Noodles Cowl

Noodles Cowl

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Gauge: This pattern is very flexible gauge wise. You can use any yarn, and any amount of stitches. Since this cowl is knit flat (like a scarf) and the ends are grafted, you can make it as wide and as long as you like. The picture on this pattern is worsted weight, size 7 needles, with a cast on of 36 stitches. How ever wide your cast on is, will be the measurement of your cowl from top to bottom. And how ever long you knit it, will be the circumference of your cowl.

This cowl is knit in garter stitch with extra stitches cast on then immediately bound off to create “noodles” along the edges. Very little effort for lots of effect! Cute pattern done in solids, hand painted, or patterned yarns. Can

be knit any size with any yarn. The pattern is written for worsted, but is easily adjusted for other weights.

CO 36 stitches using waste yarn. Knit 1 row.

Switch to your yarn. Knit 1 row. Start Noodles Pattern.

Noodles Pattern:
Row 1: Cast on 6 stitches at the beg of the row. Bind off those 6 stitches. Knit across remaining stitches
Row 2: Repeat row 1
Row 3 & 4: Knit

Work rows 1-4 until desired length, ending after row 2.

Graft ends together or do a 3-needle bind off. The 3-needle bind off hardly shows in garter stitch, so if you’re not a fan of grafting use that!

Note: You can cast on the 6 stitches using any method you like. I do a knitted cast on, but a simple backward loop works just as well. For longer "noodles" just cast on more stitches!
©Karen Hoyle 2008

Sort'a Plaid Cowl

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This is a small neckwarmer/cowl, with approximately a 20” circumference. It can be made wider by adding multiples of 7 stitches. It can also be knit in different weight yarns to yield different sizes. You will have to experiment since I have only knit this with sport weight yarn. It looks best in solid or hand dyed colors. The pattern tends to disappear in busy colored yarns.

Size 6 16” or 20” circular needles
170 yds. sport weight yarn (more will be needed for a wider or longer cowl)
1 marker

Plaid Pattern (7 stitch repeat): 
Rnd 1: *P2, K5* around
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: *P2, K5* around
Rnd 4: knit
Rnd 5: *P5, K2* around 
Rnd 6: knit
Rnd 7: *P5, K2* around 
Rnd 8: knit
Rnd 9: *P5, K2* around 
Rnd 10: knit

CO 105 stitches. Place marker and join, being careful not to twist stitches.

Work 4 rounds for Edging: 
rnd 1: purl
rnd 2: knit
rnd 3: purl
rnd 4: knit

Start Plaid Pattern and repeat five times, ending after round 4 on last repeat.
Work 4 rounds for Edging.
Bind off loosely. Done. Block and enjoy.
©Karen Hoyle 2018

Cubitz Cowl

Cubitz Cowl

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16” or 20” circular needles
sport: size 6
worsted: size 8
Chunky: size 10
1 marker

Sport weight yarn: 200 yds 
Worsted weight yarn: 160 yds 
Chunky weight yarn: 120 yds
All yardage is approximate and depends on how wide you knit your cowl, and if you decide to add more stitches for a looser cowl. This cowl fits loosely around the neck, but does not hang or drape in front. It is appropriate for men, women or children. To make your cowl so it will drape more, add stitches in quantities of 3. This pattern is pretty forgiving, so it can easily be made longer and wider. Experiment...have fun.

Ribbing pattern: *P1, K2* around

Cubitz pattern (3 stitch repeat): 
Rnds 1 & 2: knit
Rnds 3 & 4: *K1, P2* around

*Pattern is written with sport weight counts first, then worsted and chunky in ( ).

CO 132 (102, 72) sts onto circular needles. Join being careful not to twist stitches. Place marker at join. This is beginning of round.

Work 8 (6, 4) rounds of ribbing pattern.

Purl one round.

Switch to Cubitz pattern and work for approximately 7”-8”. End after round 2.

Purl one round. 

