Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Category: Circular Cast-on

  • A Quickie…

    A Quickie…

    A few months ago I was interviewed by Stitchmastery. Stitchmastery makes the knitting program that I use to create my charts! I was really stoked when this came out!

    Look at all those pretty lace patterns, all charts created by Stitchmastery.

    Interview series 51 – Lynette Meek – Stitchmastery

    Pattern is on Ravelry, High Summer KAL.

    I love working with striping yarns. Moving the stripes around in different ways is aways challenging. This technique is a little challenging, but great for the adventurous knitter.

    This striping yarn is Poema Stripes by Laine du Nord

    I have started a new scarf, one with a different style of cast-on. For the knitting nerds outs there – have you every knit a rectangular scarf or shawl in the round? Do you know the magic loop method? Why not give this a try?

    Basic instructions for a worsted start:

    Using a 5.0mm US#8 80cm 32in circ, and using a knitted cast-on (you know, the one with the loopy edge) 170 st. Knit 1 row. With a 150cm 60in needle of the same size, turn work so that the RS is facing with the cast-on edge on the top.

    Pro Tip – one that I forgot until I didn’t need to remember – DUH! – if you have them use a 60 in cord with the short tips – you will be knitting in the round without the rabbit ears a lot sooner (magic loop).

    Pull working yarn up and using the new, longer needle, pick-up and knit 170 sts from the cast-on edge. Pull up enough loop so that the needle can turn the corner, YO, knit 170 sts, YO, place BORM marker – 342 sts.

    I love the way the stitches make “turkey tails” as you move them along the cord.

    You will need to pull out the extra cord at each end to turn the corner for the first 10 rounds or so.

    • Round 1 – purl 170 sts, pm, yo, k1, yo, pm, purl 170 sts, pm, yo, k1, yo, slm – 346 sts.
    • Round 2 – knit 170 sts, slm, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, slm knit 170 st, slm, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, slm – 354 sts.
    • Round 3 – purl 170 st, slm, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k1, slm, purl 170 sts, slm, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo, k1 – 362 sts.
    • Round 4 – knit 170 sts, slm, k2, yo k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k2, slm, knit 170 sts, slm, k2, yo, k1, yo k5, yo, k1, yo, k2 – 370 sts.
    • Round 5 – purl all around – no increases.

    From this point increases will be every other round.

    This is as far as I have gotten. I will post more as I go.

    I will post more of the pattern tomorrow, always supposing I get more done today!

    I hope that your knitting is going well! Happy Knitting!

    Lynette

  • Circular Cast-ons

    Circular Cast-ons

    My favourite cast-on is the Emily Ocker Cast-on, also called the German Pinhole Cast-on.

    Do to technical difficulties I am going submit a short video and then a series of photo’s on how to start the GreenMan Shawl.

    Tools that will make the cast-on easier; a straight crochet hook or a hook/point tool, it simplifies the moving of the sts from the hook to the needles. Wooden or other lightweight dpn’s, they are a little sticky and very light, metal needles are usually quite heavy and slide out far too quickly.

    If you have never held a crochet hook I can recommend a simple cast-on;

    Cast-on 6 sts to a single dpn, transfer the sts as the photo tutorial below, join into a round and start to work the shawl. The center of the shawl will not be as neat to begin with but when finishing your shawl the tail can be used to gather up and gently close the hole in the center.

    In the video you will see the yarn, tail to the right and underneath the working end of the yarn. There is no sound, but the written description is below the video.

    Please note: I am not a confident crocheter and you will see that in the video. But that does not mean I can’t fumble my way through a single crochet.

    Emily Ocker Cast-on also called German Pinhole Cast-on

    Grasp the ring where the yarn crosses

    • with your hook go through the ring and hook a loop of the working yarn
    • pull through the ring
    • hook the working yarn again and pull through the loop already on hook.
    • I single crochet is on the loop

    Repeat from the top five more times until there are 6 loops on the hook.

    Below is the step by step set-up and first rounds of the shawl.

    6 single crochets on the hook
    Slide the stiches to the end of the hook
    Divide the stitches onto 3 dpn’s, 2 sts per needle
    Pull the tail to tighten the loop
    Work the 1st set-up round, *YO, K1; repeat from * 6 times – 12 sts.
    Work 2nd set-up round – K12.
    Work 1st round from charted or written instructions ; Double YO, K2tog, 6 times – 18 sts.
    Work 2nd round of charted or written instructions – K1, P1, (K2, P1) 5 times, K1 – 18 sts.

    Once you reach this point the needles will start to co-operate and the knitting will go more smoothly.

    I hope that this helps you start your shawl.

    I am hoping to make the video as promised with sound and moving pictures – perhaps tomorrow. Getting my tools to co-operate has been a challenge.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette