KNITmuch | Issue 4 by A Needle Pulling Thread

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* design your own knitted lace tank top

Issue 4

* 4 steps to the art of swatching and sampling yarn * C rossing stitches is easier than knitting cables * L ace Wedding Stole Pattern * K nitting SUMMER tees

2 YARNS WITH SEQUINS ADD GLIT Z to your knitting

KNITmuch

.com

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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 Cynthia MacDougall cgknitters.blogspot.com Michelle Nguyen www.stitchesbeslippin.com Charles Voth www.charlesvothdesigns.ca GRAPHIC DESIGN Carla A. Canonico Carla@KNITmuch.com Sondra Armas Sondra@KNITmuch.com SOCIAL MEDIA and WEB Alessia De Fusco Alejandro Araujo WEBSITE / BLOG : 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 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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Cynthia MacDougall's Knitting Essentials! KNITmuch | issue 4

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Knitting with Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura Knitting summer tees with Radiant Cotton yarn Knitting delicate lace in a summer stole with cotton yarn Lace Wedding Stole Pattern 1 cotton yarn that makes this scalloped cast-on edge stand out Crossing stitches is easier than knitting cables 1 knitting pattern to show someone you love them Knit the best wrister pattern ever! Knitting with Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn 4 steps to the art of swatching and sampling yarn Knit a benchmark sample using Rozetting Cotton Gold yarn Knitting Rozetti Cotton Gold with another yarn Creating knitted accents with Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn Knitting with Classic Shades Sequins Lite Knit an easy lace mega-scarf with gradient and glittery yarn The creme de la knitting creme cotton yarn 4 reasons why knitting dishcloths is practical The thick and thin of knitting with Unforgettable Waves Yarn What knitting projects are ideal for Unforgettable Waves Yarn 3 tips for knitting with braided cord using Red Heart Cordial From sheep to stitches, following the lead of Irish knitters

c o n t e n t s KNITmuch | issue 4

hooked on books

Yarnitecture

Dyeing to Spin & Knit

Tabetha Hedrick

Felicia Lo

Create your dream yarn! Discover the pleasures of designing and building custom-made yarn by spinning it yourself, choosing everything from color to feel and gauge. Jillian Moreno leads you through every step of yarn construction, with detailed instructions and step-by-step photos showing you how to select the fiber you want (wool, cotton, silk, synthetic), establish a foundation, and spin a beautiful yarn with the structure, texture, and color pattern that you want. Moreno also offers 12 delicious original patterns from prominent designers, each one showcasing hand-spun yarns.

Get your knit on with this stylish and quick-knitting collection of patterns designed for today's super popular chunked-up yarns and fashions! Knitters from beginner to intermediate levels will enjoy exploring the simple but engaging stitch patterns– easy lace, subtle textures, and fun cables. • Includes patterns for the fashions knitters want: cowls, infinity scarves, shawlettes, slouchy hats, fingerless gloves, headbands, and more • All designs are knit with bulky, super bulky, or chunky yarns • Many patterns require only one or two skeins of yarn

“Unapologetic” is how Felicia Lo always describes her obsession with colour and craft. In Dyeing to Spin and Knit, Felicia, founder and creative director of SweetGeorgia Yarns and highly sought after teacher and lecturer, provides clear and accessible guidance for creating gorgeous hand-dyed yarns and spinning fibers and an understanding of how dyeing affects knitted yarn and handspun yarn.

240 Pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-521-3 Upper Canada Quilt Works Publishing Storey Publishing www.thomasallen.com

112 pages, ISBN 978-0-8117-1648-2 Globe Pequot Press / Stackpole Books www. rowman.com

Bath Knits

Knitted Animal Nursery

Complete with detailed photographs from Felicia’s own dyeing studio, Dyeing to Spin and Knit offers a master class in preparing hand-dyed yarns and fibers. Ignite your love of colour – unapologetically! 162 Pages, ISBN 978-1-63250-410-4 Interweave interweave.com

Knit Blankets & Throws with Madmoiselle Sophie

Mary Beth Temple

Fiona Goble

Mlle Sophie

Pamper yourself with knitted bathroom style! Create a spa-like-feel in your own bath with luxurious knitted towels and accessories. These designs offer a clean, modern look in contemporary colours and fibers. Most patterns are easy to intermediate in skill level and are quick knits that will have your bathroom looking its best in no time.

Everyone loves babies, and everyone loves Fiona Goble’s wonderful knitted animal designs, so what could be more loveable than this collection of animal knits for babies up to three years old? All the animals have terrific personality and charm, and will be loved by children and their parents alike. With simple stitches, full instructions for making up, and clear photographs to illustrate the details that give each animal its character, you will be able to knit something wonderful for the nursery in no time.

Mlle Sophie brings her clean, modern look and international flair to this collection of blankets and throws for the home and family. Her designs have a timeless vibe that works well in any decor; just change the yarn colour to suit your favorite palette. The 18 funto-knit patterns are suitable for beginners but have just enough detail to keep the knitting interesting and give each piece a unique allure.

Looking to knit the perfect gift? These items make thoughtful housewarming or hostess gifts and are also great for recent grads and new moms. Features 30 original knitting patterns and instructions, like washcloths and mitts, a robe, slippers and pedicure socks and it includes bathroom décor accessories. 80 Pages, ISBN 978-0-8117-1657-4 Stackpole Books stackpolebooks.com

Cool Chunky Knits

Jillian Moreno

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128 Pages, ISBN 978-1-78249-433-1 Cico Books thomasallen.ca

Blankets make wonderful, heartfelt gifts, too! Send off a recent grad to college with a throw in school colours. Cuddle a baby in fluffy softness. Warm a home with an elegant new afghan. This is a book that you will turn to for years to come. 124 Pages, ISBN 978-0-8117-1791-5 Stackpole Books thomasallen.ca

editor's letter The year of the

I might as well proclaim 2017 the year of the shawls. Although I've been knitting for many years, I had never knit a shawl. I sunk my teeth primarily into knitting cardigans, pullovers, scarves, vests, and a couple of hats. My joy has been learning to make alterations to the pattern for that perfect fit. But this sudden obsession with shawls started at the end of last year, when I wanted to make a shawl for my young goddaughter, and I wanted to make it current. I searched the internet until I found a style I thought she would like, which lucky for me, she did. As I finished her shawl, I was taken by the simplicity and beauty of it, and decided I should have one too. You know you're a good knitter when people start putting in their

orders, so I have 2 shawls to knit before the end of the year. Half the fun is finding the most suitable yarn for the shawl in mind. And let's not forget the yarn I received from Universal Yarns called Universe, to make the exquisite Going Places Shawl. This particular shawl is a free pattern on the Universal Yarns website. I'm sure my shawl obsession will continue because shawls are very much like Doritos, as our knitting contributor Cynthia MacDougall says, you can't stop at one. Furthermore, I have my eye on knitting a sparkling shawl out of the Rozetti Cotton Gold as Cynthia has done in this issue, color to be determinedâ&#x20AC;Ś I'm seeing this as a perfect accessory for a New Year's Eve party, or a wedding too.

But as I finished knitting the shawls on this page, I was encouraged to keep knitting shawls by how elegant an accessory a shawl could be to an outfit. Marry the right yarn to the right pattern, and we have a dazzling piece of wardrobe that will turn heads! Read Cynthia's blog posts on KNITmuch.com where she explores making a wedding stole using Flax Lace by Fibra Natura, you'll be amazed how well suited this linen yarn can be for a summer stole or shawl. You wanna stand out at a party? Then make an entrance with a great attitude and stylish shawl knitted up in the yummiest yarn ever!

Cheerfully,

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hawls

Knitting with Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura Charles Voth

Do you have one of those favorite shirts or t-shirts that just feels right next to your skin? Radiant Cotton is a yarn that gives me that sensation. It feels nice in the hank. It feels nice wound into a cake. It feels very nice going through my fingers to the needles. And it feels great in the knit fabric. Let's look at some lovely ideas for knitting up projects for warmer weather.

This yarn has a beautiful twist and definition which is really clear when wound into a yarn cake.

Fibra Natura makes Radiant Cotton distributed by Universal Yarns. This cotton yarn is made 100% of cotton grown in Egypt and processed in Turkey. Egyptian cotton has developed quite a reputation in the hand-knitting world, but some of you may recall that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been in high demand for bedding and linens as well because of its superior characteristics. Egyptian cotton has a very long staple and its own natural sheen. It absorbs color extremely well compared to some other cottons. Another key aspect about the integrity of this cotton is that it is hand-picked rather than machine harvested, which keeps the fibers sturdy.

Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura in soft colors Winter Blues and Custard. A soft and shiny Egyptian cotton yarn for light garments and baby clothes

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Untwisted end of Radiant Cotton shows 4 individually spun plies that are twisted together to make this soft yarn.

