Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 23:17:39 +0300 From: The Tocker Family To: KNITLIST Subject: Knit: KNIT: kippah pattern [...] Hi Knitters: Just wanted to pass along the pattern that I've finally worked out for knitted kippahs in fingering weight yarn. Now that I've finally started, they are going very quickly, so hopefully I'll have 2 dozen or so by the time of our son's Bar Mitzvah in August. It's certainly been too hot here in Israel lately to knit much else. Enjoy the pattern and should you pass it along, please leave my name attached: KNITTED KIPPAH (YARMULKA) IN FINGERING WEIGHT WOOL Jennifer Tocker Required: 1 skein fingering weight wool for MC (I used an Italian washable wool called Babouchka by Cervinia) scrap yardage for CC size US2 (2.75mm) dpns or whatever size you use to get *sock* gauge, and 16" circular in the same size for the cast on and colorwork area ---------- Gauge: not critical, but you should be getting about the same gauge as for socks. ---------- DIRECTIONS: Using the circular needle, cast on 84 stitches with the MC. Knit the first row. Do not join at this point. Turn work. On the next row, begin the garter stitch-based slip stitch color pattern of your choice for the number of rows indicated, joining the knitting into rounds after the first row. For the Ashkenazi style of kippah you need to use a very shallow pattern, no more than 3-4 ridges; for the Bukhari style of kippah you can use a deeper pattern. Just remember that whatever pattern you decide to use must fit evenly into the 84 stitches. Here are a few suggestions for the smaller patterns: MC=O;CC=X Pattern 1: XOOO Pattern 2: XXXXXOO Pattern 3: OXXX XXOO XOXOXOO OXOX XXXO XXXXXOO XXOX Pattern 4: XXOO And many more variations you'll come up with. OXXO OOXX After the last round of colorwork, break off the CC and work one more garter stitch ridge in MC. At this point, you can continue in either garter stitch, which is better for the Bukhari style of kippah as it has more stretch or rev st st for the Ashkenazi style. If you're doing the Ashkenazi type of kippah, rather than purl the entire crown area of the kippah, I found it easier to turn the kippah inside out in order to knit it instead. Gently feed the points of the circular needle through the hole in the center of your knitting. Once you've done that bring the yarn forward, transfer the now last stitch from the right needle onto the left needle , bring the yarn to the back thus wrapping the stitch and then transfer that stitch back to the right needle. This prevents a gap now that you're knitting in the opposite direction from the colorwork band. Transfer the stitches to dpns with 28 stitches on each of 3 needles. Begin decreasing on the next round as follows: Round 1: K1, ssk, K8, k2tog, K1, PM (put marker); repeat to the end of the round. Round 2: K the round if Ashkenazi kippah, purl the round if Bukhari kippah. Round 3: K the round. For the Bukhari style kippah only Round 4: purl. For the Ashkenazi style decrease on round 4 as follows: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1; repeat to the end of the round. For the Bukhari kippah, begin the decrease on the next knit round, round 5. Repeat rows 2 - 5 once more. You should have 8 stitches in each of 6 sections. From here, alternate a decrease round with a plain knit round (or purl round for the Bukhari) until there are only 6 stitches left total. Break off yarn leaving a tail and thread the tail through those last 6 stitches with a tapestry needle. Weave in any loose ends. Finally, like lace, the kippah benefits from a good blocking, It's my good fortune to have a cereal bowl that is crown sized and shaped. After thoroughly wetting and squeezing the kippah, I stretch the kippah over the bowl and clip clothespins to the edges and then let it completely dry. I must admit that it takes less time to knit a kippah than to write about how to do it. Have fun and play with the patterns. [...] Happy Knitting to us all! Jennifer Tocker jbtocker@inter.net.il --- This pattern downloaded from Wool Works: the online knitting compendium http://www.woolworks.org/