Cropped Cabled Sweater

Cabled Sweater with Shawl Collar – Notes for Cropped Version Mods by Kristen Bucci
(Based on DROPS 104-31)

Used stitch counts for M/L

US 10 32” and 16” needles

9 skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky; Color M41 Turkish Olive

Knitting gauge: 15 sts x 28 rows in garter sts = 4”

Back and front pieces: Knit piece back and forth on circular needles.

Cast on 166 sts (includes 1 front band sts on each side) on US 10. Knit 1 row (WS).

Work next row (RS) as follows: Slip 1 edge st, work rib patt = K4 / P4, finish with 4 K and K 1 edge sts. Cont to slip the first st in each row as you work est rib patt.

When piece measures 4 3/4’’ work 2 rows knitting all sts. In the first of these 2 garter stitch rows, insert stitch markers at 37 sts from each side to separate Left/Right front and Back sts AND at the same time dec 18 sts evenly in the 92 BACK STITCHES ONLY for a total of 158 sts.

Continue as follows seen from RS:
Slip 1 edge st, 4 sts reverse stockinette, work Cable Chart (M.1) = 8 sts, 4 sts reverse stockinette, sm, *P4 on each row, K8 sts on each row*, repeat from *-* to marker, sm, P4 on each row, 4 reverse stockinette, work Cable Chart (M.1), 4 reverse stockinette and 1 edge sts.

Mod Note: I did a Right twisting cable on the Left front side, and a Left twisting cable on the Right front side.

When piece measures ~9 3/4" (or desired length from underarm to bottom) from the CO edge inc 1 sts (I used kfb) on each side of stitch markers on every other row 6 times in total = 170 sts – K all the new stitches in subsequent rows. When piece measures 11 ¼” split at stitch markers and complete each part separately. Keep sleeve stitches on waste yarn or st holders.

Mod Note: I ended Right Front on Row 22 (WS). Ended Left Front on Row 21 (RS).

Back piece = 84 sts. Continue with P over P and K over K. When back piece measures 18” bind off middle 28 sts for neck = 28 sts left for each shoulder. Cont in patt and work each shoulder section until piece measures 19 1/4”; put shoulders stitches on waste yarn/st holders.

Left Front piece = 43 sts. Continue in pattern on Row 22 as before. When piece measures 14” (mine was after 16 rows) bind off 6 sts mid front towards neckline. Note: For Left front, the bind off will be at the beginning of the Right Side rows. For Right front, it will be at the beginning of the Wrong Side rows.

Continuing binding-off (I slipped the 1^st stitch when binding off to avoid the “stair-step” effect) at neckline on every other row: 3 sts once, 2 sts twice, and 1 st twice = 28 sts left on shoulder. When piece measures 19 1/4” put stitches on waste yarn.

Right Front piece: Knit like left piece but reversed.

Shoulder assembly: With right sides of shoulders facing, join shoulder seams using a three-needle bind off.

Right Front edge: Knit back and forth on circular needles. With RS facing, pick up 32 sts (or # divisible 8 + 4) along right front piece. Knit 1 row.

Knit next row (RS) as follows: K4, work rib patt = P4/ K4 until last 8 sts, work these P4 and K4 on each row. When Rib measures 1 1/2’’ bind off buttonholes 4 evenly, place top buttonhole approx 3/8” from edge and bottom buttonhole approx 1 1/2’’from bottom edge. Work buttonhole as: bind off 2 sts and then cast on 2 new sts on next row.

Continue est rib until it measures 2’’, bind off loosely in pattern.

Left Front edge: Knit like right front edge, but with no buttonholes.

Sleeves: Pick up 64 (or # divisible by 8) around armhole on 12-16” circular needle. Join for working in the round. P1 round, then work rib patt = K4 / P4 until edge measures 2”. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Collar: Piece is worked back and forth. With right side facing, starting at Right Front edge, pick up 124. Knit 1 row from WS, then next row from RS as follows: K4 sts, est rib patt = K4/P4 until 8 sts remain in row, K 8 1/2".

Next row (WS): K4 sts, P4/K4 until 8 sts remain in row, P 4, K 4.

Continue with 4 sts each side in garter and remaining sts in est rib patt. Bind off loosely in pattern when collar measures ~8”.

Weave in all ends, but don't trim them short yet. Wet block. Sew on buttons and trim all ends.

Explanation to pattern diagram

	=	K from RS, P from WS
	=	Slip 4 sts onto cable needle to front (or back) of piece, K 4, K 4 from cable needle

All measurements in charts are in cm.
www.garnstudio.com

Modifications for Bear in Lamb Sleep Suit

My son requested that I make him the Bear in Lamb Sleep Suit from Debbie Bliss' The Baby Knits Book. I started with a leg and after knitting, breaking the yarn, joining, knitting some more, breaking, joining -- you get the picture -- 6 tails to weave in later, I had this to show for my work:

I thought there must be a better way to do this! My first search on Ravelry for finished projects of this pattern uncovered echoed frustrations by my fellow Ravelers, but I didn't really find any help. I expanded my search to the vast www, and my first result on Google produced this ingenious woman's blog:
Cogknition

Now armed with schematics and some good advice, I forged ahead to make my own pattern for the arms and legs of the bear. My version of the leg eliminates the need to knit a separate piece for the sole. Here are my mods, so far:

These notes cover only the parts of the pattern that I modified. Gauge, yarn, needle (etc.) information remains the same as printed in the book. Also, unless I provided notes about my modifications, I used the instructions as written in the book.

LEGS (make 2)
With long-tail method CO 12 sts, join in the round and knit 1 round. (Note: I used the magic loop method.)