Work 8 (6, 4) rounds of ribbing pattern. Bind of loosely. Block and enjoy!
©Karen Hoyle 2018

Comfy Gusset Mittens Pattern

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Comfy Gusset Mittens (with a wide gusset for great ease of fit)

These mittens can easily be knitted using the magic loop technique, or on 2 circulars (half the sts on each ndl), or equally divided unto 4 dpns.
Yarn: 1 skein Cascade 220 or any worsted weight yarn. Approx. 120-180 yds depending on size of mittens.
Needles: US #5 or #6, to get gauge.
Gauge: 5.5 sts/inch
Sizes are approx, adult: small (32 sts), medium (40 sts), large (48 sts) 
Abbreviations:
st/sts = stitch/stitches
pm = place marker
sm = slip marker from one needle to the other
k2tog = knit two stitches together
kf&b = knit into front and back of the same stitch (increase 1)

rnd: round, working one complete round of all stitches
ktbl: knit the stitch through the back loop
Directions:
Both mittens are knitted the same way. There is no right or left. 
Cast on 32 (40, 48) sts
Knit 8 rnds in stockinette stitch (only do this if you want a rolled edge). Knit 16 rnds in 1×1 twisted rib *k1tbl, p1*.
Knit 4 rounds plain.
Gusset:
Set up for gusset on next round:
k10 (12,14) pm, k12 (16, 20) pm, k10 (12, 14).
Rnd 1: knit to 1 st before marker, kf&b, sm, knit to second marker, sm, kf&b in next st, knit to end.
Rnd 2: knit all sts.
Repeat rnds 1-2 until you have 44 (56, 68) sts total on your needles.
On the next rnd, knit to first marker, remove marker, place the 12 (16, 20) sts between the markers (remove second marker also) onto scrap yarn, you are now back to 32, 40, 48 sts.
Close the gap.
Continue knitting in the round until work measures, 3/4 inch from desired finished length.
Decrease rounds for top:

Note**Start the 32 and 48 stitch count mittens with rnd 1 of the top

directions, and the 40 stitch count mitten with rnd 3 of top directions. 
Rnd 1: *k4, k2tog* to end of rnd
Rnd 2: knit
Rnd 3: *k3, k2tog* to end of rnd
Rnd 4: knit
Rnd 5: *k2, k2tog* to end of rnd
Rnd 6: knit
Rnd 7: *k1, k2tog* to end of rnd
Rnd 8: knit
Rnd 9: k2tog around
Cut yarn and pull through the remaining sts, weave in ends. 
Thumbs:
Divide the 12 (16, 20) sts from scrap yarn onto your needles. Pick up 4 sts over gusset gap. Knit the 4 picked up sts as *k2tog* twice on next rnd, you now have 14 (18, 22) sts for the thumb.
Knit in the round until your thumb is no longer visible when the mitten is tried on.
Decrease by *knit 2 together around* twice.
Cut yarn and pull through remaining sts. Weave in ends. Knit another mitten!
Notes:
A ribbing may be used for the cuff instead of a rolled top, or a rolled top

with no ribbing. Do your own thing, have fun! You can easily use this

pattern for fingerless mitts, just stop knitting and do a bit of ribbing. Try different weight yarns with the different stitch counts. A bulky yarn at 48 stitches will produce a LARGE mitten, where as 32 stitches with sport yarn would fit a child. This is a forgiving pattern that makes awesome, good-ole plain vanilla mittens! Have fun and experiment!
© Karen Hoyle 2018

Mittens! Lots of Mittens!

I was into knitting mittens last winter and went a bit crazy! I knit a couple dozen. Some were gifted, more were used by me, and most were put in a box for donation. It really does get cold here in Minnesota, so we actually wear mittens for protection and warmth against the biting cold winter. They aren't just a fashion statement, but a real necessity. I knitted lots of patterns from Ravelry (man, I 💜 that place!) that had all different styles of thumb gussets. After test knitting and trying on (that's the real test, how they fit) I decided to write a simple mitten pattern of my favorite thumb style. I do NOT take any credit for designing or inventing this thumb. I am sure there are many other mitten patterns that incorporate this style. What I like so much about it is...the comfy fit! Hence, I will call this pattern, Comfy Gusset Mittens. The thumb gusset starts almost directly after the wrist ribbing is complete. This makes a wider gusset at the widest part of the hand. Makes sense right? There is one drawback about the comfy gusset. It incorporates stitches from the back of the hand, so there isn't a lot of real estate for cables, patterns, etc. But you certainly can have fun with the ribbing or top of the mitten. Tiny cable ribbing, rolled top, fancy patterned ribbing, the choices are endless! This pattern is a plain vanilla pattern perfect for men, women, and children. Happy Knitting!

Hello again!! I see that the last time I posted was 2012...over 6 years ago. Wow, a lot has happened since then! I really am not going to get back into the full swing of blogging again, but I do need a place to post my knitting patterns for free. And this seems to be the best alternative. I tried to figure out how to post them on Ravelry, but it was a real hassle. I love Ravelry! I use it daily. It's one of the most, if not the most, excellent knitting apps online! Period. So here goes, I'm gonna upload a couple free patterns and hope they work :)