A Yarn about Yarn (and all that sort of stuff)

All blocked and dry.

Lynne

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This is a close-up of the pattern being blocked.

This is to try and give an idea of the "wingspan"

Just finished before blocking.

Again before blocking.

Lynne

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I wanted to make a bigger shawl than the Ishbel I made; so I have decided to knit TW on a 4.5mm needle (lovely Lantern Moon Rosewood) instead of the pattern quoted 4mm and do 3 repeats of Chart A instead of 2.  

Unfortunately I do not have enough of the yarn I wanted to knit TW with to do this.  This yarn is Araucania Multy and each skein is a "one of".   I will use a black wool 4ply to extend the yardage. 

The changes of yarn will happen like this - the stocking stitch section in Araucania then add in the black and do 1 repeat of chart A then 1 repeat of chart A in Araucania and finally 1 repeat of chart A in black again.  I will return to the Araucania for the edge chart B. 

I worried about joining in ends on a lacy piece so I've joined the yarns by sewing them into each other with a fine sewing needle before starting to knit at each section change.  This seems to have worked.

I hope this gives me a lacier shawl than the pattern pictures and I hope the black looks good in the finished article.  It looks ok on the needle.

I will edit for photos later.

Lynne

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Natural fibres help keep us warm and generally wick away moisture too. 

Man made yarns don't wick as easily and don't keep us as warm.

Ergo - Wear more natural fibres and you won't feel the need to eat as much to keep warm!!

If only life were that simple.

Lynne

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This pattern is written using 1 circular needle and Magic Loop.

 

Sizes: Small (Medium, Large, Extra-Large) 18-20mm (20-22cm, 22-24cm and 24-26cm) measured around widest part of foot.

If you like the foot of your sock extra snug then go down a size in needle, but you could well need to go back up a size for the end of the heel into the leg – your choice I haven’t tried this!!

Measure the length of your foot and make a note of measurement for later in the pattern.   ………………cm

Tension: 15 stitches and 19 rows per 4cm [for Large size sock on 2.5mm needles - only size tested!]

Needles: 2mm (2.25mm, 2.5mm, 2.75mm) circular needles 80cm or longer.

Yarn: 4 Ply weight sock yarn (approximately 400m) I used Wendy Happy (75% Bamboo 25% Nylon) 100gms approx 420m. I ended up using 56 gms of this yarn for my pair of these socks.

Abbrev’s:

K – Knit             K2TOG – Knit 2 together                       KFB – Knit in the front and back of the next stitch

M1 – Make one (unless stated this will be KFB)            P – Purl

P2TOG – Purl 2 together                                                PFB – Purl in the front and back of the next stitch

PSSO – Pass the slipped stitch over                              SL – Slip

SSK – Slip first one stitch, then slip the next from left hand to right hand needle. Insert left needle into the front loops of the slipped stitches and knit them together from this position (this is through the back of the loops)

W&T – Wrap and turn. Bring yarn to front of work between needles (as if to purl), slip next stitch to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this stitch to back of work (as if to knit), slip stitch back to left-hand needle.  Now turn your work to begin working back in the other direction.

YO – yarn over

TOE

Cast on a total of 30 stitches – 15 on each needle.

I have used Turkish Cast-on method but you can use any other toe-up cast-on method like Figure-8 Cast-on or Judy’s Magic Cast on.  I used 2.75mm needle for the Cast-on then changed to a 2.5mm needle for the rest of the sock.

Round 1: Increase 4 stitches as follows:  Mark, in your favored way, the start of this round.  This point will be the start of all rounds

Needle 1: K 1, M1, knit until the last stitch, M1, K1

Needle 2: K 1, M1, knit until the last stitch, M1, K1

This is where I changed needle.

Round 2:  Knit across both needles without increases making sure to pull quite tightly on each first stitch to prevent holes or laddering.  Always remember to do this on the first stitch of each needle when knitting in the round.

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have a total of 66 stitches; 33 on each needle.

1(34)  2  3(38)  4  5(42)  6  7(46)  8  9(50)  10  11(54)  12  13(58)  14  15(62)  16 17(66) 18  – For those (like me) who like to cross off the rows!

Now just knit each round until approximately 7cm short of the total length of the foot.  You did remember to measure your foot didn’t you?                                                                                                                                        

GUSSET

Round 1: Needle 1: (these will be the front/instep stitches): Knit as normal.

Needle 2: (these will be the sole/heel stitches): K1, M1, knit to last 2 stitches, M1, K1. 

Round 2: Knit all stitches on both needles.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you have 53 stitches total on Needle 2.

1(N2-35)  2  3(N2-37)  4  5(N2-39)  6  7(N2-41)  8  9(N2-43)  10  11(N2-45)  12  13(N2-47)  14  15(N2-49)  16  17(N2-51)  18  19(N2-53)  20 

Round 3: Needle 1: K1, M1, K14, M1(by picking up the bar between last stitch and next stitch.  Knit into the back

                of this made stitch),  K14, M1, K1.   Needle 1 total is now 36 stitches.

