December 22, 2011

Right Side

Wrong Side

Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend DK, 100% Superwash Wool, in Wildrose. and Berocco Ultra Alpaca Worsted, 50% Alpaca/50% Wool in Boysenberry Mix

Needles: 4 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4 stitches and 5 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Two-Colour Brioche Stitch

Source: BriocheStitch.com

Comments: Isn't this just the coolest stitch?!  I love the effect of the two colours, and think you could to lots with this design... what if you changed the background yarn, so that it faded from dark to light, or from one colour to another....  Technically, there's no way to differentiate between the right and wrong sides (except for the cast-on and cast-off rows), so you could be really creative with it.  Work it on slightly too-small needles for the best smooshyness.

December 21, 2011

Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend DK, 100% Superwash Wool, in Copper

Needles: 4 mm / 6 US

Gauge: 4-ish stitches and 4 rows per inch - its not easy to measure the stitches on this one

Stitch Pattern: Crossed Brioche Stitch

Source: BriocheStitch.com

Comments: Another of the one-colour brioche stitch variations.  Can you see my mistake in the centre?  The stitch is made by crossing one YO over another, and this mistake happened when I crossed them over in the wrong order.  It helps if you pay attention while knitting, especially when you're tired.  :)

December 20, 2011

Yarn: Some kind of worsted weight yarn, hand-dyed red by Kate, and passed on to me via Darcy.

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 3.5 stitches and 5 rows per inch 

Stitch Pattern: Plain Brioche Stitch (non-symmetrical)

Source: BriocheStitch.com

Comments: I was using this stitch in a cowl, and decided to try it with this yarn also.  Check out the depth of this otherwise basic ribbed fabric:

Check out Briochestitch.com if you want to try this stitch.  The author has chosen to create a new set of abbreviations to explain how to work these stitches, but once you figure them you can try a whole bunch of different stitches.

September 21, 2011

Yarn: Berocco Vintage, 50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon worsted weight yarn, in Cerulean

Hook: 4 mm / US 6-G

Gauge: umm...

Stitch Pattern: Crocheted flower

Source: this is a hybrid of this flower and the flowers used in this pattern.

Comments: I was making these to embellish the hat, but the instructions weren't as clear, so I started looking at online versions for more suggestions.  The petal numbers are closer to the garnstudio version, but the actual stitches in each petal are the same as in the hat pattern.  I think I could do a lot with these things....

August 10, 2011

Yarn: Pingouin France +, 50% Acrylic/50% Wool (DK) in Tweedy Blue

Needles: 4 mm / US 6

Gauge: 4.25 stitches x 9 rows per inch, measured over the garter stitch section

Stitch Pattern: Four-Leaf Counterpane

Source: Lion Brand Stitch Finder

Comments:  I've been wanting to make one of these panels for a while - this one is worked from the centre out, and then you make several of them and connect them together into a blanket of some kind.  The finished block is about 9" square, so you wouldn't have to make many of them to get a baby blanket.  Worked all in white, I think it could be quite pretty, although I have seen some nice ones done in 3 or 4 colours.

August 3, 2011

Yarn: Regia Sock Yarn

Needles: 4mm / 6 US

Gauge:  6 stitches and 8 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Crystal Chandelier

Source: LionBrand.com

Comments: Are you noticing a trend with my constant use of 4 and/or 5mm needles?  These needles pretty much live in my knitting bag, and are therefore always on hand when starting a new swatch.  I got this yarn unlabeled too, although the previous owner assured me its Regia yarn, albeit a very scratchy version!

August 2, 2011

Yarn: Unknown Cotton/Acrylic Blend in Aran Weight

Needles: 5 mm / 8 US

Gauge: 4 stitches and 7 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Tracks

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments: I was given this yarn without a label, so I'm not sure what it is, besides its basic content.  The pattern is pretty straightforward - not much to say about it really.

