Fingerless gloves *free pattern*

You will need 

One ball of Sirdar Crofter DK, or 110m (120m, 145m) of DK yarn 
3.5mm needles 
4.5mm needles 
2 stitch markers 
Needle for seaming 

Sizes S, M, L 

Using 3.5mm needles CO 36 (40, 44) sts using cable CO. 
Rows 1-8: k2, p2 rib 
Row 9: change to 4.5mm needles, k33 (37, 41) kf&b, k2 [37, 41, 45 sts] 
Row 10: p Row 11-14: knit one row; purl one row; knit one row; purl one row 
Row 15: k17 (19, 21), m1r, k3, m1l, k to end [39, 43, 47 sts] 
Row 16: p 
Row 17: k17 (19, 21), m1r, k5, m1l, k to end [41, 45, 48 sts] 
Row 18: p (for large size gloves, knit an extra row, purl an extra row, continue as for small and medium) 
Row 19: k19 (21, 23) pm, m1r, k3, m1l, pm, k to end [43, 47, 51 sts] 
Row 20: p 
Row 21: k19 (21, 23) slm, m1r, k to marker, m1l, slm, k to end 
Row 22: p 
Repeat rows 21 and 22 until there are 15 sts between each marker, ending with a purl row [53, 57, 61 sts]. 
Row 31: k (remembering to slip markers) 
Row 32: p 
Row 33: k to marker, slm, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p3, slm, k to end 
Row 34: p to marker, slm, k3, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, slm, p to end 
Repeat rows 33 and 34 twice (repeat three times for large size if needed). 
Row 39: k to marker, remove marker, BO in pattern to marker, remove marker, k to end 
Row 40: p18 (20, 22), p2tog, p to end [37, 41, 45 sts] 

Stockinette stitch for 8 (8, 10) rows, ending with a purl row (making sure you p2tog on last row to get back to an even number of sts). 

Change back to 3.5mm needles, k2, p2 rib for 7 rows, BO in pattern. 

Sew the side seam. Wear!

Thai fisherman's trousers

I made some Thai fisherman's trousers. I can't call them pants, here in the UK pants means underpants! These are actually the second pair I've made, but I don't have any photos of the first ones, and they look a bit pyjama-y anyway. I got the idea for the pattern from here, which is where the photos below come from. Really easy to make, probably an hour from start to finish, and that's including time to turn the house upside down looking for the right colour cotton! I think these grey ones are smart enough to wear to work. Nice shoes and a black top and I think it would look really nice.

Maddison Cowl

A friend asked me to make a cowl for her little girl Maddison, so I thought I'd write up how I did it. 

You will need: 
Less than 50 metres each of three different colours of double knitting 
3.5mm hook 

You will need to make 8 granny squares using your favourite method. I really like the Purl Bee tutorial, it is explained really well and is super easy to follow!

So you'll be making 8 squares and sewing them together into a band. You could make all the squares the same, but I like them all to be different. Have a look at the picture to see how I made them. The sizing can be adjusted at this point - my squares were a little under 3 inches - so if you want to make it smaller, make fewer squares - if you want it larger, make more!

Once the granny squares have been sewn into a band, you'll be continuing the granny pattern (*3 tr, ch1, rep from * - or in American terms it's *3dc, ch1, rep from *) remembering to make 3 trebles (or doubles if you're American) inbetween each square. Look at the next picture to see how I did it. Easy right? I did 5 rows of granny, but you could make fewer, or more if you wanted. The last row is slightly different - just do the 3 trebles (or doubles) in each ch1 space, but don't ch1 - this makes the top and bottom of the cowl ever so slightly smaller, which helps to keep it snug on your neck. 

Isn't it pretty? The next time I make one I'm going to use all my favourite granny square patterns. Hope Maddison likes her cowl, and that it keeps her warm this Winter.
 

Mittens for Christopher

Some mittens I designed and made for Christopher. Pretty cool, huh? I'm working on the pattern at the moment. Hope to have it in my Ravelry shop soon.

Designing baby shrugs

I have been busy designing baby clothes for my gorgeous niece. Here they are:

Ruffles (these aren't names, they're descriptions, 'ruffles' would be a terrible name for a shrug!)

Lace and cable

Stripes and crochet

It's actually more difficult designing baby clothes, well it is for me because I'm crap at knowing how small babies are. The stripey shrug will probably fit my niece when she is three!

Not sure about selling the patterns yet: separately, or as a little booklet? Maybe if I come up with another two, then a booklet of 5 patterns would be good value for a tenner.

