Kiki Mariko

There is something rewarding about knitting a long tube of bulky yarn. It’s fast work—a way to dip into stranded knitting in the most forgiving way possible. Felting in the washing machine utterly transforms the piece. Then, you cut a quick and painless steek and apply the most minimal of edgings. The result: a cushy, colorful mat that will make getting out of bed a warm and pleasant experience. Don't let the word *steek* scare you. It’s foolproof. The stitches cannot unravel, because they are felted together. If you can cut a straight line, you can do this. The simple stranded colorwork pattern is charted. The name is a tribute to the knitting friends who introduced us to this simple stranded stitch pattern, Kiki Hall and Mariko Fujinaka. **Materials** — Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky \[4oz (113g) skeins, each approx 125 yds (114 m), 85% wool/15% mohair\]: **Original Colorway:** 1 skein each in Lemon Drop, Orange You Glad, Blue Blood Red, Regal Purple, Alaskan Sea, Kiwi, Wild Oak, Chocolate Souffle, Grey Heather, Deep Charcoal **Heather Colorway:** 1 skein each in Sun Yellow, Wild Mustard, Mauve Dust, Wild Violet, Glacier Ice, Seafoam, Oatmeal, Brown Heather, Sandy Heather, Charcoal Heather **Blue Colorway:** 2 skeins each in Brite Blue, Blue Boy, Grey Heather. 1 skein each in Turquoise Depths, Violet Fields, Charcoal Heather, Dynamite Blue — Size US 15 (10 mm) circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge — Stitch Marker — Scissors — Tapestry Needle **Gauge** — 12 sts and 14 rows = 4" (10 cm) before felting [1]: http://www.masondixonknitting.com/archives/images/KikiMarikosteek.pdf