How to Knit Cuffs With Flames
Knitting is not just for grannies anymore. If you haven't heard it's now hip to knit. Knitting circles with sassy names are popping up in urban centers across the globe. Women and men alike are getting their "knit on," crafting cool handmade gifts. One such project is a "punk rock" cuff with a flame pattern, adapted from the Powerful Wrist Protection pattern found in "Stitch n' Bitch" by Debbie Stoller (original pattern by Catherine Stinson). It is moderately challenging because it involves intarsia--the art of knitting images into a solid block of color. Don't be intimidated, if you go slowly and are patient with the process you'll end up with a cool cuff that you can proudly rock out in at any so-called hipster event.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- US #6 knitting needles
- Graph paper
- Ruler or tape measure
- Worsted-weight yarn in black (two 50g balls), red, yellow and orange
- Pencil
- #7 yarn needle to close the cuff
Instructions
-
Creating your cool cuff:
-
1
Determine your size. The cuff can be made in small (32 cast on), medium (34 cast on) or large (36 cast on). Measure around your wrist and match the measurement to the length of the cast-on stitches.
-
2
Adapt a flame pattern to the appropriate size. Headhuggers.org provides a flame knitting grid, but it must be revamped to suit a 32, 34 or 36 grid. Block out the correct number of cast-on stitches on your graph paper. You will knit 20 complete rows (the height of the project). Measure the length and height of the space. Using those measurements, reduce the flame pattern via photo copy until it fits your grid. Lay your copy of Headhuggers pattern under your graph paper and trace the flame pattern. You now have a correct stitch pattern for your cuff. Just follow the graph carefully, holding each color yarn behind your work when not in use.
-
-
3
Cast on your stitches and knit the top ribbing of the cuff. The rib you need is created with a knit two (k2), purl two (p2) pattern. To start your cuff cast on 32 (or 34, 36) with two strands of black, your main color (MC), held together. For sizes 32 and 36 you will work three rows of K2, P2 rib.
For size 34 work three rows as follows: Row One--K3, P3, *K2, P2. Repeat from * until the end of the row. Row Two - *K2, P2. Repeat from * until the last six stitches, then K3, P3. Row Three - Repeat row one.
-
4
Knit the main body of the cuff with 14 rows of the stockinette stitch. Stockinette is created by knitting one complete row, then purling the next row. Follow your intarsia grid, working your contrasting colors into the correct stitch, holding them behind your work when you are not using them. If you do not know how to do this, you may want to read up on intarsia before beginning the project.
-
5
Finish your project with the ribbed stitch used at the beginning. Once you have done this, bind off in the knit stitch. You will then cut your contrasting color yarns behind the project and use your yarn needle to weave them into the back of the project. When you have finished that, use your black yarn to sew up the sides with a whip stitch.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
When knitting intarsia it is helpful to mark off each row as you knit it so that you do not duplicate rows. It is also better to use larger grid graph, as it is easier to see and count as you are knitting.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Knitting image by Stepanov from Fotolia.com
