Valerie M. you won a free copy of Mittens & Hats for Yarn Lovers!

Valerie commented:

“I knit a lot, all kinds of different things, and I’ve been experimenting with different yarns, needles and patterns for a while now, but double-pointed needles scare me a little. I don’t know why, it’s completely irrational. I’ve recently bought myself a set of double-pointed needles and some lovely merino wool. I haven’t touched them yet, I need some really good patterns to get working on, this book seems just ideal! There will be no more excuses then…!”

Valerie, I think that Carri’s book will help put your fears to rest for sure. I hope you enjoy the book! Your copy will be sent courtesy of Creative Publishing International, and it should arrive shortly!

I also want to thank everyone for your comments!

Continue to work the pattern as given in the instructions. Some instructions indicate that the provisional cast-on be removed so the piece can be worked in the opposite direction. In this case, hold the work with the cast-on edge at the top. Undo one loop of the crochet chain, inserting the knitting needle into the stitch below the chain. (This stitch is on the original first row of your knitting.)

Undo the crochet chain until all the stitches are on the needle. This creates a row of stitches ready to work in the opposite direction.

In a recent post, I gave you a chance to learn about Carri Hammett’s book Mittens & Hats for Yarn Lovers. Now, you can enter for a chance to win a copy of her book! This contest is now closed.

All you need to do is leave a comment explaining what you want to learn when it comes to making mittens and hats. Maybe you’d like to explore the Magic Loop method, or perhaps you want to pick up a few new tricks when it comes to working on double-point needles.

The Rules:

• Leave a comment telling me why you MUST have this book in your library and what you’d like to learn from it.
• Your name will be placed in a drawing. If you don’t leave your contact info, you cannot take part!
• The contest officially starts on Wedesday, 2/15 and ends midnight Thursday, 2/16.
• The winner will be announced on the Creative Knitting Facebook page on Monday, 2/20.
• The winner will receive a complimentary copy directly from Creative Publishing International.

Have fun and I can’t wait to see your comments!

A few weeks ago, while in New York City, I had the good fortune of running into Laurie Gonyea, founder and designer of Knit Outta The Box. I asked Laurie if she would be willing to make a short video about the unique concept behind her new Hugs & Kisses Bracelet knitting kit, so we could share it with the Creative Knitting audience. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the timing couldn’t be better! Laurie also shared the story behind how she came up with her wildly popular iMitt knitting kit.

So, if you don’t mind a little background noise…spend a few minutes getting to know Laurie. I hope you enjoy our fun, impromptu little video!

Click images to view the video!

Hugs & Kisses Bracelet knitting kit from Knit Outta The Box.

iMitt knitting kit from Knit Outta The Box.

To learn more about Laurie Gonyea and her products, visit Knit Outta The Box.

With winter still in full-force, why not change up your wooly wardrobe with some quick knit hats and mittens? They’re easy to make, they take very little yarn and offer many skill-building opportunities. If you’re new to knitting in the round, or even if are an old pro, you’ll find Mittens & Hats for Yarn Lovers, by Carri Hammett a go-to resource for circular knitting. Experienced knitters will value the hat and mitten patterns for many gauges and sizes. Yarn lovers will enjoy the many designer projects using high-quality yarns found at their local yarn shop. Finally, anyone with a baby in their life will be delighted by the baby section.

Carri Hammett clearly explains how to use this book, provides the proper list of tools, common terms and techniques used in knitting and a variety of circular knitting methods such as:

• How to cast on and work on a circular needle.
• How to use, arrange and manage double-point needles.
• Learning the useful Magic Loop method, which incorporates the use of one long circular needle.

In Mittens & Hats for Yarn Lovers, Carri teaches important knitting skills, such as decreasing and picking up stitches, while knitters work on their projects. “After years of experience as a yarn shop owner I understand what confuses knitters and what questions often bring them back to the shop for help. My goal is to write books that give knitters all the information they might need to make what is shown in the book. An independent knitter feels smart and empowered and that’s exactly who yarn shop owners want as customers,” says Carri.

What I love best about this book is how Carri sends you on a “pictorial journey” through your chosen project. She really takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out what, in words, can sometimes be confusing. She shows you how to make a mitten and a hat using the Magic Loop method, as shown in the partial example below. The technique is so easy to understand, it literally feels as if she’s personally guiding you through the process.

Looks are deceiving, because you get more than just 12 patterns in this clever book. The basic patterns for hats and mittens are worked in multiple gauges for each size listed. So if, for example, you’re looking to make a lightweight hat for the warmer months ahead, you can opt for using a lighter-gauge yarn. Then, all you need to do is change your needle size and cast on more or less stitches. That’s it!

In addition to circular knitting techniques, this book also packs a punch with these additional techniques:

• How to work cables
• Slip-stitch patterns
• Color stranded knitting
• Felting

With this book as your guide, knitters of all skill levels will be able to knit an endless variety of mittens and hats for everyone in their families!

(Creative Publishing International/January 2011/$24.99 PLC/144 pages)

To learn more about Carri and her knitting endeavors, visit her website: coldwateryarn.com

Hard to believe that we’re just about done with our Build-a-Block Series. Some of you have had issues with printing out the charts, and I want to apologize for the problems you’ve been encountering. I hope that the pdf versions helped you out. If you run into any further problems, leave a comment on this post, or click the link to the left to contact me directly.

The final Block, Simple Ladders is another easy knit and purl combination. The linear elements in this pattern, add a nice level of contrast against some of the more organic stitch motifs found in a few of the previous Blocks.

Keep your comments coming, and let me know what you plan on doing with your Stitch Blocks. I look forward to hearing from you!

Visit CreativeKnittingMagazine.com and click on Charity Giving to find the one that’s right for you.

Block #5 Simple Ladders by Lisa Carnahan

Finished Measurement

12-inch square

Skill Level

Easy

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn
• Size 9 (5.25mm)needles or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

20 sts = 4 inches/10cm in St st

Special Abbreviation

Centered Double Decrease: (CDD): Slip next 2 sts as if to k2tog, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over knit st to dec 2 sts.

Instructions

Cast on 52 sts. Knit 6 rows.

Next row: Knit, inc 1 st across row—53 sts.

Work pattern as follows:

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2: K4, purl to last 4 sts, k4.

Row 3: K4, *yo, CDD, yo, k3; rep from * to last 7 sts, yo, CDD, yo, k4.

Row 4: Knit.

Rep Rows 1–4 until piece measures 11 inches, ending by working a RS row.

Next row: Knit, dec 1 st across row—52 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Bind off all sts loosely. ❖

Simple Ladders Chart

Now that Valentine’s Day is fast-approaching, show your knitting friends how thoughtful you are when you give them these hand-crafted chocolates, designed exclusively for Lantern Moon by Oregon chocolatier Jaciva. These yarn-inspired treats were created specifically to make someone’s day extra-yummy! To find out more, visit Lantern Moon.

Yarn Ball Chocolates from Lantern Moon.

Next on my must-have list is this special edition felt keychain clutch. 5% of profits from the sale of this STITCH RED product will go to The Heart Truth® campaign in support of women’s heart health.

Keychain Clutch from Lantern Moon for Stitch Red.

This very knitty Valentine’s Day would not be complete without these whimsical Stich Red Heart stitch markers.

Stitch Red Heart Markers from Lantern Moon for Stitch Red.

Mark your stitches with these hand-crocheted hearts. Markers come in a set of six. 5/16″.

5% of profits from the sale of these markers will also go to STITCH RED The Heart Truth® campaign in support of women’s heart health. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States. Visit stitchred.com and empower yourself with the resources and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of many!

Oh Snap! Pouches from Namaste

And finally, store all your goodies in one of these Oh Snap! cases by Namaste. These see-through mesh pouches are such a clever way to view your knitting projects without having to sift endlessly through bags containing unknown UFOs! Visit Jimmy Beans to learn more.

I hope you’re all enjoying this series and coming up with some fabulous ideas for your Stitch Block Afghans.

Today’s Block, Delicate Rosettes, is a playful pattern that is created by working a series of Rosettes that use Centered Double Decreases, and bobbles on a Stockinette ground. If you’re not familiar with either of these two techniques, cast on and start practicing and you’ll soon see how simple they are.

Block #4 Delicate Rosettes by Lisa Carnahan

Finished Measurement

12-inch square

Skill Level

Easy

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn
• Size 9 (5.25mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

20 sts = 4 inches/10cm in St st

Special Abbreviations

Centered Double Decrease: (CDD): Slip next 2 sts as if to k2tog, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over knit st to dec 2 sts.

Make 5 stitch Bobble (M5B): (K1, yo, k1, yo, k1) in next st, turn, p5, turn, k3, k2tog, pass 3 sts, one at a time over k2tog. Note: To make bobble more pronounced, bring yarn to front, pull the bobble forward, wrap yarn tightly once around base of bobble and take yarn to back.

Instructions

Cast on 52 sts. Knit 6 rows.

Next row: Knit, inc 1 st across row—53 sts.

Work pattern as follows:

Rows 1, 3, 11 and 13 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 and all even-number rows: K4, purl to last 4 sts, k4.

Row 5: K4, *yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k5; rep from * to last 9 sts, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k4.

