Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Makeyup mitts - with scarf



Makey-up fingerless mitts mainly on straight single-pointed needles and use DPN's for last bit (the thumbs)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Draw around hand – pencil on paper.
Mark out area to be covered by glove, including widening from wrist to base of thumb, length of base of thumb..
Measure in inches :
Width of wrist = WW
Length of wrist = LW
Width above wrist = WA
Top of wrist to thumb hole = WTH
Base of thumb hole = TH
Top of thumb hole to tip of glove = THT
If you want and end rib across the fingers, measure it’s depth = RD

My measurements;
WW= 3”
LW = 2”
WA = 4”
WTH = 2”
E = 1”
THT = 5”
Make tension swatch:
Measure stitches/inch (SI) and rows per inch (RI)
My yarn (grey Alpaca):
Spun 5.5:1 over 2” i.e. low twist single
Diam approx 11 WPI - prewash
Swatch (stocking stitch) : 8 stitches and 9 rows per inch on 3 ¼ mm straight needles

Method:
GeneraL:
Cast on 2 X WW X SI stitches
Slip first stitch throughout the work to leave loose edge stitches for sewing together later.
Work in 1 X 1 Rib for LW X RI rows
Another coloured yarn can be added mid-wrist (as in my specific pattern below)
Change to stocking stitch adding required number of stitches across first row (for a less
Sudden/sharp change of width at base of thumb, add stitches more gradually over following rows).
Number of stitches to add = (WA – WW) X SI
Continue in stocking stitch for WTA X RI rows
Cast off SI stitches at beginning and end of next (right side) row.
Purl next row as usual and continue in stocking stitch for (THT – RD) X RI rows
(If no end rib or other pattern, continue in Stocking Stitch for THT X RI rows and then cast off)
Continue in 1 X 1 rib for RD X RI rows then cast off
I changed to another coloured yarn for last 4 rows of stocking stitch section, just below end rib – but it could (and perhaps should ) be added anywhere in this section)
Pick up and knit the 16 cast off sts from thumb hole plus 2 on each side to make a continuous circle for the thumb tube. I used a crochet hool to pick uo 8 sts and transferred them to one double pointed 4 mm needle, then 6 sts and transferred to 2nd dpn, then 6 sts and transferred to 3rd dpn. I placed a marker in the stitch just under the first st on the first needle.
Knit 10 rows of 1X1 rib on the dpns and cast off.
My specific pattern instructions:
----------------------------------------------------
CO 48 sts using thumb method (and number of strands of yarn required to make chosen thickness of yarn
Slip all first stitches throughout
18 rows of 1X1 rib – add red –grey yarn at row 11, all red rows 12 and 13 , red-grey row 14.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 (red added alternate stitch) = right side, keep cross-overs to back /wrong side), 14 (red), 15(red), 16, 17, 18


Next row – stocking stitch and* K3, Make 1 * repeat to end – (64 sts.)
Then cont to complete 18 rows of ss, ending on ws
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, instead of doing line 18 as before, as I ended on ws and this glove is long enough, on 18 (rs), I CO 8 sts and on next line (19), CO 8 then purl to end. (48)
Cont SS for 8 rows in grey
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Next row – knit alternating red and grey
Next row - purl in red
Next row, - knit in red
Next row - Purl alternating red and grey
K 1 row
P 1 row Done to here.
Next approx. 10 rows – 1X1 rib 1, 2, 3, 4,
Cast off
Bind/sew side seams aligning each side of thumbhole, top and bottom ribs.
Pick up and knit 16 cast-off stitches plus 4 sts on size 3/14 or 4 mm DPNs
10 rows of 1X1 rib (approx)
Cast off.
Weave in the ends.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Killarney weekend

Stayed in Killarney last weekend and walked the dogs by the beautiful lake.
Attended the craft fair - and enjoyed it despite the rain.







Who cares about the rain? It's very nice inside this yurt with Mairead spinning the fleece.








Finish and start again

Scarf finished - so now I have to knit some gloves to go with it. They will be stick-out-your-mitt type - i.e. make it up as you go along and rip to fit.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Yet another scarf ..

They grey alpaca looked so nice against the food-dyed pink/red wool that I had to knit them together somehow. Grey overcoat needs something bright for winter anyway
***********************************

Oisin and Huddie sample their wears

Huddie "Do I get a cookie for this?"
Oisin "Darn sure we do!"

Looks a bit like wreath on the door - but ...feels nice.
********************************************8


Monday, July 6, 2009

Fleece sampling time

Taking samples from my washed fleece and testing them with carding, combing , spinning and knitting.

I thought this would be a real bore but I'm actually enjoying it.
The difference in the yarn made with different spinning techniques and then in the knitting!
A person could go round in circles trying to decide how to use the lovely stuff.
Must try to take photos of different preps - but my photos are pretty bad - all because I've been too lazy to go to another room and plug the camera into a Mac where I could probably get a better result.
Well, I'll give that a try since seeing the differences in plain, undyed samples will be quite a challenge I expect.
********************

Doggy Down Alpaca scarf

Drying on the ironing board.



Feels nice.
Give Oisin and Huddie some peace for a while anyway :).
*******************************