Knit 2 Together: Patterns and Stories for Serious Knitting Fun

87 Pages·2015·40.036 MB·English

by  Axene, Eric;Clark, Mel;Ullman, Tracey

N
K iT
2

e
Tog Ther
patterns and Stories for Serious Knitting Fun
Mel Clark & Tracey Ullman
phoTogrAphS BY eriC Axene
STC Craft | A Melanie Falick Book
STewArT, TABori & ChAng
new York

Contents

nice to Meet You
Part One:
6
what we Like To Knit (Mel’s Patterns)
Part Two:
12
Knitting Basics
Part Three:
148

Sources for Supplies
162

recommended reading
163

Special Techniques
164

Abbreviations
166

Acknowledgments
167
N i C e T o M e eT y o U
● Tracey’s Story 8
● Mel’s Story 10
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Tracey’s Story
And so it began again . . . was prevalent even then. I liked knitting; it of twelve, from economic necessity, fluffy bundles nestled in rattan baskets in my trailer making bags, scarves, and the knitting bug with a little too much
was a nice, comforting, girly thing to do. unraveling an old wheat-colored cardigan with bamboo needles. This yarn looked eventually a sweater. I had finally unlocked zeal. I stopped reading and cuddling my
I was taught to do basic knitting by my
I found in a thrift shop in order to reuse positively edible! I wanted to go in, but the mystery of following a pattern. I spaniels. I was putting the needles down
mother as a child. In, round, through, up; Back then my Mum and her friends
the yarn for a new project. I knitted two hesitated as I saw a group of rosy-cheeked learned that if you can knit with an even at midnight beside my bed, then waking
in, round, through, up. “You said threw would get together for weekly “coffee
big squares for the front and back and two women sitting around a wooden table. tension and are able to add and subtract, up at six and reaching for them before my
up, Mummy,” I remember replying. The mornings,” and one of the ladies I called
long rectangles for the sleeves and sewed They were talking and creating beautiful you can create anything. I’d broken the first cup of tea. I dreamt of knitting, my
temptation to find the humor in everything Auntie Irene would knit at an incredible
them together. I thought it would make a shawls, sweaters, and bags. The SSK, PSSO barrier and now there was no stopping me. hands ached, and I developed a pain in my
speed. Her gray metal needles clicked
wonderfully simple, arty-looking sweater. crowd—confident, informed girls who right shoulder. I have since learnt to walk
away at 1960s acrylic yarn, making it into On my return to Los Angeles, I looked
It didn’t. It looked like something Fred knew their stuff. What would they make of around a little, stretch, and listen to books
bobble hats and matinee jackets. It was up yarn stores near my home and found
Flintstone would wear in his cave during a an English scarf enthusiast in her forties? on tape.
also a big decade for the cigarette, and Wildfiber. There was a picture of the
cold snap. And so my inability to ssk, psso, Would they look at me with pity or, even
Irene was adept at smoking, gossiping, and owner, Mel Clark, on the website, and As I continued to knit I began to notice that,
and decrease every 7th row, ending with worse, scream with sarcastic laughter?
knitting, all at the same time. Ash would when I saw it, I had a strange feeling that although some great books were available, I
the WS, continued.
tumble down her moss-stitch booties as I was about to jog home, carrying the we would become well acquainted. preferred the items on display in Mel’s shop
she told the group of Shirley’s affair with The years went by, and my secret went tubby Frankie, who had ground to a halt, that she had designed herself. It occurred
I literally rushed over to get new supplies,
the golf pro and Pamela’s dependence on undiscovered. Then, in the fall of 2003, when I saw a sign in the corner of the to me to ask her whether she had thought
and was met with the same friendly
Valium. I took a job in Baltimore, acting in a window that said knitting classes. Blimey, of publishing her own book and sharing
