Latitude 41 Demi Cape

Lattitude 41 Demi-Cape

pattern available here buy now

This cape was designed to try out this gorgeous yarn from New Zealand.  It is 70% Merino and 30% cashmere.  I used a lace design that twists as it is knitted; I've used this on a sock design and scarf design as well using different gauges and yarns.  I wanted to see what it would do and am quite pleased with the garment.  Comfortable, warm and because of the shorter length, easy to wear and not restrictive..

Lacy Twist and Shout Sock

Lacy Twist and Shout Sock
The twisting pattern which forms a nice diagonal on the leg part of this sock is created by the stitch pattern itself.
Directions can be found here at my store on Ravelry
buy now

R&R Cardi: Rugged...yet refined

A new Men's Cardigan Pattern: Description: A warm and comfortable men’s cardigan, casual enough to wear for a stroll in the park but with a touch of urban chic for a day in the city.  The pattern was inspired by the vertical ribbed stitch pattern; it gives an overall texture but with a flattering vertical line.  The cardigan has a garter stitch lower band and a slightly longer length for a more “jacket feel”.   The fronts and back are knit flat in one piece from the bottom up with ribbed side panels for shaping. At the armholes, side  sections are bound off , back section worked, then fronts worked then fronts and back woven together at the shoulder.   The sleeves are modified drop style  with a pattern stitch panel down each sleeve, bordered by a small cable on each side.  The sleeves are worked from the top down, picking up stitches from the armhole and working to the cuff.  The ribbed side panels give fit and shaping.  They can be left as it for a more form fitting garment or blocked out slightly to give ease.  Either way they add a tailored detail in both look and fit.

Lacy Waves Scarf

Lacy Waves Scarf
Here's a new scarf pattern for summer knitting and summer wear.

Here's a sweater perfect for the holidays.  It is knit of a sport weight wool and trimmed with a "fake fur" type of synthetic in a garter stitch which gives a dressy element and a very cozy neckline.  It is a flattering style for all body types and can be blocked out more or less to give a shape hugging outline or a more flowing silhouette. 
 The concept was to start with a beautiful lace, cable pattern and create a flow of the pattern into a round yoke.  Because the lower part of the sweater is basically a  6/2 rib , this was accomplished by using the percentage method of decreasing for the yoke and adapting it to the pattern.  In other words, there are 3 decreases in the yoke to shape it.  For the first decrease, the pattern went from a 6/2 rib pattern with the lace pattern in it to a K4 P2 rib, at the next decrease row the pattern becomes a K2 P2 rib.  In this way the correct number of stitches is reduced for shaping and the patterns flow into each other.
This pattern is available for purchase on ravelry. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/camille-9

Gothic Windows Sock Pattern

Hot off the needles is this fast and easy and FREE sock pattern inspired by watching a travel show on medieval French churches. I've included written directions for the pattern as well as a charted version.

tres jolie knits

Yarn: Knitpicks, Stroll, color Duchess Heather

Gauge: 8 st.=1inch in stockinette stitch 

12 rows=1inch  Size One  Double Pointed needles

Width of leg- 8 inches

Size- women’s 8

Yardage: 100 gm,  460 yds

This sock knits up quickly as every even row ( except for row 18 ) is just knit.

Pattern Stitches:

Right Twist: (RT) Knit 2 together leaving stitches on LH needle, then Knit first stitch again, slip both stitches off needle.

Left Twist: (LT) Skip the first stitch on the needle and knit into the second stitch from the back.  Knit it, but do not take it off the needle.  Now knit into the front of the first stitch and skip them both off the needle together.

Cast on 64 stitches on a size one double pointed needle or one that gives you the gauge, leaving a 12 inch tail.   Arrange on three double pointed needles:

Needle One- 16 stitches

Needle Two- 32 stitches

Needle Three- 16 stitches

I find it easier to keep my pattern in mind if I arrange the stitches so there are two patterns on one needle ( after leg is finished this becomes the top of the foot) and one pattern on each of the other two needles ( after leg is completed this becomes the heel flap) The back of the leg is between needles one and three.

Join stitches, being careful not to twist.  You may find that placing  a marker at the beginning of the round helps to keep your place.  Knit 3 rounds. ( These 3 rounds are eventually turned to the inside and sewn in place to form a hem)

On next round: *YO, K2 tog*, 32 times.  ( this round forms the turning row for the picot top of the sock)

Knit 4 rounds.

Work row one of chart, placing one pattern repeat on needle one, two pattern repeats on needle two and one pattern repeat on needle three. I find it helpful to place a marker between the two pattern repeats on needle two.

Work row 2 through 30 of chart.  Work 1-30 of chart two more times.

 ( length is now about  7 inches from picot row) 

After finishing the chart 3 times on row 30, continue knitting  across needle one.  You now have 32 stitches on one needle (combined needles one and three) and 32 stitches on needle two.  Needles one and three have been combined to work the heel flap.

Heel flap: is worked back and forth.

Row one: slip one stitch pearlwise, pearl across 31 stitches

Row two: *slip one stitch pearlwise, knit one* 15 more times

Continue until heel flap measures 2 ¼ to 2  ½ inches or desired heel flap length. 

Turn Heel:

Row One: (RS) Sl 1, K18, ssk, K1 turn work.

Row Two: Sl 1, p 7, p2tog, p1, turn.

Row Three: Sl 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap made by turn on previous row, ssk to close the gap, k1, turn.

Row Four: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before gap, p2 tog, p1 , turn.

Repeat Rows three and four until all stitches have been worked.  20 stitches remain.

