This project may be even simpler than the Bow Pouch. Great for a beginner knitter, and great for experienced knitters looking for something super-quick, cute and mindless. :)
I’ve seen fringed arm warmers in a few photos around the web and I really like the way they look. Things that swish and sway as you move are so much fun to wear (especially if you ride a bicycle!).
If anyone knows what show/designer this is from, please let me know!
I feel like these arm warmers would work with many different styles, from mori girl to cowgirl to rock chick. They’re so simple to make that you can knit several in different yarn weights and colours. I look forward to seeing how you’ll knit & wear them. :)
CO 33 sts (26 for armwarmer, 7 for fringe) using knitted cast on method, leaving a 20cm / 8in tail.
Work in garter st (knit every row) until piece measures 18cm / 7in (or desired length).
Cast off 26 sts, cut yarn, leaving a tail long enough to sew seam + 10cm / 4in.
Unravel remaining 7 sts*.
Fold arm warmers in half. Using cast off tail, mattress stitch along fringe edge. Work one stitch in from the fringe, or things get loose!
Don’t bother weaving in the ends. Just trim them to the same length as the fringe. You can cut your fringe loops open, or leave them as they are, it’s up to you.
All done, now make another!
TIP: If you can’t be bothered to swatch, just cast on as many stitches as you think will be enough to go around your wrist, then a fourth of that number of stitches again for the fringe. The fringe will end up about twice as long as it looks when knitted. Then if your armwarmer ends up a bit big, unravel a few extra stitches for the fringe and trim the fringe to length.
* It seems illogical that knitters would have so much fun unravelling their own knitting, but unravelling on purpose is so incredibly satisfying!
Colourwork inspiration every month… forever. Sound good? This is a PDF calendar which you can print out again and again, for yourself or as gifts. Each page has a colourwork panel that you can colour in however you like. I’m not exaggerating when I say the possibilities are endless!
You can then use your designs in your knitting. Setting the motifs into mittens, hats or scarves is particularly easy and I’ll have a post up later this week that shows you how.
I’ve crammed as many different motifs in as possible, so you can use them in your knits in many different combinations. There’s a range of modern (skulls, owls, etc.) and traditional (scandinavian, shetland, andean and anatolian) designs, and if you include the front and back covers, there are 14 panels in total.
Things I ♥
Colouring in! I’d forgotten how much fun it is. And these little Bic pencils are the cutest.
No need to worry about “messing up”. Just print out another copy.
Checkboxes! Each day has a corresponding checkbox so you can mark off days, or record streaks. For example, aim to knit every day for a month!
When the month is over, you can cut out & stick your design in your knitting notebook.
What to Do
Once you download your PDF, you’ll need to open it in Adobe Reader (or Preview on a Mac) and print whichever pages you’d like. Then you simply cut along the lines. If you’d like to punch a hole in the top to hang it, just don’t cut along the top and you should have plenty of room. A paper guillotine would help, but I just used scissors. You can peg your calendar page to a ribbon, tack it to a corkboard, or attach it to your fridge with a magnet. :)
Bonus
Your PDF also includes 2 printable To-Do List Cards with dates, checkboxes, and, of course, designs that you can colour in.
win!
As I mentioned in the last post, I’ll be picking two random members of the Laylock Designs Group to win a free calendar every week until the end of the year. I’ll announce the winners on this thread, so I don’t need to blog about it every time. The first winner, as determined by random.org and the Ravelry member list is…
Anyone knitting mittens for Christmas? I’m going to be knitting these beautiful Chawton Mittens by Anne Blayney when I get half a chance. At the moment I’m too busy creating a few last minute goodies for you. These gift tags are my first offering. Cut them out, fold them over and then attach them to your Christmas gifts. As usual, you can fill in the care symbols according to the directions on your ball-band, so that your recipient knows how to take care of their beautiful hand-wrought gift.
And here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming on Monday…
Charts! Coloured pencils! Calendars! Ooooh! :)
Now that I have written my 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo, I’m finally catching up on comments. Many apologies for being so late, but I hope the Christmas gifts I have planned will somewhat make up for my tardiness. :(
And because I realised that I haven’t held a giveaway in ages, I’m going to be giving a copy of the (printable!) Calendar to two random members of the Laylock Designs group on Ravelry every week until the end of the year. Yay!
It’s been a couple of years since I created The Little eBook of Knitting Stitches, and it’s been so well received that I thought I’d issue an update. It got me thinking how re-prints won’t be a feasible measure of success in digital publishing anymore. Instead, the advantage of knowing almost exactly how many times digital goods have been downloaded will become invaluable in deciding the popularity or success of a book. As I have nearly 2000 knitters on my newsletter list, I assume that’s about as many copies of The Little eBook of Knitting Stitches as have been downloaded. Not nearly as popular as my Shawl Knitting Cheat Sheet which has been downloaded over 5000 times. Wow!
Plenty of copies, in my opinion, to merit an update. Little eBook v2 now has charts for each of the 6 knitting stitches. I’m not sure why they didn’t occur to me back in 2009, but they’re certainly included now, and will hopefully save knitters lots of time. However, as I mentioned in the latest newsletter, what gave me most pleasure was reformatting the PDF as a booklet, so that it can be printed using half the number of pages (printed back-to-back), and be assembled like a proper little printed book.
Both the A4 version, and the booklet version are available to subscribers to the Laylock Newsletter. Subscribing is completely free, I’ll never ever share your email address with anyone else, and of course I’ll never spam you; quite the contrary I will send you awesome knitty inspiration a few times a month, so sign up below!
PLEASE only subscribe if you’re interested in receiving emails from me.
The eBook now contains:
6 stitch patterns
2 texture
2 lace
2 rib stitches
photographed on both right & wrong sides
charted
& laid out with clear instructions & advice on usage.
- roses
- creatures who walk
- creatures who talk
- a pair of pretty lacy legwarmers to be enjoyed with all of the above!
Despite the weather’s worst intentions, I managed to take a few passable shots of my latest pattern. Expect an update when the sun shows up! Pale pink with dark green is my favourite colour combination at the moment. It’s such a nice balance of tones, and the girly pink tempered by the earthy green just puts me in mind of roses. As does the lace pattern on the Rambler Legwarmers. I’m not sure why, exactly. I suppose the curves do resemble the shape of a rose-head, and the diamonds in the centre do look like leaves or petals, growing up out of the twigs of ribbing, but it’s all quite subtle.
I’ve had need of these legwarmers with all the gloom and sog recently. I love legwarmers, especially inside wellies (”rain boots” to American readers, though why you would want to call something “rain boots” when you can call them “wellingtonians” is beyond me!), or scrunched up at the ankle with cute high-heel boots. Because I’m obsessed with versatility, these legwarmers can be worn with the ribbing at the front, for a plainer look, or with the lace at the front, for a little more prettiness.
I wanted them to be very simple & quick, with a lace stitch that you can memorise in a pinch, so that you can finish a pair in a weekend, and ohh, just snuggle up on the couch to read.
If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ve already seen the 2 wrappers that accompany the pattern. Especially handy if you want to give your legwarmers as gifts, but also if you just want to keep them tidy & remember how you’re supposed to launder them. Once again, here’s a great reference for care symbols.
‘Solvitur ambulando‘ is Latin for ‘it is solved by walking’. I find this very true; walking always dispels worries & replaces them with inspiration. A sweet thought for any troubled friends. Besides, we all love a pithy Latin proverb, don’t we? :)
As usual, instructions are both written & charted. I’ve also given advice on knitting eyelets at the top of the legwarmers for ribbon or elastic, and also some pointers on adjusting the fit.
