Saturday, 19 February 2011

Knitted Cats

First appearing in this post here and then here. The 'cat' has grown and multiplied. These three are the latest addition to Hand Knitted Things knitting pattern collection. For more detail about the pattern click here or vist my shop here.




Friday, 18 February 2011

Harry Potter Inspired Scarf

Here are the scarf instructions as promised in my previous post.
If you would like to see and download this as a free PDF here's the link click here.

About

This stripy scarf is knitted flat with straight needles in stocking stitch and sewn along the side seams to make it double thickness. The colour changes are broad and narrow bands of stripes. Two tone fringing completes each end.

Size and gaugeApproximately 60 cm (24 inches long) x 17 cm (7 inches) wide. Gauge approx.8 stitches over 10 rows

Skills requiredCast on, cast off, knit, purl stitches. Sewn over stitch to join.

Materials

x3 100g balls Stylecraft Special Double Knit #1035 Burgundy – main colour

x1 100g ball Stylecraft Special Double Knit # # 1114 – contrast colour

Pair 8 mm (US 11) knitting needles

Blunt tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Instructions

  1. Use two strands held together throughout. (When using a single ball of yarn find the ‘other end’ from the centre of the ball and pull evenly with the ‘outer’ strand to hold two strands together).

  1. Using size 8 mm (US 11) needles cast on 40 stitches in main Burgundy colour holding the two strands together from separate balls of yarn.

  1. Row 1 knit (right side).

  1. Row 2 purl

  1. Repeat rows 1 and 2. This is now referred to as stocking stitch.

  1. Work total of 16 rows.

  1. With right side facing join yellow contrast colour work two rows of stocking stitch.

  1. With right side facing join main burgundy colour and work two rows of stocking stitch.

  1. With right side facing join contrast yellow and work two rows of stocking stitch.

  1. Right side facing work 15 rows of main colour. Right side facing – follow instructions 7-10 repeating stripe blocks 10 more times (or more as required – allow more yarn than specified above).

  1. End with block of main colour right side facing and cast off.

  1. The colour joins can be tidied off at the end by cutting knotting and weaving in.

  1. Join the side edges together by sewing the sides to make a tube with the centre seam at the back of the scarf.

  1. Make the fringe, a DVD case is a useful size for wrapping and measuring the yarn around. Loop the fringe through the front and back of the scarf edge and tie securely.

  1. Trim the fringe to straighten any uneven threads.


Thursday, 17 February 2011

New (Bird) House Ideas II

Pretty but impractical.
from Marie Claire Idees ( knitting instructions in french)

New (Bird) House Ideas

1. Bird Houses / 20071230.10D.46705 / SML, 2. Bird House, 3. bird house, 4. Old Mill Log & Stone Bird House , 5. Blue Mountain Chalet A-Frame Bird House, 6. Bird houses in a row, 7. Cold Bird House, 8. little red (bird)house, 9. Bird house at Natural Bridge, Virginia

With spring around the corner we are planning some new bird boxes for the garden. Had a surf through flickr for some inspiration and got slightly carried away. The red one, bottom centre, has been given approval (minus the red paint). Mr Hand Knitted will be making them - nothing elaborate is allowed!


Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Harry Potter Inspired

Harry Potter Inspired
Recent commission for hat, scarf and gloves set. Am I the only person not to have read any Harry Potter? Had to Google 'Gryffindor' to find out who/what/it/they might be! The gloves are adapted from my existing cable hand warmer pattern, the beret pattern is still in scribbled note format and the scarf knitting instructions to follow soon...

Added 20.02.11 Scarf PDF download