Natalia Knits

Bad, blurry pictures of my clue one of Secret of the Stole ii, in the pretty cashmere from Yubina: (click on the pictures to enlarge)

Kelly, here’s the pictures I promised of the yarn I ordered from Yubina.

First of all, it arrived in a box with pretty Chinese stamps:

It came packed pretty tight into the smallish box:

Four beautiful skeins:

The color is a truer red than this picture shows, neither orangey nor purpley:

The yarn is fine, and the skeins are so pretty:

I’m really enjoying lace knitting right now. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be starting on the Secret of the Stole ii mystery knit-along. I didn’t participate in the first one, but it turned out to be gorgeous, so this one should be spectacular too.

Most fingering-weight sock patterns are knit over somewhere between 60-72 stitches. Since mittens are not intended to fit as tightly as socks, I’ve found that the same size/gauge combination that produces a snugly-fitting sock also produces a comfortable-but-not-too loose mitten. And although I like knitting socks, I hate wearing them, so I had the idea to convert the sock patterns that catch my eye to mitten patterns.

I like to have a pair of gloves or mittens in the pockets of every coat, a spare pair at my office and in my car… I think it’s time to replace all of those pairs of “magic stretch” knit gloves from Target that are lurking all those coat pockets with pretty patterned hand-knit mittens.

Converting cuff-down socks to mittens recipe:

1. Cast on the number of stitches indicated in the pattern, one half of the stitches will be the back-of-the-hand side, and one half will be the palm side.
2. Begin working the fancy pattern on the back of the hand side, while working in 2×2 ribbing on the palm side. Work straight for 2 inches, or more if you prefer longer cuffs. The ribbing on the palm side draws in the fabric since most people’s wrists are smaller than their ankles. Note: if you have small wrists, cast on fewer stitches on the palm side, then increase up to the full suggested cast on-amount after you have completed the ribbing.
3. Continue to work the back of the hand in pattern, work palm side in stockinette for ½ in. The back-of-hand side of the mitten will be worked in pattern until step 8.
4. Measure around your thumb, and multiply that measurement by your stockinette gauge – if this number is odd, subtract one. This number is your “Thumb Stitches”.
5. Thumb Gussets: Instructions are for Right (Left) where there are no instructions in parenthesis, do the same for both. On the palm side: k1, place marker, k4, place marker, k to end of row (k to 5 st from end of row, place marker, k4, place marker, k1) Knit one round even, knit to first marker, k1, m1, k2, m1, k1, k to end of row, knit two rounds even. *k to first marker, k1, m1, k to 1 st before marker, m1, k1, knit to end of row, knit two rounds even* Repeat between stars until the number of stitches between the markers equals your “Thumb Stitches”.
6. Try on the mitten, with the ribbing down on your wrist where it is most comfortable. If the knitting reaches the top of the webbing between your thumb and hand move on to step 7, otherwise, work even until it does.
7. Knit to first marker, place the stitches between the two markers on a holder, cast on 4 stitches, continue knitting across the end of the row. Knit even until when you try the mitten on, the work reaches just past the tip of the pinky finger.
8. Work the toe from the sock pattern to make the end of the mitten.
9. Retrieve the thumb stitches from the holder, then pick up 4 stitches from the cast on edge at the palm. (If you get holes at the corners, pick up a couple of extra stitches then decrease them away in the next couple of rounds) Work the thumb even until it is long enough for your thumb. Divide thumb stitches into front and back so the top seam will be parallel to your thumbnail. Begin decreasing : *k1, SSK, k to within 3 st of the end of one side of the thumb, k2tog, k1, repeat on other side of thumb, knit one full round even* repeat between stars until half your starting thumb stitches remain, kitchener thumb closed.

