I hope you all are doing well and are happy, healthy, and safe. Ever since we've been in quarantine, I've had a lot of people asking for a first knitting project for someone who has never knitted before. I asked y'all on Instagram what you would knit and many of you said either a scarf or a blanket. I thought, "Let's go big and do a blanket!" I went on a hunt to find a well written pattern that's easy to understand and is basic enough for a beginner, but also fun and enjoyable to make if you have a little more experience. This pattern is perfect! It changes colors, but you can always omit that and make a solid blanket which makes it even more beginner friendly. Also, the yarn and needles are big and chunky so you will see progress fast! (yay!) 

The skills you need to knit this afghan are: slip knot, cast on(CO), knit, purl, changing colors, bind off(BO), and weaving ends! This tutorial takes you through each step so you should be able to make this no matter your knitting level! If you have any questions, please ask! I'm here to help 😀




This pattern is from Lion Brand Yarn. I wanted to play around with the stripes by knitting different amount of rows for each color(that's the beauty of knitting right?) but everything else is exactly the same. You can custom make yours however you'd like...by following the pattern, the way I did mine, or doing something of your own. Some of you who are following my WIP for this blanket have already asked me for the amount of rows for my stripes so I posted a pic here for you.



Materials


- Size 6 Super Bulky Yarn - I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Bonus Bundle

• Seaglass (2 skeins)
• Oatmeal (1 skein)
• Grey Marble (1 skein)
• Succulent (1 skein)

I am in love with the name of this beanie and what it stands for! The unique stitch curves up so it looks like a scallop, a wave, a smile, etc. while cinching the stitches together. The beanie makes me SO happy, puts a smile on my face and I feel like this world just needs more positivity in it. Naming it "Smile and Wave" would be a little reminder to be happy and act kind to one another. What a perfect fit! Just like this beanie will fit perfectly on YOU! 😉

In all seriousness, I know that it's just a name and it's knitting...but if we can do our part and try to spread kindness in this dark world any way we can, I know that it can make a huge impact and will spread like fire! No good deed goes unnoticed. Even if it's just a smile and a wave 😄👋


Okay let's get to the beanie! If you watched my video, I explained that I made this pattern almost 3 years ago and the reason why I kept it to myself. But I stumbled upon the beanie recently and saw how beautiful it was, that I decided now is the time to release it! I hope you love it just as much as I do. 💗



How I came up with the stitch. This was during the time where mermaid blankets were suuuuper popular. I was creating my own mermaid blanket and trying to find the perfect stitch for it. I wanted something really easy but stellar. So I was going for just a slip stitch. Well, easy was not the words I was murmuring when I was trying to get it to work! The slip stitch would make a huge hole, or the curve was too straight, or I needed to accomplish it in less rows, and so on and so forth. But finally, as I was messing with different ways to make a slip stitch, it worked! You betcha I recorded myself doing it right away so I wouldn't forget it lol.

I do give out a lot of my patterns for free, but this one will not be. I hope you can understand and will support me. I spent a lot of time perfecting it and making the written pattern clear, while also making a video tutorial and writing it out in different sizes too. (You will receive the video once you buy the pdf pattern.)

CLICK HERE FOR THE PATTERN AND VIDEO TUTORIAL. Download Now

Click here to buy it on Ravelry.

The best and fastest way to reach me if you have any questions is on Instagram. But! If you don't have Instagram, Facebook and email are a very close second!

THE SMILE AND WAVE BEANIE



Materials
(Size of yarn and needles vary depending on what size beanie you're making.)

-Size 5 bulky weight yarn (I used Bernat Roving yarn)
-Size 6 super bulky weight yarn (I used Cloudborn Highland Roving yarn, and Wool and the Gang - Crazy Sexy Wool)
The needles I used to make all these sizes is this needle set. Totally worth it! I have used multiple different needle sets and this one is my FAVORITE! Worth every penny, and you save $$$ because you can do everything with them!
-Size US 11(8mm) 16" Circular Needles
-Size US 13(9mm) 16" Circular Needles
-Size US 15(10mm) 16" Circular Needles
Note: You may need to use DPNs or a larger cable(to do the magic loop method) at the end of your beanie when you start decreasing but I did not need to.
-Stitch Marker
-Tapestry Needle

