Pattern: Euphorbic Hat and Mitten Set

Poinsettias, better known as Euphorbia pulcherrima to us botany nerds, are standard fixtures of the Holiday season. Unfortunately, so is bitterly cold weather. This set is designed with heat-retention as a primary goal to keep your little flowers cosy and warm over the Holidays. Smaller needles with worsted weight wool and the use of ribbed cuffs on Nordic-inspired mittens keeps cold air away from little fingers. The mittens are held together by an I-cord that is built into them instead of just being tacked on, so they are unmisplaceable! And the snowflake edging on the cuffs will remind the wearer of the cold they are not feeling!

SIZE
Child [Adult] (shown in size Child)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Mittens: Hand circumference 6[9] inches.
Hat: Head circumference 18 [22] inches.

MATERIALS
Cascade Yarns Cascade 220, 1[2] skeins of main colour, less than 50 yard of contrast colour #1, less than 10 yards of contrast colours #2 and #3.
Main Colour: Shown in #8010

Contrast Colour #1: Shown in #2413
Contrast Colour #2: Shown in #7270
Contrast Colour #3: Shown in #4002

1 set of 3 US #3/3.25mm double-point needles
1 set of 3 US #2/2.75mm double-point needles
1 US #D/3 / 3.25mm crochet hook

About 6 inches of waste yarn
Tapestry needle

GAUGE
6 sts/8.5 rows = 1" in stockinette stitch

SPECIALISED TECHNIQUES
A step-by-step tutorial of the magic cast on can be found at:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html

Instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found:
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/?q=node/28

Instructions for the Backward Loop Cast On can be found:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/FEATfall05TT.html

INTARSIA PATTERN:

PATTERN

HAT
With larger needles, CO 8 sts using the using the backward loop cast on method in MC. (3 sts on each of needles #1 and #2, 2 sts on needle #3)
Round 1 (and all odd rounds): Knit. (8 sts)
Round 2: Kfb eight times (16 sts)
Round 4:[Kfb, Knit 1] eight times (24 sts)
Round 6: [Kfb, Knit 2] eight times (32 sts)
Round 8: [Kfb, Knit 3] eight times (40 sts)
Round 10: [Kfb, Knit 4] eight times (48 sts)
Round 12: [Kfb, Knit 5] eight times (56 sts)
Round 14: [Kfb, Knit 6] eight times (64 sts)
Round 16: [Kfb, Knit 7] eight times (72 sts)
Round 18: [Kfb, Knit 8] eight times (80 sts)
Round 20: [Kfb, Knit 9] eight times (88 sts)
Round 22: [Kfb, Knit 10] eight times (96 sts)
Round 24: [Kfb, Knit 11] eight times (104 sts)

Adult size only:
Round 26: [Kfb, Knit 12] eight times (112 sts)
Round 28: [Kfb, Knit 13] eight times (120 sts)

Both sizes:
Knit next 3.5” (5.5”) even.

Switch to smaller needles, Start Ribbing
Row 1: (K1, P1) repeat around.
Row 2: (K1, P1) repeat around.
Row 3: (K1, P1) repeat around.
Row 4:(K1, P1) repeat around.
Bind off in K1, P1 pattern.

MITTENS
Using the larger needles, CO on 20[28] stitches using magic cast on (10 sts on each of needles #1 and #2).

Round 1 (and all odd rounds): Knit.
Round 2: [Kfb, Knit 8[12], Kfb] twice (24, 32 sts)
Round 4: [Kfb, Knit 10[14], Kfb] twice (28, 36 sts)
Round 6: [Kfb, Knit 12[16], Kfb] twice (32, 40 sts)
Round 8: [Kfb, Knit 14[18], Kfb] twice (36, 44 sts)
Round 10: [Kfb, Knit 16[20], Kfb] twice (40, 48 sts)
Round 12: [Kfb, Knit 18[22], Kfb] twice (44, 52 sts)

Adult size only:
Round 14: [Kfb, Knit 24, kfb] twice (56 sts)

Both sizes:
Knit next 20 [30] rounds even.

Thumb placement:
Knit the 22[28] sts of needle #1. Knit 1 (left mitten) or Knit 14[17] (right mitten). Knit next 7[10] stitches using waste yarn. Move these stitches back to the left needle (assuming right-handedness). Knit the 7[10] stitches again with MC. Continue to end of needle.
Knit next 10[25] rows even.

