Easiest Wrist Warmers EVER

For real, guys. This is a great pattern for beginners. 

It's quick and easy, and these wrist-warmers make

 AWESOME last-minute gifts. 

I made up this pattern on the fly. I thought about doing a central thumb gusset

and setting the seam for the outside of the warmers,

but I didn't want to disrupt the gorgeous striping that this yarn 

was up to. I'm fo realz in love. 

This pattern is supposed to be basic enough that you can customize

it however you want. 

Wanna make a thumb? Go for it.

Fingers? Knock yourself out.

Convertible mitten top? You're the boss.

Have fun with the pattern. Go crazy! YOLO!

Needles: US Size 7 (4.5mm)

Yarn: Pattons Classic Wool (Kimono)

Guage: 26 Stitches x 22 Rows 

in (unstretched) K2P2 rib=4"x4"

Cast on 40 st Loosely
(I'm a fan of cable cast on method)

Row 1: K2, P2 to end of work, Turn

Row 2: K2, P2, to end of work, Turn

Repeat until work measures 7 inches. 

Bind off.

Make a 4.5" seam from the bottom. Leave 1.5 inches open (this is the thumb hole)

Seam last inch. 

You're done! I told you it was easy!

The Entrelac Experience

I've been seeing a lot of entrelac in my Facebook newsfeed, so I decided to try it out! I have a thing for cables and woven designs, anyway. I gotta admit, I've seen some GORGEOUS 

entrelac color combos. There's everything from one solid color,

to different color blocks, to some interesting uses of variegated yarns!

And lucky for me, there seem to be quite a few How-To's online. 

I started with this pdf tutorial to get the basics down. That's when I decided to just

GO FOR IT

and make my own entrelac cowl.

Necessary Skills/Abbreviations:

CO-Cast On

K-Knit

P-Purl

RS-Right Side

WS-Wrong Side

M1-Make 1 

(For my purposes, I just Knit into the stitch below)

P2tog-Purl 2 together

K2tog-Knit 2 Together

SSK-Slip, Slip, Knit 

(Slip first stitch as if to knit. Slip second stitch as if to knit. Pass both stitches back to left needle. Knit through back loop of both stitches.)

PUK: Pick up as if to knit

(With RS facing and yarn in back, I insert my left needle under the edge of the block. 

With right needle, knit)

PUP: Pick up as if to Purl

(With WS facing and yarn in front, pick up edge of block. With right needle, Purl)
BO-Bind Off

Materials:

I started with 1 skein of each Vanna's Choice in
Terracotta (Color 1/C1), Mustard (C2), 

and Dusty Green (C3). I picked out these colors back in 

October because of their lovely autumn feel.

Size 5 needles.
Gauge really isn't that important.

Each of the blocks are worked in columns of 5 stitches.

CO 25 

Bottom Border:

Start with WS, 

*K2, turn. P2, turn.

K3, turn, P3, turn

K4, turn, P4 turn.

K5, DON'T TURN.* 

This forms the first triangle on your border.

K2 more.

Continue Pattern betwen *s. After the K5, always K2 more until you finish the 5th triangle.

Color change, Right Leaning Block Row:

Join yarn with your preferred method. I just clipped yarn and started the next row with a new color.

Left Triangle:

At the beginning of each Right Leaning Row, you will need to make a side triangle 

to keep your edges mostly straight. The Left side, you will be increasing stitches (M1) and the Right Side, you will be decreasing (K2tog)

With C2, P2, turn.

K1, M1, K1. Turn. (3 stitches of C2)

P2, P2 tog. Turn.

K2, M1, K1 (4 stitches of C2) Turn.

P3, P2tog. Turn.

K3, M1, K1 (5 stitches of C2)

P4, P2 together.

Block Shaping:

PUP 5 stitches evenly along edge. 

*Turn. K5. Turn.

P4, P2tog,* Turn.

Repeat between *s until you reach edge of block.

Repeat Block Shaping 3 more times.

PUP Stitches

Pick up the entire edge stitch with the L needle.

Make sure your yarn is in front of your work.

Purl. Repeat this step 4 times.

You'll have a column of K Stitches facing you.
This keeps the edge neater and makes it look like
your contrasting color is coming from underneath .

Right Triangle:

PUP 5. Turn.

K2, K2tog, K1. Turn.

P4. Turn.

K1, K2tog, K1. Turn

P3. Turn.

K1, K2tog. Turn.

P2. Turn.

K2 tog.

Left Leaning Block Row:

PUK 5 evenly in C3 along left edge of triangle. 

Turn. P4, P2tog. Turn

K4, SSK, 

*Tunrn. P5, Turn.

K4, SSK,* Turn.

Continue between *s until you reach the end of the block. 

PUK 5. Turn

Continue Block Pattern to end of row, picking up 5 after each block is finished.

After Last SSK, Turn Work. Begin new Right Leaning Row with C1.

PUK Stitches:

Just like before, pick up a stitch on the left needle.

Insert right needle as if to knit. Yarn is in back of work.

Pull the yarn through to knit.

After all 5 are done, it should look like this.

Continue in pattern until garment measures approximately 24 inches in length. End with a Right Leaning Row.

