2011 September • The Knitting Vortex • Page 3

Razor Cardi

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Sep 262011

A pretty little cropped cardigan to wear on a summer evening and into the fall, the Razor Cardi is worked from the top down and seamlessly, in allover razor lace. Just two simple rows, the easy lace delivers style with minimal complexity, while a seed stitch front edge and single rib hem & cuffs add extra texture. With no finishing other than adding a button, the Razor Cardi is delightfully quick.

Construction: The Razor Cardi is cast on at the neckline, and worked back and forth with raglan construction, in a simple lace pattern with seed stitch front edges and rib trim. Body and sleeves are divided at the armscye depth, then the body is worked to the ribbed hem. Short sleeves are then finished with narrow ribbing, which matches the neckband.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, backwards loop CO, knit/purl, raglan construction, increasing, easy lace; the lace pattern is both written and charted, with instructions for increasing in pattern.

Size: 30 (31.5, 35, 38.5, 41, 44.5, 46, 50.5)” bust; sample shown in second size worn with 3.5” of negative ease.

Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss DK (70% merino wool, 30% silk; 123 yards/112m/50g), shown in Coast Grey; 4 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 11) skeins or approximately 475 (525, 650, 750, 850, 975, 1050, 1250) yards of DK weight yarn.

Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; US 4 (3.5mm) 32” circular needle for collar and cuffs; Stitch holders (2); Stitch markers (6); Yarn needle; 3/4” button (1); Matching sewing thread and needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 24 rows/4” in lace pattern and in Seed stitch on larger needles, after blocking.

See it on Ravelry or on Payhip, to read more or purchase the pattern.

ArachnoMania

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Sep 242011

The ArachnoMania collection contains two shawl patterns, in five sizes and two yarn weights. See it on Ravelry, to read more and buy the pattern collection.

Arachnophilia is a long crescent-shaped stole with deep cobweb frill border, which uses short row shaping in the stockinette stitch body, and thoughtfully placed beads to highlight the edges and transition rows. Dropped stitches create the open weblike edging, and beaded twisted rib accents the gently curved shape. This shawl is knit from the bottom up, with instructions included for both Sock and DK weight yarn; the edging may also be customized for depth by knitting fewer or more rows.

Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, dropped stitches, short rows, beading (crochet hook & prestrung methods).

Size: Sock yarn shawl: 65” wingspan and 9” depth, (DK shawl: 60” wingspan and 12” depth).

Yarn: Sock yarn shawl: Madelinetosh tosh merino light (100% merino wool, 440 yards/112g); 1 skein, shown in Thunderstorm. DK shawl: Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino (51% silk, 49% merino wool; 150 yards/50g); 2 skeins, shown in London Sky.

Other Materials: US 5 (US 7) /3.75 (4.5)mm 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; 605 (450) Size 6/0 seed beads; Size 1.25 mm crochet hook for placing beads; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 15 st and 40 rows (12 st and 34 rows) /4” in stockinette stitch. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished shawl, and different yardage requirements.

See Arachnophilia on Ravelry or on Payhip, to purchase the individual pattern.

ArachnoShawl is a triangle with a simple stockinette body and beaded cobweb frill border. Dropped stitches produce the open edging, which is worked from the bottom up in a web-like construction studded with shiny beads. This shawl is written in three sizes, with instructions for a Sock yarn shawl, DK shawlette, and a DK shawl; the edging may also be made as wide or as narrow as desired.

Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, dropped stitches; beading (crochet hook method).

Size: Sock yarn shawl: 48” wingspan and 21” depth (DK shawlette: 36” wingspan and 18” depth) {DK shawl: 48” wingspan and 21” depth}.

Yarn: Sock yarn shawl: Madelinetosh tosh merino light (100% merino wool, 440 yards/100g); 1 skein, shown in Denim. DK shawlette: Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino (50% merino wool, 50% silk; 150 yards/100g); 1 skein, shown in Cape Cod Grey. DK shawl: Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino (50% merino wool, 50% silk; 150 yards/100g); 2 skeins, shown in Plum Blossom.

