Monday, November 13, 2006

Honeycomb Hot Sox

A great project for someone new to socks and/or cabling. The relatively large gauge means these socks work up quickly- little risk of "second sock syndrome". The honeycomb cable is easy to memorize and makes for an elastic fabric.

honeycomb sock


Worked in KnitPicks “Color Your Own” (100% Merino Wool). 1 hank, 220 yds. I dyed mine in three sections using Kool-Aid for a self-striping pattern. This pattern is designed for a ladies’ medium foot- size 7-9. Add or subtract more rows from the foot to adjust length.

Gauge: 5 st/inch and 7 rows/inch worked in stockinette st

Needles: 1 set of 5 US#8 (5 mm) dpn
Cable needle

Honeycomb Stitch:

Rnd 1: C4B, C4F to end
Rnds 2-4: k
Rnd 5: C4F, C4B to end
Rnds 6-8: k


Cuff and leg:

CO 40 st. Divide equally on to 3 needles. Join, taking care not to twist.

Work in k1 p1 rib for 6 rows
Rnd 7: *k5, m1* rep from * * to end (48 st on needles)
Rnds 8-9: k

Begin honeycomb pattern. Work 2 repeats of pattern for 16 pattern rounds (25 total rounds worked for cuff)

At the end of round 25, the 16 st on the last needle worked will be worked back and forth in stockinette stitch for the heel flap. Just let the other st hang out on the other needles

Heel flap:

Row 1: sl1, p to end
Row 2: s 1, k to end

Rep rows 1 and 2 until 11 rows are worked (end on a purl row) and place marker at center of heel


Turn heel:

Working on heel flap stitches only

Row 1: sl 1, k9, k2tog, k1, turn
Row 2: sl1, p5, p2tog, p1
Row 3: s1, k to 1st st before gap created in Row 2, k2tog, turn
Row 4L s1, p to 1st st before gap created in Row 3, p2tog, turn

Rep Rows 3 and 4, ending with k2 tog and p2 tog respectively. 10 st remain on heel flap needle


Pick up stitches for gusset

Consider the needles to be numbered. The heel st are on needle one, and the instep (top of foot) st are on needles 2 and 3.

honeycomb

With needle one, pick up 9 st on edge of heel flap and knit across heel flap and these 9 st. On needles 2 and 3, work in C4B, C4F to end of needle 3. Take 4th dpn and pick up 9 st on other edge of heel flap and 5 st from needle one. Knit across these st. Center of heel denotes beginning of rounds to follow.

Needles 2 and 3 should each have 16 st on them, needles 1 and 4 should each have 14 st st on them, for a total of 60 st on all 4 needles.


Shape instep/form gusset

Continue working in the round on 4 needles.

Rnd 1:
Needle 1: k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1
Needles 2&3: k
Needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end

Rnd 2: k on all needles
Rnd 3: as Rnd 1
Rnd 4:
Needles 1&4:k
Needles 2&3: C4F, C4B to end
Rnd 5: as Rnd 1
Rnd 6: k on all needles
Rnd 7: as Rnd 1
Rnd 8:
Needles 1&4:k
Needles 2&3: C4B, C4F to end
Rnd 9: as Rnd 1
Rnd 10: k on all needles
Rnd 11: as Rnd 1

This completes the instep/gusset. 48 st total remain on needles

Foot:

Continue working on 4 needles on established pattern until foot is about 1.5” less than desired length. To continue in pattern, the next round after shaping is complete will be:
Needles 1&4:k
Needles 2&3: C4F, C4B to end

You will always k on needles 1&4, and continue honeycomb pattern on 2&3. If possible, try to end foot after the round in which needles 2&3 are knit in r1 of honeycomb pattern.

Toe (you’re almost there!!!)

Rnd 1: *k4, k2tog, k4, ssk* rep between * * to end (40 st total rem on needles)

Distribute st evenly among 4 needles (10 st/needle). End of rounds is still denoted at back of sock.