2 tufts of Egyptian cotton fibers pulled from one ply of Radiant Cotton

When spun for hand-knitting, Egyptian cotton keeps its famous softness and sheen at the same time. Four individually spun plies of the cotton fibers are spun together to make Radiant Cotton. I tugged out the fibers and was able to get some tufts and individual strands that were between 1″ – 1½” [2.5 – 3cm] in length, but I was pulling from a cut end. If I were to untwist a single ply more gently rather than tug at it, I’m sure I would find individual fibers three times as long.

Radiant Cotton isn’t a springy yarn and like so many cotton hand-knitting yarns, it doesn’t have much, if any, elasticity, but as it passes through your hands and fingers, it doesn’t feel like a cord or like kitchen string. It is already soft and subtle to the touch. The stockinette swatch I talk about in the next couple of pages has a lovely drape and proved to me that it would be very suitable to knit baby’s garments, too. Radiant cotton comes in 24 colors, from the soft pastels shown here, to some intense brights that would be fun to include in any spring or summer wardrobe.

This Egyptian cotton yarn is nice to the touch in the hank and in the swatch it has amazing drape, with a subtle sheen and great stitch definition.

Photos by Charles Voth KNITmuch | issue 4

Knitting summer tees with Radiant Cotton yarn Some people have a hard time knitting with cotton yarn, because well, it’s often hard, hard to the touch that is. Knitting with Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura may just change your mind about cotton yarn though, because it’s soft and once knit, there’s some body and elasticity to the fabric.

Stockinette Stitch swatch in Radiant Cotton shows excellent stitch definition and subtle sheen

I described Radiant Cotton’s architecture and qualities, and we’ll look at some other characteristics. When I knit this stockinette stitch swatch, I used US 6 [4mm] needles and achieved a tension of 24 sts and 32 rows per 4″ [10cm]. So that’s on the lighter side of a DK, more like a Sport weight, but maybe it’s just me. The ball band recommends US size 5 [3.75mm] needles to achieve a 22 st/28 row gauge. I’m not a tight knitter, generally, but I guess I’ll go up a size or two to achieve ball-band gauge if necessary. My swatch has a lovely drape, despite the “tighter” gauge and the hand of the fabric is very pliable, has as much elasticity as your average cotton T-shirt yet it feels much more luxurious.

While these two colors of Radiant Cotton are serene and understated, there are 22 other colors, many of which are bright and saturated. It is easy to wind balls off of these hanks without any struggles with tangles.

More about the information on the ball band, or label in this case. Each hank of Radiant Cotton weighs 100g and contains 203yd [186m]. The hank must be wound into a cake on a winder or into a ball by hand before knitting, but I had zero struggles when winding it off the swift. There were no tangles in the hank and the ties around it were made with each of the two ends, and the label was the third “tie” keeping the hank strands in order.

the swatch – yardage – winding it – gauge – elasticity – drape 8

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Another tidbit of information, once knit up, you can machine wash and tumble dry your knit item…another great reason to use this yarn to knit children’s items, too. Universal Yarns offers two free patterns for Radiant Cotton and they’re both lovely spring or summer tops. The Lucky Star Tee features rows of mesh lace with a few solid rows separating the bands of eyelets. There are six sizes from XS to 2X and these are knit using 4 to 6 hanks of Radiant Cotton, which shows how ample the yardage of this yarn is.

The Lucky Star Tee, a free pattern that uses between 4 and 6 hanks of Radiant Cotton in the Viola color.

The other pattern is the Down the Lane Tee, which debuts a twisted vertical rib through the waistline up to the bodice which that morphs into a lace panel. It’s a square scoop neck and the sleeves are worked in one piece with the body pieces. It comes in 6 sizes as well from XS to 3X. As you can see from these two patterns, Radiant Cotton yarn is excellent for lace knitting.

Radiant Cotton in Calypso, a bright salmon pink, is knit into this slimming summer tee with simple cap sleeves.

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Knitting delicate lace in a summer stole with cotton yarn I’ve been swatching and knitting with Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura. Its brightness and smooth touch make it ideal for summer lace and so I thought I’d explore designing with it, and I think I’ve come up with a perfect idea for a summer stole that you can wear well past twilight to fend off the evening chill in the prettiest possible way.

2 lacy leaves flank a column of double decreases in this swatch of knitted lace

Crossed stitches frame pairs of leafy lace motifs in this summer stole.

To make the leaves slant towards the center, I use a double decrease up the middle stitches and increase on the outer sides of the leaves. When I first started, I used a yarn over on the RS of the work and purl in the back loop of the yarn overs on the WS rows to give a little twist to the increase. To keep the column of purl stitches set into the fabric, I wanted the flanking column of knit stitches to be twisted all the way up, but with the yarn over increases, this effort was interrupted, so I needed to figure something else out.

Staggered leaf motifs bring balance to this cotton stole pattern.

Mistakes and problems inevitably surface when designing. Here are texture issues I needed to solve.

In the picture above you can see that I’ve started to knit a lace motif that has two leaves that lean towards each other. Once I knit a couple repeats of the paired leaves, I wasn’t sure I really liked them paired evenly like that so instead, I thought I should stagger them a bit. This is what I ended up with.

We looked at some free patterns provided by Universal Yarn and explored some other characteristics of this yarn, but here's why I like it so much. One thing about Radiant Cotton that has quickly made it one of my favorite cottons is that it makes textured stitches pop! The sheen and the twist are very conducive to delicate lace, but also to twisted stitches and crossed stitches.

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To frame the lace, I decided to have a nice corded look on either side, so I chose some crossed stitches set off by purl stitches on either side. It really makes the cord stand out – you can see what I mean about the sheen of Radiant Cotton making the textured stitches look great. I also decided to keep only the knit stitches that weren’t affected by the yarn over increases twisted, so in this picture it’s just the column to the left of the purl stitches that is twisted this way.

Here’s the legend for the chart symbols.

Crossed stitches flanked by purl stitches that are then flanked by twisted stitches creates a brilliant opportunity for this cotton to shine.

And below is the chart.

So, after a few more little tweaks, I came up with the following pattern. You’ll need 5 balls of Radiant Cotton and size 4mm needles.

To start the stole, you need a multiple of 28 stitches, plus 16. In this case, cast on 100 sts. You could do fewer for a scarf or more for a full-blown shawl.

The finished stole will measure 20¾” x 59¾” [53 x 152cm].

Knit 4 rows first, then begin the chart. Follow all the details for this pattern on the next page.

Chart for wedding stole pattern

KNITmuch | issue 4

Lace Wedding Stole instructions

materials yarn Radiant Cotton by Fibra Natura (3) DK weight 100% Egyptian cotton 100g [3.5oz]/186m [203yds] per hank 5 hanks in any light color needles US 5 [3.75mm] gauge

23 sts and 30 rows = 4″ [10cm] using US 5 [3.75mm] needles over St st Worked over a multiple of 28, plus 16. For a lovely summer or wedding shawl, cast on 100 sts. Knit 4 rows. Start Chart or row by row instructions below. Row 1: K5, k-tbl, p1, k2, p1, [k-tbl, k22, k-tbl, p1, k2, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5. Row 2: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p22, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 3: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k3, k2tog, yo, sssk, k2, s2tog-k1p2sso, k1, yo, s2tog-k1p2sso, yo, ssk, k5, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (91 sts). Row 4: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p2, {p5, p-tbl} twice, (p, yo, p, yo, p) in 1, p-tbl, p3, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2 (103 sts). Row 5: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k2, k2tog, yo, s1, k5, s1, yo, k1, s2tog-k1-p2sso, {k1, yo} twice, k8, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (112 sts). Row 6: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p14, {p1, p-tbl, p4} twice, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 7: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k3, k2tog, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k1, s2tog-k1-p2sso, {k1, yo} twice, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2,

yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (109 sts). Row 8: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p15, [p-tbl, p3] twice, p2, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 9: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k4, k2tog, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, s2tog-k1-p2sso, {k1, k2tog, k3} twice, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (100 sts). Row 10: K2, p3, p-tbl,[k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p13, {p-tbl, p1} twice, p5, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 11: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k5, k2tog, yo, s2tog-k1-p2sso, yo, k1, s2tog-k1-p2sso, k2, k3tog, yo, ssk, k3, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (91 sts). Row 12: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, p-tbl, (p, yo, p, yo, p) in 1, {p-tbl, p5} twice, p2, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2 (103 sts). Row 13: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k8, {yo, k1} twice, s2tog-k1p2sso, k1, yo, s1, k5, s1, yo, ssk, k2, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (112 sts). Row 14: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, {p4, p-tbl, p1} twice, p14, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 15: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k2, ssk, k4, ssk, {yo, k1} twice, s2tog-k1-p2sso, k1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, ssk, k3, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (109 sts). Row 16: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p2, [p3, p-tbl] twice, p15, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 17: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, {k3, ssk, k1} twice, s2tog-k1-p2sso, k1, yo, ssk, k1,

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k2tog, yo, ssk, k4, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (100 sts). Row 18: K2, p3, p-tbl,[k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p5, {p1, p-tbl} twice, p13, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Repeat rows 1–18 until stole is approximately 54 inches (138 cm) long Row 19: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k10, s2tog-k1-p2sso, k1, yo, s2tog-k1-p2sso, yo, ssk, k5, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (97 sts). Row 20: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, {p-tbl, p7} twice, p6, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Row 21: K5, k-tbl, p1, 1/1 RC, p1, [yo, k22, yo, p1, 1/1 RC, p1] 3 times, k-tbl, k5 (100 sts). Row 22: K2, p3, p-tbl, [k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p22, p-tbl] 3 times, k1, p2, k1, p-tbl, p3, k2. Knit 4 rows. Bind off purlwise.

