The Daily Skein

All the craft that’s fit to make.

WRX November 14, 2008

Filed under: Knitting Projects,patterns — Cailyn @ 2:06 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

Remember, a few months back, I said I was knitting on some secret projects?  Well, one of them was a project that I submitted to Knitty for the winter edition.  My pattern made it to the final cut… and just didn’t quite make it past that.  Oh well, next time maybe; I’ve got a few ideas.  I’m thrilled that the pattern got so far in the process, really.  This just means that I get to show the project to you now instead of having to wait until mid-December.  It’s been killing me not to show these off!  (And I still have the other designs I submitted to the Knitting-Pattern-a-Day Calendar that I can’t tell you about, oy.)

 

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Lowell came to me one day and said that he’d really like fancy driving gloves to match his new WRX. Not one to back down from a challenge- er request, we scoured local yarn shops and the Internet for just the perfect shade of yarn in “Impreza blue” to match the car. He wanted something shiny and, in his words, “fast.” The yarns we decided on were not only an almost perfect color match; they’re also soft and luxurious. I love the natural shine of the silk and silk/wool blend. These gloves are knit with only a few rows of ribbing and then a mesh back adds some sportiness to the gloves. The first glove works across the back of the hand and then the palm; the left glove works across the palm and then the back of the hand. These gloves work up to the color work band shockingly fast. The larger size fits an average man’s hand. The smaller size is about a women’s medium.  They’re pretty stretchy, but be careful to keep the floats loose during the color work. Personally, I think these gloves would look stunning in black and Ferrari red.  (For more information about knitting glove fingers, check out Knitting In Color’s technique posts.)

 

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WRX

Download the PDF: WRX

  • Finished Size: Women’s medium/Men’s medium, circumference 7 1/2", length 5"; Men’s large, circumference 8 1/2", length 6"
  • Needles: Size 2 (2.75mm) double-point needles
  • Yarn: MC – Argosy Luxury Fibers Hanna Sport, Blue Mills (1 [1] skein) CC: Alchemy Yarns Silk Purse, 36F Lantern (1 [1] skein)
  • Extras: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers, 3 6" pieces of smooth scrap yarn or stitch holders
  • Gauge: 30 sts/42 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

Errata: 10/26/10 – fixed some formatting, removed extra Round 8 from Left Glove

Special Stitches

M1R: Insert left needle tip into the strand between stitches from back to front and knit into the front of the loop.

M1L: Insert left needle tip into the strand between stitches from front to back and knit into the back of the loop.

Mesh Pattern:

Round 1: K1, *YO, ssk* over next 18 [20] sts, k1. 

Round 2: Knit

 

Right Glove

Cuff

Using the Twisted German Cast On or the Long Tail Cast On, CO 40 [44] sts. Distribute evenly between the needles.

Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Round 1: *K1, p1* to end.

Repeat Round 1 2 more times.

Round 4: In CC, knit 1 round. (This keeps the “purl dots” of the other color from showing and makes the stripe look smoother).

Round 5: *K1, p1* to end. Break CC.

Round 6: In MC, knit 1 round.

Round 7: *K1, p1* to end.

 

Hand and Thumb Gusset

Round 8: K20 [22], k1, M1L, k10, M1L, k1 to 1 st before the end of the round, M1L, k 1. 3 sts increased. 43 [47] sts.

Round 9: Work Round 1 of Mesh Pattern, then knit to the end of the round.

Round 10: Work Round 2 of Mesh Pattern, then knit to the end of the round.

Repeat Rounds 9-10 1 [2] more times.

Next round: Work next round of Mesh Pattern, place marker, M1R, k1, M1L, place marker, knit to the end of the round.

Work 2 rounds even, working the Mesh Pattern as established.

[Thumb increase round: Work Mesh Pattern to marker, slip marker, M1R, knit to next marker, M1L, slip marker, knit to the end of the round.  2 sts increased.

Work 2 rounds even, working the Mesh Pattern as established.]

Repeat instructions between brackets until there are 15 [19] sts between the markers, ending after the second even round.

Next round: K1, M1L, k18 [20], M1L, k1. Place all sts between the markers on scrap yarn or a stitch holder (markers can be removed now). CO 3 sts, rejoin round, and knit to the end of the round. 15 [19] sts removed, 5 sts increased. 48 [52] sts.

Knit 24 [27], k1, M1L, knit to 1 before the end of the round, M1l, k1. 2 sts increased. 50 [54] sts.

Size L only: Work 1 round even.

 

Swirl Color Work Band WRX Chart(click on the chart to enlarge)

Size S: K13, M1L, k26, M1L, k13, M1L.  2 sts increased. 52 sts.

