Grand Picot Eyelet Cowl

Grand Picot Eyelet Cowl

So here's the thing. Mostly, I bought this yarn because it was 100% cotton, I liked the subtle color pattern, and it was cheap as hell. Then, at some point, I realized that most people seem to use this type of fiber for dish clothes rather than, you know, cowls. Nevertheless, I quite like the end result, both with the braided cable and the reversible eyelet pattern which surrounds it.

From the back

Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Cream (100% Cotton; 95 yards [86 meters]/56.7 grams); color #00178 Potpourri Ombre - 2 skeins

Needles: Straight needles in size 7, two double pointed needles (dpns) in size 7 (for the i-cord), cable needle (cn) or dpn for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

To begin, we'll cast on 24 stitches. Knit 11, place first marker, k2, place your second marker, and then knit until the end of the round. Then, for the main pattern, we'll be incorporating Grand Picot Eyelet from page 182 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and we'll working increases until we can begin the braid. So let's proceed as follows:

Row 1 (wrong side): k2, * sl1-k2tog-psso, (yo) twice; rep from * until you reach first marker, slip marker, purl until you reach second marker, slip marker, * sl1-k2tog-psso, (yo) twice * until you're two stitches from the end of the row, k2

Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves

Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves

I've worked with this yarn before, and enjoyed it (with the Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers and the Oopsie Daisy Diagonal Hat). Therefore, when I saw it in this delicious brand-new-leaf green, I knew I had to bring it home. And the Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves have a nice open pattern that's great for spring, with the added benefit that the yarn overs give them a ribbing-like quality which makes them conform nicely to the hands. So, you know, the yarn is nice, the shape is good, and the pattern looks decent, to boot. And what more can you look for in a fingerless glove?

My husband calls this pose the "claw."
Apparently, I don't have a future in hand modeling.

Sizes: smaller (for a hand roughly 7 1/2" - 8" in circumference at the base of the thumb) and larger (for a hand roughly 8 1/2" - 9" in circumference at the base of the thumb) - directions for larger size will follow those for the smaller size in parentheses

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% Superwash Wool, 20% Super Fine Alpaca, 30% Nylon; 433 yards [400 meters]/100 grams); #12177 Kaffir Mix - one skein

Needles: One set of double pointed needles (dpns) in size 2, one set of dpns in size 1

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches

Using your size 1 needles, cast on 55 (65) stitches loosely, and distribute between your three double pointed needles as follows: 20 stitches on your first needle, 15 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle (for larger size: 20 stitches on your first needle, 25 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle). Join in round. Then, we'll knit the following ribbing row:

Lace Ladder Cowl

Lace Ladder Cowl

Nothin' says springtime like a cowl (well, let's be fair - some crocuses would help too, but I think they're still too scared to poke up), and this linen-blend is a nice weight for the changing seasons. This design is also well-suited to nubbly or variegated yarns, since you don't need to make out the pattern super-well to appreciate the overall result.

The pattern, close up

Yarn: Kraemer Belfast (42% Cotton, 22% Linen, 20% Viscose, 11% Acrylic, 5% Silk; 220 yards [201 meters]/100 grams); color #Y2101 Rose - one skein

Needles: Straight needles in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, five stitch markers

Gauge: 21 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started! First, cast on 12 stitches loosely and knit one row across. And then we'll proceed like so:

Row 1 (wrong side): (k1, p1) twice, purl until there are four stitches left in row, (p1, k1) twice

Sweet Strawberry Cowl

 

Sweet Strawberry Cowl

This was one of those projects that was inspired by the yarn as much as anything; with a lovely, glossy drape and a reversible mesh at the neck, this is the sort of design that would look good in any cotton or cotton blend (well, I'm sure there are plenty of other yarns it would look good in too, but it's well suited to a fiber with less give, like cotton). Long story short, this cowl is simple but striking and looks killer on. And what more can you ask for, really? 

From the back

Yarn: SMC Select Violena Colori (50% Cotton, 50% Modal; 109 yards [100 meters]/50 grams); color #4324 Strawberry – two skeins

Needles: Straight needles in size 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers

Gauge: 21 stitches = 4 inches

To begin, cast on 30 stitches, and then knit the following set-up rows:

Set-up row 1 (right side): knit

Fan Lace Hat

Fan Lace Hat

Well, I figured it was high time for me to use the rest of this yarn. And after completing the Field of Tulips Cowl and the Tons of Triangles Cowl, all I had left was the reddish color, and just enough for a slouchy, spring-weight hat. Therefore, the Fan Lace Hat was born. And it's a fun knit, if I may say so myself!

The fan lace pattern, closer-up

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sierra (80% Pima Cotton, 20% Merino Wool; 191 yards [175 meters]/100 grams); #55 Sunset - one skein

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 8, one 16" circular needle in size US 6


Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches on size 8 needles

So let's do this thing! First of all, then, using your size 6 needle, cast on 100 stitches, place marker, and join in round. And then we'll begin with this ribbing row:

Ribbing Row: * (k1, p1) twice, k1; rep from *

Daisy Chain Cowl

Daisy Chain Cowl

Technically, the name of this cowl should have something to do with snowflakes (since the stitch pattern is the Snowflake Eyelet and all). But I'm way too tired of winter to give this lightweight cotton v-neck cowl any name that isn't cheery, especially since it's a great warmer weather piece. It's also a top-down number finished with seed stitch edgings, which means you don't even have to block it, if you don't want to!

A not-very-good close-up of the stitch pattern.
Sorry.

Yarn: Schachenmayr Down to Earth Cotton (100% Cotton; 142 yards [130 meters]/50 grams); #35 Pink Peony - two skeins

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 4, one 24" circular needle in size 4

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches

So let's do this! First, then, using your 16" needle, cast on 127 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then, knit the following set-up rows:

Set-up Rows 1, 3 & 5: k1, * p1, k1; rep from *

Gumdrop Beanie

Gumdrop Beanie

As you can see, I'm still having fun with this yarn. But this time, I've decided to employ it for something other than fingerless gloves - a hat! And not just a hat, but a mid-weight, slouchy number with a touch of color detail for extra fun. So let's get started!

The back. Simple, but pretty.

Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Baby Micro (51% Virgin Wool, 49% Acrylic; 106 yards [97.5 meters]/25 grams); #03 Teal - two skeins (color A) & #05 Lilac - one skein (color B)

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 3, one 16" circular needle in size 4, one set of double pointed needles, also in size 4

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches 

Using color A and your size 3 circular needle, cast on 126 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Work in a * k3, p3 * ribbing until piece measures about 1.25". Then, switch to your size 4 circular needle and begin the pattern, as follows:

Rows 1 & 2: using color A, knit

Mellow Yellow Cowl

Mellow Yellow Cowl

This is a pattern I designed for my mother, who wanted something simple enough to work effortlessly while watching plot-heavy television, but also two-color with at least a bit of interest value. So while this is a simple design, it also has a certain amount of textured charm, which you can see even more clearly in the swatch I knit up with contrasting colors. It's also extremely versatile, and could be knit with larger yarns or needles, or even a saucy novelty yarn alongside a plainer one.

A swatch with two more distinct colors.
The knit/purl design breaks up the two-row stripes for
a bit of interest.

Yarn: Bristol Yarn Gallery Somerset (85% Pima Cotton, 15% Silk; 115 yards [105 meters]/50 grams); #103 Yellow (color A) - one skein & Plymouth Yarn Sweet Caroline (100% Cotton; 76 yards [69 meters]/50 grams); #32 Pale Yellow (color B) - one skein

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches

My two yarns, to give you perspective
on how similar they are.

