I am generally a very organised person, but for some reason I leave knitted presents to the last minute, which means that I:
1. Get a bit flustered when trying to decide what to make and
2. Have to knit like a maniac to get the project done.
I was very happy when my friend asked me to knit her something for her birthday rather than buy a gift. But, as per above schedule, I started thinking about it less than a week before the gift was due. Again, as per above schedule, I looked at loads and loads of patterns of fingerless gloves (at least I had half settled on a type of gift) and even started making one until I decided I didn't like it.
So, its Tuesday night and the gift is due to be given on Saturday. You continue being overwhelmed with patterns. What do you do? Go back to an old faithful! I have made Fetching twice already, and you can tell how popular it is from the fact it has been made over 20,000 times (and that's just on Ravelry). It's just an easy, quick and very satisfying pattern, and rightfully deserves to be so popular.
I have also made its other incarnation, Owlings, once before, and being an owlette I decided that it was fate.
The beauty with making patterns that you have knitted before is that you don't need to think about it too much. I should have checked my gauge because I was using a different yarn (Manos wool classica) but I just assumed that decreasing the cast-on stitches from 45 to 35 would still be fine. I must have small hands or knit too loosely, but 45 was just huge on me the first time I made these, and I have stuck to 35 ever since.
I also modified the pattern to add a thumb gusset because I think they work better. I wanted to think about it myself but it was 10pm and my brain was fried - thankfully, another raveler had already posted some instructions, so I based mine on hers:
1. Knit two rounds following the rib pattern after the owling cable is complete
2. K2, place marker, m1, place marker, follow pattern to end of round
3. Knit 2 rounds in rib pattern
4. K2, slip marker, m1, knit to next marker, m1, slip marker, follow pattern to end of round
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are 11 stitches between the two markers
6. On next round, k2, slip the 11 stitches onto waste yarn, join and follow pattern to end of round.
7. Knit 4 rows in rib pattern
8. Follow owling cable pattern
9. Knit one row on rib pattern and bind off loosely
I tried doing 8 rows instead of 4 in step 7 but they just looked a bit odd to me, too long.
For the thumb, I picked up the stitches plus and extra three from in between to avoid holes, and knitted 4 rows. I was a little drunk at the time, so they were purls rather than knits (I must have been going the wrong way round), but I though they looked quite cute so left them like that.
1. Get a bit flustered when trying to decide what to make and
2. Have to knit like a maniac to get the project done.
I was very happy when my friend asked me to knit her something for her birthday rather than buy a gift. But, as per above schedule, I started thinking about it less than a week before the gift was due. Again, as per above schedule, I looked at loads and loads of patterns of fingerless gloves (at least I had half settled on a type of gift) and even started making one until I decided I didn't like it.
So, its Tuesday night and the gift is due to be given on Saturday. You continue being overwhelmed with patterns. What do you do? Go back to an old faithful! I have made Fetching twice already, and you can tell how popular it is from the fact it has been made over 20,000 times (and that's just on Ravelry). It's just an easy, quick and very satisfying pattern, and rightfully deserves to be so popular.
I have also made its other incarnation, Owlings, once before, and being an owlette I decided that it was fate.
The beauty with making patterns that you have knitted before is that you don't need to think about it too much. I should have checked my gauge because I was using a different yarn (Manos wool classica) but I just assumed that decreasing the cast-on stitches from 45 to 35 would still be fine. I must have small hands or knit too loosely, but 45 was just huge on me the first time I made these, and I have stuck to 35 ever since.
I also modified the pattern to add a thumb gusset because I think they work better. I wanted to think about it myself but it was 10pm and my brain was fried - thankfully, another raveler had already posted some instructions, so I based mine on hers:
1. Knit two rounds following the rib pattern after the owling cable is complete
2. K2, place marker, m1, place marker, follow pattern to end of round
3. Knit 2 rounds in rib pattern
4. K2, slip marker, m1, knit to next marker, m1, slip marker, follow pattern to end of round
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are 11 stitches between the two markers
6. On next round, k2, slip the 11 stitches onto waste yarn, join and follow pattern to end of round.
7. Knit 4 rows in rib pattern
8. Follow owling cable pattern
9. Knit one row on rib pattern and bind off loosely
I tried doing 8 rows instead of 4 in step 7 but they just looked a bit odd to me, too long.
For the thumb, I picked up the stitches plus and extra three from in between to avoid holes, and knitted 4 rows. I was a little drunk at the time, so they were purls rather than knits (I must have been going the wrong way round), but I though they looked quite cute so left them like that.
.JPG) |
| Shocking pink pair of owls |
 |
| Owl close-up |
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| And a happy customer! |
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