Cuff:
Switch to smaller needles. Work K1, P1 ribbing for 20[30] rounds.

Left mitten:
BO to last stitch of needle #2. [Kfb] twice into last stitch and first stitch of next round (48, 58 sts).

Right mitten:
Work 21[27] stitches in ribbing pattern. [Kfb] twice. BO 42[54] stitches. Both mittens: Use the remaining 4 stitches to form an (optional) I-cord for 12[30] inches. Keep the 4 live stitches on a holder.

Thumb:
Carefully remove waste yarn. Pick up 7[10] stitches from above and below the thumbhole (14, 20 sts) and knit 12[24] rounds.
Round 13[25]: [SSK, Knit 3[8], K2tog] twice
Round 14[26]: Knit
Round 15[27]: [SSK, Knit 1[6], K2tog] twice

Adult size only:
Round 28: Knit
Round 29: [SSK, Knit 4, K2tog] twice
Round 30: Knit
Round 31: [SSK, Knit 2, K2tog] twice
Graft remaining 6[8] stitches together.

FINISHING
Weave in all loose ends. Graft the two sets of 4 stitches from the I-cords together. Work an optional picot edge around the cuffs as follows: Attach MC, *work sc, ch3, sc in the same stitch. Slip stitch across next 3 stitches. Repeat from * around. At the I-cord, discontinue the picot stitch and instead, work the inner side of the cord in slip stitches.

For the mittens, the poinsettia intarsia is worked by duplicate stitching along needle #1, on rows 14 - 41, between stitches 2 - 20 for the Child size, and on rows 26 -53 between stitches 5 - 23 for the Adult size. It is easier to work it before starting the ribbing on the cuff. For the hat, the intarsia is worked by duplicated stitching along the front of the hat from the 1st row of stockinette above the ribbing to the 28th row.

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A PDF of this pattern will be available on Ravelry as soon as possible. In the meantime, please email requests to e.j.hooker@gmail.com

Corrections and comments welcome!

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Pattern: Basket Case Socks

Pattern Notes
I called these the Basket Case Socks, on my friend’s recommendation, because I was a little stressed from working on my thesis when I designed them. I love the basket weave pattern, but I couldn’t find a pattern for socks that used it in both the instep and the cuff. I have included an optional ribbed cuff on smaller needles, because the yarn I was using was terribly elastic and the socks wouldn’t stay up. The pattern here was designed for a 9” circumference foot (a sock circumference of 8.1”). For a different size, adjust the gauge by changing the needle size or yarn weight (so that sts/inch x foot circumference in inches x 0.9 = 48 sts) , or if you’re familiar with the basket weave stitch you can adjust the number of repeats. The yarn used here is worsted weight, as it really makes the pattern pop.

Size
Woman’s foot.


Materials
2 skeins/300 yds of worsted weight yarn of your choice (Bernat Soy Blends shown here).
Set of five US Size 3 needles and a set of US Size 2 needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Darning needle
2 different colour stitch markers.

Gauge
6 sts/inch in stockinette stitch

Abbreviations
K = knit
P = purl
K2tog = knit two together
Sl1 = slip one stitch purlwise
SSK = slip, slip, knit
RS = right side
WS = wrong side

Leg pattern
Row 1: Knit
Rows 2,3,4: *P5, K3; repeat from *to end
Row 5: Knit
Rows 6,7,8: P1, *K3, P5; repeat from * to last 4 sts, P4


Instep pattern
Row 1: Knit
Rows 2, 3, 4: *P5, K3; repeat from *to last 5sts, K5
Row 5: Knit
Rows 6, 7, 8: P1, *K3, P5; repeat from * to last st, P1

Instructions
Cast on 48 sts, and close round without twisting.
Arrange 12 sts on each of needle 1, needle 2, needle 3 and needle 4.
Needles #1 and #2 will form the instep; needles #3 and #4 will form the heel.

Cuff
Work 1.5 to 2” of K1-P1 ribbing, ending after needle #4.

Leg
Change to larger needles. Starting on needle #1, K1 (left sock), K2 (right sock)†.
Place marker #1.
Begin Leg Pattern from first stitch after marker #1 for desired length.
End after needle 4, after row 8 of leg pattern.

