The pattern for the fuchsia lace shawl can be found here.
(I don’t have a Ravelry page for this project – I believe I used Malabrigo lace yarn.)
The pattern for the green scarf on the mannequin.
My Ravelry project page for the green scarf (includes yarn info).
The bulky blue yarn I’m using to demonstrate is Knit Picks Swish Bulky.
The double-pointed needles I’m using are Crystal Palace wood needles.
I’m so excited about this sweater! I want it to get cold in Texas so I can wear it now!
In this two-part tutorial, we’re going to learn how to do something very unique. We’re going to knit this sweater using undyed yarn, then dye it (as a completed garment) to get the Ombré effect. Ombré dyeing gives us a very light color at the top of the sweater, gradually getting darker toward the bottom.
There are two videos to accompany this pattern. In the first video, we talk about making the sweater itself. In the second video, we go on location with my friend Doug Upchurch, at his White Bear Fibers dyeing studio, where he shows us how to do the dyeing. (Both videos are at the bottom of this post.)
I love the look of this sweater. Not only is the dyeing a fun project on its own, but it gives us an effect you can only get when you dye the finished sweater.
In the dyeing video, we use acid dyes, but any dye that works with yarn will do. Here are three tutorials for using different kitchen-safe dyes: Kool-Aid , Food Coloring, Wilton’s Icing Gel.
This is knit with sock yarn for a lightweight sweater with a nice drape. The style of the sweater is simple, to really show off the color gradation as the “thing”, or the prominent design feature.
You can, of course, make this sweater using sock-weight yarn that is already dyed. (I’m pretty excited to see what you knitters do with this.) The pattern is sized from XS to 3XL.
Sizes: XSmall, Small, Medium, Large, XLarge, 2XLarge, 3XLarge [to fit actual chest measurements of 28” (32”, 36”, 40”, 44”, 48”, 52”)]
Needles: Size 6 US circular or straight needles
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Stroll Fingering Sock Yarn, 462 yards/hank, 3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) hanks
Additional Materials: stitch marker, tapestry needle, row counter
Gauge: 5.5 stitches and 7.5 rows per inch in stockinette. (Stitch gauge is very important, row gauge is less important. Base your needle size on stitch gauge if you’re having difficulty matching both.) Be sure to measure gauge after you’ve washed and blocked your swatch.
Note on Sizing – The measurements above are for the actual chest measurement of the sweater wearer. The finished sweater includes “ease” for a casual fit. The measurements of the finished sweaters are 32 (36.5, 41, 45, 49.5, 54, 58.5)”.
Pattern + links to 4-part instructional videos $8 US via PayPal 
Video Part 1 – Making the Sweater:
Video Part 2 – Dyeing the Sweater:
Links to things you’ll see in the video:
The Ravelry page for the pink shawl I’m wearing.
My personal Ravelry page for that shawl (includes yarn details).
The Ravelry page for the green scarf on the mannequin.
My personal Ravelry page for that scarf (includes yarn details).
The stitch markers I’m using are from Darn It! Sew What? Etsy page.
The needles I’m using are Addi Turbos (widely available)
The yarn I’m using is Malabrigo Worsted, color Deja Vu
Last quarter, my Knitting University class (a class that meets here at my home every other Thursday) decided to focus on charity knitting for the quarter. Our charity of choice was the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a local hospital. The hospital needs baby hats of all sizes, from micro-preemie to full-term size.
So we got to work, and from April to June, we knit 34 caps between the eight of us! Most of us used these caps as a satisfying “in-between projects” project.
Knitters always want details, details, details – so I’ll do my best here. 🙂
These are Baby Gnome Caps. I believe they were all knit on size 3 US needles. The yarns used were Dale of Norway Baby Stork, and Berroco Comfort DK.
These are Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe Preemie Hats. I don’t have details of the needle size, and the yarns are different worsted-weight synthetic yarns, some self-striping. The single red heart was made using duplicate stitch, and the yellow hearts around the cap were knit in fair isle.
The next four photos each used the same pattern, Preemie Hats for Charity, which includes a few variations on the standard pattern.
These are eyelet caps, and the yarns are Dale of Norway Stork and Berroco Comfort DK.
Heart caps, using the same yarns as above.
Same pattern, using Knit Picks Comfy Sport. I used duplicate stitch for the little heart, and this simple crocheted flower pattern.
Striped caps and one ribbed cap, using the same pattern. Yarns are Knit Picks Comfy Sport, Dale of Norway Stork, and one other soft yarn – I think it’s Berroco Comfort DK.
And the last three –
The pink cap – no pattern, sorry. I made that one up. The bunny cap is Blue Rabbit Hat, with one little pre-made pompom sewn on for a bunny tail. The fair isle cap is my Learn to Knit Fair Isle tutorial with one modification – instead of using worsted-weight yarn and bigger needles, I knit the baby size using sport weight yarn and size 3 US needles.