enthusiasm I had discovered in Baltimore.
John Waters movie called A Dirty Shame I thought. Classes, they let people in on her designs. I have done many things in my
I continued to knit scarves and simple In Mel’s beautiful, light, airy Santa Monica
(NC 17. . . beware). this secret? career—acting, singing, dancing, dressing
squares for years, never finding out store, there was a communal wooden
up as a Middle Eastern man. I never thought
how to increase and decrease. How I found myself living next to a wonderful, Plucking up my courage, I entered the table, and an even larger selection of
I would want to coproduce a book on
I longed to follow a pattern, but it colonial, English-looking area called Fells store. A tinkly bell announced my arrival, the edible yarn. Knitting was enjoying
knitting, but the subject now intrigued me.
seemed as unattainable as learning Point down by the port. I loved to wander and a friendly woman named Laraine a renaissance and Mel’s shop made it
So we sat down with a pot of tea and began
shorthand or speaking Italian. And around on my days off with my cavalier Guidet, who turned out to be the owner, obvious why. ●
to make a plan. T
heaven forbid I should walk into King Charles spaniel Frankie, looking into greeted me. Before I knew it, she was
My confidence increased in leaps and
a wool supply shop in England at the stores and the old 18th-century red showing me how to knit a bag on bamboo
bounds and six weeks after knitting my
the time and ask the stern old brick houses and talking to the locals. circular needles that I would eventually
felted bag, I was attempting a blackberry
spinster behind the counter put into a washing machine and shrink—
Opposite my favorite espresso bar was a stitch jacket designed by Debbie Bliss!
how to ssk or psso. “Hasn’t intentionally! I took a variety of gorgeous
charming little shop whose windows were I was wielding a cable hook and saying
your mother taught you, yarns home with me and so it began.
filled with a collage of warm autumnal things to my husband like “Sshh, I’m
young lady?” she would have
colors, which on closer inspection I Knitting again felt wonderful. It was so counting increases!”
exclaimed in horror.
realized was yarn. Not the tightly wound, calming and timeless. While finishing
I must admit, I did throw myself into
I remember at the age bottle green acrylic type of my youth, but the movie, I spent many hours waiting
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Mel’s Story
I grew up in New Zealand, a land with the time was an English magazine called were little multicolored cardigans for To rectify the situation, I decided to teach When I met Tracey I realized that she wanted
many more sheep than people. Woman’s Weekly. I remember knitting a my two-year-old son, knitted during his knitting classes in my home studio and at a to make things that weren’t available in
Golden Rules
very complicated Aran skirt and sweater afternoon naps. local fiber arts store called Wildfiber. Soon books. She had very quickly become an
No wonder, then, that I developed a love
from it. It took me ages, and when I after starting at Wildfiber I found out the intrepid knitter, my favorite kind, and it was for Knitting
of wool at an early age. I remember being Eventually, my family and I settled in
finished it, I realized that it didn’t look as owner wanted to sell the business and I hard to keep up with her.
about eight years old and my mother California, and I decided to start a cottage
good on me as it did on the famous model, decided to buy it and turn it exclusively
sitting me down and teaching me to knit. industry designing sweaters that were So when she asked me if I wanted to sit MEL’s
Jean Shrimpton. So I sold the sweater to into a yarn shop, which was scary to me
It immediately became my passion. I loved handknitted in New Zealand. My first down with a pot of tea and talk about GoLdEn RuLEs
