bernadette....

Is it a girl ?  is it a miracle ?  No.  It's a hype in knitting land.  the bernadette.
Some time ago, a mother knitted a very simple vest for her daughter.  Daughter wore it to school, and other mums wanted the vest too.  So mum started knitting the vest for others, selling them in very exclusive Antwerp fashion stores.  400 euros for a very simple handknitted vest.

For me, that is a lot of money to spend on a vest.  My reaction was : I can knit that myself, and it won't cost that much money.

So I bought pale yellow mohair at 'Suzywol' and cast on stiches.  The original vest is just a bunch of rectangles : one for the back, 2 halves for both fronts and 2 small rectangles for the arms, all sewn together.

I added a little shaping for the upper part.  I found the original vest a bit ...    huge....  ?  and i'm not the thin and skinny 20-year old I used to be (lol) Now I know a raglan is very flattering for female shapes (read big) and I cast on....  I call it the Bernadette-Rose, because I added a significant change : the shape.

The pattern I designed is here.  It's for free.  You're welcome.  :-)
It's in dutch.  For English : scroll down. 

De Bernadette-Rose

Benodigdheden : dunne mohair wol of lace wol genre Kid silk mohair

of andere zachte lichte wol.  Je breit met 3 of 4 draden samen. Of dikkere mohair strengen van bij suzywol in Eernegem.

Naalden nr 8 ( en nr 10 om af te kanten)

Stekenverhouding  : met nld 8, in tricot steek :  9 steken = 10 cm

Tricotsteek is 1 naald rechts, 1 naald averechts.

Boordsteek 1/1 is : brei 1 steek rechts, 1 steek averechts.  In de tweede naald brei je rechts op rechts, averechts op averechts.  Dan krijg je een mooie boord. 

Minderen door overhalen = haal 1 steek af, brei de volgende steek rechts.  Haal de eerste steek over de tweede (zoals bij het afkanten) Deze geminderde steken hellen naar links, gebruik deze techniek aan het begin van je naald, dat maakt een mooie lijn in je raglan.

Minderen door 2 steken samen te breien : schuif de volgende 2 steken dicht bijeen op je linkernaald. steek de punt van de rechternaald (alsof je rechts gaat breien)  door beide steken in 1 keer. Brei die steek rechts en laat afglijden.  Deze mindering doet de steken naar rechts hellen.  Gebruik deze techniek op het einde van je naald, dan heb je ook hier een mooie lijn in je raglan. 

Rugpand

Zet 58 steken op met nld 10.

Brei 3 nld boordsteek 1/1 met nld 8

Brei verder in tricot.  (1 nld rechts, 1 nld averechts)

Na 46 cm kant je af voor de raglan : elke rechtse naald 1 mindering aan het begin en 1 mindering aan het einde van de naald.  (overhaling aan het begin, 2 samenbreien aan het einde, telkens op 1 kantsteek)

Na 25 cm raglan de resterende steken afkanten met nld 10.

Voorpand

Hetzelfde als de rug, maar ½.  Dus 29 steken opzetten. Brei de 2 delen samen op 1 ndl, of anders goed opletten dat je spiegelbeeld breit voor deel 2.

Mouwen

Zet 26 steken op met nld 10.  Brei 3 nld boordsteek 1/1 met nld 8.

Brei verder in tricot , meerder 6 steken in de eerste naald.

Op 30 cm (dat is driekwart lengte, brei wat langer voor lange mouwen) afkanten voor de raglan (zoals bij rugpand).  Na 16 cm de overgebleven steken allemaal in 1 keer afkanten met nld 10.

Zet de jas in elkaar : sluit zijnaden en schoudernaden.  Zet de mouw in.

Bernadette - Rose in English.

 This is a very easy and basic pattern, ideal for beginners.

You need : thin mohair (lace or fingering) held double or even 3 threads held together.(I knitted one in a single strand of lace mohair for a lighter summer version)

Needle 8mm ( & 10mm to cast off)

Gauge  : on 8mm : 9 stitches =  10 cm

Stiches and techniques used :

StSt : stockinette stitch.  you knit one row, you purl the next row.

Border = ribbing  1/1: knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch.  In the next row knit the knits, purl the purls.

ssk : slip slip knit. in this way you decrease 1 stitch and the decrease leans to the left.  Use this in the beginning of the raglan decrease rows, it will make a nice left leaning decrease line towards your shoulder.

k2tg : knit 2 stitches together, this way you decrease 1 stich and the decrease leans to the right.  use this on the end of your raglan decrease rows, it will make a nice right leaning decrease line towards your shoulder.

Back

Cast on  58 steken on needles 10mm.

Continue on the 8mm needles, knit 3 rows of border stitch.

Continue in StSt.

Start the raglan decreases at 46 cm : knit 2 stitches, ssk, knit until 4 stitches remain on your needle.  k2tg, knit 2 . purl the next row. Repeat until the decrease part measures 25 cm. Cast off the remaining stitches , using the 10 mm needle.

Front

Same as the back, only knit in 2 pieces. (one left front part, one right front part)
CO 29 st on the 10mm needle. follow instructions like for the back piece. For the raglan : at 46 cm you start the ssk decreases, no decreases at the end of your needle !  when you knit the second half, make sure it is a mirror image.  this means that at the raglan decreases, you now decrease at the end of the needle, with the k2tg method.  No decreases at the beginning of this piece.

Sleeves

CO 26 stitches on the 10mm needles.  Continue with the 8 mm needles in border for 3 needles. 
Continue in StSt, increase 6 stitches in the first row. (approx. every 4 stitches put the yarn over the needle to create an extra stitch)
When the piece lmeasures 30 cm, (that is for a 3/4 sleeve, knit a bit more if you want long sleeves) start raglan decreases, just like you did on the back.  (ssk in the beginning of the knit row, k2tg at the end)
When this raglan piece measures 16 cm, cast off using the 10 mm needles.

Sew the pieces together.  close the sides and the shoulders.  Insert the sleeves.

Do feel free to go and play with this pattern.  Add some cables, or a little lace.  Make it longer or smaller.  Have fun with it !

making dolls

Do you remember the Hollie Hobbie dolls that were soooo popular during the 70ies ?  My sister and I made one from an old sheat of cotton and made knitted clothes for them.

These days, there seems to be a revival of those sort of dolls.  In her book 'My rag doll' by Corinne Crasbercu, the hollie hobbie doll has become a real little princess.   I tried out some of her patterns, and this is the result :

a gorgeous blonde

now with my hat !

a prima ballerina in her tutu

brown pigtails are cute

2 skeins of mohair for the hair !

she is ever so soft

I don't know if these dolls are meant to play with.  The construction of the hair is really delicate.
I think they will prefer to be 'on display' rather than be played with....

Oh, and remember Sarah Kay's Hollie Hobbie ?