August 1, 2011

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Sock, 100% Merino Wool

Needles: 4mm / 6 US

Gauge: 5 stitches and 7 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Bands of Alternating Eylets

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments: Just a quick and easy pattern to work on while watching TV.  Malabrigo Sock is such great yarn, I just wish it weren't superwash!  (PS: Can you see where I messed up my eyelet counts?)

May 2, 2011

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, 100% Worsted Weight Wool, in White

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4.5 stitches and 6.5 rows per inch 

Stitch Pattern: Garter Columns, with some unintentional adjustments

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments: There should be 5 ridges in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th columns, but somehow I messed up and got only 4...  I think I left out a row or something.  Anyway, you still get the idea of how it should look.  :)

April 19, 2011

Yarn: James C. Brett Pure Merino - 100% Merino DK Wool, in Lilac

Needles: 4 mm / 6 US

Gauge: 8 sts and 6 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Dotted Chevron

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments: I'm starting to run out of yarn for my swatches!  This one should have been taller, but I stopped early because I didn't have enough to complete the next pattern repeat. :)

April 17, 2011

Yarn: Berocco Ultra Alpaca Worsted, 50% Alpaca/50% Wool in Boysenberry Mix

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4.25 sts and 6 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Irish Moss Diamonds

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments:  This isn't a great photo, but it was hard to get the pattern to show up if I got the colour more correct.  This yarn doesn't really show stitch definition well, especially in such a heathery colourway.

April 1, 2011

Yarn: Van Dyck, 46% Wool/39% Acrylic/15% Alpaca Bulky weight yarn, in Grey

Needles: 6 mm / 10 US

Gauge: 3.5 stitches and 5 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Ant Egg

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments:  This was kind of a random pattern, and perhaps isn't all that effective in this yarn.  The range of colours making up this grey is too broad - the white bits become too prominent, and take away from the details of the pattern.

March 31, 2011

Yarn: Green 4-ply yarn, in some kind of wool/acrylic mix. (For the life of me, I can't remember what its called - its similar to Baby Ull, but isn't that).

Needles: 3mm / 2.5 US

Gauge: roughly 5 sts and 9 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Arrowhead Lace

Source: Lionbrand.com

Comments:  This tuned out really pretty, but lace on 3mm needles in interminable!  :)

March 27, 2011

Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend DK - 100% Superwash Wool, in French Blue, and Wendy Fusion Bulky, 50% Wool/ 50% Acrylic, in Saffron

Needles: 4 mm / 6 US

Gauge: 6 stitches and 7 rows per inch (after a tight blocking)

Stitch Pattern: Daisy Stitch

Source: KnittingFool.com, as well as most other stitch collections

Comments:  I really like this stitch.  Last spring, I used it in a baby cardigan, working the daisies in a 3-row, 2-row, 3-rows colour change pattern.  This time, I thought I'd mix it up and use this virbant blue and orange combination, although the pattern is equally effective in a solid colour.  The secret to this one is to block it quite hard, and use a larger needle size than normal (although I didn't use larger needles here) - this opens up the flowers a little, and improves the overall effect.  If you're using it as a design accent, try to add a few stitches in the row before you start the daisies - they pull in tightly, and can warp your overall dimensions.

March 26, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints, 100% Worsted Weight Wool, in Maple Fall

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4 sts and 6 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Triangle with Lace Hypotenuse

Source: KnittingFool.com

Comments: There are a lot of online stitch libraries!  I thought I'd be in trouble when I had to return the BW books the library, but its all out there on the internet - you just have to know where to look, I guess.  This pattern is pretty fun... big, and perhaps a little hard to put to good use, but fun nonetheless! :)

March 25, 2011

Yarn: Berocco Ultra Alpaca Worsted, 50% Alpaca/50% Wool in Boysenberry Mix

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4.5 sts and 6 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Thermal Underwear Stitch

Source: The stitch pattern library at KnittingOnTheNet.com

Comments:  I can't say I've seen any handknit thermal underwear recently, but apparently this is the stitch to use next time you decide to make some!  (maybe not in alpaca, of course).  :)  Actually, the idea seems rather appealing - just a top though, I can't imagine knitting woolen leggings!