Long time no blog ~ Free hat pattern Op.18

Dear knitters,

So sorry that I have been occupied by work and homework and couldn't manage to blog and share my long-finished pattern....Op. 18...Why the dinosaur?  er.......... I like the contrast in color....er...

By the way, it's 2014 already.  How're you guys doing?  I hope the warm weather doesn't stop you from knitting.  (Well, it's always cold in SF so I can actually knit throughout the seasons)

Last November  I used some leftover yarns in diverse textures to knit a children's hat.  I would call it uni-sex, so it fits  either boy or girl under 6 years old.

Here is a reward for all your hard work last year: the  Op. 18 toddler's hat pattern.

Please note that the Mochi Plus I used is in rainbow color way.  By chance it is red when I knit Op. 18.  You may want to replace with solid red yarn.  Red does look good in this section though.

Material:

Yarn A ~ Lamb's Pride Worsted ~ Colorway 17 (Heather Grey) ~ 22 yards
Yarn B ~ Mochi Plus ~ Colorway 555 ~ 15 yards
Yarn C ~ Rowan  Felted Tweed Aran ~ Colorway 720 (Pebble) ~ 60 yards
Yarn D ~ Malabrigo Wosted ~ Colorway 27 (Bobby blue) ~ 30 yards

Tools:  US #7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles
           US #8 (5.0mm) double-pointed needles

Size:  32 (34)cm head size

Gauge:  20 stitches X 27 stitches = 10cm X 10cm

Skills Needed:
Circular knitting, knit, purl, slip with yarn in front, knit 2 together, Bind off

Abbreviation:
K             = Knit
P              = Purl
K...          = Knit for the whole round
K2tog      = Knit 2 together
wyif         = With yarn in front
Slip          = Slip a stitch

************************************************************************
Instruction:

Cast on 60 stitches with Yarn A in round.

Repeat the following  pattern for 5 rounds:

<K2, P2> X15

***********************************
Change to  Yarn B

Repeat the following  pattern for 4 rounds:

<K2, P2> X15

***********************************
Change to Yarn C and start knitting with US #8 double-pointed needles

Repeat the following pattern for 15 rounds:

K...

***********************************
Repeat the following pattern for 2 times:

Round 1: <wyif, sl1, K> X30
Round 2: K...
Round 3: <K, wyif, sl1> X30
Round 4: K...

***********************************
Repeat the following pattern for 7 rounds:

K...

***********************************
Change to Yarn D
Start the decreasing section:

Round 1:    K...
Round 2:    <K2, K2tog, K2, P3, K2, K2tog, K2> X4          
Round 3:    <K5, P3, K5> X4                                                  (52 stitches)
Round 4:    <K5, P3, K5> X4
Round 5:    <K1, K2tog, K2, P3, K2, K2tog, K1> X4          

Round 6:    <K4, P3, K4> X4                                                   (44 stitches)
Round 7:    <K4, P3, K4> X4
Round 8:    <K4, P3, K4> X4
Round 9:    <K4, P3, K4> X4
Round 10:  <K1, K2tog, K1, P3, K1, K2tog, K1>X4

Round 11:  <K3, P3, K3> X4                                                   (36 stitches)
Round 12:  <K3, P3, K3> X4
Round 13:  <K3, P3, K3> X4
Round 14:  <K3, P3, K3> X4
Round 15:  <K2tog, K1, P3, K1, K2tog> X4

Round 16:  <K2, P3, K2> X4                                                    (28 stitches)
Round 17:  <K2, P3, K2> X4
Round 18:  <K2, P3, K2> X4
Round 19:  <K2, P3, K2> X4
Round 20:  <K2tog, P3, K2tog> X4

Round 21:  <K1, P3, K1> X4                                                    (20 stitches)
Round 22:  <K1, P3, K1> X4
Round 23:  <K1, P3, K1> X4
Round 24:  <K1, P3, K1> X4

Bind off all 20 stitches.

