Second is to blog about another knitting joy of mine- knitting graffiti. Clandestine groups of knitters around the globe have been beautifying the urban eyescape with little swatches of knitting or crochet wrapped around… well, whatever they can wrap them around- trees, poles, signs, sculptures, etc. Here’s a pic of one in Brisbane (link):

So imagine my glee when my very own neighborhood got hit with some yarn bombing! It’s been months and most of it is still there. Quite refreshing, since I’m living in a city that actively suppresses graffiti with harsh laws, even going so far as to penalize building owners for not cleaning it off.

The Hanami Stole, named after the festival in Japan for blossoming cherry trees (the stole part means it can be worn around the neck as a scarf or over the shoulders as a shawl). I was going to name it Sakura, but that name was taken for a different pattern. I’ve been sitting on it for a few months now, waiting for the right opportunity to release it into the world.

I went back into Happy Knits, and showed them the finished project, and they oohed and aahed, and gave me my very own little blog post. They told me about a fantastic offer that Knit Picks has made: They are offering to buy patterns from independent designers, and the designers keep 100% of the rights to the pattern, are free to distribute it elsewhere, and if the pattern is not finished in their yarn, they will send you the yarn to make it. Amazing! Well, I sent off a sample pattern and photo today, let’s see if it gets accepted!

I have been knitting a ton- mostly for my vendor table at the Parlour. Tons of colors of kitty hats, some new exciting arm & hand warmers, more jellyfish and octopuses. Or octopi, either is correct. All of these are also available in my etsy store.

(photo by vivian johnson for the willamette weekly)

The Parlour launch has gone exceedingly well, including this awesome write-up in the Willamette Weekly. I’m not sure about their beef with the sound system, I think it is great. The best part has been seeing all my friends come together and have a place to showcase their diverse and quirky talents.

My husband performed at the Halloween Show there and will be releasing a dark ambient album (featuring the tracks he played) soon.

Also coming soon is a tutorial on handmade wedding invitations and my first custom colorwork project- a baby pillow with a airbrush flame motif.

I designed this pattern for the intermediate knitter- it uses simple cable and slip stitches and is easy to memorize. Works up quickly, it’s nice and stretchy, woo hoo, no more chilly hands. Comment below with any questions or concerns.

To purchase pattern, click here:

Finish the checkout through paypal, which should then prompt you back to primesurrealestate.com to an online PDF file. Feel free to print this out. If you don’t get linked to the page, don’t worry, just let me know and I will send it to you via email within 24 hours.

This project started awhile back- before I left Saint Louis, really. I wanted one of those really posh sweaters from Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie, but I wanted to knit it myself, AND from clearance dollar-a-skein, yet still alluring yarn. The sweater this is based on is long gone, but it has my seven favorite features: a hood, 3/4 sleeves, an empire waist, flattering ribbing, lace to naturally emphasize the bust, cardigan style, and giant buttons.

Because of its features, it’s also the perfect companion to all those dreary, drizzling northwest days. And it only cost $12 to make. Whoo hoo!

MATERIALS:
-8 balls of Yarn Bee Icelandic Jewels in Black Pearl (or approx. 1025 yds of comparable heavy worsted weight wool)
-2 large buttons
-sewing needle, matching thread
-2 size 10 1/2 straight needles or one 24′-36′ circular needle
-2 size 5 DPN’s (for I-cord)

GAUGE:
20 sts = 5.5′, so approx. 4 sts per inch. Pattern designed for medium size (32′-36′ waist/bust). Large and extra large follow in parentheses. The cardigan design is pretty forgiving, if in doubt go down one size.

FRONT:
LEFT SIDE: Cast on 40 (48, 52) stitches.
Row 1: knit 1, purl 1. Repeat to last stitch.
Rows 2 & 4: work stitches as they appear.
Row 3: knit 1, purl 1. Repeat until two stitches remain, p2tog.
Repeat these four rows 8 times, total of 32 rows. Should measure about 8 inches.
Work the next six rows in stockinette (knit RS, then purl WS) leaving a selvage of 4 (6, 8 ) sts of 1X1 ribbing on each edge.
LACE PATTERN:
Row 37: k1, p1 (repeat these two sts 3x for L, 4x for XL), k2, *k2tog, k3, YO, k1, YO, k3, k2tog* (repeat *-* once more), p2, k1, p1 (repeat last 2 sts 3x, 4x).
Row 38 (and all even rows): work stitches as they appear.
Row 39: k1 , p1, (repeat these 2 sts 3x, 4x), k2, *k2tog, k2, YO, k3, YO, k2, k2tog* (repeat *-* once more), p2, k1, p1 (repeat last 2 sts 3x, 4x, cont for each even row).
Row 41: k1 , p1, (X3, X4) k2, *k2tog, k1, YO, k5, YO, k1, k2tog* (repeat *-*), p2, k1, p1 (X3, X4).
Row 43: k1, p1, (X3, X4) k2, *YO, k3, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k3, YO* (rep *-*), p2, k1, p1 (X3, X4).
Row 45: k1, p1, (X3, X4) k2, *k1, YO, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2, YO, k1* (rep *-*), p2, k1, p1 (x3, x4).
Row 47: k1, p1, (x3, x4) k2, *k2, YO, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, YO, k2* (rep *-*), p2, k1, p1 (x3, x4).
Repeat rows 37-48 for rows 49-60.

