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How to Buy

How to Buy

Beginner Knitting Projects

PATTERN DETAILS

RELEASE DATE:  September 2003.  These patterns were originally designed for Alpacas Magazine (projected publication dates are late 2003 or early 2004).
 

DESCRIPTION:  If you’re just learning to knit, here are some projects that you can easily do – a hat/neck gaiter, slippers, a stuffed toy, and a buttoned pouch. Two require specific weights of yarn (the hat-gaiter and the slippers), but the other two can be made in any size yarn (bunny and pouch).

SIZE:  Slippers can be made for feet about 6 inches (15 cm) long (4-5 year old child) to 10.5 inches (27 cm) long (woman’s size 10) or even longer.  The hat/neck gaiter fits a teen/adult head - one size fits most.  The size of the stuffed animal and pouch depend entirely on the yarn and needles you choose.

SKILL REQUIRED:  None of the projects require anything beyond basic beginning knitting skills – you need to know only how to knit, purl, cast on, and bind off. You also need to sew seams, but instructions for how to do some of those are included.

MATERIALS:

• HAT/NECK GAITER -

  • YARN:  About 240 yards (220 m) of DK or heavy sport weight yarn. I used 3 50-gram skeins of America’s Alpaca “Classic Alpaca” of 100% alpaca.

  • NEEDLES:  U.S. Size 3 (3.25 mm) or size to achieve gauge. You may need another needle of the same size, depending on the bind off method that you select.

  • MISCELLANEOUS:  Darning needle, safety pin.

• SLIPPERS -

  • YARN:  Worsted weight yarn – use two strands held together throughout. The amount needed will vary, depending on the size of the foot. Slippers for a 10.5-inch (27 cm) foot requires about 290 yards (268 m) – I used 3 50-gram skeins of America’s Alpaca “Ragtime” which is a blend of alpaca, acrylic, and wool. Slippers for a 6-inch (15 cm) foot requires about 160 yards (148 m). I used 3 50-gram skeins of America’s Alpaca “Landscapes” which is a blend of baby alpaca and silk.

  • NEEDLES:  U.S. Size 8 (5 mm) needles or size to achieve gauge.

  • MISCELLANEOUS:  Darning needle, ruler, pencil and paper, safety pin, 2 buttons about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, optional non-skid bottom materials (see the Slipper Finishing section for options).

• STUFFED ANIMAL -  

  • YARN:  You can use whatever yarn you like in whatever thickness you like. I used a custom-spun alpaca yarn of about sport weight in thickness. Yardage needed for your toy will vary with the thickness of the yarn you choose - the thicker the yarn, the more yards you will need. The smaller bunny in the photo on page 6 was knitted with one strand of yarn, the larger bunny was knitted with two strands of the same yarn. Both animals were made from one 440 yd (406 m) skein of yarn with yarn left over.

  • NEEDLES:  The size of needles to use depends on the yarn you choose. Choose a needle size slightly smaller than you would use for a sweater - you want the fabric firm enough that the stuffing does not show through. I used U.S. Size 2 (2.75 mm) needles for the smaller animal and U.S. Size 5 (3.75 mm) needles for the larger animal.

  • MISCELLANEOUS:  7 small safety pins or pin-on markers, darning needle, polyester fiberfill for stuffing, ribbon or cording for the neck bow, and (optional) yarn for face embroidery.

• POUCH -  

  • YARN:  Any weight yarn. The yardage needed will vary; the thicker the yarn, the more yards you will need. I used about 40 yards (37 m) of a heavy worsted weight yarn – 1 50-gram skein of America’s Alpaca “Landscapes” which is a blend of baby alpaca and silk.

  • NEEDLES:  Size appropriate to yarn, see gauge. I used U.S. Size 7 (4.5 mm) for the pouch in the photo.

  • MISCELLANEOUS:  Darning needle, 1 button about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.

GAUGE:  Varies with the size you choose to make

• HAT/NECK GAITER - 24 sts per 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch. You want your garter st to be firm and stretchy, not droopy.

• SLIPPERS - About 16 stitches per 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch. This is a heavy and dense garter stitch.

• STUFFED ANIMAL - Gauge depends entirely on the yarn you choose. Select a needle size that makes a dense garter stitch fabric so that stuffing won’t show through. But you don’t want the fabric to be too stiff. If you need help deciding, look at the yarn band for the recommended needle size and try that - then go up or down in size, if necessary, until you find a needle size that works well with your yarn.

• POUCH - You are looking for a stockinette stitch gauge that is slightly firmer/tighter than you might like in a sweater made of your yarn. If in doubt, check the yarn band for a suggested needle size. Try that for your swatch, then try larger or smaller size needles if you need to. The gauge in the sample is about 20 stitches in 4 inches (10 cm), in stockinette stitch.

Neck Gaiter

Slipper in smallest size

Stuffed animal

Buttoned pouch with top open

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