Felted Qiviut Hat - Kit Competition giveaway

                                              Arctic Muskox Floral Hat

The hat and Blog Entry is still undercostruction and when complete will have more flowers, I-cord top with Pandora style Silver beads ! Will post more pic's as i go along.

WE were supposed to have this months competition as part of a promotion for our, 'Arctic Muskox Blend vest' but sadly its not working out. I can't find the pattern but plan to rework it so we will offer it at a later date in late August.....check back for that !

This is the hat complete !
COMPETITION: Tell us What TWO Colors you would like to knit this hat from the selection below. One winner will be drawn at Random. Starts today 2011-07-23 will be drawn the 15th August 2011.
Choose 1 color for the hat and 1 color for the Flowers. You win the pandora style beads, enough yarn to complete an Adult size hat and enough yarn to make the flowers.
 (Felting equipment and embellish knit are not include)
If you dont want to buy the embellish knit and felting items you can always knit the I-cords on D.P.N's and simply sew the flowers inplace as i have done in the past.

Colors: Hunter, slate Blue, Turky red, purple, raven black, mahogany, raspberry, egyptian red, bordeaux, navy blue and wild rose. (wild rose replaces the yarn on the end)      

Onto the Felted hat Kit....... And Oh do i love it ! This ones knit with 2 strands held together of our 3 ply Arctic muskox blend in Raven Black and Wild Rose. The flowers are needle felted to the hat and this makes the hat so much sturdier and thicker and will be really Warm when Winter is Blasting !

I first knit this hat a few years ago from 100% Angora yarn and my daughter and her friends at school wore it out! Even the boys were having a turn of it ! Kyanna, my daughter said, ''its just too soft and warm everyone wants to wear it''.
The Hat is knit first, in the rnd on 4.5mm- 7US circular needle, has a lovely rolled edge. Most of it is knitted in Easy stocking stitch with only a few rows knitted in purl st to make two ridge sections that the flowers are added between. The flowers are I-Cords and the main flower on the top of hat is knit in a really easy petal form then attached or felted to hat. The hat has Easy top shaping so it fits snugly on the head. Fits the average person, has strectch upto 24'' inches. If you want to make this hat for a child simply use a 3.5 to 3.75mm needle size following the instructions as set.
***Pattern Instructions below***

Felting and the Embellish knit. I just adore the Embellish knit......OMG its so fast to make I-Cords......yards and yards in minutes ! Will be using this little treasure a lot more ! Bought this on http://www.ebay.com/ think it cost about $25.00 with shipping. In the picture above you can also see the felting mat and felting needle tool both by http://www.clover.com/. Cant remember where i bought those as i have had them 3 years and this is the 1st time i'm using them......should be able to get these on ebay too !
 Heres the Link to bond america:
www.bond-america.com/products/embellish-knit.html

This is how the inside looks when properly felted......all the fibers are mangled together nicely!

The Pattern instructions:
Tension: 5sts= 1'' inch 7 rows = 1''inch square on 4.5mm- 7us.
                                           The Hat:
Requires about 100 grams total.
With 4.5mm Cast on 88sts, holding 2 strands of yarn together. Join to work in rnd, place marker and knit until work measures 2.5'' inches long.
Next: purl all sts for 4 rnds. Then, knit all sts until work measures 4.5'' inches deep from beg edge.
Next: purl all sts for 4 rnds.
Next: knit 2 rnds and then begin top shaping.
Top Shaping:
1: *k2tog, k6, rep from* to end.
2: and all alternate rnds, k without shaping.
3: *k2tog, k5, rep from *as before
5: *k2tog, k4, rep from* to end.
7: *k2tog, k3, rep from * to end.
9: *k2tog, k2, rep from * to end.
11: *k2tog, k1, rep from * to end.
Next rnd, k2tog all round, break yarn leaving a 10cm tail and draw through rem sts. sew top closed.

                    Flowers:
Daisy cords : make 4. With 2 strands of yarn together and 4.5mm D.P.N's cast on 4 sts,
K the 4 sts, then slide the work back to beg of needle pulling the yarn from behind and knit. Continue until the cord measures 11'' inches long. Break yarn leaving a tail and draw through live sts to secure. Bend 1'' inch of the end of cord like so to form a petal. Each daisy has 5 petals.