Special Abbreviations

k-tbl Knit through the back loop p-tbl Purl through the back loop p2sso Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, then pass slipped stitches over (p, yo, p, yo, p) in 1 Purl, leaving the stitch on the needle, then yarn over, purl, yarn over, and then purl (5 stitches total) into the same stitch 1/1 RC Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back; k1; k1 from cable needle

1 cotton yarn that makes this scalloped cast-on edge stand out We’ll continue discovering how Radiant Cotton yarn by Fibra Natura is ideal for knitting textured stitch patterns, especially for this scalloped cast-on edge. We saw how this lovely cotton yarn works up in a lace pattern. I’m delving into a little more texture. First, the scalloped edging. Isn’t it fabulous?!

Radiant Cotton makes the bobbles, lace, and scalloped edging pop on this swatch.

Now – I'm a patient man and a patient knitter, but when it comes to scalloped edgings, I’m not patient at all. I haven’t really ever found a knitted scallop edging that either a) didn't look like bunting banners, or b) didn't give me a headache. So I cross over into some of my other craft skills and turn to crochet. I know some of you are die-hard noncrocheters, but we're not making a whole garment or afghan.

Top-down view of the crocheted scalloped edging! Adorable and worthy of this cotton yarn.

Trying a new activity and using new hand muscles and brain cells is important for some of us who get set in our ways. New skills are good for aging synapses, right? So I hope you'll give it a try. If not, after we look in detail at the edging, I'll talk about the other textures in this swatch, which are ALL knit. To make this scalloped edging, you need to know how to chain, how to yarn over, how to make a double-crochet stitch and a treble-crochet stitch. You begin by making 4 chains, then yarn over (1 in the photo above), then insert the hook in the first chain and pull up a loop (2 in the photo above). Yarn over and pull through first 2 loops on hook (3)

It takes 4 simple steps to make the first double crochet stitch.

KNITmuch | issue 4

and yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops (4). That’s the double-crochet completed. The next stitch is a treble crochet (tc or tr). To make it, yarn over twice (5 in the photo below) and insert hook in same chain space as the dc, yarn over and pull up a loop (6). Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (7) and do that twice more to finish the treble-crochet (8). To make the next scallop, chain four again, and work both the double-crochet and the treble crochet under the 2 strands that are the front loop and the first vertical bar of the last treblecrochet you made.

The second stitch is a treble crochet in the same chain.

To do a little planning for your knitting project, you need to know that you can get 4 knit stitches to each scallop of this crocheted border.

Then after you pick up 3, you flip the scallop back to the right side up and you can see the juncture between the scallops. This is where you pick up and knit the fourth stitch.

A strand of 6 scallops, ready to become a cast-on scalloped edging.

Pick up and knit every 4th stitch from the right-side under the highlighted strands on the scalloped edging.

To pick up and knit stitches, start with the loop that was on your crochet hook and slip it onto your right needle. Then flip to the wrong side of the row of scallops where you'll find…wait for it…purl bumps! Yes, on the back of each treble crochet stitch you can find 3 bumps. Each one is an insertion point to pick up and knit 3 of the 4 stitches that will be allotted to each scallop.

When you've picked up all the stitches across you’ll have a multiple of 4, plus 1. The first row is a purl or wrong-side row. In this row, you can increase or decrease the 1 or 2 stitches you may need to adjust to get the given stitch count for your pattern. For this bobble and lace swatch however, 25 sts was just what I needed.

“Purl” bumps on the back of the scallops are highlighted to show where to pick up and knit stitches.

4 stitches per scallop, plus 1 for the edge creates a balanced row ready for knitting.

This scalloped edging or cast-on (if you want to think of it that way) is great for blankets, and other items of home decor. You may like it on a shawl or scarf, too. It adds a marginal amount of weight, so to balance a finished item, like a blanket, I would crochet on a scallop border that looks exactly the same after I had bound off the last row. To do an added on edging, you simply join the crochet to the knit fabric with a slip stitch. Then you chain 4, double crochet in the same spot the chains come from, treble crochet in the same spot, too. Then you lean the scallop across the edge to equal a distance of 4 stitches and you slip stitch into the edge of the fabric and you’re ready to repeat from there. Now, on to the bobbles and lace of this swatch. I saw a little baby bunting on Pinterest that was completely covered in bobbles and it struck a chord with me. Once I started knitting with Radiant Cotton, this stitch seemed like a perfect pairing to knit with this soft glistening cotton. Here’s the lace pattern I re-engineered from a very blurry photograph on Pinterest. KNITmuch | issue 4

Knowing that not all of you love knitting charts, I've added the text instructions below, too. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a complete pattern, but you can use this chart for any project that you like. Explanations for some of the abbreviations are given in the Stitch Glossary, below, but the trickiest bit is the bobble, so I'll explain that separately. Make bobble (MB): In next st, (k 1, yo, k1) all together, turn your work, leaving rem sts unworked, purl 3, turn, knit 3, turn, purl 3, turn, slip first st purlwise, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over the first st and then proceed to follow the rest of the row instructions. You can do it at any time, but popping the bobble out to the RS of the fabric is easiest right after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made it.

Row 1: Knit. Row 2 and all even rows: Purl. Row 3: P2, [p1, yo, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p4] across to last 11 sts, p1, yo, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p3. Row 5: P2, [p2, yo, k1, s1-k2togpsso, k1, yo, p5] across to last 11 sts, p2, yo, k1, s1k2tog-psso, k1, yo, p4. Row 7: K1, rki, [ssk, k3, mb, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, rki] across to last 11 sts, ssk, k3, mb, k3, k2tog, yo, k1. Row 9: P1, yo, [k1, ssk, k1, yo, s2tog-k1-p2sso, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p1, yo] across to last 11 sts, k1, ssk, k1, yo, s2tog-k1-p2sso, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p1. Row 11: P2, [yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p3] across to last 11 sts, yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p2. Row 13: P2, [p1, yo, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p4] across to last 11 sts, p1, yo, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, p3. Row 14: Purl Repeat Rows 5-14 for pattern.

Symbol chart for this easy and charming bobble and lace stitch pattern

KNITmuch | issue 4

Special Stitches rki: Lift the stitch 1 row below the next stitch onto the left needle and knit this stitch. mb: (K, yo, k) in 1, turn work, p3, turn, k3, turn, p3, turn, s1k2tog-psso. s1-k2tog-psso: Slip one stitch knitwise, then knit 2 stitches together and pass the slipped stitch over. s2tog-k1-p2sso: Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, then pass slipped stitches over.

Try something new! Use this scalloped edging on one of your upcoming projects!

Legend for chart symbols

don't miss these projects & tutorials online!

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...to K, is to Things I will and won’t do again in

CUFF-DOWN KNITTED SOCKS…

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What amazing cleaning tool do you get when you cross SCRUBBY yarn 2 things I learned from my

knitted swatch other than GAUGE

and slippers?

and there's so much more! KNITmuch | issue 4

Crossing stitches is easier than knitting cables I’ll show you how to knit crossed stitches, which look like fabulous regal braided cording and are easier than knitting cables.

This is a top-down sweater for a toddler featuring centered decreases and sharp, lovely braided cord made of crossed stitches.

After knitting different swatches with this soft and shiny yarn, and focusing on a scalloped cast-on, I couldn’t help but move from swatch to sweater. So I started a top-down sweater for a toddler with a 20″ chest. I didn’t have enough time to make the whole sweater, mind you. I’m fast, but not that fast. I kept some of the elements of the leaf lace swatch that I wrote about: the center double decrease and the yarn over and twisted stitch increases, and the crossed stitch cording. This panel is without the leafs made for easy increasing around the yoke for my top-down design.

