Starting ANOTHER New Project?!?!

It does seem wrong to start another new project, but I need some airport-able knitting for a trip this week. To meet my criteria, the project needs to somewhat compact and there needs to be little to need to reference the pattern.

I pulled out things I had bought over the last year to see who qualified.  My first choice was the Nansen poncho.  I had purchased the yarn just a few weeks ago.  After a lot of thinking about gauge and some planning, and blogging about the joy (where is the sarcastic font when you need it) of yarn substitutions, I cast on and started. The cable pattern is charted and not an intuitive pattern to follow, so I set it aside for the time being.

Next up an infinity scarf, the ShiBui Array.  This yarn was just purchased this month, when searching for the Madelinetosh project.  I had to cast on 320 stitches and join, being careful not to twist -- not easy with 320 stitches on a 24" needle.  (I invested in a new 32" needle.) This project would work, but we are heading for a warmer place and this wouldn't be comfortable poolside knitting.

I started a third project, Summit, with lace weight yarn, and have ripped twice, just not getting things to move as I would like, but I will persevere!

All three are free patterns and I have made yarn changes to all of them.

I have a a list of yarn shops at my destination.  It's always fun to see other yarn shops and yarn doesn't add that much weight to my 'stay under 50 lbs' suitcase!

Minnesota Mittens

I have made this pattern (or portions of it) more times than any other pattern.

I knit these as if I were knitting 2 socks on 2 circular needles.  I also have rather large cold hands, so my last two pairs have been with bulky instead of worsted yarn and I cast on 29 stitches (a multiple of 4 + 1).

When I have gotten a hole in the thumb, I have ripped back the thumb and put a new one on.  The cuff I have on my current pair is at least 8 years old, but I have brand new 'uppers.'

Minnesota Mittens

2 skeins Brown Sheep Worsted 

size 8 dp needles

CO 33 sts  

Join, being careful not to twist.

Purl 2 rows

Knit 10 rows

Purl 1 row

Turn and knit 1 row, knitting the last stitch together with the first stitch.  (32 stitches) 

Change color if a contrasting color was used for the cuff

Knit 2 rows

Rib 7 rows

Knit 5 rows  (This makes the base of the thumb about 2" from the rib, adjust as needed.  i.e. 13 rows on my last pair)

Thumb gusset

Right mitten:

K2, inc 1, K3, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K2, inc 1, K5, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K2, inc 1, K7, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K2, inc 1, K9, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K2, put the 11 stitches of the gusset on a holder, knit around

K2, cast on 3 stitches, knit around.

Left mitten:

K11, inc 1, K3, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K11, inc 1, K5, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K11, inc 1, K7, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K11, inc 1, K9, inc 1, knit around

knit 1 round

K11, put the 11 stitches of the gusset on a holder, knit around

K11, cast on 3 stitches, knit around.

Knit 24 rows or until mitten reaches the top of the little finger (approx.)

For rounded tips 

K6, K2tog around

K5, K2tog around

K4, K2tog around

K3, K2tog around

K2, K2tog around

K1, K2tog around

K2tog around

Break yarn and run through remaining stitches (4)

Thumb

Pick up 5 stitches from behind thumb to make 16 stitches (along with the 11 from the holder)

Decrease 1 stitch on each side of thumb in first knit round (14 stitches)

Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 ¾" (about 12 rows)

Decrease by K1 K2tog around, break yarn and run through remaining stitches

Bonus -- Finished Mittens

I discovered a thumb-less pair of mittens in a basket of yarn.  There were 9 stitches on holders.  So I decided to finish the mittens and reclaim the holders!

Actually one thumb was on a holder, one was using a cable needle as a holder.  I quickly added a thumb to each.

These were knit with Brown Sheep Bulky from a very old pattern from my knitting instructor.  The Minnesota Mitten was originally written for worsted weight yarn, but I have made multiple pairs in bulky weight yarn.

D2 thinks the mittens were intended for her, but when she tried them on today, they were a little snug.  I am still thrilled they are done.  I gained a Finished Object, a stitch holder and a cable needle!

Blue Honey Finished!

Nice yarn, well written pattern.  A joy from start to finish!  And yes it is finished and delivered to it's happy owner.

My finished scarf was 50" x 9"; we love the way it looks.

So many times I hear or read that someone has struggled with a yarn or a pattern but this was a joy to knit.  It was a very repetitive stitch, but there wasn't soooo much knitting that it was boring.

Yarn Substitution

The pattern I am overthinking is the Nansen Ponchette.  I am making a number of changes starting with a different yarn. Some yarn substitutions are simple, some are more complicated.

The yarn the pattern calls (Berroco Flicker) for has a default gauge of 5 sts & 7 rows to the inch on a size 9.  The yarn I am substituting (Berroco Peruvia) has a gauge of 4.25 sts & 5.5 rows on a size 10.  Not too different, but enough that some adjustments will need to be made.

Just how far off? My pattern calls for 48 stitches to be cast on.  The resulting panel would be 9.6" wide.  With my substitution, 48 sts would be 11.3" wide. My panel would be almost 2" wider than the pattern.

