Springtime Sweater

I found this sweater while looking for an accent yarn to finish the one currently OTN.  I wonder if it is too light in colour for Afghanistan?  It's 100% wool, I knit it last winter for another group's campaign but missed their deadline.  I can send it to them this winter, but if it would be acceptable for the girls' campaign I think it's a very pretty set of colours - yellow, green, blue, and violet.  Thoughts?

Diane's Post with Hat Patterns (via Ann)

I am posting this for Diane ... -- Ann

The two current campaigns are so inspiring. I was able to knit a sweater and then supplementing a few basic yarns with lots of odds and ends, I knit a bunch of mittens and hats. The pattern for the mittens is called "Cloisonee" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot. Putting the various color combinations together was so much fun.

The color design on these mittens uses a stitch called "knit 4 below". I was also introduced to this stitch with the “Little Bubbles” baby sweater by Nina Isaacson. When I tired of mittens, I used a basic hat pattern and incorporated the K4B stitch and also used odd bits to make the striped hats as well. If you are like me and save every bit of leftover yarn, this is the perfect use for those bits!

Attached is a photo of the items. I've attached the hat patterns for anyone who is interested.

Diane

These hats is designed to use those wonderful bits of fiber in your stash, the tiny ones you were saving but weren’t sure why. This are both a standard hat pattern that incorporates the “knit 4 below” stitch to create the geometric design in hat #1 and regular strips for hat #2. You may know the K4B stitch from other patterns. I was introduced to it from two such patterns: “Cloisonee” mittens by Stephanie Pearl McPhee; “Little Bubbles” baby sweater by Nina Isaacson”.

Gauge: 18 sts & 24 rows over 4 inches using size 8 needles (16” circular and dpn)

HAT #1 - GEOMETRIC

Size: This size fits a head circumference of 21.5 inches. To make a smaller hat, decrease the cast on by increments of 4 stitches and when decreasing for the crown, adjust decreases accordingly.

Instructions for K4B (knit 4 below) stitch are at the end of this pattern.

Row 1: Using main hat color, cast on 96 stitches; join work being careful not to twist the stitches; place marker to indicate beginning of round.
Rows 2 – 8 are 7 rows of garter stitch: Purl rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 ; Knit rounds 3, 5, 7.
Row 9 – 12: Change to desired color and knit 4 rounds.
Row 13: *K3, K4B, repeat from *around.
Row 14-16: Knit 3 rounds.
Row 17: K1, *K4B, K3, repeat from * around
Row 18-20: Knit 3 rounds.
Row 21-24: Repeat rows 13-16.
Row 25-28: Repeat rows17-20.
Row 29-32: Repeat rows 13-16.
Row 33-36: Repeat rows 17-20.
Row 37-40: Repeat rows 13-16.
[Note: if you’d like a longer hat, repeat rows 13-20 as many times as you’d like here then continue with these instructions even though the row numbers will change accordingly.]
Rows 41-44 are 4 rows of garter stitch: Purl round 41, 43 Knit round 42-44.
The following rows begin and create the crown of the hat…
Row 45: *P1, K15, repeat from * around.
Row 46: Repeat row 45.
Row 47: Repeat row 45.
Row 48, decrease row: *P1, K13, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 49: *P1, K14, repeat from * around.
Row 50, decrease row: *P1, K12, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 51: *P1, K13, repeat from * around.
Row 52, decrease row: *P1, K11, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 53, decrease row: *P1, K10, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 54, decrease row: *P1, K9, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 55, decrease row: *P1, K8, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Following rows: continue decreasing in this pattern until 12 stitches remain on the needles, then K2tog around. Cut yarn leaving a tail long enough to thread through the stitches, thread through the 12 stitches and pull tightly, secure tail.
Instructions for K4B stitch…
These instructions sound tricky until you try it. Knit 4 below is as simple as this:
On the K4B stitch, insert the right needle into the 4th stitch below the stitch on the left needle. This will be the first stitch in the different color section below. Place the yarn around the inserted needle, in back, and pull through per usual. Now that you’ve knit this stitch, drop off the stitch that is waiting on the left needle. The dropped off stitch will run down 4 stitches. It will not unravel past this point so don’t worry. You will be using the K4B stitch every 4th row which is what creates the diamond shaped, offset geometric pattern.

HAT # 2 - STRIPES

Size: This size fits a head circumference of 21.5 inches. To make a smaller hat, decrease the cast on by increments of 4 stitches and when decreasing for the crown, adjust decreases accordingly.

Row 1: Using main hat color, cast on 96 stitches; join work being careful not to twist the stitches; place marker to indicate beginning of round.
Rows 2 – 8 are 7 rows of garter stitch: Purl rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 ; Knit rounds 3, 5, 7.
Rows 9 - 40 are knitting color strips of your own choice of colors and strip size. If you’d like a longer hat, just add more rows here even though the row numbers will change accordingly.
Rows 41-44 are 4 rows of garter stitch: Purl round 41, 43 Knit round 42-44.
The following rows begin and create the crown of the hat…
Row 45: *P1, K15, repeat from * around.
Row 46: Repeat row 45.
Row 47: Repeat row 45.
Row 48, decrease row: *P1, K13, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 49: *P1, K14, repeat from * around.
Row 50, decrease row: *P1, K12, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 51: *P1, K13, repeat from * around.
Row 52, decrease row: *P1, K11, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 53, decrease row: *P1, K10, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 54, decrease row: *P1, K9, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 55, decrease row: *P1, K8, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Following rows: continue decreasing in this pattern until 12 stitches remain on the needles, then K2tog around. Cut yarn leaving a tail long enough to thread through the stitches, thread through the 12 stitches and pull tightly, secure tail.

Ardis, Sharon, and Heather sorting and packing at the AFSC Basement

Ardis and Sharon (middle) hold sweaters knit by Olivia, and Heather holds her TWO Lopi sweaters. (Heather and Olivia work together over in Marin, on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Maybe they knit on their lunch hour.) The girls at the TIE school in Farza are going to LOVE these sweaters.

I am not sure of the current count. We didn't get a chance to update the total before we had to run. I think we are close to the goal 500 sweaters. I will check on this next week, and let you know. Wool mittens, socks, and hats are gratefully received, too. Thanks to all!