Limulidae Cowl and Hat-- Available Now!

The winter edition of Knit on the Net went live today. And guess what's on the front page?

My "Limulidae" cowl and hat, as you can see.

The issue has some great patterns. I can't encourage you enough to look through it!

Also, I'd like to point out the advertisement card that Brenna kindly made for me. It has gears on it!

Ahem. I'm a little giddy today, but I'm blaming it on lunch (peppermint bark). A word about the name; I didn't choose Limulidae just to make the cowl and hat unpronounceable. That was the side-effect of the stitch pattern I modified. It's horseshoe lace, and when I think horseshoe, my mind turns to horseshoe crabs... from the family Limulidae.

Yes. I knit soft, warm, fuzzy things and name them after crustaceans. It's a little counter-intuitive.

Brenna's Gloves

Materials:

1 skein New Tweed ( 034)
Set of 5 #8/5mm dpns
1 cable needle.

Comments on re-sizing: as worked, pattern should fit average-to-large hands comfortably; the yarn stretches well width-wise. Naturally, add extra repeats of pattern in lower/upper hand as needed to gain preferred length. New Tweed has enough yardage for about 1.5" increased length per glove (I'm eyeballing this-- let me know if I'm off). Knitters with hands significantly smaller than approximately 8" around lower palm (below thumb) will want to decrease in increments of 2 sts, taken from the circumference as evenly as possible-- 4sts for 7" inches around, etc. BO 2 fewer stitches for thumb. I'll write this into the pattern eventually.

Gauge: 4.5 stitches/6 rows=1"/2.6cm

Stitch pattern

Rows 1-3: p1, k10, p1

Row 4: p1, 5LC (two stitches held in front), 5RC (two stitches held in front), p1

These four rows and 12 stitches will be repeated throughout the pattern.

The Right Glove (for all you non-mirror knitters)

CO 30 sts and divide evenly between 2 dpns. Join and purl in round for two rows.

Choose one needle to be the top of the glove, where the cable will be worked (needle a).

Set-up row for cable pattern: k1, first row of stitch pattern

Set-up row for cable pattern: *k1, p1, k10, p1, k2. Knit across remaining stitches, and continue working the stitch pattern with the k1… k2 stitches framing it on needle a.

When glove measures 1 ¾ inches/44mm long (longer for a longer cuff), work first increase row on the bottom needle, needle b:

K1, kfb, knit across to second to last st, kfb again, k1.

Work one full round in pattern, then repeat the above increase.

Thumb Gusset

When glove is 3”/76mm long, work across 9 stitches on needle b, then pick up another dpn and, with it, work the last 10 stitches. This new needle will be needle c; needle b will be the thumb gusset.

Work until you reach needle b again. K7, kfb, k1. Continue in pattern as normal to the end of this round and through the next; k7, kfb, k1.

Work two more rounds in pattern as set, then (if not already done) work across needle a.

Row: K1, sl1 st knitwise. *P 9; p2 sts on needle c. Sl1 stitch knitwise, wrap st, slip back onto needle c. Turn work and knit back across all non-slipped stitches (11 total). Wrap slipped st, turn, repeat from * Next short row: BO 11 sts. Slip wrap onto needle and knit; work in pattern as set until you reach next wrapped stitch. Slip this one back onto needle b and knit, then, as if there weren’t any bound off stitches there, knit stitches from needle c onto needle b. You are now back to two needles with a nice, minimally-shaped thumb.

Continue working in pattern as set: you will have 29 stitches on your two needles now, 15 on needle a (the stitch count here never changes) and 14 on needle b. Work until glove is approximately half an inch/13 mm short of desired length, preferably ending with row 3 of cable pattern. Work two full rounds of purl. BO all stitches. Weave in ends.

Other Glove

CO as for right glove. When working set-up row for cable, reverse numbers of knit stitches: k2, p1, k10, p1, k1. Otherwise, work in pattern as set until:

Thumb Gusset

When glove is 3”/76mm long, work across 10 stitches on needle b, then pick up another dpn and, with it, work the last 9 stitches. This new needle will be needle c; needle c will be the thumb gusset.

Work until you reach needle c again. K1, kfb, k7. Continue in pattern as normal to the end of this round and through the next: k1, kfb, k7

Work two more rounds in pattern as set, then (if not already done) work across needle a.

Row, starting on needle b: k7, sl1 st knitwise, *p2 on needle b, p9 on needle c. Sl1 st knitwise, wrap st, slip back onto needle c. Turn and work back across all non-slipped stitches (11 total). Wrap slipped st on needle b, turn, repeat from * Next short row: BO 11 stitches. Continue in pattern as written for right glove.

