by Cat Wong

I’ve got a lot of balls -- a lot of little balls of yarn, that is! What knitter doesn’t? You know what I’m talking about -- that last bit of gorgeous fingering from socks made for a friend (the ones you almost couldn’t give away because they turned out so lovely). Several grams of luscious silk lace used for a beaded shawl you only wear on special occasions and a tiny skein from that first perfectly made baby sweater. Or perhaps it’s some precious handspun done from a roving so beautiful it took ages before you even considered splitting it.

While my favorite yarn remainders were on full display in a glass candy jar on my living room table, it seemed almost criminal not to put such beautiful yarn to a better, even more decorative use. Worked in Linen Stitch, these bracelets use scant grams of yarn and are a great way to show off one or more unique buttons (or necessitate a road trip, and/or web surfing expedition, to find the right ones).

Linen stitch seems to soften and tone down even the wildest colorways and bring out a yarn’s best. Try it with a few of your more crazy skeins (you know the ones that were so appealing at the time and were on sale but are now sitting in the bottom of your stash basket…).

Each of the three versions has slightly different design details – slipped st edging or not, worked horizontally or vertically, different types of attachment options – to produce different results, and to keep the knitting interesting. Cuffed is slightly more rustic looking. Retro was designed to be reminiscent of those 1970s vintage macramé bracelets, and I used a slipped st edge to replicate the over-stitched edgings typical to those styles. Framed is worked in the other direction, to change how the fabric lies.

Once you’ve tried the basic technique, experiment with your own variations!

To keep things simple, yarn requirements have been listed in grams with a little extra added to accommodate differing knitting styles. For these projects gauge isn’t very important as all bracelets pictured here were worked on US 1 (2.25mm) needles to achieve a woven, fabric-like, appearance. Given how firmly these can knit up, metal needles are highly recommended. I don’t want to be responsible for any broken Lantern Moons!

SIZE
Women’s S[M, L]
Note: pattern is easily adjusted to fit. See Pattern Notes.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Note: all measurements are given for a piece worked to stated gauge; a heavier gauge results in a larger piece, a finer gauge in a smaller piece.

CUFFED
One size
Pink, purple, teal, gold green version with 3 diamond-shaped buttons:
Width: 2.25 inches
Length: Worked to fit. Sample as photographed has a 7.5 inch length.

RETRO
One size -- finished measurements based on gauge
Blue, red, green version with cutout flower button:
Width: 1.25 inches
Length: Worked to fit. Sample as photographed has an 8.5 inch length.

Green version with carved wooden button:
Width: 1.5 inches
Length: Worked to fit. Sample as photographed has an 8 inch length.

FRAMED
Width: approx 1 and three eighths [1.5 , 1 and seven eighths] inches, but adjustable.
Length: approx 6[7.5, 8.5] inches

Red and orange version with 2 square carved bone buttons:
shown in size S with added rows for extra width
Width: 2.25 inches
Length: 6 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
CUFFED [shown at right]

Pink, purple, teal, gold green version with 3 diamond-shaped buttons:
Koigu Premium Merino [100% merino, 175yds/50g skein]; color: 117, 1 skein. Sample used about 12g of yarn.

RETRO

Green version with carved wooden button [shown below]:
Allhemp Knitting Allhemp6 [100% hemp,165yds/100g skein]; color: Sprout; 1 skein.
Sample used about 10g of yarn.

FRAMED

Red and orange version with 2 square carved bone buttons [shown at top]:
Ella Rae Lace [100% Merino; 460yds per 100g skein]; color: 119; 1 skein
Sample used about 10 grams of yarn.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #1/2.25mm double-point needles

Notions
1 US B/1 / 2.25mm crochet hook
Yarn needle
1 or more buttons as desired. Purchase button[s] after project is complete to ensure a good fit.

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

To make a larger piece than specified, use a thicker yarn or cast on more stitches and work the piece longer. To make a smaller piece, use a finer yarn, or cast on fewer stitches and work the piece shorter. Remember that Linen St needs an odd number of stitches.

Linen Stitch (worked over an odd number of stitches)
Row 1 [WS]: K1, *p1, move yarn to the back and slip next stitch purlwise. Move yarn to the front and repeat from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1.
Row 2 [RS]: * K1, move yarn to front and slip next stitch purlwise. Move yarn to back and repeat from * to last st, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 for pattern.

Tip: Can’t remember which row you’re on? In Linen Stitch, the RS is smooth and the WS is bumpy.

Cable Cast-on:
A demo can be found here.

Slipped Stitch Edge:
This creates a nice tidy edge.
Slip first stitch of every row knitwise, and purl the last stitch. A good demo is here.

I-Cord:
Knit the stitches. Instead of turning work around to work back on the WS, slide all sts to other end of needle, switch needle back to your left hand, bring yarn around back of work, and start knitting the sts again.
I-Cord is worked with the RS facing at all times.
Repeat this row to form I-cord. After a few rows, work will begin to form a tube.

DIRECTIONS
CUFFED
Using the cable cast-on method, cast on 25 stitches.

Row 1 [RS]: K.

Row 2 [WS]: Work Row 2 of the Linen Stitch pattern

Row 3: Work Row 1 of Linen Stitch.

Row 4: Work Row 2 of Linen Stitch.

Work Row 3 and 4 until piece measures .5 inch longer than wrist measurement, ending with Row 2 of the pattern.

K 1 row.

Buttonhole Loops:
Bind off 4 sts. 21 stitches rem.

K 1 st from left hand needle onto right hand needle (2 sts on right needle).

Using dpns, begin a 2-st I-cord. Work I-cord for 2 inches.

Sl 1 st over the other (1 st rem on right needle. 20 sts in total).

Bind off 6 sts. (14 sts rem). K next st onto right needle; work 3 inches of I-cord on these 2 sts. Sl 1 st over the other. (13 sts rem).

Bind off 6 sts. (7 sts) K next st onto right needle and work a 4-inch section of I-cord. Sl 1 st over the other (6 sts) and BO rem sts.

Note: Linen stitch is worked on the 9 sts between slipped stitch edges, to create an elegant edge.

Setup row [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, k9, p1.

Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 knitwise, work row 1 of Linen Stitch pattern to last st, p1.

Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, work row 2 of Linen Stitch pattern to last st, p1.

Continuing with slipped stitch edge, work Rows 1 and 2 of Linen Stitch until piece measures 1 inch longer than wrist length, ending with a Row 1.

Repeat Setup row.

Bind off 5 stitches.

Using crochet hook, crochet a chain 5 inches long into the last stitch on the right needle.

Slip st back onto left needle and bind off all rem sts. (Pull the yarn tight so that the 1-st strand forms a loop.)

BO rem sts.

FRAMED
Using straight needles, cast on 61[71, 81] stitches.

Work 5 rows in garter st.

Row 1 [WS]: K2, work row 1 of Linen Stitch to last 2 sts, k2.

Row 2 [RS]: K2, work row 2 of Linen Stitch to last 2 sts, k2.

Repeat the last 2 rows 2[3, 4] more times.

Loop and buttonhole:
Row 1 [WS]: Work 10 sts in pattern as established, BO 3 sts, continue row in patt starting with a p1.

Row 2 [RS]: With DPNs, k 2 sts. Work these 2 sts in I-cord for 6[7, 7] inches. Transfer the 2 sts of the i-cord back to RH straight needle, continue working Row 2 of Linen Stitch to 1 st before gap created by the BO, k1; turn, and using cable cast-on, cast on 3 sts, turn; work to end of row in pattern, starting with a k1.

Work 5, [7, 9] more rows in patt as set, ending with a WS row.

Cat Wong lives a wonderfully crazy life in British Columbia with her husband and four kids. When she’s not working on the family’s organic hazelnut farm, cooking or cleaning something, she’s attempting to write the next great Canadian novel. Knitting keeps her sane.

On Ravelry, she’s FarmerCath.