After completing last row , K 10, , PM, K 10.   Using same needle, pick up and knit one stitch in each of the slipped stitches along the edge of the heel flap plus one between heel flap and top of foot. . Mine was 20 stitches ( if your heel flap is slightly shorter or longer your picked up stitches will vary) this is not a bit deal , the gusset will just be a row or two longer or shorter.

Picking up another needle, knit in pattern across top of foot stitches on needle 2.

Using another needle, pick up and knit the slipped stitches along the other side of the heel flap, plus one between the heel flap and the top of the foot. Make sure the picked up stitches are the same number that you picked up on the other side.  With the same needle, k across 10 stitches to the marker.  You now have your stitches back on 3 needles with the beginning of the row ( back of heel) between needles one and three.

30 stitches on needle one and three, 32 stitches on needle two.

Knit one row over all stitches, this is row 2 of the pattern chart for needle 2.

Gusset:

Row One: Knit across to the last two stitches on needle one, K2 tog, knit in pattern across needle two,

On needle three, SSK, knit to end.

Row Two: Knit stitches on needles one and three and continue in  pattern on needle two.

Continue rows one and two until you have 16 stitches on needles one and three; total 64 stitches.

Continue in pattern on top of foot and stockinette stitch for sole until sock measures 2 inches from your desired finished length.

Toe shaping:

Row One:

Needle One: K across to last 3 stitches, K2 tog, K1,

Needle Two: K I, SSK

Needle three: K1, SSK., knit to end.

Row Two:, knit all stitches.

Repeat  Rows one and two until you have 24 total stitches remaining.

Arrange stitches on two needles so you have 12 stitches on each needle.

Cut yarn leaving 10 inches. 

Graft together using Kitchener Stitch ( Directions for this courtesy of Cookie A!)

Hold needles parallel with right sides facing up.  Thread end of yarn on tapestry needle.  Work form right to left .

Step 1: Bring tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl and leave the stitch on the needle.

Step 2: Bring tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit and leave that stitch on the needle

Step 3: Bring tapestry needle through the first front stitch as if to knit and lip this stitch off the needle, then bring seaming needle through the next front stitch as if to purl and leave this stitch on the needle.

Step 4: Bring tapestry needle through the first back stitch as if to purl and slip this stitch off the needle, then bring tapestry needle through the next back stitch as if to knit and leave this stitch on the needle. 

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until no stitches remain on the needles, adjusting the tension to match the rest of the knitting as you go.

Weave end of yarn inside the sock.

Fold top of sock to the inside along picot row and sew in place.

Written Directions for pattern:

Row 1: P7,  RT, P7

Row 2,4,6,8,10,14,18,20,24,26,28,30,  Knit all stitches

Row 3: P6, RT, LT, P6

Row 5: P5, RT, K2, LT, P5

Row 7: P4, RT, K4, LT, P4

Row 9: P3, RT, K6, LT, P3.

Row 11: P2, RT, K2tog,YO, YO, SSK, K2tog, YO, YO, SSK, LT, P2

Row 12: K5, KTBL, K3, KTBL, K6

Row 13: P1, RT, K10, LT, P1

Row 15: RT, K12, LT

Row  16: K6, K2tog, YO, YO, SSK, K6

Row 17: LT, K5, KTBL, K6, RT

Row 19: P1, LT, K10, RT, P1

Row 21: P2, LT, K2tog, YO, YO, SSK, K2tog, YO, YO, SSK, RT, P2

Row 22: K5, KTBL, K3, KTBL, K6

Row 23: P3, LT, K6, RT, P3

Row 25: P4, LT, K4, RT, P4

Row 27: P5, LT, K2, RT, P5

Row 29: P6, LT, RT, P6

 Here's the chart for the pattern

A new design: Cables and Lace Cardigan

As most knitters do, I like to read pattern books while knitting. I have quite a collection from various designers and am always inspired by their work.
I was flipping through my copy of Sock Innovation by Cooke a not to long ago and saw her sock design called Sunshine. All the socks in this book are designed for someone and this certain someone was named Sunshine. Anyway, I was intrigued as she blended a pretty lace pattern with a cable int he same 6 stitch vertical area, WOW...
And then I noticed that every other row was just knit and pearl. Even better. I have no trouble doing a pattern row on each row IF I'm working in the round. The sweater that I had in mind for my next project was a cardigan so either I knit in the round and include steek stitches to cut or find an interesting pattern that I can work from the right side of my knitting while knitting flat. Here it is! I ordered some Stroll sport from Knit Picks right away to see how this might knit up.
I was very pleased with the results...so cast on for a cardigan. The gauge is 6 st. per inch on #4 needles. I'm working up a size 40 so ordered 11 balls of 5 gms. This sweater will have a border added after it is knit so I added 3 extra stitches to the 21 pattern repeats to have a 2 stitch twisted cable and a pearl stitch on the edge. The last stitch is pearled on the right side and knit on the wrong side creating a nice place to pick up the stitches for the front band. I'm not positive what the front band will look like as yet. Thoughts are: lace with garter, simple yo, knit 2 tog. or possibly the twisted garter stitch border I've used before that was inspired by Grimes' book on French Girl Knits. Anyway...more on that later. The sweater will be a cardigan with v neck shaping, all over pattern and raglan sleeves. After blocking the lace will be more apparent but I like the fact that my shaping is done for me because this is basically a ribbed sweater.  It will shape in nicely for the waistline.   A sport weight gives it great versatility for wearing along on warmer days but not to heavy to add a jacket of colder ones. More on this soon.