Planche Vest

Summer is coming, or so we think. Here in Spokane Spring is a little touch and go, sometimes we have unbelievably warm weather just to be followed by weeks of cold drizzly rain. As of this moment? cold drizzly rain, but! hope springs eternal and there is nothing better to fuel dreams of a warm and sunny summer than a new super cute, quick and easy summer pattern.

Planche Vest was published in the newest issue of Interweave Knits Summer 2012, a fast knit using bias eyelets in a worsted weight cotton. The cotton yarn was soooo lovely, Cotton Supreme from Universal Yarns and believe you me it is nothing like the standard cotton that you can get from you know where. Yes you know the stuff, named after coffee additives, only good for dish cloths. Well Cotton Supreme is nothing like that, I was really worried about my hands before this yarn came, as I have experience with the cotton-that-shall-not-be-named hurting my hands and causing cramps. But it was lovely to knit and the biased eyelets are easy on the hands and work up fast. 

The vest is worked in the round from the bottom up, then divided for the keyhole and divided further for the armholes. Nice thing is that only one thing goes on at any one time, so it is simple to keep track of and the decreases and increases for the keyhole are written simply so there are no charts to follow either. 

Planche means Chevron in French and this vest has a chevron in the front and back to flatter the body. The bottom hem is worked on needles that are two sizes smaller than the top and can be worked pulled down over the hips as in the magazine or higher at the top of the hips with a bit of flounce. The shoulder/sleeves are  dolman style which means that there are not any underarm stitches bound off. The stitches simply split into two sections at the underarm and then are worked to the shoulder without shaping. This also means that the larger sizes will have more of a shoulder/sleeve then the smaller sizes. 

The neck is finished with a knit on i-cord edging but the keyhole opening and the sleeve edges are worked with an edging that mimics a knit on i-cord. This means that they are completed at the same time as the garment and require no further finishing. When working the neck i-cord be careful not to work too tightly, if you are a tight knitter you may want to go up a needle size from the one recommended. 

And I almost forgot the best part, this garment is sized from 34 inches to 59 inches so enjoy all you lovely ladies! enjoy!

Tip: want to add sleeves? why not pickup around the edges of the armholes and work in k1 p1 ribbing to create a short sleeve? Work the garment with different colored ribbing and i-cord bind off for a color blocking effect. Or work the ribbing for 5-6 inches and work 2 inches less mesh before starting the keyhole for something slightly different. 

Finished Size 34¼ (36½, 41¼, 45¾ , 48, 52½ , 54¾ , 59½ )” bust circumference. Pullover shown measures 34¼”, modeled with slight ease.
Yarn Universal Cotton Supreme (100% cotton; 180 yd [165 m]/3½ oz [100 g]): #602 orange creme, 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5) skeins.
Needles Sizes 7 (4.5 mm) and 9 (5.5 mm): 32” circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions Markers (m); stitch holders; tapestry needle.
Gauge 14 sts and 21 rnds = 4” in diagonal lace patt on larger needle.

Oops! missed one: Fereisle

We had an insane Christmas break this year, lots of family visiting ( 6 adults and 3 more dogs over 3 weeks to add to our 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 dogs and a cat that were here already) Add to that a few viruses working their way through the kids and then up to us including strep throat and then pneumonia it's no wonder that a pattern got lost in the shuffle!

Fereisle was published in the Interweave Knits Accessories Issue that came out around Christmas ( but as I said things were nuts and the memory is hazy). A cowl worked flat in chunky yarn and then seamed to close partway down it is a fast and interesting knit.

The story behind the design is a pretty silly one full of misconception and assumptions that lasted a few years. In my early years of knitting when this full blown addiction was still in it's infancy I had just begun to explore Fair Isle knitting. My husband had only heard me speak of Fair Isle in rushed tones while I frantically dug through a bag or more of yarn looking for the right colours and plotting a foray to the yarn store. Due to his poor hearing and my excitement Hubs the Great thought that it was actually called Feral Knitting, which he admitted to me about a year ago when reading an article over my shoulder.

After we both laughed ourselves into a bit of a frenzy I got to thinking about what Feral Fair Isle knitting might actually look like, fairly wild and unrestrained was my best guess. I like to create fair isle motifs on my weaving program as I find that it is the most freeing for patterning and the program works the pattern repeats for me so easily that I can really manipulate the images into exactly what I desire. So I sat down the create a feral fair isle motif, which turned out to be fairly geometric without any discernable quaint traditional fair isle patterning and only a few repeating rows. This I inserted into an angular shaped cowl with decreases to transition the cowl from the shoulders to the neck. The back of this cowl is worked in 1x1 ribbing to hug the head and the overlapping button flap can be left open or buttoned closed depending on your style.

