A few more of my 2021 makes
2021 has been a year of the covid vaccine, celebration of events that couldn’t take place in 2020, health issues, covid infection and symptoms in spite of the vaccine etc…. Thankful this year is over and looking forward to the new year.
Stay healthy in the New Year!
~coffeeteaknits
The Cozy Neckwarmer
The Cozy Neckwarmer is knit flat in the garter knit stitch and in sections. Stitches are picked up and knit for the different sections. The Cozy Neckwarmer also has a short rows section with wrap and turns. Since the neckwarmer is knit in the garter stitch pattern, the wraps don’t need to be picked up and knit. A single crochet border is added once all the sections are completed and the piece that goes around the neck is joined with the zigzag crochet method. The picture below shows how the Cozy Neckwarmer was knit:
The Cozy Neckwarmer Pattern (pattern text and images for personal use only)
Yarn: Lion Brand® Comfy Cotton Blend Yarn in Chai Latte and Whipped Cream Colorways
Knitting Needles: circular or straight US #9 and US #7
Crochet hook: US size 7 or 4.5 mm crochet hook
Gauge: 20 stitches / 38 rows (or 19 garter ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch with US #7 knitting needles
Abbreviations:
With the yarn colorway Chai Latte , cast on 5 stitches with US #9 knitting needles
With US #7 knitting needles knit as follows:
One stitch increase section:
Additional stitch cast on section:
Additional stitch bind off section:
One stitch decrease section:
Short rows section:
Last add on decrease section (left side of the knitted piece):
Last add on decrease section (right side of the knitted piece):
With US size 7 or 4.5 mm crochet hook, single crochet all around the piece with the Whipped Cream yarn colorway.
Wash and block the knitted piece
Join the two sides of the additional cast on and bind off sections with the zig zag crochet method
~coffeeteaknits
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There are some knit stitch patterns that look just as good on the right side as they do on the wrong side. It is so with the twisted seed stitch knit pattern. So I knitted the Comfy Hats with this twisted seed stitch pattern, one with the right side on the outside and the other with the wrong side on the outside. The Lion Brand® Scarfie yarn is warm and comfortable making it the right hat to wear this time of the year. Both hats were knitted bottom up and in the round with a 1 x 1 rib knit stitch pattern folded cuff, a body with the twisted seed stitch pattern, and crown shaping.
There are two patterns down below for the two hats. The patterns are mostly similar but with a few modifications. These patterns are only for an adult medium hat size. These hats have not been graded for different sizes but the pattern can be easily adapted to different sizes by increasing or decreasing the number of cast on stitches or by increasing or decreasing the number of the pattern repeats.
The Comfy Hat Patterns (text and images for personal use only)
Yarn: Lion Brand® Scarfie Yarn in the Cream/Silver colorway
Knitting Needles: US #7 and US #9 circular knitting needles
Gauge: 17 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch before blocking and with US #7 knitting needles
Abbreviations:
| Comfy Hat Pattern 1 | Comfy Hat Pattern 2 |
| With US #9 cast on 88 stitches using the cable cast on method, slip stitches on to US #7 circular knitting needles, place a BOR marker and join the round | With US #9 cast on 88 stitches using the cable cast on method, slip stitches on to US #7 circular knitting needles, place a BOR marker and join the round |
| Folded Cuff (1 x 1 rib stitch): Round 1: [K1, P1] till the BOR marker, slip marker Repeat Round 1 twenty-four more times (about 4 inches in length) | Folded Cuff (1 x 1 rib stitch): Round 1: [K1, P1] till the BOR marker, slip marker Repeat Round 1 twenty-four more times (about 4 inches in length) |
| Body (Twisted Seed Stitch Pattern): Setup Round: [purl 10, K1, pm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 1: [purl till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 2: [K1, K1B till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker Round 3: [purl till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 4: [K1B, K1 till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker Repeat Rounds 1 – 4 seven more times | Body (Twisted Seed Stitch Pattern): Setup Round: [purl 11, pm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 1: [purl to marker, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 2: [K1, K1B till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker Round 3: [purl to marker, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 4: [K1B, K1 till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times till the BOR marker Repeat Rounds 1 – 4 seven more times |
