Free Crochet Pattern: Repulsor Ray Mittens (Ironman Tribute)

I love doing things together with my son. Playing Ironman for example, and for that you need repulsor rays on your palms. Obviously. I faintly remembered seeing a homemade pair somewhere online, but when I could not find the pattern, I made one up. And here they are!

Now wouldn’t you like to make a pair for your favourite kid? Or why not for yourself? I knew you would! Grab that hook… 

This is what you need 

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in: Red (less than one ball for the smaller size, slightly more than one ball for the bigger size), Yellow (a small amount) and Light Blue (a small amount) 

Hook: 3 mm/US 2.5 

Also: Needle for fastening repulsor rays and weaving in ends 

Sizes 

Childrens medium 4-7y – (ladies medium/large) 

Width: 8,5 cm /3.3” – (10,5 cm/4.1”) 

Length: 12,5 cm/4.9” – (16 cm/6.3”)

Gloves (make 2)

Chain 38 – (48) with yellow yarn and join with a slip stitch to work in the round. Place a marker to mark beginning of round. 

Single crochet in every stitch for 1 – (2) round(s) (38, 48 st) 

Change to red yarn and singe crochet for 14 – (24) rounds 

Now it’s time for the thumb hole: 

Single crochet 2, double crochet 2, chain 8 – (12) skip next 8 – (12) stitches, double crochet 2, single crochet until end of round.

Single crochet for 10 – (8) rounds.

Change to yellow yarn and single crochet for 1 – (2) round(s).

Cut and secure yarn 

Now make the thumb: 

Single crochet 18 – (24) st around the thumb hole 

Single crochet for 2 – (3) additional rounds 

Cut and secure yarn. 

Repulsor rays (make 2) 

Smaller size:
Chain 2 with light blue yarn 

Round 1: single crochet 6 in 2nd chain from hook. Slip stitch in first sc to join 

Round 2: chain 1, single crochet 2 in each stitch around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (12 sc) 

Round 3: chain 1, (single crochet in next stitch, single crocket 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (18 sc) 

Round 4: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (24 sc) 

Round 5: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (30 sc) 

Change to yellow yarn 

Round 6: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (36 sc) 

Cut yarn, secure and leave a long tail for attaching the Repulsory ray to the glove 

Bigger size: 

Chain 2 with light blue yarn 

Round 1: single crochet 6 in 2nd chain from hook. Slip stitch in first sc to join 

Round 2: chain 1, single crochet 2 in each stitch around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (12 sc) 

Round 3: chain 1, (single crochet in next stitch, single crocket 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (18 sc) 

Round 4: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (24 sc) 

Round 5: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (30 sc) 

Round 6: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (36 sc) 

Round 7: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (42 sc) Switch to yellow yarn 

Round 8: chain 1, (single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, single crochet 2 in next stitch) around. Slip stitch in first stitch, to join. (48 sc) 

Cut yarn, secure and leave a long tail for attaching the Repulsory ray to the glove 

 Weave in all ends and sew the repulsory rays to the palms of the gloves. Go play!

Free Knitting Pattern: Steely Man Socks

My son and I have one big interest in common; superheroes. We love to watch the movies, play the games and talk about the characters and their powers. One interest we do not share on the other hand, is knits. I love to make them – he hates to wear them. Everything itches – alpaca, merino, even cotton! But finally I came up with a solution I should have thought of from the beginning: Make superhero knits and the kid will wear it.

Said and done, I sat down and scribbled down a few notes that turned into The Steely Man Socks. A tribute to the man of steel. I love them, my son loves them and I’m pretty sure even Superman himself wants a a pair. Make them for your favourite kid, or your own inner child.

You need 

Yarn: Marks & Kattens Superwash Safir, 128 m/50 g (149 yards/1.76 ounces). One ball each of blue, red and yellow for sizes 3 and 4. Two balls of blue, and one each of red and yellow for sizes 5, 6 and 7. You can use any suitable sport weight yarn, but keep in mind that the end result may vary with different yarns.
Needles: Circulars or DPN’s in sizes 3 mm, 3,5 mm and 4,5 mm (US 2.5, 4 and 7)
Other stuff: Needle to weave in ends

 Sizes 

Age: (years): 3, 4, (5, 6, 7)
Foot lenght: 15, 17, (18, 20, 22) cm / 6″, 6 3/4, (7″, 8″, 8 3/4″)

The size shown is 4 years. If you want to make adult sized socks, it’s a piece of cake. Use your favourite sock pattern and adjust the cape to fit.

Sock Pattern 

With yellow yarn CO 45, 45, (48, 48, 51) sts on size 3 mm / US 2.5 needles.
K 1 round, then work K1P2 rib for 2,5 cm / 1″.

On next round dec 7 sts evenly so that 38, 38, (41, 412, 44) remain.
Switch to blue yarn and needles size 3,5 mm / US 4. Knit stockinette st in the round until piece measures 14, 15, (16, 17, 18) cm / 5½”, 6″, (6 1/4″, 6 3/4″, 7″)

Now keep the first 23, 23, (23, 23, 26) sts on needle for heel and slip the last 15, 15, (18, 18, 18) sts on to the cable of the circular.
Change to red yarn and work in stockinette st back and forth over heel sts for 4½, 4½, (5, 5, 5) cm / 1 3/4″, 1 3/4″, (2″, 2″, 2″).

Now it is time for the heel decrease:
Row 1 (RS): K until last 7, 7, (7, 7, 8) sts, slip 1 st as if to K, K 1, psso, turn piece.
Row 2 (WS): P until last 7, 7, (7, 7, 8) sts, slip 1 st as if to P, P 1, psso, turn piece.
Row 3 (RS): K until last 6, 6, (6, 6, 7) sts, slip 1 st as if to K, K 1, psso, turn piece.
Row 4 (WS): P until last 6, 6, (6, 6, 7) sts, slip 1 st as if to P, P 1, psso, turn piece.

Continue like this, with 1 st less before every dec, until 11, 11, (11, 11, 12) sts remain on needle.

With blue yarn, pick up and knit 10, 10, (11, 11, 11) sts on each side of the red heel, and slip the 15, 15, (18, 18, 18) sts from the cable back on needle. Keep these 15 or 18 sts on one needle and heel stitches on the other needle. You now have 46, 46, (51, 51, 52) sts.

Now it is time for the instep decrease. Continue knitting stockinette st in the round. On the 1st round dec in each side as follows:
K the last 2 sts before the 15 or 18 sts on top of foot tog and K the first 2 sts after the 15 or 18 sts twisted tog. Repeat this dec every other round 3, 3, (4, 4, 4) more times. You now have 38, 38, (41, 41, 42) sts. 

Keep knitting in stockinette st until the foot sole measures 11, 13, (14, 16, 18) cm / 4½”, 5″, (5½”, 6 1/4″, 7″).

For size 5 and 6 only: 
Knit one round and decrease 1 st so that 40 sts remain. Change to red yarn and arrange the sts so that you have 19, 19, (20-20-21) sts on each needle.

Now start the decreases for the toe as follows:
Round 1: *ssk, knit to last 2 sts on needle, k2tog*, repeat * to * once more.
Round 2: K all sts Repeat rounds 1-2 a total of 4, 4, (3, 3, 3) times.

Now repeat only round 1 an additional 2-2 (4-4-4) times.
On next round K2tog around. Cut the thread and pull it through remaining sts, tighten and fasten.

Now it’s time for the cape!

Cape Pattern 

The cape is knitted back and forth in stockinette st.
With red yarn and size 4,5 / US 7 needles pick up and knit 4 sts on the right side of the back of the cuff, CO somewhere around 12-18 st, and then pick up and knit 4 sts on the left side of the cuff.

Does it sound complicated? Look at the image below and I am sure it will all make more sense.

Row 1 (RS): K all sts
Row 2 (WS): P all sts
Row 3: K5, m1, K to 5 last sts, m1, K5
Row 4: P all sts
Row 5-8: Continue in stockinette st
Row 9: K5, m1, K to 5 last sts, m1, K5

Continue knitting in stockinette st until cape reaches desired lenght (I made mine approximately 10 cm / 4″ long) then bind off loosely.

Finishing 

Weave in all loose ends and block the cape slightly so that it doesn’t curl. Unpin and go play!

Music Monday November 18th 2013: White Lies, Big TV

Last fall, or basically all of 2012, I was all about The National.

...

Erhm, who am I kidding, I am still all about The National, but at the moment Trouble Will Find Me has gotten some competition from Big TV by White Lies.

I love this album. It has all the right ingredients to get me totally hooked: Fantastic melodies, that cosy November feeling and the deep wonderful voice of Harry McVeigh.

This is what I will be listening to for the rest of the year, mark my words.

Favourites: song 2, 4 and 6.

 

Introducing: The Wibbly Wobbly mittens!

As you may or may not have noticed I am an enormously big fan of Doctor Who. But how could I best express my eternal love and fascination for Ten and one of the scariest monsters ever? By designing mittens of course!

Wibbly wobbly quote, weeping angels, Tardises and sonic screwdrivers, all in one friggin fantastic knit.

Be sure to check out my Instagram feed for a behind the scenes picture of when we shot the images for the pdf pattern.

The pattern itself can be foundt at Ravelry and Etsy.

Allons-y!