day 20: pair of chunky socks

And here's the pair.

day 19: chunky house sock

Thought I'd take a day off knitting tiny cables and go for something easier. This is an aran weight house sock, something he can wear about in the house and keep his feet warm, or sleep in on camp.

day 18: tiny cables

lots and lots of tiny cables on a sock for maggot. I know they don't show up well, photographing dark colours like this isn't a skill of mine. But they are there, it's a 2x2 rib, with the knit side 'rib' as a cable.

day 17: 2 kid's socks

and here's the pair....

first sock

Going to knit a few more rows of the incredible stashbusting rug, then get the other sock finished.

no sock today, check out the rug

I started a giant needle multistrand rug, as part of the tidy and destash I'm doing this year. This will use up the vast majority of the leftover and charity shop yarns that just aren't any good for anything else. The shop i go to will sell part balls of yarns by the bag, so I will pick up a whole carrier bag for a quid, then sort it later. last time i looked at this, I worked out that it uses up about 20 yards per strand per square foot.

This time it's 20 strands, and it's looking at about 2.5 foot wide. That works out as about 1000 yards of yarn used per foot of knitted rug. I should be able to start moving yarns off the bags on the back of the door and out of one of the small sets of portable shelves when this is done. my stash will then fit in the space that was assigned to house it. I need to clear about 5 square feet of yarn in order to do that. I'll offer as swap what I don't want to use in this rug, so i can get more yarns that i can use in other projects and actually destash. This house will get tidier before i sprog again in July.

I did knit some sock, only I'm knitting both at the same time, at least both legs at the same time. I had a limited amount of a lovely NZ merino 4 ply and wanted to make sure I could knit a leg for both socks from the yarn. The foot is a tougher vintage brown 4 ply that will wear a lot better. I should have pictures of both to show tomorrow or the day after.

day 15: pair of baby socks

Another day, another sock finished.

day 14: pair of maggot socks

Finished the pair and he will get them in the morning.

Decided I don't like the birch needles i spent loads of money on. I may take the unused set back and see about getting some bamboo instead.

day 13: a pair of slipper socks

day 12: slipper sock

Using up the last of the mauve yarn, a purple slipper sock for the lass.

day 11: second blue baby sock

finally got a pair of these. Something small gave me an easy day's knitting

day 10: baby sockl

Used up almost off the rest of the first ball of the regia in this project, just a basic, top down sock for about a 1 year old. 30 stitch cast on, 2.5mm needles.

day 9: sock for maggot

Today's finished sock, for my son.

Kaffe Fassett regia, on 2mm needles. 48 stitch cast on, 3 inches of rib.

Son is delighted to see his sock.. I bought the yarn for him at the opening of the new Iknit shop and he started cuddling the balls as soon as I took them out of my bag, then jumped up and down loads when i told him I'd bought the yarn for him.

pattern: Azami (thistle flower)

I wanted a pair of thick house socks for the lass to wear for the winter. She had a pair bought for her last year that she grew out of and I wanted to make her a nicer pair. These should fit a child between about 5 and 8, depending on how long you make the foot. (leg and foot are 9cm wide when laid flat)

yarn:

Jaeger Matchmaker DK- 2 balls needed
100% wool
machine washable
120m/131 yards /50g
Cost: £3.20/ball

Debbie bliss cashmerino DK
about 20 yards of this is needed as the contrast colour.

Both were chosen because I had them in the house and they are soft scrummy yarns that are a similar thickness. Any DK weight yarn would do fine.

Total cost: about £7

Also needed:

36 beads

optional: something for the sole. I cut up an old suede jacked that a friend gave me to use as material for this purpose. You could acquire leather in this way from charity shops, purchase it from a supplier, purchase ready made slipper soles or use some form of puffy paint or latex sole paint.

if using a separate sole, glue to attach sole, I use copydex.

gauge: 26 stitches and 34 rows per 10cm

needles:

3mm DPNs (US 2.5)
a tiny crochet hook for beading (I used a .75mm)

time 15 hours

Knitability: advanced beginner

If you've knit socks before, it's a simple and easy project on which to try out the basic fair isle and beading. Combining the two makes it a little more awkward, but the end result is pretty enough to make it worth doing. If you really can't face the beading, you can skip those bits while knitting and sew them on later.


To knit:

1. leg

Cast 48 stitches onto one needle. Beginning from the first stitch cast on, place first 14 and last 10 stitches onto separate needles. Knit 2 stitches from first needle onto last, creating a round. This is awkward to do, but it helps keep the join from stretching.

Work in 1x1 rib for 3cm (K1, P1, repeat and repeat and repeat)
Work in stocking stitch for a further 3cm (knit all stitches)



Now onto the charted section. I've shown a few repeats to give you the idea of how the pattern will look, but the repeat section is actually 8 stitches. Work from the bottom RIGHT hand corner.
The bead is placed as you knit the first green stitch of each 'stalk' and actually sits on the stitch above. To place bead, put bead over the crochet hook, catch stitch with the hook and remove it from the needle, pull bead over the stitch and replace stitch on needle.