Rnd 2:
Needle 1: k to last 3 st, k2 tog, k1
Needle 2: k1, k2 tog, k to end
Needle 3: k to last 3 st, ssk, k1
Needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end
Rnd 3: k

Repeat this pattern until 20 st total rem on needles. Line up 10 st on top of foot with 10 st on bottom of foot and graft. Wash, block, and wear your sexy socks with pride!!!

Naiad Scarf

naiad


This pattern is a great way to use up odds and ends of yarn. You will need approximately 250 yds of worsted weight yarn for this project. Thinner yarns can be doubled and the nature of this pattern makes it such that small differences is gauge do not have an adverse effect on the finished product. I used yarns chosen to compliment a ball of Noro Kureyon #150, 1 ball of which was used as the primary yarn in this project.

The entire scarf is worked lengthwise in Old Shale Stitch as follows:

Row 1 (rs): knit
Row 2: purl
Row 3: *(k2tog) three times, (yo, k1) six times, (k2tog) three times* repeat from * to * to end of row
Row 4: knit

To make this scarf, you will need a 60” circular in Size US # 11 to accommodate all of the stitches. After each row, break the yarn, leaving an 8” tail for fringe (optional)

How to do it:

Cast on 180 st loosely

Work in Old Shale stitch, repeating four rows of pattern 6 times. I broke the yarn at the end of each row, leaving 8 inches for fringe. Bind off loosely. Tie off fringe to prevent unraveling and trim evenly. That’s it!

Beyond the Basics hat

Beyond the basics: an introduction to lace, cable, and colorwork

hat4class


The purpose of this pattern is to introduce to the concept of circular knitting while using basic lace, colorwork, and cabling techniques. This hat will be completed in phases, with only one technique learned per phase. Although the appearance of the hat may seem complicated, this pattern emphasizes how the very simplest combination of stitches can make it look as though you did more work than you really did!

Pattern notes:
Each round gives a set of instructions. Repeat this set of instructions until you get to the end of the round.

Abbreviations:
mc : Main Color, cc: Contrast Color (pay attention to when this is noted in the pattern!)
k: knit, p: purl
yo: Yarn over
k2tog: knit two together, p2tog: purl two together
rnd: round

C6F: 6 stitch forward cable (more on this later)
C4F: 4 stitch forward cable (ditto)

Gauge: 5.5 st/inch and 8 rows/inch over stockinette stitch
Needles: US #6 (4mm) 16” circular and same size dpn (or size needed to get gauge!), cable needle
Yarn: 2 skeins Cascade 220 (light worsted weight) in different colors.
This should be enough to make 2 hats, provided you swap the main and contrast colors for the second hat

Phase 1: Casting on, joining into the round, and a VERY simple lace pattern

Cast on 96 stitches using long-tail method.

Purl one row.

Why did we purl one row before joining into a round? Because this helps eliminate the chance that the stitches will be twisted when they are joined into a circle. OK, take a deep breath- now we will join into a round. At this point, place a marker so that you know when the round begins and ends. We will start the hat with a simple lace stitch referred to as “Old Shale” or “Feather and Fan”.
Round 2: knit
Round 3: (k2tog) twice, (yo, k1) four times, (k2tog) twice to end of round.
Rnd 4: purl
Rnds 5 & 6: knit
Rnd 7: as Rnd 3
Rnd 8: purl
Rnd 9: k1, p1 to end

Phase 2: playing with color
Here we will not only see how cool it looks when you combine colors with knit and purl stitches, but also get a feel for stranded colorwork (often referred to as “Fair Isle”) using a very simple pattern.

Notes for stranding colors:
Do not pull the strands too tight when changing colors, but do not leave them too loose either! Just use the tiniest bit of tension when changing to the next color. The same goes for when carrying the yarn vertically up the work.

Choose which yarn to keep on top and on bottom. For example, I always bring the contrast color up from under the main color when working with two strands. This makes the work look neater and you avoid a tangled mess.

