Pomcho with Pompoms

Poncho With Pompoms

Materials

300-400 yds bulky weight yarn

Needles  #8 circular 32";   #8 dpn’s;  6-8  markers ; row counter if needed

Size 2-4 years old

Gauge

Finished Dimensions 24" across straight across bottom; 23 1/2" from edge of collar to center from.  Will fit a 2-4 year old.

Cast on 170 sts (bottom edge)  and connect, joining 1st and last stitch to ease the jog. 

Bottom Edge:  Rows 1-4  Make a four ridge garter band:* P 1 round, K 1round* repeat 3 times

1st section: begin the decreases

Round 1.  *Knit 2;  PM  (Note: PM becomes SM in all subsequent rows)  ;  k2tog; K 77 sts; SSK ; PM;  k4; PM; K2 tog; K 77 sts; SSK ; PM; K2.  The 2 sections with four stitches between markers are the center front and back of the poncho.

Round s 2-4: K.  Repeat markers these 4 rows until there are 126 sts.

 2nd Section  

Round 1 *Knit 2;  sm  ;  k2tog;  Knit to 2 sts before next marker;  SSK;  sm ; K2 * Repeat once till end of round. 

Rounds 2 & 3: K K 2 rounds.  Repeat these three rounds until there are 92 sts, You will be working on the neck opening while continuing the decreases until there are 92 sts.  

Front Center  Begin after the first decrease of 2^nd section (122 sts)

Round:  1 P 1; K to lst st: P_

Round 2 and all even rows through row 8: K

Round 3: Purl 2, K to last 3 sts: P

Round 7: Purl 4; K to last four sts: P.

Neck Opening

End of Circular knitting.  Switch to knitting back and forth while at the same time maintaining both the decreases and the 4 sts garter ridges at the neck opening.  For a tidy edge you may (optional) switch to the chain edge stitch at the beginning and end of the rows for the neck opening (see stitch glossary for directions).

When there are 92 sts, in the next purl row place markers after the 23rd and 69^th sts for the shoulder shaping.  You may find it helpful to use a different color or style of stitch marker from markers used for the shaping decreases.

 Shoulders Row 1: [RS] Decrease as usual at the neck and back edges. For the shoulder decreases, K to 2 sts before the 1st new marker and slip these two onto right needle, k next st and psso. Repeat before next marker. 

Row 2.  [WS] P

Repeast Rows 1 & w until there are 52 sts.  The work is now divided into 4 sections, each having the same number of odd  numbers of sts.  End with decrease right side k row.

 Neck Row 1: WS K

Row 2: RS make opening for i-cord -  k1 *k2, YO* to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1

K 4 rows, BO  knitwise.

Make 36" icord and lace through openings.  Make 2 1 1/2" pompoms and attach to end of icord after lacing it through the eyelets made by the YO’s.

 FINISHING  Sew in ends, wash and lay flat to shape and then give it to the lucky toddler/child

 Optional Hood   

Instead of BO, continue for a hood.  Maintain the neck opening garter st edging on both sides of the hood. 

Row 1: K 25 sts, PM; K 2; PM; K24.

Row 2( and all even rows) : K 4 sts; P to last four stitches; K4 sts

Row 3. K24 sts, Inc.1 st.; K2: Inc1 st.; K 24

Row: 5- K

Row 6: K 4 sts; P to last four stitches; K4 sts

Repeart Rows 3-6 until there are 66 sts.

 

­Glossary

BO - Bind off

Chain edge stitch : just before last stich on needle, bring yarn forward pick up the horizontal thread and put it on the right hand needle, slip the last st onto right hand needle, turn work and knit the last first st (formerly the last!) together with the loop.

DPN - double point needles

Inc. - Increase 1 st: Either KF& B ( knit a stitch into the front loop of stitch and then into the back loop of a stitch) or M1 (make a stitch by knitting into the strand just before the stitch, making sure to twist it so a hole does not result)

K -  knit

K2tog; put right hand needle into 2nd st from live end on left needle and knit the two together

P - purl

PM -  place marker

PSSO - Pass slipped stitches over the knitted st

RS Right Side

SM - slip marker

SSK - slip two sts knitwise, slip back onto left hand needle and knit both at the same time

St(s) - stitch(es)

WS - Wrong Side

YO - Yarn over     

     

Pink Beaded Lace Scarf

Yarn: Tilli Tomas Symphony Lace "Hope" (light pink)Lace / 2 ply

63% Mohair, 18% Nylon, 10% Silk, 9% Wool 345 yards/50 grams

Needles: #2.5-3
Pattern based on Artful Yarns "One Skein Portrait Scarf". Multiples of 7 +2
For a narrow scarf which will be about 5.5' cast on 58 sts. For a wider 4.5' scarf cast on 72 sts.
Row 1 start pattern: CE (don't start this edge stitch until the third row), K1 *Yo, K1, sl1 purlwise, K2tog, slip slipped stitch over the K2tog, K1, YO, K2* Repeat from *to* to last two stitches, Yo, K1, CE(don't start this edge stitch until the third row).
Row 2 and every even row, CE, K until last stitch CE (don't start this edge stitch until the third row).


CE = chain edge (see previous posts)

Baby Crossover Coat...Again

I love this pattern -- I've been working on it and have the 6-9 month size worked out pretty well, I hope. On my first go-around this time I saw the sleeves had puckered and were very tight. I'd picked up the stitches at the shoulder very firmly, crossing the loops. Big mistake. So I took apart the sweater, frogged the sleeves and began again, picking up many fewer and making the sleeves longer.

Machine Knitting Is Not For Me

What a relief -- I've tried and decided not to pursue yet another fiber habit! Yayyyyy! Last weekend I took a lovely, well-run and presented workshop "Introduction to Machine Knitting" at Peters Valley Craft Center, my favorite fiber learning center. Frances Collier did a lovely job of teaching us how to use no-longer manufactured Brother machines. As invited to, I'd brought my own machine, purchased a couple of summers ago at the North Country Spinners Sell & Swap Day. I bought it from a most reliable friend. But, I'd never used it.
My father, always entranced by any machine that made things, had bought a machine at the PX when I was little. I'd learned to use it but didn't really know what to make with it. In those days I didn't have a stash, for one thing. So I was intrigued to try again.
By noon of the first day of the workshop I knew I was going to leave my machine with one of the young fiber artists also taking the class!
It just isn't my cup of tea. The repetitive, noisy motion would interfere with any audiobook enjoyment and perhaps cause injury? And I don't like the fabric -- it looks like something I'd buy in Walmart, if I ever did buy anything there. Even after Fran felted some of our stuff, I knew I would never use it. And, I love the extra room in the house now that it's gone! It was about 40" wide and had all its parts except the metal hook attaching the ribbing element to the knitting handle whoosie thing. It was a really good experience, actually, to cross something off the list!

Grandmother's Delight

In April 2009 I finished an EZ Baby Surprise Jacket for my grandson [the post is at http://lizasfibers.blogspot.com/2009/04/ezs-baby-surprise-jacket.html]. The next fall [see post http://lizasfibers.blogspot.com/2009/11/ez-baby-surprise-altered-and-mittens-to.html] I lengthened the sleeves as my grandson was growing out of it and the short sleeves of this design weren't working for him. The only comment from the recipient's mother at the time was a lesson on how to use color better when knitting. And yesterday the recipient's father advised me on the errors I had made knitting the buttonholes; his fingers had trouble getting the [adorable vehicular] novelty buttons through without catching the yarn.

To my eternal delight yesterday I learned that until very recently said grandson had adored this sweater. Despite his parents' protestations he insisted on wearing it and until the last possible moment. I could tell 'cause the last button hole was pulled out of shape and he's not in the tubby department.

My grandson has a new baby sister thus the sweater will shortly have a new wearer. So Granny nabbed the sweater, assured the mother she didn't care if it needed washing and took it home to work on. We will look for big round buttons to make it easier for granddaughter's dad's big fingers to button it on her. And, I will put the charming vehicular buttons on a new sweater for my grandson. (See the first link for a view of the buttons or my Ravelry page.)

I sit here grinning in the knowledge -- two years after I finished it -- that the little person I made the jacket for loved it. It's all worth it.

P.S. My D.B. had no problem maneuvering the buttons in and out of the button holes as neither did I. Just checking....

