Thursday, April 21, 2016

How I made my shorts


Welcome back to Fair Isle PANTS week. Today is Fair Isle SHORTS day. Don't forget to get the pattern for half off (just $3) all week long.

Here are my shorts version of the pants:


You want some too? That's great! I'm all about knitted bottoms. I have two pairs of knitted shorts now and I seriously love them. I wear them to bed all the time. So comfy. Here's how I modified this pattern into shorts: 

First, yarn. My main color is Knit Picks Swish in Squirrel Heather, and I used just about 3 skeins. My colors are all Cascade 220 Superwash. The pinks are something I had leftover from a long ago project. Love it when leftover yarn is exactly what you need. And really, the great thing about shorts is how little yarn you need total, and how quickly they come together. 

I made the size M, which is the same as my pants. I wanted my shorts to sit a little lower on my hips than my pants do, so I worked one fewer round between each hip increase. Otherwise I knitted them to the pattern up until the leg divide.


Once I got to the leg divide, I measured a pair of lounging shorts that I like to determine how long of an inseam I wanted. It was 1.5" (which sounds totally scandalous, but is definitely not). That meant that I needed to work just one more motif. After that motif, I worked some short rows across the back of the legs, to be sure that my booty was completely covered. I started the short rows at the middle of the crotch, and worked the first short row all the way to the side of the shorts. I did three sets of short rows, each set with one unworked stitch between wrapped stitches. In hindsight, I wish I would have done only two sets of short rows. The legs dip just a bit lower than I would have liked, but really, no big deal. I'm wearing these to bed. After the last short row, I knitted 6 rounds in stockinette, then did 5 rounds in garter. On the first purl round of the garter section, I purled 10 stitches, then purled two stitches together, all the way around the leg. I've found that garter stitch flares out on the bottom of shorts, so I figured that fewer stitches = less flare. Then I just bound off fairly loosely and ta da! Shorts.


I hope all you warm-weather dwellers make some shorts so that I can see them and get all excited! 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Fair Isle PANTS Week!

This week is the best week, because it's Fair Isle PANTS week on the Holla Knits blog! That means you can get the pattern for just $3 all week long. That's a steal.

My original PANTS from the Winter 2015 Issue

On Thursday, I'll be talking about how to modify these pants into shorts. Shorts are far, far more practical for me, living down here in the Deep South. I admit that I haven't had a chance yet to wear my pants sample, because we had a really mild "winter", and it just wasn't ever full-on knitted pants weather. Shorts, though- I can wear those!

In the meantime, don't forget to get the pattern for half off!

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

New Pattern: Kimberlite

Oh hi! It's been awhile. Life, man. It's busy.

I don't know if you noticed, but last night, the Spring/Summer issue of Twist Collective was published, and I have a pattern in it! This is Kimberlite:

Photo courtesy of Twist Collective/Chrissy Jarvis

Kimberlite is great spring/summer tee with a repeated motif of diamonds: the front features an off-center diamond panel made up of smaller twist stitch diamond panels, and the back has a super fun diamond-shaped keyhole. This tee is worked from the bottom up in one piece with no sewing! The shoulders are shaped with a few short rows and joined with a three-needle bind off for stability. Twisted rib finishes all the edges. 

Photo courtesy of Twist Collective/Chrissy Jarvis

Details!
Finished measurements: 
Bust: 30 ¾ (34, 37 ¼, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56)" / 78 (86.5, 94.5, 101.5, 112, 122, 132, 142) cm
Length 23 ¼ (23 ½, 24 ¾, 25 ¼, 25 ¾, 26 ¼, 27 ½, 28)" / 59 (59.5, 63, 64, 65.5, 66.5, 70, 71) cm
Shown in size 34" / 86.5 cm
Intended to be worn with -2 to +2" / -5 to +5 cm ease.


Yarn: 
6 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) balls Dale Garn Lerke (125 yd / 115 m per 1 ¾ oz / 50 g ball; 52% Merino Wool; 48% Cotton) in #3217

Needles: 
Size 5 US / 3.75 mm:
• circular needle, 24–48" / 60–120 cm long, depending on bust size
• needles in preferred style for small circumference knitting in the round
• circular needle, 16" / 40 cm for neck edging

Notions: 
Four stitch markers (two removable markers of one color or type and two of a different color or type), tapestry needle, stitch holders

Gauge: 
28 sts and 32 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Chart pattern
24 sts and 32 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Stockinette stitch


The pattern is available through the Twist Collective website and Ravelry for $6. 



Photo courtesy of Twist Collective/Chrissy Jarvis