Next: Inc to 20 sts in next 2 rounds by:

• (kfb, k2) around to end, then
  
• (kfb, k3) around to end.  (20 sts)
  

Next: Work 12 rounds even.
Next: Inc to 26 sts for instep by working the next 2 rows 3 times:

• kfb, knit to last st, kfb.
• Knit 1 round
  

Next round: Knit.
Next: Dec for sole:

• K2tog, k5, (k2tog, k3) x 2, k2tog, k5, k2tog. (21 sts)
  
• Knit 1 round.
  
• K2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2) x 2, k2tog, k3, k2tog. (16 sts)
  
• Knit 1 round.
  
• STUFF THE LEG AT THIS POINT!
  
• K2tog around. (8 sts)
  
• K2tog around. (4 sts)
  

Cut the working yarn leaving a tail, thread tail through remaining sts and pull tight. Knot these so they don't come undone and bury the tail up and through the bottom of the foot into and through the leg. Snip off excess. I used the cast on tail to sew the leg to the body.


ARMS (make 2)
With long-tail method CO 4 sts, join in the round and knit 1 round (Note: I used the magic loop method.)

Round 1: kfb into each st (8 sts)
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: (kfb, k2, kfb) x 2 (12 sts)
Round 4: Knit.
Round 5: (kfb, k4, kfb) x 2 (16 sts)
Round 6: (kfb, k6, kfb) x 2 (20 sts)

Rounds 7-20: Knit.

Rounds 21 & 22: (SSK, knit to last 2 sts on needle, k2tog) x 2 (12 sts)
Round 23: Knit.

STUFF THE ARM AT THIS POINT!
Round 24: (SSK, knit to last 2 sts on needle, k2tog) x 2 (8 sts)
Round 25: Knit.
Repeat round 24 & 25 (4 sts).

Cut the working yarn leaving a tail, thread tail through remaining sts and pull tight. Knot these so they don't come undone and bury the tail up and through the arm. Snip off excess. I used the cast-on tail to sew the arm to the body.


BODY (made in 1 piece)
Using long-tail method CO 28 sts, join in the round and knit 1 round (Note: I used the magic loop method.)

Round 1: (kfb, knit to last st on needle, kfb) x 2.
Round 2: Knit.

Repeat round 1 & 2 4 times for a total of 48 sts.

Now I needed to shape the body to give the bear a "seat" and I did this by working a turn heel sock technique on the first half of the stitches, thusly:

Seat
Note that the stitches on the back needle (last 24 sts) will remain unworked during turn heel construction. "Heel" will be worked over the 24 sts of the front needle and not knit in the round. You can watch knitpurlhunter Turn Heel (Magic Loop) video for a video tutorial of this technique.

Row 1: K12, slip 1 kways wyib, k1, psso, k1, turn.
Row 2: Slip 1 pways wyif, p4, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Slip 1 pways wyib, k to within 1 stitch of the gap, slip 1 kways wyib, k1, psso, k1, turn.
Row 4: Slip 1 pways wyif, p to within 1 stitch of the gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all stitches have been worked ending after a knit row, 12 stitches.

Next:

• Pick up and knit 3 sts along right edge to eliminate any gap. These stitches go on the front needle.
• Return to magic loop knitting and knit across the back 24 stitches.
• Pick up and knit 3 sts along left side.
• Arrange your sts so that the front needle has 18 sts and back needle has 24.
• Knit 1 round.
• (k2tog, k3) 2x, SSK, k3, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k6, SSK, k5, k2tog.
• Knit 1 round.

Seat shaping
Round 1: (Front needle) Knit.  (Back needle) SSK, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Round 2: Knit.
Repeat round 1 & 2 until stitches on Front needle and Back needle are the same.

Final shaping
Decrease as follows:
Round 1: Beginning at first stitch, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches of needle, k2tog, k1. On 2nd needle, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.
Round 2: Knit all stitches with no decreases.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 20 total stitches remain ending after Round 2.

Graft remaining sts together with Kitchener technique. Stuff the body. The cast on edge is open and stayed open until I attached the head. I attached the legs to the side of the body at the bottom along the edge of the "Seat." I sewed the arms 1/2" from the cast on edge of body.


EARS (make 2)
With long-tail method CO 6 sts.
Work 3 rows in St st.
Row 4: p2tog, p2, p2tog tbl. (4 sts)
Row 5: SSK, k2tog. (2 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: kfb in each st.
Row 8: pfb, p2, pfb. (6 sts)
Work 3 rows in St st.
BO in purl.
Fold in half with wrong sides together and sew up the sides.

Hermione Loves Her Cabled Mittens

My first design -- As a Christmas present for my sister, I designed and knit these mittens to go with the Hermione Hearts Ron hat (designed by Christy Aylesworth) that I made, also for my sis.  It was fun doing design work and figuring out the kinks in the pattern.  I am working on expanding the pattern to include multiple sizes, but for now, there's this version that makes a child's large/adult small.

It's been exciting to watch the "hits" grow on Ravelry as more people discover my pattern and link to it.

For the text of the pattern, click here.
For a PDF of the pattern, get it from scribd.

Nothing but knit

Housework and meals are beginning to suffer...all I want to do lately is knit and look at future knitting projects.  I suppose I'm due -- it's been a while since I got this interested in something that was more or less for myself.  Yesterday I finished my fingerless gloves and now I'm starting a Felted Bucket.  I'm really looking forward to Friday evening and my first Ravelympics with the Nimbus jacket -- go Team Ooh, Shiny!

Choosing a title

Choosing a title for a blog was not something I was prepared for.  I thought it would just be my handle (as they used to say -- now it's username) or something innocuous like that.

In any case, I like what I've come up with.  It captures what's on my mind these days -- knitting and life.  In that order.  :)