It's kind of nice to have friends who don't really use the computer. Don't get me wrong, I don't understand it, I don't know how they do it, and I have no desire to be like them, but it does make it fun when it comes to posting gifts you've made, before you give them, because you know they will not see them. My friends, Jess and Abe, share a birthday. That pretty much shows how "meant to be" they are...well, that probably isn't really a good reason to be with someone, but it's still kind of cool, and they are great together. We'll, they are having their birthday soon, and January Birthday's definitely stir a desire to gift hand knit goodies.
For him: Man Hat. That is the official pattern name, and it is free on a blog. Cool. I used handspun wool, from local sheep. Fitting for the local Farmer, who helped feed my family last summer through his CSA. It's simple, basic, brown, not dyed, warm, manly. Perfect. The yarn is bulky, 16sts/4", so worked up quickly and is very warm!
For Her: She's my antique shopping partner, fellow lover of old things, textiles and warm colors. So the Scrappy Scarf seemed perfect. It reminds me of braided rugs, and looks woven, though it's not. I was inspired by a pattern on Ravelry, but after reading the notes and looking at the projects, decided I didn't need to buy the pattern. I cast on 330 stitches (I had a gauge of 5.5sts/inch), which gave me a 60" scarf. I worked 52 rows, giving me 4 inches in width.
Leaving a tail, for the first end of the fringe, I cast on 330 stitches. Leaving a tail for other end of fringe, I cut yarn. Using the same color, I work a row, alternating knit 1, slip one as if to purl with the yarn in the front, all the way across. If I ended on a slip stitch, I just knit it. So I knit the first and last stitch of every row. Each row has a tail at the beginning and the end, so I started at the same end each time. I worked 2 rows of the same yarn, then picked another yarn for the next 2 rows. Oh, I knit the slipped stitches and slipped the knit stitches, from the row before, so that the V and the Bar alternated, on each row...
When I was done knitting, I tied 4 of the fringes together to finish the ends. Then I trimmed them so they were all the same length. You can make this scarf with any size yarn. Just adjust the number of stitches you cast on. Figure your gauge/how many stiches per inch, that is A. Then figure out how many inches long you want it to be, B.
A X B = C (or number of Stiches to cast on).
It's super easy.
All that calculating inspired me. I did the math and learned this scarf has 17,160 stitches!
Won't the happy couple look great wearing their knits together!
Today was a snow storm, leaving somewhere over a foot of snow. I kind of wish I ventured outside for some pictures, but I didn't. I took the opportunity to knit the gifts. It was kind of nice to get a snow day. Back to real work tomorrow!
Gee ~ wishing I had a January birthday :)
Can you knit gardening gloves for an August one?
:)
~A
Posted by: Andrea | January 13, 2011 at 09:21 PM
What fine gifts.
Posted by: Joy | January 14, 2011 at 07:34 AM
These are both so beautiful; your friends must be very grateful. I've always believed that I'm incapable of learning to knit. I really must test that believe some day soon!
Posted by: Eleanor | January 16, 2011 at 09:14 AM