Heel Flap
You should be at the beginning of needle 1. Knit the stitch(es) before marker #1.
Slip marker to working needle and K21. Place marker #2.
Knit the remaining 1 stitch (right sock) or 2 stitches (left sock) on needle #2.
This will count as row 1 of the instep pattern, so after the heel flap and heel turn are complete, you will work from row #2 of the “instep pattern” onward.

The heel flap will now be worked back and forth over the 24 sts on needles #3 and #4. Use a row counter to keep track of how many rows are worked over the heel flap.

Row 1: Sl 1, knit remaining stitches across needles #3 and #4. Turn.
Row 2: (WS) Place yarn to back, Sl 1 purlwise. Purl to end of needle #3. Turn.
Row 3: (RS) *Bring yarn to front, Sl 1 purlwise. Move yarn to rear, K1. Repeat from * to end of row.
Row 4: Place yarn to back, Sl 1 purlwise. Bring yarn to front and purl to end of needle #3. Turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 for heel flap until desired length is achieved. (Shown here is a heel flap of 24 rows, including rows 1 and 2)

Heel Turn
You should now be ready to start a RS row.

Row 1: K14, SSK, K1. Turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, P5, P2tog, P1. Turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, K up to last stitch before gap. SSK using last stitch before gap and first stitch after gap. K1. Turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, P to last stitch before gap. P2tog using stitch before gap and stitch after gap. P1. Turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all stitches along the heel flap have been used.
On final 2 rows of heel turn there will not be enough stitches to K1 or P1 at end of row. Simply complete the SSK or P2tog and turn.
After heel turn is complete, you should be ready to start a RS row.

Gusset
Knit along all heel turn stitches.
Using what will now be needle #4, pick up and knit selvage stitches along side of heel turn.
Pick up one stitch from between the heel flap and the instep to prevent a hole from forming. Shown here, from a heel flap of 24 rows, 14 stitches were picked up (not counting the extra stitch picked up between the heel flap and the instep).
Knit along instep, working in pattern between the markers. You should be working Row 2 of the instep pattern.
Using what will now be needle #3, pick up and knit a stitch from the between the instep and the other side of the heel flap.
Pick up and knit the selvage stitches down this side of the heel flap.
You should pick up the exact same number of stitches from each side of the heel flap.

At this point there will be 44 stitches (or a similar even number) on needles 3 and 4.
Divide these evenly amongst needles 3 and 4.
You should now be ready to work needle 4 (you may have to knit a few stitches to get to the end of needle 3).
You will now begin the gusset decreases.

Round 1: K to last 3 stitches of needle #4. K2tog. K1. K along instep on needles #1 and #2, working instep pattern between the 2 markers. On needle #3, K1, SSK, K to end.
Round 2: K along needle #4. K along needles #1 and #2, working instep pattern between markers. K along needle #3.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are 12 stitches on each of needles #3 and #4. (A total of 48 sts).

Repeat Round 2 only until the length from the back of the heel is 1.5” shorter than the desired foot length. Finish after needle #3.

Toe
Once you have begun the toe decreases, remove the markers and discontinue the instep pattern. The remainder of the work will be worked in stockinette stitch (i.e. K only).

Round 1: K to last 3 stitches of needle #4. K2tog. K1. On needle #1, K1, SSK, K to end. On needle #2, K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1.On needle #3, K1, SSK, knit to end.
Round 2: K along all of needles #4, #1, #2, and #3.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are only 24 stitches left (some people like to decrease by more stitches for a pointier toe, do so if this is your preference - just remember to make a note of how many decreases you did so you can do the same on the second sock).

K along row 4.
Organise the stitches from needle 1 and 2 onto a single needle.
Do the same for needles 3 and 4. Cut a tail of at least 9” of yarn.
Graft stitches together.
I really like Knitting at Knoon’s video for this technique at http://www.knittingatknoon.com/kitchenerst.html They also have great videos for other techniques used in this pattern.

Make second sock with the same number of pattern repeats, and picked up stitches as you did for the 1st.

The End

Please email pattern corrections/comments/questions to e.j.hooker@gmail.com.
†This offsets the basket weave pattern so that it can be continued along the instep in a seamless manner.