Linen stitch coin purse

Last night I completed a small but colourful coin purse.  Made in linen stitch it is strong and sturdy with very little ‘give’ in the fabric, meaning that it works perfectly well without a lining for anyone who is sew-phobic.  I’m not – in fact I love hand-sewing, so I lined mine, but it is totally optional.  I made my purse from the Rowan Pure Wool 4-ply which I had dyed with Kool-Aid:

Kool aid dyed yarn in green and red

I knit the purse in only a few hours whilst watching Gran Tourino (little was I expecting a Clint Eastwood movie to make me cry like a baby, but I wept buckets, big softie that I am) and even had time for a little embellishment, made of a simple circle of felt adorned with three green eyelets and a co-ordinating button.

Coin purse frame giveaway

To be in with a chance of winning one of two purse frames identical to the one used in the pictures above, simply leave a comment explaining your fantasy drink (in honour of the Kool-Aid dyed yarn).  What would the flavours be, what colour would it be in the glass, and, most importantly, what would it be called?  The wilder and wackier your suggestions, the better.

There will be two winners, each receiving a purse frame with which they can do what they please – use the pattern below, another pattern, or make up one of your own – it’s totally up to you.  I will choose one winner according to my favourite answer and another winner will be chosen at random using an online number generator.  The giveaway will close on Sunday, June 6th 2010.

Free linen-stitch coin purse knitting pattern

This pattern is extremely simple.  Minimal shaping and a simple repetitive stitch makes this a quick and easy knit.  The purse is knit in two pieces as the seaming at the sides and bottom of the purse give the finished item better structure than if it were knit in the round. This pattern is designed to work with a 10cm (4″) square purse frame, but due to the simplicity of the pattern it should not be too hard to adjust for other sizes.

Needles: 3.25mm
Gauge: 44sts per 4″ in linen stitch (this number seems quite high, but linen stitch is very dense and the stitches sit very close together)
Abbreviations: SL1WYIF = Slip 1 (purl-wise) with yarn held in front of work.  SL1WYIB = Slip 1 (purl-wise) with yarn held to back of work.

Pattern: (make 2) c/o 43 sts.
Row 1 (RS): *K1, SL1WYIF* until last st, k1
Row 2 (WS): K1, *P1, SL1WYIB* until 2 sts remain, P1, K1
Repeat these two rows until piece measures 7cm, ending with a WS row
Row 3 (RS): P2tog, *K1, Sl1WYIF* until 3 sts remain, K1 P2tog
Row 4 (WS): K1, *SL1WYIB, P1* until 2 sts remain, Sl1WYIB, K1
Row 5: K2, *SL1WYIF, K1* until last stitch K1
Repeat rows 4 & 5 until piece measures 11cm from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.
Row 6 (RS): K2tog, *SL1WYIF, K1* until 3 sts remain, SL1WYIF, K2tog
Row 7: K1, *P1, Sl1WYIB* until 2 sts remain, P1, K1
Row 8: K3tog, *SL1WYIF, K1* until 4 sts remain SL1WYIF K3tog.
Bind off all stitches.

Making up: Place both pieces right sides together and sew bottom seam and side seams up until the pint where the two sides meet. Turn right side out and attach to purse frame b filling the channels in the frame with a strong multi-purpose adhesive (such as UHU glue) and using a toothpick or similar thin pointy object, push knitted fabric well into the sides, top and corners of the frame.  Leave to dry overnight.

Please don’t forget to leave your answers for the giveaway in the comments section below and make sure to fill out the email address field so I have a way to contact you if you win.  Good luck!

Squoffle

Squoffle is a short buttoned scarf, made with a single skein of bulky/chunky weight yarn. Though it is a very easy pattern every sixth row makes a departure from the established garter stitch to add a row of interest with knitted eyelets, some of which are later utilised as button holes (an additional boon to those who do not enjoy making buttonholes, of course!)

Buttons for security and style

This scarf lays completely flat with no curling, so whether you choose to block your finished piece or not is a matter of personal choice, not necessity.

The name Squoffle comes courtesy of my other half, who phoned me whilst I was travelling to say he had picked up something special for tea.  As he poured through descriptions of gorgeous starters and a sumptuous main course and what wine we might enjoy, I of course only had ears for what was to be for dessert.  Looking at the packaging, he said over the phone in a confused voice ‘Squoffle?’  A Small tear in the cardboard had partially obscured the ‘o’ of ’soufflé’, and so the word squoffle was born.

I like to think of the squoffle as meaning a ’squishy waffle’ and with it’s frothy texture and grid of eyelets, it’s a name that seemed to suit this little scarf quite well.

