Free pattern - Rowan's Wristies

I've been asked for the pattern for the fingerless gloves I made for the DCs while on holiday - a very gratifying experience :0)

So here's the first, modelled by the astonishingly cute Rowan.

Rowan's Wristies



Size: Toddler - 1-3 years
Yarn: James C Brett Magi-Knit With Wool DK
Hook: 3.5mm
Gauge: 18 sts & 14 rows to 10cm in pattern
Please note that pattern uses US terminology.

Cuff:

Chain 8.
Row 1: 1 half-double crochet (hdc) in 2nd chain from hook, 1 hdc in each chain to end (7 sts).
Row 2: 1ch (does not count as stitch), 1 hdc in back loop only of each st to end (7 sts).
Rows 3-14: Repeat row 2.
Break yarn & either sew or slip-stitch foundation row to last row to form ribbed cuff.

Hand:

You will now work in the round, working stitches around the posts of the hdcs along the edge of the cuff.

Attach yarn at any point on cuff edge.

Row 1: Ch 1 (does not count as stitch). [1 double crochet (dc), 1 extended single crochet* (esc)] around the post of each hdc along cuff edge (28 sts). DO NOT JOIN
Row 2: [1 esc in next dc, 1 dc in next esc] to end (28 sts). DO NOT JOIN.
Row 3: [1 dc in next esc, 1 esc in next dc] to end (28 sts). DO NOT JOIN.
Rows 4 - 5: Repeat rows 2 & 3 once each.
Row 6: Repeat row 2.

Work thumb hole:
row 7: [1 dc in next esc, 1 esc in next dc] 6 times, chain 3, skip next 5 sts, 1 esc in next dc, [1 dc in next esc, 1 esc in next dc] to end. DO NOT TURN.
Row 8: [1 esc in next dc, 1 dc in next esc] 6 times, 1 esc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 esc in next ch, 1 dc in next esc, [1 esc in next dc, 1 dc in next esc to end (26 sts). DO NOT TURN.
Row 9: Repeat row 3.
Row 10: Repeat row 2.
Slip stitch into next stitch. Fasten off yarn & weave in ends.

Make another :0)

* Extended single crochet - insert hook through next stitch, yarn round hook & draw through stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn round hook & draw through 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn round hook & draw through all loops on hook. There's a good video of this here.

This is a really easy & fast glove pattern which can be customised to fit anyone using just about any yarn (I know - I've made lots). To make it wider just increase the number of cuff rows. To make it longer just work extra rows both before & after working the thumb-hole. To make a bigger thumb-hole just skip more stitches (always be sure to chain 2 less than the amount of stitches you've skipped).

This is the basic pattern sized up for a ladies glove & with a celtic knot motif added to the cuff & a picot edge - very simple but very effective -



Thanks to Hilary for use of the photo.

Some hints -

This works well with the jacquard-print yarns that are usually designed for knitting rather than crochet - just make sure you start each glove at the same place in your yarn or the pattern sequence won't match up.

Use fingering-weight yarn for a lacier look or aran/worsted -just be sure to use an appropriate hook for heavier yarns (you wants a nice cosy but not stiff fabric).

Add different edgings for more girlie gloves; picot works well - [ch 1, 1 dc in same stitch, ch 3, 1 dc in first of 3 ch, 1 dc in next stitch] repeat to end.

Finally, have fun & please be sure to let me see pics of your finished gloves - I can be found here & on ravelry; just search for cherryred :0)

Here's the legal bit -

This is a free pattern, for personal use only & was created by & belongs to me, Shirley MacDonald. You may use this pattern to make items for your own use or for gifts. You may not sell this pattern or use this pattern to make items for sale/profit. If you would like to use this or any other of my free patterns to make items for sale for charity, please contact me first. If you do use this pattern please give me design credit, linking to my blog where possible.

Thanks for visiting my blog & happy crafting.

Swap time again

I just finished another ravelry swap (yeah, I know - surprise :0D). It was a winter warmer swap with a celtic theme. My partner was the lovely Hilary, who lives in Germany.

The parcel arrived in a HUGE box & weighed a ton - at first I thought Iain had been ordering stuff without telling me (this does happen occasionally, although usually it's me ordering stuff without telling him). Mhara & Rowan got very excited as they helped me unwrap it & as usual insisted on sniffing everything as it came out of the box (dunno where they've picked up that habit from ;0P).

There was a beautiful bag -



Inside which was lots of KoolAid (including green, blue & yellow - squeee!) . . .



. . . fabulous handmade stitch markers with real garnet beads . . .



. . . and fun stuff too - temporary tea tattoos & sheepy stickers -



There was fabulous sock yarn -



Tea & caramel waffles (these are the most gorgeous things I've ever put in my mouth) & the piece de resistance - a tea-pot with hand-knit cosy & matching crocheted hot-pad all wrapped up in a lovely scarf -



This is the parcel in all its glory (minus the 2 bars of hazelnut chocolate which sadly didn't last long enough to be photographed) -



My parcel is on its way to Hilary as I type & if she likes it half as much as I love mine I'll consider it a job well done.

Thanks again Hilary - you've been a fab swap partner :0)

Nessie-spotting

We've been on holiday; for the first time ever Iain & I took all 4 kids away for the week.

To a cottage by Loch Ness.

Well, sort of.

We booked by email, explaining that we have no car so was it feasible to take 4 kids (2 of them toddlers) by public transport. Och aye, comes the reply. So we book a week in a cottage just outside Drumnadrochit. We get there only to discover that said cottage is a mile above Drumnadrochit & there are only 2 taxis. One of them is booked solid & the other is on holiday.

We did attempt to walk up with all our luggage, but it got dark. So Jo, Mhara, Rowan & I waited in the dark halfway up the hill while Iain & Abi struggled up with the case, getting lost & chapping on doors until some kind stranger traipsed out in her car to pick us all up, saving me from the trouble of a nervous breakdown.

This is the roof of our cottage here, just peeking out from the dell (just look for the red arrow)-



And this is Jo phoning a friend - the only place we could be sure to get a signal -




We had a great week wandering the hill -



Throwing rocks in the river (5 minutes after this was taken, Rowan lost his balance & tipped headfirst into the water - his dad managed to grab his feet as they came up & he was left doing a head-stand in the river) -



Looking for Nessie (Mhara & Rowan think this is the real deal) -



Conquering Urquhart Castle -



Waving to boats on the loch -



And generally having fun -



I took 2 WIPs, 4 extra balls of yarn, a hook & extra needles with me & came back with 7 (that's right, seven) FOs - just goes to show what I can do when I don't have the PC to distract me :0D There's a neckwarmer & 2 washcloths for Christmas pressies, 2 pairs of fingerless gloves for Mhara & Rowan (I had these done by Tuesday & they wore them the rest of the week) & 2 things that have to remain secret for now as they're (overdue) swap gifts.

Here's Mhara & Rowan showing off their gloves -



The cottage was gorgeous & we had a lovely time - we just had to make sure that we booked a taxi in the morning if we wanted to go down to the village or else we were looking at an hour & a half to walk home (I know this for a fact as we did it on the Sunday & once was definitely enough for me).