Size L: K13, M1L, k13, M1L, k13, M1L, k13, M1L, k to end of round.  4 sts increased. 58 sts.

Both sizes: Join CC and work Right Swirl Chart for 15 rounds. The chart within the red lines repeats 3 times.  Work the first 3[5] sts once, then the next 16 sts 3 times, then the last 3[5] sts once.

Next round: K1, k2tog, k20 [23], k2tog, k2, k2tog, k20 [23], k2tog, k1.  4 sts decreased. 48 [54] sts.

Next round: K38 [48]. Place next 10 [12] sts (the last 5 [6] and the first5 [6] of the round) on scrap yarn or a stitch holder for the pinky. CO 2 sts at the end of the round and rejoin in the round.  10 [12] sts removed, 2 sts increased. 40 [48] sts.

Knit 2 rounds.

 

Ring Finger

K6, place the next 28 [31] sts on scrap yarn or a stitch holder, CO 2 [3] sts, k8 [8]. 16 [17] sts.

Work 8 [10] rounds even.

Next round, S: *k1, p1* to the end.

Next round, L: *k1, p1* until 1 st before the end of the round, k1.  (This will keep the edge from curling.)

Bind off sts using EZ’s Sewn Bind Off.

Middle Finger

Return 7 [7] sts from the back of the hand and 7 [7] sts from the palm on the needles.

Join yarn at the back of the hand and k7, CO 3 [2] sts, k7, pick up and knit 4 sts along the cast on edge of the ring finger. 21 [21] sts.

Next round: K1, k2tog, k11, k2tog, k4. 2 sts decreased. 19 sts.

Work 8 [10] rounds even.

Next round: *k1, p1* until 1 st before the end, k1.

Bind off sts using EZ’s Sewn Bind Off.

Index Finger

Return remaining sts to needles.

Join yarn at the back of the hand and k12 [15], pick up and knit 4 sts along the cast on edge of the middle finger.  18 [19] sts.

Next round: K1, k2tog, k8 [9], k2tog, k4. 2 sts decreased. 16 [17] sts.

Work 7 [9] rounds even.

Next round, S: *k1, p1* to the end.

Next round, L: *k1, p1* until 1 st before the end, k1.

Bind off sts using EZ’s Sewn Bind Off.

Pinky

Return pinky sts to needles.

Join yarn at the palm side, k10 [12], pick up and knit 4 sts along the cast on edge of the ring finger. 14 [17] sts.

Next round: K1, k2tog, k4 [7], k2tog, k4.  2 sts decreased. 12 [15] sts.

Work 6 [8] rounds even.

Next round: *k1, p1* until 1 st before the end, k1.

Bind off sts using EZ’s Sewn Bind Off.

Thumb

Return thumb sts to the needles.

Join yarn and k15 [19], pick up and knit 5 sts along the cast on edge of the hand.  20 [24] sts.

Next round: K2, *k2tog, k3 [4],* three times, k2tog, k1 [2].  4 sts decreased. 16 [20 sts.]

Work 8 [10] rounds even.

Next round: *k1, p1* to the end.

Bind off sts using EZ’s Sewn Bind Off.

 

Left Glove

Work Cuff as for Right Glove.

 

Hand and Thumb Gusset

Round 8: K20 [22], k1, M1L, k10, M1L, k1 to 1 st before the end of the round, M1L, k 1.  3 sts increased. 43 [47] sts.

Round 8: K1, M1L, k8 [10], M1L, k8 [10] M1L, k26 [26]. 3 sts increased. 43 [47] sts.

Round 9: K 22 [25], then work Round 1 of Mesh Pattern.

Round 10: K22 [25], then work Round 2 of Mesh Pattern.

Repeat Rounds 9-10 1 [2] more times.

Next round: k21 [24], place marker, M1R, k1, M1L, place marker, work next round of Mesh Pattern.

Work 2 rounds even, working the Mesh Pattern as established.

[Thumb increase round: Work Mesh Pattern to marker, slip marker, M1R, knit to next marker, M1L, slip marker, knit to the end of the round.

Work 2 rounds even, working the Mesh Pattern as established.]

Repeat instructions between brackets until there are 15 [19] sts between the markers, ending after the second even round.

Next round: K1, M1L, k18 [20], M1L, k1. Place all sts between the markers on scrap yarn or a stitch holder (markers can be removed now). CO 3 sts, rejoin round, and knit to the end of the round. 15 [19] sts removed, 5 sts increased. 48 [52] sts.

Size L only: Work 1 round even.

 

Swirl Color Work Band (click on the chart above to enlarge)

Size S: K13, M1L, k26, M1L, k13, M1L. 2 sts increased.  52 sts.

