Yarn Wreath

(Click on photo to enlarge)

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Oh my, it's been over a month since I posted.  Guess it's about time. 

This wreath is so quick, easy and quite inexpensive to make.  Start with a wire clothes hanger and shape it into a circle.  Go to your scrap yarn bin and wind several balls with any color yarn you might have on hand, any size and number desired. Use a pair of pliers to take the clothes hanger apart at the top so there is an open end.  Then ‘skewer’ the balls of yarn thru the middle and feed them onto the clothes hanger in desired color sequence.  Reattach the wire at the top of the clothes hanger to enclose again.  Add a seasonal decoration, sprig or spray at the top and stick a pair of knitting needles thru a ball of yarn where desired.  Change out the decoration at the top to coincide with a holiday or season.  Hang by the hook at the top of the clothes hanger and enjoy.

Christmas Stocking, Standard Gauge

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(click on photos to enlarge)

This stocking is made from cuff down, knit flat, with the seam on the side.  I designed the fairisle patterns and motifs in DK7 but can easily be made on a punch card machine.  The motifs are a couple rows wider than a 24 st punch card but duplicate stitches can be added later to complete the pattern.



Machine:  Standard Brother KH965i

Yarn:  Tamm 3 Ply Astracryl

Tension 4

Gauge:  8.5 sts and 12.5 rows = 1”

Size:  Approx 6.5” wide at cuff and 20” long

CUFF: 

1)   CO 104 sts with scrap and ravel cord.

2)   T4, RC000, K42R for lining of cuff.



3)   Knit 42 more rows, placing fairisle patterns at desired spacing.  Lettering will need to be flipped both horizontally and vertically in DAK.

4)   Hang hem, K1R at T6 with CC from R to L.  Start w/COL for DAK patterning.

LEG:

1)  T4, change to main color yarn and knit a total of 124 rows after the cuff and to the beginning of the heel, placing fairisle pattern 24 rows below cuff and evenly spaced on the sides.  Run a lifeline before starting the fairisle pattern and take note of RC.  The fairisle pattern will need to be flipped upside down in DAK.  

2)  Decrease down to 84 sts by using a 3 prong tool to decrease 1 st at each end of every 12^th row 10 times.  (At RC 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, 180, 192, 204)

3)   Knit even to RC208 total; this includes the cuff row count.  (COR)

HEEL:

1)   T4, change to contrasting yarn and place left half of sts (42) into HP.  Heel to be worked on R hand side.

2)   Shortrow down to 14 sts by:

               a.  At carriage side, pull 1 ndl in to HP til the same number of ndls on each

                    side and the ndl next to the carriage is wrapped.  COL.  (14 sts on ea side

                    in HP)

               b.  Do not knit across, but put the 1^st ndl opposite the carriage into WP and

                    then K across.

               c.  Repeat til all ndls are in WP.  Be sure to wrap the needle next to the

                    carriage on each row.  COR.

FOOT:

1)   T4, RC000, change to main color yarn and knit a total of 56 rows. 

2)    Using a 3 prong tool, decrease down to 74 sts by decreasing 1 st at each end of

        every 10 rows 5 times.  (At RC 10, 20, 30, 40, 50)

TOE:

1)   Working on right hand side, repeat shortrowing as for heel, work down to 13 sts.

      (12 sts on ea side in HP)

2)   Scrap off.

FINISHING:

1)  Graft the toe seam from purl side.

2)  Mattress stitch the side seam, picking up 2 ladders instead of 1.

3)  Lightly steam to block.

4)  If desired, tack a piece of fine nylon tulle over the back of the fairisle motifs to cover the yarn floats.

I-Cord Hanger (If desired):

1)  From the inside of the cuff, hang 4 sts at the top of the cuff, centered in the middle of the heel side.

2)  T4, knit a 4 st I-cord for 4” long (60 rows).  

3)  Bind off and sew to beginning of the cord at the cuff line.







Placement of duplicate stitches

Covered floats



 





Christmas Stocking, Midgauge



Christmas is knocking on our door so it's time to get some knitting done.  These stockings are very easy and quick to make.  Can be done on any machine but gauge and yarn will determine its size.  Instead of stripes, try some fairisle patterning.  No ribber is needed as this stocking features a mock ribbed cuff but a machine with ribber will allow you to make a ribbed cuff of choice. 

