Knitting Commissions

I've been asked to re open my commission list
now all patterns are available for sale (or should be soon enough) on Lulu but this is for those of you who cannot knit or simply don't want to.

I am offering 5 commission slots, this is because I don't want to overwhelm myself and have someone waiting for ages for their item

the prices go as follows.

70cm - plain £25 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
SD - plain £20 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
MSD - plain £15 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
yo-sd - plain £10 + yarn (you choose) and shipping

for intarsia or heavy cables there will be an added cost but it will be agreed before the commission is accepted.
For example this kind of complicated fair isle
http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/seraphimgrace/17555552/picture058_square.jpg will cost more than a single cable down the front. No pattern will cost more than £35 + yarn and shipping.

if the pattern is very simple you may recieve a reduction but you will be informed of this in the early stages of accepting the commission. Ie the grail sweater uses very little yarn and takes half an hour so it will cost £10.

All shipping is fixed in the UK at £1.50 and £2 international.

the yarn you will be given the weight and a list of websites where YOU choose colour and texture, ie you want plain double knit acrylic it'll cost a lot less than an expensive hand dyed cashmere at the same weight.
You will also be told if it will take 1 or 2 balls (I've never needed more).

I am taking 5 commissions at present
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

if you have a human sized pattern you wish to have made for your doll and you have the pattern this can be arranged. If you would like one of the simpler sweaters in a complicated pattern this can be done.

To order simply tell me which pattern you'd want in which size with a reply and I'll take it from there, the gallery will be available here..... http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/seraphim_grace/knitwear/

how to knit, basically,

this is the advice i gave to a non knitter about how to knit - I'll do this better another time with diagrams and things, but for now....

I was like the anti knitter for a long time, I couldn't get it, no matter who tried to teach me and then another knitter explained it in terms I could get behind and from then on it was easy

you have to remember you're not adjusting fabric, you're making it, and you're doing this not by weaving, which is one over one under, but my making loops, then you feed the loops through the ones, that's what the needles are for, to open up the loops
you can make two basic stitches, if the loop is facing you it's a purl stitch and if it's away from you it's a knit stitch

now comes the tricky bit
the story of a particularly cunning fox
in through the rabbit hole, around the big tree, out through the rabbit hole and off goes she
what they dont' tell you is that the fox knocks on the back door.

what knitting is is a series of interlocked loops - think chain mail (it's made the same way the only difference is that those circles are complete where in knitting it's one great thread)
so you have two edges (these are called the posts) one going up the front of the needle and one going down the back, to go in the back door with the fox you go in behind the first loop on the front of the needle. (in through the bunny hole)
To do this you push the needle through, then taking the loose yarn you make a wrap around the needle (around the big tree)
now carefully pull the new loop you've just made through the old loop (out through the bunny hole) and push the old loop off the needle. (and off goes she)
that's a stitch.
to do a purl you go in through the back of the needle.
if you see the abbreviation tbl you then go in through the front door.

to cast on you just don't pull the old stitch off, you put it back on the needle
to cast off you just pull the last stitch you completed over the new one

but for the first couple of rows I can assure you you'll be sat going "in through the bunny hole, around the big tree, out through the bunny hole and off goes she" with every stitch
it does help

Free Pattern - Basic beret for 9-10 heads

Easy sd beret pattern

you will need
2.75mm needles
7mm needles
and dk wool (1 ball makes lots of hats)

Using size 12 needles, cast on 56st using the cable cast-on method
Work in k1, p1 rib for four rows
Change to size 2 needles and work in stocking stitch for eight rows
Row 13: Change to size 12 needles. K2 (m1, k2) to end. 83st
p one row
k3, (k2 tog k2) six times, k2 tog, k4, (k2 tog, k2) six times, k2tog, k4, (k2 tog, k2) five times. 64 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. 32 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. 16 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. Draw thread back through remaining eight sts on needle. Stitch seam together using mattress stitch

