Star Coasters

By LaDonna Maxwell

Materials needed:  

Left over cotton yarn (app. 100 yds)

Size 6 knitting needles

Darning needle

Cast on 21 stitches

Rows 1-3 knit

Row 4:  K2, P17, K2

Row 5:  K2, K17, K2

Row 6:  K2, P3, K1, P9, K1, P3, K2

Row 7:  K2, K3, P3, K5, P3, K3, K2

Row 8:  K2, P4, K3, P3, K3, P4, K2

Row 9:  K2, K4, P9, K4, K2

Row 10:  K2, P4, K9, P4, K2

Row 11:  K2, K5, P7, K5, K2

Row 12:  K2, P5, K7, P5, K2

Row 13:  K2, K4, P9, K4, K2

Row 14:  K2, P3, K11, P3, K2

Row 15:  K2, K2, P13, K2, K2

Row 16:  K2, P1, K15, P1, K2

Row 17:  K2, K6, P5, K6, K2

Row 18:  K2, P7, K3, P7, K2

Row 19:  K2, K7, P3, K7, K2

Row 20:  K2, P8, K1, P8, K2

Row 21:  K2, K8, P1, K8, K2

Row 22:  K2, P17, K2

Row 23:  K2, K17, K2

Row 24:  K2, P17, K2

Row 25-27 - Knit

Bind off.  

Hide ends with the darning needles.  Block to 4.25 x 4.25

Earwarmer Pattern

OK, so I have been itching to try and come up with an easy and quick pattern for an ear warmer. I also wanted a little bit of a challenge, but not so much that a beginning knitter would be turned off. I think finally made up a pattern that covers all my requests. So, here it goes:

Materials:

16" - Size 10 circular needles or straight needles, your choice

1 large button

1 skein Jiffy Yarn - chunky

I didn't worry about gauge so much because it's not a full hat and it's a pretty forgiving item to wear.

Abbreviations:

k1fb - knit one in front and back of stitch

ssk - slip, slip, knit

CO - cast on

Directions:

CO 6

Row 1: Knit

Row 2 and ALL even rows - purl ** Except for Row 6

Row 3: k1fb, k4, k1fb (8 stitches total)

Row 5: k1fb, P2, bind off 2, P2, k1fb (8 stitches) - this is the buttonhole

Row 6: Purl 4, cast on 2, purl 4 (10 stitches)

Row 7: k1fb, P2, K4, P2 k1fb (12 stitches)

Row 9: k1fb, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, l1fb (14 stitches)

Row 11: k1fb, P2, K3, P2, K3, P2, k1fb (16 stitches)

Row 13: k1fb, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, k1fb (18 stitches)

Repeat Rows 15 - 20 (12 times), ending on the cabling row

Row 15: k2, p2, c4, p2, k2 (18 stitches)

Row 17: k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2

Row 19: k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2

Row 21: k2tog, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, ssk

Row 23: k2tog, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, ssk

Row 25: k2tog, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, ssk

Row 27: k2tog, p2, k4, p2, ssk

Row 29: k2tog, p2, k2, p2, ssk

Row 31: k2 tog, k4, ssk

Row 32: Purl 6

Bind off

If you want to make this narrower, decrease your purls by one on each side and in the middle, so you'll have 15 stitches instead of 18.

If I made any mistakes, please let me know.

Big Comfy Hat

I love to make hats, but the biggest problem I have had with each pattern I've tried is how short the hats are. I want a hat that will cover my ears. A hat that will stay over my ears and a hat that will cover the back of my head. I bought patterns after patterns after patterns and tried each of them - same problem. I finally decided to make up my own pattern. I hope you enjoy it. It's pretty basic, and pretty traditional, but it's pretty and warm!

This hat is an adult size hat. It's loose enough for a man to wear, but tight enough for a woman. Make sense?

Materials needed:

Size 10 circular needles (16 inch) and

Size 10 double pointed needles

1 stitch marker

Tapestry needle

2 skeins or 120 yds. Bulky (or #5) yarn - I made this hat with Deborah Norville Serentiy

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch

To begin:

CO 68 stitches onto your circ. needles

For the next 3 inches, K2 P2 for the ribbing.

After you have knit 3 inches, you are ready to begin the body of the hat. From this point on it will be all knit stitches, no purl stitches.

Cast on 4 additional stitches. I usually place my stitches at 3, 6, 9, and 12 (face of a clock). I do m1fb. The stitches blend better into the pattern. You should have 72 stitches on your needles.

From this point on, you will continue knitting until you have 5 inches from where you started knit only. So, you will have a total of 8 inches from the edge of the hat. Next, you will start your reduction in stitches.

When it gets too tight to use your circular needles, switch to your dpn's.

Decrease as follows:

Decr round 1: *k6, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 56 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds.

Decr round 2: *k5, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 48 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 3: *k4, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 40 stitches

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 4: *k3, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 32 stitches

Decr round 5: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 24 stitches

Decr round 6: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 7: *k1, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 8: k2tog for 8 times. You will have 8 stitches

Cut your yarn end and with your tapestry needle run the end thru the last 8 stitches, one at a time. When you have gone thru all the stitches, pull your yarn snuggly, thread the yarn thru the top of your hat to bring it to the inside. Weave in your ends and if possible tie off and hide your ends. Snip ends, weave in all other ends. and you're finished!

Fingerless Gloves, Wristlets or gauntlets - Take Your Pick

These are my latest knitting addiction. I can usually make a pair in about 3 hours - depending on what's on the tube. They are a lot of fun to make and just as much fun to wear. The three styles I have pictured I used a chunky weight yarn. I also like to make the thumb hole horizontal, not vertical - don't ask me why - I think it's just a personal prefernce thing. The one disadvantage to the thumb hole being horizontal is that you will have a slight gap next to the bound offf stitches - I still haven't figured out how to alleviate that, but from all the directions I've read, neither has anyone else. Below are my directions - as basic as they are. If you see a mistake, please let me know so I can change them as needed. Thanks and enjoy making these.

Basic Beginner Fingerless Gloves

Size 10.5 DPN's

1 skein Bulky (#5) yarn - I used Yarn Bee Mosiac twist in the first picture; Lion's Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in the 2nd picture and Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky in the last picture.

Tapestry needle to hide ends

On your needles cast on 25 stitches (8,8,9). Join the stitches being careful that you do not twist your yarn before the joining. The best method I've found for joining on is the cross over method. For directions how to do the cross over go here: http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/closeup/e-twocircular.html

Knit in the round for 30 rows. On the next row, k1, bind off 5 stitches (you should have 3 stitches left on your needle). Continue knitting that row. *** (See errata below for additional directions) On the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting that row. Knit 10 rows, bind off. If you have a hard time getting a flexible binding, try using the suspended cast/bind-off. It's pretty flexible.

These will fit a small to med. size hand - If you need to go bigger, try moving up 5 stitches at a time. Good luck and enjoy!

*** Errata - To alleviate the problem with the thumb hole knit as follows: After you have bound off your 5 stitches and finished that row, on the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting until you get to the last stitch. Knit the last stitch of this row and the first stitch of the next, together (k2tog), finish the row. On the next row, at the last two stitches, the second to last stitch k1fb and then knit the last stitch. You should then have 8,8, and 9 stitches again on your needles.

Whelk Stitch Coffee Mug Coaster

In addition to the coffee mug cozy, I decided to make a matching coaster.

Materials:
Size 6 needles (straight or circular)
Sportweight yarn (50 yds or less)
Directions:
CO 23 stitches (if you need to make it bigger, add stitches in multiples of 4)
Knit 5 rows
Row 1: (right side): K3, *sl1 purlwise, k3; repeat from * to end
Row 2: K3, *yf, sl1 purlwise, yb, k3; repeat from * to end
Row 3: K1, *sl1 purlwise, k3; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, sl1 purlwise, k1
Row 4: P1, sl1 purlwise, *p3, sl1 purlwise; repeat from * to last stitch, p1
Repeat until coaster is desired length (can be a square or rectangle – personal preference)
Knit 5 rows
Bind off

*Stitch pattern is from “The Harmony Guide to Knitting Stitches”

Coffee Mug Cozy Pattern

I recently joined a swap for a coaster but we could also make a mug cozy if we wanted. Not knowing what I was doing, I searched the net like crazy trying to find one that I could do in a fairly short amount of time (I'm not the fastest knitter). I came across one I liked but I struggled with understanding the directions, soooooo, I decided to make up my own pattern. I like it and it's pretty easy and quick! I hope you enjoy it as well.

