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When I was presented with the great opportunity to design an accessory in this Big Stitch yarn, I knew it would be a challenge, but I knew not to what extent. Two completely failed designs later, third time was a charm -- once I got the hang of it, I was able to put it to good use and make a crazy cozy piece that I'm pretty darn happy with! The yarn works up nicely in a 1x1 rib, which makes it 2-sided to give the piece wearable versatility, and the stretchy ribbing prevents the bulky fabric from feeling too dense or stiff. Since this yarn is well beyond a standard super bulky weight (nope, that's not a typo below where it says 3 stitches per 4 inches!), I've been calling it a superduper bulky weight...I got kind of attached to that moniker, so it seemed like a fitting pattern name! The pattern itself is very simple, but working with the broomstick-like needles and giant yarn, while fun, is a bit, well, unusual; so I gave the pattern a tangy rating for that reason alone. If you can manage the massive gauge knitting, it will only take a few hours to knit up this giant winter accessory, and it's tons of fun to wear! |
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 model: Lee Meredith photos: Pete Bejarano |
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FINISHED MEASUREMENTS |
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MATERIALS Yarn The BagSmith Big Stitch Merino [94% Merino, 6% Nylon; 125yd/114m per 992g skein]; color: Turquoise; 1 skein (shown at right)Recommended needle size [always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique] 1 set US 36/20mm straight needles Notions GAUGE PATTERN NOTES Use the backwards loop cast on throughout.
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DIRECTIONS Knit until strip measures 15 inches. Leaving a tail of about 12 inches, CO 3 sts onto the needle holding the 3 sts. Knit until the second strip measures the same as the first. Increase section Center Section Holes row 2 [WS]: [K1, p1, k1, CO 3 sts] twice, k1, p1, k1. 15 sts. Repeat Rows 1-2 until piece measures approx 20 inches from the holes (approx 40 inches total in solid piece). Decrease section |
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FINISHING I don't recommend that you block this item after finishing it. The giant merino yarn is a bit fragile and prone to pilling if not treated gently enough, and the knitted fabric is quite different from a normal hand knit piece; it really doesn't need to be blocked before wearing. It's recommended that you just treat it kindly and only wash when washing is necessary (using instructions on yarn label). Wearing It can be rolled around itself into a tube in either direction, so that the inner tube and outer tube (with the strips on the outside) are about the same size, for an extra super bulky cowl. If you flip the whole thing (both layers together) inside out, it can be a smaller inner tube and a larger outer tube (strips on the outside), for a cowl on the inside and a wider shoulder wrap on the outside, with the strips in front or in back. You can flip the outer tube around, so that the whole thing forms a kind of figure-8 shape: the bigger tube acting as a cowl, the smaller tube as hand warmers. |
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| ABOUT THE DESIGNER |
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Lee is a maker of things, doer of stuff, in Portland, Oregon, where she designs knit accessories under the name Leethal Knits and tries to find the time to do a bit of spinning, sewing, and other crafty pursuits. She has a background in art and photography, a love of games and puzzles, and an obsession with color, all of which she brings into her knit design concepts. Find her on Ravelry. |
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Pattern & images © 2014 Lee Meredith. Contact Lee |
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