Gauge: 18 - 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette (my two yarns are slightly different gauges, and I'm not at all worried about it)

So let's get started! First, using color A, cast on 120 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then, knit 6 rows in a k1, p1 ribbing. And once that's done, let's move on to the pattern, which goes as follows:

Rows 1 & 2: using color B, * k2, p2; rep from *

Tons of Triangles Cowl

Tons of Triangles Cowl

As promised, the yarns from the Field of Tulips Cowl are making a reappearance (and yes, that means that those three skeins will get you both of these cowls, plus whatever I decide to make with the leftover reddish one). And for this pattern, I mixed a slipped stitch triangle pattern with an overall triangle theme for an effect that's a bit tribal and of a larger size (when folded in half, which is how I blocked it for the crease effect, the piece measures about 15" along the neck and 20" along the bottom). Overall, it's also a pretty striking knit, and reasonably fun to make as well.

Oh, the triangles!

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sierra (80% Pima Cotton, 20% Merino Wool; 191 yards [175 meters]/100 grams); #03 Vanilla - one skein (color A), #21 Royal Blue - one skein (color B)

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 8


Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Using color A, cast on 166 stitches, place marker, and join in round. K63, place marker, k40, place another marker, and knit until the end of the round. Then, we'll knit one set-up row, which goes as follows:

Set-up Row: using color A, p2, * k2, p1; rep from * until you are one stitch before first marker, p1; then, slip marker, and knit until second marker, slip marker, and then p2, * k2, p1 * until you are one stitch before end of round, p1

And now, let's move on to the main pattern, which is a combination of Chain of Triangles from page 100 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns and another slipped stitch pattern. So let's keep going!

Spring Fling Fingerless Gloves

Spring Fling Fingerless Gloves

As you may be able to tell, I really struggled to come up with a good name for these gloves (the stitch I used, Russian Stitch, just didn't have much of a ring, or seem appropriate given the final product). I also struggled with finding the exact right way to deploy the yarn I had left over from the Little Arrowhead Fingerless Gloves, and ripped these bad boys out a couple of times before I was satisfied. Of course, the good news is that I am, indeed, satisfied with the finished product, which is a short, spring-weight fingerless glove that relies on a little bit of texture and a little bit of color for oomph. In general, I would also say that these fit a little on the large side, and if you've got super-petite hands, you're welcome to hit me up for revised pattern instructions. If your hands are small and above, however, I think one of the sizes below should work (I'm a women's small in most glove-like things, and the smaller size fits me fine).

Thumb and stuff.

Sizes: smaller (for a hand roughly 7 1/2" - 8" in circumference at the base of the thumb) and larger (for a hand roughly 8 1/2" - 9" in circumference at the base of the thumb) - directions for larger size will follow those for the smaller size in parentheses

Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Baby Micro (51% Virgin Wool, 49% Acrylic; 106 yards [97.5 meters]/25 grams); #05 Lilac - one skein (color A) & #04 Light Blue - one skein (color B)

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 3, one set of dpns in size 2

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 26 stitches = 4 inches 

Using your size 2 dpns and your color A yarn, cast on 55 stitches loosely (65 stitches) and distribute among your dpns as follows: 20 stitches on your first needle, 15 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle (for the larger size: 20 stitches on your first needle, 25 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle). Join in round, and knit 4 rows in the following ribbing row:

Field of Tulips Cowl

Field of Tulips Cowl

I grew up near the Skagit Valley in Washington, which celebrates spring each year with a tulip festival that drives all the locals nuts with insane traffic. On the plus side, of course, is the acres and acres of tulips all blooming at once, and of which this cowl reminds me. Or in other words, I designed this in what I consider to be the spirit of spring, and in tulip-y colors. It also combines two slip stitch patterns which evoke two different plowed-fields effects.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sierra (80% Pima Cotton, 20% Merino Wool; 191 yards [175 meters]/100 grams); #03 Vanilla - one skein (color A), #21 Royal Blue - one skein (color B), #55 Sunset - one skein (color C)

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 8, one 16" or 20" circular needle, also in size 8


The back; the slip stitch color pattern reminds me
of the fields.

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Using color A and your 24" needle, cast on 149 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Knit 20, place extra marker, and then knit until you're 20 stitches from the end of the round and place another marker. Knit until the end of the round. And now, let's get right to the pattern, which you'll find below. As you'll notice, you will have fewer stitches on your needle on rows 3 and 9, which you'll add back on rows 4 and 10.

Little Arrowhead Fingerless Gloves

Little Arrowhead Fingerless Gloves
I went with Legos for the photo this time.

As promised, I'm adding more fingerless gloves to the repertoire. And the Little Arrowhead pair has a couple of nice features, including a simple repeating lace pattern and the fact that both gloves can both be knit from the same pattern (so no left hand, right hand mumbo jumbo!). I should note, however, that these gloves are designed with a slightly looser fit in mind (as you can see from the pictures, they're not stretching tight over my hands or anything), and if you want them to be snug, you may want to knit them a size smaller than I give directions for. In fact, if you have itty bitty hands and want really tight gloves, I would even recommend casting on 45 stitches instead of the small size's recommended 54, omitting those 9 stitches from your second dpn. Remember, however, that this will make your cast-on and cast-off edges tight, and you'll have to take extra care to cast on and bind off such that you can still get your hands in these bad boys!

I just realized why I like this color.
It's the same shade we painted the house!

Sizes: smaller (for a hand roughly 7 1/2" - 8" in circumference at the base of the thumb) and larger (for a hand roughly 8 1/2" - 9" in circumference at the base of the thumb) - directions for larger size will follow those for the smaller size in parentheses

Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Baby Micro (51% Virgin Wool, 49% Acrylic; 106 yards [97.5 meters]/25 grams); #04 Light Blue - two skeins

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 3, one set of dpns in size 2

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 26 stitches = 4 inches

Using your size 2 dpns, cast on 54 stitches loosely (63 stitches) and distribute among your dpns as follows: 18 stitches on your first needle, 18 stitches on your second needle, and 18 stitches on your third needle (for the larger size: 18 stitches on your first needle, 27 stitches on your second needle, and 18 stitches on your third needle). Join in round, and then we'll knit the following ribbing row:

Turquoise V Cowl

Turquoise V Cowl

I knew I had to have this yarn as soon as I saw it; the colors, the feel (it's a bit ropey, but soft), and the general aesthetic of the fiber really appealed to me. But then I struggled a bit more when it came to knitting it up, tearing through who-knows-how-many ideas before settling on this one. And, in short, this one relies on a cabled edge down one side of the cowl and a stitch pattern which adds and drops stitches for a very textured effect. Furthermore, while the pattern below looks complicated, that's mostly just increases and decreases along the edge; the basic stitch pattern remains the same throughout.

The stitch pattern, closer up.

Yarn: Schachnmayr Original Multicolor (100% Cotton; 98 yards [90 meters]/50 grams); color #85 Jade Mix – two skeins

Needles: Straight needles in size 7, cable needle (cn) or double-pointed needle for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker 

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started! First, let's define some terminology as follows:

front cross (fc): slip 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, p3, k2 from cn

back cross (bc): slip 3 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, p3 from cn

Now, cast on 14 stitches loosely, and knit the following row: p2, place marker, k4, p4, k4. Then, we’ll repeat a few set-up rows to get the piece started. Or in our pattern notation,

Set-up Rows 1 & 3 (right side): p4, k4, p4, slip marker, knit until one stitch before end of row, yo, k1

Set-up Rows 2 & 4: purl until marker, slip marker, k4, p4, k4 

Lucina Shell Cowl

Lucina Shell Cowl

In my experience, at least half of making a nice pattern is finding the right blend of yarn and design. And with these particular yarns - the grey one is textured, and the yellow one is glossy smooth - I wasn't quite sure if I could pull off a mixed design. But then I found this gathered stitch pattern, which adds stitches on rows 1, 3, and 5 and then pulls them all together in row 7, and I thought that it was just the right combination of whimsy and texture to make the yarn pop.

The pattern. Well, I didn't do a very good job of
straightening it out but I think you get the point...

