Seasonal knitting

Time to expand our notions of what seasonal knitting implies! Passover provided the opportunity to knit yarmulkes for two of my guys.  Here they are, facing the promised land.

T, left, models yarmulke made from self-patterning Fair Isle sock yarn; H, right, models yarmulke of  silk/cotton blend DK yarn.

I discovered this lovely and quick pattern on Ravelry. It's free, of course. Designed by Jennifer Tocker, the yarmulke is intended to be in reverse stockinette, but I found that it's completely reversible. (Model on left is in reverse stockinette, model on right is stockinette.) Pattern instructions are meticulous and detailed. Thanks, Jennifer!

And then I learned that April is National Stress Awareness Month, and that the Craft Yarn Council is running a campaign to "Stitch Away Stress." To that end, it's providing a free pattern for a knitted or crocheted stress ball shaped like a lemon.

Possibly you're thinking, "I need this like a hole in the head"?

Look--if it reduces stress, why not? And you might have some yellow yarn in your stash that's just yearning to be liberated. And you have loads of free time to sit around knitting lemons, right?

I checked out the Craft Yarn Council website, which I've in the past consulted for design issues, like sizing measurements, and this time, under their Health heading, I was favorably impressed by a video in which folks discuss how knitting reduces anxiety, and so forth. There are also compelling anecdotes in the readers' comments section. You can see them all by clicking here. You can add your own two cents, if you feel so moved. On this website you can also find ways to connect with other squeezable lemon-knitters/crocheters by posting on FB, Instagram, etc. (I don't travel to those places, so I leave it you-all to figure out the nuances.)

Et voilà:

Lemon Stress Ball Pattern

Designed by Twinkie Chan

Knit Version:

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 4.5 in. (11.4 cm) long and 2.5 in. (6.4 cm) wide.
MATERIALS

• Red Heart Super Saver by Coats & Clark, 7oz/198g skein, each approximately
  364 yards/333 meters (acrylic)
  
• 1 skein in #E300_324 Bright Yellow (MC)
  
• 1 skein in #E300_672 Spring Green (CC)
  Note: Approximately 18 yards (16.5 meters) of MC and 1 yard (91.4 cm) of CC used to make 1 lemon
  
• One set (4) size 7 (4.5mm) double- pointed needles (dpn) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE
  

LH = left hand
M1 = Insert LH needle from back to front under the strand between last stitch worked and next stitch on LH needle. Knit into the front loop to twist the stitch.
MC = Main color
RH = right hand
rnd(s) = round(s)
st(s) = stitch(es)
SINGLE CAST ON

1. Place a slip knot on the RH needle, leaving a short tail. Wrap the yarn from the ball around your left thumb from front to back and secure it in your palm with your other fingers.
   
2. Insert the needle upwards through the strand on your thumb.
   
3. Slip this loop from your thumb onto the needle, pulling the yarn from the ball to tighten it.
   
4. Continue in this way until all the stitches are cast on.
   

LEMON

With CC and single cast on method, cast on 5 sts.
Stem
I-cord row 1: Slide sts to RH end of dpn, slip the slip knot onto RH needle. Pull the end tightly from the end of the row, k to end. Slide stitches to RH end of dpn.
I-cord row 2: Drop the slip knot, (kfb, k1) twice—6 sts. Pull on tail to