This top-down yoke has two main elements, the centered decrease and the 2-stitch crossed stitch cord which is set off by purl stitches.

KNITmuch | issue 4

The design element in this yoke that I like the most is the crossed stitches. In this case, I made all the stitches cross to the right, but it is possible to make them symmetrical and cross to the left as well, but we’ll leave that to another design.

To make a crossed stitch leaning to the right, insert the right-hand needle under the front leg of the second stitch on the left-hand needle and tug a little towards you and towards the tip of the left needle, too, but be careful not to take it so far that the stitch is passed over the first one.

Lift the 2nd stitch and bring the front leg forward to make it easier to knit into it.

Then remove the right needle and instantly re-insert it in the front leg of that stitch to knit it without removing it from the left needle. Then insert the right needle into the second stitch and knit it, removing both stitches from the needle. And that… is that. The crossed stitches are so quick to knit up than knitted cables, so it won’t take long. When I set out to write about Radiant Cotton, I really didn’t know what to expect. I have knitted for a long time, and I have used a lot of different cotton yarns. So basically, I came at this with no expectations at all. Truly.

Knit into the front leg of the 2nd stitch first, but don’t slip it off the LH needle.

Knit the first stitch and slide them both of the LH needle.

Charles Voth

twitter.com/stitchstud charlesvothdesigns.ca KNITmuch | issue 4

1 knitting pattern to show someone you love them

Michelle Nguyen

Red Heart’sBaby Hugs yarn in Ladybug colorway

Red Heart paired their Baby Hugs yarn with a pattern for called Valentine’s Day Mug Hug which I believe isn’t just for Valentine’s Day. This is such an adorable knitted pattern to show someone they are dear to you, all year ’round! What better yarn for a mug hug than Baby Hugs yarn? This pattern calls for a medium weight yarn, however I wanted to small-size my mug hug, so I used the thinner yarn, Baby Hugs Light. If you wanted a normal sized mug hug, then you would use the recommended yarn, Baby Hugs Medium.

I started off knitting this pattern exactly to specifications. I’m a notorious pattern adjuster, but this time, I set out to knit it exactly as written. I suppose it would have helped if I read the instructions carefully. I assumed this pattern was knit in the round. It isn’t – it’s worked flat. You rib to the end of the row and turn to continue this rib pattern all the way back. Going through this whole pattern it never dawned on me that if I made it in the round, there wasn’t going to be space for a handle, and most mugs have handles.

The Valentine’s Day Mug Hug pattern by Red Heart! Originally designed with Valentine's Day in mind, but change the colors up to suit your kitchen, or make it in pink for a friend going through cancer treatment.

Finished Mug Hug with a hand made pottery mug! Handles are really overrated!

KNITmuch | issue 4

I continued knitting along until I arrived at the end of the pattern and the instructions said to make a button loop. “A button loop?” I thought to myself, “what good is a button loop going to be?” I looked at the picture. I looked at my own version. I looked at the picture again. Then, bam, like a bus, it hit me all at once. The handle! I’m lucky because in my house I have a plethora of mugs without handles. When first looking at this pattern I thought the heart was colorwork. As we all now know, the heart’s a separate piece. If you’re a colorwork fiend like me, you would prefer to use colorwork in your mug hug, so I’ve made the chart below so you can work this piece however you’d like!

Knitting up my heart applique for my mug hug. Make sure you leave long tails at the ends to shape the top of the heart and sew it onto the rest of your mug hug!

Here's the chart and key for a color work mug hug. Don’t forget to do the button loop according to pattern instructions and seam up the bottom ribbing.

Photos by Michelle Nguyen and Red Heart KNITmuch | issue 4

Knit the best wrister pattern Red Heart’s Sleek Striped Wristers pattern is one of my favorite things to knit! They can be used on their own or in tandem with a heavier mitten for those really cold days. Plus, they cover the space between your mitten and coat; no more cold breezes! This is a very easy pattern that’s perfect if you’re thinking about attempting something made in the round. It’s a stockinette stitch pattern and you switch up colors every two rows. If you’re nervous about the color changes, just leave them out and make your first pair all one color. These wristers are the very essence of “potato chip knitting”: you just can’t stop at one pair! The medium weight of Baby Hugs the pattern calls for works very well with wristers. The yarn stretches to fit over your hands but has the durability that acrylic is known for. One of the most problematic things about wristers is they go over the palms of your hands. Your finger tips are the area that gets the most wear and tear, but second in line are heel and palm of your hands. With this yarn, there’s no pilling or felting, which makes it great for garments that get a lot of wear.

endless. If you really want to get technical, the number of color combinations is 306, (when you have made all 306 combinations, please send me a picture!) If you knit the pattern with a three color stripe the math gets beyond me. I love the play between the colors Dolphin and Pool! This is definitely my color palette.

Work in progress, everything is striping up nicely!

I’m completely in love with my Baby Hugs Sleek Striped Wristers. They’re fabulously soft and warm, perfect for knitting during the summer in preparation for the chill of winter. stitchesbeslippin.com

So happy with my Baby Hug Wisters in the colors, Pool and Dolphin!

KNITmuch | issue 4

If you’re looking to practice knitting on double pointed needles, give this pattern a try. I remember making it a personal challenge to like double pointed needles. I used to hate them and would use all sorts of interesting methods to get around using them. I bought a set of double pointed needles to help myself learn the technique. If I owned the needles I would have to use them, or my investment would have been a waste. Shaping a thumb gusset is something that is awkward to do on magic loop or two circulars, so I’m glad I took the opportunity to learn a new skill.

Michelle Nguyen

Baby Hug yarn comes in 18 colors, so the possibilities for color combinations are almost 22

EVER !

17-016 17-016 17-016 ©© 2017 ©2017 2017 Coats Coats Coats && Clark. &Clark. Clark. All All All rights rights rights reserved. reserved. reserved. Coats Coats Coats && Clark &Clark Clark is is aisa registered aregistered registered trademark. trademark. trademark.

Superbly Superbly Cozy Cozy Crocheted from the center Crocheted from center Crocheted from the the center out with Super Saver®, out with Super Saver®, out with Super Saver®, this design features a this features this design design features a aof creative combination creative combination of creative combination of cluster & & shell shell stitches. stitches. cluster cluster & shell stitches. Super Saver® has been the Super Saver® has been the Super Saver® has been the favorite choice of blanket favorite choice of blanket favorite choice of blanket & throw throw makers since since first rst & & throw makers makers since fi first introduced over 30 years ago. introduced introduced over over 30 30 years years ago. ago.

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Knitting with

Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn Cynthia MacDougall

When I was a young girl, I followed in my mother’s footsteps and had several penpals. It was an exciting day when the mail arrived and there was something for me! When I grew up, the mail became much less exciting, because most of the mail for me was bills! These days, on-line shopping and blogging means that I occasionally get that “penpal feeling” again.

I was a excited to see the slip in my mailbox that indicated there was a parcel waiting for me. What would it be? Soft, scooshy wool? Crisp cotton or linen? Something cool and novel? I’ll be honest, I was not expecting Rozetti Cotton Gold! I cracked open that box and found this:

That’s what happened when I was asked to write for KNITmuch. All I knew was that the yarn was going to be one of Universal Yarn’s products.

Ooh, shiny! Cotton Gold is twinkly!

KNITmuch | issue 4

WOW! Now what? One of my knitting passions is lace knitting, so that was the first thing to cross my mind. I went to the Universal Yarn website and found the lacy shawl I expected to find, as well as a sweater that was made with Cotton Gold and another Universal Yarn, Amphora. I didn’t have Amphora, but I did have some fine, soft laceweight wool yarn.

Dramatic lighting highlights the sparkle of Rozetti Cotton Gold.

Cotton Gold comes in 10 colors, perfect for bringing bling to your project. I received colors 1100 (blue with sapphire payettes) and 1096 (pale gray with holographic payettes) to sample. The three balls of the gray is enough to make either of the two free shawl patterns on the Universal Yarn website. Sequins are placed very evenly at 3″ [7.5cm] intervals. They're “trapped” in one of the 3 cotton strands, before a strand of glitter is wrapped around the cottony core. By combining the Cotton Gold with the laceweight yarn, I could make a heavier-weight lace.

The Phantom Shawl (left) and Amphora sweater (right). The shawl takes only 3 balls of yarn! Both patterns are offered free on the Universal Yarn website.