BEGIN RAGLAN DECREASES:
RS- knit across row until 2 stitches remain; k2tog.
WS- purl.
Continue for 22 more rows (24 rows total); BO. Piece should measure about 21 inches.

FOR RIGHT FRONT:
Repeat, EXCEPT-
1. For rows 1-32, you will decreasing (ppso) at the BEGINNING of rows 3, 7, 10, 14, etc.
2. For rows 60-84, decrease (ppso) at the BEGINNING of all even rows.

BACK:
Cast on 80 (84, 88 ) sts.
Row 1: k1, p1, repeat until end.
Row 2: work sts as they appear.
Row 3: psso, p1, k1, p1, repeat until 2 sts remain, p2tog.
Row 4: work sts as they appear.
Work rows 1-4 8 times, 32 rows total.
Row 33: knit
Row 34: purl
Repeat for rows 35-60.
Begin working raglan decreases. Decrease at the beginning and end of each knit row of RS, purl the WS. Repeat until row 74.
Begin short rows. Knit 12 sts, wrap & turn, purl. k9, w&t, purl. k6, w&t, purl. k3, w&t, purl.
Bind off as you knit the next row (across entire top of sweater back). Begin short rows on the last 12 sts, same as the first side. Bind off last 3 stitches. Piece should measure about 22 inches.

SLEEVE:
Cast on 30 (34, 38) sts.
Row 1: k1, p1, repeat.
Row 2 & all even rows: work sts as they appear.
Row 3: m1, knit made stitch, p1, repeat to last stitch, m1.
Repeat rows 1-4 5 times, total of 20 rows.
Row 21: knit
Row 22: purl
Row 23: m1, knit to last st, m1
Row 24: purl.
Repeat until piece measures the length from a few inches above the wrist to the crease of your armpit- number of rows is not significant.
Begin working raglan decreases. Work stockinette, decreasing one stitch at the beginning AND end of every other row (RS is easiest). Continue until raglan edge on sleeve is equal to raglan edge of the front/back pieces.

At this point, you should start pinning everything together and sew seams. (For tips on good seams, go here.) You may need to sew up the shoulder (closer to the neck) a bit- I did. The shoulders can droop a little bit- no worries, the hoodie will fix this. Once you are finished sewing the pieces together, take a measurement of the entire neckline. This will be Magical Number X.

HOODIE:
(Now… I like my hoods BIG. Nothing is worse than a wimpy hoodie that looks like a swim cap. If you happen to not agree, cast on less sts.)
Cast on 100 sts. Work 8 rows of 1X1 ribbing. Continue until piece measures HALF of Magical Number X. Bind off loosely. With rib sts at the top, fold finished rectangle in half (widthwise), and sew the two bottom edges together. VOILA! Hood! But… if you’re like me and don’t want to look like an elf, you can take that sharp pointy corner at the top and fold it down into a triangle INSIDE the hood. Stitch along the folded edge, and then inside along both sides of the triangle. Much better. Next, sew your hoodie onto the neckline of your sweater.

Now it’s button time.

Using size 5 DPNs, knit an I-cord 3 sts wide and two times longer than your button is wide (Tutorial here.) Make 2 of these- one for each button. Now, put your sweater back on and pin the buttons and I-cords where they look best. Sew them on with a thread and needle.

Finished!

Three weddings in one week (including my own !!!)… it must be June! This was a gift I was able to finish in a few evenings. I seem to have a problem with colorwork- not that it’s particularly hard, mind you, just that my mind wanders and I’ll do the same two rows several times. Whoops. This pattern, however, is very easy, memorizes quickly, and produces beautiful results. It’s a simplified version of the traditional wedding ring quilting pattern of interlocking wedding rings. A functional memento- gotta love that!

I had a shopping spree at the MegaCraftBoxStore, and I purchased some Debbie Mumm Traditions in chocolate raspberry- a budget version of Noro Kureyon. It’s softer and has no knots. BUT it not only builds the typical wool-cheerio I loathe so much- it also unwinds and gathers as you knit (like another budget favorite, Homespun), which is AWFUL. I’m sure there’s some technical term for that I don’t know. Anyhow, the finished product is very soft and beautiful, but I’m wary of the yarn’s ability to hold up. Lesson: I may officially be a yarn snob.