SEW through the centre of cord (place only 1 stitch so you can pull out if your not happy with the look of the flower)  secure and then make another loop next to this one sewing the loops inplace as you go until you have 5 loops per flower......it takes a few attempts to get the feel for it and have all your petals quite equal in size.

 Sew through the centre of flower and sew inplace on the hat. If not felting then you will put a couple of sts through each petal so the flower lays flat.

Flower for top of hat:With 3.5mm needles and a single strand of yarn, cast on 2 sts.
Inc 1 sts at the beg of each row until you have 11 sts.
Break yarn leaving stiches inplace on the needle, simply slide the work to end of needle. On the empty needle cast on again as before rep the procedure until you have all 5 points on the same needle.
Next: knit across all 5 points, knit 2 rows.
next: k2tog across, k1.
next: k2tog across row.
next: k2tog across - 7sts rem, pass 6sts (1 at a time over 1st stitch), fasten off.
Needle Felt or sew the flower inplace as shown below.

           I-Cord Top:
As before for daisy, cast on 4 sts and make an I-Cord 18'' inches long. Attach to top and center of flower,add beads on ends and tie a knot in end of cord to prevent bead from falling off.

ABBREVIATIONS:
K=Knit, rnd(s)= round, sts= stitches, beg= begining, D.P.N.= double pointed needles, K2tog= knit next 2 sts together to make 1 stitch=a decrease, rem=remain,

Winter Cherry and Raven Black

This is a hat that i managed to knit and finish in one day......Thanks to the embelish knit gadget and clover felting pad and needles. These hats are really easy to knit and the felting and I-Cords add Fun

And another....just can't stop knitting these hats......i love the natural gray soft-spun Angora with navy blue

Hand painted Arctic muskox blend in Violet & Raven Black

The cross over cardi is well underway.

Knitting this one on 3.5mm straights but now i wished i was on the Addi circs, too late now i dont want to start over. I think this ones going to be without sleeves so i can wear it over a T.

The pattern is 'Old shale stitch' or 'Victorian lace stitch'.....real easy and the results are instant !

The color is Handpainted Violet and Raven Black, knit with a 3 ply so its nice and fast, has little shaping to it and will have the Right front crossing over the left , will fasten with a hand knit rose pin applied to broach hardware. I'm knitting this in XL so its nice and roomy. To knit this in any other size simply use a larger or smaller needle. Not sure how much yarn it will take but i have 800 grams left in this same color lot.....could possibly be our next giveaway !

   Used a total of 280 grams. You will find this yarn at the following link.  www.cottagecraftangora.com/qiviut-blends/4535407224  This is size XL measures: Back- 20'' wide and 24'' inches long from back neck to bottom hem. Right front 14.5'' inches wide. Left front 11'' wide including front bands.
tension 7sts= 1'' inch. 8 rows=1'' inch on 3.5mm.
The neck, arm and front bands are knit on 3.00mm's

The flower broach is knit with 100% Qiviut in raven black.
Will add the pattern and competition details soon !

18-07-2011: I have searched every place i can think of for the pattern draft and can't find it anywhere so i will have to think of another vest for the giveaway......please check back here in a few days as i have an idea for a vest knit from this same yarn & possibly the same colorway !

competition winners- socks and oddments

Two winners drawn at ramdon are: 'Nancy G' and 'Jazz N Java'.......congrats you ladies please contact us with your details so we can mail your oddments package onto you !

Canada post is out on strike. Your yarns will ship the moment they are back at work. The Canada Gouvernment is working hard at trying to get them back working but who knows when that will be.

Thank you to all who took part......look for the next chance to win coming soon !

competition winner

The winner of the Arctic waves shawl kit is Suzie, with her entry 'Arctic Indigo'.
Thanks to all who took part.....check back for the next competiton coming soon !

Arctic Waves shawlette kit

'Arctic Waves Shawl'

''Arctic waves'' first started out as a scarf, but i found i couldnt stop knitting. The pattern is so Easy and relaxing, even if you think you cant do lace....if you can do a YO, you can do this !

The kit will contain the instructions pattern and 50 Grams of ''shade's of The Tundra'' yarn. The yarn is 60% Qiviut - 20% Milk - 20% Bamboo.

So far the shawl above has 20 repeats X 3'' inches each rep so measures 60'' inches across and 17'' inches deep.Knitted on 4.00mm circular needle. I will continue building/knitting until all the yarn is used up.

 will take the final picture of the completed shawl for the next giveaway/competiton around the 15th June.