This is where the all important gauge swatch and a little guess work come in to play.  The pattern I am using has a slightly different gauge than the yarn ball AND it is measuring that gauge in pattern.  It wants 48 sts to 7" and 20 rows to 2.75" IN CHARTED PATTERN.

My pre-swatch assumptions:
1) I would need to be a little smaller than the called for yarn if I don't want to change the number of stitches.
2) I tend to knit pretty close to gauge.
3) This is a poncho and fit is not as important as it would be for a more fitted item, however, drape is very important.
Conclusion: I'll try a size 8 needle for my swatch instead of the 9 called for in the pattern.  I don't want to adjust the number of stitches in this pattern if I can get away with it.  The length of the knitting in this pattern (rows) is all indicated with inches, but my row gauge matters because after joining this panel, I have to pick up around both edges to add the top and bottom of the poncho.

Blue Honey a Blur

I'm knitting so fast on this project it's practically a blur!

This is a really nice pattern - it's interesting, but at the same time repetitive enough I don't need to carry the instructions with me while I work.

Head Wrap / Ear Warmer

Modified from T. Matthews Fine Art;  pictures of my final versions in a previous post.

Materials: 
Size 10 knitting needles Bulky Yarn, less than 100 yds, I used Brown Sheep Bulky
Size J Crochet Hook (optional)
Button Gauge:5 st/inch (in the rib pattern)


Abbreviations:
m1B – From the back, lift loop between stitches with the left needle, purl into the front of loop.
m1F – From the front, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into the back of loop.
pfb – purl front and back
* the m1B & F are different from the m1L & R I usually use


Directions: 
CO 7 st

Row 1 (RS): K1, P1 rib across
Row 2 (WS): P1, K1 across
Row 3: Repeat row 1
Row 4: Repeat row 2

Begin the increases: 
Row 5: Work in rib until center stitch (on this row it's the 4th stitch), pfb, continue in rib to the end of the row.
Row 6: Work in the rib knowing that you will have two knit stitches next to each other right in the very center of the row--this is fine as you will increase BETWEEN them on the next row.
Row 7: Work in rib until center stitch, m1F, continue in rib to the end of the row.
Row 8: Work in the rib pattern.
Row 9: Work in rib until center stitch, kfb center st, continue in rib to the end of the row.
Row 10: Work in the rib knowing that you will have two purl stitches next to each other right in the very center of the row--again, this is fine as you will increase BETWEEN them on the next row.
Row 11: Work in rib until the center, m1B, continue in rib to the end of the row.
Row 12: Work in the rib pattern.

Repeat rows 5-12 until your work measures 6.25” from the cast on edge. You’ll have 23 stitches on the needle.

Work in the rib pattern for 4.75” (until you have 11” from the cast on edge)

Begin the decreases: 
Row 1: Work to one stitch before the center stitch, slip 1 as to knit, P1, PSO, continue in rib to end of row. Row 2: Work in rib, the two center stitches will be the same.
Row 3: Work to one stitch before the center stitch, slip 1 as to knit, K1, PSO, continue in rib to end of row. Row 4: Work in rib pattern.
Row 5: Work to 1 stitch before the center stitch, P2tog, continue in rib to end of row.
Row 6: Work in rib, the two center stitches will be the same.
Row 7: Work to center two stitches, p2tog, continue in rib to end of row.
Row 8: Work in rib pattern.

Work decrease rows 1-8 until you have 7 stitches on the needle.

Buttonhole: Work 4 rows in rib pattern Next right side row: Work 2 stitch (still in rib pattern), BO 3, work last stitch. Next wrong side row: cast on 3 stitches over the bound off stitches. Work one row and then bind off all stitches.

For The Flower: 
Large (5 Petal) Flower
Using a J hook, chain 10, join with a slip stitch into first chain to form a ring.
1st Round - (Ch 3, 1 sc into ring) do this 5 times. Join with a sc into first st.
2nd Round - Into each chain loop work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 6 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc. Fasten off.
Smaller (4 Petal) Flower
Using a J hook, chain 4, join with a ss into first st.
1st Round - (Ch 3, 1 sc into ring) do this 4 times. Join with a sc into first st.
2nd Round - Into each chain loop work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 4 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc. Fasten off.
Bobble for center 
With size 10 knitting needles, CO 1, kfb until you have 4 stitches, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, p 1 row, k 1 row, do not turn, lift second stitch over the first, then the third and then the fourth, fasten off first stitch. Tie the ends together using the tails, stuff a little if desired (I just used one of the tails) and sew around the edges a bit if needed to form the bobble.
Layer the flower together and attach to the headwrap.

Crochet Instructions: 
SC - Single Crochet: 
Insert your hook into the stitch or space indicated.
Yarn over and pull up a loop. (You should have two loops on your hook.)
Yarn over and draw through both of the loops on your hook. 

HDC - Half Double Crochet:
Yarn over and insert your hook into the stitch or space indicated, yarn over and pull up a loop. (You should have 3 loops on your hook.)
Yarn over again and draw through all three of the loops on the hook.

DC – Double Crochet: 
Yarn over and insert your hook into the stitch or space indicated.
Yarn over and pull up a loop. (3 loops on hook.)
Yarn over and draw through 2 of the loops. (2 loops on hook.)
Yarn over and draw through the last 2 of the loops.