Shawlcowl Pullover 3.0 is live

I'm very excited to announce that the 10th anniversary updated version of my Shawlcowl Pullover pattern is now live! If you've already purchased the pattern, you should have received a message by email and/or in your Ravelry inbox with a link to the updated version 3.0.

Version 3.0 of the pattern includes instructions to make three beautiful but slightly different variations of the Shawlcowl Pullover, as well as the bonus instructions for how to add length to all of them, should you wish to do so. 

This is the Shawlcowl 3 knitted in Red Heart Super Saver Ombre in the True Blue colorway. It includes the added length, whose steps are explained in the version 3.0 pattern, and also a 2/4 picot bind off (links to picot bind-off instructions also in the pattern).

If you haven't tried my pattern yet, here's a button with a link to where you can purchase it, even if you don't have a Ravelry account:

Thanks so, SO MUCH for your support, everyone! 💜 Words are inadequate to express how grateful I am to each of you for all the beautiful Shawlcowl projects you've made and shared over the past 10 years, as well as all your messages with questions and/or words of encouragement. Here's to another 10 years of this fun pattern!

Adult Crochet V-Neck Vest

I'm making this in size 48 men's, but because I'm using a lighter-weight fiber than the pattern calls for (and because I crochet tightly), my gauge is 101 stitches for 24 inches across (which aligns with the stitch count for the largest size on the pattern, so I'll basically follow the stitch count instructions for that size).

Working the panels from the bottom up, one skein of the Bernat Softee Baby yarn went for about 14 inches, measured from the bottom edge of the ribbing. 

This design mainly uses the crochet lemon-peel stitch for the body of the vest, which gives a nice, pebbly-textured, reversible fabric that doesn't scream "I was crocheted." And although the fabric doesn't look holey, it does have quite a lot of small holes that lend breathability to it. (See my photo below with the sunshine showing through the vest panel.) This is a nice stitch for a masculine/unisex garment because it is comfortably ventilated while not looking "lacey."

I originally had wanted to knit a textured top-down V-neck pullover vest in a 3-weight yarn as an alternative to the cardigan-style vest that I knitted for my husband as a gift at Christmas 2021. After looking through a lot of patterns, I finally settled on the Ink (paid) pattern by Fiona Hamilton-MacLaren, which, as its description says, is a "cosy fitted vest with an all over texture pattern. The ribbed stitch pattern pulls the fabric in, but gives loads of stretch."

It's a beautiful design, and I really, really wanted to be able to make it. But the problem I was encountering is that it's not a pattern that I could put down and then easily pick back up again a few days later, even when I used a row counter and kept careful notes about where I left off. I was imploding my brain trying to keep track of where in the stitch pattern I needed to start each row, and spent a lot of time tinking (unknitting) rows where I started out wrong but it took me a full row or two to realize that my stitches had gone amiss. I was frustrated but also really sad at how difficult it was for me. I'm not saying Ink is a difficult design; the stitches are easy, mostly just knits and purls, and it's the way those basic stitches fit together that creates the beautiful, ribbed texture. I believe the problem rests with me and my inability to wrap my head around how it all fits together after putting the project down for a few days. I think I just need to attempt Ink again at a time when I can devote more uninterrupted concentration to it.

So after admitting defeat (albeit temporarily) with Ink, I started looking to see if I could find a top-down crocheted men's vest pattern with nice texture and a traditional fit. It wasn't until I altered my search criteria to accept bottom-up patterns that I found this Adult Crochet V-Neck Vest free pattern by Yarnspirations Design Studio. I usually prefer to make top-down garments, but the overall look of this vest fits with what I wanted to make, so I decided to give the bottom-up design a go. 

The downside of the lemon-peel stitch, compared to other, taller crochet stitches, is that it grows slowly, which can feel tedious (particularly when you're working from the bottom up). But if you just keep plugging along, the vest eventually will come together.

This is going to be a gift for my husband, as I said (probably for Christmas 2023), and if you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know that he strongly discourages me from making anything for him. He grumped vociferously when I asked him to stand up so I could measure the bottom ribbing at his waist when I started working the first piece for this vest. But sometimes my creative impulses just compel me to make him something. And I do believe that this has turned out to be a very nice vest for him that will fit comfortably and be nice and cozy. After Christmas, I'll add a photo of him wearing it to this post.

