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The 12 Knits of Christmas:
Week Six |
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Hello in there, knitters!
Motoring right along? Have you got a nice, neat pile of handmade gifts to distribute this year? Would you like another? Thought so.
This week's gift may very well be my newest favorite. (I know, I know--I say that every week.) But seriously. This one is really cute. When I think of the fiber arts (knitting, spinning, weaving and crochet,) I typically think of wearable items. The practical stuff. But what about knits for the home? And cute accessories for relaxing in your home? A soft, lavender-filled eye pillow would make the perfect addition to a bridal basket, a housewarming gift or a thoughtful treat for your next-door neighbor. And did I mention that it's a quick knit, too?
Many, MANY of you have mentioned that you (or your husband--whoops!) have accidentally deleted the previous emails. Some of you have only just signed up for the newsletter (welcome, friends!) As of this writing, there are over 600 people that are on this email list, making it rather difficult to resend individual email newsletters. To make things easier, I've uploaded photos AND patterns to a photo album on my personal knitblog, The Land of Wool and Honey. You can always view the album and its contents by going here. (You may want to bookmark this site so you'll always have the address handy.)
Another tip for those of you who've got archaic printers like mine, or eyes that have a hard time seeing small print: instead of printing this email as you see it, try copying and pasting the text into a Microsoft Word document. That way, you can enlarge the font and change the color as you see fit. Life made easier.
If you've done this before, scroll down to reveal the pattern and yarn of the week. If you're new to the program, here's the deal: Every Thursday afternoon (or into the evening!), you'll receive a FREE pattern--either an Inish Knits original creation or from another clever online crafter--that we've deemed "do-able" within the course of a week. These patterns are super simple, and there's a reason. You've got kids. Sports. Dogs. You're working 40-plus hours a week. We want you to feel like you can actually get something done during these crazy weeks leading up to the holidays. (Sorry--there's nothing we can do about the 17 holiday concerts you've got on the list!)
And that's not all. The yarn that's featured in each week's project is available at 20% OFF for the entire week*, so the projects are as easy on your wallet as they are on your brain. With 12 full weeks ahead of us, if you try your best to keep up, you'll have a nice collection of gifts come December 25th.
Feel free, too, to pick and choose patterns that you like--you may find you like some more than others. Or, stick with one pattern and knit 12 of those. No rules here--just fun. It's yarn, remember?
*Can't stop in to see us? Call (231) 228-2800--we ship near and far!
Lavender Eye Pillow
Feeling like a spa treatment? Fill this cute pouch with lavender, rice or flax seed and you've got a gift meant to soothe and relax. Pop it in the microwave (sans buttons, of course) for a warming aromatherapy treatment for anyone on your list that needs a little extra pampering.
Yarn: Louisa Harding Albero (50% Cotton, 50% Viscose), 110 yds-50 g. One ball.
Gauge: 5.5 sts/in on US 5 double-pointed needles.
(Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.)
Pattern:
Cast on 40 sts. Divide sts among three double pointed needles as follows: Needle 1: 10 sts; Needle 2: 10 sts; Needle 3: 20 sts. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Working in st st (knitting every row), knit until piece measures 1 ½" from cast on edge.
Next round (decrease round):
Needle 1: K2, ssk, knit to the end of the needle; Needle 2: Knit to the last 4 sts on the needle, K2tog, K2; Needle 3: K2, ssk, knit to the last 4 sts on the needle, K2tog, K2. (36 sts)
Knit 3 rows.
Next round (decrease round):
Needle 1: K2, ssk, knit to the end of the needle; Needle 2: Knit to the last 4 sts on the needle, K2tog, K2; Needle 3: K2, ssk, knit to the last 4 sts on the needle, K2tog, K2. (32 sts)
Knit 3 rounds.
Continue to decrease in this fashion--decreasing by 4 sts on every 4th round--until 20 sts remain.
Work even on these 20 sts for 1 ½".
Next round (increase round):
Needle 1: K2, M1R, knit to the end of the needle; Needle 2: Knit to the last 2 sts on the needle, M1L, K2; Needle 3: K2, M1R, knit to the last 2 sts on the needle, M1L, K2. (24 sts)
Knit 3 rounds.
Next round (increase round): Needle 1: K2, M1R, knit to the end of the needle; Needle 2: Knit to the last 2 sts on the needle, M1L, K2; Needle 3: K2, M1R, knit to the last 2 sts on the needle, M1L, K2. (28 sts)
Knit 3 rounds.
Continue to increase in this fashion--increasing by 4 sts on every 4th round--until you reach 40 sts.
Work even on these 40 sts for 1 ½".
Bind off all sts loosely. Sew seam along one end of the bag, fill with lavender and sew other end of bag. If desired, stitch two 30" ties on either side of the "eyes", anchoring the ties with buttons or other such whimsical embellishments. Enjoy!
Abbreviations
K--Knit.
K2tog-Knit two stitches together.
M1L--Make One Left. With left needle tip, lift the strand between the needles from front to back. Knit this loop through the back of the stitch.
M1R--Make One Right. With left needle tip, lift the strand beween the needles from back to front. Knit this loop the the front of the stitch.
Ssk--Slip two stitches knitwise, one at a time, onto the right needle. Then insert the point of the left needle into the front of the two slipped stitches and knit both stitches together through the back loops.
Sts--Stitches.
St st--Stockinette stitch.
*Just like all Inish Knits patterns, please feel free to pass this pattern along to as many friends as you'd like. Knit one for each of your 15 grandchildren. Please remember, though, that this pattern belongs to the shop and is protected by copyright--it is not to be knit for profit. But you knew that, right?
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Hope you're all having an enjoyable week. Yay for the weekend! May it be filled with pumpkin doughnuts, cozy fires and of course, knitting!
Best,
Melissa |
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