Tag: knitting

Christmas Crunch Time

Are you knitting for your special people? I am. Even if you’re not, I have some mittens you might want to try.

One pair done. You might remember that I bought wool to make a chunky weight 6×6 Cardigan in burgundy colourway. I didn’t like it. So now I’m pulling it out and knitting mittens with all that wiggly looking wool. I’m going to give them a scrub when I wash them to fuzz them up a bit. They should look fine.

These are the Any Gauge Mittens, knit from the top in chunky or Aran weight (Heavy Worsted) wool for all sizes. Any Gauge Mittens, Top Down 50%Discount Code: MITTENS until Dec. 24, 2024.

I knit one pair with the recommended needle for the wool. Then I knit a second pair with a size smaller needle and the same number of stitches. One pair will fit into the other, for really warm mittens.

You start at the tippy top of the mitten, working increases to the width of mitten you want. I’ve included a size guide in the pattern.

Then you knit the thumbs as a large I-cord. Yup, an i-cord. You get those bars across the inside of the thumb.

Don’t panic. Get your crochet hook out and hook those bars up. They totally disappear. It’s magic.

Enjoy!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, this is where I’m at with my Contiguous Drop Shoulder. It’s totally working great. I tried it on my daughter and I now have measurements for how long the body and sleeve need to be. I’m on it!

I hope you are enjoying this time of year and not stressing out too much. I am trying my best to keep an even keel and my sweater knitting definitely helps.

Keeping it Merry, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free knitting patterns by Deb

deb.gemmell on instragram

The Steek, the scissors are out

You don’t have to look if you don’t want to. There will be cutting.

I have used a sewing machine to secure the edges of the steek pathway before but … you knew this was coming, my machine is not out and I’m being lazy and leaving it in the cupboard for now. I really want to see if the crocheted style of steek would work. So here goes. I have knit to the bottom of the armhole depth and cast off the 5 steek pathway stitches.

Now the edges of the steek pathway need to be secured. I used this crochet method. Jessica MacDonald does such a good job of describing and showing how to do this. How to work a crochet steek reinforcement video.

Here we go. This is my 5-stitch steek pathway as seen at the shoulder.

Next, baste down the centre of stitch#3.

Starting at the shoulder, I crocheted into the left leg of stitch#1 and the right leg of stitch#2, using a crochet slip stitch.

I used a crochet hook 2 sizes smaller than my body-sized knitting needle, and for this worsted weight sweater, sock yarn. My crocheting was not elegant. It was awkward and rather slow going but the result is surprisingly tight. I have no worries about it coming apart.

My best tip is to fold the fabric so the stitch line you are crocheting is on the top.

Next go to the bottom of the steek and work again with one leg of stitch#4 and stitch#5.

Here is the steek with both crochet reinforcements done.

OK, here we go. Scissors out. Cut up the centre of stitch#3.

Ta, da. That wasn’t too painful. The wrong side is ok too.

I’m starting my new colour and then I’m going to pick up for my sleeves. Can’t wait.

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free knitting patterns by Deb

deb.gemmell on instagram

To Steek or Not to Steek

Steeks, scary!!! I know, scissors and knitting don’t usually mix. I’m doing it anyway.

I’m doing my armholes as steeks so I can knit round and round and round. I have knit the shoulders so they are wide enough. This pullover is going to have 10″/25cm of ease so the Front and Back of this chunky weight version for my daughter, are both 21″/53cm wide.

Here’s how I start my steek. At the end of the shoulders I cast On 5 sts for the steek pathway.

Now I knit round and round. Yay. I think I will make the armholes around 8-9″/20-23cm deep.

I’m so happy and relaxed. Isn’t this yarn fun? It’s King Cole Hedgerow Chunky. I’m loving the stripes.

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

deb.gemmell on instagram

Short Rows to lower the Front

Short Rows are the best. To drop the front of your neckline you basically work back and forth, working more rows across and Back of Neck and never working across all the Front stitches. Every time you turn from the right side to the wrong side at the end of a short row, you create a gap.

Different kinds of short row systems are all about how to close these gaps.

When you cast on for this neckband you cast on many more stitches on the front. The short rows I use end with a decrease: SSK, K1, Turn OR P2tog, P1, Turn (if you knit cuff down heel flap socks you will recognize this short row system). The decreases take care of all those extra Front stitches.

Now the fun part begins, not that knitting short rows isn’t fun, because it totally is.

To knit the shoulders, simply knit round and round, working an increase before and after each of the shoulder markers. That’s an increase of 4 stitches every round until you reach the desired width. That’s the contiguous way.

Almost to my desired width on this chunky weight one. The Short Rows on the worsted weight version are complete so round and round I go. I’m so excited to see it grow. Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

deb.gemmell on instagram

Contiguous Drop Shoulder, The Beginning

I can’t sit still for long. I have another sweater to knit. This time I’m going to redo one that I have tried before but not to my total satisfaction.

This is a over-sized drop shoulder with contiguous shoulders. You can see the slope that the contiguous line creates. The great thing is that once the V-neck is completed it’s knit round and round, not flat for the back and flat for the front.

So I tried again and thought I had figured out an easier way to get it started.

The neckband done. This is going to be a crewneck worked with short rows to drop the front.

Then I tried out a new idea. You can see that the slope coming down the shoulder is w-a-y too steep. The second slope is much better. So that’s good information. Also the amount of drop in the crewneck was too much.