Yarn: Bristol Yarn Gallery Bradford (97% Pima Cotton, 3% Nylon; 120 yards [110 meters]/50 grams); #112 Mirage (color A) - one skein & Bristol Yarn Gallery Somerset (85% Pima Cotton, 15% Silk; 115 yards [105 meters]/50 grams); #103 Yellow (color B) - one skein

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Using color A, cast on 130 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Purl 14, place extra marker, and then purl until you have 14 stitches left in round, and place another marker. Purl till the end of the round. And now, let's begin the main pattern, which is Lucina Shell from page 226 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, except adapted for the round and stripes (and blended with a slipped stitch pattern). So here goes!

American Beauty Hat

American Beauty Hat

It may be spring in most of the country, but in my neck of the woods, we're still in single-digits, driving down roads rutted with ice. Of course, I think that this three-color, slipped stitch hat will transition nicely to warmer temperatures as well, and hopefully now that I've made it for my husband, that's exactly what we'll get. Or at least his ears will stay warm...

Yarn: Schachenmayr smc Juvel (100% New Wool; 116 yards [106 meters]/50 grams); #575 Light Moss - one skein (color A), #2 Medium Grey Heather - one skein (color B), #500 Mottled Bark - one skein (color C)

I couldn't bring myself to do a boring back -
hit me up if you want one, though, and I'll come up
with something.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 4, one 16" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches on size 6 needles

Using your size 4 circular needle and your color A yarn, cast on 116 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Knit 1.5" in a * k1, p1 * ribbing, and then switch to your size 7 needle and knit one row. Next, we'll begin the pattern, which is American Beauty Tweed from page 39 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, except adapted for the round. So here goes!

Row 1: using color B, * slip 2 with yarn in back, k2; rep from *

Cloverleaf Eyelet Fingerless Gloves

Cloverleaf Eyelet Fingerless Gloves

I recently received a lovely email suggesting that I make a pair of lacy, fingerless gloves. And I was immediately on board - I've been plotting fingerless gloves for a while now, other projects just keep getting in the way. Unfortunately, I didn't have any good yarn for a particularly lacy project, so I ended up with these kind of starter-lace gloves instead, which use a little bit of eyeletted ribbing, but are a fairly straightforward pattern. Now that I've patterned my first pair, however, expect to see more in the near future - and of a lacier variety!

The pattern. A cloverleaf, if you look closely.

Sizes: smaller (for a hand roughly 7 1/2" - 8" in circumference at the base of the thumb) and larger (for a hand roughly 8 1/2" - 9" in circumference at the base of the thumb) - directions for larger size will follow those for the smaller size in parentheses

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #821 Daffodil – one skein (both sizes)

Needles: one set of double-pointed needles in size 6, one set of double-pointed needles in size 4

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches on size 6 needles

First and foremost: since these fingerless gloves have a pattern that's intended to be in different places on the two gloves (left of the thumb on the left side, right of the thumb on the right), we'll have to knit the right and left gloves with slightly different patterns. So let's begin with the left, and when that bad boy's done, we'll move on to the right!

Porcelain Moon Cowl

Porcelain Moon Cowl

Okay, I know the name for this one is goofy. But the design reminds me of something between fine china and Sailor Moon, and I don't have a name for the stitch, so I got stuck. And, either way, it's a closer-fitting, quick-knitting cowl that gets a bit of a different look from the faux-bow gather of the front.

Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Solstice (70% Organic Cotton, 30% Wool; 100 yards [91 meters]/50 grams); #2346 Faded Teal – one skein (color A) & Skacel Urban Silk (80% Silk, 20% Cotton; 93 yards [85 meters]/50 grams); #01 Cream – one skein (color B)

Needles: One 16" or 20" circular needle in size 8

Notions: Tapestry needle, 3 stitch markers

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches (roughly - my two skeins are slightly different gauges, but I'm not worrying about it)

Using color A, cast on 117 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Next, purl 9, place marker, and purl until you're 9 stitches from the end of the round. Place a second marker, and purl until you reach the end of the round. Purl two more rows, slipping additional markers when you come to them. And now, it's time to begin the pattern, which goes as follows:

Row 1: using color A, knit until two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, and knit until second marker. Then, slip marker, ssk, and knit til end of round

Flemish Block Cowl

Flemish Block Cowl

As soon as I saw this yarn, I was in love. After all, it's ridiculously soft, delightful to knit, and a pretty pink color to boot (well, my four-year-old says it's "too pink", but he also thinks racquetball is called "rocketball," so I'm not giving him too much credit). Anyway, the challenge I had after buying this yarn was finding a decent way to knit it up. And after rejecting not one, but TWO two-color designs and ripping out false starts at least four times, I came up with this voluminous and luxuriously soft spring knit, that could also be made a few inches shorter if you wanted something with a little less bulk around the neck. But let's get on to the pattern, eh?