Ribbed Ear Warmer

Materials: 1/3 - 1/2 skein of Noro Silk Garden
#5 needles 16" circular
For Adult Small, very loosely cast on 71 sts.
When joining the end of the first row to the beginning, being very careful not to twist the row, knit together the first and last stitches to help ease the jog.
*Purl 4 rounds, knit 4 rounds* 4 times, purl 3 rows and bind off loosely. (Knit on the reverse side if you don't like to purl.)
Sew in ends. If either the cast off or the cast on edge is slightly tighter that's okay -- the tighter edge will be the top of the ear warmer, farthest from the fast.
The right side has five purl ridges. For larger or smaller sizes, add or subtract sts but maintain the same number of rows/ridges. This is nice and stretchy and is quite flattering. And, thank you to my kind model!

First Weaving Project

It's been forever since I posted. This is how I spent my summer vacation -- last August. Following the suggestions in Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave, a truly fabulous introduction for the novice weaver and having completed the sampler (see earlier blog), I designed some placements for my dear friend who loves these colors.

Don't you love this wonderful piece of equipment. I was very lucky to buy this excellent warping board from a New York Handweavers Guild member in my neighborhood who no longer uses it. It's just gorgeous by itself and even lovelier with the yarn on. When not in use it makes a handy hat peg board. The weaving went pretty well. Even tho'
I thought I knew just how much loom waste to allow for, I hadn't calculated quite enough. When I began the 4th mat I only allowed 2" between them for fringe. That wasn't enough extra so by the end the rod was almost touching the heddles and I was throwing the shuttle very, very carefully as the shafts kept coming off the bobbin loop thingy that goes through a spool on the castle. I am still learning all this new vocabulary! But, in the end it all worked out. Marsha cut the fringes beautifully and Maria and Shawn were very pleased.

Color Work Project

I've been working with Margaret Radcliffe's new book, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques and really like it. To practice some of the techniques, I made a number of afghan blocks for the Stettenheim Stitchers' charity project.

Weaving Sampler

I spent some of my vacation this year working on the first 3 chapters of Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave. It's the perfect sort of primer for me. I wove a sampler, using Harrisville's Shetland Style in Midnight Blue and Wedgewood (discontinued). It isn't fulled it yet. The little Harrisville loom I bought from Elisa which was really fun to use.

EZ Baby Surprise Altered and Mittens to Match

This week I improvised, quite successfully, lengthened sleeves for Ari's Baby Surprise Jacket, (despite negative design criticism, I might add!). The sleeves were about 5", which now looks silly on him, although the jacket is still long enough. So, I picked up 40 sts along the sleeve edges on #6 dps. Make sure to pick up enough around the seam line -- but not too many or it will flare out at that point. I knit for 1" and then decreased on either side of the underarm center. Decrease again at just under 7" and 8", then again at 8.75", 9.5" and 10.25". Now there are 28 sts. on the needles. Bind off very loosely at 11". I did this to make a cuff with the darker colorway covering the white and resulting in a 9" sleeve. Ari seems to grow up rather than out so I wanted to make the sleeves long enough.

As for the mittens, I improvised, using the sleeve edge circumference as a guide. I cast on 28 sts, ribbed in k1p1 for 2". I like nice long mitten cuffs to keep the snow out in case snow suit jackets don't have nice, tight knitted cuffs. Using a twisted st pattern for a thicker, warmer fabric, I began the thumb gusset 1 row after the rib. I made the thumb gusset 9 sts and will start to decrease for the top at about 3.25" from the cuff. I was very pleased when I checked in Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns that my instincts had been right on the money for my gauge of 5.5 in the twisted st.

NCS Guild Project

Today I began to turn washed CVM fleece into usable fiber. First I used the great digital scale my sister gave me for my birthday last year and divided both the white and colored fleece into equal parts. That way I can spin two spools of each without guessing how much is half!
I set aside 1g of both so I could experiment to find out whether I should card or comb or do something else. I pulled some of the locks apart. It's lovely, soft and very fine. And only a little vm. The brown is a little neppy, tho'. Carding is not my favorite fiber prep -- I've never really grown fully adept. Nevertheless, it's less painstaking and wasteful than coming so I tried that first. I made a little rolad [photo]. Then I took out my mini combs and tried some. I love the way all the little ends stick out together. If it worked with the mini combs, I thought it might work with the double combs. And , it did -- beautifully. I do hate the waste but I'll put it in the "to-be-carded" bag and see. It can always be stuffing for pillows.
I combed all the brown/red today. It's lots of different shades, which will be fun.

