Ponchos and Hats

For the last several months, I have been knitting and crocheting hats for the military and ponchos for Children of the Night.

The knit hats were made with Patons Merino wool and I used this free pattern. The colors used were chestnut, treebark, and cream. For the cream cap, I used mistake rib pattern. For the chestnut and treebark colors, I used a simple 2 x 2 rib. I sent all the caps to The Ships Project. (Click on the pictures for a larger image.)

For the ponchos, I crocheted this adorable pattern with bulky yarn. I used mostly Lion Brand Jiffy yarn and some Lion Brand Homespun yarn. I used this free pattern from Lion Brand yarn, but I omitted the fringe at the bottom and crocheted a simple reverse single crochet stitch.

This teal poncho was knitted on a knitting loom. I used Lion Brand Jiffy yarn in teal (which I bought for half price on a clearance sale at Michael's for $1.00 per skein!), and Lion Brand Microspun yarn in French Vanilla. The knitting loom is super simple to use and makes gorgeous items. No knitting skills are needed - anyone can make a lovely garment like this!

This lacy crocheted poncho used Red Heart Super Saver yarn and just a basic crochet pattern. I made a chain about 18 inches long and joined. Then I did one round of half-double crochet. Then I did a chain 5, skip 3 chains, and sc in the next stitch around. For the next and subsequent rows, I slip stitched into the center of the next ch-5, then I did ch-5, sc in the center of the next ch-5 around until it was as long as I wanted it. For the bottom I did some simple shells.

Sweaters

I've been very busy the past several months making sweaters for charity and for family. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

I made this sweater for Guideposts Knit for Kids. I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn and I made it to fit an older child according to the patterns on their website. This is the crocheted pattern.

I also knitted this lovely layette set with this pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. This yarn is Red Heart Soft Baby in blue, but I used two different skeins that were donated and they were not the same dye lot, so the cap and booties are a little darker. I modified this pattern to give it a shallow V-neck and I added extra buttons down the front. I made the 6-month size. This layette will be donated, along with several other baby items that were donated to me, to a maternity home or a crisis pregnancy center for Miracles Happen charity.

Finally, I knitted the cutest sweater for my adorable niece with the Lion Brand pattern above, but I modified the pattern and used the rosebud pattern from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker. I used Red Heart Soft Baby yarn in white and I made the 24-month size. My niece is just 2 years old and it appears to fit her well. Isn't she just a little doll?

Easy Knit Scarf Pattern

This is a very simple pattern (garter stitch, which is a joy to knit) using larger needles and Lion Brand Jiffy yarn. Jiffy is one of my favorite yarns because it's a bulky yarn that is soft with a mohair look to it, and it works up quickly and is a pleasure to knit because it feels soft in your hand. The colors are also excellent. I like to make this scarf for charity, and these two scarves and several others are for Threads of Compassion. It's durable, functional, and very nice looking, in my opinion. I love the texture and look of garter stitch. The scarf is warm, soft, and stretchy. It's also perfect for either a man or a woman, depending on the color you choose. This is the perfect scarf for a beginner, yet also suitable for an advanced knitter.

First, you will be cutting the fringe before you actually start knitting. This is so you can knit until you get to about the last yard of yarn, which you will use for binding off. You will be using exactly two skeins of Jiffy yarn for this scarf. Note that the variegated Jiffy yarn is 2½ ounces and solid color Jiffy is 3 ounces. You will end up with a scarf that is about 6 to 6½ inches wide (depending on your tension) by about 5 to 5½ feet long, depending on which color you use.

Materials:

· Exactly 2 skeins Lion Brand Jiffy yarn
· Size #11 (8 mm) straight knitting needles
· Size K crochet hook (for adding fringe)

Instructions:

Before beginning to knit, cut 36 strands of yarn approximately 18 inches long (exact length is not important – shorter is also fine). Set aside.

Cast on 18 stitches. Work in garter stitch (knit every row) until you have about 36 inches of yarn left. Bind off in knit.

Using two strands of the fringe you cut earlier, use crochet hook to place 9 sets of fringe on each short end of the scarf. Space the fringe evenly (in every other stitch). Trim fringe so it is even. Then tie a very tight single knot close to the end of each strand of yarn. You will need to add the knot because it's not a pretty sight when your lovely fringe is all frayed when it comes out of the dryer.

After you have trimmed the yarn and added the knot, the fringe should be about 8 to 8½ inches (again, exact length is not important here). If you cut the fringe a little shorter, it doesn't matter because you will still be using the remainder of the yarn to make the scarf, and you will get a will get a slightly longer scarf. You can also be creative and knit with another simple stitch that is the same on both sides, such as seed stitch, moss stitch, etc.