Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Carbon Fingerless Mitts

Long Island has been unusually warm this Fall. We seem to be breezing straight past my all time favorite season! I wonder, how can we enjoy all the wonderful colors and crisp air, sweaters without jackets, and perfect light weight knitted goods to show off before we freeze? I mean lets face it, there's no time for complicated cables and weeks of  tireless knitting...I need something gorgeous, and I need it NOW! Well, here's what I came up with: knit up something textured and small, something that looks quite complicated, but is actually incredibly easy! Who'd of thought...

I'm happy to introduce my Carbon Fingerless Mitts pattern!
Designed by me, Shanna Felice at Lambstrings Yarn.
These are 100% FREE for your enjoyment, so I hope you take advantage!




These beautiful  fingerless  mitts are worked in the round with no need for seaming.  Simple slipped stitches are worked and picked up on alternating rows to produce an eye catching texture as well as a thermal fabric to keep your hands nice and toasty. These mitts are perfect for any style,  casual enough to wear with anything, and fancy enough to  compel your friends to ask "How did you do that?"

Note:
Theses mitts  are designed to be fitted snugly around the wrist, but make sure you do not knit too tight! The slipped stitches need to be loose and relaxed to ensure some elasticity.

Make 2 mitts exactly the same! 

Shown in Lambstrings Ewetopia Sock in colorway "Red Maple"
You can find this yarn here:

Materials:
Lambstrings Ewetopia Sock (200-225) yds
US#2  36"+ circular needles for magic loop or DPN's
Stitch markers
Waste yarn

Sizes: XS/S (M/L); 5"-6" (6"-7.5") wrist.
                                                                                             
Gauge:
34 sts/44 rows=4" in stockinette.

                                                                                                                           




Abbr:
K: knit
P: purl
pm: place marker
EOR: end of round
*: repeat
SL5 (3): slip next 5 (3) sts to right needle, as if to purl.
WYIF: bring yarn to front of work
ULS: with right needle, lift the 2 running strands below from front to back, insert needle into next st knitwise, knit st and 2 strands together, transfer to right needle as one. (see Fig.1, 2, and 3)
M1R: with left needle, pick up the bar between your sts from back to front, knit through front of st, transfer to right needle. (right slanting increase).
M1L: with left needle, pick up the bar between your sts from front to back, knit through back of st, transfer to right needle. left slanting increase).

Begin at wrist:
On US#2 needles, cast on 52 (64) sts, pm, and join for knitting in the round.
Rib: (K2, P2) to EOR.
Repeat Rib row 9 times total.
Rnd 10: [(K2, P2) x4 (5), M1R] x3, K to EOR.
55 (67) sts.

Work Carbon stitch pattern A:
Rows 1, 3, and 5: K all sts, slipping marker.
Rows 2 and 4: K1, *(SL5 WYIF, K1), repeat from * x 9 (11).
Row 6: K3, *(ULS, K5), repeat from * x8 (10), ULS, K3.
Rows 7 and 9: K to last 3 sts, SL3 WYIF.
Rows 8 and 10: SL3 WYIF, *(K1, SL5 WYIF), repeat from * x8 (10), K4.
Row 11: K to last st, ULS.
Row 12: K6, *(ULS, K5), repeat from * x8 (10), K1.
Repeat rows 1-12 of pattern A: 3 times more, then rows 1-6 once more.

Gusset:
Next row: K2, pm, K to last 2 sts, pm, K2.

Work Carbon stitch pattern B: (Increase 2 sts every 3rd round)
Row 1: K to m, M1R, sm, K2, *(SL5 WYIF, K1) x8 (10), K1, sm, M1L, K to EOR.
Rows 2, 6 and 8: K all sts, slipping m's.
Row 3: K to m, sm, K2, *(SL5 WYIF, K1) x8 (10), K1, sm, K to EOR.
Rows 4 and 10: K to m, sm, M1R, sm, K to m, sm, M1L, Kto EOR.
Row 5: K to m, sm, K4, ULS, *(K5, ULS) x7 (9), K4, sm, K to EOR.
Row 7: K to m, M1R, sm, K5, *(SL5 WYIF, K1) x8 (10), K4, sm, M1L, K to EOR.
Row 9: K to m, sm, K5, *(SL5 WYIF, K1), x8 (10), K4, sm, K to EOR.
Row 11: K to m, sm, K7, ULS, *(K5, ULS) x7 (9), K2, sm, K to EOR.
Row 12: K all sts, slipping m's.
Repeat rows 1-12 of pattern B: 1 (2) times more, then rows 1-6 (1-4) once more.

