Marble Lace fingerless mitts

These Marble Lace Fingerless Mitts are made from one of my favourite yarns - James C Brett Marble. I love one skein projects.

Here's the pattern - once I'd made the first mitt, figuring out the design as I went along, the second was done in a day.

You will need:

James C Brett Marble, one 100g skein (acrylic, light worsted weight, 230 yards/210 metres per 100g) or suitable substitute
3.75mm double pointed needles
(optional - a set of thinner dpns)
stitch markers
a small piece of waste yarn in a contrasting colour

My gauge was 6 stitches to the inch over stockinette.

The pattern stitch for the back of the hand is called Oblique Openwork Stitch from an old Mon Tricot publication, 1800 Patterns, that I adapted for knitting in the round. Knitted over a multiple of 6 stitches, here is the repeat:
Row 1: *K1, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, yo, sl 1, k1, psso*
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: *K2, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k2*
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: *K3, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1*
Row 6: Knit

Here we go.....cast on 44 stitches onto one needle then distribute them onto three (works best if the number on each needle is divisible by four). Work k2, p2 ribbing in the round for 3 inches.

Now you're going to start the pattern for the back of the hand. Redistribute the stitches; it helps to have the first 18 stitches of the round on the first needle [these are the openwork stitches] as it's easy then to count them at the end of the three repeats and make sure that you still have 18 and haven't skipped a step. Put 13 stitches on each of the other two needles. On each round, you will follow the pattern instructions above, repeat them three times in all to get to the end of that first needle, then complete the round in knit, creating stockinette stitch for the palm of the mitt.

Complete four pattern repeats (a total of 24 rounds) then get ready for the thumb placement. Place two stitch markers at the side edges of the mitt, in other words 2 stitches away from your openwork pattern on each side, so that there are 22 stitches marked off for the back of the hand and 22 marked for the palm. Here's where the instructions differ slightly for left and right hands. Work Row 1 of the pattern across the first 18 stitches. Knit 2 more stitches and you will be at the edge of the palm where one of your stitch markers should be.

For the right mitt, you will now take your waste yarn and knit 9 stitches with it, then slip those stitches back onto your right needle and knit them again with the regular yarn. Leave the waste yarn tails hanging behind your work. Complete the round.

For the left mitt, continue to knit the round until you are 9 stitches away from the end of the round (stitch marker), knit those 9 stitches with the waste yarn, slip them back onto the right needle and knit them again with the regular yarn.

Continue to complete two more pattern repeats (remember you just completed Row 1 to place the thumb, so continue from Row 2). If you want a slightly longer mitt, do three pattern repeats.

Switch back to K2 P2 rib for half an inch and bind off ribwise. I made sure that my ribbing at the end lined up with the ribbing on the cuff.

Now we have to return to the waste yarn to make the thumb. You will carefully pull out the waste yarn, picking up the "live" stitches on three dpns as you go. I used 2mm needles as it's way easier using a skinnier needle to pick up the stitches and then transfer them to the 3.75mm ones.

I had 19 stitches on my needles once I had done this step but I wanted 18, so on my first round of K1 P1 rib I snuck in a P2tog. Rib for 1.5 inches or whatever length suits you (you can try it on at this stage to check the fit). Bind off ribwise.


I have tried to explain everything clearly but if you need clarification on anything leave me a comment and I'll do my best to help.

Three hour shrug

I wrote up the pattern for this Three Hour Shrug for Ev of Strings 'n Things as it was her hand-knitted shrug that was the inspiration for my machine-knitted version. So here's my pattern. The sleeves are three-quarter length.

I used three skeins of Red Heart Soft Touch (I think they are 140g each) [worsted weight] on my Bond Classic, Keyplate 2. My gauge was 18 stitches and 25 rows to 4 inches.

Cast on 49 stitches with waste yarn. Knit a few rows, then change to the main yarn. Increase at each side of work every fourth row until there are 99 sts. (100 rows)

Knit straight for 125 rows.

Decrease each side of work on next row and every fourth row thereafter until there are 49 sts. Knit 3 rows even, then knit a few rows with waste yarn.

Remove work from machine. Pick up the live sts at one end with a #7/4.5mm needle, knit 6 rows of garter st for cuff. Repeat other end.

Seam sleeves for 15 inches or whatever fits you best.

(I was thinking of adding a border to the st st edges around the body, but actually the curling seemed to work well at snugging it around the body so I didn't do it.)