If you’re thinking of making baby caps for your local NICU, I suggest you call the hospital to see if they have guidelines for the caps. Our local hospital asked for a few things – first no wool (because of possible allergies), no yellow (because some babies are jaundiced, and yellow makes it hard to tell), and all machine washable and dryable fibers. They also asked that we wash the finished caps in a baby laundry soap (like Dreft) before we drop them off.
Since we knit these as a group, everyone dropped off their finished caps, and I washed them all at once. They filled the sink!
We all really enjoyed this project, and I think many of us plan to continue knitting for the NICU between other projects. We learned from a nurse at the NICU that caps are in high-demand, and whenever there are caps available, they are quickly used.
Couple of notes – the yarn weights I mention are all in American terms. For UK/Australian terms, here is a conversion chart. Additionally, I refer to US needle sizes. Here is a needle size conversion chart.
Links to things you’ll see in this video –
Beautiful violet-colored double pointed needles by Signature Needle Arts
My “Cheaper than Therapy” sock knitting bag by dellaQ Knitting Bags and Cases
The light green sock yarn that I’m using on my current sock project is by White Bear Fibers, sock yarn in color “Cedar”
The pattern for the green sock is here
My DPN needle holder tube can be found here.
The cuff-down pink sock pattern is my Learn to Knit Socks tutorial
The toe-up tan sock is my Learn to Knit Toe-Up Socks tutorial
The red spiral scarf I’m wearing is a free pattern and tutorial
The pattern for the green scarf on the mannequin can be found here
The yarn for both the red spiral scarf and the green scarf is Hazel Knits DK Lively
I wrote this pattern with a couple of goals in mind – first, I wanted a pretty way to show off really beautiful yarn. Second, I wanted to make a scarf that used just one hank of the beautiful yarn, and therefore knits up quickly and makes a great gift.
And here it is! The spiral is a traditional scarf shape, but I’ve put my own twist on it. (Ha – see what I did there?) The spirals in this scarf are broad and really show off the yarn, and we use wraps and turns in the knitting to keep the garter stitch fabric smooth and even.
This pattern is a FREE RAVELRY DOWNLOAD, and includes a link to a free video tutorial (video is also available at the bottom of this post).
Size: any length you like – using one hank of the recommended yarn will make a scarf that is about 52” long
Needles: Size 7 US (4.5mm), circulars or straights
Yarn: 1 hank of Hazel Knits DK Lively yarn (275 yards, 140 grams), I used the color “Vamp”
Additional Materials: a row counter is a good idea, you’ll also need a tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in garter stitch
Be sure to check out my other video tutorials.
And the video –
My Traveler’s Life Afghan, four years in the making. I started this back in January 2008 as a long-term project that would help me use up small amounts of yarn leftover from other projects. Today was Binding-Off Day!
November 2008
Earlier today
…And now.
The details –
Pattern: Traveler’s Life Afghan by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Yarns used: 100% worsted-weight animal fiber; including wool, alpaca, cashmere, angora, mohair, and llama
Needles: Size 9 US Addi circulars, 40″ cord
Size: 86″ long by 96″ wide (fits a king-sized bed as a bedspread)
I cast-on 365 stitches, I changed color every row, and I knit for approximately 620 rows. This is a garter stitch blanket, so every row is knit, without purling. The finished blanket weighs about 2800 grams. That means that if I had bought the yarn for this (instead of using leftovers) I would have needed to buy 28 hanks. That’s over 6,000 yards.
Now? I will continue to use up leftovers by making another Log Cabin Quilt. Should have another bedspread in 2016. 🙂
Links to things you’ll see in this video:
The pattern for the green sock I’m knitting.
The yarn I’m using for the green sock, color “cedar”:
The Ravelry page for the pink shawl I’m wearing.
My personal Ravelry page for that shawl (includes yarn details).
The Ravelry page for the green scarf on the mannequin.
My personal Ravelry page for that scarf (includes yarn details).
Links to things you’ll see in this video:
My friend Steven’s website (the knitter who made the Christmas balls).
The pattern book for the Christmas balls.
The Ravelry page for the pink shawl I’m wearing.
My personal Ravelry page for that shawl (includes yarn details).
The Ravelry page for the green scarf on the mannequin.
My personal Ravelry page for that scarf (includes yarn details).
The Log Cabin Scrap Blanket pattern and video tutorial can be found here.
I noticed that I’m getting many of the same questions on this pattern, I believe it deserves it’s own FAQ page.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: What is a garter stitch ridge? How many rows make a ridge?
A: It is easier to count garter stitch ridges in this pattern, rather than rows of knitting. You can see the ridges in your work, and I demonstrate in the video. A garter stitch ridge is made up of two rows of knitting, a right-side and a wrong-side. In your center square, the cast-on creates one-half of a ridge – so the cast-on plus the next row of knitting creates one ridge. On subsequent strips, picking up stitches creates one-half of a ridge – so the picked up stitches plus the next row of knitting creates one ridge. Really, it’s much easier just to count the ridges you see, rather than counting rows and trying to convert them to a number of ridges.