Pelecypoda fingerless gloves 2

Pelecypoda fingerless gloves

Ingredients:
<1 skein Elann.com Sonata color 2608 (or 100% mercerized cotton of your choice)
5 #5 dpns

CO 60 stitches and arrange evenly over 3 needles.
Working in the round, *k7, sl1, k2tog, psso; rep to until end of round.
Next round: *k6, k2tog; rep to end of round.
Knit two rounds. You have 42 stitches total; make certain they are arranged on the needles in multiples of seven.

Proceed with shell pattern:

Shell stitch variation
Round 1: *k1, yo, p1, p3tog, p1, yo, k1; repeat
Rounds 2&3: knit

Work these three reps 7 times.

Thumb

Continue working the shell variation stitch another five times, EXCEPT work last 7 stitches (one repeat of shell) on the third needle in stockinette. Due to the nature of the shell stitch pattern, you will be working a total of nine consecutive knit stitches-- eight on the third needle, one on the first. After working the last set, slip 3 stitches from the third needle onto the first. Now, on your fifth needle and using the lead yarn, m5 stitches in the manner of your choosing. This needle will temporarily dangle between the third and the first needle. Join it between the shell-stitch pattern and the strip of stockinette stitches (both on the third needle) so you will be working in the round. Work five rows. Bind off thumb.

Finishing
With third needle, pick up 6 stitches from inner side of thumb (what used to be the m5 stitches). Continue working body of glove as usual, in shell stitch pattern except for the 6 stitches above the thumb, until the glove reaches a desirable length ending with a knit row. Bind off all stitches and weave in ends. Block lightly if desired; I didn't. The yarn I used is just about endlessly stretchy; one with less give may require more repetitions of the shell stitch, at which point remember to cast on additional multiples of (7+3[the decrease]). Work the second glove the same way. Due to the lazy way I did the thumb gusset, the gloves are completely reversible.

Enjoy.

Pelecypoda fingerless gloves 1

It's been, well... literally since the dawning of my blog since I posted a free pattern. I had great plans to regularly post free patterns, see, but catastrophic events of my own design got in the way.

That wasn't quite meant to be a pun.

This is an effort to buck that trend. Not that it's a particularly elaborate or well-written pattern; these are just gloves I banged together during a movie marathon with a few friends. I did all the counting/rewriting afterwards. The stitch pattern is based off "small shell stitch" which you can find if you google. I've used it before but didn't actually remember how many stitches/rows the stitch is worked across. Still, I like the result. Pelecypoda (members of the shellfish family) are lacy light-weight gloves with subtle points along the bottom border.

Anyone who comes across this pattern is welcome to use it (you know the code: personal usage only, blahblahblah). Hell, if you want, write me and ask me to translate it into a real pattern. I will be obliging.

Pattern to follow, next post.

Trilobite 3

Right Warmer

With 9 stitches on the first needle and 8 on the third, work this warmer exactly like the right warmer until the end of row 16.

Thumb Gusset

Starting with row 17, k to end of first needle, work cable pattern as usual, and then k 7 sts, inc1, k to end of needle. Work even rows as usual, knitting all stitches.

Row 19: K all sts, inc1 into 8^th st on third needle.

Row 21: K all sts, inc1 into 9^th st on third needle

Row 23; K all sts, inc1 into 10^th st on third needle.

Row 25: K to last st on first needle; yo, k1, work cable pattern; k1, yo, inc1 into 11^th st on third needle.

Row 26: Work as usual until third needle; k6, then bind off 8, starting with the last stitch worked, and knit the rest of the sts on the needle (you will end up with 5 sts, a gap, and 3 sts. Take those last 3 sts and slip them onto a separate needle. Wrap the first st on the first needle; turn, p those 3 sts; turn, k those 3 sts; wrap same st as last time; turn and p back; knit to end of round. Slip those 3 sts back onto third needle.

Thumb gusset decrease

Row 27: Knit to last st on first needle, yo, k1, then work cable work cable. On third needle, k1, yo, then k to end of round, keeping the tension tight as you work the three sts of the thumb gusset decrease.

Row 28-29: Knit all sts on first needle, work cable pattern across second, and k all sts on third needle.

(if you wish to make the gloves longer through the fingers, add one or two complete repetitions of the cable pattern at this point, after finishing).

Row 30: On first needle, k2tog after third st on first needle, continue cable pattern across second, and k2tog after third st on the third needle.

Row 31: Repeat steps from row 28

Row 32: Repeat row 30.