Other Materials: US 5 (US 7) {US 7} /3.75 (4.5) {4.5}mm 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Removable stitch marker; 909 (305) {567} Size 6/0 seed beads; Size 1.25 mm crochet hook for placing beads; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 15 st and 40 rows (12 st and 34 rows) {12 st and 34 rows} /4” in stockinette stitch. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished shawl, and different yardage requirements.

See ArachnoShawl on Ravelry or on Payhip, to purchase the individual pattern.

Venomous Tentacula

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Sep 222011

This garter stitch shawl is knit sideways and features an unusual tentacular edging of openwork, and optional beads. Venomous recalls Harry Potter’s Venomous Tentacula, a green, spikey plant with mobile vines that grab living prey, aggressive shoots that expel venom, and a poisonous bite. The sideways edging is made by repeatedly binding off and casting on stitches, creating a pattern of holes. Any yarn and any amount may be used; see Designer’s Notes to ensure a symmetrical shawl and to prevent running out of yarn.

Size: 50” length and 20” depth; the edging is approximately 6” deep.

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Sock (100% merino wool; 440 yards/402m/100g); 1 skein, shown in Aguas. Any amount of yardage may be used; see Designer’s Notes to ensure a symmetrical shawl and to prevent running out of yarn.

Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 24” circular needles, or size to match gauge; Stitch marker (1); Size 10 (1.15mm) crochet hook, for placing beads, optional; 120 size 6/0 seed beads, optional – this number will change if using more or less yardage; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 24 st and 28 rows/4” in garter stitch, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished shawl, and different yardage requirements.

See it on Ravelry or on Payhip, to read more or purchase the pattern.

Elysium

New Release, Patterns, Sweaters 1 Response »

Sep 152011

Wrap yourself in the wonderful feeling of this easy, sideways-knit boxy cardigan, worked in stretchy garter stitch with short row yoke shaping. Elysium is knit in one piece from left front around the body to right front; it requires no seaming and can be worn right off the needles. Three turning points in the short row shaping delineate body, yoke and collar, creating a shapely fit around the upper body. The stretchy garter stitch and open style make it suitable for many shapes and sizes; written in ten sizes, Elysium may be further customized in length or circumference.

Techniques & Skills Used: knit, short rows.

Size: 31.5 (33.5, 35.75, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46.25, 48.5, 50.5)” bust, with fronts closed. This boxy cardigan has shaping only at the yoke; for a good fit, choose a finished size based on upper bust measurement, or with no ease/some negative ease at the bust. Elysium should be fitted at the yoke, stretch slightly over the bust, and then skim the lower torso.

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Worsted (100% merino wool; 210 yards/100g); 3 (4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6) skeins, shown in Violetas.

Other Materials: US 9 (5.5mm) 32” circular needle; Stitch markers (2); Stitch holder; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 17 st and 34 rows/4” in garter stitch, after gentle blocking.

See it on Ravelry or on Payhip, to read more and purchase the pattern.

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Welcome to the Knitting Vortex

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Sep 072011

After much thought about organization, blogging and my design rebranding, I concluded that there was no escaping the need for a new website. I’m certainly not a codemonkey; my reaction to html and css consists mostly of staring at the computer screen with a puzzled look. I am, however, a very organized, linear thinker and a proponent of white-label DIY action.

Thus, the move of my blog to WordPress, and the restyling into this “websitey” blog. WordPress is full of information, much of which is aimed at developers and over my head, but really all the resources are there and little by little I’m going to find them.

Which brings us to this, the first post on my new blog: The Knitting Vortex, Designs by Jennifer Dassau. Some info about me and what I do is on my About page, and I will recap that here. In a former lifetime I was a fashion industry production specialist, responsible for getting garments to fit and then getting them made to be sent to the stores. I took a long break to initiate two small humans into the world and oversee their many doings, during which time I taught myself to knit. Inevitably, knitting other people’s patterns led to modifying other people’s patterns, and then to designing my own knitwear patterns. Not only do I like making original stuff, but I love fashion and I love knitting, and voila – my design business was born!

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