Be Speckled (KUAS Original Pattern)

Designed by Anna Maliszewski

This 2007 pattern has been re-written and sizes has been added to fit the smallest to largest women's hands.

The yarn I used is sadly discontinued, so I've provided some suggestion for yarns that work because quite honestly, isn't it all about the striping?

For mine, it surprised me with a sunrise & twilight effect.

Materials:
-YARN: Main Color: 75(95)(115)(140) yds of a worsted weight yarn that is spun with more than one color (that stripe). Note: pattern seen with a discounted yarn, Caron Simply Soft Shadows in “Mardi Grey.”
Contrast Color: 30-40 yds of a worsted weight yarn with a solid color. Yarn ideas: Try Elann’s “A-Series W01” yarn or Jojoland’s “Rhythm” yarn.
-NEEDLES: size US7 dpns, set of 4; 1 darning needle
 -OTHER NOTIONS: 2 Placemarkers

GAUGE: 5.5sts= 1’’ (or 2.5cm) & 7.5 rows= 1’’ (2.5cm)

Don't Look...Just Click!

Ok, so I splurged! I bought 4 balls EACH of African Violet & Jade.
Link:
http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann%2Ecom+Esprit&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=&Count=30

It's made from 98% percent cotton and 2% elastic. I'm planning on making two summery knits out of it. I just found Elann.com, and they have a lot of good cheap yarn. Yay. They have a lot of different yarns in the 3 dollar zone, for 50g (100+ yards). Next time, i'll get some sock yarn (which is only $1.98 per ball).
http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann%2Ecom+Sonata&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=&Count=45
Or colors for 25 cents more!:
http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann%2Ecom+Sonata+Print&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=&Count=46

The Clapoltis can be knitted cheaper with this yarn:
http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann%2Ecom+Adara&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=&Count=26
They come in pretty colors!

"$5 in Paris" Top-down Raglan (KUAS Original Pattern)

Original knitting pattern by 
 Anna Maliszewski
 

Updated 8/27/13 

English, French & Spanish

Download PDF  [RAVEL-IT!]
 

 Have you ever just wanted to make a quick and inexpensive raglan tee that is fluffy-soft without breaking the bank? Well say "bonjour!" and dig those needles and Caron Simply Soft yarns out from your stash and you'll be finished before you can mutter, "Je l'adore!"  
 

SIZES: Small, Medium and Large

 Raglan Measurements:
Small= approx. 32.5mm wide 59mm long
Medium=39mm wide 59mm long
Large= approx. 45.5mm wide 59mm long
**NOTE for size upgrades: 12sts adds 2.5''

Materials:
Yarn:

-1 skein "Caron Simply Soft" in pale mint

- 1.5-2 skeins of "Caron Simply Soft" in grey
Needles:

-One 24'' circular needles, Size US8  

-Two  32'' circular needles: Size US9--one is extra for trying on the work-in-progress      -A set of 4 dpn's: Size US8   -Optional: also size 7 US dpns    *I recommend you investing in Knitpick's Options Needle Set, so that you can also use the wires as stitch holders. If you have this already, you can use the 24'' as stitch holders.   

Gauge: "Ribbing:" on size 8US: 7 sts=1'' (vertically)
                  "Stockinette:" on size 9US: 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch

Abbreviations:

Kf&b= Knit into the front and back of that stitch. (This is done on the stitches before and after a place marker.)    DPN's=double pointed needles
K= knit    P=purl     St(s)= stitch(es)    RD(S)=round(s)   PM=place marker    M=marker   MC=grey    CC=pale green   K2tog= knit 2 sts together SSK=slide, slide and knit those together.   M1=make 1 stitch (an increase)

 

 

Are you a newbie to top-down raglans?? This is a great first-time sweater project! It's just a sweater that is worked top-down in Stockinette Stitch on circular needles, which allows for a lot of modifications for size or adding intarsia, cabling or whatever you'd like if you feel up to the challenge one day! The best news? It's seamless!!

About the pattern: I first created this pattern in 2007 as a Craftster challenge to create something under $10. I created something around $5. Because of the boat-neck and striping, this top-down raglan reminded me of Paris. After the contest, I decided to share it for free in hopes that beginning knitters wouldn't be scared away from knitting a sweater. Since then, I have added notes for side-shaping, although it was not in the original design and updated the pattern to be even more user-friendly.

 It's almost hard to believe, but as of December 2013, almost 1,800 "$5 in Paris" projects have been casted-on and/or completed since it's conception. And that's only counting Ravelry members. Now it's being featured on several free knitting sites, as well as Craftster and Ravelry. 

Likewise, the Craftster.org thread for the KAL "the Beginner Top-Down Ralgan" ("$5 in Paris") has been viewed almost 165,000 times, leaving it on the first page in the knit-along community on Craftster since 2007.

Interweave Knits & Kiltie CO

I went to Barnes & Nobles today, and this is what I picked up:


Interweave Knits, Spring 2007 & Bruce Feiler's Where God Was Born. I flipped through a lot of the pages, and it looks really interesting. Interweave has a lot of really neat patterns this season. A few are posted below. My random thoughts are numbered ...

1. I plan on trying Entrellac.
Eunny's Entrellac socks are awesome, and I plan on starting them in the summer after I "master" the entrellac technique. Isn't Eunny amazing?!? These socks kick butt! I love the color choice, and how the boxes switch colors.