Size L: K13, M1L, k13, M1L, k13, M1L, k13, M1L, k to end of round. 4 sts increased.  58 sts.

Both sizes: Join CC and work Left Swirl Chart for 15 rounds.  The chart within the red lines repeats 3 times.  Work the first 3[5] sts once, then the next 16 sts 3 times, then the last 3[5] sts once.

Next round: K1, k2tog, k20 [23], k2tog, k2, k2tog, k20 [23], k2tog, k1.  4 sts decreased. 48 [54] sts.

Next round: K38 [48]. Place next 10 [12] sts (the last 5 [6] and the first 5 [6] of the round) on scrap yarn or a stitch holder for the pinky. CO 2 sts at the end of the round and rejoin in the round. 10 [12] sts removed, 2 sts increased. 40 [48] sts.

Knit 2 rounds.

Next round: K38 [48]. Place next 10 [12] sts (the last 5 [6] and the first5 [6] of the round) on scrap yarn or a stitch holder for the pinky. CO 2 sts at the end of the round and rejoin in the round. 10 [12] sts removed, 2 sts increased. 40 [48] sts.

Knit 2 rounds.

Work the fingers and thumb for the left glove the same as for the right glove.

 

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Use tails and/or left over yarn to conceal any holes around the base of the fingers.  Lightly steam block if desired.

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Please Note: I post my patterns as soon as I’ve completed them because I’m excited to share them with you. They have not been fully tested, but they are free. I’ve made every effort to make sure that the instructions are clear and error-free. There may be typos or pattern mistakes and if you find them or have any questions, please let me know by posting a comment or emailing me, dailyskein at gmail.com.

 

Creative Commons License
This work by Cailyn Meyer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

 

Bamboo Blue Pretty! August 28, 2008

Filed under: Musings — Cailyn @ 8:39 pm
Tags: , , , ,

I’ve been neck deep in a secret project for the last few days.  I mentioned a while ago that I was trying to design something manly for Knitty’s winter issue?  Well, that project fell over, hit its head, and suffered a major stroke.  But then Lowell and I (mostly Lowell) came up with another idea and since then, it’s been a whirl of yarn shopping, knitting, frogging, knitting, fitting, and weaving in ends.  Hopefully the sun will come out long enough in the next two days that I’ll actually be able to take pictures of the project before the deadline hits.  Man, wouldn’t that be annoying; I get the whole project done and written up… and then can’t photograph them.  Well, here’s hoping for some sun tomorrow.

 

On my quest to find the perfect yarn, though, I’ve run across a wonderful yarn seller!  Argosy Luxury Fibers. I ordered 2 skeins of secret yarn (Hanna Sport, Blue Mills) and 2 skeins of Solace, Starry Night.  *drool*  This yarn is so soft that I just want to cuddle with it all the time.  I had this horrible vision of a delicately cabled blanket made out of this stuff- you know, the kind of project that would be so stunning (and so stunningly expensive) that the very act of making it would make the rest of life meaningless.  I quickly shoved that vision into a back closet in my brain and stacked several mental crates in front of it in hopes that it won’t come back out to haunt my dreams.

 

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Hanna Sport, Blue Mills

Solace, Starry Night

 

Her pictures are much better than mine (click on her thumbnails for a gorgeous close up of the yarns.)  I waited all day to take these pictures in the sun, but as previously stated, the sun did not appear.  The colors are pretty accurate, but you miss the beautiful shine.

 

So, anyway, I ordered these yarns.  And as soon as the box arrived, I tore it open to discover my 4 beautiful skeins… and 2 extra skeins. My first thought was, “Wait, did I order yarn and totally forget about it?” Then I saw the note from the owner.  Melissa included the yarn for free!  I literally squealed aloud with delight.  (Gave the cats a good fright, it did.)

 

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I was so excited that I even called Lowell at work and babbled something like, “Oh my god, free, bamboo, blue, pretty!” and then hung up.  The yarn she sent is Bonsai Bamboo in Teal. I am already head over heels in love with Hanna Sport, which I used for the secret project.  I’ve got about a skein and a third left, too, which I’m crazy excited about.  It’s so soft and silky and lightweight, you just have to feel it to believe it.  I think the Solace is next on the project block, but I think a pair of gloves made out of the Bonsai is soon in my future.  Let me tell you, the combination of great yarn with such a nice gift… Let’s just say, I’m putting in another order in a few days for some Christmas knitting supplies.  I’m not sure if the stars have aligned to shine a bright and inspiring light into my life in the form of silk blend yarns… or if this is some sort of conspiracy by my credit card company to get me to run up mountains of debt.

 

Honestly, I’m not sure I care which one it is.