Level: Easy

You will need to know how to:
Slip knot, long tail CO, twisted rib, knit, slip stitch, k2tog, weave ends, attach a pom pom. 
I show you how to do all of this in my video here: https://youtu.be/j4iyd-4VKe4






I love to see your finished projects! Please share on Instagram so we can all be inspired by your talent! @theiknits #smileandwavebeanie 

This is a beautiful stitch pattern that looks intricate but very easy to make. All you need to know is how to knit and slip! This stitch has many different names: chinese waves stitch, stamen stitch, slip honeycomb brioche, and slip stitch honeycomb. All the same, all amazing :) You could make a scarf or blanket using this pattern! If you do, please share with me on IG: instagram.com/theiknits
I made a sweater using this stitch. Click here for the video tutorial: http://bit.ly/kaprisweater

------------------------------ SLIP STITCH HONEYCOMB PATTERN: Row 1 (WS): K1,*slip 1 purlwise wyib, K1*, repeat *-* across, end with K1. Row 2 (RS): Knit Row 3: K1, *K1, slip 1 purlwise wyib*, repeat *-* across, end with K1. Row 4: Knit Repeat Rows 1-4. ------------------------------



If you are interested in making this in the round, click here: https://youtu.be/GAsZGDgrYqU?t=160

MATERIALS: Yarn: Bernat Maker Home Dec in Clay - https://amzn.to/2Gx2TEg -Size US 15(10mm) Needles: http://amzn.to/2DvfyHH SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video tutorial Click here buy one of my handmade hats: http://www.iknitsshop.com/search/label/Store HOW TO CAST ON: https://youtu.be/fGK21BFlcxs Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/people/theiknits To see my other projects: http://bit.ly/2cLnKpA Instagram: http://instagram.com/theiknits Facebook: http://facebook.com/iKNITS

RAVELRY: https://ravel.me/knotted-headwrap-2



Materials
-Size 4 Worsted weight yarn. I used Lion Brand - Heartland in Acadia (58 yards)
-Size US 9(5.5mm) Needles
-Tapestry Needle
-Scissors

Gauge:
8 sts x 11 rows = 2" in stockinette

Measurements:
19" long (unstretched) x 5" width

Abbreviations
BO - Bind Off
CO - Cast On
RS - Right Side
Sl - Slip
Sts. - Stitches
WS - Wrong Side

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PATTERN

CO 22

Set Up Row 1: Purl

Row 3 and all WS Rows: Sl 1, Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 2-3 until your desired length. (I knitted for 19")

Make the Loop

With WS facing up, bring both edges together. (For video tutorial of this step, click here.)






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This is an original pattern by Christine Rosen of iKNITS. You may sell products made from this pattern by clearly crediting the design to me with a link to my site: www.theiknits.com. Thank you for being respectful and understanding.

I love to see your finished projects! Please share on Instagram so we can all be inspired by your talent! @theiknits

@blythe.howell                                                                                          @topknotsandslipknots
I wanted to make a video tutorial for this sweater with the instructions on the video so it makes it easier to follow along, so I decided to make the size medium for free! You can find it right here on my blog. If you want the .PDF version that has all the other sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL) including the medium, click here.

It was so hard to come up with a name for this sweater. The design reminded me of waves and beautiful elongated bird wings, so it made me think of being by the sea or the ocean. I decided to name it after my daughter Kapri and think it fits perfectly. I hope you love and enjoy knitting this sweater as much as I do. Please post your sweater on Instagram so I can see yours and share it with everyone else! #kaprisweater #iknits

You can buy the inexpensive ad-free PDF pattern on my Shop HERE that has ALL SIZES of this sweater and on Ravelry.











ABBREVIATIONS

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click on the photo to go to the video tutorial

Picture shows how to knit from the back of the stitch. (VIDEO)

slip 1 with yarn in back (VIDEO)

   For your first Row 3, KFB twice for your first and last section.)

(VIDEO)

(VIDEO)

(VIDEO)

SLEEVE RIB
With smaller needles, (this is where you might have to use DPNs or the magic loop method to keep knitting in the rnd so your sts. do not stretch)

(VIDEO)