Ye Olde Tyme Christmas Stockings

When I was younger, my favorite part of Christmas was opening the stocking presents.  My grandmother had made wonderful knit stockings with all of our initials on them, that could fit anything and everything that could be put into a stocking!  They stretched and bulged, and lost their shape so many presents were put into them, but they made for a real Christmas feeling!  Over the years, families moved, and the stockings were eventually lost in the folly, but this year, I decided to take on the project to re-make this christmas stockings for this winter.

I had 14 stockings to knit, and the best thing about this pattern is how fast it knits up!  If you're a quick knitter, you can finish one in about 2 days.  So, get your needles out, you've got about a month left to get them done!

Yarn:

Worsted weight

Needles:

 Size 7 (US) 16” round needles

4 size 7 (US) double pointed needles

Abbreviations:

C/O  = Cast on

B/O = Bind off

S1 = Slip one st (always as if to pearl)

K= Knit

P= Purl

K2tog = Knit 2 together

P2tog = Purl 2 together

MC = Main color

AC = Accent color

PM = Place marker

The stockings:

1. C/O 64 st on a 16” in AC on a 16” round needle PM and then work in k2p2 ribbing for 30 rows.  This makes the cuff of the stocking.
2. Switch to MC.  Fold the cuff in half and knit the two ends together, creating a hem.
3. Knit in MC for 10 rows.
4. Switch to AC for the pattern (which in my case was 6 rows).
5. Switch to MC and knit 9 rows.
6. Switch to AC and do the inverse of the pattern knit above.
7. Switch to MC and knit for 40 rows. 
8. Knit across round needle until 16 st remain. 
9. Switch to AC ( LEAVE THE MC ATTATCHED, DO NOT CUT) and work in Sl1 k1 across 32 st.  This is what will become the heel. 
10. Turn the work.
11. Sl1 st and purl the rest of the row.
12. Turn work.
13. Repeat steps 9-12 until you have knit 19 rows (ends on a knit row).
14. Turn work and purl across 18 st. p2tog, p1 (this is where the heel gets turned)
15. Turn work, slip 1^st st, k5, k2tog, k1
16. Turn work, slip 1^st st, p6, p2tog, p1
17. Turn work, slip 1^st st, k7, k2tog, k1
18. Keep working in this manner, being careful to always slip the first st until 18 st remain on the heel. 
19. Now that the heel has been turned cut the AC string and slip the heel st to the left hand needle.
20. PM and pick up the MC and pick up 9 st along the heel flap. 
21. Knit across the heel of the stocking and pick up another 9 st on the other side of the heel flap.  PM and knit around to starting marker.  (you should now have 68 st, 36 of them in between the heel markers)
22. After starting marker, k until 3 st remain before marker, k2tog, k1. 
23. Knit across the top of the foot.
24. After second marker, k1, k2tog continue to the starting marker.
25. Second round: k all the way across without decreases. 
26. Repeat steps 22-25 until there are once again 64 total st (this should take about 3 decrease rows).
27. Knit for 25 rows. 
28. Switch to AC, knit until 3 st remain before marker  k2tog, k1 (like for decrease), move marker, k1, k2tog knit until 3 st remain, k2tog, k1, move marker, k1, k2tog, knit until the end of the row.
29. Knit all the way around.
30. Repeat steps 28 + 29 8 times. 
31. Now repeat step 28 until 8 st remain on both sides of the stocking (heel and top of the foot).
32. Cut string, leaving a 6” tail and cast off using the Kitchner st.
33. Sew in loose ends, and embroider in the initials or names, and you’re done!

Quaint Gift Sack

This is a really quick and simple gift bag to make to hold anything for anyone!  You can make it in any size you can think of, and it will mold to fit any shape!  Although, if you go too big it turns into a grocery bag and becomes very see-through!  I used mine to hold the Pair of Birthday Slippers I made not too long ago!  There are two tops available with this bag, the first is just a simple bind off and the second creates more of a present type top.  Instructions are included for both!




Yarn:
The best thing about this pattern is that you can really use any yarn you want on any size needles.  If you want the bag to be bulkier and less see-through, use a bulkier yarn on a smaller needle.  For mine, I used a Fingering, almost Sport weight (Phildar Charly – gauge = 20stx28 rows = 1.5 in on size 3 US needles).

