Pattern roundup: quick gifts part two – manly 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 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.

Today, a baker’s dozen of knits for men. Patterns conservative enough for guys, but interesting enough to make the knitting pleasurable.

For the head

• A Weekend in the Country by Mimi Hill – I love the tweedy rustic look of this stranded colorwork hat. The accent color vertical stripes are worked with separate lengths of yarn. 220-275 yards worsted weight.
• Flintshire – bold yet intricate cable patterning, 180 yards Aran weight yarn. From prolific designer Ashley Knowlton.
• Den Arend hat by Mary Joy Gumayagay. Knitted from the crown down in stockinette stitch with an interesting curvy cable panel and a garter-stitch brim. This hat looks like it belongs on the slopes at Gstaad. 145-150 yards DK weight yarn.
• Clara Parkes’ Hill Country Hat from The Knitter’s Book of Wool. This one is also knit from the crown down, in a knit-purl texture pattern with ribbed brim. Uses just 120 yards of chunky-weight yarn (free pattern).

For the neck

• Burberrish Cowl (free) by Marion Crick. Knitted flat so the cables run around the neck, ends joined with a three-needle bindoff – easily made narrower or wider. 240-280 yards Aran weight yarn.
• Purl Ridge Scarf from Westknits (free). Really a cowl knitted in the round in stockinette with purl ridges and garter-stitch edges – perfect for showing off a multicolored yarn. 56” circumference is long enough to wrap twice around the neck. 300 yards worsted weight.
• Thermis  – shown on a woman, but this fairly close-fitting neckwarmer would be great for men too. Waffly texture stitch with ribbed edges; worked in the round to the halfway point, then flat with a two-button opening. 210 yards worsted weight.
• This Way Up (free) is a 60” scarf with textured chevron stripes. 250 yards of bulky-weight yarn, or work it in DK weight doubled.

For the hands

• Douglas Mittens – stylized fir trees in stranded colorwork. 250 yards worsted weight yarn. The optional laceweight alpaca lining will take you over the 300-yard mark, but it sure would make these cozy.
• Ringwood Gloves by Rebecca Blair from the current issue of Knitty (free). Textured broken-rib stitch for the hands, seed-stitch buttoned cuffs. Check the Ravelry page for comments – these apparently are very stretchy and a smaller size than you think may be big enough. 225-300 yards worsted weight yarn.
• Night River Mittens by Ashley Knowlton combine simple cables with stranded colorwork. 218 – just over 300 yards Aran weight (written for Lite Lopi).
• Cruiser Mittens by Cailyn Meyer (free). Simple bold chevron cables, ribbed cuff. 130-170 yards worsted weight (three sizes).

Check my September fingerless-glove pattern roundup for more ideas – they’re another great possibility.

For the feet

Socks for men are pretty much out for procrastinating knitters – 300 yards isn’t enough. But these Aran bed socks would come in under 300, even sized up for big feet. How about a 50/50 wool/alpaca yarn? Perfect for curling up on the couch. Pattern calls for 220 yards worsted-weight yarn for women’s large; or could be knitted in Aran weight at slightly larger gauge to increase the circumference a bit for a man’s feet.


The series – quick gifts 2010
1. Pretty knits
Come back over the coming week for a couple more lists featuring youthful, simple, and useful patterns plus a few surprises.