Photos by Cynthia MacDougall and Universal Yarns KNITmuch | issue 4

4 Steps

to the art of swatching & sampling

Having been supplied with a healthy quantity of Rozetti Cotton Gold, I want to show you the steps I often use when I’m approaching a new yarn. So many knitters don’t like to sample or swatch a new yarn, but there are so many good reasons to do it. Since starting Canadian Guild of Knitters in 2002, I’ve sampled dozens of different yarns, and I’ve quite enjoyed the whole process. I’ve learned some new ways of approaching a new yarn, and I’ve learned a LOT about the yarns themselves. I’ve learned that every yarn has a purpose, and that sometimes you can knit a silk purse from a sow’s ear, so to speak. I like to use my “Vulcan logic” for analyzing and sampling a new yarn, but you don’t need to be Spock to have fun with this! (Did Spock ever have any fun?) If you want to skip one or more steps, 26

KNITmuch | issue 4

yarn

I’m not going to drop by your house and write you a ticket! Here are the 4 steps I take to analyzing and sampling a new-to-me yarn: 1. Examine the yarn. Look at the yarn. Which way does the twist go? Does it look like the middle stroke of an S, or of a Z? Is it a single ply or are there many plies? Are all the plies the same? Do they have slubs or loops? What’s the fiber content? While they will also work in a knitting project, many yarns that appear with a Z twist are well suited to crochet projects. Rozetti Cotton Gold has an S twist in the finished yarn. The other features will help you understand the construction of the yarn you’re working with.

Knowing the fiber type helps you decide what project is best suited to the yarn. A cotton sweater isn’t going to keep a skier as warm as a wool one will! 2. Knit a sample according to the ball band. I call this my benchmark sample, and almost always make it using the recommended needles, and the number of stitches recommended for 4″ [10cm]. If my tension is “way out” on a test swatch, I might rethink my pattern choice, especially if it’s something like a sweater, that needs to fit. When you’re reading the label, it’s also a good time to check out the laundering info. Cotton Gold has a recommended tension of 26 sts and 39 rows to 4″ [10cm]. It can be washed by hand, but an iron would surely melt the glittery strand, and probably the payettes, too. (When I was growing up, I used to see “payettes” spelled with the original French spelling, “paillettes”.) 3. Branch out – Do you think this yarn would be good for lace? Pull a stitch dictionary and try a lace pattern that tweaks your interest. What about cables? This is a REALLY great part of the exercise, because you can build a “library” of stitch patterns you might like to incorporate into a future project. Branching out can be as organized as you want. Some people keep detailed records of their swatches, recording yarn

and needle size info for future reference. Oddly I don’t do this (which is strange, because I journal almost everything!) My idea to knit Rozetti Cotton Gold with a strand of laceweight yarn is part of my branching out – you never know when you’ll hit upon a discovery that could be your very own knitting design! I even sample new stitch patterns with leftover yarns from old projects. I’ve come up with interesting colorways right from my scrap yarn boxes! 4. Analyze – What do you think? Would this yarn make a good something-else-than-whatyou’ve-planned? It’s really going to be everything you want for this project?

The silver strand of yarn echoes the diagonal stroke of the letter “S”, which means that Cotton Gold was spun “Z” and plied “S”

Analysis can completely change the direction of your knit, or it can underscore that this yarn is perfect for the job. Again, it can be as organized as you want – if you use a knitting journal, you might want to mount your swatch into a book, to refer back to in the future. I have most of the yarn swatches I’ve made over the last 35 years of knitting! Most of them are in boxes, but I’ve sewn some together into what ultimately will be a bed jacket. Some samples were mounted onto display boards over the years, and some have been placed with my workshop materials. I heartily recommend that you discover the joy of knitting samples! Next, I’ll begin with my first swatch.

This small area of the ball band contains a lot of helpful information!

The original colorway for the pattern was in orange, brown, and oatmeal, but changing the contrasting colors to purple and gold really changed the look!

KNITmuch | issue 4

Knit

a benchmark sample The ruler shows that my gauge is just about right on — 26 sts to 4" [10cm]

We’re making discoveries with Universal Yarn’s Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn. that we have examined the structure of the yarn, it’s time to start sampling. As I mentioned, the first step I take is to cast on the number of stitches prescribed on the ball band with the manufacturer’s recommended needles. In this case, I should get 26 sts to 4″ [10cm] if I use size US 4 [3.5mm] needles. The primary purpose for this sample – to me – is to check for the distribution of the payettes. Sometimes, when a yarn has something bumpy in it such as a sequin or a bead, the item wants to gravitate to one side of the work. Because of this, I want to see if the payettes will be inclined to float to the back of the fabric, or whether they’ll behave themselves regardless of which stitch I use. As is my habit, I begin with garter stitch at the base. This keeps

KNITmuch | issue 4

using Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn

the swatch from rolling. Then, I switch to stockinette stitch, as this is the stitch used for almost all gauge swatches. In this case, I reversed my stockinette stitch for the next section, again to test my theory and be able to show you how the payettes distribute themselves on the reverse side of stockinette stitch. Ordinarily, I would knit a few rows of garter stitch at the top of the sample, again to keep it from rolling. However, I wanted to be able to tell the top of the swatch from the bottom, and if I had added another garter stitch section, it would have made it more difficult to tell.

fabric made with them would be even more lacy, and the payettes would show through perhaps a bit more. The payettes also tend to appear in little clusters. While this is attractive, if I were to re-knit the swatch with 27 or 28 stitches, I’m certain we would see a difference in their distribution. My last observation is that my ruler confirms that my horizontal tension is just about exact. Next up, let's combine Cotton Gold with a laceweight yarn and study that effect.

Analysis: As you can see from the photo, the yarn is very fine, so many of the payettes on the back side of the work show through to the right side. This makes it hard to see a difference in the distribution of the payettes in the top two sections. The Phantom shawl pattern uses size US 6 [4mm] needles, so the The upper left corner of the yarn details section from the ball band

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KNITmuch | issue 4

Knitting

Rozetti Cotton Gold

with another yarn The Halo and Sparkle sweater is a free pattern on the Universal Yarn website that uses Rozetti Cotton Gold and Amphora, worked with a strand of each yarn throughout

In this series of articles, we’re testing Universal Yarn’s Rozetti Cotton Gold, a fine yarn with sequins (or payettes) spaced evenly apart. Such topics addressed so far were the yarn attributes and knitting what I call a “benchmark sample”, where you take the manufacturer’s recommended gauge and needles, and make a sample. At each step analyzing the day’s sample to complete the analysis. The next couple of topics, is about branching out, where the fun really begins. It’s a process of experimentation that can lead to creating your own design. Branching out is a bit like doodling with yarn. I like to call it “play time for the right brain.” It’s a great time to pull out a knitting stitch dictionary and test out some new stitch patterns. In this article, though, we’re doing another simple pattern, with the addition of a second yarn. One of the free patterns on the Universal Yarn website is the Halo and Sparkle sweater. I drew inspiration from this piece to create this sample. Having seen what the fabric made with yarns of similar color looks like, I opted to take the sapphire blue ball and knit it with cream colored lace weight yarn. I made this sample a little larger and also used larger needles — size US 7 [4.5mm].

KNITmuch | issue 4

Benchmark sample

Analysis The sequins are well distributed, and combining a bold color with a neutral results in a blended shade that from a distance takes the bold out of the Cotton Gold color. This might be desirable, or a bolder blue similar to the Cotton Gold blue might be preferred.

The distribution of sequins on this sample of Cotton Gold with a cream colored laceweight yarn is quite attractive. Larger needles and a lace pattern would make a nice warm shawl.

What would you want to make from this sample?

A shawl made of Cotton Gold alone would be a striking piece to wear to a holiday event or black tie affair. Combining Cotton Gold with a rich wool or even a blend of acrylic, mohair, and alpaca, such as Universal Yarnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amphora, grounds the sparkle and makes a more subtle piece that could be worn on other occasions such as weddings, and perhaps even under a business jacket to the office.

KNITmuch | issue 4

Creating knitted accents with Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn In our last article of our work with Universal Yarn’s Rozetti Cotton Gold yarn, we’re going to look at using it as a complement to another yarn. Knitters who like to work with fine yarns are going to want to keep reading branching out with our “yarn doodling”. For this sample, I chose a soft, medium gray ball of laceweight yarn to complement the soft, light gray of the Cotton Gold.

Rozetti Cotton Gold is a laceweight, sequinned yarn with 65% cotton, 27% paillettes and 8% twist of glitter yarn.

A gray laceweight yarn combined with a “V” of Cotton Gold makes one daydream of a lightweight shell with a dash of sparkle

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As I knitted the previous sample, I thought that a touch of Cotton Gold would look great near the face and it would also look nice with a fine knit fabric, so I picked up my size US 4 [3.5mm] needles, and started knitting a fine, stockinette stitch fabric. Once I had a few inches, I added the Cotton Gold to make a v-neck insert. Didn’t even pull a stitch dictionary for this one; I just went “organic” with a diamond pattern that would naturally fill the “V”.

