DIY Network

Curtain Time Here's the how-to for ultra-cool, knitted curtains you can create in no time. From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-603

Author Jennifer Worick joins Knitty Gritty for a "girl's night in" that includes knitting a funky yet simple curtain designed by Lisa Myers.

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Knit Curtains

Materials:
yarn
   1 ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Candy Girl (#606 - A)
   1 skein of Manos del Uruguay in Persimmon (#W - B)
1 pair size 19 (35 mm) needles - adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge
tapestry needle

Finished Size
Panel shown measures about 37" (94 cm) by 30" (76 cm).

Stitches
Knit stitch, Slip stitch

Gauge
2 stitches = 1" (2.5 cm) in garter stitch

Special Notes
For this project, exact gauge isn’t as important as making sure that you have nice loose stitches. Make a swatch, and when you’re satisfied with the fabric, measure the gauge you’re getting. Multiply that number by your desired finished measurement (see note on sizing, below), and use that for your cast-on number. This pattern works with any number of stitches.

Sizing
Curtains are usually significantly wider than the window they cover, to allow for plenty of pleating, in which case you want your panels to be twice the width of your window (or nearly). Or you can plan to hang these like a sheer panel or shade, in which case you’ll want the finished width to be just slightly narrower than the window itself. Either way, expect this piece to grow in length quite a bit: give it a little tug now and then as you knit.

Needles
Straight needles are recommended for this project. It's easier to move the skinny stitches along the needle if it's a consistent thickness, rather than pushing them over the shift from thinner cable to thicker barrel.

	Figure A
	Figure B

1. For this curtain, use a variation on the long-tail cast-on that should help keep your stitches loose. Tie one strand of A and one of B together, leaving about 4" (10 cm) tails. With the needle in your right hand, hang the knot over the needle so that yarn A falls to the back and yarn B falls to the front. Put your left hand into the usual cast-on position, with yarn A over your forefinger and yarn B over your thumb (figures A and B).

Figure C

2. Cast on 75 stitches in the usual way—being careful to keep the thumb yarn (B) particularly loose (figure C).

3. At the end of the cast-on, cut B, leaving about a 4" (10 cm) tail.

4. From now on, work in garter stitch (i.e., knit every row) with A.

Figure D

5. Every so often, add yarn B in by holding it together with A for a few stitches—just leave a tail that measures 2" to 8" (2.5 to 20.5 cm) long hanging where you start B. After 3 stitches, or 4, or a dozen, cut B, leaving another tail hanging (figure D). Continue with A alone. Note: You can be careful and predictable with yarn B, or you can be random. You can include B for an entire row if you want. You can work several rows of A in between Bs, or you can use B in consecutive rows—or even in separate sections within one row. It also doesn’t matter whether you add B on the "back" or the "front." The garter stitch makes the fabric reversible, and when the curtain is held up to the light, it won’t show whether the tails are hanging in front of the mohair or behind it. If desired, you can pull all the tails through to the same side after you’re finished knitting.

6. If your curtain panel is any larger than the one shown, you’ll need more of yarn A. When it’s time to join a new skein, just overlap the two strands about 8" (20.5 cm), and knit with both together for 4 to 6 stitches.

7. When the piece reaches about 2" (5 cm) less than the desired length, stop using B, and continue with A alone for the last 2" (5 cm).

8. Use A and the following modified bind-off technique to keep the top edge really loose: Knit 1, (slip stitch from right needle back to left needle, knit 2, bind off 1 stitch) to end of row. Cut yarn and fasten off.

Finishing
Don’t even think about blocking. Just gather up the top edge in one hand and give the whole thing a good shake. If you want, now is the time to thread beads or seashells or whatever you wish onto the loose tails of B, or weave ribbons or feathers or more yarn scraps through the fabric.

Figure E

Mounting the Curtains
These curtains are very light, so any simple rod should do—probably even a heavy piece of cord strung tightly across the space would be enough. If you’ve got a proper rod with finials on the ends, unscrew one end. Once you’ve removed the finials, the end of the rod may have rough, sharp edges. Protect your curtain from snags by wrapping soft plastic wrap (Saran Wrap) or a soft cloth over the end several times. Secure the wrap in place temporarily with an elastic band. Feed the curtain onto the rod by passing the rod through the third or fourth row of stitches down from the bind-off edge. The rod shouldn’t go through every stitch; depending on how deep a pleat you like, you might go through every sixth, eighth or tenth stitch. Just keep making soft folds and sliding the fabric onto the rod. At the end, remove the wrap and elastic band, replace the finial, and mount the rod the usual way (figure E).

RESOURCES :
Getting Started Knitting
Author: Jennifer Worick
Publisher: Interweave Press (2006)
ISBN: 1931499942

yarn
www.rosiesyarncellar.com