Stripey cardi

I recently commissioned some wool from easyknits.co.uk in a very special colourway - it's called Jabba's Palace! I'm a massive Star Wars geek, yes. But I didn't want to waste the beautiful wool trying out a pattern for the first time, so I bought some cheap Sirdar Click DK and made a little cardi from this amazing pattern. I'll blog about my lush new wool once I've taken photos.

What can I say? I love it! It knitted up really quickly, and it's comfy and nice to wear. Bloomin' marvellous. I even have enough wool left over to make my baby niece a shrug in the same colours - she'll match Uncle Andrew! How cute will that be?



I added the three square pics because I am currently addicted to Instagram for my Android phone.

I even have a Tumblr to show off the results (and a few things that tickle my fancy!)

New patterns

Lynne from Calon Yarns asked me to design some patterns to sell, and we had the launch last Saturday. The patterns were not actually ready (problems with the printer, they said 6-8 days, but it's more like 14. Grr!) so instead people could pre-order them - but the samples were there so they could have a prod and a squeeze. I'm please to say that we sold three patterns. I couldn't believe it: we walked in to the shop and I saw my name on a sign "Patterns by local designer Andrew Williams". I'm a published knit patterner!

Bedwen means 'birch tree' in Welsh. Easy cables with a little flare at the base, so it sits on your neck nicely. It's knitted with Patons Fab Big, a lovely mega chunky yarn that's 100% acrylic, but really soft. It's very reasonably priced too, £4.50 for a 200g ball and that's enough to make a cowl and two large crocheted flowers. Each of my new patterns comes with a free bonus pattern - either a little crocheted thing, or a cute wristband.

Draig means 'dragon' in Welsh. It's crocheted with DK yarn using the crocodile stitch, but as I'm Welsh, I prefer to think of it as dragon scales. I think it would be nice in a thicker yarn, and would be much quicker to make too.

Igam Ogam (pronounced: ee-gam oh-gam) means 'zig zag' in Welsh. It's knitted in DK yarn (but can easily be made using a different weight) with a simple k2, p2 repeat, but every two rows the repeat is changed which creates the zig zag - first one way, then the other, and then back to the original direction. The pattern has instructions for making a long cowl, and a short, normal-sized version.

Onnen means 'ash tree' in Welsh. I made up this cable pattern and it reminded me of the bark of a tree, the colour of the test knit (a beige Wendy Mistral, sadly now discontinued) also made me think of as ash tree. This knits up really quickly on 8mm needles, I made this one while watching two episodes of Game of Thrones. A very nice Christmas knit.

The patterns should be with me on Friday the 7th of October, so Calon Yarns will be fully stocked with the patterns by next weekend. Some people very kindly bought the patterns anyway, as a pre-order kind of thing. I can't tell you how excited I was! The patterns can be bought from Calon Yarns, 380 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff. They are £3.50 each. Bargain.

So what's next then? Well, my friend Nina has asked me to knit a poncho in mega chunky as a Christmas gift for her sister (she'd been eyeing up the one I made Nina a few years ago), so that's my next pattern: The Ostrich Plume Poncho (I know, I know, but I can't help it, I love that lace pattern!)

Happy knitting!

The Adventures of Miss Flitt

I've just stumbled on an absolutely fantastic thing, The Adventures of Miss Flitt. It's an illustrated book of knitting patterns mixed with an amazing-sounding story.

From the website "The Adventures of Miss Flitt: The Strange Case of the Magician's Cabinet, an illustrated, 19th century mystery with knitting patterns by Beth Hahn, follows Emma Flitt into a Victorian New York filled with magicians, clairvoyants, charlatans, and pick pockets to unravel the mysterious disappearance of her sister Lucy. Told over the course of four installments, the debut issue features knitting patterns that emphasize the use of experimentation and creativity. While the intermediate knitter can follow clearly written instructions and charts, he or she is also encouraged to personalize each item by choosing from different yarns, edges, sleeve types, and sweater lengths."

It's such a fantastic idea, incorporating loads of things I love - knitting, magic and mystery, fiction, illustration... it's just such a lovely idea! I'd like to make my own one day, but finding the time is getting more an more difficult the more projects I start. I have it stored though, one day I'll make one. Maybe I could start off with an easy one: four patterns and a short story... hmm... braincogs whirring...

