Fingerless Mittens - double knitting yarn - Free Pattern

This ribbing makes a very comfortable fit.

4.50 mm dpn needles (4 or 5)
Double Knitting Yarn
Gauge: approx. 6sts = 1" ....  slightly stretched ribbing.

I Cast On 41 stitches, onto one needle, (using the Thumb Method).
The first row divides the stitches on to your 3 needles, and I knit the last stitch and first stitch together to join - pulling gently but tightly for a couple of stitches.

Continue round in K2 tbl., P2 rib for 3.1/2" ( inches. )

Thumb:
K4 at beginning of row next row, and keep these stitches on a separate needle, so it's easy to see where the thumb stitches are.
Continue in rib as before for the main body of the mitt, but picking up a stitch* either side of the thumb on alternate rows, and Knit the thumb rows.   

Change colours when you fancy :)

*Pick up the loop before the 1st stitch on thumb needle, and pick up loop after the last stitch on thumb needle - increasing by 2sts on alternate rows.

Continue knitting Rib for main body and 'Plain' (st.st.) for Thumb, until you have 16 stitches for thumb. 
Thread these on to a longish spare piece of yarn - tie loosely, so you can undo the yarn when you try the mitt on.
Continue in rib until mitt reaches approx. 6.1/2" from the beginning -
Cast off in rib.
Go back to Thumb, picking up the stitches and rib for approx. 5 rows - cast off in rib.

You may need to knit the 1st and last stitches together to make a tighter join, or possibly add some stitches on if the thumb is too small.  
I tend to sew up the thumb seam with the glove on my hand, so it fits better and stitching cant really be seen.

If the cast on row has not joined neatly together, use the yarn tail to stitch and neaten off.

Knitting - neat 'rolled edge' Scarf

This edging isn't exactly a rolled edge, but gives the appearance of one ............

Edging:

Right Side row: 

Sl1 kw, K1tbl, P1 - continue in your chosen pattern until 3 sts before end of row - P1, K1tbl, K1 tbl

Wrong Side row:

P1, P1, K1tbl - knit chosen pattern to 3 sts before end of this row - K1, P1, K1tbl

Abbreviations:

S = slip

KW = knitwise

K = knit

P = purl 

tbl = through back of loop

Note for Scarf Pattern:
For the above scarf, I used double knitting yarn, and cast on 30 sts. and used alternate bands of garter and moss stitch (plus the single ribbing at the beginning).

Shibui Sock Yarn (and basic sock pattern)

Shibui Sock Yarn - looks beautiful -

Basic Sock Pattern

Granny Squares Rug - with a bit of knitting too!

...... just sitting in front of the tv - I always keep some needles and yarn nearby and cant resist doing something! I have made some granny squares and also knitted linings for each of them. 

Granny Square:
Make 6 chain and join into a circle with a slip stitch.
Start: 
3 trebles, 1 chain all the way around the row - so you have 4 blocks and 4 spaces.
Next round: 
Slip stitch into centre of corner group, and make 3 trebles, 2 chains and 3 trebles,
then 1 chain and 3 trebles into each 1 chain space. Repeat all way round - see pic for more clarity.

Continue in this manner, with your 2 treble groups in each corner (see pic) and a group of 3 trebles  in each single chain space.  
This increases the size of the square each time you go around.

Diagonal garter stitch: ...... (good for easy scarves too)
Cast on 3 stitches.
At the end of each row - inc 1 stitch - (ie: k1 then through back of loop into the same stitch.)
- that's more or less it!
To start going straight - just k2tog (dec.) on the opposite edge but still increasing on the other edge - until you have your length.

If you want a neat edge or at least one that's easy to stitch when you seam the squares up: 
slip 1 kw (or tbl) at the beginning of each row and p1 at the end of each row.

Granny Square Lap Blanket - easy peasy

In the evening, I love watching telly to relax, but love to do something at the same time.  Making a huge crochet Granny Square just fits the bill at the moment.  I had some oddments of yarn, but as it grew I had to buy some more! ....  Naturally, I found the extra yarn I needed while having a clear-out :(  ............  Anyway here is my basic Granny Square Pattern:

Basic Granny Square: -

I haven't changed colours in the instructions - you can do this however you choose.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

tr = treble



Make 4 ch. and join, with a slip st., into a circle.

Ch. 3 (which counts as the first Treble), 2 more trebles then 2 ch.

3 trebles in the ring and 2 ch., 3 times more (see pic below) - join into 3rd chain of beginning 3 chains.