To win the Kit you will be asked to submit a color name for the hand painted yarn above: the yarn consists of Berry blue, navy Blue and raven black......all very subtle when blended together..... totally luscious and soft. 

Please note the fibre content change: We decided to make a test batch of this yarn and we replaced the silk with Milk fibre and we like the results !  

The shawlette is long enough infront that you can tie it leaving the ends to drape. It's so light and airy you forget you have it on.....would be easy to loose. A broach would be perfect !

And the winner is 'Suzie'. Suzie please contact us with your details so we can ship you your Arctic waves Kit.....congrats !

Socks and oddments of yarn

Small projects are a wonderful way to finish using all your ends of yarns hanging around the knitting basket or basket'ssss in my case. Hats, booties, mitts etc, using oddments can give a stripe effect due to the shade of each yarn. You can also hand dye the finished knitwear solid Black and you will never know that the yarns were from different batches. Use a good quality dye such as http://www.wcushing.com/index.html  I have ooodles of oddments and im sure i will never get through using them all up. (OOO' sounds like a giveaway) So far i have counted 5 baskets with ends, some weigh upto 400 grams each. They are way too special to put in the garbage after all they are 'Qiviut' and we put in a lot of hours and effort into making these wonderful yarns, i'm sure some savy knitter would get hours of pleasure out of  these yarns !
The socks above are knit with 50% qiviut/merino and the contrast is 100% buffalo/bison from oddments. Our 2 ply knit double makes for a heavier knitwear and the yardage is Excellent.

This is the contents from just one basket. A mix of 100% qiviut, 50% qiviut-merino, 50% angora-qiviut, 100% Buffalo, natural and dyed yarns. Weighs about 400 grams, mostly 2 ply's. The yarns are all from different batches as you can see there is quite a difference in the shades between batches and blends.

What would you knit with these oddments ?

'' For followers of this blog only'' 

Followers of our blog, tell us what you would knit and we will randomly pick 2 winners .

You will receive 1 pack of oddments upto 400 grams.

 look out for our next competition/giveaway.......a qiviut scarf kit !

  

Knitting Yarns

Has been brought to our attention that not everyone can see and load our site due to the high graphics..... you need highspeed ! We will list our yarns here for all to see. To purchase any yarns just send us an email at: cottagecraftangora@hotmail.com  We will contact you via email and bill you with paypal.

I will number the yarns so its easier for knitters to order !

***The average shipping cost per package is $9.00 to $12.00.

*** please note, yarns are in either skeins or balls....depends what we have in stock at the time of ordering

 Yarn number 1 :

Yarn number 1:

100% qiviut, available in a 2 ply lace, 22 gram skein - 160 yards or 3 ply as shown, 22 gram skein 100 yards. Color shown Navy, is also available in : Natural, cranberry red, strawberry red, Hunter green, Bright Bordeaux, Purple, Raven Black. $39.50 each.

Yarn Number 2:

100% Buffalo/Bison yarn. 2 or 3 ply, in natural chocolate brown as shown or raven black, navy blue.

 2 ply: 22 grams - 155 yards. $22.00 each

3 ply: 22 grams - 90 to100 yrds. $22.00 each

We also have this same yarn in a big 100 gram skein $90.00 each.

Yarn Number  3:

50% qiviut-50% merino. colors left to right: Hunter, blue slate, turkey red, purple, raven black, magogany, raspberry sorbet, egyptian red, bordeaux, navy blue, (the color on the end is no longer available)

22 gram skein - 160 yards, 2 ply lace, $15.00 each.

The same yarn above is also available in 50% Angora- 50% qiviut, $17.50 each.*** Please note colors are not exactly as shown as the different blends produce slightly different colors*** 

Soft Spun Angora is Back !
We first made this yarn in 2004. Due to our work load with the pure qiviut we had to give it a miss for a few years. Its back for good and will replace our 100% Angora until fall 2011. This easy knit yarn contains  80% Angora - 20% merino. 3 ply, like a sport weight, 50 gram skeins, 232 yards. 3.75 - 4.5mm needles ( for lacey projects use a 6 or 7.00 mm) Colors: (left to right) Raven Black, Turkey red, Bijoux Blue, Raspberry, Lavender, Wild rose. $15.00 each. More colours coming soon !  To see a Gorgeous sweater knit in this yarn check out this link:
www.canaryknits.blogspot.com/2008/03/le-lapin-noir.html

We will upload more yarns soon ! 

