn is a triple star: it’s got the warmth of wool, the washability of a synthetic and knits up quickly. All of these factors make it an exemplary stashable yarn; you can just pick it up and go without having to worry about the pattern and yarn clashing. It knits up really beautifully, great stitch definition and it's very soft on the hands. There are a lot of ply’s to this yarn and when I started to cast on, the tail end of my long tailed cast on tried to untwist, but I had the tail on the right side so I could just let the twisting energy dissipate through the tail. All those ply’s will create a dead air space within the fiber and make it very, very warm, if you knit it tightly, the wind wouldn’t even be able to fight it’s way through. Branson is a solid, reliable yarn and exactly what I look for in a go-to fiber. The lush warmth and versatility the blend and colors offer. With only a few more weeks till the holidays and a couple more months of cold after that, I feel like Branson would be a welcome guest in any home.

A most versatile yarn Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

Knitting with

Branson yarn

Michelle Nguyen

There are several patterns available for the Branson yarn which highlights this thicker weight of yarn. Let's go over these scarf, throw pillow and sweater patterns and see what it's like knitting with Branson yarn. The Mirrored Cables Scarf is the first project that drew my attention because a scarf is one of the most universally acceptable gifts I have ever knit. Some people don’t like wearing hats or mittens in the winter, but scarves seem to always be welcome. This scarf in particular has cabled edges and a triangle stitch pattern in the middle. At first I was a little put off because there was no chart to go with the pattern, but once you start knitting the design is very intuitive. You're able to see where you change your stitches within the pattern. If you're the type of person who's very attached to charts, I would suggest making your own! You're definitely able to do this with a bit of graph paper, or if you have excel on your computer. With excel, just shorten the column width so the cells are square and place X’s in the boxes for purl stitches and leave the knit stitches blank.You would have to use your own symbols for cable left and right though. It would be your own creation, but if it helps you knit something this lovely, I would say it is worth it.

A swatch in the Mirrored Cables Scarf stitch pattern using Branson yarn

The next project that caught my eye is the color work in the Drawing Room Pillow. I really love color work and find it very therapeutic, so I'm a bit biased towards this pattern. It's knit in two pieces, three edges are sewn together, it’s stuffed and the last edge is sewed up! Purling in Fair Isle is a slightly more advanced technique and you have to keep an eye on what you're doing; when you purl your way back, you are reading the chart upsidedown. I find it useful to actually turn the chart upside-down so I have a more realistic viewing angle to concentrate on my knitting. Give it a whirl!

KNITmuch | issue 2

If you want to make the Drawing Room Pillow, but are concerned about not being able to purl Fair Isle, another tip is to simply use a Turkish Cast On or Judy’s Magic Cast On. Cast on twice the amount of stitches you need for one panel and knit the pillow in the round. When you get to the top you can bind off, stuff it and seam up the top, or stuff it then use a three needle bind off or Kitchener stitch. Judging from my undying love of Kitchener stitch, I’ll bet you can guess what I would use. Last, but not least, is the Boxing Day Cardigan. I left this project last on my list because sweaters scare some knitters. It's seen as a gigantic undertaking and may come across as slightly daunting. I thoroughly enjoy knitting sweaters because I have the biggest sense of accomplishment when I'm finished. This cable pattern will go very quickly as well. It's not very complicated and if you use pattern markers to remember where your cables are, you'll fly through it in no time.

A swatch in Slate Blue

This sweater is done in pieces and seamed up at the very end. This just means you can enjoy the small victories of completing small pieces and the big finished project victory when you’re completely finished and everything seamed together. With the Branson yarn categorized as a bulky weight, it won't take very long to complete it. All these patterns look very cozy with Branson yarn; the thickness of the yarn gives a plush softness that can't be faked. The sweater and pillow would be perfect to curl up with on the couch and read a book, while the scarf is the ideal accessory for the very cold weather on its way.

Proof Branson is machine washable, along with the other care symbols.

Knit fast, and let Branson keep you warm. 26

KNITmuch | issue 2

MIRRORED CABLES SCARF DA000016 LEVEL: Intermediate FINISHED MEASUREMENTS 9 1/2”x 60” MATERIALS Downton Abbey Branson (80% Acrylic, 20% Wool; 100 gm/153 yds) • #DA4002-01 Claret Red – 3 balls Needles: US Size 11 (8 mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge Notions: Tapestry needle GAUGE 13 sts x 20 rows = 4” in Mirrored Triangle Stitch Save time, check your gauge.

KNITmuch | issue 2

MIRRORED CABLES SCARF STITCH GUIDE 3/3 RC – sl 3 sts to cable needle, hold to back, knit next 3 sts, knit sts from cable needle 3/3 LC – sl 3 sts to cable needle, hold to front, knit next 3 sts, knit sts from cable needle Three Strand Cable (Right) (multiple of 9 sts) Row 1 (WS): Purl. Row 2: Knit. Row 3: Purl. Row 4: 3/3 RC, k3. Row 5: Purl. Row 6: Knit. Row 7: Purl. Row 8: K3, 3/3 LC. Rep Rows 1-8 for patt. Mirrored Triangle Stitch (multiple of 7 sts) Row 1 (RS): *K6, p1; rep from * to m. Row 2: *K2, p5; rep from * to m. Rows 3 & 4: *K4, p3; rep from * to m. Row 5: Rep Row 2. Row 6: Rep Row 1. Row 7: *P1, k6; rep from * to m. Row 8: *P5, k2; rep from * to m. Rows 9 & 10: *P3, k4; rep from * to m. Row 11: Rep Row 8. Row 12: Rep Row 7. Rep Rows 1-12 for patt.

SCARF Cast on 32 sts. Knit 3 rows. Next Row: K9, pm, knit to last 9 sts, pm, knit to end. Row 1: WorkThree Strand Cable (Right) to m, sm, work Mirrored Triangle Stitch to m, sm, work Three Strand Cable (Left) to end. Continue working in patt as established until piece meas 59”. Work 4 rows in Garter St. Bind off. FINISHING Weave in ends. Block lightly. Abbreviations k knit m marker meas measures p purl patt pattern rep repeat sm slip marker st(s) stitch(es)

Three Strand Cable (Left) (multiple of 9 sts) Row 1 (WS): Purl. Row 2: Knit. Row 3: Purl. Row 4: K3, 3/3 LC. Row 5: Purl. Row 6: Knit. Row 7: Purl. Row 8: 3/3 RC, k3. Rep Rows 1-8 for patt.

KNITmuch | issue 2

DRAWING ROOM PILLOW

DA000014

LEVEL: Intermediate GAUGE 14.5 sts x 13 rows = 4” Save time, check your gauge.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS 18” square MATERIALS Downton Abbey Branson (80% Acrylic, 20% Wool; 100 gm/153 yds) • #DA4002-07 Oatmeal Cream – 2 balls • #DA4002-01 Claret Red – 2 balls Needle: US Size 11 (8 mm) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge Notions: Tapestry needle, 18” x 18” pillow form

PATTERN NOTES Pillow panels are worked back and forth in a Fair Isle colorwork pattern. Strand unused color loosely behind work in order to maintain an even and consistent fabric.

