Saturday, December 17, 2011

Watson's Heinous Handmade Scarf

In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Watson shows up to see Holmes wearing a charming homemade scarf, which of course Holmes makes fun of, calling it the "heinous handmade scarf" and "clearly" one of his fiance's "earlier" attempts.

I picked 100% wool yarn from a chain store for a reason; that anyone who wants it can buy it, and can probably find it easily; and that it will block. One single handpainted skein with these colors perfectly spaced out would look best, but I cant dye my own yarn so I bought three colors to work with!

Needle size: 8
Cast on 44 stitches in Patons CLassic Wool, Chestnut brown.
K1, P1 for 16 rows
Switch to Aran (creme color), K1, P1 2 rows
Switch to Denim (blue color), K1, P1 8

Switch back to Aran, K1, P1 2 rows

Repeat this as many times as you like until your scarf is long enough for your tastes.
I noticed in the film that the blue in the scarf seemed to change width; sometimes thinner (6 rows) sometimes almost as thick as a brown stripe. If you'd like to mix up the widths of the blue feel free to do so. Just add or subtract a blue color here and there!

COLOR CHANGES: if you haven't done this before simply search for it on YouTube for a nice visual tutorial. It's very easy; you just pick up the new color and start knitting with it; but sometimes people (like me) are visual and need to SEE that haha. It truly is easy.
Because these at large blocks I do not suggest "floating" strands of colors until you need them again. Cut the yarn do that you can weave in ends. I've also been tying small knots to keep things from unraveling.
The tassels at the end are optional (i pretty much hate them personally), I will add a tutorial about tassels here very soon

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Norgie Hat

This is my Norwegian inspired hat for fall and winter, in honor of my huband's heritage and his family in Norway.

For the smaller head, 78 stitches joined in the round (tweens to teens, will fit some womens heads. Should fit a head that is about 22.5 inch circumference (56 cm))
For a larger head, 91 stitches joined in the round.

I did 2 inches of K2,P2 for the brim in lighter color on size 6 using the magic loop (you can use DPNs if you prefer).

Read the chart from bottom to top, each row beginning on the R and moving towards the L. pick whatever 2 colors of your choice, the darker choice being the black squares and the light choice being the white squares. once the chart is completed:
knit in the lighter color for about 6 rows.
1) knit 5, K2tog
2) next row and every even row knit entire row
3) knit 4, k2tog
5) knit 3 k2tog
7) knit 2, k2tog
9) knit 1, k2tog
11)k2tog
13)bind off, tighten the yarn, and sew the small hole closed inside the hat.

The pattern generator I used started at 2 instead of 1. I dont know why. But there is NOT a row missing, promise.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Fast and Easy Circle Cowl

So, Ravelry won't let me put these VERY SIMPLE directions in on the notes and therefore I must start a BLOG and post them there. Sorry about the extra clicks.

Cast on 80 stitches on a 29" US 10 circular needle, join.
Follow rows 1-20 of pattern.
repeat rows 1-13.

bind off.


Pattern Stitch: (Multiple of 8 stitches)
Rows 1-3: Purl.
Rows 4-10: K3, slip 2 stitches purlwise with yarn at back, K3.
Rows 11-13: Purl
Rows 14-20: slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn at back, K6, slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn at back

The placement of the button is difficult for me to describe, please bear with me, and check out the pictures on the pattern in Ravelry. Put cowl on yourself, and fold one half flat against your neck, then bring the 2nd half over; find a loose yarn area in the 2nd half that you can put around a button to secure in place. sew button on the cowl and secure with that loose area of the second half.Because the pattern is not cabled but rather stretching some areas of yarn to LOOK like cable, you will basically have pre made buttonholes along the cowl edge.

Use the current photos as a guide. You may be able to pull this off with one skein; I only needed 2 rows worth of the second skein.