my best friend’s mother and turned the since the knitting resurgence had not yet
the puzzle-solving aspect of it, like a designs proved to be popular, and I began doing a book of our own, I agreed. ● Take a risk. It’s not dangerous.
skirt into a pillow. Knitting that suit was begun. But I felt like I had to follow my ●
crossword or a jigsaw. selling them to boutiques across the It was time. M
a milestone for me. I had never knitted dream. In the beginning I wondered if ● It’s supposed to be fun, so don’t
United States. At one point I had more
Around that time my favorite teacher, Miss cables before, so it taught me that I could there would be enough people in sunny let it make you crazy.
than a hundred knitters following my
McQuilkin, asked the class if anyone had tackle any knitting pattern as long as I was southern California who would want to
complicated graphs and doing exquisite ● Be prepared to make mistakes
room at home for an abandoned, blind willing to read the instructions and learn make sweaters, but I quickly realized that
work—women of all ages, in towns and and learn from them.
lamb she had brought back from the high the techniques. a lot of people do want to make sweaters
on remote farms, and one man who was
country. No sooner had my hand shot up here and also that yarns these days are so
In the early 1980s, after I had married and a widower with six children and needed
than I found myself being driven home in varied you can knit anything you want,
had my son, my husband’s job took us away the extra income. I also supplied LL Bean TRACEY’s
the back of the teacher’s car with “Bunty” from sweaters to handbags, curtains, and
from New Zealand to different countries with exclusive sweater designs during GoLdEn RuLEs
on my lap, worried about what my mother pillows. Even old-fashioned doilies are fun.
for long periods of time. I found myself the 1990s. ● Tell anyone who says knitting
would say when she got home from work.
in places like London, Tahiti, and North For me, it’s exciting that so many people makes you look grannyish to
Thankfully, my new baby was allowed to I wasn’t knitting much during this time,
Carolina, always looking for a yarn shop. have now discovered this wonderful, get lost.
stay, and I bottle-fed her in the kitchen but I was brought back to it when a
While I was living in London I discovered comforting craft that I have loved
until “he” sprouted horns and my parents costume designer commissioned me ● In my opinion, holiday sweaters
Patricia Roberts’s innovative knitting my whole life. I continue to be a
relegated him to the backyard, where he to make a vest for the movie Fear and shouldn’t be worn at ANY time
shop in Covent Garden, one of the most passionate knitter, and designing
did a nice job fertilizing the lawn. Loathing in Las Vegas. Although she had of year.
exciting stores I had ever been in—light new patterns is always a thrill.
used my designs before in other movies,
I continued to knit all the way through my and airy and jam-packed with color—and I never know if an idea is going ● If you’re on a plane and get
I had never actually knitted them myself.
teens, spending my lunch breaks during I thought her designs were fantastic. My to work out just the way I horribly stuck on a pattern, you
I sat and knitted for three days straight
high school sitting outside on the tennis favorite was a traditional argyle pattern in imagined it, but it’s always fun, can always ask the captain to
to make a striped, ribbed biker vest, and
courts, working on my latest project hot-colored silks and angoras, embellished and the excitement of finishing make the announcement,
this experience reminded me how much I
while tanning my legs. None of my friends with cables. Being around those amazing a new project and realizing “Is there a knitter on board?”
loved to knit and how much I missed the
knitted, but that didn’t stop me. I was yarns inspired me to go home and start that I love it can still keep
company of other knitters.
