Bits and Bobs

I have been trying to dedicate myself to stashbusting here lately. I know, I know, stashbusting is the stated goal of every obsessed knitter and how many of us actually do it?? But I am really trying to be good!

I have several yarns that are either too small of an amount to knit much with or are of lesser quality that were purchased in weaker moments. As luck would have it, we will have a few new babies here in the DownTown family in the coming months, so I thought I would whip up a few baby hats. Of course, first comes the swatching!

The ever-popular Owls - and so cute in this pumpkin orange color.

Leaves - I am loving this for bottom trim instead of ribbing.

My pattern book calls this pattern "Blossoms," but I am calling it
"Balloons" - makes it sound more boy-friendly.

The thing about these stitch patterns is that the gauge is different from the 2x2 rib or stockinette that I would want to pair them with. To avoid funny-looking, bulgy hats, I took two different gauges (one for the pattern itself and one for the rib for the Owls and Balloons and one for the stockinette for the Leaves), and did a simple increase or decrease row between the two to try and get the same size.

Owl Hat - size 3-6 month
I'm opting to embroider eyes to avoid any button choking hazards.

Poppy Hat
I am guessing size 1-3 years?


Balloon Hat - size 6-12 months.

All these hats were knit using KnitPicks Swish Worsted that I ordered last year - I was thinking I would knit socks, so I only ordered two skeins of each color. Really - who am I kidding? Socks are a nightmare for me - I NEVER get around to knitting the second one and I know it. That means that this yarn has been sitting around for a while now (after being frogged multiple times) waiting for a project. These baby hats were just the thing. Stash-busting accomplished!

Mama Jacket - Pattern

Here is my version of the Drops Jacket pattern. This is not my original pattern, but my modifications to the Drops pattern. Modifications include a straight collar, raglan sleeves, and one piece construction.

Mama Jacket

Gauge - 17 sts = 10 cm

22 rows = 10 cm

Needle - Size 8

Yarn - KnitPicks Cadena

Measurements:

Hips: 100 cm
Waist: 76 cm
below bust: 90 cm
bust: 98 cm
upper arm: 30 cm
elbow: 25 cm
fullest below elbow: 25 cm
distance waist/hips: 17 cm
distance waist/bust: 20 cm
neck opening: 50 cm

Collar:

CO 100 sts.
Knit Double Moss st for about 20 cm.

Optional collar button: About 4 cm above the body, knit a button hole. (k2, p2, k1, cast off one, double moss st. Next row CO one st over the cast off stitch.)

Last row (wrong side), decrease 4 times (by k2tog) (total 96 sts)

Purl one row

Body:

Double moss st. 28 sts. Place moss marker. All sts before this marker will be Double moss.
Knit 2. Place marker. This marks where to increase for the right front panel.
Knit 8 sts. Place marker. This is the right sleeve.
Knit 28 sts. Place marker. This is the back.
Knit 8 sts. Place marker. This is the left sleeve.
Knit 2. Place moss marker. All sts after this marker will be Double moss.
Double moss st 20 sts. This is the left from panel.

Continue knitting Double moss on the front panels, stockinette st all others. Increase on either side of each increase marker on the right side by knitting in the front and back of each st.

Crochet a button loop about 2 cm from the top on the left front panel.

Knit a button hole on the right front panel, every 8-10 cm.

Increase until sts are:
Right Front – 55
Right Sleeve – 60
Back – 82
Left Sleeve – 60
Left Front – 47
(Total 304 sts)

Separate sleeves – hold on scrap yarn to knit later. (CO 6 sts, place marker, CO 6 sts) under each arm. (Total 196 sts)

Shaping:

Increase on the front side of the each marker (the side toward on the front of the jacket) every knit row until there are 214 sts. (18 times)

Knit one short row on right and left front panels.

Decrease on the front side of each marker every knit row until there are 202 sts (12 times).

Continue knitting, with Double Moss st on front panels.

About 15 cm below the short rows for the bust, decrease 4 sts, evenly distributed across the back of the jacket (at each marker on the back side of the jacket, and twice evenly distributed across the back, every 3 rows, until there are 178 sts (6 times).

Increase 4 sts, evenly distributed (on back of jacket), every other knit row, until there are 202 sts (6 times).

Increase 2 sts on the front side of each marker every knit row until there are 218 sts (8 times).

Knit Double Moss pattern for 14 rows.
Bind off.

Sleeves:

Pick up 17 sts to be knit in the round (total 77 sts). Place 2 markers centered under armpit.

Row 1 – K6, K2tog, K2tog, K56, K2tog, K2tog, K6, K1 (total 73 sts)
Row 2 – K5, K2tog, K2tog, K54, K2tog, K2tog, K5, K1 (total 69 sts)
Row 3 – K2, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, K52, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, K2, K1 (total 63 sts)
Row 4 – Knit (total 63 sts)
Row 5 – Decrease one stitch on each side of marker. (total 61 sts)
Row 6 – Knit
Row 7 – Knit

Repeat rows 5-7 until there are 49 sts. (total 36 rows)

In the next row, decrease once (total 48 sts).

Continue knitting until sleeves are 7 cm short of desired length. Knit Double Moss pattern for 14 rows.

Bind off.

Mama Jacket

I finished my first, real-deal, adult-sized sweater over Golden Week. It is the popular Drops Jacket, knit in one piece, top-down, as inspired by CanarySanctuary.

I used nine skeins of KnitPicks Cadena yarn, a nice alpaca blend, in neutral. The yarn bloomed a bit when washed, but generally held its size and shape (and also accepted some gentle tugging to make the body longer).

The buttons are wooden toggles that look like bamboo, purchased at Tokyu Hands. Michael helped me with button selection - and thank goodness for that. I had my eye on some beautiful shell buttons (that were about 1600 yen a pop), but Michael convinced me they would just blend into the creme wool, and encouraged me to get these dark beauties. It definitely helped that they rang up at 105 yen each!

I didn't even try to make gauge - I knew that I wanted to add some modifications and wanted to strive for a custom fit. SO - I wrote out my own pattern. I have found that I am terrible at following patterns (ditto on recipes - it must be a personality flaw), but I find great delight in writing my own patterns based on patterns I find on Ravelry. I changed it up a little as I went along (per usual), but I'll be posting the final result on the blog.

Mittens - January 2009

I went through a mitten phase this past winter. The problem was that I would come up with more and more ideas as I was knitting, and I had a hard time being disciplined enough to actually knit two of each kind. I also blogged about my mittens here on my Japan blog. Here are some of the results:

"Snowflake" Mitten.

Used off-white wool with a thread of metallic silver purchased at Tokyu Hands.

"Cable" Mitten

Used washable marino wool in Dublin from KnitPicks.

"Chunky" Mitten

Used thick synthetic yarn from my local 100￥ Shop.

The variety shot: