Mini Chic

We seem to be having a bit of a baby boom here in Cambridge. Practically everyone I know (or am related to) is either pregnant or with a newborn...so when I had an idea for a cute little cardigan with a lacy yoke I thought to myself....why not try out a mini version first?

See how cute and tiny she is?

This turned out to be a good idea as I must have knit the initial sample about 7 times with several different yarns, trying to get the dimensions, fit and style right. The garments I've designed in the past have been one-offs, knit on the fly so that you can eye up the result and adjust as you go. This is all well and good but doesn't make for easily replicable pattern writing, especially when you want to produce multiple sizes. It is important to me in all of my patterns that the instructions are clear and logical, inutitive where possible.

In the end this turned out just as I had hoped - so undeniably cute and with a little chic thrown in for good measure. Having knit the first sample (the grey), and knowing that my instructions were correct, the second was a breeze. My models were complete darlings. Well, Nathalie at 3 weeks old and 8lbs was not really going anywhere, but it was a struggle to photograph her with her eyes open. Genevieve on the other hand had to be chased around the garden by my husband, taking snap after snap, trying to get some usable images. He must have taken a 100 photos!

My original idea was actually for an adult cardigan and so I'm working on the design for that now. I hope to be able to make it available in August.

Theolie

So I finally finished my Theolie pattern. In principle it seemed simple - design a shawl that is curved in shape, easy to knit, but still looks crazy beautiful. OK, so I should have realised it was a tall order. After lots and lots of false starts, when it actually came to the knitting, it was plain sailing. I guess sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some. In this case the shawl almost seemed to knit itself....

I had one concern about construction. Namely that the picked up edge would be unslightly on the reverse side, despite my attempts to minimise this by careful placement of the increases. I needn't have worried. After blocking the edge forms an attractive ridge. The shawl is basically reversible in that it looks good on both sides. This works well for me as I have trouble remembering to sort my hair out in the morning, let alone arrange my accessories 'just so'.

The photoshoot was another issue. A small person kept trying to get into all the photos...

And I was tempted to call the pattern Wimbledon after our second attempt at a shoot got rained off....but it all worked out well in the end.

Sophisticat Hat

Recently my friend Cath and I decided we would head up to the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate.

Now I rarely venture north of Cambridge, so I was clearly worried as to how I was going to cope with the bitter cold that I’ve heard graces the North of our Land.

Cath being a hardened Northerner (she’s from Preston), laughed at my southern pretensions. ‘You’ll be needing a hat’ she said with a smile, ‘and possibly some snow boots’ she added knowingly. Boots are a bit beyond me, but a hat, now there’s a challenge. So here it is, the Sophisticat Hat, perfect for cold weather, wherever it is that you are.

Wear the sophisticat hat slouchy or straight, depending on your mood.

Pattern Directions

Sizes S[M,L].

My head circumference is 56cm/22" (yes I know, I have a big head for a small person) and I knit size M. The pattern can be easily modified up or down by casting on 11 more or less stitches at the beginning.
Gauge:

22sts x 30 rows in stocking stitch.

Yarn Requirements:

150 [170, 200]m DK yarn

(165 [185, 220]yds)

Yarn used in the sample: 2 x 50g balls Rowan Cashsoft DK SH506(130m/142yds per ball). I knit the medium size and used about 1.3 balls (about 170m/185yds).

Needles:
4mm 40cm circular needle
4mm double pointed needles
Cable needle

Abbreviations:
C1B Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold to the back
of work. Knit next stitch then knit stitch
from the cable needle.
C1F Slip 1 stitch onto cable needle and hold to the
front of work. Knit next stitch then knit stitch
from the cable needle.
K Knit
P Purl
K2tog Knit 2 stitches together
M1F Make 1 stitch through front of loop. (See note below).
Psso Pass slipped stitch over
Rnd Round
Sl1 Slip 1 stitch knitwise
Sts Stitches

Note that M1F differs from the usual M1. To work this stitch, pick up the loop lying between the stitch just knit and the next stitch, from front to back, using your left needle. Knit through the front of this loop.

A note on cabling. You could easily work the C1B and C1F cables without a cable needle à la Grumperina:

http://www.grumperina.com/cables.htm

Personally I’m a bit old school when it comes to cabling. I find it quicker and easier just to use the cable needle.

Brim
Cast on 99 [110, 121] stitches. Join to work in the round.

Rnds 1-4: *K4, P2, K3, P2, repeat from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 5: *K4, P2, Sl1, K1, M1F, K1, Psso, P2, repeat from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 6: *C1B, C1F, P2, K3, P2, repeat from * to end of rnd.

Repeat Rounds 1-6, 2 more times. (A total of 18 rounds has been worked).

Work Rounds 1-4 once more.

Body
Change to stocking stitch and knit until hat measures 18 [19, 20]cm (7 [7.5, 8]inches) from cast on edge.

Crown Decreases
Note, you should change to double pointed needles when you have too few stitches for your circular needle.

Widely spaced decreases on every row give a lovely pinwheel shape to the crown however the hat is worn.

Rnd 1: *K9, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

90 [100, 110]sts

Rnd 2: *K8, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

81 [90, 99]sts

Rnd 3: *K7, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

72 [80, 88]sts

Rnd 4: *K6, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

63 [70, 77]sts

Rnd 5: *K5, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

54 [60, 66]sts

Rnd 6: *K4, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

45 [50, 55]sts

Rnd 7: *K3, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

36 [40, 44]sts

Rnd 8: *K2, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

27 [30, 33]sts

Rnd 9: *K1, K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

18 [20, 22]sts

Rnd 10: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

9 [10, 11]sts

For the small and large sizes:
Rnd 11: *K2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, K1.
For the medium size:
Rnd 11: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

5 [5, 6]sts

Top knot & Finishing
For the top knot, break yarn leaving a long tail (say 30cm). Thread tail on to a tapestry needle.

Thread needle through the first stitch on your left needle and drop off the needle. Repeat until one stitch remains.

Thread yarn through this last stitch but do not drop from the needle. Remove tapestry needle and K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 all into this stitch. Pass each stitch over the leftmost stitch on your right needle. i.e. if the stitches are numbered 1 to 5 from left to right as follows 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, pass 2 over 1, then 3 over 1, then 4 over 1, then 5 over 1.

Tie off last stitch and sew down the topknot over the centre of the crown decreases. Weave in all ends and block as desired.

© Katie White, November 2009