My Fashionable Life

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June 25, 2006

Tubular (sewn) cast off

Sometimes, you need to make a hem from the top down. For example, in the pattern for this hat. Or you could use it to encase elastic, or a drawstring for a little camera case such as I made for Mr Raitte. The method given below is just one way of making a hem from the top down, finished with a tubular (sewn) cast off. I haven't tried this cast off method with a 1x1 rib, but am sure it would work. Before you try this it would be a good idea to familiarise yourself with Kitchener stitch: this is the same technique but worked from one needle instead of two.

Also, this is much easier with one of those needles with a bent end, like the Clover ones.

First, here's how to make the hem:
Work in stocking stitch, ending with a WS (P) row.
Next row: K into front and back of every stitch (stitch count doubles).
Row 1: (WS) (K 1, slip 1 stitch with yarn held in front) to end of row.
Work as given for Row 1 for all rows until hem is desired depth, ending with a RS row.

You've created a hem. Here's what it looks like on the right side:

And here's what it looks like on the wrong side:

As you will have noticed when you were knitting the hem, you have essentially been knitting 'in the round', but on straight needles. Every two rows of the slipped hem stitches is equal to one round on dpns. If you were knitting a sock, now would be the time to Kitchener stitch the toe. Indeed, the sewn bound off we are about to work is exactly the same technique as Kitchener stitch, the only difference being that it is worked from one needle instead of from two. If you are comfortable with Kitchener stitch, you can use that technique here instead (first, you need to place alternate stitches on a spare double-pointed needle. All odd-numbered stitches (1, 3, 5 etc as numbered in the picture above) will be held on the needle at the front, and all even-numbered stitches held on the needle at the back).

To work the cast off from one needle, cut the yarn and leave a long tail. For very long cast offs, you can join in new lengths of yarn to continue the cast off, and weave in ends. I have used a contrast yarn to work the cast off in this example: you will of course use the same yarn as the hem is worked in.

First thread your needle.

1. Pass sewing needle as if to knit through first stitch on knitting needle.

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2. Pull thread through and let this first stitch drop off the knitting needle. 1 st cast off.

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3. Bring the sewing needle in front of the first stitch on the knitting needle, and pass as if to purl through second stitch.

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4. Pull thread through.

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5. Bring sewing needle in front of work, and pass as if to purl through first stitch.

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6. Pull thread through and let first stitch drop off the knitting needle. 1 st cast off.

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7. Bring sewing needle behind work, and pass between first and second stitches on knitting needle. Pull thread through.

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8. Pass needle as if to knit through second stitch on knitting needle.

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9. Pull thread through.

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10. Repeat steps 1 to 9 across all stitches. Weave in ends. Admire.

Posted by Anna at 10:29 PM | Comments (10)

June 24, 2006

Ask Amelia

Leslie, at TranquilityBase, asks:

Amelia says, Amelia is not The Manolo, she is unaccustomed to being asked for the advice about the fashion, even the superfantastic knitted fashion, but she will give the humble opinion, and you can regard it, or disregard it, as you wish.

Claude has a nice round scooped neck, similar to the top you're wearing in your picture, which is a flattering shape, and I think you will like the sleeve length too. If you think the cardigan will end right at your widest point, consider making it a bit longer. Try wearing it with just the top three buttons fastened, over a contrasting colour, and where the bottom part swings open it will show a flattering vertical flash of colour.

Posted by Anna at 09:53 PM | Comments (7)

June 22, 2006

Caution: zebra crossing

Stripes socks
Pattern: Jaywalker from Magknits
Yarn: Opal sock yarn in Zebra

These racing stripes are for my sister. My third pair of Jaywalkers: I've no doubt there will be more in future: probably as soon as I get my hands on some more tabby shades of handpainted.

Think of these poor feet tomorrow: they'll be carrying me 16 miles as I join my colleagues on a sponsored walk in memory of Mim. Mim was only 32 when she died in the London bombings on July 7 last year, on the Tavistock Square bus. I did 12 miles a couple of weeks ago, but there was yarn involved - tomorrow may be more of a challenge, but you can be sure there will be some handknit socks waiting for me at the finish line. Please add your encouraging comments below; you know how much they help.

Posted by Anna at 12:38 PM | Comments (43)

June 12, 2006

Badcaul socks:

Instructions for foot read: "Rpt rounds 1-16 until foot (etc)". Should read "Rpt rounds 1-6 until foot (etc)."

Instructions for heel read: "Continue wrapping as set until there are sixteen wrapped stitches and sixteen live stitches (the row where you P14 is where you stop)." Should read "Continue wrapping as set until there are sixteen wrapped stitches and fourteen live stitches

Posted by Anna at 10:46 PM | Comments (3)

Cherry:

Aaaaiiyy.

Some knitters are still running low on yarn. I am SO sorry about this - I don't understand why my amounts were so far off, the one I made definitely used less than 5 balls: I am looking at the unused sixth ball as I write this!

So, I'll be updating the pattern and increasing the yarn amounts again. In the meantime, if you can, please buy extra yarn or ask your LYS if they will keep a ball or two on hold for you in case you need them.

