Just A Bit Of Color

On Tuesday I thought it was Wednesday. Today it's Thursday & it still feels like Wednesday. I guess I'm stuck in time. I've had a lot of picture-less posts these past few days, so here's a bit of color.

Not many treasures remain from Noah and Nathan's childhood. They don't really play with these anymore, unless a younger child is over for a visit. When we came back to the U.S. a few years ago, what we brought had to fit into six suitcases and what we stored in a friend's house was destroyed when her basement flooded. This lil' corner brought a smile to my face today, because my boys are finally coming home this weekend. I can't wait to hug them.

I got tired of the plain knitting the Barn-Raising Quilt squares require, so I'm throwing some lace ones into the mix. Otherwise this would end up being an eternal project. I finished the Autumn Shawl, but my dear camera is not picking up the brown very well. It will need to wait 'til after blocking.

Another Vanilla soaker. Only a red one needed after this one to complete the rainbow stack.

And the shawl ready to be mailed tomorrow - unless I forget it's Friday, which is my mailing day. I decided to add a wool roving angel. I've just been wanting to create angels lately.

Almost Done!

Normally, I don't post pictures of shawls on the blocking board. I think it's their "ugly duckling" stage. The beauty of them isn't revealed until they are all dry & unpinned. As I was blocking "A Pink Traveling Woman" at the fabulous local yarn shop today, I loved the symmetry that was unfolding before me, so I did snap a picture. I think it's going to be a pretty shawl. The "beautiful swan" stage shall be revealed tomorrow.

Lil' Bean Pilot

The Midi Bean pictured here is "inside out." Since less than one skein was needed, there were few ends to weave in, thus it can be worn either way.

Here's the Midi Bean. (Ravelry link) - I have been knitting these for over two years now - inspired by the Sweet Baby Cap & some other pilot-style patterns. I just recently arrived at the "perfect" fit (at least for now). There are no seams. I find seams on baby items a nuisance to be quite frank & I imagine them as uncomfy for the lil' one. Increases (as compared to a pattern previously posted) provide a nice fit & enough room to cover ears. The placement of decreases towards the top creates a rounded look. Most of all, baby's head stays warm. (The Importance of Warmth by Susan Johnson, M.D.)

Mini Bean (with a 103 stitches cast-on & a 15-20-9/5 count) & Mighty Bean (with a 139 stitches cast on & 21-28-13/7 count) are in the works. I'm test-knitting. The nice thing is that the combination of three sizes with a variety of yarn weights & needle sizes will give you the opportunity to create Lil' Beans in eight sizes - from toasty for snow weather to light and airy for summertime. It's also easy to knit up a doll version if you need that whole look.

YARN, NEEDLES & GAUGE

Koigu KPPM, a fingering weight yarn, on size US 2 (2.75mm) needles gave me a size NEWBORN with a gauge of 8 sts./inch.

Frog Tree Pima Cotton/Silk, a sports weight yarn, on size US 5 (3.5mm) needles gave me a size 3/6-9 MONTHS with a gauge of 6sts./inch.

Malabrigo Silky Merino, a worsted weight yarn, on size US 7 (4.5mm) needles gave me a size 9-12/12-18 MONTHS with a gauge of 5 sts./inch.

Yarns & needles "in between" will create "in between sizes."

STITCH GUIDE

k = Knit; p = Purl

sk2p = Slip one stitch knit-wise, knit two stitches together, then pass the slipped stitch over the stitches you just knit together. (2 stitches decreased)

m1(fb) = Insert left needle, from front to back, under the strand between last stitch worked and next stitch on left needle, forming a loop. Knit through the back of that stitch. (1 stitch made)

m1(bf) = Insert left needle, from back to front, under the strand between last stitch worked and next stitch on left needle, forming a loop. Knit through the front of this loop. (1 stitch made)

kfb = Knit stitch, but don't slide stitch off the left-needle. Now knit into the back of the old stitch. Now you have two stitches on the right needle. Slide stitch off the left needle. (1 stitch made)

THE PATTERN

Cast on 121 stitches. Divide them evenly onto 4 DPs & join to the round, taking care not to twist. (30-30-30-31)

Round 1: Purl

Round 2: Knit

Rounds 3 & 4: Purl

Round 5: Knit

Round 6: k1, m1(bf), k18, sk2p, k24, kfb, kfb, k11, sk2p, k11, kfb, kfb, k24, sk2p, k18, m1(fb), k1

Round 7: Knit

Repeat rounds 6 & 7 six more times. - A total of 19 rounds worked. Note: Since decreases and increases per round are the same, your stitches through round 19 always remain the same - 121 stitches at the end of each round!

Round 20: k1, m1(bf), k18, sk2p, k37, sk2p, k37, sk2p, k18, m1(fb), k1 (117 stitches remain)

Round 21 & all odd rounds 'til end: Knit

At this stage your work will look something like this.
Note how increases & decreases are lining up neatly.