                Needle 2: K1, M1, knit to last 2 stitches, M1, K1. Needle 2 total is now 55 stitches.

Round 4: Needle 1 only: Knit all stitches.

HEEL

You will now work back and forth just on the stitches on Needle 2.  You will not work the stitches on Needles 1 until you start knitting in the round again.

Turn heel as follows:

Needle 2 only:

Row 1: (RS) K37, KFB, K1, W&T

Row 2: P 22, PFB, P1, W&T

Row 3: K 20, KFB, K1, W&T

Row 4: P 18, PFB, P1, W&T

Row 5: K 16, KFB, K1, W&T

Row 6: P 14, PFB, P1, W&T

Row 7: K 12, KFB, K1, W&T

Row 8: P 10, PFB, P1, W&T

Needle 2 now holds 63 stitches, having just completed a wrong-side (purl) row. On the right side, knit to

the end of Needle 2.  Knit across instep stitches on Needle 1.  Pull tight on first stitch to avoid a hole

HEEL FLAP 

The heel flap is worked by knitting back and forth on the heel stitches on Needle 2.  Do not work on the stitches on Needle 1.

Needle 2 only:

Row 1: (RS): K 47, SSK, turn

Row 2: (WS): SL 1, P 31, P2TOG, turn

Row 3: (RS): [SL 1, K 1] 16 times, SSK, turn

Repeat Rows 2-3 until nearly all side stitches have been worked.  You should be taking in a side stitch every time you P2TOG or SSK.  End having worked a Row 3. Needle 2 now holds 35 stitches.

LEG

Begin working in the round again

Round 1:  Needle 1: Knit

                 Needle 2: K17, M1 (by picking up the bar between last stitch and next stitch.  Knit into the back of this made stitch), K17

Round 2: (RS): Knit across all stitches.

Needle 1 has 36 stitches

Needle 2 has 36 stitches.

Start leg pattern as follows:

Round 1:  Needle 1: K2TOG 3 times, K1, YO 6 times, K2TOG 6 times, K1, YO 6 times, K2TOG 3 times.

                Needle 2: K2TOG 3 times, K1, YO 6 times, K2TOG 6 times, K1, YO 6 times, K2TOG 3 times.

Rounds 2, 3 and 4: Knit across both needles.

Rounds 1 to 4 form pattern.

Repeat pattern rounds as many times as you wish (I suggest 8 - 10 repeats - but then I like shortish socks) to get sock leg as long as you want it.

Next repeat pattern Rounds 1 and 2 only

CUFF

If you find the tops of hand knitted socks too tight sometimes then change to a larger needle here.

Round 1: Purl

Round 2: Knit

Round 3: Purl

Round 4: Knit

CAST-OFF

Russian Cast-Off (Purl version)

P2TOG, place remaining stitch back onto the left hand needle and continue with P2TOG cast off.  Remember to cast off loosely.

Stitch in any loose ends.

Now unless you have been knitting 2AAT or knitting each sock alternately on separate circular needles, you have to start all over again and knit sock 2.

I hope these socks turn out fine for you.

Lynne  (16^th Sept 2009)

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Just blocked and pinned my first lace shawl.  This is the mini version of Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Edited 01.09.09

Thanks for the kind comments ladies.  This is an easy pattern to follow (even for me).

I don't have a problem following patterns or charts, just an attention span thing!!  I forget where I am!!

If, as some of you say, you want to try a shawl then this is recommended by me.

I am joining the Sept KAL with the Beginners Lace group on Ravelry.  The shawl for the KAL is Travelling Woman by Feministy.  I'll post the beginnings of that in a day or two.  I'm using similar yarn to the Ishbel.  These Christmas Gifts just keep happening!!

Lynne

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I have fiddled around trying to decide what method of knitting in the round suited me and finally decided on Magic Loop - well lets see what I think when I get the the heel!!  These are knitted in Regia Design Line 4 ply sock yarn.  I used Tubular Version A cast on after much playing about with cast on's (sorry Loraine experimenting not playing! LOL).

I have printed off all my pages and labels for Mod One and am waiting for the blocking to dry so I can mount the samples.  OOOOO nearly there!

Lynne

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Ok here it is all finished.  I remembered that I could use my Dressmakers dummy for knitting too!!  I like this self patterning yarn from Sirdar (Crofter).  This is a very basic 3/4 length sleeved (raglan) with a round neck.  No commercial pattern just used a Knitware sweater programme and adjusted to me.  I changed the neck to sit flatter.  It actually fits well so I am pleased with the final result.

Lynne

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Not really anything to do with C & G but I've just collected this from the framers and I'm so pleased with it.  I finished it 24 May.

Seeing Maisie's Mum tonight so will perform the handover then.  Hope she likes it.

She did !  It is now on Maisie's bedroom wall.