Saturday, August 26, 2017

Prayer Shawls and Picots

Prayer Shawls and Picots

When we moved to Moses Lake, I was looking forward to meeting other knitters. It took a while, but some ladies at my church decided to have a prayer shawl group meet twice a month.  Since then, we have had numerous shawls, blankets, and other items blessed to give away to people in need.


I recently finished a small shawl and had a few people ask me for the pattern.  I wanted to do something quick, easy, but also pretty.  I chose the worsted weight Sweet Roll yarn in the colorway Gelato Pop. I started experimenting and decided to do an asymmetrical shawl with eyelets.  When I got near the end of the roll, I thought it might be fun to do a picot edge.  Having never done one before, I was hoping it wasn't too hard.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually quite easy!

I love the blue, white and lavender colors in the yarn.  The eyelets give it a little texture and the picot bind off lends an elegant ending to a fairly simple pattern. As this is a pattern for giving to people in need, I decided the pattern should be free to everyone!  Love wins!




Asymmetrical Prayer Shawl
Supplies:
Size 8 needles
245 yards of a worsted weight yarn for the small size, about 60 inches in length.  More if you want to make it larger.
I used one ball of Premier Yarns Sweet Roll in the Gelato Pop colorway.
Large eye needle for weaving in ends.
Scissors

Pattern:
Set up
Cast on 4 stitches
1.       Knit across
2.       Kfb, knit 2, kfb
3.       Knit across
4.       Kfb, k to last 2 st, k2tog
5.       P, knit to last st, kfb         >>>        Do rows 4 and 5 until it measures about 2 inches total from the beginning.
6.       Kfb, * yo, k2tog* Repeat between * until last two stitches, k2tog.  (If you end up with three stitches at the end, just knit the 3rd stitch in then k2tog.) 
7.       Purl to last stitch, kfb
8.       Kfb, knit to last two stitches, k2tog
9.       P1,knit to last stitch, kfb                          
10.   Kfb, knit to last two stitches, k2tog
11.   P1,knit to last stitch, kfb                          
12.   Kfb, knit to last two stitches, k2tog
13.   P1,knit to last stitch, kfb
14. kfb, knit to last two stitches, k2tog
15. P1, knit to last stitch, kfb

Repeat rows 6-15 until you are almost out of yarn.  Make sure to leave enough for the picot bind off.   I did my bind off after row 9, although if you have enough yarn, you could bind off after row 13.  If you need to know how to do the picot bind off, KnitPurlHunter has an excellent video on YouTube. This is the one I used.  There is a link to this above the pattern.

14.   Bind off – when you near the end of your yarn, or you get to the size you want, do a picot bind off.  Weave in ends. Using unblocked acrylic yarn, my one skein project ended up to be about 60 inches (5 ft) long. If you have used acrylic yarn, wear and enjoy!  If you have used a natural fiber, block to open up the eyelets.  I think this pattern would also work well with a DK or fingering weight yarn, just be sure to adjust the needle size down.  I have a skein of Misti Alpaca calling to me, so I know I will be doing this again soon!
Jeanne Klockers / Soprano Girl Knits

Monday, January 2, 2017

Baby, it's COLD outside!

Winter in Eastern Washington is a LOT colder than the west side.  After growing up on the Olympic Peninsula and living for sixteen years in Texas we have experienced mostly mild winters. This year we have jumped into the season with both feet! Lots of snow this week and some single digit temperatures!  I made a hat for my husband last year out of a lovely DK weight in the Seattle Mariners colors.  It is a nice hat, but not nearly warm enough for the weather right now.  So, I hit the after Christmas sale at JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in charcoal.  I wanted the hat to be super cozy and super fast, hence the super bulky yarn choice.  Here is the pattern if you would like to make one!



Walter's Winter Hat

TOOLS:
1 skein (approximately 106 yards) of super bulky (6) weight yarn.
16 inch circular needles and DPNs, size 8 (5.00 mm)
Crochet hook or large eye needle for weaving in ends.
Stitch marker.

Cast on 60 stitches.  I like using a long tail cast on, but you may use another method as long as it is a stretchy one. Join in the round and place your marker.  
K2P2 for 4 inches.
Knit every round after that for 5 inches (my hubby has a big head 😉 )
Your hat should measure 9 inches total before you start decreasing.

Decreases:
knit 4, k2 tog, around
knit
knit 3, k2 tog, around
knit,
knit 2, k2 tog, around
knit
knit 1, k2 tog, around
knit
knit 2 tog, around
leave a tail about 12 inches, and cut yarn.  Weave through top loops twice and pull tight, weave in ends on inside of hat.

Now you can go outside and stay warm!