So that got ripped back to the neckband. No problem, no tears, it’s just part of the deal.

I started again with a shallower crewneck drop and the flatter shoulder slope.

Now I’m off to the races. Just knit round and round until I reach the width I want it to be. How easy is that!

Let me tell you a little about it.

I’m going to offer the recipe for this pullover for free. Once I have my short rows tested I will post it and update it as we go along. This is an Any Gauge pattern. I’m knitting one in chunky weight and a second one in worsted weight. I will be figuring it out as I go along. Do you want to knit along with me?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Socks, let me count the ways

Do you knit socks? I do and now it’s my in-between project while I contemplate my new sweater.

I’m teaching a traditional cuff-down flap heel sock class. They are knitting a worsted weight pair and I am trying to get ahead of them with two sock yarn socks.

The Naked Sheep Fibre Co. sock yarn.

I have 3 students working with double pointed needles (that surprised me – I didn’t think that many people still used them), one student with Magic Loop and another student with a 9″ circular. It makes things interesting when we get to the flap heel!

Cascade Heritage sock yarn. Men’s size (Christmas knitting).

I haven’t mastered the 9″ circular yet. Maybe I’ll pass on those.

What’s your favourite heel?

I’ve done two pairs with after thought heels which I thought went best with this striped wool.

Timber Yarns wool.

I must admit that’s it for me. Two pairs were enough.

My favourite is the short row heel, toe up or cuff down. This is a double wrap short row heel. I also love the shadow short row heel.

This is on the wild side. The Over Easy Sock by Holli Yeoh. This sock is knit flat and the bottom of the foot is attached to the top of foot as you go. I love that I can use my left over odd balls for the top of the foot. I messed up the heel but I’m ready to give it another shot.

There are many more ways of knitting socks. Do you have a favourite? Do you know of a wild and wonderful sock I should try?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Who is the boss?

Who is in charge of your knitting? I hope you are.

Do you make changes to a pattern to make it easier for you to knit it?

I think you should. After all, a pattern is only a guide for a certain result.

I am knitting the Mossblossom wrap by wool.and.pine.designs with these changes so that it’s a more enjoyable knit for me. There is nothing wrong with the methods used in the pattern. I made these changes to make myself more comfortable. After all, I am the boss of my own knitting.

I find K3tog (right leaning double decrease) a struggle to knit so I changed it to: K2tog – slip stitch back to left needle – pass second stitch on left needle over the first stitch – slip stitch back to right needle and snug it up. – 2 sts decreased.

I know this seems like so many more steps, but they are steps that are easy to work, which is what I was looking for. It also matches the left leaning double decrease just before it: slip one stitch – K2tog – pass slip stitch over.

The other change I made was to the bobble. I find all that turning business a hassle. I made my bobbles as if they were I-cords. Check it out.

I-cord bobble

Two changes that made knitting this wrap a total pleasure.

Cheers,  Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram.

The 6×6 went travelling

I finished my purple 6×6 cardigan just before (actually the day before) I went to Ireland. That was a firm deadline that I definitely needed to get it done and I was so happy to have it with me.

I wore it for 12 days straight and it was so comfy (dk wool by Shelridge Yarns in Iris colourway). I stuffed it in bags, rolled it up for a pillow on the plane and pulled it over my head every morning, never undoing the buttons (which would explain why I knit more pullovers than cardigans). It was an amazing travel companion. I felt at home even though I was far away.

Ireland is a wonderful country full of very friendly people. We had a marvelous trip with Inishfree Music tours with David Francey (a canadian singer/songwriter). This was a trip on our bucket list and exceeded expectations.

Now curling season has begun and I think I need a new curling sweater. The one I have has a hole in the front (a zipper catch). I could fix it or I could knit a new sweater. Any guesses?

My sweater is at the test knitting stage so soon it will be published.

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb on instagram

Knitting Crash

I just finished knitting two sweaters. It seemed like I was knitting sleeves forever. Note to self, knit the sleeves first!

The pattern is written and today, after a final read through, it will go off to my test knitters. Yes, the process of getting patterns published is l-o-n-g.

And then there is the crash.

What should I knit now? There are no idle needles allowed around here. I scroll through ravelry for hours. I’ll knit this, no this one looks really interesting, or maybe the pattern  that’s been sitting in my library for 10 years???

I need a break from designing so this is when I knit someone else’s pattern.

I knit one of the Easy Over Socks by Holli Yeoh. I will knit some more but would like a longer cuff. It’s really inventive, has a new-to-me heel and only uses small amounts of sock yarn, bonus.

Now I’m knitting a lace shawl, the Mossblossom by wool.and.pine.designs. I find having to pay attention to a chart really relaxing. I mentioned all that sleeve knitting, right? This, for me, is the carrot.

What’s your reward for getting through the tough parts of your project?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb on instagram

Ta, Da

Look at that. This 6×6 Cardigan is finished. Yes, I am doing the bring and brag thing. I’m so happy to be done.

Is finishing a moment for you too?

Now I am button shopping. I used removable markers to hold the sweater together for this photo. What do you think – purple buttons or something bright, like orange, to contrast with the sweater?

The othere up side to finishing is that I get to cast on something new. Hallelujah!

Sweaters take a long time to knit, and I was really working at sticking to it. Now, I will block it and sew on the buttons, as soon as I buy some, that is.

The relief to be able to start something new is great!!!

Hope your knitting is going well too.

Cheers,  Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb on instagram