 Abbreviations:

C/O = Cast on
B/O = Bind off 
K = Knit 
P = Purl 
Inc1 = Increase 1 st 
K2tog = Knit two together
YO = yarn over 
Kfb = Knit front back, increasing 1 st 


Are you ready? 
 1.C/O 8 st and divide evenly across 4 dp needles This is always a little bit tricky, but once you increase to 4-5 st per needle it gets a whole lot easier! I like to knit a row with the 8 st just to get all the needles in place. 
2.After the first row, k1, inc1 k1 on each needle. There should now be a total of 3 st per needle, or 12 total.
3.K1, inc1, k2 on each needle (16st total) 
4.K1, inc1 k the rest on the needle (your total number of st should increase by an increment of 4 each time) 
5.Keep going in this manner until there are 15st on each needle (60st total…or however many you want for the size of the bag but keep in mind that the bag will stretch a lot, so don’t make the bottom too big! 
6.Now, YO, K2tog for the whole row. This will take some maneuvering of stitches the first row or so, and you always need to YO before you K2tog on each needle. 
7.Now, knit an entire row. 
8.Follow steps 6+7 until the bag reaches its desired length! (Mine was probably around 40 rows, but I didn’t count, I’m sorry!) 
9.To make the top cuff of the bag simply, K2tog all the way around until you have cut your number of stitches in half (if you’re following my pattern, you should now have 30 st total). 
10.(If you want, you can switch to a 2nd color here, which will be a nice accent)P entire row 
11.K entire row 
12.Repeat steps 10+11 until you’ve got about 5 nubs. (if you want more, add more!) 

13. If you want to ruffled top:On a knit row, increase 3 stitches in every stitch (Kbf,k in 1 st) around 14. Purl a row
15. Kfb every stitch.
16. Do a 2 row bind off:
          a)K1, P1
          b) Slip K st over P st, leaving P st on right hand needle
          c) Continue steps a-b around.
          d) slip the first 2 st from the left hand needle to the right hand needle.  Slip 1st stitch over the 2nd to bind off.
          e) slip next st from left to right needle and bind off in the same way.  Continue around.

17.If you want the straight top:B/O using the "Stretchy Yarn Bind Off" (Click on link to go to a website that gives very clear instructions + a video!) The first time I just bound off normally, and it made it really hard to fit anything into the bag, since it doesn’t stretch. 

Drawstring To make the drawstring: C/O 2 st to a dp needle. 1.Knit these stitches. 2.Slide stitches to other end of needle.
3.Pull yarn across back, and knit across. Giving the cord a fairly tight tug will make the cord even (it should look like a shoelace) 4.Repeat until you can easily fit the cord around the top cuff of the bag and tie a bow with it (about 30 inches, but measure anyway) 5.B/O by slipping one of the stitches over the other. Cut a long tail and pull through.
To weave in the cord, simply put a needle onto the tail of one of the ends and stick it through the top cuff of the bag (from outside to inside) and about 5 st later pull the needle through the top cuff again (inside to outside this time), and again 5 st later, push the cord through (outside à inside).  It should be really easy to just pull the cord through afterwards.  Repeat until the cord goes all the way around.

Stick your present inside!

 Tie a bow!
Make someone very happy!

It looks a little sad with nothing in it...

If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail or Ravelry (my page here)!

A Pair of Birthday Slippers

My boyfriend asked me to knit a pair of slippers for his mother for her birthday this weekend.  Socks and slippers always seemed a little bit difficult and time consuming to me, but these took about 2 days to knit, a day for each.

I took the basic pattern from This Website, but finding the directions somewhat confusing, decided to do it my own way!  The cable pattern in itself isn't difficult at all, so I took that basic idea and using smaller needles and yarn I came up with this:

They're for a size 6 1/2 (39 France), but they fit my feet just fine (I'm about an 8 1/2 -9), although they could be more fitted for my shoe size.  I used a fingering weight yarn and #4 (US) needles, and got a gauge about 10st to an inch.

The only thing I would change would be to purl the whole top of the foot, because I'm not a fan of the bands of knit and purl stitches, but hey!  Something to know for next time!  

-I started with 52 st, split them across 3 dp needles (#1 = 13st, #2 = 26st #3 - 13st)  and knit 5 rows in k1p1 ribbing for 5 rounds.  

-I then took the 26 "heel stitches" (needles #1 + #3) and continued in k1p1 ribbing for 21 rows and turned the heel in the same manner as with my Around the House Slippers , knitting 15 st and then decreasing until 16st remained.

-I then picked up 19 st along the edge (although you should probably only pick up 10...it makes for a prettier sock) and connected it to the "top" needle with the 26st.  

-For the first round on the top needle, you'll need to knit the first two st together to get an odd number on that needle for the pattern, which is (at least with 25 st) : k5, p3, k9, p3, k5.  You can, of course, add more purl st, or even more k stitches.

-Every other row on the heel needles will be a decrease row, where you knit until only 3 st remain on needle #1, k2tog, k1, and then on needle #3, you'll k1, k2tog.  

-Every 3rd row on the top needle I made a pattern (two rows of k5, p3, k9, p3, k5, one row of cabling, two rows of k5, p3, k9, p3, k5....etc), but on the website they have you put more space in between the cabled rows due to the thicker yarn and bigger needles, but hey, you do whatever you think looks best!

-Keep up in this manner until the slipper measures about an inch or so shorter than your foot, and then begin decreasing!

-To decrease, keep following the decrease pattern used for the heel needles, and begin to do the same with the top needle, where you'll k1, k2tog, continue following the pattern across the slipper until 3 st remain, k2tog, k1.  

-When you have to k2tog with a knit and a purl st opt to p2tog instead.

-Stop decreasing when only the 9st in the middle remain (the stitches you cabled with), cut a 7inch tail and use the Kitchner Stitch to sew everything up!

Sorry about the pictures...I need to get some models or something and should probably stop taking pictures of my own feet!  

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to send me and e-mail or a comment or anything,  My Ravelry account can be found here, where you can access all of my patterns and send me a private message as well!

Around the House Slippers

Here are a pair of around the house slippers that are perfect!

Enjoy!

Around the House Socks!

Within this pattern you will find information on how to knit socks in different sizes with Worsted weight yarn.

Needles:  Worsted: #5 (US), 3.75 (mm) double pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Gauge: Worsted: 5.5 st = 1 inch

Abbreviations:

St – Stitch

K = Knit

P = Purl

MC = Main Color

AC = Accent Color

PM = Place Marker

C/O = Cast on

B/O = Bind off

M1L = Make 1 left

K2tog = Knit 2 together

K2tog tbl = Knit 2 together through back loop.

P2tog = Purl 2 together

K1P1 = Knit 1 purl one ribbing

Sl 1 = Slip one stitch from left to right needle (ALWAYS AS IF TO PURL!)

Ankle:

1. C/O 28 (32, 40, 44, 48) (if you have bigger feet than will fit in any of these patterns, simply increase the number of stitches by a multiple of 4), by using the cord method of casting on. 

The Cord Cast On: 

            1. Cast on 2 stitches to the left hand needle.

            2. Stick the right hand needle in between the two stitches.

            3. Wrap yarn around the left hand needle and pull through. 

            4. Transfer the new stitch to the left hand needle

            5. Repeat steps 2-4 until number of desired stitches is obtained.

2. Once all of your stitches are cast on, slip the first 7 (8, 10, 11, 12) onto Needle # 1.

3.  Next, slip 14 (16, 20, 22, 24) onto Needle # 2.

4.  The remaining 7 (8, 10, 11, 12) stitches will turn into Needle # 3.

5.  Join in a round and work in K1P1 ribbing for 5 rounds.

6.  Continue the k1p1 rib for all the stitches on Needle # 1.

7.  Cast off all the stitches on Needle #2.  K2tog tbl on left hand needle, then transfer the new stitch back to the left hand needle.  Repeat until no more stitches remain on Needle # 2 and 12 stitches remain on Needle # 3 (you will need to combine the last st on Needle #2  with the first st on Needle # 3)

Heel:

You will be working across Needles #1 and #3 as if on straight needles.  If you are making 2 color socks, now is the time to switch to your secondary color.  If you are changing colors, cut the main color yarn.

1. Starting on  Needle # 3, Sl 1 K1 until the end of row.  Turn work.
2. Sl 1 and then purl to end of the row.  Turn work.
3. Repeat steps 1 + 2 until 11(13, 17, 19, 21)  until rows have been knit, ending on a knit row. [this is a very rough estimation.  For the best results, try and put the sock on to see if the heel is   long enough or too long.] 

