"Be My Dishcloth"

I shouldn't even post this yet, because later today I'll have a nice dry finished cloth to photograph, but I JUST COULDN'T WAIT ! So here's a photo of it while it's being blocked (very important step for photos !)

I loved this when I ran across the pattern, and when I ran across some yarn to make it from (in that wonderful boxful from Dody!), I just had to give it a try. So Pretty !

The cool thing is that, although it's a charted pattern, she gives you LINE BY LINE instructions, so that you don't have to try to keep your place on the chart. LOVED IT !Here's the finished photo ! Turns out that this yarn is WOOL, not cotton, so I can't use it in dishwater or it will FELT ! Darn it,........I'll have to put a hanging loop, and just enjoy its beauty !

Kaylee Socks (original pattern by Momma Monkey)

I was very sorry to hear that the knitter known as 'Momma Monkey' had died after battling a long illness. I know nearly nothing of this person, except for the fact that she freely shared some of the prettiest sock patterns of her own design that I have run across on the internet.
I believe that there was atleast one memorial-type knitalong going on in the Ravelry forums, and have seen people mention that her site is down. The only pattern of hers that I have knit is the Kaylee socks. I do have that pattern copied to my computer, and I also devised a chart to go along with the pattern. I would be happy to share this pattern with anyone who requests it (and supplies me with their email address). If you'd rather not leave your email address in my comments section (understandably), contact me on Flickr.........I'm known as ...dotty... there, too.
You can see my chart below........
For details on the pair above, that I knitted, check this link on my flickr page......http://www.flickr.com/photos/dottycam/1339913194/in/set-72157594397200980/

CORRECTION -- EDIT

I have been advised that Gina's family is attempting to restore access to her patterns and does not want anyone else to be providing them. So sorry, but I must revoke my offer to share.

Pattern for Adult and Child's Pigtail Hat

The Valentine socks are in progress.........dragging their reknitted heels !

In the meantime, I did get a pigtail hat knitted for my daughter Kelley, to match the one that I knitted for her daughter, Zoe, before Christmas. I always wanted to wear 'matchy' things with my Mom when I was little.........were you that way? I hope they like them and wear them together........it'd be the cream on top if I got a photo of that, too !

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Instructions for adult pigtail hat:

Using a U.S. size 7, 16 inch circular needle, I caston 88 stitches in worsted weight yarn. I knit the first 12 rounds in garter stitch (knit a round, purl a round), then switching to a U.S. size 8, 16 inch circular needle, I knitted 40 rounds of stockinette. Dividing the 88 stitches onto two double pointed needles, I grafted the top of the hat closed, using the kitchener stitch (yep, all 88 stitches !)

For the tassels, I wound yarn around a c.d. case 35 times, ran a 12" piece of yarn through the top twice and knotted. Then, after slipping the yarn off of the c.d. case, I wound another 12" piece twice around, about 1 inch down from the tied top end, and knotted it really well. I cut the other end's loops open, and used the tails from the top knot to fasten these pigtails to the top corners of the hat, tying them tightly on the inside.

EDIT : For my four-year-old granddaughter's hat (and this is not her in the photo.......brother had to ham it up a little bit), I cast on 72 stitches onto a size 7 needle, knitted 1 inch of 2 x 2 ribbing, and then knit 6-7 inches of stockinette........I would recommend 7-8 inches of stockinette. Her 'pigtails' consisted of 30 wraps per pigtail.

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Free Pattern for Fingerless Mitts - A Mittful of Jelly Beans

This may not be the established way to do things, but I'm sortof a nonconformist anyway, so I'm going to use this method to share my pattern.

A Mittful of Jelly Beans

Size -- to fit a teen, or small, adult woman's hand

Yarn -- Magic Stripes by LionBrandYarn, colorway/JellyBeans (fingering/sportweight superwash wool) One 100gm skein

Gauge -- 7 sts to the inch (28 sts = 4 inches)

Needles -- size US 2, and US 3 dpns , one size US 8 dpn for casting on and binding off, and one size 4 needle for bindoff of thumb (these mitts can probably be adapted to MagicLoop method -- haven't tried)

Knitting terms: m1 -- make one: using the right needle to pick up the bar (from the front side) between the stitch you just worked and the next one to be worked, place it on the left-hand needle, then knit into the back of this picked-up stitch.

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Cast on :

Using a size 8 double-pointed needle, caston 44 stitches.

CUFF:

Divide stitches among 3 size US 2 needles, (being careful to not let these big loose stitches fall off of the needles before the first round is knitted.....use needle point protectors or even little rubber bands, if necessary). Join, (being careful not to twist the round of caston stitches), by knitting 2, then purling 2, in sequence around all the way to the end of the 3rd needle. If necessary, place a marker to let you know where your round begins.......I just use the tail of the yarn to remind me of the beginning. Knit 27 more rounds of 2 x 2 ribbing, for a total of 28 rounds.

WRIST :

Next, switch to size US 3 needles, and knit 15 rounds of stockinette stitch (knitting every stitch of round) before starting thumb gusset.

THUMB GUSSET:

Knit 2 stitches, place a marker, m1, k1, m1, place second marker; knit rest of round.

Rnd 2 : Knit even all the way around.

Rnd 3 : Knit to marker, pass the marker to your right needle, m1, knit to second marker, ml, then after passing second marker, knit even to end of round.

Repeat rnds 2 and 3 until you have 19 stitches between markers.

Next round -- K2, place thumb stitches onto holder (I use a piece of yarn), and knit around rest of stitches in round, pulling stitches tightly at gap where thumb stitches were. (43 stitches)

Knit 3 more rounds of stockinette on hand stitches.

RIBBING FOR FINGERS :

Switching to your size US 2 needles, knit through front and back of first stictch of round, increasing one stitch, then p2,k2, for rest of round, ending with p2. (44 stitches)

Knit 2 x 2 ribbing, beginning with K2, for 7 more rounds, then bindoff in ribbing pattern, using a size US 8 needle in your right hand.

THUMB :

With new yarn and size US 3 dpns, pick up 4 stitches in gap, then knit other 19 held stitches, dividing them between 3 needles, and decreasing 3 stitches evenly, for a total of 20 stitches when round is finished.

Join round, and knit in 2 x 2 ribbing for 3 rounds.

Switch to size US 2 dpns, and knit 2 more rounds of 2 x 2 ribbing.

Bind off in ribbing pattern, using a size 4 needle in your right hand.

Weave in tails and enjoy your handiwork !

Please advise me of any errors you find with these instructions........it's been awhile since I made these mitts !