KNITmuch | issue 2

DRAWING ROOM PILLOW PILLOW Panel (make 2) Cast on 64 sts. Work in charted patt until piece meas 18”. Bind off. FINISHING Weave in ends. Block lightly. Using mattress stitch, sew panels together along 3 sides, with wrong sides facing. Insert pillow form. Sew opening closed. Abbreviations meas measures patt pattern st(s) stitch(es)

KNITmuch | issue 2

BOXING DAY CARDIGAN DA000015 Level: Intermediate SIZES X-Small (Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X) Shown in Small Size FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Chest Measurement: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50)” MATERIALS Downton Abbey Branson (80% Acrylic, 20% Wool; 100 gm/153 yds) • #DA4002-07 Oatmeal Cream – 7 (7, 8, 9, 10) balls Needle: US Size 10 1/2 (6.5 mm) 32” circular and US Size 11 (8 mm) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge Notions: Tapestry needle, 5 – 1 ¼” buttons, 2 cable needles GAUGE 14 sts x 19 rows = 4” in St st on larger needle Save time, check your gauge.

KNITmuch | issue 2

BOXING DAY CARDIGAN STITCH GUIDE St st – Stockinette Stitch – knit on RS rows, purl on WS rows K2, P2 Rib (multiple of 4 sts +2) Row 1: *K2, p2; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2. Row 2: *P2, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2. Rep Rows 1 & 2 for patt. 2/2/2 RPC: Sl 2 sts to cn and hold to front, sl next 2 sts to 2nd cable ndl and hold to back, k next 2 sts, p2 from back ndl, k2 from front ndl 4/2 RC: Sl 4 sts to cn and hold to back, k2, k4 from cn. 4/2 LC: Sl 2 st to cn and hold to front, k4, k2 from cn. Cable Panel (multiple of 18 sts) Row 1 (RS): P2, k4, 2/2/2 RPC, k4, p2. Row 2: K2, p6, k2, p6, k2. Row 3: P2, k6, p2, k6, p2. Row 4: K2, p6, k2, p6, k2. Row 5: P2, 4/2 RC, p2, 4/2 LC, p2. Row 6: K2, p6, k2, p6, k2. Row 7: P2, k6, p2, k6, p2. Rep Rows 1-7 for patt. W&T (wrap and turn) Bring yarn to front, slip next st, bring yarn to back, move slipped st back to left-hand needle, turn piece and begin working in other direction. CARDIGAN Back Using smaller ndl, cast on 58 (62, 70, 78, 82) sts, work in K2, P2 Rib until piece meas 3” ending with a WS row. Next Row: Inc 2 (6, 4, 4, 6) sts evenly across row – 60 (68, 74, 82, 88) sts. Switch to larger ndl and work in St st until piece meas 14 1/2(15, 15, 14 3/4, 14 1/2)”. Place markers at each end to mark armholes. Work even in patt until piece meas 21 1/2 (22, 22 1/2, 23, 23 1/2)” ending with a WS row. Bind off.

Right Front Using smaller ndl, cast on 26 (28, 34, 38, 38) sts, work in K2, P2 Rib until piece meas 3”, ending with a WS row. Next Row (RS): Inc 2 (2, 0, 0, 4) sts evenly across row – 28 (30, 34, 38, 42) sts. Set-up Row: Switch to larger ndl, p5 (6, 8, 10, 12), pm, p18, pm, p5 (6, 8, 10, 12). Next Row: Work in St st to m, sm, work in Cable Patt to m, sm, work in St st to end. Continue working in patt as established until piece meas 13 (14, 14 1/2, 14 3/4, 15)” from cast on, ending on a WS row. Shape Neck Dec Row (RS): K1, ssk, work in patt to end – 1 st dec’d. Maintaining patt as established, work Dec Row every RS row 3 more times, then rep Dec Row every 4th row 8 (6, 8, 8, 10) more times – 16 (20, 22, 26, 28) sts. Work even in patt until piece meas 21 1/2 (22, 22 1/2, 23, 23 1/2)”. Bind off all rem sts. Left Front Work as for Right Front to Shape Neck, ending on a RS row then work as follows: Dec Row (RS): Work in patt to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1– 1 st dec’d. Maintaining patt as established, work Dec Row every RS row 3 more times, then rep Dec Row every 4th row 8 (6, 8, 8, 10 ) more times – 16 (20, 22, 26, 28) sts. Work even in patt until piece meas 21 1/2 (22, 22 1/2, 23, 23 1/2)”. Bind off all rem sts. Sleeves (make 2) Using smaller ndl, cast on 30 (30, 34, 34, 34) sts work in K2, P2 Rib until piece meas 3”. Next Row (RS): Inc 2 sts evenly across row – 32 (32, 36, 36, 36) sts. Set-Up Row: Switch to larger ndl, p7 (7, 9, 9, 9), pm, p18, pm, p to end. Next Row: Work in St st to m, sm, work in Cable Patt to m, sm, work in St st to end. Work even in patt as established for 1”, ending on a WS row.

KNITmuch | issue 2

BOXING DAY CARDIGAN Inc Row: K1, m1, work in patt to last st, m1, k1 – 2 sts inc’d. Rep Inc Row every 4th (3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd) row, 19 (21, 21, 23, 24) more times – 72 (76, 80, 84, 86) sts. Work even in patt until sleeve meas 18 1/2 (19, 19 1/4, 19 1/4, 19 1/4)”. Bind off all rem sts. FINISHING Sew shoulder seams. Set sleeves into armholes, centering between markers. Sew side seams. Button Band: With US 10 1/2, 32” circular ndl and RS facing, beg at bottom edge of Right Front, pick up and knit 44 (46, 47, 49, 50) sts to start of neck shaping, pm, pick up 30 sts to shoulder seam, pm, pick up 28 (28, 30, 30, 32) sts across back neck, pm, 30 sts from shoulder seam to start of neck shaping, 44 (46, 47, 49, 50) sts to end – 176 (180, 184, 188, 192) sts. Next Row (WS): P3, *k2, p2; rep to last 3 sts, p3. Next Row: K3, *p2, k2; rep to last 3 sts, k3. Rep last two rows until Button Band meas 1”, ending with a WS row. Place removable markers for 5 buttonholes along right front with first 3/4” from bottom edge, last approximately 3/4” from start of V-neck shaping. Buttonhole: * Work in patt to buttonhole marker, remove m, bind off 2 sts; rep from * for each marked Buttonhole, work in patt to end. Next Row: *Work in patt to buttonhole, cast on 2 sts; rep from * for each buttonhole; work in patt to end. Work even in patt as established until Button Band meas 2”, ending with WS row.

Abbreviations cn cable needle beg begin(ning) dec(‘d) decrease(d) inc(‘d) increase(d) k knit k2tog knit 2 sts together (1 st dec’d) m marker m1 make 1 (1 st inc’d) meas measures ndl needle p purl patt pattern pm place marker RS right side rem remain(ing) rep repeat(ing) ssk slip slip knit (1 st dec’d) st(s) stitch(es) WS wrong side

Collar Shaping Row 1: Work in patt to m at left shoulder seam, sm, work 2 sts in patt, w&t. Row 2: Work in patt to m at right shoulder seam, sm, work 2 sts in patt, w&t. Row 3 & 4: Work in patt to previously wrapped st, work 3 sts past m, w&t, working wrapped st together with wrap as you come to them. Rep Rows 3 & 4 five more times. Work in patt to end of row Bind off. Sew buttons to button band opposite buttonholes. Weave in ends.

KNITmuch | issue 2

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KNITmuch | issue 2

2.5tips

on sharing

washing instructions

for knits Michelle Nguyen

T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t m e m o t o k n i t t i n g g i f t- g i v e r s

With the holidays happening in just a couple weeks everyone is giving and receiving gifts. I thought this is the perfect opportunity to share a practice I use when I give someone a hand knit gift. A lot of non-knitters are hesitant to wash things that have been hand knit for fear of ruining them Hand washing in par ticular

At the other end of the spectrum, the garment has already been washed and accidentally felted and shrunk down to fit a doll.

Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

We wouldn't want to ruin any beautiful yarn.

1 Let go of the romantic notion that recipients are going to take great care in caring for their hand knit gift. The first tip is knowing your giftee. There are those who carefully hand wash their favorite knits and take a great deal of time and care to ensure their clothing survives as long as possible, but every person has their own habits. If you know your favorite cousin isn't going to carefully hand wash a garment, opt for a machine washable yarn. Superwash or a synthetic fiber like acrylic or nylon. As beautiful as some blends can be, you don’t want to put time, effort, blood, sweat and tears into a project to have it felted after the first wash. It's only going to make your recipient feel guilty and you wishing you had known what was coming.

.5 The best way to tell how your yarn will react to washing is to wash your swatch.

2 My second tip would be to communicate clearly what the washing instructions would be for these garments. There are a few different ways you can do this, the first is by simply verbalizing it. After your gift has been opened and the joy of a hand knit garment has receded, just say “oh by the way, to wash this…” Easy peasy. Just make sure you’re giving these instructions to the right person. I wouldn’t want to tell my father how to wash the hand knit socks I gave him, when I know my mom will be the one actually washing them.

If you’re worried these instructions will be forgotten, or simply want to provide a backup, you can slip some written or printed washing instructions into the gift bag or box. Perhaps fasten them to the garment with a safety pin to ensure they’re not lost in the chaos of Christmas paper that so often happens. You could also provide a sample size packet of wool wash if the garment requires a rinse free detergent and place the instructions with the wool wash. If you want to get fancy about it, I’ve heard of people creating their own labels to be sewn into garments, a hand wash and a machine wash instructional label. Sewn along an edge or on the inside of a garment, just like anything store bought. Hopefully all the hand knit gifts out there survive the holidays and the first wash after with the 2.5 tips on sharing washing instructions for knits. May you have the opportunity to teach non-knitters about the art of washing their garments and keeping the love alive. As knitters we put our heart and soul into what we make, to wrap our friends and family in our love. The couple extra steps in washing will be well worth the effort.

Intense patterns such as cables can be steam blocked to keep the depth of the stitches. KNITmuch | issue 2

All baby yarns in lovely pastel colors!

yarns perfect for

baby Michelle Nguyen

Although some yarns are lumped into the same category, it's useful to take a closer look and see how they compare to each other, reviewing the benefits, attributes, and things to watch for when knitting. Here's a general overview of three yarns perfect for baby, Red Heart’s Soft Baby Steps, Comfort Sport and we'll revisit Cutie Pie yarn. My first impression of Red Heart's Soft Baby Steps yarn, was “omgsoftsoftsoftysoftsoft” because it was just that soft. It’s like a fluffy silky cloud spun into a tangible fiber. I was duly impressed when I looked at the fiber content and realized it was 100% acrylic as well. This saves all the trouble of giving washing instructions and worrying about a baby gift being thrown into the washing machine when it needs to be hand washed.

The yarn itself has a very faint halo around it that makes it look soft, but not enough to decrease any stitch definition. Soft Baby Steps yarn is also slightly shiny, not in a sparkly kind of way, but the way silk yarn has a little bit of a shine to it when you’re looking at it from an angle. It’s also a worsted weight (Medium 4) so it works up quickly on a US8 [5mm] needle. Worsted is one of my favorite weights of yarn because you can knit things up relatively quickly and the stitches are small enough that you can still add stitch detail that would be impossible on thicker yarns. Doing a baby sweater in bulky yarn would knit up very fast, but you would be hard pressed to do things like cables, or honeycomb stitches; the material would be very thick.

Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

The second yarn that is perfect for baby projects is Red Heart’s Comfort Sport. My first reaction was “holy moly that's a big ball.” Out of all the yarns I'm reviewing here, this is the biggest ball of the trio. Most balls of yarn are 100g to 150g; depending on the weight of the yarn the actual yardage changes. Sometimes sock yarn is sold in 50g balls so you get one sock per ball. Taking that as an average, you'll empathize with me when I say Comfort Sport comes in a 350g ball, in a sport weight that comes out to 1144yds or 1050m. You can make a 20" x 30" baby blanket with just one ball. With this yarn it would not be hard to come up with one-ball projects; they would be more properly labeled 5-project-balls.

Colors Baby Blue, Baby Yellow, Baby Green and Binky Print

This yarn is also 100% acrylic and machine washable so there are no worries about lengthy washing instructions scaring off a giftee from using a hand knit gift. The sport weight is a light (3) yarn so it would lend itself very well to detailed work. The yarn itself doesn't have a lot of texture, the twist in the yarn isn't highly visible. Since I already talked about Red Heart's Cutie Pie, I'm just going to link to the quick overview I did: http://knitmuch.com/whatyou-should-know-about-red-heart-cutiepie-yarn/.

Comfort Sport in Denim, Light Blue and Turquoise

Next, let's see a comparison between the three with ideal project suggestions and more knitting fun. KNITmuch | issue 2

attributes of Red Heart's

baby yarns

Michelle Nguyen

The three yarns I'm reviewing this week are all ideal for baby projects, but set side by side they're very different. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve managed to list five different attributes: texture, weight, fiber composition, color choices and ideal projects.

Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

Texture In terms of texture, these three baby yarns could not be more different. Soft Baby Steps is very silky soft, but Cutie Pie holds it’s own with a velvety soft texture. Comfort Sport, is soft, but not really in the same league as the other two. Comfort Sport is an excellent all-purpose yarn, it’s amazing for your baby knits because it's soft enough for a baby’s skin, but you’re not afraid to use it for other things like afghans and perhaps something for yourself. This yarn is really easy to knit with. It slides well on any kind of needle, so no matter the needle materials you’re using it's sure to work up well.

"These are only three colors from the Comfort Sport line, but there is a whole gradient to work with."

Soft Baby Steps, as I said, is incredibly silky soft. This is perfect for anything right next to baby’s skin. If you're using any kind of needle material that is rougher, the soft fibers may catch along the shaft of the needle. I would highly suggest a metal or acrylic needle; anything synthetic and machine honed to a flawless surface. Cutie Pie, has a very unique texture. It feels velvety and soft in a way that I’ve never felt in a yarn. I would also suggest a synthetic needle material when using Cutie Pie, although the fibers wouldn't catch on the shaft of the needle, I don’t think it would slide as well. When you first start knitting with this yarn it takes a couple minutes to get used to the 'feel' of it. The fleeciness of this yarn makes the stitches want to snug up close to their 'neighbors'. This isn't ideal for ripping things out, but excellent for closing holes and creating warm baby knits.

KNITmuch | issue 2

Weight Comfort Sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weight is right in the name of the yarn; sport weight. For those who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard a lot about sport weight yarn, it's heavier than fingering weight and lighter than a DK or worsted weight. It's an excellent medium for those transitioning from heavier yarns into lighter weight yarns. The needle size recommended for this yarn is US7 [4mm]. I like this needle size for this yarn. As a loose knitter, I generally go down one or two needle sizes to get gauge, but this needle size was perfect. Soft Baby Steps in color Elephant ready to be knit up!

Soft Baby Steps is the heaviest of the three yarns; it's a medium weight yarn. The recommended needle size for this yarn is US8 [5mm]. When I was knitting my swatch with this size needle, the swatch was a little bit airy. I had to go down a needle size in order to get a really good fabric I liked. As I said before though, my gauge is a little bit loose, I usually have to go down the needle size. Cutie Pie yarn is the lightest weight, although the chenille feel makes it seem thicker. Many knitters are scared of knitting with lightweight yarn because they think the projects will take them forever. This yarn is a great place to start, it will feel like a thicker yarn but you're actually knitting with lightweight yarn. The recommended needle size for this yarn is US5 [3.75mm]. Again, this is an excellent suggestion, when I started knitting with the recommended needle size my gauge was perfect. The fabric was not too open nor able to stand up on its own. Fiber Composition All three yarns are made from synthetic fibers. Comfort Sport and Soft Baby Steps are made from acrylic, while Cutie Pie is made from polyester. In this respect, these yarns are very similar.

Cutie Pie ready to become a baby bootie.

KNITmuch | issue 2

The synthetic fiber makes it washer and dryer friendly, while not giving up a lovely texture.

Color Choices Cutie pie has a basic selection of solid colors. Since it's such a different texture from your regular yarns, I don’t know how well variegated colors would show up. The texture of the yarn would make any color changes more fluid and not as distinct. The selection of solid colors includes very saturated and beautiful tones of the base colors; pinks, blues, purple, green, etc. Soft Baby Steps come in a wide and varied selection of colors. There are solid colors in baby tones, bright saturated colors and variegated to match the solids. On the Red Heart website, there are a whopping three pages of colors. While I think the true value of Comfort Sport is its versatility, it also comes in a fair variety of colors. No variegated colors, but several tones of one color. For example, there are five different shades of blue.

If you can dream it, you can knit it with this yarn. I would use Soft Baby Steps to knit sweaters, booties, scratch mittens for those cute little leggings with the monster face on the bum. Regardless of what you choose to make, it will be baby’s favorite. While Cutie Pie is a lightweight yarn, I love this yarn for blankets and snuggle sacks. Just touching this yarn brings images of plush, luxurious, warm blankets to mind. It's light enough that you could also use it for garments worn close to the skin, like Soft Baby Steps, or choose to knit warm sweaters and over garments. Between Comfort Sport, Soft Baby Steps and Cutie Pie all of your baby knitting needs will be covered! Summer is the most popular time of year for babies to be born, I’m telling you this now so you can get a jump start on it. With all the beautiful colors, gender neutral included, baby season won’t be so stressful!

Ideal projects Comfort Sport is one of my favorite kinds of yarn, it’s the kind of yarn you can knit anything with. If you end up buying this huge ball to make one baby sweater you're going to have a lot left over. There are thousands of projects out there looking for yardage just like this; drink cozies, shawls, pet beds!

KNITmuch | issue 2

3 baby reasons to knit with

yarn

Michelle Nguyen

I know this is a baby feature and all the articles are supposed to be about babies. If you’re anything like me, and don’t have children or currently know people with small children, then you don’t really understand why everyone is all about knitting baby things. There are several good reasons you should knit baby garments, even if you have no babies to knit for!

Reason 1 I strongly encourage skill development. Becoming a better knitter is all about finding and practicing those skills you're afraid to try and most of the time you're able to tackle that really intense project. A baby-sized sweater is much less intimidating when knitting a sweater for the first time, as it has all the challenges as the adult sweaters, just on a smaller scale. If you’re thinking about trying your first sweater, then just knit up a baby one with any leftover yarn from another project. Let’s be honest, we all buy more yarn than we're going to use, usually by one or two balls. That's all it takes to make an infant sweater! If you're the kind of person who buys the exact amount of yarn they need per project, Red Heart’s Comfort Sport is an excellent all-purpose yarn that can be shaped into just about any project; socks, hats, afghans, leg warmers, etc. I'm a huge fan of wantonly throwing myself into a project, but I know that's not everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re a little more cautious, check out the children’s sizes. Once you've mastered baby sweaters, Comfort Sport and Soft Baby Steps can be ideal for making a lightweight cardi in an array of pastel colors for the spring and summer seasons for girls and women.

The Binky Print itself with a whole array of colors! Photos by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

Just because this is classified as baby yarn, doesn't mean that it can't become something soft and luxurious for mom too!

Reason 2 My next point goes hand in hand with the above mentioned tip. Even if you don’t know anyone with small children or have any upcoming baby showers, you will at some point. I like to keep a small stash of completed projects, for those situations when you don’t have time or inclination to make something for a shower that suddenly came up. I would advise you switch between masculine, feminine and gender neutral colors just to keep your stash balanced, you wouldn’t want to have 10 pink blankets and go to a shower where the theme is blue.

Keep filling your knitting tool box and practice all sorts of techniques on these projects!

Red Heart’s Soft Baby Steps has a color called Binky Print with pink, blue, green, yellow and white. I think you would be fairly safe knitting with this variegated yarn. It's pictured at the top of the page paired with Baby Yellow and Baby Green. Pictured below with Baby Blue. Stashing gifts is a great planning tool in general. I know once I have a deadline to knit something, all motivation goes out the window. I end up waiting until the event is uncomfortably close and blocking garments the night before. It’s also perfect for garments other than baby items. If there's a scarf or shawl pattern you want to try, but you’re not sure if you would ever wear it, you can give it a try then throw it into the gift stash. When you suddenly need a gift because you forgot someone’s birthday, anniversary, event in general… it’s perfect. This has saved my bacon more than once and if I'm a day late, it’s a hand made gift that could have taken an extra day to finish off.

KNITmuch | issue 2

Reason 3 A very important reason for knitting baby garments is that they make great donations for maternity wards in hospitals. If you’re in a position where you don’t think there will be any little people coming into your life or you don’t want small garments hanging around your house for months or years, there are many places to donate these items. Preemie hats in particular are always in demand because humans in general lose a lot of heat through the top of their heads and babies that small don’t have the heat to lose in the first place. If you’re looking to donate, any of the three yarns we are featuring this week are perfect for this type of project. Red Heart Soft Baby Steps is silky soft and comes in a wide range of colors so you could knit a different color every day. Cutie Pie is velvety soft, which is a unique texture for yarn and feels so warmly fluffy. Comfort Sport has obviously got budgeting on your side; one preemie hat takes 20-35 yards of yarn so you could make at least 32 from one ball. Considering that one ball costs about $10, that is a small price to pay for helping out 32 preemies. Even if you don’t have a whole ball left, 20-35 yards isn't a large amount and you could have that much left over from one of your current projects. If you’re knitting a baby blanket for a friend, use the leftovers to donate a preemie hat, or booties. Be sure to check the charitable organization’s webpage, they usually have donation guidelines for you to follow. If you're unsure, there's no shame in calling to ask!

Hopefully these 3 reasons convince you that you can engage in knitting for babies regardless if you currently do have children in your life or not. Knit for the babies you don’t know, the ones that don’t exist yet or just for your own personal development. 46

KNITmuch | issue 2

Give someone a

ÂŠ 2016 Coats & Clark

16-003

Handmade Hug!

Red Heart supports the Red Cross and so can you! Your Red Heart Cares Blanket can help warm someone in need of comfort and hope. Find the free knit & crochet patterns at

redheart.com/redcross

#StitchAHug The American Red Cross name, Emblems and copyrighted materials are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross logo is a registered trademark owned by the American Red Cross.

Photo courtesy of Red Heart

Details on knitting a

toddler blanket Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

One of my favorite things about knitting is pairing colors together, so the Toddler Blanket in two colors of Red Heart’s Comfort Sport immediately caught my eye. The photo on the website is done in two different tones of blue, but I'm all over this thinking in complementary and contrasting colors. This blanket appeals to me on so many levels. Whenever I see a baby blanket knit up in a single color it looks very bland to me. Even if there's a bit of a stitch pattern, it seems plain. My mind works in colors and the less color there is to play around with, the more complicated the stitch pattern has to be. I find color work very therapeutic; it's something of a mantra to me, and for some unknown reason, I can’t fall into the same head-space when working on stitch patterns. I love color in this blanket because you could do two colors or three, four, five, you could switch out colors as you go and do a rainbow. Yes, the pattern only calls for two, but it's incredibly easy to adjust your plan and simply start swapping colors in and out as you please. You could knit this blanket a hundred times and make it look completely different each time.

At first glance I thought it was a slip stitch color-work pattern, but this blanket actually mimics crochet. The small dots are made from working two rows in the same color. One row is a purl row and the other is essentially a yo, k3, pass the first knit stitch over. When I was reading the instructions I was a little bit confused. I thought it was almost a bind off, but then I realized, that's where the shapes are made. In the photo they look like circles, but that shape is obviously perfected through blocking.

The Toddler Blanket swatch made from Lilac and Turquoise

Light Pink and Denim would be cute together as well. It makes me think 'cowgirl'.

Aside from getting the stitch pattern right the only thing slightly different about this blanket is the fact that it has a crochet edge. If crochet really isn’t a skill you possess it's easy enough to pick up stitches along the edges, you could do a simple rib stitch or a seed stitch. Don’t pick up the whole way around, but pick up one edge, knit your chosen stitch, bind off, pick up stitches along the opposite edge and do the same. Then you can choose whichever side of the last two and pick up stitches along the blanket and the other two edges you previously knit.

I really can’t say enough about Red Heart’s Toddler Blanket pattern; it’s definitely going to be my new go-to for baby blankets. Easy enough to knit, but has a lot of interest generated through the perfect balance of colors and interesting stitch pattern. It’s also got nice clean lines, which really appeals to my sense of aesthetics.

Red Heart's Toddler Blanket Pattern http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/toddler-blanket Photos this page by Michelle Nguyen

KNITmuch | issue 2

Knit a hat to match Baby Lace Cardigan Red Heart’s Baby Lace Cardigan knit in Soft Baby Steps is too adorable to pass by. This little cardigan has a small lace panel in the front on either side of the button band. That, paired with the soft shine of this yarn, gives it a tiny bit of elegance not often seen in baby knits.

The lace edging around the ribbing of the hat almost looks like a crown for your prince or princess...

Since the Soft Baby Steps yarn is silky and shiny I think of it as more of a summery yarn. Don’t get me wrong, it’s warm, that's the beauty of synthetic fibers, but I love it paired with a lace panel. The little bit of lace isn’t enough to make the sweater too breezy, but the perfect thing to throw on over-top of some leggings and an undershirt, even onesie pajamas when people are headed over. I thought the only thing this cute little outfit is missing is a matching hat, so a wrote up a version incorporating the seed stitching and lace panel. Here's how to knit it up.

How the top of your hat will look when you're done!

materials Ӭ1 Ӭ ball of Red Heart’s Soft Baby Steps in color Elephant ӬӬUS7 [4.5mm] 16” circulars ӬӬUS7 [4.5mm] double pointed needles Ӭ1 Ӭ tapestry needle CO 59 stitches, join into round, place marker and knit in seed stitch for 6 rows.

Baby Lace Cardigan knitting chart for pattern.

KNITmuch | issue 2

Next follow the arrowhead lace pattern from the sweater pattern. There's no chart available in the pattern it self so I created the one below. The chart is a visual to supplement the pattern, so make sure you're looking at the pattern while following this chart.

After that, knit until the hat reaches 3" in length and begin the decreases. Decrease in the following pattern. Row 1: *K6, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 2: K all. Row 3: *K5, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 4: K all. Row 5: *K4, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 6: K all. Row 7: *K3, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 8: K all. Row 9: *K2, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 10: K all. Row 11: *K1, K2tog* Repeat until marker. Row 12: K all. Row 13: K2tog the whole row. Row 14: Cut your yarn leaving a 12" tail, slide the tapestry needle on and slip all stitches from your needles onto your tapestry needle and pull tight. Weave in ends and block lightly. This little hat and sweater would make a lovely gift for any little person’s wardrobe and, with the washing machine friendliness of Soft Baby Steps, any mother’s laundry basket. There's an excellent palette of colors from this yarn for you to choose from so it can be made in any color. No matter how complex the wardrobe, you'll be able to find a color to accent it.

Photos this page by Michelle Nguyen

Photo courtesy of Red Heart

baby lace cardi Red Heart's Baby Lace Cardigan

http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/baby-lace-cardigan

KNITmuch | issue 2

Knitting for the home with Welcome fellow knitters, to a new feauture of Uptown Worsted! Spring is a great time to refresh home accessories and add cozy knitting at home and it's definitely on our "to do" list for free evenings and weekends. The nice thing about spring is that knitting inside feels like the perfect activity to spruce up our decor. Uptown Worsted is our favorite yarn for this purpose! We're going to be knitting a cushion cover with a lovely all-over cabled pattern. To join us, you'll need your favorite color of Uptown Worsted yarn, some 4.5mm needles (or whichever size you need to obtain the same gauge - you can also use circular needles to work flat), and a cable needle for help with the cables. Finally, the pillow will need a poly-fill pillow insert for the finishing touch. If you'd like to join us, gather up your supplies and get started by knitting a swatch with your needles and the Uptown Worsted. You're aiming for a stockinette gauge of 17 stitches over 4" [10cm].