(check centre of square pic. below)

Slip stitch to the nearest 2 ch. space and in each space make

3 trebles, 2 ch and 3 trebles : 1 ch. 

On following rounds:

Slip stitch to each corner space and make 3 trs.,2ch.,3 trs.

The spaces between the corners are made up of  3 trebles and 1 chain.

By repeating the above, the Square will grow as big as you make it - change colours as you fancy.

I also found the shape became distorted, but I think when the whole thing is finished you can pull it into shape.





For the final edging you could make a row of double crochet. 

If you turn your work and make this final row from the back (going in the opposite direction from before) - it makes a pretty edging.

This probably sounds more complicated than it is! - but is very relaxing ----- and useful!

PS: If I've made any errors - please let me know.

Free Knitting Pattern - Fingerless Mitts

 I'm into knitting Mitts at the mo - they're really similar to knitting socks - (almost!)
small bag pattern given here

FINGERLESS MITTS 
Instructions

Basic Pattern - - using sock yarn (fine)

Needle size: 3.25 mm (double pointed set + 1)

Size: small to medium sized hand 

Using the thumb method - cast on 56+1**sts. on 1 needle.

For the first row: knitting the correct amount of stitches on to each separate needle.  Join up into your 'round' using the extra stitch: (k2tog.) thus joining up the 'round'. (Using last stitch and first stitch.)


I find this a lot less faffing about, than trying to sort out twisted needles and which is the right side.  (The Purists wont like it - but hey .............. ! :) )

Stitches on needles as follows:

28 sts (1st needle) :  14sts. : 14sts.  

RIB/CUFF: (knit stitches through back of loop for cuff and thumb rib only).

K1 (tbl), P1, rib for 3.5 inches, then

K 10 rounds** (knitting through back of the loops) - *or to your own length.  

**You can also continue to knit in Rib - I find the gloves fit very nicely when all Rib'd.

Once your Rib and (10)* rows have been knitted, commence the 

Thumb Gusset increases:

1. K 27, make 1 (pick up loop - between stitches - from previous round, place on left needle and K thru back of the loop, replace on right needle),  k1, make 1, K to end of row.

I tend to keep my thumb gusset stitches on a separate needle, which is a little fiddly, but saves using stitch markers - which I find a bit annoying.  I think this also makes the increasing easier to see.

2. K 1 row.

3. Repeat these 2 rows, making 1 extra stitch (at beginning and end = 2 sts) on each alternate row until you have 17 stitches as your thumb gusset - thread these onto a spare bit of waste yarn - knot yarn so the stitches dont fall off !

4. Continue knitting in the round, carefully joining up again - (pull working yarn taught when joining up on thumb edge).  

Knit until the glove approx. reaches the base of your fingers.

Rib however many rows you fancy, and cast off in rib.

Thumb: 

Rejoin yarn to stitches on waste yarn, picking up  4 stitches in the 'thumb valley'.  
Again, pull thread slightly taught so as not to get too large a hole :).  (If you do get a hole, you can carefully stitch this up afterwards!) 
Knit a few rows then Rib for a few rows (of choice) and cast off in rib.

Sew all ends in neatly.

2nd Mitt - repeat as above.

The instructions always look more complicated than they are, but once you've got the hang of it, it's pretty straightforward.  If you're used to knitting socks ..... this will be a doddle.

(I dont think I've made any errors in the pattern instructions, but if you find anything - please let me know.)

FREE Knitting/Crochet Pattern - Cushions - very easy

 

close-up of back seams

These were really easy to make (while watching telly) - using up some odd balls of double knitting yarn and some old cushions.

Needles and Hook - according to yarn used.

The central squares on the fronts are knitted, then the rest of the cushion is crocheted around the square, using single crochets - - with 3 single crochets in each corner on each round.  

At the beginning of each round, slip st. into the centre of the first 3 single crochets to make the next three.

I made each cover large enough to fit my cushion pads, when folded into 1/4s (diagonally) - see above shape in pic.

The seam edges are on the outside and are just sewn together with a straight stitch, using matching yarn colour.

Stitch 3 seams, push the cushion inside then sew up the 4th seam. 

Centre Squares:

Cast on 3 stitches.

K. one row.

Knit all rows -  increasing in the last stitch on each row until you have half-triangle shape to the size you want.

Begin your decreases - again at the end of each row - K2tog. until  you have completed your square and have 3 stitches left.  Cast off 2 sts. and thread yarn through last loop, pull gently.  

You should then have a diagonally knitted square.

That's it really.