Rnd 10: with contrast color (cc), p1, k1 to end
Rnd 11: k with mc
Rnd 12: k with cc
Rnds 13-15: follow three rounds of color chart
(Say what? What is a color chart and why should I follow it ?!? A color chart is used in most 2-strand color patterns to show what to do while not having to use a bunch of words to do it. Our color chart shows a repeat of 6 stitches and 3 rows. When working in the round, charts are read FROM RIGHT TO LEFT and BOTTOM TO TOP.
Here is the chart for our hat:
beyondchart

(Each square in the chart represents one stitch. For example, in the first row, you knit 3 stitches with the mc, then 3 with the cc until the end.)
Rnds 16 & 17: k with cc
Rnd 18: k1, p1 with mc
Rnd 19: p1, k1 with cc

Phase 3: you’ve been here before- more lace and colorwork
The next 8 rounds are very much the same as those we started with (Old Shale stitch)

Rnds 20 & 21: knit with mc
Rnd 22: as Rnd 3
Rnd 23: knit with cc
Repeat these four rnds, all with mc (rnds 24-27)

Rnd 28: k1, p1 with cc
Rnd 29: knit with cc
Rnds 30 & 31: work first two rows of color chart
Rnds 32 &33: knit with cc
Rnd 34: k1, p1 with mc
Rnd 35: p1, k1 with cc (cut cc at this point, leaving a 6” tail for weaving in later. All rnds from this point are worked with mc.)
Rnds 36-39: as rnds 24-27)


Phase 4: A little bit of cabling, and the light at the end of the tunnel

OK, we are nearing the end. Really. This is the part where we begin shaping the top of the hat by decreasing stitches. This is also the point where we will need to use double-pointed needles since their will be less stitches (the pattern will tell you when to make the transition). It is possible to make hats just by knitting one big tube and drawing it together at the top. However, it looks much more elegant to shape it a bit (and it’s pretty easy, so why not?)

Before actually decreasing stitches, will start out by learning a very basic cable. Because cables draw in the fabric somewhat, this is also the first step in the decreasing process. OK. Take a deep breath- we need to lay the groundwork for the cables first so that we have some stitches to work with. To do this, on the next six rounds, you will:

K6, p2 (rnds 40-45)

Note: On Rnd 45, work sts onto three dpn’s such that there are 32 st on each needle. At this point, you will not be able to keep the marker on the needles to denote the beginning of the round. Simply thread a piece of yarn through the knitting at this point so that you can keep your place.
On working with dpn’s: On the first stitch on each needle, pull the yarn tighter than usual to avoid getting ladders up your knitting.

Rnd 46: C6F, p2
(OK, this is the first cable round and C6F means 6-stitch forward cable. To do this, you will slip 3 stitches to the cable needle and hold them in the front of the work. Then, you knit the next three stitches off of the primary needle. Then, knit the stitches off the cable needle. See how the column of stitches got twisted? Congrats! You made a cable ;-) Then, purl the next two stitches and repeat the whole shebang to the end of the round.)

Rnd 47: k6, p2
Rnd 48: k2, k2tog, k2, p2 (84 st rem)
Rnd 49: k5, p2
Rnd 50: k1, k2tog, k2, p2 (72 st rem)
Rnd 51: k4, p2
Rnd 52: C4F, p2
(A 4-stitch forward cable is just like a 6-stitch- just worked over fewer sts! To do this, you will slip 2 stitches to the cable needle and hold them in the front of the work. Then, you knit the next two stitches off of the primary needle. Then, knit the stitches off the cable needle.)

Rnd 53: k4, p2tog (60 st rem)
Rnd 54: knit
Rnd 55: k4, p2tog (50 st rem)
Rnd 56: knit
Rnd 57: k3, p2tog (40 st rem)
Rnd 58: knit
Rnd 59: k2, p2tog (30 st rem)
Rnd 60: knit
Rnd 61: k1, p2tog (20 st rem)
Rnd 62: knit
Rnd 63: k2tog (10 st rem)
Draw yarn though remaining st and tie off. Weave in ends and block. You’re done!!!!