Friday 13 January 2012

Stippers and Alyn

Making up for lost time!

Over the holidays, I was able to release two new patterns:


Alyn is completely handspun from three-ply oatmeal Blue-faced Leicester. I love this fibre. It makes for a soft but hard-wearing men's sweater, with ribbing, cables, and a half-zip collar. My husband almost never takes it off. And, since it was released in Knitty, the pattern is free!

And just a few weeks old but already one of my most popular patterns: Stippers


The pattern name is turning heads (they're named for my husband's sweet, dyslexic habit of crossing his "L"s - I'm fully aware that the name may be eye-catching for different reasons!), but so is their clever seamless construction, arch shaping, continuous braided cable, and the fact that they're not felted. I wear mine every day. I'm going to need to make another pair soon - besides, they only take a few hours to make. The sample is made in soft, sturdy and bulky Quince and Co. Puffin.

Abbreviations

This is a list of common abbreviations and stitches I use in my patterns: refer to it if an abbreviation has you stumped or you just want to double-check to make sure you're doing a decrease correctly.



*repeat from * to current place in row
[ ] and ( )repeat instructions in brackets or parentheses as designated
approx.approximately
begbegin(ning)
bmbefore marker
BObind off (cast off)
Cddcenter double decrease: Sl 2 sts tog k-wise, k1, pass 2 sl sts over
CCcontrasting color (refer to yarn requirements)
cmcentimeter
cncable needle
COcast on
contcontinue(ing)
decdecrease(ing)
dpndouble point(ed) needle
follfollow(ing)
ggram(s)
gs (garter stitch)If working flat, knit every row. If working in the round, K 1 rnd, p 1 rnd.
ininch(es)
incincrease(ing)
kknit
k-wiseknit-wise
k2togknit 2 stitches together
k3togknit 3 stitches together
kbfknit into back and front of same stitch
kfbknit into front and back of same stitch
LHleft hand
LLIKnit into stitch 2 rows below stitch on RH needle
mmeter(s) or marker
M1Pick up strand between sts from back to front with LH ndl, knit this strand.
M1RPick up strand between sts from back to front with LH ndl, knit this strand.
M1LPick up strand between sts from front to back with LH ndl, knit this strand tbl.
M1PPick up strand between sts from back to front with LH ndl, purl this strand.
MCmain color (refer to yarn requirements)
ndlneedle(s)
ozounces
ppurl
p2togpurl two stitches together
pattpattern(s)
pfbpurl into front and back of same stitch
pmplace marker
pssopass slipped stitch(es) over
p-wisepurl-wise
Rep(s)repeat(s)
RHright hand
RLIKnit into stitch 1 row below next st on LH needle
Rnd(s)Round(s)
RSRight Side of work
s2kpslip 2 stitches together k-wise, k1, pass the 2 slipped stitches over
sk2pslip 1 st p-wise, k2tog, pass the slipped st over
slslip
smslip marker
St stStockinette stitch (stocking stitch)
st(s)stitch(es)
sskslip next 2 sts separately k-wise, sl these sts back to LH needle and k2tog through back loops
sspslip next 2 sts separately k-wise, sl these sts back to LH needle and p2tog through back loops
togtogether
tblthrough the back of the loop(s)
w&twrap and turn. See Knitting Help for more information.
WSwrong side (private side) of work
wyibwith the yarn in back
wyifwith the yarn in front
yoyarn over needle (lace increase)
ydyard(s)