Thanks to not being well for so long, I had completely forgotten that the spring issue of Love of Knitting magazine was due to be released any day now. So it came as a pleasant surprise when I realized today there are new patterns on my Ravelry designer page.
I've got two patterns in this issue, one in the 'Little Knits' theme, a small collection with 6 adorable multi-coloured projects for children. My contribution, the Pearls Hat, was designed to work in a variety of yarns or to use leftover yarns from different projects and also to give the knitter a lot of design choices. The main feature of this basic shaped hat are strings of 'yarn pearls', which seem to swirl around the hat. The look changes completley with the yarns used, for example could it be a variegated background colour with one solid colour as 'pearls', or it could be a solid background with each ' string of pearls' in a different colour, possibilities are endless. The look can also be changed with the number of 'strings' worked and where they are placed. A cute pattern which gives knitters the option to make their hat truly unique.
The sample was knitted in HiKoo® by skacel Simplicity Solids & Tonals, using colorway lavendar as main colour and red hat purple and white for the 'strings of pearls'. The yarn, a merino, acrylic and nylon blend, is a pleasure to work with and perfect for items that get a lot of wear and need to be easy to care for.
My second pattern is Bargello Socks, another pattern that would look great in a variety of colorways. The socks are knitted in stranded knitting, with the main colour forming zigzagging stripes of different width.
The look changes completely when a multi-coloured yarn, such as a variegated yarn or a self-striping yarn, is used as the background colour. Also, the stripes can be placed at random, so that more or less stripes can be worked to change the overall look.
The socks are knitted with heel flap and gusset, the gusset decreased are made towards the middle of the sole. The sole is knitted in stripes.
The sample was knitted in SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in cauldron as main colour for cuff, heel, toe and the zigzagging stripes and goldmine as contrast colour for the background. Now I look forward to see what different colour combinations knitters come up with. :)
Kommentar schreiben
Deborah (Samstag, 04 März 2017 22:59)
Does the CO take into account that stranded knit may be too tight? I heard some patterns account for this First time for me. Very excited. Have a solid MC and a vibrant multi for the CC. Do you think I should do toe up instead?
Mone (Montag, 06 März 2017 13:47)
@Deborah
There's a gauge for stranded knitting given in the pattern, so if your knitting meets gauge, your socks will result in the circumference given for the chosen size when you use the corresponding stitch count. The fabric won't be as stretchy as is Stockinette stitch, because of the floats at the backside of the fabric, but that doesn't change the finished size. The socks are worked with heel flap and gusset, because it is usually the heel/ankle area where the socks turn out too tight, especially when pulling them on. So the gusset gives some extra room to accommodate this fact. The pattern could be used for toe up socks and it wouldn't even change the look if they are worked this way, but whether you prefer toe up or cuff down really is a matter of personal preference. If you wish to work toe up socks with heel flap and gusset, though, keep in mind that you'll have to figure out when to start the gusset increases while you work the foot and also, you should be familiar with how to work the heel.