manly-man man mittens

After the mittens I made for Lauren J, I was on a bit of a post-mitten adrenaline kick. A friend of mine in Vancouver asked that I make him mittens as well, and after not seeing any patterns for fliptops I liked, I adapted Ysolda Teague's Snapdragon pattern for man hands. Obviously, olive green alpaca and dope steampunk buttons were called for.

These pattern notes are not great: I wrote them down haphazardly as I knit. If you're having trouble, feel free to send a note my way!

Man Cubed Mittens

Needs

5 US size 6 dpns

Berrocco Ultra Alpaca Yarn, one skein (or any worsted yarn of your choice)

Tapestry Needle

Waste yarn.

Two buttons.

Stitch Markers (if desired)

Mitt (make 2)

CO 44 sts (I do the one handed cast-on over two needles to make it nice and stretchy!), join in a round.

K2, P2 for 20 rows.

K another 16 rows(ish, for the length of the thumb to the wrist)

Next row, m1, k to end.

Next row, k even.

Next row, m1, k1, m1, k to end.

Next row, k even.

Rep last two rows, making 1 at the beginning and end of the newly made stitches (stitch marker might help with this) and then knitting even, until you have 11 new stitches.

Transfer these stitches to waste yarn, CO 2 sts, and then continue knitting.

K 3 rows, and do a double-decrease of your choice to lose the two extra stitches that you cast on. You should be back to 44 stitches.

K 4 more rows.

K2, P2 for 8 rows, then bind off in rib.

Topper

From the two CO stitches you made after holding the thumb stitches with waste yarn, count 20 sts across.

For right mitten, insert tapestry needle threaded with yarn before the first CO st and pull through to the inside.

For left mitten, insert tapestry needle threaded with yarn after the 20th st and pull through to the inside.

For both mittens, using the point of a dpn, insert from the front to the back in the centre of the rightmost st, catch the yarn around the needle, and pull to the front. (This will take a couple of tries, but makes the topper's join practically invisible when worn over the fingers).

After joining the 20 sts in this manner, CO 24 more sts (you might have to do this purlwise, backwards, but it will turn out the same.)

K2, p2 rib the "hanging" stitches, and k across the "attached" stitches, for 7 rows.

K 11 rows.

Rearrange stitches across four needles so that they all have the same number of sts, if not like this already. You should be starting at the rightmost side of the joined edge of the topper.

SSK, knit to last two stitches of needle 2, K2tog. SSK, knit to last two stitches of needle 4, K2tog.

Knit next row even.

Repeat last two rows until 24 sts remain, then decrease every row.

When 4 sts remain, cut yarn, thread through four live sts, and pull tight.

Pick up three sts near the top, complete a 16 row icord, and kitchener stitch it together on the other side.

Thumb

Put held thumb sts back on needles, and pick up three more (the two cast on sts, plus another.)

Knit around, decreasing twice. 12 sts remain.

Knit 16 rows or until thumb is as long as your own thumb.

K2tog around, 6 sts.

K2tog again, 3 sts.

Cut yarn and thread through three live sts, pull tight.

Sew buttons where your icord loop hits the wrist, and enjoy!

NOTE: I would like to extend my thanks to Sarah Stanfield at Ysolda Teague, who kindly looked over this adaptation and sanctioned its posting on this blog.

'fraga' headband

At the festa, my cousin Michael's wonderful girlfriend, Laura, mentioned to me that Prada had made a TON of knitwear for their fall/winter 2011 line. Enter this headband.

So, for her Christmas gift, I set about making something vaguely similar. My hairdresser, after I had once commented on his Prada shoes, told me proudly that they were "Fraga," which must mean "Knockoff Prada" in Colombian. Though I'd seen other patterns on the internet, I set about designing my own. Et voila, a fraga headband pattern for you and yours to enjoy, gratis.

This is a quick and dirty cabled headband, done with a provisional cast-on so that you can graft together the ends for an almost-seamless join. I heavily referenced (i.e. theifed) the cable pattern from Tangled by emmybear knits, and just added trims up the sides. A quick enough pattern to whip up in a mini-movie marathon, the perfect thing for a cold winter weekend.


Fraga Headband

NOTE: Why my patterns are shit - I don't use gauge for anything that isn't a sweater - so here's my advice, knit tight or go down a couple of needle sizes.

Materials:

- Much less than one skein of Misti Alpaca Chunky, or any similar bulky yarn
- Size 10.5 US dpns (at least 3)
- Crochet Hook
- Waste yarn for cast-on
- Tapestry needle

Cable pattern:
*Errata added March 19th, 2011.

All odd rows: sl 1, p 1, k 2, p to last 4 sts, k 2, p 2.
Rows 2 + 6: sl 1, k 1, p 2, k to last 4 sts, p 2, k 2.
Row 4: sl 1, k 1, p 2, sl 4 sts onto cable needle, hold to front, k 4, k sts off cable needle, k4, p 2, k 2.
Row 8: sl 1, k 1, p 2, k 4, sl 4 sts onto cable needle, hold to back, k 4, k sts off cable needle, p2, k2.


Instructions:

1. Using crochet provisional cast on and your waste yarn, CO 20 sts.*

2. Follow 8 rows of cable pattern until desired length is reached, ending with row 8. (To determine if the length is correct, try circling it around your/your recipient's head, above the nape of your neck and over your ears. When you have to stretch about an inch to go around the back of your head and about two inches to go over your ears, you're done).

3. Carefully slip one of your dpns back into the provisional loops made by your crochet cast on.

4. Making sure you have the same number of stitches on each needle, break yarn.

5. Use kitchener stitch and your tapestry needle to graft together the two ends of your headband.

6. You're done! Fashion out! (And block lightly, if desired).

*When using crochet cast on, you actually add up with one less stitch than you cast on. To get around it, I cast on one extra (21 sts) and then k 2 tog on my first row. Easy peasy!