Tag Archives: knittingblog

The Increases and Decreases Cowl

Posted in October 2020 by

The Increases and Decreases Cowl

Last year, I purchased a single skein of the Lion Brand ZZ Twist yarn in the Periwinkle colorway.  I wanted to see how this yarn spun with a “Z ” twist would knit up. I knit this Increases and Decreases Cowl (free pattern below) using a blanket rib knit stitch pattern. This stitch pattern is a two round pattern where all the stitches are doubled in the first round, and then decreased to the original number of stitches in the second round.

The Increases and Decreases Cowl Pattern*

Yarn: Lion Brand ZZ Twist yarn in the Periwinkle colorway
Circular Knitting Needles: US #8 and US #9
Knitting Needle: US #10 for cast on
Gauge: 16 stitches / 4 inches in blanket rib stitch pattern with US #8 needles
Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • P: Purl
  • Kfb: Knit front and back (knit one stitch first in the front and then knit the same stitch in the back before slipping it off the left needle – 1 stitch increase) 
  • K2tog: Knit the first two stitches together on the left needle (1 stitch decrease)
  • P2tog: Purl the first two stitches together on the left needle (1 stitch decrease)
  • BOR: beginning of round

With a circular US #10 needle, cast on 85 stitches using the long tail cast on method.
Sip all the stitches to a circular US #9 needle, place a BOR marker, join round (make sure the stitches are not twisted) by knitting as follows:

  • Round 1: K1, *Kfb*; repeat from *…* till one stitch before the BOR marker, K1, slip BOR marker.
  • Round 2: K1, P2tog, *K2tog, P2tog*; repeat from *…* till one stitch before BOR marker, K1, slip BOR marker.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 –  9 more times.
Switch to circular US #8 needles and knit Rounds 1 and 2 until the desired cowl length is reached. 
Bind off in pattern ending in Round 2.
Wash and weave in the ends.

 

I liked the stitch definition and drape of this yarn. I think the blanket rib stitch pattern with this “Z” twisted yarn makes it look more like a crochet stitch rather than a knit stitch. This yarn is also very soft and smooth to work with, budget friendly, machine washable, and wool free. My knitting experience was very satisfying with this yarn and I plan to continue knitting or crocheting more projects with it.

* text and images for personal use only
There are tutorial videos available on YouTube for Kfb, K2tog, P2tog, long tail cast on, knitting in the round etc.

How has your knitting experience been with the ZZ Twist yarn? 
~coffeeteaknits

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Striped Spiral Hotpad/Trivet

Posted in 2020, September 30 by

Striped Spiral Hotpad/Trivet

I knitted this Striped Spiral Hotpad/Trivet* in the round with a series of decreases in a spiral towards the center. The trivet is knitted in the garter stitch pattern with 2 strands of yarn held together. The stripes in the trivet are made by alternating the two different yarn colorways for each garter ridge. I used yarn I already had in my stash from previous leftover projects so all the colorways may or may not be currently available. You can use any other yarn colorway to knit this trivet.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Worsted (Colorways: C1- Cognac Heather; C2 – Natural Mix)
Circular Knitting Needles: US #8 and US #10
Crochet hook: I/9 or 5.5 mm crochet hook
Gauge: 16 stitches / 4 inches in garter stitch pattern (although not really necessary).
Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • P: Purl
  • K2tog: Knit the first two stitches on the left needle together
  • sm: slip marker
  • BOR: beginning of round
  • C1: Yarn colorway – Cognac Heather
  • C2: Yarn colorway – Natural Mix

With a circular US #10 needle, cast on 120 stitches using the long tail cast on and 2 strands of yarn C1 held together.
Slip all the stitches to a circular US #8 needle placing a marker every 20 stitches. (total of 5 markers)

Slip a BOR marker and join the round making sure the stitches are not twisted and knit the following:

  • Round 1: With 2 strands of yarn C1 held together – [Knit till 2 stitches before marker, K2tog, sm,] 5 times, knit till 2 stitch before BOR marker, K2tog, slip BOR marker.
  • Round 2: With 2 strands of yarn C1 held together – [Purl till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] 5 times, purl till 1 stitch before BOR marker, K1, slip BOR marker.
  • Round 3: With 2 strands of yarn C2 held together – [Knit till 2 stitches before marker, K2tog, sm] 5 times, knit till 2 stitch before BOR marker, K2tog, slip BOR marker.
  • Round 4: With 2 strands of yarn C2 held together – [Purl till 1 stitch before marker, K1, sm] 5 times, purl till 1 stitch before BOR marker, K1, slip BOR marker.
  • Repeat rounds 1 to 4 till 12 stitches remain on the needles ending with yarn C2.
  • With 2 strands of yarn C1 held together – [K2tog] (6 times) removing all markers. (6 stitches remain). 
  • Cut yarn and with a darning needle thread tail through the 6 stitches, pull tight and fasten off.
  • Starting at the beginning of the cast on, single crochet with hook size I/9 all around the trivet with 2 strands of yarn C2 held together. 
  • Weave in the ends, wash and block the trivet.

For a smaller trivet, cast on any multiple of 6.

* text and photo for personal use only. 
~coffeeteaknits