Converting toe-up socks to mittens recipe:

1. Work the toe from the sock pattern to make the end of the mitten.
2. Like in a sock, one half of the stitches will be the back-of-the-hand side, and one half will be the palm side. Begin fancy pattern on back-of-hand side, work palm side in stockinette until mitten is long enough to reach the webbing between the thumb and hand. (be generous with this length, otherwise the mitten will be too short when you curl your fingers) Work fancy pattern on back-of-hand side until the end of the cuff.
3. Measure around your thumb, and multiply that measurement by your stockinette gauge – if this number is odd, subtract one. This number is your “Thumb Stitches”.
4. Thumb Gussets: Instructions are for Right (Left) where there are no instructions in parenthesis, do the same for both. On the palm side: k to 5 st from end of row, place marker, place 4 stitches on a holder, provisionally cast on your “Thumb Stitches”, place marker, k1 (k1, place marker, place 4 stitches on a holder, provisionally cast on your “Thumb Stitches”, place marker, k to end of row) Knit one row even, *k to first marker, k1, SSK, k to 1 st before marker, k2tog, k1, knit to end of row, knit two rounds even* Repeat between stars until you have 4 stitches between the markers.
5. Knit even until when you try it on, the mitten reaches your wrist bone.
6. Continue back-of-hand side in pattern, work palm side in 2×2 ribbing until cuff is desired length. Note: if your wrists are small, decrease on palm side before beginning ribbing.
7. Cast off mitten cuff.
8. Pick up provisional stitches from the thumb gusset, retrieve 4 stitches from holder. (If you get holes at the corners, pick up a couple of extra stitches then decrease them away in the next couple of rounds) Work the thumb even until it is long enough for your thumb. Divide thumb stitches into front and back so the top seam will be parallel to your thumbnail. Begin decreasing : *K1, SSK, K to within 3 st of the end of one side of the thumb, K2tog, K1, repeat on other side of thumb, knit one full round even* repeat between stars until half of starting thumb stitches remain, kitchener thumb closed.

To go along with my post about Eastern-style knitting, here is how I purl eastern style. Note that the yarn never has to go in front of the left-hand needle.

Entering the stitch:

Pulling the stitch behind the working yarn:

Creating the new stitch:

Video of the purl in action:

At the request of snowmoon3 on Ravelry, I’ve taken pictures and video of the way I knit

I knit Eastern style, with the stitch mounted so the leading edge is behind the needle. My purls are mounted the same way, I’ll show purling in my next post.

Here is entering the stitch:

Wrapping the yarn:

Completing the stitch:

Finally, video of knitting in action:

One of my coworkers is pregnant, and due on valentines day. I made a Pasha (from Knitty) for her, and I improvised a pair of flipper-shaped baby booties to go with it. I gave him to her at her office baby shower, and multiple people have asked me for the pattern info - everybody just loved it. I was quite proud of myself. And since he’s made of Sugar and Cream coton, and stuffed with polyfill,, he’s even machine washable!

I finally figured out picture uploading with the new blog set-up, so hopefully I’ll be posting occasionally again.

I never win in contests. Well, that’s not true… I do win every once in a while, but not very often, for sure! (And the last two times I won something, one was a ticket for a sleigh ride on a day me and aparently all of my friends were out of town, and the other was a prize in a raffle where the organizer was “too busy” to let winners know when their prizes shipped, and didn’t bother to get tracking numbers on the stuff she sent out.)

Anyway, so Cara over at January One was having a fundraiser for Heifer International in conjunction with the Spin-Out event. I don’t spin, but I think Heifer International is a seriously awesome group, so I chipped in, figuring it’s a good thing I don’t ever win,. since what would I do with a bunch of unspun fiber?

Well, I Won!, And, the most awesome part is that a won a big honking pile of sock yarn! I’m so lucky.

 But the funny part of it is… even though I’m excited about having won… I’m still even *more* entertained about having bought a family on the other side of the world bits and pieces of a goat, a llama, some rabits, some chickens, a sheep… maybe even more, I don’t remember… but what a franken-creature! hee hee!

I’ve not been knitting much lately, but I did finally get around to porting the blog to wordpress, so at least I will be *able* to use it.

A couple of weeks ago, I started a new pair of toe-up jaywalkers, using a very pretty blue/red colorway of Fortissima Colori Socka Color, this time on size 1’s instead of size 0’s.

I have turned one heel, and am midway through turning the 2nd, and I can say unequivically that this time the heels fit perfectly. Amazing what happens when you actually make gauge.

Pictures will follow.