Saturday, December 11, 2010

Quick gift knits, part 5 – for young folks

Welcome to the final installment of the Knitfinder quick gifts pattern roundup, 2010 edition (you’ll find the 2009 lists here). This series is for people who love to give handknits, but aren’t organized enough to get them done early. You know who you are. Time is very short – just two weeks, but that’s time enough for one or two projects for dear ones. Today, patterns for the young and the young at heart.

There are only two rules: under 300 yards of yarn (or up to twice that for stranded colorwork, because after all you’re only knitting half the yardage); and available instantly online so you can cast on immediately. The yardage limit means a project can’t take too long, and increases the odds of your finding appropriate yarn in your stash. Some patterns are free; others cost a few dollars.

Teens and twenty-somethings should find these patterns appealing:
youthful-1Westward hat or headband from Westknits features garter-stitch/slip-stitch colorwork and Latvian braids; the hat has a cabled crown. The headband would be great for snowboarders. Two colors; 85 yards Aran weight yarn for headband, 150 yards for hat. Mix ‘n match hats by Amy Anderson offer lots of options – 3 sizes for toddlers to adults, 2 colorwork patterns, earflaps or not, rolled or picot-edged brim.  200-220 yards DK weight. For those who like their hats slouchy – the bold Mondo Cable Cap  (Ravelry link) from Chic Knits in 190 yards of worsted or Aran yarn.
Some girly possibilities:
youthful-2 Blomst mittens have a mod-Scandinavian look. 250 yards total of DK yarn. There’s a matching hat as well. Fishnet anklets in spiraling lace mesh (free; Ravelry link) from the Purl Bee use just 185 yards of fingering-weight yarn. There’s a bit of a steampunk vibe to Ysolda Teague’s Lace-up Opera Gloves (free; Ravelry link). 140 yards worsted weight yarn (hers are in alpaca/silk) and 4-5 yards of satin ribbon.
For fans:
youthful-3Twilight-inspired Team Swiss or Bite Me fingerless gloves are knitted in one color and embroidered with duplicate stitch.  Multiple sizes; 120-130 yards sport-weight yarn.  Simple ribbed Potter Mitts (free; Ravelry link) in Hogwarts house colors, fingering-weight yarn. We Call Him Spidey mittens (free; Ravelry link) are sized for toddlers; 150-200 yards fingering weight. There’s also the We Call Him Spidey hat (free).
For small ones:
youthful-4 Milo seamless top-down vest is written for DK yarn in 11 sizes from newborn to 6 years. 130-300 yards for sizes 0-3 years. Would be great in handspun; you could easily work it at a different gauge, using the numbers for whichever size will give you the right measurements. The Shrug Bug jacket is also top-down and seamless; one size for babies 6 months – one year, 60-80 yards super-bulky yarn. Laura Nelkin’s Leg Ups legwarmers (free; Ravelry link) are worked in bicolor brioche stitch. Five sizes for babies to adults in worsted-weight yarn. Teens might like these too.
Something to play with?
youthful-5Elijah stuffed elephant by Ysolda Teague is seamless, with hardly any finishing. 218 yards DK yarn, 10” tall. Gnome Babies (free; Ravelry link) use about 25 yards of yarn and may be knitted at any gauge – great way to use up leftovers. The irresistible Estonian sheep puppets were originally published in Spin-Off magazine. Various colorwork patterns for the body; about 90 yards laceweight yarn in each of two colors – or could be knit with fingering-weight yarn.

The series – quick gifts 2010

  1. Pretty knits
  2. Manly knits
  3. Simple  &  Retro knits
  4. Useful knitted objects
Time to get cracking! For more ideas, last year’s lists and a fingerless-glove pattern roundup can be found here.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Quick gift knits, part 4 – Useful knits

Welcome to the Knitfinder quick gifts pattern roundup, 2010 edition (you’ll find the 2009 lists here). This series is for people who love to give handknits, but aren’t organized enough to get them done early. You know who you are. It’s getting late, but you’ve still got more than two weeks - it isn’t too late to knit a little something for a dear friend or relation or two. Today, a roundup of useful knitted objects.

There are only two rules: under 300 yards of yarn (or up to twice that for stranded colorwork, because after all you’re only knitting half the yardage); and available instantly online so you can cast on immediately. The yardage limit means a project can’t take too long, and increases the odds of your finding appropriate yarn in your stash. Some patterns are free; others cost a few dollars.

useful1 Michelle Miller’s Knitting Project Bag (Ravelry link) in a pretty eyelet rib is completely seamless and uses just 50 grams of sport-weight cotton (164 yards). Perfect for fellow knitters. I find pincushions irresistible – Hannah Breetz’s Sea Urchin (free) looks quite like the real thing. Knitted with 15-20 yards of bulky yarn (Cascade Ecological Wool) and slightly fulled. And for Kindle owners, the Bear Claw Kindle Cover (free) a simple lace pattern, 75-125 yards of Aran-weight wool.

useful3

Felted Flower Bowls (free) from Meg Myers use just 65 yards of worsted-weight wool – a great stash-busting project. Julie Weisenberger’s Rag Doily Rug (free; Ravelry link) is knitted from one king-size sheet torn into strips (prep tutorial is here). For a bit of glitz, Rosemary Hill’s beaded wire Venezia napkin rings (free; Ravelry link) are just the thing – 24 yards of wire and 55 beads per ring. Jenny’s Tansu Table Runner (free) isn’t strictly useful, I guess, but would be lovely on a bedroom dresser or dining room sideboard.  165 yards of fingering-weight hemp in an easy seafoam lace stitch – would be nice in linen, too.