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Machine:  KX350 or SK860

4 ply worsted yarn, 3.5 oz per stocking

T7 for body

T5 for mock rib

T6 for heel and toe

Gauge:  Unimportant

Size:  Approx 20” long, 6” wide

 

MOCK RIBBED CUFF:

1)  CO EON 56 sts, with scrap yarn.

2)  T5, Knit 6 rows with scrap yarn.  COL.

3)  K1R ravel cord.  COR.

4)  RC000.  Knit 24 rows.  COR.

5)  Remove CO comb and weights.

6)  Hang hem to fill empty needles.  (You will have 2 sts on the right hand side.) 

BODY:

1)  Pull all needles to hold position.  Rehang CO comb and weights.

2)  RC000, T7, K60 rows in desired pattern. COR.   

HEEL: 

1)  Put machine on hold in both directions.  Use plenty of weights and downward pressure with fingers to ensure that all stitches knit properly, especially on the edges of the short rows.

2)  T6.  Put left half of sts into hold position.

3)  Short row down to 11 sts and back out. 

          To Short Row:

a.   COR.  Place 1 st on cam side into hold each row, K across.  Repeat til 11 sts remain in work. (8-11-9  sts)

b.   COL.  Place 1 st on carriage side into hold AND 1 st opposite carriage into work.  K 1 row.

c.    Place 1 st opposite carriage into work each row and manually wrap the ndl on the carriage side (to prevent holes), K across.  Repeat til all but 1 st is in work right of ‘0’.  COR.

d.   Bring all needles to hold position, take machine off hold.  

INSTEP:

T7,  RC000.  Knit 30 rows in pattern as desired.  COR.

TOE:

1)  T6,  Follow instructions for heel.

2)  Cut yarn, leaving a 30” tail. 

3)  Put on to scrap and remove from machine. 

FINISHING:

Toe:  Kitchener the toe seam –OR- put half the needles out of work.  With right sides together, fold stocking in half and hang the body stitches with the sts behind the latches.  Hang toe stitches from the other half in front of the latches.  Close latches and pull the front sts thru the back sts so that one st remains on each needle.  Bring needles to hold position and K1R to the L at T9.  Back stitch bind off. 

Remove scrap yarns. 

Sew up side seam with mattress stitch.  Sew bell to toe and/or embellish as desired. 

Crochet a chain of desired length or make a 36 row I-cord at T3 for the hanger and securely attach to hem edge of the cuff.

 

Tiny Christmas Stocking

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Machine:  Standard Gauge
Yarn:  Trenzado, Tamm Sport, Tamm Trenzi, etc
Tension:  8
Gauge:  Unimportant
Size:  About 2” long
Note:  Can be made on any gauge machine with appropriate yarn but size will vary.

CUFF:  (4 rows)

1)  e-wrap CO 12 sts and K1R.

2)  Take the sts off onto scrap or garter bar,  turn work over and replace on the needles.

3)  K2R.

4)  Turn work over again and K1R.

NOTE:  The gartered cuff is not necessary.  You may work 4 rows of plain knitting if desired.

BODY:

1)  K8R. 

HEEL:

1)  Put 6 needles opposite the carriage into HP and put machine on hold.

2)  Shortrow down to 2 needles and increase back out again.

      (To shortrow decrease, put needle next to carriage into HP and knit across, repeating til desired number of sts are in work.  Then put the first needle opposite the carriage into WP and wrap the  yarn under the first needle next to the carriage.  Repeat til all sts are in work again.)

INSTEP and TOE:

1)  Take machine off hold and K6 rows total.

2)  Cut yarn, leaving a few inches for sewing and gather the live sts on the needles. 

I-CORD TIE, if desired:

1)  Pick up and hang 3 sts from the appropriate side of the stocking and hand on 3 needles.

2)  Set machine to slip in one direction and K100R.  Tie off by moving the 2 outside sts to the middle  needle.  Manually work 1 st and pull yarn end thru the stitch.

FINISHING:

1)  Mattress stitch the side seam and tuck in all yarn ends.

Make the 2^nd stocking by casting on from the opposite side of the machine and reversing all shapings.