Q: I can’t seem to get the colors of my blanket to come out as nicely as yours. What am I doing wrong?
A: My guess is that you’re doing it correctly. 🙂 Don’t get hung up on the colors of any one square. Once the whole blanket comes together, the colors take on a different personality. I followed three simple rules in regards to color – first, I made sure that no single square was dominated by a single color. Second, I made sure that no single square was dominated by mostly dark or mostly light colors. Third, I kept really uncomplimentary colors from touching each other. That’s it!
Q: I don’t understand how to work the borders.
A: The borders are worked like every other strip. The only difference is that you’re not cutting the yarn to start a new color. Just stick with the same border color for four strips, which will cover each of the four sides.
Q: My worsted weight yarn leftovers vary in thickness. Is that okay?
A: In the blanket pictured above, mine varied, too. I would guess that the yarns I used could be called worsted, light worsted, and Aran. It turned out fine.
MODIFICATIONS
Note – I provide a ton of information below about modifying this pattern. Please understand that questions beyond what I’ve answered here will take some experimenting and test knitting on your own. Your yarn/needles/gauge are unique to your blanket, so I can’t really answer specific questions. I hope the info below gets you started so you can pull out your yarn and needles, do a little math, and make your quilt blocks exactly how you imagine them. Good luck!
Q: I’d like to buy yarn and coordinate colors, instead of using leftovers for this project. How much yarn do I need?
A: That will depend on how you want to arrange the colors. In the pattern, I have a graphic that shows each strip and how it fits into the square. Plan your colors out as you want them for each strip, then do the math –
This is a guideline for the weight of yarn I used (worsted), with the gauge listed in the pattern (5 stitches per inch).
Q: I don’t have enough worsted scrap yarn to make the whole blanket, so I’d like to mix it up and use different weights of yarn in my blanket. Will this work if I change needle sizes based on each yarn weight to adjust the gauge for each strip?
A: In theory, this will work, yes. But do you want to swatch for gauge for each strip you knit? Not only would that be a lot of extra work, but it is unlikely that your blanket will end up with straight, right angles. I recommend making this a longer-term project, and using one weight of scrap yarn (I used worsted) as you accumulate more leftovers as time goes by.
Q: I don’t have enough of one fiber type (animal, plant, synthetic) to make the whole blanket. Can I mix it up?
A: I address this in the video tutorial – I don’t recommend it. Not only will you end up with a blanket with no clear washing instructions, but different fiber types are going to behave differently when they are met with water or steam. You may end up with some strips that end up sagging and loose (like cotton), while other strips hold their shape. I recommend making this a longer-term project, and using one fiber type (I used animal) as you accumulate more leftovers as time goes by.
Q: I’d like to make one big quilt block, so that I don’t have to do any seaming. Is this possible?
A: Yes! You can absolutely keep adding strips to make a bigger blanket. Just keep this in mind – you’re going to need greater and greater yardage for each strip as the blanket grows. I personally would not be able to make a scrap blanket this way, since my leftovers are only in small amounts.
Q: I’d like to make bigger/smaller quilt squares using a different yarn. How much border color will I need?
A: You will need to test this out yourself, here’s how you do it – knit up one square in the size you want it. Using a new skein of yarn (you need to know exactly how many yards and grams there are, so this cannot be scrap yarn), knit the border, then weigh what remains of that skein on a kitchen scale. Subtract the new weight from the original weight (printed on the ball band) to see how many grams of yarn you used. Then do some math –
Q: Can I hold a lighter weight yarn double-stranded to get the same weight as worsted?
A: You’ll need to test this out yourself, but if the gauge is about the same, it should work fine next to worsted yarns in the blanket.
Q: I would like to make a bigger/smaller blanket. How many quilt blocks should I make?
A: My suggestion is to knit up one quilt block using the yarn and needles you’d like to use, then make a judgement. Baby blankets are typically about 40×40 inches, king-sized bedspreads are typically about 90×90 inches, and there are lots of useful blankets in-between those two. You can decide how many quilt blocks to make once you see the exact size you get after knitting one up.
BLOCKING
Q: Do I have to steam block each square?
A: You will find it easier to seam the finished squares together if you steam them before seaming. I steam stuff out all the time while I’m knitting it – mainly because I like the look of it. Steaming as you go will also alert you to any tension problems you might be having with the strips, like a tight bind-off.
Q: Should I wet block the entire blanket when it’s finished?
A: This is up to you. I chose not to wet block my finished blanket, and I probably won’t ever do that unless something gets spilled on it. I used wool for mine, and wool doesn’t need washing as much as other fibers. Instead of washing, I will put the dry blanket into the dryer with a dryer sheet to freshen it up. Additionally, my dryer sheets are scented with lavender, which is supposed to keep moths away!
