# Christmas Countdown! What is your fav quick gift pattern?



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Wow! Don't know how it is at your house, but I am in a flurry of pumping out knitted gifts- In the last week have done 4+ scarves, 3 hats, neckwarmer. 
One of my favorite patterns is from Stephanie Mc- an easy pattern for scarf that looks GREAT with thick thin slub singles repeat pattern of 4 - K 2, KBL, P repeat to end last 2 K. So cast on 14 for a reg size scarf (thicker yarn) I used size 13 needles, so far. 

Here is another link for quirky handspun- did the hat with 2 pom poms- really cute! http://www.materialwhirled.com/

Do you have an easy hat or scarf pattern? What about fingerless mittens?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Quick ?

My preference would be chunky mohair bracelets, knit about an inch wide or so.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Forerunner said:


> Quick ?
> 
> My preference would be chunky mohair bracelets, knit about an inch wide or so.


I am with you. I am worried about getting this pair of socks done by Christmas. I am slow as molasses in January.


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## troy n sarah tx (Dec 31, 2005)

I love doing hats and scarves, changing out the colors and the patterns makes each one unique.

Sarah


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Toss me in the S L O W knitters group too.

One of my co-workers who I just taught to knit was cranking out fingerless mitts today. It was a free Lion Brand pattern using the Thick and quick yarn and sized #13 needles. I had to teach her how to sew them up but she finished one and a half pairs in a day between flights today. Basically you cast on 15 stitches, knit until it is 8 1/2 inches long, bind off and then sew them up leaving about an inch opening for the thumb. Cute and quick.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

This is a wonderful pattern. 

http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html

I have made a few for gifts and everyone LOVES them and asks for more.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

GAM, that looks great. I might have to make me one after these socks. Speaking of the socks, some of the stitches pulled out last night and I am about sick trying to figure out how they go back. I finally laid it down and will look at it again today.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Mrs. H don't worry about how they go onto the needles. If the stitches are twisted just untwist them as you knit them.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

My favorite narrow scarf that is fast is CO 6 stitches, work 2 rows in garter stitch. R3: K3, M1, K3. Continue with the garter stitch for the length you want then K3, drop stitch, K3, work garter stitch for 2 more rows, bind off loosely. Work the stitch you dropped down the length of the scarf to form a ladder.

Yesterday, I made one of those scarves, a simple hat (starting with stockinette so the brim curled, then switched to garter stitch for about 5 rows, back to stockinette . Right before I started the decrease, I did about 5 rows or garter, then back to stockinette for the decrease. And a pair of mitten (garter stitch at the start of the cuff, 1X1 ribbing for the rest of the cuff, then stockinette for the main body.

Today is working on socks (size 10) for my daughter. I'm using handspun in a worsted weight, so it should go quickly)


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

I have seen you knit Cyndi, everything you make goes quickly! I dream of the day I can crochet or knit at a decent pace. Must be that practice, practice, practice thingy. lol


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Marchwind said:


> Mrs. H don't worry about how they go onto the needles. If the stitches are twisted just untwist them as you knit them.


They not only fell off the needle, they also came out of the loops on that row.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Will try that narrow scarf pattern, thanks Cindy.

Gam, I had that pattern copied, just have never done it! So glad to hear a good report, will try it. 
I am finding with handspun, If I can do singles, thick, thin- it makes the project go much quicker. Just finishing a guy's scarf that has taken forever, as it was in DK plyed- almost 300 yards. 
Marchwind, can you give a brief explaination of sewing up the mittens (or a link)? That sounds like an easy gift pattern....


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I got to see Cyndi knit fast while she was teaching me.
About the time I could get up a fairly consistent stitch cycle she said, "watch this", and then her hands went into this eerie blur and the skein she was drawing from began to spin like a top--even giving off this evil whining sound ....
I remember snorting disgustedly and going outside to do something that _I'm_ good at for a while.:grumble:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

:hysterical:! You goof! You'll go to hell for lying like that! ound:! The skein never gave off an evil whining .... :lookout:

:heh:

I'm woking the gusset on one sock and the other is up to the turned heel. DD wears a size 10 shoe so most of the knitting is ahead of me.


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

Forerunner said:


> I got to see Cyndi knit fast while she was teaching me.
> About the time I could get up a fairly consistent stitch cycle she said, "watch this", and then her hands went into this eerie blur and the skein she was drawing from began to spin like a top--even giving off this evil whining sound ....
> I remember snorting disgustedly and going outside to do something that _I'm_ good at for a while.:grumble:


Oh my goodness, I almost peed on that one!:hysterical:ound:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Me, too....about the time that whining noise started....


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

g-a-m, thanks a bunch for the link. I made a head wrap this afternoon and it's just what I needed! I'll be making more for gifts, but this gift was just for me. I'm not much of a knitter, but this was fast and easy and I can brag that I know how to do short rows now.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

PollySC said:


> g-a-m, thanks a bunch for the link. I made a head wrap this afternoon and it's just what I needed! I'll be making more for gifts, but this gift was just for me. I'm not much of a knitter, but this was fast and easy and I can brag that I know how to do short rows now.