Details
YARN: 1 ball Feza Angora [100gr; 50% mohair / 50% acrylic; 400m / 440yds] or approx. 400m / 440yds of 4-ply yarn. NEEDLES: 3mm (US 3) double pointed needles, or size to get gauge. GAUGE: Ribbing: 26sts / 30 rows over 10cm/4in in unstretched ribbing.
1 pattern repeat (8 rounds / 12 sts) is 4cm/1.5in x 2.5cm/1in unstetched. SIZE: Finished size will be 55cm/ 21.5in in length, 20cm/8in in circumference, unstretched. To fit calves up to 45cm/18in around.
Here’s another essential download for your Summer Knitting Survival Kit! Pop these in your Abacus Pouch along with your Shawl Shaping Cheat Sheet & you’ll be ready for any holiday emergency.
I’ve been considering turning my Twitter knitting patterns into a more useful format for a while now. My Moo minicards were my main inspiration, because they’re a good size to keep in a wallet/purse. But then I had an epiphany: how about making them into stitch markers so that they’re even more useful? If you’ve learnt anything about my style from this blog, surely it’s that I ♥ multi-functional designs. :)
The stitch marker is particularly handy for the shawl pattern which requires 1 stitch marker. It’s actually the same construction as the triangular shawl in the cheat sheet.
I considered different shapes such as circles or teardrops; I thought they might get in the way less when knitting, but then if you wanted to keep them in your wallet, with other business cards, say, I think weird shapes would be a hassle. However, thanks to feedback from lovely Ravellers, the PDF now includes a version with rounded corners, which will hopefully stop any snags.
I experimented with orientation a little. I think I’m pretty much decided that this vertical format is best, even though it does break up the pattern quite a bit.
I tried incorporating the “tie” into the design, but I couldn’t come up with anything that wouldn’t disrupt the knitting. The version above might be OK when used at the end of a row, but not as a stitch marker, I fear. Also, it had to be reinforced with plastic. In the end, I think a bit of scrap yarn works best.
I thought about a little decoration, but couldn’t decide what, exactly. I think perhaps it’s in keeping with the sparseness of the format that it doesn’t have any extra flourishes.
I also dismissed the idea of a schematic / basic drawing of the FO, because part of the fun of the format is the mystery.
Similar to my knitting gift tags, these are thick enough when folded in half & stuck down. To make them more durable, you can also laminate them, or cover them in sticky plastic (the stuff you use to cover books).
twotone had the great idea of using her bracelet to keep tabs on her Nintendo stylus!
radiantstar’s coasters show you how nice this stitch pattern looks when knit with variegated yarn!
BIRTHDAY SALE!
I hope you’ve been enjoying the free patterns I’ve been posting lately. I’ve really been enjoying these simple summer projects. If you fancy something from my Ravelry Store though, today’s the day to get it’s my birthday & to celebrate, all Laylock patterns are 25% off, just for today! No code necessary, the discount will be added to your cart automatically.
Shawls that you can knit until you run out of yarn are the bread-and-butter of knitting, to me. I know there are knitters who can’t stand the tedium of plain knitting, but I love the opportunity to think, listen to the radio, watch a film, or even read, while my hands are busy and productive.
This 1-page cheat sheet provides the shaping formulas, and row-by-row instructions for knitting 5 such shawls: square, circular, triangular, semi-circular, and heart-shaped. All you need is some yarn, a pair of needles, and some stitch markers. If you’re stuck on a desert island, you can improvise with plant filaments, some smooth sticks (sharpened to a point), and a few seashells with holes in them. You’ll need the instructions though, so click here & print them out now, and tuck them away safely in your pocket!
These shawls grow outwards from the neck, and are bound off around their circumference. This means that you can start knitting without any plan, and decide at the end whether or not you want to add a border in a different stitch pattern. Or you can just add a fringe. Once you get the basic idea, other modifications are very easy to make too: coloured stripes, textured stripes, different stitches, m1s instead of yos, etc. You can knit the shawls with any yarn from lace-weight to bulky. If you’re working in garter stitch, I recommend going up a needle size or two, to get a fabric that drapes nicely. The most important thing is that you like the way it feels.