useful2For the kitchen and dining room: Linoleum Dishcloth (free) from Mason-Dixon Knitting in a fabulous slip-stitch color pattern. I know, it’s a dishcloth. Would be great knitted in kitchen-towel size, too. About 75 yards worsted-weight cotton for the dishcloth. The Biscuit Blanket would be a great gift for someone who loves to bake – to keep fresh scones warm at the table. Slip-stitch texture patterning in worsted=weight cotton, about 200 yards required. Kristi Schueler’s kitschy Towel Trio, with three variations, has a great vintage look. Slip-stitch color or texture patterning, 160-225 yards worsted-weight cotton for each towel.

 

The series – quick gifts 2010

  1. Pretty knits
  2. Manly knits
  3. Simple  &  Retro knits
One more list to come in the next few days – with a few playful and youthful patterns. For more ideas, last year’s lists and a fingerless-glove pattern roundup can be found here.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Quick gift knits, part 3

Welcome to the Knitfinder quick gifts pattern roundup, 2010 edition (you’ll find the 2009 lists here). This series is for people who love to give handknits, but aren’t organized enough to get them done early. You know who you are. It isn’t too late to knit a little something for a dear friend or relation or two.

There are only two rules: under 300 yards of yarn (or up to twice that for stranded colorwork, because after all you’re only knitting half the yardage); and available instantly online so you can cast on immediately. The yardage limit means a project can’t take too long, and increases the odds of your finding appropriate yarn in your stash. Some patterns are free; others cost a few dollars.


Simple knits

Sometimes stockinette or garter stitch is all you need – it’s enough to show off a luxurious fiber or beautiful color. Here are a few ultra-simple designs that do just that.
simple-1
  • Dolores Park Cowl (free) – stockinette stitch with rolled edges, narrows gently towards the top. 110 yards chunky/bulky yarn – designed for one skein of Malabrigo Chunky.
  • Robin Hood Hat from Grace Akhrem has a wide, buttoned, sideways garter-stitch brim and stockinette crown.
  • Kristina McGowan’s Hillcrest Cloche (Ravelry link), also written for Malabrigo Chunky, is knitted top-down from the crown with a single-crocheted brim. 208 yards required.
simple-2
  • Age of Brass and Steam kerchief/scarf/shawl (free) – top-down triangle in stockinette punctuated by eyelet rows; 230-240 yards DK weight yarn.
  • Fletcher Mittens by Amy Swenson – garter-stitch chevron stripes in one color of a worsted or Aran-weight self-striping yarn. Simple knitting, complex effect. 200-220 yards.
  • Laura Nelkin’s Flip-Top Mittens (Ravelry link) are written in 8 sizes for children and adults. Stockinette stitch with a loop at the tip of the hand so the mitten top can be buttoned to the cuff. Worsted weight or fingering weight yarn; 110-360 yards depending on size and weight. Larger sizes will take you over the 300-yard mark.
  • Simple yoga socks (free) are just the thing for yoga class – and a great stashbuster. 140-170 yards fingering weight for a women’s medium; pattern includes instructions for custom sizing.

Retro knits

Lots of great designs with a vintage vibe are to be found on Ravelry. First, a quartet of hats:
retro-1
  • Easy Virtue (free)  - Stockinette ear-covering cloche with turned-back brim, knitted from the crown down. Just over 100 yards bulky yarn. This hat would look great felted or slightly fulled, too.
  • Vinegar Hill Hat by Rachel Maurer has a great retro-ski look, especially in the colors shown. Fingering weight yarn, 50 g each of three colors.
  • Portsmouth Skating hat (free) – 40-50 yards of bulky or super bulky yarn. This 50s-looking headband in a pretty texture stitch ties under the chin. Fast, and perfect to keep head and ears warm, but leave a bun or ponytail unencumbered.
  • Amelia Earhart Aviator Cap  (free) is knitted flat, shaped with miters, and seamed at the back. Handsome ridged texture stitch. Written for 220 yards worsted weight yarn, but be sure to check the Ravelry projects pages – many nice versions have been knitted with lighter-weight yarns at smaller gauges.
And for good measure:
retro-2
  • Fan Neckwarmer keyhole scarf – 210-250 yards DK yarn
  • Mimosa Neckwarmer (free) – this oval cable-edged neckwarmer is accented with a few bobbles and pins closed. A vintage button or brooch would be great too. 220 yards bulky yarn.
  • Lauren Bacall Gloves by Miriam Felton have fabulous chevron-pleated cuffs and a buttoned keyhole at the inner wrist. Written in two sizes, for a sportweight merino-cashmere-silk blend. 288-330 yards (larger size is a bit over our limit).
  • Beaded Belle bag. This little wrist bag uses about 110 yards of worsted-weight cotton and 380 size 6 beads. Here’s a better photo:

The series – quick gifts 2010

  1. Pretty knits
  2. Manly knits
One or two more lists to come in the next few days – with useful, playful and youthful patterns. For more ideas, last year’s lists and a fingerless-glove pattern roundup can be found here.