Free Pattern-Cozy Soft Earwarmer

A few weeks ago I was trying to find a hat that looked good on my little pointy head & would keep my ears warm. Nada. Zip. I look awful in caps & hats. I think it's because of my short hair & my angular face. Anyway, after searching the net for an earwarmer I decided to design my own. I like it & it was a great use for that single skein of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran that I've had marinating for about 4 years. I'm pleased with the results & thought I'd offer the pattern to anyone else that needs such a thing. Please let me know if you make it & if there are any errors. UPDATE: There was an error on row 1 which I have now corrected. It said c3b & should have been c3b. I'm so sorry!!

Also, here's the link to a downloadable pattern. Earwarmer

Earwarmer

Copyright Beverly Shipley 2012

wendydancer.blogspot.com

Skills:

Advancing beginner

Easy cable stitch

Seaming ends or 3 needle bind off (optional)

Provisional Cast on (optional)

Materials:

 5.5 mm (US 9) needles

1 skein of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk

1 cable needle

1 darning needle

Gauge:

About 17 sts=4 inches. Not critical.

Abbreviations:

k= knit

p=purl

sts=stitches

c2b=slip next stitch onto cable needle, hold to back of work and knit the next stitch, k the stitch from the cable needle.

c2f=slip the next stitch onto cable needle, hold cable needle to front of work and knit the next stitch, knit the stitch from the cable needle.

Note: You may prefer to use a provisional cast on & then finish the earwarmer with a three needle bind off rather than sewing the ends together.

Pattern:

Row 1: k4, p3, c2b, p1, c2b, p3, k4

Row 2: k4, k3, p2, k1, p2, k3, k4

Row 3: k4, p3, c2f, p1, c2f, p3, k4

Row 4: k4, k3, p2, k1, p2, k3, k4

Directions:

Cast on 19 sts. Pattern is worked keeping the first & last 4 sts on each row in garter stitch. Odd rows are right side, even rows are wrong side. On even rows, knit the knits & purl the purls, except for the 1^st & last 4 sts which are knit on every row.

Begin pattern & work until it is long enough to fit snugly around the head. Cast off & seam ends together or use 3 needle bind off if you began with a provisional cast on.

Christmas Knitting

I thought I would share my Christmas knitting FO's with you. For my daughter, I made the Cabled Lace Bookmark from Knitting Pattern A Day Calendar 2007.



I added a few beads along the sides by using the Beaded Picot edge like on the Muir shawl. And I sprinkled a few beads in the pattern too. I used fingering weight yarn and size 6/0 beads so it went pretty fast. It actually is a little large but that's ok.

And, I made mom some slippers using the Irish Ewe's 2 needle slipper pattern. I made a few modifications for a snugger fit. I cast on 76 stitches using a size 6 needle. Then, I knit the cuff down to 36 stitches and then knit 5 rows in plain ss. Finally, I ended the cuff with 10 rows of garter. I really think if I made them again I would do about 10 rows of ss instead of 5. This would make them go up the leg a little higher. But as they turned out they fit really nice. Mom wears a size 6 1/2 shoe and they fit her well. I could even get them on my size 9's but they were a little snug. However, the pattern as written using 86 sts and size 6 needles was way too loose for me.



I also made hats for Dad and Adam and Gary Don. But they were just basic hats. No photos.

I am almost finished with the Rivulet scarf using the Jaggerspun Zephyr DK and I have the One Hour Earwarmer about half finished. Not sure who either of them are for. Maybe I will save them for next Christmas gifting. I would like to finish both of these before the end of the year. Then I will start Jared Flood's Girasole.