Wine-Twist Winter Accessories

The name for this set of knitted items comes from the colourway of the yarn, Wine-Twist from Bernat Super Value Ombres. I fell in love with the jewel-toned hues, and even though I had nothing particular in mind at the time, I just knew I had to do something with it.


I started with a scarf using the drop stitch, which I had just started to teach myself at the beginning of July. I chose this as my knitting project for attending the Polaris Con because it was so easily – I just had to keep track of four rows, so I could easily knit while listening to the speakers. Got most of it done at the con.

Wine-Twist Drop-Stitch Scarf
Free pattern (for personal use only).

Materials:

• US 6 / 4.0 mm knitting needles


• 1 skein Bernat Super Value Ombres Wine-Twist worsted-weight yarn


• Tapestry needle

Instructions:

Cast on 24 stitches.

Rows 1-8 K (produces a garter stitch border)

Begin drop stitch pattern:
Row 1: K
Row 2: Knit each stitch, wrapping the yarn around the needle twice instead of once when completing the stitch
Row 3: Knit each stitch, dropping the extra wrap off the needle as you complete each stitch
Row 4: K

Repeat these four rows until there is just enough yarn left to create an 8-row border in garter stitch (K all sts).

Bind off and weave in ends.

© 2010-01-18 N0Nightowl

Wine-Twist Mittens

After completing the scarf, I used my favourite mittens pattern (Patons No. 303, Beehive Publications (from the 1970's)) for the second skein of Wine-Twist yarn I had originally purchased. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you where to find this pattern, as it appears to no longer be in publication.

After completing the mittens, there was enough yarn left over in the skein to do a matching cloche, to complete the 3-piece set.

Wine-Twist Cloche with Flower Decoration
Free pattern (for personal use only).

Technique: French Knitting, also know as looming or spooling, used for the cloche, and regular single-pointed needle knitting for the attached flower.

Materials:

• Provocraft Knifty Knitter Round Loom -- green for small-adult size or yellow for large-adult size


• Knifty Knitter Hook


• US 6 / 4.0 mm knitting needles


• 1/2 skein Bernat Super Value Ombres Wine-Twist worsted-weight yarn


• Large metal button, preferably gold-coloured, with a shank on the back instead of button holes (the one I used was recycled from an old worn-out jacket)


• Tapestry needle

Instructions:

Actually, the instructions for this project are very simple, because I am just going to tell you to merge two free patterns by different folks.

Step 1: Make the rolled-brim basic cloche following the instructions that come with the round Knifty Knitter looms.

Step 2: Make a Lydia Flower, which is a free pattern from the Lazykate website. I tried to follow the pattern, but just couldn’t get it right to save my life (the number of stitches simply would not match up!), so I ended up adapting it to what worked for me. It looked best using two knit ruffle rounds rather than the three in the pattern. Also, my stitches looked ragged in the centre compared to Kate’s example.

Step 3: Sew the button to the flower and then the flower to the hat at a jaunty angle.

© 2010-01-18 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

Demonic Thoughts Tuque -- my first pattern

Free pattern (for personal use only).

This tuque (Canadian variation on the word "toque" for knitted hat) doesn't actually cause the wearer to indulge in evil thoughts. The name comes from the design's inspiration, the television show Supernatural, where one of the main characters, Dean Winchester, has been to Hell and back and is now caught in a battle between Hell (thus the colour red) and Heaven (feather decoration for the angels).

This hat is incredibly simple to make, but looks quite impressive because of the richness of the boa texture of the brim and the unusual feather decoration.

Technique: French Knitting, also known as loom knitting or spooling

Sizes: Small adult (with instructions between brackets for large adult)

Materials:

• Knifty Knitter Round Loom -- green for small-adult size or yellow for large-adult size
• Knifty Knitter Hook
• 1 ball Bernat Boa Cardinal eyelash yarn
• 1 ball Red Heart Classic Cherry Red worsted-weight acrylic yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Two leather laces with feathers attached. I used the laces and feathers from barrettes after detaching the barrettes.
  

Instructions:

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

Step 2: Using the hook that came with the loom kit, lift the bottom loop on each peg over the top loop and over the peg. When you have completed the entire circle, you will have one row of loops remaining on the pegs. Push these loops to the bottom of the pegs.

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

Step 4: Repeat Step 2.

Continue repeating Steps 3 and 4 until your knitting measures 5 inches (6 inches) long. There should be only one loop on each peg at this point.

Step 5: Cut the boa strand, leaving a 7-8 inch tail, which you will weave in later. Do not cut the worsted-weight yarn.

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 and over the peg. When you have completed the entire circle, you will have one row of loops remaining on your pegs, and the bottom and top of your knitting will have been knit together to form a double-thick brim.

Step 8: Add a second strand of worsted-weight yarn to the original strand of worsted-weight yarn (remember, it was the boa yarn that you cut off) and kit the remainder of the tuque with the two strands of worsted-weight held together.

Continue repeating Steps 3 and 4 until your knitting measures 6 inches (7.5 inches) beyond the brim. There should be only one loop on each peg at this point. Cut your yarn (both strands), leaving 7-8 inch tails.

Step 9: Thread your tapestry needle with a 2- to 2.5-foot length of the worsted-weight yarn. Sew through each loop on the pegs, from bottom to top of the peg. When all loops have been sewn through, join the ends of the sewing yarn with a slip knot.

Step 10: Using the hook, lift all the loops off the pegs. They will now be strung on the yarn you sewed through them with the tapestry needle.

Step 11: Turn the hat inside out. Pull the two ends of the sewing yarn together to gather the material for the top of the hat. Before you have completely closed the top, slip through the opening the ends of the leather laces with the feathers attached (the feathers and 2-4 inches of lace should be on the finished outside, while the ends of the laces should be inside and should be long enough to tie into the tails of your yarn). I like to leave the outside laces different lengths to add visual interest to the finished product.

Step 12: Tighten the sewing yarn until the hole at the top of the hat is completely closed and tie off with a square knot. Then tie one end of the sewing yarn to one of the tails of wrapping yarn with a square knot. Tie the other end of the sewing yarn to the other tail of wrapping yarn. Now, tie the ends of the leather laces to the yarn tails with square knots.

Step 13: Cut the ends of all the yarn tails approximately one inch from the knots. Optionally, you can weave all the tails into the knitting instead of cutting, but I find that it's easier just to leave the short, cut strands as they are on the inside the tuque and cannot be seen.

Step 14: With the tapestry needle, weave in the tails of yarn on the inside of the tuque where the brim joins the top of the hat.

Step 15: Turn your hat right-side-out, and your project is complete.

© 2009-07-01 N0Nightowl