Analysis If working this into a sweater or shell, I think I would choose a slightly paler shade of gray for the main yarn. Apart from that, there are SO many possibilities for this concept. The “V” insert here could be done in a boatneck style, as shown, or a second “V” could be made in the Cotton Gold, to make a “v within a v” neck. The diamond could be made wider, with wide shoulders that would be draped in at the front to create a cowl front (or back!) Speaking of the back, this concept could be applied to form a large diamond to make a dramatic fashion statement. On a smaller scale, this could be done on one (or both) sleeves, or even to make a gusset on a skirt for evening. Now, I’m off to find a pattern for an asymmetrical triangle shawl to make with this yarn!

I found JUST the thing! This pattern is called Pheilraupe. The original design by Alpi Alpenrose is worked in a heavier yarn – a double knitting weight – but knit up in Cotton Gold makes it a sparkly accent to wear to a holiday party or other glamorous event!

Cynthia MacDougall

www.cgknitters.blogspot.ca Ravelry name: macknitnow KNITmuch | issue 4

Knitting with Classic Shades Sequins Lite Charles Voth

I LOVE glitter. Some would call me a magpie. I also LOVE fall colors, and I'm mesmerized by the trees that turn in the fall. As luck would have it, I get the chance to review Classic Shades Sequins Lite by Universal Yarn, and my skein of the Volcano colorway has both! Classic Shades Sequins Lite is a DK weight yarn that’s very versatile because it comes in a variety of gradient colorways. Each colorway has sequins that coordinate well with each color in the gradient (I love the red sequins in this Volcano colorway), and even though it’s single ply, it has enough twist that’s well set, so it can be worked with larger needles and still keeps its integrity.

This warm and glittery yarn is perfect for those who love autumn colors like plum and merlot and coral.

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Sequins Lite is 22% wool, and 74% acrylic. Like the other yarns in the Classic Shades family, the acrylic fibers are long enough that pilling doesn’t happen without an extreme amount of friction in one place, and the yarn is lofty and soft. There’s no scratch to the wool content either. But if you’re good at mental math, you’ll note that these numbers only add up to 96%. The last 4% is the payette material, aka “the sequins!” Part of the acrylic fibers are spun in a separate, tight thread which traps the sequins and spaces them randomly throughout the skein. There are plenty of sequins with 7 or 8 appearing in each yard of yarn.

I worked up this little slipper sock on size 5 US [3.75mm] needles to see what the yarn looked like at a firm DK-weight gauge and I really like the results. When I showed these slippers to someone they asked about whether the sequins would irritate the skin or catch and rip off. You cannot feel the sequins at all, and I made these kid size so they would only be worn for a season at most. While I haven’t yet been able to put it to the test, I don’t really find that these “catch” on anything as the knit fabric grazes across tile or hardwood floors.

A slipper sock knit with Sequins Lite shows the random placement of the payettes in the stockinette fabric

Close-up of slipper sock shows how randomly yet consistently the sequins appear in stockinette fabric

There are over 250 yards of intense colors and scattered, understated glitter from sequins in this versatile yarn

There are 264yds [240m] on each skein, so I would be able to make about 3 or 4 pairs of kids slipper-socks with one skein. Some lucky child could have the same slippers, just 1 size bigger each year, 3 or 4 years in a row. The ball band recommends size 7 US [4.5mm] needles for a gauge of 20 sts to 4″ [10cm], which is the normal combination for a worsted weight gauge. But I tried it and it works. With size 7 needles, the fabric has lovely drape and the stockinette stitches are consistent and even. I would show this, but I forgot to take a picture before I frogged my swatch to make next project.

Mustard, pumpkin, coral pink, and merlot transition gently from one to the other in this gradient yarn.

Speaking of frogging, Classic Shades Sequins Lite took the treatment of being knit and frogged once quite well. The tricky part is ripping out the knitting and not catching the sequins. So while it does un-knit quite well, I’d suggest you undo your knitting with care rather than rip out in haste.

Zig Zag Lace Shawlette – free pattern courtesy of Universal Yarn. Next we’ll look at the pattern for a mega-scarf in that lacy stitch pattern you may have noticed in the background of the above photo.

To give you an idea of other colorways, I’m sharing photos of 2 of the 8 other colors, and a free shawlette pattern worked up in a third colorway.

The “Rainforest” colorway on the left and the “Lucky Rose” colorway on the right feature royal blue and mother-of-pearl sequins respectively, the perfect complement to the other colors in the yarn.

The Zig Zag lace shawlette in the 405 Primrose colorway is a warm, shoulder-hugging capelet style shawl.

Photos by Charles Voth and Universal Yarns KNITmuch | issue 4

Knit an easy lace mega-scarf with gradient and glittery yarn

The Volcano colorway of Classic Shades Sequins Lite is a perfect match for this dijon yellow pea-coat.

Some of the mega-scarves that I’ve seen posted online are quite bulky and while beautiful, they add maybe more volume around the neck than some women may want. To address this, I thought I would design a lighter-weight scarf using Classic Shades Sequins Lite, which offers not only bright gradient colorways but also an element of bling from its sequins. Now that we are familiar with the yarn, I want to show this stitch pattern from a lot of different angles.

The finished dimensions of the scarf will be 60″ x 18″ [150 x 45cm]. The scarf begins in one corner and is worked on an angle to create the diagonal stripes with the gradient yarn.

This mustard yellow coat belonging to my wife was my inspiration for the design, and well, the yarn itself.

This scarf starts in one corner. The way I knit it, the beginning corner is a bit lopped off, but in

The colors of the volcano colorway include rich tones of red, plum, grey and brown

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Even though this is a DK-weight yarn, I wanted the mega-scarf to stay lofty and have lots of drape, so I’m knitting it with size 10 US [6mm] needles. The lace stitch is very straight forward and other than a little shaping at the edges, you do the same 2 rows over and over.

This easy lace consists of one kind of double decrease and some well-placed yarn-overs to produce a texture that moves diagonally in different directions.

the instructions that follow, you’ll have a fully developed corner. I love how the different angles give the lace a different appearance. Here are several different pictures. To shape the first end of the scarf, increase by 4 stitches every other row (2 on each end of right-side rows) until you get the width you want (I recommend 18″ [46cm], or 68 stitches), to make a nice triangle. Once the width is established, continue to increase on the left edge, but decrease on the right edge to create the long sides of the mega-scarf. Finally, when the longest side of the scarf (left side) measures 60″ [150cm], start decreasing on both sides until you finish off the opposite far corner.

Mega-Scarf Instructions Special abbreviation ddec = double decrease: slip each of next 2 sts as if to knit, k1, pass both slipped sts over st just knit. With 10 US [6mm] needles and Classic Shades Sequin Lite (for which you’ll need 2 balls), cast on 4 sts. Row 1 (WS): Purl. Row 2 (RS): Inc, yfwd, k1, yfwd, k1, yfwd, k1. (8 sts) Row 3 and all odd rows: Purl. Row 4: Inc, yfwd, k1, yfwd, ddec, yfwd, k1, yrwd, k1, inc. (12 sts). Row 6: Inc, yfwd, [k1, yfwd, ddec, yfwd] across to last 3 sts, k1, yfwd, k1, inc. (16 sts). Rows 8-32: Rep Row 6. (68 sts after Row 32). Row 34: Ssk, ddec, [yfwd, k1, yfwd, ddec] across to last 3 sts, yfwd, k1, inc. (68 sts). Row 35: Purl. Rep Rows 34 and 35 until left edge of scarf is 60″ [150cm] or desired length (being aware that you may have to purchase more yarn to make a longer scarf). Next even row: Ssk, ddec, [yfwd, k1, yfwd, ddec] across to last 3 sts, k1, k2tog. (64 sts). Next odd row: Purl

TIP At the end of Row

33, weigh the ball of yarn on a kitchen scale. Round down to the nearest ¼ oz [5g]. The difference between the weight of all the yarn and this weight is the amount of yarn you’ll need for the triangle at the top of the scarf. Once you know how much yarn you need for that triangle, as much yarn as possible can be knit into the length of the scarf. I truly hope you do try this mega-scarf pattern. Please come back and share your photos and comments and let us know how your version turned out.

The horizontal (or vertical, depending on the angle) ridges that are formed by the double decreases

The adjacent eyelets form a little hexagon grid with stitches forming lines in 3 directions, giving a lot of depth to this mega-scarf design.

Charles Voth

www.twitter.com/stitchstud www.charlesvothdesigns.ca Knit this easy lace mega scarf in a gradient and sequined yarn by Universal Yarn: Classic Shades Sequin Lite

Rep last 2 rows until 12 sts remain. Next Row: Ssk, ddec, yfwd, k1, yfwd, ddec, k1, k2tog. (8 sts). Next Row: Purl Next Row: Ssk, ddec, k1, k2tog. (4 sts). Bind off purlwise. I just LOVE how you can see the glint of the sequins in the blurred parts of this photo. This scarf will be a great addition to your inventory of gifts and to your own wardrobe.

