Sew What? scarf/mitt/beverage cozy

12/26/13  Yes, this is my knitting blog, but sometimes fleece and sewing seem like a better choice!  You'll have 363 days to complete this project, but I decided early Christmas Eve morning that I wanted to present gifts to some good friends of mine.   I had just a few hours!

Materials and supplies:
3 hours and basic sewing skills
1 yard fleece (2yards in photo)
thread (matching or contrasting)
scissors
pins
sewing machine
ruler or yardstick
oven mitt
 

Taking inspiration from three excellent sources, Pints&Purls, Don't Forget Your Mitten by Karida Collins, p79;
 Beer Mitt by Toby Roxane Barna available on knitty, and a  StellaBella's fleece project, 
I decided to sew the University scarf/mitt/beverage cozy.

You will need: 1 yard fleece (2nd yard waiting in the chair), ruler or yard stick, scissors, pins, and an oven mitt.  You'll also need a sewing machine and matching or contrasting thread.

Make 3 cuts at 9".  This creates four 9" x 60" strips.

Trim the salvage, and cut fringe for scarves or go to the sewing machine.

Scarf, or go to the sewing machine with two strips.

 With all the spools of thread, no orange.  I solved that problem by sewing in a contrasting black.  It looked good, and made it easier for you to see the detail.  

Sew two of the strips together at the 9"ends.  Be careful to put right sides together, and the print reading in the same direction.  Then trim the seam, and top stitch (faux flat-felt) down.

Again, you could stop here and have a long scarf, but let's keep going.

With one of the strips, fold double, and cut loosely around the oven mitt. Also cut a 9" by 12" rectangle for the beverage cozy.  I measured a few beverage containers, d x pi = c.   3 x 3.14 = 9.42"  I rounded up to 12".

To make the beverage cozy, fold right sides together, and pin along the 9" edge.  Then fold the 12" edge in half, twice, to sew four 1.5"seams.  This will create a square bottom for the round beverage, but that was not perfect...

As you're sewing the 1.5" seams, make a curved seam as illustrated in the photo. Trim away the excess fleece.

Turn right-side out, and place the beverage cozy on the left mitt being careful to have the opening up, and very near the thumb joint.  Sew the 9"seam, trim the seam closest to the mitt, and top stitch (faux flat-felt) down.

Place mitts on ends of scarf, wrong sides together and the print reading the same direction. 
 Sew around the mitts leaving the wrist open.  I stitched around a second time.

 Trim away the excess fleece around the fingers and thumb.  I'm sorry I forgot to take a photo of that step.

 With 2 yards of fleece, I was able to make 2 University scarf/mitt/beverage cozy(s).  I also had fabric to make a scarf and  age appropriate beverage cozy for the undergrad.

Wrapped, and in a gift bag!  I made a phone call, and headed over for Christmas Eve Brunch!  We had a great visit, and the family has new scarves to enjoy while attending functions at OSU.

Happy Holidays!


Copyright 2013, Marilynn Blacketer. All rights reserved. 12/26/13
for pattern support please contact marilynnblacketer@gmail.com 

Sweater Lots of Love

The bunny pattern is available. I had added sleeves. 

My grandchild has outgrown the bunny sweater!  

 It is time to knit another sweater with lots of love.

 

3/3/13

Sweater Lots of Love

Marilynn Blacketer '13

The Sweater Lots of Love works well in an acrylic, cotton, or wool blend.  
The sweater can be finished in a weekend or two, and makes a perfect gift or accessory.

Finished sizes: Toddler: 25” chest, 16” height neck to hem, 10.5” sleeve from underarm

Gauge: US#8     4.5 stitches = 1”;     US#7     5sts=1”     Adjust needle size to match gauge.

Materials: Yarn: acrylic, cotton or wool blend in worsted weight; 370yards, 200g

Photo: Sweater Lots of Love was knit in Caron Simply Soft; 100% acrylic (This size required a two skeins.)

Needles:

Size US#7 and US#8, 16”, 24” circular needles, and/or set size double pointed needles

Use your choice of two 16”circular needles, set of double pointed needles for the sleeves (I prefer working both sleeves at the same time, using the two circular needles.)

Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle

Abbreviations: CO = cast on      K = knit      k2tog = knit 2 stitches together       KFB=knit front&back

pm = place marker      rm = remove marker      sm =slip marker      Rnd = round      sts= stitches

RS = right side      WS = wrong side      yo = yarn over

Sweater Directions:

Yoke: With #8, 24” circular needles, CO 29 sts. Do not join, work back and forth in rows.

Row 1(RS): Knit2, pm, k5, pm, k15, pm, k5, pm, k2

Row 2 ( and all WS Rows): Purl

Row 3: KFB, k, sm, KFB, k3, KFB, sm, KFB, k13, KFB, sm, KFB, k3, KFB, sm, KFB, k

Row 5: KFB, k2, sm, KFB, k5, KFB, sm, KFB, k15, KFB, sm KFB, k5, KFB, sm, k, KFB, k

(Rows 3, 5 were 8 sts increased creating 37sts, then 45sts)

Row 7(RS): KFB,*knit to 1stitch before marker, yo, k, sm, k, yo; repeat from * to last 2 sts, KFB, k

Row 8(WS): Purl

Repeat Rows 7-8 a total of 12 times. (10 sts increased on RSs , creating 165 sts)

Work the WS row.