Seaman's Scarf and Hat

Last year my boss popped into my office with a plastic bag containing the contents of his mother's stash. The 3 acrylic yarns were red heart and the needles the good old aluminum #7 double points (bits of two sets; did she lose one, as I have, on the bus?). I decided to use these yarns for charity knitting. At work we have a Sunday Lunch program which gives out bags of lunch to at least 100 people. In 2007/8 they decided to involve the "Stitch 'n' Time" charity knitting group to make hats and scarves to hand out with the lunch. I started mine last February but I've spent a lot of time this year not really able to knit much so I'm only now just finished. But, I made sure to start another scarf right away with the third skein.
The white in the hat was actually a fairly stiff aran weight which I used I saw I wouldn't have enough to knit the whole hat. But, I rather like the striped top and hope the recipient does!

Washing Fleece in a City Apartment

The North Country Spinner's "guild challenge" this year involves CVM (California Variegated Mutant)/ Romeldale fleece. Interweave's Spin-Off Magazine is featuring (or featured?) skeins made from unprocessed, raw fleece. Our programs chair ran out of the fleece before each member received the bag she was entitled to so I was without my fleece for a few months. Very kindly and generously Mary M., who owns some Romeldale, gave me a present of some raw fleece. Finally I got my bag from the guild! So, I did end up with a fair amount. And, in the photo you can see the trusty aforesaid mesh bag on the drying rack!

Although I love the way raw fleece smells, I confess I did bag it up in plastic for the trip back to town. There isn't any vegetable matter, which is very nice.

My apartment has a lovely, old (1941) double sink. One side is deep enough to wash a toddler, as my children will attest. In the 40's some people actually did their own laundry by hand so I 'spose that's why that sink was installed. Anyway, it's wonderful for crafters. I zippered the greasy, wonderfully sheep-smelly fleece into a fine-mesh laundry bag, put a big bucket in the sink and filled it with 1/8 c. original Dawn dish detergent and filled it with the hottest water possible. Thank goodness for apartment building water heaters! Then I dunked the bag into the water, pushed it down and swished it very gently to make sure the fiber was getting soaked through. But, I was very gentle and careful not to cause it to felt. Immediately the water turned brown. I let the fleece soak for a while, pulled it out and refilled the bucket with a little Dawn and equally hot water. Then, I rinsed it in several buckets of water at the same temperature. The bag makes the whole process so much easier -- I wish I'd thought of it years ago. After spinning the bag in my salad spinner to get the excess water out I spread out clumps of fiber on a sweater rack on the wooden clothes rack, dividing the white from the brown. It took about 24 hours to dry thoroughly but it's just lovely and I can't wait to spin it. Thank you, Mary!

Two More Bathmats

Not only am I finishing up a huge addition made to the stash in August of kitchen cotton, but I am providing the D.B. with two more bathmats that she loves! There will be about six ounces of the colors left over and they will become charming Swiffer cozies! These are wonderfully quick to make and very satisfactory all around.

The VERY Late Socks for Scott

I promised my patient (but now, quite understandably grumbly) son-in-law socks about three years ago. I showed him the beautiful yarns from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. They are Copper and Rooster Rock in Socks That Rock, medium weight. At the same time I showed him the booklet BMFA publishes with ideas for fair isle work with their yarns. All well and good until I actually began a swatch this spring. When I actually knit the two yarns I fell in love with them. The monochrome Copper is a perfect foil for Rooster Rock. Rooster Rock has all the tints you'd expect from a naturally-dyed tweed from the Shetland Islands. It is much too beautiful to use for stranded two-color knitting where the continuity of the color progressions would be lost. The colorway is elegant, actually, not one to play around with. It's a rare yarn that commands such respect.

It was a hard-going-summer with little time for knitting so I put this project aside -- again. At Rosh Hashanah my daughter reminded me that I was very, very late so I started again. Now she's upset that I've changed the pattern and may disappoint Scott. It would be foolish to spend all that time on something no one wants so I'm waiting for Scott's input.