Download the PDf for Squoffle

Marram

Here is my latest pattern, ‘Marram’.  Featuring spiralling slipped stitches and a secondary spiral of stepped colour changes in thin, graphical stripes. I have been wearing this hat, knit in a blend of warm alpaca, merino, and even a touch of silk, quite a lot over the last week or so, now that the temperature has dipped into a cold that bites just a bit harder, but here it is warming the head of my other half. I wanted to show how suited I thought it was to a man as well as to a woman, especially in the season of knitted gifts when sometimes it is a little harder to find small knitted items for male recipients that have interesting aesthetics as well as an engaging but quick project.

"look over there, it's the Goodyear blimp!"

After I managed to trick Craig in taking part in a spontaneous photoshoot I had to settle upon a name, as the pattern was written up and ready to go.

The name ‘Marram’ came from my last blog post where I asked if folks might have any suggestions over what I might call this hat.  I was actually quite surprised by the number of kind and thoughtful responses.  There were a few I have to admit that I had to google: ‘Sphagnopsida’ and ‘Sphagnum’, both meaning a type of peat moss from what I gathered, and very apt given the mossy appearance of the hat as had been noted, but they also kept making me think of bolognese.  A few suggestions based on the spiralling design: ‘Fibonacci’ (another I need to check the spelling of) and ‘Ammonite’.

Craig’s favourite was not a comment left in suggestion of a name, but rather a very kind response to the hat itself by Jane – ‘Great hat!’.  Craig actually suggested I call it ‘Great Hat!’, which, though cute and funny, I didn’t have the nerve to do.  For one it sets a dangerous precedent.  Clearly my next hat would have to be ‘better’ than the Great Hat, otherwise it would be the ‘Not-So-Great Hat’, or the ‘Well, It’s OK Hat’.  If the next hat was to be better, it would then have to be the ‘Even Greater Hat’, and the following one the ‘Best Hat Yet!’, and then where would my lack of modesty take me?  So I had a look at the other suggestions: ‘Sea Grass’, which  could imagine spiralling in the movement of the water, and finally ‘Marram’.  Similar to the Sea Grass suggestion, I could imagine the curving lines of long grass blades, and it seemed to fit perfect.

Marram Grass

Also, it is of course a palindrome, which scores extra points as I am a nerd. These few lines of poetry seal the deal:

The spiked marram’s springy knitting-needles
Purl and entangle what concrete cannot conquer
And the green holds back the brown.

From ‘The Rock-Face’ by Norman Nicholson

Thankyou to Linda for the suggestion, and to everyone else who took tome to comment and give me suggestions when I lost inspiration.

Download the PDF for the Marram Hat

Untitiled, for now

I’m hoping that someone might be able to help me out of a quandary. I can’t seem settle upon a name for this hat.  It is always the first thing I decide upon when writing out a new pattern as it helps to confirm the character of the knitted object (if articles of knitwear can have character), but I am having troubles with this new design.  My first thoughts were that it reminded me of moss, probably because of the colour, and this was confirmed when I stepped in the lift with my other half last week and he said ‘oh, your new hat looks good on, it reminds me of moss’ (I tried not to take this to mean that I must have a face reminiscent of a boulder).

When I was later thinking about writing the pattern up I wondered about the two names ‘Geology’ and ‘Palaeontology’.  ’Geology’ as the slip stitch pattern and broken lines of the stripes reminded me of layers rock strata that had come under stress and fractured, and ‘Palaeontology’ as I have a version of the hat planned with an embellishment, knit in an increasing spiral in garter stitch, something like an ammonite:

idea for an ammonite-like spiral embellishment

But I’m really not sure if either of these ideas are ‘right’.  Maybe I am just feeling uninspired these last few days.  I’ve been frustrated with the lack of light when I have tried to take photos, the absence of a helpful volunteer head to model the hat (or useful tripod for self-modelling), so maybe it is because I wanted to get the pattern written up and photographed properly.  As such the pictures I have at the moment are of a hat still awaiting a head.

I also love the very top of the hat:

detailing the decreases

It was, at the very least, challenging to work out a method of decreasing whilst maintaining the spiralling pattern of the slipped stitches and broken stripes, but once I figured out a formula I was delighted with the way that the two forms of diagonal patterning intersected and created the radiating pattern on the top of the hat.

So, with that in mind I am stuck, so if anyone reading this post happens to have any flashes of inspiration, please, please, please suggest away, and hopefully I’ll be able to find the motivation and inspiration to write up this pattern for the weekend.

Graphic and eye-catching buttons on a background of skinny stripes

Have you ever been given a random ball of yarn, of unknown origin, that you know you’ll never be able to find another of and which you don’t know what to do with?

When I once took part in a magazine swap, the issue that I received from my swap partner came unopened with two (different) balls of random yarn. One, in shades of pink, green, cream and brown I still have in a sweet jar on my desk, the other, black and white, became this mug cosy.