Competition: win this smokering

Whatever you call it.....smokering, hood, snood.....its a very versatile garment that not only keeps you warm but adds a bit of glam ! You can wear it up over the head or pulled down around the neck like a scarf. Has an allover delicate lace design

We need a colour name for this yarn. The yarn is a new blend of 60% Qiviut-20% silk- 20% Bamboo. Lace weight 2 ply.
 Hand-painted in Egyptian red and Bright Bordeaux. The Silk and bamboo really make the colors Flash .....the qiviut adds wonderful softness and warmth.

The competition is open to everyone world wide.
To enter leave your color name suggestions in the comment section and we will choose our favorite name.
Name can be relevant to the actual colors you see in the yarn, flowers from Nature, names related to musk ox, qiviut, the Tundra etc !
Competition runs until 20 Th May 2011.
Best of Luck !

                                              Win this smoke ring
Date:21-05-2011
The winner of the smokering is 'Tamara'.....we thought the name ''Tundra Bearberry'' very fitting for this colorway. Congrats Tamara, please contact us by email with your mailing address !

April competition winner..........

Winner drawn at random was '' Jennifer''...........please contact us at
cottagecraftangora@hotmail.com so we can ship you your yarns !

Thanks to all who took part !

Our next competition is a ''Name it'' competition. We have a new hand knit smokering design we are working on and need help with the name....be sure to enter ! Details wil be posted soon.

qiviut sweaters

Just finished yet another 100% qiviut sweater....this one is sold and now on its way to its new home in Vancouver. I decided to knit this one with rolled edges to get that beautiful qiviut drape going. All edges are double cast off so there's no chance of stitches unraveling. Knit in fine 2 ply its just so yummy and soft as a cloud with that distinctive qiviut halo ! Qiviut is 8 times warmer than sheep wool and is so light and airy the knitwear is very comfortable to wear next to the skin. Available in Adult Sizes: small- $600.00, M-$640.00, L- $680.00, XL-$700.00, XXL-$740.00, XXXL- $770.00+ xpress shipping. Unisex design.

 The ladies sweater (not shown) comes with ( at no extra charge) a lace neck scarf attached to the sweater by way of knitted belt loops. I will post a picture of this when i get around to knitting it in a few days or so. The scarf drapes beautifully and there's no chance of loosing the scarf as it fits snugly through the belt loops. To order a sweater or a custom knit design please contact me at http://www.cottagecraftangora.com/ for more information.

The 2nd sweater I'm working on above is knit with 80% Qiviut-20% super white merino. Knit with 3 strands together = 6 ply on 5.00mm circular needle. I knit the bottom 3'' inches on a 4mm to make the edge stitches firm. Its very Thick and I'm sure it will be very warm. This design is an irregular rib and i think its just what this heavy sweater needs......the rib construction and the merino content will help it keep its shape and drape !
Not sure how much yarn this sucker will take....i dare not count.  I have balled  352 grams, the back and front so far measures 8'' and i need to go to at least 15'' inches up to the armholes. This baby is already sold and when finished will be on its way to Idaho. The customer bought this to keep him warm while riding his horse.

Will post more as the sweater progresses so check back Jim to see your sweater come to life !

So far so good......divided St's for back and front and I'm very happy with the yardage its better than i thought ! The sleeves are set in style and I'm DEC the St's at both ends for the arm hole shaping. The rose wood needles are very smooth (though not as smooth as the Addi turbos http://www.espacetricot.com/

 i knit English style so the knitting is Flying now.....cant wait for it to be done so i can stand back and look at my work, this sweater is gorgeous and I'm sure i will be making many more of this design !

Voila.....complete except for i want to add a hood. I think the hood should be knit in regular plain stitch as this will highlight the overall design of this sweater. One of the great things about an overall rib design is that it really holds its shape well, has gorgeous drape and elasticity to every inch. The sweater looks small but it magically grows on you the moment you get it on ! The rib design feels so comfortable to wear and makes a person look taller and slimmer. Will post the final picture after i add the hood later today.....wish this was mine, Winter is back. Were having Snow and wind again today 'soooo lucky i don't have to travel to work'

So we can say .......its complete. This sweater is sold and now on its way to Jim. To buy this sweater design contact me at the email address above with your size and color choice. Price $1,800.00

HOOD FAIL.........well i tried 3 different hood styles and didn't like any of them on this sweater and i suddenly realised why ? The hood should be all one with the sweater......a continuation of the neck line. For sure next time i knit this i  will suggest to the customer that we add a hood.