Turning the heel: (still in AC)

1. Purl the first 9 (10, 12, 13, 14) st, P2tog, P1 turn work around.
2. Sl 1^st st, K5, K2tog, K1.  Turn work.
3. Sl 1^st st, P6, P2tog, P1.  Turn work
4. Sl 1^st st, K7, K2tog, K1.  Turn work

Continue in this same manner, always slipping the first st until 10 (10, 12, 14, 14) st are left on the heel needle. 

Gusset:

1. Pick up the last seven st from the ankle section of the sock (what was cast off from Needle #2) [unless you’re working with the smallest sock size, in which case, only pick up 4] PM after the first 5 st you picked up.
2. Pick up  5 (7, 9, 11, 12) st from the heel flap. [This again is a rough estimate…if you made your heel longer or shorter than the directions.  If you modified the pattern, you should pick up about half the number of rows you knit] This should make up one needle.
3. Knit across 7 st on the heel needle. 
4. PM. 
5. Knit the remaining 7 st.  (The stitch after the marker will later be considered the 1^st st in the round. ) This should make up one needle.
6. Pick up another 5 (7, 9, 11, 12) stitches from the other side of the heel flap .
7. Pick up 2 st from the other side of the ankle flap.
8. PM
9. Pick up 5 more stitches from the ankle flap [unless you’re working with the smallest sock size, in which case, only pick up 4] This should make up one needle.
10. The first tow should be a purl row.  Sl1, p1, k1, p1, k1
11. P2tog then P to the end of the needle
12. P across the heel needle
13. P until 2 st remain before marker, P2tog,
14. Slip marker and k1, p1, k1, p2
15. Sl1, k1, p1, k1, p1 slip marker and K across to the last 5 st.  p1, k1, p1, k2.  No decreases on K rows. 
16. Repeat steps 10-15 until  9 (10, 12, 13, 14) st remain in between the markers placed. The number of stitches should equal the original # of st on needles #1 and #3 plus 14 st from Needle #2
17. Now work as if on straight needles, and knit 11 rows (starting on a k row), ending on a knit row, with NO DECREASES.  [If you have long feet, put your foot into the slipper and measure it.  It should be about 3.5-4 inches away from your longest toe. Knit more rows if the sock is too short, but always end on a knit row!)
18. C/O 6(2, 6, 8, 10) st. in a cord cast on. K2tog, p1, k1, p1 (this will bring you to the marker) M1L then k2 and change to a new needle.
19. K across 12 st (this will bring you to the marker) and change needles
20. K across 12 (this will bring you to the marker).  Change needles
21. K2, M1L, P1, k1, p1, k2tog and continue in ribbing.  You should now have your original number of st on the needles, and have them back on the right needles. 
22. Work in K for 5 rows, except for Needle #2 where there is ribbing. 
23. K 5 rounds straight. 

Toe:

If you’re doing a 2 color sock, switch colors here!

1. Needle #1: K until 3 st remain, K2tog, K1
2. Needle #2: K1, K2tog, knit until 3 st remain, K2tog, K1
3. Needle #3: K1 K2tog, knit until end of row.
4. Knit 1 row with no decreases. 
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until 4 st remain on needles #1 and #3 and 8 st remain on Needle #2.

Finishing:

Weave in your tow using the Kitchner Stitch and weave in ends!

            Kitchner Stitch:

1.     Break off yarn leaving a 6” tail.

2.     Thread yarn through tapestry needle.

3.     Hold needles parallel (each has 8 st on it)

4.     Pull needle through 1^st st on front needle as if to knit, and pull the stitch off.

5.     Pull yarn through 2^nd st on front needle as if to purl.  Leave on needle. 

6.     Pull yarn through 1^st st on back needle as if to purl, and pull the st off.

7.     Pull yarn through 2^nd st on back needle and leave on.

8.     Repeat steps 4-7 until no st remain.

Brahms

I found a whole bunch of old classical music CD's in my father's garage a while ago, and became somewhat obsessed with Brahms' piece : Variations on a Theme by Paganini in A minor, Op. 35 - Book 1, especially a passage 6 minutes and 30 seconds into the song (in the version I have), which I decided to make a color chart of and use on...a hat I believe?  I can't remember it was so long ago, and the piece that I made from it has been long lost, but I recently re-found the pattern I had created, and wanted to put it up here for your use, if ever you felt it was something you wanted to use!

It's smaller than the other patterns I've put up here, only 63 stitches and 19 rows.  I think I used a fingering weight yarn and size 3 or 4 (US) needles, but it would most likely work for any size!

Without further ado, the pattern!

