Sunday, February 22, 2015

Free Knitting Pattern! A Minion Hat

Minion Hat!


I made this for a friend.  The baby was born premature at just 2 pounds.  He is still very tiny at 4 months, I fear this will be too big for a while.  Otherwise I would say this would fit a 4-6 month old.
This was a "fly by the seat of my pants" pattern.  This is probably the most informal I have ever written a pattern - if you are a seasoned knitter then you'll have no problem figuring this out.  Here is what I did.

Using #8 DPNs, I cast on 64 stitches in royal blue
I worked a 1x1 ribbing for 8 rounds.

Using yellow yarn next, I knit 12 rounds.

Using black yarn, I knit one round, purled one round, knit 4 rounds, purled one round, knit one round.  (8 rounds total of black yarn).

Using yellow yarn, I knit two rounds. 
Next round, k7, k2tog, repeat around to last st, k1.
Knit one round.
K6, k2tog, repeat around to last st, k1.
Knit one round.
Cont. decreasing with one less between the k2tog followed by a knit round, until you work k2, k2tog,... etc.  do not work the knit round afterward. 
Instead work k1, k2tog, repeat around until last st, k1.
Now work k2tog across to last st, k1.
Cut yarn, thread yarn tail thru remaining sts and cinch up to gather.  Secure and weave in end.

EYEBALL
I hope I can remember to tell how I did the eyeball.  Using #7 DPNs I cast on with a provisional cast on of 4 sts, then I Icord knit for the length I wanted to make a circle (the size of the eyeball).  Once I got the length I wanted I grafted the ends together.  Then Using DPNs I picked up 36 sts around the eyecord using white yarn.  I did about 4 rows making decreases to reduce the size of the circle as I went.  Then I tied on brown yarn and worked 3 rows decreasing as I went until I had only 5 sts left, I cut yarn, threaded the tail thru the remaining stitches and cinched up to gather.
I sewed a black button in the center of the brown area. 
When I was done I didn't like the broken edge look of the brown against the white, I wanted it to look more circular so I used a crochet hook and did a chain stitch around the brown. 

Anyhoo, thats how I made mine.  I see a lot of folks crochet the eyeball which would be simple enough, I just preferred the knit look myself.





Friday, February 13, 2015

Free Knitting Pattern! Ridgley Mittens

Fun and different!
Level of difficulty: Intermediate

You will need to be acquainted with W&T, picking up wraps, and 3-needle bind off.
These mittens are knit flat, sideways, using short rows to shape. To finish off you do not need to sew, but will use a 3-needle bind off.
These are both “knit flat”, and “knit in the round” the mitten is knit flat on size 7 needles, the thumbs are knit in the round on size 6 DPNs.
These can be made in one solid color or 2 color stripes.  The garter stitch makes these very squooshy and comfy.
To Download, Print, or save this pattern scroll down just above the last picture and see the link to click on.

Sizes are for Women, Sm, Med, Lg.

Gauge: 18 1/2 sts & 40 rows per 4" in garter stitch.  It is important
to gauge as worsted weight yarn varies SO much in thickness and you want to ensure a proper fitting mitten.

Materials/Tools
Worsted weight yarn approx. 120-140 yds.
Size 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles
1 extra knitting needle either in size 7 (4.5mm) or a
size or two smaller.
Size 6 DPNs for the thumb
Stitch marker or pc of contrast color yarn to mark right side.
Abbreviations:
-->
K = Knit            
P = Purl               
Stst = stockinette stitch
CO = cast on    
BO = Bind off      
W&T Wrap and turn  
RS =right side   
yb = yarn back  
k2tog = knit 2 together 
sl = slip             
yf = yarn forward
Rep = Repeat    
wyib = with yarn in back    
ssk = slip, slip, knit them togeteher (a left lean decrease)

References:
Video showing how to do the 3-needle bind off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpJUrCX52DU 
Video showing how to do the W&T:  http://newstitchaday.com/wrap-and-turn/

DIRECTIONS:
Using long tail cast on, CO 44(46,48) sts, leave a 6” or so tail to gather mitten top at the end.  *you may also use a provisional cast on it you prefer (at the end you will pick up stitches to perform a 3-needle bind off).
  
