the quacking fiber addict

Here's the pink panta I made today! It's my handspun - the Louet merino/ silk blend. I took the pattern I used yesterday and changed two of the ribs to cables. I really like this one! It's really soft and fitted. I'm def'ly wearing it to weaving tmrw. I've started a trend on Craftster - well, sorta... handspun pantas! I must make more!


ETA, on 7/10/07:
Now with the pattern...

One of my knitting students asked me months ago to write down my panta pattern. I had found a panta pattern online and adapted it to suit my needs during the colder months of the year. I agreed and promptly forgot. But she asked me again, and several other knitters have asked for it as well. So, here it is. I apologize for any mistakes in the math, abbreviations, etc.

Pantas are a traditional Finnish head covering and quite comfy to wear when it gets cold out. Over the past year, I have adapted the following pattern in many ways, but here are my 3 most popular (and easy to knit) versions. Please email me at fyberduck@gmail.com if you have any problems or questions. Happy knitting!

MATERIALS:

• 50 grams of DK – worsted weight yarn
• size 6 - 9 US needles, tapestry needle
• stitch markers if necessary – I recommend placing stitch markers on edge stitches to mark increase and decrease rows.

GAUGE:

4.5 – 5 sts/ inch

SIZE
to fit 20 – 24” head (stretchy)



Basic Pattern (seen here)

• CO 18 sts.
• Row 1: Sl 1 kw, k1, *p2, k2* across
• Row 2: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k2, p2* across
• Repeat these two rows until piece measures 3”

1st Increase:

• RS: Sl 1 kw, k1, *INC1, p2, k2* across
• Continue working 22 sts for another 2” (piece measures 5”) as follows:
• WS: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k3, p2 across
• RS: Sl 1 kw, k1, *p3, k2 across

2nd Increase:

• RS: Sl 1 kw, k1, *INC1, p3, k3* across
• Continue working 26 sts for another 2” (piece measures 7”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K4, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P4, k2* across

3rd Increase:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **INC1, p4, k2* across
• Continue working 30 sts for another 2” (piece measures 9”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K5, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P5, k2* across

4th Increase:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **INC1, p5, k2* across
• Continue working 34 sts for another 2” (piece measures 11”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K6, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P6, k2* across

1st Decrease:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **p2tog, p4, k2* across
• Continue working 30 sts for another 2” (piece measures 13”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K5, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P5, k2* across

2nd Decrease:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **p2tog, p3, k2* across
• Continue working 26 sts for another 2” (piece measures 15”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K4, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P4, k2* across

3rd Decrease:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **p2tog, p2, k2* across
• Continue working 22 sts for another 2” (piece measures 17”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K3, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P3, k2* across

4th Decrease:

• RS: Sl1 kw, kl, **p2tog, p1, k2* across
• Continue working 18 sts for another 3” (piece measures 20”) as follows:
• WS: Sl1 pw, p1, *K2, p2* across
• RS: Sl1 kw, k1, *P2, k2* across

Once the panta is 20” long BO remaining 18 sts.
Finishing: block or steam panta before sewing ends together. Weave in remaining ends.

ALTERNATE VERSIONS

Cables and Ribs Panta: (seen above)
*Extra materials: cable needle*

• CO and work as for basic panta until 5th row:
• Row 5: Sl 1 kw, k1, p2, FC1, p2, k2, p2, FC1, p2, k2
• Row 6: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k2, p2* across
• Row 7: Sl 1 kw, k1, *p2, k2* across
• Row 8: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k2, p2* across
• Repeat these same 8 rows, adapted to fit panta increases, throughout pattern. Continue to follow basic pattern increases and decreases. Finish the same.

Left-Twist Panta: (seen here)

• CO and work as for basic panta until 3rd row:
• Row 3: Sl 1 kw, k1, *p2, LT* across
• Row 4: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k2, p2* across
• Row 5: Sl 1 kw, k1, *p2, k2* across
• Row 6: Sl 1 pw, p1, *k2, p2* across
• Repeat these 4 rows, adapted to fit panta increases, throughout pattern. Continue to follow basic pattern increases and decreases. Finish the same.
  

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Abbreviations:
CO: Cast on (I recommend the long-tail method)
FC1: Front cable 1; slip 1 stitch onto the cable needle, knit next stitch, knit stitch off of cable needle
INC: using right-hand needle, pick up the bar between stitches, twist it to the left before placing it on the needle, purl into front of stitch – creating a tight new stitch
K: Knit
KW: Knit-wise, see “Sl 1 kw”
LT: Left twist; of the next two stitches on the needle, knit the left/ second/ furthest-from-the-point stitch before the right/ first/ closer-to-needle-point stitch – creating a cable without a cable needle.
P: Purl
P2tog: Purl 2 together
PW: Purl-wise, see “Sl 1 pw”
RS: Right side of the piece
Sl 1 kw: Slip one stitch knit-wise; slip the “working” needle (right) into the st as if to knit, carrying the yarn in the back, and slide the st off of the "carrying" needle (left) without creating another st.
Sl 1 pw: Slip one stitch purl-wise; slip the working needle into the st as if to purl, carrying the yarn in the front, and slide the st off of the carrying needle w/o creating another st.
WS: Wrong side of the piece

Labels: handspun, panta, pattern