With about 30g of unknown weight, fibre or length, it needed to be something small, and my chilly hands soon dreamed up this simple pattern.

Taking only about ½ and hour to knit and just as little yarn, it’s a quick and easy pattern for when your fingers are bored.

Buttons... I can never have too many.

download the PDF for the Mod Mug Hugger

Promenade Scarf

Last year, a few months after I had started to learn how to knit, and when the weather had started to turn cold as the first signs of winter approached, I turned my mind to the possibility of doing a bit of Christmas knitting.  The person I most wanted to knit something for was my grandmother – a wonderful, kind and loving person who has spent so many hundreds of hours over the years at the sewing machine, making any and everything I could wish for.

After thinking on what to make her for a while I settled on scarf.  She would often come in from a cold day saying how cod she felt around the neck of her coat.  She also disliked the look of her neck (which is stupid as she looks wonderful), but would often put her hand to her throat self-consciously as she spoke to people.  My grandmother never often wore scarves though, because as she has lived practically her whole life with only one working arm (after a terrible accident she had when she was just 3 years old) she found scarves unmanageable on a blustery day when they might start to slip and she was trying to carry her usual accompaniment of handbag and shopping.

easy to wear

I decided I wanted to knit her something warm and elegant, made from something soft and luxurious, but mostly something which she would not have to worry about once she had put it on.  I eventually settled on this shorter length scarf with no unnecessary ends.  The double layer of fabric in the front of the neck keeps you warm no matter what neckline you are wearing, and the two buttons keep the scarf secure and comfortable.

Made from a soft, warm yarn this is an extremely fast knit and so it is perfect for quick or last-minute gifts, but it still shows that you have made an effort  and made something beautiful.  The gift is even nicer to give when it is for yourself.  Note: It is recommended that you knit this scarf in a natural fibre as it does benefit from being blocked.

ready to give as a gift (to yourself?)

download the PDF for the Promenade Scarf

Nintendo DS consoles seem popular with just about everyone.

The Nintendo DS has been one of the most spectacular successes in the world of gadgetry that there has ever been. Resting on the coffee tables, desks, and slung into the bags of schoolchildren, businessmen and grannies alike it was the first gaming innovation that crossed the boundaries of age, and as such it is the biggest selling gaming console of all time.  Many people feel very attached to their little travelling games companion, but time spent rattling around in the bottom of a briefcase, rucksack or handbag it is fraught with all sorts of dangers.  Malicious keys, hateful biros, malevolent hair accessories, spiteful football boots – all trying to do your little gaming friend some damage to its smooth and perfect surface.

Protect your travelling DS with soft and bouncy wool.

I say ‘no!’ to DS abuse.  It is true that commercially available DS protective cases are available, but there is no love in their construction, no feeling for the protection of your little dual-screened pal.  We must rally around to change the way people treat their DS consoles, and the change must start with you.  Snatch up your needles, dive into your stash, and press download, download, download!
download the PDF for the Dapper Nintendo DS Lite/DSi Cosy

Wendy Happy - Leo

The socks that Giantmonk was helping to knit in the very first post of this blog are now complete.

Made from Wendy Happy sock yarn in the shade Leo, this yarn is made primarily with Bamboo with added Nylon for strength, meaning that it is not only 100% vegan and very suitable for anyone with wool allergies, but it is also very cool on the feet and (if the spiel is to be believed) very good at keeping the feet relatively free from nasty smell-making bacteria.

So, having a sister with a wool allergy and smelly feet (Hi Rachel!) – I know she’ll never stumble by this blog in a million years so I am not too worried about saying that… snarfle – this yarn was a perfect choice. Moreover, it didn’t cost very much either – £6 for a 100g/420m ball.

The smell-prevention socks in full glory

As I wanted to make the most of the long colour repeats, and because I wasn’t sure how this slippery, drapey yarn was going to behave, I wanted a relatively simple pattern that I could knit without concentrating too much.  I decided on a plain stockinette sock with a sideways garter stitch cuff but with an added lace panel that would run down the outside edge of the foot, just for a little added interest (though this might add as an extra ventilation shaft for those whom the magical odour-repelling properties of bamboo yarn do not suffice!)

There was plenty of yarn to ensure that the stripes on the socks matched perfectly, and still enough left over to allow me to sift through the rest of the yarn and pick out four matching lengths so that the short-row heels and toes, which I added in after knitting the rest of the socks, all matched.

Matching socks make a girl happy, even if one is bound to get lost during their first wash.

There was one small negative that I encountered with this yarn – when I was soaking the finished socks to block them they bled a lot. Left to soak for ten minutes in cold water when I returned it looked like a scene from Sweeney Todd’s Bathroom.

Made from Rowan Colourscape Chunky in shade 'Ghost'

download the PDF for the Self-designing Scarf