A Card for Valentine’s Day

January 29, 2015January 29, 2015 | Elanor

I made a Valentine’s Card for my lover, and I’m pleased enough with the result that I’d like to share it with you. Since it’s me making it, it’s partially knitted, of course!

Photo 29-01-2015 10 31 20 — Finished Card

Yarn
Easyknits.co.uk Deeply Wicked in Mulling (about 10g required)
100% Superwash Merino
400m/100g skein

Needles
One pair of 2.25mm needles.
Cable needle

Measurements
The finished motif is 9.5x9cm (3.75×3.5in)

Notes
All measurements are given horizontal width first, then vertical length.

Non-Knitting Materials Required
I bought my materials from Hobbycraft, but you’ll find similar products in most good stationers
1 A5 blank greetings card with pre-cut window
(If you want to make one yourself, cut some card to 44x21cm (17.25×8.25in), fold into thirds, and cut a window 9.5x12cm (3.75×4.75in) into the central panel.)
1 sheet decorative card (from the papercraft/scrapbooking aisle)
Scissors
Scalpel
Ruler
Stick glue
Glue dots
Optional: Computer & printer for interior motto

Photo 29-01-2015 11 42 54 — The back of the card with sunlight streaming through.

Abbreviations
Cdd: Slip next 2 sts knitwise, knit next st, pass 2 slipped sts over
CN: Cable needle
K: Knit
K2tog: Knit 2 sts together at the same time
LDC: Slip 1 st onto a cable needle, ssk from LH needle, K1 from CN
LH: Left hand
P: Purl
RDC: Slip 2 sts onto CN, K1 from LH needle, K2tog from CN
RS: Right side
Sl: Slip
Ssk: Slip 1 st knitwise, slip a second st knitwise, insert LH needle into front of 2 sts just slipped and knit together
St(s): Stitch(es)
WS: Wrong side
Yo: Yarn over

My lover and I skipping stones on Killiney Bay once upon a time.

Instructions
Cast on 33 sts.
Rows 1 – 7: Knit.
Row 8 and all WS rows to Row 38: K4, P25, K4.
Rows 9 & 11: Knit.
Row 13: K15, K2tog, Yo, K16.
Row 15: K14, K2tog, Yo, K, Yo, Ssk, K14.
Row 17: K13, K2tog, Yo, K3, Yo, Ssk, K13.
Row 19: K12, K2tog, Yo, K, Yo, Cdd, Yo, K, Yo, Ssk, K12.
Row 21: K11, K2tog, Yo, K7, Yo, Ssk, K11.
Row 23: K10, K2tog, [Yo, K, Yo, Cdd] twice, Yo, K, Yo, Ssk, K10.
Row 25: K9, K2tog, Yo, K11, Yo, Ssk, K9.
Row 27: K8, K2tog, [Yo, K, Yo, Cdd] 3 times, Yo, K, Yo, Ssk, K8.
Row 29: K8, LDC, Yo, K3, Yo, K2tog, K, Ssk, Yo, K3, Yo, RDC, K8.
Row 31: K9, LDC, Yo, K, Yo, RDC, K, LDC, Yo, K, Yo, RDC, K9.
Row 33: K11, P3, K5, P3, K11.
Row 35 & 37: Knit.
Rows 39 – 45: Knit.
Cast off.

This motif is also charted in full. Read RS rows from right to left, and WS rows from left to right.

Block gently, following the care instructions on ball band. Weave in ends.

Assembling the greetings card

1. Take the decorative card and cut a piece 13.5x15cm (5.5x5in).

2. On the reverse of the card, mark out a square 6.5×6.5cm (2.5×2.5in). Centre the square on the horizontal. Position the top edge of the square 4cm (1.5in) from the top of the decorative card. Use a scalpel to cut the window from the decorative card.

3. Glue the decorative card to the inside of the greetings card on the middle panel, to give a “frame-within-a-frame” effect. Take care to keep the edges straight so your frames dont look wonky!

