The basketweave stitch tutorial and free pattern

This can be a little bit difficult of a stitch pattern to understand, and it's even harder to explain, but I'm going to have a go at it... This pattern is basically cabling on both sides of the work without using a cable needle. The front side of the work cables 1 stitch left and the wrong side cables 1 stitch right over two stitches. As far as the terminology, first and second refers to the order of the stitches as they are on the left needle, not the order that new stitches are made.

Row 1: (RS) k1,

*Insert the right needle into the second stitch on the left needle (knitwise), behind the first stitch as shown below. You can go through the front leg of the stitch or the back loop, it really doesn't make a difference on the finished piece, it is easier to go through the back loop.

Make your new stitch, but leave the old stitch on the left hand needle...

Next, insert your right needle into the first stitch on the left needle...

make your new stitch...

Then drop both of the old stitches off of the left needle.

You can see in the picture above that the stitch that was first on the left needle ("first old stitch") has crossed over the stitch that was second in line. * Repeat *-* until 1 stitch remains, k1


Row 2: (WS) p2,


*Insert the right needle into the second stitch (purlwise) in front of the first stitch on the left needle as shown

Make the new stitch and leave the old stitch on the left needle

Insert the right needle in the first stitch on the left needle

make your new stitch...then drop both old stitches off the left needle.If you look on the right side of your work you will see that there is a right leaning stitch just made.* Repeat *-* until there are two stitches left, p2.

Repeat rows 1 and 2!

Free Pattern: Basket weave tutorial swatch coffee cozy

Materials: Worsted weight yarn, I'm guessing here, but I think 50 yards should do it. I used some left over Plymouth Encore wool/acrylic.
Size 7 needles
2 buttons

Gauge: About 4 right leaning stitches per inch in pattern.
Finished size: 3.5 inches wide x 9 inches circumference
Cast on 24 stitches. Work 2 rows in garter stitch.
Work in basket weave pattern until the piece measures 10 inches, BO in following pattern:
*k1, k1tog, rep from *.
Finishing:
Overlap the ends as shown in the photo below, sew together. Add buttons as shown, weave in any loose ends, add to coffee cup!

Esty shop

Just wanted to let everyone know that the etsy shop is up and running! Right now I have one handspun and several stitch markers. I need to take some pics and I should have a few more handspuns up in the next couple of days.

I am really excited about my new patterns and the positive response on them. I had one knitter contact me about the basket weave handbag. She mentioned that she really doesn't crochet and me (like a moron) forgets that not all knitter's crochet also. So here is a simple solution for those who don't crochet:

Instead of binding off, switch to the cotton yarn. Decrease every stitch, 38 st remain. Work in garter st for 4 rows (2 purl ridges on the front side).
next row: k12, bo 14, k12
next row: k12, co 14, k12 (leaving an opening for the handle but joining to the last 12 stitches) Knit 6 more rows (3 purl ridges on the front side) Bind off.
Pick up 76 stitches from the cast on edge and repeat the above directions.
Sew up side seams, weave in ends.

I used garter stitch as an example but in the spirit of making it your own, you can use any stitch that doesn't curl such as seed stitch. I will be sure to add this to the end of the pattern post also.

I did start on the Malabrigo bag, but I'm not particularly happy with it right now, it just didn't come out like I had pictured in my head. I'm working on a baby surprise jacket for a preggo friend of my mine and that is almost done, so I might try and pick it back up and have another pattern by the end of this week. Then it is off to Colorado for me!!

New Pattern- Basket weave handbag

Call me the bag lady for the next few weeks, I seem to have a desire to use up all of my single skeins and small bags are perfect for that. This week is a very simple little bag, very light and perfect for the hot weather. I saw a scarf in a similar color way of a different Manos yarn and I loved the stitch pattern, but what the heck am I going to do with a wool scarf in Louisiana???? If found the stitch pattern in my big book of knitting and decided to go for a bag instead. Sorry for the awful pic, I promise to get a better one up in the next few days.

Materials- Main color (MC) 1 skein Manos del Uruguay silk blend (150 yds) in 3113
Contrasting color (CC) 1 ball Patons Grace in Ruby
size 8 needles
size G/6 crochet hook

Gauge- who cares it's a purse (but if your a stickler--about 6 st/in in pattern, which is really hard to tell, but count both the right leaning stitch and the left leaning stitch below it)

Finished size- 8"x10"

Cast on 76 st and begin pattern as follows:
Basket weave stitch pattern-- worked over two stitches
Row 1-k1, *with right needle behind the first st, knit into the second stitch, do not drop stitch off of left needle, knit into first stitch and then drop both stitches off of left needle* rep *-* to last stitch, k1
Row 2- p2, *with right needle in front of first st, purl into the second stitch, do not drop stitch off of left needle, purl into first stitch and then drop both stitches off of left needle* rep*-* to last 2 stitches, p2

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 12 inches, BO. Fold in half (hamburger style) and sew side seams. You should have enough yarn left to crochet one or two rounds around the top of the purse; if not, join CC. Single crochet around the top edge evenly in the round (see note below).
Note:
This is about the time I started just going and not paying attention to the fact that I wanted to write this pattern down. To keep even with the stitch pattern, I crocheted into every other BO or CO st, this tightened up the top fairly nice. This means that you should end up with 76 sc.

Handles
If you haven't already, switch to CC.
work 2 round of hdc.
next round: 12 hdc, ch 14, skip 14 hdc, 24 hdc, ch 14, skip 14 hdc, 12 hdc.
next round: 12 hdc, hdc in each ch (14), 24 hdc, hdc in each ch (14), 12 hdc.
work 2 more rounds of hdc, BO.

Finishing- weave in ends and sew in liner if desired.

Abbreviations--
Sc= single crochet
Ch= chain
hdc= half double crochet



See how easy that was?

for the non-crochet-ers, try this top:

Instead of binding off, switch to the cotton yarn. Decrease every stitch, 38 st remain. Work in garter st for 4 rows (2 purl ridges on the front side).
next row: k12, bo 14, k12
next row: k12, co 14, k12 (leaving an opening for the handle but joining to the last 12 stitches) Knit 6 more rows (3 purl ridges on the front side) Bind off.
Pick up 76 stitches from the cast on edge and repeat the above directions.
Sew up side seams, weave in ends.

Next week's bag pattern (hopefully if I don't lose my head before then):

I will pull myself into 2008 and finally knit with Malabrigo, since I am apparently the last knitter on earth to pick some up.