THE PATTERN:

Materials: approx 150 of self-striping wool in worsted weight, size 8 straight needles, 2 yds decorative trim, 3/4 yd of coordinating fabric for pillowcase, 14′X14′ pillow insert, thread.

Wind 2/3 yarn into a ball- this is MC. Wind the rest into another- this is CC.

Using size 8 needles and MC, cast on 70 stitches.

Attach CC and begin working color chart as follows:

Repeat rows 1-10 SIX times. Bind off and weave in ends. Optional- with a H-hook, crochet a row of single crochet around outside of piece for a nice edge to sew into.

(The next part involves sewing, so if you’d rather skip that, you could use double the yarn, and make an all-yarn pillowcase.)

Since machine-sewing a knitted a piece is VERY ill-advised, begin by handstitching the decorative trim to the edges of knitted piece. I flipped a loop at each corner, like this:

At the end, do a few whip stitches to secure the two ends of the trim and prevent fraying.

Cut a 14′X28′ rectangle from fabric. Fold in half with right side out, and pin the knitted piece VERY CAREFULLY to fabric. You want to stretch it, but keep your lines straight and margins even. Ironing may help! Carefully sew a straight stitch through the center of each edge, skipping the corner loops. Then, fold fabric in half so knitting is inside, and pin around three edges. Using a tight zig-zag stitch, sew around outer edge, being careful again that your margins are even. Sew a few inches on the fourth side, but leave the rest unsewn. Flip the pillowcase inside out, insert pillow, and handstitch the unfinished seam. Use pins to fold an even line, and whip stitch the seam.

And there you have it!

For the yarn, I chose Noro Kureyon, the yarn everyone loves to hate. I chose the brightest colorway available and bought 2 skeins. Noro regularly discontinues colors, so make sure you buy enough- 2 skeins should do it unless you’re planning to use small needles. I also chose the Wool Peddler’s handpicked recycled silk, again making a special note to pick the brightest colors possible.

Pro-tip: the finished piece should come out to be 14″X28″, but buy your pillow insert AFTER you knit in case it’s a little bigger or smaller.

Gauge: 3 sts per inch. On smaller needles, knit a swatch and calculate cast on stitches, allowing for room for lace stitches to stretch (i.e. cast on about 10-20 LESS.)

Using size 10 needles, cast on 90 stitches with yarn A- Kureyon.
Feather & Fan Stitch:
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *YO, YO, YO, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, YO, YO, YO*, repeat *-* to end.
Row 4: Knit.

Repeat 2X, then switch to yarn B- recycled silk. Continue pattern, switching yarns every 8 rows. Repeat until piece measures 14″, then loosely bind off. Sew two edges of the rectangle together to form a square, leaving one side open to insert pillow. Insert pillow and stitch third side. You’re done!

Optional: sew a fabric lining for the pillow to avoid the white pillow showing through.

They are much easier than they look, and since they lace up the back, they allow for mistakes in increases and such. I used a cotton yarn, but anything that is hard-wearing and washable will do. Count on using about 250 yds, usually about 2 skeins.

Use size 13 needles- I used DPNs but the stockings will be knit entirely flat and joined with a lace-up seam. This seems to work faster, but if you wish, you can knit in the round until after the heel.

Cast on 24 stitches.
Row 1- Knit.
Row 2 (and all even rows)- Purl.
Row 3- knit.
Row 5- slip 1, *YO, k2tog*, rep *-*, slip last stitch
Row 7- slip 1, *Skp, YO*, rep *-*, slip last stitch
(this is the basic fishnet pattern)
Row 9- slip 1, m 1, *YO, k2tog*, rep *-*, slip last stitch
Row 11- slip 1, m1, *Skp, YO*, rep *-*, slip last stitch
Repeat rows 5-12 until length is same as toe to beginning of heel, approx two repeats.

Heel:
Row 1- kn 2, *YO, k2tog*, rep *-*, kn 2
Row 3- kn 4, *Skp, YO*, rep *-*, kn4
Row 5- kn 2, *YO, k2tog*, rep *-*, kn 2

Leg (continues as same fishnet pattern with less increases):
slip 1, m1, *YO, k2tog*, rep *-*, slip last stitch
slip 1, *Skp, YO*, rep *-*, slip last stitch

Continue until piece is desired length, allowing a couple extra inches for horizontal stretching. If you have used cotton yarn, Remember it will tend to loosen a bit.

Work a few rows of stockinette with a bigger needle (size 15 for S-M, 17 for L-XL). Bind off VERY LOOSELY. Use extra yarn for laces- cut it about 2X longer than the stockings. Wind it through the eyelet stitches along either side and tie at the top. I highly recommend hand-sewing in some elastic at the top- just be careful not to get it too tight. You can also “join” the sides by sewing the elastic into a circle.