Divide for thumb:
Row 1: Work across row 7 (5) of pattern B to 2nd m, remove m, M1L, place next 12 (14) sts on waste yarn.
Row 2: Place first 12 (14) sts on waste yarn , M1R, K1, remove m, K to EOR, M1L.
55 (67) sts palm, 24 (28) sts thumb.

Continue for fingers:
Beginning on row #4 (#2) of Carbon pattern A, work through to row 12, then rows 1-12 once more.
Next row: K1, M1R, K to EOR.
Rib: (K2, P2) to EOR.
Repeat Rib row 5 times total.
Bind off in Rib pattern.

Thumb:
Pick up 24 (28) sts from waste yarn, pm, join for knitting in the round.
K evenly for 6 (8) rows, slipping m.
Rib: (K2, P2) to EOR.
Repeat Rib row 5 times total.
Bind off in Rib pattern.
Enoy!!!

ULS fig 1.                                                                          ULS fig 2.                                                                                   ULS fig 3.





Last updated 8/30/16.















RHINEBECK 2015

Hello all,
It's been quite a while and I'm happy to report the reason is BUSY BUSY BUSY!
My Etsy shop is growing faster ans faster ans I couldn't be happier.
Here are some of the highlights from the past few months:
June 21, 2015: Landed an amazing review by the lovely Stephanie over at Hot Pink Socks blog!
She had some wonderful things to say about me and my yarns! Made me blush. Check it out:
http://hotpinksocksreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/lambstrings.html
September 22, 2015: I got a nice little featured spot on FibreShare.org's Monster Stash/13 Hand Dyed Halloween Yarns. You can see it here:
https://www.fibreshare.org/monster-stash-13-hand-dyed-halloween-yarns/

So lets talk about RHINEBECK! Yes, I went for the full weekend and it was awesome. So many beautiful hand dyed yarns and products, food, and the most beautiful scenery. I almost didn't come home...I got to spend the whole weekend away with my mother, which we haven't done since I was a kid. It made me realize how much I cherish the wonderfully close relationship we share. She is so supportive and we laughed A LOT! Now, just to be clear, this woman does not knit, crochet, spin, rug hook, nothing...but she enjoyed herself just as much as someone who is obsessed with all these things. Seeing me in my element made her shine, and even though I'm in my 30's, she is most fulfilled when I am at my happiest. THAT is an amazing mother!


We arrived on Friday, got lost, and took a nice relaxing drive through the back roads, surrounded by farmlands, orange trees and mountains of autumn patchwork! Needless to say we missed the fair on Friday, but Saturday and Sunday were were still up for enjoyment.
Every vendor had it's own unique charm and I had to stop myself from spending all the rent money ;)

Of course, then Miss Babs almost ruined me for life...
Her line for purchase was INSANE. The wait was an hour, and you know what?...I waited. I'm crazy, but not so crazy as to pass up this opportunity! I figured a great way to celebrate making it out of her booth without any black eyes or broken ribs, was to reward myself with some of her yarns.
We made friends with some lovely ladies on line and had a nice chat with Miss Babs herself about annoying customers and it was all worth it in the end.

I even spotted Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee, the Yarn Harlot! I felt so starstruck.

I wish I took more photos, but with all the excitement, I wasn't even thinking about it!! 


Just as I started to think, "I'll never leave," it started snowing...that's right, in OCTOBER. We don't have this here on LI very often...so it was time to leave.

The whole experience left me feeling super excited to get home an start dyeing yarn right away! I'm feeling inspired and ready to up my game, so here we go!!!