Lauren O'Farrell
TOERAG TAE TUBE MOUSE
There is no outrage quite like the outrage a Londoner feelswhenwehavetowaitmorethantwominutesfora tube train.Don't theyknowwhowe are?! Wehave places to go. People to see. We don't have time to stand about down here in the belly of Londonwaiting for trains. Grr! Thereisonlyonecureforthissubterraneanrage,and it comes on four pattering paws with a twitching nose delicatelyattunedtothewaftingscentofstill-warm, greasy, vinegar-soaked chip-shop leavings. A sighting of the humble Londontube mousewhisks youfrom theshadows of rumbling under-London to the hushed happiness of finding yourself unexpectedly in a wildlifedocumentary. Toerag the tube mouse: sooty furred with underground filth, hard of hearing due to endless ear-shattering train thunder, and reluctant to pause for pictures, but proof that even in London's dusty undercarriage there's still something tosmile about. StitchLondonbyLaurenO'Farrellis availablewhereverbooks aresold,or visitStore.MarthaPullen.com
GUBBINS
Needles
Setoffour3.5mm(USsize4)double-pointed needles orcircularneedle formagic loop(see TheWayof theKnit)
Yarn
15g(/2oz)greyDK(worsted)yarnforbody Small amount of light pink DK (worsted) yarn for ears,backfet,tailandfrontpaws Small amount of black DK(worsted) yam for nose Other bits Stitchmarker Stuffing Black beads for eyes Difficulty rating: London Local Size: Approx.9cm (3/2in) tall Gauge:Not important
PATTERN
Body
Cast on 3 sts in grey yarn. Pushststootherendof needle. RowI Incl three times asl-cord (seeThe Way of theKnit)(6 sts). Dividestsbetweenthreeneedles,place markeratstartofround andjointo knit in the round. Round 2 Incl around (12sts). Round 3K around. Round 4 Incl around (24 sts). Round5K around. Round 6 (K3,incl) twice each needle (30 sts). Rounds7-12Karound. Round 13 (K3,k2tog)twice each needle (24 sts). Round14Karound. Round15Karound. Round 16 (K2,k2tog) twice each needle (18 sts). Round17K around. Round18Karound. Roll stuffing and stuff body. Rounds 19-23K around. Round24K15. Skp. Tun. SIl,p3,p2tog. Turn. K to end of row (16 sts). Round 25K around. Roll stuffing and stuff neck Round 26 K2tog, k5, k2tog, k around (14 sts). Round 27 K2tog, k3, k2tog, k around (12 sts). Round 28 K2tog,k, (k2tog) twice, k3, k2tog (8 sts). Stuff head. Round29K around. Round 30 K3, k2tog, k, k2tog (6 sts). Round 31 (K2tog) three times (3 sts). Thread yarn through sts.
Toil
Cast on 3 sts in pink yarn. Pushststootherendof needle K15rowsl-cord. Thread yarn through sts. StitchLondonbyLauren O'Farrellisavailablewherever booksaresold,orvisit Store.MarthaPullen.com
Ears (make 2)
Cast on 4 sts in light pink yarn. Rows I-4Work in st st starting with krow. Row 5 K,incl twice,k (6 sts). Row 6 P across. Row 7 K2tog three times (3 sts). Row8Pacross. Thread yarn through sts.
BackFeet (make 2)
Cast on 4 sts in light pink yarn. Rows I-6 Work in st st starting with krow. Row 7K2tog twice (2 sts). Thread yarn through sts.
FINISAING
Sew tail torearof body. Sewbackfeet tobottomof body. Sewearsonhead. Embroider front paws. Embroider nosewith black yarn. Sewoneyes. Giveintoimmediatedemandforfood ashungry tubemousecomes tolife.
ALL CHANGE
Use darkeryarn with an extra stitch or twoforthe width ofthetail andadd afew rows to the nose toturn yourtubemouse ratty.Bewarned:Black Plague fleas made from beads maybehistorically correct,butwillprobably make people thinkyou're abitsick. Knit your mouse in white and add apair of intellectual glassesfor lab-mouse chic. Make a really,really long taill and wrapitaround themouse likea scarf.If areal mousehad a tail that long,he'd do that too. StitchLondonbyLaurenO'Farrell is available wherever books are sold, or visit Store.MarthaPullen.com
ABBREVIATIONS
Ahhhh.A little gaggle of knitting abbreviations. So sweet, all tucked into the pattern in neat little rows. Abbreviations are thebits of a knitting pattern that resemble complicated algebraic equations.They're the bits that make nonknitters peering over your shoulder turn slightly green and need a sit down. They're also thebit that Dumbledore loves the best in the Harry Potter books. Lucky for you, they're easypeasy. Roll your eyeballs over this lot and feel free to come back if you forget any. approx.-approximately beg - beginning cm -centimetre(s) DK - double knitting DPN - double-pointed needle g-gram(s) in - inch(es) inc - increase(s)/increasing incI'-increase one;knit into front and back of stitch to increase k-knit k2tog-knit two stitches together (decrease by one stitch) k3tog - knit three stitches together (decrease by two stitches) ktbl - knit through the back loop m-metre(s) ml - make one; increase using stitch lyingbetween twostitches mm-millimetre(s) oz-ounces P-purl p2tog-purl two together (decrease by one stitch) psso -pass slipped stitch over rem - remain/ing rep-repeat skpslipI,knitI,passslipped stitch over (decrease by one stitch) sl - slip ssk - slip, slip, knit; slip two stitches one at a time,knit two slipped stitches together (one stitch decreased) st(s) - stitch(es) st st - stocking stitch (US:stockinette stitch) tbl - through back of loop tog-together yd - yards(s) \* -- repeat directions following \* as many times as indicated or to end of row ()-repeat instructions in round brackets the numberoftimes indicated
LONDON LINGO
Londoners have their own language, built on the foundation of the Queen's BBC English and then chewed up and spat out on the gritty city streets by cab drivers, market-stall shouters, and ruddy-faced pub landlords. lf you want to Stitch London, you have to learn a little of the lingo or you'll be lost. Here are a few words to help you find your way: battenburg - the pink and yellow king of cakes. Wrapped in a marzipan jacket of sugary goodness. berk- a rather foolish individual. blinder - an excellent thing or achievement.Woo hoo!'This fairisle jumperwasaproperblinder bog-standard - plain and ordinary 'The newbie bought bog-standard metal knitting needles to begin with. bovver - aggressive, thuggish behaviour. faffing - messing around and wasting time.Tut. gammy - see manky. gubbins - stuff and things. In this book, it means the materials you'll need to make each project. manky - diseased and a bit disgusting. Yuck. me old mucker - my friend. How nice. mince pies -'eyes' in cockney rhyming slang. newbie - brand-new, shiny-eyed knitter.Awwww. not really cricket - not a very nice thing to do. Shame on you. Oyster card -ticket for all manner of London transport. Not a card for shellfish. skint - penniless or poor. throw a wobbly - have a huge, dramatic tantrum. toerag - scallywag, scoundrel, imp. tube - London's underground transport system. Full of sweaty commuters. wellies -- rubber boots made for jumping in puddles. Splosh. WIP -Work in Progress.Your knit while it is being knit. "You're nicked!' - you are under arrest.
KNITTINGTRANSLATIONS
Englishonthissideof thepondinBlighty andontheother sideof thepond in theUSisn't quite the same.Autumn is fall,pavements aresidewalks,and jam isjelly.WeBritslike ourwordsforthingstohavenoconnectionwiththeir meaningwhatsoever.Americans saywhatthey mean. In knitting there are some differences too.Here's a bit of help if you are lost in translation.
| UKterm | USterm |
| 4plyyarn | sport-weightyarn |
| cast off | bindoff |
| DK（doubleknitting)yarn | worsted-weightyarn |
| doublemossstitch | mossstitch |
| mossstitch | seedstitch |
| stockingstitch | stockinettestitch |
| tension | gauge |
UKANDUSNEEDLEANDAOOKSIZES
Needles,thesticksofyourstitching,comeindifferent sizesfordifferent-sizedstitches.Justtomakethingsdoubly confusing,theUKandEuropelabel theirsizesdifferently from the Us.Brits and Europeans keep things neatly metric; Americanspreferto throwa niceroundnumberin there. Not all sizeshave a directequivalentintheUS,eitherYou cannamethemyourselfifyoulike.IllcallthatoneHorace. Knitting needle sizes
| Metric | US |
| 2mm | 0 |
| 2.25mm | |
| 2.5mm | |
| 2.75mm | 2 |
| 3mm | |
| 3.25mm | 3 |
| 3.5mm | 4 |
| 3.75mm | 5 |
| 4mm | 6 |
| 4.5mm | 7 |
| 5mm | 8 |
| 5.5mm | 9 |
| 6mm | 10 |
| 6.5mm | 10%2 |
| 7mm | |
| 7.5mm | |
| 8mm | 二 |
| 9mm | 13 |
| 10mm | 15 |
| 12mm | 17 |
Crochet hook sizes
| Metric | US |
| 2.25mm | BI |
| 2.5mm | |
| 2.75mm | C2 |
| 3mm | |
| 3.25mm | D3 |
| 3.5mm | E4 |
| 3.75mm | F5 |
| 4mm | G6 |
| 4.5mm | 7 |
| 5mm | H8 |
| 5.5mm | 19 |
| 6mm | jio |
| 6.5mm | KI0V2 |
| 8mm | LII |
| 9mm | M/N13 |
| 10mm | N/P15 |
| 12mm | 016 |
StitchLondonby Lauren O'Farrell is available whereverbooksaresold, orvisit Store.MarthaPullen.com
Stitch London: a city of people, pigeons, puddles and purly queens and kings.
WanttowhipupyourownHRHtoaddabitofmajestyto yourmantelpiece?NeedtoknitsomelittleLondonlandmarks? Whetheryou'rejustvisitingorstrivingtosurviveasacityknitter, StitchLondonistheplaceforyou. Andifyoucan'tknit?Fearnot!We'llevenshowyouhowto getclickingwithyoursticksandstring.We'renicelikethat. hop on, mind the gap and Stitch London like you mean it. Go on
For more kooky little patterns buy Stitch London by Lauren O'Farrell.
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