Tag Archives: Knitwise Design

Knitted Earbuds

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earbudsgreen_head2I’m hoping that headbands of various sort will be a hit this holiday season for the younger members of my clan. This is Earbuds, designed by Linda at Knitwise Design. Her pattern is available on Ravelry and you can get a closer look at a few more “sets” (cords not included) here on the Knitwise Design website. My Earbuds are knit of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky on US size 10 needles. You’ll need a ridiculously small amount of yarn to knit these and about an hour of your time. Really. Quickest knit ever!

Flush with my success with my first Earbuds, I decided to knit a pair in a super bulky yarn. The pattern gives you the length needed for each size. I liked the idea of wider earpads, so I used the same number of stitches and rows and just adjusted the band at the top of the head.

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My pink super-bulky set is knit in Cascade Yarn Lana Grande left over from my Umaro. I moved up to a US size 11 needle. It took even less time to knit the super-bulky version than the bulky version. If you need a quick holiday present, this pattern should work well. Here is my super-sized pair worn on a rumpled head that’s even older than my glass head.

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Jo-Jo’s Vest

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jojovestThis is a new pattern from Linda at Knitwise Design: Jo-Jo’s Vest. I knit it in the very economical Paton’s Classic Wool Worsted, which was especially economical because the yarn was seriously discounted. The vest used only a tad over 650 yards, so just barely into the fourth skein. Vests are just the ticket when it comes to lots of bang for the buck.

Here is Jo-Jo’s in progress!

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Jo-Jo’s Vest is available on Ravelry. The pattern includes directions for sizes 34 to 58 inch bust. There are even some extra hints for modifying the pattern to accommodate ample-sized bods. The pattern is worked from the bottom up. But it’s knit in one piece. The only seaming is where the neckband attaches at the back of the neck. Even the armhole bands and button bands are integral. To make the fit more flattering, there are a few subtle shapings built in and the sides of the vest are ribbed.

As soon as I finished this one I wanted to cast on for another! Everyone who’s knit it on Ravelry is raving about how well the vest fits. And a number of us are planning to knit another.

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Baby Triangles Hat

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This is the new Knitwise Design earflap cap for babes, the Baby Triangles Hat. The garter stitch design is very forgiving of outlier pumpkin heads, but it comes in two sizes (newborn to 3 months, and 6 to 12 months). The triangles are a breeze to make and the construction of the hat makes for an interesting knit. My version is knit in Tosh Sport. The pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry.

Here’s another look at the hat, in the larger size, and showing the earflaps better. It’s worked here in Valley Yarns, Valley Superwash DK:

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I have no baby handy to model this sweet thing, so I’ve pressed a knitted hippo into service so you can see the crown decreases. (The hippo is not at all happy about this and would only consent to modeling the hat if I agreed to not show his face).

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I know, you want to see it on a baby, not on a hippo. Linda, of Knitwise Design, has kindly given permission for me to reprint her pattern photo. Much better than on a hippo, don’t you think?

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This is a pint-sized, ear-flapped hat, reminiscent of Knitwise Design’s Fun with Triangles Hat.

 

Knitwise Design’s Castle Hat

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newcastle5Linda at Knitwise Design has come up with a cool Castle Hat, sized for adults and kids. It’s such a fun knit. I’ve just finished listening to all the Harry Potter books on my iPad. Amazing how fast you knit this while Harry, Hermione and Ron are being chased by Death Eaters and he who cannot be named.  Anyway, I was listening to the Order of the Phoenix, thinking about Hogwarts and knitting this Castle Hat. “Try it, you’ll like it.” The pattern is available on Ravelry and you can read more about it here.

All you need to know is how to follow a chart, with knits, purls and a little bit of bobbling. Mine is the large size and took 2.6 ounces (74 grams) of worsted weight Berroco Comfort. Comfort can be splitty yarn, but it has great stitch definition in this pattern and is worth fussing with for the wool adverse.

The crown decreases are interesting, with a very nice placement of purl stitches and a cute I-Cord topknot.

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The pattern suggests using Plymouth worsted merino superwash.  Knitwise Design’s pattern photos are reprinted here, with permission. The live models show off this hat so much better than my trusty glass head.

Castle hat photo whispering

 

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Castle hat photo kellee crop

 

Fun with triangles hat

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This new hat pattern is from Linda, of Knitwise Design: Fun With Triangles. It’s available for download at the Knitwise Design Ravelry store. I was one of six test knitters on this pattern and every one of us had a blast! One of the testers, who knitted hers in lovely jewel tones of yellow-gold, purple, garnet and emerald, said her daughter was refusing to take it off and planned to sleep in it.

Knitting the small triangles goes very quickly and it’s very addicting. “Bet you can’t knit just one!” You get the eight of them completed lickedly-split and, of course, the rest of the hat is a breeze. I like to make warm wintry hats in colors that remind of spring, so I choose colors of Plymouth Encore that make the hat look like a decorated Easter Egg. One knitter chose subdued tans and brown and the hat turned out very classy. Some knit it up in bright shades and every hat looked great.

Linda gives the gauge in stockinette at 5 stitches per inch. But you’ll also want to measure out your first triangle and compare it to the schematic she supplies because if your gauge in garter stitch is off the band won’t turn out to be the desired length. Of course, that’s not all bad. Just knit another. Because one thing we knitters know is that some head will be just the right size to wear whatever we knit.

The pattern uses worsted weight. It would be fun to downsize it with a sport weight or babyweight and see how this charmer would look on some wee one. I’m eyeing my stash of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino to see what I might come up with.