| Crown Shaping: Round 1: [purl till 3 stitches before marker, P2tog, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 2: [K1, K1B till 2 stitches before marker, K2, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 3: [purl till 3 stitches before marker, P2tog, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 4: [K1B, K1 till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Repeat Rounds 1 – 4 three more times Round 17: [P2tog, K1, sm] repeat this seven more till BOR marker, slip BOR marker Round 18: Knit all the stitches removing all markers till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 19: K2tog till the BOR marker, remove BOR marker, break about 6 inches of the working yarn and thread it through a tapestry needle. Insert the tapestry needle with the working yarn into the remaining stitches, pull tight and secure yarn Weave in the ends and wash hat. | Crown Shaping: Round 1: [purl till 3 stitches before marker, P2tog, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 2: [K1, K1B till 2 stitches before marker, K1, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 3: [purl till 3 stitches before marker, P2tog, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Round 4: [K1B, K1 till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm] repeat this 7 more times, slip BOR marker Repeat Rounds 1 – 4 three more times Round 17: [P2tog, P1, sm] repeat this seven more till BOR marker, slip BOR marker Round 18: [K1, P1 till marker, rm] repeat till the BOR marker, slip the BOR marker Round 19: P2tog till the BOR marker, remove BOR marker, break about 6 inches of the working yarn and thread it through a tapestry needle. Insert the tapestry needle with the working yarn into the remaining stitches, pull tight and secure yarn Turn the hat inside out, weave in the ends and wash hat. |
My interest in weaving started more as a way to reduce the amount of yarn I had but now it has grown into a genuine interest in this craft. Weaving dates back to the paleolithic era and is much older than knitting or other fiber related crafts. In 2019 when I got a rigid heddle loom, I found myself learning about warp and weft** and trying out various combinations of plain weaving first with whatever yarn I had on hand and then with yarn bought specifically for weaving.
Since weaving has been around for so long, there are many different types of weaving patterns other than plain weaving. Other weaving patterns with a rigid heddle loom include soumak, leno, tapestry, and many more. The loom with two heddles and pick up sticks makes double width weaving as well as various twill weave patterns possible. I’ve just begun to discover all these various weaving patterns and combinations.
I find weaving to be much faster than knitting or crocheting. Large projects such as blankets or wraps can be woven in a matter of days rather than months. Weaving has also reduced my yarn stash. Although I still prefer knitting sweaters, hats etc., it is a relief to be able to weave the larger projects quickly. Since I have only one rigid heddle loom I can only weave one project at a time.
Weaving, however, requires more finishing afterwards than knitting or crocheting. For someone who likes seamless knits with minimal finishing, finding the motivation to finish the woven pieces can be quite a task. Also, unlike knitting or crocheting where most of the leftover yarn is left intact, discarding some of the warp yarn still bothers me. Even with these minor drawbacks, I find the craft of weaving very interesting and look forward to learning more about it.
** warp yarn runs lengthwise and is held under tension whereas the weft yarn runs side to side and is inserted by the weaver.
~coffeeteaknits
Most summers my sweater knitting with wool or other yarn slows down. I usually weave more or try to knit with cotton yarns during this season. Although this season is more a time for yarn and a loom for me (more details in the next post), I have knitted a few dishcloths including these Summertime Dishcloths. Summertime dishcloths are knit flat from bottom up in a combination of garter stitch and twisted seed stitch pattern.
The Summertime Dishcloths Pattern*
Yarn: Loops & Threads Capri in Apricot colorway for the dishcloth 1
Yarn: Premier Home Cotton in Jelly dots colorway for the dishcloth 2
Knitting Needles: US #8, and US #10 circular needle for the dishcloth 1
Knitting Needles: US #7, and US #9 circular needle for the dishcloth 2
Crochet hook: 4.5 mm for the dishcloth 1; 4.0 mm for the dishcloth 2
Gauge: garter stitch pattern – 18 stitches/ 4 inches for the dishcloth 1; 17 stitches/ 4 inches for the dishcloth 2
Abbreviations:
Cast on 31 stitches with US #10 needles for the dishcloth 1 or US #9 for the dishcloth 2. Then with US#8 knitting needles for the dishcloth 1 or with US#7 knitting needles for the dishcloth 2 knit as follows:
Repeat Rows 1 to 8, 7 more times ending with Row 8
Insert a 4.5 mm crochet hook for the dishcloth 1 (or 4.0 mm crochet hook for the dishcloth 2) in the last remaining stitch and single crochet all around the dishcloth.
(Optional) – For the hanging loop, chain 15 and slip stitch into the next single crocheted stitch on the crocheted border.
Finish the dishcloths by washing, blocking and weaving in the ends.
* text and images for personal use only.
~coffeeteaknits
Coffee Tea Knits 