The Hat That was A Hood.......all is not lost. I had this rectangle left over.
10'' X 20'' so i turned it into a thick warm hat for hubby.
I stitched closed the seam along the short edge and turned up the brim section sewing it closed and along the length ways edge i gathered the top section on 4 strands of yarn so it would be strong enough to hold up to whatever he puts it through !

 The stitch pattern is: 5mm needles cast on 66 sts * k3, p3, k1, p2, k2, p3, k4, p4, rep from * to end. Row 2: k the k sts and p the p sts.

  30 minutes after this picture was taken he calls me from his Pied (foot) Dr's office and says ''er can i sell this hat''......the Doc wants it.......lets just say I'm not making another hat for him....the butcher might ask for the next one !

Qiviut/Merino Cabled Socks...in Bordeaux : March Competition

The Clear winner of last months competition is the Egyptian red and why not ? Whats not to like about beautiful warm red with orangy undertones ! However, my fav is the bordeaux and much more suitable for me.
       Whats even better is knitting these socks with 50% Qiviut/50% merino yarn. The qiviut adds warmth, a luxurious feel...... sensuality to the yarn.....a feeling of gorgeousness and softness. The Merino adds strength,  durability and some elasticity along with supleness and adds balance to the yarn. Qiviut/merino wool blend makes the perfect socks.....that are soft and warm.
Overall Design: cabled sock top, smooth leg and foot section and toes.....for the longest time i have wanted hand knit socks with toes so every toe is snuggly wrapped in comfort ! (if you are not comfortable knitting toes.....thats ok, just knit a plain toe section)

The Competition: Win the yarn to make these socks.

*****By entering this competition you agree to use this yarn (if you are the winner) to knit the sock pattern below (socks with or without toes) and by entering you agree to send us by email a picture of the actual socks for us to post on this blog !*****
The winner will be drawn at random. Open to knitters world wide.
Tell us in the comment section what your color preference would be, either Bordeaux or Egyptian Red !
Competition is open until 15Th April 2011.
                                 Best of Luck knitting buds !

To knit these socks You will need :
1 pair of 3.5mm straight needles.
1 set of 3.00mm D.P.N
1 set of 2.75mm D.P.N
1 st marker.
1 cable needle.
Wool needle
4 skeins of qiviut/merino yarn.

TENSION: over cabled section: 16 rows= 2.5''  X 30 sts= 4.5'' inches
Tension over plain/knit st 8sts= 1'' inch X 10 rows = 1'' inch

The cabled leg section of sock is knit on straight needles. Begin by casting on 30 sts with 2 strands of yarn together. Knit across 30 sts, then begin cable work below.
1: p5, c4B, (p4, c4B) twice, p5.
2:  k5, p4, (k4,p4) twice, k5.
3: p4, T3B, (T4F, T4B) Twice, T3F, p4.
4: k4, p2, k3, p4, k4, p4, k3, p2, k4.
5: p3, T3B, p3, C4F, p4, C4F, p3, T3F, p3.
6: k3, p2, k4, (p4, k4) twice, p2, k3.
7: p3, k2, p3, T3B, T4F, T4B, T3F, p3, k2, p3.
8: k3, (p2,k3) twice, p4, (k3,p2) twice, k3.
9: p3, (k2,p3) twice, C4B, (p3,k2) twice, p3.
10: k3, (p2,k3) twice, p4, (k3, p2) twice, k3.
11: p3, k2, p3, T3F, T4B, T4F, T3B, p3, k2, p3.
12:  As 6Th row.
13: p3, T3F, p3, C4F, p4, C4F, p3, T3B, p3.
14: As 4th row.
15: p4, T3F, (T4B, T4F) twice, T3B, p4.
15: As 2nd row.
Rep above pattern 3 more times. Next bind/cast off all 30 sts.

                                                    Make sock:
With wrong side of work facing you, pick up and knit 54sts along the Longest edge onto a 3.00mm D.P.N. Next, with right side of work facing you, knit across the 54sts and put 18 sts each onto 3 dpn's.
                                                                 OR:
For a seam at the back of socks : Stitch the cast on, cast off edges together to form a rnd, with the seam facing to the center back, pick up and knit 18 sts for 1 st needle and then rep all around for needles 2 and 3.
 Join to work in the rnd, k1, place marker and continue to knit around ( putting extra tension on the 1st  stitch of each needle to prevent a ladder forming ).
continue knitting in the rnd until work measures 8.5'' inches long from beg edge of cable design.

                                                     Heel Flap:
Knit across 14sts of 1 st needle. Slip the last 4 sts onto needle 2. On needle 2 we knit the heel flap.
K1, slip 1 all across needle and add 4 sts from needle 3 to needle 2 so you now have 26 sts on needle 2 for heel flap. Next row: Turn work and purl all sts. Continue to k1, slip 1 and purl rows until flap measures 3'' inches long.

                                              This picture taken outside shows the true color of Bordeaux and its not at all Dark as the picture at the top of page suggests !

                                               Turn Heel:
1: (WS) p14, p2tog, p1, turn work.
2: sl 1, k7, k2tog, k1, turn.
3: sl 1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
4: sl 1, k9, k2tog, k1, turn.
5: sl 1, p10, p2tog, p1, turn.
6: sl1, k11, k2tog, k1, turn.
7: sl1, p12, p2tog, p1,turn.
8: sl1, k11, k2tog, k to end.

                                               Make sock Gusset:
With (RS) work facing you and on needle 3, pick up 14 sts evenly along the heel edge. Continue knitting across needle 3. You now have 29 sts on needle 3. Rep for other side of gusset adding the sts to needle 1. Slip marker and knit 1 rnd.
dec shaping rnds; needles 1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
                                           2: k without shaping.
                                           3: k1, k2tog, k to end.
Every 2nd rnd k without shaping. continue until you have  17 sts rem on needles 1 and 3. Next rnd: continue shaping as above for another 6 rnds and at the same time dec on needle 2 as thus: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
When finished you should have: 14 sts on needles 1 and 3 = (28), needle 2 has 12 sts.
 K for a further 6 rnds.

Foot shaping increases: on needle 1, k to last 2 sts, inc 1 st. needle 2- no increase. Needle 3, k1 inc 1 sts, k to end. Next rnd: knit without inc. rep these 2 rnds another 3 times until you have 18 sts on needles 1 and 3 and 12 sts on needle 2.

Continue knitting without shaping until sock reaches to beg of toes......try it on for correct fit !
                                               Knit the Toes:
''Right Foot''

 With 2.75mm d. p needles knit 2 rnds.( With  2.75mm the large toe sts will be smaller and firmer so they will be more durable) ! If your socks are anything like mine ' its always the large toe area thats goes first' !

After knitting the 2 rnds, slide 6 sts from needle 1 onto needle 2 and 6 sts from needle 3 onto needle 2. knit sts from needle 1 onto needle 3 removing stitch marker as you go. You now have 48sts divided onto 2 needles that are facing eachother. Next we divide for toes (DO NOT BREAK YARN)

It is very important to try on the sock as you knit so each toes is perfect !

I found that the toes were a little on the small side and would have been better if knitted on a 3.00mm needle !

With contrast thicker yarn and wool needle remove 16 sts to waste yarn. Rep for other needle. Divide the 16 sts remaining onto 3 needles and begin to knit around to make large toe. Knit with extra tension to keep sts firm and small = durable !
When knitting reaches just past the end of large toe, break yarn leaving a 10cm tail and close top of toe, secure sts and sew loose end inside if sock.

Next: the following toes are knit on 3.00mm D.P.N
Slip 4 sts from each side onto 2 d.p.n's, at same time pickup 1 extra st from both sides of the gap between toes so you now have 10 sts to knit 2nd toe. Leaving a 10cm tail to close gap between toes, join to work in the rnd and knit as before trying on the sock for fit.
Rep as above for the next 3 toes and then your done. Sew in any loose ends and begin other sock reversing the shapings for toes of other foot.......Knit 2nd sock as 1st until you reach the toe section, then follow the pattern below for Left foot.

Left Foot: you should have all your sts on 2.75mm d.p.n'S and are ready to divide for toes.
Needles 1 and 3. slip 6 sts each from the ends of these needles onto needle 2. This needle now contains 24 sts. knit the sts from needle 2 directly onto needle 1. You now have all sts on 2 parallel needles. to knit the large toe of left foot you must knit to the opposite end of needle 2. You are now ready to remove the extra sts to waste yarn as before and knit the large toe on the 2.75mm needles as before and remaining toes on 3.00mm needes.