release slip knot and tighten i-cord. Distribute evenly over 3 dpns. Place marker for beginning of rnd and join, taking care not to twist stitches. Next rnd Knit.
Cut CC and attach MC.
Body
Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd (inc) 2: (K1, M1, k1) 3 times around—9 sts.
Rnd 3: Knit.
Rnd (inc) 4: (K1, M1) 9 times around–18 sts.
Rnds 5–7: Knit.
Rnd (inc) 8: (K2, M1, k1) 6 times around—24 sts.
Rnds 9: Knit.
Rnd (inc) 10: (K5, M1, k7) twice around—26 sts.
Rnd (inc) 11: (K7, M1, k6) twice around—28 sts.
Work even until lemon measures 4 in. (10 cm) from beginning.
Dec rnd 1: (K2tog, k5) 4 times around—24 sts.
Next rnd: Knit.
Stuff lemon firmly. Additional stuffing may be added as necessary while decreasing as follows:
Dec rnd 2: (K2, k2tog) 6 times around—18 sts.
Dec rnd 3: (K2tog) 9 times around—9 sts.
Next 2 rnds: Knit.
Dec rnd 4: (K2tog, k1) around—6 sts. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in ends.

• Stitch marker
GAUGE

28 sts = 5 in. (12.7 cm) and 7 rnds = 4 in, (10 cm).
Take the time to check your gauge.

ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY
CC = Contrasting color
dec = decrease
dpn = double pointed needles
in(s) = inch(es)
inc = increase
k = knit
k2tog = knit 2 together
kfb = Knit into front and back of stitch
Photos and text are © 2015 Twinkie Chan Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.twinkiechan.com

Well, this lemon is a win-win, because you can stitch away stress while you’re making it and then squeeze away stress as often as you need after it’s done! How great is that?! Oh, and don’t forget to show off your lovely lemon when you’re done! Post a pic of it along with the hashtag #StitchAwayStress and #lemonstressball on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
**To view a tutorial of this project, visit: www.craftyarncouncil.com/health** The information on this instruction sheet is presented in good faith and without warranty. Results are not guaranteed.

D651_Lemon_Pattern_3 | 04/03/15 

Neo-Victorian Mitts: a free knitting pattern

A holiday present for gentle knitters everywhere.

Neo-Victorian Mitts 

My friend Chavvy [not her real name], one of the world’s few academics who’s also a nice person, typifies the perfect fusion of Victorian and contemporary style in everything she does.  With this in mind I designed these mitts for her and used acrylic yarn (SMC Northern Worsted), as she’s allergic to wool.

Materials:  Four #7 dpns, scissors and a yarn needle, two skeins of worsted-weight yarn, a Main Color (MC) and a Contrasting Color (CC).  (Note—only a small amount of yarn is needed for the CC, and the MC is probably about 50 yards or less—in case you want to use up stash yarn.)

Directions:  With CC cast on 36 stitches and purl for an inch, or desired length of contrast ruffle (it will curl under to some extent).  Switch to MC and knit in the following ribbed pattern—K2 P1—for 4 inches or desired length.  At this point you’ll change stitch patterns and start working the thumb.  The thumb will be done in stockinette (unless you want to do it in Moss stitch), the rest in moss stitch (Row 1:  K1 P1; Row 2: P1 K1; alternate rows).

Thumb:  Rows as follows below:

1.     K2, M1R, K, M1L, pattern to end

2.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

3.     K2, M1R, K3, M1L, pattern to end

4.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

5.     K2, M1R, K5, M1L, pattern to end

6.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

7.     K2, M1R, K7, M1L, pattern to end

8.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

9.     K2, cast on 5 using backwards loop method, transfer 9 thumb stitches to a holder or waste yarn, pattern to end

10. K10, pattern to end

11. K1, sl1, psso, K2, K2tog, pattern to end

12. K1, sl1, psso, k2tog, pattern to end.

Note:  The last three rows of the thumb only can be done in the CC, or MC, as you desire.

Continue knitting the hand of the mitt until you reach the desired length, approximately 8 inches from the beginning, before starting the top edging.

Top edging:  Purl in CC for four rows, or about a half-inch.

Bows (make two):  Cast 3 stitches onto one of your dpns, and with it and another, knit a 16-inch I-cord.  Tie each cord into a small bow, and tack onto the mitt where the wrist joins the hand.

If you find errors in this pattern, please advise!

 Please note:  Mitts are excellent to wear while reading in bed in a cold room.