Knitted "Little Touches"
Carol Duvall Show : Episode CDS-711 -- More Projects » With just an evening's worth of knitting you can change the look of a sweater, a jacket, a long sleeved T-shirt, a coat or even just a pair of leather gloves. It's the little things that make a big difference.
During a visit with a friend, Carol Duvall discovered the wonders of a yarn called FLUFF, a hand-dyed rayon yarn from the Adirondack Yarn Company in Amsterdam, N.Y. The fibers are long and silky and knit up into a beautiful, plush-looking, wonderful-to-the-touch surface. Duvall used the yarn to make a long boa, collars and cuffs, a headband and a warm knitted hat. All were knit on size 11 wooden needles.
Almost all of the items shown were made using the garter stitch (knit all rows) with the exception of the long boa. For this, the stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row) was used. With this stitch the edges of the item are a bit more inclined to curl which is the effect that was desired.
Wooden needles are highly recommended as the yarn is slippery and metal needles are inclined to slip out. Though the knitting stitch is easy, once any stitches are dropped it is almost impossible to see them well enough to pick them back up. It is better to just start ripping out and start over!
In all cases simply knit until the piece is of the desired length. The long boa (98") was knit on 10 sts using #11 needles. Duvall suggested that 12 stitches would be preferred which is what she used on all of the other items.
The items can be washed but fabric softener should be used. A clothes drier or hair drier can be used to dry and fluff the washed items.
All of the items shown can also be made using any number of the newer yarns on the market. Some are uneven in texture, others have pieces of ribbon embedded in them. There is a great variety out there ranging in price from $8 a ball to the $29 that the FLUFF cost, and it only takes one skein to make any of the sets of items shown (collar and cuffs, headband and hat, etc.)
Hat Pattern
Cast on 28 stitches.
Row 1: K all stitches. Turn.
Row 2: K to within 8 sts. of the end of the row (20 sts). Turn and k to within 6 sts. (22 sts), turn and continue in this manner until you are once again knitting all 28 sts. and then start over. Continue to repeat pattern 10 times. Finish off and sew ends together.
Note: The completed piece is stretchy, especially when knit on #11 needles. You might wish to go down a size or two or knit one less panel.
Resources yarn - FLUFF
Available in local yarn shops.
The Great Adirondack Yarn Co.
Phone: 518-843-3381
Fax: 518-843-3381
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