ABBREVIATIONS:
T3F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, purl the next st from left hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T3B= put next st onto cable needle and hold at back, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, purl the st from the cable needle.
C4F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then knit 2 sts from cable needle.
C4B= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at back, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T4F= put next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front, purl next 2 sts on left hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle.
T4B= put next 2 purl sts onto cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then purl 2 sts from cable needle.

                                       Competition winner: Photo by Jennifer Crandall.
                                                   '' The Worlds Softest Socks ''

competition winner

And the winner is: Darcys Knotty Knitter.
Darcy wins 3 skeins of Arctic musk ox blend in her color choice raspberry ripple. Congrats ! And thanks to all who took part.....the clear winner is the Egyptian red.
We would like everyone to know how we choose at random: as the comments come in we write the name down on a little post it note paper and slip it in a bag that we have hanging on the office notice board. The day after the competiton i get someone passing through ( business partner, kids, customer)to pick 1 out......so its fair for all who enter.
The next competiton is planned and will be posted soon.........Egytian Red SOCKS !

Buffalo/Bison Blanket

Another little treasure complete ! All knitters love that feeling you get when you have completed another project and you just know EVERY ST is PERFECT.....I know this blog is supposed to be about 'Qiviut' but Buffalo
 is another little Luxury i allow myself to indulge in.
100% Pure buffalo, Fully dehaired so the blanket is very soft and oh so cuddly ! Designed this one with natural buffalo and navy blue, has raised stitch design on some blocs and plain knit sts on others  and at this moment its on its way to its new owner in Arlington VA. ''I'm sure your gonna love it Liz''. Blanket measures 54'' X 75'' but has a 2'' inch border all around. The buffalo has a wonderful soft spongy feel to it. I tested it by wrapping it around my shoulders and you could feel the heat starting to generate within 60 seconds.
This blanket is $ 950.00 usd and includes xpress shipping.

Easy Knit Gloves

These are real easy to knit ! I used the 3 ply Arctic musk ox blend in Navy, Raspberry, hand painted teal and navy and a new hand painted color consisting of all the above colours, 4 colours in total and i may have enough yarn for 2 pairs !
Knit on 2.75mm D.P.N so the construction is firm and close fitting.

The only patterns i could find were vintage style calling for a total of 7 needles.....way to complex and annoying so i thought i would design an easy pattern using only 4 needles and holding sts not in use with waste lengths of yarn. Much simpler, easy to work and No Tangled needles to make you scream ! Follow the tension suggestion below and if you feel that you need them larger or smaller simply go up or down a needle size:

Tension on 2.75mm = 7 sts=1'' inch X 9 rows = 1'' inch
The picture above shows the thumb sts on waste yarn just before i close the gap.
***Remember when knitting in the RND (round)...Always put extra tension on your 1 st of every needle to prevent an ugly ladder/gap forming***.

I will add the pattern and more pictures as i go along, i hope to be able to show different segments in detail so you can easily knit these for yourself !

I would say the only sticky bit of this pattern is separating the sts and holding the sts not in use and writing the text in a clear easy to understand manner !

If this is your 1 st pair of gloves its probably better to knit them using a single colored yarn and trying the gloves for fit as you go along.

The Pattern:

You will need 75 grams -3 skeins of Arctic musk ox 3 ply yarn.

1 set of 2.75mm D.P.Needles.

3 lengths of waste yarn-worsted weight or small stich holders.

3 st markers.

ABBREVIATIONS- rnd=round. sts= stitches, sm=stitch marker,dpn=double pointed needles, sm=slip marker. Beg= beginning.

Make Cuff:

With 2.75mm dpn and your main colour cast on 44 sts, join to work in the rnd, pm knit 1 row.

Next rnd: k2, p2 for 6 rnds, then k 1 rnd.

 change to raspberry: k2, p2, 6 rnds Raspberry, k1 rnd.

Change to main colour, k2,p2 for 7 rnds, k1 rnd. Rib is complete.

With Navy k 5 rnds.

With main colour knit 6 rnds.

THUMB GUSSET:

Join on Raspberry and at the same time make thumb.

RND 1: k 18 sts, PM, m1, k1, m1,k1,PM, continue knitting rnd.