The colours used in the sample were exactly the colours I had used in the proposal and my only regret is that I couldn't get an even brighter pink. I bought the swatch yarn at the ever amazing Paradise Fibers and asked Kyle specifically for a bright pink, a killer pink a "slap your momma pink!", but alas the yarn companies were not on board with slap your momma pink and so fairly bright pink is what we went with.

Try customizing this pattern with a wild button, brightly contrasting yarn choice or vareigated yarn for the CC for a truly wild look.

Thalassa

Several months ago an up-and-coming yarn company was looking for design submissions for their yarn line. Their request was in the form of a contest and within the contest there were two options. One option being the 'contemplater' receive your yarn info and sample early and work up a proposal. The other option was a 'risktaker', wait patiently for a mystery sample and work up a proposal in no time at all, guess what I chose? Risktaker of course! 

A month or so later I received notice that my design had been chosen for the final round of decisions and I was getting yarn to work up the sample. This yarn was amazing but also scarce and since it had just been invented and there wasn't even a technique to dye it the waiting was intense. But right after Christmas as I was recovering from strep throat I finally got a nice big box with two luscious cones of the most fabulous turquiose Crespo yarn. 

I knit like a wild banshee for 6 days and after many nights of intense knitting while watching our yearly consumption of Die Hard movies Thalassa was born.  And the best news of all is that this design was chosen to walk the catwalk at TNNA in Phoenix on January 21st weekend and so after blocking and steaming and working in ends off it flew to walk itself to fame and fortune.

Since the Crespo yarn is not even available yet I will tell you that it is a very lightweight crunchy kind of bamboo hemp yarn with an incredible halo, yes I said halo, and bamboo hemp, together in one yarn. It was actually really nice to knit, surprising since yarns like Linen can be so hard on the hands. It blocked like a miracle unfolding, with drape so supple I had religious visions.

This design was inspired by the incredible color and feel of the Crespo yarn: the sheen and texture reminded me of hemp rope while the colour spoke of the sea. Thalassa is named for the Sea Goddess Thalassa of Greek legend, who literally is the personification of the Mediterranean Sea.

Thalassa is a pullover tunic with a simple lace pattern and triple-wrapped stitches to create an airy sea foam pattern. Shaped by decreasing needle sizes and changing the stitch pattern, this tunic has a row of eyelets for a tie at the empire waist, and lovely airy sleeves worked with rows of vertical eyelets.

The pattern includes both written and charted instructions and the bust circumference is generously sized from 34 ( 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58). Meant to be worn with 2 inches of positive ease the front has short rows to accomodate the bust and a tie at the empire waist to create a perfect fit everytime.
 
Since the Crespo hasn't even been released yet you might find yourself substituting yarn. Be aware that if you use a heavy cotton for this garment it will drop farther after blocking and the lace pattern will behave differently. If you don't want to wait for the Crespo I suggest a linen, or hemp blend for this garment.


As always you can purchase this pattern through Ravelry whether you have an account or not, the price is $7.50 for the PDF download.

 

  Also check out the project link to see project pages and more technical information about this garment

Chest: 34 ( 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58) inches circumference

Length shoulder to hem: 32.5 ( 33, 33.75, 33.75, 34.25, 34.25, 34.75) inches

900 ( 980, 1140, 1210, 1362, 1510, 1608) yards total

1 US 8/5mm 32 inch circular needle (larger sizes may be worked on 47 inch circular needle if desired)

1 US 7/4.5mm 32 inch circular needle (larger sizes may be worked on 47 inch circular needle if desired)

1 US 6/4 mm 32 inch circular needle (larger sizes may be worked on 47 inch circular needle if desired)

2 US 7/4.5mm DPNs for i-cord tie

Change needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge

Tapestry needle, stitch markers, stitch holders or waste yarn

GAUGE

22sts /22rows = 4 inches square in stockinette stitch on US 7/4.5mm needles, in the round after blocking. (The needles required to obtain this gauge will be referred to in the pattern as “gauge needle”)

Have you seen the newest Creative Knitting?

If you have you've seen two of my new patterns! Firstly on the front cover is a little vest called Azteca, simple to knit and striking to wear I was inspired by an updated modern and slimfitting poncho. I know right? updated slimfitting modern and poncho in the same sentence, and yet here we are. Azteca is worked by creating the band of ribbing which is worked sideways, then picking up stitches around the band and working them to the shoulders. Stitches are increased on the back to create a v that matches the opening in the front and but both fronts are worked evenly without increases or decreases and the armholes are simply slits.

This pattern is part of the ribbing and surface texture section of the magazine and I thought of the vertical ribbing as working a pinstripe like on a suit when I was knitting it. Azteca is worked in Cascade 220 worsted weight wool and there are endless available yarns for substitution.