The pictures are just lovely as well.

http://willowrosaknits.blogspot.com/2009/11/amity-capelet-errata.html

CD-base Handbag

You will need:
Five 6mm dpns
Two 6mm straight needles (optional)
Two balls of King Cole Waves (MC)
Two balls Sirdar Curly Wurly (CC)
One button with a shaft (easier to sew than a button with holes)
Stitch marker
3mm crotchet hook
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle
Small amount of sewing thread in MC
One CD (music on it is entirely up to you!)

Gauge is pretty important with this bag = 3 sts per inch

The bag is made by knitting a tube, then decreasing sts to make a flat, circular bottom. A CD is then knitted into the base for support; then handles and a flap are added.

Bag:

With both yarns held together CO 38 sts, join to knit in the round (1st needle 10 sts, 2nd needle 9 sts, 3rd needle 10 sts, 4th needle 9sts) being careful not to twist (place marker at start of round), then work k1, p1 for 3 rounds.
K until tube is about 6 inches long.

P 1 round, then drop the Curly Wurly (CC) and cut it leaving a tail long enough to weave in later.

K 1 round.Make two decreases per needle for this round by k3, k2tog, k2 k2tog, k to end of round.

K 1 round...
Continue in this way until there are 4 sts left on each needle; then k1, k2tog k1; next round k1, k2tog; cut a long tail and pull through all sts and pull tight; sew to secure; weave in all ends.

Using the crotchet hook, pull all the curly bits through to the outside of the bag.

Using MC, CO 40 sts (10 on each needle), join to knit in the round being careful not to twist, then k 2 rounds.

Decrease as above, until you have 4 sts left on each needle; then k1, k2tog k1; next round k1, k2tog; cut a long tail and pull through all sts and pull tight; sew to secure; weave in ends. You will now have a floppy sort of circle.

Turn bag inside out and sew half of the floppy circle to the inside of the bottom.

Insert the CD, then continue sewing until CD is totally encased.

The turn back the right way out.

Handle:

Using both yarns held together, CO 7 sts and knit (stocking stitch) for about 12 inches.

Sew ends inside opposite sides of the opening. As stocking stitch naturally curls, there is no need to sew this tube shut (but you could if you wanted to).

Flap:

In the centre of the back of the bag opening, pick up 8 sts.

K1, p1 to end of row.

P1, k1 to end of row; keep doing this for about 3 inches, ending on a p1, k1 row.

K1, p1, k1, BO 2 sts, p1, k1, p1.

P1, k1, p1, CO 2 sts, k1, p1.

Work another two rows, keeping in pattern and BO.

Using sewing needle and thread, sew button in correct place according to buttonhole.

Presto, a pretty little bag that knits up fast and is superglam.

I added pearls to the front of mine to zhoosh it up a little. You could decorate it, or not, as you like.

I made this as a present for someone, and I burned songs the recipient would like, even though she can never listen to the CD. I felt so guilty that I then burned another CD with the songs on that she could enjoy!

Flowers for Mam

I made some of these for my Mam’s 56th birthday, she loved them, and has started making some as gifts for her knitting friends. They are also super easy to make!
Use any wool that you like, and pretty much any size needles. I used DK with 3.5mm double pointed needles.

You will need:

Set of 4 dpns (whatever size you’re used to)
Yarn (whatever type goes with your chosen needles)
Tapestry needle
Scissors
A spare hour or two

Okay here we go:
CO 30 sts. I always cast all my sts onto 1 ordinary needle, then transfer them to the double points as needed. I also CO 1 extra st, then knit the extra st and the first st together.
Divide the sts as 10 on each needle, join, then K 1 round.
K2, P1, K4, P1, K2 – for three rounds.
K until piece is about 1 ½ inches long.
Begin decreases:
K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2.
K 1 round.
K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1.
K1 round.
K2, K2tog, K2.
K2, K2tog, K1.
K1, K2tog, K1.
K1, K2tog.
You’ll now have 2 sts on each needle, cut the yarn leaving a long tail and thread through remaining sts, remove the needles and pull to draw tight. Weave in the yarn.

Now turn it inside out.
Pick up sts along a line, 1 sts every other purl bump.
Slip the first sts of every row, and then stocking sts until piece measure approx 5 inches / 13cm.
Garter stitch (knit every row) for another 2 inches / 6cm.
Cast off (bind off) leaving a long tail.
Now roll the long strip up like a swiss roll, and using the tail of yarn, sew closed at the end which is the bottom of the cup.
Now you turn the cup inside out, push a knitting needle through the middle of the flower and out of the end of the cup, pull down all the way and…

Presto! You have a flower. Make loads and put them in a vase.