Round 22: k1, m1(bf), k18, sk2p, k35, sk2p, k35, sk2p, k18, m1(fb), k1 (113 stitches remain)

Tip: At this point, or as soon as the number of stitches allows from now on, it is helpful for ease of knitting to rearrange the stitches onto 3 DPs, with the sk2p decreases towards the middle of each needle. It makes it much easier to work the decreases.

Round 24: k19, sk2p, k33, sk2p, k33, sk2p, k19 (107)
Round 26: k18, sk2p, k31, sk2p, k31, sk2p, k18 (101)
Round 28: k17, sk2p, k29, sk2p, k29, sk2p, k17 (95)
Round 30: k16, sk2p, k27, sk2p, k27, sk2p, k16 (89)
Round 32: k15, sk2p, k25, sk2p, k25, sk2p, k15 (83)
Round 34: k14, sk2p, k23, sk2p, k23, sk2p, k14 (77)
Round 36: k13, sk2p, k21, sk2p, k21, sk2p, k13 (71)
Round 38: k12, sk2p, k19, sk2p, k19, sk2p, k12 (65)
Round 40: k11, sk2p, k17, sk2p, k17, sk2p, k11 (59)
Round 42: k10, sk2p, k15, sk2p, k15, sk2p, k10 (53)

Round 44: k9, sk2p, k13, sk2p, k13, sk2p, k9 (47)
Round 46: k8, sk2p, k11, sk2p, k11, sk2p, k8 (41)
Round 48: ssk, k5, sk2p, k9, sk2p, k9, sk2p, k5, k2tog (33)
Round 50: k5, sk2p, k7, sk2p, k7, sk2p, k5 (27)
Round 52: ssk, k2, sk2p, k5, sk2p, k5, sk2p, k2, k2tog (19)
Round 54: k2 sk2p, k3, sk2p, k3, sk2p, k2 (13)
Round 56: k1, sk2p, k1, sk2p, k1, sk2p, k1 (7)
Break the yarn, leaving a 6" tail. using a yarn darner, run yarn through remaining stitches. Secure.

FROM TOP DOWN: Front view. Back view. Side view.
(Click on the images to enlarge them if you need a closer look.)

For ties, pick up 3-4 stitches and work an I-cord for app. 8". Weave in all loose ends. Block if desired.

Gnome Pattern

This is the pattern for the gnome featured in the blog post, "The First Gnome." Above is another one knitted by one of my second grade students. I just love how they are turning out. The students are so into their gnomes, too. It seems to become a theme that they want to knit them backpacks, which is turning out to be another great project for them.

The students are using worsted yarn and size eight needles, but gauge is unimportant for this project. You will also need some fuzzy mohair yarn to make the hair & beard for which I used a crochet hook to work the strings in as one would do in rug-hooking. It is helpful to knit the pieces in the following order as the BODY and SHOES require knitting only, whereas the other pieces incorporate purling as well. Since the pattern is intended for children in their 2^nd grade year of knitting at a Waldorf school, it is not in the round, but requires sewing up. If you are an advanced knitter, you will see that the pieces can easily be knit in the round.

BODY --- Cast on 30 stitches. Knit 30 rows – 15 ridges. Next row: BO 2 stitches, knit until 11 stitches are on your right needle, BO 4 stitches, knit 'til end. Next row: BO 2 stitches. Work 6 rows for each leg using the 11 stitches between BOs. BO all stitches. Sew up leg seams & crotch. Close back seam. Stuff with wool batting. Sew top seam, but leave feet "open." You will later attach the shoes.

SHOES (Make 2) --- Cast on 6 stitches. Knit 40 rows. Bind off. Fold in thirds, sew up the sides & back. No wool stuffing needed.

HEAD --- Cast on 28 stitches. Knit one row, purl one row. Repeat these two rows until a total of 16 rows have been worked, ending with a purl row. Row 17: k1, *) k2tog, k2, repeat from *) until last stitch, k1. (21 stitches remain). Row 18: Purl. Row 19: *) k2tog, k1, repeat from *) across (14 stitches remain). Row 20: Purl. Cut yarn leaving a tail. Thread needle & pull through the remaining stitches. Pull closed. Sew up back seam. Stuff with wool stuffing. Sew up top.

HAT --- Cast on 32 stitches. Knit 4 rows. *) Next row: k1, k2tog, knit until last three stitches, k2tog, k1. Next row: Purl. Repeat from *) until 4 stitches remain. Cast off. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Sew up seam.

ARMS (Make 2) --- Cast on 8 stitches. Knit 20 rows. Change to skin color. Knit one row, purl one row for 4-6 rows. Bind off. Sew side seams. Stuff with wool.

FINISHING --- The head is placed about midway onto the body & secured with a few stitches. The hat goes over the head & meets the body in the back. It is also secured with a few stitches. The arms are attached on the sides of the body, but reaching to the top of the body piece, thus creating a bit of a hunched look. I run a whip stitch around the wrist to shape the hand a bit better.