obsessed! A good source of patterns at creating my own designs. My first efforts me awake at night.
knit2together knit2together
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● Baby Baseball Tee with Mittens 14
● First Hat 18
● Grownup Bonnet 22
● Rowena Cardigan 26
● Linen Kilt 32
● Muriwai Bath Mat 36
● Tahiti-Style Photo Frames 38
● South Seas Table Runner 42
● Saucy Apron 44
● House Slippers 48
w hA T w e l iK e T o K Ni T
(Mel’s Patterns) ● Sea Anemone Messenger Bag 52
● Luxe Neck Warmer 56
● Gym Slip Dress 58
● Witches Britches 62
● Mel’s Mouse Family 66
● Daphne’s Baby Cape 74
● Lacy Hug-Me-Tight 78
● Doctor’s Bag 82
● New School Tie 86
● Santa Cruz Hoodie 88
● Sailor Pants 92
● Evening Bag 96
● Tutu Tea Cozy 100
● Butterfly Pullover 104
● Pimlico Shrug 108
● Tropical Garden Vest 112
● Table Skirt 118
● Lady Detective Hat 122
● Novella Socks 126
● Pea Pod Cardigan 130
● Ponsonby Suit 136
● Knit 2 Together Sweater 144
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BABY BAsEBALL TEE
wiTh MiTT Ens
This raglan pullover is one of the first projects I teach in my beginner
classes. The simple inset center pocket delights everyone and can be used
to hold the matching mittens. For a great parent-child set, make this
sweater for your baby and then a Santa Cruz Hoodie (see page 88) in
a coordinating color for yourself. ●M TrACey wArNs: Do this before
your kids turn into teenagers and find you an enormous embarrassment.
siZes
To fit Infant (3 months)
BACK (WS) Change to size US 3 needles and
FiNisheD MeAsUreMeNTs Using size US 3 needles and A, cast on 51 Garter st. Work even for 3 rows.
18 1/2" (47 cm) chest
sts; begin Garter st. Work even for 4 rows.
Bind off all sts loosely knitwise.
yArN
Rowan Wool Cotton (50% merino Change to larger needles.
wool / 50% cotton; 123 yards
(112 meters) / 50 grams): 2 balls Row 1 (WS): K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3.
#901 citron (A), 1 ball #941 clear (B) PoCKeT liNiNg
Row 2: Knit. Using larger needle and B, cast on 17 sts.
NeeDles
(RS) Work even in St st, beginning with a
One pair straight needles size US 5 Repeat Rows 1-2 twice. Repeat Row 1.
(3.75 mm) knit row, for 21 rows.
Place row marker at beginning and end of
One pair straight needles size US 3
(3.25 mm) row for side seams. Break yarn, leaving a 20" tail. Place stitches
One pair double-pointed needles on a holder for Pocket.
(dpn) size US 2 (3 mm) for Mittens (RS) Change to St st, beginning with a knit
Change needle size if necessary to row, and work even until piece measures 7"
obtain correct gauge
from the beginning, ending with a WS row.
FroNT
NoTioNs
Shape Raglan Armhole: (RS) Bind off 2 sts at Work as for Back until piece measures 4"
Row markers; stitch holders; stitch
markers; two 3/8" buttons beginning of next 2 rows. from the beginning, ending with a RS row.
gAUge Decrease 1 st each side every other row
22 sts and 31 rows = 4" (10 cm) in
14 times, as follows: K1, ssk, work to last
Stockinette st (St st) using largest PoCKeT
needles 3 sts, k2tog, k1—19 sts remain.
Setup Row 1: (WS) P17, k17, p17.
Row 2: Knit.
knit2together
14
3 1/2" (8.9 cm) 1 3/4" (4.4 cm) FiNishiNg MiTTeNs (make 2) FiNgers You Can
Sew left raglan seams. Sew right back Using size US 3 needles and A, cast on 22 WS facing, rejoin yarn to base of Thumb;
Have Enough Scarves
raglan seam. sts; begin Garter st. Work even for 4 rows. pick up and purl 2 sts from base of Thumb,
2 cm) cm) purl across 10 sts from first holder—12 sts.
10. 0.2 Buttonhole Placket: RS of Front facing, (WS) Change to largest needles and St st, A scarf is easy to knit and probably one of
11" (27.9 cm) backpl ioanncikndeg ftr ont 32 /" (7 cm)4 7" (17.8 cm)4" ( 9" (22.9 cm) sleeve 5" (12.7 cm)4" (1 uasuMtnsnoaiddnkp egkeprn iBsaniirutzgm te2 tb .3oUe nsSfhto s3or lfener esob:emo (duW nlneeSdsc)- a koKn ft1dfo1 s Bu,t ,yns poda,itec krka2 urtmopg , , k6, brEforyeowegmlisen .*tn tRiono gew nw d(Rit.Sh) a: Kp1u,r l* yroow, k. 2Wtoogrk, ke1v;e rne fpoera 3t (hWpRouSolrd)lr kKreo r1in—w2 2S., 2tk n sstitt sf ao.cr r5o sros w10s, s btse gfrionmni nsge cwointdh a tTproihhrrd oeeoi ngnfingr lrmey sas toa sb tlvilinheokgi weno f gniwrns.oi g Ctym hoyh okuatrnul wlaieritsinntleliig nlnafeggt t ty osweoc mlhuaiserrptsveteeel.nsl sGf f.tir osoNe r loaoeiktnvte. ee r ,