Divide Body and Sleeves:

RS: Knit to 1st marker, sm, k33 then slip33sleeve sts onto holder, rm, CO3 underarm sts, k43 across back, sm, k33 then slip33sleeve sts onto holder, rm, CO3 underarm sts, knit to end

WS: Purl, snug the underarm stitches, and remove remaining markers           105sts

RS: Set up round: With size#8,16" circular needles: k27, pm, k26, pm, k26 pm (beginning row marker), k25, k2tog joining the work at center front in the round, pm                                                            104sts

Now work sweater 104 sts in the round, slip markers,repeat chart 4 times each round.

Chart: 26 stitches

Rnd 1: *k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k14; repeat from * to end.

Round 2 (and all even number rounds): Knit.

Rnd 3: *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k13; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 5: *k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k13; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 7: *k2tog, yo, k9, yo, k2tog tbl, k13; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 9: *k2, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k15; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 11: *k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 13: *k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 15: *k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 17: *k6, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k9, yo2, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 19: *k15, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k2; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 21: *k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 23: *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k4; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 25: *k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 27: *k2tog, yo, k9, yo, k2tog tbl, k6, yo, k2tog tbl, k5; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 29: *k2, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k15; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 31: *k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, k2tog tbl, k; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 33: *k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 35: *k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 37: *k6, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k9, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 39: *k15, yo, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog, yo, k2; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 41: *k16, yo, k2tog tbl, k3, k2tog, yo, k3; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 43: *k17, yo, k2tog tbl, k, k2tog, yo, k4; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 45: *k18, yo, k3tog, yo, k5; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 47: *k19, yo, k2tog tbl, k5; repeat from * to end.

Rnd 49: *k24, k2tog; repeat from * to end. 100 stitches

Rnd 50: knit 100 stitches

I enjoy designing with Intwined Pattern Studio.
Sweater Lots of Love pattern&chart pdf  available on Ravelry.com ; login needed 

 Bottom Ribbing:

With size#7 circular needles, work k1,p1 ribbing, for 10 rounds.

BO loosely (using size#8) in pattern. Tie off neatly, and weave in tail.

Sleeves: Move 33 stitches from holder onto size#8 circular/or double pointed needles. Pick up and knit 10 sts from underarm, pm and join to work in the round.       43sts

Rnds 1-4: Knit

Rnd 5: K, k2tog, knit to last 2 sts before marker, k2tog

Repeat Rnds 1-5 a total of 5 times                       33sts

Work even another 25 rounds. (sleeve measures 9” from underarm)

Next round: K2tog, knit to end                            32sts

Ribbing: With size #7 needles, work k1, p1 ribbing for 10 rounds.

BO loosely (using size#8) in pattern. Tie off neatly, and weave in tail.

Repeat for other sleeve.

Finishing: neck ribbing:

With size#7, 16”circular needles, starting at center front, pick up and knit 3/4sts (25sts)up the right front edge, pick and knit all sts across shoulders and back (25sts), pick up and knit 3/4sts (25sts) down the left side. Join to work in the round.

Rnd1: K1, p1 for 73sts, k2tog                              74sts

Rnd 2-5: K1, p1 ribbing

Rnd 6: BO loosely (using size#8) in pattern. Tie off neatly, snug center front, and weave in tails.

Sweater Lots of Love

is available at MarilynnsGardenKnitDesign.blogspot.com

Copyright 2013, Marilynn Blacketer. All rights reserved. 3/3/13
Sweater Lots of Love pattern&chart pdf  available on Ravelry.com; login needed 

For pattern support please contact: marilynnblacketer@gmail.com 

Here are a few photos of the project in process.

I have many needles, yarn and pattern ready to begin.
I also needed stitch markers and a second skein of yarn.
You'll notice that pattern is not the finished project.  The small hearts proved too busy.
I'll finish that project as a vest, and give it to charity.

The yoke is knit.  I prefer knitting the sleeve stitches, slipping the sleeve stitches to spare needles, CO3 underarm stitches, and continuing.  I snug up the underarm stitches in the next round.

As I set up for knitting in the round, I knitted the work onto 16" circular needles.

I have worked about half the chart.  I like this lace pattern.  (I've worked the stitches onto 24"circular needles for the photo.)

The body is done, and ready for the neck ribbing finish.

To be very honest, I pick up and knit stitches with a crochet hook, then slip them through the back loop to the knitting needles.  My friend just picks up and knits.  You'll pick up 3 of the 4 stitches along each side, and all the shoulder and back stitches.  You'll have an odd number of stitches. As you finish the first round of ribbing, you'll work the last stitch and the first stitch as k2tog.  Continue ribbing 4 more rounds then bind off loosely.

The neck is finished! Time to work on the sleeves.  I'd only CO3 stitches, but if you look and feel the underarms there really are more stitches available.  Pick up 10 stitches and work them with the sleeve.

I prefer working both sleeves on two circular needles.  KNITTING circles around SOCKS, by Antje Gilliaham is an excellent resource for getting started.

Sweater Lots of Love is finished, and ready to be mailed to my grandchild.

The Sweater Lots of Love has arrived.   It looks great, and my grandchild looks happy!