Cat Toy

Well, I guess I should put a disclaimer in here that a lot of this stuff is going to be animal related...mostly because as a student it's difficult to find time (and money!) to do large projects like sweaters and blankets and the like.  Thus the good thing about knitting for animals is that you can use inexpensive yarn (they're probably just going to chew through it anyway) and for most projects you can use whatever leftover yarn you have lying around!  They make the perfect projects!

Here's my latest knit though!  Made today.  If you don't know about it already, the site Ravelry (click on the link to go there) has a whole bunch of knitting ideas for every stage of knitter, and you can search patterns based on what kind of yarn and needles you have!  Pretty cool.

I found a Cat Ball Toy and made it in about an hour, and my cat can't get enough of it!  It's a really simple idea, and easy to make.  The only things you need to know are knit, pearl, slipping stitches and picking them up.

Here's the link to the page where you can download the PDF file free! Out Of Yarn!

Here are some pictures of the finished product.  Sorry about how blurry they are...I literally could not get him to sit still for more than a second to take the photos he loves it so much!

First post!

Hello everyone!

I finally feel it's time for me to get out there and put some of my knitting patterns out into the wide world.  I've been knitting for over 13 years at this point.  My mother started me off before I can even remember, and I've been hooked every since!

So, lets get right into it, shall we?

The first pattern to go in this blog is a Kitty Sweater!  I've done a bunch of variations with this sweater, and the best part about it is that you can use pretty much any yarn/needle size combo you want!  All you have to do is make a small test strip to see the gauge of the yarn and then measure your cat!  Then cast on [inches around the widest part of the belly]x[# of stitches in an inch]!

For convenience, I've put down the pattern I normally use for my cat, who weighs about 12 pounds (but not fat).  I usually use sock-weight yarn and size 3 (cm + US) needles, which is what the following pattern uses!

Abbreviations:

C/O = Cast on

B/O = Bind off

Stst = Stockinette Stitch

K2P2 – knit 2 pearl 2 ribbing

K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together

K = knit

P= pearl

St= stitch(es)

Instructions:  This makes a sweater with a circumference of about 15 inches

1.  C/O 80 st

2.  Work in K2P2 for 10 rows (15 rows if you’re working with a finer yarn).

3.  Switch to stst and knit a row in main color.

4.  K1P1 for 10 st, ending in on a pearl stitch (this is the first half of the chest plate)

5.  Follow pattern for 60 stitches

6.  K1P1 for 10 st ending on a pearl (the second half of the chest plate)

7.  P1K1 for 10 st ending on a knit (this will make a moss stitch on the breastplate.  St 1-10 + 70-80 make up the breastplate and st 11-69 are the back of the sweater)

8. Follow steps 5-7 for 20 rows.

9.  Continue in moss st for 10 st and then transfer st 11-69 to a needle holder (the back of the sweater).

10.  Turn the work and continue in moss st for another 26 rows. (you are now working back and fourth, as if on straight needles)

11.  Put the chestplate st on a needle holder and pick up st 11-69 (the back).

12.  Continue the pattern on the back until the end. (as if using straight needles)

13.  Put all the st back in the needles K2 rows, connecting the chest plate and the back of the sweater.

14.  Place markers after st 10 and after st 69 (as to mark where breast plate ends).  K 8, K2tog, knit until next marker, K st 70, k2tog.

15.  Work 1 knit row.

16.  Repeat steps 14-15 until 60 st remain. 

17.  Switch to Color 2 and work in K2P2 for 10 rows.

18.  B/O the 60 st leaving a very long tail to sew the collar.

19.  Fold the collar in half, towards the interior of the sweater and sew the end of the collar into the beginning of the collar. 

20.  Sew in ends, and you have yourself a kitty sweater!

[ADDITION!]  Here are the patterns I used for the tree sweater and the lyre sweater! They're both very large patterns that take up the whole back of the sweater (lyre = 33st X 37 rows // tree = 60st X 46 rows).  If you click on them they should get bigger.  If not click here for the Lyre, and here for the Tree!

The Lyre pattern!

The Tree pattern!

Thanks so much to TricksyKnitter.com for an easy to use chart tool for both the charts!

The first sweater I ever made...it's big 'cause he's just 3 months old.  It's got a Lyre and his name on it!

If you don't have enough yarn, or want to make a variation, don't make the sweater as long!

A striped one!  

My newest creation: a Christmasy tree sweater!