The Flemish Blocks

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Pure Alpaca (100% Baby Alpaca; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #3055 Strawberries & Cream – one skein 

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size US 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, 3 stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

Cast on 119 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then, knit one row in a * k1, p1 * pattern, placing one marker after you've worked 37 stitches, and the next marker 45 stitches later (so this marker should be 37 stitches from the end of the round) (and yes, since you're knitting a * k1, p1 * pattern, you will have two knit stitches together on either side of the round marker, since we have an odd number of stitches). Purl one row, and then complete another * k1, p1 * row like the first, slipping extra markers when you come to them on both rows. Then we'll go straight to the pattern, which is a combination of Flemish Block Lace from page 270 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns and a simple lace pattern. So let's get started!

Stripe and Spot Cowl

Stripe and Spot Cowl

At some point, I think I made an unconscious decision to knit something for everyone who works at my kids' preschool. And this particular piece is intended for a certain Miss Mary, who requested something a little bit warm and a little bit fun. So here's what I came up with - a nice weight for our frosty spring!

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Worsted (100% Pure New Wool; 210 yards [192 meters]/100 grams); #202 Aran – one skein (color A), Cascade 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams) #1942 Mint - one skein (color B), and #1960 Pacific - one skein (color C)

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, 3 stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

Using color A, cast on 120 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Knit one row in a * k1, p1 * pattern, placing one extra marker after working 57 stitches, and another extra marker 5 stitches away from that (so the first marker should be 57 stitches from the beginning of the round and the second marker should be 58 stitches from the end of the round). On your next row, use a * p1, k1 * pattern, slipping extra markers when you reach them, and then knit one more row like your first, also slipping the markers (so you'll have three rows of seed stitch). Then we'll switch to our pattern, which is a total bastardization of Stripe and Spot Pattern from page 56 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

Kids' Dice Check Balaclava

Kids' Dice Check Balaclava

So I'll be honest; I'm not sure I would have ever come up with the idea to knit a kids' balaclava on my own. But after a special request for a simple but attractive kids' piece, I came up with this design. And while it's not quite as "simple" as I originally intended, I do think that the three-color pattern I've come up with is striking, and easier to make than it looks, since the most complex thing you'll need to know how to do to make it is pick up stitches. However, as this pattern has more instructions than many of the ones I post, I highly recommend reading through it before you begin, so you know where you're going.

Sizes: Ages 18 months - 3 years (4 - 7 years)

The top. With racing stripe.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #1924 Midnight Heather – one skein (color A), #1942 Mint - one skein (color B), and #821 Daffodil - one skein (color C) (all sizes)

Needles: Two circular needles in size 6, one of them 16", and one of them 24" or longer; another 16" circular needle in size 5

Notions: Tapestry needle, 3 stitch markers, stitch holder

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 6 needles

Before we get to the pattern, let me outline how the thing is constructed. First, then, we'll knit a strip which will end up being the top of the head, and then we'll pick up stitches along both sides of the strip, to create the sides and back of the hood. Next, once we've knit the entire head-covering part, we'll join the thing in a round and knit the neck portion. Lastly, we'll pick up stitches around the face hole to create a ribbing. And now that we know where we're going with this thing, let's get started!

Honeycomb Legwarmers

Honeycomb Legwarmers

So I'm going to be honest, here; the main reason I knit these legwarmers in these yarns is because I had no idea what else to do with them. The accent yarn is a chunky acrylic-based variegated, which has not only a color change, but is also always two colors at any given time. And the main color yarn is mostly-white, but has occasional flecks of black. Long story short, I was worried that knitting either of them up plain would swallow the pattern. And, while I may be delusional, I think that the slipped stitch, ribbing pattern I've developed here shows off both yarns, while also creating a warm, lofty ribbing that's well suited to a legwarmer.

