La Marea cowl. Free pattern.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I want to celebrate it publishing 2 free patterns. 

The first one is called La Marea cowl.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/la-marea

These year I decided to make knitted Christmas presents for my relatives. For a long time I had this idea to knit colorful cowls in textured stitches. And after several attempts this pattern was born. Easy, versatile,  you can wear it  "solo" or with any hat you have (see also my following posts). 

Marea means "high tide" in Italian. For the cowl that I knitted for me I chose these colors. Deep sea, verde acqua... It couldn't be called in another way... 

You can find it here https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea-5

It is knitted with Garnstudio DROPS Lima yarn. I usually wear it with a hat from Cool Wool set designed by Ekaterina Blanchard. Knitted with Garnstudio DROPS Andes. 

It has 2 versions:

5-color knitted with 7 mm needles. The size is 130cm × 29cm. You will need approx. 0.8 skein of each color. The gauge is 18sts × 26rows to 10cm square.

4-color knitted with 6.5 mm needles. The size is 128 cm × 27cm. You will need 1 skein of every first color and approx. 1.2 skeins of the 4th color. The gauge is 19sts × 27rows to 10cm square.

You can easily change the size, the gauge, the number if colors, using this basic pattern.

With a waist yarn using provisional cast on method cast in 55 sts.

Knit the main pattern on central 49 sts starting and ending every row with i-cord edge (3 sts on each side):

Row 1: slip the first 2 sts in the right needle, yarn forward, P1, knit the main pattern untill the last 3 sts, P1, K3.

Row 2: slip the first 2 sts in the right needle, yarn forward, K1, knit the main pattern untill the last 3 sts, K4.

Main pattern: (4+1 sts × 4 rows):

Row 1: knit.

Row 2: (P1, K3) until the 4th st from the end, P1.

Row 3: knit.

Row 4: K2, (P1, K3) until the 5th st from the end, K2.

Knit the necessary number of main patterns until the ultimate WS row, undo the provisional cast on and sew the 1st RS row and ultimate RS row, following the pattern (grafting). Weave in the ends.

If you prefer the contrast edging, knit the cowl on 51 sts (main part +2 edge sts) and knit the attached i-cord with contrast yarn. In this case you will need 1 skein of contrast yarn. 

You can also knit the contrast  i-cord edging contemporaly with the main part. I will probably knit the next cowl (for my friend) in this way.

All the cowls above are knitted with 5 colors.
You can find these projects here:
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea-2
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea-3
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea-4
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea-5

This ultimate is 4-color version knitted for my daughter to wear with a Treehouse hat. More photos in the following post.
You can find this project here:
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/NatieKnits/la-marea

Strolling around

I've never knitted summer hats for adults... Only for children, to protect from the sun and mostly because they can be so cute... children... and hats.
And when I was given the idea to knit  some summer accessories, I felt a bit lost.
I had a vague idea of the hat, which should be light, but keep the form, lace but rather sportive.
I found a nice online shop https://dilanaedaltrestorie.it/ which had the yarn I was longing to try - Askham 4ply and Milburn 4ply from https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/, and I was curious to try new CONCEPT by Katia COTTON-YAK. 

On that occasion I decided to try even CONCEPT by Katia COTTON-CASHMERE (cotton 90%, cashmere 10%).

Later I saw another nice yarn, which looked softer than many other cotton yarns - Sesia Baby. 

So I continued to think over this new summer design considering these two new yarns. I tried several stitches with both yarns and decided, almost at random, to start with Katia. 

No wonder that it took me more than 2 months to complete the project... Surely, it wasn't my only WIP and I even sewed a bit, but it's too much for a simple hat. 
I hope to be much faster with the second hat.... just give me time to chose the best stitch for it!

You can find Strolling around on Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/strolling-around
 

  

Cable Twin Hats

Last December I was asked to knit 2 hats for two sisters. Not twins, but they wanted the same hat: something warm, with cables, with pompom, and that remains steady, doesn't fall down or drapes. 

I thought that the best yarn would be DROPS Nepal, we chose the colors, beige 0206 and blue lavender 6220 (ordered, as usual, from Fiordilana).

I've ordered even these cute circular needles without realizing how short they would be. They are perfect for mitts or leg warmers. 

And then I've started to struggle with my usual problem - choosing the gauge.

After different fall starts with beige yarn I cast on the blue hat with 8 mm needles. On the 3rd skein I was more then sure that I absolutely disliked it. 

So I restarted with beige and 7mm needles. Then I knitted the rib (twice, I think).

And then I worked with the crown of the hat.
How many hours did I spent knitting the first hat? They would be enough for a sweater. 

But if you follow my pattern and have even medium experience in knitting you would need only a couple of days to complete it. 

I never make pompoms and I don't have any special accessory, so I used the traditional method - 2 paper circles. Now I'm going to buy a Knitpro pompom set, as it really saves so much time.

To be sincere, I didn't like all these hats with pompoms, but now as I knitted two of them, I'd like  to knit one for me, with Nepal orange 2920. It will be cute. May be with contrast pompom. 

And here are the twin hats for my friend and her sister. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cable-twin-hat

Aran or Guernsey?

It’s a long time that I’ve been thinking of knitting a long large scarf with traditional, but not too intricate and too classic aran or guernsey motives. 

One of my favorite yarns is DROPS Lima, which is very soft and makes an even and not too much elastic fabric thanks to wool and alpaca fibers mix. 

Last December I was asked to knit some accessories for my friends, so I've decided to use this occasion and order some "christmas decorations" even for me. As usual, from Fiordilana shop. 

I've been using DROPS yarns for several years and every time I try a new color, it becomes one of my favorite. I didn't like beige, now I like it, I didn't like lavender, now I like it... 