Continue warmer until it reaches 7 repetitions or desired length of cable pattern. Finish round. Bind off all stitches.

Trilobite 2

PATTERN

Left Warmer

CO 29 stitches and arrange them onto 3 dpns: 8on the first, 12 on the second, and 9 on the third. The needle with 12 stitches indicates the back of the warmer and will carry the cable pattern.

Row 1: Join sts. Knit across the needle with 8 sts; on second needle, work starting row of cable pattern (see below), then k to end of third needle.

Row 2: K8, begin row 1 of cable pattern, k to end of third needle.

Repeat, progressing through cable pattern as you go, until 2 full repetitions of the cable have been completed. Always knit all stitches on other 2 needles. Finish round. You will have a total of 11 rows after co.

Row 12: K7 sts, then yo and k next st. This increase is meant to leave small holes in your work; if you prefer a more finished look, m1 instead. Continue with cable pattern (you should be on line 1) then k1, yo, k 8.

Row 13: K all sts on first and third needles and work cable pattern on second needle.

Row 14: K8, then yo and k next st. Continue with next part of cable pattern (line 3) and k1, yo, k9 on third needle.

15, 16: Work as on row 13.

Thumb gusset

Row 17: On first needle, k2, inc1 into third st; work as usual to end of round 18.

Repeat rows 17 and 18 twice more (total of 22 rows). There will be 13 sts on the first needle.

Row 23: K 12 sts, yo, then k last st on first needle. Work forth row of cable pattern, then k1, yo, and knit to end of third needle.

Row 24: work as usual.

Row 25: K2 sts, inc1, work through second to last st, yo, k1. Work cable pattern, then k1, yo, and k to end of third needle. You will have 15 sts on the first needle, and 13 on the third.

Row 26: Now that there are sufficient extra stitches, it’s time to start binding off for the thumb. K4 sts, then bind off 8, starting with the stitch you just worked. Knit the rest of the sts on the needle. You will end up with 3 sts, a gap, and then 5 sts—all on the first needle. Work to end of round.

Thumb gusset decrease

Row 27: Slip the first 3 sts onto a separate needle. This step is just for simplicity’s sake and can be skipped if you only have a set of 4 dpns. Following that, k those 3 sts, then turn piece and purl them across the back. Now: wrap 1 stitch on the third needle (slip stitch onto the needle with 3 sts on it, draw yarn around as if to knit stitch after that, but then slip this unworked st back onto third needle). This will prevent a large gap in the work. Turn piece again and bring yarn to back; knit the 3 sts. Then work next 4 sts, careful to maintain steady tension so there won’t be a ladder where the two sets of stitches join. Work cable pattern and, on third needle, k1, yo, and k to end. The stitch count for each needle will now be: first needle, 9 sts; second needle, 12 sts; third needle, 13 sts.

Row 28-29: Knit all sts on first needle, work cable pattern across second, and k all sts on third needle.

(if you wish to make the gloves longer through the fingers, add one or two complete repetitions of the cable pattern at this point, after finishing).

Row 30: On first needle, k2tog after third st on first needle, continue cable pattern across second, and k2tog after third st on the third needle.

Row 31: Repeat steps from row 28

Row 32: Repeat row 30.

Continue warmer until it reaches 7 repetitions or desired length of cable pattern, finishing with line 5. Finish round. Bind off all stitches.

Trilobite 1

Largely because I don’t have batteries in my camera right now, but partly because it’s the commercial season -and perhaps even because I feel like doing something extravagant for my first real post- let me introduce you to Trilobites, a fingerless glove pattern concocted out of a steeply discounted skein of Jo Sharp desert garden aran cotton, "latte" color. I'll post it by warmer, to keep things nice and concise.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference (from 1” below fingers): 7 inches

Length: 6 inches

MATERIALS

1 set of 4 US #8/5mm double-pointed needles

PATTERN NOTES

4LC= hold 2 stitches to front of piece on cable needle; knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 on cable needle

4RC= hold 2 stitches to back of piece on cable needle; knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 on cable needle.

Inc1= bar increase by working same stitch twice before slipping it off the needle.

Wrap 1= slip stitch onto needle, wrap with yarn as if to knit, slip stitch back onto other needle.

YO= yarn over; wrap yarn around needle clockwise, continue to next stitch.

Double Cable Pattern (set of 12 sts)

Starting row: p2, 4LC, 4RC, p2

*Row 1-4: p2, k8, p2

Row 5: p2, 4LC, 4RC, p2

(repeat these five rows from *)