Flint Knits

Fact: As of 4:46pm on January 14, there are 7,767 February Lady Sweater project pages on Ravelry and many more unRaveled FLSs roaming free out in the world (eep!).

PLUS

Fact: As I’ve said before, that pattern has plenty of flaws. It was my first real try at sizing a sweater. I wrote it up quickly (and, stupidly, without the expert help of any editors or designers with more knowledge and experience than I have). It’s no gem, but folks have used it as a launching pad and worked with it to make many pretty things.

EQUALS

Every one of those thousands of people who have knit a February Lady Sweater has experience with and insight into modifying the original pattern to make it what they wanted to knit and wear. Increases have been altered! Sleeves have been narrowed! Yokes have been tweaked! Unfortunately, that knowledge is spread out over countless online forums and knitting groups and classes and yarn shops and individual knitter brains.

So let’s gather it up!

I’m issuing a call for anyone who’s made the February Lady Sweater (and I mean anyone, whether it was your first sweater project or you used it to teach your hundredth knitting class) to share their expertise. What modifications did you make? What issues/problems did you encounter, and how did you fix them? Let’s talk fit, obviously, but also design, technique, yarn choice, whatever. In a month or so, I’ll go through the comments here, gather up all the input, synthesize the information, and barf it out into some kind of organized clearinghouse of tips and tricks as a resource for future FLS knitters.

Plus? a commenter chosen at random on February 14 will receive a $20 coupon to the A Verb for Keeping Warm online store. Equals? awesome.

So pass on your knowledge and experience, and pass this call on to your friends and fellow knitters. Future knitters will thank you!

Hey, you know what babies love? Garter stitch, that’s what.

Now, you might be thinking, “Oh, Pam. Why would I listen to someone like yourself, a childless maiden aunt who doesn’t know crap about babies?” But take a moment to consider: garter stitch is squishy (like babies are); it’s simple (like babies are); and it stretches like mad as the baby grows bigger (as I’m told babies often do).

Plus, my opinion is backed up by a wealth of evidence, in the form of manymany patterns–most of which were designed by people who DO know crap about babies–for knitted babies’ things done up in garter stitch.

See, for instance:

pattern: Magic Slippers by Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer
yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight, in Farmhouse
[raveled]

Or…

pattern: Mary Jane Booties by Lucie Sinkler
yarn: Hello Yarn Fat Sock, in Lorikeet
[raveled]

Or, my personal favorite:

pattern: Snug, by Hinke
yarn: Berroco Comfort chunky
[raveled]

This Snug? A vast improvement over the Snuggie (which my BFF tested and reviewed last year, with sexy/hilarious/gravy-stained results). Also, it occurs to me that the Adult Tomten might be a grown-up cousin to this garment. Also, the Berroco Comfort chunky is incredibly cozy. I’ve knit with the worsted-weight version before, and wasn’t impressed, but the chunky is totally snugglable. Would definitely not mind a Pam-sized Tomten in this yarn.

To sum up: You should probably knit some babies’ things in garter stitch. I did, and it’s pretty sweet.

About a year ago, my friend Allison hosted a bitchin holiday party (mulled wine, anyone?), and I noticed that her house shoes (socks + flip-flops) were kind of … well, sad. So I obvs offered to knit her some slippers. I don’t think she recognized the irresistible power of the Craft Challenge when she haltingly asked whether I could, maybe, make the slippers look like elf shoes?

Fuck yes, Allison. I surely can.

12 months later,  I give you: Elf Shoes.

[ravelry link]

Liberate your inner pixie, sprite, jester, imp or grinch! These puckish slippers are knit in the round and fulled to fit. They feature turn-down cuffs, short-row heels, and a curly elfin toe shaped with short rows and i-cord (Yvon of Storm in the Attic invented this super-clever toe construction, which can be applied to any sock or slipper).

The pattern comes in sizes from infant to adult wide. Foot length and cuff height are customizable.

Baby Elf Shoe - photo ©Adrian Bizilia

MATERIALS:

• 1 skein Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yards) in Main Color (MC) (Larger adult sizes may require a second skein)
• ½ skein Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yards) in Contrasting Color (CC)
• Set of five US size 10.5 (6.5mm) double-pointed needles
• tapestry needle

Would you like to make Elf Shoes for yourself and/or your loved ones?
DOWNLOAD THE FREE PATTERN!

Adult Elf Shoe - photo ©Adrian Bizilia

Big, big, heartfelt thanks to the knitters who tested this pattern and provided valuable feedback; to Adrian for her sweet stump shots and for figuring out the infant math; and most of all to Yvon for her badass toe innovation.

We call her Crush for short.

 She’s a miniature dachshund puppy we adopted this week. Her former family couldn’t take care of her any longer, so she came home with us.

And immediately started wearing sweaters.

pattern: improvised
yarn: Fox Hop 2ply handspun mohair & wool
[raveled]

We love Crush bunches already, and there will obviously be many more sweaters and pictures here in the future. For now, if you like frolicking puppies, please enjoy these 24 seconds of AWESOME.

Meet Pickadilly.

Pickadilly’s tweedy appeal is saved from being too stuffy by her raglan seams, asymmetrical lines, and kicky (jaunty? saucy? cheeky?) crocheted edging.

And, because the sweater is knit in one piece from the top down, each knitter can adjust length, sleeve length, and waist shaping for a custom fit.

The pattern includes instructions for knitting the sweater, with waist shaping options for decreases ranging from 1 to 7 inches, instructions for crocheting the edging, and alternate instructions for a knitted edging. ETA: There is also a separate PDF that explains how to modify the sweater so that the button placket runs down the center front (my gratitude to the curvy friends who suggested that, gee, not everyone wants a big white line over her left breast).

The sweater pictured uses a simple crocheted edging that’s manageable even for novice hookers. I chose a crocheted edging because (1) I like the look of it, and (2) the pattern requires quite a lot of edging, and even the slowest crochet is faster than the fastest knitting. If you prefer to knit, rather than crochet, your edging, there’s a knitted option too.

MATERIALS:

• Rowan Felted Tweed (see yardage requirements below)
• 1 skein (220 yds) Morehouse Merino Lace, or other one-ply laceweight yarn
• US 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles and 24-inch circular needles
• US 4 (3.5mm) double-pointed needles and 24-inch circular needles, or size needed to get gauge
• 1 size D (3.25mm) crochet hook
• 10–12 ½-inch buttons
• 4 stitch markers
• tapestry needle
• scrap yarn for holding stitches

SIZES: Taking a page from Ysolda’s clever, clever book, I’ve divided the sizes into three separate files.

• Small size range: finished bust measures 28 (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) inches. Requires approximately 850 (900, 960, 1030, 1110, 1170) yards DK-weight yarn.
• Medium size range: finished bust measures 40 (42, 44, 46, 48, 50) inches. Requires approximately 1230 (1320, 1400, 1480, 1570, 1670) yards DK-weight yarn.
• Large size range: finished bust measures 52 (54, 56, 58, 60, 62) inches. Requires approximately 1770 (1840, 1930, 2000, 2090, 2160) yards DK-weight yarn.

(Please note that the yardage requirements are approximate, since each sweater will be custom-fit to the wearer’s specs. If you have a long-ish torso or arms, be sure to have extra yarn on hand.)

GAUGE: 6 sts and 8 rows per inch in stockinette stitch with larger needles, after blocking

All photos in this post © Caro Sheridan (otherwise known as splityarn).