-->  1.     Knit. 
*if using 2 colors for these mittens, you would need to tie on new color now.  You will work each color for 2 rows.  W&T’s count as 2 rows.
2.     K38(39,40) W&T, K38(39,40).
3.     Picking up wrap as you go, K39(40,41), W&T, K39(40,41).
4.     Picking up wrap as you go, K40(41,42), W&T, K40(41,42).
5.     Picking up wrap as you go, K41(42,43), W&T, K41(42,43).
6.     Picking up wrap as you go, K42(43,44), W&T, K42(43,44).
7.     Picking up wrap as you go, K43(44,45), W&T, K43(44,45).

Sm Size Only: Proceed to row 8.

Med size only:
Picking up wrap as you go, K45, W&T, K45.
Proceed to row 8.

Lg Size Only: 
Picking up wrap as you go, K46, W&T, K46. 
Picking up wrap as you go, K47, W&T, K47.       

  8. Knit across picking up the last wrap.  *Please tie a contrast color piece of yarn or use a marker to  mark this side as your right side.  You will need to know it later.
       9.  Knit Across.  
10.     K43(45,47), W&T, K43(45,47).
11.     K42(44,46), W&T, K42(44,46).
12.     K41(43,45), W&T, K41(43,45).
13.     K40(42,44), W&T, K40(42,44).
14.     K39(41,43), W&T, K39(41,43).
15.     K38(40,42), W&T, K38(40,42).

Sm Size Only: Proceed to row 16 .

Med Size Only:
K39, W&T, k39.
Proceed to row 16.

Lg Size Only:
K(41) W&T, K(41).
K(40), W&T, K(40).

16.     K13(15,16), * wyib, sl-1, yf, slip that stich back to the left hand needle, yb, sl same st to right needle again**, bind off next 8(9,9) sts, rep from * to **,         knit remaining sts picking up wraps as you go. 
17. K22(21,22) sts, CO 8(9,9) sts, knit remaining sts  .
18. Rep rows 2-8(8,8)
19. Knit.
20. Rep rows 10-15. (Sizes Med & Lg make sure you work the extra rows between 15 & 16).
21. Knit across, picking up the wraps.
22. The method I chose to close the “seam” was a 3-needle bind off, this will  
produce a ridge on the outside of the mitten.  You can, if you prefer, perform a grafted garter stitch (Kitchener) if you do not want the ridge.
 With RS facing out. starting at the cuff end, use extra knitting needle (I prefer a size or 2 smaller than the 7’s) and pick up 44(46,48) stitches on the original cast on edge.   Perform a 3-needle bind off, placing one edge to the other.  This will make the “seam” on the outside –this is correct.
Now it won’t be against your skin and it looks good because it matches the garter stitch pretty well.  Cut yarn, secure and weave in end.  These mittens will look narrow, but don't fear, they have a lot of stretch!

Close the top of the mitten:
Using the yarn tail at the top of the mitten, thread through darning needle, weave in and out around the top of the mitten, pull to gather.  Secure and cut yarn.  Weave in end.

Thumb:
You will now use your Size 6 DPNs.
Tie on yarn at the bottom (cuff side) of the thumbhole.  Pick up 8(9,9) sts on each side of the thumbhole.  16(18,18) sts.
1.     Knit
2.     K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1.   14(16, 16) sts.
3.     Rep last 2 rnds 0(1,1) times.  14(14,14) sts.
4.     Knit until thumb measures 2 ¼ ”(2 ½ “) from where sts were picked up.
5.      *K2tog, rep from * to end of rnd. 7(7,7) sts.
6.     Knit.
7.     Cut yarn leaving about 6” of tail, use darning needle, thread yarn through needle and then thread through all remaining stitches.  Remove needles, cinch/gather all stitches to close the top of the thumb.  Secure and weave in yarn end.

If you’re a member of Ravelry, I hope you’ll post your mitten project so we can all see. 
Happy Knitting!

Kris

To Download, View, Print or Save, Please click on this link for PDF:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_oZ8-XeMq3pMWJzSFdpWVNseTQ/view?usp=sharing 
  
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