Apologies again. I know exactly how annoying it is to run out of yarn on a project. Henceforth I will be more generous with my estimated requirements - much less annoying to have too much yarn than too little.

update 24 June 06
There is an error in the stitch counts for the sleeves. The correct version should read:
Left sleeve
Using smaller needles cast on 53 [55: 57: 59: 61] sts.
Row 1: K 1, (K 1, P 1) to last 2 sts, 
K 2.
Row 2: P 2, (K 1, P 1) to last st, P 1.
Cont in single rib as set with selvedge st at each edge until piece meas 2.5 cm (1 inch), ending with a RS row.
Inc row (WS): P 8[9: 10: 11: 12], (Pfb, P1) 19 times, P 7[8: 9: 10: 11]. 72 [74: 76: 78: 80] sts.

Right sleeve
Using smaller needles cast on 53 [55: 57: 59: 61] sts.
Row 1: K 1, (K 1, P 1) to last 2 sts, 
K 2.
Row 2: P 2, (K 1, P 1) to last st, P 1.
Cont in single rib as set with selvedge st at each edge until piece meas 2.5 cm (1 inch), ending with a RS row.
Inc row (WS): P 8[9: 10: 11: 12], (Pfb, P1) 19 times, P 7[8: 9: 10: 11]. 72 [74: 76: 78: 80] sts.

Posted by Anna at 10:39 PM | Comments (2)

Sgt Pepper:

Left front hem and Right front hem have incorrect final stitch counts. Correct stitch count is 40 (43: 46: 49: 52) sts.

In instructions for the collar, pattern reads: "Purl next row to make turning row. Purl 1 row. Purl next row." The correct version is: "Purl next row to make turning row. Purl 1 row. Knit next row."

Posted by Anna at 10:38 PM | Comments (3)

Bridie:

Right front neck reads: "RS facing, inc 1 st at beg of row and at same edge of next 2 rows.
Next row (RS), place marker:" (RS) should read (WS).

Also, some knitters have found the stated button size to be too small. You may wish to use a larger size.

Posted by Anna at 10:26 PM | Comments (1)

Corrections

I have a several errata to file, so I may as well do them all at once. And I've created a new 'category' for them all, so the site will read like a litany of my sins while your RSS feeds update and I clear my backlog. They say confession is good for the soul.

Posted by Anna at 10:25 PM | Comments (1)

June 11, 2006

Flaming June

It’s baking outside in London today, even more so in our little sun-trap of a garden. I must stay inside until later, so as not to burn to a crisp. In a country still largely free of air-conditioning, it’s one of those days that is no good for anything that requires much exertion.

Yesterday was just as sunny, but a delicious brisk breeze refreshed all. I had two items on my agenda: to break in my new walking boots (pressing because of a 16-mile sponsored walk in a couple of weeks time), and to visit London’s latest addition to the knit ‘scene’, Stash Yarns. Two birds one stone, and it was a beautiful walk along the river between Hammersmith and Putney bridges, all around people preparing for their World Cup parties, landlords sweeping beer gardens, across the river from the northern boundary of the Wetland Centre at Barnes. A lemonade icelolly on the way back. One stop to apply a plaster to a blister.

Blue Skys Organic Cotton, ten balls, and Koigu two skeins. What else would motivate me to walk six miles? What else could buoy the mood enough to incline me to walk the six miles back again too? The cotton is going to be something like this, a sketch I made over a year ago when I first started doodling and designing. Although not the first time I have sketched. Art and Creative Writing were the only subjects to which I applied myself at school. Had I spent less time drawing fashion plates, and more time concentrating, I would probably have a far better understanding of all manner of things, like How A Plant Grows From a Seed which is the sort of elementary biology which completely passed me by. Ah, wasted youth. The cotton is so soft, and assuages my environmental guilt. I think I will name the jacket Nancy, after the pirate in Swallows and Amazons who will no longer answer to her given name Ruth, because pirates are ‘ruthless’. I can see it worn after a sunburnt day’s sailing, or on a crack-of-dawn fishing trip when there is still dew on the grass and the sun is not yet hot.

To answer your questions, the hat in Vogue in my last post is on page 109 of British Vogue July 06, and it’s by Escada Sport. I had to frog my version as it was too square on the crown, and now I really ought to press on and finish the thing, not listen to those whining little voices which say, ‘if you’d just left well enough alone you would have finished by now and not STILL be knitting bloody stripes).

Posted by Anna at 11:58 AM | Comments (26)

June 06, 2006

Technicolour monotone

I took the afternoon off to attend to important business:

Test-driving the new garden lounger under the apple tree. With an iced coffee and Frances Hodgson Burnett Making of a Marchioness.

Outside is every possible shade of green. On the needles, it’s strictly monotone.

Saw this hat in Vogue and wondered if I could rustle up something similar: foldable, washable, squashable, with a deep, floppy brim to keep the sun off my neck.

Posted by Anna at 10:03 PM | Comments (21)

June 05, 2006

Heirloom lace

I'm looking for the MOST exquisite examples of knitted lace on the web, for a desperately important commission. It's not every day you're asked to create an heirloom. If you have lace bookmarked, which you go to drool at now and then, would you be a love and share your links?

Posted by Anna at 10:44 AM | Comments (33)