*******************************************************************************
I hope you guys like this pattern.

HAPPY KNITTING

Op. 17 Beret...finally....

My dear knitters,

I hope you guys are all doing well and staying warm this winter.  Sorry that I was not able to update my blog as I got tied up by personal business.  

Today let me introduce you to my first beret design.  Yes...Beret....  Elegant it is.  Yet, the knitting pattern is not difficult at all.   It is aimed for immediate knitters.  

Here is the basic info of Op. 17:

Material: 2 Skeins of Mochi Plus Colorway #555

Tools: a set of US #7 (4.5mm) double pointed needles

            a set of US #6 (4.0mm) double pointed needles

            a cable needle in the same size of #7 needle

                     

Size: 52 (58)cm head size  

Gauge:     20 stitches x  25rows = 10cm x 10cm (ribbing)

Besides basic knowledge of circular knitting, you will need to learn how to do C2B...AKA  Right Twist.  In the pattern, I will keep it C2B for convenience's sake.  Other than that, you may need to know how to do Pom Pom.  

See?  It's optional.   (Although many of you vote for the additional ornament on Instagram) 

I was trying to make Op. 17 as delicate as possible with limited skill set.  And here is how the ribbing looks like:

The color way I chose is called Tapestry Rainbow in text, 555 in number.  It's my beloved Mochi Plus yarn.  (The yarn I used to make Op. 12) You will need more than 1 ball.  

The pattern is now available on Ravelry.  Free feel to check this out.  At this moment, I so wanna knit instead of writing pattern up.  See you guys, stay warm and  

HAPPY KNITTING!!!

Op. 15 Hat : Spelled by magic loop and cable knitting

Hi Knitters,

I have to tell you how much I love doing magic loop now.  As I mentioned in another blog, when I first tried my hands on magic loop, I was surprised that it was not as difficult as it seems. And I do feel more comfortable that I do not to worry about stitch dropping.  Relieved!   Now I don't really knit with double-pointed when I do hats.  Oh...there is no turning back once you tried on magic loop!!!!!!  And I was 'warned' by some friends on Instagram a while ago.  Thank you guys!

Back to Op. 15.  I did it mainly to test out the cable needles I bought from Daiso.  Here is what I think about them.  One word: secure.  I didn't need to worry about dropping the stitch from the hook at all.  For this reason, I highly recommend needles in this shape for first-time cable knitters.  

However, the material these needles are made of, probably plastic, as not in good quality as those of Clovers.  Well, $1.5 for three hooks, what do you expect.  But they served me well and as you see, I finished a hat with them.  Mission completed. That's good enough.

I do recommended knitting with stitch makers.   Or you may get lost easily.  This is optional.

About the Pom Pom.  Isn't it cute? I made it with Hamanaka Pom Pom makers.   May blog about this in another entry.  So many things to blog about......... good to be busy.

Back to Op. 15 Hat Pattern. Again... Here is the basic info:


Material:                One Skein of Cascade Yarn Longwood
                          Colorway #12

Tools:                US#6 double-pointed needles
                      US#7double-pointed needles
                      A cable needle
                      A Pom Pom Maker with 7cm diameter 
                      Stitch Markers (Optional)

Size:                Fits head of 40-48cm circumstances

Gauge:             20 Stitches X 27 Rows = 10cm X 10cm

Skills you need to possess are: Casting on, Knit, Purl, Knit 2 together, Purl 2 together, Make 1, Pom Pom Making, Cable knitting.

Oh please note: I knitted with #7 Knitter's pride Cubics for the body of this hat.  The the gauge is bit tighter than knitted with #7 of other brand.  