Work even in St st for 3 rows, beginning Shape Top: (RS) Skp, k7, k2tog, ssk, k7, Beatles song.
7 1/2" (19.1 cm) yo, k2tog, k2.
with a purl row. k2tog—18 sts remain. Purl 1 row.
Remember, I was a scarf knitter for forty
Knit 2 rows. Bind off all sts knitwise.
9 1/4" (23.5 cm) 5 1/4" (13.3 cm) (RS) Skp, k5, k2tog, ssk, k5, k2tog—14 sts years and now I have become, as Mel
Button Placket: RS of right Sleeve facing, remain. Purl 1 row. puts it, “intrepid.” Oh, the time I wasted.
ThUMB
Row 3: Repeat Row 1. (WS) Change to larger needles and St st, using size US 3 needles and B, pick up Increasing and decreasing are such easy
Row 1 (RS): K10, place marker (pm), [kfb] (RS) Skp, k3, k2tog, ssk, k3, k2tog—10 sts
beginning with a purl row. Work even for and knit 23 sts from beginning of raglan skills to learn, and once you do, you can
Row 4: K17, bind off center 17 sts, knit twice, pm, k10—24 sts. remain.
3 rows. shaping to neck. tackle most anything.
to end.
Rows 2, 4, and 6: Purl. Break yarn, leaving a 10" tail.
Shape Sleeve: (RS) Increase 1 st each side Knit 1 row. Bind off all sts knitwise. I knitted booties and a jacket for a
Row 5: P17, slip sts from Pocket Lining
this row, then every 4 rows 5 times—41 sts. Row 3: K10, slip marker (sm), kfb, k2, Divide sts evenly between 2 dpn (5 sts friend’s baby shower recently. The gasps
holder onto left-hand needle with WS of Sew Sleeve seams. Sew underarm seams.
Work even until piece measures 5" from kfb, sm, k10—26 sts. each). Graft sts together using Kitchener st of admiration I got from the other guests
Pocket Lining facing, purl to end. Sew side seams from underarm to row
the beginning, ending with a WS row. (see page 164). were well worth the effort. And seeing
markers, leaving last 11 rows open for Row 5: K10, sm, kfb, k4, kfb, sm, k10—28 sts.
Continue in St st, beginning with a the baby two months later, lying on a
Shape Raglan: (RS) Bind off 2 sts at side slit. Sew side seams. Weave in ends.
knit row, until piece measures 7" from Row 7: K10, sm, kfb, k6, kfb, sm, k10—30 sts. blanket with his chubby clenched fists
beginning of next 2 rows—37 sts remain.
the beginning, ending with a WS row. Stitch end of Buttonhole Placket to poking out of the sleeves, was incredible.
Row 8: P10, sm, p10, place remaining
Complete as for Back. Decrease 1 st each side every other row Sleeve at armhole. Sew buttons opposite I was not so thrilled by the blob of
10 sts on a holder for Fingers, turn. Ties
14 times, as follows: K1, ssk, work to last buttonholes. regurgitated milk on the collar, but I’m
Using dpn, cast on 2 sts and work I-cord
3 sts, k2tog, k1—9 sts remain. Row 9: K10, place remaining 10 sts on a sure he didn’t mean to disrespect my
Block Pocket Lining. Pin to WS of Front. (see page 164) 5" long; fasten off.
sleeVes (make 2) holder for Fingers. handiwork.
(WS) Change to size US 3 needles and Using B, sew Lining to Front, being careful
Using size US 3 needles and B, cast on 29 Thread I-cord through eyelets and tie.
Garter st. Work even for 3 rows. Bind off not to let sts show on RS. Next Row (WS): Working on center 10 So, knit a sweater, socks, something
sts; begin Garter st. Work even for 4 rows.
all sts knitwise. sts only, work even in St st for 3 rows, with buttonholes. Don’t set yourself a
beginning with a purl row. time limit and be prepared to unravel
mistakes . . . and I promise you will feel an
Next Row (RS): *K2tog; repeat from * to
Use metal needles enormous sense of achievement and pride
end—5 sts remain.
when someone exclaims, “You knitted
for an itch that’s hard to reach. ●
Break yarn and thread through remaining that?!” T
sts. Pull tight and fasten off. Sew Thumb
seam.
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