Uptown Worsted

Glenna Harris

Join me for this perfect project paired with the perfect yarn for home decor, the non-pilling Uptown Worsted yarn! Can you think of a place this lovely pillow would go in your home?

A few skeins of yarn and a foam pillow insert will be transformed into a cozy pillow!

Next, we'll review the stitch gauge for the stockinette part of the pillow, and another swatch for the cable pattern! Cushion covers are a great choice if you're looking for a slightly more advanced project than a scarf or hat, and there's a lot less pressure to get the fit right. Photos by Glenna Harris

KNITmuch | issue 2

Swatching for your Uptown Worsted cushion cover

If you're new to knitting a swatch, have a look at this past KNITmuch post for a quick review. Knitting a gauge swatch is important for larger projects that need to be a specific finished size. Let's get to it, swatching for your cushion cover using Uptown Worsted yarn! This is going to be a square cushion with one side worked in stockinette stitch (plain), and one side worked in an all-over cable stitch pattern. Many simple cushions sold in stores have a decorative side and a plain side, and knitting your own means you can choose exactly the right color that you want to suit your decor. The stockinette stitch gauge we need is 17sts per 4" [10cm]. Knit a swatch like the one pictured (I used US7 [4.5mm] needles):

Work this swatch as follows, with the same needle size you used to get stockinette gauge above. •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Cast on 34 sts. Row 1 (RS): K all sts. Row 2 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3. Row 3 (RS): K5, [C4R, C4L] 3 times, K5. Row 4 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3. Repeat these last 4 rows 4 times. Bind off all stitches.

To measure the pattern, place the tape measure or gauge ruler over the central 24 stitches that make up the cable pattern. You should have 24 stitches measuring 3½". If you need to work this over a different needle size to get the cable pattern gauge, you can, since the front and back pieces of the pillow are worked separately.

Cast on 30 sts. First 4 rows: Knit all sts. (RS): Knit all sts (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3. Repeat the last 2 rows until swatch measures 5" tall. Last 4 rows: knit all sts. Cast off all stitches. Once the swatch is complete, lay it out flat and use your measuring tape or gauge ruler to measure how many stitches there are in 4" of fabric. We're aiming for 17sts per 4" [10cm]. If you have more stitches than that, your gauge is too tight. Re-knit with a larger needle size and try again. If you have fewer stitches than 17, your gauge is too loose. Reknit with a smaller needle size.

Uptown Worsted is a 100% acrylic, non-pilling yarn - a great choice for home accessory projects.

The other side of the pillow, the decorative side, uses an all-over cable stitch pattern that's fairly simple. However, cable stitch gauge is very different from stockinette gauge. Here we're going to measure how many repeats of the cable pattern appear over a specific width of the fabric. In the swatch, 3 repeats of the stitch pattern (24 stitches of the cable pattern) measure 3½" across. To do this you'll need to do 2 cable stitches, as follows: •• C4L: Put 2 sts on cable needle and hold in front. K2. K2 from cable needle. •• C4R: Put 2 sts on cable needle and hold in back. K2. K2 from cable needle.

This cushion cover uses a cable stitch pattern on one side, which is a different stitch gauge than with stockinette stitch. KNITmuch | issue 2

Knitting your Uptown Worsted cushion cover

As we star t to knit up our Uptown Worsted cushion cover, it's a good idea to review why this yarn is ideal for this sor t of project. Uptown Worsted yarn is a versatile 100% acr ylic, non-pill and easy to care for yarn. Any spills or stains can be easily spot-cleaned or machine-washed since acr ylic yarn is ver y sturdy.

Let's start on the simple "back" piece for the cover. Pillow covers are a great way to upgrade your knitting skills on the way to sweaters or other large projects.

Uptown Worsted yarn is a versatile acrylic yarn ideal for knit projects for the home, blankets, and sweaters that will have a lot of use.

In the little photo you can see the project as it is in the finished form. It has a front piece done in all-over cables, and a back piece that's completely stockinette (knit all sts on the right side, purl on the wrong side). Let's start with the wrong side piece. Using your US7 [4.5mm] needles (or the needle size you need for 17sts per 4" gauge) - either straight needles, or circular needles that you'd like to use to work flat, and your favorite color of Uptown Worsted, you're ready to cast on. For the back piece: Cast on 82 sts. Knit in stockinette stitch (knit all RS sts and purl all WS sts) until the work measures 18Â˝Ęş in length, ending with a WS row. Bind off all stitches, being careful not to bind off too tightly.

Photos by Glenna Harris

KNITmuch | issue 2

For this cabled pattern, these are the 3 stitches you need to know: •• C4L: Put 2 sts on cable needle and hold in front. K2. K2 from cable needle. •• C4R: Put 2 sts on cable needle and hold in back. K2. K2 from cable needle. •• the m1 decrease, or "make one." You can find m1 instructions here. Work as follows for the cabled front piece of the cushion cover: Cast on 82 sts. Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch (Knit on RS, purl on WS). Next row (RS): K1, *m1, k1, rep from * to last stitch, m1, k1. (You now have 124 sts) Next row (WS): Purl all sts. Next row (RS): K2, *C4R, C4L. Rep from * to 2 sts from end of row, k2. Next row (WS): Purl all sts. Next row (RS): Knit all sts. Next row (WS): Purl all sts. Next row (RS): K2, *C4L, C4R. Rep from * to 2 sts from end of row, k2. Next row (WS): Purl all sts. Next row (RS): Knit all sts. Next row (WS): Purl all sts.

stitches knit up the honeycomb stitch

Repeat these last 8 rows until work measures 18" from beginning, ending with a WS row. Next row (RS): K2, *k2tog, k1. Rep from * to 2 sts from end of row, k2. (You now have 82 sts). Next row (WS): Purl all sts. Bind off all sts. Don't worry if this piece takes you longer to do than the stockinette piece that we knitted for the back. Cable stitches require more time (and yarn!) to create the same width of fabric than plain stockinette stitch does. But the result is too pretty to pass up! Cabled stitches, even basic ones, are very decorative and eye catching.

The honeycomb pattern is one of the ver y enchanting knitting patterns, beautiful for its texture, uniform and visually soothing. KNITmuch | issue 2

finishing steps for Uptown Worsted cushion cover

The finished cover pieces are ready to be sewn together! 4 skeins of Uptown Worsted have been transformed.

When the front and back parts of the cushion cover are knit up, here are 2 steps to finish the cushion. If there are new skills in here for you, don't be shy about taking the time to read up on how to do each technique. Everyone has to try these things for the first time at some point, as a knitter, so if this is your first practice, then great! You'll learn some new skills along the way. Just be patient with yourself. A cushion cover is the perfect project to practice on. The first step is to sew the two square pieces together at the sides, by working a vertical seam. There are good instructions for how to do this in a lot of places online, as well as your own knitting reference books if you have them at home. Here is one nice visual (with set-up image and in-progress image), a YouTube video. Take a few stitch markers and hold the two pieces together at the sides so you have them pieced together evenly in preparation. Work a vertical seam twice using Uptown Worsted yarn and tapestry needle, attaching the pieces together. These steps are shown in the 2 photos on this page.

