Lift Your Spirits!
Directions:
The beauty of freshly fallen snow is a treasure. Even at the end of winter, when we've had an abundance of the white stuff, there is always something magical about the way new snow sparkles in the sun or moonlight. That is the inspiration for the lightweight, sparkly yarn for the Darn Yarn Club's April yarn. When I was asked to write a pattern for the April yarn, I was excited about the idea of a knit moebius with optional beading, throughout some of the rounds. The Moebius has a 180-degree twist, which is created at the join of the special cast on. (See below) Rounds of knitting grow from the center of the work to the outsides. Moebius cowls are among my favorite things to knit as the stitches quickly travel through the needles in a mesmerizing path. Including simple and optional beadwork adds another dimension of joy to the knitting experience. The result is an uncomplicated, lightweight, lacy, easily beaded moebius cowl design in a wool/bamboo blend yarn from Phydeaux Designs, which will lift your spirits. I hope you enjoy the pattern. Using a dental floss threader, prestring 30 grams (approximately 500 beads) onto the yarn.
Materials:
One hank of four-ply fingering weight yarn from Phydeaux Designs. Bambou, is 80% Superwash Blue Faced Leicester wool and 20% bamboo.437 yards/400m, 3.5 0z./100 gm. I use a fleece mat on a flat table surface rather than hold the beads in my hand. Fleece fabric is available at any fabric store. Cut a small square to use for beading. The beads are slid up to the base of the last stitch, one at a time, positioned in the "u" shaped area between purl stitches on purl rounds and in the same place between stitches in the knit rounds. Place beads randomly, trying to avoid lining them up so they appear scattered throughout the garter stitch rounds. A rough calculation would be to place a bead approximately every 15- 20stitches. Moebius cast on (McO) 260 stitches. The Moebius Cast on directions are provided below. If using beads, slide up a bead after each 20 stitches during the cast on. This will also help to count the cast on stitches. Round 1: Knit to the end of the round, M1L. Round 2: Purl, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 3: Knit, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 4: \*KKS (knotted knit stitch) YO, K3, pass the first knit stitch over the last two knit stitches\* repeat from \* Round 5: Knit the entire round. Round 6: Purl the entire round. Round 7: Knit the entire round. Round 8: K2, \*KKS\*, repeat from \*, K1 Round 9: Knit the entire round. Round 10: Purl the entire round. Round 11: Knit the entire round. Round 12: \*KKS\*, repeat from \* Round 13: Knit the entire round. Size 5 circular needles in a 47" inch length. For optimum comfort in moebius knitting, it is essential to use 47" length circular needles. Stitch marker. 30 grams (approximately 500 beads) of TOH0 6/0 seed beads. Dental floss threader and beading surface. Yarn needle.
Gauge:
Approximately 4 stitches per inch after blocking.
Stitches used:
Knotted knit stitch (KKS): YO, K3, pass the first knit stitch over the last two knit stitches. Make one left (M1L) Lift thebar between stitches onto the left needle from thefront andknit thebackof thestitch
Size Options:
With an abundant circumference of approximately 72", the Lift Your Spirits! moebius cowl is meant to wrap double or triple at the neck. It is 7" deep. To shorten the circumference of the cowl, moebius cast on (McO) fewer stitches by an even number stitch count. For example: For a 62" circumference, MCO 220 sts, for a 52" circumference, Mc0 180 sts. Etc. If the number of McO stitches is reduced for a smaller circumference cowl, more yarn will be available to knit a deeper cowl. Round 14: Purl the entire round. Round 15: Knit the entire round. Round 16: Purl, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 17: Knit, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 18: Purl, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 19: Knit, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 20: Purl, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Round 21: Knit, placing approximately 30 beads randomly spaced in the round. Rounds 22-25: Repeat Rounds 8-11 Rounds 26-29:Repeat Rounds 12-15 Rounds 30-35 Repeat Rounds 16-21
Relaxed Bind Off:
Bind off loosely using the following method to achieve more elasticity: P2, \*bring working yarn back, slip both stitches to the left needle, K2TOG (knit 2 together) through the back loops, P1\*. Repeat from \* to
the end of the round. To finish: Pick up and knit under the first cast off stitch and pass the last stitch on the needle over the one picked up. Cut a tail and pull it through the remaining stitch to secure it. Weave in ends.
Moebius Cast On Information
There are a number of ways to learn the moebius cast on. Illustrated step-by-step instructions are included in Cat Bordhi's ebooks, A Treasury of Magical Knitting and A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting. Both contain a wealth of information about and patterns for Moebius knitting. (She has graciously given permission to reference her ingenious Moebiuscast-ontechnique.) Here is the link to her U-Tube Moebius cast on video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVnTda7F2V4 More information is available on her website http://www.catbordhi.com/ These are step-by-step instructions for the moebius cast on: 1. Make a slip knot and slip it to the center of the 47" cable. Hold the knot on your cable with your left hand, allowing the needles to dangle. 2.With your right hand, take the LEFT needle and bring it towards you and up to make the cable into a loop. Allow the other needle to hang down. We won't need it until all the stitches are cast on. 3.Hold the slipknot, needle and looped cable in your right hand. Hold the needle half way to the tapered tip. 4.Tension the working yarn above the cable in your left hand. Think of the cable as a stationary object you will be wrappin the yarn around. You will be holding it in both hands to begin the cast on, which is a wrapping sequence. 5.Point the needle towards you and bring it under the cable, over the working yarn, and back up above the cable. Do a yarn over. 6. Repeat this sequence to cast on the appropriate amount of stitches. Each time you perform this "under the cable, yarn over" sequence, you are generating 2. Count only the stitches on the top of your needle. If adding beads to the project, slide up one bead after each 20 stitches are cast on. 7. Once you have the appropriate number of stitches cast on, spread the stitches around the needle and cables and up onto the other needle, so they form a circle. 8. Position the needles and stitches around them so that you can knit the stitches. This will take some adjusting. 9. Set the work down on a table top and, starting with the left side, position the needle above the cable, follow the path around the cables, making sure they are parallel all the way around until you get near the right needle. 10. At this point the needle should be over the cable or the cable will be over the needle. Either way is ok. This should occur only once and will indicate the 180-degree twist. 11. PLACE MARKER. Knit into the slipknot to join the work. Pull the stitches together at the join to close gaps. Knit into the "triangle" stitches or V's as they come to you. These are very different looking stitches made by the wrapping we did to cast on. The marker is crucial in moebius knitting. On the first round, it will let you know that you have done the twist correctly as you knit and it travels the path of the stitches onto the looped cable below your needle tips. When you see th marker on the cable below the needles, this is one half of the first round of moebius knitting. Once you see the marker at this point, keep knitting until you can slip the marker from the left to right needle. This will be one complete round of moebius knitting.
Blocking
Soak the moebius for fifteen minutes in tepid water with a small amount of non-rinsing wool wash. Squeeze out excess water. Roll it in a towel and blot out the excess water. Arrange on a dry towel. Allow drying flat for time. Reposition the cowl as it dries completely.
Thank you for your purchase. Please free to contact me with any questions: dianelaugustin@mac.com
Designed and knit by Diane L. Augustin
Copyright 2014. All Rights Reserved. www.yarnhappybeadhappy.com www.yarnhappybeadhappy.etsy.com http://www.ravelry.com/designers/diane-l-augustin
