The 2 Skein 2 Hour One-Size Cardigan

When I made the sample swatch with size 50 needles to demonstrate the cross-bar of yarn behind the V for welting and English Brioche I really liked the look of the bulky yarn on the over-sized knitting needles so I made a cardigan.

Using size 50 knitting needle really speeds up the project. I made this one with one skein of Autumn Leaves and one skein of Shale. This is a chunky yarn (5). I worked a row of single crochet around the edge, three sc per knit stitch, but it did add weight to the cardigan so next time I would do two stitches in each stitch instead of three stitches.

 

Then I decided to use up some other bulky (6) yarn. This one took more than two skeins because there is half the yardage in these skeins than in the other brand. With this one I did not do the edging, just four rows of single crochet along the collar. In the first one the front panel is wider also. I actually like the wider, draped look a lot.

Here is the basic pattern if you want to make either version for a quick afternoon project. There really isn't much to it. It's a good practice piece and the end result is a drapey, fun cardigan.

Chunky Yarn

1 skein Country Loom/Autumn Leaves 104 yds/95 m 5 oz

1 skein Country Loom/Shale 104 yds/95 m 5 oz

Size 50 knitting needles.

Bulky Yarn

2 skeins Hometown USA/Brown 64 yrds/4 oz each

2 skeins Hometown USA/Mustard 64 yrds/4 oz each

(Or 4 skeins of same color.)

Back:

For both versions, CO 26. Work Stockinette for 26 rows, ending with the purl row. Put live stitches on a holder or scrap yarn. (If desired, bind off 13th and 14th stitch on last row worked.)

Left Panel:

For Chunky version, CO 26 in Shale. Work Stockinette in Shale to 20^th row. Change color to Autumn Leaves at 18th row and keep working Stockinette to 24th row. 25^th row is a purl row. Bind off 12 stitches, leaving 12 stitches on needle, finish purling that row, knit 26^th row. Put live stitches on a holder or scrap yarn.

For Bulky version, CO 19. Bind off 7 st, leaving 12 st on needle.

Right Panel:

For Chunky version, CO 26 in Shale. Work Stockinette in Shale. Change color to Autumn Leaves at 18th row and keep working Stockinette to 24^th row. On 24^th row bind off 12 stitches, leaving 12 stitches on needle, finish knitting that row, purl a row, knit 26^th row.

For Bulky version, CO 19. Bind off 7 st, leaving 12 st on needle.

If you have more than two giant knitting needles you could do a 3 needle bind off to attach front panels to back but I did Kitchener’s stitch. You could also bind off and seam pieces together.

Slide size 50 knitting needle through 12 stitches on right side of back for right panel. With tapestry needle sew back and front panel together in Kitchener’s stitch with wrong sides together, working with right side facing you.

Slide size 50 knitting needle through 12 stitches on left of back for left panel. With tapestry needle sew back and front panel together in Kitchener’s stitch with wrong sides together, working with right side facing you.

There will be two live stitches remaining on holder or scrap yarn. I incorporated them into the edging and the collar. You could bind off 13^th and 14^th stitch on 26^th row when working that row instead.

With shoulder seams together, for chunky yarn version, count down 10 stitches on both sides and seam sides to these marked stitches. For bulky version I counted down 10 stitches on both sides from shoulder seam and picked up 21 stitches and worked 4 rows in Stockinette for a short sleeve then seamed up side and sleeve.

For the edging on the chunky version I used a size J crochet hook and worked single crochet around all edges, picking up the remaining 2 live stitches on back.

For the bulky version I did not do any edge work but single crocheted with size J crochet hook from seam to seam, picking up the remaining 2 live stitches on back. Do 4 rows of single crochet for the collar.

Easy peasy! Such a simple project that whips up super fast. 

Making Designing Samples and Swatches

Using samples and swatches actually saves a lot of time and offers you the freedom to experiment without commitment.

I decided to do a sample, a mini version of a project I had in mind. I wanted to see which way to approach designing a poncho. The cat was kind enough to model the swatch for me.