I even made two!

Sizes: I recommend sizing these close to the biggest part of your calf (it's your choice whether you'd like them to turn out tighter or looser). Therefore, I will give sizing instructions for a calf of roughly 12" (14", 16"), and you can scale up or down by roughly 2" by casting on more or less stitches in sets of 9. You can also change your needle gauge for more incremental variations in size.

Yarn: Lana Gatto Bon Bon (56% Wool, 24% Acrylic, 20% Nylon; 126 yards [115 meters]/50 grams); #5589 White Grey - 2 skeins (color A) & Schachenmayr Original Boston Style (42% Acrylic, 39% Polyester, 19% Wool; 66 yards [60 meters]/50 grams); #599 Black - 2 skeins (color B)

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 10.5

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 15 stitches = 4 inches

Cable Chevron Hat

Cable Chevron Hat

The inspiration for this hat was simple: our neighbors keep blowing the snow out of our driveway, and my husband suffers from a monumental guilt complex about it. So he asked me to make a hat for the man across the street, presumably to keep his head warm while he's taking care of our snow... 

Update 12/24/2014: I have had a few comments that this hat has ended up on the small side, when finished. As a cabled hat worked in large yarn, it will definitely get a bit tighter than gauge. Therefore, I highly recommending working it on size US 11 needles if you're making it for a large head, and to double-check gauge! Furthermore, this yarn is very sturdy and chunky, and doesn't compress much. If you're working with a fluffy fiber, you may need even larger needles to produce the correct result. Or, you could simply cast on 12 extra stitches, for a total of 84 rather than 72. This modification will change the finished appearance of this hat very little :)

Yarn: Berroco Blackstone Tweed Chunky (65% Wool, 25% Superkid Mohair, 10% Angora Rabbit Hair; 60 yards [55 meters]/50 grams); #6656 Narragansett - 2 skeins

The back. Pretty, no? (in a manly way of course)

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 9, one 16" circular needle in size 10.5, one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size 10.5, and a cable needle (cn) or double-pointed needle for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker or scrap yarn to mark row

Gauge: 13 stitches = 4 inches

Using your size 9 needle, cast on 72 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Knit six rows in a k2, p2 ribbing, and then switch to your size 10.5 circular needle. Now, we'll get started on the main pattern, which is Cable Chevron from page 290 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. And it goes like so:

Diagonal Weave Cowl

Diagonal Weave Cowl

So here's the deal; I was so inspired by the yarn-mixing of my Little Bowknot Hat that I finally allowed myself to buy another one of the loner skeins of clearance yarn I've been dying for (in this case, the Berroco Versa, which is a light chunky-weight cotton acrylic blend that comes in sort of a knit tube, if you're looking for something similar). And I have to admit that I've very pleased with the results of this pattern, especially considering how little yarn I used, and how fun it was to knit. Worked with an asymmetrical line of eyelets, then, the Diagonal Weave Cowl is a great opportunity to combine a couple of stash skeins into a striking project.

A close-up of the weave pattern itself.

Yarn: Schachenmayr Ragge Yarn (70% New Wool, 30% Polyamide; 87 yards [80 meters]/50 grams); #102 Cream (color A) - one skein & Berroco Versa (50% Cotton, 50% Acrylic; 81 yards [75 meters]/50 grams); #3671 Travertine (color B) - one skein

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 8, and one 24" circular needle in size 10

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches

Gauge: 16 stitches = 4 inches

So let's do this! Using color A (for us, the cream) and your size 8 circular needle, cast on 100 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Knit 3 rows in a k2, p2 ribbing, placing your additional stitch marker after you've worked 49 stitches. Slip marker when you come to it during your ribbing rows, and transfer piece to your size 10 needle when you're finished with this. Knit one row around, still slipping extra marker when you come to it.