The Intuitive Knitter

Happy Fire Monkey Year!

Cashmere sweater made by Zealana Air Limited Edition dyed by Koigu

Cashmere neck and shoulder warmer using Zealana Air

This post has no pattern, but it uses all the knowledge I gained from my own knitting so far plus new skills such a fair isle and exact body measurement, to create my own unique pieces.

For as long as I have been knitting and crocheting, I found that I go into a meditative state.  So I decided to really go with the flow with these Air yarn.  At $50/hank (Koigu dyed) most people would think I'm nuts, threading without a game plan.  But I am that crazy and unafraid, so I did.

I bought the Zealana Air Limited Edition dyed by Koigu online and was a bit worried about whether it was going to be enough for a sweater I planned to knit since I only ordered 2 hanks and the rest were Charcoal Zealana Air.

These are taken from Zealana website.

A01 - CHARCOALLace Weight
25g : 175m : 191y
32–40sts over 10cm
US 1 : 2.25mm

Special Edition Zealana

#619Lace Weight
50g : 350m : 382y
32–40sts over 10cm

US 1 : 2.2

When laid out, it looked more comforting that there's probably enough yarn for half of a sweater.

Using a 5.5mm KarbonZ, started from bottom up, then mom transitioned and everything had to stop.

Finally, a fitting session, quite happy with how it fits.  Oh boy it was hot as! (30C midday)

Finished it within a day after the fitting session.

Garter stitches for the cuffs, borders and neck, stockinette for the body.  Cuffs has hole for thumb.

Testing fair isle method...not a fan, doubt will try more...somebody convince me...

Not a fan of getting the carry on thread parts being thicker than the rest...

I modified my "Big Sweater Pattern" for the Koigu dyed sweater.  Armed with the understanding of 2rows=1cm measurement, I embarked on a journey with my measuring tape close by to get the body hugging sweater.  My method may be the most unconventional way of knitting and probably questionable by pro knitters out there.  Please understand I am an energy reader and now an intuitive knitter.

The shoulder warmer is a bit more complex.  I think I have it written down somewhere and drawn, but it's somewhere under the pile.  I'm moving and everything's buried somewhere in the many boxes I have stacked.  Maybe someday I'll write a proper fair isle pattern when I settle in my destination.

Please ask me any questions in the comment or G+ me.  Thanks for reading my lovely readers.

FREE PATTERN: Big Sweater Pattern

I had my reservation in posting this pattern I created because of the non-confidence in whether I made something worthy enough to be shared.  That is until two ladies from Masco Wools downtown Auckland convinced me that I need to even sell this pattern online as the end product looked good on me.  Of course I'm now inspired to write and make more intricate sweater with this pattern as a base.

Masco Wools downtown Auckland, NZ

What you need:
- set of circular needles, I used 3.00mm - 6.00mm set
- 2.50mm circular needles
- 2.75mm double pointed needles
- 3.00mm crochet hook
- about 2 skeins of 200gr 4 ply Naked Skeinz organic merino yarn
- stitch markers
- tapestry needles

Pattern:

Body
- CO 216 sts on 3.00mm circular needles, put marker at starting st, join in the round
- K1 in the round for 1 row
- Next row onwards for 10cm: K2, P4 in the round (rib st)
- When you reached 10cm, change gradually to larger needles, going up from 3.00mm to 3.50mm for the next row, then 4.00mm for the next row, and so on until you reach 6.00mm.  This is all done in K1 (stockinette st)
- Put marker halfway at 108 sts
- Knit till 58 cm
- Bind off at armpit, 12 sts each side (6 sts before and after marker)

Sleeves

- Use the 2.50mm circular needles
- CO 42 sts, put marker at starting st, join in the round
- K1 in the round for 1 row
- Next row onwards for 10cm: K2, P4 in the round (rib st)
- When you reached 10cm, use the double pointed needles to go up from 2.50mm needles to 6.00mm needles in stockinette st
- K1 till piece measures 18cm

 

Shape Sleeves

-  Increase round: continue in stockinette st, kfb (knit into front and back) into last 2 st [2 st increased]

- Repeat increase round every 15cm, 2 more times (at 33cm and 48cm) - 48 st total

- Continue to work in stockinette st without increasing until piece measures 63cm (I have long lean arms, measure from cast on edge to underarm, unrolled, the diameter of your arms at 3 major points where you need to increase when folded)

- Bind off using 3.00mm crochet hook, 6 sts before and after marker - 12 sts

Transfer sleeves to the body

- Decrease every 6 sts making sure it's K2tog at the sleeves' junctions
- Put 1 marker, now measure from here - 232 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm (about 7 rows)
- Decrease after every 6 sts, K2tog - 203 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm (about 9 rows)
- Dec after every 6 sts, K2tog - 177 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm
- Dec after every 10 sts, K2tog - 139 sts
- K1 for about 5 cm
- Dec after every 10 sts, K2tog - 108 sts (divisible by 6 for ribbing)
- Start rib pattern K2/P4 for 10cm (while you keep changing to smaller needles, till you use 3.00mm needles again)
- Then work reverse rib pattern of P2/K4 for 15 cm (while changing back to larger needles till you use 6.00mm needles again)
- Loosely bind off with 3.00mm crochet hook

Does it look as expensive as the Fazioli?