Working up the mini version only took an hour or so and yet gave me all the information I needed before starting the full-sized project. Have I mentioned that I like to do swatches and samples? It is really helpful.

I had in mind the poncho shape that I wanted to create but I could not decide whether to make a square or start at the corner and work diagonally. I knew which stitch pattern I wanted to use and thought that stitch would look good sideways also. I decided a sample poncho was the way to go rather than putting the stress on the project yarn of knitting it up and having to tear it out again.

Doing the sample poncho really helped. By making the quick, mini version I could see the impact of the bias resulting from which direction I knit the item. I am so pleased with the end result. I just love this poncho. The thick yarn has a rustic feel to it and the luxurious faux fur yarn trimming the collar is so soft and elegant.

It’s a Christmas gift that when I finished it I wanted to keep for myself. I guess I will have to make one for me now. But after Christmas.

The Makeup of the Stockinette Stitch Pertaining to Simplifying Two Stitches

There are tons of videos and tutorials on the internet but I still like to post some helpful hints and shortcuts related to any patterns I post. Or even just share something I've learned somewhere else but with my spin to it, such as a critical detail I couldn't find elsewhere, etc.

So, that said, I did some photos to show where to insert the tip of the knitting needle for English Brioche and welting.

When looking at the front side of the Stockinette stitch there are Vs and on the back side it’s a series of n and u bumps. It’s good to understand the correlation between the v and the n and u. I made a swatch of super-sized stitches, using size 50 knitting needles and bulky yarn, hoping to get a clear visual of the construct of the stockinette stitch but it was still tough to get in there. Knowing where those v and n bumps are in relation to the right side V helps with working the English Brioche stitch as well as a method of welting that allows working from the front side instead of trying to pick up stitches in a straight line on the back of the work.

With the arrows I hope it works to see what I am talking about. The black arrows are pointing to the middle of the stockinette stitch directly below the stitch still on the needle.

For English Brioche the stitch is made into the stitch below the needles. Just insert tip of knitting needle here, grab yarn and complete stitch. It takes a leap of faith to push the finished stitch off the needle the first few times, which is why I highly recommend making a few practice swatches to gain confidence in doing this stitch if you’ve never done it before. It’s worth it. I can do the Brioche as fast as the stockinette, and it’s done all in one row.

For welting, the casing style, bring your needle from behind the stitch and flip knitting needle up to catch the bump that would be the n on the wrong side.

So, from the back, insert the knitting needle up through the yellow circle, the center of the stockinette stitch. Tilt the needle up a bit and pull back. This grabs the n bump which is circled in orange. Now you have your loop to bring up to the left needle and knit with corresponding stitch in that column. Once you do this a few times you will be amazed at how easy it is. It doesn't even require more thought than inserting needle into the stitch on the correct row and pulling back and you have your captured loop.

Kids High Top Knit Slippers

I have made a lot of baby booties over the years but never slippers and this year I was feeling the urge to crochet or knit some full sized slippers. I posted Linen Stitch Baby Booties pattern a while ago and I thought they would make awesome full sized slippers.

I wanted to make a stretchy rib edge so I started from the top down instead of from the bottom up. Using a provisional cast on and working the rib as K1, sl 1 wyf for a few rows gives a nice finished and very stretchable cuff edge. Where I would have normally increased I decreased and where I would have normally decreased I increased. These are made with a Stockinette stitch instead of linen stitch because I had to figure out the basics before adding a twist.

Color choice was made due to wanting to use up leftover yarn and I had three skeins of a chunky orange for some reason. When I play I often use what is at hand. In the end I like the pop of color.

Using Chunky yarn and larger needles these are the perfect size, as is, for a tween or a child under ten with wide feet. Next, I will increase the original cast on by a few inches and work accordingly for an adult sized pair. A nice purple would be nice. Or a rustic off-white or gray. I am looking forward to making myself a pair, using the linen stitch now that I've done a practice pair.