For each 8 stitch repeat (each 8 stitch block is repeated 6 times for a complete round) :

row 1: (knit purple, place bead and knit green, knit 2 purple) x2
row 2 (knit purple, knit green, knit 2 purple) x2
row 3: knit purple, knit green, knit purple, place bead and knit green, knit purple, knit green, knit 2 purple
row 4-8: knit purple, knit green, knit purple, knit green, knit purple, knit green, knit 2 purple

Take care not to pull green yarn too tight or leave it too loose. If you pull too tight, it will affect the tension of the work, left too loose, it will get caught on small toes. If this is a particular concern to you, then the yarn can be tied in at the back on the second of every pair of purple stitches by wrapping the green yarn over the purple before the second purple stitch is made.

Break green yarn and continue in purple. knit 4cm in stocking stitch



Your work should look like this.

2. heel:

After the 4 inches of stocking stitch have been completed, knit the 12 stitches on the first needle. Then begin to knit only back and forth on the second needle with 24 stitches on it. Knit to end of this needle, turn work. slip first stitch and purl to the end of that needle. Working only on this needle complete these 2 rows:

row 1: slip 1, knit to end.
row 2. slip 1, purl to end.

Repeat these 2 rows 12 more times. Hell flap will be approximately 8cm long. After about half of this had been done, the stitches from the two remaining needles should be placed onto one needle. After the heel flap is completed, then turn the heel.

row 1: slip 1, knit 12, k2tog, k1 turn
row 2 slip 1, p3, p2tog p1 turn
row 3: slip 1, k4 k2 tog k1 turn
row 4: slip 1, p5 p2tog p1 turn

repeat pattern until there are 14 stitches on the needle.

knit 7 stitches onto one needle, knit the other 7 stitches onto a second needle and pick up stitches along the side of the heel flap, 13 along the side of the flap, where stitches have been slipped, and 2 in between slipped stitches and the front needle. knit across front needle and pick up 15 stitches along the other side of the heel flap. knit the first 7 stitches of the heel flap. You should now have 2 needles with 22 stitches and one with 24.

3. Foot

Knit first round of gusset, knit the stitches that have been picked up along the sides of heel flap twisted (knit through back loop)then knit as follows

round 1: knit to last 2 stitches of first needle, k2tog, k 24, , ssk, then knit to end
round 2: knit all.

repeat these two rounds until there are 12 stitches left on the first and third needles.

knit all rounds until sock measures 3.5cm from desired foot length.

4. toe

round 1: knit to 3 stitches from end of first needle, k2tog, k1, k1 ssk knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1, k1 ssk, k to end
round 2. knit all stitches.

repeat these 2 rows until there are 24 stitches left in total.

Kitchener stitch toe and sew in ends.

optional: affix sole of your choice in the manner of your choice.

day 8: pair of her socks

I'll publish the photos and pattern tomorrow.

Day 7: child;s sock

Socks for the lass. I need to write up the pattern for these.

day 6: pair of baby socks

And here's the pair.

Also the inspiration for another pair of socks in the same yarns for someone slightly older.

day 5: dk baby sock

Another day, another sock, this time a baby sock sized for a 3-6 month old.

Made in matchmaker dk, with the highlight in debbie bliss cashmerino, it feels really soft and scrummy.

day 4: jaywalker

Spent all day knitting this, finally finished the toe and crashed out.

I've had some real problems with the fitting of this sock. While the leg is fine, the foot seems designed for someone with feet as wide as they are long. I'll finish the pair eventually, but it's not my favourite pattern.

knit in opal rainforest. I do love that colour

day 3: 2 purple socks

Well, here is proof there is now a pair of purple socks. I'd photo the lass modelling them, but she's asleep in my bed atm. A visit to the hospital this morning and then to the park seems to have tired her out.

I've also started on a jaywalker. Think that will take more than a day to complete, but i'll see how i go. those tiny socks don't take more than an hour, so I think it will all average out if i knit for about 3/4 hours a day like normal.

Saw that Iknit are opening their new shop tomorrow. I need some new sock needles and maybe an addi lace for the cap shawl I plan to knit when i get too big to move. Seems like a good chance to have a bit of a day out . Himself is off, so the only sprog i will have to worry about is the one that incessantly kicks my bladder.

day 2: sock for she demon

This is the second day of sockage, some leftover green yarn, I think a wool blend but I'm not sure, as a highlight on a purple sock. Again, looser than a normal sock, 4 ply wool on 3mm needles.

She is bugging me for it to be finished, so I may complete the pair tomorrow

basic toe up sock, cast on 24, up to foot/leg width of 48.

day 1: first baby sock

I had a thought, I want to knit more socks and kid's socks don't really take that long. So lets see how long I can keep up knitting a sock every day for without going mad, running out of yarn (I'm on a yarn diet, swaps only) or deciding i never want to see a sock, ever again.

This is some vintage 3 ply knitting up into a basic top down sock, 2.5mm needles, 32 stitch cast on. I'm sure you can work out the rest.

Iit's not as tight a fabric as I would want on an adult sock, but it's for someone that won't be walking, foot is about 3 and a half inches long. Without the high level of wear, socks don't need to be knitted so tightly. Therefore i see no need to strain my hands and my eyes and use even smaller needles that I'm scared of snapping.