Materials:
Size 6 circular needles
Sportweight yarn (app. 70 yds)
Darning needle
2 buttons
Directions:
CO 11 stitches
Knit 3 rows
Row 4: K4, bind off 3, knit to end (this will make your buttonhole)
Row 5: P4, cast on 3, P4
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: Purl
Repeat rows 6 and 7 three more times
Begin Increases:
Row 1: K1, K1fb twice, k5, k1fb twice, k1
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, K1fb twice, knit to last three stitches, K1fb twice, K1
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you have 23 stitches on your needles
Purl one last row
Body of Cozy:
Row 1: (right side): K3, *sl1 purlwise, k3; repeat from * to end
Row 2: K3, *yf, sl1 purlwise, yb, k3; repeat from * to end
Row 3: K1, *sl1 purlwise, k3; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, sl1 purlwise, k1
Row 4: P1, sl1 purlwise, *p3, sl1 purlwise; repeat from * to last stitch, p1
Repeat rows 1-4 until you have 7 inches from the beginning of the decorative stitch. At this point, test it on your mug to make sure it will go around your mug, (but not overlap your buttonhole flap). You may have to adjust slightly for your mug, depending on the size.

Begin Decreases:
Row 1: (right side) : k1, ssk twice, knit to the last 5 stitches, k2tog twice, k1
Row 2: purl
Continue with this pattern until you have 11 stitches left.
Knit even in stockinette for 6 rows.
Knit 3 rows (garter stitch)
Bind off


Button Placement:
Wrap your cozy around your mug and see where you need to place your button. Mark area with a stitch marker if need be. Take your button and place it on top of the cozy and run your yarn thru to the backside. Take your yarn and thread your hidden button with it. Tie off the buttons well. Clip your threads and you’re done! (The button on the back helps keep your button on the front tight and helps keep your buttonhole from pulling on the outside button.

The Rainy Day Scarf

This scarf is a combination of a scarf and a shoulder shawl. It has the shape of a triangle, but the ends are rectangular, perfect for tying. Because of the open weave and size of needles, this is a quick knit project. Perfect for a last minute gift! It uses only one skein of yarn, so you can dig through your stash and use what you have readily available. A worsted weight yarn will be a "laceier" scarf and the bulky will be thicker and the detail will not be as visible. It is strictly preference.

Materials

Needles: Size 13 – 24”-30” circular needles
Yarn: One Skein (250 yds.) worsted weight or bulky yarn
2 stitch markers
Knitter’s needle for finishing off the ends

Gauge: There is no gauge

Abbreviations:
CO- Cast on S1 – Slip one
K – Knit P1 – Purl 1
Kfb – Knit front and back YO – Yarn over
K2tog – Knit two together

NOTE: The numbers in () is basically a guide for you to know how many stitches you should have at the end of each row. I left them there as a helper, that is all.

Also, if you want to make the scarf bigger, just add another set of rows before starting the ties.


Set Up Rows:

Cast on 1
Row 1: kfb (2 stitches)
Row 2: kfb, kfb (4 stitches)
Row 3 and 4: kfb, knit to the end of the row (6 stitches)
Row 5: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat * to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (8 stitches)

Begin Stitch Pattern:

Rows 1-4: kfb, knit to end (12, 24, 36, 48, 60)
Row 5: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat* to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (14, 26, 38, 50, 62)
Row 6-9: kfb, knit to end (18, 30, 42, 54, 66)
Row 10: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat* to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (20, 32, 44, 56, 68)
Repeat rows 1-10 until you have 68 stitches on your needle.

Setting up Tie ends:

Row 1: Turn, kfb, knit to end (69 stitches), place marker, cast on 40 stitches
Row 2: Turn, knit across to end, place marker, cast on 41 stitches (150 total stitches)

Stitch Pattern:

Row 1: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 2: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 3: Sl1, *[yo, k2tog], repeat*to last stitch, K1
Row 4: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 5: Sl1, knit across to end
Repeat rows 1-5 until your tie ends measure 3”-4” wide. (Each set of 5 rows is approximately 1” wide).
Bind off loosely after Row 5