Robert Polidori Disses Knitters

On the 9/28/09 New Yorker Outloud podcast "Interiors" staff photographer Robert Polidori is scathing about knitters -- and his fellow photographers. Contemptuously he compares his fellow students who liked to work in the darkroom developing photos to women who like to knit. He was quite scathing. Stupid man, doesn't he realize he's a craftsperson, too? He's using a tool to capture what is before his lens; knitters use their tools to make yarn into fabrics. Not that different!

Yellow Dress Socks

One of a series, knit on US 0 / 2.0 mm circular needles. The yarn is Lang Jawoll Superwash solid in light yellow #84.0114, ordered from Yarn forward. I used up almost all the 412 yds -- it was nip and tuck, actually. These were requested by the D.B. as "dress socks" to go with the black I knit last year. Her very favorite sock pattern is the basket weave rib, a 12-row pattern that becomes more rote the more you knit it. And, I've had plenty of practice. Finished August 2009.

I love Lang Jawoll -- it remains very soft and wears extremely well.

Cast on 96 sts (to fit generous calf) in k2p2 rib. Continue for about 1.25" to 1.5" then begin the basket weave rib. At 3" begin decreasing at each side of center back every four rows until there are 72 sts. 1" = c.12 rows but adjust if it doesn't because it's nicer if there's an inch or a bit over of 72 sts. Begin heel. Heel flap is about 2.25" or with c. 22 st loops to pick up for the gusset. I like to continue the pattern on the foot but it's a little tricky 'cause the pattern doesn't come out exactly even. On one side there are two extra sts, on the other, one (or so). Place a marker at the purl stitch at each side so you don't get confused. For the D.B. I work 6.5" from heel flap and begin a round toe, decreasing evenly on two sides of four points around the needles. Remember to knit one plain row after ending pattern before beginning decrease. Decrease until there are 16 sts. left, donkey ear the 4 end sts and use the kitchener to create a lovely ridgeless toe.

Green Cashmere Helmet and Mittens Set

I knit this a year ago but Ari was too little for it. Now I hope he's not too big! It's the Convertible Cloud Helmet by Elanor Lynn in Cozy Knits for Cuddly Babies (Country Living) . I used US 8 / 5.0 mm and US 10 / 6.0 mm needles instead of the instead of the #9 and #10.5 called for as I knit very loosely. The set took 2 skeins Filatura Di Crosa Aiko (20% polyamide & 80% cashmere)in #31 Bright Green. It's a fluffly, bulky yarn

North Warren Regional High School Scarf (NCS) #2

Here's the other scarf I made. The yarn was North Country Spinners' stash yarn from old projects and donations. It looks look Brown Sheep single ply. In dyeing it'd become rather brittle. The turquoise yarn turned my hands blue as I knitted with it, especially if I had hand lotion on. But, it is such a spectacular combination the anonymous guild dyers had created that it was well worth it. When finished, I washed it till most of the color stopped running and then rinsed it with creme rinse to soften the fiber. The Guild was knitting scarves to support the North Warren Regional High School Band.

Fisherman's T Finally Finished

Hooray, I finally finished this and just in time for Rosh Hashanah. And with my right hand in a cast! The little yellow buttons were purchased at the button stand at the Garden State Sheep Breeders show the weekend before. Luckily washing it in hot water and putting it in a hot dryer until almost dry did full the sweater a little. I'm pleased that it turned out well enough to give my little grandson; however, I was not pleased by the fabric or hand which was uncharacteristically uneven for me. My daughter appreciates that it can be washed and dried -- she has enough to do without blocking baby sweaters. Ummhh, what shall I knit next?

I ended up using just over three balls of Filatura di Crosa Dolce Amore #5 (lime green). This is an awful yarn to work with on this kind of project -- it splits as you look at it. The photo below shows a join in the middle of the fabric -- which is unavoidable when knitting in the round. With this yarn.

For a winter sweater, I'd try in fingering weight in Baby Ull 7436 teal green and again make sleeves full length. Also DB Baby Cashmerino #340003 (light sage green).

The swatch was 4.5"(wide) x 5" (high) before washing was very loose. After washing and drying in hot water and dryer, a little more pulled together but only about 1/2" loss of height.