Pay special attention when picking up the stitches from the band; the pattern indicates to measure a specific distance and then pick up stitches within that distance, this is so that the side seams and back increases are located at exactly the sides and back of the garment. Otherwise your garment may be skewed and twist funny around the body.

Customize this with a dramatic button choice or work in a variegated yarn.

My second pattern in the March 2012 issue is Aria, a lovely cardigan with a touch of lace and subtle shaping. I love Aria, I love cardigans that fit in the right places to emphasize the right places and flow in other areas to disguise them. Aria is worked in Cascade Yarns Woodland, an interesting mix of wool and nettles that was a bit stiffer to work with than I anticipated but softened up after blocking and draped beautifully.

Aria is part of the Lace section in the magazine and has a small amount of easily memorizeable lace at the bottom of the sleeves and up the front bands of the sweater. I say easily memorizeable as it is only a 4 row repeat and has logical yarnovers which are easy to follow. The front edges of the sweater are pleated at the armhole depth to create a draped front, and the sleeves are 3/4 length for a younger modern look.

This cardigan has a lot of side shaping and is worked all in once piece to the armholes, the sleeves are worked to the armhole depth and the sweater is finished with raglan shaping to the open neckline. After the raglan decreases are finished the neckline stitches are bound off but the neckband stitches are left live and worked independently to fit around to the back of the neck, seamed with a 3 needle bind off and sewn down.

Pay special attention to the raglan decreases, as this sweater is worked bottom up the eyelets along the raglan shaping are not as simple as a yarnover increase. Instead they are a yarnover and double decrease, and some sizes have a triple decrease for a few early rows.

Customize this sweater with a shawl pin to close the front or work in a wool bamboo for ultimate drape.

And the Winners are....

Congratulations to commenter #3
Brittany: I like to buy any yarn in colors that look good on my daughter...as if I don't have enough things to knit for her already!


and commenter #6
Randi: My biggest impulse was buying two skeins of Just Our Yarn cashmere at Madrona last Feb. Although I thought about it a whole day so maybe that doesn't count as an impulse. I just found your blog via your baby sweater pattern in the winter 2011 Interweave Knits.

Please send a Ravelry message to anythingbutsnow so I can gift you this pattern! Happy Knitting
xoxo Meghan

Interweave Knits Petite Facile

 I wanted to post about a lovely little sweater that was published in Interweave Knits winter 2011, the Petite Facile sweater. Translating from French to 'Small and Simple' this sweaer is exactly that, a perfect quick knit gift for the small ones in your life.

Petite Facile is knit flat and all in one piece from the hem up over the shoulders. The sleeves are shaped with short rows to taper to the cuff and the front neck has a wide placket which of course is the perfect opportunity for a large button. I designed this piece to be the simple knit that can be worked on anywhere but is still more interesting than plain stockinette.The sample was worked in malabrigo worsted which might be the softest yarn ever made, but this pattern uses a standard worsted weight yarn and would be a great stash buster.

Don't be alarmed if your sleeves look like triangles after the short rows, this is simply the shaping so that the wrist circumference tapers from the armhole depth. You can see in the picture below how the short row shaping is a diagonal line along the back of the sleeve.

In these bottom three photos my daughter modeled this sweater for me before I mailed it off and she loved it so much she wore it for at least 20 min on a hot August day. She is a very small 2 year old who has only just outgrown her 18 month size clothes and the 18 month sample fit her with zero ease.

And she is a hambone, lol

xo Meghan

New pattern Lamia and a Giveaway

Oh boy am I ever behind with posting! Let's have a contest to get things rolling again shall we? Introducing Lamia, a shawl in two sizes but really any size you want it to be! Infinitely customizeable and perfect for variegated yarns this shawl is a quick and easy knit for Christmas, or any gift you might need.

The sample is worked in Knitpicks Swish Tonal, a Superwash wool that is soft and cozy while still being easy to wash. There are two written sizes of this pattern, the small size is a perfect neck size or small shoulder shrug, and the large size is a bonafide shawl which makes a sumptuous neck piece with loads of cozy folds. This pattern includes information to help you modify the length to any amount of yardage, and/or modify the repeats for any gauge of yarn. Perfect for those colourful hanks you picked up and can't figure out what to do with and also very beautiful if worked in a solid colour.

I designed this pattern because I am more likely to purchase vareigated yarn than any other yarn and often come home with one or two skeins and no pattern ideas. It seems that the more complicated the yarn becomes the less options there are for patterns that work with it.

If you would like to win one of two copies of Lamia please leave a comment on this post telling me what your biggest impulse yarn buy is, the giveaway ends on Dec 9th at 7pm Spokane time.

You can also buy this pattern for $4.99 through Ravelry

xoxo Meghan