Edited to add: Here's the photo of him wearing it! It fits him perfectly. 😊

Instead of following the pattern instructions for the neck edging, I decided to try working 1 round in DC (including the decrease at the bottom front) followed by 2 rounds of alternating FPDC/BPDC to give the appearance of ribbing. That technique often works well for that effect, but I didn't like how it ended up looking here. So I ripped out that neck edging and redid it using the same technique that was used for the armhole edging.

I worked the armhole edging almost as described in the pattern, except instead of making the ribbing and then sewing it on, I worked the ribbing joining it to the armhole as I went using the join-as-you-go technique similar to what is shown in this video. 

To do that for the neck opening means the ribbing will begin/end at the bottom front. The ends will be "square" (not tapered) and will be sewn together overlapping, which is a common feature of knitted neck ribbing seen on some V-neck sweaters.

Kinderspiel or Seamless Kitty Cat Hat free pattern

Here's a pattern that will add a bit of fun to your day.

I'm calling it Kinderspiel because that means "child's game," but the real name given to the pattern by its designer, Valerie Johnson, is Seamless Kitty Cat Hat.

Not only could this be a wonderfully warm hat/hood to keep you or your little one's head and ears warm on a blustery winter day, but the built-in ears would make this a great addition to a homemade cat costume. 😻

I wanted to make this large enough to fit a bigger child or adult so I deviated from the pattern by starting with a cast-on of 96 stitches.

Caedwyn Cowlette fingering experiment

I started off just knitting a random garter and stockinette top-down shawl triangle in fingering weight yarn. The yarn is Lion Brand Sock-Ease in the Taffy colorway. As the triangle grew, I decided that I wanted to finish it with the lace in-the-round portion of the Caedwyn Cowlette, so I knit the triangle until it had 158 stitches on each side (which is double the stitch count of the Caedwyn pattern for worsted weight yarn) to set up a base for the lace.

So the top of this cowlette does not follow Corrina's pattern, but the bottom lace portion does.

I don't remember the details now, but I seem to recall having to add a stitch or two in the first row of the lace to get the stitch count to come out right.

In addition to the stitch marker that shows the beginning of the round, I found it helpful to also place stitch markers on either side of the shape that grows out from the bottom front point of the cowlette (you will see where those stitches begin and end in the pattern instructions)

Slytherin-By-the-Sea poncho for Rose

Here's a cozy garment stylish enough that even Bellatrix Lestrange herself might wear it! Our friend Rose was sorted into Slytherin House, but when she isn't away studying at Hogwarts, she lives in the chilly, foggy Bay Area ... hence she needed a Slytherin-By-the-Sea poncho to keep her cozy.

I started this project working the same as the Sheep Wagon Shawl but joined to work in the round after row 46 to produce a poncho instead of a wrap.

At the join, I worked another "spine" in the same manner as established between the other stockinette sections to make the join basically invisible and to provide another place for increasing the stitch count.

Since you don't turn your work anymore after joining to work in the round, I continued to emulate the Sheep Wagon Shawl stitch pattern by knitting all rounds and increasing on every-other round. Stockinette without the purling! W'hoo!!

After knitting about 94 total rows/rounds, I used a stretchy knitted cast-off but didn’t break the working yarn. I then continued working with a 5.5 mm crochet hook in the bottom loops of the knitted cast-off edge to crochet the lace edging from Kim Guzman's Cinnamon Fling to give the poncho a lovely finish. To work the lace edging in the round requires a stitch count in a multiple of 15; this poncho has 390 stitches around the hem.

Working on a new free pullover scarf pattern

I am currently testing new design for a free knit pullover scarf pattern and plan to be releasing it here and on Ravelry within the next week or so.

I'm excited about the design because I have been rather taken with the pullover scarf concept recently. These items are great because they mimic the look of wearing a shawl wrapped around your neck, but with the ease of pullover. My design incorporates a squishy, texture-rich garter stitch front panel with a classic feather-and-fan trim.

The test pieces are looking good, so I believe this will be a piece you will love to knit and love to wear! So stay tuned! Here's a sneak peek at one of the finished test pieces: