Bring-a-long project - shawl pattern

I have to have something on my needles and I knit almost every day. Most of my work gets done in front of the TV - while I´m watching or just sitting beside my son in the evening when he watches his favorite show.

I try to have different projects going on at the same time - at least one "at home" project and a "bring-a-long" project. If I am going to a friends place for a chat I can take the "at-home" project a long - unless the chat will be accompanied by a glass or three of Pinot Gris ;o).  For a trip to the doctors' office the "bring-a-long" project is brilliant. You want to make sure that you can stuff the project into your bag very quickly so the pattern has to be relatively simple. 

The past three years I have made several shawls. My favorite yarn for that project are those beautiful yarns which change colour all the time. I also like changing the stitches and even the yarn type. I will be writing about my first shawl another day ;o) 

Meet Birgitta :o)  She has on a shawl I made for my Aunt's birthday.

YARN: It is made from a rather cheap yarn I had in my stash. I prefer Marks and Kattens Fame Trend but this one turned out nicely as well.  It is called Kunstgarn and the description is as follows:  "Sock yarn from Hjertegarn: light twist, slightly hairy, random striping in lovely colour combinations suitable for socks or shawls - and the name means art yarn!" Website: http://www.artyarn.co.uk/shop.php?action=index. It is 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon and the skein is 100g = 420m approx. or sufficient for a shawl. The recommended needle size is 2.5mm - 3mm but I used 6mm.

PATTERN: I cast on 8 stitches. Knit one round. Round two: knit 2, yarn over (to increase and make the holes) knit 2, yarn over, knit 2 yarn over knit 2 yarn over, knit 2. Put a stitch marker in the very middle to remind you where it is or two markers on either side of the 2 middle stitches. Knit one round. Repeat until you reach the size you want.  I made addtional holes at regular intervals: Knit 2, yarn over, k2tog, yarn over, k2tog. Next round knit. Make sure to bind off very loosely. I prefer to bind off by knitting 2, bring the stiches over to the left needle and knit one. A very clear video - although it is in Icelandic

The very black part is Icelandic lace weight yarn and the last four rounds are black Kitten Mohair from Sandnesgarn.

Garter Ridged felted boys hat - Oh so fresh

I bought this yarn in the spring of 2011 and thought I might knit socks. This summer I put some lopi skeins in my bag and went off for a holiday in Hrísey.  Bringing a long my book: 60 Quick Knits: 20 hats, 20 Scarves, 20 mittens in Cascade 220. On page 82 there is a pattern for a Garter Ridged Hat. In that pattern the ridges are only at the bottom but I added some at the top for some extra colour :o)

 

For a hat for Kristófer (10 years old) I cast on 96 sts using 4.5 mm needles. Knit 4 rounds in brown. (makes a curl at the buttom). Change to green and knit 4 rounds. Change to brown and knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd. Change to green and knit 2 rnds. Change to brown and knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd. Change to green and knit 2 rnds. Change to brown and knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd.
Now change to green and knit 23 rounds. The hat should now measure about 23 cm from the beginning.

Change to brown and knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd.
Change to green and knit 3 rnds.
Change to brown and knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd. I started shaping the crown in the purl round. Knit 10, k2tog. Knit one round. Knit 9, k2tog. Knit one round. - Repeat around 9 sets, then knit every 2 together. Keep 8 stitches for the top and knit 4 rnds. Bind off.

I washed the hat on 60° C with a towel and it turned out beautiful.

 

If you like the colours I used they are available at some stores online. The wool is Léttlopi, colours no. 1406 and 1420. See: http://istex.is/english/products/knitting-wool/lettlopi/

The Ketchup test

Ok - I read this a long time ago - pinned it to my Pinterest "Oh so clever" board and didn´t think about it again. Today when my summer holiday kicked in I picked my copper pans and a great big wall platter of the wall and smeared them with ketchup. And Voila!

Before ketchup

With ketchup ;o) I just applied it with a silicon brush.

Let it sit for just a moment and then washed it off with soap and water.

After ketchup - you can actually see my living room´s reflection ;o)