Cable back fingerless

Sometimes, I just want to do mindless knitting. We may go for a drive and I need something to knit while in the car. I don't want an intricate pattern but rather one I can just move my needles, sometimes without even looking at them. This is one of those patterns. I use double-pointed needles which I understand many people do not like. But you have to remember I learned to knit very young, so it was never an issue of liking or not liking; it was just what you needed to use. 

The only problem with using double-pointed needles in the car is if you drop one, it usually goes under the seat. Then we have to pull over so I can crawl under it to retrieve it. Anyway, I made these gloves while we were driving through the mountains to see the aspens changing. It has a simple cable stitch up the middle. They fit very nicely so they are on my list to do again. 

The free pattern is in Ravelry. You can find it by searching fingerless gloves called Claws by Tera Johnson. I made these a bit longer than the pattern called for.

Celtic Fingerless Gloves in Teal

 More fingerless gloves. This pair have a Celtic design on the back of the hand, made in a soft teal yarn. I ended up giving this pair away to a friend of mine as well. One of these days, I'll keep some of these gloves for myself!

This is a free pattern available on Ravelry, link below. It is a German pattern but it is translated well. It is a great pattern if you have never tried cable knitting before. It is a great pattern for those of us who love Celtic designs too.

 

 

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fingerless-gloves---stulpen

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fingerless-gloves---stulpen?set=&_rfoff=1

Switched up to a Cowl

 

I took a break from my hat knitting to put together a cute little cowl. Cowls are really fun because you don't have to increase or decrease to hit your head. This is a bright cobalt blue with a design of a mock cable and rib. This retirement knitting is really fun. 

Twisting Hat

I took a break from my Lorne hats (see post of February 17) and made a Hoarfrost Hat by Alena Matevitch. This is a free pattern on Ravelry and I included the link. It is a real hoot to knit and not as difficult as it looks. It uses twisted stitches and cables to make the design pop out. 

So take a chance and make this extraordinary hat.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hoarfrost-hat-3 

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hoarfrost-hat-3 

Layla Baby Hat

In my expanding baby hat project, here is the Layla Hat.

My nephew’s baby girl is just the sweetest little doll, so I had to make a hat for her. What is great that you use less than a skein of yarn, and from my calculations, can also make at least two hats from one full skein. Once you make one of these, you will want to make more and more, using variegated yarn, striped yarns, and bright colors.

The other cool thing is that this is a cable stitch without needing a cable needle. If you have a fear of trying the cable stitch, this is a baby step with a baby hat!

Materials:

1 skein DK (double knit) yarn

Size 6 (4,0 mm) 16” circular needle
Size 6 (4.0 mm) double pointed needles
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
K: Knit
P: Purl
Mock cable (over two stitches): Knit two stitches together but do not remove from your left needle. Insert right needle into the first stitch and pull up a stitch. Remove from left needle.

Cast on 64 stitches. Join being careful not to twist the stitches and place marker.

Round 1-3: Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2).
Round 4: *Mock cable, P2; rep from * to marker.
Work these 4 rounds until piece measures 5 ½”.

Crown:
Switch to double pointed needles when necessary.
Round 1: *K2, P2tog, K2, P2; rep from * to marker
Round 2: *K2, P1, K2, P2; repeat from * to marker.
Round 3:  *K2, P1, K2, p2tog. Repeat from * to marker.
Round 4:  *Mock cable, p1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 5:  *K2, P1 * repeat from * to marker.
Round 6:  *K2tog, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 7:  *K1, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 8:  *K2tog, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 9:  *K1, P1, repeat from * to marker.
Round 10-11: K2tog until there are six stitches left.

Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail. Cut yarn, thread through the remaining stitches and secure tightly.  Weave in ends.

You can alter the pattern easily to make hats bigger or smaller. Just make the number of stitches a number divisible by 4, or use a larger or smaller needle. 

Making Peace with Cables

I don't know what it is, but I am not crazy about doing cables. I will do them if I really like the pattern but if I see a sweater with cables, I just glaze over it and go onto the next pattern. Don't get me wrong. When I make cables, they are beautiful. But then ...

Maybe it is because cables are very time-consuming. I am a fast knitter and this pattern is not fast. Normally, I can knock a couple of hats in a weekend but a pattern with cables take much, much longer.

So then why would I do a pattern that requires me to do an entire row of cables every four stitches, every other row?  Because I just love this hat. I did more cables in the week I did this hat than I have probably done my entire knitting life (of over 55 years!). But it is very repetitive which makes it a great pattern for putting in my purse and taking it with me. The only problem is I kept losing my cable needle! It has a wonderful fit and just a great slouch. The pattern is in the Interweave Knits, Summer 2014, and it is called the Nautilus Hat. The cable looks more like a rib and makes the hat very study.

I liked how this hat turned out so much that I will probably do it again in another color. So I am making my peace with cables and giving those cabled patterns a more lingering look in the future.