RND 2: and all Alternate rnds- knit without shaping.

RND 3: k 18, sm, m1, k3, m1, sm, k rem sts.

RND 5: k18, sm, m1, k5, m1, sm, k to beg.

Change to main colour: RND7:k18, sm, m1, k7, m1, sm, k to beg.

RND 9: k18,sm, m1, k9, m1, sm, k to beg.

RND 11: k18, sm, m1, k11, m1, sm, k to beg.

Change to navy and turquoise.

RND 13: k18, sm, m1, k13, m1, sm, k to beg.

Next Rnd: knit all sts to 1st marker, remove marker and put the next 13 sts for thumb onto waste yarn.

Next close the gap, knit putting EXTRA tension on the sts to close the gap. Palm Section:

Continue knitting around for another 5 rnds with navy and turquoise yarn.

As you can see from the picture above there is ample room to try the gloves on so you can get the best possible fit.

Change to hand painted yarn and knit another 6 rnds, again try the glove on for fit. After completing the next 6 rnds the work should reach the base of the beginning of your fingers.

Change to navy and knit 2 rnds.

, at same time inc 1 st each end of all 3 needles

Next make fingers:

With navy yarn, k across needle 1 and knit 8 sts onto needle 1 from needle 2. The rem 8 sts on needle 2, slip them onto needle 3 so you now have 48 sts on 2 needles that are parallel to each other.

 DO NOT BREAK YARN !

See below

Take 2 lengths of waste yarn and remove 18 sts from the end of 1 needle so you have 6 sts remaining, repeat for other needle. At this point i like to change to bamboo needles for the fingers, the bamboo is non-slippy so there is no chance of dropping sts when working in the rnd on a few sts!

With Thumb gusset facing to the right side begin to knit the index finger. k 4sts onto needle 1, 4sts each onto needles 2 and 3, put extra tension on the 1st of each needle so its nicely closed. Knit about 15 rnds and try on the glove, the knitting should come just over the tip of index finger.

Next: Break yarn leaving a 10cm tail, load wool needle and run through the 12 sts, close tightly and sew in loose end to inside of glove.

Change color for middle finger or not !

begin cast on  by leaving a 10cm tail (this is used to sew gap between fingers when glove is complete). Rep as for index finger, picking up a total of 12 sts and knitting this finger to same length as index finger. Rep for the ring finger too.

Pinkie-small finger: You should have 11 or 12 sts remaining (me, sometimes i have 12 and sometimes i have 11) ! You should have 12, if not, inc 1 st by picking up a loop between finger gap. Knit as for other fingers trying the glove as you go along and knitting till it reaches the top of your wee finger and close in the same way as other fingers.

Next: turn glove inside out and sew in all the loose ends by weaving them into same coloured rows.(i prefer a really sharp darning needle for this as it slips into the pearl sts neatly.

Thumb:

divide the 13 sts onto 3 needles and inc 1 st on needle 1. Knit as for fingers trying on as you go and finish in the same way sewing in the loose end.

Go make another glove !

January Competition: vote for your favourite colour

We LOVE Colour and want to know what is the most popular....Vote for your fav Arctic musk ox blend colour from the options above, left to right: hunter, slate blue, turkey red, purple, raven black, mahogany, raspberry ripple, Egytian red, Bordeaux, navy blue and Azalea.... Winner will be chosen at random and will receive enough yarn in your colour choice to make these EASY TO KNIT gloves.
This competeition runs to the 20th febuary 2011, open to knitters and Non-knitters world wide.

Competition winner

And the winner is : Alison H.
With her entry ......Aulavik, Arctic Lichen, Sitka, McKinley, Taiga. Alison please contact us so we can ship you your prize......
Alison wins the skein of 'Artists Hand yarn' and the gorgeous soft lace scarf......congratulations petal !

Thanks to all who took part.

We have more Monthly competitions planned so Become a follower of our blog to see at a glance what were up to !
this months competition is already planned and will be published within a day or two.....so check back.....
'Happy Knitting New Year'

Artists Hand scarf...the giveaway

This is the lace scarf  knit from 'artists hand yarn' as part of our competition . Is knit from yarn number 1, measures 10'' X 52'' and is just so lightweight and soft, complete with a beaded slide that you can remove. Enter the competiton below for your chance to win this scarf and a 100 gram skein of this Gorgeous yarn !