Button Holes:

PUK 5 stitches, but space them so that the 5th stitch is only halfway down the block.
Turn. P4, P2 tog. Turn.
*K4, SSK, Turn.
P5, Turn*

Continue until there is 1 stitch left on the Right Leaning Block.
BO 4, SSK. BO.

Repeat Button Hole pattern until you have bound off your last stitch.

Weave in ends, and sew buttons on RS of other end.

The rows on the WS make an excellent way to
weave in ends!

Blake's Seed Stitch Bow Tie

So, yeah. I'm not much of a knitter. Usually I overdo it around the holidays because I'm too broke to buy stuff. (yes, I've seen the price of yarn. I'll justify my addiction how I want!)

While trying to figure out a Christmas gift for my older brother, I realized that he REALLY likes bow ties. So much, that he has started the movement #BowTieWednesday. He's a math teacher, so he can be excused his geekiness. ;)

Looking online, I couldn't find any good (read: FREE) patterns for bow ties. So I printed up a sewing pattern and knit up a tie while filling in the lines. Did I mention this is my first time writing up a pattern?

Hooray me!

By the way, this also happened to be my first attempt at seed stitch (which, admittedly, isn't hard, but couple that with writing a pattern and you have a hot mess on your hands). 

Blake's Seed Stitch Bow Tie

Materials:

1/2 ball Patons Classic Wool

Size 7 knitting needles

Row Marker (I just threaded a contrasting yarn through the stitches)

Skills needed:

Seed Stitch

Increasing/Decreasing

Abbreviations

K1 (knit 1)

P1 (purl 1)

M1KW (Make 1 Knitwise)

M1PW (Make 1 Purlwise)

K2tog (Knit 2 together)

P2tog (Purl 2 together)

*..* (repeat)

Cast on 15

Shaping Bow:

Row 1-4 K1, *P1, K1* to end

Row 5 P2tog, * k1, p1* to last 2, P2tog (13 stitches)

Row 6-9 P1, *k1, p1* to end

Row 10 K2tog, *p1, k1* to last 2, K2tog (11 stitches)

Row 11-14 K1, *p1, k1* to end

Row 15 P2tog, *k1, p1* to last 2, P2tog (9 stitches)

Row 16-19 P1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 20 K2tog, *p1,k1 to last 2, * K2tog (7 stitches)

Row 21 M1PW, *p1, k1* to last stitch, M1KW (9 Stitches)

Row 22-24 P1, *K1, p1* to end

Row 25 M1KW, *K1, P1* to last stitch, M1PW (11 stitches)

Row 26-29 K1, *p1,k1* to end

Row 30 M1PW, *P1, k1* to last stitch, M1KW (13 stitches)

Row 31-39 P1, *k1, p1* to end

Row 40 K2tog, *p1, k1* to last 2, K2tog (11 stitches)

Row 41-49 K1, *p1,k1* to end

Row 50 P2tog, *K1, p1 to last 2, P2tog (9 stitches)

Row 51-54 P1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 55 K2tog, *p1, k1* to last 2, K2tog (7 stitches)

Row 56-59 K1, *p1, k1* to end

Row 60 P2tog, *k1, p1* to end (6 stitches)

Row 61-66 Work in seed stitch (knitting the purls and purling the knits)

Row 67 *p1, k1* to last 2, P2tog (5 stitches)

Place Row Marker 

Shaping Neck:

Work in Seed Stitch for 18 inches

Shaping Bow (again):

(Because I didn't actually count how many rows I knit, I'm going to start this shaping at Row 1 again)

Row 1 *p1,k1* to last stitch, M1PW (6 stitches)

Row 2-7 K1, *p1, k1* to end

Row 8 *k1,p1* to last stitch, M1PW (7 stitches)

Row 9-12 K1, *p1, k1* to end

Row 13 M1PW, *p1,k1* to last stitch, M1KW (9 stitches)

Row 14-17 P1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 18 M1KW, *K1, P1* to last stitch, M1PW (11 stitches)

Row 19-27 k1, *p1, k1* to end

Row 28 M1PW, *p1, k1, to last stitch, M1KW (13 stitches)

Row 29-37 P1, *k1,P1* to end

Row 38 K2tog, *P1, K1* to last 2 stitches K2tog (11 stitches)

Row 39-42 K1, *p1,k1* to end

Row 43 P2tog, *k1, p1* to last 2 stitches, P2tog (9 stitches)

Row 44-46 p1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 47 K2tog, *p1, k1* to last 2 stitches, K2tog (7 stitches)

Row 48 M1PW, *k1, p1* to last stitch, M1KW (9 stitches)

Row 49-52  P1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 53 M1KW, *k1,p1* to last stitch, M1PW (11 stitches)

Row 54-57 k1, *p1,k1* to end

Row 58 M1PW, *p1,k1* to last stitch, M1KW (13 stitches)

Row 59-62 P1, *k1,p1* to end

Row 63 M1KW, *k1,p1* to last stitch, M1PW (15 stitches)

Row 64-67 K1, *p1,k1* to end

Bind Off

I definitely invite the rest of you to try out this pattern and let me know if anything needs adjusted or fixed in the pattern.