Free Pattern: Hugs and Kisses Mittens

 

 

 

I wasn't able to find a cute mitten pattern for my daughter, so I designed one myself.  These fit an 8 to 10 year old. 

El Uminator has contributed to the pattern and created a chart which you can view in her blog here. I have also copied and pasted the chart in Mitten Top section in the pattern.  Thank you El Uminator!

Yarn: Cascade Heather 220, Color Baby Rose Heather 9442
Materials: A set of 3.75mm, US5 double pointed needles or  a 3.75mm Circular needle (if you are using the magic loop method), Cable needle, 2 stitch markers, waste yarn
Required Skills: Basic cabling, Knitting in a circle

Gauge: 5 sts/ Inch (St st), 7 sts/ Inch (Cable)

Size: Hand Circumference 7"

Abbreviations:
CO = cast on
sts = stitches
P = purl
K = knit
M1 = make one
LC = slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit next two stitches, knit two stitches from cable needle
RC = slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit next two stitches, knit two stitches from cable needle
PM = place marker
M1L = make one left
M1R = make one right
K2tog = knit two stitches together
P2tog = purl two stitches together
ssk = slip slip, knit these two stitches together


The Cuff:
CO 36 and divide sts evenly between needles.  Join to begin working in the round.
First Round: [P2, K2] to end.
Repeat this round until work measures 1.5 inches (longer cuff 2.5" is recommended).

Next Round: [P2, K2, P2, M1, K2, P2, K2, M1] Repeat to end. (42 sts)

Gusset:
Work in patten.
Row 1-3: K1, P2, K4, P2, K8, P2, K4, P2, K1, K to end of round.
Row 4: K1, P2, LC, P2, RC, LC, P2, RC, P2, K1, work thumb gusset increase for left hand, PM, M1L, K1, M1R, PM, knit to end. (For left hand, knit to one before last st, PM, M1L, K1, M1R, PM)
Row 5 & 6: Work same as row 1 & 2
Row 7: K1, P2, K4, P2, K8, P2, K4, P2, K1, Slip Marker, M1L, K until next stitch marker, M1R,  Slip Marker, K to end.
Row 8: Cable round, K1, P2, LC, P2, LC, RC, P2, RC, P2, K1, K to end.
Row 9: Same as Row 1.
Row 10: Increase round, same as Row 7.
Row 11: Same as Row 1.
Row 12:  Cable round, same as Row 8.
Row 13: Same as Row 1.
Row 14: Increase round, same as Row 7.
Row 15: Same as Row 1.
Row 16: Cable round, K1, P2, LC, P2, RC, LC, P2, RC, P2, K1, knit to end.
Row 17: Same as Row 1.
Row 18: Increase round, same as Row 7.
Row 19: Same as Row 1.
Row 20: Cable round, K1, P2, LC, P2, RC, LC, P2, RC, P2, K1, remove marker, place next 11 sts on waste yarn, remove marker, CO 2, rejoin and knit remaining sts. (43 sts)

Mitten Top:
Row 1-3: K1, P2, K4, P2, K8, P2, K4, P2, K1, K to end of round.
Row 4:  K1, P2, LC, P2, LC, RC, P2, RC, P2, K1, K to end.
Row 5-8: Repeat Row 1-4
Row 9-11:  Same as Row 1-3
Row 12:  K1, P2, LC, P2, RC, LC, P2, RC, P2, K1, knit to end.
Row 13-16: Repeat Row 9-12
Row 17-20: Repeat Row 1-4
Row 21: Start decreasing for the tip; ssk, P1, K4, P2tog, K8, P2tog, K4, P1, K2tog, K2, ssk, knit until 4 sts left, K2tog, K2.
Row 22: K1, P1, K4, P1, K8, P1, K4, P1, K1, knit to end.
Row 23: ssk, P2tog, K2, P1, K8, P1, K2, P2tog, K2tog, K2, ssk, knit until 4 sts left, K2tog, K2.
Row 24: K1, P1, P2tog, P1, LC, RC, P1, P2tog, P1, K1, knit to end.
Row 25: ssk, P2, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, P2, K2tog, K2, ssk, knit until 4sts left, K2tog, K2.
Row 26: K1, P2tog, K4, P2tog, K1, knit to end.
Row 27: K1, P1, K2, P1, K2tog, K2, ssk, knit until 4 sts left, K2tog, K2.
Row 28: K1, P1, K2, P1, K1, knit to end.
Row 29: ssk, P1, P1, K2tog, K2, ssk, K1, K2tog, K2.
Break yarn, draw through remaining 11 sts and pull tight.

Chart created by El Uminator
Legend:
o : knit
+ : purl
__-- : C2B/RC
--__ : C2F/LC

16: o++__--++--____--++--__++o
15: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
14: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
13: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
12: o++__--++__----__++--__++o
11: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
10: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
09: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
08: o++__--++__----__++--__++o
07: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
06: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
05: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
04: o++__--++--____--++--__++o
03: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
02: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o
01: o++oooo++oooooooo++oooo++o

Thumb:
Place 11 sts onto needles, pick up and knit 3 sts over gap, and join. (14 sts)

Knit around until the tip of the thumb (1.5 " from pick-up round), K2tog for 2 rounds, break yarn, draw through rem sts and pull tight.