Free Pattern - Basic Boat neck sweater for SD sizes

This was knit on 2mm and sirdar blur http://www.angelyarns.com/sirdar/knit.php/yarn/325

this is a super simple pattern where the wool forms the pattern

Front and back
CO 50
60 rows knit in stockingette (there is no rib on this pattern)
for next 10 rows decrease 1 stitch at beginning of each row by knitting 2 stitches together
10 more rows BO

it has a very square neck, this is a boat neck

3/4 sleeves
CO30
Work 60 rows
decrease each row by one stitch at beginning by knitting 2 together until 3 stitches remain on needle - BO

for half length sleeves
decrease each row by 2 stitches at beginning
this shortens the curve but not the vast majority of the sleeve.

for full length sleeves add another 30 rows

Free Pattern - Basic Crewneck sweater for MSD sizes

This is done on fingering weight wool on 2.75 mm needles or UK size 12s

shorthand WIP - work in pattern
apparently every time i put 8 in brackets i end up with harry potter, so harry potter means 8 stitches remaining

Front
CO 28
1-8 K1 P1
9-43 Stockingette stitch

44a WIP 12 BO3 slip rest to holder
45a BO2 WIP (10)
46a WIP
47a BO2 wIP (8)
48a WIP BO

44b BO 3 WIP (12)
45b BO 2 WIP (10)
46b WIP
47b BO2 WIP (8)
48b WIP BO

back
CO 28
1-8 k1 p1
9-46 stockingette
46a bo4 wip 10 slip to holder
47a bo2 wip (8)
48a WIP BO

46b BO4 WIP 10
47b WIP BO2
48b WIP BO

sleeves x2
CO24
1-40 stockingette reducing at row 5, 15, 25, 35 thus s1 k1 psso wip till 2 remain k2tog
at the end of 40 you should have 14 stitches
40-45 k1 p1 BO

Free Pattern - Basic Crewneck sweater for SD sizes

this is a simple pattern you can use for anything with a little tweaking

ideally this will be with a uk size 12/2.75 needle and cotton bergere wool (fingering weight)

Front
CO 42
1-10 K1 p1
11-54 stockingette stitch
55a work in pattern for 19 st, slip rest to holder
turn
56a BO3 work cross (16 st)
57a work in pattern
58a BO2 work across (14 st)
59 work across
60 work across BO
55b BO4 work in pattern (19)
56b work in pattern
57b BO3 work across (16)
58b work across
59b BO2 work across (14)
60b work across BO

Back
CO 42
1-10 K1 p1
11-58 stockingette stitch
59 work across 14, BO 14, work across 14
60 BO

Sleeves (x2)
CO 34
1-10 K1 p1 ribbing
11-58 stockingette decreasing on rows 15, 25, 35, 45, 55
as so s1 k1 psso work across till 2 stitches remaining k2tog

collar
pick up 28 stitches
k1 p1 for 5 rows (10 if you want to fold it back)

you might want to use a hook and eye to fasten the collar rather than stitch it shut if you think your doll has an overlarge head, it's designed for 9-10 but if your knitting comes out small....

Free Pattern- Steinbeck

This pattern was called Steinbeck because it went against the best laid plans of mice and men (me!) it was meant to be all drapey and pretty and chunky and no, but turned out super cute regardless.


This is a super easy pattern done in DK wool on uk size 13 needles (2.25mm)
but the good news is that tension doesn't really matter, the ribbing pulls it tight so there is a lot of leeway
Back
CO50
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern until desired length (you choose)
bind off

left front
CO30
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern to match back
bind off

right front
CO20
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern to match back
bind off

sleeves (work 2)

CO34 work in k2 p2 rib
decrease work every 5th row until row 25 by (24 stitches remain)
s1 k1 psso wip till 2 stitches remain, k2tog (p2tog if pattern suggests)
25-28 work in pattern
Bind off

stitch together making sure to leave open at neck
this gives an asymmetric pattern (that was meant to be all droopy and shawl necked like one of my own!)
add notions to finish

to avoid pooling like i got with the variegated yarn (I learned this AFTER I finished) take two balls of the wool and knit 2 rows in ball a and two rows in ball b
this is a problem with small works but i got 2 patterns out of one ball of wool with some left over so 2 balls equals four sweaters.... not so bad.