Ruched Shawlette

Ruched Shawlette
(According to my spellchecker,
I made up both of those words)

The story of this item is simple - I received a box full of beautiful homespun yarns as a gift, and this particular yarn told me exactly what it wanted me to do with it. Namely, it wanted to be made into a beautiful and simple triangle scarf (shawlette? I am still struggling with the vocabulary of this particular design). Whatever you call it, though, this is a perfect pattern for that gorgeous handspun you've had your eye on, one that's made especially nice by the column of ruching down the front of the piece. Blah blah blah, how about I stop talking now and start knitting instead?

Yarn: Homespun I received as a gift (100% Superfine Merino; 356 yards [326 meters]/?? grams); hand-dyed - 1 skein

The ruching. It's subtle in this yarn
but I promise it's there.

Needles: Size US 10 needles, 16" or longer size US 8 circular needle (for length, not for circular knitting), plus a size US 11 or larger needle for your provisional cast-on


Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 15 stitches = 4 inches

Using your size 11 or larger needle and the provisional cast-on technique, cast on 54 stitches. Transfer to your size 10 needles and proceed as follows:

Row 1: knit until there are four stitches left in row, k2tog, k2

Rows 2 & 4: k2, purl until there are two stitches left in row, k2

Row 3: knit

Knit rows 1 though 4 until you have 38 stitches left on your needle and you've just completed row 4 (if you have yarn to spare, you could continue these four rows longer. As is, the piece measures 52" across. Each additional time you repeat these four rows before moving on to the next set will add about 1/2" to the finished length). Anyway, when you're ready, we'll proceed as follow:

Gradated Rib Leg Warmers

Gradated Rib Leg Warmers

I had the idea for these leg warmers ages ago, and then got distracted by too many other projects to make them happen. Since I had already bought the yarn, however, I finally got to them this last week. And what sets these guys apart is that they actually use two different weights of yarn, as well as a number of different needle sizes, in order to create a small-to-large-to-small-again gradated look. Of course, you could just as easily knit them with a single weight of yarn, with or without the needle size changes (well, you'd definitely want to change needle sizes for the ribbing, but skip the changes for everything else). This pattern is also easy to size, as long as you add or subtract a multiple of four. As written, the pattern is sized to be about 12" around at the top and bottom, and each four stitches added or subtracted will change the size by about 3/4".

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #802 Green Apple - one skein (size A), Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Aran (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 150 yards [137.5 meters]/100 grams); #802 Green Apple - one skein (size B)

A close up. This pattern uses eyelets and twisted stitches
for a very deep ribbing.

Needles: One set of double pointed needles (dpns) in size 5, one set of dpns in size 7, one set of dpns in size 8, and one set of dpns in size 10


Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches on size 7 needles for size A yarn, 18 stitches = 4 inches on size 8 needles for size B yarn

So let's get started! First, using your size 5 needles and your size A yarn, cast on 60 stitches (or 56, or 64, or whatever multiple of four you need to get the size you want) and distribute evenly between 3 dpns (just make sure you have a multiple of four stitches on each needle). Join in round. Then, we'll work the following ribbing row:

Ribbing Row: * p1, k2, p1; rep from *

Notched Front Cowl

Notched Front Cowl

At this point, I imagine that everyone who looks at my patterns regularly has already figured out that I like to come up with new shapes for cowls. And I do, mostly because scarves have become impractical now that my children can use them to try to strangle me (unintentionally, of course). So the Notched Front Cowl is yet another entry into my new-shapes-for-cowls canon, and one that can be styled a couple of different ways (see below for pics). It's also a good design for those who have just begun to knit in the round, or who want more practice with basic increases and decreases.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Sierra (80% Pima Cotton, 20% Merino Wool; 191 yards [175 meters]/100 grams); #01 (White) - one skein


The back.
I would have done a close up, but I'm pretty sure you've seen
seed stitch before.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

Cast on 101 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll go straight into a seed stitch for the first part of the pattern. Or in knitting terms, we'll proceed like so:

Row 1: k1, * p1, k1; rep from *

Row 2: p1, * k1, p1 *

Knit rows 1 & 2 until piece measures roughly 3". It doesn't matter which row you end on. And now, we'll knit one transition row to place our extra markers, like so: