Errata: Simple Seamless Satchel

The original pattern for the Simple Seamless Satchel was only up on ravelry for a couple of hours but several people pointed out the simple mistake I made on it.

The strap is supposed to be garter stitch. I wrote K6 then P6 working back and forth. It's supposed to be K6 on all rows.

FO and Pattern: Simple Seamless Satchel

If you've been told to always avoid alliteration, this may not be the pattern for you - while my simple seamless satchel may be neither spectacular nor groundbreaking it is simple, seamless, and a fun, relatively quick, extremely inexpensive knit for summer. It's such an easy pattern to memorize, you should have no problem whipping up a bunch in a plethora of colors as gifts for your eco-friendly pals or for your own trips to the super market. Enjoy!

Simple Seamless Satchel

by Rachel McKinney



















This bag was created in a quest to make, in my opinion, a simple yet ideal market bag – one that utilized an incredibly easily-memorized lace pattern and unique construction to make it entirely seamless.

Materials:

Peaches ‘n Creme worsted weight cotton
Small amount of waste yarn
Size 8 US circular needles
Size 15 US circular needles
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Gauge:

Come on, it’s a market bag. If you really feel the need to do a swatch, just make sure the lace pattern is as open as you want and the garter stitch is as tight as you want ;)

Lace repeat:
(YO, k2tog) around.
K around.

Pattern:

Using smaller needle, CO 6 sts using provisional CO and waste yarn.
Working back and forth,
K6.
P6.
Continue in garter stitch (knit one row, purl one row) for 25”, or until desired length is reached, ending with P6.

Now you are going to get ready to begin working in the round.
K6.
CO 34 sts.
Take out provisional CO and, being careful not to twist strap, K6 original sts.
CO 34 sts.

Place marker and being careful not to twist, join to begin working in the round.
K around (80 sts).
P around.
Work in garter stitch for two more rounds.

Switch to larger needles.

K around.

Work the lace repeat 20 times, or until desired length is reached.

Turn bag inside out.

Bind-off using a three-needle bind-off.

Errata: Saxon Braid Chart

Errata:

On the legend, the third symbol should read: Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k1 from cn
The fourth symbol should read: Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k1 from left needle, k2 from cn

It should make sense as you visually look at the chart...

Also:

Open box: Knit
Box with dot: Purl

New pattern: Fairgyle

This one has been a long time coming. It's my first pattern, and my fave that I've done so far. It's fresh from the Knitty Fall '09 reject pile, my Fairgyle socks.

You can get the pattern at Ravelry.com :) I would post it here but the fair isle chart is really finicky. I could barely figure out how to get it into a pdf... ;)

FO: Wavy Shawl

This project is finally finished!!! I used the same Barbara Walker stitch pattern as the Lizard Ridge Afghan from Knitty, but I made it into a gigantic (72x24in.) shawl. It took about a year - my longest project ever -, mostly because the yarn was fairly expensive for me and it took nine balls (about $100 worth of yarn). But I think it's gorgeous and I'm incredibly proud of my project. Here it is, the Wavy Shawl :)



















The stats:

Wavy Shawl

(short row stripes stitch pattern from Barbara Walker, knit in two panels)


Started: May 22, 2008

Finished: May 10, 2009

Needles: US 8

Yarn: Noro Kureyon.

Colorways: Panel 1: 180, 95, 199, ends, ends, 154;
Panel 2: 164, 182, 184, ends, 226, 229

Thanks for checking it out :)

New pattern: Saxon Braid Hat

Saxon Braid Hat by Rachel McKinney

I decided not to send this pattern in to Knitty, so I've published it here and on Ravelry for your enjoyment. It's my Saxon Braid Hat :) It features a cable that's knit sideways around the hat and stitches that are picked up to finish the hat to the top, all in your luscious sock yarn of choice.










































One skein Pace fingering weight yarn, or the sock yarn of your choice

Size 2/2.75 mm dpns and circular needle and straight needles (dpns can work as straight needles)

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Saxon Braid















Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn


With straight needles or two dpns, CO 30 sts using Long Tail CO.
Starting with Row 16 (K,p,k,p,work chart,p,k,p,k).
Repeat, working seed stitch border and completing the chart pattern 10 times, ending with row 16.

Bind off. Seam.

With circular needle, pick up and knit 112.
K around 20 times.

When too few sts remain, switch to dpns.
(Ssk,k12) around.
K around.
(Ssk, k11) around.
K around.
(Ssk, k10) around.
K around.
Continue in this manner until (Ssk, k1) around.
K around.
(Ssk) around.

Cut yarn. Thread through rem. sts. Weave in ends. Wash and block.

FO: Hild Spring Sweater

I have finally gotten around to blogging a little bit about the Hild sweater! Hurrah smile This was the sweater that I finished in a month, in just barely a month... the sweater that convinced me I would never want to join one of those Knit-Twelve-Sweaters-In-A-Year Knit-A-Longs... It was a good month, right?! It seemed long because I knit an entire sweater during the end of March and most of April, but it seemed short because I felt like I had to rush and rush because the days kept passing so quickly.