Almost all this yarn is already knitted up, and from time to time I watch this colorful photos and remember how happy a knitter can be. 

Well, after knitting 3 hats and one cowl I was free to start my long awaited project. 

Recently DROPS Lima became a bit thinner then some years ago. I knit very tightly and used to knit with 7 mm needles (like Umbrian Tale hat and cowl, which is soon to be published). 
With new Lima I use 6 or 6.5 mm needles.
I tried some different stitches and chose this combination.  

Is it aran or guernsey? May be non of them… 
For guernsey scarf the DROPS Nepal would be better... and it's already on my mind... Next winter.  
This scarf can be easily transformed into a blanket, adding some pattern repeats. 
You can also use Drops Nepal or any other DK or aran yarn.
You will need approx. 500 gr (1000 m) for the size 45 cm x 186 cm.
I used Lima 9018 sea green. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aran-or-guernsey

I like this scarf playing "solo", but it's cold outside, so now I'm working on the matching hat. Made with Lima color 9015 grey.

Starting more WIPs.

Well, the spring has come, the time of aggravation for any knitaholic.

So, I'm starting, let's see... 4 new projects:

- Riyito sweater http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/riyito as I'm fond of wool boxy sweaters. 

- Striped hat for my son as we lost the one I've knitted a year ago http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/striped-hat

 - Sage cardigan  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/sage as I bought a beautiful yellow cotton yarn and it would look nice with some summer dresses. 

- Waffle pillow http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/waffle-pillow as I promised a couple of pillow covers for my friend who has moved recently in a new apartment. 

Sure the hat and the pillows are more urgent, but I can't help starting even the Riyito which I'll be wearing only next autumn. And the Sage?

New pattern of mine: Fall Colors Poncho and Scarf.

Last night I've finally published on Ravelry  a mini-collection of patterns, including Fall Colors Poncho and Fall Colors Scarf.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fall-colors-poncho

These garments combine romantic lace pattern with modern structured edge which make them suitable for any occasion and any style.

For the poncho I used short rows technique which permits to create the warm garment that follow the body silhouette without adding weight to the shoulders. 

Knitted in one size, both of the patterns can be easily modified adding more stitches or rows.

It also allows you to experience with different yarns.

For the poncho I used mixed Alpaca yarn (Peruanskaya Alpaca, 50% wool, 50% alpaca, 150 m per 50 gr), which gives it especial warmths.

I've knitted different versions of Fall Colors scarf, experiencing with different size of needles and different mixture of yarns. 

There is a one important thing about using yarns for machine knitting - the fabric tends to shrink a lot, so for my ultimate Fall Colors Scarf III  I used 7 mm needles with 6 strands of 2/30 yarn (2 brown, 1 green and 3 senape), which after washing and blocking give the impression of using worsted yarn with 5 mm needles.

In any case, this pattern is universal for any kind of yarn.

Knitting these garments, I was thinking of the fall, my favorite season, rich in colors and sensations. I have always imagined them in different shades of green, orange, brown, the colors of the falling leaves... Fall Colors.

Special thanks to my cousin Vicka for these nice old-fashioned photos. 

Dreams, dreams, dreams...

I've just finished watching the 5th season of the Downton Abbey series. And I fell in love with this yellow lace sweater Edith wearing in some scenes. This is one I should definitely knit next year. It's so simple and elegant, easy to knit but of a great effect. I think that Drops Lace Alpaca silk yarn would be perfect for this.  

Striped blanket.

For years I was waiting for an occasion to knit some baby blanket, and finally I don't find any reasons to wait. This blanket might be used on the baby bed as well as on the bigger teenager bed. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/striped-blanket

After looking through all my "Le copertine piu belle" magazines of Mani di Fata I chose between 2 patterns, adapting them to my taste. I used Garnstudio DROPS Baby Merino yarn (100% merino, 175 m/50gr). It has a great choice of colors and it's perfect for making blankets, as it grows a lot. I had bad experience with some other yarns, when after washing the garments were reduced in their size. I wanted to have a knitted fabric which grows rather than shrinks.

I used colorways 24, 02, 09. 17.

Here is the summery of the work done: 
27/09 Started the border. 
29/09 Finished the first stripe. Even if the blanket is planned to be rather big (90cm per 120cm), I think it will be enough 1 skein of each color and 4/5 skiens of cream. Still I have to order a yellow color. I like the stitch pattern and with the rest of the yarn I can do some hat and scarf, and even little jacket. 
30/09 I‘ve started the third, green stripe and I’m not sure I need a yellow one. Maybe instead it would be better another brown, and then green, blue and brown again. 

02/10 I’m on the middle of the lenght (9 stripes instead of 8 in total). Not bad, but for knitting 2 stripes I need a little bit more than 1 skein, so I have to reorder one skein of brown. I’ll definetely order more skeins of this yarn to make matching cardigan, hat and scarf.

04/10 The green stripe is on the needles, blue and brown are left. It is much quicker project then I’ve expected. But I need more brown yarn to finish it. And I haven’t ordered it from Fiordilana still (they make 25% discount on it till the 7th of October). So, now I’ll start the hat for me.

07/10 Ultimate stripe, the yarn has just arrived. Then the border, and my biggest (for now) blanket is completed. And then, what should I start? Umaro III (even bigger) or Market jacket? 

11/10 Feeling a bit tired to cast-off, but tomorrow it will be fresh off the needles.

After washing the blanket I had a couple of days of anxiety. The reason was that the blanket has grown more then I had expected, and as I don't have any surface big enough to be able to block the garment in the better way, I had to wait till it had shrunk to its expected size. That was really a stress.