Monica Knits

Repair StitchI started knitting a pair of socks for my dad late last night in low light and didn't see that I had accidentally split a stitch in the first round until the next morning when it glared at me in daylight. I had completed six or seven rounds by this time. No problem; this is very quick to correct with a crochet needle and a couple of minutes' time. Read more ... for illustrated instructions.

This is the second neck cozy I knitted this week from Koigu^TM yarn and brings to four, the number of neck cozies I have knitted. The light green cozy was for my sister and the gold one was a treat for myself. Read more ... photos in additional colors and related links.

Koigu^TM Neck Cozy The neck cozy and I have always been inseparable winter evenings, but during the week in which our furnace broke down, I wore it night and day when at home. Naturally, the furnace failed during the wee hours of one of the coldest days of the year! When it snagged and got a hole, I decided that I had better knit a back up. In the meantime my sister and a girlfriend each requested one.

Two things make this neck warmer amazing: the premium (soft), hand-painted merino yarn and the lightweight, compact design. Read more ... for knitting tips and pattern information.

The photo shows the cabled headband in process, after blocking, before joining in the round, since it is easier to photograph this way. This is the fifth cabled headband I've knitted, but the first in acrylic yarn. My girlfriend brought a skein of frosty green yarn over and asked if I could knit her a headband like mine, so that's what I did yesterday evening. The pattern is easy to memorize. Read more ....

This 26" x 9" knitted cotton towel or scarf (if you make it about 6" longer) started out as a demonstration for the cable cast on. Originally designed as a towel for a bathroom with antique rose wall tiles and dove grey walls, the piece looks so nice that I have decided to use it as a doily instead. If I made it longer, it would also make a striking scarf because it drapes well and the lace borders are flattering. Read more .... for instructions for this towel or scarf.

The photo shows the cabled headband in process, after blocking, before joining in the round. This is the third one I've knitted. The first one was knitted with Patons Classic Wool in old gold over 2 evenings, the second gold headband was knitted for a girlfriend. This most recent one was knitted for my niece with Rich Red (#207), a color that reminds me of cherry, rope licorice. Since I have the pattern memorized, it took a single evening to knit. With 2 skeins of yarn, you can easily knit 5 women's headbands. Click here to read the blog article: Braided Headband - 2.

I had a few skeins of white mohair/merino wool yarn that I was anxious to try. While leafing through a knitting book, I was struck by the the cascade ruffle silhouette and mohair/silk blend yarn of Bess Haile's Scaruffle. It looked like the perfect, quick Thanksgiving project. I began the scarf yesterday evening and finished it today during the Lions / Packers football game. When I showed my husband how like fluffy clouds the yarn worked up to be, he replied that it reminded him of cotton candy--his description was more accurate. The fine, shiny white goat hair did indeed look like spun sugar. Read more .....

These colorful, straight needles came from my mother-in-law's collection and were in high use for over 50 years. They are British (pre-metric) sizes, so when I use them I have to employ my needle gauge.

Related Articles
Knitting with Circular Needles
My Sock Needle Choices
Knitting Needle Cross-Reference Chart

For information on the needles I use... Read more

The sketch (not to scale) at left shows the knitting direction, for the garment discussed in the earlier article, Cable Luxe Maxi - Overview. The circular arrow at the top indicates the direction (clockwise) for knitting in the round. The open (not solid) arrows indicate the direction of garment knitting. The sleeves are knitted from the braided yoke downwards, as is the body. The garter stitch neckline is knitted from the braided yoke upwards. Click on the thumbnail at left to view a larger sketch.

The next sketch shows the cable placement and orientation. These directions will yield a garment that looks like the photo, with symmetric mirror image cable twists about the center front and center back. Read more...

Cream CablesI saw the pattern in the Lion Brand catalogue and it was love at first sight. I find long, knitted dresses practical for travelling. The color, yoke with horizontal braid, and vertical A-line cable design all grabbed my attention. So as not to mislead you, I happen to really like oyster white and find it a flattering, versatile color. Lion Brand^R offers you the choice of buying the pattern and yarn separately, but the kit was convenient and the color perfect for me. This pattern was rated at an experienced skill level and I would have to agree as I had to make some changes in both fit and pattern. It took me 80 hours to complete, including modifying the design and construction methods. Read more....