2. I was thinking that this blue tank would be awesome, if it were shorter. I could make it into a really cool exercising tank in cotton.
3. The "Dollar and a Half" Cardi looks interesting. You can't see what's going on with it, due to the crappy quality of the pic, but it's a good future knit, or something that I could use as a basis to create some other cabled cardi. Actually, if you click on the picture, you can see the cables and such, because it will be super-sized. :)


4. This light blue sweater looks nice, for the future. That's really all I have to say about it.
5. The "Rippled Skirt" looks airy, and great for the summer.



6. I started my Kiltie Skirt. Anyone else wanna join me?? If you go to my sidebar, you can click on the "Kiltie Skirt" KAL, and get the free pattern. Leave a comment, if you think you would like to knit along with me. :) The picture on the right is the yarn i'm using. Notice how the skeins are $1.59 at Walmart... all the cheap but soft glory for a poor college student, right?

FO: Softee Booties & Charity Scarf

Here's my "Softee Booties"-- which can be worn garter-style, or stockinette-style.
I so want to make another pair and save it for 10 gazillion years, when I might have my own kids. It's a unisex color with blue and pink together.


Also, I finally finished this dang loomed charity scarf. Don't you just love the colors??
I think I might wash it with a ton of fabric softener, before I turn them in.

Swatch & Frog!

A swatching of different stitches on this type of yarn. I really like the top stitching, but it acquires more yarn and takes up less space. I have a limited amount of yarn, so I think i'll stick with stockinette & cables, while doing some lacing around the neck and hem.

Remember my "throw of many novelties?" Well, the little froggy said "rip it! rip it!" and I did. Yeah. It wasn't up to my specifications. The two different yarns with a little chinelle(sp?)didn't agree with size 11 needles. Oh well, i'll use it for other things. Maybe i'll get some different novelty yarn and start it up again.

Scrumptiously soft & wonderfully real

Storytime! That Trip to the LYS:




So, ok. Today was a pleasant, warm and breezy Saturday.

Me and my fioncé biked to Starbucks, and decided to bike to the LYS that's about a 10ish minute (uphill!!) bike from his apartment. Yeah, i'm out of biking shape, but that wasn't entirely the problem.

Anyways, we finally make it to the knitting shop, and it starts to drizzle, ever so slightly. oh crap. We walk in the shop, and the lady running the shop tells me that she is actually closed, but if I needed something fast, I could get it. So, I told her my intentions with the tanktop-- that I need some cottony green yarn, and something with the texture of lacey yarn. That took a little while. Prices were steep, so I chose something with the most bang for the buck. So, I grabbed two 100g skeins of Cascade Yarns: Sierra (80% prima cotton & 20% merino wool) and finally foud some (unfortunately darker) "Misty Alpaca" yarn (100% baby alpaca).
$23 dollars later (OUCH!! poor college student), we left...... it was.....POURING OUT!! (with lightening). Yeah, oh crap.

It was definately pouring.... and flooding. We biked as hard as we could to his apartment. Luckily, it was mostly all down hill by that point. However, the rain was sooo cold!
Soaked to the bone for at least 8 minutes by now, with the chilly wind, it starts to HAIL! By this point I was screaming at the sting on the face from the hail, the cold from the soaking wet clothing, rain flooding the streets, and the lightening nearby.
We finally get home, dripping wet as we walk in. The water just drains from our clothing. I finally (after some labor) got my sopping clothing off of me, and hit the hot shower. I'm just praying that we don't get sick.

The Moral of the story: There is nothing wrong with going to the LYS in April. However, there is something wrong with your noggin' if you think a perfectly beautiful day won't turn on you in a blink. You better bring a car next time...not a bike! lol. ;)

Hopefully I bought enough yarn for the tank-top, and I don't get sick in a day or two. My lungs still burn a little bit...an hour later.

Progress, or So She Thought...

P.S-- the pale purple yarn likes to not look nice and even while knitted on larger needles. I'm not thaaaat bad at knitting.

This is going to take forever. It's a shame I didn't work on size 13's. The yarn likes to shrink back...

Oh well, I got a lot of novelty to use up...

Branches and Leaves

So, ok. We all know I can't draw worth beans, but here is my newest idea for a beautiful tank-top. There will be lacey ruffles on the bottom, and for the loose (slightly cowl) neckline.
The middle branches will have leaves, while the sandwiching branches will be bare.
I'm not sure what kind of yarn I will use for this project, but I definately have most of the pattern written out already.

So Sad.

EDIT: i've deleted my frustrations, bumm-ness, and venting of how my sweater could have been cooler if I just added the stinkin' extra things to my sweater. This will make me more convinced to make my next entry better. Way better. Watch out.

"The Throw of Many Novelties"

~The Throw of Many Novelties~
A simple, fun and most deliciously soft throw for your chair or bed

*Progress pics:



^^^the length of size "small" ^^^


Materials:
-350-500 grams of different (but close width in strand) novelty skeins
-Size 11 or 13 (US) Circular needle -29'' or larger, if you can.
-Darning needle

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cast on 120 (small), 140 (medium), 160 (large), 200 (blanket long) stitches
2. Pick out the order that you want the stripes to be
3. Knit 50-100 grams per stripe (as seen in about 50 grams stripes= a little over an inch
4. Knit until you are satisfied with the height of the "throw."
5. Add fringes with left over yarn to spice it up!