Wine and Roses Mitts: Edging Question

I have over the last week heard from a couple knitters who have discovered that their stitch count was off in the working of the edging. One was simply off, the other had a question regarding the number of times that the edging pattern rounds should be worked.

Generally speaking when I have trouble getting into the rythm of a stitch pattern, I will use stitch markers to help me get started until I get into the swing of things. If you find you are not ending up with the right number of stitches and a quick math check tells you that you should be, try putting in stitch markers between each pattern repeat. Sometimes I need to do this even with simple stitch patterns. Not k2 p2 ribbing simple, but close. Very humbling it is, too, I might add.

Then I look at the stitch pattern. Charts are very handy for this as you can tell at a glance what you are getting into. If this is a stitch pattern where the stitch count remains constant, as most of them are, there will be 1 yarn over for each stitch decreased in the row. In the case of this mitt, up until the final row of the edging chart there is. In the final row of the edging chart, there are stitches that are decreased that are not paired with a yarn-over. The reason for that is the edging forms scallops, which takes more stitches per inch than the stitch pattern which follows it, the pattern on the cuff.

So, we know that until working the decrease round (round 4) that the stitch count should remain the same. The next thing to look at is do the decreases and yarn overs line up as they should? In the chart for the edging of this pattern, the decreases line up over the decreases, and the yarn overs line up over the yarn overs.

Then I look at the stitches and see if there are the number of knit stitches between other types of stitches that there should be. In the last round of the edging, you work *ssk, k2, sl 1 pwise, k2, k2tog and repeat from * to the end of the round (a total of 8 times). The trouble may lie in a previous round or in something you are doing in the working of the repeat, but that is how I usually progress when something isn’t working out right.

I check the math, I check the chart, I check my knitting, and I place stitch markers. Sometimes it doesn’t become obvious to me unless I write out those different steps.

Following is my response when there was a question regarding Wine and Roses Mitts in regards to having 2 extra stiches and working multiple row repeats of the edging.

Here is what it (the pattern in Interweave) says:

Loosely CO 72 stitches. Arrange sts evenly on 4 dpn, place marker (pm) and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Knit 1 round. Work Rnds 1-4 of Edging chart 8 times around…

I think that is where with a casual read it might appear to be telling you to work rounds 1-4 more than once. In reality, you are being told to repeat it to the end of the round (8 times around the circumference).

There are 9 stitches in the repeat at the edging. 9×8=72 so that number is correct. For each repeat, on round 4 there are two stitches less for each repeat as there are no corresponding yarn overs worked. So on round 4, the decrease round, there are 7 stitches for each repeat.

7×8=56 stitches, so that number is correct too. I would suspect you may have a missed a couple decreases if you are off by two stitches. I would go back and look at your knitting and look and see how many stitches you have between each stitch that is slipped and if you have a decrease where the decrease is supposed to go.

I hope that this helps if you have a question on this pattern, as well as show you how to sort out a question you have yourself if you are a newer knitter. 

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

Wine and Roses Mitts, Interweave Knits Winter 2006

I had mentioned before the fingerless mitts going into Interweave Knits(at the time I could not remember if it was the fall or winter issue). They will be in the winter issue due out in November. You’ll have to scroll down towards the bottom to see it on the page. I have been very excited about this, as this is my first appearance in an American knitting magazine…let along my favorite. I had a design and three articles on choosing colorways in Britian’s Knitting last year, and that was exciting too.

To make the mitts as pictured you will need Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply (100% cashmere; 400 yd [366 m]/55 g): #039 slate, 1 skein.

What I really had in mind with this design initially was something romantic and feminine, and something to keep my hands warm when the weather turns chilly. We keep the thermostat a little lower. Okay, I know for many of you that 68 or 70 hardly qualifies. But we live in a 100 year old farmhouse, and it is just a wee bit drafty. I will freely admit I get cold easily. I like the temperature to be around 72 year round.

These mitts fit the bill perfectly for keeping hands warm indoors in a lavish bit of self indulgence. They are feminine, fun, and functional. They combine a variety of techniques, too, which make for interesting knitting.

The cuff at the sleeve end has an edging gleaned from Latvian Mittens, there is a variation of a simple eyelet pattern that utilizes purled decreases rather than knit decreases to change the texture, an Estonian lace pattern, and a variation of a picot hem which is done using pebble stitch at the fold line.

Pebble stitch is worked as follows: on RS row, k2tog across taking care not to work tightly. On following WS row *k1, M1 by knitting into running thread between sts. Rep across from *. This is best done with a stitch worked plain on at least one end of your knitting, but as you would do this between selvage stitches you would not need to worry about adjusting for an odd or even number and having a running thread at the end to work into - just don’t use your selvage stitch to complete this pattern and you are good to go.

Thanks to Tara Swiger, of BlondeChickenBoutique for sending me the link to Interweave’s winter issue. Tara has a business with handpainted yarns and her site is both ecologically conscious and entertaining.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

LaMancha Watchcap

Today I received yarn in the mail, and the 2007 Knitting Calender.  I am only going to talk about one today, as I am tired. I don’t have a photo of the yarn yet, so I will talk about the hat.

This hat appears on July 25, with instructions on working the Channel Island Cast-On the day before.

 The design was an off-shoot of a sweater design I have in a collection that I hope to put into a book (Inspired Knitting: From Monkey Island). All the designs are inspired by animals at the zoo.

This design was inspired by the goats at the Indiana Family Farm part of the zoo, where there is a petting zoo. I have always loved the goats. I forget, now, how many different dairy goats we have there. I think three. One breed, the LaMancha, is the one with the very small round little ears. The Channel Island Cast-on was my nod to that shape, with it being a nice foil and balance to the eyelets.  The eyelet pattern makes me think of their tails.  In the photo at right, the white goat in the foreground and the black goat are LaMancha goats. 

 I will forever be grateful that I met my friend Beth Brown-Reinsel when taking her class on Ganseys and teaching me this cast-on. She has been a big encouragement on the path to becoming a designer. If you every get a chance to take a class from her, do it as she is a very good and supportive teacher. There is a link to her web site in the side bar.

Isn’t it time for bed?

Yeah, well, I  suppose it is. Hey, I thought I would get a head-start on the day and post a note before going to bed, so that I have something else for folks to look at when they pop in to see the place.

On the design front, I have a design coming out in the fall or winter issue of Interweave Knits. Last I heard, anyway. I would think if it got bumped I would hear about it. Come to think of it, it is almost October so I should go take a look in the bookstore, as this means I will get paid soon. WooHoo! The design is called Wine and Roses (or at least that is what it was called when submitted, it might be something else in the magazine).

This little number came about as a desire to have something equally fun in boudoir or nature hike to keep hands warm in the winter. With the first thought being in bed, as my hands get really, truely cold.

The yarn is a fingering weight Cashmere from Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibers.

There are a number of fun little things in this, including an edging from Latvian mittens, a lace stitch pattern from (I think, although I don’t remember for certain) Estonia, some lace texture stitches, and a take-off on a picot hem.

It was a lot of fun to knit, and I am thinking I may need to knit another pair…but I am not terribly good at getting projects done, which is why I have test knitters. This is the first design I have going into an American magazine. I have been in the British mag, Knitting…but that is another story for another day.

 Peace and Knitting, JoLene