Verra's Notebook

Pink for Mother's Day

Now I realize Mother's Day isn't for a while yet in the US, but this weekend is Mother's Day in the UK and the designer Erssie has created a free sock pattern available on ravelry and her blog, that uses Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Flamingo Stripe.  She wanted to use this particular yarn to honor her mother and grandmother, because Lorna's Laces donates 20% of their profit to Breast Cancer organizations.  So if you're looking for something to give to mom for Mother's day, these might be an excellent choice. 

The pattern includes directions for both normal length socks and the thigh-high length shown in the pictures.

Scarf Love

I love this scarf.  

It all started when Doreen emailed me to say that she'd gotten her yarn and that she was using her 2 skeins of Silky Merino to knit this awesome simple scarf using a Barbara Walker stitch pattern -- K3, P3 on one side and K1, P1 on the other.  

I was in the process of packing for TNNA at the time and it sounded like prime plane knitting to me -- portable, no charts, no yarn overs and simple enough for even the plane-phobic knitters like me to manage.  I cast on my Madre Perla while waiting for our delayed flight to San Diego and merrily knit away.  

I am now, despite my intentions of sending the finished product on to Warmth for Washington, wearing it all the time.  I think I'm going to have to knit a second one to send on to the good folks at Warmth for Washington, because this baby isn't going anywhere. 

The traditional knot

The "this is how I would wear it sitting in a Paris cafe sipping coffee"

I tend to like my scarves on the short, wide side -- ends that hang out of my coat annoy me -- but if you'd like a longer scarf two options are readily available.  Doreen cast on 30 stitches to my 42 stitches and you might try that if you don't mind a skinnier scarf or you could always add a 3rd skein.  

So, grab some Silky Merino, cast on 30 or 42 stitches (or really any multiple of 3 you like) and K3, P3 on one side and K1, P1 on the other.  

___

For those who inquired: the yarn in the last Thoughtful Friday post was Fibre Company Organik Jungle

Snow Day Hat

*** I will be in San Diego at TNNA scoping out all the new yarns -- so orders placed from January 16-January 19 will ship on January 20th ***

Well, I'm afraid this one will have to be in two parts, my friends.  I've been wrestling with making a chart in photoshop and it's taken ten times longer than I would have expected.  So here's the text version. Hopefully I can have a chart for you in the next week or two.

Materials:

1 skein of Malabrigo Merino Chunky

1 set of US #10.5 double pointed needles

yarn or tapestry needle

a cable needle if you prefer (I knit with four needles in the round and used the fifth as my cable needle)

Gauge:

3 stitches/inch

Abbreviations:

C3F -- cable 3 front -- slip 3 stitches to the cable needle, hold in front of work, knit 3 stitches, knit 3 stitches from the cable needle.

C3B -- cable 3 back -- slip 3 stitches to the cable needle, hold in back of work, knit 3 stitches, bring cable needle forward and knit three stitches.

K2Tog -- knit 2 stitches together

1.  Using a long-tail cast on, cast on 72 stitches.

Ribbing:

2.  Join for working in the round and K3 P3*

3.  Continue ribbing until you have knit 10 rows.

Pattern:

Row 1.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 2.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 3.  P1, K1, P1, C3B, P1, K1, P1, C3F*

Row 4.  P1, K1, P1, K6* 

Row 5.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 6.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 7.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 8.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 9.  P1, K1, P1, C3B, P1, K1, P1, C3F*

Row 10.  P1, K1, P1, K6*  

Row 11.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 12.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 13.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 14.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 15.  P1, K1, P1, C3B, P1, K1, P1, C3F*

Row 16.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 17.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 18.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 19.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 20.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 21.  P1, K1, P1, C3B, P1, K1, P1, C3F*

Row 22.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 23.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 24.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 25.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 26.  P1, K1, P1, K6*

Row 27.  P1, K1, P1, C3B, P1, K1, P1, C3F*

Row 28.  P1, K1, P1, K3, K2Tog, K*

Row 29.  P1, K1, P1, K5*

Row 30.  P1, K1, P1, K2, K2Tog, K*

Row 31.  P1, K1, P1, K4*

Row 32.  P1, K1, P1, K2, K2Tog*

Row 33.  P1, K1, P1, K3*

Row 34.  P1, K1, P1, K1, K2Tog*

Row 35.  P1, K1, P1, K2*

Row 36.  P1, K1, P1, K2tog*

Row 37.  P1, K1, P1, K1*

Row 38. Bind off by cutting a long tail of yarn, threading it through the live stitches, and pulling until taught.  Weave in ends.

Thoughtful Friday

And to keep those feet warm, O-wool's new free pattern is a pair of slip-stitch socks made from o-wool 2-ply!  Make a pair for yourself, or whip up a pair for a holiday gift.

Free Patterns for O-Wool

The good folks at O-Wool have started to provide a free pattern each month. 

My favorites?

Merlie -- using O-Wool 2-ply

   

Christmas Stocking -- using O-Wool Classic

photos from O-Wool

Free

That got your attention, didn't it...
Free patterns, that is. Some of the yarn companies are starting provide patterns, and who doesn't love free patterns?

Malabrigo
company patterns
third party patterns

Shokay Shambala
third party patterns

A Hat for Ava

A month or so ago I was planning a baby shower for one of my very best friends. We had a week to go before the shower and several weeks to go until her due date. The phone rings as I'm typing away at my computer and it's my friend A, asking if she can add another name to the guest list... her daughter's. Ava was born 4 weeks early and faced with a situation like that, what else can a knitter do but knit a premie hat?

the specs:

1 skein Canopy sport in purple passion
size 3 dpns
tapestry needle

Using a long-tail cast on, cast on 64 stitches and join for working in the round. Knit until hat measures 4 inches with the brim unrolled. Begin decrease rounds:
Round 1 K6, K2tog*
Round 2 K*
Round 3 K5, K2tog*
Round 4 K*
Round 5 K4, K2tog*
Round 6 K*
Round 7 K3, K2tog*
Round 8 K*
Round 9 K2, K2tog*
Round 10 K*
Round 11 K1, K2tog*
Round 12 K*
Round 13 Cut yarn leaving a 8 inch tail. Using a tapestry needle, thread the yarn through the live loops still on the needles, remove the needles and tighten the loop to close the top of the hat. Pull the tail through to the underside of the hat and weave in the remaining tail. Weave in the remaining end.

Coffee Cozy

The next time you go out to meet a friend for coffee or to get a mid-afternoon workday pick-me-up slip a coffee cozy into your bag and leave the little corregated cardboard sleeve at the counter.  It's cute, quick, and reusable.  What's not to love? 

It's also a great beginner crochet pattern.

materials:
approx. 22 yards worsted or aran weight yarn
size H crochet hook
2 medium buttons
matching thread
sewing needle

gauge:
3 stitches per inch (3 "v's" per inch)

pattern:
Leaving a 4 inch tail, chain 24 stitches.
Row 1: Single crochet to the end of the row, chain 1 and turn.
Row 2: Long single crochet to the end of the row, chain 1 and turn.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 four more times. 
Bind off leaving a 4 inch tail. 

finishing:
Weave in ends and sew on buttons fitting them into two of the spaces left by the stitch pattern.