Row 7: K4, *k1, yo, CDD, yo, k6; rep from * to last 9 sts, k1, yo, CDD, yo, k5.

Row 9: K4, *k2, M5B, k7; rep from * to last 9 sts, k2, M5B, k6.

Row 15: K4, *k5, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo; rep from * to last 9 sts, k9.

Row 17: K4, *k6, yo, CDD, yo, k1; rep from * to last 9 sts, k9.

Row 19: K4, *k7, M5B, k2; rep from * to last 9 sts, k9.

Row 20: K4, purl to last 4 sts, k4.

Rep Rows 1–20 until piece measures 11 inches, ending by working a RS row.

Next row: Knit, dec 1 st across row—52 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Bind off all sts loosely. ❖

Delicate Rosettes Chart

Each Wednesday during the month of January, I promised to post a new pattern for my Build-a-Block Series so you can get the chance to learn some new stitches and maybe endeavor to make an afghan to give to your favorite charity.

With this week’s block, I thought you might like an easy knit and purl pattern because when working a Stitch Block afghan, incorporating basic stitch patterns has some great benefits. Here are just a few:

• They create visual depth and variety.
• They add a sense of balance when paired with stitches that incorporate graphic patterns like cables and bobbles.

This Stitch Block pattern is comprised of knit and purl stitches, along with yarn overs and passing stitches over each other. If you’re not familiar with these techniques, not to worry, because they’re quite easy to master.

My best advice when encountering a new stitch pattern: Just cast on and get swatching! You’ll have that “ah ha” moment when you start working your pattern. Just follow instructions below, and if you have any questions I’ll be here to help!

Block #3 Easy Peasy Knits & Purls by Lisa Carnahan

Finished Measurement

12-inch square

Skill Level

Easy

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn
• Size 9 (5.25mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

20 sts = 4 inches/10cm in St st.

Instructions

Cast on 52 sts. Knit 6 rows.

Next row: Knit, inc 6 sts across row—58 sts.

Work pattern as follows:

Row 1 (RS): K4, *yo, k2, pass yo over the k2; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.

Row 2: K4, purl to last 4 sts, k4.

Rep Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 11 inches, ending by working a RS row.

Next row: Knit, dec 6 sts across row—52 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Bind off all sts loosely. ❖

As promised, here’s block # 2 in my Build-a-Block Series. This second knitted stitch block includes some useful techniques that are amazingly simple. You’ll learn how to wrap stitches to create decorative smocked accents that give this knitting pattern an intricate and dimensional look.

In this Stitch Block Series, I chose stitch patterns that would coordinate well together to make a beautiful finished afghan. Several of these knitting patterns create rich depth, while others offer simple surface design with basic knit and purl stitches.

Remember, when you’re ready to donate your Stitch Block afghan, be sure to visit creativeknittingmagazine.com and click on our Charity Giving page where you’ll find a generous listing of charity resources.

Have fun stitching!

Block #2 Smocked Trellis by Lisa Carnahan

Finished Measurement

12-inch square

Skill Level

Easy

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn
• Size 9 (5.25mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• Cable needle

Gauge

20 sts = 4 inches/10cm in St st.

Special Abbreviation

10-stitches wrapped (10-st wrap): Slip next 10 sts to cable needle, wind yarn around sts on cable needle 3 times from back to front and then k2, p6, k2 across those 10 sts.

Pattern Note

A chart is provided for those preferring to work pattern
stitch from a chart.

Instructions

Cast on 52 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Next row: Knit, inc 32 sts across row—84 sts.

Work pattern as follows:

Rows 1, 3 and 5 (RS):
K4, p1, k2, p6, *[k2, p2] twice, k2, p6; rep from * to last 7 sts, k2, p1, k4.

Row 2 and all even-number rows:
K4, then knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts to last 4 sts, k4.

Row 7: K4, p1, [k2, p2] twice, *work 10-st wrap, p2, k2, p2; rep from * to last 7 sts, k2, p1, k4.

Rows 9, 11, 13 and 15: K4, p1, [k2, p2] twice, *k2, p6, [k2, p2] twice; rep from * to last 7 sts, k2, p1, k4.

Row 17: K4, p1, *work 10-st wrap, p2, k2, p2; rep from * to last 15 sts, work 10-st wrap, p1, k4.

Row 19: K4, p1, *k2, p6, [k2, p2] twice; rep from * to last 15 sts; k2, p6, k2, p1, k4.

Row 20: K4, then knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts to last 4 sts, k4.

Rep Rows 1–20 until piece measures 11 inches, ending by working a RS row.

Next row: Knit, dec 32 sts across row—52 sts.

Knit 6 rows.

Bind off all sts loosely.

Stitch Chart