I should note that the square, circle and semi-circle shawls will not be perfect in shape, but they can be blocked to be this way. For a (pretty much) perfect square or circle, it would be best to work in the round. And for a less semi-hexagonal semi-circle, distribute your increases across the row in a less linear fashion (like Citron, for example). Nevertheless, the former two shapes provide nice shawls that will stay on your shoulders, unlike the variations knit in the round, which need to be folded.
Need I mention that these make great summer knitting projects, when it’s too hot to think? Please knit them in the brightest, most brilliant & beautiful colours of yarn you can find. Thank you.
It’s been a couple of years since I released my Glossy Ravelry Icons & I decided to make a little addition to them. I thought this would be a sweet way of rewarding your favourite bloggers, while supporting Ravelry & indie designers at the same time. How about placing one in your blog sidebar with a note that says: “My birthday is…” or “If you enjoy the posts on this blog, please consider gifting me a pattern from my Ravelry wishlist”? :)
I made two versions: one with the Ravelry parcel icon, and one with a simple bow, which I thought went better with the RSS feed icon. There are 7 sizes of each version: 24, 32, 48, 64, 80, 128 & 256px. The .ZIP file also includes the 2 extra 150×50 icons & the .SVG file so that you can edit them to your liking.
Here’s the code to use. Just change your username & the image name/path:
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/USERNAME/queue?wishlist=true"><img src="wishlist150x50-1.png" alt="" /></a>
Hope you enjoy them, Ravellers! Leave a link to your wishlists if you’d like & maybe the Ravelry fairy will grant you a wish. ;)
A dainty little pattern for your leftovers. Making this is so quick and simple, that I don’t think even a beginner knitter could go wrong. I’ve included life-size schematics, so you can get away with only printing the second page. Then grab your yarn & needles & a tapestry needle and head to the park. Though these photos are rather autumnal, this is actually the first pattern for my summer collection. More on that later!
As I mentioned before, there are 3 different closures you can choose from: A fold-over & sew closure, a button flap closure, and a loop closure. The fold-over closure is the easiest, and doesn’t even require a button. The loop closure is also very simple, and I’ve included a tutorial on how to crochet the loop, so don’t fear the hook! :)
The pattern already has lots of Ravelry , and has been downloaded over 100 times. One knitter has even finished hers, out of Handmaiden sock yarn no less. See, it’s so pretty!
& all manner of other small thinglings that are always getting lost.
What will you keep in yours? Comment ‘cos I’m curious. :)
If you don’t fancy wearing it on your wrist, you can make one just to keep in your handbag / backpack / knitting bag, or even cooler, if your bag has a detachable strap, you can slide your pouch onto it!
Also, this is my favourite dress. I can’t tell you how delighted I was when I got it home & found out that it had POCKETS!
Hellooo wonky garter stitch!
I can’t wait to see everyone’s lovely sock yarn creations. Hope you enjoy! :)
All alone with no knitting club or knitting buddies around? Don’t despair! Just download this MP3, play it on repeat, and you’ll have endless companionship, and plenty of compliments to boot.
No eye contact necessary! Just download this discrete MP3 and play it in the privacy of your own home.
hot water bottle cover with pocket - £3.00 (approx. $4.70)
houses slipover - £3.00 (approx. $4.70)
earring & key holder - free
bow pouch - free
* Paypal will show you the precise currency conversion before you confirm the sale.
(round)about
My name is Derya and I'm 25-years-old. This blog is an experiment in better living through knitting. Learn more about Laylock in the Introduction. If you'd like to get in touch, leave a comment or email me at: d.y.davenport AT gmail.com.
12 December, 2011 | 
tags: 
Queue on Ravelry
, and has been downloaded over 100 times. One knitter has even finished hers, out of Handmaiden sock yarn no less. 