KNITmuch | issue 3

The Creme de la knitting creme

cotton yarn

Michelle Nguyen

Creme de la Creme is a worsted weight cotton that comes in so many colors it will give you some serious indecision. This is a yarn that I get from Red Heart, personally, all the time. I also always suggest this yarn to beginners to start with since you can knit a stockinette dishcloth from it and you get something functional as well as fun. As I mentioned, there are tons and TONS of colors for this yarn. I feel 100% safe in saying that there’s truly a color for everyone. That is part of the reason why I always suggest Creme de la Creme yarn to people who come to me to learn how to knit. With all those colors to choose from, they can pick one that resonates with them and knit away. They could even pick out two or three skeins in case they want to mix and watch or they get bored easily. Creme de la Creme is 100% combed cotton so it’s soft, but there’s also not very much stretch at all. If

Colors Wood Violet (background) and French Country Ombre (closeup)

Creme de la Creme in color Brite Green

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you’ve ever knit with cotton before you’ll know what I mean, some knitters find that knitting with cotton is hard on the hands. If this happens to you, listen to what your hands are telling you. If they’re done knitting, then so are you. Don’t try to marathon through and cause yourself pain.

These cloths are freshly knit, but it will look like this for a while! No more pills!

Creme de la Creme is a worsted weight which is smack dab in the middle of the whole bigger or smaller yarn spectrum. It’s big enough that beginners aren’t scared of it, yet small enough seasoned knitters won’t mind using it for their projects as well. Since cotton is a light fiber it’s great for use in any number of summer accessories. If you’re not tempted by the lighter, airy fiber, then you should be tempted by the durability. Creme de la Creme starts out soft, and only gets softer as you wash it. Machine washable and dry-able means you can do that as often as you like. Repeated washing isn’t going to felt your stitches either. Cotton shows excellent stitch definition and doesn’t pill much over time. No matter what you’re making, it’s bound to be long-lasting and durable. These are two of the many reasons why most dishcloths are made from cotton, but let's discover more about this yarn in the article that follows.

Creme de la Creme on the needles! That green is such an uplifting color!

Photos by Michelle Nguyen KNITmuch | issue 4

4 reasons why knitting dishcloths is so practical

There are a myriad of things you can make with cotton yarn, but one of the most common things to make with it are washcloths. My personal favorite about knitting cotton dishcloths is, of course, machine washable and dry-able. You could have dishcloths for any number of things in your house and just throw them in the wash. I did mention briefly in my articles about Scrubby yarn, that I color code my dishcloths so that I’m not using the same cloth for washing your face that you once used for cleaning the tub.

Scrub scrub scrub, dishcloths in a tub!

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If you’re looking at starting a new project and want to try out the stitch pattern before-hand Creme de la Creme makes a great testing place. Even though it probably isn’t the same yarn, you’re still able to get a feel of the pattern itself while knitting it. When I’m picking out a project with a stitch pattern, I generally attempt to find the ones that are easy for both my mind and my hands to remember. If I don’t have the “mental bandwidth” to go through a really complicated pattern, I choose something I can just sit and knit while watching TV. This way of testing let’s you try out your stitch pattern and end up with an interesting little dishcloth.

I always use blue for kitchen dishes use!

My attempt at making up a stitch pattern. It looks interesting, even though I’m sure someone else has already imagined it. Stitch pattern books for the win!

Dishcloths are a great small gift so they’re something I always keep in my gift stash (see my blog post from February 17, 2016). I stash a small collection of gifts already knitted and on-hand in case of an emergency gift-giving situation. When your friend, colleague, family member makes plans and you just remembered that it was their birthday and you didn’t manage to get a small gift, a card, or anything, just pop a couple of these into a bag with a nice hand written note. Make it even more special by adding a bottle of soap in a small basket or add a soap dish. Then these little but highly effective gifts are ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Daisy dishcloth in the lovely Wood Violet color again

Last but not least, handmade dishcloths are a great eco-friendly alternative to sponges or disposable cloths. With Red Heart’s Creme de la Creme yarn, we can knit them up and use them again and again until they disintegrate, and, given the strength of cotton, that could be quite some time.

KNITmuch | issue 4

The thick and thin of knitting with

Unforgettable Waves yarn

Unforgettable Waves in the Spices colorway

Another interesting yarn I wanted to review is Red Heart’s Unforgettable Waves from their Boutique line. This is a thick and thin yarn with a lot of texture. Even when I was unpacking this yarn one of the first things I noticed was the halo surrounding it. Unforgettable Waves is thick and thin, and also lightly spun. This means that the yarn is a bit fluffier, where it’s thicker. It also gives it the look of a very smooth lopi yarn. The natural variation in the thickness of the yarn creates a lot of texture and interest in your stitches. The halo I mentioned earlier is the “fuzz” that surrounds the yarn itself. It creates a really nice soft effect which will make your individual stitches look more subtle. The focus is on the overall garment rather than the stitches themselves, which makes this yarn more forgiving if you have trouble with tension. The fun and funky Parade colorway joins a ball of the Spices colorway. You can see the thick-and-thin nature of the yarn.

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The different grist (thickness) of the yarn will change your tension to begin with, but the softness of the yarn will minimize any differences in gauge. If you’re having issues with your gauge and looking for a yarn that will be a little more forgiving this is the yarn for you. I would not suggest practicing your gauge with a yarn like this yarn. If you want to practice your knitting gauge I would go for something with a little more spring in it, like Red Heart’s With Love yarn. If you’re crazy about art yarns and only want to knit with thick and thin yarn then you’ll have a ball! I, personally, find it a little disconcerting to knit with thick and thin because all of a sudden your yarn goes really thin and my brain goes “OMG WHERE DID THE YARN GO… Oh wait… it’s still there. We’re fine people. Keep it moving.” Unforgettable Waves yarn is 100% acrylic which leads me into my favorite part again… machine washable and dryable! Yaaaay! I cannot stress how much I dislike hand washing things… “machine wash and dry” are music to my ears. The label does say to wash and dry on the gentle cycle, which I can completely understand since it’s not spun all that tightly. I can tell you as well, normally wool blooms a bit when you block something like this. I’m curious to see what will happen with this yarn since it’s an acrylic. I think it will probably stay the same since acrylic is totally different from wool.

So much texture but they look so neat at the same time!

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What knitting projects are ideal for

Unforgettable Waves yarn

When I received Red Heart’s Unforgettable Waves in the mail, I immediately looked up pattern support for it. I wanted to make the Multi-Wear Cowl, but it takes four balls of yarn. I absolutely loved this cowl and think it is a really excellent use of this yarn, so I made a matching hat using a the Twilight Knitted Hat pattern I wrote up on October 1, 2015. While the cowl takes four balls of yarn, the hat is only one, two if you want to make it really slouchy. The hat is also a great way to test out the yarn, I remember the first time I ever saw thick and thin yarn, I was really not sure how it would turn out or if I would like it. The yarn I saw back then was also presented differently so it looked messy. Unforgettable Waves is in a ball and looks all neat and tidy. I don’t think I would have been as put off by thick and thin yarn had I seen this one first. Start with one or two balls to make a hat, but keep in mind a matching cowl would look really good, and plan your yarn purchase with that in mind. If worst comes to worst, you can make a few hats to add your finished “gift stash”.

The Multi-Wear Cowl! I love this pattern! Photos by Michelle Nguyen

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You can really see the ‘waves’ in Unforgettable Waves in the texture of this hat.

Knitting with Unforgettable Waves was just like any other thick and thin yarn: my brain had a little freak out anytime it came to thin places. I obviously got used to that, or else this would have been a very stressful knit. The change is actually very gradual so you don’t notice it as much as you would think. It’s not like you’re working with super thick yarn then all of the sudden you have tiny cobweb yarn. This yarn is actually more consistent than other thick and thin yarns I’ve worked with because the gradual changes happen evenly the whole way through. If you’ve ever tried spinning you’ll know how difficult this is to get consistently even changes in the thickness of the yarn. I would unintentionally make thick and thin yarn that was quite uneven.

pattern. I imagine a knit poncho because I tried to make one in seed stitch when I first started knitting and it did not go well. I wished I could have made it in plain garter stitch, but that wasn’t a look I was going for. I can’t help but think Unforgettable Waves yarn would be perfect for that pattern. Unforgettable Waves worked up perfectly to my Twilight Knitted Hat pattern. Good luck with all your summer knitting and I hope you give Unforgettable Waves a try. It’s really interesting and the perfect starting place if you’re interested in art yarns. Before trying out something really difficult to knit with, I recommend that you let the color and texture of this yarn take you on a ride.

