Variegated Miter Coasters

Free pattern (for personal use only).

I wouldn't be surprised if there are tons of other coaster patterns out there on the internet that are similar to this, or perhaps even identical. I developed this "pattern" while teaching myself how to do miters. As soon as I had knit a test square, I knew that this technique would produce beautiful coasters, especially if done in a nice absorbent cotton, preferably a variegated yarn that would create striking right-angled streaks of colour on the diagonal of the square.

A second impetus went into the creation of this pattern--I tend to make a lot of dishcloths (there are so very many wonderful variations to explore), and there are usually fairly large hunks of yarn left over, though rarely enough to ever make a second dishcloth. A coaster is usually just the right size to finish off one of these leftovers. By sticking to variegated yarns, the coasters will still look like a set, even when the colours themselves are different.

The following pattern will produce 5-6 coasters per ball of yarn.

Note: Because of the difference in weight of the two yarns, the first numbers are for the Bernat yarn, while the numbers in brackets are for the Sugar'n Cream yarn.

Materials:

• 4 mm needles (U.S. size 6) [3¾ mm needles (U.S. size 5)]
  
• 1 skein Bernat Organic Natural Cotton (GET URL) *or* 1 skein Lilly Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton yarn (GET URL) (Note: You should be able to get at least four matching coasters out of a single skein.)
  
• 2 differently coloured place markers (I use pieces of red and green yarn made into a slip-knotted loop. I tend to forget which row/side of the knitting that I am on, so if I see a green loop is in place, then I need to decrease on that row; if a red loop is in place, then I don't decrease on that row.)
  
• Tapestry needle.

Stitches:

K = knit

K2tog = knit 2 together

SSK = slip 1, slip 1, knit two together (slip stitches knit-wise, insert the left needle into the fronts of the 2 stitches and knit together through the back loop)

Instructions:

Cast on 17 (15) stitches, put the 1st place marker on the left needle (I use the red loop), then cast on 17 more stitches.

Row 1 and all odd rows: K to marker, replace the red loop with the green loop), K to end of row.

Row 2 and all even rows: K to 2 sts before the green loop. K2tog. Remove green loop and place red loop on left needle. SSK. K to end of row.

Repeat these two rows until only 2 stitches remain on the needle. K2tog.

Knot off and sew in yarn tails.

© 2009-10-15 N0Nightowl

Fuzzy Headband

Instead of blogging, I’ve been knitting and looming like mad, trying to get all my winter projects done before the cold weather arrived. The cold came… and passed, giving me a short reprieve to catch up, except I ended up editing a book for a friend, instead of knitting. I did finish one set (matching mitts, hat and scarf) in time for a friend’s birthday, but almost everything else is behind.

One thing I did manage to complete was a headband for another friend. I’d offered to do her a tuque (that’s a traditional winter knit cap, to those non-Canadians reading this) to wear as she walked to work through Toronto’s winter cold, but she finds herself overheated with a hat. We were talking about earmuffs, when I remembered earlier thoughts that the Knifty Knitter round-loom cap instructions for making the brim of the cap could probably easily be turned into a double-thickness headband to keep the ears comfy warn.

Here’s the pattern I came up with.

Fuzzy Double-Thick Winter Headband
Free pattern (for personal use only).

Technique: French Knitting, also know as looming or spooling. This pattern uses double-stitch, which provides a tighter, more wind-proof finish to the headband, and the ribbing bind-off method.

Sizes: Small adult or large adult, depending on which loom is used

Materials:

• Knifty Knitter Round Loom -- green for small-adult size or yellow for large-adult size
  
• Knifty Knitter Hook
  
• 1 skein Bernat Boa Cardinal eyelash yarn
  
• 1/2 skein Red Heart Classic Black worsted-weight acrylic yarn
  
• Tapestry needle

Instructions:

Step 1: Using a strand each of the boa and the worsted-weight yearn held together, e-wrap the loom three times counter-clockwise. There will be three loops on each peg when you are done.

Step 2: Lift the bottom loop on each peg over the top two loops and peg. When you have completed the entire circle, you will have two rows of loops remaining on the pegs.

Step 3: E-wrap the loom. You should now have three loops on each peg once again.

Step 4: Repeat Step 2.

Continue repeating steps 3 an 4 until your knitting measures 6.5 inches long (7 inches for larger size).

Step 5: For the last row, do NOT add a third loop to the pegs. With only two loops remaining on each peg, lift the bottom loop over the top loop.

Step 6: Pull your knitting through the inside of the loom to access the beginning edge. Place each loop from the originating row over its corresponding peg (hint: start by placing the loop to the right of the original loose yarn over the peg to the right of the outer tie-off peg and continue around the circle counter-clockwise until you have two loops on each peg – the bottom loop being from the last row you knit and the top loop being from the edge.)

Step 7: Lift the bottom loop over the top loop, until only a single row of loops remain on the pegs, and the bottom and top of your knitting has been knit together to form a double-thick band.

Step 8: Cast off using the ribbing bind-off method.

8a: To get the proper length of tail to work with, wrap the working yarn around the whole circle three times, then cut. Thread the end into the tapestry needle.

8b: Starting with the peg to the right of the tie-off peg, run the needle and thread down through the loop on that peg.

8c: Then bring the needle and thread up through the loop on the peg to the left of the one you just did.

8d: Now, skipping the peg to the right (the one where you sewed downward) and holding the yarn behind the skipped peg, sew downward through the loop on the next peg.

8e: Sew the yarn up through the loop on the peg to the left (which will have already been sewn through downward during step 8b.

Repeat Steps 8d and 8e until all the loops have both up and down stitches.

8f: Remove the loops from the pegs and weave in the tail of the yarn.

Step 9: Roll the cast-off seam to the inside where it can’t be seen, and your headband is ready to wear.

© 2009-11-14 N0Nightowl