Knit a Quick Cowl!

I found a miniature leaf pattern in Barbara Walker's book A Treasury of Knitting Patterns and decided to use it to make a quick cowl/infinity scarf for my daughter Katie as well as for a shop sample. I made Katie's cowl in a couple of hours, so just in case you need a pattern for a last minute gift, here are the instructions. The finished cowl is 8 inches wide by 56 inches in circumference. If you would like to make it longer or shorter the pattern is a multiple of 6 stitches.

Leaf Lace Infinity Scarf

Materials 

• Size 13 circular needle (24- to 32-inch is just perfect) 

• 2 skeins of Cascade 128 Superwash.

Miniature Leaf Pattern 
Round 1: Knit.

Round 2: *Knit 3, yarn over, slip 1, knit 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over, yarn over; repeat from * around.
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: *Yarn over, slip 1, knit 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over, yarn over, knit 3; repeat from * around. 

Instructions
Cast on 132 stitches.

Join carefully to avoid twisting your cast-on stitches. Purl one round. Knit one round. Purl one round.
Work Miniature Leaf Pattern for width desired.
Knit one round.  Purl one round. Knit one round. Purl one round. Bind off knit-wise. 

Enjoy!

The Wrap Group -- May/June #1

Hey Wrappers!

I'm in love with our May-June Wrap, using the Feather and Fan pattern, also known as Old Shale. This is so adaptable to many types of yarns. The recipe calls for four different textures of yarn to make a generous wrap about 16" x 78". It's a fun way to try some of the new and different yarns Nancy's been getting in. I'll be in the store today from 1-3pm to help you pick out yarns. If you can't make it in, write a comment on this post letting me know what you are thinking and we can play with some ideas. For further inspiration, check out one of my favorite artists at http://www.janethornley.com/.

You can find the printable pdf pattern here. You can also find it in the free pattern section on the side bar of this blog. Below you will see another exciting video tip, teaching you how to knit in your ends. We think you will find it helpful as you change from yarn to yarn.

I've got this shawl thing going on!

Lately I've been intrigued with shawls and shawl patterns. I'm not sure if I'll wear any of them, but they're so much fun to knit.

This weekend I was super busy and for the most part that didn't seem to include knitting. You might have heard me groaning about that! Finally on Monday (and instead of blogging) I dug out a skein of Schaefer Anne that I had intended to make socks with. I grabbed an Addi Lace Size 6 needle and started a triangle shawl using the Gull Lace pattern that Elizabeth Zimmermann used for her baby sweater for the February project in her book, Knitter's Almanac. I haven't made the baby sweater, but I made the February Lady Sweater this past February for one of our Knit Togethers. I liked that simple 4-row lace pattern and had an idea that it would be fun to use again. Carol, who works at the shop, used the Gull Lace pattern on a pair of socks, so I got to thinking it might be fun for a shawl.

I'm also working on Ysolda Teague's Damson with the Ella Rae Lace Merino that I was going to use to make the leaf scarf I blogged about awhile back. Another shawl I'm close to finishing is the Revontuli, using 2 balls of Zauberball Crazy. I think there's at least one or two more shawls in my WIP pile!

Here's the Gull Lace pattern just in case you would like to play with it. If you want to make a shawl with it, you can easily make a rectangular one by casting on multiples of 7 stitches (plus you may want to add on a garter stitch border of 5 to 8 stitches on each side and a garter stitch edge at the bottom and top). If you want to try to make a triangular shawl, talk to me about how to work your 7-stitch pattern repeats into the triangle.

Gull Lace pattern (multiple of 7 stitches)
Row 1: *K1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; rep from * across.
Rows 2 & 4: Purl across.
Row 3: *K2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk; rep from * across.

Now if you get hooked on shawls and lace like I have, you won't have a lot of time to cook! I thought that with cooler fall nights you might like to try my sloppy joe recipe. It's simple and would make quite a few sandwiches. Of course you could always double the amounts if you need to feed an extra hungry crowd!

Nancy's Sloppy Joes

• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
• 2 T. cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Brown ground beef and onion; drain off fat. Add other ingredients; let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Enjoy!

I'm never to busy to knit!

I've been neglecting my blogging duties in favor of knitting. Shocker there, right?! I'll try to do better in the future.

I thought you might like to know I finished my sock yarn scarf last week and started a new one. The one I finished (shown below) is perfect for a man, as it's a little too wide and a little too short for a woman. I also chose a yarn that was more masculine in pattern. My husband wasn't interested in it until it was bound off, washed and blocked. It was then that he immediately decided it's his. I told him it's going to live at the shop for awhile, since it's the perfect gift idea type of project. As for the new sock yarn scarf I'm knitting, it's narrower and I'll ruffle both ends. I'm using Knit One Crochet Too's Ty-Dy Sox. Wow! It's so soft and beautiful. I'll give you a pattern when it's done one of these days. The beauty of these scarves is that you don't have to think. They are the perfect TV-watching project!

I'm including the pattern for my men's Sock Yarn Tube Scarf(done in Opal Rendez-vous color 2064) just in case you want to make one. Opal sock yarn is one of my favorite sock yarns, because the designs are usually incredible, and it's become collectible. They collections aren't created in large quantities like many other sock yarns, and they are only available for a limited time, increasing MY frenzy to get the ones I want right away.
Sock Yarn Tube Scarf

Finished size of scarf shown: 7x55 inches.

Materials

• 2 balls of Opal sock yarn or the equivalent in yardage (you need approximately 930 yards total)
• Size 3, 16-inch circular needles and extra pair of Size 3 straight needles or 32-inch long circular for 3-needle bind off.
• Stitch markers
• Tapestry yarn needle

Cast on 90 to 100 stitches (the scarf shown is 100 stitches for the width and length given). Carefully join to work in the round, placing a ring or pin marker for the beginning of the round. Knit all rounds, attaching a new ball as necessary. After about 6 inches, use yarn tail to weave open end closed. Knit to desired length, leaving enough yarn to work a 3-needle bind off. Place half of the stitches on one needle and the other half on another needle. Use a third needle to bind off the stitches from both needles. To find out more about 3-needle bind off click here.