I think because of the texture and the color patterning, I would not use Unforgettable Waves to do a super complex stitch pattern. There’s already enough going on with the yarn that you can get away with a very simple

You can really see the thick and thin of the yarn when it’s in the ball like this.

Voilà! The Twilight Knitted Hat becomes the Unforgettable Wave hat!

KNITmuch | issue 4

3 Tips

for Knitting with Braided Cord Red Heart’s Cordial yarn was originally designed with macramé in mind. This yarn has more of a ropey appearance and not a whole lot of stretch, which is ideal for some projects, but does take a bit of special care when you’re knitting with it. Here are 3 tips for knitting with Braided Cord.

Red Heart’s Cordial in Natural and Jazzy

TIP 1

If you have ever knit with cotton, you’ll know how this yarn feels as you knit it. There’s usually very little stretch in cotton, which means you might have to take a break more frequently or loosen up your gauge if you’re a tight knitter. Most other fibers stretch a great deal, which acts as a cushion for the joints in our hands. With firmer fibers you’re using a lot more strength from your hands to knit up your project.

You can see how the natural ends tend to spread out a bit.

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TIP 2

Another thing I noticed about this yarn is the technique used to put it together. It’s stranded and all the threads are woven in together. This gives the yarn an amazing amount of strength and endurance. It’s going to hold up really well to wear and tear over the years. It also means that the ends could fray once cut. For some projects this would not be a problem, but others it might be slightly more difficult. I would suggest putting a dab of anti-fray liquid or spray on the cut end of the yarn.

Knitting with braided cord

TIP 3

What you really need to consider with this yarn is what projects would benefit from this particular yarn. Anything you need to be extremely durable such as rugs, potholders, storage containers and anything that would be used outdoors. The same factors that contribute to the durability of this yarn also give it a slightly stiff gauge, which is perfect for the previously mentioned projects. With these 3 tips for knitting with braided cord, you’ll have a relatively seamless transition. Braided cord offers a wide variety of projects that would not be possible with regular yarn no matter the fiber composition. One of the larger projects a friend suggested to me was a knitted hammock, an interesting and ambitious idea that Cordial is perfect for! Michelle Nguyen www.stitchesbeslippin.com

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KNITmuch | issue 4

From sheep to stitches Following the lead of Irish knitters

)

days of all things wool in the south or north of Ireland is a dream vacation for knitters.

KNITmuch | issue 4

The tours also highlight the ancient and recent history of the island. Arranged and hosted by The Irish Tourism Group, the excursions take knitters to mills, shops, classes, and historic sites. The tours begin in Dublin and, by going a day early, I had time to tour Trinity College and view The Book of Kells, a 9th century illuminated manuscript of the four gospels. I joined the southern tour at the Museum of Decorative Arts and History, a former British barracks that houses some excellent examples of Irish craft. It would be impossible to do a specialized tour of Ireland and not see and learn about Celtic crosses, abbeys, agricultural development, and the Easter Uprising of 1916. By doing only half the island on the southern tour, daily hotel changes are minimized allowing free time to explore the host cities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dublin, Killarney, and Galway. A highlight is a two day visit to one of the Aran Islands. The southern tour went to Inis Oirr, the smallest island, where we learned from Una McDonagh the history of Aran knitting and some of the myths about it. She shared one of her grandmotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite cable patterns with eager knitters.

KNITmuch | issue 4

Other crafts common to Ireland are demonstrated or taught. At the Spiddal Craft Village, demonstrator Ciaran Hogan, wove a baby rattle from willow. On Inis Oirr, a needle felting workshop had us laughing about taking out our aggression as we stabbed at our design! We also toured Connemara Marble and composed ribald rhymes as we passed through County Limerick. But always there was wool. Sheep dot the hillsides and crowd pastures and we learned how these wooly animals became ubiquitous with the country and its people. At Kerry Woollen Mills, we toured the 300-year-old mill and learned how the fleece is turned into the wool we were eager to purchase. Workshops with noted Irish knitters, Carol Feller, Anne Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Maille, and Mairead Sharry, gave us the best instruction on how to read aran charts, accomplish cables, and use wool in other ways.

The tour was an opportunity to share our knitting passion with like-minded needle wielders. Non-knitting spouses and travelling companions were offered options to tour abbeys, play golf, go on walks or visit pubs. Always there were friendly people to talk to who are happy to share their stories and their love of their homeland.

Rosalie I. Tennison

r.tennison@sympatico.ca

Photos by Rosalie I Tennison and the Irish Tourism Group

KNITmuch | issue 4

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KNITmuch | issue 4

Standards & Guidelines For Crochet and Knitting • YarnStandards.com Standards & Guidelines For Crochet and Knitting • YarnStandards.com

KNITmuch

Standard Yarn Weight System Standard Yarn Weight System Categories of yarn, gauge ranges, and recommended needle and hook sizes Categories of yarn, gauge ranges, and recommended needle and hook sizes

Yarn Weight Yarn Weight& Symbol Symbol & Category Category Names Names Type of Type of in Yarns Yarns in Category Category Knit Gauge Knit Gaugein Range* Range* in Stockinette Stockinette Stitch to Stitch to 4 inches 4 inches

Sport, Sport,Baby Baby

DK, DK, Light Light Worsted Worsted

Worsted, Worsted, Afghan, Afghan,Aran Aran

Chunky, Chunky,Craft, Craft, Rug Rug

Bulky, Bulky,Roving Roving

Jumbo, Jumbo,Roving Roving

27–32 27–32 sts sts

23–26 23–26 sts sts

21–24 21–24 sts sts

16–20 16–20 sts sts

12–15 12–15 sts sts

7–11 7–11 sts sts

6 sts 6 sts and and fewer fewer

Recommended Recommended Needlein in 1.5–2.25 Needle 1.5–2.25 MetricSize Size Metric mmmm Range Range

2.25–3.25 2.25–3.25 mmmm

3.25–3.75 3.25–3.75 mmmm

3.75–4.5 3.75–4.5 mm mm

4.5–5.5 4.5–5.5 mm mm

5.5–85.5–8 mm mm

12.75 mm 8–12.75 12.75 mm 8–12.75 and and mm mm larger larger

Recommended Recommended NeedleU.S.U.S. Needle 000000 to 1to 1 SizeRange Range Size

1 to13to 3

3 to35to 5

5 to 57 to 7

7 to 97 to 9

9 to 119 to 11

11 to 17 11 to 17

17 17 and and larger larger

Crochet Crochet Gauge*Ranges 32–42 32–42 Gauge*Ranges Single double ininSingle double Crochettoto crochets** Crochet crochets** inch 4 4inch

21–32 21–32 sts sts

16–20 16–20 sts sts

12–17 12–17 sts sts

11–14 11–14 sts sts

8–118–11 sts sts

7–9 7–9 sts sts

6 sts 6 sts and and fewer fewer

Steel*** Steel*** Recommended Recommended 1.6–1.4 mm 1.6–1.4 mm 2.25–3.25 2.25–3.25 Hook Hookin inMetric Metric Regular hook mmmm Regular hook Size Range Size Range 2.25 mmmm 2.25

3.5–4.5 3.5–4.5 mmmm

6.5–96.5–9 4.5–5.5 4.5–5.5 5.5–6.5mm 5.5–6.5mm mm mm mm mm

9–15 9–15 mm mm

15 mm15 mm and and larger larger

Steel*** Steel*** 6, 7,6, 87, 8 Regular Regular hook hook B–1 B–1

E–4E–4 to 7to 7

7 to 7I–9 to I–9

I–9 I–9 to to 1 ⁄2 1⁄2 K–10K–10

M-13 M-13 to Q to Q

Q Q and and larger larger

Recommended Recommended Hook HookU.S.U.S.SizeSize Range Range

Fingering, Sock, Fingering, Sock, 10 count Fingering, 10 countthread Fingering, crochet Baby crochet thread Baby 33–40** 33–40** sts sts

B–1B–1 to E–4 to E–4

1 K–10K–10 ⁄2 1⁄2 to M-13 to M-13

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

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...to K, is to

Standard abbreviations & terms alt = alternate approx = approximately beg = begin(ning) BO= bind off CC = contrast colour ch = chain cm = centimetre(s) cn = cable needle CO = cast on cont = continue, continuing 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) ktbl = Knit through the back loop. 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) ptbl = knit through the back loop. pm = place marker psso = slip 1 stitch together knitwise, knit 1, then pass slipped stitches over p2sso = slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, then pass slipped stitches 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 yfwd = bringing yarn forward to create a yarn over when working into next st(s) yo = yarn over