Wednesday, December 4, 2024, Issue 373: It's sweater weather...Happy Wednesday!

• Posted on 4 December 2024
• By Sue
• Posted in December 2024, Gift Knitting, knitting inspiration, sweater weather
• 0

If you are planning to knit gifts and finish them by the end of the year, it’s crunch time! There is only 3 weeks or 21 days until Christmas! What would fit into your idea of what to make as gifts and what is on your wish list?

Each week new patterns are released but at this time of year, smaller gift worthy knits that can be knit quickly are wonderful!

The Plumped Up Harlow by Andrea Mowry is her new go-to hat pattern that can be knit up for quick gifts (or for yourself)! This is the pattern you can depend on for stash-busting, wardrobe-enhancing, or a quick gift for someone you love! Ideal for beginner brioche enthusiasts, this hat is knit from the bottom up in two color brioche and is totally reversible!

SIZES
1 (2, 3)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Unstretched Circumference - 13.75 (16, 18.25)”/35 (40.5, 46.5) cm
Height - 9 (10.5, 10.5)”/23 (26.5, 26.5) cm

To Fit: 17-21 (21-23, 23-25)”/43-53.5 (53.5-58.5, 58.5-63.5) cm Head Circumference

YARN REQUIREMENTS
These are just approximations. Total yarn usage will depend on the yarn you use (fiber content, ply, etc.), your personal gauge, and any modifications you may make.

Bulky weight wool yarn in 2 colors - approx. 50 (65, 75) g/56 (73, 84) yds/51 (66, 77) m of each colour

SUGGESTED NEEDLES
Brim Needle: Size US 8/5 mm - 16”/40 cm circular (or Magic Loop/DPN’s for Size 1)

Main Needle: Size US 9/5.5 mm - 16”/40 cm circular and/or preferred needles for small circumference knitting for Size 1 and crown shaping for all sizes.

(Use the needle size you need to achieve gauge, go down one size for brim.)

GAUGE
14 sts & 18 rows = 4”/10 cm
Measured over 2-color brioche stitch in the round using the Main needle, after steam blocking.

 
After finishing her Plumped Up Harlow, Andrea knew she needed a twin set with a matching cowl - the Plumped Up Cowl! Here is your chance to take your brioche skills to the next level, with this playful cowl and its unique shaping. The squish factor on this knit just can’t be beat!

SIZES
Toddler (Youth, Adult Small, Adult Large)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference - 18 (21, 24, 26)”/46 (53.5, 61, 66) cm
Back Neck Depth - 5.25 (7.25, 9.5, 9.5)”/13.5 (18.5, 24, 24) cm

YARN REQUIREMENTS
These are just approximations. Total yarn usage will depend on the yarn you use (fiber content, ply, etc.), your personal gauge, and any modifications you may make.

Bulky weight wool yarn in 2 colors
Approx. yardage for each color: 61 (95, 147, 159) g/64 (100, 154, 167) yds/58 (91, 141, 153) m

SUGGESTED NEEDLES
US 9/5.5 mm - 24”/60 cm circular recommended
(Use the needle size you need to achieve gauge. Cord length is not overly important, as you won’t be joining to work in the round.)

GAUGE
12 sts & 18 rows = 4”/10 cm
Measured over 2-color brioche stitch knit flat, after blocking.

SUGGESTED YARN for both
Malabrigo Mecha and Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky

Did you sign up for Ambah’s Festive KAL 2024? Are you joining in for a fun December knit-a-long? This year, I completely forgot to include the details about Ambah's annual Festive KAL and I am so sorry for that!

ELIGIBLE PATTERNS
This year participants may choose between over 25 of Ambah’s especially designed patterns to knit up during the KAL;
(3 new patterns to be added in November 2024)

See the eligible Ambah’s Festive KAL 2024 patterns here (Photos are below but click on the link for Ravelry links)

How to join in?
Join us in the Pre-KAL thread For pre-KAL chat and planning.
Pick a pattern Which of Ambah’s 25+ advent patterns will you make this year?
Next: Order an Advent Kit and wait for it to arrive. Or make your own, do some stash diving, add some extra mini skeins, ask your knitty friends for their leftovers - team up and create a kit among yourselves.

You can choose from the Koigu Festive 25 Day Kits or the Koigu Festive 24 Day Jasmine DK Kits.

