Showing posts with label arm warmers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arm warmers. Show all posts

Monday, April 29, 2013

Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers

Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers
Okay!  So much like the last hat I posted, these arm warmers are for a friend, by request.  And as you've probably guessed by now, she's a lady lawyer in Alaska, where the courtrooms are cold but the justice is hot (or so they say).  Either way, she wanted something delicate and eggplant-y, and I loved this stitch pattern too much to use any other (none of the pictures show it really well, but the basic pattern is a big hole in the center of a four-stitch rib, and then two little holes on the side two rows up, repeated over and over).  Or in other words, it's perfect for all your Alaskan justice-related needs.

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% Peruvian wool, 20% Super Fine Alpaca, 30% Nylon; 433 yards [400 meters]/100 grams); #12171 Berry Pie Mix - one skein

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 1

Notions: Tapestry needle
A little bit better view of the pattern, with a twist

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 2 needles

Now, before we get started, let's talk about sizing for a moment.  To make these arm warmers, I cast on 72 stitches, and they're intended for a person whose forearms and base-of-thumb hand-parts measure roughly 9.5" around.  Each iteration of the pattern is 6 stitches and little under 1"; for that reason, you can change the size of these arm warmers by simply casting on more or less stitches.  If your forearms are smaller than 9.5" you can comfortably wear larger arm warmers, but they won't stretch and show the pattern off as well.  So if your forearms/base-of-thumb-hand-parts measure about 8.5", consider casting on 66 stitches, cast on 60 stitches if they measure 7.5", and even less if you're making these for a child (and conversely, cast on 78, 84, etc. stitches if your forearms and hands are larger).  Luckily, this is only something you have to think about once, when you do your initial cast-on!  So let's get started.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Twilled Stripe Arm Warmers

Twilled Stripe Arm Warmers
Okay, I bought this yarn a couple of years ago (I think my plan, at the time, was to knit a sock monkey out of it.  But then I knit two OTHER sock monkeys, got bored, and put my yarn in the closet).  Anyway, I've been looking for a good use for it ever since, because it is admittedly quite girly but a big enough gauge that it's never going to look dainty.  And while I considered doing fingerless gloves (with a thumb hole, you know), ultimately I decided that this pattern would look best without the disruption.  And I have to say - I love the pattern, and the way that the variegation knitted up in stripes.  With one less pattern repeat, this would also be an excellent design for little girls.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Paints (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #9860 Jelly Bean - just one skein, baby!

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 8
A close-up!  Dude, I love this pattern.

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette (well, I kinda made that up and I didn't knit a test swatch.  The label says that 5 stitches = 1 inch on US 7 needles, and I'm using 8's since I don't have 7's and I can't spend the $$$ to buy a set.  Either way it worked)

Before we get started, let's take a moment to talk about sizing.  My forearms are about 8 inches in circumference and each iteration of this pattern (7 stitches per repeat) adds about an inch to the total circumference.  Therefore, if your forearms are one inch bigger, you can always add another set of 7 stitches (or if they're two inches bigger, two more sets, etc. - just remember that, if you choose to use this yarn or a similar one, the variegation won't knit up the exact same way).  Basically, this pattern is a deep rib, and you have lots of room to play.  So let's get to it!

Cast on 42 stitches (49, 56, etc.) and divide between 3 dpns in groups of 7 as evenly as possible.  Join in round.  If you cast on an even number of stitches, knit 1 inch in a k1, p1 ribbing.  Or, if you cast on an odd number of stitches, knit 1 inch in a p2, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1 ribbing.