But Holly returned from Scotland and I finished my sweater the day before the party and I got to wear my sweater for all to see! The compliments felt nice, even if the pseudo-summer heat and silky wool did not... lol

So here we have it, the stats:


Hild Spring Sweater (Hild by Elsebeth Lavold)


Started: March 26, 2009

Finished: April 23, 2009

Needles: US 4 and 6

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Parrot Green, 7 skeins for size large with short sleeves

FO and Pattern: Hourglass Cap

I have a few projects that I've finished but can't post because I'm going to try and get them published :) I do, however, have one project that I designed and knit up that I'm going to share with you all. It's a simply cabled hat that I call an Hourglass Cap. It's knit in one skein of bulky yarn and takes about an evening to make, so it's a perfect stash-buster or last-minute gift. It's simple to knit and looks quite attractive, I think, with a soft, cabled bulky merino wool that makes it ideal to keep you warm on blustery days.











































Hourglass Cap

by Rachel McKinney

Size: One size (fairly stretchy)

Materials:

Knitpicks Swish Bulky [100% superwash merino wool; 137 yds per 100 g hank; 1 hank "Marlin"]

Size 11 needles (long circular needle for Magic Loop, two circulars, or double-pointed needles)

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Gauge:

3.5 sts = 1 in. in reverse st st

Pattern:

Hourglass Cable





















Directions:

CO 64 sts using Long Tail CO.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.


Ribbing:

(K,p) around, for 8 rnds.


Body of hat:

Start pattern on Row 12.

Repeat 16 stitch pattern four times around hat (64 stitches around).

End after row 34.


Top decreases:

(P2tog, p2) around.
(P2tog, p1) around.
(P2tog) around.
(P2tog) around.
Pull yarn through 8 rem. sts.

Weave in ends.

FO: Kiri Shawl

FINALLY finished my Kiri Shawl! It's intended as a prayer shawl for my best's friend's mom, whose husband has terminal cancer. It's been OTN forever, and I'm really glad that I finally cast off and will be able to present her with this gift soon.















Here's a photo of the grateful recipient!

Saxon Braid Socks

Saxon Braid Socks

by Rachel McKinney
















Size: Women's medium

Materials:

Universal Yarns Pace [75% superwash wool, 25% polyamide; 220 yds per 50 g skein]; 2 skeins

Set of 4 US #2/2.75mm double-pointed needles

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Gauge:

28 sts = 4 inches in st st.

Pattern:
















Saxon Braid















Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Directions:

Cuff:

CO 56 sts using long-tail CO. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.
Work in k2p2 ribbing until work measures 1 in.

Leg:

14 sts on needle 1, 28 sts on needle 2, 14 sts on needle 3.
* K 16, k tbl, work across Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k 16. *
Repeat between * until leg is desired length.

Heel Flap:

Place 14 sts from needle 1 and 14 sts from needle 3 on same needle. These are the only stitches you will be working for the heel. You will be leaving the instep stitches (needle two) alone during this portion.
* (Sl1, k1) across.
Sl1, p 29. *
Repeat between *13 more times, until 28 heel flap rows have been worked.

Heel Turn:

K16, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p3, p2tog, p1 turn work.
Sl1, k4, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work.
* Sl1, k to one stitch away from gap, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p to one stitch away from gap, p2tog, p1, turn work. *
Repeat between * until all stitches have been worked.
Knit halfway across row. Beg of rnd.

Gusset:

Round 1: With needle 1, knit across the rest of the turned heel.
Pick up 14 sts from the edge of the heel flap.
Pick up 2 sts between heel flap and instep.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, pick up 2 sts between heel flap and instep.
Pick up 14 sts from edge of the heel flap.
Knit across the remaining heel turn sts.

* Round 2:
With needle 1, knit until three sts remain, k2tog, k.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, k, ssk, k to end.

Round 3:
With needle 1, k.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, k. *

Repeat between * until 14 sts on needle 1, 28 sts on needle 2, 14 sts on needle 3.

Foot:

* K 16, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k 16. *

Repeat between * until 2 in. before end of toe.

Toe:

* K until 3 sts from end of needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k until 3 sts from end of needle 2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to end.
K around. *
Repeat between * until 28 sts are left.
(K until 3 sts from end of needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k until 3 sts from end of needle 2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to end) twice.

K5. Graft sts. Weave in ends.

So after that brief hiatus...

Well, after the longest break in the history of the blogiverse, I have finally returned. I do not promise to post regularly with daily, or even weekly, stories of life's happenings to amuse and entertain the masses. Rather, I have decided to enter the world of knitwear design, and I need a means to get my designs out into the world. So whenever I have a blog-worthy FO or a fabulously innovative new pattern (freshly rejected by Knitty or otherwise), it will be posted here. Knowing me, you may get classical music and yarn reviews thrown into the mix as well. But that's just part of the fun!

And it does feel good to be back :)