Surprise!

While it's easy to acknowledge the cleverness of a knitter like one Elizabeth Zimmerman, there are times when one suddenly comes to truly appreciate her brilliance. I had such a moment after knitting her Baby Surprise Jacket (<==Ravelry link to my project page for this one).

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Heavyweight. Colorway: Jade
Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars, Size US5
Yarn & Buttons purchased at Twisted in PDX

As she says in the pattern notes, "...it looks like nothing on earth when you have finished knitting it. Sew up two seams and you have the nicest little garter-stitch baby sweater you could wish to see..."

In true Liz Z. fashion, her pattern instructions were a bit more free-form than, perhaps, I would have liked. Don't get me wrong: one of the things I LURVE about Ms Z is that all but commands knitters to become the Boss of Their Knitting. Really, her "unventions" all but challenge a knitter to remain fearful of their knitting. But I digress...in the case of this pattern, something just wasn't working out for me.

I was aware of the supplements available for this pattern, but I have a double dose of the Stubborn gene (which is dominant, as you may know), so my needles were set against making use of any of these. Until a friend surprised me by emailing one to me. Really, though, that was the best thing, as my refusal to use the supplement really meant that this project was sitting un-knit for a couple of months.

Once I swallowed my macho pride (has that ever been said before in reference to knitting, I wonder?), though, this crazy garter-stitch concoction went very quickly. And so clever, too! Decreasing to create miters, increasing to add fullness, more decreasing, then increasing...and so on. And really, when the knitting is done, it doesn't look like anything.

Fellow knitters not familiar with the pattern occasionally would ask what I was working on and then stare with puzzlement at the not-quite-a-parabola thinger hanging off my needles. It became really fun to lay it out and fold it up into what it would become, though.

True to Liz Z's words, though, sew up a coupla seams and voila! Baby Surprise Jacket! For those who are curious: I knit this for a dear friend's baby. While I'm not the kind of knitter to make something just because I can, I was curious about this little feat of knitted engineering, and was actually glad to have a legitimate reason to do so. :o)

Until next time, my knittas, keep on knitting because it's comforting, knit because it's fun, knit because it gives you something to do with your nervous hands, knit because you always wanted to learn how, knit something pretty, knit something tacky, knit something you've always wanted, but keep on knitting.

So Much for my Anti-Garter Bias

A different angle on a traditional garter-stitch scarf, I knit this both as a means to rectify a gap in my Knitter's Education and to create something eye-catching and fun-to-knit with this big, bold yarn. I'd never really made the de rigeur beginner's garter-stitch scarf and wanted to play with that stitch patter, but I also didn't want to make a plain, rectangular scarf with horizontal garter stitch, so I thought I'd try knitting on the bias. Not long after that, a pile of Brown Sheep Burley Spun caught my eye and insisted that I play with it. It comes in some really bold colors, and I LIT'rally couldn't stop thinking about it until I realised it was perfect for the garter stitch-on-the-bias scarf I so wanted to make. At the same time, Davitron (seen below modeling the scarf) needed a scarf, but hates knitting them, so really it was a win-win situation. ;o)

Knit in super-bulky yarn in a vibrant color, the big stitches and diagonal garter ridges are eye-catching and mask the super-easy backwards-loop cast-on used to increase. The slipped-stitch edge on the 'increase' side serves both to hide the increase stitch and mirrors the knit two together decrease used on the decrease side.

The full pattern text is published here, but the pattern is also available for download as a free PDF at the bottom of this post.

Size:
The model shown measures approximately 6"x7'10", post-blocking.

Gauge:
Not super-important for scarves, but here it is: 8 sts & 12 rows = 4" in st st.

Materials:
- Brown Sheep Burley Spun, 2 skeins in fuchsia, OR approximately 260 yards of super-bulky yarn of your choosing in your favorite color.
- US 13 needles, or the size you need to obtain gauge.

Make it!
The construction of this scarf can, essentially, be broken down into three major parts: increasing, adding length, and decreasing.


Increasing:
-CO 3 sts
-Sl 1 knitwise, co1 using backwards-loop cast-on, k1, co1, k1
-next row: k4, p1
[next row: sl1, co1, k all sts to last st, co1, k1
-next row: k all sts to last st, p last st] repeat until you have 20 sts on your needle.

Adding Length:
Once you have 20 sts:
[1: sl1, m1, k all sts to last 2 sts, k2tog
2: p1, k all sts to last st, p last st]
-one edge of the scarf (the "m1" edge) will be longer than the other. Repeat these two rows until the "long side" measures the desired length, then...

Decreasing and Binding-Off:
Once you have reached the desired length for your scarf:
[3: k2tog, k all sts to last 2 sts, k2tog
4: p1, k all sts], repeat these two rows until you have 2 sts left.
-Slip the first stitch (the one closest to your hand on the "working needle") over the 2nd stitch. Cut a tail approximately 10" long, pull this through the last stitch and weave in ends.

Finishing:
Block and apply tassels as desired.

The pattern PDF is also available as a FREE download! Click the button below to download the PDF (you do not need to be a Ravelry member to download from this page).

Happy knitting!

EDIT: Visit TricotChico.blogspot.com for more knitting patterns by Homero Luna.