I am very excited to announce another publication in Knitty, the third in a year in fact! I am also thrilled to share a pattern that can be very useful for the upcoming winter. Nukumori is a pair of knee warmers designed to fit anyone and any body!
It is worked in fingering weight, which means that it can be easily worn over or under other types of clothing and in basically any sock yarn. But, I would definitely recommend Inaya Creation’s BFL 4-ply sock, it is very durable and comes in such beautiful handdyed colors! The colorway used in this design is my favorite. The rainbow speckles on grey are like fireworks in the night sky! I am fascinated by the speckles, stripes and spirals it creates as it pools while knitting. I definitely want to design with it again. 😀
Nukumori also comes in 9(!) sizes. Yes, that’s right, this is no one-size-fits-all pattern. I wanted to create a pair that could fit anyone, so I researched the sizing that is available for medical knee bandages and ended up with a range from XS to 5X. To supplement, I also decided to use ribbing in order to create a comfortable result. For that, I also played with changing between two different types of ribbing, in order to provide some shaping and a better fit. The center back piece is worked in Fisherman’s Rib, which I hadn’t worked on for a long time, and even though it looks like Brioche when it’s finished, it’s a lot easier to work!
The pattern also includes a bonus photo tutorial: how to add elastic with a crochet hook. This is my all time favorite technique of adding elastic to any type of knitwear; it’s easy, it can be added afterthought and can be easily replaced/fixed, if the elastic goes bad or breaks from use. I learned this technique from the only Greek book I own on knitting. Back in 2007, when I discovered knitting, it was also the only book that existed!
For Nukumori, the use of the elastic is essential. Without it, there is no grip around the leg at all, and each knee warmer just moves around when walking.
And it’s deliciously warm nonetheless! That’s why I decided to name it after the Japanese word for warmth (as far as I know, and I hope I am not making any mistakes here). May Nukumori keep your knees warm and protected for winters to come, especially for those that need it more due to medical reasons (such as myself!).