Use stitch markers to hold your pieces together, before starting the vertical seam. 56

KNITmuch | issue 2

This is the vertical seam in progress. You'll do this twice to attach the 2 pieces together at the sides.

Next, sew a horizontal seam to close the bottom of the cushion cover. This is often referred to as mattress stitch or horizontal mattress stitch. There are some great instructions for this here at Knitting Daily. Feel free to use the stitch markers to help you line up the edges together.

The horizontal seam in progress, stitched up at the top and bottom of the cushion.

Before sewing the final seam, remember to first stuff the cover with the foam insert! Otherwise you'll have a closed up cushion cover with no opening to put the pillow foam into. Then, work the final horizontal seam to finish it all up. And, that's it! The finishing is a bit fiddly but certainly takes less time than knitting the front and back pieces of the cushion. And, the knitting skills you do in a project like this are very similar to the same skills you need for larger projects like sweaters - sewing pieces together, following stitch patterns, and more.

Photos by Glenna Harris

Stuff the cover with the pillow form insert before working the final seam.

Uptown Worsted: a new yarn to tr yGlenna Harris If you're a knitter like me, you never pass up the chance to try out new yarns. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut sometimes, and having a new yarn to play with can make all the difference. In this feature, we're exploring the new Uptown Worsted yarn from Universal Yarns. This is a worsted weight yarn in 100% acrylic, that is designed to be anti-pilling! If you're a fan of easy-care yarns, this one will be right up your alley.

Uptown Worsted is new from Universal Yarns, and is a soft, springy, anti-pilling acrylic yarn. This is a versatile worsted weight yarn for a variety of projects!

Reading a yarn label is always good practice if you're not sure where to start with a new yarn. On the Uptown Worsted (which comes in dozens of colors), we can can see it's intended for a gauge of 18 sts and 24 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, so that's definitely telling us it's in the worsted weight range, even if the name of the yarn didn't tell us that already! If you're out of the habit of reading your garment labels for the laundry symbols, you'll also get some practice with the same symbols on many yarn labels. This one tells us Uptown Worsted is machine washable and may be tumble dried, which is a reassuring piece of information to have if you're planning to knit up some items for the home or small children!

Always check the yarn labels for important information! Uptown Worsted reports a nice gauge at 18 sts over 4". It's also machine washable!

Swatch up your new yarns to see how they feel and knit up. This stockinette swatch shows neat stitch definition and an even drape.

Before you start a new project, or even if you're not sure what project you'll be starting, it's a great idea to knit a swatch to see how the yarn feels and knits up. You can also grab your nearest gauge ruler or tape measure to check your gauge. Sometimes this is different from what the label says. My swatch above does have 18 sts over 4" in stockinette stitch, just like the label says, but I got it with a US 7 [4.5mm] needle instead of a US8 [5mm] needle. It never hurts to swatch to be sure! Overall, this is a soft, springy yarn and it comes in so many colors that it would be easy to find a lot of different project options for it. In this feature we're going to try a few more swatches with different stitch patterns, and finish off with a fun project for the home. If you're a fan of easy-care yarns, Uptown Worsted will be right up your alley. Photos by Glenna Harris

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A swatch tells you how the yarn will behave when it's knit up, how it stands to being washed, and if you've acquired the right gauge. Knitting up a swatch with a textured pattern is an even better way to see the yarn's characteristics and test out its versatility. The basketweave pattern makes a cool swatch.

The basketweave

The basketweave pattern uses a repeating combination of knit and purl stitches. Always keep in mind that if you "just" know how to knit and purl, you can do quite a lot! To practice this same basketweave stitch, grab a ball of Uptown Worsted, some US7 [4.5mm needles] (or your preferred needle size for worsted weight yarn), and work as follows: Cast on 37 sts, or a number that is a multiple of 8 plus 5. Row 1 (RS): K all sts. Row 2 (WS): K5, *p3, k5; repeat from * to end of row. Row 3 (RS): P5, *k3, p5; repeat from * to end of row. Row 4 (WS): Same as Row 2. Row 5 (RS): K all sts. Row 6 (WS): K1, *p3, k5; repeat from * to last stitch, end k1 instead of k5. Row 7 (RS): P1, *k3, p5; repeat from * to last stitch, end p1 instead of p5. Row 8 (WS): Same as Row 6.

pattern makes a cool swatch

Repeat these 8 rows 4 times or until your swatch is the desired length. This stitch pattern is so versatile! It lays flat, which means it can be used for scarves or blankets, and it's simple enough that you can start to memorize the pattern after you've done a few repeats. It would be great for scarves, blankets, children's sweaters, or home projects like pillow covers or dishcloths. Give it a try! Or, choose your own stitch pattern to swatch. The basketweave pattern makes a cool swatch and it's a great way to get to know new yarn.

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Knitting a classic: cables

ribbing

Break away from the knit and purl texture patterns to try a basic combination of cables and ribbing. If you're new to knitting cables this is a great way to practice them. The cables add some visual interest and the ribbing lets you do some "resting" stitches in between that are a bit easier. Let's knit a classic combination of cables and ribbing perfect for so many different knitted accessories. The swatches used in this feature all use 4.5mm needles, but you can use a different size if you get good results with them. Tension can be a very personal thing, so you might get the same gauge with a different needle size! And for this swatch, you'll also need to grab your cable needle. This pattern also uses the instruction C4L, for the cable stitch. C4L is to: transfer 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front. K2. Slip the 2 sts from the cable needle back to the right hand needle and knit these sts. Cast on 42 stitches, or a multiple of 10 stitches plus 2. Row 1 (RS): *K2, p2, k4, p2. Repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2. Row 2 (WS): Work all stitches as they appear.** Row 3 (RS): *K2, p2, C4L, p2. Repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Uptown Worsted has a springy feel to it which makes it a nice choice for cabled stitches.

**Work all stitches as they appear means to work the purl stitches as purls and the knit stitches as knits. This is a common instruction in knitting patterns that have Right Side and Wrong Side rows where the pattern changes all happen on Right Side rows and the Wrong Side ones are worked even. Repeat these 4 rows until the swatch is the length you desire. You can use this kind of stitch combination on a variety of accessory projects. It lies flat, so it would make a great scarf, but would be equally attractive on a hat or socks. Or, make it wider and a bit taller and you'd have a nice cozy for your french press coffee maker!

Photos by Glenna Harris

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This week on KNITmuch we've been trying out a new yarn, Uptown Worsted. It's an anti-pilling acrylic yarn that has a nice versatile springy quality to it, and would be a nice choice for home accessory projects. With this in mind, we're going to practice an interesting stitch pattern needed for knitting a tea cozy with Uptown Worsted yarn and tomorrow, we'll show off the finished cozy. If you have knitted gifts on your list this season, a tea cozy is a versatile choice because it just needs to fit a teapot, no worrying about fitting hands or feet!