December 1: Cast on! Join the daily KAL threads.
Post your KAL pictures in the thread: show us your Daily yarn/gift, show us your Festive Ambah WIP and join in the chat.

Prizes will be drawn randomly through December.

Once the Festive December period is over this thread will open up for the duration of the KAL. Continue here in this manner until February 12, 2025. Then post your finished project/s in the FO thread to be eligible for even more prizes!

DATES
Cast on December 1, 2024.
Finish projects and post in the Ambah’s Festive KAL 2024 FO thread (coming) by midnight February 12, 2024 to be eligible for the final prize drawings.

You can find the locked discussion thread HERE which includes Ambah’s Festive KAL HOUSE RULES + MAP. The FO (Finished Object) thread can be found HERE.

The free pattern for the Jingle Bells Christmas stocking by Arne & Carlos for their Stocking KAL 2024 was supposed to expire last Saturday, but as they could see that some still hadn't downloaded it, they decided to extend the deadline for a little bit longer in the spirit of Christmas. You can download the full chart by clicking on the link below until Christmas Eve 2024.

The above stocking was knit by michellebe.

MATERIALS
Yarn: Rowan’s NORWEGIAN WOOL, 100% wool
50 grams = 125 m/137 yards

Yarn Amounts:
Colour 1: 2 balls (100 grams) of Emerald 017
Colour 2: 1 ball (50 grams) of Cloud Dancer 014
Colour 3: 1 ball (50 grams) of Ribbon Red 018

OR use any DK weight yarn such as BC Garn Semilla Melange - 1 skein of each colour

Needles: Sets of DPNs 3.0 mm and 3.5 mm/U.S. 2 or 3 and 4

Gauge: 24 sts and 27 rows to 10 cm/4”

FOs and WIPs

I have been working on my Mokosh by Teti Lutsak. I thought that I was moving along quite nicely but when I started chart 3…Yikes! Why is my stitch count off by close to 100? I counted the stitches of the short rows at the end of chart 1. The stitch count was correct. I counted the stitches of chart 2. I was off! What did I miss? I missed rows 13-16!

I pulled out my needles and frogged back to the end of chart 1! Not too bad considering my yarn is Rowan Kidsilk Haze held double. Now I am back to where I was last Saturday again but with the right stitch count!

Whew! I really hope I am paying better attension to the rest of the pattern!

A few weeks ago, I had mentioned that I had the Hey Mama Wolf Mokosh (GOTS) coming in. It is here and I have put together Mokosh Kits in the original colours with enough yarn for the sizes up to 47.25. Add more yarn for the bigger sizes.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

I don’t often take a photo of one of our Wednesday Knit Afternoon s but today everyone was wearing one of their hand knits!

Jocelyne (jocblais) finished her stunning Granny Cardigan by Joji Locatelli.

She knit it using Cascade 220 Solids in 8505 White.

Debbie finished her beautiful Friendship Shawl by Knit Sisu, the pattern from the Malabrigo Dos Tierras KAL 2024.

Debbie knit hers using Malabrigo Dos Tierras in Neverland, Purpuras and Archangel. Knit yours by choosing your own 3 colours or from the available Malabrigo KAL 2024 Kits.

Twinning for Nadine and her daughter with her finished Bean & Olive and Bean & Olive Grown Up, both by Andrea Mowry. She knit them using Berroco Vintage.

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Sandi (sandima) knit a tiny blue sweater for her elf using the free Sweater on the Elf by Billy and Baa.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) knit herself the Field Slipover by Camilla Vad.

She knit it holding Rowan Kid Silk Haze in white with an angora fingering yarn.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) knit her knit-worthy husband another pair of socks.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) hand spun 368 yards of chain plied alpaca/merino/suri/mohair.

Paulette (psknitting50) added more hand spun to her yardage to be knit.

Linda (lmcnorton) finished spinning her Ashford Black Silk Merino Fibre.

SHOP UPDATE

These are the newest of the books in the shop.

These are the newest of the available magazines in the shop.

The shop carries a wide variety of hand crafted notions and accessories. These are some of the Katrinkles products we have in stock. Check out this years 12 Days of Stitchable Ornaments Kit!

Christmas is coming up very fast...Only 3 weeks! With Canada Post on strike, we have alternate shipping for Canada and the US that is just a little slower while international shipping is unfortunately pretty expensive.

Happy Wednesday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!