4. Use glue dots to stick your knitted heart to the inner flap that “looks through” the window in the front of the card. Put a glue dot at each corner on the WS of knitted motif. Position it neatly at the window. Close the card, thereby sticking it to the card’s inner flap.

5. Print out a motto (save my one below, or write your own) and glue it to the inside of the card.

Photo 29-01-2015 09 37 33 — Centred frames

Photo 29-01-2015 09 39 30 — Use glue dots to stick the knitted motif to the card.

Photo 29-01-2015 09 42 22 — The knitted motif is attached to the interior flap of the card.

Photo 29-01-2015 10 32 04 — The assembled card. Note the decorative card is printed on both sides.

Download for your own use, or make up your own!

Loom Bands in your Knitting? Whatever Next?

August 16, 2014October 23, 2014 | Elanor

Hello!
You may have noticed I’ve gone loom band crackers the last little while… Well I just released a quick, fun hat pattern that incorporates loom bands into the fabric.

The pattern is called simply “Loom Band Hat” and is available to download now from Ravelry for £2

To make it you need 100g Aran yarn, 300 loom bands and size 5 and 4.5mm needles. The hat is sized from baby to adult, so you can make one for everyone in the family, not just your staker-boi niece!

I made a video showing how to knit with loom bands and the other day I uploaded a photo tutorial on how to make a wool and loom band pom pom.

I’d love to see what unusual things you do with loom bands. Post below by September 5th and I’ll pick a winner of a free copy of the pattern.

Xxx e

My name’s King, I gotta have a Crown Pattern!

July 10, 2014October 23, 2014 | Elanor

I know there are a thousand crown patterns out there, but I didn’t find the exact one I needed on a Ravelry search, so I made up my own.

This crown is worked sideways on.

First, measure around the kid’s head at the widest point. [My two have enormous heads for wee ones: 21 inches (53 cm)]. You’ll need to make the crown approximately 2 inches (5 cm) shorter than your measurement so that the FO sits on snugly, but not too tight.

Height of crown: 1.25in/3cm to 2in/5cm at point
Width each repeat: 2in/5cm
Yarn: Rico Essentials Merino (DK; 100% wool; 120m/50g ball) in shade #65 (yellow)
Needles: 4mm
Buttons; one for each point. Sample used 9.
Abbreviations are given below the pattern text

Pattern

Cast on 7 sts.

Row 1 (WS): Purl.
Rows 2,4,6,8 and 10 (RS): K to last st, M1, K1. 1 st inc each time; 12 sts after Row 10
Row 3 and all WS rows to Row 19: Knit.
Rows 12,14,16,18 and 20: K to last 2 sts, K2tog. 1 st dec each time; 7 sts after Row 20

After Row 20, start again at Row 1 and repeat until the crown is long enough to go around your child’s head. I did 9 repeats and mine ended up being about 18in long, which was perfect for the Kings junior!

Then just sew up the ends and add some buttons or beads.

Abbreviations (given in order used)

WS – Wrong side
RS – Right side
K – Knit
st – Stitch
M1 – Make 1 (use whichever method you prefer)
inc – Increase(d)
K2tog – Knit 2 together
dec – Decrease(d)

Released: Undone Capelet

July 10, 2014October 23, 2014 | Elanor

I have released a new pattern! This is a pretty little capelet that only needs one skein of yarn (1 skein for sizes S & M; L needs 2). You can easily grow it if you have more yarn available. The capelet ties closed with a ribbon. The ribbon is woven through the collar with the clever use of one-row buttonholes. Here’s the ravelry link.

The capelet is pretty enough to wear to a wedding, but I have found myself wearing it whenever I just want something to throw over my shoulders. The colour is so punk it jazzes up my outfits without going too girly. The yarn is Uncommon Everyday in POW! by The Uncommon Thread.

Available to buy now for £3

If worked up in cotton to a longer length (800 yds 4-ply), it could also double as a beach skirt. I would also love to see how it turns out with a contrasting colour collar.

If you want to knit it up with a contrasting colour collar or as a beach skirt & can put pics on rav, drop me a line and I’ll send you a free copy.

Mwah!
– Elanor

Catchloops

Data and knitting

One-Skein