Knitting a tea cozy with

Uptown Worsted yarn

The tea cozy we're making is this lovely free pattern found on the blog Cast On Cast Off. It's a nice textured pattern that won't take you very long at all to memorize (trust me!) but interesting enough that it won't feel like a boring project when it's done. That's always a good combination. The stitch pattern is a simple mistake-rib stitch that goes as follows: Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches, plus 1 (for example 25 sts, 29, 33, etc). (RS): K2, p2. Repeat to 1 stitch from end of row, k1. (WS): As RS. Repeat these last 2 rows.

I reached for the bright cherry pink color for my tea cozy project.

You're not reading that wrong! The right side and wrong side rows are worked identically. After a few rows you'll see the vertical texture start to take shape. Choosing between the neutral "latte" beige and the "cherry" pink colors, I had to reach for the cherry pink for the final project. It'll be so bright and cheerful on my teapot on the kitchen counter. To get ready for your own teapot project, you'll need a ball of Uptown Worsted or similar worsted weight yarn, US7 [4.5mm] needles or the needle size you prefer, and don't forget your pompom maker! The finishing touch is the pompom on top. I love making pompoms and don't get enough chances to make them in my other projects.

This knitted stitch pattern is simpler and quicker than it looks.

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Uptown Worsted yarn is ideal for a tea cozy

To finish our review of knitting with Uptown Worsted, we're showing off a finished tea cozy project! Tea cozies are great knitting projects for the home and they make the best knitted gift for friends and family who always have the kettle on! Uptown Worsted yarn is a 100% acrylic yarn, which is easy to wash and designed to be anti-pilling. Synthetic yarns like this are a good choice for fussfree projects for home accessories; easy to wash and insulate a lot of warmth. Uptown Worsted yarn is ideal for tea cozy. In yesterday's post we practiced the stitch pattern used in this project, and today is the final reveal. This is the free Time for Tea cozy pattern, posted on the Cast on Cast off Blog, exploring ribbing another way to add texture to your knitting projects. To make this project, you'll need just one skein of Uptown Worsted, US7 [4.5mm] needles (or your preferred size to get the gauge you want), a pom pom maker, and tapestry needle. The pattern instructions are easy to follow and relatively simple. The way this is constructed is to make 2 separate, identical pieces, and then sew them together on the sides leaving gaps for the spout and handle. This part you may need to customize a little bit depending on the teapot you're making it for. The original pattern uses 2 colors of DK weight yarn held double (working with 2 strands of yarn at the same time), but I found 1 strand of worsted weight yarn worked just fine. Also, it's easy to adjust the size of the pattern by adding or removing stitches in multiples of 4. I worked the pattern as-is and came out with a cozy size for my 4-6 cup teapot.

For this simple tea cozy, all you need are a ball of Uptown Worsted, US7 [4.5mm] needles, a tapestry needle and pom pom maker.

And of course, the final step is to make a pom pom and sew it to the top of the tea cozy. Making the pom pom is always a fun step for me, I don't usually get the chance to make them in most knitting projects I do. It's a shame I only have one teapot to cover with a neat project like this! You can find a lot of great cozy patterns out there, such as in Ravelry pattern search. Even if you have just one skein of yarn to work with you may be surprised what you can make with it. Photos by Glenna Harris

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Standards & Guidelines For Crochet and Knitting • YarnStandards.com

Standard Yarn Weight System Categories of yarn, gauge ranges, and recommended needle and hook sizes Yarn Weight Symbol & Category Names Type of Yarns in Category

Fingering, 10 count crochet thread

Sock, Fingering, Baby

Sport, Baby

DK, Light Worsted

Worsted, Afghan, Aran

Chunky, Craft, Rug

Bulky, Roving

Jumbo, Roving

Knit Gauge Range* in Stockinette Stitch to 4 inches

33–40** sts

27–32 sts

23–26 sts

21–24 sts

16–20 sts

12–15 sts

7–11 sts

6 sts and fewer

Recommended Needle in Metric Size Range

1.5–2.25 mm

2.25–3.25 mm

3.25–3.75 mm

3.75–4.5 mm

4.5–5.5 mm

5.5–8 mm

8–12.75 mm

12.75 mm and larger

Recommended Needle U.S. Size Range

000 to 1

1 to 3

3 to 5

5 to 7

7 to 9

9 to 11

11 to 17

17 and larger

Crochet Gauge*Ranges in Single Crochet to 4 inch

32–42 double crochets**

21–32 sts

16–20 sts

12–17 sts

11–14 sts

8–11 sts

7–9 sts

6 sts and fewer

2.25–3.25 mm

3.5–4.5 mm

4.5–5.5 mm

5.5–6.5mm

6.5–9 mm

9–15 mm

15 mm and larger

B–1 to E–4

E–4 to 7

7 to I–9

I–9 to K–10 1⁄2

K–10 1⁄2 to M-13

M-13 to Q

Q and larger

Steel*** Recommended 1.6–1.4 mm Hook in Metric Regular hook Size Range 2.25 mm

Recommended Hook U.S. Size Range

Steel*** 6, 7, 8 Regular hook B–1

* GUIDELINES ONLY: The above reflect the most commonly used gauges and needle or hook sizes for specific yarn categories. ** Lace weight yarns are usually knitted or crocheted on larger needles and hooks to create lacy, openwork patterns. Accordingly, a gauge range is difficult to determine. Always follow the gauge stated in your pattern. *** Steel crochet hooks are sized differently from regular hooks--the higher the number, the smaller the hook, which is the reverse of regular hook sizing. This Standards & Guidelines booklet and downloadable symbol artwork are available at: YarnStandards.com

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KNITmuch

...to K, is to

Standard abbreviations & terms

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alt = alternate approx = approximately beg = begin(ning) ...to knit, is to love BO= bind off CC = contrast colour ch = chain cm = centimetre(s) cn = cable needle CO = cast on cont = continue, continuing ...to K, is to dc = double crochet dec = decrease(s), decreasing dpn = double-pointed needle(s) foll = following g = gram(s) inc = increase(s), increasing in(s) = inch(es) k = knit kf&b or kfb = knit into front and back of st (increase) k2tog = knit 2 sts tog (right-leaning decrease) K3tog = knit 3 sts together (double right-leaning decrease) M = marker m = metre(s) M1 = Make 1 stitch: pick up the horizontal strand between 2 stitches from front to back and knit it tbl (lifted increase) MC = main colour mm = millimetre(s) oz = ounce(s) p = purl p2tog = purl 2 sts tog (decrease) patt = pattern pfb = purl into front and back of stitch (increase) pm = place marker psso = pass slipped stitch over RS = right side rem = remain(ing) rep = repeat rev = reverse rnd = round sc = single crochet sl = slip skp = slip one st, knit next st, pass slipped st over knit st (dec) ssk = slip, slip, knit: slip 2 sts knitwise, 1 at a time, insert left-hand needle into front of both sts and knit them tog (left-leaning decrease) Sssk = Slip next three stitches individually, knitwise. Insert tip of left needle from front to back into the fronts of these three stitches and knit them together (double left-leaning decrease) st(s) = stitch(es) St st = stocking stitch tbl = through back loop tog = together tr = treble crochet WS = wrong side yo = yarn over

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