My Bond Buttonhole Bag

This Bond Buttonhole Bag uses Phentex chunky acrylic in a colourway called Rustic Rouge.

The yarn is very soft, made in Canada (that's a plus) and combines shades of pink, cinnamon and chocolate. I had a thought in the back of my mind that I wanted to make something for my mum's birthday in March, and a bag seemed like something she'd use.

This project didn't even get into my Ravelry queue, it went from idea to "finished object" so fast! As the handle is formed like a buttonhole, I have used that in the name, and I hope I'm not breaching anyone's copyright.

1 x 300g skein Phentex Chunky acrylic yarn
(this may actually be enough to make two bags)
Keyplate #3 Bond Classic knitting machine
6mm crochet hook
My gauge was approximately 15.5 sts and 21 rows to 4 inches

Cast on to 58 needles with e-wrap. Starting with carriage at right, knit 6 rows.

Next row - with carriage on right, push the centre 16 needles towards you into forward holding position. Knit the first part of the row, stopping when the carriage reaches the centre. Lift the keyplate out of the carriage and slide it to the left, out of the way, while you bind off the 16 stitches in the centre. Make sure the last stitch bound off is transferred to the live stitch to its left, leaving those 16 needles empty.

I bound off using the transfer tool and the basic instructions in the instruction book. Push the centre needles back to non-working position. The yarn is then coming from the correct place to continue knitting the row. Move the carriage back to the centre, replace the keyplate and knit the rest of the row. Carriage is now on left.

Take a short piece of yarn (if you’re knitting from the centre of the ball, snip it from the outside tail) and e-wrap cast on to the 16 needles in the centre. Hang a small weight onto the end of the yarn. Leave the needles in forward working position with the latches open, so they will knit.

Knit 110 rows. For the first couple of rows after the hole, push the centre needles towards you into forwards working position so that they knit easily, then hang a weight (I use a bulldog clip with a magnet for extra weight).

Repeat the two “buttonhole” rows, then knit 6 more rows. Bind off.

Weave in yarn tails either side of the holes, adding a couple of reinforcing stitches for strength. Sew or crochet side seams (I used a 6mm crochet hook to single crochet along the outside of the bag).

Floppy Rabbit

Floppy Rabbit was made for a friend’s 1 year old twins. It was inspired by a rabbit that my sister was given as a child - I still remember it - I loved its long legs.

I used Bernat Soy (50% soy 50% acrylic, medium weight). I didn’t start with full skeins, but I expect you could knit this with one skein each of the oatmeal, seasalt and celery. Or just make it all one colour.

I used Keyplate #2 on my Bond Classic knitting machine. I made it up as I went, with no gauge swatches or measuring, so feel free to adapt it as you wish. My toy measures about 27 inches tall. The arms seem just right, being about the length of the body, and the legs are extra long, on purpose.

Body

E-wrap cast on 50 in blue, hang hem
Knit 35 rows blue
Knit 25 rows green
Bind off (I used the 'sewn with a darning needle' method)

Head

E-wrap cast on 40 in white, hang hem
Knit 40 rows white
Bind off

Ears (make 2)
(with hindsight, these could have been bigger, or you could make 4 and sew them together in pairs to stop them from curling in)

E-wrap cast on 4 in white
Knit 2 rows, add weight (I use a bulldog clip with a magnet attached for such a small piece of work)
*Carriage on right, push a needle out to working position on carriage side, knit a row (one stitch increased)
Carriage on left, push a needle out to working position on carriage side, knit a row (6 stitches)
Knit 2 rows
Repeat last four rows (from *) until there are 14 sts, ending with the two even rows.
Knit 14 rows straight.
**Carriage on right, transfer the stitch on the right end to the needle on the left, knit a row (one stitch decreased)
Carriage on left, transfer the stitch at the far left to the needle on the right, knit a row (12 stitches left)
Knit 2 rows
Repeat last four rows (from **) until there are 4 sts left.
Bind off.

Arms (make 2)

E-wrap cast on 20 in white, hang hem
Knit 10 rows white (for “paws”)
Knit 40 rows green
Bind off

Legs (make 2)

E-wrap cast on 30 in blue, hang hem
Knit 90 rows blue
Knit 7 rows white (for “shoes”)
Bind off

Sew around all pieces, stuffing gently as you go. I made sure my seams were on the centre back of the head and body and the underside of the limbs. When sewing up the head and body, I rounded the corners a little. Sew the head and limbs to the body, and the ears to the head. Embroider features.