The length it goes up to (disregard my sneakers, I'd pair it up with high heel ankle boots or flat knee high boots)

Free Pattern: Shoulder & Knee Warmer

This project is based on the Free Pattern "Amelia" by Drops Design.

Knee warmer as wrist warmer (my knee is the same size as my wrist???  apparently so...)

I didn't follow the instruction religiously as I felt that 2 strands of the yarn I have would be too bulky for something lacey.

Materials:

- 2 * 50gr Heritage certified organic merino 4 ply (for both shoulder and knee)

- 5.00 mm, 80 cm then change to 60 cm circular Karbonz knitting needle (for shoulder)

- 6.00 mm Tulip crochet hook (binding off shoulder)

- 2.50 mm, 25 cm circular Symfonie knitting needle (for knee)

- 2.50 mm Tulip crochet hook (binding off knee)

- stitch marker

- needle to stitch in ends

The set

On the knee, some on calf, all I need is the boots.

The alteration I did for the shoulder warmer was quite a lot because I realised as I'm only using 1 strand, it looked a bit small when going with their suggested stitches.  I added about 4 more repetition of the pattern only realising that it was a bit much and started decreasing on every knit row to keep the pattern looking as it supposed to be.
I added about 3 more repetition of the last pattern rows because I didn't want it to slip off my shoulder when worn.

For the knee, I casted on 68 stitches, and did the first pattern 6x instead of 4x as it was written.  Then I go on each pattern 1x and skipped pattern F.  I repeat G till the piece was around 25cm long.

Very simple project to do over a long weekend.  Enjoy!

FREE PATTERN: Neck Warmer

Karbonz size 4.00 mm with 40cm cable

Only 1,5 balls needed (approx.150gr)

My favourite way to wear neck warmer

  
 

 Materials:
- 1 ball + around 20 gr (leftovers) Zealana Tui Chunky weight (70% Merino, 15% Cashmere, 15% Brushtail Possum)
- size 4.00mm circular knitting needles with 40cm cable
- 2 stitch markers

FREE PATTERN: Snuggles

There are some changes made to the pattern because I realised there's not enough yarn to make what the pattern called for.

I was also worried about the end result looking like a bib because of the split at the sides, so I decided to just work with what leftover yarn I have and just wing it at the end.
The result was the front side had 4 rows of garter and the back side only got 2 rows and the entire thing only stretches to about 30+cm.

One thing I like working with chunky weights is that you get to see result so quickly, it makes you want to do another and another and another.

Happy knitting :)

FREE PATTERN: The Right Cowl

Short version of the neck warmer made with half of a 100gr hank organic merino, possibly lace weight. 

Long version of the neck warmer (hood-able).

3 balls of 100% certified Organic Merino

KARB@NZ

Armed with size 4.00 mm circular carbon fibre knitting needles

Materials:
- 3 balls / 150grams of Heritage 100% certified organic merino
- size 4.00 mm circular knitting needles with 60cm cables
- 1 stitch marker

FREE PATTERN: Always Lovely

I know this pattern calls for summer yarn (cotton merino blend) but I felt that the organic merino stash I have would just be perfect for it.
It was a very simple lace pattern with easy to follow instruction.

Just make sure you are not watching some really awesome action movie like Resident Evil Retribution because I ended up having to undo 13 rows the next day!  Ouch!  No lifelines either!  Very clever, don't try this at home kids.

Happy creating :)

Arctic Ready Meditation Poncho

When a dear one asked me to make a poncho for meditation, I never thought it was going to be a "project".  I thought, oh yeah, ponchos, what could be so hard about it?  No sleeves, no collars,  no pockets, no zippers, sweet....

I used 24 balls Zealana Kauri worsted weight (60% fine NZ Merino, 30% Brushtail Possum, 10% Mulberry Silk) in Red Tuhi.
With 2 strands, I needed 6.00 mm circular KARBONZ Knit Pro Interchangeable Needles (yes they do feel supple and light, far from the generic one I used to have).

This is for a large size so, I started with connecting 2 cables of 40cm with the connector (this is the part that I hate most because sometimes they come undone, even after I fastened it with the fastener).  It makes me curious about the ADDI click system.

The pattern is worked from bottom up and very simple, that's why I added the cable in the middle to add some texture.  It's just garter at the bottom, garter for the sides with stockinette in the middle.  Then hood has to be worked back and forth and garter on it's sides.  Sew up the mid section of the hood together.
Then I added a little button with crochet hook and some chains to hook it up.

This is too big for me but in this soaring heat, only I would volunteer modelling it.

The back

The front

Some knitters opt not to work with possum yarn because they kill the animals to take the fur as oppose to just shearing them.  NZ do have a problem with possum as they are pests.  I just have a problem with the steep pricing they have for these yarns.

Alternate use when stored: plush pillow

The evidence

Helping NZ control pests a stitch at a time

Till next time Zealana yarn