Finished Object Day

The colour is off in my pictures today. Don't know if it's because of the light or if my camera is dying, which it might be since it's getting pretty old.

This is Finished Object Day! The Funky Afghan is finished and I am so pleased with it. I love this colour combination, and am tempted to start another one right away.



Close-up



Stashbuster spirals are finished and this makes all 4 of my sock alongs for June/July finished. Yay! Just in time for the new socks to be assigned on Aug. 1. This time I'll be participating in 5 sock-alongs. Five!! Plus, of course, the crochet exchanges. Wish me luck.

these are definately not as bright as they appear.

And I'm finished the toddler cable socks.



So, at the moment I have no (zero, nadda, zip) socks on the needles. I'm going to wait for the aforementioned sock kal assignments. Currently I'm working on the purple mitredness blanket which is actually starting to gain some size. I'm adding colour to the purpleness by using a few variegated yarns that include purple. Here's a pic, remember the colours are way off, but it shows how the size is coming along, since the last photo.



I was planning on showing a progress pic of "Branching Out", which I started this week. But I am using a Kid Mohair which is very fuzzy and very BLACK. Needless to say, when a stitch is dropped it enters the zone of no return and after trying to fudge a mistake and making another it was "ribbit" time. I will cast on again and hopefully next posting will show a photo.

Mail Day!

Note to Cara: I've added some better and bigger pics of the Butterfly Rib Socks.

What a wonderful mail week I've had. Two packages of absolutely scrumptious yarn. First from elann I received Harris Tweed Shetland 4 ply and Peruvian Highland. it doesn't show up in the photos very well, but the subtle variations in the shades of the Shetland are beautiful.



Now, get ready to drool! From FunKnits I received the complete Opal Rainforest Collection! I feel like Homer and his doughnuts when I look at this.



On the knitting front, these stashbusters were frogged. When I tried them on, they were way too loose. I haven't made myself plain stocking stitch socks in ages and now I remember why; I like my socks to hug my feet. So after the frogging, I decided to go with a 3x1 rib for the cuff and then a 7x1 rib for the leg and instep. I also moved the dark purple to the heel, I think it is better placed there.



On the crochet front, Funky is almost done. All the pieces are bordered and joined, and I'm now working on the border around the whole thing. I'm making quite a large border with 2 dc rounds of each white, pink, and red, then 3 of black and finally 1 sc round of pink.

Join Me in a KAL

As you may have already noticed, I am addicted to Sock Knit-alongs. I am so into kal's that I never seem to find time to knit socks from the pattern books that I own. One book I am dying to knit from is Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road; so I was thinking why not create a knit-along? Then I'll be sure to get to some of these patterns!

Without further ado, I invite you to join me on a tour of Knitting on the Road.

Knitting on the Road Sock Knit-along

Butterfly Rib Socks

Butterfly Rib Socks



The angle of picture makes one look skinnier than the other, but trust me they really are the same size. This is a wide rib pattern with a little lace in the ribs that I think looks like butterflies. This is quite a stretchy stitch and the pattern really stands out when they are being worn.

Close ups:



Click Here to enlarge.




If you knit this pattern, I would love you to send me a link to a pic of your finished socks!


BUTTERFLY RIB SOCKS – to fit woman’s foot

Materials: fingering/sock yarn
- 50gr. variegated Color A; 100gr. solid Color B
-One set (4) dpns US#1 (2.25mm)

NOTE: 50gr (with nothing left over) of Color B was sufficient for me to make a size 6 foot. If you make a larger foot or make the cuff longer than 5" you will definately need 100gr.

Gauge: 16 sts. = 2”

CUFF PATTERN:
1st – 3rd rnd: (K1, P1) around
4th nd rnd: (P1, K1) around

LEG PATTERN: (8-stitch repeat)
1st – 4th rnd: (K7, P1) around
5th rnd: *K2, yo, sl1, K2tog, psso, yo, K2, P1* repeat from * around.
6th rnd: (K7, P1) around
7th – 8th rnd: same as 5th & 6th rnds.

CUFF: With A, cast on 64 sts (21/21/22). Join. Work Cuff Pattern for 2” ending rnd. 3. Cut A.

LEG: With B, begin Leg Pattern, repeating until work measures 5” (or desired length), ending with rnd 8. Cut B

Slip first 31 sts. onto needle 1, leave remaining 33 (instep) st. onto spare needle. Instep should start and end with a P. stitch.

HEEL: (worked over 31 sts.) With A:
1st row: (sl.1, K1) across, end K.1.
2nd row: Sl. 1, P to end.
Repeat these 2 rows until 32 rows completed in total, ending with right side facing.

SHAPE HEEL:
1st row: K 17, ssk, K1, Turn
2nd row: Sl.1, P5, P2tog, P1, Turn
3rd row: Sl.1, K6, ssk, K1, Turn
4th row: Sl.1, P7, P2 tog, P1, Turn
5th row: Sl. 1, K8, ssk, K1, Turn
6th row: Sl.1, P9, P2 tog, P1, Turn

Continue working in this manner until all stitches have been worked ending with a P row. (17sts) Cut A.

GUSSETTS: With B:
1st needle: K17 heel st.,Pick up and knit 16 sts along side of heel.
2nd needle: continue 33 instep sts in pattern as established.
3rd needle: Pick up and knit 16 sts along side of heel. K9 heel st. (24/33/25)

Beginning rnd at center of heel:
1st rnd: 1st needle: K to last 3 sts. K2tog, K1.
2nd needle: work pattern
3rd needle: K1, ssk, K to end.
2nd rnd: 1st needle: Knit
2nd needle: work pattern
3rd needle: Knit
Repeat these 2 rnds, keeping continuity of pattern on 2nd needle of 33 instep stitches until 64 sts remain. (15/33/16)

FOOT: Continue even on these 64 sts. Knitting 1st and 3rd needles and continuing pattern on 2nd needle until foot measures 2” less than desired length of foot. Cut B.

Slip 1st st. of needle 2 onto needle 1. (16,32,16)

TOE: With A: 1st rnd: 1st needle: K to last 3 sts. K2 tog, K1
2nd needle: K1, ssk, K to last 3 sts. K2 tog, K1
3rd needle: K1, ssk, K to end.
2nd rnd: Knit
Repeat these 2 rnds until 20 sts. remain (5/10/5)

Knit sts from 1st needle onto 3rd needle.
Kitchener stitch ends together.

Work 2nd sock same as first.

Variation: Work entire sock in one color, 1 – 100gr ball needed.

© 2005, Nicola Manning
Not to be reproduced in any manner, except for own personal use.

Current WIPS

The Butterfly Rib Socks are finished and the pattern is ready for use. I will post the pattern in the next post.

We spent the day in Okotoks. About 20 minutes away, it is so nice to get out of the city. So, I popped into their Wal-mart to look for any discount yarn. No yarn, but they sell Boye dpns! I have not seen these in any store here and they were pretty colours so of course I couldn't leave without bringing some home. They were out of #1's but I got some #2's & 3's (can't have enough dpns) plus a 6.5mm circular that I've been needing for a bag pattern.

So, now what am I working on? "How about some socks?" you say. What a good idea! I have some Stashbuster Spirals on the needles. I'm working both at the same time to make them identical.



Here's a pair I made for my niece a while ago out of Patons Look at Me.



This is more a technique for me rather than a pattern as I use my own basic pattern and apply the spiraling technique. I keep wanting to do this with a pair of mittens and a bag.

I've also been working on "Funky" and she is almost done. All the squares are made and I've got about half of it put together. Here's a sneak peak:

Sock on Your Head?

This week I worked on my crochet exchanges and have mailed them all for this month. I've been plugging along on the mitre blanket and the funky afghan, picking them up in the evenings for a square or two. I'm on square 10 of 14 for the funky so should be nearing completion soon.

My designs: I've finished one toddler basic cable sock and have the pattern written out, now to fine tune it while I knit the second one. I've also started the second sample of my Butterfly Rib socks and I do much prefer it in two colours. The pattern stands out nicely in the solid yarn.




And for a finished object, I quickly knit up this helmet for my five year old on Saturday.



This pattern is from an old vintage (1940s) pattern booklet. I'm going to make some more but I'm going to rewrite the pattern in the round, I hate seams. And if you look at it from a different angle:

you can see that it is knit like a sock! You make the ribbing, then do a huge heel with a square heel turning for the head. I also think if I increase the number of stitches a tad I can put a nice aran/cable pattern on the head instead of plain stocking stitch.

On the Needles & Comments

The Scallop Stitch socks are finished. I love them. This yarn is so soft and warm for winter socks.



I have a couple of socks in progress at the moment. I'm working on some of my own patterns. First the butterfly rib socks, I'm not sure that the multi- yarn really shows of the pattern, so I'm going to try another on in a solid with multi- cuff, heel and toe. Here's a close-up of the pattern and the textured cuff.



I also have a basic cable toddler sock on the go. The plan with this one is make the same pattern work for a toddler, child and woman with different yarn weights.



The purple mitred throw is progressing nicely, I've put a bit of work into it since the last picture.



The July crochet exchanges have just started and I'm signed up for blue, green, and pastel this month. I'll be busy crocheting this week and getting my squares ready to mail.

Comments on Comments:

elona if you, or anybody, knit my chevron socks I'd love if you sent me a photo or a link. I'm really interested in seeing how all the different yarns look in this pattern.

ines the baby beret is knit with Patons Kroy Socks Crayon Jacquard.

Allena the old shale socks are by marguerite and the free pattern can be found on her blog.

Cara you're not too late for the sock knit alongs I belong to! Beginner, colorwork, intermediate from the socknitters group, and six socks. And if you want to join a crochet exchange, the flying granyhooks exchanges run every month!