I would say Op. 15 will be good for children of 8 to 14.  Not too big.  Not too small.  Pattern is now available on both Etsy and Ravelry.  Have Fun and

Happy Knitting

Op. 14 Hat Knitting Pattern

Hi Knitter,

I'm so so happy to announced that Op. 14 Hat Knitting Pattern is finally finished.  Though the skills needed for this patterns are not difficult, writing out this complicated pattern made me dizzy...and it would be very easy to make mistake in the pattern.

Well, it does not mean that knitting Op. 14 is difficult at all.  It was the writing,  not the knitting that held me back.  Skills required are in intermediate level: Cast On, Sewing for bind off, Knit, Purl, K2tog, P2tog, Cable knitting, twisted cable knitting.  Nothing difficult.  Just follow the instruction step by step and you will be fine.

And as I mentioned, I did it in Magic Loop style.  It is not a must.  You can always do it with double-pointed needles as the pattern says, or with circular needles.  

I do encourage you to use stitch makers for this pattern.  And put marker wherever I have it "spaced out" in the written pattern.  It helps understand the structure of the pattern.

Material: On Skein of Plymouth Yarn Company 
Encore Colorspun colorway #7750

Tools: US#7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles
US#8 (5.0mm) double-pointed needles
A cable needle
Stitch Markers (Optional)

Size:         Fits head of 50-55cm circumstances

Gauge: 17 Stitches X 25 Rows = 10cm X 10cm

Unfortunately I didn't take any pic of the yarn before I started working on Op. 14.  My fault.  This lovely yarn is made of 75% acrylic and 25 % wool.  Product of Turkey.  Like other worsted yarn, this Encore Colorspun is a little bit rough, not as soft as Uptown Worsted.  That is probably before there is wool in it.  And as you can see, it's very good for cable knitting.  The colorway is named Lime Frost.  Fresh....

And what did I put beside the left yarn?  That's a tillandsia.  Cute?

Oh, almost forgot to mention.  Op. 14 pattern is now available on both Ravelry and Etsy.  Go for it!!!

Next project will not be a hat.  It will be a project that needs more than one skein of yarn.  Stay tuned and

HAPPY KNITTING

Bobby Blue 100% Merino

Hi Knitters,

I'm so happy to have a chance to try my hands on the very popular Malabrigo yarn.  This skein is a 100% merino yarn.  So SOFT..... Now I know why people love this yarn so much.

The softness of this yarn makes me decide to knit on a stitch pattern that I didn't do before, something suitable for intermediate knitters, requires k2tog, yo, sl1, and psso....Sounds chanllenging?  I promise you will totally immerse yourself into knitting with this yarn.  

Among the various choices of color, I picked the one I love so much, Aqua.  But the yarn company  cutely name it Bobby Blue. Funny.

But before knitting, I need to make the skein into a ball.  Honestly, I hate doing it!!!!!

Almost forgot to mention:  This yarn is kettle dyed.  
Anyway, Op. 11 hat is on the go! Go go Bobby!!!

HAPPY KNITTING

K2tog = Knit two stitches together

Hi Knitters

K2tog is the abbreviaiton for 'knit 2 stitches together'.  Doing K2tog results in decreasing a stitch in a row.  For example, if you do K2tog twice for a row that has 10 stitches in it.  In the next row, you will only have 8 stitches.

In this YouTube following video, I will demonstrate how to do K2tog.

In Japanese, K2tog is also refered as 左上二目一度　(hitari-ue-futa-me-ichi-do).  It implies that K2tog is better used to decrease the number of stitch on the left side of the knit.  Well, let's look at the end result.  Pay attention to the direction the stitch leans on.

In English, we have the short form for knitting 2 stitches together.  In Japanese graph, which is quite commonly used in other countries too, a graph like this is used.

K2tog is the easiest way to decrease the number of stitch.  If there is not specific requirement for other method, K2tog is always my choice.

Knowing how to do K2tog enable us to do A LOT....
Including decrease the stitches in Op. 8 Scarflet.

Anyway, I filmed three tutorials in a row.  Will post the other two very soon.

HAPPY KNITTING