OR

(if you want to shape the tip of the thumb better...)
Knit 10 rounds.
Next Round: K2tog, K3, K2tog, K3, K2tog, K2
Next Round: K all sts
Next Round: K2tog 5 times, K1
Next Round: K2tog 3 times.
Break yarn, draw through remaining 3 sts and pull tight.

Left Hand:
Make same as right hand except for the thumb.


*This pattern is free for personal use, however the photo is not for sharing.

Shawls, Shawls!

 

Pattern:  Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West

Needle: US 10 / 6.0 mm

Yarn: 2 skeins of Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica, Color 708

I made this beautiful shawl for my fiance.  I couldn't resist wearing it, I borrowed it when I went out for shopping yesterday. It's a very easy pattern, I made the same thing last year using Noro sock yarn.

 

Pattern: Springtime Bandit by Kate Gagnon Osborn 

Needle: US 8 / 5.0 mm, US 10 / 6.0 mm

Yarn: 2 skeins of Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted, Color Alpine Pearl 201

I finally got to try out this pattern.  The pattern is well written, and the chart is easy to follow.  I was surprised how fast I knitted this shawl.  It took me only three days, that's how much I took to finish the Boneyard Shawl.  

I did an extra repeat of the body chart. It made the shawl bigger than the pattern, but I ended up running out of yarn when I got to the last few rows of the edge chart.  I went back and started binding off after row 28 of the edge chart.  It still looks beautiful, isn't it?

My Family Knit Circle

Sometime last week, I suggested my family to knit each other something for Valentine's Day.  I was half joking when I said that, but my fiance and daughter liked the idea, they started knitting.

My daughter just made a simple cowl last week. From the day she continues to knit.  She finished a dress for her stuffed animal Neko-chan, she's now working on a sweater for a teddy bear, and a crane for her grandmother who's ill. She's pretending like she's a dress maker, taking orders from all of her stuffed animal.  This should keep her very busy! 

I'm surprised how fast my daughter learns, knitting is so natural to her, she's just good at it.  I remember when I started knitting, I had trouble holding the sticks in my hands,they felt very uncomfortable in my small hands, and I was also impatient.

My fiance knew how to knit and purl, but the most advanced skill he ever learned was mistake rib stitch.  After his first attempt of making a scarf which he never finished, he quit knitting for a while.  This time he picked a beautiful shawl pattern for me to wear, it's not an easy pattern for beginner to follow, but he's doing much better and more interested in knitting than ever before.  I guess the repetitiveness of the rib stitch of a scarf was quite boring for him.
 
The pattern he picked is called Springtime Bandit, it's a beautiful triangular shawl. I've been wanting to make it for a while now.  I really can't wait for him to finish!  Here is the work he has done so far.  He's finished the set up pattern.

The yarn used is Wool Clasica by Manos del Uruguay.  Ohhhh, I like Manos!  Speaking of Manos, we have red Manos and blue Manos in our stash, two skeins each (Yes, "we,"  my fiance buys yarn just because they are cool, even though he hasn't created anything out of them. I guess I'm the lucky one.).  Him creating the shawl made me quite anxious, it's not because he's a beginner, but I haven't tried the pattern for myself and I really want to try it out.  Of course I'm going through the pattern with him while he knits, but I want to try it out with my own hands.

While I was knitting the sleeve of a sweater, all I thought was making the same thing with the blue yarn.  It was very hard for me to tame the temptation, I almost wanted to stop knitting the sleeve and start on the shawl.  Luckily I didn't have any extra cables for the circular needles (since my family started to knit, more needles are in use), I had to give up.  Anyways he's not the type of guy who wears a lace shawl.  After finishing the sleeve, I decided to knit him a simple triangular shawl.  The color of the yarn reminds me of the old school bandannas.

Trying Three Times Again!

Everything was going smoothly until I got to the sleeve of the cardigan.  Somehow I miscalculated, I had to start all over again.  Next thing I found out was my gauge was off.  The sleeve doesn't look too bad but I want it to be perfect just like I planned, so I'm ripping it back again.

I wasn't in a mood of re-knitting the sleeve for the third time, then I started a pair of socks.  I've been trying to find a nice pattern for the Lorna's sock multi, I only have one skein.  The color of the yarn is called Baltic Sea, I first imagined it would look leafy and woody in a good way (or the Baltic Sea), but it looks more like a military camouflage in stockinette stitch.  So I decided to find a lace pattern for the yarn.

After trying two lace socks patterns, I frogged them again because the patterns were too simple, it still made me think of the military camouflage....  So here is the third try, the toe up Hedera socks by Cookie A! 

I used the Turkish cast on and I'm knitting toe up. I know this yarn wants to be the Hedera pattern, and it's my third try, it should work!