You are welcome! It really *is* a quick knit.
& an easy alternative to a full hat. Fits good in the pocket too, when it gets too hot. 
Good job on the shortrows. :thumb:

Beware though, that the type of short-rows in this pattern want you to leave the little holes, on purpose.
That is not always the prefered way to make them.


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## strawhouse (Aug 7, 2010)

Yay for GAM! I love that pattern, I'm gonna knit one for me first, then I'll consider friends! Thanks!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Forerunner said:


> Me, too....about the time that whining noise started....


:hysterical:
:hysterical:
:hysterical:

I had to rip out both socks tonight and start over. I'm using size 4 needles and cast on 48 ... too many! Trying again with 36 stitches. I'm 20 rows in on each sock and the size is looking much better.


Tim, you crack me up!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Yeah, I get that a lot.

Say, on those socks, you should take GAM's advice and maybe just casually _glance_ at a pattern, in passing, once in a while. Sheesh.:bored:


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## bluesky (Mar 22, 2008)

I've made several headbands for the women on our list. I'm not a fast knitter but these work up pretty quickly with worsted weight yarn. The original pattern is for the cable but I've made a couple with ribbing and I like that too. 











http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/uno-cable-headband


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Forerunner said:


> Yeah, I get that a lot.
> 
> Say, on those socks, you should take GAM's advice and maybe just casually _glance_ at a pattern, in passing, once in a while. Sheesh.:bored:


I _did_! I referred to a couple patterns on Ravelry to try to determine how many to cast on, then based on how big they were, frogged them and cast on 12 less than original.

I guess it might have been easier to have knitted a swatch before starting, but that's cheating.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Bluesky, I love those headbands! Increase when starting, knit band, then decrease at the end? Like!


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## bluesky (Mar 22, 2008)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Bluesky, I love those headbands! Increase when starting, knit band, then decrease at the end? Like!


Exactly. CO 4, knit one row, increase by making one after first knit stitch every third row until 20 stitches on needle, knit pattern until 17 inches from cast on edge, decrease by k2tog after first knit stitch every third row until 4 stiches on the needle, knit one row, bind off. Simple and quick. 

The blue one has a functioning button - I made a crocheted loop. The green one is just overlapped and the button sewn on for pretty. 

This pattern said to slip the first stitch of every row in the pattern area rather than knitting it. I like how tidy this made the edge.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Bluesky I love the looks of the green headband but have a question for you (or anyone). When I was younger we had something like this only it tied under the chin. Would the same pattern you used on the green headband work only using it under the chin?

If so would you please post your pattern here for me?


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## bluesky (Mar 22, 2008)

uncleotis: I put one of the headbands on that way and it fit just fine. You could use a button or make ties of ribbon or an I-cord or just sew the ends together. 

Here are the directions - I used worsted weight yarn and size 10 needles and didn't worry about gauge. I hope this makes sense - I don't often write out patterns. 

Cast on 4 stitches.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: k1, m1, k2, m1, k1
Rows 3 & 4: knit
Row 5: k1, m1, k4, m1, k2
Rows 6 & 7: knit
Continue in this established pattern of increasing 2 stitches every 3rd row until you have 22 stitches.

Rib pattern is worked as follows:

Row one (right side) Slip 1, k3 -- k2, p2 across the row -- k4. 
Row two (wrong side) Slip 1, k3 -- p2, k2 across the row -- k4. 
Alternate these two rows until it measures 17 inches from the cast on edge. 

Decreases
Row 1: k1, k2tog, k14, k2tog, k1
Rows 2 & 3: knit
Row 4: k1, k2tog, k12, k2tog, k1
Rows 5 & 6: knit
Row 7: k1, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k1
Rows 8 & 9: knit
Continue in this established pattern of decreasing 2 stitches every 3rd row until you have 4 stitches. Knit one more row. Bind off, weave in ends.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

This is a picture of the latest narrow scarf I made the other day using the pattern I posted above:


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Thank you so much Bluesky for taking the time to write up the directions. I've got a pair of slippers to knit for Christmas then your headband pattern is next on my list.

Thanks again.
Pam

Nice scarf MullersLane


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

I guess I'll be giving the headband a try since I'm running out of ideas but not yarn.

I've got several Wrist Warmers made (found in Spinoff Mag)
I have a huge pile of washcloths knitted up. (different patterns)
Mohair scarves, 2 so far
Fingerless mitts
and a Backscrubber made from some REAL funky bulky yarn (my oldest will be the lucky sucker stuck with that...~lol~...)
Socks, 3 pair so far and another on the needles.

I so dislike this upcoming Holiday, but I'm NOT passing that energy into my knitting. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts and sore fingers!


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## malinda (May 12, 2002)

I just finished my first ever pair of mitts/fingerless gloves and was really pleased with how quickly they knitted up! It only took 1-2 hours for each one (wasn't paying attention to the time). I used a wool/alpaca/silk yarn and knitted in k2 p2 rib with #9 needles. They are knitted flat with a gusset made for the thumb, then the thumb is knitted and then the "hand" part. Just two short seams to sew and you're done!


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